It started to drizzle in the morning. At noon, the drizzle turned into a rainstorm. As a result, the entire Xuanyuan Hill was covered in rain and mist.
Because of the rain, there were fewer pedestrians on the streets of the emperor's imperial city. Occasionally, some people were in a hurry in raincoats. They rarely stopped for a while.
In recent months, with the news that demons launched tide-like attacks in the west and Lizhou Province and Xianzhou Province were successively lost, the entire Xuanyuan Hill was as gloomy as the weather these days. Everybody's heart felt like being pressed by a heavy weight. It was a bit better in the emperor's imperial city; however, the boites, restaurants, songs and dances outside the emperor's imperial city became quiet abruptly.
In the face of national crisis, who would still have the mood to seek pleasure?
In order to support the soldiers in the frontline, it was said that even the crown prince had ordered to reduce all the expenditures in the imperial palace. Everything in the imperial palace was simplified. All the diplomatic receptions between the Office of the Herald of Justice and the ambassadors of other countries were canceled. Of course, the subordinates dared not go too far. Even though some extravagant people wanted to enjoy themselves, they could only close their doors in their own courtyards and keep a low profile.
The entire emperor's imperial palace was also covered in a gloomy and gloomy rain mist.
The raindrops poured down from the dark clouds and washed the golden glazed tiles on the magnificent palaces of the emperor's imperial palace. Closely after that, they turned into pure-white water curtains and flew off the eaves like tens of thousands of small waterfalls, covering the entire emperor's imperial palace in vapor.
Outside Nine Heavens Palace, a circle of armored knights were standing solemnly on the eaves and stairs of the corridors outside the palace. They were guarding Nine Heavens Palace motionlessly in the heavy rain. At this moment, these knights could still hear the furious roars of Crown Prince from Nine Heavens Palace even though they were outside the palace.
"What do you mean by busy with other affairs? Is this how the three major sects reply? As the country is facing a national crisis, it's the time for all the major sects to serve the country. Heavens Fortune Sect and Demons-kill Valley have already dispatched semi-sage level powerhouses and their knights to the West Domain. However, just because of Yun Zhongzi, the three major sects just stand aside and watch demons' strike. How unreasonable!"
In Nine-Heavens Palace, Xuanyuan Changying who was standing on the royal stairs had already been driven furious as he roared towards a minister who was talking with him with eyes almost spurting flames, "Don't the three major sects know that hair will attach to the skin when the skin is gone? If Taixia Country perishes, how could the three major sects survive?"
The entire Nine-Heavens Palace was filled with Crown Prince Changying's roar. The minister who had just answered Xuanyuan Changying looked sullen as he became silent. All the other officials and military officers in the imperial court were also silent. Everyone knew that the so-called Yun Zhongzi was just an excuse. If the three top sects were really worried about Yun Zhongzi, they could just dispatch all the knights of the three top sects to the west. Nobody believed that Yun Zhongzi could find trouble for the three top sects on the battlefield. The real reason was that the three top sects had been too powerful. They didn't even respect Crown Prince Changying who was the governor of the country. Since the battle at Yinhai Desert, the three top sects had been increasingly arrogant. However, Xuanyuan Hill couldn't do anything to the three top sects at all.
After being extremely furious, Crown Prince Changying who was panting heavily gradually recovered his composure. He knew that it was useless for the three top sects no matter how furious he was. Instead, he might be ridiculed by the three top sects or even used as the evidence to shake his authority. The crown prince was incompetent. Therefore, he lost his composure in the Nine-Heavens Palace and roared at his ministers. If Crown Prince Changying continued to be furious, such a rumor might spread across the country in a few days.
"Li Yunji, do you have any news about Yun Zhongzi in the Supreme Court?" After recovering his composure, Crown Prince Changying waved his hand as he had that minister return to the ranks of the ministers. Closely after that, he fixated onto Li Yunji, the president of the Supreme Court, one of the top 9 chancellors.
"Erm … Yun Zhongzi is a sage-level knight. His whereabouts are erratic. The Supreme Court has already issued an order to arrest him. However, there's no news about Yun Zhongzi yet!" Li Yunji answered with a guilty look.
