Battles between imperial courts are not like duels between martial arts experts, where life and death are decided instantly.
Instead, they are filled with compromises.
Chu Zhiyuan had witnessed negotiations between two dynasties. Without an overwhelming power disparity, neither side could win everything; they had to compromise.
Chu Yi scoffed, "In my opinion, we should let them join forces. We only need to endure for a few years, and we can surpass them."
Chu Zhiyuan shook his head.
That idea was too idealistic. If they truly joined forces, the Great Jing army would suffer losses faster than it could grow.
What Great Jing needed now was to recuperate and quietly increase its strength.
But achieving this was too difficult.
Neither Great Zhen nor Great Meng were blind; they certainly wouldn't let Great Jing realize its wishful thinking.
On this point, Great Zhen and Great Meng likely had an understanding.
"Yuan'er, it seems the court intends to send you as an envoy to Great Meng."
"Hmm—?"
"There are rumors, but I don't know if they're true."
Chu Zhiyuan asked, "Father, where did you hear this?"
"Drinking with colleagues, I overheard it mentioned casually," Chu Minghou said. "If Great Zhen and Great Meng are talking privately, then we'll talk privately with Great Meng too."
Chu Zhiyuan shook his head: "That would benefit Great Meng the most."
"Not necessarily. It depends on how the negotiations go," Chu Minghou said. "Among our Great Jing, you are the most familiar with the Emperor of Great Meng."
Chu Yi chuckled: "I also think you, Big Brother, are the most suitable candidate."
Chu Zhiyuan frowned.
He was at the most crucial juncture of exterminating the evil sects and shouldn't leave.
This was a rare opportunity, and leaving now could lead to failure.
There was a faction in the court that didn't want him to provoke the evil sects further.
They weren't trying to protect the evil sects, but they didn't want Jade Capital to descend into chaos again and for more people to die.
The Town Guard Division had been on high alert, but the evil sect demons acted extremely and wouldn't be deterred by the Town Guard Division's strict defenses.
Instead, they felt this was a rare opportunity; devouring a Town Guard Division expert was worth ten ordinary experts.
These days, the Town Guard Division had suffered many casualties.
Behind the Town Guard Division were the Four Great Sects and the military, and the Four Great Sects naturally had spokespersons in the court.
Not to mention the military.
Of course, they knew the harm of the evil sects, but they also held a pessimistic view, believing that the evil sects couldn't be eradicated.
Even if this batch was killed, the next batch would emerge, like a wildfire that never ends, the spring breeze brings them back to life.
The sacrifice was too great, only killing a batch of evil sect demons, which was of no help to the overall situation.
Chu Zhiyuan felt that the opportunity was rare. If the evil sect demons weren't eliminated, many innocent people would die unjustly.
Compared to the losses of the Town Guard Division, the losses of innocent people were dozens or even hundreds of times greater.
But in the eyes of some courtiers, a hundred innocent people weren't worth a Town Guard Division expert.
The stability of the court depended on the experts of the Town Guard Division, not the innocent people.
Chu Zhiyuan felt that both the Town Guard Division and ordinary people were important; they were all subjects of Great Jing.
The current method was the best way to exterminate the evil sects. A long pain is worse than a short one.
Seeing Chu Zhiyuan deep in thought, Chu Minghou, Chu Yi, and Bai Ningshuang didn't disturb him and ate in silence.
He thought for a while: "If I really go to Great Meng, it will have to wait a month, until I destroy the evil sect."
"Big Brother, can you destroy the evil sect in a month?"
"The ones that should be destroyed can be destroyed, and the rest can only be done slowly."
"So, there's still no way to eradicate the evil sect?"
"It's hard to say now. Let's strive for it," Chu Zhiyuan said.
The more he understood the evil sect, the more he came into contact with the evil sect, the more difficult it seemed to completely eradicate them.
No wonder the court officials were desperate; they were indeed too difficult to deal with.
First, destroy the evil sects within the borders of Great Jing, then go to Great Meng, and even make a trip to Great Zhen.
Only by destroying the evil sects in these three places could the evil sects be truly and completely eradicated.
