582: Chapter 582 The Perilous Situation of Apocalypse

Tianqi Royal Capital, the Empress Dowager's quarters in Cining Palace.

The late spring evening breeze drifted through the hollowed-out carved window frames, carrying the lingering scent of fallen tassels from the courtyard, silently permeating the hall.

The candlelight flickered gently in the wind, and the bright yellow tasseled curtains swayed slowly in response, casting mottled shadows that made the vast bedroom seem even more tranquil, yet hidden within was a tense, suffocating pressure.

Zhou Mei reclined on a phoenix bed covered in cloud-patterned brocade, her crimson-purple silk nightgown with dark cloud motifs draped loosely over her. The fabric, thin as a cicada's wing, clung to her skin, perfectly outlining her voluptuous and graceful curves.

Her three thousand strands of ink-black hair were unbound, scattered casually over her shoulders and the bed, making her already enchanting face appear even more pale and lustrous, like fine mutton-fat jade, glowing with a warm yet cold luster under the dancing candlelight.

Three hundred long years had not left a single trace of time at the corners of her eyes or brows; instead, they had distilled a mature charm far beyond the reach of ordinary young women.

Every frown, smile, gesture, and movement exuded an innate elegance and allure, carrying the natural authority of one who had presided over the inner palace for many years.

But at this moment, there was not a hint of charm or leisure on her face. Her brows were tightly furrowed, clouded by a thick, inseparable gloom. Her long, slender fingers gripped a lustrous white sound transmission talisman so tightly that the talisman itself was slightly deformed.

That face, usually well-maintained and flawless, was full of irrepressible shock and fury, along with a deep, heavy anxiety. Even her surrounding aura had become incredibly cold and somber.

This sound transmission talisman had been sent back to the Tianqi Royal Capital by State Preceptor Xuan Qingzi from the distant Tianlong Imperial Capital via an express messenger from the Cultivation world.

Since receiving it, she had listened to the message within more than ten times. With each listen, her heart sank further.

The words in the talisman were urgent and anxious, even carrying a hint of anger that Xuan Qingzi had never shown before.

She had known this State Preceptor, whose Dao Heart was steady and who remained unruffled by all things, for two hundred years, yet she had never seen him lose his composure like this. His tone was filled with undeniable anxiety:

"Empress Dowager, this humble Daoist has arrived at the Tianlong Imperial Capital, only to be shocked by the news that the Sovereign has taken it upon himself to secretly mix Jiang Wanlian, the orphan of the Marquis of Zhengdong, among the ten maids being sent to the Tianlong Imperial Capital under the guise of the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty's selection, to serve in the Ascension Realm. This woman has deep ties with Situ Jun, the City Lord of the Northern Frontier. The Sovereign's move, while ostensibly following the Imperial Dynasty's decree, is actually an act of spiteful revenge specifically targeting Situ Jun. Being far away in the Imperial Capital, I am consumed with worry. If such absurd conduct reaches Situ Jun's ears, it will surely provoke his thunderous wrath. The Northern Frontier has strong soldiers and sturdy horses, and Situ Jun's Cultivation is heavenly. If the Northern Frontier's iron cavalry and Tianqi's army clash, it will inevitably lead to widespread suffering and the collapse of the Dynasty; by then, it will be too late for regrets. I am thousands of miles away and unable to intervene. If the situation worsens to an irreparable state, I implore the Empress Dowager to prioritize the state and the millions of citizens, immediately activate the Dynasty's foundations, preside over the court, and turn the tide. Do not let a moment of soft-heartedness or hesitation bury the Li family's ancestral Legacy! Remember this, remember this! Respectfully, Xuan Qingzi."

Zhou Mei could hardly believe it. That day, she had specifically summoned Li Xuan to the palace, speaking to him from the heart and advising him earnestly. She had set aside her status as Empress Dowager, pleading humbly as an ordinary mother, even invoking the spirit of the late Emperor. She had repeatedly instructed him to prioritize the vast territory and never act impulsively to provoke Situ Jun or cause unnecessary trouble.

At that time, Li Xuan had sat before her with a submissive expression, agreeing so readily and firmly:

"Mother, rest assured. I know what I'm doing. I will not let you down, and I will certainly not gamble with the state and its altars."

But in just half a month, as soon as the State Preceptor left the Royal Capital for the Tianlong Imperial Capital, he had secretly sent Jiang Wanlian away behind everyone's backs!

How was this 'knowing what he was doing'?

This was clearly harboring resentment, acting willfully, and seeking deliberate revenge!

"Rebellious son... truly a rebellious son blinded by hatred!"

Zhou Mei suddenly sat upright, her fingers loosening as she slammed the sound transmission talisman onto the pearwood side table next to the phoenix bed. The dull thud was exceptionally clear in the silent bedroom, causing the candlelight to tremble.

Her chest heaved violently, her breathing ragged and unstable. Her eyes swirled with overwhelming anger and bone-deep disappointment, and even her voice carried a suppressed tremor.

The palace maids and eunuchs standing nearby were instantly pale with fright, their legs going weak as they all fell to their knees with a thud. Their foreheads pressed tightly against the cold, smooth gold-brick floor, their bodies trembling slightly, not even daring to breathe loudly.

They had followed the Empress Dowager for many years and had never seen her so enraged.

Zhou Mei supported herself on the edge of the bed to stand up. Her floor-length phoenix-patterned skirt swept across the polished gold-brick floor, making a soft but hurried sound. As the hem of her skirt passed, it brought a faint, cool breeze.

She paced back and forth in the hall, her footsteps erratic, her thoughts far more chaotic than her steps.

Overwhelming anger, unbelievable shock, deep concern for the safety of the state, bone-deep disappointment in the son she had raised herself, and trepidation about the future situation—all these emotions intertwined into a suffocating net, wrapping tightly around her and making it almost impossible to breathe.

What kind of person was Situ Jun?

He was a Soul Transformation grandmaster standing at the pinnacle of the entire Cultivation world, with unfathomable Cultivation. Even when he deliberately hid his Cultivation, the extremely powerful Heavenly Dragon Dynasty, which looked down upon all its vassal dynasties, was unwilling to hold him accountable for his mistakes and even deliberately avoided the matter.

And Li Xuan was merely the Sovereign of the small Tianqi Dynasty. His military strength and the Dynasty's foundations were not even a fraction of the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty's. To dare rashly move someone with deep ties to Situ Jun—how was this any different from seeking death or striking a stone with an egg?

What chilled her to the bone even more was Li Xuan's breach of promise.

He had clearly promised in person that he would not clash with Situ Jun, yet in the blink of an eye, he had gone back on his word, completely throwing her advice and the safety of the state to the back of his mind.

When did the son she had carefully raised for decades, hoping he would become a wise ruler, become so paranoid, stubborn, opinionated, and unable to listen to a single word of counsel?

Could it be that Jiang Yan's betrayal and Xia Wei's change of heart had caused him to completely lose his Emperor's wisdom, blinding him with a heart full of hatred so that he could no longer distinguish between benefit and harm?

Zhou Mei slowly closed her eyes and took a deep breath, circulating the meager spiritual energy in her body to forcibly suppress the surging anger in her chest.

When she opened her eyes again, only a somber calm remained. She spoke in a low voice to the trembling palace maid on the ground:

"Go to the Imperial Study immediately and invite the Sovereign here. Tell him that I have a matter of utmost importance to discuss. Have him drop everything in his hands and come immediately, without delay!"

"Yes, your servant obeys!"

The head palace maid did not dare to hesitate for a moment. After kowtowing to accept the order, she rose and hurriedly left the bedroom, running all the way toward the Imperial Study.

Zhou Mei sat back down on the phoenix bed, her fingertips gently pressing her brow. She took several more deep breaths before managing to suppress the fire in her heart slightly.

