Chapter 166: then title translation, then ===GLOSSARY=== then list

Very well, since you all know your limits, I'll let you leave. Of course, if one day you still wish to serve the court, you can always come back.

Translation: "Very well, since you all have self-awareness, I will let you leave. Of course, if one day you still wish to serve the imperial court, it's not impossible to return."

Check: The emperor's self-reference should be translated as "I". Keep tone.

Of course, if you want to come back, you must pass the imperial examinations; only with genuine talent can you enter the court as officials. For now, you may go.

Translation: "Of course, if you want to come back, you must pass the imperial examinations; only with genuine talent can you enter the court as officials. You may leave now."

Originally, these eight officials thought there might be some twist, but upon hearing that they would have to take the imperial exams to return, they were simultaneously laughing and crying, and could only obediently leave.

Translation: "Originally these eight officials thought there might be some twist, but upon hearing that they would still need to take the imperial examinations to return, they were instantly torn between laughter and tears, and could only obediently leave."

We are incapable; we hereby resign.

Translation: "We are incapable; we hereby take our leave."

Shen Tianxing shook his head in helplessness; the useful ones are merely disloyal opportunists, while the remaining few are simply incompetent, just filling positions in the court.

Translation: "Shen Tianxing shook his head helplessly; the useful ones were all disloyal fence-sitters, while the remaining few were simply incapable, merely filling numbers in the court."

Your Majesty, you've driven away all the civil and military officials; what shall we do about state affairs now?

Translation: "Your Majesty, you have driven away all the civil and military officials; how then shall the affairs of the court be managed?"

Wang Gonggong asked cautiously, while Shen Tianxing smiled and waved his hand, then clapped his hands; outside, more than forty civil and military officials entered, all summoned from the super and divine gift packages Shen Tianxing had opened, via the official summoning cards.

Translation: "Wang Gonggong asked cautiously; Shen Tianxing smiled and waved his hand, then clapped his hands, whereupon more than forty civil and military officials walked in from outside—all of them summoned from the Super Gift Pack and God-Tier Gift Pack that Shen Tianxing had opened, the civil and military official summoning cards within them having been activated."

Among the civil officials are Zhuge Liang, Sima Zhongda, Liu Bowen, Heshen, Guo Fuxiao, and other famous historical ministers; the military officers include Ma Mengqi, Huang Hansheng, Zhang Yide, Guan Yunlong, and other representative figures.

Translation: "Among the civil officials were Zhuge Liang, Sima Zhongda, Liu Bowen, Heshen, Guo Fuxiao, and other famous historical civil officials; the military officers were respectively Ma Mengqi, Huang Hansheng, Zhang Yide, Guan Yunlong, and other representative figures."

This sight left Wang Gonggong and the young emperor stunned; Shen Tianxing had made absolute preparations, not only to become emperor but to replace the entire civil and military establishment.

Translation: "Watching this scene, Wang Gonggong and the young emperor stared dumbfounded; Shen Tianxing had made absolute preparations, not only to become emperor but also to replace the entire civil and military corps."

We pay our respects to Your Majesty; may the emperor live ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years.

Translation: "We pay our respects to Your Majesty; may Your Majesty live ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand ten thousand years."

Please rise, my beloved officials; the court now lies in ruin awaiting revival, and it depends on your abilities—do not disappoint me, after all, your combined strength still pales compared to mine.

Translation: "Officials, rise; the court now has a hundred neglected affairs awaiting revival, and it depends on your abilities—do not disappoint me, after all, your combined abilities still need to be much stronger than mine."

We will surely not disappoint Your Majesty's high expectations!

Translation: "We will surely not disappoint Your Majesty's high expectations!"

Excellent, Zhuge Liang as Left Chancellor, Liu Bowen as Right Chancellor, Sima Zhongda as Minister of Personnel, Heshen as Minister of Revenue, and Fuxiao as Grand Scholar.

Translation: "Very well, Kongming shall be Left Minister, Liu Bowen Right Minister, Sima Zhongda shall serve as Minister of Personnel, Heshen as Minister of Revenue, and Fuxiao as Grand Scholar."

The remaining official posts I have already written in the imperial edict; shortly I will give it to Wang Gonggong to read aloud, treating this as his final reading of the edict.

Translation: "The remaining official posts I have already written in the imperial edict; I will hand it to Wang Gonggong to read aloud shortly, treating this as his final reading of an imperial edict."

We obey the edict!

Translation: "We obey the edict!"

This old servant obeys the edict!

Translation: "This old servant obeys the edict!"

Wang Gonggong was overjoyed; he never expected that even after retiring from duties he could still read the edict. Excited, he took the edict and began reading it, and all those forty-plus civil and military officials received official posts.

