5: Taiyan Left Chancellor Xiao Heng

Half a day later.

Di Yan got up and dressed with the service of Ji Wu and Chu Cailin.

Chu Cailin's face was a little unnatural; only now did she understand what Ji Wu meant by "ceremony."

From this, Di Yan was simply a debauched and muddle-headed ruler.

Di Yan glanced at Chu Cailin and instructed Ji Wu, "Xiao Wu, you should rest well these few days. I have sensed that our child is about to be born."

Ji Wu, who was tidying his Dragon Robe, paused, then looked up in surprise, "Really?"

Di Yan nodded affirmatively, "I always keep my word. You will be pleasantly surprised when you see the child."

To the outside world, his Harem only contained consorts taken in the past thousand years.

The earlier ones were all declared dead to the public.

After all, some functions of the Eternal Imperial Palace were too Heaven-Defying.

If news of an Emperor Pole Realm Cultivator living for a hundred thousand years spread, it would surely attract many old monsters to contend for it, and the entire Taiyan Dynasty would fall into crisis.

After tidying his Dragon Robe, Di Yan turned to Chu Cailin and ordered, "Consort Cai, you will stay with the Empress these few days. Once the Empress goes into labor, immediately have the palace maids inform me."

Chu Cailin nodded in agreement, "Yes, Your Majesty."

She had given up. Di Yan was right; since she was here, she should make the best of it.

Even if she wanted revenge, she was powerless.

In the future, she could only vent her anger on the child.

Di Yan clasped his hands behind his back and turned to leave.

Watching his back recede, Chu Cailin turned to Ji Wu, who was still immersed in joy, and asked in confusion, "Big Sister, why are you so happy?"

Ji Wu snapped back to reality and explained, "How can I not be happy? Big Sister has been pregnant for a hundred thousand years, and this child is finally about to be born."

Chu Cailin thought she had misheard and pressed incredulously, "How... how many years?"

Ji Wu calmly replied, "A hundred thousand years."

These words exploded like thunder in Chu Cailin's mind, leaving her brain blank.

The next second, her eyes rolled back, her body went limp, and she fainted directly to the ground.

"Cai Lin, are you alright?"

Ji Wu then realized she had said the wrong thing.

It was her excessive joy that made her forget some things shouldn't be told to a newly admitted consort.

For example, conceiving Di Yan's child required an extremely long gestation period.

Di Yan left the Eternal Imperial Palace.

He arrived at the Imperial Study.

Soon, an old man with white hair and beard and a tall, straight figure slowly walked into the main hall.

"This Old Minister, Xiao Heng, greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty shine with the sun and moon, and may your imperial legacy be forever secure."

Di Yan glanced at him and continued to review memorials, "Rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Xiao Heng rose and stood respectfully with bowed head in the hall.

Di Yan continued to review memorials, and the hall fell into a long silence.

It wasn't until the last memorial was reviewed that he slowly looked up and said loudly, "Xiao Heng."

Xiao Heng quickly bowed, "This Old Minister is here!"

"Deliver my decree: Order the Tiankui Star Divine Army, Tiangang Star Radiance Army, Tianji Star Calculation Army, Heavenly Xian Star Leisure Army, Heavenly Yong Star Fierce Army, Heavenly Xiong Star Soul Army, Heavenly Meng Star Roar Army, and Heavenly Wei Star Dragon Army to return to the capital immediately and secretly garrison outside the Imperial City."

"The remaining Heavenly Army will monitor the various kings. If they make any unusual moves, kill them without mercy!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Heng's face changed drastically, and he suddenly looked up at Di Yan, "Your Majesty, to mobilize eight Heavenly Armies back to the Imperial City at once, could it be..."

Di Yan rose, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked out of the hall.

"There are always some people who don't know their place and want to challenge my authority."

"Since that's the case, what was left unfinished a hundred thousand years ago will be resolved this time."

When he ascended the throne a hundred thousand years ago, the various forces in the Taiyan Dynasty were deeply entrenched.

At that time, those people were law-abiding, so he didn't pursue the matter, focusing on cultivating his own forces.

He thought these people would eventually reveal their true colors, but to his surprise, they remained law-abiding until their deaths, and even their descendants were well-behaved.

It wasn't until recently that these people finally began to stir.

Xiao Heng hurriedly followed, already understanding in his heart, but he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Could it be that a generation's hero is, after all, unable to escape the fate of decline?

Looking at Di Yan's retreating figure, his eyes were slightly red.

No one knew that he was an orphan adopted by Di Yan.

Towards Di Yan, he held both a fatherly reverence and a subject's absolute loyalty to his monarch.

Just as Xiao Heng was lost in his thoughts, Di Yan's voice came from ahead, "Xiao Heng, it's time you started a family."

The two had already walked out of the Imperial Study and stood one after another on the jade steps.

Xiao Heng shook his head, "Your Majesty, this minister does not wish to start a family. This minister wishes to follow Your Majesty forever, until..."

