62: The Drunken Concubine (Subscription Request)

Chapter 62: Consort's Intoxicating Fragrance (Seeking Subscriptions)

The next day.

Zheng Yi was sitting alone on the dragon chair in Qiankun Hall, reviewing the memorials submitted by the Cabinet over the past few days.

With the Cabinet around, he didn't need to look at ordinary memorials.

What he looked at were only some important events, and those were major matters already decided by the Cabinet, just waiting for his vermilion brush approval.

However, at this moment, his eyes were not looking at the memorials; instead, he had fallen into deep thought.

Last night, he stayed overnight at Jiao Fang Palace, and Consort Cui, Cui Xiabing, attended to him in bed.

Cui Xiabing truly lived up to her status as a lady from a prominent family; both her temperament and appearance were impeccable.

But the strange thing was...

Zheng Yi had no memory of last night at all!

He only remembered that after entering Jiao Fang Palace, Consort Cui personally undressed him, and after she picked him up...

Then, it was gone!

Yes, it was gone.

His memory only went up to picking up Consort Cui.

All subsequent matters had completely vanished from his memory.

What was strange was that the next day he actually slept until the sun was high in the sky before waking up, and under the care of Consort Cui and her personal maid, Xiaoer, he got dressed and left.

When he left at that time, his legs were even weak!

Last night... what on earth happened?

He didn't even have the slightest impression.

If Consort Cui intentionally harmed him...

Thinking of this, Zheng Yi immediately avoided Jiao Fang Palace like snakes and scorpions.

"Consort Cui, Cui Xiabing, Cui Family... what on earth are they up to?"

His mind stirred, and his thoughts instantly plunged into his Sea of Consciousness, looking towards the Yin Yang Treasure Mirror.

The mirror surface of the Yin Yang Treasure Mirror was still as calm as water.

But upon it, there was not a single stroke of handwriting.

In other words, last night, he did not sleep with Consort Cui at all, nor did he engage in Dual Cultivation, let alone condense the Pure Yin Qi of the Innate Realm.

Last night, he just slept alone until dawn!

"There is something strange... That sandalwood scent?"

He racked his brains and thought about a lot, and in the end, he could only recall the special sandalwood scent he smelled when entering Jiao Fang Palace!

At that time, he only thought it was ordinary sandalwood mixed with the pepper fragrance of Jiao Fang Palace, but thinking about it now, it was indeed strange.

"Soul-melting incense? Or something like knockout drops?"

"What is Consort Cui trying to do?"

"Does she not want to attend to me in bed?"

"But in order to maintain the power of the Cui Family, she had no choice but to drug me?"

"Or could it be... Consort Cui already has someone in her heart?"

"Or perhaps some other secret..."

Zheng Yi's gaze turned cold. If it were the former Emperor Zhengyong, he would very likely have been fooled.

But the current Zheng Yi possessed the Yin Yang Treasure Mirror; whether he had engaged in Dual Cultivation with a woman could be known at a glance.

Consort Cui's action... was truly rebellious and outrageous!

Zheng Yi was about to call Liu Chengen, but quickly thought of something else.

"Something is wrong..."

"Ever since I engaged in Dual Cultivation with Luaner and Bi He, my martial arts cultivation has reached the First Grade Realm Martial Artist!"

"What kind of aphrodisiac or knockout drops could actually knock out a First Grade Realm Martial Artist?"

"If there really is such a divine medicine, wouldn't that mean..."

Zheng Yi thought quickly and immediately made a decision.

"Shadow Guard."

In the dim corner of the grand hall, two eunuchs immediately appeared, bowing respectfully.

"Call two clever women over."

"Understood!"

Soon, the palace maid Shadow Guards walked over quickly.

"Shadow Guard, Moying / Mohuan, greets Your Majesty!"

"Moying, Mohuan..."

Zheng Yi tapped the table with one hand and finally made a decision: "I will notify the Ministry of Internal Affairs to send the two of you into Consort Cui's Jiao Fang Palace."

