Starting from the Tiger Demon Yaksha, the demon immortality

Chapter 324 333 A true man is born between heaven and earth; how can he remain subservient to others for long!

One month later, at Taiji Palace.

Emperor Li Min sat high on his throne, surrounded by people in crimson and purple robes, while the guards in the palace had all been replaced by people from Hedong.

Amidst the solemn atmosphere, Li Yisheng, dressed in a purple robe and jade belt, with a gold fish hanging from his waist, sat alone on the throne bestowed upon him by the emperor, at the foot of the steps of the imperial throne.

"Since I entered the capital, I have been favored by the Emperor and assisted by loyal officials in the court. I have never been negligent in handling state affairs."

"It is a great fortune for the country to have good and virtuous ministers in the court."

"But there are also some treacherous and sycophantic officials who speak nonsense, hurl malicious insults, and even write letters in blood to denounce the emperor. They are truly audacious!"

His voice was not loud, but his tone was extremely heavy, which frightened the high-ranking officials present, making them tremble with fear.

They all knew in their hearts that the so-called good and virtuous ministers were actually opportunists like the Duke of Tianshui and the Duke of Chen.

As soon as the army from Hedong entered the city, they immediately rushed to the door to express their loyalty.

On the contrary, the so-called treacherous ministers and sycophants were actually the most loyal to the Qin Dynasty.

These people could not accept that a military man was in power and that the emperor was being held hostage. They remonstrated with him to the death, but Li Yisheng showed no mercy and granted them their wish.

The number of people killed was not large, but the deterrent effect was extremely strong. Within a month, apart from a few low-key and discreet families such as the Duke of Zhao, there were no more openly pro-royalists in the capital.

"However, I am not a bloodthirsty person. Punishing the ringleaders and confiscating their property is enough."

"What's more important right now is to punish the traitor Zhu and reclaim the Central Plains."

"We will then attack Youzhou in the north, drive out the barbarians, and thus bolster the might of Heaven."

At this point, Li Yisheng turned slightly and casually cupped his hands towards the throne.

"Your Majesty, a generous reward will surely attract brave men."

“The soldiers are eager for merit. If we can reward the outstanding ones, it will surely boost morale and motivate the entire army to fight to the death so that we can take back the Eastern Capital as soon as possible.”

Upon hearing this, Li Min forced a smile.

"I will grant all your requests."

Before he finished speaking, Grand Protector Li Siyuan had already taken the imperial edict that had been prepared in advance, stepped past the group of eunuchs, and began to read it aloud.

"Disciple:
A valiant warrior, a pillar of the state.

"To relieve the people and punish the guilty, to rise up in martial spirit like an eagle."

Li Cunxiao watched this scene and pondered to himself.

Li Yisheng's various actions showed that he had some respect for the emperor, but not much.

The reason is easy to guess: besides maintaining appearances, it's probably because Li Yisheng's attempt to control Taiqing Palace failed.

Otherwise, Li Min probably wouldn't even have the chance to show his face; he could simply claim illness and refuse to attend court, leaving everything to Li Yisheng.

The fact that he could still maintain some semblance of dignity as emperor only shows that he still had some value to be used.

While pondering, Li Siyuan had already read through the polite words and began to get to the point.

In short, this imperial edict had two purposes: first, to strip Zhu Quanzhong's faction of their legitimate status, stripping them of all their positions, such as Prince of Liang and military governor, and labeling them as traitors.

The second option was to bestow all these vacant positions upon their own people.

"Li Siyuan was appointed Inspector of the Ministry of Works and Military Governor of Hedong."

"Li Cunxu was appointed Grand Commandant and Military Governor of Hezhong."

"."

"Jia Shijing, Prefect of Zhengzhou, Military Governor of Yicheng Army"
Jia Kangjun was appointed Prefect of Xuzhou and Military Governor of Zhongwu Army.

