What are you two up to… All the members of the Heaven and Earth Society were thinking the same thing.
Chu Yuanzhen’s question was also their question.
【ONE: A few days ago, we and Silver Gong Xu joined forces to force Yongxing to abdicate, and today the enthronement ceremony has just taken place. The situation in the capital has now stabilised, the court is functioning normally, and the will of the people has been secured.】
Clang! The small jade mirror in Chu Yuanzhen’s hand fell to the ground.
Huaiqing, ascended to the throne as Emperor?!
Although he had long dressed plain and wandered the jianghu for nearly ten years, Chu Yuanzhen, being from a scholar’s background, was struck by a storm in his mind as he heard the news.
So much so that the Earth Book fragment slipped from his hand.
Ah! Eldest Princess Huaiqing has ascended to the throne?! Holy Son Li Lingsu was taken aback, but as a disciple of the Heaven Sect, he had never been taught to care about the three principles and five virtues.1
Although he was shocked, his resistance was not too strong. His first reaction after the shock was: if a woman becomes Emperor, wouldn’t the harem be reversed?
Where once the harem was a forbidden place for men, would it now become a forbidden place for women?
Would all the serving maids in the harem be expelled?
His second reaction was:
This holy son is so handsome and dashing, and a member of the Heaven and Earth Society too, would Princess Huaiqing—no—her majesty forcible summon me into the palace as a consort?
His third reaction was:
Would Xu Qi’an be the master of the harem, holding sway over the world with public authority?
Li Lingsu knew there was some ambiguity between Huaiqing and Xu Qi’an as well.
Ultimately, all these thoughts gathered and were shooed from his mind. He grew sour inside, thinking that if they really were ambiguous, then the female Emperor could only become one of Xu Qi’an’s consorts…
Rather than Xu Qi’an becoming one of hers.
Having a female Emperor in bed is a far greater sense of accomplishment than having a princess or even the Daoist Leader of the Human Sect… A wave of sourness rose in Li Lingsu’s heart.
No, I can’t suffer alone. I must find Brother Yang, a true brother shares good and bad alike.
The Holy Son made up his mind silently.
Master Hengyuan had no extra thoughts about Huaiqing ascending the imperial throne. Hearing that the capital had stabilised, he dismissed the idea of returning to help.
A monk had long put aside all worldly desire. He would not care who sat on the Dragon Throne, even if it was a woman or a little mare.
Huaiqing has actually become emperor?! Li Miaozhen was hit just as hard as Chu Yuanzhen, and she also felt a bit awkward inside, she could no longer brazenly say in the Heaven and Earth Society:
This old lady is going to stab that dog Emperor!
【ONE: There are so few talents left in the imperial family of the Great Feng. Aside from Us, who else could cooperate with Silver Gong Xu and fight Yunzhou to the bitter end?】
Huaiqing explained the reason why Xu Qi’an supported her rise.
She then wrote:
【Moreover, this way, Li Miaozhen no longer needs to think about assassinating the Emperor of the Great Feng every day. If you need anything, just come to Us directly.】
Ah, this, digging up someone’s scandalous past, isn’t it a bit too much… Xu Qi’an muttered to himself.
One day I’ll come with Xu Ningyan and beat you up… Li Miaozhen glanced at the message and felt a little embarrassed, quickly changing the subject:
【Damn you, Xu Ningyan, why didn’t you say something earlier? So this is the “solution” you were hiding all along?】
Seeing Li Miaozhen’s message, the members of the Heaven and Earth Society felt that, ever since the Jianzheng’s sealing, Xu Ningyan had become the great figure controlling the succession of imperial authority.
The true wielder of power in the Central Plains.
【THREE: It wasn’t a big deal to begin with. There was no point in telling you all in advance. In fact, I didn’t help much; Her Majesty Huaiqing had already taken control in secret.】
In this reshuffling of imperial authority, his role was irreplaceable, but stabilising the situation and reaching compromises with all parties had been entirely Huaiqing’s own skill.
There were too many ambitious people in the capital. If Huaiqing hadn’t been able to quickly stabilise the situation and make those people restrain themselves and continue their loyalty, the Great Feng might well have collapsed.
【NINE: The fact that you could ascend to the throne also answered one of my doubts, I now understand the strange source of your fortune.】
Daoist Jinlian sent a message with emotion.
【TWO: Eh? Daoist, what do you mean by that? Number One’s fortune is strange? Did you know long ago she would become Emperor?】
Li Miaozhen’s question successfully diverted everyone’s attention, including Huaiqing herself.
【NINE: I’m not the Jianzheng, how could I know the future? Mm, everyone’s fortune is different; some are innate, some acquired. Fortune has colours. The names of the fourth-rank Heaven Sect Daoists symbolise the colours of fortune.