"The two of you are not allowed to harm Consort Cui, but you must clearly record everything she does every day, what she eats, what she does, who she meets, and even when she washes up and when she goes to sleep for me. Do you understand?"

"Understood!"

The two women immediately replied respectfully. Then Zheng Yi waved his hand and said: "Dismissed."

"Understood!"

The four of them withdrew one by one, while Zheng Yi let out a long sigh and leaned back against the dragon chair.

Before investigating Consort Cui's true identity and purpose, he had no intention of going to Jiao Fang Palace again.

"Jiao Fang Palace..."

Zheng Yi muttered: "I need to find a way to hoodwink her in the short term. Right now, it is when I first favored her and we are as sweet as honey and oil. If I don't go tonight and she notices..."

"I have it! Chengen!"

"this servant is here..."

Outside the grand hall, Liu Chengen trotted in quickly, speaking in a flattering tone: "Your Majesty, what are your orders?"

"Summon Zhao Su Ling into the palace! Also, prepare for leaving the palace."

"Understood... Ah, leaving the palace?"

Liu Chengen quickly reacted: "Your Majesty, you are leaving the palace?"

"Mn, make a trip to Jinhuang Peak to see the Old Ancestor of the Taiyi Sect."

"This matter doesn't need to be hidden from others."

"Understood!"

Liu Chengen hurried off to transmit the imperial decree, and Zheng Yi picked up the memorials on the table.

Since he couldn't stay overnight at Jiao Fang Palace, he would find a way to leave the palace.

A few days ago, he was already prepared to go to Jinhuang Peak to meet with the Old Ancestor of the Taiyi Sect, which could serve as a reason for leaving the palace this time.

"I wonder what kind of surprise this Old Ancestor of the Taiyi Sect will give me..."

Thinking casually, he looked at the memorial in his hand.

"Mn?"

A severe drought in Qinzhong, thousands of miles of barren land with not a blade of grass growing, citizens exchanging their children to eat, Liu Xiang, the prefect of Changan Prefecture, knowing the situation and failing to report it, concealed the drought, causing the drought to expand and starving over thirty thousand people to death...

"A drought, another drought?"

Previously there was a drought in Qingzhou, and now it's a drought in Qinzhong.

Oh no, could it be that I've encountered a Little Ice Age just like the late Ming dynasty?

Zheng Yi immediately turned to the Cabinet's handling method regarding this matter.

Liu Xiang, the prefect of Changan Prefecture, shall be executed immediately.

Wang Wen, the Director of the Ministry of Personnel, is transferred to be the prefect of Changan Prefecture.

As for the disaster relief matters in Qinzhong, taxes will be waived for three years, and grain will be mobilized from places like Guanzhong and Shuzhong for disaster relief.

Looking at this memorial, Zheng Yi suddenly had an idea and immediately picked up his brush to write:

"The top-tier metropolitan graduates of this year's special imperial examination shall be transferred to Changan Prefecture to observe governance after half a year. Select the capable ones to become officials."

The top three scholars of the top tier—the Zhuangyuan, Bangyan, and Tanhua—possessed talent, but staying in the Hanlin Academy forever wasn't a solution. Letting them observe governance and become officials early was also a way to cultivate and train them.

He just didn't know what kind of achievements these three would accomplish.

Putting this memorial aside, he checked other memorials.

"Locust plague in Wu Province, disaster relief..."

"Flood in Jiangnan, thirty-six breaches on the south bank of the Raging Dragon River... Disaster relief!"

"Plague in Yunzhou..."

"Why are there only disaster situations?"

Zheng Yi's heart skipped a beat. It seemed that this world of Great Yu was indeed not right.

At this moment, he saw another memorial, which was submitted by Xu Xuanwu, the commanding officer of the Longxiang Army in Nanyue County.

Xu Xuanwu?