"Li Cunxiao was appointed Prefect of Songzhou and Military Governor of Xuanwu Army, and his position was changed from Vice Minister of Revenue to Vice Minister of War."

One after another, the titles were bestowed upon the thirteen bodyguards at the front of the crowd, and the court officials looked at them with complicated expressions.

The youngest, Li Cunxiao, was only in his early twenties, yet he was already a high-ranking official in charge of a region, a true heavyweight minister.

Even though these governors and military governors are currently only nominally appointed and their territories are still in the hands of the King of Liang, no one doubts that these young warriors are the most sought-after people at present.

If Li Yisheng were to truly change the dynasty in the future, then all of these people in front of him would likely be granted royal titles.

"The Prefect of Songzhou?" Li Cunxiao remained silent, simply joining the others in expressing their gratitude.

Li Yisheng did have territory under his control, so he deliberately enfeoffed his adopted sons in Henan Province, where the Prince of Liang was located. While this was meant to annoy his old rival, it was also a way of offering empty promises as encouragement.

The images of the镖局 (escort agency) members flashed through his mind, but he quickly suppressed them.

To be honest, there were indeed military governors who were actually appointed. Li Siyuan's Hedong Military Governor and Li Cunxu's Hezhong Military Governor were both located in Hedong, the stronghold of the Prince of Jin.

It was obvious to everyone that although Li Cunxu was the nominal heir apparent, Li Yisheng intended for him to compete with the Grand Tutor.

It's still too early to say who will become the Crown Prince.

"Furthermore, Master Zhigang and Master Zhiheng of Yuhua Temple were profound in Buddhist teachings and possessed great compassion. They were appointed as National Preceptors and, by imperial decree, converted Qinglong Temple in the capital into Yuhua Temple, becoming the principal masters of Buddhism, revered by all Zen monasteries in the ten directions."

The proclamation was made public, so that all may hear it.

After Li Siyuan finished reading, the court officials shouted "Long live the Emperor!" Then, the whip was cracked, and Li Min retreated to the inner palace, and everyone left the court.

The hall suddenly became quiet, and the members of the First Master's Party and the Third Master's Party consciously divided into two factions, clearly separated.

Li Yisheng's meaning in the edict was crystal clear: to punish Zhu Quanzhong and reclaim the four towns in Hebei, thus bringing the heartland of the Qin Dynasty under his control.

After that, they returned to the capital with the glory of a great victory, which was almost the time for a change of dynasty.

He might not necessarily be made crown prince, but he would inevitably be granted the title of king.

As for which of the royal titles is the most prestigious, it would undoubtedly be the Prince of Jin, whose position became vacant after someone ascended the throne.

"Thirteenth Brother, there's nothing to do after court today. How about having a drink with your elder brother?"

"Old Twelfth is a rude fellow, and he's caused quite a few laughs before. Today, I, your elder brother, will act as mediator and let bygones be bygones."

Li Cunxu saw Li Cunxiao standing between the two and was about to go up and invite him, but Li Siyuan beat him to it.

Hearing this, he was taken aback at first, then realized what was going on and quickly stepped forward:

"What a coincidence! I also discovered a restaurant in the capital today that serves very authentic lamb."

"Thirteenth Brother, you've been so busy lately, how about taking a break once in a while?"

Why do you think I'm so busy? Isn't it because of your dad?
Li Cunxiao secretly grumbled to himself, feeling troubled.

Whether it's the "old man's party" or the "third man's party," neither should be offended.

With Qi Ci behind him, he had no worries about his life, but if he wanted to expand his power in Hedong, he couldn't get rid of the constraints from both sides.

Li Cunxu had already extended an olive branch to him, so it's not surprising that he would take such action.

Li Siyuan did this simply because...
"Sanlang"

Li Yisheng's voice came from deep within the palace. Li Cunxiao was immediately relieved, cupped his hands to apologize to both sides, and quickly made his escape.

