Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 647 Yingzhou Leaves Fall, Two Links Connected
—The Fei family of Yingzhou, outside Baodantai

The spiritual lamps cast a bluish glow on the stone walls, and beyond this Baodantai Grotto, there were three more gates filled with spiritual barriers.

The few Golden Core cultivators of the Fei family who remained in the clan territory, regardless of what important matter they were doing, were all standing solemnly here, surrounded by a large number of Fei family stalwarts.

If these Fei family patriarchs were located in other prefectures or counties, they would be considered respectable figures. However, at this moment, they even breathed very softly.

The reason was that the spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from the Embracing Pill Platform were too terrifying, enough to make even those who had spent years in Foundation Establishment or Pseudo-Core Pill Masters feel their hearts tremble.

At the very center of the Baodan Terrace, Fei Yeshu sat cross-legged on a cold jade futon. In front of him hung a bronze cauldron with black patterns, about a foot tall. The cauldron was mottled, yet it faintly shimmered with a precious light.

Although the Fei family of Yingzhou has not produced a Nascent Soul cultivator, in terms of the length of its lineage, it ranks among the top in the entire Great Wei Immortal Dynasty.

This cauldron was originally from the imperial treasury of the previous dynasty. It can only be activated by the spiritual power of a Nascent Soul cultivator. Inside the cauldron is sealed a wisp of "Innate Suppressing True Qi", which can shatter spiritual veins and break the Dharma body.

Given the Fei family's status in Yingzhou, they would normally have had a hard time acquiring this treasure. However, due to a change of dynasty, they were fortunate enough to obtain it by chance.

The Fei family ancestors were extremely cautious. This treasure had been in the clan for two or three thousand years, but it was only passed down through the mouths of successive family heads.

However, since none of the Fei family heads in successive generations had formed a Nascent Soul, they could only suppress its spiritual light and place it in the ancestral land, which could be considered as a precious pearl being covered in dust.

Only after Fei Yeyi inherited the family headship did this glimmer of hope appear, allowing him to see the light of day again.

To be honest, this old cultivator hadn't even formed a mid-grade Golden Core. Even among the past heads of the Fei family, he couldn't be considered a person of extraordinary talent.

But as Emperor Taizu once said, "The foundation of the Dao and the quality of the elixir can only determine the outcome in the short term; only a firm and steadfast mind can lead to long-term success."

Although Fei Yeling's path to becoming an infant was extremely tortuous, the Fei family of Yingzhou flourished under his leadership, firmly establishing itself as the "most powerful family in the world."

Not only were there nearly twenty Golden Core cultivators alive at the same time, but Fei Nanying also formed a mid-grade Golden Core, and they made the right bet on Duke Kuang Liuting of Qin.
To be honest, this is arguably the most prosperous period in the history of the Fei family.

However, the rise and fall of a dynasty is an established fact of the world. Since Fei Yeyi failed to break through the shackles and lead the entire Fei family of Yingzhou to a higher level, the subsequent calamity will naturally come at a suitable time.

According to the old man's own opinion, perhaps it is right now.

Fei Yeli lowered his eyes to look at the bronze cauldron with mysterious patterns in front of him. The cauldron was inscribed with the four characters "Zhen Yuan Ding E" on its body, and cloud patterns were carved on its three legs. A star array was faintly visible on its belly. A wisp of "Innate Zhen Sha True Qi" was sealed inside the cauldron. If it was activated by the "Spiritual Guide", it would be enough to shatter the Nascent Soul Dharma Body.

"My two or three, guard the sacred place well."

Fei Yeling's voice came through the Baodantai cave, carrying a metallic tone. Upon hearing this, the Golden Core cultivators standing outside hurriedly retreated as instructed, their fingertips gripping their magical artifacts, fearing that their inner spiritual power might go out of control and damage their clan's territory.

Suddenly, the faint sound of hand seals echoed from within the Baodan Platform.

Fei Ye sat cross-legged on the cold jade futon, his left hand resting on the cauldron's handle, while his right hand continuously changed spells.

First, perform a hand seal to draw out the dormant spiritual energy within the cauldron, then form a mudra to channel the spiritual power of the golden core throughout your body into the cauldron like a gentle stream.

The mottled bronze cauldron patterns seemed to come alive and glowed with a ghostly light as soon as they came into contact with spiritual energy. A wisp of mysterious mist rose from the mouth of the cauldron, and there was a hidden evil aura in the mist, but it was firmly locked by the star array on the body of the cauldron.