The key was to find the main altar and completely sever the connection between the extraterrestrial alien power and this world.
Chu Minghou solemnly nodded: "I will tell the Emperor."
"Hey, hey, top-secret news!"
"What news?"
Cheng Yifeng and Consort Shu, Cheng Miaozhen, once again entered a luxurious restaurant, Flying Cloud Tower.
They found a lively second floor and located the pre-booked table by the window.
As soon as they sat down, they heard whispers.
It happened to be at the table next to them.
"What news?"
"The last piece of the Evil Emperor Jade Pendant was actually obtained by the Fourth Prince!"
"Impossible, right?" someone hesitated.
"What's impossible? With the Fourth Prince's cultivation, if he takes action to snatch it, who can stop him?"
"But it's useless for the Fourth Prince to snatch this, right? Could it be that the Fourth Prince is also curious about the Evil Emperor's inheritance? That's the Evil Emperor's inheritance."
"That's an inheritance that can lead to ascension!"
"... That's right. If it were me, I would be tempted. Who wouldn't be tempted?"
"Haha—This is interesting. They snatch it back and forth, but it's meaningless."
"No one can take the Evil Emperor Jade Pendant from the Fourth Prince. In the end, it will still be snatched away by the Fourth Prince, right?"
"Those evil sects still have Grandmasters."
"Outside the Purple Sun Villa, there are bones of evil sect Grandmasters in the White Bone Pagoda."
"... It's really worrying," that person shook his head. "It's indeed very difficult to snatch."
"Then just get more Grandmasters—It is estimated that evil sect Grandmasters will join forces."
"The Fourth Prince is in danger."
Their words revealed concern.
"Alas—In this world, the only one who truly stands up and painfully kills the evil sect demons is the Fourth Prince. If something happens to the Fourth Prince, the evil sects will surely become rampant again!"
"I heard that many deaths at the hands of the evil sects are ruled as accidents or suicides by the government. Isn't this fooling people!"
"If it's really said to be death at the hands of the evil sects, how can the government's constables possibly catch the murderer? Even the Town Guard Division can't do anything about it. They can only report an accident or suicide and consider it bad luck."
"Alas—Whoever encounters an evil sect demon can only admit bad luck."
"Now, the Fourth Prince is slaughtering the evil sect demons in such a way, it's really gratifying!"
"I heard that some people have enshrined the Fourth Prince's memorial tablet at home."
"The families of those who died at the hands of the evil sect demons must be grateful to the Fourth Prince."
"Alas—I hope nothing happens to the Fourth Prince and that he kills all these demons!"
"Exactly."
Cheng Yifeng lowered his voice and said softly: "His move is clever."
Cheng Miaozhen nodded gently.
"He's advancing to the Grandmaster realm so quickly. If he can't enter the military, how will he establish meritorious service? Killing these evil sect demons is the greatest meritorious service."
Cheng Miaozhen said indifferently: "So some people are attacking him in this way, saying that killing evil sect demons is done with ulterior motives."
Consort Shu scoffed: "Judge by actions, not intentions. If we really have to investigate everyone's motives, it would be a mess."
The court's meritorious service doesn't depend on what he thinks, but on what he does.
Killing evil sect demons brings meritorious service; this is a rigid rule.
The Fourth Prince is here!
"Fourth Prince!"
The restaurant suddenly became noisy, and people flocked to the windows.
Cheng Yifeng and Cheng Miaozhen were by the window. With a wave of his hand, several guards hidden in the dark quickly surged over, blocking them.
Seeing this, the people who wanted to rush over turned to other windows, pushing and shoving to look outside.
Some people suddenly ran out of the restaurant and came to the side of the avenue.
Under the protection of Guo Chi and the others, Chu Zhiyuan was walking slowly on the street.
Zou Fang followed closely behind him, carrying a half-person-high box.
Surrounding them were curious people, crowding on both sides of the avenue.
Some people even knelt directly on the ground and kowtowed to him.
Chu Zhiyuan only nodded slightly to the enthusiastic people on both sides, never stopping his steps.
He suddenly turned his head to look at Flying Cloud Tower and saw Cheng Yifeng and Consort Shu, Cheng Miaozhen.
