Chapter 843

Di Renjie was momentarily at a loss for words; he had not expected that the Qinglong Society had come this time merely to find a person to ascend the Qinglong Peak.

So simple, yet it made the Great Tang feel as though facing a formidable enemy.

"Enough, if there's nothing else, I'm leaving."

Wu Zetian, seeing he had nothing to say, once again took Shangguan Waner's hand and prepared to leave.

"Wait, wait…"

Fortunately, Di Renjie came to his senses and simply blocked the way beneath Wu Zetian's dais,

"Your Majesty! The information revealed by this Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers Ranking is truly shocking to hear!"

"Indeed! Your Majesty, this information is simply too astonishing."

The moment Di Renjie said this, the other civil and military officials unconsciously voiced their agreement.

Setting aside everything else, just the demon beasts within the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, and that suspected descendant of Nüwa, Lin Qing'er, were enough to shock the assembled ministers.

Nüwa is a true goddess from the ancient myths and legends!

Legend has it that the hundreds of millions of people across the Nine Provinces were molded from clay by Nüwa.

Who would have thought that this mother of humanity would actually be real?

But Wu Zetian paid no attention whatsoever to the contents of this Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers Ranking. Hearing Di Renjie and the ministers exclaim in such wonder, she did not care in the slightest,

"So what if it's astonishing? Let Di Qing and all the lords decide on everything!"

646 What does Di Ge Lao mean by that?

Wu Zetian's words were spoken with a certain casualness.

Yet the meaning within them carried a hint of profound trust in Di Renjie.

After all, for such a momentous matter, it was enough for Di Renjie alone to deliberate with the ministers and decide.

In the eyes of those who did not know, this represented that Di Ge Lao's imperial favor was beyond compare.

In the eyes of those who did know, such as Shangguan Waner and others, this meant their empress was simply too impatient, abandoning the affairs of court without a care.

Yet Shangguan Waner also knew exactly how attractive everything about the Qinglong Society was to Her Majesty the Empress.

Otherwise, for such a grand gathering today, was it truly just to welcome an outer member of the Qinglong Society like Inviting Moon?

With no other choice, looking at the stunned Di Renjie, Shangguan Waner could only say,

"Di Gong, you may deliberate on all matters with the lords of Luan Tai, and then submit a report to His Majesty in person.

After all, this matter is of great consequence; it would be best to produce a thoroughly sound plan."

Shangguan Waner's words were ambiguous, but they further confirmed that this major matter was to be handed over to Luan Tai for deliberation and handling.

Although Di Renjie felt it was unexpected, he also knew the Empress's mind was already made up.

He could only lower his hand at once, accept the order and say,

"Your subject Di Renjie accepts the decree!"

"Enough! Court is dismissed."

Seeing Di Renjie had finally stepped aside, Wu Zetian, unable to wait a moment longer, grabbed Shangguan Waner with one hand, hitched up her skirt with the other, and ran toward the rear hall.

Once the two of them had left, the Ming Hall immediately erupted into an uproar.

Ministers from every province and ministry, even Grand General Su Dingfang, crowded around Di Renjie.

Some asked whether the Great Tang should send people to retrieve that Desire Compass of Dongfang Bai, and who should be sent.

Some asked about the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, with its demon beasts, the Shushan Sect, the Nanzhao Kingdom, and the various secrets of Lin Family Fort—could it really be managed with just the two Corpse Ancestors, Jiang Chen and Hou Qing?

Some asked whether, in the view of my lord's profound and boundless learning, the legend of Nüwa was true.

And what exactly were the deeds of that Lin Qing'er.

Most of these many questions revolved around this Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers Ranking.

Yet not a single one of them was easy to answer.

Even Di Renjie, brilliant as he was, having long served at the center as chief minister,

being questioned by everyone like this, for the moment did not know which to answer first.

Fortunately, Su Dingfang saw the problem, gave a cough, and said loudly,

"My lords, fellow colleagues, quiet please, quiet please!"

