I have Immortality In The Cultivation World

Chapter 560: Chapter 313 Horse Treads Across The Rivers And Lakes_2

Zhou Yi was acutely aware of the situation, yet he didn’t take it too seriously.

“Our family doesn’t need anyone’s loyalty, and I don’t believe that anyone will be truly loyal!”

…

The Imperial Palace.

The Diligent Administration Hall.

Eunuch Yuan knelt on the ground, reporting the events he had witnessed the night before.

...

“Eunuch Yi reunited with his parents and other kin, and he also took in an adopted son to continue the incense. He couldn’t help but drink excessively, giving the assassin an opportunity…”

The account sounded reasonable and was corroborated by the diagnosis of Imperial Physician Liu, so no one could find fault with it.

The Orthodox Emperor asked, “So, is it true that Little Yi is seriously injured?”

Eunuch Yuan replied, “Indeed, it is.”

“Rogue martial artists should be executed!”

The Orthodox Emperor said, “Take healing spiritual medicine from the inner treasury, give it to Little Yi to use, and convey my decree that he may act as he sees fit.”

“As you command.”

A flicker of shock and envy passed through Eunuch Yuan’s eyes. The emperor’s mention of ‘acting as he sees fit’ translated below to the power to make immediate decisions and to execute first and report later. In short, it meant having the power to kill whomever you wanted to.

After Eunuch Yuan left the hall, the Orthodox Emperor suddenly said.

“Mr. Wei, you have sparred with Little Yi before. Is his injury this time real or fake?”

Eunuch Wei’s silhouette flickered, and he suddenly appeared in the hall, bowing as he replied, “Eunuch Yi is exceptionally gifted, his True Qi as boundless as the ocean, his strength comparable to the Innate. Surely, the assassin could not get close to him.”

“So, it’s fake then.”

The Orthodox Emperor’s brow slightly furrowed; even though he had suspected as much, he still felt displeased by his subordinate’s deceit.

“Little Yi has always been decisive in his actions; he even dared to slaughter Yuntai Academy. Now I’ve ordered him to investigate the Northern Border, and he pretends to be injured to decline. Has the Northern Border really become such a perilous den?”

The Orthodox Emperor sighed deeply, “Is the Northern Border still the territory of the Daqing Country?”

Eunuch Wei remained silent. The Northern Border had become a new threat.

Back when the King of the Northern Defense encircled the Wolf King’s Golden Tent, the late emperor had issued a decree to exterminate the kingdom and confer kingship. Eunuch Wei was puzzled by this.

The late emperor explained that he was aware that a king of another surname might destabilize the National Dynasty. However, without making him a king, they would never break the Wolf King’s Golden Tent, and the threat from the foreign tribes would never cease.@@novelbin@@

Another emperor might disregard the front-line warfare and change commanders in mid-battle, recalling Marshal Zhang to the capital.

The late emperor had once acknowledged the Wolf King as his father and regarded it as a lifelong disgrace. He preferred to destabilize the National Dynasty by conferring kingship, just to wipe out the Tianlang Kingdom.

“Enough of this. Little Yi is acting according to my wishes. Send someone else to the Northern Border to investigate,” said the Orthodox Emperor, well aware that sending someone else would not uncover anything. They would surely report no conflicts at the Northern Border and then fabricate some natural disasters and human calamities, decapitate a few officials, and provide an explanation for the refugees flooding the capital.

Those dead officials were either upright and incorruptible or loyal to Daqing.

The Orthodox Emperor, instead, became the knife in the hand of the King of the Northern Defense, using the examination of the refugee issue to cleanse the Northern Border of officials who opposed him.

“They say that the emperor gets everything he wishes for, that everything goes as he desires. But who knows my difficulties? Knowing full well that there’s unrest in the Northern Border, I must pretend to be unaware, just to ensure the stability necessary for reforming the tax system,” the Orthodox Emperor lamented.

Eunuch Wei said solemnly, “Your Majesty could use the Innate techniques, command Eunuch Yi to rush to the Northern Border, and with the powers of the Inspectorate, he should be able to delay the King of the Northern Defense.”

While the King of the Northern Defense controlled the military and administration of the Northern Border and possessed the territories bestowed by the late emperor, in name, he was still a subject of the Imperial Court, not daring to rebel unless absolutely necessary.

No matter how formidable the Northern Border soldiers were, they could hardly contend with the entirety of Daqing Country, especially since the Orthodox Emperor commanded the formidable army that carried the authority to annihilate nations from the western campaign.

“Mr. Wei, Little Yi’s pursuit of the martial path differs from yours; power is all he sees. Since Little Yi has entered the palace, I’ve reviewed all his words and actions. It’s clear he’s constantly scheming to climb higher,” the Orthodox Emperor shook his head and said, “With such a temperament, even if he breaks through to the Innate level, he won’t be easy for me to control.”

The underlying message was clear: a knife shouldn’t be too sharp, or one day you might need to snap it in half to avoid cutting yourself!

Eunuch Wei frowned slightly. This measure might dampen Eunuch Yi’s enthusiasm, but considering the power in the hands of the head supervisors and the Eastern Depot, the emperor’s actions appeared justifiable.

Eunuchs Hai and Wei held high status in the palace, addressed as master by the emperor, yet they didn’t truly hold any power.

Besides taking turns in close-guard duty for the emperor, they spent their other time in deep cultivation, pursuing the realm above Innate.

