503: Chapter 503 Li Xuan's Hatred

The tedious formalities of the Investiture Ceremony for the New Empress had long since concluded. After half a month, the discussions in the streets and alleys of the Tianqi Royal Capital had faded, and a solemn order returned within the palace walls.

The newly promoted Empress, Liu Airu, had shed the awkwardness and trepidation she felt when first ascending to the position. With the assistance of the palace staff, she gradually became familiar with the regulations of the six palaces. Managing affairs in the morning and reviewing records in the afternoon, she handled the inner palace with perfect order, presenting a stable image of a motherly figure to the world.

However, this universal harmony could not reach the locked depths of Emperor Li Xuan's heart.

In the dead of night, all was silent.

Only a few ever-burning candles flickered in the Imperial Study, their flames dancing from the night breeze slipping through the window cracks, casting the solitary figure on the Dragon Throne in shifting shadows.

Li Xuan's fingertips pressed against the cold green jade surface of the imperial desk, but his gaze pierced through the flickering candlelight, fixed firmly on the 'Map of Tianqi Territory' hanging in the center of the wall.

This map, made of Black Deer Hide with borders drawn in cinnabar and cities painted in gold powder, was the most accurate map since the founding of Tianqi. It had hung in the Imperial Study for over a decade.

In the past, looking at these vast lands would fill his chest with heroic ambition. But now, when his gaze fell upon that vast, boundless land in the Northern Frontier, it felt incredibly eyesore, like a red-hot branding iron searing his eyes and heart.

Situ Jun... this name had become a thorn in his heart that could not be pulled out.

He was once the supreme ruler, possessing the world and holding the power of life and death.

Yet in just half a year, he had suffered one humiliation after another—to seek national fortune, he personally sent the former Empress Jiang Yan to the Northern Frontier, which was tantamount to giving her away; to keep the Northern Frontier quiet, he was forced to hand over his favorite consort Xia Wei and the New Empress Liu Airu, becoming a laughingstock.

Three sacrifices, three bows of the head, three times pushing his own bedfellows into the arms of another.

What he gained in return was not the submission of the Northern Frontier, nor the prosperity of Tianqi, but only a brief, self-deceiving stability.

This stability was built inch by inch with his imperial dignity, his harem concubines, and the royal face, so lowly it made him nauseous.

Li Xuan's knuckles suddenly tightened, turning so white they were almost transparent. Veins bulged on the back of his hand, and his nails dug deep bloody marks into his palm, yet he was completely oblivious.

The surging anger, humiliation, resentment, and fear in his chest crashed against his internal organs like molten lava, nearly incinerating him entirely.

He could no longer endure it, and he wouldn't endure it anymore.

Situ Jun's ambition was already plain for all to see. If he waited any longer, he, the ruler of the country, would sooner or later become Situ Jun's Puppet.

Today he sends the Empress, tomorrow the New Empress, the day after the favorite consort—then what about the day after that?

Would he have to hand over this Dragon Throne as well?

After much thought, the only way was to kill with a borrowed knife—secretly reporting Situ Jun's suspicious movements to the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty, using that gargantuan entity that stood above all nations to personally uproot this major threat.

In the Imperial Study that day, Dragons Saliva Incense burned softly in a three-legged bronze beast burner. The blue smoke curled around the gilded beams before slowly dispersing, but the gloomy aura filling the room didn't dissipate in the slightest; instead, it grew heavier, making it hard to breathe.

Li Xuan sat upright on the Dragon Throne, the hem of his dragon robe draping over the imperial desk. He tightly gripped a secret report still smelling of ink, his brow furrowed into a tight knot, and a thick gloom swirled in the depths of his eyes.

The secret report came from a spy lurking in the Northern Frontier, and its content was concise:

After Xia Wei arrived in the Northern Frontier, she was not mistreated in the slightest. Instead, Situ Jun had settled her in the most exquisite inner courtyard of the City Lords Mansion, with fine clothes, gourmet food, and a swarm of servants.

What made him even more consumed by jealousy was that Situ Jun personally stayed in the inner courtyard, teaching her the methods of Cultivation by hand. Xia Wei originally possessed Medium Grade Water and Wood Spiritual Roots; under Situ Jun's guidance, she successfully drew Qi into her body in just over a month, stepping onto the Path of Immortal Cultivation.

