I began to understand the myriad things by chopping wood

As soon as the emperor asked the question, the entire imperial garden suddenly became quiet.

Only the low cries of the immortal birds and auspicious beasts and the gurgling sounds of the brooks and springs can be clearly heard.

No one spoke. All the geniuses participating in the Qianlong Banquet were silent for a moment, feeling that the emperor's question was somewhat unexpected.

Xie Yuan frowned slightly. In previous years, most of the topics were related to cultivation and martial arts. Sometimes there were also sharp and profound questions such as warriors and the court, how cultivators governed themselves, and even pure political questions about people's livelihood.

These questions may be difficult or easy, but they can always test the wisdom and cognition of the answerers to a certain extent, which can be regarded as part of the "literary test". The Qianlong Banquet invites true geniuses, and the winner cannot be a reckless man who only knows how to practice. However, those who have practiced to this level have always been extraordinary in both literary and military strategies, and there are few people who are ignorant of the world.

But even though everyone knew that the relationship between His Majesty the Emperor and the aristocratic families was very delicate, no one had ever asked such a sharp question.

May I ask, what benefit do aristocratic families bring to the world?
This is already pointing at the noses of the children of aristocratic families and cursing them.

Not to mention Wang Qiwen, even Cui Lei's expression became serious, and his eyes kept flashing.

Although Xie Yuan did not have such a strong feeling of being targeted, he also came here on behalf of the Chenjun Xie family at this moment. His mind was racing as he wondered why the emperor asked such a question.

"Why is the intensity so high right away?"

Xie Yuan frowned slightly, thinking secretly:

"It stands to reason that although it is a tacit understanding that the emperor and the noble families dislike each other, he shouldn't ask so directly. What answer does he want by asking this?"

As soon as the Qianlong Banquet began, Xie Yuan felt something unusual.

Thinking about what he had seen and heard in the past few days, Xie Yi's inexplicable coming to Beijing and his elusive appearance, as well as his somewhat strange instructions, Xie Yuan became more and more alert.

The banquet was silent for a moment, and everyone felt the invisible pressure as the emperor's eyes slowly swept across them.

Yet no one dared to speak.

“Is this question so difficult?”

The old emperor laughed.

Although he was smiling, everyone felt the atmosphere became more solemn.

Just when he was in a dilemma, a handsome and sharp man stood up and bowed slightly towards the emperor.

Everyone looked over, including Xie Yuan, only to find that this man was a genius he had seen before.

He Jin, the chief disciple of Cangjian Pavilion, was someone Xie Yuan had met at a sword debate between Yunshan Sword Sect and Cangjian Pavilion. At that time, he had fought a fierce battle with Qin Zhenyang and won by a slight margin, showing that he was extremely powerful.

Now, more than two years have passed, and he seems to be even more powerful than before. He has the aura of a master and may just be the last step away from success.

The emperor saw He Jin standing up, smiled, and said in a gentle voice:

"Any insights?"

He Jin bowed first, then said loudly:
"I do have some humble opinions on the topic Your Majesty has raised, and I hope they will inspire others.

“I was born in a rural area in the south of the Yangtze River. My master valued me and brought me to East Lake to practice swordsmanship, and I have made some progress.

“But before I went to East Lake, although I lived in the land of plenty in the south of the Yangtze River, I was poorly clothed and poorly fed during my childhood. I was pale and skinny. If it weren’t for my master, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have been able to see any talent for cultivation.

"It's not that the land in my hometown is barren and the aquatic products are not abundant. On the contrary, in the river that flows through the village, even a child can catch a big fish with his bare hands. There are thousands of acres of fertile fields on both sides of the river. When the autumn harvest comes, the fields are golden and there is no end in sight.

“But our family, including most families, still can’t get enough to eat.

"It's because of the local fishing tyrants. Anyone who wants to go into the river to fish has to pay a 'river fee' first, and then pay a 'landing fee' to bring the fish ashore. As a result, no matter whether you sell or eat the fish yourself, you will lose money... Your Majesty, please forgive me. I lost my temper when I think of the past."

He Jin bowed, and the emperor waved his hand with a calm expression.

He continued:

“Although it is a water town, we cannot get water, but it is also impossible to get food from the yellow earth.

"Under your Majesty's governance, Jiangnan has a clean government, honest officials, and no big landlords who force people to live in misery.

