Chapter 334: Chapter 50: The Flame Summer Agreement, The Dragon and Phoenix Intertwined
Translator: 549690339
The Imperial Palace of the Xia, Phoenix Palace.
Since the Empress took the throne, the Golden Dragon Palace has been renamed the Phoenix Palace, and many other names in the palace have been changed according to her liking.
The warm sun shone high above, men in officials’ robes of different colors were filing into the inner imperial city. When passing the city gate, they had to carefully avoid the sword power remaining in this place.
In front of them, the palace was still a mess. The vermillion gate had fallen to the ground, riddled with holes. Many imperial guards were quietly cleaning up the wreckage at the gate, pulling out bodies from the holes to cremate and bury them.
In the center of the Phoenix Palace, sixteen maids carried an honorable Dragon Chair with carvings of dragons, phoenixes, and auspicious beasts on top, and golden bead curtains hanging down, dignified and imposing.
A large number of palace maids and eunuchs surrounded the area.
However, the scene inside the Dragon Chair was different.
The Empress of the Xia, who was high above, was lying in the arms of a youth in a white dragon robe. It was fine that she was lying quietly, but she had hooked her two snow-white slender legs around the youth’s waist, held his solid shoulders with her delicate hands, burying her head in his undulating chest.
She opened the fiery dragon robe to one side like petals, revealing her graceful figure. Her chest was plump, her face didn’t show any weakness but full of thoughtfulness. After a while, she raised her head and asked the man in front of her:
“Husband, are you really going to announce this matter in the Imperial Court?”
“Yes.”
Zhao Huai nodded his head.
“The Yan Country and the Xia Country must cease fighting; otherwise, we won’t be able to face the upcoming crises. I’ll go with you to the court this time and announce this matter personally.”
“I suspect those ministers won’t listen and, moreover, since the salt price in the capital city skyrocketed, many officials have retired and gone home, presumably to join my Uncle Emperor.”
Yu Qinghan sighed.
“Rebellions have already broken out everywhere, and this problem has never been solved.”
“What if I tell you, I have a way to lower the salt price?”
Zhao Huai looked her in the eyes seriously, and holding her hand, asked:
“Do you believe me?”
“Of course I do.”
Yu Qinghan nodded vigorously.
“I have a way to make the salt price fall, but the key still lies in your attitude towards Changning King, and … how you should deal with Xiangyun.”
Zhao Huai paused for a moment, but still mentioned a person.
Pei Xiangyun, she is my wife’s best friend. If we are to deal with Changning King, we certainly can’t ignore her.
This is, after all, her father.
“Ever since Xiangyun left the capital city, I’ve not seen her for a long time. I suspect she has been put under house arrest by my Uncle Emperor.”
Yu Qinghan pondered.
“If it really comes to it, and we capture Changning King alive, it wouldn’t be too much even to extinguish his whole clan. I naturally would consider our past emotions, but some things still have to be done.”
While thinking, Yu Qinghan shook her head, and seemed unwilling to mention this topic anymore. She shifted the topic and said, “Come to think of it, husband, how did you find me in Xia’s Capital?”
Zhao Huai explained, “This time, the Devil Sect didn’t only target the Xia, but also surrounded and attacked Nanyu Prefecture. The shadow of the Shenluo Empire is behind this. It seems that the Devil Sect and the Shenluo Empire have come together.”
Yu Qinghan sat up and frowned, “The enemies of Central State are too many, including the Northern Wolf Empire. The whole Xia is already like a lamb watched by a wolf.”
“Yes.” Zhao Huai also agreed, “The Northern Wolf not only occupies the Ten States of the North, but I also suspect that they have been infiltrated by the Netherworld.”
“The Netherworld, how do you mean?”
“I found more than a dozen Bloody Devil’s puppets in Nanyu Prefecture, which belong to devil creatures, only available in the Netherworld, but they appeared in the south, which means that a large number of devil creatures have already mixed into the human race in the North, and we don’t even know.”
Zhao Huai considered, “The source is likely from the Northern Wolf Empire. The Northern Wolf has always been a country in the Northern State. Right now, they are eager to move south to avoid being attacked by the Netherworld. On my way here, I saw numerous Immortal Sect disciples are going to reinforce the north, which indicates that the infiltration of the Netherworld’s devils has become very serious. The calmest ones often deserve the most attention.”
Yu Qinghan nodded thoughtfully.
The Northern Wolf Empire has been too quiet recently. Before, they would occasionally harass the border, but now there is no news from them. Such peace is a dangerous omen.
Zhao Huai leaned against the soft couch and said calmly:
“The old fiend of Netherworld, Ten Devil Sects, Shenluo Empire, I remember all their accounts, and one day, I will pay them back twice.”
…
In the Imperial Court.
Only half of the civil and martial officials had arrived, waiting left and right.
The Empress was sitting on the Dragon Chair, behind the golden bead curtain, in a fiery phoenix skirt. It was simple and without many complicated patterns and accessories, exquisite like a burning phoenix, making everyone else a background.
Yu Qinghan’s phoenix eyes glowed, clear enough to see their reflection, crystal clear.
Her red lips were moist, she hadn’t put on any rouge, making her spirit appear very full. An imperial crown suspended in front of her, her black long hair pinned on her head, solemn and solemn.
Her buttocks were round, indented a big chunk in the golden soft couch.
Today, there was no eunuch standing by her side, only a man in a white robe, Zhao Huai.
“Today, I summon you all because I have an important matter to announce!”
Her voice was stern, majestic, full of charm, embedded with the dignity and the overbearing of a person in power for a long time.
“No way!”
“No way!”
Yu Qinghan hadn’t even announced what the news was when a few old ministers stood up in opposition.
They reacted as if she had touched some unspeakable taboo.
“What do you mean by this?”