What concerned Li Xuan even more was the mention in the report that 'Noble Consort Xia and the former Empress Jiang Yan often visit each other, living in harmony like sisters.'

"Jiang Yan... Xia Wei..."

Li Xuan whispered these two names, his knuckles turning white from the force.

Two women who once belonged to him were now living openly in the Northern Frontier City Lords Mansion, becoming members of Situ Jun's backyard.

This ultimate humiliation was like a maggot in his bones, gnawing at his imperial heart day and night, making him unable to sleep or eat.

What made him more uneasy than romantic affairs was the daily expanding strength of the Northern Frontier.

According to various intelligence reports, Northern Frontier City was expanding its walls on a large scale, enlarging the original five-mile city to twenty miles. They were widely recruiting talented individuals from all over the world; regardless of their background, as long as they were willing to serve Northern Frontier City, they were granted spiritual rice, Cultivation Techniques, or land and silver. Granaries and spiritual materials in the city were being stockpiled at double the rate, and large amounts of fodder, Ore, and Medicinal Pills were being collected. They even secretly bypassed the Tianqi court to sign a mutual trade agreement with the Zhou Dynasty to the north, exchanging the Northern Frontier's specialty Black Iron for the Zhou Dynasty's grain and Spiritual Plants.

Situ Jun's sphere of influence was expanding outward at a visible speed.

This was no mere City Lord guarding the Northern Frontier; he was clearly establishing a separate country.

"Your Majesty."

The old eunuch Li Fu stepped forward cautiously:

"State Preceptor Xuan Qingzi requests an audience outside the hall."

Li Xuan slowly raised his eyes, a flash of extremely complex emotion in his gaze.

Resentment, wariness, and dependence were all intertwined.

He knew in his heart that Tianqi's ability to barely survive through these turbulent years was thanks to Xuan Qingzi's protection. However, the ideas to send Jiang Yan to the Northern Frontier and to allow Xia Wei to go north had also come from this State Preceptor.

He even vaguely suspected that there was some unknown connection between Xuan Qingzi and Situ Jun.

But now, with Tianqi facing internal and external troubles, he had no one else to use. Besides Xuan Qingzi, there was no second person who could guard Tianqi.

Li Xuan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the overwhelming emotions in his heart, and opened his thin lips to utter a single word:

"Enter."

As the words fell, Xuan Qingzi walked slowly into the Imperial Study.

He wore a plain Daoist robe, free of dust. His hair and beard were half-white, his face lean and refined, and his steps were composed. His whole being carried an otherworldly aura of Dao, as if the world's troubles had nothing to do with him.

Walking before the Dragon Throne, he gave a slight bow, but his gaze discreetly swept over the secret report tightly held in Li Xuan's hand, already guessing most of it.

"The State Preceptor arrives at just the right time." Li Xuan handed him the secret report. "Have you noticed the movements in the Northern Frontier?"

Xuan Qingzi took the report and scanned it quickly, his expression unchanged:

"I have heard some rumors. The expansion of the Northern Frontier is indeed suspicious."

"Suspicious?"

Li Xuan sneered and continued:

"This is no longer just suspicious; it is the fact of blatant treason and rebellion! I appointed him City Lord of the Northern Frontier, and he truly thinks the Northern Frontier is his, Situ Jun's, private property? Now he's expanding the city without permission, recruiting rebels, colluding with the Zhou Dynasty, and opening trade—every single thing is done without going through the court or petitioning me, the Emperor! What does he want to do? Does he want to declare himself king in the Northern Frontier and seize my Li family's empire?"

Xuan Qingzi remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking:

"Calm your anger, Your Majesty. City Lord Situ's strength is unfathomable, and... his Luck is at its peak. A direct conflict with him at this time is by no means a wise move."

"I know!"

Li Xuan waved his hand irritably and continued:

"That's why I've endured again and again, until I've lost all face! But State Preceptor, tell me, how much longer can I endure? When his wings are fully grown and his army is at the gates of the capital, am I supposed to personally hand over this Dragon Throne and these vast lands?"