He didn't speak the rest of the words.

A few days ago, he clearly felt Death Qi emanating from Di Yan, which was a sign of his Lifespan nearing its end.

And he himself also had not much time left.

Just then, Zhao De came to Di Yan's side, holding a cup of tea.

"Your Majesty, the sky is overcast today, and there might be dampness."

"This Old Servant used freshly picked pre-rain Dragon Well tea from this morning, paired with two dried snow lotus seeds, simmered for half an hour over a low fire."

"Snow lotus seeds can dispel dampness, and Dragon Well tea can refresh the spirit, neither delaying Your Majesty's handling of state affairs nor warming your body."

Di Yan neither took the tea nor looked at Zhao De, merely asking faintly, "Zhao De, how many years have you followed me?"

In this calm voice, there was an oppressive force that pierced through people's hearts.

Zhao De quickly bowed in reply, his voice carrying a trace of imperceptible tremor, "Reporting to Your Majesty, this Old Servant has served Your Majesty for over five thousand years."

"Over five thousand years..." Di Yan sighed softly, "Even raising a wolf should make it tame by now."

Zhao De's body trembled violently, and fine cold sweat instantly seeped from his forehead, his voice becoming increasingly flustered, "Your Majesty, this Old Servant, this Old Servant doesn't understand your meaning?"

Di Yan said indifferently, "Drink this cup of tea, and you will understand."

Zhao De fell to his knees with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly, "Your Majesty, spare my life! This Old Servant was forced! It was King Ling, King Ling forced this Old Servant to do this! He said as long as this Old Servant could... could poison Your Majesty, he would guarantee wealth and prosperity for this Old Servant's entire family! This Old Servant was momentarily confused, I beg Your Majesty for mercy!"

Di Yan's expression was calm, as if he had already anticipated all of this.

"King Ling, a descendant of my eighteenth brother? It seems those restless people finally can't hold back."

He paused, then instructed Xiao Heng, "Give him a dignified end."

"As you command!" Xiao Heng bowed and took the order, stepping forward to pick up the cup of tea and was about to pour it into Zhao De's mouth.

Zhao De struggled desperately, begging for mercy, "Your Majesty, spare my life! This Old Servant still has an elderly mother at home, and nephews and nieces below; they cannot live without this Old Servant!"

"Someone." Di Yan's tone remained calm.

The next moment, a dark shadow appeared silently beside him, kneeling on one knee, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Di Yan's tone was calm, "Not one of the one hundred nine thousand eight hundred seventy-six people of the Zhao family shall be spared."

"As you command!" The dark shadow flashed and instantly vanished.

Seeing this, Zhao De struggled to pounce forward and hugged Di Yan's leg, "Your Majesty, this Old Servant deserves ten thousand deaths, I beg Your Majesty not to implicate this Old Servant's family!"

Xiao Heng pulled Zhao De away, saying coldly, "Since you have committed such a treasonous act, you must bear the consequences."

Zhao De pleaded, "Prime Minister Xiao, this Old Servant knows his mistake, I beg you to plead for me before His Majesty!"

Xiao Heng remained silent, merely insisting on force-feeding the tea.

Ultimately, despite Zhao De's desperate struggles, he drank the entire cup of tea, not a single drop remaining.

In an instant, Zhao De felt his life force rapidly draining away.

Black blood oozed from the corner of his mouth as he looked at Di Yan's retreating figure, trembling, "Old geezer, you already show the five signs of heavenly decay. I'll wait for you down below!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he breathed his last.

From beginning to end, Di Yan did not look back.

Without Di Yan's command, two Imperial Guards had already stepped forward to drag away Zhao De's body and clean the ground.

"Your Majesty." Xiao Heng's voice was somewhat choked.

Di Yan said faintly, "Speak your mind directly."

Xiao Heng hesitated, asking, "Is there really no other way?"

Di Yan's lips curled slightly, and he turned to look at him, "The last time I saw you cry was when you were thirteen, wasn't it?"

Xiao Heng's old face flushed, and he awkwardly lowered his head.

He only heard Di Yan continue, "Take a good look at me, how much do I resemble my former self?"

Xiao Heng looked up as instructed, carefully observing Di Yan.

At this sight, he couldn't help but be greatly astonished, then overjoyed, "Your Majesty, this is... excellent!"

Di Yan said solemnly, "I still have endless years, but your time is running out."

Xiao Heng said calmly, "To witness Your Majesty's Breakthrough, this Old Minister will die without regrets."

Di Yan raised his hand, and an ancient wooden box appeared out of thin air in his hand, "Want to die? It's not that easy."

With that, he tossed the wooden box to Xiao Heng and turned to leave.

Xiao Heng held the wooden box and slowly opened it.

When he saw the contents, he could no longer suppress his excitement, shedding tears of joy, and immediately bowed and knelt, "This minister thanks Your Majesty for your grace!"