"However, every policy has its own countermeasures. In my hometown, there are three major surnames, each with about ten households. The thousand acres of fertile land by the river belong to them.

"It seems that no one is a big landlord, but in fact, the three big families are all servants brought by a man named Qian who moved to the town a hundred years ago. Mr. Qian was well-versed in laws, had good relations with officials and gentry, and scattered his family sons to the surrounding villages. Gradually, acres of land fell into his hands. Until today, a hundred years later, our village can only beg for food from the three big families. After working for a year, it is difficult to get enough food and clothing. The same is true for other villages.

"It's not that no one has reported to the authorities, but even the local officials cannot stand up to Mr. Qian because he is a distant relative of the Yongyang Qian family. Moreover, many of his capable people, although they control thousands of acres of fertile land, are still on the edge of Dali's laws and have not crossed the line. Even if the state government inspects, they will not say much because of his status.

"This is just a matter of one place, but a glimpse of the whole world is a glimpse of the whole world. He Jin is dull, he is only a warrior, he is not good at civil affairs, but from what I have seen, the 'Land Calculation Law' started by Taizu may be able to stop small landlords, but it will never eliminate the aristocratic families. If all the good land falls into the hands of the aristocratic families, perhaps the civil unrest at the end of the previous dynasty can be seen again."

After He Jin finished speaking, he sat down.

The emperor nodded slowly, without saying much, and only said:

"Young Master He, what you said makes sense. Do you have any opinions?"

Seeing this, a rare independent cultivator at the top of the Hidden Dragon Ranking stood up:

"Your Majesty, I think what Brother He just said is not only good farmland, but also more than just good farmland. Food is the first necessity of the people, and good farmland is the foundation of people's livelihood and the foundation of the country. For practitioners like me, practice resources, martial arts skills, and magic weapons are the foundation, and they are our nourishment.

"However, I came from the common people and started practicing martial arts in a small martial arts hall. I found that these resources are extremely difficult to obtain. Even if there are channels, it seems that there are shadows of wealthy families behind them. Whenever it comes to advanced martial arts, elixirs, and those sect pharmacies, there are all inextricable connections with the aristocratic families..."

He spoke eloquently, and what he meant was that the resources of martial arts were like fertile fields, which were occupied too much by the aristocratic families. He even extended it to mean that not only martial arts, but also all aspects of people's lives seemed to be controlled by invisible hands.

After this man sat down, two other people spoke, all with the same opinion.

Xie Yuan listened in silence. In fact, it was land annexation and resource enrichment, as well as the 80/20 rule. The big forces had formed a monopoly on many things. However, in a world with extraordinary power and a family that had lasted for thousands of years, these problems were magnified.

The emperor had a smile on his face the whole time, and no one knew whether he understood what was said.

But some people did avoid the main issue and just threw the problem to the aristocratic families.

In fact, the big sects and even the feudal court are nothing more than the same crows, but naturally no one would say anything at this time.

Wang Qiwen and Cui Lei, as representatives of the aristocratic families, both looked very solemn.

When someone else finished criticizing the noble families in accordance with the emperor's wishes, Wang Qiwen suddenly stood up, bowed solemnly to the emperor, and then said loudly:
“I have a different opinion.”

"Oh? Young Master Wang, tell me about it."

The emperor asked without changing his expression.

Wang Qiwen looked around:
"Everything has its pros and cons. What you said is mostly superficial. For example, Mr. Qian, as Brother How mentioned, could be Mr. Li, Mr. Wang, or an unknown master. He could also be Master Zhang, Elder Chen, Scholar Lin, or Mr. Pang. This has nothing to do with the family, but only with people's hearts.

"As for the power held by aristocratic families, just as there are big and small sects, the same is true for families. You don't have to think of aristocratic families as special. In fact, it is just a natural result of the family's growth. Aristocratic families have all the disadvantages of big forces, and others also have them; but the benefits brought by big forces are also shared by others and aristocratic families. Aristocratic families are not a scourge, they are just one of the big forces in the world."

He didn't say much, but he got to the point, and Xie Yuan nodded. Without mentioning his position, he felt that Wang Qiwen's speech was logical, concise, and without any unnecessary nonsense - although there was still a suspicion of avoiding the main point, after all, as a large force of family blood, the aristocratic family was different from other organizations, but considering that it was now a debate in front of the emperor, it was harmless.

