Chapter 51: Chapter 51: Heads Rolling

4th Year of Zhengyong, October 1st.

The nine clans of Yang Ni and Yang Xuansu were executed.

On this day.

Outside the Meridian Gate, the direct descendants and relatives from the maternal and paternal families of Yang Xuansu, except for Consort Shuu, were all beheaded.

The heads rolled, and rivers of blood flowed.

Marketplace.

Besides the nine clans of Yang Xuansu, former Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and officials involved in the case were also beheaded, along with their nine clans!

Over fifty executioners toiled day and night, taking four full days to decapitate so many involved in the crime!

The case implicated over forty thousand officials and relatives in both prominent and minor roles!

Initially, many people watched out of curiosity.

A large number of ignorant women and children scrambled for the hot blood, using buns, dumplings, and cured meat dipped in the sinner’s blood, bringing it home for their seriously ill elderly and children.

They hoped to cure serious illnesses with this method.

Yet by the third day, no one dared to go near the Meridian Gate and market.

The reason was simple; there were too many dead!

Almost the entire street was flooded with fresh blood and flesh, the stench of blood filled the sky.

Outside the city, Yi Manor and Chaotic Burial Mound were also overflowing with people.

Finally, on someone’s anonymous suggestion, a great fire was set to the Chaotic Burial Mound.

The blazing fire burned continuously for four to five days before slowly ceasing.

That area was filled with the aroma of meat, with countless wild wolves and dogs eating to the point their eyes glowed green, occasionally attacking living people.

With over forty thousand beheaded, the entire Imperial Court was as silent as cicadas in winter, and no one dared to defy any order from Emperor Zhengyong.

Moreover, many opportunists sang praises and offered adulation to Emperor Zhengyong.

4th Year of Zhengyong, October 11th.

Consort Duann, Xu Qingluan, gave birth to a daughter. Emperor Zhengyong was overjoyed, bestowing the name ’Zheng Yuxuan’ and the title ’Princess Tianxuan’!

Rumor has it that when Princess Tianxuan was born, the Big Dipper shone brightly, illuminating the night sky, even overshadowing the moonlight, making the sky bright.

Inside the room, clouds rolled like a phoenix, with faint phoenix cries.

Director of the Imperial Observatory, Zhao Chenghong, presented a report that “The Tianxuan of the Big Dipper shines bright until the moon, signifying great change in the world. Its master is female, female is yin, is female animal, heaven and earth reverse, world in chaos!”

Emperor Zhengyong, in great anger, rebuked the Director of the Imperial Observatory, stripping him of his title and rank, and demoted him to commoner.

Three days later, the Director of the Imperial Observatory, Zhao Chenghong, slipped and drowned, causing the officials to tremble and petition for justice.

“Your Majesty! Astrology is divinely determined and unavoidable!”

“Your Majesty! Princess Tianxuan signifies great chaos in the world, please reconsider!”

“Your Majesty! Consort Duann, Xu Qingluan, birthed a star of calamity, fearing great change, please…”

“Your Majesty, Qingzhou suffers a four-year drought, please decide!”

“Your Majesty! Wuzhou is plagued by locusts, spreading over hundreds of thousands of miles…”

“Your Majesty! Nanzhou suffers flooding, submerging thirty thousand acres of fertile land and destroying five hundred houses…”

In recent days, Zheng Yi received nearly a dozen reports daily regarding Xu Qingluan birthing a star of calamity and ensuing chaos in the world.

However, all remained unissued within the chambers, and Zheng Yi did not see the cabinet ministers, provoking widespread dissent among the court, blaming Consort Duann, Xu Qingluan, for bewitching His Majesty and bringing calamity to the country!

Further, some courtiers petitioned to revoke Xu Qingluan’s power over the harem affairs and return it to the Empress.

“His Majesty arrives~!”

Within Xianfu Palace, Xu Qingluan sat cross-legged, circulating her inner breath.

Upon hearing it, she immediately stood up, like a swallow returning to its nest, into Zheng Yi’s arms.

“Your Majesty~”

“Is my beloved’s health improving?”

Zheng Yi asked while holding Xu Qingluan.

Similarly, after giving birth, the Empress and Consorts like Shu and Bi had a fuller figure, with a rich milky fragrance about them, which Zheng Yi thoroughly enjoyed.

