Chapter 68 Record of Heavenly Revelations History - Langya Prince’s Rebellion
Beili Mingde Emperor Year 16, in other words, the sixteenth year after the Heavenly Revelations “Uprising of the Eight Princes”, Langya Prince suddenly rebelled. The incitement was caused by Mingde Emperor enacting the "Twelve County Tax Law", which was called the most severe tax law enacted since the founding of the Beili dynasty. Langya Prince opposed it in court and had a fierce argument with Mingde Emperor. That was also the first time court officials saw the two of them quarrel.
After the fierce argument that day, Mingde Emperor announced that court was suspended for three days, and Langya Prince returned to his Residence.
Then, three days later, Heavenly Revelations City was on fire.
That day, a group of rebels suddenly sprang out from nowhere and began to set fires all over Heavenly Revelations City. Later, the imperial army was deployed to stop the fires, but there were rebels mixed in with the imperial army and they started burning, killing and looting. It wasn't until General Xie Lingyun of the Feathered Forest Army7 led 10,000 Feathered Forest Guards into the city that the chaos was barely suppressed. However, the West Gate of the city was quietly left open and it was then that a carriage stealthily left from the back door of the Langya Prince Residence. When the carriage arrived at the West Gate of the city, it was not heavily guarded, and there was one man sitting on the city wall.
He was a long-haired man who carried a long staff, one of the Four Guardians of Heavenly Revelations, the Guardian of the West --- Baihu.
The Four Guardians of Heavenly Revelations back then were all close friends that Langya Prince met when he traveled the martial world, but now, after sixteen years in Heavenly Revelations City, will they be ruled by sentiment of the past or loyalty to the imperial family?
Baihu didn't make a move, and simply sat there quietly. Langya Prince finally stepped out of the carriage and drew his sword into his hand. He hit the horse hard and the carriage sped out of the city gate. Baihu did not close the city gate, but he put away his long staff and turned away to leave. Langya Prince dropped his long sword, turned around and raised his hands in silence. Standing before him was Xiao Changli, the then Chief of the Bureau of Punishments.
In the end, Langya Prince was convicted of rebellion. A person who had the least reason to rebel had rebelled. Almost nobody believed this could be true, but Langya Prince remained silent from the day he was incarcerated. He never said another word again, nor did he confess his guilt, nor did he argue for himself. Hence, even if someone was willing to speak out for him, it would have been completely useless. Furthermore, although Langya Prince was very popular in court, no one dared to step forward, because during his trial, three of the seven Heavenly Revelations Imperial Censors had believed he was innocent and on the next day, they were found dead in their homes.
As long as you were discerning, you could figure out that this was not someone trying to frame Langya Prince, but that the present Emperor, Mingde Emperor, wanted him dead.
Then, while everyone continued to remain silent, one person finally stood up. And, he was a person of very special standing - the sixth prince, Xiao Chuhe. He was Mingde Emperor’s favourite prince. Although he was only fifteen years old at the time, he was called a genius in martial arts, warfare, and even literature, and was widely recognised as the only candidate for “crown prince.” However, the prince who was Mingde Emperor’s biological son, was called by many people to resemble Langya Prince’s demeanor when he was young. And, he himself was very close to Langya Prince, who was his teacher in weiqi.
Xiao Chuhe came before the court on his own, but the guards outside the hall stopped him. He struck them down with one move. At that time, the court officials were badly shaken, but Xiao Chuhe stood in front of the hall without kneeling, and raised thirteen points of suspicions regarding Langya Prince’s rebellion. His voice was passionate and emotional, and several older officials in the court shed tears for him. However, Mingde Emperor was outraged. He stripped the sixth prince of his titles and exiled him to Qingzhou.
The court officials didn’t dare to say much. Even the prince could be dismissed, then there were only four people left who could stop this from happening. At the time, Lei Mengsha had already died in the war against Nanzhao, and Langya Prince’s only friends left in Heavenly Revelations City were the Four Guardians of Heavenly Revelations. Among them, Baihu had already made his position clear, and Zhuque had left Heavenly Revelations City after the Uprising of the Eight Princes. Xuanwu also happened to be away from the city on a secret order. Only Qinglong was left, who was the largest variable in this rebellion case.
Qinglong, successor of Sword Tomb Li Xinyue.