Li Siyuan and Li Cunxu exchanged a glance, exchanged a few polite but forced smiles, and then went their separate ways. But before leaving, they each turned back to watch Li Cunxiao's departing figure, their expressions shifting between anger and uncertainty.

"Sanlang, you've been working hard these past few days, overseeing the Ministry of Revenue and raising military supplies."

"I wouldn't say it's hard work, I'm just doing my duty."

Li Cunxiao sat in his chair, half of his buttocks dangling in the air. Hearing this, he showed no sign of taking credit and remained humble, saying:
"When I first arrived in the capital, I was greatly helped by noble families such as Changsun Fu and Yuchi Bi."

"Really? That's because you've been very efficient."

Li Yisheng held a sunflower-shaped golden cup, swirling the blood-red grape wine inside, his eyes taking in the palace with a mixture of admiration and greed.

The Liangyi Hall, located in the inner court, was where the emperor and his clansmen gathered for discussions and where high-ranking officials received their guests.

The Inner Court was the inner palace, which was the "harem" area of ​​the imperial city, encompassing the front court and the rear palace.

Only a few ministers were allowed to enter and discuss state affairs with the emperor, so they behaved rather casually. This place was also often where the emperor entertained his ministers and envoys.

Emperor Taizong of Qin once held banquets in this hall for officials of the fifth rank and above on many occasions. It is also the second largest hall in the Taiji Palace.

After Li Yisheng took control of the capital, he had no intention of staying in the Council of State Affairs or the Six Ministries.

Li Min is still useful to him right now, so it's not appropriate for him to handle government affairs in the Taiji Hall. He can only make do by staying in the Liangyi Hall.

This wasn't Li Cunxiao's first visit here since arriving in the capital.

The day after he initially condensed his inner vision a month ago, Li Yisheng summoned him and issued an imperial edict to give him the title of Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, instructing him to be in charge of preparing funds, provisions, and elixirs.

Alchemy is fine, since it's his old profession.

However, the rare and precious materials needed to refine the elixir, as well as the money and provisions required, presented a very difficult problem.

As a newcomer, where do I get access to resources?

But then Li Cunxiao thought about it again and realized something was wrong. If we're talking about the people in the capital with the most money and grain, aren't they the nobles and meritorious officials?
Li Yisheng coveted my identity as a true disciple of Louguan Dao and used me to extort money.
He certainly didn't want to do something that would offend people, but compared to outdated dukes and marquises like the Duke of Zhao, Li Cunxiao was even less willing to offend the Grand Master in front of him.

So in the end, they had no choice but to bite the bullet and approach Changsun Fu, Yuchi Bi and others, asking them to generously donate money.

In the end, they barely managed to gather 80-90% of the required amount before the deadline set by Li Yisheng.

Today, in addition to bestowing upon him a number of honorary titles, he was also promoted from Vice Minister of Revenue to Vice Minister of War, and was specially summoned to the Liangyi Hall, as if to entrust him with an important task. This immediately gave Li Cunxiao a bad feeling.

As expected, Li Yisheng's first words made his heart sink:
"Sanlang, I am bestowing upon you the titles of Jiedushi and Cishi today. I believe you all understand the deeper meaning behind this."

"Now that the capital is basically under my control, with internal troubles eliminated, the next step is to sweep away external threats."

"The army is about to set off, and I see we are still short of medicine, money, and provisions."

As Li Yisheng spoke, he held up his palm and gestured a number.

Li Cunxiao's pupils contracted, and after a moment of silence, he said:
"Your Majesty, with such a large sum, I'm afraid those dukes and marquises will make a fuss."

"Moreover, my recent close association with nobles and officials in the capital has already caused quite a stir in the army."

His meaning was very clear: you're asking for an astronomical sum, no less.

But I was new here, and in order to achieve my goal, I had no choice but to deal with nobles.