Eunuch Wei reminded, “Your Majesty must be cautious. Even without advancing to the Innate level, Eunuch Yi could fight me to a standstill. Such a martial arts prodigy will not be content with remaining below Innate and might seek other methods to break through.”

“Master need not beat around the bush. Aside from you two masters, only she has the method to break through,” the Orthodox Emperor said with a hint of gloom in his eyes. “Last year, when Concubine Cui miscarried inexplicably, although I had no evidence, I could guess that she took action, coinciding with the Cui family’s entanglement in the factional case…”

“There are no coincidences in this world; if there seem to be, they must have been fashioned by someone with intent!”

“Your Majesty can rest assured, with me and Eunuch Hai personally protecting you, no one will be able to come within ten feet of Your Majesty.”

Eunuch Wei was reluctant to comment on the matter. That person in the Inner Palace who saved His Majesty’s entire family all those years ago, and then, despite being of Innate nobility, married an exiled criminal, can indeed be credited with a tremendous act of following the dragon.”

The stakes are high, the investment substantial, and naturally, what she seeks is extraordinary!

“There’s another matter that requires Mr. Wei’s attention.”

The Orthodox Emperor said, “Tonight, when you leave the palace, tell Eunuch Yi to stop hiding within the Inspectorate and start dealing with the martial arts sects early. Reclaim the mountains and fields that belong to the Imperial Court!”

“By Your Majesty’s command.”

Eunuch Wei understood that the first part was a warning to Eunuch Yi, and the second part was the task at hand.

Could it be that His Majesty is aware that you’re pretending to have been poisoned and, considering your past achievements, he’s not exposing you? Having received such a great favor, shouldn’t you quickly get on with the work?

Sending Eunuch Wei to deliver the decree also carried a warning!

…

The fourth year of the Orthodox reign.

August.

Inspectorate.

After over a month of recovering from his injuries, Zhou Yi once again sat on the Taishi Chair, carefully reviewing messages from the Heavenly Sword Sect.

“Over three hundred official disciples, and a name list counted by the thousands, spread across nearby county towns and villages… renaming Kunshan as Heavenly Sword Mountain, they truly have the audacity!”

Once a sect occupies a territory, it’s common to change its name, a hidden rule of the martial world.

Lin Fu, who stood at his side, said, “Head Supervisor, the land belongs to Daqing Country, and by renaming it privately, the Heavenly Sword Sect is clearly intending to carve out a territory and declare sovereignty, implicating the heinous crime of treason!”

“Well put, the accusation fits perfectly.”

Zhou Yi instructed the scribe, “Make a note of this; after the fact, we must proclaim their guilt to the entire world.”

As for the King of the Northern Defense, who truly divided land and declared sovereignty, Zhou Yi didn’t dare to interfere. But the Heavenly Sword Sect—which was faking rebellion—was ideal for making an example to establish authority!

Magistrate Wen said, “The Heavenly Sword Sect is considered righteous in the martial world. Destroying them on the basis of this crime alone will unite other sects against us, making subsequent actions much more troublesome.”

Zhou Yi nodded slightly, knowing that proclaiming rebellion was just to deceive the common folk; the other sects would recognize the slander and framing.

“Do you have any stratagems, Sir?”

The Heavenly Sword Sect alone could be dealt with easily, but if dozens or hundreds of righteous sects joined together, even though they were far from being a match for the Imperial Court, they would still cause Zhou Yi quite a bit of trouble.

The Emperor’s request was to reclaim the land and have the factions pay taxes, not to roll heads in a bloodbath.

Magistrate Wen then said, “While wiping out the Heavenly Sword Sect, we can round up all the local demon heads and villains and bring them to the Inspectorate. Then we can label them as disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect. Once we publicize this, the Heavenly Sword Sect will become a demonic and heretical faction!”

The Imperial Court wiping out a heretical faction wouldn’t be obstructed by the martial sects; they might even react strongly in support.

“Hehehe…”

Zhou Yi let out an eerie laugh and said, “Let it be known that I am exorcising demons and defending the way. With this move, we will show the world who truly are the demons!”

According to the investigations by agents of the Inspectorate, the Heavenly Sword Sect was indeed righteous, with stringent rules of conduct.

Occasionally, disciples of the sect bullied the common people, but rather than requiring government officers to make arrests, the Heavenly Sword Sect would punish them as per their strict rules to maintain the integrity of their sect.

However, who is righteous and who is a devil is entirely determined by the victor’s narrative!

For instance, as for the matter of the sect’s rules, the Inspectorate’s scribes could write them up as defying local County Government Offices, obstructing the laws of the National Dynasty, and setting up private courts, amongst other charges—all of which were sufficient to send them to the execution grounds.

“Make sure to print the charges. Upon my return, immediately circulate and post them far and wide!”

Zhou Yi ordered and then stood up to walk towards the door.

Eunuchs Wen and Yu, along with other old eunuchs, followed behind him. Eighteen elite guards surrounded them, their presence domineering and their movements brash. This campaign to obliterate the Heavenly Sword Sect could be said to have mobilized most of the Inspectorate’s experts, giving ample face to the operation.

Upon exiting.

The agents had already prepared the horses, the lead one pitch black save for its snow-white hooves.

This was a famous steed capable of covering a thousand li, known as Dark Clouds Treading on Snow.

Zhou Yi mounted his horse, and with a stimulation of True Qi to the animal’s ribs, it neighed and raised its front hooves high.

“Let’s go!”