Chapter 652: Unwilling, Powerless

What did he say to Li Zhengqing and the others? Upon hearing Tang Yao's words, Mo Yun directly curled his lip and said.

"Our Dao Yi Sect's affairs, what business is it of yours to speak to the Yunluo Holy Land?"

"This... this... this... With the holy land speaking, the Great Yuan Empire and the Great Wu Empire over there also..."

"Just beat our way through."

The Dao Yi Sect's plan is extremely simple and brutal: take Lin Luochen, and if anyone tries to stop us, we'll kill him.

As for having the Yunluo Holy Land step forward, never mind whether they'd agree or not; Qi Xiong and the others simply had no such intention.

Our own disciples—of course we're the ones protecting them.

This.......... this........

Having come to this point, Tang Yao opened his mouth, not knowing what to say—is the Dao Yi Sect always this bold?

Moreover, looking at the expressions of those present, they didn't seem to see any problem at all.

"Alright, get ready; we'll set out today."

"Senior, my Tang family also wishes to go."

Tang Yao finally gritted his teeth and said, having made up his mind to follow the Dao Yi Sect—isn't this a good opportunity to show loyalty?

It must be said, Tang Yao is indeed a decisive person.

Even though he worried in his heart about offending the Great Wu Empire and the Great Yuan Empire, he still made the decision quickly.

Upon hearing this, even Qi Xiong gave Tang Yao a curious glance, didn't say much more, and nodded.

"If you want to go, go ahead; you don't need to bring too many people, just some elites will do."

"I understand, junior."

"Then each of you prepare and go."

Upon hearing that the Dao Yi Sect was going to the Great Wu Empire to rescue people, Li Zhengqing and the five others didn't express their stance; they merely regretted that they wouldn't get to eat Ye Zhangqing's cooking again.

As elders of the Yunluo Holy Land, they naturally couldn't just state their position casually.

Every word and action could potentially have a major impact on the situation.

What Ye Zhangqing didn't expect was that the three alliance leaders of the Spirit Chef Alliance actually expressed their willingness to go together.

Moreover, if needed, the Spirit Chef Alliance would also take action.

Ye Zhangqing expressed his gratitude for this, but still politely declined the Spirit Chef Alliance's offer to help.

We haven't even joined yet, and we already owe too many favors; it'll be troublesome later.

We've already accepted the Chiyang Heavenly Flame; if we also let the Spirit Chef Alliance help, Ye Zhangqing himself would feel a bit uneasy.

Besides, the Dao Yi Sect truly doesn't regard the Great Wu Empire as anything.

After everyone had packed up, the Dao Yi Sect group, bringing Tang Yao and a batch of Tang family members, set off for the Great Wu Empire.

As for Li Zhengqing and the five others, they returned to the holy land, while the three alliance leaders of the Spirit Chef Alliance returned to the alliance, awaiting Ye Zhangqing's arrival.

Both sides agreed that after the matters in the Great Wu Empire were settled, they would go to the alliance.

The Dao Yi Sect side has already set out for the Great Wu Empire.

Inside the Great Wu Empire's imperial palace, a young man wearing imperial robes stood beneath the eaves, watching the drizzling rain.

The weather was overcast with dark clouds; this rain had fallen all night long, just like the man's mood.

The man was precisely the emperor of the Great Wu Empire, Lin Luochen's older brother, Lin Jun.

He had been on the throne for five years, but these five years he had been completely a puppet controlled by others.

Never mind imperial decrees; even within this palace, it's filled with people from the Four Great Families.

His every word and deed, every move, are tightly monitored by the Four Great Families.

And all major and minor affairs of the state are also decided by the Four Great Families.

"Your Majesty, it's windy and rainy; don't catch a chill."

At that moment, a senior eunuch stepped forward, showing concern as he asked.

This eunuch counts as one of the few die-hard loyalists of Lin Jun, having followed him since childhood all the way until he later ascended the throne as emperor.

Over these five years, Lin Jun has indeed thought of relying on this situation.

But everything is just too difficult; the Four Great Families' control over the Great Wu Empire has reached a terrifying level.

Their Lin family's successive emperors have continually strived, yet it seems they have never been able to shake the Four Great Families.

By the time of Lin Jun, although the imperial family had secretly accumulated considerable strength, Lin Jun clearly knew that this strength was still insufficient to oppose the Four Great Families.

"Perhaps I cannot achieve this in my lifetime, but as long as my Lin descendants continue to strive, one day we will be able to eradicate those Four Great Families."

He murmured this softly; each generation has striven to eradicate the Four Great Families.

Even if it's just accumulating a little bit of strength, little by little it adds up, day by day, and there will surely come a day when it's enough to oppose the Four Great Families.

By that time, perhaps some descendant, relying on the strength accumulated by their ancestors generation after generation, could successfully break free from the Four Great Families' control.

This is Lin Jun's belief in his heart.

However, there is one matter that Lin Jun has never been able to let go of: Lin Luochen.

He naturally couldn't bear to see Lin Luochen like this, but he had no choice; the Four Great Families' word is something this emperor cannot refuse.

"Luochen she........"

He opened his mouth, wanting to express concern, but the words reached his lips and yet he couldn't utter them.

However, the eunuch understood Lin Jun's thoughts and directly replied.

"Her Royal Highness the Princess is safe and sound; she hasn't left her quarters for a full day."

"It's my fault toward her."

Lin Jun sighed wistfully; if possible, he would naturally want to protect his sister well, letting her be free of worry and care.

After his words fell, Lin Jun said nothing more; at this point, saying anything would already be too late.

Perhaps we shouldn't have let Luochen return from Dongzhou at the beginning; it would have been fine to let her stay in Dongzhou all along.

Two days later, today is the day Lin Luochen marries into the Great Yuan Empire.

The envoy of the Great Yuan Empire has already arrived; in the hall of the Huánggōng, Lin Jun, along with all the officials of the Great Wu Empire, have gathered together.

And beneath Lin Jun's dragon throne, there are also four chairs, but they remain empty, with no one occupying them.

These four chairs belong to the four great families; since they haven't arrived, even the court assembly cannot begin.

Gazing at those four chairs, Lin Jun grits his teeth in secret; one day, his Lin family will destroy these four chairs.

"Your Majesty, your complexion isn't very good; is there something troubling you?"

Just then, an aged voice came from outside the hall, and then an old man with white hair slowly walked into the hall.

The old man wasn't wearing official robes, but as he entered the hall, the civil and military officials present all bowed in salute; even Lin Jun had to rise and respond with hollow courtesy.

"Elder Zhang."

"Hmm, as the emperor of our Great Wu, you should take care of your health."

He nodded slightly, and the old man went to his seat and sat down.

Afterward, the members of the other three great families arrived one after another; once they were seated, the court assembly officially began.

First, they met the envoy of the Great Yuan Empire, but the envoy gave Lin Jun no face at all.

Everyone knows the emperor of the Great Wu Empire is just a puppet, so why waste words on a puppet? Just speak directly to the four great families.

After some pleasantries, the envoy indicated that he would escort Lin Luochen to the Great Yuan Empire today.

In response, the four great families had no objection; Lin Jun, seated on the imperial throne, although his face turned dark with anger, also remained silent.

Afterward, inside the palace, Lin Luochen was fully dressed, and with the support of the palace maids, she slowly ascended to the Great Yuan Empire's spatial Lin Prefecture.