This made Yu Qinghan very angry. As she was in the court, it wasn’t appropriate to curse, so she could only ask back coldly.
The old minister in the scarlet robe quickly explained, “Your Majesty, having offspring with the Crown Prince of Yan Country is a great sin that defies the world. It is the thing that should not be done. If you still refuse to turn away from your mistakes now, the Xia will fall apart immediately, and the First Emperor’s foundation is likely to be destroyed in an instant!”
As soon as these words were spoken, it soon led to the agreement of other ministers: “Your Majesty! Recently, many officials who are not afraid of ruining their reputations have gone to Changning King, which has caused many vacancies in the court, putting the Xia in crisis. The salt price is so high that the common people are on the verge of revolting. The current situation cannot bear any more stimulus!”
“The foundation of the First Emperor cannot be easily destroyed. Your Majesty, do you want to be the sinner who destroys the country?”
Facing the ministers’ questions, Yu Qinghan’s face didn’t look good either.
As a ruler being questioned by her ministers, could there be anything more humiliating than this?
Zhao Huai took a step forward, wanting to argue for an explanation, only to be held back by Yu Qinghan’s hand, her eyes pleading.
In this situation, her husband should not make a scene.
He should play a decisive role when the final verdict is made, not bicker in this petty quarrel.
Yu Qinghan knew her priorities.
“My beloved ministers, do you think at this moment, there could be any other ways to deal with the surging threats from the Shenluo Empire and the Northern Wolf Empire, other than seeking cooperation and signing the truce with Yan Country?”
However, she eventually disclosed this piece of news.
Xia Country would sign a truce with Yan Country, withdraw its troops from the border, thereby saving a significant amount of military expenses. In other words, they are cooperating.
Re-establishing trade in most parts of the north and south, restoring war-torn states and counties, and devoting more energy to external warfare.
“Regardless, Xia and Yan are incompatible; we absolutely can’t cooperate!”
“In order to keep foreign enemies at bay, we must first get our internal affairs in order.”
“What if Yan Country, with their ill intentions, rise from the ashes and swallow our Xia landscape?”
“Does Your Majesty believe that the relationship between the two of you can stop Yan from taking advantage of us? Even if Your Majesty can trust, we can’t.”
Hearing these voices, Zhao Huai’s eyes have already ‘murdered’ the officials outside a million times.
Behind the golden bead curtain, the people outside could not see clearly, they could only see a vague shadow.
The ministers didn’t have any idea that Zhao Huai had already arrived on top of the Imperial Court.
Zhao Huai’s fists were clenched all along and now he was boiling with anger.
Could this be the court that the Madam has to face every day?
It’s utterly ridiculous.
What are they fearing that Yan might take advantage of?
This is clearly a case of suspecting the motives of others out of one’s own vile heart.
In his eyes, these are a bunch of foolish ministers, just like some rotten rocks, both smelly and hard.
“Your Majesty, we should request help from the Immortal Sect now, send out cultivators to prevent the Devil Sect from attacking again, and quickly gather troops to recover the South.”
“Otherwise, our First Emperor will not rest in peace in the Netherworld!”
Yu Qinghan was frowning and pondering what to say to refute them.
Looking at Madam’s reaction, Zhao Huai could no longer hold back.
Ignoring Yu Qinghan’s opposition, he coldly voiced out:
“Do you think that the reason Xia has come this far is because of your so-called First Emperor?”
A man’s voice echoed through the entire court, shaking the Main Hall.
The civil and martial ministers looked shocked, looking left and right.
They had no idea who was speaking.
“How dare you! Who is acting presumptuously in my Xia?!”
A veteran minister rebuked.
Zhao Huai, expressionless, stepped out from behind the golden bead curtain, unveiling his concealing magic, and his figure appeared before the ministers.
“It’s me, the Crown Prince of Yan Country, Zhao Huai!”
Ministers seeing Zhao Huai’s face were exceptionally shocked.
“What?!”
“It’s actually him!”
“How could the Crown Prince of Yan Country show up here?”
“Presumably, he didn’t leave after the battle at the Imperial City; he still stayed in Xia’s Capital.”
They all began to chatter.
Looking at the chaotic court, Zhao Huai repeated coldly:
“Answer me!”
“Do you think that Xia could have come this far due to your so-called First Emperor?”
The reverberating echo resonated in the Main Hall.
However, not many ministers dared to respond.
Before them stood a man who had just slain a Mighty Rebirth Realm cultivator, his cultivation was so high that they could only look on with envy.
Who knew if he would just kill someone out of dissatisfaction.
Initially shouting fiercely, the veteran minister was silenced under Zhao Huai’s challenge.
Zhao Huai scanned the court, no one daring to make eye contact, his eyes were sharp, his words ice-cold:
“Four years ago, Yan Country’s officialdom was corrupt, and the common people were not living well, I recognize this.”
“Hence there was a separatist rule by the military, my wife raised her troops in the South, she pacified the North, won in every battle, making first-class military contributions. She should have been remembered in history, but instead, what did you all do as ministers?”
Zhao Huai’s tone paused, then instantly became full of questioning.
“Now in your great Xia, famine has arisen, starved corpses everywhere, the loss of national territory, ten states fallen to the enemy hands, don’t you all have any responsibility?”
“With the logic of how your great Xia was founded, shouldn’t my Yan now take back our country?!”
“However, I didn’t do that, but I hoped to cease the war and fight the external threats together, fight against the demons, resist the Alien tribe’s invasion, what about you all? Using your vile heart to suspect others. Do you all deserve to sit in your current positions?!”
“Besides, who does this Xia land and heavens belong to in the end?”
Facing Zhao Huai’s questioning, the whole court fell silent.
Looking at his upright figure, Yu Qinghan’s eyes sparkled.
