Becoming a God from a Water Monkey

Chapter 1179 Wang Guasheng (Seeking monthly votes at the beginning of the month, two chapters combined)

"Gudu."

His Adam's apple bobbed, tea leaves swirled in his cup, steam rising from them. Liang Qu swallowed hard, then abruptly stood up: "Does Your Majesty intend to set a precedent and bestow Pingyang Prefecture upon me?"

The Emperor glanced at Liangqu, picked up his teacup, and gently skimmed the foam.

"Yes, not only Pingyang, but also Chizhou below."

"Hiss... There are too many, far too many."

"It's nothing more than a prefecture or county, wherever you go, Yuhang next to Pingyang, Xihe across the Yangtze River, and Tianchang above."

"Cough cough cough..."

"That's wishful thinking." The Holy Emperor spat out the tea leaves and closed the lid. "Hai Shang, Lanzhou, Jiangchuan, and the adjacent Stable Daze... Pingyang is now a first-class prosperous place in the world. If I agree to give Pingyang to the emperor, the ministers in the court and the country will not agree, and the emperor will certainly not agree to granting the title of king to the whole country."

Feeling slightly embarrassed by his own presumption, Liang Qu scratched his head and asked, "So, I still have to leave my homeland?"

"Unless you are willing to become a 'prince of the imperial clan,' then you can maintain the status quo, without a fief, and the court will give you a sum of money every year, roughly equivalent to the tax of a prefecture in Jiangnan, and you will be free from the toil of official documents."

Liang Qu's eyes lit up: "This is great! This is great!"

"Alright." The Emperor laughed. "Since Minister Liang has agreed, I'll ask the Ministry of Rites to set a date another day and gather all the eligible women from the imperial clan. You can then decide which one is suitable."

"Why are you calling a woman?"

"Choose a good man and get married on an auspicious day," the Holy Emperor said matter-of-factly.

"what?"

"You don't share the same surname. If you want to become a prince, you naturally have to marry a princess. Eying, you have to get a divorce. The position of first wife must belong to a princess. Don't worry, her looks and figure won't be too bad. She should be six or seven points as beautiful as the Dragon Girl, making her a top-tier woman. There's no need for any real feelings between you. Just have one or two children to inherit the family business. Just don't mistreat them too much. Is one not enough? Two or three will do. I think there are plenty of women from the royal family who would be willing."

"Oh no!" Liang Qu exclaimed in surprise. "This won't do! This won't do! We can't get a divorce! We can't get a divorce!"

The Holy Emperor glanced at him sideways: "You monkey, you're useless in this way and useless in that way, what are you planning to do?"

Liang Qu rubbed his hands together: "His Majesty surely knows that I will not divorce the Dragon Princess and marry a princess. What you said earlier, you didn't mean to make her a prince, did you?"

"Hahaha." The Holy Emperor laughed, pointing to the four-colored map, "Knowing that a simple title of king would not satisfy Liang Qing, I have thought long and hard, and after discussing it with the cabinet, I have decided to add a third option for Liang Qing!"

Liang Qu's expression brightened, and he bowed respectfully to listen.

"First, become a prince of the imperial clan. Second, choose one of the seven fiefdoms. As for the third, I cannot tell you; if you wish, you will naturally find out at the investiture ceremony. So, which one do you choose?"

"The third!"

"So sure?"

"Your Majesty, I believe in you!" Liang Qu said firmly. "Your Majesty's will is decisive and Your Majesty's will is in accord! I was born alone and became famous at a young age. My life has been smooth sailing. Just as Your Majesty said, it is all thanks to everyone's tolerance and accommodation towards me. They are like fathers and brothers to me. I will remember this in my heart and be grateful for their kindness."

The saying goes, "Water can travel a thousand miles, and the ends of the earth are like neighbors," but reality is rarely that simple; it's just wishful thinking. When a fiefdom is truly located abroad, governance, coordination, and taxation will inevitably require considerable effort.

Just like when we graduated, we promised to get together often, but once we part ways, we might never see each other again in this lifetime. Even if we keep in touch frequently for a few years afterward, as time goes by, the distance will gradually fade. It's not about whether we stick to our promises or not, or whether we keep in touch or not, but rather that we haven't experienced many things together, so we don't have common topics to talk about, and the more we meet, the more distant we become.

