Chapter 820

Seeing Chong Xin quickly bleed from banging his head, Hearing Ying Zheng's anger gradually subsided; he waved his sleeve, signaling forgiveness.

"Your Majesty, this old servant dares to speak out because I believe our Great Qin still has young talents capable of undertaking the mission to the Ten Thousand Mountains."

After thanking the Emperor, Chong Xin still spoke the words he had wished to say.

"Oh? Who?"

Though displeased, Hearing Ying Zheng asked with a hint of curiosity.

"The Eighteenth Prince, Hu Hai!"

Chong Xin uttered a name no one expected.

"The Eighteenth Prince previously offended the Imperial carriage and was punished by Your Majesty with house arrest."

To atone for his crime, the Eighteenth Prince willingly joined Lishan."

After enduring countless trials, he finally cultivated dual-colored pupils and his strength has surged forward, reaching the peak of the Earthly Immortal Realm.

According to the Director of the Imperial Carriage Bureau's estimation, if fortune favors him, the Eighteenth Prince's entry into the Heavenly Being Realm is but a matter of flipping the hand!"

"He could achieve this?"

Hearing Ying Zheng's face showed clear surprise.

No one knew better than him what Hu Hai's original cultivation level had been.

No one knew better than him that while the Lishan Project could greatly enhance strength, its suffering was unbearable to ordinary men.

Could Hu Hai, to atone for his crime, have resolutely joined the Lishan Project?

Hearing Ying Zheng had always favored this younger son; now he was even more moved.

After a moment's thought, he said,

"Very well! Let Hu Hai come before me!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Chong Xin bowed his head, a faint smile curling at his lips.

623 The Empress has fallen!

Tang Dynasty, Great Ming Palace.

"The Ten Thousand Realms? Where then are you?"

Empress Wu Zetian, reading the introduction of Dugu Qiubai, which mentioned Longshouxi Sect's Ximen Wudi, fell into a dazed reverie.

Shangguan Wan, watching her sovereign, felt both sorrow and amusement at this expression from her close confidante.

"Your Majesty… Your Majesty…"

After several soft calls, Wu Zetian slowly returned to herself.

"What is it?"

Wu Zetian shot Shangguan Wan a reproachful glance.

"In this northern campaign, under the command of Di Ge Lao, and with the fierce efforts of Generals Su Dingfang, Wang Xiaojie, and Yuchi Zhen, our army…"

Not only seized one hundred and twenty-one key passes along the Hetao and Yinshan lines…"

But also brought all lands south of Hetao and Yinshan under the Tang Dynasty's rule…"

More crucially, we nearly annihilated the armies of Mu Huali and Borhu."

Only Mu Huali, General Zhebie, and Borhu escaped with a handful of men!"

This battle is one of the greatest victories our Tang Dynasty has ever seen!"

All thanks to Your Majesty's boundless heavenly fortune!"

"Tang Dynasty, mighty!"

"Your Majesty's heavenly fortune is boundless! Tang Dynasty, mighty!"

The civil and military ministers, all stirred with emotion, bowed deeply to congratulate Wu Zetian.

This northern campaign had achieved such glorious feats.

Even without future rewards, merely securing a place in history was enough to fill the ministers with exhilaration.

"Hmm… so it is…"

Wu Zetian's expression softened slightly; she nodded.

"Wan'er, when will Di Ge Lao and the others return to the capital?"

"Zhang Jianzhi, you will coordinate with the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Rites to verify the merits of our officers and soldiers, draft the rewards, and submit them swiftly to the Luantai for approval."

"Also, order the Court of Foreign Affairs to prepare a banquet to welcome the returning army!"

"Your servant obeys!"

Zhang Jianzhi and several high officials immediately stepped forward to receive the edict.

"Your Majesty, this is good news—but there is bad news too!"

Though reluctant, Shangguan Wan frowned as she spoke.

"What bad news?"

Wu Zetian knew that if Shangguan Wan announced bad news publicly, it was truly dire.

"Di Ge Lao has sent word: after the Yin Yue Cave Heaven's seal was broken, the Yin Yue Imperial Dynasty has emerged."

Initially seeking to conquer the Nine Provinces, they were blocked by the Shouqinglong Society and now linger in Guobeizhen of Youzhou."

After this passage of time, they have sent out demonic forces and brought all within five hundred li of Guobeizhen under the Yin Yue Imperial Dynasty's rule."

Di Ge Lao dares not act on his own, so he has sent a memorial asking how to handle the Yin Yue Imperial Dynasty!"

Shangguan Wan's face was filled with bitter resignation.

The greatest gains of this northern campaign had been Hetao, Yinshan, and the annihilation of Mu Huali and Borhu's armies.

Who could have foreseen that the Yin Yue Imperial Dynasty would emerge because of it?

Yet they took the five-hundred-li territory around Beizhen into their rule.

North of the five-hundred-li mark, they naturally broke through the Yinshan region, reaching straight into the Great Yuan Realm.

To the south, east, and west, they swallowed up nearly half of the Great Tang's Youzhou territory.

With this, Great Tang's Youzhou was no longer whole.

Yet the Yin Moon Dynasty was no ordinary power!

Judging by the strength they have shown, this Yin Moon Dynasty can almost be called yet another great power, following the Great Qin, Great Tang, Great Yuan, Yunzhou, Dongying, and the other great forces!

Compared with the great powers before it, they were by no means inferior!

If one were to rashly go to war with them, while Great Tang was already at war with the Great Yuan, it would be extremely disadvantageous.

That was why Di Renjie made no corresponding move, and instead sent a court gazette to ask the Empress, Wu Zetian.

"Hmm? This Yin Moon Dynasty certainly has some nerve!"

Wu Zetian slapped the Long Yi, trembling with rage.

Shangguan Wan immediately stepped forward to counsel her,

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. This Yin Moon Dynasty's strength is no small matter. Even though we have already reached a cooperation with the Xuanxinzheng Sect, it is still not wise to go to war with the Yin Moon Dynasty in the short term!"

"You mentioned before that Senior Xiaoyaozi, the Fourth Dragon Head of the Qinglong Society, once publicly taught the Yin Moon Dynasty a lesson?"

After her rage subsided, Wu Zetian suddenly recalled the incident when the Yin Moon Dynasty emerged and the Qinglong Summit first appeared in the world, and immediately asked Shangguan Wan about it.

"Correct!"

Shangguan Wan nodded in confirmation.

"Good! Then send someone—no, go yourself to the Yihua Palace, and find their Palace Master Yaoyue! See how the Qinglong Society views this."

Wu Zetian said with a faint smile, her words carrying a hidden meaning.

"Hmm? Understood!"

Shangguan Wan was stunned for a moment, then immediately understood.

Her own Empress, on the surface, was acting for Great Tang's state affairs, but in truth was seizing the chance to open communication with the Qinglong Society, wasn't she?

Sigh, the Empress has fallen!

But what Wu Zetian said was not without reason.

Previously, when the Yin Moon Dynasty emerged, they had wildly tried to directly unleash their demonic masses and unify the world.

But at the critical moment, the Qinglong Summit suddenly appeared in the world.

Wu Wudi, Di Shitian, Xiao Jingtian, and Xiao Aoshi—the four great Qinglong Society guest experts—joined forces, and in a single move suppressed the previously overbearing Pudu Cihang.

Afterwards, Senior Xiaoyaozi rode the Black Dragon and arrived before the Yin Moon Cave Heaven.

The Yin Moon Dynasty's Demon Lord Qiye hastily appeared, his posture extremely low, not daring to show the slightest disrespect.