Commanded
Perhaps because the main force of the Fengming Guard was not in the Divine Capital, the remaining two teams of cultivators were even more cautious, with cultivators patrolling the Divine Capital at all times. Many residents within the Divine Capital had sensed the tension in the air and were cautious when leaving their homes. Xiao Wan'er and Liu Mingyin were no exception, refusing visitors unless absolutely necessary. Aside from buying necessities, they devoted their days to diligent cultivation at home.
By March, the previously burned Mingtang was rebuilt and renamed Tongtian Palace. Good news finally came from the front line at the end of March - Fengming Guards, under the command of Deputy Commander Liuyun, completely wiped out the Khitan shamans in Sun Wanrong's army.
"Master and the others are preparing to return and should be back soon." Xiao Wan'er also received a letter from the front line.
After receiving the letter, Xiao Wan'er returned to the training ground. Just as she was about to continue training according to the special training plan prepared by Liuyun, a eunuch came to her door with an imperial decree.
Xiao Wan'er knelt on the ground, listening to the eunuch read the imperial edict. During the expedition against the Khitan, the deputy captain of the Fengming Guard's First Division was killed, and the empress issued an edict appointing Xiao Wan'er as the deputy captain of the First Division.
After the eunuch finished reading the imperial edict, which contained various words of praise, he rolled it up, held it in both hands, and handed it to Xiao Wan'er, saying in a shrill voice, "Deputy Captain Xiao, please accept the edict."
Xiao Wan'er also raised her hands above her head and respectfully accepted the order, "I accept your command and thank you."
"Deputy Captain Xiao has already entered the imperial court at such a young age. His future is bound to be limitless." The eunuch delivering the imperial edict was a favorite of the Empress and was very good at speaking auspicious words. "His Majesty wishes you to appear before the palace after the morning court tomorrow. I have conveyed your wishes, so I will not delay any further."
Xiao Wan'er gave him a handful of silver as a reward, and then sent him back to report.
The next morning after court, Xiao Wan'er stepped into Taichu Palace again.
"Your Majesty, your humble servant pays his respects." Less than four months ago, when Xiao Wan'er stepped into Taichu Palace, she did not expect that she would be summoned by the Queen again so soon.
"Get up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Xiao Wan'er stood properly.
The Empress got straight to the point, explaining the reason for summoning her. "The Nine Cauldrons I have forged are imminent, and Team A-1 and Team B-2 are unable to return to the Divine Capital in time. On the day of the presentation of the cauldrons, I intend to dispatch Teams D-4 and D-8 to patrol the Divine Capital's outer city. I also order you to observe the ceremony with all the other officials. Any disturbances will be suppressed on the spot."
"I obey your command."
After the task was issued, the Queen ordered Xiao Wan'er to leave. When Xiao Wan'er arrived home, the court robes that the Queen had ordered were also delivered to her home.
The day before the cauldron presentation ceremony, Xiao Wan'er went to the West Market early to buy ingredients, prepare breakfast and lunchtime snacks for the next day, and then freeze them in ice to keep them fresh. She then prepared hidden weapons, talismans, and other combat tools, all ready to be placed in her personal space tomorrow, ready to be brought to the cauldron presentation ceremony.
The next morning, after breakfast, Xiao Wan'er changed into a green long-sleeved dress and wore a flower hairpin crown covering her bun. The crown was decorated with gold, silver and other treasures, and had two hanging hairpins on her side, which looked magnificent.
When Liu Mingyin saw Xiao Wan'er in her gorgeous dress, her eyes widened.
"Senior sister is so beautiful!"
"Hehe, I think I'm pretty too," said Xiao Wan'er, looking very happy in her finery. After a moment of pride, she instructed Liu Mingyin, "Today is the Tripod Offering Ceremony, and the Fengming Guards have been ordered to patrol the entire city. You should stay home and don't go out. I've frozen the lunch snacks and put them in the kitchen. You can heat them up yourself when the time comes. Understand?"
"Don't worry, senior sister, I will stay at home." Liu Mingyin promised.
