In the main hall, Feng Xuan opened her arms and embraced Meng Fuyao with the perfect posture of a father.
At the top of the main hall, Meng Fuyao leaned against the pillar with her arms crossed, one leg bent and the other straight. She sat expressionlessly and looked down at Feng Xuan.
After a while, she smiled slowly and said, "Father?"
Feng Xuan's eyes brightened and Feng Jingfan's expression changed.
Without waiting for Feng Xuan to rejoice, Meng Fuyao continued slowly, word by word, "Zhong Zening's husband, Feng Jingfan's father, how can he be worthy of being Meng Fuyao's father?"
Feng Xuan's face twitched, and in that instant, her features seemed to have shifted. It was a long while before she managed to recover her expression, and she forced a smile, saying, "Fuyao, We know that you resent We, but We had no other choice. Now that the Empress has been killed by you, so be it. We will immediately cripple her, implicate her, and punish the entire Zhong Family for the crime of treason. You can deal with the entire Zhong Family however you want, until Your anger is appeased."
"And this." Feng Xuan raised the imperial edict in her hand and tempted Meng Fuyao. "I have decided to pass the throne to you. From now on, you are the Empress, and your life and death will be in your hands. The pinnacle of human glory and power will all be under your feet. How about that? Do you like it? "
"No!"
A loud cry broke the strange silence. Feng Jingfan, who had been leaning against the side of the bed and barely supporting herself, suddenly pounced over and snatched the edict.
Feng Xuan's expression changed and she withdrew her hand. Feng Jingfan's fingers were slender and long like a ghost's claw, and her fingernails actually flashed with a poisonous light blue fluorescence. She moved like the wind and did not care that a scratch on Feng Xuan's skin would cost him his life.
At the top of the main hall, Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao did not move and looked on indifferently. Tang Yizhong had long since retreated to avoid arousing suspicion and went to command the counterattack.
Feng Jingfan snatched the edict like the wind. Feng Xuan snorted and suddenly slammed the edict on the table, leaning back.
The edict was slammed on the table, and a long scroll trailed down. Feng Jingfan reached out and grabbed the edict, lifting her hand to tear it.
"Chi —"
An extremely soft sharp sound suddenly came from under the table that was pulled down by the end of the imperial edict. In the dimly lit main hall, one could vaguely see a short pale green light flash, like the stars in the sky brightening in an instant, followed by a scream that sounded like thunder and lightning.
"Ahhh —"
Blood spurted out, but it was light green. It didn't look like blood, but more like two small, strange blue flowers.
The final flower of light.
The short nail in the mechanism under the table was activated the moment Feng Jingfan quickly snatched the imperial edict. The mechanism was strong at a very close distance, and it instantly shot into the eyes of Feng Jingfan, who was lowering her head to tear the imperial edict!
One pierced through his eyes, while the other pierced through the bridge of his nose and nailed into the corner of his eye, destroying both of his eyes!
Feng Jingfan's wretched cries sounded as if they were going to collapse the entire great hall. Her shrill and high-pitched cries pierced upwards like a steel needle. She continued to rise upwards, as if she would not stop until her soul was destroyed and her heart was torn apart.
She was the youngest princess who had been pampered since she was young, and had never been touched by anyone. Not even her fingernails had broken. Because she was afraid of suffering and injury, and also because of the limitations of her natural physique, even though there was a famous teacher by her side, Feng Jingfan couldn't learn even half of Yu Heng's. She could only practice her Qinggong to the acme of perfection in order to save her life in times of danger. Now that her eyes were destroyed, how could she endure the pain?
She screamed madly, and blood covered her face. The sticky blood stuck the long and short black hair that had been cut to her face. It was black, white, and red, and her facial features were indistinguishable. One could only see that her pink and moist lips had already turned purple. One could only see that her mouth was open, and blood dripped from the depths of her throat.
She closed her eyes. In the light of Chen An's roof, she was expressionless.
The golden red hibiscus dress from 14 years ago flashed through her mind, and a click sounded in her ears.
The sound of the lock clicking into place.
And today, it's your turn to release the lock of your life.
Those who brought this upon themselves shall not live.
Feng Jingfan screamed like that, and suddenly stopped, as if she could no longer scream. Her body tilted, and she suddenly turned her head, "looking" in Feng Xuan's direction with her blood-filled eyes.
Her eyes were no longer eyes, but two lumps of flesh and blood. Those flesh and blood were being burned by that intense, frenzied hatred, trembling and throbbing. Being "looked" by those "eyes", even Feng Xuan, who had been through a storm of blood and had an incomparably strong will, could not help but shiver and shrink back on the bed.
Feng Jingfan suddenly pounced over.
She pounced over, pouncing so fiercely that blood spurted from her eyes, forming a deep red line. Before the trail of that line disappeared, she had already reached Feng Xuan's side.
Feng Xuan didn't expect that she would still have the strength to attack her despite being heavily injured. In a panic, she screamed, "Fuyao, save me! Fuyao, save me!"
Meng Fuyao immediately lay down on the pillar. It was quite good and quite comfortable.
Feng Xuan's pleas for help were fruitless. Seeing how fierce Feng Jingfan was and how she was pouncing over to perish together with him, she whistled and crashed into his chest in the blink of an eye.
He felt a sweetness in his throat from the impact, and his eyes suddenly darkened. A murderous glint flashed across his eyes. Suddenly, when Feng Jingfan raised her hands again, he fiercely pulled a brass dragon head on the couch beside him!
"Swoosh!"
Dozens of sounds were like one, and countless flying daggers suddenly shot out from the four corners of the couch!
The daggers were like lightning, shooting straight at Feng Jingfan's body!
Feng Jingfan heard the sound of the wind and quickly retreated. Her Qinggong was top-notch, and it had saved her life countless times. There was still some distance between her and the flying daggers, so she could retreat in time.
On the roof, Meng Fuyao suddenly flicked her fingers lightly.
Feng Jingfan only felt an obstruction behind her, as if a wall had suddenly appeared on the flat ground behind her, forcefully blocking her last escape route. Following that, she felt her entire body go cold.
Her entire body went cold, and countless places suddenly became empty. It was as if a tightly woven, luxurious, and smooth brocade had suddenly been pierced with countless holes, turning into a web that was riddled with holes. That tattered web swayed in the wind, passing through the waves of blood that carried a fishy smell.
A thousand daggers pierced through her body, the punishment of heaven's wrath.
At that moment, Feng Jingfan did not scream anymore. She could not scream anymore, and there was no need for her to scream. All the blood in her body poured out without any concealment, and all the words she had said in her life were carried out with it.