This is the innate evil-suppressing true qi! It is so ferocious that it can erode the nascent soul. Without the spiritual guide to neutralize it, even though Fei Yeyi's cultivation is only half a step away from forming the nascent soul, he will still be devoured by the evil power.

“The Mani Leaf can serve as a spiritual guide.” Fei Yeyi took out the emerald green leaf from his sleeve. This leaf had obviously been refined by various precious items that he had painstakingly searched for. The Buddhist light flowing between the veins of the leaf was even stronger than when he first saw it. As soon as it appeared, it forced back the evil energy in the mysterious mist at the mouth of the cauldron by three points.

He held the precious leaf between his fingertips and slowly pressed it against the star array on the belly of the cauldron.

That place is the nexus of the seal of the evil spirits, and also the place where the spirit should land.

As soon as Bao Ye touched the bronze cauldron, Fei Ye suddenly bit his tongue, and a mouthful of blood seeped into Bao Ye through his fingers. The blood droplets mixed with the Buddhist light seeped into the cauldron, and with a soft "sizzle" sound, the star array on the cauldron suddenly lit up. The light patterns, like the Milky Way, spread along the cauldron and wrapped the entire cauldron in a bluish-gold color.

"With my essence and blood as the guide, and the Buddha's light as the medium, the Zhenyuan Cauldron opens, and the evil power manifests its might!" Before Fei Yesui's shout had even finished, his right hand formed the "Suppressing Calamity Seal" and pressed it hard on the cauldron's handle.

This hand seal fell into the hands of the Fei family's ancestor along with the Zhenyuan Cauldron. It was created specifically to activate the cauldron, but no one in the past generation could activate its power to suppress evil. Today, however, it has revealed its true power under the blessing of the Mani Treasure Leaf.

With a muffled "hum", the Zhenyuan Cauldron suddenly rose into the air. Instead of sporadic black mist rising from its mouth, a beam of cyan-gold light, about ten feet thick, surged out.

Inside was the innate true qi that had been tamed by the Buddha's light, no longer a malevolent and ferocious aura, but instead possessing a weighty weight that suppressed heaven and earth. The beam of light struck the stone dome atop the Dantai platform without causing the slightest damage. Instead, the ancient spiritual patterns on the stone dome were activated, echoing the star array on the cauldron, converging the beam of light to a thickness of about a foot, which then hung steadily above the mouth of the cauldron.

Veins bulged on Fei Yelian's forehead, and the spiritual power of his golden core burst out like a dam breaking, flowing down his arm and into the cauldron's handle.

He knew that this was not a normal activation of a spiritual treasure, but a drain on his life force; every moment he held on, he would lose a bit of his chance of survival.

The news of the failed attempt to form the Nascent Soul stage should have been leaked long ago. The "wolves" around the Fei family in Yingzhou are probably already gathered a hundred miles away, and there might even be Nascent Soul cultivators hiding there. At this time, why would they care about their own safety?

"Freeze!" Fei Yeyi shouted, his right hand seals changing again to form the "Locking Evil Seal".

The cyan-gold pillar of light at the mouth of the cauldron instantly solidified and stopped shaking. The suppressing power and Buddhist light within it intertwined more closely, and countless tiny runes could be faintly seen flowing within the pillar of light.

That is the mark of the fusion of the star array on the cauldron body and the Buddha light of the Mani Jewel Leaf, which is specifically designed to counter the protective spiritual light of Nascent Soul cultivators.

The suppressing power within the cauldron was now completely under control. With just a thought, the pillar of light could break through the hole and burst forth. Even if a Nascent Soul cultivator were hit head-on, their protective spiritual light would shatter and their spiritual veins would be damaged. If the impact were more severe, even the Nascent Soul Dharma Body would likely be shredded by the suppressing power.

The star array on the cauldron suddenly shone brightly to its extreme, and Fei Yeyi suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, which splattered onto the belly of the cauldron.

The blood seeped into the cauldron along the star patterns, and the cyan-gold pillar of light at the cauldron's mouth increased by three-tenths. The stone wall of the Pillar of Embracing Elixir was shaken by the pressure emanating from the pillar of light, causing dust to fall.

The outer spirit-restricted gate emitted a bluish light, and layers of spiritual patterns lit up, barely managing to block the aura that could make even a Golden Core cultivator's heart tremble.

"It's done," Fei Yeyi said in a low voice, letting out a long sigh of relief, but a tearing pain shot through her chest.

He knew in his heart that he had completely lost his chance of survival. Even if the "pack of wolves" did not come within a month, his depleted vital energy and the backlash from the evil energy on his meridians would not allow him to live for more than a few days.

But when he looked up at the Zhenyuan Cauldron suspended in mid-air, at the solid cyan-gold pillar of light, there was not a trace of regret in his eyes.

The innate evil-suppressing true qi inside the cauldron, enveloped in Buddhist light, was as docile as a tamed beast. The pressure emanating from the cauldron made even this seasoned cultivator tremble.

"A Nascent Soul cultivator, what can you do about it?" Fei Yeyi stroked the ancient patterns on the cauldron's handles, his tone ambiguous, neither envious nor sighing, but the resolute look in his eyes gradually deepened.

At the same time, outside the Baodan Platform, the Spirit Forbidden Gate suddenly emitted a golden light, echoing the cyan-gold pillar of light from the Zhenyuan Cauldron inside the platform.

The Fei family elders outside exchanged glances, all seeing relief in each other's eyes. However, they couldn't show any disrespect in front of the younger generation, so they had to suppress their excitement.

Fei Yeyi slowly withdrew her hand from the cauldron's handle, and some frosty white hairs fell from her temples.

The previous exertion had consumed most of his vital energy, and even his golden core seemed to be sinking heavily in his dantian, each pulsation accompanied by intense pain.

He raised his hand to wipe the blood from his lips, but his gaze did not leave the Zhenyuan Cauldron suspended in mid-air. The cyan-gold pillar of light at the mouth of the cauldron stood steadily, like a sword hidden in the shadows, exuding a reassuring aura.

The golden light from the outer spirit-restricted gate was still flowing, and the auras of several Golden Core cultivators had become much more stable, but they still dared not relax.

Although they did not know what their ancestor was doing inside, they could sense from the outward-leaning pressure that it was something that would be difficult to resist.

Although they were all curious, no one dared to make a sound and disturb them. They simply stood guard quietly, even breathing more lightly than before.

However, if either Fei Yeqing or Fei Tianqin were here, they would definitely be able to see that Fei Dongzheng, who was in charge of the west side of the Spirit Forbidden Zone, seemed to be acting strangely.

His fingertips unconsciously rubbed the storage bag at his waist, his gaze constantly glancing towards the alchemy platform. The sense of security he felt with his clansmen was gone, replaced by a hint of uncertainty in his eyes.

Just now, when the spirit barrier gate emitted a golden light, a communication talisman in his sleeve suddenly became slightly hot, but he pressed it firmly in his palm, not daring to inject even a trace of spiritual power into it.

Only Fei Dongzheng himself knew that his secret thoughts were like a tiny crack in the spiritual barrier of the cave, which could burst open at any moment.

However, he did not know that even though Fei Yeyi was still at a critical moment, she still managed to spare a sliver of her divine sense and focus it on him.

—A few days later, in Taiyuan Capital and Xuanqiong Palace

The flickering candlelight illuminated the dragon-carved pillars of the Xuanqiong Palace. On the desk, memorials were piled up like a small mountain. Emperor Wei held a vermilion brush, his eyes lowered, his fingertips tracing the words "Fei Family of Yingzhou" on the memorials. The ink, still wet, concealed secret reports from local spies.

He frowned slightly, his vermilion brush hovering in mid-air: "It's said that all the Nascent Soul cultivators from various families have gathered in Yingzhou, but why hasn't Fei Yeyi made a move yet?!"

Upon hearing this, the Prince of the South, Kuang Shenzhi, replied softly, "I also feel something is amiss that the Baili family of Luochuan could so easily plant spies in their home. If Fei Yezhi only has this much ability, how could the Fei family have controlled Yingzhou for so long?"

"The Baili family of Luochuan, the Wenshan sect, and the Yuelusu family are indeed a bit impatient." Emperor Wei did not hide the dissatisfaction in his words, after all, these Nascent Soul forces in the capital region were not actually as close to the Wei royal family as they appeared on the surface.

"Has the Han family of Yu Kun also not made a move?" Emperor Wei put down his vermilion brush and asked again.

"The Golden Core cultivators in their clan have all gone their separate ways, but the two True Immortals have not made any moves."

Wei, the Grand Eunuch, seemed to be hidden in the Emperor's shadow. Only when he spoke did people realize that a real person was standing in that corner.

"It's really strange," Emperor Wei said, a rare look of surprise on his face. He couldn't figure out how the Fei family of Yingzhou had any other methods to deal with the Nascent Soul cultivators from various families.

It wasn't that he didn't care about the Fei family of Yingzhou at all; after all, compared to the arrogant aristocratic families, Fei Yeyi was considered loyal to the Wei Daxian Dynasty.

In fact, Fei Yeyi was the first promising candidate chosen by Emperor Wei in his early years. Moreover, without his promotion and indulgence, the Fei family of Yingzhou might not have achieved its current prosperity.

Knowing how abundant Yingzhou is, even a Nascent Soul Grandmaster has his eye on it. If it weren't for Emperor Wei mediating, would Fei Yeqing and Fei Tianqin, two powerful Golden Core cultivators, have been able to gradually bring all of Yingzhou's fertile land under the Fei family's control?
But times have changed. Fei Yeyi has given up hope of achieving Nascent Soul, and Fei Tianqin's bloodline is noble, but who knows when he will be able to achieve it?
If the Fei family were to continue to possess Yingzhou, it would be a great disgrace to their position.

Fei Yeyi was a clever man. In his early years, he had already presented to Emperor Wei that he wanted to sort out his family's land and put it under the direct control of the Kuang family clan, so that his descendants would be safe.

However, none of the officials of different surnames in the court agreed with this advice. Even the Prime Minister Gui Nianzhi, whom Emperor Wei had always relied on, remained silent.

Although Emperor Wei remained silent on the surface, he was deeply disappointed inside. However, this did not mean that he could simply shrug off the issue of Yingzhou's ownership and grant everyone's wishes.

Although Yingzhou was considered wealthy, it was not worth the enthusiasm of several Nascent Soul cultivators. Emperor Wei must have played a significant role in this.

In his opinion, once Yingzhou is turned into a vortex, even if a winner takes it over, many will be lost due to the successive battles. The families that were originally closely allied may turn into enemies.

Moreover, it would be best if these Nascent Soul cultivators from various families could still emerge dead or injured, as the Kuang family clan could then make a big fuss about it.

According to their plan, the Fei family of Yingzhou would bring in the Han family of Yu Kun, a relative by marriage, to oppose the other families. Afterwards, they would use some tricks to make the Nascent Soul cultivators of each family truly unleash their power.
The Fei family will inevitably be affected, but they still have Fei Nanying, who has attained the middle-grade Golden Core, who is still alive and can be used. Emperor Wei will not sit idly by and watch their lineage perish.

Therefore, even if the Fei family's business is lost, the lives of most of the clan members are still safe.

After all, Liangxi, Haibei, and the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty have plenty of uncultivated lands that need cultivators and mortals to cultivate and defend the borders. Although they are a bit harsh and cold, where would they not have nowhere to go?!
As Emperor Wei was pondering, Wei, the Grand Eunuch, received a brief report. After glancing at it briefly, the look of shock in his eyes lingered for a long time.

The latter was quickly presented, and Emperor Wei glanced at it, quite surprised, and said:
In the autumn of the 583rd year of the Qianfeng reign, war broke out suddenly near Yingzhou.

Su Qingxuan, the head of the Yue Lu Su family, Shi Yankong, the leader of the Wenshan Sect, and Baili Cangming, the head of the Luochuan Baili family, all harbored wolfish ambitions. They led their disciples to invade Yingzhou without cause. Three of them claimed to be Nascent Soul cultivators and dozens claimed to be Golden Core cultivators. They wanted to seize the fertile land of Yingzhou and destroy the Fei clan's ancestral hall.

Although Ye Sui, the head of the Fei family, had not reached the Nascent Soul stage, he possessed the majesty of Zhenyuan Ding and was quick to detect treacherous signs. He noticed that Fei Dongzheng of the clan was constantly caressing his storage bag and frequently glancing at the Baodan Platform out of the corner of his eye. He also noticed that the communication talisman in his sleeve was faintly glowing with spiritual light. He then realized that Fei Dongzheng had betrayed the clan and colluded with the enemy.

