Chapter 218

"Phew—"

Returning to his seat and sitting down, Zhu Zai secretly let out a long breath and quietly looked at Li Miao. Li Miao noticed Zhu Zai's gaze, laughed softly, and without turning his head, said in a low voice to himself.

"How about it, Commander? Did your heart beat fast just now?"

"Can you really deceive His Majesty?"

Zhu Zai said softly.

"With that cultivation method you created in half an hour?"

"Pah."

Li Miao sneered.

"He can't really probe his true energy into my dantian to check carefully; he's just roughly looking at how many meridians are opened and how thick the true energy is."

"This cultivation method of mine was exchanged for half of the Jianwen Emperor's life; if it were so easily probed by him, the Jianwen Emperor might as well go back to his grave and lie down."

Zhu Zai did not know what the "eight-hour workday" "salary" mechanism was, only feeling that Li Miao's words were aimless, but he couldn't ask much for a while, so he had to let it go.

At the head, the Emperor sat down slowly, not showing it on his face, but his eyes were scanning the faces of the clan members over and over again.

"It's really not among those clan members who survived under the Jianwen Emperor... then who exactly is it?"

"I felt it was strange from the beginning; although the Xiaolingwei have many Heaven-Man Realm experts and a high inheritance, it is suspicious for an expert who can fight the Jianwen Emperor to a draw to appear out of thin air."

"Could it be... this person is actually a clan member? Did the Chengzu Emperor leave a backup in other branches back then?"

"Fine."

The Emperor sneered.

"It's just right."

"The Jianwen Emperor has been lying in the tomb for over a hundred years and has been cut off from supplies for over a dozen years; he is already nearing the end of his rope. Without Heaven-Man Realm experts and clan members to supplement him, he will die on his own in at most half a month, so he won't leave Shuntian Prefecture, but will stay at the Imperial Mausoleum to fight me to the death."

"The Ming Sect has already invested all its disciples, and the Heaven-Man Realm experts accumulated over many years have been exhausted; if this plan doesn't succeed, it will be difficult for them to rise again in the future."

"The Xiaolingwei won't leave the Imperial Mausoleum."

"These three are all at the Imperial Mausoleum now; the only thing I was worried about was that the person who fought the Jianwen Emperor would run away, which would inevitably be trouble in the future, but I didn't expect you to deliver yourself to my door."

"Since everyone is here... then let's all die at the Imperial Mausoleum together!"

The Emperor raised his cup with a smile.

"All clan members are pillars of the Great Dashuo; seeing everyone gathered, I am very comforted! Let's drink this cup together!"

The clan members offered congratulations in unison and raised their cups together.

Among them, a few young, marginal clan members, hearing the Emperor's words, were flushed with excitement, only feeling that His Majesty was truly wise and enlightened, and that after this family banquet, he would reuse the clan members, and they would be able to rise as well.

For a time, the scene became lively.

Only Zhu Zai, Li Miao, and Princess Gongyi sneered inwardly.

The Emperor pretended to be drunk, walked down from the main seat, and scanned among the clan members. Every time he passed someone, he would pat their shoulder affectionately or hold their hand to talk.

The clan members were all unable to restrain their excitement.

The Emperor was secretly pondering: "I've already probed a circle, and there are still no clues. Either this person has already left, or... he can really dodge my investigation!"

With a thought, he turned to look at Zhu Zai.

Zhu Zai's heart jumped again.

Just at this moment, a burst of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall. A young eunuch walked in quickly, lowered his head and bowed, but did not speak.

The Emperor waved his hand to signal the clan members to continue the banquet, walked to the main seat and sat down, and then the young eunuch leaned to his side and said softly.

"Your Majesty, the Ming Sect people are spreading this thing outside the city, and the Jianghu people have gathered more and more."

"The attendants have already looked at it; it is indeed the original copy."

The young eunuch took a stack of papers from his bosom and placed them before the Emperor.

