412: People with Phoenix Destiny

The Mysterious Clarity Master seemed to have anticipated this question. He raised his gaze to meet Li Xuan's furious eyes, lowering his voice even further, carrying a hint of profound secrecy:

"It was this humble Daoist's personal suggestion. Recently, by combining the Celestial Phenomena of the Northern Frontier and repeatedly divining the Hexagrams, this humble Daoist discovered that the Chaos power suppressing the national fortune is not merely a matter of covert erosion. This force is deeply connected to the Northern Frontier, yet strangely, it does not suppress the Northern Frontier in the slightest. Instead, it seems intricately linked to the concept of 'human harmony.'"

"Human harmony?"

Li Xuan frowned, his eyes filled with confusion:

"What does the State Preceptor mean by that?"

The Mysterious Clarity Master fell silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the heavy sky outside the courtyard before he spoke slowly, word by word, each syllable carrying immense weight:

"Your Majesty, are you aware that Situ Jun possesses not only unfathomable strength but also carries an indescribable aura of True Dragon Qi? Such Luck is not something an ordinary scion of a noble family could possess; it is the aura of a king nurtured by heaven and earth. Observing his destiny, this humble Daoist finds it is actually connected to the Luck of a region, making him truly Chosen by Fate. If we can secure his full assistance, the Tianqi Dynasty's national fortune can not only shake off the suppression of the Chaos power but also reach new heights, flourishing for a century. Conversely..."

He abruptly paused, deliberately creating suspense, his gaze tightly fixed on Li Xuan's rapidly changing expression.

Li Xuan's heart sank violently, his breath catching as he pressed on:

"Conversely, what?"

"Conversely, if Situ Jun harbors rebellious intentions or becomes estranged from Tianqi, then the Dragon Qi of the Northern Frontier will clash with Tianqi Kingdom's fortune. At that time, when the Great Zhou Kingdom's Iron Cavalry marches south, and Treacherous Ministers in the court seize the opportunity to cause Chaos, not to mention resolving the crisis, I fear the Dynasty's collapse could be a matter of moments."

The Mysterious Clarity Master's words, each like a heavy hammer, struck Li Xuan's heart fiercely, making his ears ring and his face instantly turn ashen. He clenched the armrests of the brocade stool so tightly that his knuckles turned white, even faintly seeping with blood, yet he felt no pain.

His lips trembled, his eyes filled with pleading and unwillingness:

"Then, in the State Preceptor's opinion, can... can we spare the Empress from personally going to negotiate? I am willing to bestow upon Situ Jun a million Spirit Stones, enfeoff him as a prince, even... even cede three cities of the Northern Frontier, just to beg him to guard the Northern Frontier and protect Tianqi's safety."

Seeing this, a glimmer of imperceptible shrewdness flashed in the Mysterious Clarity Master's eyes before he resumed his transcendent demeanor, though his tone carried a hint of undeniable guidance:

"Situ Jun is a man of arrogant temperament. He views gold, silver, and treasures as dirt, regards power and titles as worn-out sandals, and is unbound by worldly etiquette and laws. Ordinary rewards and attempts to win him over will likely fail to catch his eye. Observing his destiny and preferences, this humble Daoist notes he most cherishes the world's peerless beauties. Moreover, only a woman bearing the Phoenix Fate can complement his Dragon Qi, mutually benefiting each other, achieving the Realm of Luck fusion."

"A woman of Phoenix Fate?"

Li Xuan murmured to himself. Suddenly, a gentle and dignified figure flashed through his mind—his Empress, Jiang Yan.

She was born into the prestigious Jiang Clan, and since childhood, fortune-tellers had said she bore the Phoenix Fate, a national auspicious sign.

Thinking of this, Li Xuan felt a surge of blood rushing to his head. His face instantly turned livid, his voice trembling:

"State Preceptor... you... you couldn't possibly mean... the Empress?"

