Chapter 361 Behave
No? At this point, it was no longer something that Empress Dowager Jiang could get away with by saying a few soft words.
Four palace maids lifted the Empress Dowager up, put her in a white silk noose, and then let go, coldly watching as Empress Dowager Jiang struggled with her hands on the white silk noose, gradually becoming exhausted.
Empress Dowager Jiang thought she was going to die, but was released by the palace maids. Just when she thought she had escaped a calamity, she was hung up again. She went through this life and death ordeal until finally, Empress Dowager Jiang was on the verge of a mental breakdown.
Throughout, Chang Hao remained calm, as if he were looking at an insignificant stranger rather than a blood relative.
"Mother, please rest well." Chang Hao considerately helped Empress Dowager Jiang to her bed in the inner palace and carefully covered her with a quilt.
Empress Dowager Jiang was already terrified. Upon hearing Chang Hao's voice, she couldn't help but tremble. She obediently lay down, her eyes filled with flattery, and dared not utter a sound.
"Mother, do you still want me to reinstate my uncle to his original position?" Chang Hao asked in a low voice.
Empress Dowager Jiang shook her head frantically, her throat so sore she couldn't speak.
"Do you still want me to pardon the Jiang clan?" Chang Hao said, his eyes flashing with murderous intent. Jiang Hengchu's rebellion was all instigated by the Jiang clan. Chang Hao could pardon Jiang Hengchu for the sake of Empress Dowager Jiang giving birth to him, but every adult male member of the Jiang clan had already had his head chopped off by him.
Empress Dowager Jiang closed her eyes and shook her head desperately. This was not her son, but a demon reincarnated to collect a debt.
“That’s right. Mother, you gave birth to me. I’ll give you my life. I’ll spare Jiang Hengchu’s life. Mother, please don’t cause any more trouble in the future.”
The implication was that Empress Dowager Jiang would lose all her privileges with Chang Hao, and from this day forward, she would simply be an empress dowager.
"If you continue to be so obedient, Mother, you will still be my mother. Do not blame me. The situation is what it is. The Shang Dynasty is already on the verge of collapse. I have no choice." Chang Hao left these words and left Wanshou Palace without looking back.
It's a foregone conclusion that Chang Hao will take action against the four major vassal states. He won't turn back. Starting with Jiang Hengchu, all the rebellious minor vassal states will die within a year, and power will be in his own hands. Only by concentrating all his strength can he possibly defeat Xiqi, which has the help of a sage.
Seeing that the Shang Dynasty was thriving under His Majesty's rule, with its officials being efficient and its border unrest being suppressed by His Majesty, Wen Zhong finally spoke to Chang Hao, saying that he had to return to his sect. The journey was long, and it would take at least a few years for him to go back and forth.
"Grand Tutor, do not worry. I can guarantee that you will return unchanged from your previous appearance in the court." Chang Hao was somewhat ashamed, knowing that he had really put Wen Zhong in a difficult position.
"I wonder if Grand Tutor is safe returning to his sect?" Chang Hao probed indirectly, the traces of his cultivation likely impossible to conceal now.
“It’s alright, that’s my sect,” Wen Zhong said with relief. “As long as I’m not in Chaoge, Your Majesty must be careful in everything you do.”
"I wish the Grand Tutor a safe journey."
With great concern, Wen Zhong rushed back to his sect under the stars to apologize.
Meanwhile, Jiang Ziya knelt outside Kunlun Mountain, begging his master for help. His lord, Ji Chang, went to Chaoge and was detained. It has been four years since then, and apart from jade slips to report that he is safe, he has not been able to send any messages.
The people in Xiqi were restless, and many of the sons of the Marquis of Xibo were also eager to rebel. If it weren't for the eldest son, Boyi Kao, joining forces with Ji Fa to suppress them, Xiqi would probably have fallen into chaos.
Recently, the Marquis of the North and the Marquis of the South voluntarily submitted their resignations, one requesting the position of Supreme General and the other the position of Grand Protector, and earnestly requesting His Majesty's permission to move their families to Chaoge.