"The Ming Sect people also spread the news, saying that this is to congratulate Your Majesty on the twenty-fourth year of your reign. When Your Majesty goes to worship the ancestors the day after tomorrow, they will distribute the full copy of this thing."

"Now the Jianghu people inside and outside the city have all gathered, all waiting for Your Majesty to go to the Imperial Mausoleum to worship the ancestors the day after tomorrow. Experts from all over Beizhili are also on their way."

The Emperor's eyes sharpened, and he reached out to pick up the stack of papers.

"To use its benefit, first blunt its edge."

"Wedding Dress Divine Art!"

Slap!

The Emperor threw the stack of papers on the table.

"Good, good!"

"What a big hand!"

"However, since your Ming Sect has already stated the date, how could I follow your wishes!"

The Emperor stood up abruptly and clapped his hands.

"All officials."

The clan members had been secretly paying attention to the Emperor's actions, and at this time they all became quiet, moving their gazes toward the Emperor.

"I just thought of something."

The Emperor said slowly.

"Tonight, rebels secretly harmed the lives of several clan members. Just now I received news that someone is secretly distributing secret manuals, gathering many Jianghu people, saying they are waiting for the day after tomorrow to distribute the full copy!"

"This is to hide among the Jianghu people, preparing to cause trouble the day after tomorrow! It's likely they intend to be unfavorable to the imperial clan!"

Once these words were spoken, the whole hall was in an uproar.

"This... what should be done!"

"Yes, if the rebels cause trouble during the ancestor worship, our safety is a small matter, but if we disturb the rest of the ancestors, what face will we have to see the ancestors in the underworld!"

Slap, slap.

The Emperor clapped his hands again.

"Fine!"

"Today's banquet was originally held early to show consideration for the hard work of several old clan members."

"Since the rebels are already prepared to cause trouble the day after tomorrow, then simply, the ancestor worship will also be moved forward!"

The Emperor said decisively.

"Tomorrow, we will go to the Imperial Mausoleum to worship the ancestors tomorrow!"

————————

"Ha—ha—"

Zhu Shoujing knelt on the ground abruptly, gasping for breath.

Even with his mind, being trapped in the Jianwen Emperor's illusion for such a long time was no small consumption. At this moment, he only felt his head splitting with pain, his eyes swelling, and his temples jumping wildly.

"Ugh—"

Not until he retched did he feel a little better, immediately calming his mind to circulate his Qi.

After a while, he finally let out a long breath of relief.

The Jianwen Emperor had already walked to his side; having broken free from the illusion, he had changed back to that terrifying corpse-like appearance.

"Offi, cial."

He said hoarsely and stagnantly.

"How, is it?"

Zhu Shoujing raised his head abruptly and looked at the Jianwen Emperor, his eyes full of hesitation.

The Xiaolingwei were indeed loyal to the Taizu Emperor, but the Jianwen Emperor was not the Taizu Emperor after all, and Zhu Shoujing was not the Commander appointed by the Taizu Emperor that year.

Over a hundred years, Yin Ruihua would change, and the Xiaolingwei would also change.

Although the Jianwen Emperor told him many secrets, these were fundamentally insufficient to make him hand over the lives of all the Xiaolingwei to the Jianwen Emperor.

The Jianwen Emperor, however, reached out and pointed toward the Imperial Mausoleum.

"Listen."

Zhu Shoujing was stunned, and then shocked.

After breaking free from the Jianwen Emperor's illusion, he could clearly hear the sounds of fighting coming from afar.

"Offi, cial."

The Jianwen Emperor looked coldly at Zhu Shoujing and spoke slowly.

"You, have, no, way, back."

A light footstep came from behind Zhu Shoujing.

He turned his head abruptly.

Ji Tianrui walked out from behind a tree, revealing a beautiful face with a half-smile.

"Your Majesty, Lord Zhu."

She said with a light laugh.

"The preparations are ready."

(End of chapter)