Zhao Qianyuan was wearing a golden dragon robe and a twelve-leaf crown. He was sitting on the dragon throne and said:
"Order Ze, Dai, Xin, Fen, and Liao states to recruit soldiers to march to Jinshi, and transfer 70,000 troops from the north to quickly wipe out the rebels. I want to see Fang Tiande's head within two months!"
"Your Majesty, the Northern Army must not withdraw completely. The Northern Kingdom of Yanmeng has already settled the dispute over the throne and seems to be gathering troops at the border. If they attack, the situation will be difficult to handle. At most, there will be 20,000 to 30,000 Northern Army!"
"Twenty thousand or thirty thousand? Tell me clearly." Zhao Qianyuan said coldly.
The ministers under the seat kowtowed quickly upon hearing this: "Your Majesty, it is not easy to move tens of thousands of troops thousands of miles away. It requires a lot of money and food. The Northern Army has not moved for more than ten years. Now there are not enough food carts and horses. Requisitioning carts and horses from the surrounding areas can transport 20,000 soldiers. In addition, the Ministry of Revenue needs 300 ox carts, 1,000 pack mules and 100,000 dan of grain. We can grit our teeth and transport 30,000."
"Issue my order to deliver the things the Northern Army needs. Anyone who embezzles or steals will be executed." Zhao Qianyuan asked the eunuch beside him to bring the imperial edict, and immediately began to write on the paper in a flamboyant manner and stamped it with his seal.
"The minister obeys the order."
After saying this, the other party wanted another imperial edict, and handed it to a civil official at the side to draft another one: "Also pass on my imperial edict, order half of the troops in the capital to leave the capital to eliminate the riots in the capital, and publicize it to the world. People of insight at home and abroad can directly criticize the court's mistakes. Those hidden and extraordinary people in the folk who can come up with good plans to defeat the Tianliang bandit army will be rewarded and promoted. The government in Nanhang will open its warehouses to provide relief to the victims, and the unowned land will be distributed to the people. The monthly salary of the attendants will be reduced by half, and the Taoist temples in the palace will be abolished..."
As he spoke, he sighed:
"Also, let's dismantle the dragon on Mount Penglai... I don't want to seek the truth anymore."
The civil and military officials below were suddenly stunned as they listened, and they all raised their heads to look at the emperor.
"My emperor is wise."
I don't know which minister said these four words, but all the other officials bowed their heads and said in unison:
"My Holy Emperor!"
........................
Chapter 39: The Divine and Mortal Uniqueness
After talking about these urgent matters, Zhao Qianyuan, who seemed to have aged a lot overnight, waved wearily to Xi Heng who was standing behind the ministers.
The civil and military officials turned around and made way for him. The gray-haired old eunuch who was holding Xi Heng's hand knelt down and raised his hands towards Xi Heng, saying in a sharp voice like an opera tune:
"Please ask the Emperor to read the imperial edict again!"
Xi Heng handed the imperial edict that he had casually grabbed to the other party. The old eunuch raised his hand and stood up to unfold the imperial edict, and repeated what he had said before Hua Manlou:
"In the time of Ying Tian Shun, the eldest son of Emperor Hao Tian..."
The shrill and ear-piercing sound echoed in the hall for several minutes. Xi Heng scratched his ears with his fingernails helplessly, quietly waiting for this sound, which was so unpleasant every time he heard it, to pass.
After the eunuch finished reading the imperial edict to re-confer the title of Princess Di and confer an official position on her, he said, "Please step forward, Princess Di!"
Xi Heng responded and walked towards the emperor sitting on the dragon throne.
Compared to the last time I came here, the atmosphere today is much better.
No minister had his mouth sewn shut with thick thread, and no one was tied to a pillar and burned into charcoal. The atmosphere was obviously much warmer.
"It's been more than ten years since we last met, and today we are finally reunited." Zhao Qianyuan, sitting on the dragon throne, said something similar to what he said in his previous life.