With Liu Mingyin's assurance, Xiao Wan'er headed straight for Taichu Palace. When she arrived at the tripod offering ceremony, many officials were already there. She made her way among the officials in crimson official uniforms, walked to the line of seventh-rank officials, and stood quietly.
A sudden splash of green appeared amidst the crimson, striking the eye. The elders in the front row were startled to see a young girl emerge from the ranks of seventh-rank officials. Only the younger officials of similarly lower ranks were unfazed.
Since taking her place, Xiao Wan'er had focused her attention, keeping a constant watch on the entire venue. When the time came, the Empress entered the arena, clad in her imperial robes, and ordered the Prime Minister and the other princes, along with the guards from the North and South Ya Palaces, to arrive, dragging the tripod.
Nine enormous tripods passed through the Xuanwu Gate and were pulled by over a hundred thousand men, led by giant oxen and white elephants, to the newly rebuilt Mingtang. The tripod representing the Divine Capital, named Yongchang, stood 18 feet tall and could hold 1,800 dan. Other tripods included the Wuxing Tripod representing Jizhou, the Chang'an Tripod representing Yongzhou, the Riguan Tripod representing Yanzhou, the Shaoyang Tripod representing Qingzhou, the Dongyuan Tripod representing Xuzhou, the Jiangdu Tripod representing Yangzhou, the Jiangling Tripod representing Jingzhou, and the Chengdu Tripod representing Liangzhou. Each of these eight tripods stood 14 feet tall and could hold 1,200 dan. The mountains, rivers, and products of the nine states were engraved on the nine tripods, symbolizing that all nine states belonged to the Great Zhou.
Xiao Wan'er was deeply amazed by the magnificent cauldrons. Nine enormous cauldrons, cast from 567,000 kilograms of bronze, glowed in the sunlight, a sight worth witnessing once.
It was at this time that something unexpected happened.
In reality, the incident shouldn't have occurred only in front of the Mingtang Hall, nor right after the Nine Cauldrons were dragged there. However, the two patrolling teams of Fengming Guards had already uncovered those harboring ill intentions in the various markets. The officials standing in front of the Mingtang Hall, having received no signals for a long time, anxiously decided to act early.
But at that moment, a thin needle pierced the back of his head with lightning speed. He felt a sharp pain, and then he was unable to move. Unwillingly, he opened his mouth, trying to make a sound, but found that he couldn't make a sound.
His consciousness gradually blurred, and his body began to unsteady. Just as he was about to fall, it felt like a bundle of silk threads was binding his limbs. He forced his head to look at his arms, but he couldn't see the threads. His consciousness became increasingly blurred, and the fear in his heart became more and more clear. Finally, he lost all consciousness in fear.
Like invisible threads moving without wind, he gently swung his arms, shook his head, and then stood straight again. His colleagues assumed he was tired and had simply changed his posture.
Not far away, Xiao Wan'er breathed a sigh of relief. Liuyun's divination was indeed incredibly accurate; the puppetry he'd taught her beforehand had come in handy. A dignified sixth-rank official, a self-taught cultivator, had lost his life so silently. With her pervasive awareness, she clearly saw one of the ministers in the front row, who had been watching the sixth-rank officials in the back row, suddenly change color, then lower his head, trying to conceal his emotion.
Xiao Wan'er secretly took note of this. It was obvious that after today, there would be another purge in Divine Capital. She activated her voice transmission technique to inform the Fengming Guard members in Divine Capital that the crisis had been resolved.
Nine large tripods were arranged in a row, with the Yongchang Tripod as the most revered. At the empress's command, the nine tripods were pulled to various locations in the Mingtang, each in its own position within the Nine Provinces. Simultaneously, the empress recited the "Dinging Song," a composition she had personally composed.
"Xi and Nong were the first to appear, and Xuan and Hao embraced their destiny. Tang and Yu followed, and Tang and Yu seized the opportunity. The world is illuminated, and the country is at peace. The Supreme Mystic has sent down his guidance, and the foundation of prosperity has been established."
The entire court, civil and military officials, along with the empress, chanted the "Song of Pulling the Tripods" as the nine tripods were placed amid the chanting. Thus, the ceremony of presenting the tripods was completed.