After hearing Li Yunji's reply, Crown Prince Changying's eyes turned gloomy as he said, "Besides, the Supreme Court of Taixia Country could do nothing about Yun Zhongzi. They could only allow Yun Zhongzi to do whatever he wants."
"Erm …" Li Yunji became speechless at once.
At the sight of Li Yunji's expression, Crown Prince Changying's anger, which he had just suppressed, almost burst out again. However, when he glanced at Meng Shidao, the Prime Minister, who remained silent, he suppressed his anger.
As Li Yunji was recommended by Meng Shidao, Crown Prince Changying had to show some respect to Meng Shidao. Theoretically, those who could promote to shadow knight were definitely not weak. However, although Li Yunji was not weak, he was barely qualified to be the president of the Supreme Court, one of the top 9 ministers. He could only follow the rules. As the president of the Supreme Court who had so many subordinates and so many resources, he couldn't even share the burden for Crown Prince Changying at this moment. Therefore, Crown Prince Changying was very disappointed about that. Crown Prince Changying didn't know how to deal with Li Yunji at all.
At this moment, Crown Prince Changying had already regretted that he had followed Meng Shidao's advice and convicted Yun Zhongzi and made him a wanted criminal in Taixia Country. According to Mr. Qingming's opinion, Xuanyuan Hill would not hurry to make Yun Zhongzi a wanted criminal; instead, they would make a fuss about the case of extermination of Great Wilderness Sect and define the animosity between Yun Zhongzi and the three top sects as the animosity between Yun Zhongzi and the three top sects in Jianghu. It was equal to hanging a sharp sword over the heads of the three top sects and stepping on their tails. How could the three top sects be so arrogant?
The current situation was completely opposite to Meng Shidao's judgment — — Yun Zhongzi had become a wanted criminal; however, the three top sects didn't appreciate Xuanyuan Hill's favor; instead, they didn't have any scruples about it anymore. As a result, Xuanyuan Hill's influence on the three top sects was growing weaker and weaker.
When Crown Prince Changying thought about this, he threw another glance at Meng Shidao. Since the battle at Yinhai Desert, Crown Prince Changying gradually felt that he couldn't see through this master of his. Meng Shidao's face gradually became more and more vague in front of Crown Prince Changying. Only after a few years, the relationship between Crown Prince Changying and Meng Shidao was not as close as before. Currently, Zuoqiu Mingyue the commander-in-chief was defending demons outside the imperial court. Facing Meng Shidao who was said to be a sage-level knight, the minister of public affairs, as a heavenly knight, always played the role of a good guy in front of Meng Shidao. Meng Shidao's words were almost unquestionable in Nine-Heavens Palace. Additionally, the Gobbling Party was expanding rapidly in local areas, which made Crown Prince Changying a bit scared.
"What else do you have to report?" Crown Prince Changying asked all the officials and officers in the imperial court with a bit fatigued look. If not, the imperial court would come to an end today. These days, due to the unfavorable battle situation, the imperial court would last a long time. Sometimes, it even lasted till the evening. It seemed that Xuanyuan Changying was facing all the stress across the empire.
"Please report!" A general of the top four armies walked out of the team of generals as he said in a muffled voice, "The frontline is in a critical situation. Demons are approaching us step by step. Taixia Country and Hua people are in a life-and-death situation. As long as the demon army breaks through Tongguan Pass, the overall situation facing Taixia Country would be completely messed up. Although the commander-in-chief is on the frontline, the resources and manpower of Taixia Country have not been fully devoted to the holy war. It's like a life-and-death battle between two people; however, Taixia Country has not exerted its full strength. Your Majesty, please issue a military control order across Taixia Country at once. The commander-in-chief and the top four armies will coordinate all the demands of the war and fight demons with all their might!"