She only spun, turning her moon-white dress into a blood-colored flower. The final, desolate flower. Dark red blood fell on the light blue and white, bright and piercing. … Moon-White … Moon-White … That hateful moon-white … That hateful desolate color … Not long ago, she only liked gold and red, liked big hibiscus flowers, liked colorful jewelry made of pearls and jade, those emeralds cast from jade, cat's eye stones, topaz, and crystal glass, those bright and flamboyant colors that were so beautiful that they revealed their edge and entered the eyes … Not long ago, for him, for that damned lotus, she always wore moon-white plain clothes, took off her jewellery, and changed all the related utensils into big and small lotuses. She studied those boring Buddhist scriptures day and night … That painstaking … That painstaking … That painstaking … She had fallen in love with him since she was seven years old … Until now … Until now …
She suddenly raised her head and laughed crazily. It was still a soundless laugh, and it was impossible to tell what kind of laugh it was.
She laughed and stumbled. She pounced in the direction of Zhangsun Wuji in her memory with the knives all over her body. She did not know what she wanted to do by pouncing over. Did she want to die with him? Did she want to tell him about the infatuation she had in her life, or was it because of the endless obsession and falsehood in her life? Obsession … Obsession … Feng Jingfan, who had never been disobedient since she was young, did not know the feeling of rejection, and would never accept rejection. So he became her obsession. In the end, she did not know whether it was hate or love. She only knew that she wanted to get him, and now, it had become falsehood.
So everything in the world was falsehood … The bright young man was falsehood … The legend of Han Lian's birth was falsehood … The inheritance of the throne was falsehood … Her father's favor was falsehood … All hate and love were falsehood …
So she came here just for the blurry illusion in her life. She tossed and turned in this illusion endlessly, using all the tricks and schemes, and lived a life that she was not herself.
Why did she come? Why did she come?
She laughed. She seemed to have seen through it, but she did not see through it at all. The direction in which she struggled and pounced in her life was still in his direction.
Zhangsun Wuji stood high above the palace. He looked expressionlessly at the woman who threw herself at him again and again, not stopping until death. The hatred in his eyes was deep … If it was not for her, Xu Wan and Fu Yao would not have waited for him to go back and save them, and their fates would have gone in a completely different direction. If it was not for her, Fu Yao would not have been locked in the cabinet and watched Xu Wan being tortured, forced to seal his memories for many years, and suffered for nineteen years. If it was not for her, Fu Yao would not have been injured to this extent, and the gap between him and him that could not be filled until now.
He calmly flicked his sleeves.
A great force surged from the ground and stopped Feng Jingfan, who was pouncing over, thirty feet away. He did not even allow her to get close to the thirty feet below him.
With the great force, Feng Jingfan's body seemed to have crashed into a wall. Previously, it was her back that had blocked her path, and now it was her heart that had crashed into it. The wounds on her body from the steel knives rushed in, and three inches deeper. Fresh blood spurted, and a pink blood mist sprayed in midair.
She slowly fell down. Before she fell, her fingers were desperately scratching, as if she wanted to scratch open the invisible wall between her and Zhangsun Wuji. It was also as if she wanted to scratch the illusions of her enemies that appeared in front of her — Zhangsun Wuji, Meng Fuyao, Feng Xuan … The prophecies that had haunted her all her life, the prophecies that had given her the beginning and the end of her fate.
She scratched, and the more she scratched, the slower she became. Finally, she stopped moving in midair.
She could not lie down comfortably and die forever. There were too many knives on her body. They propped her up on the ground and in the gaps between the golden bricks. They propped her body up high, making it a very tiring position of thirty degrees tilted.
Her hands were still raised high, in an eternal scratching position.
She had learned to be a holy and elegant fake lotus all her life, and died in the ugliest position.
The hall was filled with dark red blood. It flowed down the countless knife wounds and swam on the ground in a crooked manner, sketching out a mysterious life diagram that no one could understand.
Feng Xuan coughed continuously on the couch and curled up into a ball. He was already at the end of his rope. He had been dealing with Empress Yuheng and Feng Jingfan for a long time, and he also had to take care of the situation outside of the imperial court. He was indeed nearing the end of his life. He had only been holding on just now. After being knocked by Feng Jingfan, he felt as if his entire body was about to fall apart.
He coughed, but revealed a hint of a proud smile. So what if they were all dead? He was the final winner. He had chosen the most ruthless ruler. Look at how carefree and decisive Fu Yao was when he slept just now. Look at how Fu Yao blocked Jingfan's finger, and how clean it was. If she did not sleep and that finger, he might have hesitated. The Xuanji Empire did not need an Emperor who was too kind and could not make up his mind!
Thirty years ago, when his own Imperial Father gave him the throne succession edict, he was also covered in blood, the blood of his brothers and sisters.
Imperial Father had said to him — it's okay to have more children, you will have a choice in the future. The first generation of the Xuanji Empire had too few children, and the two children were not of good talent. In the end, they barely chose one. After ruling for ten years, the power of China declined. If it wasn't for the fact that the later generations prospered and produced heroes, the country might have been destroyed a hundred years ago.
Imperial Father had said to him — but do not love too much. If you love too much, you will not be able to bear to part with her in the future.
So there was no love. The warmth and affection were just needs, just like with the Empress. The entire continent knew that he, Feng Xuan, feared his wife like a tiger, and became a laughing stock. But he feared his wife because he loved his wife. He, Feng Xuan, did not love that imposter at all, so where did his fear come from?
What he feared was that man who was as powerful as a god.
He had once thought that there would be a way to solve this — Ze Ning was young and Yu Heng was strong. It was inevitable that a man and a woman would be together for a long time. As long as they had an affair, it would destroy Yu Heng's martial arts and destroy her pride. Then, where would they be able to show off their strength?
Because of this, he had schemed against Yu Heng for many years. Those heart-destroying drugs had been placed in extremely small amounts in his food and drink, in the palace, and even on the servants who were close to him. He wanted him to be in a mess, wanted him to push his wife down. But he had never imagined that the shrew would be so polite, remembering her noble status and not allowing Yu Heng to come within three feet of her. Moreover, Yu Heng was so powerful. His schemes over the years, without batting an eyelid, were actually suppressed by his powerful martial arts.
But in the end, suppression was only suppression. The flame had been suppressed for a long time, and once it exploded, it would burn even more fiercely. Wasn't it fine now? Look, his daughter and he had actually chosen the same method to settle that man and woman happily.
Love was like hatred, a double-edged sword. If used well, it would be the most convenient weapon.
Like Meng Fuyao, if not driven by hatred, how could she be so resolute?
But he had to control her hatred to a certain extent. He didn't want her to burn Xuanji with her hatred.
Feng Xuan coughed and spat out a mouthful of phlegm. He picked up the imperial edict and smiled at Meng Fuyao.
His face was pale, and his eyes were dark. Under the bloody atmosphere and the dim light, he waved the glittering imperial edict, which he thought was very tempting, and smiled at Meng Fuyao like a ghost.