Conversely, as long as they live together, even if Liang Qu is a martial arts master and Uncle Chen is an ordinary person, they can still comment on the merits and demerits of the newly opened restaurant next door and talk about it at length.

Moreover, being assigned to another region would still require frequent trips to the Jianghuai region to meet the "white ape," which would be inconvenient.

What the Holy Emperor said earlier was by no means unfounded; it must be a solution that satisfies both sides.

"Very well! In that case, June 27th is an auspicious day and the day for Liang Qing's investiture ceremony."

"Thank you so much, Your Majesty!"

"Congratulations, Marquis of Xingyi! Congratulations, Marquis of Xingyi!" Eunuch Li interjected at the opportune moment, bowing to those on either side to remind them, "Your Majesty, Marquis of Xingyi, it's time for the banquet."

"Let's go." The Holy Emperor rose with pleasure. "Minister Liang, please join me at the table."

"Yes."

Along the path, the grass grows lush and green.

Liang Qu was brimming with excitement.

That would be perfect!

The Emperor smiled and said, "Besides being granted the title of King, Minister Liang has made great contributions in the Southern Frontier and the Jianghuai region. Is there anything you wish for? I can make the decision for you all at once, so as not to have to issue a separate edict."

Liang Qu thought for a moment and said, “Your Majesty, there is indeed a matter I wish to ask for a job for Hai Fangzhu. As a merchant, Hai Fangzhu should remain neutral, but her interference in external affairs has caused her to lose the protection of the Whale King and has even been wanted and banned from trading by the Southern Frontier and the Northern Court. I truly feel guilty about this…”

"You want Da Shun to replace the Whale King?"

"That's exactly what I'm thinking. From now on, sea vendors can trade in coastal and inland waterways, using the banner of the Great Shun Dynasty, and pay taxes to the imperial court at the same time, thus earning an additional source of income."

"This won't work."

Liang Qu was taken aback: "Why?"

"The Whale King's removal from the list is accepted by our Great Shun. The targeting here is too obvious and not worth the loss." The Holy Emperor shook his head. "Don't try to apply what you thought was a relationship to the Martial Immortal of the Furnace. Do you know that when the Flood Dragon crossed the Deer River, the chieftain of the Southern Frontier went to ask the Martial Immortal to stop it?"

Liang Qu was taken aback and shook his head: "The Martial Immortal of Southern Xinjiang, didn't he take action because of the appearance of the Drought Demon?"

"It was because of the drought demon, but before the drought demon appeared, the chieftain of the southern border did indeed make a request. Do you know what the cost and benefits of doing so are?"

"I don't know."

"The price is that if successful, the chieftain of the Southern Frontier will lose most of the favor he has earned over his eighteen generations of descendants, and in the future, he will basically be unable to ask his ancestor for help in any major events."

The advantage is that by sacrificing past favors, Lu Cangjiang's plan to become a pseudo-dragon remains feasible, and his position in Southern Xinjiang will remain stable for the time being. The pseudo-dragon plan was initially proposed by the current chieftain of Southern Xinjiang.

Silence.

"The Martial Immortal of the Southern Frontier is heartless?"

"It's not that I'm heartless; you've met King Chong, haven't you?"

"The senior King Chong was extremely brave and made great contributions in defeating Pandong."

"By some reckoning, King Chong is also a descendant of the Martial Immortals of the Southern Frontier. The exact generation is hard to verify, as the family genealogy has been lost, but it is indeed true." The Holy Emperor's words were astonishing.

"Why is that so..."

"You might be one too? A descendant of some martial immortal."

"Huh?" Liang Qu stared blankly, inexplicably thinking of Liang Guangtian, the "uncle" he hadn't seen in a long time. Could it be...?

Wu Xian · Guang Tian.

The Holy Emperor chuckled: "Place one grain of rice on the first square of the chessboard, two grains on the second square, and so on, doubling the amount. Before you even finish one row, there will be too many grains to fit on one square."

It's true that experts have difficulty conceiving, but they are not infertile. The Zhenxiang live for 300 years, with 31 generations, or 10 generations. Especially in the first few generations, they enjoy wealth and honor and have no shortage of women. A man can have dozens of descendants, and four generations can have no less than several thousand people. The number of Yaolong is 800, which is even more than that. You are in me and I am in you.