However, the other party's tone was slightly different. He was not as excited as last time, and his voice was just dull.
"After ten years of separation, where did you go? How did you live?"
Xi Heng simply recounted what had happened as before and completed this formal process naturally.
When Zhao Qianyuan heard that Xi Heng was actually collecting herbs for a living in a remote mountain village, a trace of pity appeared in his eyes: "It's good that you're back, kid."
He leaned back on the dragon throne, staring at Xi Heng, with a lot of thoughts in his mind.
"Today I order you to serve as a Hanlin scholar. Can you write a poem here to show your literary talent?" Even though he was tired, the emperor was still thinking about Xi Heng's poem.
Xi Heng glanced at the civil and military officials wearing black hats around him, then looked up and stared at the crazy emperor in front of him.
Zhao Qianyuan must still be thinking about refining the spirit stone, so there was no need for him to be polite and kind to him, so he copied Wang Guowei's "Linjiangxian":
"Where is the youthful time gone? The autumn sound is coming again. The grass is withering and the clouds are flat. Where the setting sun is leaking, a tower is resting on the lonely city.
Standing alone in the cold and desolate place, who can I speak to? Suddenly I look back and see the majestic palace. The red walls are not clearly visible through the fog. The lingering light of the setting sun occupies the highest floor alone.
After speaking, Xiheng put his hands behind his back and looked at the emperor.
The civil officials in the rear were speechless. When they turned to look at each other, they all saw the same enlightenment and fear in others' eyes as their own.
On the surface, this poem is obviously describing the vastness of the world and the solemnity of the scenery, but every word in it is actually describing something beyond the scenery.
The passing years and the rustling autumn wind clearly remind people of the past prosperity of Da Zhao and its current internal and external troubles.
The words "a tower pillowing a lonely city" are even more obvious. The "tower" must refer to the Emperor Zhao Qianyuan, and the "lonely city" refers to the people of the world and the country. It means that the emperor collected the wealth of the people to support his own extravagance and debauchery.
"Alone in the desolate and cold, who can I speak to?" is even more meaningful. It is obvious that the poet had something to say but did not say it in the end. Perhaps he did not want to say it, or perhaps he could not say it... This poem was recited in the court, and what could not be said in the court was known to everyone present.
The following words, such as palaces, red walls, and high-rise buildings, refer to the Great Zhao Dynasty. It is not clear through the fog that they are expressing concerns about the future of the dynasty...
He repeated it several times in his mind, and most of the civil and military officials understood that this poem was about the Zhao Dynasty, which was already at the end of its road.
But the civil officials could not figure out what the last line of the poem meant by "alone occupying the highest level" and who was actually at that highest level?
Moreover, the more I think about it, the more weird the meaning of the lyrics seems to me, which makes me feel cold.
It took great courage to recite this poem in front of the emperor in the court.
So much so that when some military officers and generals in front looked at Xi Heng, there was a bit more admiration in their eyes.
"..."
What the civil servants below could understand, Zhao Qianyuan, who was even more talented in writing and sitting on the dragon throne, could naturally understand as well.
He clenched his right fist and his eyes gradually turned cold as he stared at Xi Heng.
Xi Heng was not afraid and just stood there looking at him.
"Good, good, good." Zhao Qianyuan said three good words in a row and clapped his hands three times: "My dear ministers, what do you think of the princess's poem?"
For a moment, no one in the court dared to speak.
It was not until the emperor asked the top scholar named Wenxu to come forward and make some comments that the man nervously said something about this poem as a descriptive poem: there is a painting in the lyrics, the technique is amazing, the picture is magnificent, the words are used wonderfully, the vastness of the world sets off the insignificance of human beings; the eternity of the world sets off the impermanence of human beings, and so on.
It was not until the end that he could no longer hold back and said something 'very meaningful'.
"I feel the same way." The emperor nodded.