Su Dingfang was, after all, the Grand General of the Great Tang, ranking first among the military officers.

This time, having commanded the army to recover the Hetao region with outstanding merit, his prestige had risen yet another level.

When he spoke with such full-throated authority, civil and military alike, no matter their rank, all fell silent and looked toward Su Dingfang.

"Fellow colleagues, although Di Gong's talent is unrivaled in the Great Tang, this Heavenly Dao Hundred Flowers Ranking is a matter of great consequence.

His Majesty has already entrusted this matter to Di Gong and the lords of Luan Tai; I ask all of you to wait a little.

Once Di Gong and the others have deliberated clearly, they will naturally explain everything to you."

In truth, the reason the Great Tang's civil and military officials had lost their composure was simply that this information was too astonishing.

Thus, they all unanimously wished to get an answer from Di Renjie.

Only now that Su Dingfang had spoken this way did they come back to their senses.

The Ming Hall was the Great Tang's great hall for discussing state affairs—how could it be a place for uproar, bickering, and gossip?

They could not help but smile sheepishly, cup their hands, and assent.

Di Renjie wiped the sweat from his brow and gave Su Dingfang a slight cupped-hand salute of thanks.

He then loudly promised the crowd that as soon as Luan Tai reached a decision, he would immediately notify the Three Provinces and Six Ministries.

After sending everyone off, Di Renjie dismissed the Great Tang's civil and military officials.

Seeing that Su Dingfang was also preparing to leave unhurriedly, Di Renjie strode quickly forward and caught him by the hem of his robe,

"Duke of Xing, for today's matter, Huaiying offers many thanks."

Huaiying is Di Renjie's courtesy name; generally only those who are close and well-acquainted would address him by his courtesy name.

As for Duke of Xing, that was the title Su Dingfang received this time for his matchless, extraordinary merit.

"Di Ge Lao, you're too courteous."

Su Dingfang waved his hand, looking entirely unconcerned.

"Duke of Xing, do you think it's feasible to send only the two Corpse Ancestors, Jiangchen and Hou Qing, to the Hundred Thousand Mountains?"

Di Renjie was a forthright man; after expressing his thanks, he got straight to the point of his visit.

"Oh? What does Di Ge Lao mean by that?"

Although Su Dingfang was a military general, in truth he was also a shrewd man.

The moment Di Renjie opened his mouth, he had already roughly guessed what he meant.

But without confirmation, he still went on to ask.

"What I mean is, although these two Corpse Ancestors, Jiangchen and Hou Qing, are Great Tang's nation-protecting enshrined experts with Wu Gong unrivaled under heaven,

their looks are also one in ten thousand.

Yet their seniority and age ultimately make them unsuitable for this martial-arts tournament to wed at Lin Family Fort.

I'm afraid if the two of them go, not only will they fail to draw closer to Lin Tiannan, but rather…"

"Ha! Di Ge Lao speaks reason."

Su Dingfang could not help but burst out laughing.

These two, Jiangchen and Hou Qing, truly were unsuitable to take part in the martial-arts tournament to wed.

Yet the very people the Empress Your Majesty had dispatched were precisely those two.

As Great Tang's important ministers, whether Su Dingfang or Di Renjie,

in truth both knew the reason behind their own Empress's arrangement.

It was only because, when the Heavenly Dao Golden List introduced Jiangchen, it mentioned the karmic affinity between Jiangchen and the Empress.

The Empress disliked Jiangchen for this, and deliberately looked for a chance to send him off to the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

But who could spell this out?

"Then according to Di Ge Lao, how should we remedy it?"

Now the Empress Your Majesty had delegated the authority over this matter to Di Renjie and Luan Tai, and Di Renjie had raised it himself.

Su Dingfang, with a heart full of patriotism, immediately asked.

"Send another young talent to take part in this matter.

Even if he cannot truly marry back the Lin family's Young Lady, as long as he can build good relations with Lin Tiannan, that will do."

Di Renjie fixed Su Dingfang with a burning gaze and said slowly.