Chapter 477
Nangong Ming left the Wuwang Palace and went to the Tianxuan Palace, where he met Sheng Fei, who was still there.
Sheng Fei grabbed Mu Mengbai and solemnly told his father about the changes in the six states of Yan.
After hearing this, Nangong Ming remained silent for a long time, so long that Mu Mengbai wanted to sneak away. But then he spoke in a deep voice: "I had already heard about this before I came to Nanjing."
If you already knew, then why were you pretending?
Mu Mengbai almost cried out, but then remembered that the person in front of him was his friend's father, so he bit his tongue and swallowed his words back down.
"You already knew?" Sheng Fei frowned, his eyes filled with confusion. "Since the Breath of Earth is still in Nangong Sui's hands, then the great changes in the six states of Yan must have been for other reasons. Did you know that too?"
Nangong Ming did not answer directly, but stood up and said, "Take good care of your injuries."
"Father!" Sheng Fei was unwilling to accept that his father hadn't told him anything.
"Your mission this time was simply to escort the fragments to Nanjing with the Zhongli family's children. You did a good job. Take a rest." Nangong Ming disappeared into the night without turning his head.
After everyone had disappeared from sight, Mu Mengbai patted his chest and sat down in his chair: "It seems we worried for nothing. Since His Highness knows everything, then everything is fine."
"Sigh, just listen to the prince and focus on recovering. Leave the adults' affairs to the adults."
Sheng Fei couldn't stand hearing such words.
What does "adult" mean? Is he still a child?
He felt that his father should tell him what his plans were, but his father said nothing. A sense of crisis of not being trusted suddenly rose in his heart, making him very irritable.
But in the past few years he has learned to be calm and restrained. He did not lose his temper with Mu Mengbai, but asked, "Where did Zhongli Que go?"
"You didn't know?" Mu Mengbai asked in surprise, "She was taken away by the sage of the Fang family before the prince arrived."
Zhong Lique handed over the stargazing portraits he had taken along the way to his master, Qin Shan.
Qin Shan had been reading for over an hour and still hadn't finished.
The master and apprentice sat quietly in the room, with Zhongli Que fiddling with the astrolabe, divination sticks, and other items on the table.
She marked the time and place on each portrait, and also depicted the scenes of her divination journey among the stars, which Qin Shan interpreted one by one.
After a long while, Qin Shan looked up at the girl opposite him, a hint of approval in his eyes.
"Your astrological predictions were almost all correct, which is remarkable."
"Thank you for the compliment, Master," Zhongli Que said softly, bowing her head.
"What's making you so worried?" Qin Shan asked again.
Zhong Lique said, "The situation in the six states of Yan seems to be very unfavorable to us."
She frowned, her dark eyes filled with undisguised melancholy: "I'm worried that my father and brother have met with misfortune in the Six States."
Zhongli Que told Qin Shan about the changes in the six states brought by Mu Mengbai.
Her words carried a hint of frustration: "The dramatic changes in the six states did not happen in a short period of time, yet I didn't notice them at all."
"Master, are the changes in the six states due to the Breath Soil?"
Qin Shan shook his head.
He gazed at the verdant mountain scenery outside the window for a long time before looking back at the table and saying, "The changes in the six states of Yan are due to their daily and yearly resistance."
Nangong Ming did not rush to restore the divided Xirang because he wanted to give the people of Yan hope, making them believe that as long as they regained Xirang, they could change the situation.
This led to the people of Yan dying one after another, almost cutting off the new generation of Yan's strength.
Who could have imagined that he would mess things up in the end? The person who could have easily restored the Breath of Earth ended up losing it completely.
"Those who persisted in that land were not only the sorcerers and warriors of Yan, but also the people of the mechanical arts." Qin Shan's expression was complicated, as if he had regrets and admiration. "They spent hundreds of years finally breaking free from the control of the Breath of Earth over that land and becoming free."
"So Master already knew?" Zhongli Que asked in surprise. "Then why didn't you send more people to support the six states? They are trapped in the mountains and rivers and can't get out. Sending messages out requires other people to risk their lives."
"There has been a gap in news from the six prefectures for more than a month. We only learned of the changes after you left for Nanjing." Qin Shan paused here, then said, "His Majesty has transferred all the Qinglong Army troops left in the city to the six prefectures."
Did they only send the Azure Dragon Army?
Zhong Lique looked at Qin Shan, silently asking a question.
The girl's expression was stubborn, tinged with resentment.
Zhong Lique held nothing back in front of Qin Shan, revealing all her emotions, good and bad, just like now, where the girl's expression boldly expressed her dissatisfaction with His Majesty's decision.
