13: Civil unrest

Chapter 13 Civil Unrest

After yet another session ended, looking at the words that appeared in his mind: "White Lotus Reincarnation Divine Skill Internal Skill + 1", Zheng Yi could not help but nod inwardly.

For the past half month or so, he and Bi He had engaged in Dual Cultivation almost every day.

Fortunately, Bi He secretly practiced the White Lotus Sect Internal Skill Mind-Cultivation Technique, otherwise she would have long since been torn apart by Zheng Yi.

As for what the White Lotus Sect enchantress Bi He wanted to do by sneaking into the imperial palace, that had nothing to do with Zheng Yi.

It was nothing more than gathering intelligence, planting nails in the imperial palace, and similar activities.

As for assassinating the emperor...

At least for the short term, there was no such action yet.

Taking advantage of the fact that the eunuch outside had not yet called out the time, Zheng Yi hugged Bi He and murmured sweet nothings, seizing the time to recover his stamina so they could go again later.

This was all Internal Energy!

At this moment, Bi He's little face was also extremely rosy, and her eyes seemed able to drip water as she said softly, "Your Majesty~ I heard that you are sending troops to suppress the civil unrest over in Qingzhou. Which general are you sending?"

A trace of vigilance stirred in Zheng Yi's heart, and he asked, "Why are you asking this?"

"My humble self's family is right in Qingzhou, and I still have a mother and younger brother at home. This concubine is worried about my family..."

"The ministers are still discussing the expedition. You will know when the time comes."

"Oh..."

"Little beauty, have you rested enough? Watch Us fight three hundred rounds with you again!"

"Ah~ Your Majesty..."

Another war was about to begin.

A few days ago, rebel citizens in Qingzhou attacked the Dongping County Yamen, burned down the Yamen, killed all the county officials, and opened the granaries to distribute grain.

Furthermore, they gathered the rebels, repelled the county troops' attack, and their momentum was unmatched for a time.

The rebellious people of the surrounding commanderies and counties responded immediately upon hearing the news. In an instant, the rebel army actually gathered hundreds of thousands of troops to besiege the Qinghe Commandery city.

Memorials for reinforcements flew into the capital like snowflakes.

The leader was a private salt smuggler from Qingzhou named "Huang Jie", who styled himself the Heavenly Dragon Great General, and the rebels under his command even called themselves the 'Yellow Heaven Army'!

Besides him, there were a total of eighteen other rebels who declared themselves kings, carving out mountain strongholds and commanderies, and launching attacks on surrounding commanderies and counties from time to time.

They breached prefectural yamens, killed imperial court officials, coerced the rebellious people, and spread toward neighboring Jizhou, Yuzhou, and other places.

Unfortunately, these things had nothing to do with Zheng Yi. Even if he wanted to care, he couldn't.

Every day, he still continuously practiced martial arts and Dual Cultivation, his strength steadily growing.

It is worth mentioning that his Evergreen Skill suddenly achieved a Breakthrough, which might be related to practicing the White Lotus Reincarnation Divine Skill.

Ever since then, the Hall of Offerings masters who originally taught him all vanished.

It seemed they had been dismissed by Wang Zhongyi and Emperor Zhengyong.

What they needed was merely a shadow, not a Puppet that could harm people!

Zheng Yi was not surprised by this; he had already anticipated it.

However, through indirect probing from the mouths of several Hall of Offerings masters, he also found out the origin of the White Lotus Reincarnation Divine Skill.

As it turned out, this White Lotus Reincarnation Divine Skill truly was one of the White Lotus Sect's town-guarding divine skills.

Cultivating this Cultivation Technique made one's Internal Energy hidden and bizarre, capable of circulating throughout the body with ease.

Moreover, it could conceal one's true cultivation realm at any time; unless an expert personally inspected the Dantian at close range, it was impossible to detect the practitioner's true strength.

A few days later, the imperial court dispatched Imperial Army Commander Yang Guang to lead twenty thousand imperial troops, cooperating with the Qingzhou commandery troops and a portion of the Bin Province border troops to rush to the rescue of Qingzhou.

Meanwhile, Emperor Zhengyong was flying into a rage inside Jiaotai Hall.

"Dammit! Yang Xuansu! He actually took away twenty thousand imperial troops!"

"For the civil unrest in Qingzhou, mobilizing the surrounding commandery troops to suppress it would have been enough; why make such a fuss to deploy the imperial troops!"

"Dammit...!"

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger; you must not harm your body."

Wang Zhongyi tried to persuade him from the side, saying, "Since Yang Xuansu is able to mobilize the imperial troops, it means those imperial troops are already his people. The remaining imperial troops are all Your Majesty's people."

