It sounds righteous on the surface, but in fact it is mainly because Xi Heng has already practiced the Five Degrees of Life-Taking Technique to increase his own Qi and blood. As a result, his life span is now insufficient, his body is getting weaker and weaker, and the Qi and blood in his body have gradually passed the peak of their age, and will probably continue to weaken in the future.
Therefore, if one continues to live in this life, the efficiency of practicing martial arts will inevitably decrease day by day, which is not as efficient as dying directly and reloading the game.
And...Xi Heng wanted to use the Fatal Spell again.
She has now been promoted to a dark energy warrior and has opened up the belt meridian at her waist. The upper limit of the qi and blood that her dantian and meridians can accommodate has become greater. Using the Life-Taking Technique can amplify her qi and blood, laying the foundation for the efficiency of her martial arts training in the next life.
Even if she left the palace, she would definitely use the Death Spell to speed up her training, and her body would wither and die. It would be better for her to stay in the palace and enjoy some prosperity and wealth.
Xi Heng thought about it and yawned.
"But, Your Majesty, this is a matter of life and death." The eunuch inside the room seemed unable to understand and wanted to dissuade him.
"Don't say any more. If possible, help me catch a few treacherous officials who are trying to murder me." Xi Heng waved his hand and said, "I am sleepy. Please leave."
"..." Seeing Xi Heng's carefree look, the eunuch was so speechless that he didn't know what to say.
Xi Heng waved his hand again, and the other party finally leaned over solemnly and walked away.
Before leaving, he stopped behind the door and said one more sentence to the room:
"Your Majesty, a Hua Jin warrior can travel a thousand miles a day, and he may arrive tomorrow. I, together with the commander of the Imperial Guards, Ma Yi, can stop him for a while... Although it is said outside that Commander Ma is critically ill and on the verge of death, he still has the strength to fight. As long as Your Majesty gives the order, the two of us can die for Your Majesty..."
After saying that, he closed the door.
Inside the room, the girl sitting on the edge of the bed hummed in response, then shook her head to put aside these thoughts, and returned to the bed to continue sitting cross-legged.
"An assassin with Huajin power... I probably won't live much longer."
Xi Heng no longer continued to slowly condense the dark energy, but turned to practicing the Life-Slaying Technique.
Since you won't live long, there's no need to save that much life.
She closed her eyes, calmed her mind, and sensed the circulation of qi and blood in her meridians, causing them to flow to the Mingmen acupoint on her lower back, using them to lift out the vital energy in her body, slowly leading it out and returning it to her Dantian...
As time passed, the moon's shadow gradually turned into a white curtain of stars rising in the east, and it was dawn.
The emperor's bedroom on the third floor of Fuqing Hall.
Xi Heng lying on the bed practiced the Life-Taking Technique all night, using his qi and blood to cut down his lifespan and absorb it, while also increasing his own qi and blood by 20 to 30 percent.
However, side effects followed. Her gray and black hair had now turned completely white, with the hair strands dry and split, and no longer as soft and smooth as before.
Xi Heng slowly opened his eyes, their light was overflowing and his gaze was as sharp as torches.
Although the spirit becomes more energetic due to the fullness of Qi and blood in the body, the surface of the body inevitably becomes thinner and drier, and no longer smooth and elastic.
She supported herself with her hands and slowly stood up. She coughed twice, walked past the desk and came to the mirror beside her.
The woman in the mirror did not look old, but just looked more like she did when she was seriously ill.
She casually combed her long white hair with her five fingers, and her fingertips caught a few fallen hair strands.
"Is the loss of your body's vitality so serious..." Xi Heng sighed.
Looking at this sickly appearance, she recalled herself at the end of her second life.
But compared to that time, she is much stronger now.
Not only did he become a powerful warrior, he also made a name for himself in the capital with his sword, and in the end he ended up as an emperor respected by everyone.
She was not a tyrant or incompetent emperor, but a so-called "chivalrous emperor" who eliminated treacherous officials in the court and was admired by all.
"It's a good ending, isn't it?"
Seeing the person in the mirror nodded, Xi Heng smiled slightly, stood up and called the palace maid.
The maid who was on guard outside heard this and knocked on the door and said, "Your Majesty, what do you want?"
"It's almost Mao time, isn't it?" Xi Heng said, "Ask the emcee and the palace maid to come in and help me with my makeup and clothes."
The palace maid outside answered yes and walked quickly down the stairs.
A moment later, the maid of ceremonies climbed the stairs, knocked on the door and entered.
Seeing that the other party was still youthful and beautiful, while his own appearance had suddenly changed, Xi Heng smiled bitterly in his heart.
When the master of ceremonies entered the bedroom, he was stunned to see His Majesty's waist-length white hair.