Looking at that smile, Meng Fuyao felt as though she was looking at a murderous ghost that had emerged from the ground, with power in his left hand and a machete in his right. He definitely did not have any humanity, and his life's mission was to devour his own flesh and blood.
She remained silent for a long time.
Feng Xuan was not in a hurry. He was very patient, and he did not believe that anyone would not be moved by the supreme desire for power. She, Meng Fuyao, was the Limitless General, the Meng King of the Han Dynasty, and the Xuanyuan Imperial Preceptor. She was so interested in participating in the political struggles of various countries, and she was born to be a cunning and unpredictable politician. So what reason did she have not to accept a wider world? What generals, princes, imperial preceptors? No matter how high they were, they were still subjects of others. How could they compare to the ruler of a country, the Xuanji Empress?
The bloody atmosphere in the hall was thick, and the candles swayed. The darkness was so thick that it seemed impossible to disperse. Outside the hall, a long row of windows had already begun to turn white, and dawn was gradually emerging from the east. No matter how dark the night was, it would eventually pass, and the sky was about to brighten.
After daybreak, it was time for Feng Xuan, who had painstakingly worked so hard to decide on the Empress' enthronement ceremony at the last moment.
The soon-to-be Empress was still squatting on the roof of the hall, indifferently looking at the imperial edict that had been fought over by countless people.
The edict was soft and smooth, glistening in the darkness. It looked holy and dignified, and there was not a trace of blood on it.
Meng Fuyao finally moved.
She floated down from the top of the beam and floated in front of Feng Xuan.
Feng Xuan squinted his eyes and smiled, pleased and satisfied.
He held the edict tightly, waiting for Meng Fuyao to reach out to take it. Then, he would shrink back and propose his conditions to her first.
His wishful thinking did not succeed.
Meng Fuyao put her hands behind her back and did not take the edict at all. She only looked at him disdainfully and said, "Conditions."
Feng Xuan was stunned, and then he smiled even more satisfactorily. Good, this was the style of an Empress. It did not matter if he was looked down on, as long as the successor was strong and smart enough, he would be happy.
It seemed that not looking for her for so many years was the right decision. Meng Fuyao, who had been through a storm of blood in the Jianghu and the imperial court, was obviously more experienced than his children raised in the Xuanji Palace.
"Swear." With a flick of his finger, the wall behind him creaked open, revealing a shrine where a divine beast with a bird's head and a human's body was worshipped. "Swear to the ancestors of the Feng family that you, the daughter of the Feng family, Feng Fuyao, will forever be loyal to the Feng family and to the Xuanji Sect. You will inherit the throne, represent the heavens and the people, and protect the Xuanji Empire for generations to come. If you disobey, heaven and earth will not tolerate it, and you will be struck by ten thousand lightning, and not even your bones will be left!"
He slowly got off the couch and kowtowed to the totem. With his back to Meng Fuyao, he said meaningfully, "The ancestor of the Xuanji Phoenix Clan is the ancient Phoenix God. She has always performed miracles and is very effective."
Then, he turned around and looked at Meng Fuyao with hope. There was no vow in the Five Continents that could not be fulfilled. As long as Meng Fuyao dared to swear before the god, it meant that she had no intention of making things difficult for the Xuanji Empire and taking revenge on the throne. This was his final test for her, and also his final trump card. Although he felt that the throne was enough to offset her suffering and anger, he had to swear it just in case.
Meng Fuyao met his gaze and smiled nonchalantly. "Feng Fuyao?"
"You can't just keep your surname Meng," Feng Xuan said. "That's the truly honorable surname."
"You've finally decided to pass the throne to Feng Fuyao? You and the palace maid Xu Wan gave birth to the lowest-ranking princess, Feng Fuyao? "Meng Fuyao asked again.
Feng Xuan thought that the question was nonsense, and thought that the child was probably too excited and couldn't help but be long-winded. Smiling, she said, "Yes, she's your mother. You can also give her a title after you succeed the throne. She'll be the Empress Dowager in the future, no longer a lowly palace maid. If you're happy, you can also change her birth when you write the history books. It's up to you."
Meng Fuyao nodded and strode forward to offer three joss sticks. "Daughter of the Feng Family, Feng Fuyao, daughter of the Xuanji Heavenly Emperor, Feng Xuan, daughter of Verdant Lake Prefecture's commoner, Xu Wan. Now inheriting her father's lineage, she is eternally loyal to the Feng Family and Xuanji. She will inherit the Xuanji Empire's throne, represent the heavens and the earth, nurture the common people, and protect the Xuanji Empire for generations to come.
She spoke clearly and fluently, without any ambiguity. Feng Xuan listened carefully and smiled in satisfaction. She handed the edict over.
Meng Fuyao casually took it.
The edict in her hands was like holding a blood-stained map of the country. Between the few numbers, she seemed to hear the cries of the wronged dead: the Fourth Princess, the Fifth Princess, the Sixth Princess, the Seventh Prince, the Eighth Prince, and the Princes and Princesses who had died in the long conflict. Oh, there was also the First Princess. It was said that the Purple Capes she led were defeated and forced by the Third Prince to the Solitary Beauty Peak in the suburbs of the capital. The Purple Capes scattered like stars, and the unruly First Princess, unwilling to accept the humiliation of defeat, committed suicide in anger … Another one died.
This was the Xuanji Imperial Family, this was the Xuanji Empire, this was the Xuanji Empire, this was the Xuanji Empire's legacy. The light edict, soaked in the blood of the golden branches and jade leaves, was respectfully held up by an old man who emitted a putrid and rotten aura and handed it to her.
Holding the edict, Meng Fuyao did not feel the joy of ascending to the peak and ruling over the world. She could not imagine why such a throne was worth being happy about. She suddenly wanted to laugh, laugh to her heart's content, laugh to her heart's content, laugh at the darkness and desolation of the human world, laugh at the blood of the mortal world, laugh at the bunch of fools who fought to the death for this damned thing, not knowing that the desire for power was like a net of knives.
So she laughed, a hearty, sharp, and hearty laugh that soared to the heavens. She laughed for a full quarter of an hour. At first, Feng Xuan thought that she was laughing happily and laughed along, but gradually, she felt that something was wrong and her expression slowly changed. Just when Feng Xuan thought that she was going to laugh like crazy, Meng Fuyao suddenly stopped, as if she had never laughed so crazily before. She grabbed the edict, ignored Feng Xuan, and turned around calmly.
In front of her, a ray of sunlight rose. The light was like a giant sword that cut through the layers of haze and blood, filling up the spacious hall in an instant.