"But I have been thinking about it and it still doesn't make sense. What do the last five words 'Occupy the highest level' mean? Who is at the highest level? Or who is this highest level? Can you give me some explanation?"
Everyone's eyes fell on Xi Heng, but she didn't want to explain, she just said: "Go and taste it yourself."
Her disrespectful and confrontational attitude towards the emperor caused the court to remain silent for several seconds.
Zhao Qianyuan tapped the armrest of his dragon throne, raising and lowering his index finger, repeating this over and over again.
He suddenly stopped pointing, waved his hand and said to Xi Heng: "That's right, how can we let the poet explain the verses? It will only make it more boring, that's all."
"My daughter, please go to the side and wait. When the court meeting is over, I will take you to a place."
Xi Heng narrowed his eyes.
finally come……
This time, she was not even given time to enjoy herself in the princess's Sijia Palace. After the court meeting, she had to go to the stone chamber where the spirit stone was refined.
Maybe it was because of the poem I copied that angered the other party.
But that's okay, she doesn't have to waste time.
Xi Heng nodded seriously to the emperor, stepped aside, placed his left hand on the scabbard at his waist, and waited quietly.
She brought a sword with her this time, so she could find an opportunity to pierce the mad emperor's heart directly. There were also spells printed on the back of her hands and forearms.
Xi Heng has already begun to simulate in his mind how to draw the sword, how to use force, what moves can be used to most easily deliver a fatal blow, etc.
Afterwards, the emperor discussed the recent unrest in the capital area with his ministers in the court, asked about the situation in the city, and then announced the adjournment of the court.
After watching a court meeting, Zhao Qianyuan seemed not as crazy as before.
Moreover, from time to time he even showed an attitude of concern for the country and the people, which made it difficult to see what was in his mind.
Maybe his crazy state was like a disease, sometimes he would calm down for a while, and sometimes he would relapse again - Xi Heng just wanted to
But no matter what, it has nothing to do with her. She doesn't think that this madman who uses his relatives' spirit stones to practice can suddenly change his ways and become a good person.
Zhao Qianyuan announced the adjournment of the court, and all the civil and military officials left side by side according to the rules. After a few minutes, only a few palace maids, a few guards and eunuchs standing nearby, and Xi Heng and Zhao Qianyuan were left in the hall.
The emperor slowly breathed a sigh of relief, picked up a grape from the plate on the table, put it in his mouth, swallowed it, and drank another glass of wine.
Then he turned his gaze to the side and gently called Xi Heng's name.
The voice didn't have much strength, but it was obvious in this empty and lonely court.
Seeing Xi Heng looking over, Zhao Qianyuan supported himself on the dragon chair and stood up: "Follow me, I will take you to see something."
"Ah."
Xi Heng was already prepared.
As he walked, bright blood stains were faintly visible beneath his light red clothing.
Xi Heng stared at the other person's broad back and the ferocious dragon pattern on the back of his clothes, thinking to himself that he only needed to make a finger print to kill the crazy emperor who had no martial arts skills.
Even if there are hidden expert guards around, they should not be able to react to this kind of supernatural magic.
As long as Xi Heng wanted, he could take the life of this crazy emperor at any time.
However, there is no benefit in taking action now. As long as there is an expert guard around Zhao Qianyuan, he will die after killing the king.
What Xi Heng wanted was to train the other party into a spirit stone, so he couldn't act hastily.
Now she still needed to find the other party's hidden medicine refining secret room. Although she had been captured there in her previous life, she didn't know the exact location, so she had to wait for Zhao Qianyuan to take her there before she could start...
While Xi Heng was thinking, a voice came from Zhao Qianyuan in front of him:
"The poem you just recited in the palace, was it a mockery of me?"
"Your Majesty, you are overthinking." Xi Heng didn't want to see any unexpected events before killing someone, so he just said, "It's just a poem describing the scenery."
"Oh, poets and writers always use metaphors to hint at my faults. I'm used to it." Zhao Qianyuan didn't believe it at all: "You are dissatisfied with me, and I know that most writers are like this."