The moment the general of the top four armies opened his mouth, he had been echoed by many other generals. Before Xuanyuan Changying opened his mouth, the finance minister had thrown a glance at Meng Shidao who was silent in front of him as he objected, "Absurd. The demon army has not arrived at Tongguan Pass yet. How could you say that Tongguan Pass would be lost? It's an alarmist talk. Many provinces in the western theater of operations have been dominated by the top four armies and Lord Zuoqiu. Isn't it enough? If all the provinces in Taixia Country implement the military control order, they might be in chaos before demons arrive. The Finance Minister resolutely disagrees with the military control order across Taixia Country …"
The moment the finance minister put forward his opinion, many civil officials had echoed him at once.
If Taixia Country implemented the military control, the power of the commander-in-chief and generals would soar while the power of the prime minister and many civil officials would be greatly reduced. Of course, this would arouse a backlash.
The two parties immediately started to quarrel in the Nine-Heavens Palace. They couldn't reach an agreement at all. It was not the first time for this proposal to appear in the imperial court.
"Let's discuss it later …" Xuanyuan Changying could only put this proposal aside for the time being as he waved his hand.
When Xuanyuan Changying prepared to end the imperial court, Meng Shidao who was standing in front of the team of civil officials suddenly moved one step forward as he told Xuanyuan Changying, "A few days ago, the provincial governor of Jinzhou Province submitted a memorial to the imperial court. All the Youzhou rice that Your Majesty introduced to Jinzhou Province two years ago had a bumper harvest after one year's breeding. The yield of the rice fields was over 20% more than that of the previous years. The entire Jinzhou Province was shocked by this news. All the major clans and commoners in Jinzhou Province spread the news everywhere. They were all thrilled. Jinzhou Province is going to expand the planting area of Youzhou rice by 10 times this year. The provincial governor of Jinzhou Province and the other officials invited Your Majesty to preside over the spring sacrifice in Jinzhou Province this year. As a result, the morale of the commoners across Jinzhou Province will be greatly boosted."
This was almost the only good news that Xuanyuan Changying heard in the imperial court today. After inquiring about the situation of Youzhou rice in Jinzhou Province, Xuanyuan Changying burst out into laughter as he said happily, "Agriculture is the foundation of the country. Of course, it should be encouraged. Now that the entire Jinzhou Province has such a thought, I will preside over the spring sacrifice in Jinzhou Province this year!"
It was Xuanyuan Changying who was really encouraged. Because it was exclusive for Emperor Xuanyuan to preside over the spring sacrifice in a province. When Emperor Xuanyuan was still alive, he would select one of those provinces that had a bumper harvest each year and preside over the spring sacrifice in that province so as to encourage agriculture and stabilize the country. It was the first time for a provincial governor to invite Xuanyuan Changying to preside over the spring sacrifice since he became the regent of Xuanyuan Changying.
Youzhou rice had a high yield and high quality in the world. Two years ago, Xuanyuan Changying tried to promote Youzhou rice in Jinzhou Province. It was really out of his imagination that Youzhou rice could have such a great effect only after two years. This was a real meritorious deed. Therefore, Xuanyuan Changying felt pretty happy inside.
When Xuanyuan Changying wanted to end the imperial court, all of a sudden, the sky turned white as a hot lightning bolt penetrated through the clouds. Closely after that, a "boom" sounded above the entire imperial palace, shocking everyone in the Nine Heavens Palace. Even the water in the two pools below the imperial stair where Xuanyuan Changying was standing started to ripple …
Usually, there were few thunders in winter, not to mention such a powerful one.
"Who's that?"
"Zeng"
Before the white light of the lightning bolt faded away, a figure had appeared at the gate of the Nine Heavens Palace. The knight in charge of gold who guarded the Nine Heavens Palace roared at once.
With the sounds of sabers and swords being unsheathed, everyone in the palace turned around and looked at the gate at the same time, including Xuanyuan Changying.
A calm teenager was standing at the gate of the Nine Heavens Palace and looking straight into Xuanyuan Changying's eyes.
Xuanyuan Changying was dumbfounded. He even rubbed his eyes …
"Brother Changying, long time no see …" Zhang Tie let out a deep sigh as he strode into the Nine Heavens Palace …
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