Ye Yi remained calm and collected, instead allowing the treacherous villains to spread the false news that "the spiritual power of the Baodan Terrace is about to be exhausted and the spiritual barrier is gradually collapsing." He also took precautions near the Baodan Terrace: he buried the Nine-Turn Spirit Gathering Pattern underground and drew water from the spiritual spring to accumulate power.
The seven-star formation was set up all around to trap the enemy, and the shape of the rocks was used to block the way;
An external channel is set up to guide the evil energy within the cauldron, allowing it to spread—this is the complete strategy to lure the enemy. First, the cauldron's light is concealed, feigning exhaustion; then, the spiritual barrier is opened, pretending to be afraid to fight.

The three bandit leaders were indeed misled by the false information from Dongzheng. Su Qingxuan, relying on his Nascent Soul cultivation, brandished his sword and rushed straight to Baodantai, intending to seize the cauldron and destroy its foundation. Shi Yankong chanted evil scriptures to attract evil spirits, while Baili Cangming drove his spirit boat to set up an array, attacking from both inside and outside, with unstoppable momentum.

As Ye Yi waited for the enemy to penetrate deep into the Seven Star Formation, he suddenly pinched the "Suppressing Calamity Seal," causing the Zhenyuan Cauldron to soar into the air. A burst of blue light suddenly emanated from the cauldron's mouth, like a celestial river pouring down; the star array on its belly suddenly lit up, like a silver river hanging down to earth.

The innate evil-suppressing true qi emerged wrapped in Buddhist light, flowing along the evil channel and amplified by the gathering spirit patterns, condensing into a pillar of light over ten feet long, piercing straight into Su Qingxuan. Caught off guard, Qingxuan's protective spiritual light shattered instantly, the evil qi penetrated his body, and his nascent soul body was instantly torn apart, causing him to perish on the spot.

Shi Yankong and Baili Cangming were shocked by the situation and tried to escape, but their path was blocked by the rocks of the Seven Star Array. Ye Sui urged his essence blood to flow into the cauldron again, and the pillar of light intensified by three times, sweeping across the two men along the path of the gathering spirit patterns.

Yan Kong's left arm was injured, and his evil scripture fell to the ground; Cang Ming's right rib was pierced, and his spirit boat collapsed. The two thieves, wounded, broke through the formation and fled. The allied forces, leaderless, collapsed like birds and beasts.

However, the Zhenyuan Cauldron suffered a backlash from the evil energy, its essence and blood were overloaded, and its spiritual power was exhausted when it borrowed power. With a loud bang, it collapsed into dust. Ye Sui, exhausted, bathed in the dust of the cauldron and died, his last eyes still gazing at the Xuanqiong Palace.

In this battle, the Fei family of Yingzhou killed one Nascent Soul cultivator, wounded two others, and repelled the armies of three other families. The Lu family of Yashan and the Xin family of Guanglin successively went to their aid, assuming the title of Duke of Qin's Mansion, and joined the Fei family to ensure the safety of Yingzhou. This official has respectfully reported the battle situation to Taiyuan Capital for His Majesty's review.

"The Zhenyuan Cauldron?!" Emperor Wei sighed inwardly, "What a pity, we forgot that Ye Yi is quite resolute."

"How could I have imagined that the Fei family of Yingzhou would actually possess such a treasure?! If they had been willing to offer up the Zhenyuan Cauldron back then, perhaps..." Emperor Wei suppressed this thought. Even so, it was just a decent fourth-tier spiritual treasure; he probably wouldn't have gone to protect the Fei family.

"Fei Yezhi is truly a remarkable person. In that case, the Mani Jewel Leaf that Kang Dabao sought from Ga Da must have ended up in the Fei family's hands!"

However, Emperor Wei murmured this question to himself and then paid no further attention to it.

Fei Yeyi was not a Nascent Soul cultivator after all, so his life or death was unlikely to concern someone like Emperor Wei for long.

Now, the three Nascent Soul forces of the Baili family, Wenshan sect, and Yuelusu family in Luochuan have all suffered heavy losses. Undeterred by the backlash from all sides, the Han family of Yukun sent two vassal families under its jurisdiction to seize Yingzhou.
These are the things that truly deserve his consideration, but...
"No, no, even if Fei Ye-yi has some skill and cunning, he is still far from being a match for the combined forces of three Nascent Soul cultivators. He must have someone helping him from behind! But the Han family hasn't made a move, so who is helping them?!"

