Supreme Golden Palace

Chapter 167 Qingyao (Part 1)

Lü Shang's chariot, made of chariot wood, rolled over the mountain road where the dew had not yet dried, and the bronze bells on the chariot shafts rang out with clear and melodious sounds as the chariot swayed.

He sat upright with his eyes closed, letting his thoughts spread like ripples, participating in the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, and reflecting the mountains, rivers and states of Xu Kingdom into his mind.

"Your Majesty, the God of Qingyao Mountain has sent an envoy, carrying the treasures of Qingyao, bathed in the essence of the sun and moon, traversing mountains and rivers, to pay homage to Xudu. Please make your decision!" Just as Lü Shang was engrossed in traveling through the mountains and rivers of Xu, Feng Boling's voice came from outside the carriage.

"Qingyao Mountain God,"

Lü Shang opened his eyes, raised his hand to signal the carriage to stop, and the driver immediately pulled on the reins, the wheels screeching on the road. He lifted the curtain, looked at Feng Boling standing in front of the carriage, and asked, "Where is the Qingyao envoy?"

Feng Boling bowed and said, "Your Majesty, after the envoy and his party of twenty entered the country, they were led to Xuchang by the border troops."

Qingyao Mountain, the secret capital of the Emperor, is said to be where the Yellow Emperor, Di Hongshi, built a palace during his travels throughout the nine provinces. Due to the legacy of Di Hongshi, Qingyao Mountain was included among the 550 sacred mountains of the mountains and seas, bearing the great fortune of the wilderness. The mountain god of Qingyao Mountain thus enjoyed the fruits of the divine path, and his status was revered, comparable to that of a duke or marquis of a great nation.

Lü Shang said in a deep voice, "Return to Xuchang immediately."

"promise,"

After receiving the order, Feng Boling turned to the eldest son Chong, Baili Ming, and the armored soldiers, and solemnly said, "The emperor orders us to return to Xuchang immediately."

"promise!"

At the East Gate of Xuchang, the bronze doors slowly opened, the hinges turning like the low murmur of an old dragon. Lü Shang's chariot, made of chariot wood, passed through the main road, the vermilion paint on the palace walls on both sides still fresh, the eaves carved with mythical beasts, raising their heads and howling in the wind.

When the carriage arrived at the palace, a master of ceremonies knelt to greet it at the foot of the steps, while armored soldiers stood solemnly on both sides with spears in hand, their armor reflecting the cold morning light.

"Your Majesty, the Qing messenger is already at the post station, awaiting your summons,"

Feng Boling drove into the city first and was waiting below the palace steps. When he saw the carriage stop, he immediately stepped forward and lifted the curtain.

"Xuan,"

Lü Shang alighted from the carriage, looked around, and strode towards the main hall.

"Summon the envoy to an audience!"

Under the front porch of the palace, the head palace servant stood respectfully with his hands at his sides. After hearing the emperor's command from the palace steps, he turned to face the open palace gate and spoke loudly.

"Summon the envoy to an audience!"

The main hall was warm and inviting, with bronze cranes exhaling smoke before the steps and wind chimes tinkling at the corners of the hall.

Lu Shang sat on the fragrant couch, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials standing solemnly below, finally settling on the envoy in the center, dressed in a blue feather robe.

The messenger was a beautiful woman of about forty years old. When she saw Lü Shang sit down, she immediately straightened her clothes, bowed, and said, "Luo Su, the messenger of the God of Qingyao Mountain, brings precious items from Qingyao, including one hundred stalks of Xun grass and two pairs of quails, to pay homage to Lord Xu. May the Kingdom of Xu prosper and last for ten thousand years."

The mountain goddess of Qingyao Mountain, named Wu Luo, is one of the few female mountain goddesses among the 550 mountain gods in the Classic of Mountains and Seas. The Classic of Mountains and Seas describes her as having a human face and leopard markings, a slender waist and white teeth, wearing gold and silver earrings, and a voice like the clinking of beautiful jade. She is a beauty rarely seen in the world.

This is also because the mountain god of Qingyao Mountain is a goddess, and the divine messengers under her command are all female messengers, and they take Wu and Luo as their surnames.

"Huh, these are actually two precious items,"

Lü Shang rested his left hand on the incense couch, his gaze fixed on the jade box held by the messenger.

Qingyao Mountain, revered as a sacred mountain of mountains and seas, received the mandate of the Great Wilderness, nurturing creation and possessing wondrous wonders of heaven and earth. Among these, two things are the most precious. One is Xuncao, which grows on the shores of Qingyao Mountain. Consuming it can enhance one's complexion and preserve one's youthful appearance. The other is the Yi bird, which resembles a duck, with a blue body, red eyes, and a red tail. Eating it is believed to promote fertility and ensure the prosperity of offspring.

