Chapter 580: Tacit Understanding

Soon.

The news of the world's experts being defeated and perishing on the shore of Taihu Lake spread like wildfire, and soon reached the ears of the imperial court, and also let other Incense Gods of the world know about this matter.

Of course, the reason why the matter could spread so rapidly was naturally because someone was pushing the waves in the dark.

Besides this bad news, there was another bad news: the True Person Tai Yi of Taihu City had started acting again with the Embroidered Uniform Guards. This time, his action was even bolder; he actually split into two paths to destroy temples and cut down shrines, and the Incense Gods and spirits along the way fled upon hearing the news, not daring to contend with him at all.

Some Incense Gods who couldn't escape directly chose to kneel and beg for mercy.

Some Incense Gods were accepted after surrendering, but more were exterminated, without leaving the slightest bit of face. Besides this, the ancestral halls and temples of many gentry and aristocratic families were smashed, and even those who dared to resist were killed quite a few. It was simply lawless, and the most fatal thing was that no one could manage this behavior of the True Person Tai Yi.

A top expert, leading three thousand Embroidered Uniform Guards, was enough to sweep across the world.

In just three or five days.

The team of the True Person Tai Yi destroying temples and cutting down shrines not only didn't decrease but increased, because he accepted many mountain spirits and monsters, and promised to appoint them as official gods and enjoy incense offerings after the matter was successful. Seeing such benefits, many spirits in the mountains couldn't endure it and naturally came out of the mountains to assist.

Such a scene made the civil and military officials in the imperial court anxious.

Today.

At the morning court session.

The Divine Martial Emperor Li Li Jiye sat on the dragon throne as usual. He wore a crown and imperial robes, his aura majestic and stern, not smiling.

And in the main hall, the officials were already arguing endlessly.

"When I saw that this True Person Tai Yi possessed dragon and tiger energy, I knew this person was not simple and should have been removed early to avoid trouble. Now it's good; he leads the Embroidered Uniform Guards outside, burning, killing, and looting, doing all kinds of evil, and now he has actually become a climate. What should be done about this?"

"My family's ancestral hall was smashed yesterday, and the incense of my ancestors has been cut off, and their souls have scattered. Hateful, the Evil Daoist Tai Yi is truly hateful." Someone beat their chest and stamped their feet at this moment, wishing they could cut Li Yi into a thousand pieces to vent their hatred.

"What's the use of saying this now? Hurry and find a way to stop the True Person Tai Yi's actions, otherwise, if he leads the Embroidered Uniform Guards and a group of spirits to circle the world, maybe he will really change the dynasty." Some were also worried that if Li Yi's momentum was formed, he would likely counterattack the capital.

By that time, forget about the incense of the ancestors; whether their own lives could be saved was hard to say.

And the Divine Martial Emperor Li Li Jiye was happy in his heart. He hadn't expected this operation to be so smooth, almost without much effort, it had already succeeded more than half. All the previous worries were superfluous. As long as the strength was strong enough, those Incense Gods were paper tigers and not worth mentioning at all.

"I suggest sending a large army to encircle and suppress the True Person Tai Yi. He must not be allowed to continue acting so recklessly." An official said very angrily at this moment.

Grand Tutor Zuo Zuo Hanyuan said coldly: "Fool, if you can't think of a good idea, then don't speak. That True Person Tai Yi unleashes spells, spitting out a mouthful of raging fire that covers three hundred miles. Any large army that goes is just sending themselves to death. If the news of the army's disastrous defeat spreads, the foundation of the state will be shaken, and exterminating your nine clans would not be too much."

That official was scolded, shrank his neck in fright, and retreated.

"No spirit or Incense God in the world is a match for the True Person Tai Yi. With his own strength, he can turn mountains and rivers and reopen the sun and moon. There is no way to deal with such a person anymore. We can only recruit him. Majesty, I suggest re-establishing the title of Imperial Preceptor, singing his praises to the world, and at the same time summoning the True Person to the capital." Grand Tutor Zuo Zuo Hanyuan spoke again.

The ministers reacted immediately.

Right.

If you can't beat him, then summon this True Person Tai Yi to the capital, and then reward him with more money and beauties, keeping him in the capital so he won't go out and cause trouble.

"I previously appointed the True Person Tai Yi as Imperial Preceptor, which was this kind of idea. But you all insisted on not agreeing. Now that such a disaster has been caused, when the True Person Tai Yi returns to the capital, if he starts a massacre, what do you want me to do?" The Divine Martial Emperor Li Li Jiye spoke slowly, his tone revealing a trace of helplessness.

As soon as these words came out, quite a few people were broken into a cold sweat.

They almost forgot that they had previously loudly said they wanted to strip the True Person Tai Yi of his title and execute him. Now, summoning him to the capital—wouldn't that mean they would all be liquidated?

"Appointing him as Imperial Preceptor to appease his heart is feasible, but summoning him to the capital should be discussed further." The Divine Martial Emperor Li Li Jiye said. He only needed two or three more months for Li Yi, and the plan to destroy temples and cut down shrines would be almost completed. By then, returning to the capital to clear the court would be fine.

By then, the world would be the one-man show of his father and son.

By then, what couldn't be done, what couldn't be achieved? It wouldn't be like in the past, tied hand and foot, looking at the meaning of the hundred officials and the Yin Son of Heaven.

"Your Majesty's words are reasonable. My suggestion was biased." Grand Tutor Zuo Zuo Hanyuan replied.

The Divine Martial Emperor Li Li Jiye continued: "Do the Hidden Officials have any good suggestions? Why not speak up, and discuss it with the ministers during this court session."

In a corner of the main hall, the Hidden Officials were all speechless.