Below the thousand jade steps, the square had gone through a night of fighting. Blood had been exchanged for peace. The Imperial Guards, who had received His Majesty's orders, finally retreated. The Chang Yong Army of the Tang Family had always been under Feng Xuan's control, to preserve their strength during the final battle for the throne. Of course, to the agile and cunning little duke of the Tang Family, His Majesty was already a thing of the past. He only needed to be loyal to the Empress to ensure the Tang Family's eternal prosperity.
The army retreated, and the hundreds of officials marched forward. The civil and military were divided into squads, stepping on the blood stains that had yet to be washed clean on the marble floor. They knelt down in unison, waiting for the enthronement ceremony to begin.
All preparations had been made, and all that was left was to wait for the final name.
The Grand Chancellor led the hundreds of officials to kneel before His Majesty, anxiously waiting for the result that would decide their fate. He did not know who it would be, but he knew that His Majesty had said that the last person to walk out of the hall would be the new Emperor.
The sun rose, and the clouds shone brightly. The long jade steps were thousands of steps high, as if they were at the end of the Nine Heavens.
At the end of the Nine Heavens, the tightly closed doors of the hall slowly opened under the expectant gazes of the crowd. A slender figure in black slowly walked out of the hall, holding an imperial edict.
Her back was against the light, and she was draped in seven-colored clouds and glittering gold. Her posture was ramrod straight, and her gaze was profound, as if she was a deity overlooking the mortal world from the Nine Heavens.
The officials tried their best to raise their heads, trying to see the face of the new Emperor.
Suddenly, there was a bang in the Grand Chancellor's mind.
Why was it the Meng King of the Great Han?
He raised his head in shock and stared blankly at the expressionless woman dressed like a young man, who was looking down coldly. Her sharp gaze seemed to have met before.
He suddenly remembered that a long time ago, His Majesty had summoned him for a discussion and said meaningfully, "Don't worry, I will find a resolute and promising Emperor for you."
At that time, he had boldly said, "Your Majesty is wise. Our court is currently in turmoil, and we indeed need a resolute and heroic Emperor to rule with an iron fist. It's just that … among the current imperial heirs, there doesn't seem to be … resolute."
His Majesty smiled but did not answer. After a long time, he said, "Perhaps, there will be one when the time comes."
It was only now that he understood!
It was only now that he truly understood the meaning of the imperial edict: "Greet with lavish gifts, and respond to all requests"!
His Majesty's Sacred Heart was silently moving, and it was not something that the officials could guess!
He quickly straightened his body and put his hands on his forehead. His heart was filled with awe-inspiring admiration for the old Emperor and fear for the new Emperor. He took the lead and led the officials to kowtow loudly.
"Kowtow to my Emperor!"
= = =
On the 6th of April, the 30th year of Xuanji's birth, the mysterious Empress of Xuanji, who had been the focus of the Seven Nations' attention, finally appeared. The legendary woman who had served as the Limitless General, the Great Han Prince, and the Imperial Preceptor Xuanyuan had once again opened a shocking new chapter in the history of the Seven Nations' royal family.
At noon on the 6th of April, the new Empress, Meng Fuyao, was enthroned in the Dragon Spring Palace of Xuanji's main palace. The midday sun shone warmly on the bright yellow and crimson hall. Amidst the bright light, the Empress, who was dressed in a five-colored cloud phoenix robe with twelve patterns of seawater and rivers, and a golden silk crown with seven treasures, stood on the top of the throne. Below the jade steps was a long robe made of clouds. She was nineteen years old, with red lips and white teeth, black hair and eyebrows, and a dazzling gold ornament on her forehead. She was as luxurious, brilliant, and beautiful as the royal family.
However, the Empress's gaze was as cold as a knife. When she coldly looked down from the throne, all the nobles, dukes, and officials lowered their heads like grass blown by the wind.
Amidst the sound of a long horn, noble music, and the deafening sound of firecrackers, the ceremonial officers sang praises and arranged the ranks. The civil and military officials took their positions, and the music started again. Everyone bowed four times, and the reading officer and the reading officer ascended the table to read the edict that Feng Xuan had specially prepared for Meng Fuyao. The edict beautified Meng Fuyao's background, and affectionately described how she was born into nobility, how she had been disciplined by the court at a young age, how she had left the palace early to gain experience in the world of mortals, how she was of noble character, and how she was a peerless wind vane. It was voluminous and voluminous.
All the officials and envoys noticed that the Empress, who was sitting in front of the golden table, was indifferent as she read the edict. She seemed to be impatient, and her fingers tapped on the throne. It seemed like there was a melody, but no one knew what song she was tapping.
Only Meng Fuyao herself knew that she was tapping a small song. In her previous life, she had a professor who was obsessed with Yuan Qu. He had once asked someone to compose a few famous small songs, one of which was Zhang Kejiu's "Zhonglu, Red Embroidered Shoes".
"The snowy sword at the peak, the ice curtain hangs on the precipice, the sorrowful ape at the cloud tip. Blood cries for Du Yu, the dark cave roars for Fei Lian, the human heart is more dangerous than the mountain! "
The human heart was more dangerous than the peak!
After the edict was read, it was time for the seal to be awarded. Feng Xuan handed the jade seal to Meng Fuyao and retreated to the back of the palace. The jade seal was naturally gone, destroyed by Meng Fuyao. However, the ceremony could not be carried out without the jade seal. Meng Fuyao casually grabbed a cake, wrapped it in bright yellow satin, and stuffed it into Feng Xuan's hands. Thus, Feng Xuan had no choice but to solemnly hand over the cake jade seal to the ceremonial official, who then solemnly hand it over to Meng Fuyao. Feng Xuan's face twitched the whole time, but Meng Fuyao acted as if nothing had happened. If not for the fear of dirtying her hands, she would have sent someone to dig up a pile of dung and wrap it in bright yellow satin to use as the jade seal.
As for whether the jade seal looked like it, the officials did not dare to say. The princes and princesses who were supposed to attend the ceremony were all not present. They had been tricked into the back of the palace and were immediately informed that the new emperor had ordered them not to attend the ceremony. They were all invited to the ancestral tablets to offer incense and pray for the prosperity of the nation. The doors to the hall were locked and guarded by the army outside. No matter how much they cursed inside, no one cared. Meng Fuyao had authorized Ji Yu to smash a mouthful of gutter mud on whoever cursed. When the smell of mud filled the hall full of princes and princesses, they finally quieted down.
Feng Xuan did not have any objections. To be honest, after he had succeeded the throne, all his brothers and sisters had been killed, so what was there to be afraid of?
When Meng Fuyao sat down on the gold-inlaid jade throne to receive the congratulations of the officials and ambassadors from various countries, she suddenly froze.
Zong Yue and Zhangsun Wuji were both present.
The Emperor of the Xuanyuan Kingdom and the Crown Prince of the Wuji Kingdom could have sent their congratulations as ambassadors instead of going to the hall personally. However, the two of them did not seem to mind the lack of etiquette, nor did they mind the dispute between the seven nations.