After thinking for a while, before he could even speak to the two people in the hall, Emperor Wei received another silk scroll from Eunuch Wei:
"A letter from Han Yonghe?!"

Let's look at it in detail:

"Your subject Yonghe respectfully reports on the matter of Ye Su, the head of the Fei family of Yingzhou, sacrificing his life for his country and offering up land. I am writing this report at the risk of my life."

I humbly believe that Yingzhou is a fertile land of the Wei state, which the Fei family has guarded for decades. Ye Shuo rose from the Golden Elixir stage, but has not yet reached the Nascent Soul stage. However, he has received the favor of Emperor Wei in promoting him and cherishes the ambition to secure the country and stabilize the land.

He pacified the common people internally, encouraging agriculture and sericulture to ensure sufficient granaries; externally, he defended against bandits and trained soldiers to fortify the borders. In the past, when bandits threatened the territory, Ye Shuo led his clan members to repel them, and the people of Yingzhou were able to live in peace.
In recent years, powerful families have coveted it, but Ye Shi has relied on Zhen Yuanding to defend it, thus ensuring the safety of the imperial clan's territory.

This autumn, three families attacked. Knowing that his time was coming to an end, Ye Yi still used his remaining body to fight back: he exhausted his essence and blood to activate his spiritual treasure and lure and kill Su Qingxuan; he exhausted his vital energy to collapse the Zhen Ding and seriously injured Yan Kong and Cang Ming.

As the allied forces retreated, Ye Sui, on his deathbed, held the hand of his clansman Tianqin and said, "Yingzhou is not my family's private property, but Your Majesty's territory. After my death, quickly present the map to the Xuanqiong Palace, lest the Fei family implicate the monarch and the country with their selfish desires."

After finishing his words, he passed away without closing his eyes.

Looking at his life: He governed a region without having reached the Nascent Soul stage, and brought peace to the people without having attained a high position;

His last wishes were: to cherish the memory of his country even as he faced death, and to be released from his post in the afterlife.

Loyalty shines like the sun, its light reaching heaven and earth; righteous deeds flow like a long river, their influence illuminating the past and present.

Your Majesty, I respectfully request that: First, Ye Sui's last wish be granted, and Yingzhou be brought under the direct administration of the imperial clan; second, the descendants of the Fei family be spared the hardships of border service and granted them land and houses to settle down; third, Ye Sui's loyalty and righteousness be honored, and a shrine be erected in Yingzhou so that the people may know of his achievements and future generations may emulate his virtues.

Your subject Yonghe is filled with trepidation and bows twice, humbly beseeching Your Majesty's wise judgment.

Right Chancellor and Head of the Han Family of Yu Kun, Han Yonghe, respectfully reports.

"Heh, the Right Chancellor's tone is as polite as ever," Emperor Wei chuckled, then asked, "What else is there? Bring it all up."

Wei Dajian's tone was gloomy: "There is also a joint memorial submitted by the two prime ministers, claiming that Su Changde, the prefect of Yuelu Prefecture, has died in battle while following Su Qingxuan in a private attack on Yingzhou. Yuelu Prefecture is a vital location in the capital region, and it is necessary to select capable people from the imperial clan to guard the area and stabilize the overall situation."

"The two prime ministers jointly submitted a memorial?!" Emperor Wei's tone was full of surprise and doubt. Even though the right prime minister Han Yonghe was far less senior than the left prime minister Gui Nianzhi, the two were still from the same faction and were rivals.

This is amazing that they were able to submit a joint petition.
Emperor David had been the Lord of David for so many years, yet this was the first time he had ever witnessed such a strange phenomenon.

"Has someone from the Gui family recently gone to Yingzhou?"

Wei Dajian spoke with a tone of deep regret: "Your Majesty, Gui Wulin, the younger cousin of Prime Minister Gui, made a brief appearance in Yingzhou a month ago."

"Oh, in that case, it makes sense that Fei Yeqing was able to accomplish such a great feat." Emperor Wei's expression was a half-smile: "But I wonder if Fei Yeqing, who is already dead, can bear such a great reputation being bestowed upon him by the Han and Gui families!"

"Ha," after a sneer, Emperor Wei suddenly raised his voice and rebuked:
"The Yue Lu Su family, the Wen Shan Jiao family, the Luo Chuan Bai Li family, and the Ying Zhou Fei family—these four families control a total of sixteen prefectures, all fertile lands spanning the Guanzhong, Guandong, and Jingji regions!!! Of these sixteen prefectures, I only possess one?!! And it must be registered under the name of the Duke of Qin's mansion?!"