Cui Lei echoed directly:

"I don't know about other families, but where the Cui family is, the people live and work in peace and contentment. Qinghe is famous for its wealth. Doors are kept open at night for a thousand miles around. No thieves dare to appear around the Cui family, and I have never heard of any people saying a bad word about the Cui family."

Someone sneered:
"They dare."

Cui Lei responded directly:

"Don't you dare? No one has to kill you, even though you may not be my opponent."

"Humph, now is the literary exam, I won't argue with you. I will have a chance to learn Cui's swordsmanship of 'for the people' later."

The man snorted angrily and uttered harsh words.

Cui Lei just glanced at him and didn't bother to pay attention to him. This man was just one of the casual cultivators who talked nonsense and fawned on the emperor. Many of the people's speeches made sense, but he was just flattering and going too far. Many people despised him, and Cui Lei didn't even want to look at him straight in the eye.

People at the table gradually began to speak freely, and even started to argue with each other. The verbal battle got so intense that some people even made an appointment to fight each other later.

Just as everyone was arguing heatedly, the emperor suddenly spoke again, causing the surroundings to instantly quiet down:

"Xie Yuan, you are also a descendant of the Xie family of Chen County. What do you think about this topic and the "Discussion on Aristocratic Families"? "

The people around all turned their eyes over, including Situ Qin and several princes and princesses.

If there is anyone in the scene whose life story is the most bizarre and who has been the most discussed recently, it would be Xie Yuan.

When the emperor called out names at this time, everyone wanted to know what he would say, and they were full of anticipation.

In particular, the only person who didn't speak on the scene, besides Xie Yuan, was the mysterious woman from Zhikong Mountain.

The latter looked detached from the world, so Xie Yuan, a core member of the Chenjun Xie family, had an important opinion, which might even influence the direction of the debate.

Xie Yuan originally said nothing, and was thinking more about why the emperor asked this question.

But when he saw the emperor looking at him, he could only slowly stand up and calmly say under the attention of everyone around him:

"Your Majesty, I grew up in the countryside and have not read many books, so I dare not express my opinions carelessly."

He had indeed not read the "On the Family" written by the emperor, but more importantly, the situation was unclear, and he did not agree with other people's views and did not want to follow them casually.

Everyone was stunned when they heard him say this. As a core member of the Chenjun Xie family, he ended up hanging up a banner to avoid fighting?
The emperor smiled:
"It doesn't matter if you haven't been to school. Having studied doesn't mean you are wise, but not having studied doesn't mean you are unwise. I heard that you pity the poor and the weak, and like to punish evil and promote good. You have always acted like a knight, not like someone from an aristocratic family. I guess you have some opinions on the pros and cons of aristocratic families?"

Xie Yuan bowed and said:
"I dare not claim to be chivalrous, but my humble opinion is not worth mentioning."

"Haha, you grew up in the common people, but you are from an aristocratic family. I think you have a different perspective on the problem. Don't be modest. In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages of aristocratic families compared to ordinary people? You can tell me."

The emperor said.

Seeing that the emperor insisted on asking, Xie Yuan said slowly:
"Aristocratic families are like everything else in the world. They have both advantages and disadvantages for the people."

The emperor saw that he was brief and to the point, and had no further words to say, and he said with some dissatisfaction:
"And then? Regarding the country, the family, and the people, you must explain it to me from the perspective of the common people. Don't be perfunctory."

Seeing that the emperor seemed to be very concerned about Xie Yuan's answer, everyone became stern in attitude, and the majesty of the Lord of the Central Plains naturally emanated, and they all fell silent.

Xie Yuan frowned, looked at the emperor, and said:

"Your Majesty wants to hear the people's opinions?"

"Yes, in my opinion, you are more like a commoner than a child of an aristocratic family."

The emperor nodded slowly.

Xie Yuan pondered for a moment and said slowly:
"From the perspective of the common people, the disadvantages of aristocratic families far outweigh the advantages."

what did he say?
Everyone around was a little surprised. Cui Lei's eyes widened, and Wang Qiwen frowned, looking at Xie Yuan in surprise.

How could a core member of the Chenjun Xie family say such a thing?
Everyone was in an uproar.

There was a hint of satisfaction in the emperor's eyes, and the princes and princesses were whispering to each other.