Seeing that she was looking down, the two of them raised their heads. Zhangsun Wuji smiled at her, his eyes filled with comfort. He knew that this was not the most glorious moment of her life. She must be filled with disgust toward such etiquette.
Zong Yue, however, looked straight at her. His eyes were no longer evasive, but filled with pain and urgency. Meng Fuyao met his gaze for a while before smiling at him.
According to etiquette, Zong Yue was the Emperor of the Xuanyuan Kingdom. Among the guests, he was the first to offer his congratulations. The tall, slender man bowed before the Emperor of Dan and said, "Congratulations to Your Majesty for ascending to the throne. I wish for Your Majesty's prosperity and prosperity. My country is willing to establish trade relations with Xuanji for mutual benefit."
Meng Fuyao stood up to return the greeting. The officials of Xuanji Kingdom were delighted. The Xuanyuan Kingdom's merchants were the best in the world, and they had a vast territory and a large population. However, there had never been any exchanges between the two nations in the past, so there was no mutual benefit in trade. If the two nations were to establish trade relations, Xuanji's craftsmen and craftsmen would have a stable and large sales channel. Moreover, Xuanyuan was rich in minerals. If they were to be transported to Xuanji, it would be of great help to the Xuanji Kingdom's weapons research. The Emperor of Xuanyuan's initiative to express his goodwill was a timely help to the economically declining Xuanji Kingdom.
Meng Fuyao looked at Zong Yue's pained eyes. In a split second, she recalled the scene 14 years ago under the cypress tree on the lonely cliff. He gently stroked his loose teeth and said in a low voice, "I hope you will forget … I hope you will forget … Don't be like me, thinking about it every day …"
What had he done wrong? He was a young man who bore a deep grudge. Others had brutally beaten his father to death in front of him, forcing him to flee for a thousand miles. From then on, what reason did he have to be unyielding and cold?
Others had never saved him, who had relatives and friends, but he had saved her, who had no relatives and friends.
He had borne such pain and lost the joys of life since he was a young man. Every day, he could not sleep in peace. That was why he had hoped that she could avoid such pain and grow up brightly.
He had given her a fresh start in this life.
He had created the Meng Fuyao of the beginning. Without the Meng Fuyao who had forgotten everything, there would be no Meng Fuyao who had the courage to face the world today.
Before Old Lu could finish his sentence, Meng Fuyao automatically filled in for him.
'He is your … benefactor.'
'Yes, benefactor.'
He might have been heartless towards Xu Wan, but he had never owed Meng Fuyao anything.
She lifted her eyelashes and looked deeply into Zong Yue's eyes. After a while, she smiled and said, "Yes, Your Majesty. I have always been grateful for your kindness."
Zong Yue's eyes brightened. He wanted to say something, but Zhangsun Wuji suddenly took a step forward and smiled. "Wuji is willing to work together with Your Majesty's dynasty forever. I beg for Your Majesty's approval."
Meng Fuyao glanced at him and thought to herself, 'He's still able to seize the time to flirt under such circumstances. His innate character really hasn't changed.'
"Thank you, Your Highness," Meng Fuyao said with a fake smile. "It's too much to say that it's a favor. I wouldn't dare."
Zhangsun Wuji retreated happily. 'That's good. At least it's a smile. I haven't seen her smile for a long time, a total of 116 hours and 45 minutes.'
The officials of Xuanji Pearl City were overjoyed. They all knew that His Majesty and Wuji Xuanyuan were on good terms. Previously, he had been the Great Han Prince. Now that the three countries had formed an alliance, Xuanji Pearl City would no longer have to worry about being destroyed!
After the envoys met one by one, Meng Fuyao's eyes suddenly narrowed.
The lady who walked up was dressed in indigo blue with a hint of crimson. The color was bright but not out of place. It complemented her translucent, honey-colored skin and gave off a strange charm. She had a swan-like neck that was longer than the average person. Under the sunlight, her silhouette was pale gold. Her facial features were elegant and deep. Her eyes were deep and contained a dazzling light, like a flowing abyss or the floating night sky.
It was her.
It was the mysterious lady she had met in the restaurant that day.
Because of a talisman, she had knocked on the door of the past and pushed open the heavy palace door. She had seen the most unbearable memory of her life.
Meng Fuyao had an indescribable feeling towards this person. She felt that her actions were natural and amiable, but also inexplicably strange.
She turned and saw Zong Yue's expression. He was frowning at the lady's back. 'Do they know each other?'
The lady walked up lightly and made a few hand gestures. The girl with golden rings beside her followed closely and translated to the dumbfounded official, "Fufeng Tal Clan's Saintess, Fei Yan, congratulates His Majesty, the Emperor of Xuanji Pearl City for a long and prosperous life."
Fei Yan …
So it was the Saintess of Fufeng Clan. Yao Xun had mentioned that the Saintess' status was no lower than that of the clan's king. However, she seemed to have heard the name Fei Yan somewhere before. She thought about it but could not recall. Fei Yan smiled and waved her hand. The girl with golden rings presented a snow-white box and said, "I present the Sea Pearl of Fufeng Clan's Rakshasa Sea to Your Majesty. Everyone knows that the Rakshasa Sea Pearl can nourish one's complexion, calm one's nerves, stabilize one's meridians, and strengthen one's foundation. If supplemented with the Dragon Oil of Fufeng Clan's Deep Sea Pearl, it will have a miraculous effect on all internal and external bruises.
Meng Fuyao's eyes lit up. "Oh? Dragon Oil? "
The girl with golden rings nodded proudly and said, "Fufeng Clan has the most treasures, and most of them are beneficial to a martial artist's true qi refinement. Dragon Oil is just one of them."
Meng Fuyao laughed. "How fascinating." She raised her head and met the silent Fei Yan's gaze.
The latter gave her a faint and dazzling smile.
Behind her, Zhangsun Wuji suddenly frowned.
Before the coronation ceremony ended, the official invited Meng Fuyao to decide on the year's title. She thought for a while and casually said, "Duanming it is."
"Duanyan's holy rule, our Emperor is holy!" Only Meng Fuyao, who was seated, smiled ambiguously. A few distinguished guests could not help but shake their heads.
= = =
In the first year of Xuanji Duanming, the new Emperor ascended the throne. The first thing he did was to move the palace from Yongchang Palace to Chengxing Palace, which was directly opposite the Xuanji imperial family's ancestral hall where the spirit tablets and deity thrones of each generation's emperors were enshrined. It was a very remote place. Meng Fuyao did not pay her respects after Feng Xuan went there, only ordering the guards to guard the place. Feng Xuan asked to see her a few times, but she said she was not free. She also asked to see her other children, but Meng Fuyao said she was not free.