【When I first met Her Highness Huaiqing, her fortune was purple tinged with gold, something no other royal member had. So I kept an eye on her and then decided to give her an Earth Book fragment.】
【SEVEN: And me, what about me? What colour is mine?】
Everyone was interested in this topic, not just Li Lingsu, and wanted to know how Daoist Jinlian had selected and assembled the members of the Heaven and Earth Society.
【NINE: You? Yours is white.】
【SEVEN: What grade of fortune is white?】
【NINE: Commoner!】
Li Lingsu: ”???”
Daoist Jinlian obviously doesn’t want to say more, possibly because it involved secrets of the Heaven Sect… Xu Qi’an was just about to end the topic when suddenly Number Eight sent a message:
【EIGHT: When you go to Qingzhou tomorrow to issue your challenge, you’re sure to have a conflict with Yunzhou. I don’t know if you’ll find out their secrets, but your own secrets will be completely exposed.】
Al-Asura brought the topic back and pointed out the pros and cons of Xu Qi’an’s actions tomorrow.
Li Miaozhen thought about it and agreed: 【Eight is right. If it’s just to issue a challenge, it’s completely unnecessary. Do you have any further plans?】
Xu Qi’an would go running over, and Xu Pingfeng would definitely bring his followers to fight him. Once there’s a conflict, even the power of the masses and his second rank abilities would be impossible to conceal.
Because if he didn’t go all out, it’d be hard for Xu Qi’an to stand against the beyond-mortals of Yunzhou.
【ONE: Issuing the challenge is his obsession.】
Huaiqing interjected.
Everyone fell silent.
【THREE: I won’t let personal grudges affect the bigger picture. I chose to discuss this in the group tonight because I wanted to consult you all.】
What’s a “group”? Everyone wondered for a moment but didn’t ask, focusing intently on the Earth Book.
【THREE: I want to use this opportunity to hunt down Heilian!】
The group had just seen the message and had not yet processed it when Daoist Jinlian instantly replied:
【Good idea. Ningyan truly is Wei Yuan’s disciple, you have a strategic view.】
Daoist Jinlian is beside himself with joy… everyone thought.
Chu Yuanzhen, one of the brains of the Heaven and Earth Society, calmly analysed:
【First, we need to solve two problems. One: separate Heilian from Yunzhou’s beyond-mortal experts. Two: make up for lack of combat power.】
Everyone enthusiastically contributed ideas on the “guidelines” suggested by Chu Yuanzhen.
【SEVEN: I have an idea for separating Heilian from the experts in Yunzhou. In Xu Ningyan’s military treatise, there’s a tactic called “besieging Wei to rescue Zhao”. The book says that when Zhao was attacked by Wei, Zhao’s ally attacked Wei instead, thereby relieving Zhao.
【My suggestion is that we attack the headquarters of the Earth Sect, forcing Heilian to return and defend it. But this must be done during the period when Xu Ningyan issues his challenge, so he can hold off the beyond-mortal experts of Yunzhou.】
Not bad, the Holy Son isn’t just a womaniser after all, the brain up top hasn’t rusted… Xu Qi’an pondered for a moment and thought this plan was feasible.
【TWO: There’s a fatal flaw in your plan.】
The phoenix chick of Heaven Sect, no, the fledgling phoenix, immediately poked holes.
【TWO: Heilian is second rank, while Daoist Jinlian is third rank. Even if we add ourselves, we couldn’t possibly be a match for Heilian, especially since Heilian has the Earth Sect demon daoists to help him.】
【ONE: I think this plan will work.】
Just as Li Miaozhen finished speaking, Huaiqing cast her vote of approval.
So you’re nitpicking, are you? Think being emperor makes you great? Li Miaozhen was furious and was just about to reply, only to see that Xu Qi’an had also voted in favour:
【This plan is excellent.】
【NINE: Excellent.】
【EIGHT: Feasible!】
You… Li Miaozhen was angry.
Ah… Li Lingsu was both surprised and at a loss, has it really been decided so quickly? It really was just a flash of inspiration; could it be that I’m a legendary strategist?
Chu Yuanzhen was filled with doubt and hesitantly wrote:
【You… oh, I get it. The Daoist Leader will join the battle.】
The Daoist Leader the Human Sect disciples referred to was, of course, Luo Yuheng.
If Luo Yuheng handled the main attack, with Daoist Jinlian and the other members of Heaven and Earth Society assisting, then killing Heilian was entirely possible.
Chu Yuanzhen continued his analysis:
【The Daoist Leader is second rank, Daoist Jinlian has already recovered to the third rank. Recently, I’ve been nurturing my Sword Intent, killing a fourth rank is nothing difficult.】
【SIX: This humble monk has no trouble dealing with several fourth ranks. If necessary, I can summon the Sharira.】
Li Lingsu showed off a little: 【Miaozhen and I together can take on three to four fourth ranks.】
The Heaven Sect had secret techniques for joint attacks.
