Ming Dynasty: pacifying the rebellion and defending the border, dominating the world

Chapter 220 Decisiveness, A Joke of Fate
"Qingqing, you're familiar with the Azure Dragon Society, aren't you?"

"Hmm? Hmm!" Zhu Qingqing was startled at first, then nodded: "The Blood Robe Hall and the Azure Dragon Society have dealt with each other. It is an extremely large and terrifying organization. It is extremely mysterious and powerful, and it is omnipresent. People in the martial arts world say that the Azure Dragon Society has infiltrated the martial arts world. In my opinion, it is more like the martial arts world is enveloped by it."

The Azure Dragon Society was a terrifying organization for Zhu Qingqing, and even for the Ming Dynasty.

From the righteous to the evil, from the powerful to the wealthy, from peddlers to laborers, almost everyone has members of the Azure Dragon Society. Zhu Qingqing even suspects that the several young boys mentioned by Xueyi Tan might also be members of the Azure Dragon Society.

The Prince of Nanping opened his eyes, revealing a hint of fear: "Last night, Father received another message from the capital. The Azure Dragon Society was involved in Zhu Wushi's rebellion. When Prince Su learned of this, he was furious and sent his top experts to capture the traitor. In just one night, the two dragon leaders and fourteen hall masters of the Azure Dragon Society were all beheaded, and their heads were hung high in front of the Meridian Gate of the capital."

"Dad, what did you say?"

Zhu Qingqing screamed, as if she had heard the most unbelievable thing. She had never been so out of control, not even when she heard that the Prince Su's mansion had dozens of terrestrial immortals under its command.

Because those were things she ultimately never experienced or witnessed; while there was shock, it was still within her tolerance.

But the two leaders of the Azure Dragon Society and more than a dozen hall masters had their heads cut off?
There's a saying in the martial arts world: the seven leaders of the Azure Dragon Society are like seven living immortals on land. Those who can serve as hall masters in the Azure Dragon Society are either Grandmasters of Celestial Phenomena or top-tier Masters of the Finger Profound Realm.

These are nothing.

He was just a dead man, though he was a terrestrial immortal, a grandmaster of celestial phenomena.

Zhu Qingqing can accept it.

After all, in this vast world, it's not uncommon for immortals to be killed.

What shocked her was that the Qinglong Society, a massive organization that had shrouded the Ming Dynasty in darkness for over a hundred years, had been uncovered by someone from the shadows and darkness. This was despite the enormous amount of manpower and resources spent on investigating the Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) established by Emperor Taizu and the Dongchang (Eastern Depot) and Xichang (Western Depot) established by Emperor Taizong.
Suddenly, Zhu Qingqing's heart trembled violently, her pupils contracted, and she asked, "Father, you don't mean to say..."

"That's right, it was the Prince Su's mansion that did it."

The Prince of Nanping nodded solemnly, which was the biggest reason why he would rather give up than continue the 'Blood Robe Plan'.

Even the Azure Dragon Society, an organization that appears and disappears without a trace, is easily investigated by the Prince Su's Mansion. They even killed the two leaders of the Azure Dragon Society and wiped out more than a dozen of its branches as a warning to others.

The Prince of Nanping did not believe that his Blood Robe Hall could be better hidden than the Azure Dragon Society.

"Blood Robe Hall, move into the darker corner."

"All communications within the palace have been severed."

"If necessary, abandon everything."

“This upheaval may well be an unprecedented change in the Ming Dynasty, perhaps even in a century or a millennium.” The Prince of Nanping looked at his daughter Zhu Qingqing, whom he had always been very satisfied with, a strange glint flashing in his eyes, which he quickly concealed, and continued, “Qingqing, I know you have always been ambitious, but this time, you cannot continue to be willful.”

"otherwise……"

The Prince of Nanping did not continue speaking; he knew his daughter would understand.

"Daughter... understands." Zhu Qingqing hesitated for a long time, but finally chose to compromise with reality and lowered her head.

She had heard that history comes rolling in like wheels and torrents.

Anyone who tries to stand in its way will be completely crushed.

Now, Zhu Qingqing has that feeling.

