162: Waiting for a long time

"That, Holy Monk, it seems there are many people with ill intentions from various countries. What should we do next? Should we cancel the enthronement ceremony?"

Li Shimin said with a worried expression.

"No, it cannot be canceled!"

Tang Ku squinted and said, "The more it is at this time, the less it can be canceled... We don't know the true purpose of these guys. The enthronement ceremony, if it exists, can instead expose all these guys completely..."

"You mean, use this as bait?"

Bull Demon King couldn't help but frown, "But, we don't know the number and specific strength of the enemies. Those envoys are well hidden, even my strength can't find their flaws. This shows that their own power is not weak. The few of us can only guard so much, we can deal with them but we can't save this Crown Prince. What if they are coming for him..."

"That's right, Holy Monk, let's be clear, my husband and I are not afraid! If it's a battle like this without preparation, I think it's better not to fight!"

Princess Iron Fan said, "Besides, we still have to protect these Mortals from being disturbed, and we have to fight with these guys whose strength we don't know. It's really restrictive!"

Tang Ku smiled and said, "You're right to consider that, so we must, as much as possible, bring out our greatest advantage while making it impossible for the enemy to act... Hmm, Your Majesty, please send someone to invite the two from the Imperial Astronomy Bureau. We will formulate the plan tonight, and we are determined to make these guys reveal their true forms at tomorrow's enthronement ceremony!"

This was a major event concerning their entire Great Tang, and there was no room for negligence. Li Shimin personally ordered Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng to be summoned, and at the same time, all the generals still in the court were invited.

That night, in the Daming Palace, there were Buddhas from the Western Heaven, great demons from the mountains, immortals, and even ghost messengers... Later, there were even Daoists and sorcerers... However, although they discussed all night, and it seemed like a grand affair, no one knew what these people actually discussed in the great hall.

The next morning, civil and military officials attended court. After a series of tedious procedures, they finally reached the most important part of the day, which was the enthronement of Crown Prince Li Chengqian. All personnel were in place, Li Shimin sat on the throne, and ordered someone to announce the edict of abdication.

The edict, written by an unknown master, was truly brilliant and verbose, using magnificent rhetoric almost like poetry. However, this single abdication edict took a full half an hour to read. The one reading the edict was another of Li Shimin's personal eunuchs, named Wang De.

Eunuch Wang had Internal Skill, so his voice remained consistently loud. If an ordinary person were to read it, their throat would probably be hoarse.

And among the envoys from various countries and their retinues attending the court, ninety percent showed impatient expressions.

Tang Ku, standing to the side behind Li Shimin, scanned the faces of these foreign envoys one by one, a hint of doubt appearing on his face.

"No, there don't seem to be many figures descended from the Heavenly Court among them... Hmm, the envoy from Siam, Kotai, is one. That guy named Fang Wen from Jisai Kingdom is one. The rest don't seem to have immortal Qi within them... Is White Impermanence's intelligence wrong?"

Tang Ku couldn't help but frown slightly.

After the edict was read, Li Shimin ordered Crown Prince Li Chengqian to be presented for the grand ceremony of abdication!

Outside the Daming Palace, the Crown Prince, escorted by his attendants, walked step by step towards the great hall. The ceremonial music began, banners fluttered, solemn and dignified. Everything proceeded in an orderly manner. Crown Prince Li Chengqian was beaming with satisfaction, as if he had completely forgotten what happened yesterday.

Li Chengqian knelt before Li Shimin, performed the three bows and nine kowtows, addressing him as Father King. Next, Li Chengqian's attendants presented a handwritten document, detailing his governance policies and various regulations to be implemented after his ascension. It was another lengthy discourse.

Tang Ku continued to carefully observe the faces of the envoys, taking in their every expression.

"Still no reaction?" Tang Ku frowned slightly, "Are they really not targeting the Crown Prince and His Majesty? Then what are they..."

Finally, as Tang Ku hesitated, the last part of the ceremony arrived: the Legacy of the imperial jade seal.

"Received from Heaven, may it live long and prosper." The legendary imperial jade seal was the recognition of the Supreme Emperor. Only with the imperial jade seal in hand could one truly be a monarch of an era.

And as Zhang Anan appeared, holding the imperial jade seal, Tang Ku's pupils suddenly constricted, and a cold smile played on his lips as he thought, "So that's it, you're after this thing..."

Indeed, the moment the imperial jade seal appeared, the eyes of those with ulterior motives instantly lit up. Although they seemed unchanged on the surface, Tang Ku's eyes were even more discerning than the Fiery Golden Eyes. While their expressions didn't change, the fervent flame in their eyes could not be extinguished.

And just as Li Shimin took the imperial jade seal, intending to personally pass this treasure, which had been passed down for thousands of years, to his son, the sky above the Daming Palace suddenly darkened.

It wasn't the darkness of heavy clouds, but rather the blackness of night, as if the sun had set and the moon had risen.

Immediately after, all the Mortals in the entire great hall stood motionless. The envoy from Zhuzi Kingdom named Mohe stepped forward, his figure flashing like lightning towards the great hall. This speed alone was beyond what ordinary immortals and gods could achieve.

And just as he reached out to grab the imperial jade seal, an iron staff suddenly swept across from the side, striking him hard in the waist. Mohe's body trembled, and then he was sent flying over a hundred meters, almost reaching the main entrance of the Daming Palace.

A burly young man with wide, stern eyes glared at Mohe and sneered, "We've been waiting for you to make a move!"

Immediately after, he transformed into his original form before everyone's eyes; it was none other than Bull Demon King, who had been waiting nearby.

On the other side, Andabuli from the Uyghur Kingdom and Buche, the envoy from the Karakhanid Kingdom, acted almost simultaneously, continuing to charge towards the direction the young man was guarding. Although their speed was not as fast as Mohe's just now, their combined Aura was already far superior to that of Mohe.

Just then, two figures flashed from the side. A Fire Tipped Spear and a golden palm blocked them from two directions, and a massive burst of energy repelled them directly back to their original positions. The ones who acted were Shi Jingmo and Nezha.

"You actually had precautions?"

Mohe looked at the three strong individuals who had appeared before him with a deep voice, his heart filled with surprise.

The three stood side by side, and then their retinues, along with Tie Muhan, the envoy from the Gaochang Kingdom, Tan Wu, the envoy from Wuji Kingdom, Jiang Qin, the envoy from Baoxiang Kingdom, and Gao Xu, the envoy from Ü-Tsang, totaling fourteen people, stood before them. Clearly, they deferred to the three who had acted earlier.

Tang Ku glanced at Li Shimin and the others, who were frozen in place, then suddenly waved his hand. Pure Buddha Power descended, forcefully breaking the power that had locked them down. Then he sneered, "That's right, we've been waiting for you for a long time..."