63: Section 63

【You completely disregarded the advice from your subordinates.】

【Such a change was both good and bad.】

【The good was that it made it easier to cultivate the Emperor's prestige; the bad was that it led to arrogance and many mistakes.】

【You rejected all opposing opinions, even punishing several outspoken officials by dismissing them from office and ensuring they would never be rehired.】

【It seemed they understood your stance; overnight, all impeachment memorials in the imperial court vanished, replaced by memorials supporting your decisions, making you feel as if these officials had transformed.】

【You were very happy with the result, but Ayna was not.】

【Because you had promised her the position of Empress.】

【Your child would also be made Crown Prince.】

【She remembered this clearly, and facing your broken promise, she began writing letters to her father.】

【She complained to the Khan of the Huns, telling her father that you were a faithless scoundrel.】

【Of course, none of her letters could be sent out.】

【Because you already knew about Ayna writing letters to the outside.】

【Every letter was intercepted by you, and you had someone imitate the Khan of the Huns' handwriting to reply to Ayna.】

【However, the content of the letters always told Ayna to be patient, and that once he finished his affairs, he would come to make her Empress.】

【Therefore, Ayna continued to endure, and she grew accustomed to you not visiting her for several consecutive months.】

【Now, with no obstacles from the imperial court, you successfully established Xiao Huang as Empress.】

【The moment you saw Xiao Huang in her Phoenix robe, you felt it was all worth it.】

【And you left the position of Imperial Advisor vacant, awaiting Yu Luoniang's victorious return.】

【As for state affairs, Xiao Huang helped you handle them.】

【You found handling state affairs somewhat tricky.】

【But she was excellent in this regard; complex state affairs were child's play in her hands, handled with utmost propriety.】

【Time flew by.】

【A year had passed since your ascension to the throne.】

【In this year, the entire Great Zhou displayed a thriving and prosperous scene.】

【One night, Yu Luoniang returned.】

【She had successfully completed her mission.】

【After more than a year apart, you couldn't bear the longing and didn't even listen to her report, directly carrying her to the bedchamber…】

In the picture, Yu Luoniang's eyes rolled back, and her hands made a V-sign…

…

【After a period of intimacy, Yu Luoniang began to recount the events that had transpired during this time.】

【She had killed all of the Khan of the Huns' offspring and, incidentally, crippled the Khan of the Huns' reproductive ability.】

【It could be said that Ayna was now the only legitimate and rightful heir to the Khan of the Huns.】

【Of course, if Ayna was unwilling to ascend, there were still some nephews of the Khan of the Huns remaining.】

【As soon as the Khan of the Huns died, great chaos would immediately ensue.】

【However, you would not let such a thing happen.】

【You planned to use the replies to make Ayna long for the position of Khan.】

…

In the picture…

【Yu Luoniang lay in your arms, drawing circles on your chest with her finger.】

“Sir, no, now I should call you Your Majesty.”

“Your Majesty, when can I have the imperial palace you promised me?”

【Hearing Yu Luoniang ask for an imperial palace, you suddenly felt a headache.】

【Because the national treasury was still very empty, with only about twelve million taels of silver in total, if you were to build an imperial palace without a proper reason, it was unlikely anyone would agree.】

“Yu Niang, help me think of a reason to build an imperial palace.”

“If such a large imperial palace is built for no reason, it will likely cause controversy.”

【Upon hearing your words, Yu Luoniang also pondered carefully.】

【Finally, she came up with a perfect reason.】

“Your Majesty, let's say this.”

“You had a dream, dreaming of a female Heavenly God, who wanted a grand palace built for her.”

“This way, it could bless Great Zhou with peace and prosperity.”

【Hearing Yu Luoniang's words, you couldn't help but fall into hesitation; would anyone truly believe such an absurd reason?】

【Seeing your hesitation, Yu Luoniang struck while the iron was hot.】

“Oh, Your Majesty, you are the Emperor of Great Zhou,”

“At most, people will call you muddle-headed; it's not like you'll lose a piece of flesh, is it?”

