If you don't give up, I'd like to be your adoptive father.

Chapter 1088 Chaos is the ladder of ascent
As the saying goes, one who has no desires is invincible.

The Qin Dynasty was doomed; its fate was sealed.

Celestial masters like Guan Zhenren and Yang Li Daotong, who came from the "Xuanmen Daogong," no longer expected to gain anything from power, and therefore did not care about the thoughts of those in power.

At this moment, their willingness to remain at the Imperial Observatory, to complete their last shift, and to accompany the Qin Dynasty to the very end, is all in repayment of the kindness shown to the deceased Ying Zheng, and also in upholding the principles of righteousness in their hearts.

If those in power still dare to give them attitude, they will resign without the slightest regret.

After leaving Xianyang, he hid in the Taoist palace.

If you hide in the fairyland for three or five years, a thousand years will have passed in the human world. The kings and generals of the past will have long turned to dust. Why would you need to fear their hatred and revenge?
Therefore, when facing the powerful figures who had just completed a coup and seized power in the court, Master Guan spoke frankly.

"Master Guan, are you saying that even the Emperor can't control your Imperial Observatory?" Zhao Gao shouted.

Master Guan sighed, "If the late emperor were still alive, there would be no need to ask Heaven for a title or Earth for a title, nor would there be any need to offer sacrifices to Heaven or submit a memorial to the Heavenly Emperor."

With a single word from the Human Emperor, cultivators were immediately granted the authority of Celestial Masters, and even Grand Tutors.

—Now you call Huhai the "Human Emperor" and use the title of "Human Emperor" to intimidate me, but is he really qualified? Are you qualified?

Master Guan then said rather impatiently, "If you all insist on interfering in the position of Grand Tutor, then please come to the Imperial Observatory to act as guarantors and witnesses."

That is the purpose of my visit.

You are hereby notified to bring your preferred Grand Tutor to the Imperial Observatory to participate in the Grand Tutor Competition.

Now that the news has reached you, I must take my leave.

"Master Guan, don't be in such a hurry to leave!" Marquis Lieyang called out to him, asking solemnly, "My men overheard you discussing the 'Human Emperor's Second Father,' is that true?"

Master Guan angrily said, "Your Excellency has inadvertently confessed. What kind of place is the Imperial Observatory? How can it allow outsiders to eavesdrop and monitor at will?"

When the late emperor was alive, there were indeed people in the palace with all their eyes and ears, but the late emperor still had to show respect to the Imperial Observatory and dared not use his supernatural powers to monitor things without authorization.

Now that you, Lord Marquis, have seized power, do you perhaps think you've surpassed the late emperor?

Marquis Lieyang said in a deep voice, "Master Guan, don't deliberately change the subject. Answer my question first!"

"I don't need to change the subject!" Master Guan sneered. "'Uncle' is not what Grand Tutor Yu calls herself. It was the late King Ying who begged her to be the 'Uncle of Qin'."

Regardless of which prince inherits the throne, he will always be a member of the Ying family.

Are the descendants of the Ying family no longer listening to the words of their ancestors?

Marquis Lieyang, you also belong to the Ying clan with the surname 'Yu'!

—What makes him a member of the Ying clan? Everyone in Xianyang knows about his mother's relationship with Meng Yi.
Yu Yu is most likely a descendant of the Meng family!
Li Si muttered to himself, but said aloud, "What Yu Fengxian said may not be true."

Even if it were true, the late emperor had decreed that "ghosts and spirits should not speak of important matters of the court; human affairs will be handled by others."

He's not talking nonsense.

The human emperor Ying Zheng did say something similar, but it wasn't directed at his own ancestor.

During his early years of conquering the six states, Ying Zheng dreamed of "Da Li" many times.

I dreamt of a vengeful ghost with disheveled hair, beating its chest and stamping its feet, saying, "You destroyed my ancestral temples and altars, slaughtered my people, and killed countless people. You are inhuman and unjust! I have appealed to the Heavenly Emperor and will surely take your dog's life."

After sternly rebuking him, he began to relentlessly pursue and kill Ying Zheng in his dreams.

At the same time, various prophecies and omens circulated among the people, spreading widely through the mouths of ghosts and gods, causing widespread panic.

Even civil and military officials had the same nightmare.

This is the work of ghosts and spirits from the underworld.

Not only were there nobles, cultivators, and soldiers from the six states killed by the Qin army, but also ancestors of the six states.