Situ Qin looked at Xie Yuan, with the upright figure reflected in her beautiful eyes. She was not surprised, but felt that he had something else to say, and revealed a somewhat helpless smile.

Xie Yuan continued:
"From the perspective of the common people, the imperial court is the same. There is not much difference between the aristocratic families and the imperial court. They are both huge mountains weighing on the common people's shoulders."

The noise suddenly became quiet.

In the Imperial Garden, one could hear a pin drop. This time, even the auspicious beasts and famous birds sensed something and restrained their sounds.

The flattering casual cultivator slammed the table and pointed at Xie Yuan angrily:

"Xie Yuan, what nonsense are you talking about! How dare you put the noble family on the same level as the imperial court?"

He was about to curse again, but the emperor suddenly waved his hand and smiled:
"Keep talking."

Xie Yuan was also very straightforward. When the emperor insisted on speaking, he continued:
“In the eyes of the common people, no matter if they are from a big family, a big clan, a big landlord, or a big corrupt official, the results are the same.

"I have killed young villains, county lieutenants, and county magistrates along the way. They have all harmed many people and have their own reasons for death. However, the former is a child of an aristocratic family, the middle one is an official appointed by the court, and the latter is both a member of an aristocratic family and an official appointed by the court.

“It can be seen that the aristocratic families and the imperial court are actually inseparable.

“But those who suffer are all the same people.

"Ninety percent of the drawbacks of aristocratic families are inherent in the overwhelming power, or in other words, the drawbacks of monopolizing power are common to the world.

"Before Taizu obtained the deer, the royal family of our dynasty was also the top family in the world. After that, it became even better, but it is still one of the aristocratic families. If you want to talk about the shortcomings of the aristocratic families, it is to talk about the shortcomings of the royal family, so I dare not discuss it without permission."

Xie Yuan could have said more, but given his status, even if he spoke out everything he was thinking, the emperor would not do anything to him at the Qianlong Banquet;

After all, the previous Qianlong Banquet encouraged people to speak freely, and the emperor did indulge many bold remarks for the sake of his reputation. In addition, Xie Yuan was not an ordinary person in the Chenjun Xie family, and unless he was treasonous or defiled the harem, no one would do anything to Xie Yuan - in fact, they could not control the children of aristocratic families.

However, Xie Yuan still said half of his words, then took them back and stopped at the point to avoid making it too awkward.

Although he was not impressed by the existence of aristocratic families, he did not want to pretend to agree with other people's biased opinions and criticize them, nor did he want to defend his own position against his will.

In his view, the feudal dynasty was the epitome of aristocratic families. It was somewhat ridiculous for the emperor of a hereditary dynasty to ask the people for their opinions on aristocratic families.

As a result, the emperor kept asking him questions and used the emperor's authority to force him. Xie Yuan was naturally dissatisfied. Although he had been in this world for a long time, he had mostly been in the rivers and lakes and had little contact with these things about monarchs and ministers. He was naturally dissatisfied, even more so than the aristocratic families.

I have to ask because I'm afraid you'll be unhappy if I tell you.

There was total silence in the field; even Wang Qiwen and Cui Lei were stunned.

Oh my god, does he want to live?
How dare you tell this to the emperor?
Although Wang Qiwen and Cui Lei, the core members of the carefully trained aristocratic families, wanted these things; and the emperor did not really care about the people, he just wanted to eliminate the threats to the royal family.

But in this situation, facing the common ruler of the world, how could they dare to speak like this even if they had different positions?
The authority of the emperor is still deeply rooted in everyone's heart. Although it is a world where martial arts are respected, the court's rule is stable, there are countless powerful officials in the government, and the court or the royal family has control over countless resources for cultivation, which also makes martial artists feel awe.

The princes and princesses were all shocked, some had unfriendly looks in their eyes, some stole glances at the emperor, all with different expressions.

Only Situ Qin had anticipated this and sighed softly.

She had long known that even when Xie Yuan was still a commoner, he had a kind of...treasonous nature that she had never seen in anyone else.

In his heart, there seems to be no distinction between high and low. He respects the elders and loves the young, but there is nothing more.

This was one of the things that attracted me to him. Even though I knew that my status was extremely noble, I still joked. How big was the gap between them at that time? The gap between the escort of a small county town and the only daughter of the King of Pingxi and the Saint of the Kitchen Goddess was a bit of an understatement.

But he could still get along with her without being humble or overbearing. An equal friend was very rare for Situ Qin.