The son of Xu Mujun and the older brother of Xu Qingluan?

Opening it to take a look, it was a memorial stating that the Black Yue Tribe in Nanyue County had allied with the Nanzhao Kingdom to invade Nanyue County, requesting reinforcements.

Nanzhao Kingdom?

A small country located in the south of Great Yu. More than thirty years ago, Nanyue County was precisely the border area between Great Yu and Nanzhao Kingdom.

Now occupied by Great Yu, there had been friction for the past thirty years.

He didn't expect that they would actually unite with the Black Yue Tribe.

Turning to the Cabinet's handling method, Zheng Yi also slowly nodded.

Befriend the Baiyue Clan, use them as the vanguard to suppress the rebellion of the Black Yue Tribe and the invasion of the Nanzhao Kingdom.

At the same time, mobilize surrounding county troops to support the Longxiang Army.

Looking at this memorial, Zheng Yi thought about it for a moment and continued to lift his brush to write: "Based on the Longxiang Army, establish the South Yue Military Region in Nanyue County, with Xu Xuanwu as the military region general to train the army independently."

This decision regarded Nanyue County as a border region and transformed the Longxiang Army left in Nanyue County into a unit identical to the Bin Province border army.

The difference was that changing the border army into a military region could further strengthen the rule over the South Yue region.

There were many other memorials with various problems overall.

Some he modified, others he did not change.

After all, those people in the Cabinet had been officials for decades, and some of their experience in governing the country was definitely better than his.

What he was good at was merely using his past life's experience to make some more appropriate remedies and fill in the gaps.

Not long after, Liu Chengen returned, followed behind by Zhao Su Ling.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, Zhao Su Ling, the Gold Medal Offering of the Hall of Offerings, has been brought here!"

"Invite him in."

"Understood!"

Soon, the Immortal-like Zhao Su Ling strode in: "Your Majesty."

"Immortal Master Zhao, how many days does it take to go to Jinhuang Peak?"

Zhao Su Ling already knew of Zheng Yi's plan and immediately said: "Reporting to Your Majesty, Jinhuang Peak is located in the southern part of Jizhou. If Your Majesty goes by imperial carriage, it will probably take seven days."

"Seven days, coming and going takes about more than half a month... The time is about right."

Zheng Yi decisively said: "Immortal Master Zhao, I will set off for Jinhuang Peak today. Please lead the way, Immortal Master Zhao."

Zhao Su Ling was also surprised and said: "Your Majesty, so fast?"

"There is no time like the present, let's do it right now."

"Understood!"

Zhao Su Ling withdrew, and Zheng Yi said again: "Chengen, let's set off."

"Understood..."

Liu Chengen hesitated for a moment, but still said: "Your Majesty, someone from Yonghe Palace just came to pass a message, saying that there is an important matter to report to Your Majesty, begging for an audience."

"Yonghe Palace? Consort Shu?"

Zheng Yi frowned and said: "Did she say what matter it was?"

"Not at all, only that it was an important matter."

"We'll talk after I return from Jinhuang Peak."

"Understood!"

When the Emperor left the palace, although Zheng Yi was urging haste, the due Imperial Guards and procession lacked nothing at all, totaling over a thousand people in all.

Taking advantage of this time, Zheng Yi called back the Blood Moon Gu hidden within Cining Palace.

At the same time, he sent another Blood Moon Gu that had already been successfully refined into Cining Palace.

That was the vicious Blood Moon Gu that loved to devour its own kind.

The palace maids and eunuchs sent by other imperial concubines to inquire were also dismissed by him.

There were also quite a few ministers who sent people to inquire. Upon learning that Zheng Yi was preparing to go to Jinhuang Peak's Taiyi Sect, accompanied by a large number of Taiyi Sect Disciples, they immediately withdrew.

Before Zheng Yi left the capital, many fast horses and carrier pigeons had already rapidly left the capital, flying toward various parts of Jizhou.