Yes, she was not free. The Xuanji princes and princesses were still locked up in the palace, not allowed to go home, not allowed to make a fuss, and not allowed to make any requests. Meng Fuyao did not say or do anything, keeping them in the dark for the time being.
On the 16th of April, the Third Prince, who had rebelled, was defeated by Zhang Yongjun. The Third Prince was placed under house arrest in the temporary imperial residence of Fu Jing. The Empress personally went to see him. The Third Prince debated in court, implying that the Empress had not obtained the throne properly and that the world should be ruled by someone with both ability and virtue. The Empress did not say a word and just listened with a smile. In the end, she applauded and praised, "What a beautiful essay!"
She then stood up and said, "Writing an article is like embroidery, it requires a calm mind. How can you let power struggles and filthy matters disturb you? Your Highness, take your time to write an article here. Also, since you claim to have both ability and virtue, I will give you a topic related to politics. If you can do it, I will let you out and make you the Prince Regent. "
"Really?" The Third Prince's eyes lit up.
"The Emperor does not joke," the Empress said solemnly.
"What topic?"
The Empress rubbed her chin and smiled at the Third Prince until he was a little scared. She then said, "'The United States in the midst of the world financial crisis through the rising price of corn'.
…
On the 18th of April, the Empress recalled all the duties that the Retired Emperor had given to the princes and princesses. Among them, the Eleventh Prince, who was in the North, brazenly defied the decree and secretly ordered his subordinates to join forces with the Greenwood Alliance to assassinate the officials in the North in an attempt to create a disadvantageous situation for the newly ascended Empress. However, just as he made his move, he was intercepted by the Greenwood Alliance in the North who had always been at odds with him and launched an organized counterattack. The Eleventh Prince fled to the North in a panic and sought refuge with the largest force in the North, the Changtian Sect. However, because he had interfered with the appointment of the new leader of the Changtian Sect, he was assassinated by the deputy leader who had the strength to compete for the position but had failed.
Those who played with the martial world would die in the martial world.
On the 20th of April, the Empress carried out new policies, abolished the purple cloaks and the Iron Guards, unified the power of investigation and arrest, and returned it to the Ministry of Justice. The Ministry of Justice was responsible for the punishment of the world, the Imperial Censorate was responsible for the investigation, and the Supreme Court was responsible for the correction. She also reformed the military system, implemented a change in the frontier army, and unified the power of the world's troops and horses. She also reformed taxes, checked the national treasury and the deficit in various places, and made 28 new policies related to the name of punishment, justice, household administration, military personnel, agriculture, imperial examinations, culture, economy, and so on. She also specially formulated harsh laws to back up the implementation of the new policies. Those who embezzled and accepted bribes of more than 100 taels of silver were beheaded! Those who interfered in the name of punishment and caused unjust and false cases were beheaded! Those who conspired in the name of punishment were beheaded! Those who formed a clique and disrupted the government were beheaded! The royal family was exempted from the right to discuss the nobility and those who committed the above crimes were beheaded! After being beheaded 18 times in a row, the eunuchs who were reading the imperial edict felt weak in the mouth and legs.
There were even more heads that were chopped off without hesitation! There were heads to be killed outside the Meridian Gate every day, and when there was nothing to do, someone suggested that there weren't enough officials to go around. The Empress immediately changed the nine-rank system to the imperial examination system and opened the door to the nation's scholars. Even the children of poor families could become officials in the Golden Palace. It was said that the Empress smiled amiably at the censor and said, "Huh? Killed too many? It's okay, it's an official. I'll make up for every one of them you kill. Oh, the radish in your pit has been planted for a long time. Do you want to change it? "
From then on, the censor kept his mouth shut, lest the Empress change a radish in his pit.
The chaotic governance of the Tiancheng Era was not something that could be cleaned up in a day. But no matter what, the Empress and the Old Emperor's iron-fisted methods still made everyone in Xuanji tremble in fear. The nation's departments and systems began to operate normally, and the new policies were also implemented in an orderly manner.
When the government affairs came to an end, Meng Fuyao took time to care about her brothers and sisters who were in confinement. On the first day, she asked each of them to write a political article.
There were all sorts of things submitted, and there was even an article called "I'm So Stupid".
"I'm so stupid, really. I only knew that my father had fourteen children, but I didn't know that there was another one outside. That night, I even discussed with my advisors whether or not to make a move, and we almost did. When Ninth Sister found out, she was afraid that I would make a mistake and pulled me away. I refused, I wanted to be the Emperor, but Ninth Sister didn't agree. She tried a few times to persuade me, but when I looked back, all I saw was dead bodies on the ground. I didn't have a chance, and my chance wouldn't be gone just like that. I asked around and found out that there was really no one left, so I panicked and ordered my guards to go out of the city. We ran and ran until the middle of the night. I ran all the way to the ravine, and there were many people waiting. When I saw the flash of swords and spears, I said, 'Alright, it's finally over.' I raised my sword and chopped. Fighting is fun, but there's no right to the throne. In the end, I'm still locked up here, and I don't have any medicine to treat my hemorrhoids … I'm so stupid, really."
Meng Fuyao immediately spat out. She solemnly wrote on the twelfth prince's answer sheet, "Shameful plagiarism, zero points."
She then took a closer look at the political papers and put them aside.
The next day, she ordered people not to provide food in the hall, starving them for three days. On the third day, she sent people to deliver ten steamed buns. There were twenty princes and grandsons of the Xuanji royal family inside, which could be shared between two people. Of course, it was hard to say if they would get one each. She ordered Ji Yu to record everyone's performance after they delivered the steamed buns to her.
The next day, Ji Yu handed over the records. She took a look and took out the previous political papers and compared them with the records. Then, she took out three copies and put them aside.
The next day, she ordered Ji Yu to secretly find people to talk to. She called them out one by one and returned mysteriously. Then, she ordered Ji Yu to record their reactions. This time, she only took out one copy.
It had been a while since she had ascended to the throne. Suddenly, she wanted to relax and go out for a stroll. She did not bring any guards, only Lord Yuan Bao.
Zhangsun Wuji and Meng Fuyao had been in a lukewarm state lately. It was probably the kind of "Good morning, ah, hello, have you eaten? Yes, what did you eat? Ah, I forgot "state. Actually, she could not be blamed for the slow progress. Meng Fuyao had just become the nation's president and was too busy to spend time with the Crown Prince. The only progress between the two was that Lord Yuan Bao had been approved to accompany the Emperor.
Zong Yue had already returned to the country and left in peace. No matter what, Meng Fuyao's forgiveness was the greatest blessing. As for the pain that was frozen in his memory, it could only be left for time to slowly dissolve.