Emperor Xin bestowed high-ranking official positions and generous salaries upon them in court, and dispatched two teams of men, one heading north and the other south, ostensibly to fetch the families of the Marquis of the North and the Marquis of the South.
In reality, there was no need for tens of thousands of soldiers to receive the family members. This was actually to take over the territories of the Northern and Southern Marquis, and there were also civil officials in the army who were going to "benefit" the two regions.
Seeing that Emperor Xin was becoming more and more dignified and had developed an aura of dominance over the world, Ji Chang was still trapped in Chaoge.
Jiang Ziya's magical abilities were not particularly advanced, but there were many immortals serving in Chaoge. Having exhausted all other options, he had no choice but to return to Kunlun Mountain for help.
"Junior Brother Jiang Ziya, the Second Master wants you to come in." The White Crane Boy came to deliver the message and opened the mountain gate to let Jiang Ziya in.
Jiang Ziya breathed a sigh of relief; if he could be allowed in, there was still room for maneuver.
Inside the Jade Void Palace, Yuanshi and Tongtian were discussing in hushed tones.
"It seems Jiang Ziya has chosen Xiqi." Tongtian was somewhat troubled, as his rebellious disciples did not listen to his commands at all.
"The Shang Dynasty still has forty-five years of good fortune, and Xiqi has risen in response to this, which is in accordance with the will of Heaven and the people. Now that Jiang Ziya has returned to Xiqi, this is the mandate of Heaven," Yuanshi said calmly.
Yu Ding, who was serving nearby, twitched his ears. Did Master mean that Xiqi would definitely be able to replace Shang?
"So, Second Brother, you've chosen Xiqi?" Tongtian asked.
"But most of my disciples are serving in the Yin Shang Dynasty. Second Brother, if the Twelve Golden Immortals encounter my incompetent outer disciples, please ask them to show mercy."
Tongtian wanted his disciple to work in the Heavenly Court, but he didn't want his disciple to only have his true spirit on the list.
“They’re all family, surely they understand this much?” Yuanshi asked instead of answering. “As for what to choose, since they are entangled in the mortal world’s calamities, this great tribulation can only move forward, not backward. If they succeed, their merits will be complete; if their virtues are insufficient, they should rebuild their cultivation. It is no one else’s fault.”
"Yu Ding, go and gather your fellow disciples to Yu Xu Palace," Yuan Shi suddenly ordered.
"Yes." Although Yu Ding himself had not personally committed any mortal sins, he had an adopted son who was entangled in many troubles. If the Investiture of the Gods was used properly, Erlang might have a way to save his mother indirectly.
"Second Brother, could it be that you're thinking of something?" Tongtian had a hunch.
"At this point, Second Brother is bound to feel frustrated. Whether to defy fate or follow the will of Heaven depends on their own choice. The only thing Second Brother can do is to spare their lives and prevent their true spirits from being listed on the list, out of consideration for their master-disciple relationship."
Although the Chan Sect of the Primordial Beginning appeared to be a venerable sect, it was actually the first to plot against the Heavenly Dao and establish itself, showing a rebellious nature beneath its outwardly compliant exterior.
At first glance, it seems less like the Jie Sect seizing a sliver of hope by openly confronting the Heavenly Dao. However, if they were truly determined to rebel, they would cause far more trouble than the Jie Sect's attempt to gain a chance of survival from the Heavenly Dao.
If they truly understood the doctrines of the Chan Sect and observed the situation between Xiqi and Yin Shang, they would not have been afraid that Yin Shang only had a few decades left to rule and would have resolutely chosen the Yin Shang camp. This was also the only chance for the Twelve Golden Immortals to break free from the calamity.
“That’s right. Whether they live or die is up to them. That way, they won’t blame you or me for sending them to their deaths.” Tongtian had an idea in mind and instructed Kong Xuan, who was serving him, to summon all his personal disciples to Yuxu Palace.
When Jiang Ziya entered the Jade Void Palace, his second senior uncle sat high above him, with his master sitting to his right, his second senior uncle's fourteen personal disciples standing to his left, and his master's fourteen personal disciples standing to his right. The overwhelming pressure made Jiang Ziya's face turn pale.
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