Faced with Zhu Jinzhen, the Prince of Su who was imitating Emperor Taizong Zhu Di in his campaign against the Qing Dynasty, and hearing all the news about him and the Prince of Su's mansion, Zhu Qing felt powerless and left with only despair.

Ambition?

At this moment, it's simply an unrealistic fantasy.

……

At the Prince of Nanping's residence, he decisively severed ties with all parties.

The various princely mansions and powerful factions of the Ming Dynasty were also in an uproar due to the successive confirmations of the news. "Now, entry into the capital is permitted, but exit is not. Anyone who enters is like throwing a mud ox into the sea, or throwing a meat bun to a dog—gone forever. Not to mention news, not even a carrier pigeon can fly out of the capital."

"There has been absolutely no news of our spies and agents in the palace and the capital."

"Your Highness, the news is absolutely true!"

"That bastard Zhu Jinzhen, he's not even from our Prince Yan's lineage, so why is he suddenly vying with us for that position?"

"Holding a large army and dominating the border, it should have been expected."

"Yes, it should have been expected. The rumors circulating in the capital may not have been entirely unfounded."

"Dozens of terrestrial immortals, hundreds of celestial grandmasters, and an army of tens of thousands of Vajra Realm experts—how did Zhu Jinzhen cultivate them? I only need to support tens of thousands of soldiers to exhaust the wealth of the royal palace and drain the people of the region. How can he support a million-strong army and cultivate such terrifying subordinates?"

"Perhaps... it's the Heavenly Sword??"

Amidst the various princely mansions, aristocratic families, and powerful forces, and amidst the endless speculation and rumors, news of the Heavenly Sword officially entered the eyes of all forces in the Ming Dynasty. This was followed by curses, howls, and screams from south to north.

Even the news of the Heavenly Sword eventually reached the closed capital city.

The news reached the ears of Zhu Houzhao, Zhu Wushi, and others who were already under house arrest.

Hulong Villa.

Zhu Wushi slumped into his chair, muttering repeatedly, "Heavenly Sword, the power to control life and death, to bring the dead back to life, the secrets within the First Emperor's Mausoleum."

"The First Emperor attacked the heavens, and the celestial stars appeared?"

"I finally understand what kind of secret Zhu Jinzhen is hiding."

"But it's too late, far too late!!!"

Zhu Wushi wept bitterly, filled with remorse. If only he had received the news sooner, if only he had known about the existence of the Heavenly Sword, the First Emperor's Mausoleum and the Heavenly Star, and if only he had known that Zhu Jinzhen had quietly cultivated such a terrifying force.

He would not have any intention of obtaining the Heavenly Sword and the secrets and power within the First Emperor's Mausoleum.

Unfortunately, he found out too late.

The Heavenly Sword was taken to the Sui Dynasty by the Mongol princess, shattering the last glimmer of hope that Zhu Wushi had just seen.

"why?"

Zhu Wushi went berserk, overturning the long table in front of him, and roared to the sky with tears streaming down his face: "God, you are too cruel to me. Why? Why? Why am I born into royalty, yet not recognized? Why is the woman I love another man's woman? I just want to be with her, but I can't even do that?"

"Why do you give me hope only to plunge me into despair, give me such unrealistic expectations only to cruelly extinguish them? Why???"

There was not a moment when Zhu felt such hatred for the injustice of fate and the cruelty of God.

He was a peerless tyrant, with formidable skills and abilities.

Even the position of emperor held a strong desire in his heart for wider recognition, and the majority of his desire was for no one to stop him from being with his beloved woman, Su Xin.

The results of it?
After his efforts ended in failure, fate played another cruel joke on him.

The appearance of the Heavenly Sword and news of the Dragon Guard Manor.

It was as if fate was mocking him.

Zhu Wushi couldn't help but wonder if, if he hadn't left Jiayuguan so early, Zhao Min had stolen the Heavenly Sword, and after breaking through the pass, he would have had a chance to obtain the Heavenly Sword.
Would he have escaped this fate?

Could he then live happily ever after with his beloved Su Xin, and even achieve what every man dreams of: wielding power while awake, resting his head on a beautiful woman's lap while drunk, and perhaps even creating a legendary love story with Su Xin?

(End of this chapter)