Another point is that he really looks like what she likes...

Then, as they got to know each other slowly, Xie Yuan's talent, character, and other advantages gradually attracted her, and it was natural for them to become what they are now.

Situ Qin thought about it slowly, and then thought to herself that if the Emperor was going to get angry, she would have to use the influence of her father to persuade him.

However, she thought that even if the heroic lord said something more extreme, he would not do so in such an occasion.

In the midst of the subtlety, the emperor smiled slowly:
"This view is unique and different from all of you."

He picked up the golden cup and raised it towards Xie Yuan. Xie Yuan then stood up, held the cup with both hands and drank the wine in one gulp.

Then the emperor put down the golden cup, as if forgetting what had just happened, and asked another question, which was purely a test of martial arts knowledge:

"To become a master, one must achieve the unity of nature and man, and achieve harmony of inner and outer aspects. May I ask you, how can one achieve this?"

This is the procedure for becoming a Grandmaster, and is just right for this group of top geniuses.

Just reveal it like that?

When everyone saw that the emperor changed the topic, everyone felt relieved.

Many people secretly looked at Xie Yuan, not knowing what to think, and then started answering the questions one after another.

The literary examination gradually became calm and the banquet slowly came to an end.

The emperor raised the golden cup and said with a smile:
"Your answers comfort me greatly. With geniuses like you, Dali has no reason to worry about its future. Why should we fear the strong men from the Western Regions and the four seas? I wish you all can achieve the Grandmaster level as soon as possible, connect the double bridges of heaven and earth, and achieve the unity of inner and outer world! Let's drink this cup together, cheers!"

The emperor drank the golden cup first, and everyone at the banquet stood up and drank the wine towards the emperor.

The emperor put down his wine glass, and then smiled again on his face full of wrinkles:

"Now that the banquet is over, you are all talented warriors, so you must practice your fists and feet." Everyone's heart moved, knowing that the main topic had come.

The Qianlong List is a list of warriors, and the Qianlong Banquet is not an imperial examination, so how can there be no martial arts competition?

However, in the past, the literary examinations were mostly related to the rankings. This time, the emperor did not mention the results and simply skipped them. I don’t know whether the answers were good or bad…

Everyone turned their eyes to Xie Yuan.

If the emperor was really angered, it would not be Wang Qiwen and Cui Lei. Even if they were on the opposing side, their answers were quite standard.

On the contrary, this guy is simply...can he be called a madman, or a peerless villain?

He didn't even give the emperor face. Everyone couldn't help but think of his other nickname and nodded secretly.

Soon, the palace servants brought over a bonsai tree that was about ten feet square.

In the imperial garden, the geniuses attending the Qianlong Banquet and the princes and princesses watching the ceremony all cast their eyes on this huge bonsai.

The bonsai is exquisite, with mountains and flowing water, gentle hills and dense forests, and lingering clouds and mist, which gives it a sense of transcendence.

There is an endless waterfall on the rockery, flowing gently. No one knows where the power comes from, which makes people secretly marvel. Suddenly, someone with sharp eyes discovered that not only is there an endless flow of water and spontaneous clouds and mist, but there are even spirit deer running around and jumping in the dense forest. Upon closer inspection, there are other animals that have been shrunk countless times living there, as if it is a real world.

The emperor stroked his gray beard and smiled:

"This item is part of the 'Jiangshan in the Palm'. The 'Jiangshan in the Palm' is a thing in the palace of the previous dynasty. It is both a magic weapon and a relic. The royal family of the previous dynasty liked to hunt, practice martial arts, and play in it. When Taizu broke into the forbidden palace of the previous dynasty, their last emperor hid in it and was killed by Taizu who entered it - haha, of course it is not this part."

Everyone was shocked and moved. Of course, everyone had heard this story many times, and the famous name of Zhang Zhong Jiang Shan was also well-known.

The emperor said it was just a toy, which was too easy to say. In fact, it was a national treasure of the previous dynasty. It contained the vastness of the world and surpassed all existing relics. More importantly, it could be moved at will!

Whether it is used to hide troops and deploy formations, train the army and perform martial arts, or to help people practice spiritual cultivation and store supplies, it is a magical treasure.

When the previous dynasty was destroyed, the last emperor hid in it. It took Emperor Taizu of Dali three months to search for him before he finally found his whereabouts. He almost thought that he had already fled. At that time, he was living in there and was afraid that something might happen.