The Mysterious Clarity Master did not answer directly. He merely slowly lowered his eyelids, avoiding Li Xuan's gaze. His tone was indifferent yet carried a heavy implication, as if stating an unchangeable fact:

"Your Majesty, earlier this humble Daoist said the negotiator must be the Empress. Her Majesty the Empress is born of a noble family, dignified and virtuous, her benevolence extends throughout the court, and she bears the Phoenix Fate, making her a heaven-ordained auspicious figure. If Her Majesty can go to the Northern Frontier and stay by Situ Jun's side, firstly, it can dissolve the estrangement between him and Tianqi; secondly, it can use the Phoenix Fate to attract Dragon Qi, nourishing our Tianqi's national fortune in return; thirdly... it can also serve to tie Situ Jun's heart, making him an asset to Tianqi rather than a hidden danger."

"Absurd! Utterly absurd!"

Li Xuan slammed the table and stood up abruptly, the jade cup on the desk clattering loudly, tea splashing everywhere.

He roared angrily, his voice hoarse from extreme fury, his eyes bloodshot red, filled with rage and disbelief as he looked at the Mysterious Clarity Master:

"Jiang Yan is my Empress, the mother of Tianqi. How can she be subjected to such humiliation? State Preceptor, this is no different from asking me to deliver my Empress into the tiger's mouth, to make me the laughingstock of the world! How could I face our ancestors after my death!"

He trembled with anger, his chest heaving violently. Those usually authoritative eyes were now brimming with fury.

He and Jiang Yan had been married for twenty years, deeply affectionate.

Jiang Yan was not only his Empress but also his confidante, his great virtuous help within the deep palace.

Now, he was being asked to personally push this virtuous help into a pit of fire. How could he bear it? How could he be willing?

The Mysterious Clarity Master, however, seemed to have anticipated this. He slowly raised his head, looking directly into Li Xuan's bloodshot eyes. His tone was calm, almost cold, as if stating an irrelevant fact:

"Your Majesty, those who achieve great things do not dwell on minor details. So-called face, so-called etiquette, in the face of the Dynasty's survival, are merely passing clouds, utterly worthless. If Tianqi falls, and Your Majesty becomes a prisoner, how could Empress Your Majesty remain unscathed? At that time, even her current Honor would cease to exist, and she would only meet a fate of ruin and disgrace."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Li Xuan's pained face, then continued:

"This humble Daoist knows this matter is heart-wrenching for you. But this humble Daoist acts for the stability of Tianqi's State, for Your Majesty's The vast land, for the Common People of this land. As long as the Empress goes to the Northern Frontier, she can stabilize Situ Jun and stabilize Tianqi's national fortune. At that time, the Northern Border will be peaceful, the Treacherous Ministers in court will have no external support, Tianqi's crisis will resolve itself, and Your Majesty can securely sit on the Dragon Throne, continue Tianqi's rule."

"Moreover,"

The Mysterious Clarity Master's voice dropped even lower, carrying a hint of Bewitchment:

"This matter can be conducted in secret. foreign, we will only claim that the Empress is accompanying Princess Danying to the Northern Frontier to Pray for Blessings and Dispel Disasters for Tianqi's national fortune. Situ Jun has many Dao Companions and is known for being romantic. After Princess Danying Gives Birth, he will likely lose interest in Empress Your Majesty. At that time, we can quietly bring Her Majesty back to the palace. Then, the world will only praise Empress Your Majesty for her virtue in sharing the country's burdens and praise Your Majesty for your profound understanding of righteousness, prioritizing the State. How could there be any talk of becoming a laughingstock?"

Li Xuan sat Stay in place, as if all his strength had been drained. The anger on his face gradually faded, replaced by deep struggle and pain.

His back Heavy collision against the chair back, issue a dull thud.

On one side was his Empress who had shared life's hardships with him, his dignity as an Emperor, their twenty years of Deep Marital Affection.

On the other side was the perilously unstable Dynasty's national fortune, the The vast land随时可能倾覆, the lives and safety of hundreds of millions of Common People.

This choice was too cruel, too heavy, pressing down on him until he could barely breathe.

He looked at the Mysterious Clarity Master's calm, unperturbed face. That visage he had always respected now seemed so strangeness, so cold.

He even began to doubt whether the person before him was truly the State Preceptor Xuánqīngzǐ who cared for the common people.