Meng Fuyao put on a mask and walked around with Yuan Bao. Lord Yuan Bao could not move at the sight of tanghulu and climbed out to ask for it. Just as Meng Fuyao was about to take out her silver to buy it, someone suddenly said in a strange tone, "Oh oh, stupid! Oh oh, even a mouse eats tanghulu! "
Meng Fuyao turned around in shock and saw a gaudy parrot jumping around on the gourd rack. As it jumped, it made a lot of noise and mocked Yuan Bao. "Oh oh, white mouse, oh oh oh, white mouse eating tanghulu!"
Yuan Bao's hair stood on end as he scolded loudly. "Squeak squeak!"
On top of the parrot's head was a bunch of oddly shaped yellow feathers that looked like yellow smoke was coming out of its head. One of its green eyes was open while the other was closed. It stood on one leg and looked askance at Yuan Bao. "Oh oh, you can understand human language?"
Yuan Bao had just stuck out his chest proudly when he heard the parrot say in disdain, "Oh oh oh, what's so great about understanding human language? Oh oh oh, it's rare that you can speak human language. If you have the ability, say a few words to me. Say it, say it … "It suddenly straightened its wings and raised its head, mimicking Yuan Bao's posture." Squeak squeak, squeak squeak! "
Lord Ingot, who had never been treated with such disdain before, let out a "Bang" sound, and his universe exploded. He pounced on the parrot and used a "360-degree Rebounding Flying Kick". The parrot nimbly jumped away, and continued to look down on him. "Oh, oh, oh, you mouse, what's so great about being white? What's so great about understanding human language? I'm a flower. Not only can I understand, I can also speak. I'm ten thousand times more noble than you! Oh oh oh! "
Yuan Bao was on the verge of going crazy …
It bared its fangs and brandished its claws, swinging its head to bite Fuyao's knife in an attempt to use it to cut off its yellow feathers. The parrot flapped its wings and laughed triumphantly. "Oh oh oh … Squeak squeak! Squeak squeak! "
"King Kong, you're being naughty again!"
A familiar female voice rang out, and the parrot was grabbed by someone. Meng Fuyao also grabbed the desperate Yuan Bao. She turned around and saw that it was the Golden Hoop girl, Fei Yan's maidservant.
The girl smiled at Meng Fuyao and walked away. She patted the parrot and said, "Let's go. What are you waiting for? Didn't you say that the food in our house suits your taste? I'll give you the Everlasting Holy Elixir when we get back. Hmm … it's treasure hunting season in our clan … "
She walked away while talking to herself. Meng Fuyao stood in the crowd and looked at her back thoughtfully. Suddenly, someone approached her and asked, "Who did you see?"
Meng Fuyao turned around and smiled at Zhangsun Wuji. "A bird."
"It didn't lend you its wings, did it?" Zhangsun Wuji raised his head and looked in that direction.
"Who knows?" Meng Fuyao asked as she walked away.
Zhangsun Wuji didn't move and sighed softly.
= = =
On the 18th of May, the first year of Xuanji Duanming, it was a hot and humid day.
When Feng Xuan woke up early in the morning, he felt heavy in his heart, like the gloomy, gloomy weather of early summer. He stared blankly at the water droplets on the wall that had condensed due to the humidity, and vaguely remembered that it had been a long time since anyone came to see him.
Then he thought, 'The imperial doctor said that I won't live past four months. Why am I still fine?' But the recent prescription was really good. His spirit was better, especially his eyes. They had long been blurry and couldn't see clearly, but they were getting clearer day by day.
He found it funny. He had already abdicated, so why did he still need to see clearly? Was there anything else that he needed to see with his own eyes?
Just as he was lost in thought, he suddenly heard a commotion coming from the opposite side. He staggered to the window and peeked his head out. His palace gate was open, and the gate of the ancestral hall opposite was also open. Many craftsmen had arrived, and were moving something out of the hall under the direction of the eunuchs.
He shouldn't have been able to see clearly, but today he really did. They were moving the ancestral tablets.
The ancestral tablets of the previous emperors of the Xuanji Phoenix Clan!
Those uncultured people who couldn't read casually carried out the sacred and inviolable tablets that even he had to kowtow to, and threw them onto the rack outside the hall. Soon, the rack was piled up with a layer of tablets of the emperor's ancestral tablets with golden characters on a blue background, messily stacked together like a pile of firewood.
Feng Xuan jumped up as if he had been cut by a knife. He panted and stretched his neck to call for the palace maids and eunuchs. But none of the palace maids and eunuchs who usually came at his beck and call were here today. He had no choice but to hold onto the wall and move forward step by step, trying to get out of the palace to stop those peasants who deserved to have their families executed.
Suddenly, someone asked, "Where are you going?"
Feng Xuan looked up and saw a group of guards rushing into the palace. The Nine Dragons Imperial Carriage rumbled as it entered, and Meng Fuyao, dressed in a phoenix robe and a splendid crown, got down from the carriage and looked at her with her hands behind her back.
"Fuyao, you came at the right time!" Feng Xuan was overjoyed and hurriedly tried to pull on her sleeve, pointing to the opposite side. "Look at those traitors … look at those traitors … they actually … actually …" He was so angry that his face was red and his body was trembling. He couldn't even speak clearly.
"Oh." Meng Fuyao dodged his hand and turned to look at him. "That …"
She walked into the hall and Feng Xuan followed after her, swaying unsteadily. "Stop them … Stop them …"
"You saw it?" Meng Fuyao turned to look at him.
"I saw it! What's going on! "Feng Xuan clutched his chest and coughed." … They … "
"They're moving the ancestral tablets of the Feng Clan. It's that simple."
"You …" Hearing her tone, Feng Xuan's brain suddenly lit up. Looking up, he said in shock, "You … you're the one who made them …"
"Of course." Meng Fuyao smiled and looked at him as if he had become stupid. "If it wasn't for my orders, would anyone dare to touch that place?"
"You're crazy!" Fengxuan took a step back, knocking against the bed and falling to the ground. Her legs trembled as she tried to get up, but she couldn't. She tried a few times, but to no avail.
"I don't know if I'm crazy." Meng Fuyao looked at him coldly and didn't help him up. "But I think you're going crazy."
She strode over and sat on the couch. Pressing her hands on her knees, she looked down at the struggling Feng Xuan and said, "I'm here to inform you of something. I've just issued an imperial edict. From today onwards, Xuanji shall change its country name to Wan and its era name to Changsheng. All members of the Xuanji Royal Family shall be demoted to commoners. The Xuanji Royal Family shall cease to exist!"
As soon as she finished, Feng Xuan's eyes rolled back and he fainted before he could say a word.
Meng Fuyao looked at him calmly. Her eyes were as dark as the dark clouds in the sky. Xuanji, Xuanji, from today onwards, this damned royal family shall cease to exist. Xu Wan, Xu Wan, from today onwards, there shall be only your position in the palace!
Feng Xuan woke up after a long time.