The ancestors of the six kingdoms even went to the underworld to appeal to the heavenly court.

The Heavenly Court and the Underworld tacitly approve of "vengeful spirits."

After being tormented several times, Ying Zheng was furious and directly offered sacrifices to Heaven and Earth, promulgating new "Heavenly Laws" and "Yin Laws".

Well, that's right. As the human emperor, Ying Zheng established the "Heavenly Rules" to restrict the gods and the Yin Laws to restrain the ghosts and spirits of the underworld.

Regardless of the form of the vengeful spirit's act, it must have received permission, or even assistance, from the gods of heaven or the spirits of the underworld.

Otherwise, the vengeful spirits wouldn't have the ability to enter Ying Zheng's dream.

The most crucial aspect of enacting any law is having the power to enforce it.

At the very least, there is the power to investigate and punish violators when the law is broken.

At that time, Ying Zheng truly possessed the power to enforce the law in the human world.

Therefore, he issued the "Human Emperor's Heavenly Laws" with the Heavenly Mandate in his mouth, and the order was strictly enforced, and Meng Dali never appeared again.

Not only did the spirits of the ancestors of the six states not dare to disturb him, but even the former kings of the Ying clan could not appear to him in their dreams.

Actually, even if the dream message is successful, it's useless.

Ying Zheng would never pay attention to his dead father or master.

Guan Zhenren was already the Heavenly Master in Xianyang before Ying Zheng ascended the throne.

Having personally witnessed Ying Zheng's dream of the Great Li, he naturally understood that Li Si was misinterpreting the late emperor's decree.

However, Li Si made his meaning very clear: the power of the dynasty will only be in the hands of the living. No matter how happily the dead cry in their graves, we who are in power will not listen. What can you do?

"You need not doubt whether the late King Ying requested Grand Tutor Yu to be the adoptive father of the Ying princes."

The talks between the former kings of Qin were not private conversations between one or two people.

Even if Grand Tutor Yu were stupid, he wouldn't lie about something like this.

The Ying clan's worship of their "adopted father" was a private matter within the royal family and had nothing to do with outside officials.

Just like Prime Minister Li, if you want to acknowledge a foster father, adopt a godfather, or take in a son, do you need the court's permission?

Master Guan then turned to Hu Hai and said in a deep voice, "In this world, only one's own ancestors will not harm their own descendants; on the contrary, they will try every means to wish their descendants well."

If Prince Huhai has any doubts, he should go to the ancestral temple to pay respects to his ancestors and ask them for guidance; his doubts will then be resolved.

Yu Yu said indifferently, "Yu Fengxian is not a 'Grand Tutor' yet, so she may not be able to stay in the Imperial Observatory!"

Master Guan nodded and said, "This is the purpose of my visit. The Marquis dislikes her and wants to select a Qi Refiner to replace her. He must personally go to the fighting arena to vouch for the Qi Refiner."

We guarantee that Qi cultivators will have impeccable character, be devoted to the public good, and never betray the Ying royal family, nor will they intentionally do anything to harm the Ying clan.

Upon hearing this, a hint of hesitation appeared on Yu Yu's usually indifferent face.

The Qi cultivators of the East Sea attempted to replace Yu Fengxian. This matter was supported by the military commanders of the East Sea Navy Corps, as well as by Li Si, or rather, Li Si's retainers, who acted as intermediaries.

Li Si had been searching for Xu Fu, and this time Xu Fu accompanied the Marquis of Donghai into Guanzhong.

Thus, in the matter of challenging Yu Fengxian, Li Si and the East Sea Legion became natural allies.

Their subsequent ability to unite and stage a coup to seize Lao Ai and Empress Dowager Zhao can be attributed to the significant role played by Xu Fu and the Qi cultivators from the East Sea in facilitating communication between the various factions.

However, Yu Yu did not participate in the "selection of the Grand Tutor" from beginning to end.

Li Si harbors hatred for Xiao Yu and seeks revenge; the Marquis of the Eastern Sea covets the power represented by the Grand Tutor and the Emperor's secret treasures, such as the Nine Tripods, which are under the supervision of the Imperial Observatory.

A lord of the Eastern Sea Army plans to establish a kingdom in the Eastern Continent of Divine Victory and has the idea of ​​taking away a divine cauldron.