As for Xu Qingluan, a few days after childbirth, she could walk, and her figure was agile, showing no sign of having just given birth.

Even seven days later, she could wield a knife and cultivate, frightening Zheng Yi into forbidding her from training with the knife, keeping her confined in the room for recuperation.

“Your Majesty, I have good news~!”

“Oh? What good news?”

“I… have broken through!”

“What broke through?”

Zheng Yi asked, surprised, and thought, “Martial Arts Cultivation?”

“Yes!”

“Sss…”

Zheng Yi took a deep breath, what the hell, Xu Qingluan broke through so fast?

A nineteen-year-old First-grade Martial Artist is rare, let alone a Grandmaster Realm!

No, Xu Qingluan is now twenty.

But a twenty-year-old Grandmaster Realm Martial Artist is rare even within the entire Great Yu Martial Arts circle, let alone including other countries!

“Yes!”

Seeing Xu Qingluan nodding vigorously, Zheng Yi couldn’t believe his ears.

This fast?

Was Xu Qingluan’s talent, root bone, and aptitude so strong?

Or was it… Innate Pure Yin Qi?!

Previously it was Consort Bi, now it’s Consort Duann, Xu Qingluan.

The four strands of Innate Pure Yin Qi could enhance a mother’s cultivation.

But they all vanished into thin air.

Or… the four strands of Pure Yin Qi didn’t disappear but merged into the world!

Because they were located in the Imperial Palace, they were the closest, so the martial artists within the palace, or harem, had their cultivation enhanced faster.

Innate Pure Yin Qi… Spiritual Qi?

Spiritual Qi Revival?

Every child born integrates a strand of Innate Pure Yin Qi into the world, known as ’Spiritual Qi Revival’ among cultivators?

“This…”

Am I actually leading the Spiritual Qi Revival?!

Zheng Yi’s mind could only conjure this thought.

Yet this was just his speculation, requiring verification.

Pushing his thoughts aside, Zheng Yi said, “My beloved, what do you think of the recent court criticisms?”

“Court criticisms?”

A flash of evil qi shot through Xu Qingluan’s eyes as she said, “Just some ministers wanting the Empress to return, it’s for you to decide, Your Majesty.”

“Oh?” Zheng Yi was intrigued, asking, “Why me?”

Xu Qingluan was Xu Mujun’s daughter, with a firm and vindictive nature from a young age.

Even in her early teens, she killed with a knife, venturing the Martial World under the protection of guards.

Thinking she would accept defeat or surrender was a fool’s dream.

“If you trust me, I’d seclude Xianfu Palace, considering it the Cold Palace outside.”

“And internally…” Xu Qingluan glanced at Zheng Yi, saying softly, “I would sneak out of the Imperial Palace and have my father make decisions!”

“What else?”

“If you don’t trust me…”

Xu Qingluan held Zheng Yi’s arm saying, “Then I’d stay in the harem, accompanying you~!”

“You little demon.”

Zheng Yi smiled and patted her head, saying, “I know the difference. The recent court opinions are just tactics led by Lu Xiangqing.”

“Your father lost the battle with Wu Country.”

“Hmm?” Xu Qingluan’s eyes widened, saying, “My father lost, how could that be?”

“Because of this setback, those ghosts and goblins in court emerged.”

Zheng Yi coldly laughed, “But don’t worry, it’s just a small defeat, I have plans.”

“Had Father-in-law continuously won, no minister would have dared speak.”

“Because of one defeat, so many emerged.”

“It seems the court is still of noble families…”

4th Year of Zhengyong, September 30th.

Wu Country once more suspected to have cultivator appearance, ambushing Xu Mujun during a major battle, leading to his retreat.

The peace talks between the two countries failed, the Great Yu Army withdrew, and both armies stood at a stalemate, with Canglong City and Black Mountain City forming confrontations.

Zheng Yi wondered about the appearance of another cultivator in Wu Country when Xu Mujun provided an answer.

Another mortal resembling Dongyun Feng greatly, using ancestral magical artifact’s power, and ambushing him.

But the injury was minor, and could be healed within a few months.

“Dongyun Feng… Ancestral magical artifact?”

“Wu Country also has descendants of enslaved cultivators?”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep