Book 13: Chapter 1: A New Age

“How could Zhong family possibly rebel? Didn’t the late emperor rely on Zhong family to establish the empire?”

“Aren’t we currently fighting on the front lines? Why is our own side becoming chaotic first instead?”

“How can people like us possibly understand these things? It’s better if we just don’t talk about it to avoid bringing misfortune onto ourselves.”

These types of conversations happened day after day continuously throughout Central Continent City.

The ordinary commoners couldn’t understand why everything was just fine, yet Wenren Cangyue suddenly became an enemy great general, Grand Secretary Zhou went into retirement, Jiang Family rebelled and Zhong Family carried out a betrayal.

They also didn’t have any chance of knowing that under the wisps of summer radiance, within this massive empire, this majestic city unparalleled in the entire world already welcomed a new age.

Many great events they didn’t know about already happened in Central Continent City one after another, and some of them were still currently happening.

…

Fragrance Palace [1] was burned into ashes.

Even the lotus flowers in that small lake were burned into yellow leaves, completely wilting during a season when they should be in full bloom.

Many years ago, there was a woman.

She was the last one alive from Juliu Clan.

When facing this extremely massive, unprecedentedly prosperous Yunqin Empire, revenge was already a fleeting and distant matter.

However, she discovered that she didn’t have a choice.

It was because she was a woman in this world. If she didn’t marry another, Juliu Clan would naturally be without offspring, yet at the same time, even if she did, her child would be the successor of a different clan. That was why in this world’s views, Juliu Clan was destined to end with her.

That was why she picked up a chess board and chose a youngster, helping that youngster reach the peak of Yunqin’s authority step by step.

For the sake of a fleeting and distant revenge, for the sake of rousing Wen Xuanshu who she chose enough, the price she paid was precisely treating herself as the most important chess piece in this chess game of hers.

After completing the final step of her life, without even being able to see victory or defeat, she was burned up together with the flames in Fragrance Palace.

…

Jiang Family already didn’t have any members left in Central Continent City.

Even the last Sacred Expert Nightingale, who chose to become a Jiang Family person, rushed out of Central Continent City together with Zhong family’s most powerful cultivator Zhong Cheng.

Since no one expected the emperor to suddenly break off all relations without any care about the consequences, even Jiang Family’s women, children and young disciples weren’t let off.

Hu Chenfu[2] and Chen Zhaoli[3] were left in Central Continent City for a day by the emperor.

For Chen Family and Hu Family, it wasn’t as simple as lacking a Sacred Expert, instead lacking a clear attitude.

Everyone’s choice would always differ somewhat.

Chen Family chose to continue respecting Changsun Clan this day, and then after this day, they would go into retirement, start to accept transferring just like Huang Family, calmly handing over their authority and power.

Hu Family chose a day of enduring.

After Hu Chenfu left Central Continent Imperial City, all of Hu Family’s power on the surface quickly faded from Central Continent City.

Hu Chenfu’s black gold carriage left through Central Continent City’s east gate.

Hu Family’s residence in Central Continent City was personally burned down by him into ashes.

When Hu Chenfu’s black gold carriage left through the city gates, a new imperial edict was also released from Central Continent City, starting to be passed out one level after another.

The contents of the imperial edict was that Hu Family also rebelled, that all of Hu Family’s contributions were to be removed.

That same day, Kong Family’s black gold carriage also left Central Continent City.

This black gold carriage and Hu Family’s black gold carriage left the city gates at the same time. Even though there were no imperial edicts targeting Kong Family that were released, this move, together with Zhong Family completely leaving Central Continent City, it already fully expressed the attitudes of both sides.

Priest Hall’s red robed High Priest Zhuge Qianshan stopped Ni Henian in front of Yellow Sparrow Temple.

Zhuge Qianshan died and Ni Henian’s eyes suffered burn injuries. From this day on, the sight of Ni Henian whose eyes used to be better than that of a hawk’s became blurry, only barely able to make out things five steps within his surroundings. Even if he was looking at dazzling radiance in the distance, he could only see a layer of blurry light, difficult for him to fully recover.

After Zhuge Qianshan’s death, some of Priest Hall’s high priests began to appear in Yunqin’s streets.

Apart from the battle between Zhuge Qianshan and Ni Henian, they didn’t fight against anyone else.

It was because in Central Continent City, there already weren’t many Sacred Experts who could face them left. Moreover… they were also priests who represented glory. Even if it was Yunqin Emperor, at least at this moment, he didn’t dare publicly declare that they rebelled.

They only walked around the alleys, stopping some troops from advancing, opening some city gates.

They stopped the powerful military equipment aimed at the city gates.

These were extremely strange scenes.

They were clearly standing on the other side, yet they didn’t directly fight. This type of thing sounded extremely absurd, but these kinds of events really happened in Central Continent City.

…

Wen Xuanshu sat within the inner pavilion manor.

Sitting on the long table in front of him were many piles of files. His trusted aide, that refined white clothed scholar, was sitting across from him.

When someone naturally suited for authority in the royal court was compared to someone unsuited to being in the royal court, the biggest difference was that those who were unsuited for the royal court would become more and more confused the more they looked through these kinds of files, unable to find the main threads and outlines, while an official naturally suited for this could quickly grasp the main point, find some clues and signals they needed inside.

“These should be things only Zhou Ruohai[4] can accomplish?”

Wen Xuanshu looked at the files that were closest to his arms, calmly looking at the white clothed scholar, asking this as if he was consulting his final opinion.

The refined white clothed scholar bowed slightly, saying, “Even though we won’t be able to know about his exact details at the moment, the whereabouts of those people of his closest to Central Continent City have all gone missing. Even if he was the one doing these things, he had to make proper preparations, it’s not something he could have done in a hurry. That is why he had never truly decided to completely go into hiding.”

“If Yunqin was fine, he would naturally continue to remain hidden. However, since something is happening to Yunqin, he obviously wouldn’t back away.” Wen Xuanshu revealed a faint smile and said, “Apart from Green Luan Academy, he will always be our most troublesome and dangerous opponent.”

The white clothed scholar quietly said, “Should we try to kill him first?”

“There is no need. If we take action to deal with him, we might instead lose.” Wen Xuanshu said with a smile. “The more powerful the opponent, the more the emperor needs to rely on us. Even if he knows there are some issues with us, the only ones who can stand at his side right now are us. The things he wants to do is naturally using us to mutually destroy each other, for both sides to suffer. During these years, I’ve always viewed him as a teacher, studying him, learning from him. Even though someone like him possesses powerful wisdom and farsightedness, he is also devoted, pedantic and stupid. He has all three of these words. I am more than willing to focus on playing with authority, focus on playing this chess match well without any care for the battlefield and common people, but he cannot. That is why he will instead try to mutually control each other with those elders. Just let Wenren Cangyue fight with him.”

The white clothed scholar revealed a smile and said, “Even though this arrangement is dangerous, there is still a half and half chance and the prospects aren’t necessarily worsening. I was only caring about three steps before me, while you have already seen a hundred steps out. I can only admit my inferiority.”

Wen Xuanshu shook his head, saying with a bit of a quiet voice, “It isn’t me who has seen everything clearly. The events before, the situations that unfold afterwards, she has seen much further than me, seen everything much more accurately.”

The white clothed scholar stared blankly for a bit. “Juliu Clan?”

Wen Xuanshu nodded. From the corners of his eyes, he saw that chessboard that was placed on a tea table not far away. Looking at the distinctly black and white chess pieces, he couldn’t understand whether her actions were worth it or not, but regardless, he felt a hint of true respect for her now. Moreover, at this moment, he even vaguely began to doubt if it was purely because of his own desire back then, that he used this woman, or if he had been bewitched by this woman from the very start.

This woman was only using his hands to play this chess game against Changsun Clan?

However, this absent-mindedness only lasted an instant.

“Just who is it that has broken into Ghost Prison and other prisons? Investigate this clearly. This matter has always given me a strange feeling.” He then raised his head, giving this white clothed scholar a look.

…

Yunqin Emperor sat on the throne room’s extremely majestic golden throne.

Some information related to Priest Hall also reached his hands, but his expression was still cold and calm.

After lowering the pieces of secret information in his hands, he raised his head to look forward.

In front of him were nine sets of heavy curtains that hung down from the palace roof like a waterfall.

He remained silent for a moment. A bit of self mockery and ridicule appeared at the corners of his lips.

“Attendant.”

Then, he gave the order, “Tear down these curtains, they are blocking my sunlight.”

This sounded like a rather laughable line.

However, these curtains had already existed in Central Continent City for many years.

That was why these words didn’t sound laughable for those personal attendants at all, more so extremely shocking.

More than ten personal attendants’ expressions turned snow-white, their hands trembling as they began to tear down these curtains.

The heavy curtains landed on the ground, releasing a huala noise.

The imperial princess appeared in the throne room. She looked at the several layers of curtains that had already been torn off, her originally fair face now even more devoid of color. “Brother Emperor, has your respected self really gone crazy? Just what exactly are you doing?!” She walked up to the emperor and said.

“There is only one family left. Is there still a need for these to remain?”

Yunqin Emperor didn’t get angry, instead, he looked at her trembling thin lips, asking this quietly in return with a smile.

The imperial princess’ body went rigid. Her hands clenched tightly, but she was momentarily stumped for words.

Huang Family, Wenren Family, Jiang Family, Zhong Family, Hu Family, Chen Family, Yuhua Family, Kong Family, the ones who disappeared disappeared, the ones who left left, the ones who betrayed betrayed… Right now, of these nine curtains, only Rong Family was still in Central Continent City, they still haven’t fully expressed their standpoint.

These nine curtains indeed didn’t have any more purpose in existing.

All of the curtains completely fell.

An old age came to an end here, a brand new age was thus born.

Yunqin Emperor looked at the throne room that had become considerably brighter, suddenly becoming much more spacious, feeling extremely satisfied, just a bit cold and cheerless.

“Imperial sister… in this world, perhaps only Changsun Clan is deserving of this emperor’s trust. Only Changsun Clan wouldn’t betray Changsun Clan.” He turned around to look at the imperial princess standing at the side whose body was trembling slightly. “How about you serve as this emperor’s imperial concubine, perhaps we might be able to continue Changsun Clan’s blood and bones.”

The imperial princess’ breathing suddenly stopped. She looked at Yunqin Emperor in utter disbelief, almost screaming as she said, “You’ve truly gone mad!”

1. Palace where Yun Fei aka Juliu Yunpin, Yunqin Emperor’s concubine lived

2. Hu Family’s elder behind the curtains

3. An elder behind the curtains who has always acted on Yunqin Emperor’s side, helped the emperor establish Thunder Academy

4. Zhou Rouhai = Grand Secretary Zhou. Shoufu = Grand Secretary. We are changing the previous Shoufu to Grand Secretary