Officials and garrison troops along the way were bound to ensure Your Majesty's safety.

Just stepping out of the palace, Zheng Yi still felt a bit novel, but after seeing too much of it, it was just like that.

Because it was a large-scale travel procession, there was a huge number of accompanying personnel.

The Imperial Guards, Jinyi Guard, as well as a large number of palace maids, eunuchs, and so on, formed a winding procession stretching for several miles.

In addition to the people from the palace, more than thirty Disciples of the Taiyi Sect also accompanied them.

All of these Disciples held positions in the military, the Jinyi Guard, or the Hall of Offerings, including two First Grade Realm Martial Artists, while the rest were all Second and Third Grade Realm Martial Artists.

Coupled with more than a thousand Imperial Guards, the Shadow Guard accompanying them in secret, Zheng Yi himself also being a First Grade Realm Martial Artist, and several Blood Moon Gu capable of threatening Innate Realm Martial Artists.

Also traveling with them were Chen Hongxiu and Zhao Tieshan, who had recently become Imperial Guards, along with Prince Xian who was an Innate Realm Martial Artist, making a total of two pure Innate Realm Martial Artists.

More importantly, the entire journey to Jizhou belonged to the capital region, where public security conditions were very good, and basically no blind fools came to harass the procession.

Moreover, with such powerful strength, Zheng Yi truly could not figure out who would come to assassinate him.

"Your Majesty, my Revered Master's true name is 'Zhao Xi Zheng'. He entered the Dao in the second year of Kangle, became the sect leader of the Taiyi Sect in the seventeenth year of Yongchang, stepped down as the sect leader in the twenty-seventh year of Jiankang, and went into secluded cultivation at the Golden Emperor Peak, which has been ninety-seven years until now!"

On the emperor's sedan chair, Zheng Yi specially summoned Zhao Su Ling to introduce him to the Old Celestial Master they were about to meet.

The very first sentence left Zheng Yi incomparably shocked.

Zheng Yi secretly estimated that this Old Celestial Master Zhao Xi Zheng had actually spanned four dynasties and lived for nearly one hundred and sixty years!

One hundred and sixty years old, undoubtedly a reclusive expert outside the mortal world.

Even with the medical and living conditions of his previous life being so good, no one could live to be one hundred and sixty years old.

Let alone in this ancient feudal society.

Unless... this person truly possessed secret cultivation methods of the Immortals!

Zheng Yi asked directly, "Celestial Revered Master Zhao, do you know whether this Old Celestial Master truly possesses secret cultivation methods?"

Zhao Su Ling shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, this subject truly does not know."

"My Taiyi Sect does indeed have methods for prolonging life, but most of them are methods of drinking morning dew and cultivating the mind and character."

"As for the so-called secret cultivation methods, this subject has never been exposed to them."

"However, when this old subject was young, I did indeed hear fellow Disciples mention that Immortals flew and cranes fluttered around the Golden Emperor Peak where Revered Master lived."

"As for whether it is true or false, this old subject has still not found out to this day."

"As for Immortals..."

Zheng Yi closed his eyes in contemplation. Regardless of whether Zhao Xi Zheng had secret cultivation methods in his hands, he would not lose anything by going to the Golden Emperor Peak.

Paying respects to an Innate Realm Martial Artist who had lived for one hundred and sixty years could also be considered not having made this trip in vain.

As for whether Zhao Xi Zheng discovered his true identity, Zheng Yi was not worried at all.

The reason was very simple; the former Emperor Zhengyong had never met Zhao Xi Zheng either.

As the procession moved forward, Zheng Yi occasionally stayed on the sedan chair to rest or cultivated the Blood Moon Gu.

The ten Blood Moon Gu had now all been fully cultivated. Just like that mother worm, they were fierce and cruel, capable of rivaling Innate Realm Martial Artists!

When he was in high spirits, he would gallop wildly on horseback, thoroughly appreciating the magnificent rivers and mountains and splendid scenery of ancient times.

