Chapter 356

"This is impossible? My sister's husband is a sage of the state, praised by the entire nation—how could he commit treason? I must go see my second sister, brother-in-law!"

At this moment, Empress Dowager Qi's jade-like countenance suddenly changed color; she trembled with rage.

"Mother Empress!"

At this time, on her lap, another seven- or eight-year-old child looked at her with some fear.

This was Wei Xian, the posthumous son of Emperor Jingwu.

Looking at Wei Xian, Empress Dowager Qi grew even more anxious.

Wei Yuan was the last emperor of Great Qian; as the final emperor, his future was bleak, and she, this last empress dowager, was in her prime—if driven from the palace, her future would likely be no better.

What troubled Empress Dowager Qi even more was her young son, Wei Xian.

She had originally thought that with the Zhang clan as her backing, she might one day assist Wei Xian in replacing Wei Yuan, but now that dream had shattered, leaving her feeling deeply lost.

At the same time, she attempted to enter the Zhang residence to persuade them!

Then, as she left the palace, she was blocked by men sent by Zhang Lu, who said calmly: "Empress Dowager, return to the palace—I am acting on the Emperor's orders to close the palace gates today; by imperial decree, no one may enter or leave without permission!"

Empress Dowager Qi's face changed color as she pointed at Zhang Lu and cursed: "Zhang Lu, you dog slave! You are merely my sister's husband's household slave—how dare you block my path?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lu raised his eyebrows, grinned, felt no shame but rather pride, and laughed triumphantly.

"Empress Dowager, since you remember I am of slave origin from the Zhang household, you should know I would be even less likely to let you ruin the sovereign's great affair—just calm down. Serving the Son of Heaven as a slave is a fortune others may not even have!"

"Brothers, you agree, don't you?"

After speaking, he did not forget to boast a few words to the Black-Clothed Guards beside him.

Many of the Black-Clothed Guards gave a faint smile.

Some even chuckled strangely: "General, we would also be willing to serve you as family—would you give us a chance?"

Zhang Lu laughed heartily: "You are all my brothers, brothers in life and death—one family, no need for two-family talk!"

This only made Empress Dowager Qi angrier.

……

At the Chancellor's residence, Wang Yan arrived once again, his face bearing a look of joy.

"Chancellor, the Emperor Qiyuan has issued two edicts already."

Zhang Jian's expression remained unchanged; he merely waved his hand.

"Have me decline again!"

Wang Yan could only return the edict once more.

At this moment, Zhang Jian leaned over the desk, but before him lay many characters and words.

"Yan, Han, Xia, Qin, Shang, Chen..."

These were all state names, though most had already been rejected by him; his gaze lingered on the leading few.

Having inherited the legacy of the Great Yu King's ancestral master, and destined to cast the Nine Tripods in the future, he naturally also inherited the legacy of Great Xia—using "Xia" would indeed be fitting.

Xianxia?

Zhang Jian still hesitated in his eyes.

……

In the Jingtai Hall, after Zhang Jian's second refusal, facing Wang Yan, Emperor Qiyuan could only listen respectfully.

"Your Majesty, remember clearly: we ministers have discussed and set an auspicious time three days from now—then you shall ascend the platform to bestow the mandate personally, to dispel all doubts and end all under-heaven debate!"

"Once this is done, Your Majesty's descendants for generations shall surely receive this grace!"

Emperor Qiyuan lightly nodded in agreement, but as he listened, he still could not help wiping tears.

Seeing this, Wang Yan coldly laughed: "Your Majesty, why such sorrow? Your situation is far better than that of the Emperor Ai of Former Shu—consider when the Former Shu palace fell, what became of the Former Shu imperial clan and many Sichuan royal houses? As a member of the Great Qian imperial house, Your Majesty must surely understand this in your heart!"

Hearing this, Emperor Qiyuan's heart trembled slightly, and a flicker of fear appeared in his eyes.

……

In the Tongshan Dao lineage, the Slaughter Demon True Monarch was discussing resource division in the Slaughter Demon Peak with the Patriarch Jue Ming Daoist when suddenly her expression shifted—she saw a message arrive from beyond the heavens, transforming into a purple light that instantly fell into her hand.

After a brief glance, her eyes flickered with strangeness.

Jue Ming Daoist, seeing her strange expression, could not help but ask: "Slaughter Demon Martial Sister, what's wrong?"

Upon hearing this, the Slaughter Demon True Monarch sighed lightly: "A Yu wishes to establish a new dynasty, ascend as emperor, and wants to appoint me as State Preceptor, enshrine our sect as the state religion, and ask me to consult the sect's elders on their opinion?"

Hearing this, Jue Ming Daoist's eyes moved.

"Already this far, so soon?"

Jue Ming Daoist's expression showed surprise, then he laughed.

"This is a great blessing—the fertile lands of Eastern Zhou, vast and mighty in fortune; appointing a State Preceptor completes your last shortcoming, and becoming an Immortal is within reach!"

The Slaughter Demon True Monarch said: "To appear in court with one's primordial spirit is the sign of a sage king's birth—I only fear other great sects may harbor ill thoughts!"

