Chapter 362

Fengling's promotion did not make Zhang Jian wait long.

Without interference from other high-level cultivators, she quickly passed the Fifth Tribulation of the Yin Spirit, the Wheel of Reincarnation and Life and Death Tribulation.

Auspicious clouds and purple qi appeared across the sky.

Accompanied by a clear phoenix cry, a fierce golden light descended from the heavens, countless divine lights shone upon the ground, heavenly sounds echoed, and only with a majestic golden phoenix could it soar freely between heaven and earth, displaying the phoenix's姿态.

The divine beast's spiritual pressure flowed and spread through the void, attracting countless gazes.

Shortly after, it turned into a golden light that fell to the ground, within the golden radiance appeared a graceful and noble figure.

Her body radiated flowing light, and even behind her head a halo of golden light appeared.

"Yuanshen Golden Body!"

Seeing this omen, Zhang Jian's heart slightly trembled with astonishment; having fused with the phoenix essence from the phoenix ancient jade, Fengling had in a single step crossed the Pure Yang realm and achieved the Yuanshen Golden Body.

Zhang Jian's eyes showed slight astonishment, but also no great surprise.

Fengling closed her eyes, slightly sensed her own condition for a moment, a hint of joy appeared in her eyes, and then she gracefully bowed to Zhang Jian.

"This concubine thanks Your Majesty for your protection!"

Zhang Jian slightly nodded, smiling.

"Close your seclusion for a period, re-adapt to Yuanshen mana, the Great Xia Empire needs more Yuanshen True Persons to step forward and uphold imperial dignity!"

Fengling nodded repeatedly.

After Fengling successfully passed her tribulation, Zhang Jian began arranging the ancestral worship affairs.

With the new dynasty established, it was naturally appropriate to hold a formal ancestral worship ceremony.

Worship the ancestors, comfort the departed spirits.

The Zhang clan's leap across social ranks is also a matter of bringing glory to the family gate.

The Zhang clan members are more eager about this than Zhang Jian.

Now that Zhang Jian has ascended the throne, as the inheritors of the family lineage, other clan members should rightfully belong to the imperial clan, yet aside from Zhang Jian's direct-line children being ennobled as kings, the titles of others remain undecided.

How could other Zhang clan juniors not be anxious beyond measure?

Especially after several days, when the court announced it would confer titles upon other Zhang family juniors, the enthusiasm of many Zhang family juniors rose even higher.

……

At the Chancellor's residence, at this time the plaque of the Chancellor's mansion had already been taken down, and replaced with the two characters of the Zhang family.

After Zhang Jian and his wife moved into the imperial palace, this place became the old residence of the Zhang family.

After Zhang Yi and his wife entered the capital, they temporarily resided here.

Under the jujube tree, Zhang Yi and his wife sat facing each other with expressions of mere helplessness; beside them stood a youth with a delicate appearance and natural demeanor.

Zhang Min.

After more than ten years of arduous study, Zhang Min had already passed the provincial examination and obtained the status of a juren, but these past few years, to avoid conflict with Zhang Jian's prestige in the court, Zhang Min had never participated in the Ministry of Rites' metropolitan examination.

However, Zhang Min's literary talent is outstanding, and this is publicly acknowledged in the southern commanderies; had he not consistently avoided the metropolitan examination, many examinees believed he would surely appear on the榜.

Beside them was the middle-aged Zhou Madame, who at this time gazed pitifully at Zhang Yi.

"Master, I don't care about others' concubines, but Min'er sacrificed so greatly for her brother's reputation—how could she be brushed off with just a duke's title?"

Zhang Yi frowned, scolding.

"Who told you that A Yu would ennoble Min'er as a duke?"

Zhou Madame felt a little fearful, but still could not help but glance at Zhang Min beside her and say:

"The servants are all saying so!"

Zhang Yi darkened his face: "Then you say which servants?

This is a matter of state—how could others dare to gossip recklessly? Tell me who it is; this official will immediately have him sold off—my Zhang family will not tolerate anyone gossiping idly!"

Zhang Min frowned beside them, he pulled Zhou Madame behind him, and simultaneously clasped his hands.

"Father, Mother, the young lady only acted out of concern for her son's future, thus breaking the Zhang family's rules; please Father and Mother do not blame her, afterward the son will keep a close watch on the young lady, and if any hint of news leaks out, the son is willing to resign his post and stay home to accompany her!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Madame's face turned white with fright, and she hurriedly said:

"Min'er, you're talking nonsense—I won't say it, why must you swear such a poisonous oath?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yi's expression eased slightly; observing Zhang Min's demeanor, it was clearly not Zhang Min who did this, which is best.

Beside them, Zhang Qishi's face showed some displeasure; had it not been for Zhang Min's sake, she would not have let this Zhou Madame off.

Zhang Yi waved his hand, as if shooing away a fly, and drove Zhou Madame away.

Zhang Min also clasped his hands.

"Father, if there is nothing else, the son will temporarily return to the Clan Ancestry Office!"

Zhang Yi heard this and slightly nodded.

