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Chapter 14: The Gathering of the Grandmasters
The Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty recognized the situation and, knowing he was not suited to be the Emperor, willingly relinquished the throne to Tang Jiner. Thus, Tang Jiner ascended to become the first Empress of the Tang Dynasty.
Due to the previous Emperor's death in battle, it was Tang Jiner who saved the Tang Dynasty. She garnered unimaginable support, praise, and prestige among the people.
The Imperial Aura that had been nearly depleted began to slowly recover. However, restoring it to its former glory would take centuries, even up to a thousand years.
After ascending the throne, Tang Jiner's first order of business was to declare a state funeral for her father and the National Sage. Following that, she initiated the construction of the National Saint. Only then did she begin to gradually rebuild the fallen palaces.
As the Tang Dynasty transitioned from crisis to stability, many who had previously fled began to return home. Those wealthy merchants who had escaped early also returned to establish their businesses. The Tang Dynasty was poised for revival.
Lin Feng was appointed as the first Divine General of the Tang Dynasty and granted the title of Pacifying Marquis. Chen Guang became the second Divine General and was appointed as the Southern Border Commander, leading an army of thirty thousand to guard the frontier.
Lin Feng looked at Tang Jiner, who was being worshipped by thousands. At this moment, she appeared noble yet cold. After this ordeal, the innocence of her youthful eyes gradually faded away, replaced by authority and a chilling demeanor.
Once these initial constructions were completed, Lin Feng eagerly sought an audience with the Empress.
Inside the vast palace, there were only three individuals present.
Tang Jiner sat upon the dragon throne while Mo Mo stood beside her. Lin Feng stood below the throne.
Tang Jiner asked calmly, "General Lin, you seem in a hurry. Is there something urgent?"
Lin Feng replied, "Your Majesty, I report that Da Zhou has invaded Wind Nation. As allies of Wind Nation, should we not send troops to assist them?"
Upon hearing this, Mo Mo scoffed and said, "The Tang Dynasty is not your private army, Lin Feng. If you wish to help your beloved, that is your own affair."
Hearing this, Lin Feng felt a surge of anger. Why was Mo Mo always opposing him? What had he done to offend her? He couldn't be bothered with her and instead turned to Tang Jiner, saying, "What does the Emperor think?"
Tang Jiner pondered for a moment. "Logically, we should indeed send troops to aid the Wind Spirit. But as you can see, with Chen Guang leading thirty thousand troops stationed in the southern borders, we have no forces left to mobilize."
"Is this... a decision made by the Tang?" Lin Feng's tone was laced with displeasure.
"How dare you speak to the Emperor like that? Do you see anyone besides the Wind Spirit in your eyes?" Mo Mo scolded angrily.
Lin Feng could no longer hold back. "Miss Mo, let me tell you, I see you as a woman and won't stoop to your level. Don't push your luck and challenge my limits. Damn it, what have I done to offend you? You target me at every turn. If you provoke me further, don't blame me for being rude."
Mo Mo smiled coldly, her expression filled with disdain. "Don't think that just because you've achieved merit for the Tang, you can get carried away. Are you my rival?"
"Damn it. One day, I, Lin Feng, will capture you and pin you down on the table to spank you. Let's see if you'll still be so arrogant then," Lin Feng swore in frustration.
Tang Jiner interjected, "Lin Feng, you're usually not one to get worked up so easily. Has Mo Mo truly gotten under your skin?"
Lin Feng realized that these two were now united against him. He replied coldly, "Since the Tang is unwilling to send troops, I wish to resign from my position as the First Divine General."
"The Wind Spirit has traveled thousands of miles to assist us. We can't just stand by and watch them battle against Da Zhou; I, Lin Feng, cannot do that."
"Lin Feng, your legs are your own; you can leave anytime. However, you'll still need to bear the title of First Divine General. Don't think too much of it."
"You have made great contributions to the Tang. If I were to relieve you of your position, how would the people of the Tang perceive it? They would think this Emperor is burning bridges after crossing them. Moreover, as a disciple of the National Sage, if you resign, it would appear that I am at odds with Solitary Moon City and could affect the stability of the Tang," Tang Jiner explained earnestly.
Upon hearing this, Lin Feng was taken aback by how opportunistic Tang Jiner had become and felt a deep sense of disappointment. "What a fine Emperor who always thinks about the stability of the Tang," he said bitterly.
Without looking back, Lin Feng stormed out in anger.
After Lin Feng departed, Tang Jiner asked, "Where is Minister Wen?"
At her summons, Minister Wen entered the palace.
"Convey my decree: the Great Zhou is invading the Wind Nation. The Great Tang and the Wind Nation are closely linked; if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold. I shall recruit soldiers from the Great Tang to aid the Wind Nation."
Upon hearing this, Minister Wen respectfully bowed, "Your foresight is a blessing for the people of the Great Tang."
As Minister Wen left, Mo Mo couldn't help but ask, "Princess, weren't you opposed to Lin Feng's proposal to send troops earlier?"
Tang Jiner felt a bit weary; she had been overwhelmed with duties and hadn't had a proper rest in days. Rubbing her temples and closing her eyes, she replied, "That was just my frustration with Lin Feng. If the Wind Nation falls, we will be even worse off. Moreover, Wind Spirit is leading everyone to assist our Great Tang. If we stand by and do nothing, what will the people of the Great Tang think?"
"It is important to act wisely. As for how many troops we can send, it will depend on how many new recruits we can gather; we will do our best."
"I understand," Mo Mo nodded.
Lin Feng decided to head to the Wind Nation alone to lend a hand to Wind Spirit. He even impulsively considered taking Chen Guang's troops from the southern border directly to the Wind Nation. However, that was merely a fleeting thought.