The villagers all say one thing: "We were one family eight hundred years ago." I don't know if it was eight hundred years ago, but it was basically the same three thousand years ago. So, don't bother Wu Xian easily; this is a matter of relationships.

Although the Sea Monk has lost his protection, he only does business in the Jianghuai region. Currently, with the 'White Ape' connection, he doesn't need the protection of the Great Shun Dynasty. Therefore, he has offended the Whale King..."

"Your subject understands." Liang Qu made no further demands and noted the Whale Emperor's name in his notebook.

The injustice has the head and the debt has the owner.

In retrospect, what General Yuan said back then wasn't entirely wrong. Indeed, few things in the world can affect the melting pot. If one had to name one, beautiful scenery would be one, and the road ahead would be another.

However, the road ahead is difficult. The ones that can affect the future of the furnace are naturally the furnaces of the same level. Since the disappearance of the Dragon Lord, the relationship between the major furnaces has probably undergone a subtle change. They are all very cautious and deliberate in their actions.

The True Immortal, who pursues souls across a thousand miles, rarely takes action. Even the stone in the Heavenly Dragon River dares not make a rash move. Upon reaching the Furnace, it achieves a kind of transcendence and absolute balance, to the point that ordinary people cannot even perceive the Martial Immortal's interference in the world's course.

"Let's choose something else."

"I would like to ask the artisans to build a batch of exquisite and intricate ships. Their functions do not need to be great, but they must be beautiful in appearance."

"can."

"I desire a batch of rare aquatic creatures, preferably a male and a female pair, capable of reproduction. Their value is not important; what matters is a variety of species. There are none in the Jianghuai region."

"can."

"Your Majesty, I wish to visit the Moon Gazing Tower."

"The king can come and go freely, and can use the cultivation room in Wangyue Tower at will. He can also borrow any cultivation method from the Scripture Pavilion at will."

"I don't want any more rewards, but I hope Your Majesty will give me more of the Great Elixir of Creation." Liang Qu didn't stand on ceremony. Only the Great Elixir of Creation was useful to the Demon King. The other elixirs were useless, and the rest were no different from weeds.

"Water element?"

"It is entirely up to Your Majesty to decide!"

All of it was used to pay off the Demon King's debts; he couldn't eat any himself, and whether the water was good or bad didn't matter. The most important thing, the Holy Emperor kept the matter a secret, not knowing what it was. As for the rest, Liang Qu didn't have much need, seeing that the Holy Emperor didn't ask about other important matters…

"Roar! They're here! His Majesty and Ah Shui are here! Our greatest heroes!"

Let the feast begin!
A spring banquet, a glass of green wine, a song sung.

After the joyous banquet of the Han emperor and his ministers ended, they discussed their military achievements at the Cloud Terrace.

Returning home for a banquet at Ping Le, fine wine costing ten thousand coins a cup. Sliced ​​carp, braised shrimp, roasted turtle, and grilled bear paws. Companions sing and chatter, seated in rows at the long feast. Players nimbly and skillfully play polo. The sun rushes southwest, its brilliance beyond compare.

While it was difficult for soldiers stationed at the southern border to attend, almost all the officers and soldiers from the river and lake posts were present, making it even more lively than the Spring Festival.

Inside and outside the palace, celebratory banquets and fireworks displays filled the air, with orange blossoms clinging to the branches and illuminating the pool below.

Along the riverbank, people sat around taverns, feasting and drinking to their hearts' content. Caravans from the south and north played their small zithers, and young girls took out silk and pinned on red flowers. Songs in various dialects mingled together, creating a lively and bustling atmosphere.

Chishan stepped into the Imperial Stables, arrogant and haughty, and lit two warm blankets for the two mares.

night.

The wine gourd floated on the pool, rising and falling. Liang Qu didn't go home. Taking advantage of the time, he grabbed the clueless Long Eying and ran towards Wangyue Tower.

"What are we going to Wangyue Tower for? Isn't it forbidden to go in or out after dark?"

"Find two people. Your husband has given me an imperial edict, so there's no fear of the tower being locked."