Translation: "Wang Gonggong was overjoyed; he never expected that even after retiring he could still read the imperial edict, and excitedly he took the edict and began to read it, whereupon all those forty-plus civil and military officials received official posts."

With everything arranged, Shen Tianxing issued an imperial decree announcing his ascension as emperor and ordered recruitment throughout the Great Zhou, aiming to enlist a million-strong army to fulfill the system's main quest.

Translation: "With everything arranged, Shen Tianxing issued an edict announcing his ascension to the throne and ordered recruitment throughout the Great Zhou, aiming to enlist a million-strong army, in order to fulfill the system's main quest."

Shen Tianxing wondered what would happen after completing the system's main quest, once the system upgraded—what would come next?

Translation: "Shen Tianxing very much wanted to know what would happen after the system's main quest was completed and the system upgraded."

Everything went far more smoothly than Shen Tianxing had anticipated; within less than a month, essentially all civil and military officials from the prefectures of the Great Zhou submitted memorials to the court, acknowledging him as emperor.

Translation: "Everything proceeded far more smoothly than Shen Tianxing had anticipated; within less than a month, basically all the civil and military officials of the various prefectures of the Great Zhou submitted memorials to the court, acknowledging him as emperor."

Yang Hongyue and the others also followed the army to the capital, where Shen Tianxing began his busy schedule; naturally, the main focus was his wives' dedicated performances, which had essentially already secured the positions of empress and two imperial noble consorts, as well as the four noble consorts.

Translation: "Yang Hongyue and the others also followed the army to the capital; Shen Tianxing then began to busy himself, mainly because the diligent performances of his wives had essentially already secured the positions of empress and two imperial noble consorts, as well as the four noble consorts."

First, the empress is Qin Mingyue, which was Shen Tianxing's original promise, with no objections; next, the two imperial noble consorts are Yang Hongyue and Ru Yan.

Translation: "First, the empress is Qin Mingyue, which was Shen Tianxing's earliest promise, and no one objected; next, the two imperial noble consorts are Yang Hongyue and Ru Yan."

Yang Hongyue, besides Qin Mingyue, was the earliest woman to follow Shen Tianxing, and she has already reached the eighth rank in martial arts; although she still lags behind Ru Yan by quite a bit, she is sufficient for this position.

Translation: "Yang Hongyue, besides Qin Mingyue, was the earliest woman to follow Shen Tianxing, and she has also broken through to the eighth rank in the Martial Dao Realm; although she still lags far behind Ru Yan, it is sufficient for her to occupy this position."

As for Ru Yan, needless to say, she is akin to an earthly immortal—who would dare vie with her for the imperial noble consort position? Then come the four noble consorts: Yang Hongxiu, Yue Qingxue, Zhao Lingfei, and the steadfast Red Cloth, who insists on being a noble consort.

Translation: "As for Ru Yan, needless to say, she is an existence equivalent to a Land Immortal—who would dare to vie with her for the position of imperial noble consort? Then come the four noble consorts: Yang Hongxiu, Yue Qingxue, Zhao Lingfei, and Hong Yi, who insists on being a noble consort."

Naturally, Red Cloth is not unreasonable; she also told Shen Tianxing that if a suitable candidate appears later, she can yield this position.

Translation: "Of course, Hong Yi is not unreasonable; she also told Shen Tianxing that, should a suitable candidate appear later, she could yield this position."

However, the conferral of empress and noble consorts will not happen so quickly; Shen Tianxing plans to wait until the Great Zhou is completely stable and the million-strong army fully recruited, then change the state's name before bestowing the titles.

Translation: "However, the conferral of empress and noble consorts will not happen so quickly; Shen Tianxing intends to wait until the Great Zhou is completely stable and the million-strong army fully recruited before changing the state's name, and only then confer the empress and noble consorts."

Thus Shen Tianxing became idle, but just a couple of days later, news arrived from the Great Wu: the Wu emperor had been slain by two grandmasters, and the entire royal family was massacred.

Translation: "Thus Shen Tianxing became idle, but just a couple of days after he had relaxed, news arrived from the Great Wu: the Wu emperor had died, slain by two grandmasters, and the imperial family had been utterly slaughtered as well."

This was the work of those two grandmasters—how could they be so ruthless as to wipe out the entire imperial household?

Translation: "This is the work of those two grandmasters—how could they be so ruthless? They even wiped out the entire imperial family."

Upon receiving the intelligence, Shen Tianxing furrowed his brows, then thought carefully, but still couldn't figure out which two grandmasters had done it; beside him, Ru Yan spoke slowly:

Translation: "Upon receiving the intelligence, Shen Tianxing also furrowed his brows; after thinking it over carefully, he really could not figure out which two grandmasters had done it, whereupon Ru Yan beside him spoke slowly:"

They are a man named Hu Zhonghe and another named Zhou Zheng, both fourth-level grandmasters; perhaps something unexpected occurred, but in any case they did not betray their lord, otherwise they would already be dead.