She closed her eyes to concentrate, her mind rapidly sorting through the current precarious crisis:

Xuan Qingzi was far away in the Tianlong Imperial Capital; distant water cannot quench a nearby fire. Situ Jun was a decisive and extremely protective person. Once he learned that Jiang Wanlian had been forcibly sent to the Ascension Realm, he would surely be struck with thunderous wrath and would not show the slightest leniency.

Once the Northern Frontier's iron cavalry marched south, the Tianqi defenders would have no power to resist. Under the clash of arms, the Li family's thousand-year-old Legacy would fall apart in an instant, and millions of citizens would be plunged into the fires of war and become displaced.

She didn't dare think further; the consequences were something that the entire Tianqi and the Li ancestors could never afford to bear.

The more she sorted her thoughts, the more chaotic they became. Irritation surged in her heart once more. Zhou Mei stood up again, walked to the table, picked up a jade pot, and poured a cup of cold tea, drinking it all in one gulp. The icy tea slid down her throat, finally allowing the fire in her heart to be suppressed just a little.

As she turned to return to the phoenix bed, she passed the bronze mirror in the hall, which reflected her appearance.

That face, which always retained its charm and was exquisitely beautiful, still had pale and delicate skin, and her eyes were still captivating.

But at this moment, the woman in the mirror had her brows tightly locked, her eyes filled with fatigue and inseparable anxiety. Her former lazy leisure was gone, replaced by exhaustion and helplessness.

She raised her hand, gently smoothing her temples, tucking a few stray hairs blown by the wind behind her ears. She then reached out to carefully straighten the collar of her nightgown, took a deep breath, and tried to restrain the anger around her.

Meanwhile, inside the Imperial Study of the Tianqi Royal Capital.

The lights were bright, and Li Xuan, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, was sitting behind the dragon desk reviewing memorials. The tip of his brush moved smoothly as he wrote comments in vermilion, his brow carrying a hint of irrepressible comfort and pleasure.

It had been over ten days since he had secretly sent Jiang Wanlian away. According to the itinerary, the group should have already entered the territory of the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty.

The matter was already done, the rice was cooked. Even if Situ Jun found out later, he would be powerless to change it and could only swallow his anger.

Thinking of this, the resentment he had accumulated for two years finally dissipated a bit.

"Sovereign, a servant from Cining Palace has come to report that the Empress Dowager has an important matter and implores you to go to Cining Palace immediately."

Li Fu, his personal attendant, bowed as he entered the study and reported in a low voice.

Li Xuan's hand holding the vermilion brush paused, his brow furrowing slightly as he spoke with a hint of confusion:

"Mother? It's already late at night. What matter cannot wait until tomorrow to be discussed, that I must go immediately?"

"The messenger did not state the specific matter, only repeatedly emphasized that the Sovereign must go immediately, and also hinted... that the Empress Dowager is currently in a fit of anger and her expression is very unpleasant."

Li Fu replied cautiously, also feeling a faint unease in his heart.

Li Xuan's heart skipped a beat. He gently tapped his finger on the desk, pondered for a moment, then set down the vermilion brush. He stood up, reached out to straighten the wrinkled dragon robe, and said in a heavy voice:

"Prepare the carriage for Cining Palace."

With that, he took Li Fu and walked quickly toward the Empress Dowager's quarters.

As soon as he stepped into the main hall of Cining Palace, Li Xuan noticed that the atmosphere in the hall was eerily heavy.

In the past when he came to visit, although Zhou Mei would not deliberately flatter him, her eyes would be gentle and full of motherly love, and the servants in the hall would perform their duties in a relaxed atmosphere.

But today, the servants in the hall all stood with their heads bowed, not daring to breathe. Zhou Mei sat atop the phoenix chair in the hall, her face as dark as water, her entire being radiating the cold, imposing Aura of one who had long held a high position.