Today, the Moon Gazing Tower is adorned with lanterns, a dazzling display to celebrate the Marquis of Xingyi. Liang Qu had his servant open the door, first handing over the cultivation techniques copied from the underworld to the Scripture Pavilion for registration, thus transforming them into great merit, before running all the way to the thirtieth floor.

"Marquis of Xingyi!"

The celestial couple performed the rituals with utmost respect.

"No need for such formalities." Liang Qu quickly helped them up. "You two are my seniors, having served me for two years."

"..."

The two were unsure whether Liang Qu was praising himself or belittling them, but considering that everyone seemed to be practicing in the same way except for Liang Qu, it was probably more of a self-praise.

"The Marquis of Xingyi has come to visit late at night. What brings you here? If you are going any further up, given your status, you will not need a token. You may go there on your own."

"I came here to see you." Liang Qu found two prayer cushions, one for E'ying and one for himself, and sat down opposite the couple, explaining the purpose of his visit.

"The fifth level?" The celestial couple stared at each other in disbelief. "Breaking through the Sun Wheel to reach the fifth level?"

The Sun Wheel is comparable to creation itself; what would be the effect of the fifth level, which is even stronger than the Sun Wheel?
"How did you do that?" the man from the Sunbeams asked urgently.

"Martial Saint Yuan Yang!"

Martial Saint? Yuan Yang?
The couple looked at each other.

What a niche word.

Each word individually makes sense, but when put together, it feels like you've never heard of them before.

Long Eying looked embarrassed, her toes clenched, and she quietly moved the prayer mat back, using her position to let Liang Qu block her view.

Tan Yifeng gave his wife, Liao Lanqing, a wink.

Liao Lanqing carefully crafted his words: "You and the Dragon Girl have been husband and wife for many years, yet you have never..."

"I tried it."

Double entendre.

Long Eying shrank back again.

The two men's gazes turned strange.

I tried it, but it had yang energy... Lord Xingyi, are you on the wrong path? Didn't anyone teach you how to do this on your wedding night?
Liao Lanqing organized his words: "Lord Xingyi, you can't go any further. No, it's not that you can't, it's just not quite right. It's not a double-correction law."

"Ahem." Liang Qu felt E Ying's hot cheek pressed against his back and coughed twice. "It's not what you two imagine. This is an opportunity that can't be replicated. I came to see you two today to ask for your advice. Do you have any ideas or prospects for the fifth level of this technique? Let's exchange ideas."

Tan Yifeng sat up straight: "The Marquis of Xingyi is thinking..."

“No matter what stage the spiritual seed is cultivated to, it is a one-time event. I believe that this cultivation method still has untapped potential, far beyond what it has achieved. I call the fifth level the ‘Sacred Fruit,’ which is formed when the fourth level, the Dark Gold Peach Blossom of the Sun Wheel, takes root in the Qi Sea and grows…”

Tan Yifeng and Liao Lanqing gradually caught up with Liang Qu's line of thinking.

"Let the sacred tree take root, use the sacred fruit... to achieve a closer connection between the cultivation of men and women? If one increases, the other will follow suit? This is quite difficult. To be honest, Lan Qing and I have tried it before."

"This is a rare opportunity, which is why we should all work together to study it. The path is always made by walking it. I think this matter will also be helpful to you two. In the past, the Yin-Yang Spirit Seed could guide us, exempting us from basic cultivation and helping E'ying and me to nurture it directly. If the method of the Sacred Tree can be completed... we may be able to intercept its energy and plant it."

Liang Qu's eyes shone brightly; he didn't want to miss this opportunity.

Long Eying is already close to the perfection of the Celestial Realm, but she has not yet taken the remaining three steps. If she were to squander her resources now, it would be a waste. If she doesn't squander them, she has already been holding back for a year. If she can achieve the cycle of the Sacred Fruit, there will be no problem.

Cuttings!

The celestial couple's eyes lit up, their hearts stirred. Without hesitation, they rummaged through their belongings, bringing out all the similar techniques and discarded drafts from their past research. They lit the golden oil lamp and began to study them together, striving for innovation.

Liang Qu plunged headlong into the ocean of knowledge. With his current level of understanding, he could be described as having a commanding perspective. Long Eying was also a practitioner of cultivation techniques, and she could easily understand the cultivation techniques of the Dragon Clan.

