Chapter 111: Chapter 111: The Emperor of Shangjing City

Shangjing.

The absolute cultural, political, and economic center of Zhongzhou, it was located at the edge of the Zhongzhou Eastern Plains, only three hundred li from the sea.

The Nongjiang River flowed through thousands of li of vast land on the Eastern Plains, nurturing tens of millions of people and allowing the Imperial Family to command the submission of surrounding regions by controlling this territory alone.

The True Yang Mountain Range, eight hundred li southwest of Shangjing, was a continuous hundred-li stretch of scorched red earth. It was also the region where fire spirits were most active, and the True Yang Sect had originated here.

On a morning in March, a chill still lingered in Shangjing City. Inside and outside the city gates, which had not been closed for centuries, it was as bustling as ever.

The Xia Royal Family used the "benevolence" of the Human Dao to rule the people, using laws to restrain evil thoughts. They then used the "centrality" of the Human Dao to manage their ministers and the great clans, cultivating the Divine Dao to watch over the world. This had always kept the people of the Shangjing Region relatively prosperous; some individual families could even rival the great landowners on the frontiers.

This also led to a culture of extravagance in Shangjing. When Emperor Wanfeng first ascended the throne, he had intended to use the Divine Technique to enact reforms and eliminate the capital’s decadent customs. In the end, however, he found he could only restrain his ministers and the nobility. This was another drawback of the Divine Technique: he needed to satisfy the subjects who believed in him.

At the end of the city’s wide central avenue stood the magnificent Imperial Palace.

By now, the daily court ceremonies were over. In the grand hall of discussion, Emperor Wanfeng, dressed in a red cotton robe and a plain black cap, sat cross-legged before the imperial desk at the head of the hall. To the left of the desk was a small bronze incense burner, to the right was a brush rest and freshly ground ink, and in the center was a pile of memorials.

The Emperor’s weary face was expressionless. He gazed at the bright sunlight outside the main doors and said, "The day before yesterday, Zhang Zhiyong presented a memorial regarding the war in the north. He proposed we launch an offensive at the start of spring, taking advantage of Liu the Thief’s wedding. I have considered it at length and find myself in agreement... I only worry whether this battle can be resolved quickly."

Zhang Zhiyong was the Court’s Minister of War. He stood in the hall at this very moment, a staunch advocate for aggressive military action. Hearing the Emperor mention this, his eyes lit up. Just as he was about to step forward to speak, Zhong Guanyu, the Minister of the Ministry of Rites, who was closest to the imperial desk, stepped out and addressed the throne, "Your Majesty, military affairs are of the utmost importance. A decision should be made swiftly. How can we hesitate and look back, wasting funds and provisions for nothing?"

"It is precisely because military affairs are important that we must decide with caution," said Yang Guangyuan, the Commander of the Imperial Guard, as he stepped forward. "Liu the Thief is now funded by the Northern Country. Once the war begins, it is highly likely to devolve into a stalemate between our two nations. According to intelligence I received three days ago, the Northern Country intends to transfer a unit of armored cavalry to Liu the Thief’s command."

"That damned Liu the Thief!" someone shouted.

At this moment, Yang Gaojie, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, stepped forward and petitioned, "Your Majesty, according to precedent, the northern Imperial Guard has been stationed there for over three years. It is time to dispatch another Imperial Guard unit to relieve them."

"How can we rotate the garrison at such a critical juncture? General Wang Kang is currently the most suitable commander in the entire Court to lead the northern expedition!" the Minister of War, Zhang Zhiyong, immediately stepped out to object.

"It is precisely because this is a critical moment that we must rotate the garrison. The lesson of Liu the Thief is still fresh in our minds!"

"Your Majesty, Lord Yang has baselessly slandered a frontier general! He should be punished for his crime!" After speaking, Zhang Zhiyong bowed deeply toward the Emperor.

Emperor Wanfeng continued to stare expressionlessly at the sunlight beyond the doors. Then, he waved his hand at the assembled ministers. A moment later, the hall fell utterly silent.

"Did they argue today?" Emperor Wanfeng’s voice was very soft.

"Yes!" a guard on duty responded.

"It has been a long time since there was an argument in this hall, has it not?"

This time, no one dared to answer.

Emperor Wanfeng hadn’t expected an answer. He slowly rose, left the hall through a side door, and boarded the imperial palanquin that had long been waiting. He was heading for the Divine Throne Tower in the center of the Imperial Palace.

The tower was magnificent and spectacular, occupying nearly the entire central area of the Imperial Palace. It had nine floors, each one and a half zhang tall.

In the vast, empty hall of the first floor, a young man in red official robes sat cross-legged in the center. Countless streams of golden light flowed around his body, forming an illusory world. This was the Divine Country constructed by the Divine Technique, and it looked exactly like the Zhongzhou Eastern Plains.

However, the Divine Country he was cultivating was only in its nascent form. It relied solely on the Divine Throne Tower to cohere and was incapable of watching over the world.

Suddenly, the sound of a door pushing open echoed, and a ray of sunlight shone into the hall. The young man, deep in meditation, opened his eyes. Seeing the person who had appeared at the entrance, he rose with a complicated look in his eyes and bowed. "Uncle!"

Being the emperor of the Xia Dynasty meant losing many things, among them the joys of family life. This was because the Divine Technique required one to constantly maintain a state of rationality and desirelessness, lest they suffer a backlash. The Emperor’s successor was typically chosen from within the Imperial Family rather than being the Emperor’s own child. The Emperor himself had few children, and those he did have were usually born before his ascension and were highly unlikely to be compatible with the Divine Technique.

"How is it?"

"I am ready at any time." The young man exhaled as if resigning himself to his fate. Few in the Imperial Family were interested in the throne. Inheriting it meant a short, desireless life; it was far better to be a wealthy and noble Prince.

"Very good!" Emperor Wanfeng walked up to the young man and asked, "Will you quell the rebellion in the north?"

"Weren’t you going to do it yourself, Uncle?"

"I do not have enough time left for such things. You must remember one thing: there can be no compromise regarding the northern problem. This concerns the destiny of the Imperial Family."

"Yes!"

"One more thing. I fear that once I am gone, the various regions in the south will immediately declare their independence. Your task is to balance the various powers. Only by stabilizing the south can you hope to pacify the north."

"I’m afraid the ambitions of the Xiao Shan Lord will not be so easily suppressed. They actually dared to openly frame the Commander of the Imperial Guard. This is truly..."

"Remember!" Emperor Wanfeng cut the young man off. "Feelings of any kind are useless. Everything you do from now on must be for the benefit of the Court... When you truly inherit the Divine Technique, you will understand what rationality is."

The young man frowned slightly.

The Emperor looked at the young man’s expression and continued, "After you inherit the Divine Technique, you will hear countless voices. Experience those voices earnestly, and you will know the importance of rationality."

"Yes!"

The Emperor’s gaze remained fixed on the young man. He looked at his nephew’s lowered head, his own face still a mask of indifference, and said, "Your teacher is a clever man. By stepping down, he has freed himself from the constraint of picking a side. What the people behind him seek does not conflict with our interests. When necessary, you can add some fuel to their fire."

Just as the young man was about to reply, Emperor Wanfeng added, "Remember, you add fuel to create balance, not to start a new conflict. You must always remember this. It’s like the Commander of the Imperial Guard in Mozhou Road. They retreated, but Mozhou Road will return to Qingping. No matter who accomplishes this, we must claim half of the destiny from it!"

"That is what’s most important!"

The young man lowered his head, thinking carefully. Emperor Wanfeng continued, "In one month, I will formally pass the Divine Technique on to you. Be prepared. Also, I have selected Yang Gaojie, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, to be the Minister of Discussion for the Central Secretariat."