35: Xunxianling (Please collect and read)

Chapter 35: Seeking Immortals Decree (Seeking Collections, Seeking Follow-ups)

"We have heard that there are Immortals in the world. Immortals are carefree. Traveling to the North Sea in the morning and Cangwu in the evening, a green snake in the sleeve and a bold spirit—We yearn for this in our hearts..."

Some busybodies loudly read aloud the text of the Seeking Immortals Decree, attracting more people to gather.

Many ordinary people could not read at all; they just listened in a fog, having no idea what was being talked about.

However, they still patiently waited for the person to finish reading, and then eagerly asked:

"Scholar! What is this proclamation talking about?"

"Seeking Immortals Decree? Your Majesty is actually seeking Immortals and asking about the Dao!"

"What?"

"Really or fake? Are there really Immortals in this world?"

"The proclamation says! Those who cultivate Immortality and voluntarily seek an audience will be rewarded with ten thousand gold, bestowed with a title, granted marquis status, and awarded estates and manors!"

"Those who report the traces or relics of Immortals, once verified, will also be rewarded!"

"If there are talented and unusual people among the folks, they can also go to seek an audience, and there will be rewards as well..."

"Hiss... Ten thousand gold! Bestowed as a marquis! Your Majesty has really made a massive investment this time!"

"How is that possible! This old man has lived for sixty or seventy years, and I haven't seen a single Immortal!"

"The emperor is seeking Immortals, this world... is going to fall into chaos!"

"General Xu just left, and Your Majesty has come up with a Seeking Immortals Decree, this..."

"Shh... Hush!"

The matter of Emperor Zhengyong issuing the Seeking Immortals Decree quickly spread throughout the entire capital.

Moreover, it continuously spread towards the direction of the Thirteen Prefectures of Great Yu, causing quite a commotion within both the imperial court and the Jianghu.

Rumor has it that in order to seek Immortals, Emperor Zhengyong specially built a new building outside the imperial city and bestowed upon it the name "White Jade Capital"!

Rumor has it that in order to seek Immortals, Emperor Zhengyong changed his subordinates in the Royal City Division into the Jinyi Guard, all for the purpose of searching for treasures of the world and the traces of Immortals!

Rumor has it that Emperor Zhengyong's search for Immortals was tempted by Yang Xuansu...

Countless pieces of news circulated within Great Yu, with all kinds of versions, dazzling people and making it overwhelming to take in.

However, a month passed, and not a single person tore down the imperial proclamation.

Emperor Zhengyong's search for Immortals was like a brick thrown into lake water.

Ripples constantly formed, but it quickly sank back down.

At this moment, Zheng Yi was inside the Qiankun Hall, gazing at a list before him and falling into deep thought.

This was the preliminary draft of cabinet candidates handed over to him by Xu Mujun, numbering over ten people.

They were all high-ranking officials of the imperial court above the third rank, including the newly appointed ministers of the Six Ministries, as well as heavyweight officials from the Hanlin Academy and the Censorate.

The first batch of seven cabinet members was entirely recommended by Xu Mujun, and then decided upon by Zheng Yi himself.

As for the candidates for future cabinet members, that would be discussed when the time comes.

Besides Xu Mujun, six more people were needed.

He picked up his brush, picking and choosing on the list, recalling the forces and abilities behind each person.

"Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, Lu Xiangqing, the Empress Dowager's maternal cousin, can be considered an imperial relative and can enter the cabinet."

"Supervising Censor Wang Ze, of the Datong Wang Family..."

"Minister of Dali Temple, Li Yuanhao, coming from the pure stream faction..."

After picking and choosing, Zheng Yi finally selected six pleasing people.

These six people respectively belonged to factions such as imperial relatives, noble families, the military, the pure stream, and the imperial family.

They kept each other in check while also cooperating with one another.

Besides, what he was doing was merely maintaining the stability of Great Yu so that he would have the time and energy to seek the Dao of cultivating Immortality.

"No one even dare think about disturbing this Laozi from cultivating Immortality!"

As for whether Great Yu would fall into chaos, or powerful ministers, imperial relatives, and noble families...

As the saying goes, truth comes out of the barrel of a gun.

As long as he firmly grasped military power in his hands, this group of people would be like grasshoppers after autumn and could not stir up any trouble.

As for how to grasp military power, he also had his own plans.

Just at this moment, Liu Chengen walked in with small steps.

"Your Majesty, Ma Jinwu requests an audience."

"Oh?"

Zheng Yi's eyes lit up and he said, "It seems the matter of searching for Fuyou House has a result."

A few days ago, he had asked Ma Jinwu to go according to the address left behind by Yang Xuansu to search for the traces of Fuyou House.