"Your Majesty, you..." She blinked her bright eyes again and again: "How come your hair turned completely white overnight, and your complexion is so..."
"I miss the territory of Great Zhao, the corrupt officials, and the people of the world."
Xi Heng pretended to be deeply concerned about the world and sighed, "I couldn't sleep all night, but my hair has turned white."
The MC maid stroked her chest and pursed her lips: "Your Majesty, you should worry about the country and the people, but don't worry about being pregnant."
"Please help me dress up and try to hide my sick appearance. There may be important matters to discuss in the court today.
The MC came closer, and her five fingers touched your Majesty's skin. She felt reluctant and said:
"Your Majesty, are you still going to court like this? Why not first summon the imperial physician to make some medicine for your Majesty to replenish your body."
"No need, I'm fine." Xi Heng just said, "Just continue."
The MC had no choice but to obey.
Half an hour later, Xi Heng put on a solemn dragon robe and a twelve-ribbed crown on his head. Seeing the jade bead curtain falling in front of him, he also gained a bit more of the emperor's aura.
Looking in the mirror again, the makeup that the host had done for her concealed some of her sickly appearance and made her look more heroic.
Xi Heng patted the dragon robe on his body, walked out of the bedroom as seriously as if he was going to hold his own funeral, sat on the carriage prepared in front of the palace, and went to Taixiao Palace to attend court.
……
Above the temple, between the steps of the palace.
The empress, with her long pale hair and full of majesty and nobleness, sat on the dragon throne, and four torches were burning in the court.
Xi Heng raised his hand slightly, and the guards in front understood his meaning and announced the order to go to court.
Slowly, many court officials dressed in purple, red, blue and green came forward in a line, holding jade tablets, looking steady and serious.
"Gentlemen, what do you have to report today?" Xi Heng asked.
The courtier in front of him looked up slightly and saw that His Majesty had white hair. He felt strange, but he did not disrupt the order of the court by asking questions.
"Your Majesty!" A courtier stepped out of the crowd:
"I have received news that Yan Meng's army in the north has reached the border! I am afraid that the border has been attacked at this moment. Your Majesty, please open the Ministry of Revenue to allocate funds and grain to support the northern fortresses and important cities!"
"Just as you said, I will submit the memorial."
Xi Heng's life was in danger at the moment. He didn't know when the so-called Hua Jin warrior would come to kill him, so he didn't want to waste time on these things.
After discussing the wars with Yan Meng in the north and Tian Liang in the south, the court discussed the riots in the capital and the progress of the suppression of bandits, as well as the refugees in the south...
After a while, a minister came forward and talked about something other than the political affairs of the Great Zhao:
"Your Majesty, I have heard some of the opinions of the people in the capital, and I hope to get your answer."
"Speak." Xi Heng said.
"People in and outside the capital often say that your majesty has killed treacherous officials, and they applaud this. However, there is another saying mixed in with these remarks. It is said that before your majesty entered the palace, she killed gangs of all sizes in the inner city in the name of the Blood-Cloaked Female Knight, creating more than ten major cases, causing people everywhere to panic and the government officials to rush to arrest them."
"At first, I thought it was just a topic of conversation among the common people in the capital. But later, the portrait of Your Majesty in the palace spread in the inner city for some reason. A female detective in the capital who had been chasing the Blood-stained Lady said that the portrait was of the Blood-stained Lady herself!"
"I have seen the other party swear so confidently, and the gossips in the capital have spread, and there have been many arguments. Now it has become a hot topic. If you ask any citizen in the capital, they will say that the current emperor is the blood-robed swordsman. Such a ridiculous rumor has spread throughout the capital. I think it is best to suppress this matter..."
Xi Heng, with white hair, sat on the throne, looking at the purple-robed officers and soldiers talking below, his fingertips lightly tapping his chin, his mind wandering.
Although the official below spoke in a calm tone, he was actually questioning her.
The minister was dressed in purple, had an old face and messy hair, but his voice was not hoarse, but became more and more confident: "So I pray that Your Majesty will announce the decree to all quarters, and sternly declare that such lawless people will never be forgiven, and they must be arrested and brought to justice, and give an explanation to the law of Great Zhao!"
Xi Heng half closed her eyes, she vaguely understood the meaning behind the words.
"This will also set an example for the common people in the capital. The name of the Blood-Clothed Woman has now spread to all parts of the capital. Many idle warriors who call themselves Jianghu knights have taken these lawless thugs as their role models. They have also caused serious cases in various places, and the government detectives have found it difficult to handle them!" The old official said, "I have submitted a memorial to the emperor. I beg Your Majesty to issue an order to clarify the matter!"
After he finished speaking loudly, he knelt down and bowed his head, then was about to step back.