Xi Heng shook her head. She would never admit it.
"Don't rush to refute me. The place I am going to take you to today is the root of my downfall and the reason why I am called a tyrant by the people of the world."
When he said this, he suddenly turned around and stared at Xi Heng with strange and passionate eyes:
"You are very similar to me, born with a proud character, excellent literary talent, and... we both want to become immortals. I want to ask you, why do you want to become an immortal?"
"For immortality." Xi Heng said.
"Immortality~" Zhao Qianyuan chuckled and sighed: "Everyone in the world wants immortality, eternal bliss, and drinking nectar. My life is in my own hands, not in the hands of heaven and earth..."
"Those Taoist books say it's so good, but how can one become an immortal?" He sighed as he walked, "When I was young, I heard that there was a way to become an immortal. I also had a dream in which I saw myself riding a white crane, wearing feathered clothes and flying into the sky to become an immortal. Looking down, I saw the mortal world and the green fields of my hometown. Looking up, I saw the immortals leading me and the Jade Emperor wearing a crown. The Jade Emperor said that I have the talent to be an immortal and that I must work hard. In fifteen years, I can ascend to the White Jade Capital and be with the immortals..."
"After waking up from the dream, I thought that I could achieve immortality, and in the future I could ride a crane to heaven and live as long as the heaven and earth. Therefore, I fought for fame and fortune, and tried my best to kill three brothers and one sister, and finally sat on this cold dragon throne."
"I originally thought that if I became an immortal, I would be immortal. All the sins I committed in the past hundred years would be nothing more than a wisp of smoke that would disappear with the wind..." He murmured:
"I think, even if I have to exhaust the national strength of the Great Zhao, I must set foot on the path to becoming an immortal... As long as I can become an immortal, it doesn't matter even if the Great Zhao is destroyed. Many dynasties rise and fall, and the cycle of birth and death continues. The Great Zhao is just one of them. How can the tens of millions of people in the dynasty, their fleeting short lives, compare to the immortals who live as long as the heaven and earth?"
"So I followed this thought and sat on the dragon throne to collect the benefits of all people to help me become an immortal... I followed the calendar of heaven and earth, the time of yin and yang, the changes of the four directions, swallowed mercury and lead, did not eat meat or blood, did not release body essence, and practiced diligently."
"But I have been looking forward to it in vain for eighteen years... My teeth and hair have decayed, my hearing and eyesight have become blurry, and I have never seen the fairy chariot and fairy crane that the Jade Emperor talked about in my dream. In the end... it was nothing."
As he spoke, his voice became weaker and weaker, and at the end he let out a long sigh, and his figure became even more dejected.
Xi Heng followed behind and heard that this crazy emperor seemed to have repented.
However, whether the other party repents or not has nothing to do with her. She just needs to do what she has to do.
"How sad it is to dream of an immortal. A dream can ruin one's whole life!" Zhao Qianyuan raised his palm and slapped his chest, making a muffled sound.
"If I hadn't had that big dream, if I had repented along the way and no longer wished to become an immortal, my country wouldn't have been in such a state of unrest today, you wouldn't have suddenly disappeared when you were young, and I wouldn't have to listen to you reciting such poems in this court today..."
"I regret it."
“……”Xi Heng listened quietly in the back.
During this conversation, the two of them had already walked out of the court hall and walked on the wide road outside for a long time.
Now, a spacious hall with gray-green and dark red colors interwoven has stood in front.
Walking into the courtyard gate outside the main hall, you can see that the green tiles are stacked up on the eaves like green feathers. There are dragon heads with fish bodies carved on both ends of the ridge, and there are five small squatting animals standing.
Above the white jade railings and the imperial road, dark red beams and pillars are symmetrically rooted in the ground. Dozens of imperial guards wearing bright red armor stand guard around the white jade railings, their postures as stable as pagodas.