The library staff also quickly compared the methods, held meetings, and discussed how to improve them, and were greatly astonished.

Did the Marquis of Xingyi rob some royal tomb? And not just one, but tombs from various dynasties.

A series of great victories have kept the government and the public busy.

The Ministry of Revenue was responsible for raising funds for expenses, the Ministry of War for recording pensions and benefits, the Ministry of Personnel for conducting assessments and appointments, the Ministry of Works for preparing instruments, and the Ministry of Justice for detaining prisoners and deserters.

The Ministry of Rites was the most arduous in its work.

Three major ceremonies in January, held in close succession, required frequent summons for custom-made costumes, and involved the preparation of countless flags and banners, the planning of rituals, and the research of classical texts...

On the surface of Jishuitan, the colorful paper floated, and people's hearts were also restless.

The day is drawing closer, which should be a good thing, but his relatives and friends are all nervous for him.

June 7th.

The year of Jia Chen, the month of Geng Wu, and the day of Bing Xu.

Auspicious days according to the Chinese calendar: those with the following characteristics: Heavenly Virtue Combination, Monthly Virtue Combination, Hourly Virtue, Three Combinations, Approaching Day, and Hourly Yang.

The Pingnan Grand Ceremony.

"The Emperor, by the Will of Heaven, decrees:

I, having received the Mandate of Heaven, rule over all lands, and all within the universe submit to me. However, in the summer of the seventy-eighth year of the Shun reign, the Huai River was turbulent, and a monstrous dragon wreaked havoc. The villains of the southern border, seizing the opportunity, invaded from the north, colluding with evil spirits, relying on miasma and witchcraft, to engulf half of my Lingnan region, ravaging the people, causing widespread famine and death. The Prince of the South Sea, wounded and besieged, faced imminent danger on the frontier, a situation I deeply lament.

Marquis Liang Qu of Xingyi was inherently loyal and brave, and possessed profound strategic acumen. In this perilous situation, he volunteered to lead the troops, displaying unparalleled courage. Upon arriving on the battlefield, he immediately broke through enemy lines, slaying fifteen masters and capturing one alive, thus greatly enhancing the morale of our army…

...Capture Hongshui and subdue Heishui. Wherever the spear pointed, thirty-eight grandmasters were beheaded. The remaining bandits fled in panic, their morale was broken, and their defeat was inevitable.

Then, Commander Xu Haitao and Deputy Commander Ji Yanyu led fifty-six troops in a fierce attack. Despite being outnumbered, the soldiers were inspired and fought with all their might. They ultimately broke through the enemy's fortifications of two hundred men and recaptured Longwan. The King of the South Sea assisted in the decisive battle…

Afterwards, they pursued relentlessly, beheading the powerful shaman of Pandong in the desolate wilderness, severing one of the enemy's arms, recovering Lingnan, and clearing the borders. Your Liangqu's strategic planning and decisive victory are unparalleled in the army, and I am delighted.

Based on his meritorious service, he is hereby granted this special reward:
King Chongwei was granted the title of Yongye in Nanhai Commandery and his annual salary was increased... to commend his merit in supervising the supply of provisions.

Marquis Liang Qu of Xingyi was promoted to Duke of the State, but his title was reduced to a hereditary one, and then to Second Rank Earl, which was hereditary and perpetual. He was granted a Taibai long robe and a jade belt, and was also recorded as having made two thousand five hundred merits.

Marquis Changhe, Xu Haitao, was promoted to General of the South, awarded the title of Senior Protector of the Army, and recorded as having made three hundred great merits.

Deputy General Ji Yanyu was promoted...

……

The remaining soldiers shall be given preferential treatment by the Ministry of War, and those who were wounded or killed shall be given generous compensation.

Alas! The evil forces have been quelled, and the southern borders are now forever at peace. All you generals and soldiers, then, shall faithfully perform your duties and secure the borders forever. So be it.

June 17th.

The year of Jia Chen, the month of Geng Wu, and the day of Bing Shen.

Auspicious days according to the Chinese calendar: Heavenly Pardon, Mother's Granary, Yang Virtue, Life-Giving Star, Benefiting Empress, and Relief God.

The Pinghuai Grand Ceremony.

