Chapter 842

Without further thought, she reached into her sleeve and pulled out a jade tablet.

"This is a message jade tablet; it contains information about Qinglong Peak. Lady Shangguan, simply follow the instructions inside."

"Good!"

Shangguan Wan ignored Wu Zetian's longing gaze, tucked the jade tablet away, and slipped it into her sleeve.

She had already decided: she would not let her empress lay eyes on the jade tablet again.

Yao Yue paid no attention to any of this, stood up, and prepared to take her leave.

But before she could speak, an unusual fragrance descended from the heavens, spreading instantly across the Ming Hall.

Whether Wu Zetian, Yao Yue, Shangguan Wan, or the Tang court's civil and military officials, all knew: the new edition of the Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers List was about to be revealed.

At once, they forgot this was the Ming Hall, during a grand assembly.

The Tang civil and military officials all craned their necks, gazing upward at the sky.

Yao Yue was also deeply curious: her master and her sister had both made the list—when would she herself appear?

So she lifted her head and stared intently.

Only Wu Zetian acted as if she knew nothing, continuing to fix her gaze unblinkingly on the spot where Shangguan Wan had hidden the jade tablet.

645 Minister Di, do you have more business?

Throughout the entire announcement of the Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers List, Wu Zetian had stared only at Shangguan Wan.

She must have felt her heart race, yet remained speechless.

When the announcement of the Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers List ended, the figures of Dongfang Bai and others appeared in the sky.

At that moment, the entire Ming Hall, including Yao Yue, was captivated.

Shangguan Wan could only sigh and lower her head, gazing at Wu Zetian with a look of helpless reproach.

"Your Majesty! Can you please act normally!"

Wu Zetian was the Empress of Tang, of the highest dignity.

Every word and action represented the Tang dynasty.

Especially under the watchful eyes of all, such unseemly conduct left Shangguan Wan both exasperated and speechless.

"Can I just take a look? Just one look, please…"

Wu Zetian pleaded like a child begging a parent for a toy.

Seeing her innocent, clueless expression, Shangguan Wan swallowed all her words.

"Sigh… I just can't deal with you…"

"Yay…"

Hearing Shangguan Wan's reply, Wu Zetian nearly leapt from the Long Yi in excitement.

Shangguan Wan was startled, immediately grabbing her, whispering urgently in her ear:

"This is the Ming Hall—hundreds of ministers and Yao Yue are watching! Behave with dignity!"

"As for the jade tablet, I'll show it to you after court ends!"

To prevent Wu Zetian from further disgrace, Shangguan Wan had no choice but to agree.

With Shangguan Wan's promise, Wu Zetian finally calmed down.

Just then, the Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers List's image faded, vanishing completely.

The civil and military officials still wished to savor the beauty of the legendary women and their wondrous backgrounds.

But since they were in the Ming Hall, they gradually returned to their senses.

Yao Yue was also astonished: the Nine Provinces were truly vast.

Within the Ten Thousand Mountains, there were so many wondrous places.

Could Nüwa truly exist?

"Minister Di, Lady Yao Yue is a distinguished guest of Tang. You shall personally represent me and treat her with proper honor."

Wu Zetian, eager to end court and see the jade tablet, spoke immediately after the Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers List ended.

Di Renjie was among the quickest to recover among the ministers.

He too felt the information revealed by the Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers List was too vast.

They needed to dismiss all non-essential personnel—even Yao Yue should temporarily step aside.

Only the central ministers should remain to deliberate on the response.

Hearing the Empress's order, he prepared to accept it.

Then he realized: if he, as the chief civil minister, left, how could he discuss these revelations with the Empress and Lady Shangguan?

For a moment, even Di Renjie, whose wit was boundless, was left speechless.

"Minister Di, why haven't you accepted the imperial decree?"

Wu Zetian cared nothing for this—she hadn't glanced once at the Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers List's information.

Her entire focus was on ending court as quickly as possible.

After giving the order, she noticed Di Renjie had not responded and asked curiously.

"Your Majesty… Lady Yao Yue is indeed a distinguished guest of Tang. I am unworthy, but I volunteer to receive her in place of Minister Di."

Fortunately, at the critical moment, Zhang Jianzhi also came to his senses and took over the task from Di Renjie.

He knew the information revealed by the Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers List was too extensive.

If Di Renjie, as a state pillar, was not in the capital, fine—but since he was here, he must confer thoroughly with the Empress and Lady Shangguan.

He also sensed Di Renjie's intent and volunteered himself.

"Master Zhang is also a chancellor of our realm; Lady Yao Yue, please do not object."

"Lord Zhang is also a prime minister of our dynasty; Palace Master Inviting Moon, please do not take offense."

Shangguan Wan'er also saw the problem and immediately smoothed things over.

In fact, Yaoyue had no mind right now to care who was entertaining her; after all, her trip to Chang'an was merely to deliver this jade pendant on behalf of the Qinglong Society.

It's just that she was not a member of the Qinglong Society, so she still had to show the Great Tang some face.

She had also heard of Zhang Jianzhi's great name.

Learning that he had come to entertain her was not exactly a slight.

She immediately stood and bowed to Wu Zetian in thanks,

"Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress, for your hospitality."

"Good! Palace Lord Yaoyue, take your time leaving; I shall chat with you again later."

Wu Zetian said one polite sentence with a face full of smiles.

Afterwards, Yaoyue, guided by a female official, withdrew along with Zhang Jianzhi.

Once Yaoyue had left the Ming Hall, Wu Zetian suddenly rose from the Long Yi,

"Good! Today's matters are concluded; court is adjourned at once."

After saying this, heedless of the stunned ministers, she took Shangguan Wan'er's hand and prepared to withdraw.

"Wait…"

Seeing Di Renjie was completely baffled by Wu Zetian's actions; only when Wu Zetian had already taken Shangguan Wan'er and was about to leave the dais did he call out loudly to stop her.

He was a former-dynasty old minister, the present-dynasty Chancellor, and his prestige in court had always been eminent.

At that single shout, even though Wu Zetian's heart had already flown away, she could not help but be stopped by him.

Standing atop the dais, she turned her head to look back at Di Renjie and asked with a face full of puzzlement,

"What? Minister Di, is there something else?"

"Your Majesty… wasn't the purpose of gathering the full court of civil and military officials not to see what the Qinglong Society wanted this time,

and then to pool our wisdom and think of a countermeasure together?"

This grand occasion was, first, because the Qinglong Society's background was no small matter and could only be met with solemnity.

Second, it was because Shangguan Wan'er and Di Renjie had proposed gathering the ministers to let them all witness the purpose of the Qinglong Society's visit, and then think of a countermeasure together.

"Ah? The Qinglong Society this time isn't asking for money and grain, or treasures, spirit medicines, secret manuals, or anything like that.

They only need us to send one important official to go to Qinglong Peak.

Haven't I already appointed Wan'er?

What else is there to discuss?"

In truth, how Wu Zetian wished she herself could seize this chance to make a trip to Qinglong Peak!

"This…"