After pondering for a moment, he turned his gaze from the jade box to the female envoy in the hall and said, "Your Excellency has come to Xuchang with such generous gifts. May I ask what brings you here?"

Luo Su lowered his eyes, his feathered robe sleeves drooping down to reveal the golden bell on his wrist, and said, "Uncle Xu, my Mountain Lord has heard of your virtuous reputation. Now, the Nine Provinces are in chaos, and the four seas are not at peace. Many mountain spirits and water monsters are overstepping their bounds. My Mountain Lord wishes to form a mountain and sea alliance with the Xu Kingdom to jointly respond to the changes in the heavens."

"Alliance,"

Upon hearing this, the courtiers in the hall immediately began to whisper amongst themselves, like boiling water suddenly bubbling.

The eldest son of the concubine, Chong, Baili Ming, and Feng Boling all had different expressions and scrutinized the young female envoy.

"Ok?"

Lü Shang frowned, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of the incense bed. The whispers in the hall receded like a tide.

Xu Boshang has been the ruler for three years and has already established his authority, earning the respect and admiration of all his ministers.

He looked at the golden bell on Luo Su's wrist below the steps and said, "The alliance between mountains and seas should have a ceremony of oath."

"I wonder what Your Excellency seeks? Does he wish for my kingdom to pay tribute annually, or does he wish to borrow my land to exercise divine authority?"

As he spoke, Lü Shang sighed inwardly, lamenting that as Emperor Zhu Xia's life drew to a close, his power over the nine provinces of the world was gradually diminishing.

Not only were the feudal lords of all nations preparing for war and strengthening their armies, but even the four sacred gods of Qingyao Mountain harbored ulterior motives and sought to form an alliance with the human states. This clearly demonstrates the deterioration of the situation at that time.

It should be understood that the so-called Four Sacrificial Gods are the gods of mountains, rivers, land, and the state. Although these four types of gods are not true gods, they are earthly deities with the merits of both gods and humans, and their status is extraordinary.

Now even these four gods can't hold back and want to make their moves in the human world, so how can the Xia dynasty's rule remain stable?

Facing Lü Shang, Luo Su smiled slightly and said, "Lord Xu, you have misunderstood. My Lord Shan has heard that you have quelled evil and brought peace to the people, and calls you the hope of peace and tranquility in the Nine Provinces. This envoy is not for the benefit of tribute, nor for seeking territory or power."

She held the jade box above her eyebrows with both hands, and the grass inside shimmered with a faint light. She said, "Although my Qingyao Mountain has the blessings of the Heavenly Emperor, it has always only been in charge of the mountains, forests and rivers, and has never been involved in human warfare. Now, seeing the chaotic clouds over the Nine Provinces and the disorder of the Heavenly Order, and even more demons coveting the power of the gods, we must be mindful of danger even in times of peace."

Luo Su raised his eyes, his eyes slightly upturned, and said, "Therefore, I have sent an envoy into the world. My family's Mountain Lord wishes to form alliances with various countries, hoping to provide mutual support to virtuous nations. When the world changes in the future, we can work together to ensure the safety of our land and people."

"These herbs and quail are offered as a token of our alliance. The herbs can preserve beauty, so may the harem of Xu be at peace; the quail can produce offspring, so may the lineage of Xu be prosperous forever. Such precious items are not something that Qingyao Mountain would lightly give to an unworthy person."

After saying this, she bowed deeply again, and the golden bell fell to the ground with a soft tinkling sound, like a jade plate falling.

Lu Shang's eyes flickered slightly, as if deep in thought, and he said, "Mutual support."

He suddenly turned his gaze to the foot of the steps, looking at Baili Ming, whose white beard reached his chest, and asked, "What does Baili Qing think?"

Baili Ming stroked his beard and smiled, his white beard trembling slightly with his knuckles. He said, “Your Majesty, the alliance sent by Qingyao Mountain is more beneficial than harmful to the state of Xu. In this world of strife, having one more ally is like having one less threat from the side. Even the divine path can use its power to observe the changes.”

"The advantages outweigh the disadvantages,"

Lu Shang's heart stirred. In this vast wilderness of mountains and seas, Qingyao Mountain was probably just one of the five hundred and fifty sacred mountains, far from being comparable to Kunlun Mountain, Penglai Mountain, Buzhou Mountain, and so on.

But among the states of Henan, Qingyao Mountain is a renowned sacred mountain, the secret capital of the emperor.

(End of this chapter)