Qin Shan saw through the girl's emotions and thoughts, but did not scold her. Instead, he gently comforted her: "His Majesty has his reasons. Qingyang and the six states of Yan have been at war for a long time. Neither side has a way out. General, this trip will surely have a result."
"If the oath to suppress the saints is no longer in effect, once the oath of non-war between the six kingdoms is lifted, Qingyang will have an overwhelming advantage in the war against the six states, and there will be no more unnecessary sacrifices."
Judging from these words, Qingyang seemed to have no intention of helping Shuizhou find the Eye of the Void. But his master had always considered finding the destroyer of the world as his life's goal.
Qin Shan wanted to tell Zhongli Que that Qingyang had sacrificed too much for Yan, and they could not afford to lose no matter what.
From the loss of the Breath of Earth to the dramatic changes in the six states, the situation in the Yan Kingdom has been slipping out of Qingyang's control. If the Yan Kingdom were to turn the tide, who could bear it?
Therefore, Qingyang must lift the oath of non-war before the people of the six states are able to fight out, and let the various sages of the nine schools of thought fight to crush them and completely take over the Yan Kingdom.
Now that the six states have transformed from barren lands into fertile and abundant resources, they have even less reason to give up.
After comforting his disciple, who was worried about his father and brothers, and revealing the Qingyang Emperor's determination, Qin Shan got down to business: "I hope you will also participate in the divination three days from now."
Zhongli Que asked in confusion, "Master, the celestial phenomena three days from now are not unusual. How can Shui Zhou use the six kingdoms' incense smoke to divine the information of the world destroyer?"
Qin Shan said, "The smoke from the Six Kingdoms is an existence that connects various parts of the continent even earlier than the mountains. Everywhere there are prism arrays that reflect the five elements of the smoke, and when it spreads to every place, it will also connect them."
Zhong Lique was a clever disciple, and she immediately understood the meaning behind her master's words: "The Water Boat is to use the heaven and earth as a divination array, and use the smoke from the six kingdoms to connect the power of all the sorcerers and magicians for divination. If everyone is divining the same thing at the same time, then this power is immeasurable."
“Besides the cigarettes from the six kingdoms, there is something else that connects our power.” Qin Shan gestured to the divine wooden slips placed on the table.
Zhong Lique followed suit, her fingers gently stroking the smooth, cold surface of the divination slip.
“All the sacred tree divination sticks are connected.” Qin Shan gazed at the sacred tree divination sticks with gentle and devout eyes. “The seeds and roots of the sacred trees lie dormant beneath the earth. They know the past, present, and future of this continent. They are omniscient and omnipresent.”
Zhongli Que knew how mysterious and powerful the divine tree was, but he still hesitated and asked, "Can we really divine the news of the five world destroyers just by using the divine tree divination sticks and the six kingdoms' incense?"
"Listen to the boat's meaning... This divination seems to have no chance of failing."
Why are they so sure?
Just as Qin Shan was about to answer, Nangong Ming's voice rang out from outside: "Your Excellency, I have something to discuss."
Zhongli Que lowered his head, stood up, and bid farewell to his master.
"Come in," Qin Shan called out.
Zhong Lique stood up, greeted them politely, and then left.
She did not tell Qin Shan about Mu Mengbai's special status.
But Zhong Lique also had a bad feeling.
The man who arrived under the cover of night added a touch of chill to the room. Qin Shan, who was sitting at the table, lowered his head slightly and then sat down opposite him.
"Your Highness, what brings you here?" Qin Shan asked with a smile.
Nangong Ming also had a slight smile on his lips as he placed the object in his hand on the table.
It was an ordinary-looking little stone. It looked like a stone that had been picked up randomly from some ruins, but it was clear that it had been hit by some kind of external force, which made it "shattered into pieces".
Qin Shan lowered his eyes to look at the broken stones on the table, and gently tapped the sacred wood talisman with his fingers on the table, one tap after another, making a low, muffled sound.
At this moment, without needing the Mind-Observation Formation, Qin Shan already knew Nangong Ming's intentions.
He discovered it.
The five elements of Zhongli Que were discovered in this pebble, and it was learned that Zhongli Que was performing a divination array at that time.
"Your Highness's Asura Eye is indeed powerful." Qin Shan looked up at the person opposite him, his tone calm.
“Perhaps Your Excellency foresaw this long ago,” Nangong Ming said.
"Your Highness knows that I am most skilled in alchemy, not..." Qin Shan lightly flicked his finger, lifting the fallen divine wooden talisman from the table, and looked directly at Nangong Ming with a faint smile.