Furthermore, the Marquis of the Eastern Navy and the deceased Empress Dowager reached an agreement that after suppressing the rebellion, he would remain in Shenzhou to be enfeoffed as a king and establish a kingdom. They also needed a treasure capable of suppressing the fate of the nation.

The Qi cultivators of the East Sea had a simpler wish: to use their position as Grand Tutor to plunder the Qin Dynasty's resources! They had heard that Yu Fengxian was originally just a rogue cultivator. In just a few months after taking charge of the Imperial Observatory, her strength had increased by leaps and bounds.
They don't need too many; just one real image is enough for them to make a fortune.

After all, many True Form Diagrams are innate spiritual treasures.

They all had their own interests to pursue, and therefore they were very concerned about the selection of the Grand Tutor.

Yu Yu's return to Guanzhong this time has only one purpose: to clean up the rubbish in the court, get the court back on track, and help the Great Qin become great again!

But Yu Fengxian's insistence on causing trouble, acting as the "Grand Tutor" who held both military and political power, had become unbearable for him.

She actually harbored ambitions to purge the court of high-ranking officials and become the "Prime Minister of Qin".

Now, he's acting as the emperor's second father. He ruthlessly killed Lao Ai and strangled the empress dowager, all to prevent the Ying family's legacy from falling into the hands of "others."
He is the son of Consort Li and the Emperor, Ying Yuyu!

Well, no matter how others treat him as a bastard, he fully identifies with his identity as the "son of the human emperor".

He was protecting his own country; he was aware of that.

As one of only two princes leading troops in the field (the other being Fusu), he felt it was his responsibility to rectify the court.

Compared to Li Si, Zhao Gao, and other marquises of the Eastern Sea, Marquis Lieyang's purpose was truly very simple.

"I have no nominee, but I will go to the Imperial Observatory to witness the 'Grand Tutor's Contest of Magic'," Marquis Lieyang said slowly after much deliberation.

"Please, Lord Marquis! Grand Tutor Yu has ordered that all Qi Refiners and ministers be summoned immediately. Once everyone is present, the battle will begin on the spot," said Master Guan.

"Is it possible to make it tonight?" Zhao Gao asked.

"Whether we have enough time or not depends on you all. Please don't procrastinate. Go to the Imperial Observatory as soon as possible, start the battle as soon as possible, and finish as soon as possible," said Master Guan.

Zhao Gao glanced at Hu Hai and said, "Prince Hu Hai will ascend the throne as Emperor tomorrow morning. We cannot delay."

"Does the Human Emperor offer sacrifices to Heaven?" Master Guan asked.

“Of course we must offer sacrifices to Heaven and Earth and report to the Supreme God of Heaven,” Zhao Gao immediately replied.

"Who will preside over the sacrificial ceremony? Without Grand Tutor Yu, your self-proclaimed emperorship of Prince Huhai will not gain the approval of the Jade Emperor of Heaven, the great emperors of the underworld, or the former kings of the Ying clan in the blessed land," said Master Guan.

"It's just a ceremony. Who performs the sacrificial ceremony should be chosen by the emperor. The ascension of the emperor of Great Qin does not require the approval of ghosts, gods, or heavenly deities," Li Si said calmly.

Marquis Lieyang frowned and said, "We'll all go to the Imperial Observatory to witness tonight's contest of magic. Let's decide the strongest Grand Tutor as soon as possible!"

After saying that, he stood up and strode out.

Li Si sighed helplessly, then took a carriage back to the Prime Minister's residence to appease the civil and military officials at the banquet. He then led a group of immortals to the Imperial Observatory in a grand procession.

"Teacher, should I go to the Imperial Observatory?" Hu Hai asked hesitantly.

"The selection of the Grand Tutor is a major event for the court. You not only have to go, but you also have to preside over the contest!" Zhao Gao said in a deep voice.

"But how should I face Grand Tutor Yu and the Qi Refiners of the East Sea?" Hu Hai asked, looking troubled.

Without much thought, Zhao Gao immediately said, "When facing the Qi cultivator from the East Sea, be sure to be courteous; when facing Yu Fengxian, be sure to lower your posture, still observe the disciple's etiquette, and secretly express your support for her to become the Grand Tutor of Qin. You must also kneel down to worship her and call her 'Uncle Father'."

Hu Hai exclaimed in surprise, "What's going on? What was the teacher's attitude just now?"

Previously, both Marquis Lieyang and Li Si had considered accepting defeat in their bet.