He didn't know whether it had been found or not.

"Let him in."

Soon, a dust-covered Ma Jinwu strode in and knelt on the ground with a look of helplessness: "Your Majesty, this minister has failed the heavy trust."

"That place was already empty with people and building deserted, not a single person was there, and it was cleaned very thoroughly; this minister found nothing."

"Even you couldn't find it?"

Zheng Yi was somewhat disappointed, but he was already mentally prepared.

Since Fuyou House dared to participate in the assassination of the emperor, they had long arranged a way out.

Ma Jinwu continued, "Your Majesty, although this minister did not find the people of Fuyou House, from the mouths of some Martial Forest figures, I learned the contact method of Fuyou House."

"However, this minister after all comes from an official background, so I hope Your Majesty can arrange for people from the Hall of Offerings to step up..."

"Let people from the Hall of Offerings contact Fuyou House?"

Zheng Yi muttered, "Good idea, as for the candidate, let's choose..."

In his mind, the figure of a familiar and talkative person suddenly emerged.

Tang Jing!

"Transmit Our imperial decree, have Tang Jing, the silver-token offering of the Hall of Offerings, assist you in handling this matter."

"Understood!"

Just as Ma Jinwu withdrew, another palace maid hurriedly ran over and was stopped by Liu Chengen.

"Audacious! This is Your Majesty's sleeping quarters, what matter is making you so panicked?"

"Fa-, Father-in-law..."

The little palace maid panted and said, "Consort Shu, Consort Shu is about to give birth!"

What?

Zheng Yi, who was at least a first-rank Martial Artist, clearly heard the little palace maid's words and immediately walked out.

"Prepare the carriage for Yonghe Palace!"

"Understood!"

In Yonghe Palace, over a dozen palace maids and wet nurses gathered together, anxiously gazing inside the hall.

There were Yang Huan's personal palace maids, palace maids from Taiyuan Hospital, as well as trusted people of other imperial concubines.

Palace maids went in and out of the hall, presenting a scene of busyness.

Consort Shu Yang Huan's painful screams also continuously drifted out.

When Zheng Yi came over, this place was completely busy.

Facing this situation, there was nothing he could do either, and he could only have imperial physicians stand by at all times.

After all, this was his first child.

"Imperial Consort, push hard, push hard quickly!"

"It's almost out, it's almost out..."

"Wuwavawa~~"

After the burning of an incense stick, the crying sound of an infant rang out, and everyone let out a long sigh of relief.

"Congratulations to Your Majesty, felicitations to Your Majesty!"

Zheng Yi let out a long sigh of relief and said, "Liu Chengen, reward everyone."

"Understood!"

Soon, a wet nurse walked over holding a child wrapped in swaddling clothes.

"Congratulations to Your Majesty, it's a little princess~"

Zheng Yi had long known this in his heart; after all, that strand of Pure Yin Qi was channeled in by him.

It's just that he didn't know that strand of Pure Yin Qi...

His heart stirred, and he subconsciously raised his head.

As the child was held out, her body was indeed lingering with that strand of Pure Yin Qi.

Floating and swaying, wobbling, drifting away with the wind, it disappeared into the air.

"This... Pure Yin Qi just disappeared like this?"

"What is its use?"

Zheng Yi was completely baffled, but there were other important matters at this moment.

"Chengen."

"this servant is here."

"After Consort Shu gives birth to a daughter, confine her to Yonghe Palace, and do not allow her to enter or exit without an imperial decree. All expenses and supplies must not be reduced."

Liu Chengen lowered his voice and said, "Understood."

From then on, Yonghe Palace became the cold palace!

He held this little fellow in his arms; she looked scrawny and lacked any of Yang Huan's warm and plump tenderness.

After teasing her a few times, he handed the child over to the wet nurse who had been prepared long ago, and came before Yang Huan.

He touched the weak Yang Huan: "Zheng Yuhuan, you've worked hard."

Yang Huan weakly said, "This concubine has failed Your Majesty's trust and cannot give birth to a dragon son for Your Majesty."

Zheng Yi comforted her: "Zheng Yuhuan, rest assured, We also like girls very much."

Yang Huan breathed a sigh of relief and said, "We ask Your Majesty to bestow a name upon our daughter."

"Bestow a name..."

Zheng Yi considered for a moment and said, "This is Our first child and also Our eldest daughter, representing Our expectations."

"For the middle character, we take 'Yu', which means beauty and virtue. A gentleman is like jade, and a gentleman is sincere and devoted."

"As for 'Yao', it is also fine jade. It means noble character, tranquility and reaching far."

"Zheng Yuyao, bestowed with the title 'Princess Yaochi'!"