"Wait." Xi Heng tapped the armrest of the dragon throne with his fingertips.
The finger used a little force and made a dent in the wooden handrail.
"What instructions does your majesty have?" The old minister paused and half-knelt down.
"What's your name?" Xi Heng asked.
"Your Majesty, my name is Li Yuan, and I am a counselor in the palace."
"Oh?"
Xi Heng remembered that when she went to court a few days ago, she did not see this person coming to the court. As soon as this person returned to the court, he gave her a difficult problem.
She also recalled what the Imperial Guard Commander Ma Yi had said about the three extremely treacherous and evil people still remaining in the court.
One of them was the Imperial Counselor Li Yuan.
As for the other two, they are...
"Are Zhu Xun, the head of the Privy Council, and Liang Cegong, the Inspector of the Imperial Tutor, in the court?" Xi Heng looked at the densely packed ministers who were lined up in an orderly manner below.
"I'm here!" Two other ministers, wearing red and purple court robes, walked out from the courtiers.
"Your Majesty, I am here!"
As Xi Heng had expected, now that the commander of the imperial guards, Ma Yi, had been poisoned and was seriously ill, these court officials no longer had any scruples and returned to the court to cause trouble for her.
"Why did you three not come to the court seven days ago?" Xi Heng asked casually.
"I have already submitted a letter asking for leave because my uncle passed away, so I am returning to take care of the funeral." The other party bowed his head in response.
"That's why I am so sorry!" Another stronger official seemed too lazy to even pretend and just made up an excuse.
"Are you from the same tribe?"
"That's right... ahem, that's not the case." Liang Cegong, who was dressed in red, explained, "I have been friends with the great-uncle of the governor Zhu Xun for many years. Now that my friend has passed away, I must pay my respects to him."
After hearing these lame statements, Xi Heng turned to another person and asked:
"Li Yuan, the Imperial Counselor, what is your reason?"
"I am different from them. I was delayed in attending court because of a strange encounter." Li Yuan, the oldest of the three, was not as mature as he appeared to be. He began to make up stories:
"Ten days ago, I was on my way home after a court meeting. I suddenly heard the late emperor's voice while walking on the road. I turned around and saw the late emperor playing chess with several immortals who looked like boys, and he called me to come closer."
"Although the late emperor has become an immortal, since he has given the order, how can I not obey? So I went to watch chess, and after the game, he recited poems and sang songs, and was extremely happy. After a moment, the late emperor pushed me and asked me with a smile why I didn't leave. I got up and went back, but when I came back, I heard that ten days had passed in the outside world. It was really amazing!"
After hearing this, Xi Heng just thought - this guy might be even better at telling lies than himself.
After hearing this, Zhu Xun and Liang Cegong's eyes sparkled and they clapped their hands in praise:
"This is truly amazing. I never thought that Doctor Li could have such an opportunity to become an immortal. I believe that he will have the opportunity to become an immortal like the late emperor in the future!"
"It's a pity that I'm already old." The old man actually shook his head and responded: "If not for this, I would also have to look for immortals and spirits..."
Xi Heng, who was sitting on the throne, held his forehead with his hand.
These treacherous ministers in the court also want to become immortals, but are they worthy?
She gathered her emotions, shook her head and said:
"What nonsense! You three are important officials in the court, but your words are so absurd. It is really unfortunate for the Great Zhao."
The three treacherous ministers below were reprimanded by Xi Heng, but they did not bow their heads to apologize. Instead, they still had a relaxed smile on their faces and looked up at the emperor on the seat.
"Your Majesty, please calm down. I was just joking." Li Yuan, the counselor, said, "Please make a decision on the matter of the blood-stained woman as soon as possible. As long as Your Majesty gives the order, I will do my best to achieve it."
"Haha." Xi Heng just continued to ask: "Have you three discussed the remonstrance today?"
"Your Majesty has a good eye." One of the ministers said with a smile.
"Then you have dug a big trap for me..." Xi Heng understood: "You have fabricated evidence that I am the blood-stained woman, and you are ready to use this decree to counter me after I announce the execution of the blood-stained swordsman?"
"..."
After she finished speaking, the court suddenly fell silent.
The three treacherous ministers at the front put away the kind expressions on their faces, and no longer concealed the malice and coldness in their eyes.
One of them said:
"Your Majesty, some things should not be exposed... I originally planned to let Your Majesty live a few more days, but now it seems that this is not possible."
"I think that if you had not come to the court today and continued to hide in the corners of the gutter like rats, you could have lived a few more days." Xi Heng said, "But now that you have come to the court, you are seeking your own death."
"What a big tone you have, Your Majesty the Chivalrous Emperor." The treacherous minister below sneered, and stopped pretending when he was exposed:
