Chapter 2979: The Danger of Military Violence Is Imminent

Nie Xiaolou was a trusted aide of the late emperor, having accumulated deep prestige in the court for over twenty years, and now he has become a thorn in the side of the Heavenly Palace and a bane in the eyes of the Heavenly Gods. The Heavenly Gods wish to fully control the Crown Prince, so they must eliminate him as soon as possible.

Those targeted by the Heavenly Gods usually meet a bad end, even the Demon Emperor is no exception.

After receiving the grim news of the Demon Emperor's demise, Nie Xiaolou has continually felt a chill down his back.

But why did Shuangye warn him?

Whose side is this fellow actually on?

Shuangye again said: "If you remain obstinate and unenlightened, still wishing to oppose the Heavenly Gods, you will soon have to go see the Emperor."

Nie Xiaolou softly hissed: "Then I must hurry with my affairs, lest the Emperor see me and scold me for being useless."

Life and death are trivial matters; the Emperor can regard them lightly, so why can't I?

If I cannot turn the tide, then let me be shattered to pieces.

Shuangye stood still, glanced at him twice more, and said in surprise:

"You really make me look at you with new eyes."

Does this mean that Shuangye previously looked down on him?

Nie Xiaolou frowned slightly: "What do you mean?"

"Qingyang did not misjudge you." Shuangye sighed, "Her judgment has always been sound, except for Xiu Yunhe being an exception."

Nie Xiaolou remained silent.

He used to be the head of the academy, venerable and respected, needing only to govern texts and nurture talent; originally he had no need to involve himself in the disputes of Lingxu City and the Heavenly Palace. But Qingyang not only recommended him to the Emperor, she also came in person several times to invite him, and Nie Xiaolou wavered.

At that time he also hesitated, knowing his abilities were inferior to Qingyang's.

But Qingyang said to him: "You and I are different; you have no selfish motives, and you are exactly what the Emperor needs most."

At that time the case of the immortality elixir had already spread in Lingxu City, Qingyang's position was already precarious, and consequently the influence of the Emperor's faction in the court was also diminished.

Nie Xiaolou clearly knew who the Emperor and Qingyang's opponent was, and he also knew the situation was urgent, so in the end he agreed.

If he had not nodded back then...

Alas, fate—no room for "ifs."

The two walked silently through the garden, then parted ways.

In the following days, how should we pacify the Crown Prince? Thinking of this gives Nie Xiaolou a headache; the little green flood dragon cannot contain its anger, constantly shouting for revenge, its fury directed either at Cangyan or at the Heavenly Palace.

But he had not yet walked twenty steps when he heard Shuangye's secret mental transmission in his ear:

"Go invite Yao Xingning!"

Nie Xiaolou startled and turned back, but saw only the flowing sleeves of the State Preceptor Shuangye disappearing around a corner into the darkness.

To prevent the Heavenly Palace from playing tricks, Nie Xiaolou dared not leave Yuhua Palace, but he still took the opportunity of a bathroom break to summon the Xiaoguo Palace State Preceptor to find a quiet room, quickly set up his divine abilities, and contacted several colleagues.

At the busiest moment, Nie Xiaolou only managed to contact General Qingwu and the King of the Precious Tree, both senior ministers under the Demon Emperor.

"Clearly there are still a few days before the Emperor ascends the dragon throne, yet he fell to the poisonous hands of the Heavenly Demons!" Nie Xiaolou's eyes were still red. Even if traces of the so-called "Earth Mother Plain" appeared outside the city, the officials in communication understood clearly that this was merely the real culprit diverting blame eastward.

"From now on, please each take care of yourselves, avoid being alone!" Nie Xiaolou continued, "We uphold the Emperor's dying wishes, and will surely not be tolerated by the Heavenly Demons." Tianxin Island is the old nest of the dragon race; if the Heavenly Demons could kill the Demon Emperor here, theoretically they could kill anyone in Lingxu City.

Needless to say, from today onward, everyone in the Wang Ting is in peril.

General Qingwu's question cuts to the core: "Now that the Emperor has passed, where do we go from here?"

The pillar of support is gone; who will we fight for in the future?

Those who can speak here all harbor the will to resist the Heavenly Gods, but who should lead this struggle?

Whom should they trust? Whom should they listen to?

"The Heavenly Demons usurping the state must begin with the Crown Prince." The State Preceptor of Xiaoguo Palace said, "The Heavenly Palace has long stationed personnel and spies around the Crown Prince, precisely in preparation for today's calamity. The Crown Prince is young and may be led astray by demonic words."

Only after the Heavenly Demons remove the Demon Emperor can they hold the Crown Prince to command the Demon Kingdom. Once Bei Jia truly falls into enemy hands, it will be eternal ruin.

Nie Xiaolou shook his head: "When the Emperor was alive, he had already made preparations. But we still need to stabilize the young ruler's resolve, lest he be controlled by the Heavenly Demons." Chi Yan King Fushan Lie's brows were almost knotted: "Given the young ruler's temperament, whoever wants him to stay calm and not act rashly will have his head chopped off."

"There is someone who might be able to help." Nie Xiaolou recalled what Shuangye said.

Everyone asked: "Who?"

Those who can be used are either employed by the Lingxu Holy Sovereign or by them, all having been placed near the young ruler.

"The daughter of the Grand Minister of Agriculture, Yao Xingning!"

Upon hearing this, everyone exclaimed "oh" in unison, as if bathed in enlightening nectar.

The State Preceptor of Xiaoguo Palace clapped his hands: "Excellent idea!"

The Grand Minister of Agriculture originally had far-reaching plans; the Wuhuan was raised under Yao Xingning's care from birth, unusually close to her, like siblings. The Yao family also gained many benefits from this, unfortunately Yao Xingning's husband, Chen Boqing, was implicated in the immortality elixir case, and Wuhuan went to set fire and kill people to vent her anger. Thus the Demon Emperor forbade the young prince from approaching Yao Xingning again, lest he be too deeply influenced by her.

Over twenty years have passed in this way; Yao Xingning has long since remarried, most of the time she is not in Lingxu City, and she and Wuhuan rarely meet again. Therefore, neither the Heavenly Demons nor Nie Xiaolou and others thought of her for a while.

But the dragon race's nature values kinship; when Yao Xingning remarried, the little green flood dragon still gave her a generous gift to bolster her prestige. When Nie Xiaolou mentioned Yao Xingning, everyone felt they could give it a try.

The State Preceptor of Xiaoguo Palace immediately said: "I will go find the Grand Minister of Agriculture shortly."

At this moment, Nie Xiaolou's trusted aide hurriedly knocked and entered, reporting in a low voice two sentences.

Nie Xiaolou immediately told everyone: "The person I sent to investigate clues discovered that Xiao Nüguan, responsible for the Hall of the Celestial Dome, had just hanged herself in the Ganquan Hall. She left a suicide note saying she wished to follow the late emperor in death."

The State Preceptor of Xiaoguo Palace was slightly moved: "Suspicious!"

Most people here know Xiao Nüguan; palace maids usually return to their hometowns early, but Xiao Nüguan made the palace gates her home, living there for nearly seventy years, and even the Demon Emperor highly acknowledged her loyalty.

At this juncture, Xiao Nüguan's sudden death is a major point of suspicion.

Nie Xiaolou nodded: "I have already ordered people to seal the Ganquan Hall, forbidding anyone from moving her corpse. Furthermore, according to the report of her attendants, Xiao Nüguan and Xue Nao last night at the you hour brought forty-three people to sweep the Hall of the Celestial Dome; attendant Cao Liushun broke a pearl lamp, palace maid Xiaoyu went to the garden storeroom to fetch a spare pearl lamp, handed it to Xiao Nüguan for inspection, then replaced the broken lamp. After cleaning, everyone returned the same way; Xiao Nüguan took Xiaoyu halfway back to change clothes, while Xue Nao and the attendants waited for her a little over an hour in the southern part of the imperial garden, before they all left the Hall of the Celestial Dome together."

These ordinary trifles, when re-examined after the Emperor's murder, all carry a hint of strangeness.

The voice of the King of the Precious Tree echoed in everyone's ears: "The Heavenly Demons frame the Nine Abodes, desperately inciting the young ruler's hatred toward Cangyan. We must quickly find evidence of the Heavenly Demons' actions, otherwise the danger of military violence is imminent!"