【Looking at Yu Luoniang, who was constantly stirring in your arms.】

【Because Yu Luoniang had indeed helped you resolve a major hidden danger, you made the decision that even if the reason was clumsy, you would agree.】

【The next day, you announced this matter in the imperial court.】

【Although some people inwardly objected, facing such Xuanhuan matters, no one was willing to step forward and invite trouble.】

【What if what you said was true?】

【What if it really could bring peace and prosperity to the nation?】

【What if opposing it led to divine punishment?】

【Under various considerations, your command was successfully implemented.】

【However, because this imperial palace required enormous materials, it needed a large amount of manpower and resources, and would take at least three years to complete.】

【But Yu Luoniang could wait.】

【Subsequently, you appointed Yu Luoniang as the Imperial Advisor of Great Zhou, and from then on, the Seven Emotions and Six Desires Net could absorb the scattered spiritual energy of the entire nation's people.】

【The power of this Magical Artifact was also cultivated by her to an unprecedented level.】

【It was practically equivalent to an Immortal Artifact of an Immortal.】

【It could easily and permanently change a person's character.】

【Changing one's character was equivalent to changing one's destiny, changing the life arranged by the Heavenly Dao.】

【Such power was truly immense, and just before Yu Luoniang evolved the Seven Emotions and Six Desires Net to the next level.】

【A powerful Heavenly Tribulation appeared.】

【This Heavenly Tribulation was not aimed at Yu Luoniang, but at her Seven Emotions and Six Desires Net.】

【It could be said that.】

【The Seven Emotions and Six Desires Net had attracted divine jealousy.】

【Heaven would not allow such a powerful Magical Artifact to exist in the mortal realm.】

【It had to be destroyed immediately!】

【In the imperial palace, you watched the continuously gathering dark clouds in the sky, your expression somewhat solemn, as you felt the powerful might within them.】

【In the face of such powerful might, the strength within your body was like a child facing a strong adult.】

“Yu Niang, is this Heavenly Tribulation for you?”

【Yu Luoniang was currently lying in your arms, her beautiful eyes filled with fear.】

“It's not me, and it is me.”

“The Seven Emotions and Six Desires Net was refined from my vital spider silk; if it is destroyed, I won't fare much better.”

【Seeing this, you began to persuade Yu Luoniang.】

“Still, give it up. Saving your life is paramount.”

【Upon hearing your words, although Yu Luoniang was reluctant, she could only throw the Seven Emotions and Six Desires Net into the clouds.】

【The moment it was thrown in, the clouds became filled with rolling thunder.】

【Under countless lightning strikes, the Seven Emotions and Six Desires Net turned into a charred lump, floating back in front of you, completely devoid of any supernatural abilities.】

【Yu Luoniang, having lost her vital Magical Artifact, was now pale, as if her Origin Qi had been stripped away.】

【She was like a candle flickering in the wind, as if she would leave you in the next second.】

【Xiao Huang arrived at this moment.】

【She had long known that Yu Luoniang was your person, but fearing to put you in a difficult position, she had never exposed your relationship.】

【Her arrival now was also due to that lightning.】

【Although she didn't know the origin of the lightning, seeing Yu Luoniang's weak state, she understood that it must have caused her considerable harm.】

【Xiao Huang cautiously suggested to you.】

“Your Majesty, let Yu Niang recuperate in my bedchamber.”

“It's quiet there, and there won't be anyone else.”

【Seeing Xiao Huang's thoughtfulness, you nodded and took Yu Luoniang to Xiao Huang's bedchamber, letting her rest and recuperate in the inner hall.】

【Looking at the weakened Yu Luoniang, your heart ached immensely.】

【In the following days, you continuously had Heaven And Earth Treasure sent to her for nourishment.】

【Unfortunately, ordinary Heaven And Earth Treasure could not heal her injuries at all.】

【Instead, they showed a tendency to worsen.】

【One night, you and Xiao Huang sat by Yu Luoniang's bed; at this moment, her hair was gray, and she was at the end of her life. You held her in your arms, gazing at every inch of her face, as if to engrave her image in your heart forever.】

【Yu Luoniang looked at you, forcing a smile.】

“Sir, my imperial palace, it seems it hasn't been built yet…”

【After saying this, Yu Luoniang transformed into specks of light and dissipated into the world, leaving behind only the charred lump of the Seven Emotions and Six Desires Net.】

【Yu Luoniang's departure filled your heart with immense grief.】

【Unbeknownst to you, Yu Luoniang had become a part of your life, and now that she was gone, you felt a large void in your heart.】

【Two years after Yu Luoniang's departure, the imperial palace was completed ahead of schedule due to your urging.】

【And you carefully buried Yu Luoniang's relics beneath the imperial palace.】

【This was considered you fulfilling your promise to her.】

【Life would have continued day by day like this.】

【But gradually, some rumors began to spread in the imperial court and among the populace.】

【That was, you, Empress Xiao Huang, and Ayna had not yet produced any offspring.】

【An Emperor without offspring naturally lacked legitimacy.】

【You didn't know why Heaven would punish you with no offspring.】

【An Emperor without children would cause Great Zhou to fall back into war.】

【You didn't want to see such a thing happen.】

【So you began to search everywhere for folk remedies and skilled physicians specializing in infertility.】

【But without exception, none had any effect.】

【To prevent the news from leaking, you killed all the physicians who treated you, and your temperament became reclusive and eccentric.】