Seven years after ascending the throne, the Queen's regime was finally completely consolidated.
The ceremony in the sunshine has ended, and the action in the shadows has just begun.
After the tripod offering ceremony, the official, controlled by the silk thread, left Taichu Palace, wandered around the Divine Capital, and returned through a side door. When he entered the Ming Hall, the Fengming Guards patrolling the Divine Capital had also arrived.
"Your Majesty, there were unusual movements in the court when the tripod was presented. I have recorded them all." Xiao Wan'er handed the written secret report to the empress.
After reading the secret report, the empress immediately ordered the eunuch beside her: "Send Lai Junchen over."
Soon, Lai Junchen also entered the Mingtang. The Empress tossed Xiao Wan'er's secret report to him, and after reading it, he immediately requested orders.
"Then you will search the above-mentioned houses."
"I obey your command." Lai Junchen took action immediately.
After arranging the officials to interrogate ordinary people, it was the turn of the monks captured by Fengming Guard.
"We can interrogate all the monks who were captured in the outer city of the Divine Capital. However, Dr. Chen has been killed by puppetry and cannot be interrogated." Captain Ding Si reported.
"Captain Hou, don't worry. I can use divination."
"Just do as Lord Xiao says." Following the Queen's order, Xiao Wan'er brought Dr. Chen into the Fengmingwei official office.
As a special mission agency directly under the Empress, Fengming Guards naturally had cells underground. Xiao Wan'er headed straight for the dungeon and led Dr. Chen all the way to the deepest cell, securing him to the wall with invisible silk thread.
Afterward, Xiao Wan'er pricked her finger and mixed her blood with pure water, condensed from her own spiritual energy. Using this as the raw material, she drew a divination array. Once ready, Xiao Wan'er pulled out the divination grass from her personal space and began divination.
As the divination grass flew up and down, Dr. Chen's memories appeared before her eyes like a moving scroll. Xiao Wan'er memorized them one by one and recorded them all in the secret report after the divination was over.
When he walked out of the cell with the secret report, Captain Hou of Team Ding 4 also walked out with the secret report.
"Captain Hou, have you finished the interrogation?" Xiao Wan'er walked over to greet him. Seeing that he could interrogate a group of people as quickly as she could interrogate one person, she raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"Deputy Captain Xiao has a secret technique, so naturally I have one too." Captain Hou made no attempt to conceal it, stepping aside to reveal a massive magic circle. The men captured by Team Ding 4 fell onto the magic circle in a regular pattern, all dead.
"Deputy Captain Xiao, let's go together to report to His Majesty."
"Okay, Captain Hou, please go first."
The two of them walked out of the dungeon together and headed straight for Taichu Palace.
What happened after that had nothing to do with Xiao Wan'er. The Empress ordered Teams Ding Si and Xin Ba to arrest the monks involved, and ordered Lai Junchen to lead his officers to arrest the ordinary people involved. Xiao Wan'er was allowed to leave her duty and return home.
"Starting tomorrow, Xiao Qing will go to Fengming Guard to take up duty." The Queen ordered before proceeding.
It was already midnight when she got home. She was starving as she hadn't had dinner yet. She pushed the door open and saw Liu Mingyin.
"Senior Sister, you're back!" He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Xiao Wan'er finally come back, but then he felt a little uneasy. "I cooked some glutinous rice dumplings for dinner, but for some reason, they're different from the ones I usually eat."
He carefully took Xiao Wan'er to the kitchen and showed her the bowl of paste-like steamed buns.
Xiao Wan'er smiled.
"Brother, did you heat the water and steamed buns together? You should make the soup first and then add the steamed buns," she said as she reheated it over the fire and then ate it. "But thanks to you for making dinner first, I don't have to cook on an empty stomach."
"Senior Sister, please stop eating." Seeing Xiao Wan'er pick up the bowl, Liu Mingyin anxiously grabbed her arm. "I've eaten. It tastes terrible."
"No, I think it's delicious," Xiao Wan'er smiled and ate the bowl of half-paste-like steamed buns. "It's getting late, let's go meditate."
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