Day after day passed, and Zheng Yi's large army soon entered Jizhou and approached Daizong Mountain.

Daizong Mountain was one of the Five Great Mountains of Great Yu.

Its scenery was towering, magnificent, secluded, profound, and exceptionally grand.

Seeing this high mountain, Zheng Yi ordered the numerous Imperial Guards to guard various intersections, and personally led his men to step onto the Taiyi Sect on Daizong Mountain, heading toward the Golden Emperor Peak!

Meanwhile.

Nanyue County.

In the military camp of the Longxiang Army, Xu Xuanwu looked at the military order in his hand, his eyes filled with doubt.

There were still seven or eight advisors and officers sitting in the tent. Someone asked, "Young General, what military order is there from the imperial court?"

"Take a look yourselves~"

Xu Xuanwu casually handed the military order in his hand to the advisor beside him, and the others took turns watching it as well.

"Form a military district? What is a military district?"

"Allow us to recruit troops on our own?"

"What about provisions and weaponry?"

"As for the county troops in the surrounding counties and prefectures, how much combat power do they have?"

Several people were discussing animatedly, and finally, a man dressed as a scholar stood up and said, "Congratulations, Young General; felicitations, Young General."

"Oh? Where does this joy come from?"

Xu Xuanwu looked at this person and quickly recalled his identity.

Li Wenyou.

He was originally an advisor in the Tang King's mansion. After the Tang King's rebellion, except for himself, his remaining wife's family, children's family, etc., were sentenced to execution of the nine agnatic kin. Yet this person used some unknown method to escape to Nanyue County.

He was rescued by the Longxiang Army during a conflict with the Baiyue Clan and voluntarily submitted under the command of the Longxiang Army.

With his quick-witted and vicious schemes, he quickly won the appreciation of Xu Xuanwu and was added as Xu Xuanwu's advisor.

Li Wenyou said, "The imperial court's move this time is imitating the system of the Bin Province border troops, except that it delegates power down to the military, with the Young General as the mainstay, to form a military organization guarding the area within Nanyue County."

"Moreover, this military order states clearly that the Young General can recruit troops on your own. That is to say, however much provisions we have in our hands, we can recruit however many soldiers!"

"If this continues, the Longxiang Army's military power will surge greatly, and the Young General will also become an important minister of the imperial court, at least a frontier official commanding a region, just like the regional governors of the previous dynasty!"

"Presumably, this matter is also related to Consort Shu. His Majesty dotes on Consort Shu, which is why he trusts the Young General so much..."

Xu Xuanwu's eyes lit up, but then he frowned and said, "The military order states that the imperial court will send an imperial envoy to supervise. In that case..."

"Hehehe..."

Li Wenyou sneered and said, "What of an imperial envoy? Nanyue County is extremely far from the capital; even a fast horse galloping might take more than two months. The mountains are high and the emperor is far away, we..."

Speaking up to this point, he suddenly stopped, looked around in a circle, and fell silent without a word.

Xu Xuanwu immediately said, "Sir, please speak. Everyone present is my trusted confidant, and surely no one will spread it out."

"This subordinate wants to ask, what is the Young General's ambition?"

"Oh?"

Xu Xuanwu's eyes flickered, and he said, "What does Sir mean?"

"If the Young General only wants to be a frontier official guarding the borders for the imperial court, then according to what is said in the military order, taking the Longxiang Army as the foundation, recruit soldiers and civilians, form a military district, annihilate the Black Yue Tribe, and repel the invasion of the Nanzhao Kingdom."

"After a dozen or so years like this, the Young General will become like Grand General Xu Mujun, with illustrious renown and monumental military achievements established for Great Yu."

"And then..."

Saying this, Li Wenyou sneered, "When the birds are gone, the good bow is hidden; when the sly rabbits are dead, the running dogs are boiled!"