However, after the death of the last emperor, this divine weapon fell into pieces and became useless. How come it was used again?

The emperor was like an old man without any airs, smiling:

"The artisans in the palace have finished repairing this part a few days ago. I see how wonderful it is and I decided to make it the final venue for the Qianlong Banquet. The rules are not that complicated.

“Everyone enters and forms their own formation. The winner stays and the loser leaves, until the last person stands.

"To make it more interesting, please do not bring any elixirs, magic weapons, or weapons into the place. I am alone. Various elixirs, treasures, and weapons have been placed in various places in this bonsai, ranging from those used by ordinary people to mysterious weapons. Everyone relies on their luck to see what they can pick up.

"In addition, once you enter it, your realm will be suppressed. You are full of blood and energy, and you can't use even one of the ten stops. When the time comes, we will compete again, and it will depend on your resourcefulness and skills."

When everyone heard this, they became solemn.

Can’t bring anything with you? You have to rely on luck to pick up things?
Forget about the other things, but not having a weapon at hand would have a big impact. If you run into an enemy right away, and they are armed with sharp weapons while you are unarmed, you have already lost half the battle.

But this one is fine, not bringing your own things has always been one of the unspoken rules of similar occasions;

However, what they didn't expect was that this magical weapon could actually suppress realms?
If only one tenth of the usable blood and energy remains, doesn't that mean that the realm has returned to the first level?

If you rely solely on the physical fitness after the transformation, many high-level skills may not be able to be used by then. It really depends on the basic skills.

Moreover, without the long-standing training, the warrior's instinctive reactions are useless, which is really a big test.

Everyone felt it was a very difficult situation.

Except Xie Yuan.

"…Is it true that the emperor is not partial to me?"

When Xie Yuan heard the rules, he became a little suspicious.

To be honest, he was not afraid of the geniuses present. Although he might not win, he had the Heavenly Hidden Art and he had jumped back and forth countless times in front of the Grandmaster. Facing enemies of the same level, as long as he did not want to fight, he could not lose.

But his biggest disadvantage is still his realm.

If he really wants to survive to the end, he must fight a decisive battle. Facing top masters like Wang Qiwen, it is hard for Xie Yuan to guarantee victory.

However, now, everyone’s strength has been suppressed by 90%, and they are basically starting from the same starting line.

Even if you can't use the high-level skills, the secret skills will not be restricted.

"I will lower my realm to the lowest level, and then use my rich experience in low realms to defeat them..."

The huge gap in realm was smoothed out, and Xie Yuan's advantage was infinitely magnified. When competing with others in the same realm, Xie Yuan had never been afraid of others.

The moment he heard the rules, he even felt that he had won.

But Xie Yuan really didn't believe that the emperor would deliberately favor him.

Could it be that Situ Qin went to act coquettishly in front of her uncle the emperor?

This... Situ Qin has a generous and open-minded personality, and doesn't seem like the kind of person who would take advantage of himself in this way.

Moreover, the emperor would not necessarily set up a special position for himself. Even if he did it for Situ Qin's sake, he was still a member of the Chenjun Xie family.

Seeing how hostile he is to the aristocratic families, which has been made clear to him, and I just didn't give him face, it's hard to imagine that I would be able to take advantage of him.

I didn't bring anything with me, and my realm was suppressed...

Although I had the advantage, Xie Yuan felt insecure.

His heart moved, and he watched the palace servants lead everyone to the side hall rooms to change clothes. He followed a young eunuch into a room, took off his clothes, took off various protective gear and elixirs, then took the mysterious weapon and paused.

Xie Yuan remained calm, put all his things away, and put on the clothes provided by the palace. When he was fixing his hair, he changed the Baibian Xuanbing into the same shape as the hairpin provided by the palace and put it on his head.

Then he walked out of the room, and the eunuch at the door bowed respectfully to him and began to search him.

After a while, the young eunuch took Xie Yuan back to the imperial garden, and Xie Yuan looked relaxed.

When the Baibian Xuanbing turned into other things, it didn't look like anything else. It still looked like a small sword.

Fortunately, it was hardly noticeable because it was stuck in the hair, so Xie Yuan got away with it.

Everyone felt simple, refreshed and brand new, but they themselves were obviously not used to it.

