Calm seas are not always a good thing. Just like the ocean, beneath the calm surface, there are often turbulent undercurrents that can eventually turn into towering waves.
"Tap tap tap!" A series of footsteps came, and Qin Qiong and the others were surprised to find that Li Shimin had appeared at the Six Doors.
Then they thought it was normal, after all, in the Tang Dynasty, there were only two people who could enter directly without being notified.
"I heard that Huai Dao has caused another big incident, so I came to see him." After Qin Qiong and the others paid their respects, Li Shimin stated his purpose directly.
Li Shimin knew what was happening within the Six Doors, which wasn't surprising at all. After all, how could such a large department not have one or two informants? Everyone was well aware of this, but they all pretended not to hear.
Qin Mu had been working on this for so many days, and the news had already reached Li Shimin. He had always been quite interested in Qin Mu's affairs, and he had been interested in the young man ever since Qin Mu proposed the idea of building the reservoir.
The spiritual energy was gathering in large quantities and had been going on for half a day. Who wouldn't be envious of such a thing? Although Qin Mu had told his friends not to spread the word, and they wouldn't either, those who knew the truth still wanted to see it for themselves.
"This is truly amazing! Even a Taoist spirit-gathering array wouldn't be this exaggerated!" Before Qin Qiong could answer, Li Shimin gazed at the mist ahead and involuntarily took two steps forward, exclaiming in amazement.
Spirit gathering arrays are not uncommon for them. There are three in the imperial palace: one for the royal family, one for the emperor, and one for the royal children, especially those with exceptional talent.
However, this kind of spirit-gathering array gathers spiritual energy slowly, and it takes time to achieve the current state. It can only be used by two people once a month, which is about the limit. Each time it takes between one and four hours.
This kind of spirit-gathering array is not without its advantages. Apart from the fact that the materials used to set up the array are quite precious, there is not much consumption in the later stages. It is mainly used to cultivate future generations.
The misty spiritual energy before him wasn't so bad; he'd seen it many times before. But the speed at which it gathered was terrifying. If a spirit-gathering array was like a spring gathering water, slowly becoming a stream, then Qin Mu's situation was like a stream converging into a great river—the speed was on a completely different level, even though the stream was being drained in a short time.
"This is an array set up by Mu'er, which consumed nearly a hundred high-grade jade stones," Qin Qiong said with a smug smile. It was indeed rare for something to surprise the emperor.
"How long have you been inside?" Li Shimin asked.
"Your Majesty, it has been almost four hours," Guo Xiaoke replied, glancing at the sky.
"It's worth it!" Li Shimin nodded, looking ahead with some envy.
Li Shimin had stools brought over and sat down on the edge of the square to wait. Knowing that he wanted to see how long the formation could last, the others could only sit down with him, even the straightforward Hong Fu Nu kept quiet and waited patiently.
Li Shimin, naturally, wouldn't just wait idly. He asked what they had been talking about. After Li Jing told him, Li Shimin frowned. He was most sensitive to intrigues and wars and had noticed them before. However, as the emperor, he had too many things to worry about. As soon as Li Jing spoke, he began to quickly deduce the situation in his mind.
"It seems they're all waiting for an opportunity! Once they do, they'll attack as a group." After a long silence, Li Shimin exhaled and said.
"I think so too, and it's very likely that several parties have already joined forces," Li Jing agreed.
"What do you think we should do to break this deadlock, Lord Wei?" Li Shimin asked.
"I believe there are two possible approaches: one proactive, the other reactive," Li Jing replied. He must have already considered this situation, for he immediately responded to Li Shimin's question.
"So what if I'm proactive? So what if I'm passive?" Li Shimin's spirits lifted, and he sat up straight to ask.
"Taking the initiative means choosing one force to attack and annihilating it with overwhelming force, thus deterring other forces; remaining inactive means strengthening border defenses, purging internal strife, and enhancing one's own strength," Li Jing explained.
Although Li Jing's words were simple, almost everyone present understood. He was not only launching a proactive attack, but also purging internal forces—who were they purging? Naturally, those who resisted, and those who outwardly complied but inwardly defied him. As for who exactly to target, that depended on Li Shimin's decision.
"Isn't this a bit too hasty?" Li Shimin pondered for a moment, his eyes flashing as he asked.
He naturally knew that many people were dissatisfied with him, and because of that incident, some were resentful, while others were disgusted. He had originally intended to gradually win them over, but Li Jing's intentions were clearly not so simple. Li Shimin felt a sense of unease, as if the times were against him.
"It was a bit hasty, but it also caught everyone off guard. Who would have thought His Majesty would make his move at this time?" Li Jing replied.
“That’s right, even His Majesty couldn’t have imagined it, let alone anyone else. It’s better to suffer a long pain than a short one!” Li Shentong agreed.
"Yes, this matter requires careful consideration. Allow me to think it over carefully," Li Shimin nodded slightly.
Such a major matter could not be decided in just a few words, and everyone knew this, so the topic changed again.
"Shubao! Can this formation be set up in the palace?" Li Shimin asked, pointing ahead.
"Arranging it is certainly possible, but only my son can tell me the specifics. As far as I know, its main function is still a bead," Qin Qiong replied.
Li Shimin found it difficult to respond to this. After all, one cannot simply ask for the possessions of a subject; what kind of image would that make! Moreover, the specific effects of the bead and whether there were any extras were still unknown. Therefore, he could only nod silently.
After chatting for a while, everyone clearly felt that the flow of spiritual energy had slowed down. They thought it was almost over, but who knew that another hour would pass before the fog slowly dissipated, revealing a tent.
"Haha! That feels so good!"
"Hey Cheng, let's fight!"
"Come on then! I'm not afraid of you!"
"Can you guys shut up? What are you doing making calls in the middle of the night?"
From inside the tent came the voices of Qin Mu and his group. Then, Li Shimin was surprised to find that more than a dozen people, of varying ages, came out.
"This...this..." Li Shimin was taken aback, because there were ten guards near the tent, which meant that more than twenty people were cultivating for six hours. This was on a completely different level compared to the Spirit Gathering Array.
"Quickly summon Qin Huaidao to me!" Li Shimin said impatiently.
The voices in the distance startled Qin Mu and the others. They then noticed a group of people standing there. Upon closer inspection, they exclaimed inwardly, "Holy crap!"
"His Majesty has arrived! Let's go and pay our respects!" Qin Mu reminded him, then led a group of people forward quickly.
70
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com