What else could they say? The Marquis of Champion and the General of Heavenly Might were both dead, and they had also lost a Mountain God and Lady Baishui. Could it be that the Yin Son of Heaven really had to draw his sword and mount his horse to conquer this True Person Tai Yi? Forget about whether this was possible; even if he did, what if he still couldn't win?

Facing the current situation, besides appeasing, there was no other way. As for his plan to destroy temples and cut down shrines, it currently didn't affect the Yin Son of Heaven, so it was better to slow down and look at the subsequent situation before deciding.

Seeing the Hidden Officials not speaking.

The ministers' faces showed bitterness. This meant that stopping the True Person Tai Yi was impossible, and he would continue to lead the Embroidered Uniform Guards to destroy divine statues and kill Incense Gods everywhere.

"Since the Hidden Officials have nothing to say, then let this matter be settled for now. I will issue an imperial decree later, officially appointing the True Person Tai Yi as Imperial Preceptor, and at the same time, I will set up divine statues and build temples for the True Person Tai Yi, allowing him to enjoy the incense offerings of the world." The Divine Martial Emperor Li Li Jiye spoke.

This was his second step of the plan.

Broadly accept the incense of the world.

A part of the world's incense would belong to him, and a part would belong to Li Yi.

With the help of the imperial court's power, in less than a month, every city would have the True Person Tai Yi's divine statue, as well as his, Li Li Jiye's, divine statue. As time passed, the incense power possessed by this Emperor would far exceed that of the Emperors of the past, and after that, he could start the third step of the plan.

Sweep away all those Hidden Officials and Yin Sons of Heaven, and after that, govern the world well, increase the population, and bring the incense belief power to its peak.

"Imperial Father, the position of Imperial Preceptor is just an empty name. How can you set up divine statues for the True Person Tai Yi and let him enjoy the incense offerings of the world? This person will sooner or later be a great trouble. You can reward him with more gold, silver, and beauties to rot his mind, wait for the opportunity, and then wipe him out in one go. Only then can it be considered a way of long-term peace and stability."

At this moment, Crown Prince Zhao Jing stood out to oppose this.

Quite a few ministers looked at the Crown Prince. Although they were surprised, after thinking about it slightly, they agreed with this move.

(No errors, read it all in one go!)

The True Person Tai Yi without incense belief power was already so terrifying; if he really enjoyed the incense offerings of the world, then that would be it. In the future, the court would be his one-man show, and it would be impossible to execute him.

"The Crown Prince's words are quite reasonable. The True Person Tai Yi must still be guarded against."

"Indeed, Your Majesty can reward the True Person Tai Yi with Taiyue Mountain, but you must not broadly establish divine statues and help him become an Incense God, otherwise it will easily form a situation where the tail is too big to be cut off."

"Incense must not be given to the True Person Tai Yi. I ask Your Majesty to think thrice."

The Divine Martial Emperor Li Li Jiye's gaze flickered slightly, looking at Crown Prince Zhao Jing. He hadn't expected the Crown Prince to stand out and oppose this matter. It seemed this Crown Prince's wings were hard, and he wanted to fly.

Immediately, he said calmly: "If there is no sincerity, how can we appease the True Person Tai Yi? Since the Crown Prince opposes it, then let the Crown Prince be responsible for appeasing the True Person Tai Yi. If this matter is successful, the Crown Prince will be credited with a great merit."

Crown Prince Zhao Jing was stunned upon hearing this.

He was to go and appease the True Person Tai Yi?

How could he appease him?

That Daoist killed without blinking, and he had killed crazily outside leading three thousand Embroidered Uniform Guards. If he went over, wouldn't he be a sheep entering a tiger's mouth?

"Imperial Father..." Crown Prince Zhao Jing wanted to say something more, but was interrupted by the Divine Martial Emperor.

"The matter is settled like this. If the Crown Prince fails to appease him, then proceed according to the previous plan." The Divine Martial Emperor Li Li Jiye said: "The Crown Prince will set off tonight. I will send Golden Pupil Guards to escort you all the way. You must prepare thoroughly and think of a countermeasure."

Crown Prince Zhao Jing felt the cold gaze of his Imperial Father and didn't know why, but felt a chill rising from his whole body.

He felt that his Imperial Father was sending him to be killed by the True Person Tai Yi, not for appeasement at all.

In reality, his feeling was not wrong.

The Divine Martial Emperor Li Li Jiye no longer needed this Crown Prince. If Zhao Jing lived in seclusion and didn't ask about state affairs, he might have given him a decent end. Now that he stood out to sing a different tune at this critical moment, how could he keep this Crown Prince? It was better to deal with him as soon as possible to avoid any more troublesome matters in the future.

As the court session ended, a team of Golden Pupil Guards immediately moved into the Eastern Palace.

At dusk.

The Crown Prince's carriage left the palace, following the Emperor's direction toward outside the capital. But it was unknown what happened; when passing a stone bridge, Crown Prince Zhao Jing suddenly went mad and crazy, rushed out of the carriage, and jumped into the river. Although the Golden Pupil Guards rescued him in time, he remained in a coma, and fresh blood flowed from his seven orifices.

Since then, the Crown Prince had faded out of the court, while the True Person Tai Yi continued as discussed before, proclaiming to the world, appointing the Imperial Preceptor, and building temples.

But these actions in the capital did not affect Li Yi's plan.

What he wanted to do was cleanse the Incense Gods of the world, and his father Li Li Jiye was responsible for the capital side.

Although the two had no contact, they both had a tacit understanding.

It was just that a month had passed.

With the establishment of divine statues and the progress of destroying temples and cutting down shrines, the incense of the world flowed toward Li Yi and Li Li Jiye at an astonishing speed.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 581 =====