Without any equipment or magic weapons, their strength was greatly reduced, but considering that they were attending the meeting in the imperial palace, no one said anything.

The emperor glanced at the crowd and smiled slightly:
"Now that everything is ready, I invite all of you to join me in my quest to rule the country."

The bonsai was suddenly surrounded by mist and clouds, which spread to the surroundings.

Everyone felt a little uneasy, but they still stepped into the bonsai area and then disappeared one by one.

Xie Yuanzhu fell behind and exchanged a glance with Situ Qin next to him. Situ Qin blinked her big eyes, smiled slightly, and gave him a gesture of encouragement.

Xie Yuan waved his hand quietly, then walked into the clouds and mist, and his figure disappeared in an instant.

The last person to enter was a female cultivator from Zhikong Mountain. She was still covered in a veil, with her face hidden behind the veil and her eyes also wrapped in cloth.

Although everyone saw that she was still dressed like this, since the emperor and the young eunuch didn't say anything, they didn't raise any objections.

The mysterious woman walked to the bonsai, paused slightly, then took another step and walked in under the emperor's gaze, her figure turning into a small dot in the palm of her hand.

When the emperor saw that everyone had gone in, his expression became calm.

He glanced at the princes and princesses who were staring at the villains inside, then glanced at Situ Qin, with a hint of complexity in his eyes.

The interaction between Xie Yuan and Situ Qin just now naturally did not escape the eyes of this hero. In fact, he had already read Xie Yuan's information carefully and knew more about it than most people.

That's why he felt he couldn't stay.

"My strength is only at the third level of Qi and Blood Transformation. I mastered the Burning Heaven Destroying Dao Spear after just one practice. I have mastered the Great Golden River Skill for a short time and have already mastered the fourth movement...

"If he is someone who hates the aristocratic families, or is willing to give up everything for love and be content to be a prince consort, or if he is a mediocre person, Qin'er, I can let him live.

"But he is a man with a lot of ideas. He is Xie Xuan's son, the most important member of the Xie family. He is so talented that he even surpasses his father..."

The emperor, who had great talent and iron fist throughout his life, looked at Situ Qin and felt guilty for the second time in his life.

Are you really going to force Minghe to death, harm his daughter's mother, and then kill her lover?
The emperor closed his eyes, and seemed to see again that simple and cheerful brother who respected and trusted him infinitely.

When he opened his eyes again, the old emperor's vision was a little blurry.

In a trance, he saw both the magnanimity and generosity on Situ Qin's bright face and the charming gentleness on the other side.

I am sorry for your family...

But this is for the Xue royal family.

The old emperor smiled and said to Situ Qin in a gentle voice:
"Qin'er, enjoy the fun here with your brothers and sisters. Uncle is a little tired, so go and take a rest first."

Situ Qin turned around and bowed respectfully:
"Your Majesty, please have a good rest."

The emperor chuckled, and left the imperial garden with Situ Qin and the princesses and princes seeing him off.

Many princes and princesses looked at Situ Qin, and even showed envy. The old emperor had many children in his life, and the status of these princes and princesses might not be as high as Situ Qin, at least not worthy of his greeting.

Many people's minds turned, and they came towards Situ Qin again, with gentle and enthusiastic expressions, as if they were brothers and sisters who grew up together, watching together the competition between martial artists in the rockery.

But as I looked at it, the fog over the country in my palm became thicker and thicker, and it became harder to see clearly.

The emperor walked slowly in the deep palace for a long time. He ignored the eunuch's dissuasion and insisted on walking by himself. Slowly, the redness on his face disappeared and he even breathed a little.

But he measured the Forbidden Palace where he had lived for decades step by step, glanced at the exotic flowers and plants he liked, and then walked into a more secluded small garden.

The emperor dismissed most of the palace servants and only kept two old eunuchs with white eyebrows who looked exactly the same to support him closely. Judging from the appearance of the two eunuchs, they were actually twins.

Two eunuchs helped the emperor walk into the small garden and sat him down at a table in the pavilion in the garden, where two people were already sitting.

When the two saw the emperor coming, they all stood up and saluted with stern expressions:
"See Your Majesty."

Both of them were dressed in luxurious clothes and had outstanding demeanor. Even when facing the emperor, their spirit was not much weaker than his.

He has three long wisps of beard, a thin yet bold face, and a handsome face. Although he is middle-aged, he is still a rare handsome man.