When he woke up, everything was dark. At first, he thought that he had gone blind, but then he saw two faint flashes in front of him. Only then did he know that the sky had turned dark.
And those faint flashes were human eyes. They belonged to Meng Fuyao, who had never left.
Feng Xuan lay on the ground in the same position as before he fainted. His entire body was cold and stiff, as though he was a dead man. It was only now that he truly understood the depth of Meng Fuyao's hatred. He had initially thought that the things that happened in the palace were common occurrences and that Meng Fuyao might not even have memories from before she was five years old. He had thought that the supreme throne would be enough to quell her anger and hatred, but he had still underestimated Meng Fuyao.
He had also thought too simply of the human nature, grudges, pain, and darkness of the world.
He did not know that to him, the most important thing in the world was imperial power. But to some people, the most important thing would always be their own heart.
It was the laughter and tears that were written in the past, the most vivid memories in life that needed redemption.
"… Aren't you afraid of being cursed …" Seeing the Feng family's empire, which he had painstakingly planned for thousands of years, being ruined by himself, seeing his ancestors being thrown into dirty carriages and buried by those craftsmen, seeing that he would become a sinner for generations to come, unable to face the Feng ancestors even in death, Feng Xuan struggled with his last bit of strength, trying to use that vicious oath to bind this woman before him, whom he thought he could control, but was actually unable to do so.
"I've waited until now to tell you," Meng Fuyao squatted down and got closer to him, her black and white eyes shining in the darkness, "… That oath has nothing to do with me."
She smiled and whispered in Feng Xuan's ear, "The daughter you and Xu Wan had, Feng Fuyao, was stillborn, and I … I am just Meng Fuyao."
Feng Xuan trembled in shock.
"Feng Fuyao is loyal to the Feng family. Feng Fuyao did not destroy the Xuanji imperial family, and Feng Fuyao will never go back on her oath, because she only lived for an hour." Meng Fuyao smiled calmly and desolately. "Feng Xuan, do you still remember that oath? That was made by Feng Fuyao, not me. "
Feng Xuan suddenly twitched soundlessly, staring straight into Meng Fuyao's eyes. That pair of eyes that were as bright as the sun and as clear as the autumn waters were now glowing deeply. That demonic and cold gaze was stuck in front of him, like an extremely dark iron wall trapping him in an eternal abyss of darkness.
He twitched in the dark palace, twitching under Meng Fuyao's steel-like gaze. He heard the sound of his muscles, bones, and heart breaking inch by inch, and in the depths of his body, something made a clanging sound, emitting a sharp pain that radiated golden light in all directions. Then, it collapsed and broke into green smoke, dissipating between heaven and earth.
That was … his own soul, right?
So the death of an emperor … was also this simple.
All his life, he had manipulated the landscape map, manipulated the struggle for supremacy, and in the end … he had been manipulated.
This was retribution, retribution ….
= = =
On the 18th of the fifth month of the first year of the Xuanji Dynasty, the Xuanji Empress changed the country's name to Wan and the era's name to Changsheng. It was only then that everyone realized that the era's name was just "short-lived".
Other than the Ninth Princess who had become a monk, the rest of the Xuanji Imperial Family were deposed as commoners.
On the 19th of the fifth month of the first year of Changsheng, Emperor Tian Cheng, Feng Xuan, passed away and was buried in the An Mausoleum. On that day, the An Mausoleum was sealed, leaving him alone in the huge mausoleum. It was said that before he passed away, he requested to be buried with a yellow cloth covering his face to show that he was a sinner of the clan and was too ashamed to face his ancestors. The Empress agreed to his request.
From then on, the An Mausoleum became the last imperial mausoleum of the Xuanji Imperial Family.
However, there was still one lucky person in the Xuanji Imperial Family — Prince Feng Wu. He was the only prince who had not been deposed and was appointed by the Empress as the new Prime Minister, in charge of the political affairs of the Great Wan.
The courtiers were puzzled by the Empress's actions. The Empress simply said, "I gave everyone a chance, but he was the only one who emerged victorious."
Back then, the entire Xuanji Imperial Family had been locked up for inspection.
On the first day, seven people, including Feng Wu, had performed exceptionally well and were left out for inspection.
On the second day, when they were hungry, the steamed buns were sent in and mixed together. Those who knew how to divide the food were left out for inspection. Feng Wu, who had also been starving for three days, gave the steamed bun to one of his nephews. In this round, there were only three people who had passed the first and second rounds.
On the third day, Ji Yu spoke to them separately and informed them that the Empress intended to select talented officials from among the princes and princesses. He also pointed out the list that the Empress had tacitly approved of. Of the three who had passed, two were overjoyed and privately attacked each other. Only Feng Wu was as calm as ever.
At this point, Feng Wu had passed.
Outstanding political discussion was due to ability; giving up the steamed bun was due to benevolence; not being tempted by the bait was due to prudence.
Using this method, Meng Fuyao had chosen the officials she wanted to assist her.
She could have slowly chosen from all over the country, but she did not have the time. She could only look for talents from the Xuanji Imperial Family, which had the most political experience.
She also had an idea. If she were to leave in the future, she would let Feng Wu inherit the throne and incorporate Dawan into Wuji or Dahan. With Zhangsun Wuji or Zhan Beiye around, even if Feng Wu were to ascend to the throne, he would never be able to bring back Xuanji.
That way, she would not have let down the innocent people of the country. At the very least, she would have found a good administrator for them.
= = =
On the 21st day of the fifth month of the first year of Longevity, Yong Chang Palace was dimly lit. Meng Fuyao paced back and forth behind the curtains. After a while, she grinned at Ji Yu. "Hmm, this puppet really does look like me. Remember to keep an eye on it for me."
Ji Yu nodded silently. "Are you really going?"
"Of course." Meng Fuyao packed her bag. "You are not allowed to tell your master. You are now one of my people. If you betray me again, I will fire you."
Ji Yu left without a word.
The night was dark, and the stars flickered. After a while, a figure sneaked out of the Yong Chang Palace.
He had just taken a few steps when a white shadow flashed by. A ball pounced into the figure's arms and froze there.
Lord Ingot buried his head deep into Meng Fuyao's embrace.
I know you are going to Fufeng. Bring me there! I want to find that Vajra for revenge!
= = =
Happy holidays, everyone. I'm really sorry for the delay. I was held up by something and wanted to end the Xuanji Scroll tonight. I'm sorry for the delay.
Same old rules. Handsome men still have to follow … Do you want to see how a handsome man is going to warm up the frozen state? Do you want to see the adorable Zhuzhu whom you have not seen for a long time? Do you want to see the strange three big tribes in Fufeng stirred up by the arrival of some awesome person? Do you want to see the silent Fei Yan's plans for Meng Fuyao? All in the Fufeng Scroll …
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