As a result, the people in Hedong felt that I had close ties with the nobles and that I had ulterior motives;
The nobles felt that I completely disregarded past relationships and was being harsh and exploitative.

Caught between the old nobles of Hedong and the capital, I'm caught in the middle, disliked by both sides. But this job was given to me by you, and if I keep doing this, I'll be out of luck!

"Hehe, Sanlang, I know your concerns, but you don't need to take those unfounded lies to heart."

Li Yisheng stood up with a smile and pressed down on Li Cunxiao's shoulder.

"It was my order to let you associate with those nobles. I trust you completely, and I don't use people I don't trust."

"Right now, we still need these people to maintain appearances. While confiscating property is certainly satisfying, the resulting turmoil cannot be quelled in a short time."

"With the expedition imminent, you are the bridge that maintains the balance right now, and the burden is indeed heavy."

"But with your talent, whether it's alchemy or martial arts, you're bound to become a grandmaster in the future. How could I bear to let you be a pawn?"

His words were reasonable and persuasive, and Li Cunxiao dared not believe them completely, but he could only show a flattered expression.

Only after leaving the Liangyi Hall and exiting the imperial city did he let out a long sigh.

People have to bow their heads under the roof.

Holding the reins of power, he seemed to command respect even from the old and the young, but only he knew the hardships he endured.

That evening, Li Cunxiao hosted a banquet at the Duke of Yue's residence, inviting a group of nobles from the capital to convey Li Yisheng's request.

The banquet erupted into chaos. If it weren't for Ye Jingneng and Changsun Fu's help in calming things down, most of the attendees would have left on the spot.

Li Cunxiao had no choice but to explain the advantages and disadvantages to Li Cunxiao.

Considering Li Yisheng's status as a terrestrial deity, these people had no choice but to reluctantly accept it.

But the look in his eyes when he left the table was already quite unfriendly.

"Is he using me as a puppet? Or is it that Li Yisheng will only trust me after he has offended both sides and become an isolated minister?"

Looking at the almost untouched banquet, Li Cunxiao sighed, grabbed a pot of wine, and gave the rest to his servants.

But when he arrived at the courtyard, he was surprised to find that one of the guests had not yet left and was looking up at the dark night sky under the tree.

"Isn't Vice Minister Changsun going back to his residence?"

Changsun Fu serves as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works. Recently, the two have had many interactions in order to complete Li Yisheng's mission.

Although this person is young, he is much more clear-headed than other nobles.

Moreover, unlike other nobles, he did not try to curry favor with the Grand Protectors. He was usually calm and composed, and seemed to have a plan in mind.

Li Cunxiao knew that although Li Yisheng said to his face that he was completely at ease with his association with nobles, it was hard to say how he was watching him behind the scenes. Therefore, he had always intentionally kept his distance from these people.

This time was no exception; even though it was late at night, he showed no intention of keeping his guests.

Just as he was about to speak, Changsun Fu turned back and smiled at him before turning and leaving.

Li Cunxiao was completely baffled by this behavior. After confirming that the other party had left, he walked to the spot where the other party had been standing and looked up.

The night sky was overcast, with not a single star in sight.

While wondering about it, I noticed something reflecting light in the tree canopy.

Li Cunxiao's heart stirred. He secretly sensed that no one was around and gently stomped his feet.

With a subtle tremor, a sliver of light fell from the treetop, landing perfectly in my embrace.

He returned to his room without making a sound, and then took out an object under the lamplight. It was a black lacquered mother-of-pearl inlaid gift box, which nobles used to hold visiting cards and small gifts when entertaining guests or making visits.

The box was opened, revealing twelve gemstone rings inside. However, Li Cunxiao, now proficient in both alchemy and artifact crafting, immediately recognized them as storage magic treasures.

Next to the ring was a note.

Upon opening the book, a dozen or so small characters struck Li Cunxiao with a start:
"A true man is born between heaven and earth; how can he remain subservient to others for long!"

(End of this chapter)