Nangong Ming smiled and pushed the pebbles on the table toward Qin Shan: "I was very curious before, how could someone who could escape from He Xinsi be caught by Zou Yuan, so I went to the scene to check."
"The Divine Army Guard's report said that the beast used the Heavenly Wolf Killing Formation of the Fang family, but after my investigation, I found that the owner of the Five Elements Qi remaining in the formation was someone else."
Qin Shan reached out and picked up the pebble.
"Who is it?" he asked, as if completely unaware.
Nangong Ming said, "The women of the Zhongli family are not allowed to practice the Nine Schools of Arts. This is an agreement between the Zhongli family and the Qingyang royal family. Those who break the oath will probably pay a heavy price."
He didn't seem to care about Qin Shan's reaction and attitude, and continued to say in a casual tone, "Zhongli Ci secretly taught his daughter Zhongli Que the Nine Schools of Arts. Now that Zhongli Que is your disciple, Your Majesty, after His Majesty punishes you, Your Majesty may implicate you."
Qin Shan seemed unconcerned about the oath between the Zhongli family and the royal family, and smiled as he pointed out the mistake in his words: "Your Highness, she is my apprentice, and naturally I taught her the Nine Schools of Arts."
A subtle expression appeared on Nangong Ming's face, and he said with a half-smile, "Venerable One, there is no evidence to prove that you taught Zhongli Que the Nine Schools of Arts."
Qin Shan already knew what he wanted.
Nangong Ming added, "I have already sent someone back to Qingyang to report to His Majesty the news that Zhongli Que is practicing the Nine Schools of Arts. If you stop him before dawn, the news will not reach His Majesty."
He had no direct evidence to report that Qin Shan was teaching Zhongli Que the Nine Schools of Arts. However, if Qin Shan intercepted the report, then there would be proof that he had participated in the teaching.
If Qin Shan doesn't stop him, then let Emperor Qingyang deal with Zhongli Que directly.
Nangong Ming wanted to see just how far Qin Shan would go for this apprentice.
After a moment of silence, Qin Shan slowly asked, "General Zhongli is currently finishing up in the six states of Yan. Shui Zhou is trying to stop the oath from being broken. If it cannot be broken, then Yan will have more time. Qingyang still needs the Zhongli family."
“If we report this to His Majesty now and provoke him into making a decision that is detrimental to Qingyang, Your Highness, it will be harmful to you.”
“I was only being loyal to His Majesty and Qingyang. You and I both know that His Majesty is intolerant of any dissent from the Zhongli family,” Nangong Ming said calmly. “These are extraordinary times. The six states of Yan have undergone tremendous changes. They are no longer bound by the Xirang. If the water boat successfully blocks the oath plan, giving Yan time, once the people of the six states come out of the mountains, perhaps all of Qingyang’s previous efforts will be in vain.”
"It sounds like we have the same goal," Qin Shan said. "Do you really think I would disregard Qingyang and help Shui Zhou thwart the Oath Plan?"
“I have never doubted Your Excellency’s loyalty to Qingyang.” Nangong Ming’s gaze fell on the pebbles in his hand. “But Shui Zhou’s intervention and the changes in Yan Kingdom have forced us to quicken our pace.”
"What should we do according to Your Highness's suggestion?" Qin Shan didn't seem worried at all.
“Previously, we tried to get the sages in Yan to enter the six states, but we were stopped by Nan Jing and Tai Yuan,” Nangong Ming said. “This time we have a legitimate reason. Qingyang’s arrest of Zhong Li Ci must be carried out by the sages.”
"Using the matter of Zhongli Que as an excuse, we can use General Zhongli as bait to lure in the Sage. It may seem like we are capturing the Grand General, but in reality, we will take over the six states of Yan." Qin Shan sorted out his thoughts and nodded slightly. "This is indeed the fastest way, but as I just said, if Your Majesty cannot restrain yourself, this move will lead to disaster."
Emperor Qingyang harbored a strong desire to kill Zhongli Ci.
Perhaps it was out of fear, or perhaps it was out of personal motives, but there is no doubt that Emperor Qingyang hated Zhongli Ci and wished him dead.
They both knew this. According to Nangong Ming's plan, killing Zhongli Ci was just an excuse, but it was hard to guarantee that Qingyang Emperor wouldn't change his mind halfway through, or turn the tables on him and actually kill Zhongli Ci after the deed was done.
Zhongli Que's cultivation of the Nine Schools of Arts was already a betrayal by the Zhongli family. No matter how well or loyal Zhongli Ci had behaved before, Emperor Qingyang now had a legitimate reason to eliminate the Zhongli family.