As soon as his voice fell, the expressions of the surrounding soldiers all changed slightly.

Xu Xuanwu's brows also furrowed, and he asked, "What else?"

Li Wenyou said, "If the Young General wants to go a step further, reach the pinnacle of officialdom, or even desire to vie for dominance in the Central Plains..."

"Audacious!"

Before the voice had even faded, someone stood up, drew a long saber, and pointed it straight at Li Wenyou.

"Young General, this man is spreading heretic words to confuse and disrupt the harmony between the Young General and the imperial court. This subordinate will execute this man right now..."

"Puchi!"

Before his voice had even finished falling, an officer beside him suddenly drew his saber and stabbed it straight into his stomach from behind in a single slash.

"Old Wang, I am sorry! This old man can really no longer bear staying in this ghost place of Nanyue County. With such a magnificent landscape, I too want to carve out territory and be crowned king!"

"Hahaha..."

"Puchi... gurgle..."

Fresh blood gushed out. This soldier looked at his surrounding colleagues in disbelief, then glared angrily at Xu Xuanwu, gritting his teeth as he said:

"Xu Xuanwu! Your Xu Family is filled with generations of loyalty; how could you do such a rebellious and treasonous thing!"

"Heh..."

Xu Xuanwu sneered, "Generations of loyalty?"

"Generations of loyalty means guarding this barren land of South Yue, unable to move for several years?"

"Generations of loyalty means obediently waiting until a dozen years later to be executed by the emperor on fabricated charges?"

"Generations of loyalty means watching your own beloved woman enter the palace as an imperial concubine?"

"Such generations of loyalty, I'd rather not have them at all!"

"Now the world is in great chaos, and this is precisely a good opportunity for us!"

"Rebel... I will kill you!"

He staggered two steps, ultimately unable to struggle any longer, and collapsed to the ground with a thud, losing his breath.

The surrounding officers and advisors watched this person, their eyes gradually turning cold, with not a single person pleading for him.

Xu Xuanwu said coldly, "Everyone, this person was a spy planted by the imperial court in our Longxiang Army. Now that he has been executed, he truly brought this upon himself!"

"Great Yu is unjust! The imperial court is unfair! Natural and man-made disasters are endless; this is Heaven destroying Great Yu!"

"Great Yu has lost its deer, and the whole world shall chase after it!"

"Gentlemen! If given time, if Xuanwu can pacify the realm and become the Revered Master of the world, all of you can be enfeoffed as princes and marquises!"

As soon as his voice fell, the few people who were all Xu Xuanwu's confidants knelt down on the ground one after another.

"This subordinate obeys the command!"

"The Young General's divine might!"

Xu Xuanwu said with satisfaction, "Mr. Li, you may continue speaking."

"What if one wants to contend for hegemony over the world?"

"Very simple."

Li Wenyou said calmly, "Nurture bandits to ensure one's own importance. The Black Yue Tribe and the Nanzhao Kingdom must be fought, but they cannot be wiped out all at once. We must fight while nurturing them, and extract every benefit we can possibly get from the imperial court!"

"Then send people to contact Consort Duan, and through her, make the emperor trust us more and more, then quietly await the timing of Heaven!"

Li Wenyou's eyes were gloomy, and his tone also slowly changed: "This subordinate has been collecting information on the general trend of the world in recent years. Nowadays, natural and man-made disasters are continuous, and the exorbitant taxes and levies of the imperial court are extremely numerous."

"Even though the imperial court obtained a large amount of wealth due to the extermination of Yang Xuansu and began to reduce and exempt taxes, the court reduces what the court reduces, while the lower levels collect what the lower levels collect; the common people are still suffering miserably."

"If this continues, in three years at most, the world will inevitably fall into great chaos!"

"At that time, it will be our opportunity!"

Added one more chapter; I sent the wrong one just now, so I can only make the best of it since 61 and 62 got mixed up. Friends who have already read it can just read it again.