Yu Fengxian won the magic contest, and they then recognized her status as Grand Tutor.

Zhao Gao suddenly mentioned "Grand Tutor Gu".

It also revealed the secret talks between the Grand Commandant and Yu Fengxian, saying that Yu Fengxian was ambitious and quite like a "Prime Minister of Qin".

Zhao Gao said calmly, "Tonight's duel will only have two possible outcomes for Yu Fengxian."

Either win or die.

If she loses, she will die; countless people want her dead.

If she dies, it will be meaningless for you to secretly try to please her and make any promises you make.

If she wins, it won't be a narrow victory, but a resounding triumph, sweeping aside all opposition and displaying overwhelming power, making her invincible.

"Aren't you going to seize this opportunity to please her, or do you want things to go wrong at tomorrow morning's coronation ceremony?"

Hu Hai looked flustered, shaking his head like a rattle-drum, repeatedly saying, "I want to be the emperor, I must be the emperor, there can be no unforeseen events!"

Zhao Gao smiled faintly and said, "Do as I say, and I guarantee you will be safe."

"Disciple understands, disciple will go to the Imperial Observatory immediately," Hu Hai said urgently.

Zhao Gao waved his hand and said, "You are the emperor, so you should be the last to appear."

I will have someone keep an eye on the Imperial Observatory, and you can go there when the last group of people is about to arrive.

Anyway, the Imperial Observatory was located in the northwest corner of Xianyang Palace; it was less than three li (about 1.5 kilometers) from the west gate.

"Then this disciple will go and study first," Hu Hai said.

Zhao Gao looked satisfied and said, "Go! The more critical the moment, the more you must show your composure and calmness to the ministers."

"Father, there is something I do not understand."

Hu Hai was reading in his bedchamber, while Zhao Gao was deep in thought alone in the spacious hall. His son-in-law, Yan Le, looked around, approached his father-in-law, and whispered, "What exactly is our attitude towards Yu Fengxian?"

Zhao Gao slightly opened his eyelids and said calmly, "As far as you are concerned, you should be as respectful as His Highness the Prince."

Yan Le said, "Of course I will be respectful and polite, so that she can't find any fault with me."

But when we're planning something big, what should our attitude be towards her? Should we treat her as an enemy or a friend?
Her father was targeting her one moment and then trying to get the prince to be close to her the next. If she really won big, and Prince Huhai became emperor and relied on her a lot, he told her about what happened today.

She learned what her father had said and what he had done.

Zhao Gao said helplessly, "I don't want to take this risk either, but Marquis Lieyang has suppressed Marquis Donghai and is working hard to cooperate with Li Si to maintain the stability of the court."

Prime Minister Li and his gang of powerful figures in Xianyang refused to fight to the death with the Marquis of Donghai, so your father and I remained just a minor official in the Imperial Carriage Office.

He worked hard to cultivate Hu Hai for twenty years.

In order to overthrow Empress Dowager Zhao and put Huhai on the throne, he exhausted all his efforts and schemes.

What he's after is power, isn't it?
If things go according to his best-case scenario: after Li Si, he, and the Marquis of Lieyang jointly eliminate Empress Dowager Zhao and Lao Ai, he will move between the two sides, while Li Si, with the powerful figures of Xianyang, will fight to the death with the Marquis of Lieyang and other military commanders until one side is completely wiped out and the other side is crippled and exhausted. Then he will step in to turn the tide, stabilize the situation, and take control of Xianyang.

At that time, Yu Fengxian was naturally a troublesome and guarded-against person.

But now his expectations haven't come true, and he needs Yu Fengxian to join in and break the newly formed equilibrium.

Yu Fengxian, Li Si, and Lieyang Hou engaged in a chaotic three-way battle, fighting to the death.

"You don't need to worry about Yu Fengxian's matter. Just be respectful when you see her, and don't let her find any fault with you."

"If you really wanted to scheme against her, you wouldn't need to use your hands or brains."

Zhao Gao would not reveal his true thoughts, leaving his son-in-law to figure them out for himself.

It doesn't matter if he misunderstands, because he's still the one who makes the final decision.

He is the unseen and uncrowned king of Xianyang!

After Meng Qi left, he secretly orchestrated all the major changes in Xianyang.

He will ascend the chaotic staircase, step by step, to the highest position.

This was his heartfelt wish, his mission, and his "destiny."

(End of this chapter)