"Then why would he transfer the imperial troops away at this time?"

"This... this old slave does not know."

"Forget it."

Emperor Zhengyong rubbed his head and asked, "How is it over on the shadow's side?"

"Your Majesty, that brat comes from the mountains and has never taken a wife. Now that he has Consort Bi, he has found the marrow sweet and tastes it endlessly, at least three times a night."

Wang Zhongyi said, "Yet for some reason, Consort Bi has still not conceived a child up to now."

"Still no pregnancy?"

Emperor Zhengyong frowned and said, "Could there be a problem with him as well?"

"This... shouldn't be."

"I am almost unable to hold on here," Emperor Zhengyong frowned and said. "A month ago, I fobbed off the Empress Dowager with the matter of the miraculous doctor from Nanyue County, but after the matter with Consort Bi, the Empress Dowager frequently sends people over to lobby."

"The purpose is nothing more than for Lin'er..."

"Aside from her, Consort Cui, Consort Shu, Consort De, Consort Duan... they all send people behind the scenes."

"Why... why won't they believe it!"

"I... just want a son!"

Wang Zhongyi did not dare to speak and could only wait for Emperor Zhengyong to vent.

"Shadow, shadow... Consort Bi, Consort Bi..."

He muttered, "Since one person won't work, then make it two!"

"If two people won't work, then make it three!"

"I refuse to believe that we cannot have a child!"

"Summon the Jingshi Department!"

"Yes... Your Majesty!"

The Jingshi Department eunuch soon walked in holding a wooden tray. Emperor Zhengyong reached out and considered a few wooden plaques back and forth, then gritted his teeth and said, "Since you want to watch, I will let you watch your fill!"

Consort Shu, Yang Huan!

The daughter of the current Grand Chancellor, Yang Xuansu!

Tonight, Your Majesty stays overnight at Yonghe Palace, with Consort Shu!

"Changing people today?"

Watching Wang Zhongyi lead the way in front to an unfamiliar palace, Zheng Yi could not help but scratch his head.

What was this going to do?

He still wanted to continue chatting about ideals with Bi He; he was just a dozen or so points away from mastering the White Lotus Reincarnation Divine Skill!

However, at the thought of meeting a new woman tonight, Zheng Yi could not help but look forward to it.

"Yonghe Palace?"

Looking at the name on the plaque, he quickly thought of who was arranged for tonight.

Consort Shu, Yang Huan.

This Emperor Zhengyong was truly generous; he was even willing to part with one of the Three Consorts!

"This concubine greets Your Majesty!"

Unlike Bi He before, Yang Huan, as Consort Shu, and with her father being the current Grand Chancellor, did not need to be carried to Jiaotai Hall by eunuchs.

She had her own palace.

"Beloved Consort, rise..."

Zheng Yi raised his hand slightly, speaking in Emperor Zhengyong's tone.

Months of imitation had enabled him to completely mimic every word and action of Emperor Zhengyong.

If an outsider were here, they wouldn't be able to tell the difference between him and Emperor Zhengyong at all.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

A crisp, soft, and glutinous voice sounded, and Yang Huan, dressed in cyan court attire, slowly stood up, gazing affectionately at Zheng Yi.

Zheng Yi also seized this opportunity to look at Yang Huan. He had heard people say that Yang Huan had possessed peerless national beauty since childhood, and countless people had pursued her.

Looking at her now, it was indeed so!

Her long hair draped over her shoulders, her eyes were bright, and her facial features were delicate and moving.

Her fair wrists and jade arms were slender and warm, her attire was luxurious yet appropriate, and standing to the side, she looked like a bashful flower, making one unable to help taking a few extra glances.

Yang Huan came from a scholarly family, and she was gentle and refined throughout, especially her eyes, which were exceptionally bright and full of a scholarly aura.

"Beloved Consort, the hour is late; accompany Us to rest."

"Yes... Your Majesty."

The lights gradually dimmed, the snow plums bloomed, and a faint fragrance drifted.

Several hours later, Zheng Yi was refreshed, his mind and spirit having long been immersed in the Yin Yang Treasure Mirror.

Just as he expected, lines of text appeared once again on the mirror surface of the Yin Yang Treasure Mirror.

[ Absorbed Pure Yin Qi, lifespan + 19. ]

[ Absorbed Pure Yin Qi, dance proficiency + 100. ]

[ Absorbed Pure Yin Qi, zither skill + 100. ]

[ Absorbed Pure Yin Qi, bone structure enhanced. ]

"What is this?"