【SEVEN: What about Number Eight, what is your cultivation? Number Eight, what rank are you? If you’re not even fourth rank, don’t get involved.】
【EIGHT: I’ll have no trouble protecting myself.】
Is this really true? Number Eight has always avoided talking about their cultivation, probably out of embarrassment, after all, in the Heaven and Earth Society, everyone is at least fourth rank, with two beyond-mortal… Li Miaozhen, Li Lingsu, and Chu Yuanzhen all thought to themselves.
【NINE: Right, everyone should obey my orders when the time comes. We’ll find somewhere to meet up. But if it’s tomorrow, it’ll be a bit rushed. Ningyan, you’d better stall for a bit longer.】
【THREE: Time is not an issue.】
【FOUR: If successful, we’ll fulfil our promise to Daoist Jinlian, deal a heavy blow to the Yunzhou rebels, and boost the Great Feng army’s morale. Three birds with one stone.】
As for Xu Qi’an, this is the first step in taking revenge on his biological father… Chu Yuanzhen silently added in his heart.
He didn’t send this message out. After all, father and son fighting was always a tragedy.
Poor Xu Ningyan.
After settling the preliminary plan, everyone stopped messaging.
…
The Sitianjian, in the bedroom.
Xu Qi’an, having been shooed off the bed by Mu Nanzhi, was sitting at the desk, putting down the jade mirror in his hand.
“This move should really be called luring the snake from its hole, deceiving heaven to cross the sea, or passing off fish eyes as pearls…” he commented lightly.
The core of the plan to besiege Heilian was al-Asura!
Luo Yuheng was about to undergo tribulation, and although she could act occasionally, the intensity of a beyond-mortal battle would upset the karmic fire in her body, causing her tribulation to arrive early.
Xu Pingfeng knew this very well.
Heilian and Xu Pingfeng have always believed that I am main force of the Heaven and Earth Society, but they have no idea about al-Asura’s existence… Xu Qi’an mentally filled in the gaps in the plan.
Apart from Daoist Jinlian, only he and Huaiqing knew that Number Eight was al-Asura.
Two plus three plus two ranks worth of al-Asura made him the main force for this attack, and he could even kill Heilian alone in a one-on-one.
Not to mention having Daoist Jinlian’s help.
So, when they hear of Daoist Jinlian striking at the headquarters of the Earth Sect, they certainly won’t exhaust their efforts to set a trap. At most, they’ll send Ji Xuan to help, because by then, I’ll be weaving in and out at the border of Qingzhou and Yongzhou, and killing me will be the Yunzhou rebels’ top priority.
If Xu Pingfeng does decide to ambush Jinlian and even sends Agaruka Bodhisattva, then I’ll plunge deep into Qingzhou and risk death for death, taking out the entire Yunzhou army. Mm, I’ll have to drag that old man along too.
With various thoughts flashing by, Xu Qi’an felt a long-lost surge of excitement in his heart.
He was about to make his move, make his move as a chess player.
He put away the Earth Book fragment, turned his head to look at the alluring silhouette of the Flower God lying on the bed, and found his head throbbing slightly.
“Nanzhi…”
He was about to speak when Mu Nanzhi quickly responded:
“Piss off!”
…
In a quiet mountain valley, at the Heaven and Earth Society’s temporary base.
Inside the thatched hut, the oil lamp burned softly.
Daoist Jinlian sat cross-legged on a rush cushion made of dry grass, eyes closed, meditating.
An orange cat was sprawled on the floor, staring intently at the jade mirror.
I’ve waited so many years, and finally the moment has come… The orange cat was full of emotions, feeling delighted, tail swaying cheerfully.
Suddenly, the hut’s door was pushed open. The elegant Daoist Bailian walked in with a beautiful young lady.
The two beauties each glanced at Daoist Jinlian, but their attention was immediately captured by the orange cat’s waving tail.
The orange cat’s tail slowly stiffened, not moving at all for a while.
Daoist Jinlian’s Yang spirit floated out, nearly solid, and stared stonily at the two of them:
“Remember to knock before entering. It’s good manners!”
His face softened slightly, and he asked,
“What is it?”
Daoist Bailian pursed her lips and pretended not to notice the orange cat:
“Qiu Chanyi has just returned from her travels and brought back some information.
“The Earth Sect’s base is empty, they’ve no idea where all those demon daoists have moved to.”
The three principles of “ruler guides subject”, “father guides son”, “husband guides wife”; the five confucian virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and fidelity. ↩
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