Li Xuan's confusion deepened. He hurried forward and bowed in greeting:

"This son pays respects to Mother. May Mother enjoy ten thousand blessings. Mother, for you to summon me so late at night, I wonder what urgent matter there is?"

Zhou Mei sat on the phoenix chair without saying a word, only looking at him with a heavy gaze. The candlelight flickered, reflecting a cold glint in her eyes.

Li Xuan felt uncomfortable under her gaze and could only give an awkward smile, waving his hand to signal all the eunuchs and palace maids in the hall to withdraw.

Once only the mother and son were left in the hall, he sat down casually in a nearby chair and spoke with feigned lightness:

"Mother was in such a hurry to summon me, yet you say nothing. Is it that I have done something improper recently and made you angry?"

His tone carried a hint of deliberate flattery as he reached out to pick up the jade pot on the table, poured himself a cup of hot tea, took a light sip, and looked toward Zhou Mei, trying to ease the oppressive atmosphere in the hall.

Zhou Mei still did not speak immediately, just quietly watching him with a complex gaze.

The candlelight flickered in her eyes, reflecting tiny cold sparks.

She looked at this son, who was past forty and had been on the throne for over thirty years. Seeing the contours of his face, which were identical to the late Emperor's, her heart was filled with mixed emotions—disappointment, heartache, and a bit of inseparable mother-son affection.

When he first ascended the throne, he had also been diligent and worked tirelessly on state affairs, determined to be a wise ruler of a restoration era and revive the glory of the Tianqi Dynasty.

But over these years, as Tianqi faced constant internal and external troubles, the Dynasty's power gradually slipped away, and the Northern Frontier's influence grew day by day, repeatedly insulting his imperial dignity, his Heart-Nature had gradually become twisted.

Suspicion, narrow-mindedness, stubbornness, inability to listen to a single word of loyal advice, intolerance of any dissent, acting willfully and by any means necessary—the youthful spirit and broad imperial mind of those years had long been worn away by a heart full of resentment and obsession.

After a long time, Zhou Mei finally spoke slowly. Her voice was very low, yet it carried an unquestionable authority, each word resonating powerfully in the hall:

"Xuan'er, do you know why I summoned you here late tonight?"

Li Xuan set down his teacup, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the rim. Looking at his mother's solemn and cold expression, he felt a slight unease in his heart, yet he still maintained a forced smile and answered dismissively:

"Mother hasn't summoned me for a private talk in a long time. I suppose you miss me and want to chat about family matters?"

"Miss you?"

Zhou Mei suddenly let out a cold laugh, her phoenix eyes filled with frost, and her Aura suddenly turned cold.

She raised her hand and slammed that sound transmission talisman heavily onto the side table. A dull, loud bang shook the teacup on the table, causing some tea to splash out:

"Probe it with your own Divine Sense and see for yourself. This is the urgent news the State Preceptor sent back from the Tianlong Imperial Capital! See what you have done!"

Li Xuan was startled. He reached out to pick up the sound transmission talisman and slowly probed it with his Divine Sense.

After just a moment, the casual smile on his face gradually vanished. His eyes narrowed for a second, a flash of surprise passing through them, before he quickly regained his composure.

He calmly placed the sound transmission talisman back on the table, his tone indifferent and unconcerned:

"The State Preceptor is quite well-informed. Even though he's far away in the Heavenly Dragon Dynasty, he can still find out about such a small matter in the Tianqi Royal Capital."

"Such a small matter?"

Zhou Mei's voice suddenly rose, anger surging in her eyes once more. A faint spiritual pressure rippled around her; though not strong, it carried extreme fury:

"You personally promised me that you would never provoke Situ Jun, that you would not cause extra trouble, and that you would prioritize the state! But as soon as the State Preceptor left the Royal Capital, you secretly sent Jiang Wanlian away behind everyone's backs! Xuan'er, do you still have any respect for me as your mother?! Do you still care about this vast territory that the Li family has passed down for hundreds of years?!"