Chapter 438: Chapter 265: Pacifying the Partisan Strife, Meeting Luo Qiufu Again, Turmoil in the Six Kingdoms, A Princess Enters the Capital
Qianyuan Hall.
This was the Emperor’s rear study, a place for receiving important ministers.
Huo Qing removed his armor and entered the Imperial Palace, waiting patiently in a side hall. He had come to the Capital City this time not only to report on his duties but also to discuss numerous other matters.
Before arriving in the Capital City, he had traveled through many parts of Great Yan and discovered that a number of States and Counties, harboring ulterior motives, were still using the Yong’an reign title instead of the new Longyuan one.
’It seems there are quite a few disloyal officials in the Government Offices throughout Great Yan...’
"Your Majesty has just returned to the palace. Please wait patiently, Champion Marquis."
A nearby Eunuch reported.
"Of course. Thank you for your trouble, honored Eunuch."
Hearing this, the imperial Eunuch couldn’t help but smile faintly. "You are too kind, Champion Marquis. It is no trouble at all."
As a key general of the nation, the Champion Marquis showed no arrogance in his words or actions, nor did he neglect the Emperor’s personal attendants.
It was clear he was truly a man valued by the Holy Emperor.
「A short while later.」
Having returned to the Imperial Palace in a light rain, Lu Mingyuan washed up and changed into casual clothes. He walked out from the inner hall, and upon seeing his father-in-law, he smiled faintly and greeted him.
"I’ve kept you waiting, my dear subject."
Huo Qing was not careless. He still performed a salute before speaking. "Your Majesty has just ascended the throne, but there is unrest both at home and abroad. I hope Your Majesty will not be under too much pressure."
"It’s hard not to feel the pressure."
Lu Mingyuan sighed for reasons unknown, then tossed the letter he had just finished reading to the Champion Marquis.
After reading the letter, the Champion Marquis showed a look of surprise. "A faction has made the first move against the Song Dynasty?"
Lu Mingyuan poured himself a cup of tea and swirled it as he spoke seriously. "Their movements were secretive, their strength immense. They caught the Song Dynasty completely off guard. Their Disguise Skill is superb, allowing them to infiltrate the Capital Imperial Palace. Their Cultivation is at least at the Twelfth Realm. Who do you think is the mastermind behind this?"
The Champion Marquis shook his head. "I’m afraid it’s more than just the Twelfth Realm. This subject has dealt with the Song Dynasty before. Their military battle Arrays are far more complex than those of other Dynasties, capable of multiple transformations. With the advantage of their fortified city, and the Confucian Temple Haoran Continent nearby, a frontal assault on the Song Dynasty’s National Capital would require the strength of the Upper Three Grades at minimum."
"Moreover, the Song Dynasty has a Tributor at the Thirteenth Realm presiding over it. It’s highly unlikely they could be breached head-on. The attackers’ strength must be above the Upper Three Grades, or at the very least, they possess the means to deal with someone of the Upper Three Grades."
"The means to deal with the Upper Three Grades..."
Lu Mingyuan murmured to himself.
The Champion Marquis’s gaze was sharp as he said, "It seems, Your Majesty, that you can begin preparing for war."
Lu Mingyuan’s eyes narrowed. He questioned, "The financial reports from the Ministry of Revenue show that Great Yan has been at war for years on end, especially the campaign against the Demon Country’s grand army. The national treasury is essentially empty. Mobilizing troops now is probably unrealistic."
Without a doubt, he was the one who most wanted to send out troops right now.
Currently, the Six Kingdoms had all just inherited the Celestial Destiny and Fortune; their strength wasn’t yet overwhelming.
If they were given three to four years, or even eight or nine, to use that Destiny to cultivate a sufficient number of Cultivators, the situation would become dire.
But as it stood, the Great Yan National Power was insufficient to support such an endeavor.
Deploying the army and summoning the Cultivators and Tributors from the Three Academies all required military pay and stipends.
It wasn’t just the elite soldiers; powerful Cultivators also had to be dispatched, and their expenses were often the greatest.
Great Yan had numerous treasured sect grounds and countless Major Cave Heavens. If they wanted to gather enough Cultivators, the cost would be astronomical.
It all came at an extra price.
No one would risk their life for nothing. It was a very simple principle.
If he wanted to start a war now, there were a myriad of ways.
He had plenty of reasons to declare war.
For example, it was now the end of the year, but unlike in previous years, the more powerful kingdoms—barring a few smaller nations close to Great Yan—showed no intention of sending tribute.
In past years at this time, even if the tribute hadn’t yet reached the Capital City, a notice would have already been sent to inform them the treasure carts were on their way.
This year, not a single letter of notice had been sent.
The Great Sui, Nanli, and Silver Frost Dynasties, for instance, had always been prompt with their tribute in the past. This year, however, they were conspicuously late.
He couldn’t help but suspect that the descent of the Celestial Destiny and Fortune had caused them to have second thoughts.
Lu Mingyuan had a premonition that the old foxes behind these Dynasties were testing his attitude as the new Emperor.
They were seeing if he could secure his throne.
Hearing Lu Mingyuan’s complaint, the Champion Marquis just smiled faintly. "There are ways to fight a war even without money."
His gaze was profound as he said, "Regardless, this is an excellent opportunity. It’s not actually important who attacked the Song Dynasty."
"What’s important is that after this incident, the major Dynasties will undoubtedly be like birds startled by the mere twang of a bow. They’ll suspect one another and will no longer be united against a common enemy as they were before."
"If this person hadn’t acted against the Song Dynasty, the Six Kingdoms would have viewed the Celestial Destiny Dynasty as a thorn in their side. That would surely have been the beginning of a crisis for our Great Yan."
After listening, Lu Mingyuan felt the Champion Marquis’s words made a lot of sense.
The principle of dynastic change has been immutable since ancient times.
If one wished to ascend to the new Celestial Mandate, the first thing to do was to defeat the previous Celestial Destiny Dynasty.
It was highly likely that the Six Kingdoms would have formed an alliance and, under the pretext of following the Celestial Dao, launched a crusade against Great Yan.
Instead, this event had bought Great Yan a considerable amount of time, which they could use to prepare for war.
The Champion Marquis’s strategic vision was never wrong.
"If we really want to raise money, it’s not like there aren’t ways."
Lu Mingyuan pondered for a moment and thought of a good idea.
"What way?"
The Champion Marquis was also very curious. Besides his talent in the Martial Dao, could it be that this worthy son-in-law of his also knew business? Could he conjure money out of thin air?
"The chamber of commerce under the Seventh Prince’s command is the number one chamber of commerce in Great Yan. If we were to completely absorb it, we could probably get a lot of money."