Translation: "They are a man named Hu Zhong and another named Zhou Zheng, both Grandmaster Fourth Layer; perhaps something changed, but in any case they did not betray their lord, otherwise they would already be dead."

Li Changming nodded, also curious about what had happened; surely those two wouldn't be so foolish as not to report to themselves?

Translation: "Li Zhangming nodded, also quite curious about what had happened; surely those two fellows wouldn't be so foolish as not to report to themselves?"

Indeed, just as Shen Tianxing considered that, a homing pigeon flew in—a positioning pigeon exchanged from the system, which only locates Shen Tianxing; he gave one to each of those grandmasters when they departed.

Translation: "Indeed, just as Shen Tianxing thought of that, a flying pigeon flew in—this was a positioning flying pigeon exchanged from the system, which only locates Shen Tianxing; when those few grandmasters departed, he gave one to each of them."

The pigeon landed on Shen Tianxing's arm; he took off the message, opened it, and then suddenly understood.

Translation: "The flying pigeon landed on Shen Tianxing's arm; he took down the letter attached to it, opened and read it, and then suddenly understood."

The Wu imperial family are also a ruthless bunch; after the emperor's murder, they immediately mobilized troops to kill the two grandmasters, and those princes had already decided that whoever killed those two grandmasters would become the new emperor.

Translation: "The Wu imperial family are also a ruthless lot; after the emperor was killed, they immediately mobilized the army to slay the two grandmasters, and those princes had already decided that whoever killed those two grandmasters would become the new emperor."

As it turned out, those two spared no effort, managing to slay fifty thousand troops while expending half their stamina and inner energy, thereby wiping out the entire Wu royal household; in that light, it hardly seems a fault, and is understandable.

Translation: "As a result, those two spared no effort, killing fifty thousand troops despite great exhaustion of stamina and internal force, thereby massacring the entire Wu imperial family; in that light, it is not really a fault, and can be understood."

Shen Tianxing reached this conclusion because he knows that the two wearing the rings are absolutely incapable of uttering a single falsehood; any false statement would be judged as disloyalty.

Translation: "Shen Tianxing's judgment is based on his clear knowledge that the two wearing the ring could absolutely not utter a single falsehood; any false statement would be judged as disloyalty."

That's actually quite good; with all royal members dead, the Great Wu will surely fall into internal strife, and once they've worn each other down, my husband can lead troops over and easily dispose of them.

Translation: "That is also quite good; with all members of the imperial family dead, the entire Wu will surely fall into internal strife, and when they have fought each other to a standstill, my husband can lead troops over and easily dispose of them."

No need for such trouble; just summon Lin Feiyun, have him bring troops back, and he will naturally be able to easily seize the entire Great Wu.

Translation: "No need for such trouble; just summon Lin Feiyun, have him lead troops back, and he will naturally be able to easily seize the entirety of Wu."

After Shen Tianxing finished speaking, a nearby sly-looking eunuch immediately spoke up:

Translation: "After Shen Tianxing finished speaking, a nearby sly-looking eunuch immediately spoke:"

Your Majesty has an edict: summon Lin Feiyun for an audience.

Translation: "Your Majesty has an edict; summon Lin Feiyun for an audience."

This eunuch is one Shen Tianxing just summoned these past two days—the historically famous Zhao Gao, specifically the Gaoyao edition; of course his loyalty is unquestionable, otherwise he wouldn't have appeared.

Translation: "This eunuch is Zhao Gao, whom Shen Tianxing had just summoned these past two days; he is the historically famous Zhao Gao, the Gaoyao edition, and of course his loyalty is unquestionable, otherwise he would not have appeared."

Along with Zhao Gao, two other eunuchs were summoned: Li Fuguo and Wei Zhongxian; although all three are eunuchs and two are infamous, there is no denying that they are all highly capable.

Translation: "Together with Zhao Gao were summoned two other eunuchs, Li Fuguo and Wei Zhongxian; although all three are eunuchs and two of them are infamous, there is no denying that these three are all very capable."

Throughout history, most rebels and traitors are actually people of outstanding ability; otherwise, they could not have become rebellious ministers and traitors.

Translation: "Looking over the whole of history, most rebels and traitors are actually people of outstanding ability; otherwise they could not have become rebellious ministers and traitors."

Soon Lin Feiyun arrived at the Xuanzheng Hall; upon seeing Shen Tianxing, he immediately dropped to one knee.

Translation: "Soon Lin Feiyun arrived at the Xuanzheng Hall; seeing Shen Tianxing, he immediately dropped to one knee."

This humble subject pays homage to Your Majesty the Emperor; I do not know why Your Majesty has summoned me—what are your orders?