"The Emperor, by the Will of Heaven, decrees:

I, having inherited the imperial throne and reigned over the nine regions… established a fortified village in the water, secretly colluded with the demon queen, usurped the title of King of Chu, and seized the imperial artifacts, truly a scourge upon the nation. Now, thanks to the blessings of Heaven and the valiant service of my soldiers, the demonic forces have been swiftly eradicated, bringing peace and tranquility to the world. I am deeply gratified.

Duke Liang Qu of your state, wielding the banner and axe, commanded the army and oversaw both land and water operations with overwhelming might. He led the mighty naval forces to break through their naval strongholds... personally captured the demon queen, beheaded the King of Chu in battle, and seized all twenty-eight national treasures, his achievements surpassing those of the entire army.

The Waterway Inspector Su Guishan led the elite soldiers of the river and lakes as the vanguard, secretly traversing the waterways... Commander-in-Chief Wei Lin... Vice Censor-in-Chief Xu Yuelong...

Based on his meritorious service, he is hereby granted this special reward:
Duke Liang Qu was awarded... and his merits were recorded as two thousand.

Su Guishan was promoted to Grand Canal Transport Commissioner and granted the title of Earl of Jingbo... He was awarded 300 merits.

Wei Linjin... was enfeoffed as Fubobo...

Xu Yuelong was promoted...and granted the title of Earl of Anxiang...

……

All officials of the Jianghuai River and Lake Management Office will be awarded half a year's salary, and an additional 100,000 taels of silver will be allocated from the treasury to reward the troops.

Alas! Seventy years of entrenched bandits have been wiped out in a single day; the deepest lair of the imperial court has been utterly eradicated. You, my soldiers, shall forever remain loyal and diligent, and together safeguard our land. So be it.

June 27th.

The year of Jia Chen, the month of Geng Wu, and the day of Bing Wu.

Auspicious days according to the Chinese calendar: Tianyuan, Yueen, Sixiang, Wangri, Yima, Tianhou.

The ceremony for bestowing the title of king.

Crowded.

"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor, and with the witness of Heaven and Earth, the Martial Saint decrees:"

I, by the mandate of Heaven, and the Martial Saint, embodying the virtues of Heaven and Earth, jointly govern the world and bestow blessings upon all living beings. I hereby proclaim you, Duke Qu of Pingyang, who has now comprehended the ultimate principles of Heaven and Earth, bridging the gap between Heaven and humanity, and attaining the rank of Martial Saint. From this day forward, the sun and moon will shine together, mountains and rivers will gleam in unison, the state will be strengthened by its pillars, and the Great Shun Dynasty will gain even greater power.

You, despite your inadequacy, have reached the sacred realm in your youth, and with your sincere heart, you have attained the Way of Heaven.

This is truly an unprecedented event in the eighty years since the founding of the nation, and a rare talent in the millennia-long history of martial arts.

In accordance with Heaven's will and the people's wishes, a special favor is hereby granted:

He bestowed upon Liang Qu the title of King of Huai, granting him control over thirteen ports along the upper and lower reaches of the Huai River as his permanent domain. He permitted the construction of his royal palace in Yixing and bestowed upon him a crown and robes with nine inscriptions, a golden axe, and a tally.

Thirteen ports along the upper and lower reaches of the Huai River, including Yixing, Yunyang, and Longcen, were granted special permission to establish government offices and oversee commercial taxes and grain transport. According to regulations, 70% of the customs duties collected were to be transferred to the imperial treasury, and 30% were to be retained for the expenses of the Prince's Palace; this was to be a permanent rule.

Pingyang Prefecture exempted the entire area from land tax for five years, to demonstrate the Emperor's benevolence to the local people.

Previously owed taxes to the people will be wiped clean, and no additional taxes will be allowed for twenty years.

In addition, he was bestowed with a super-grade dragon blood, fifty fine horses, twelve Martial Saint memorial arches, and five Xuanhuang plaques...

Alas! Now that you have attained sainthood, you shall safeguard the destiny of mountains and rivers; though your royal rank is high, you shall still cherish the pure heart of a child. You shall diligently uphold the Way of Heaven, harmonize Yin and Yang, ensure the smooth flow of merchants along the rivers, and bestow blessings upon the common people. Respectfully obey!

(End of this chapter)