Emperor David understood perfectly well that at this point, it was no longer important whether the three families had been subservient or content to submit to the rule of the Davidic dynasty. For there was no better way to please the Davidic dynasty and all the officials than by labeling the three families as traitors.

As for whether this will cause widespread panic in the future, that is a matter for the future; Emperor Wei currently has no time to worry about it.

Upon reading this, Emperor Wei's smile suddenly turned cold, and he asked in a chilling voice, "Have the remaining fourteen provinces been allocated to each family as well?!"

Wei Dajian could tell that Emperor Wei was furious, but he dared not remain silent. He simply replied in a low voice, "Your Majesty, the two prime ministers said that they would consult with the wise men of the court during the court meeting next year before making a decision."

Emperor Wei was taken aback, clearly not expecting the Gui and Han families to be so arrogant. He was secretly furious: "With Taiyi Temple raising its banner outside, which of these Nascent Soul cultivators will behave themselves?!"

Even though he was furious at the moment, there was nothing he could do. In the court of David, the two prime ministers were in cahoots and shared the same thoughts, which was no less than that of him, the nominal Lord David who held the reins of power.

Upon closer examination, Fei Yeyi's actions may have been coordinated with the two masters of the Han family.

These sixteen fertile provinces are enough to feed the top three powerful families in the land: Kuang, Gui, and Han. The Gui family may not protect the Fei family's descendants afterward, but at least they won't hinder the Kuang and Han families from taking action, and that's enough.

Emperor Wei certainly didn't think that he would only be able to gain a single province afterward, but seeing the two prime ministers so in sync made him wary.

"When did those two families become so close?! Why has your Demon-Slaying Division never reported this?! Are you really only focused on those trivial matters of subduing demons all day long?!"

Wei, the Grand Eunuch, dared not answer for a moment, but mustered his courage and said evasively, "Yes, Your Majesty, may I ask about the three petitions written by the Right Chancellor?"

Fortunately, Emperor Wei did not dwell on it much, and said in a deep voice: "I grant all your request. In my name, I will send the Prince of Nan to comfort the descendants of the Fei family, so that other families will know not to make things difficult for them."

However, since they have already adopted the banner of the Duke of Qin's mansion in Yingzhou, they should not remain here for long. The authorities should draft a plan, bestow generous gifts and compensation, and quickly send the Fei family cultivators and ordinary people of Yingzhou to the northern mountain pass to settle down.

After hearing this, Prince Kuang Shenzhi of the South felt that Fei Yeyi's death was truly deserved, and replied calmly, "Yes."

Emperor Wei turned to Grand Eunuch Wei and instructed him, “Send letters to the residences of the Ninth Prince and the Duke of Qin, explaining today’s events clearly. Do not say a word else! They will understand the gravity of the matter.”

Wei, the Grand Eunuch, hurriedly kowtowed and accepted the decree: "This servant will immediately send word and urge the relevant authorities to draft the relief regulations, without daring to make the slightest mistake." As he rose, his sleeves lightly brushed against the gold bricks, making no sound at all, and in an instant, he disappeared into the shadows outside the palace.

Prince Kuang Shenzhi of the South stood below the steps, noticing that Emperor Wei's fingertips were still tapping on the silk scroll on the table. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Your Majesty, the two prime ministers this time..."

Emperor Wei looked up at the dragon pillar, the candlelight casting flickering shadows on the dragon patterns.
“Shenzhi and I were thinking the same thing. If the two prime ministers can jointly petition the emperor today, they will dare to jointly obstruct the government tomorrow. If we do not make arrangements in advance, when the imperial court discusses the ownership of the sixteen prefectures next year, the imperial clan may not even be able to hold onto this one prefecture.”

He raised his hand and rolled the silk scroll into the jade scroll, his gaze falling on the deep night outside the window:
"If you two or three still don't realize the urgency of the situation, I might be forced to personally go to Lanmeng Palace as the head of the direct line and bow down to that dragon scoundrel. Perhaps by uniting the two lineages, we can still protect the Kuang family's rule?!"
But if he's not in the outer sea, who can guard those four Nascent Soul cultivators there?!

"Alas, the affairs of the state are perilous, stirring up murderous intent in some."

(End of this chapter)