"Tang Jiner lacks compassion; I cannot act unjustly. The debt of gratitude I owe her will be repaid. From now on, you shall be your Great Tang Empress while I roam freely as a wandering hero. We shall not meet again."
As Lin Feng walked through Chang'an City and saw the outlines of the newly constructed National Sacred Temple, he felt a sense of comfort in his heart.
"Before heading to Great Zhou, I should return to Solitary Moon City. I wonder how Solitary Moon City is faring now."
At the border between Northern Jizhou and Southern Land Yang Prefecture on Jiuzhou Continent stood four stunningly beautiful women in a desolate wilderness.
These four were none other than Cold Rain, Xiao Mi, Qi Wan'er, and members of the Guan Family from the Four Great Masters.
Qi Wan'er and the Guan Family stood side by side. The Guan Family smiled lightly and said, "I didn't expect the Cold Commander and Xiao, the Demon General, to come together."
Cold Rain's expression turned slightly cold as he replied, "If you two can walk together, why can't we?"
Xiao Mi, feeling somewhat impatient, interjected, "Enough of this nonsense. Hand over the clues to the Master's Secret Realm."
"Is it that simple? Such arrogance," Qi Wan'er said quietly.
"You're afraid it won't be up to you."
Cold Rain finished speaking and tossed out a jade slip. Qi Wan'er caught it and infused it with Vital Energy. The jade slip emitted a glow, projecting some images into the air.
A Disciple of the Qi Sword Pavilion, Qi Si, was being trampled underfoot. At that moment, a knife was held to Qi Si's throat.
"Is this your condition?" Qi Wan'er maintained her calm demeanor.
Xiao Mi scoffed, "The Cold Commander kills without blinking an eye, and they say I, Xiao Mi, walked a bloody path to become the Demon General. But we cannot compare to Qi Wan'er. Watching a junior brother be beheaded without flinching—if we're talking about ruthlessness, Qi Wan'er takes the crown."
Hearing these taunts, Qi Wan'er remained unfazed and said, "As a Disciple of the Qi Sword Pavilion, in pursuit of the supreme sword path, I have long set aside life and death."
"In that case, why don't you just die? How about this: you switch places with Qi Si. The one getting beheaded will be you while he stands there—what do you think?" Xiao Mi continued her sarcastic remarks, unable to tolerate Qi Wan'er's hypocritical demeanor.
"If my junior brother had my resources and insights, I wouldn't mind switching with him," Qi Wan'er replied.
"What a shameless woman," Xiao Mi retorted, feeling disgusted by her.
The Guan Family spoke up: "I assume you two came together not just to chat with us. Even if Qi Wan'er could be swayed by just Qi Si's life, don't forget about me."
"Although you possess many clues about the Master's Secret Realm, a fraction less is ultimately equivalent to zero."
Cold Rain took out an object, a piece of Tortoise Shell, no larger than a fingernail. He continued, "Unfortunately for you, the last clue to the Master's Secret Realm is in our hands. This should be enough for an exchange, right?"
"Good things should be shared by all. We will contribute all our clues and combine them into one. The treasures of the Master's Secret Realm will be shared among the four of us. As for who can obtain the inheritance, that will depend on her strength and fortune. What do you think?" Cold Rain looked towards the Guan Family.
The Guan Family remained silent and turned their gaze to Qi Wan'er. After all, Qi Si's life belonged to Qijian Pavilion, and many of the clues they held were obtained through Qijian Pavilion.
Qi Wan'er pondered for a moment and asked, "When can you release my junior brother?"
"Before we arrived, Qi Si had already gained his freedom," Cold Rain replied.
Upon hearing this, both the Guan Family and Qi Wan'er were slightly taken aback. The Guan Family spoke up, "Cold Commander, such strong confidence; I admire it."
"What if you're lying?" Qi Wan'er questioned.
Cold Rain chuckled coldly, "Do I need to lie while walking in this world?"
Next, the Guan Family and Qi Wan'er fell into deep thought, weighing the pros and cons. A single missing clue rendered their collection incomplete; what they held was essentially worthless.
Suddenly, Qi Wan'er recalled something and asked, "Cold Rain, you already knew we had clues about the Master's Secret Realm. The pursuit was a ruse; you were actually tracking us all along."
"We arrived at Gaojing. You also arrived at Gaojing. You captured Qi Si but deliberately chose not to kill him. You pretended not to know and allowed Qi Si to enter Black Prison to obtain other clues."
"Because you knew that only we possessed vital information about many clues. And you have been holding onto one piece of that Tortoise Shell all along. Am I right?"
Cold Rain remained indifferent, neither confirming nor denying her words.
If that's the case, then Cold Rain's schemes are indeed too deep.
Qi Wan'er continued, "No wonder Divine Ruins did not choose you; your schemes are too profound to achieve the Great Dao. As for Xiao Mi, there's no need to mention it—she's simply too foolish, always treating others as her weapons without realizing it."
"Qi Wan'er, what about you? Are you clever? You've been let loose by Cold Rain like a dog for years, and yet you think you're so smart," Xiao Mi retorted sarcastically.
Cold Rain interjected to break up their quarrel, "This is pointless. What are your considerations?"
"Qi Si is a Disciple of the Qi Sword Pavilion, so I naturally listen to Qi Wan'er," Guan Family said with composure.
"Then bring out that turtle shell you have in hand. What are you waiting for?"
Qi Wan'er felt somewhat displeased; having two more people competing for Shishu's secret realm was hardly a pleasant matter. (To be continued...)
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