Therefore, Qin Shan thought it inappropriate and said, "Using the lives of the women of the Zhongli family to threaten the General will not make him compromise. If we push him too far, I'm afraid Qingyang will..."
“Since the oath of non-war between the six kingdoms can be lifted, the oath that the women of the Zhongli family cannot cultivate can also be lifted. As long as His Majesty personally announces that the Zhongli family has made great contributions to Qingyang after the matter is accomplished.” Nangong Ming interrupted him with a smile, “I think Zhongli Ci should not refuse this proposal.”
The Zhongli clan dreamed of breaking this oath.
But what they were gambling on was Emperor Qingyang's "heart".
The risk is too great.
"What means do you have to guarantee that His Majesty will accept the Zhongli clan?" Qin Shan asked, raising his eyebrows.
He was surprised by Nangong Ming's confidence.
Regarding the trial of the Zhongli clan, Qin Shan believed that Emperor Qingyang would only ever have one choice.
If there is a dead end, then we will never give them a way out.
"Your Excellency, the fate of the Zhongli clan is now in your hands." Nangong Ming raised his hand and lightly tapped the table with his index finger. A circle of golden light spread across the table, and a human-shaped character appeared.
"This spirit of the word is bound to the life of the messenger."
"His Majesty will receive the news after dawn, and the Zhongli clan will likely face death."
“If the Venerable One intercepts the message, then you and I will work together to persuade His Majesty to lift the oath that prohibits women of the Zhongli clan from cultivating, and together create an incomparably powerful Qingyang Empire.”
Nangong Ming stared straight into the depths of Qin Shan's eyes, showing no fear of his mind-reading array, nor of Qin Shan seeing through all his thoughts.
At this moment, his thoughts were open and resolute.
His ambition and sharpness even moved Qin Shan somewhat.
"You might be able to escape unscathed from Zhongli Que's cultivation of the Nine Schools of Arts, but she will likely face certain death." Nangong Ming pressed Qin Shan to make a decision again. "Even if His Majesty doesn't say anything, it will be difficult for him to trust you again in the future."
“Zhong Lique is very important.” After a moment of silence, Qin Shan said with an unprecedented seriousness, “Why do you think I risked teaching her the Nine Streams Technique? Because she may be the key to unlocking the secret of the prophecy of the world-destroying strange fire and saving everyone on this continent.”
"Her skill in the art of divination... is no less than that of the existing sages of the art of divination. Changsun Zi needs the combined power of all the sorcerers of the art of divination, using heaven and earth as a divination array, to divine the destroyer of the world, but she..."
unnecessary.
She alone can divine the news of the world destroyer.
Nangong Ming retorted, "If what you say is true, why hasn't she even mentioned the name of a world destroyer to this day?"
Qin Shan: "She has only been cultivating for a short time."
Nangong Ming laughed and said, "We don't have enough time. We can't wait until she becomes a saint of the Fangji family. Before that, she should name at least one world destroyer to prove her worth."
Qin Shan placed the sacred wooden divination stick on the table and fell silent.
Zhong Lique was a good student. She learned quickly and diligently; her talent combined with hard work gave Qin Shan great hope in her.
But as Nangong Ming said, they didn't have time.
Qin Shan believed that Zhongli Que's cultivation level was not high enough, so when he tried to perform divination in depth, his soul could not withstand it, and the divination would be stopped halfway through. Forcing him to continue the divination would only harm his life.
Now that the situation in the Yan state is showing signs of turning around, they can no longer wait.
“Until the fortune teller finishes his divination,” Qin Shan said in a deep voice, “she is an indispensable asset.”
Nangong Ming stood up, and Qin Shan's gaze followed him upwards. He then said, "I need to keep an eye on Shui Zhou's movements in his search for the Eye of Guixu, just in case."
"We cannot completely rely on the sacred stone to resist the strange fire. It is always an uncontrollable hidden danger, and the danger it brings is just like the fate of the Zhou Kingdom."
“With Your Excellency’s efforts in divination, I can handle the Yan Kingdom with peace of mind.” Nangong Mingchao Qin Shan lowered his head, and when he looked up, a meaningful smile appeared in his eyes. “Since the divination masters have put their full effort into this divination, Your Excellency can also take this opportunity to tell His Majesty some good news.”
"I will do my best to dissuade His Majesty," Qin Shan said, staring at him. "I do hope that Your Highness can be consistent in word and deed."
"Rest assured, Your Excellency, it's all for Qingyang's sake," Nangong Ming said in a low voice.
Qin Shan could not detect anything unusual from Nangong Ming.
Perhaps at this moment, Nangong Ming had no intention of targeting the Zhongli family; he was simply wholeheartedly devoted to Qingyang.
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