The Great Xia also similarly established the Nine Ministers; among the Nine Ministers, the Minister of the Clan Ancestry is usually held by the prince with the highest prestige in the clan.

Zhang Yi temporarily serves as Minister of the Clan Ancestry, but he is ultimately the emperor's birth father; after the ancestral worship ceremony, he will surely be ennobled, perhaps even receiving the title of Retired Emperor, so naturally he cannot concurrently hold the post of Minister of the Clan Ancestry.

Now among the Zhang clan, Zhang Jian and Zhang Min, the two brothers, have been close since childhood; he intends to cultivate this second son, while Zhou Madame's petty nature nearly ruined Zhang Min's prospects.

Zhang Yi gazed at Zhang Qishi beside him and sighed: "Madam, since A Yu ascended the throne, our relatives with whom we have no connection have increased more and more; these people, when their demands are not met, stir up trouble for no reason—you must also help your husband keep an eye on things, especially in the inner quarters, do not see those who should not be seen, and you must not insist on saving face!"

"To insist on face and suffer alive!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Qishi nodded repeatedly.

After thinking, Zhang Yi suddenly asked again: "How is the Qishi side lately?"

After the former emperor's empress Qishi was deposed, the Qishi family still stirred up not a little turmoil; it is heard that this niece of hers has frequently gone to the Duke of the State's mansion to weep and complain, to pour out her grievances.

To speak frankly, Zhang Yi also feels some sorrow.

After this empress dowager lost her title of empress, her conduct changed too quickly.

Zhang Qishi shook her head: "Husband, rest assured, my brother and sister-in-law will not let Zhu Zhu continue to cause trouble; Yu Hua is also their daughter, merely substituting one daughter for another as empress—how could they favor one and slight the other!"

What's more, A Yu intends to employ several of the young men from the State Duke's residence, giving them a future!

Zhang Yi's expression only became satisfactory upon hearing this.

The couple's expressions both showed some joy.

To personally witness a family rise from obscurity to ascend to heaven in a single step—this joy is enough to let them rest easy in their lifetime.

……

The ancestral sacrifice ceremony was grand and magnificent.

However, the chosen site was empty and desolate, with only a hastily constructed ancestral temple.

Inside the ancestral temple, only a portion of the spirit tablets from the Zhang ancestral land, along with the golden statues, were moved over.

Within the ancestral temple, following the procession were piles upon piles of gold and silver ingots shaped like hills, burning as if streams of green smoke shot straight into the heavens.

This time, Zhang Jian prepared a meticulously refined new-style magical treasure as an offering; in the central great cauldron, this magical artifact was concealed by Zhang Jian within the hill-like piles of gold and silver ingots, melting together in the bronze cauldron.

Afterwards came the ennoblement of several half-siblings, even extending to uncles and aunts.

Zhang Min was ennobled as Prince Duan; as for the other half-siblings, Zhang Jian respectively bestowed upon them the titles of Duke of State, Prince of Commandery, Lady of County, and Lady of Commandery.

One radish, one hole.

As for the three paternal uncles—Zhang Duan, Zhang Kui, and Zhang Yun—each was ennobled with the rank of Prince of Commandery, and Zhang Jian still left some room!

If directly ennobled as a Prince of the Blood, there would be no room for advancement in the future; these uncles and aunts would inevitably indulge themselves.

Furthermore, every title in the Great Xia dynasty comes with a fief and stipend in the future; Zhang Jian would not bestow titles casually.

Next came the imperial ennoblement of Zhang Yi and his mother, Lady Zhang Qi: one was ennobled by Zhang Jian as the Emperor Xuanzu, Taishang Huang, and Lady Zhang Qi as Empress Dowager.

Zhang Jian had another grand palace built deep within the imperial palace for these two; however, given their restless natures, they would likely become mere ornaments.

After sacrificing to the ancestors, naturally there was no omission in simultaneously sacrificing to Heaven and Earth, and to all the gods.

The gods take the Emperor of the State and Land of the State and Land Dao as their chief.

This one is a genuine Emperor of the State and Land, an ancient immortal from the upper realm.

The proper rites, Zhang Jian naturally would not neglect.

Such a grand and magnificent sacrificial ceremony, with incense smoke rising to heaven, naturally attracted the attention of the gods of the State and Land Dao.

The gods of the State and Land Dao had long sensed the founding of the Great Xia state.

They were also awaiting the Great Xia's sacrifice to the gods, so as to properly re-enter the Great Xia territory for their turn in duty.

At this moment, a figure clad in imperial robes appeared in the void, his brows raised in astonishment as he gazed deep into the ancestral temple, at the many spirit tablets placed in the upper seats.

"Lord Zhang, is this the spirit tablet of Benevolent Man?"

"Lord Zhang, is this the spirit tablet of Longevity?"

"Lord Zhang, is this the spirit tablet of Spiritual Wisdom?"

Finally, his gaze fell upon that magnificent golden statue of a woman.

"Lord Qingxia, Daoist Sovereign?"

Merely glancing at it, the Great Immortal of the State and Land wore a strange expression.

The golden statue and divine appearance of his superior—of course he would not mistake it.