However, Li Xinyue also remained silent, because her mansion had been surrounded by over a dozen martial experts since the day Langya Prince was incarcerated. Li Xinyue didn't take even half a step out of her mansion for seven consecutive days, until seven days later, the day of Langya Prince’s execution. According to the law, ordinary criminals would have to wait until the autumn after the conviction of the crime for execution. Members of the imperial family should have an even longer trial period. However, the Directorate of Astronomy observed the celestial phenomena and passed the Emperor’s order with the advice: Langya Prince’s sentence cannot be delayed.
That day, the sky was clear and the sun was shining. Langya Prince, dressed in white clothes and restrained with handcuffs, walked slowly to the execution platform. Although his death was near, he lost none of his demeanor. He was still the Prince who was born of the court but possessed the spirit of the martial world. The court officials who watched the proceedings all sighed softly, and only the Emperor who was seated behind a curtain remained coldly silent.
Li Xinyue finally walked out of her mansion at this time. Li Xinyue had been cultivating her sword for seven days, and the power of the Sword Heart Formula was unstoppable. The martial experts who besieged her retreated one after another until they reached the execution ground. Langya Prince was already standing on the execution platform, his white robes fluttering, when Li Xinyue arrived with her sword, her expression as cold as ice.
Behind the curtain, the Emperor only spoke one sentence, "Li Xinyue, do you also want to rebel?"
Li Xinyue replied, "I have never rebelled, but the Emperor is forcing me to rebel."
The Emperor did not speak, but waved his hand slightly.
The Heavenly Revelations Five Grand Eunuchs, the seven Celestial Masters of the Directorate of Astronomy, and the remaining guardian of the Four Guardians of Heavenly Revelations who was the master of the Wuji staff, instantly released seven points of murderous intent.
Four of the Heavenly Revelations Five Grand Eunuchs, except Jin Xuan, stepped forward. Li Xinyue laughed loudly and said, "I have the Kunwu sword, here to seek the master’s court. Its sharpness gleams like a white halo, its purple aura illuminates the night and stars. Its blade shimmers like a lotus moving, its box shines like frost and snow. Holding the Heavenly sword in service to country, for the name of a hero in battle." Then she drew her sword, and the people within ten feet of the execution platform were forced to retreat by her sword aura. However, even if Li Xinyue had cultivated her sword for seven days and achieved a breakthrough in the Sword Heart Formula, she was still not a match for the combined powers of the four Grand Eunuchs.
However, Qi Tianchen, Director of Astrology, who had been standing on the highest platform raised his head and looked into the sky. He suddenly issued a surprised warning, "A sword is coming west, its power is aimed at the Emperor!"
Mingde Emperor looked down at Li Xinyue, who was already covered in blood, and frowned slightly. "Hers? But she is dying."
Qi Tianchen, as the Director of Astrology was the head of the seven Celestial Masters, and he rarely walked out of the Directorate of Astronomy. In the hearts of the court officials, he was considered half-mortal and half-immortal. Right at that moment, he had a serious expression on his face. "It's not her. Beg the Emperor to evade it quickly! The power of this sword can destroy all cities!"
Mingde Emperor was an Emperor of this generation, and he was not afraid. "What sword could destroy all cities?"
"The sword of a sword immortal." The long-haired man armed with the Wuji staff took a step forward. "She's here."
As soon as he spoke the words, a white shadow was coming towards them, moving at an incredible speed that was akin to lightning. In the sky, clouds rolled in as if an immortal had arrived.
"Draw!" General Xie Lingyun of the Feathered Forest Army shouted out loud when he saw the figure and he raised his sabre. The soldiers stationed at the execution ground immediately drew their longbows.
The white shadow had already arrived outside the execution ground.
"Release!" Xie Lingyun chopped his sabre in a downward motion.
The arrows fell like rain, black and heavy, like a downpour under white clouds!
But the figure passed over the execution platform and stood directly below the emperor's dias.
Then, the Wuji staff made its move. Once the staff came out, it was limitless, boundless, endless. Qi Tianchen also made his move and he waved his horsetail whisk. That horsetail whisk was like a white bird, suddenly growing thousands of wings, each of which was sharp and dangerous. The Grand Eunuch, Jin Xuan Gonggong, also struck lightly with his palm.
However, the swordsman in white was still not afraid, and she rushed forward. If these three people did not back off, she would undoubtedly die. However, one other person would also die!
Mingde Emperor Xiao Ruojin!
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