Jue Ming Daoist laughed.

"The Five Elements Immortal Sect can assist the Shun Wang in ascending the throne—could our Tongshan Dao lineage possibly be weaker than the Five Elements Immortal Sect?"

The Slaughter Demon True Monarch lightly nodded; this patriarch's willingness to support was best of all.

She also worried that Zhang Jian might not withstand the tribulation of founding a dynasty.

……

Three days later, before the Eastern Ling Plaza, civil and military officials gathered, along with noble clans and a portion of the people of Jingjing, all assembling before the nine-zhang-high, majestic Reception of Mandate Altar.

Tens of thousands of forbidden troops encircled the area, watertight—every three steps a post, every five steps a sentry, the surroundings filled with a solemn, killing atmosphere.

Fierce qi and blood surged straight to the heavens, scattering countless floating clouds.

Before the open-air Reception of Mandate Altar, many civil and military officials had long awaited; under the gaze of ten thousand eyes, Emperor Qiyuan, clad in a dark red dragon robe, holding the imperial seal, stepped step by step up the nine-zhang-high Reception of Mandate Altar.

The nine-zhang-high Reception of Mandate Altar seemed to reach the clouds—thanks to the Daoist of the Hollow Spirit Observatory standing guard beside him, he would not be embarrassed, though this also made Emperor Qiyuan tremble and sway.

On the altar, Emperor Qiyuan respectfully handed the imperial seal to Zhang Jian, who wore a purple robe, bore a sword at his waist, and wore a Yunxiao crown on his head; Zhang Jian casually took the jade tray, then passed the edict to the Minister of Justice Wei Gui beside him to read aloud, and meanwhile used his magic to amplify the sound, so that those high up and scholars below could hear the imperial decree.

While the edict was being read, Emperor Qiyuan, with the help of a few little yellow attendants beside him, removed the imperial crown and dragon robe, and handed this object to Zhang Zhao.

As the holy edict finished being read, a sound like mountains collapsing and the earth splitting rang out from the square below.

"Long live, long live, long live!"

Voices of acclamation rose straight to the clouds; on the abdication altar, Emperor Qiyuan watched this scene, his heart filled with sorrow, and at once knelt to one side, performing the great ritual.

"Long live!"

Zhang Jian smiled faintly, and directly manifested the vestments of the Sovereign of the State and Earth Gods; he saw a gold-red intertwined imperial robe appear around him, the robe emblazoned with sun, moon, and stars, mountains and rivers and the state, dragon patterns embroidered on the wide sleeves, and purple aura, dragon aura, and imperial aura radiating from him without restraint.

"Roar!

"

Majestic dragon roars echoed through the heavens, and a crimson dragon emerged from behind him; he stepped into the void, walking step by step toward the abdication altar below.

At this moment, a vast dragon aura and imperial aura emanated from him as the center!

Mandate of Heaven manifested!

In the void, many cultivators of the Tongshan Dao lineage, seeing this, all nodded!

Daoist Jieming laughed and said: "This is the appearance of the Son of Heaven!"

Yet purple aura grew denser, and great stars descended from heaven!

This scene resembled the descent of the Sovereign from the depths of the cosmos, a grand sound flowing between heaven and earth, entering the ears of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians.

"Proclaim the edict: grant amnesty to all under heaven, change the eighth year of Qiyuan to the first year of Shende, and name the state Great Xia!"

"There cannot be two suns in heaven, nor two rulers in a state; I now take the supreme position, unwilling to again stir up slaughter, therefore I ennoble Wei Yuan as Marquis of Changle, to reside forever in Fengyang Jixian Commandery, and without imperial decree he must not return to the capital without permission!"

On the Fengshan terrace, as Zhang Jian proclaimed the edict before hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians, Wei Yuan's anxious heart finally settled; he tearfully knelt and bowed his head.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Your Majesty!"

At the same time, as the abdication was completed, Zhang Jian was about to ennoble others when he saw the ground suddenly stir up a fierce wind, as if countless ghosts wailed, countless yellow vapors connected heaven and earth, forming a hundred-zhang yellow wind that came rushing.

These omens obscured the sky and blotted out the sun, instantly shocking the ministers.

"Yinming Ghost Emperor!"

And among the ministers, Jingming Daoist and others, seeing this, could not help but change color; that sky-obscuring yellow wind, with countless ghostly shadows layered, revealed the scene of the Yinming collapse, and the phantom images of the emperors of the Great Qian dynasty from the past ten or so reigns emerged from within.

In the void, Zhang Jian watched this scene and gave a faint, derisive smile.

"A pack of ghostly things; while you were alive you dared not run wild before me, let alone now that you are dead—begone!"

As Zhang Jian waved his hand, a vast expanse of azure holy light swept forth, countless zhang-high green lotuses floated and drifted, filling the endless void, cleansing the firmament; moments later, the countless yellow winds collapsed.

At the same time, above the firmament, countless auspicious clouds and vapors arose, and moreover dragons and phoenixes soared from the horizon.