The two people waiting quietly in the deep palace garden were Cui Cheng, the head of the Qinghe Cui family and the grandmaster, and Xie Yi, the head of the Chenjun Xie family.

The emperor waved his hand:

"No need to greet you two."

He looked at the elegant garden outside the pavilion, his face relaxed, yet somewhat regretful:

"It's a pity that it's winter now and it hasn't snowed here yet. The snow scene in this little garden is absolutely unique and it's my favorite."

Cui Cheng's expression changed, and he said slowly:
"If it doesn't snow in winter, it will snow in December. Your Majesty, why are you so anxious?"

The old emperor turned around, looked at the two family heads who were not inferior to him in some ways, and laughed:

"I am old now, I can't think about tomorrow or next year, I can only take care of today, I really can't wait any longer."

When the two family heads heard this, their expressions became even more serious.

Xie Yi's coming to the capital was actually kept secret and he never showed up. Outsiders all thought that only Xie Yuan's siblings and the accompanying master came.

But after all, he lived in a separate courtyard, so even if the news leaked out, it was possible that he could figure it out.

However, what the two family heads couldn't understand was that it was fine that Xie Yi received the invitation letter directly delivered to him by the palace, but why did Cui Chengyuan also receive the letter when he was waiting thousands of miles away?
Even the head of the Wang family was further away, so the three of them used magic tools to communicate directly, only to find that they had all received the invitation letter almost at the same time.

The emperor invited them to the palace for a meeting.

Cui Cheng really couldn't understand how a grandmaster could reveal his whereabouts.
But now that the emperor's show of force has come to this point, whether you want to understand or not, there is no need to continue covering it up. It just depends on whether you accept it or not.

The three family heads discussed for a moment and decided to attend the Hongmen Banquet.

After all, they have already made a plan, and even in this palace, the strength of both sides is equal.

The negotiation table was chosen here because, rather than having the home advantage, the emperor was probably more afraid that a grandmaster-level battle would directly destroy the imperial palace and even the capital, so he was hesitant to act.

So Xie Yi and Cui Cheng came, and the head of the Wang family was on the way.

It seems that the emperor has reached the time to make the last move of his life. No matter how he plays the pieces, the three family heads must come and see for themselves and take the challenge in person.

The game between the royal family and the aristocratic families will come to an end today.

The emperor looked at the two men who were facing a formidable enemy, but he seemed extremely relaxed.

He was naturally relaxed, as all the arrangements had been made and all that was left was to wait for them to bear fruit.

The emperor smiled, looked at Cui Cheng, then at Xie Yi, and sighed:

"I don't know if it's because I got the throne improperly and was blamed by my ancestors. The royal family is obviously the most powerful and has the most profound foundation, but it just so happens that I can't produce a grandmaster.

"If I had even one Grandmaster under my command..."

He sighed deeply, feeling extremely regretful.

Perhaps all his luck was used to exchange for Xue Minghe, but the reaction of the aristocratic family was too fast, causing him to miss the only chance in his life.

The emperor shook his head.
"Tell me, both of you, would it have been better if I had kept Minghe hidden from you?"

Cui Cheng shook his head and said firmly:

"In my opinion, there is no possibility that Xue's genius can be hidden."

Xie Yi also nodded:

"A true genius is like the blazing sun in the sky. He cannot be hidden. As soon as he showed his prowess in the Western Expedition Army, someone noticed him."

The emperor sighed:

"That's right... When people get old, they like to fantasize about impossible past events. In fact, I didn't make any wrong moves, I just missed one move. This is fate."

The two family heads felt even more depressed when they saw the emperor calmly reviewing the matter with them and laying everything out on the table.

This doesn't seem to be a good signal.

Both of them were a little cautious, thinking that Wang Yunzhi should be here soon.

"I called you here today so that you can meet an old friend again."

The emperor looked at their expressions and suddenly spoke.

The two frowned, and suddenly saw the wooden door of the small house next to them slowly open without wind.

Just separated by a door, the room seemed to be immersed in darkness and nothing could be seen clearly.

However, when the two family heads looked over, they were stunned for a moment, with expressions of disbelief on their faces.

click, click, click...

Step by step, light footsteps were heard in the endless darkness of the room.

After a few sounds, a figure covered in a hood and with an unclear face walked out of the door.

(End of this chapter)