Great Zhou Martial Immortal

Chapter 89 Li Lingyue's Ambition (Please Subscribe)

Cen Changqian was not a true loyal subject of the Tang Dynasty.

When Wu Zetian plotted to change the Tang Dynasty to the Zhou Dynasty, Cen Changqian was very active. He also mobilized his disciples to create a large number of auspicious omens to demonstrate the legitimacy of Wu Zetian's rule. He was an important member of the group that created the political atmosphere for Wu Zetian's ascension to the throne.

When Wu Zhou established his dynasty, Cen Changqian petitioned to change the surname of the imperial heir Li Dan to Wu. Empress Wu Zetian was overjoyed and not only approved Cen Changqian's proposal but also granted him a fief of 500 households. Furthermore, she granted Cen Changqian the same surname as Li Dan.

Only five officials were granted the surname Wu, which shows how deeply Empress Wu Zetian favored Cen Changqian.

However, Cen Changqian's efforts to change Li Dan's surname were not an act of flattery.

The purpose was to ensure that Li Dan continued as the crown prince and solidify his position as successor.

Given the political situation and the substantial political assets left by the "two emperors in power," Cen Changqian and most of the court officials knew they could not stop the empress dowager from usurping power, so they could only change their stance and not oppose Wu Zhou's replacement of Tang.

But all of this must be done on the premise of ensuring the succession of the Li family descendants.

After Wu Zetian passed away, she had to return the throne to her son.

This was the political bottom line for Cen Changqian and others in supporting Wu Zetian's ascension to the throne.

Therefore, seeing Wu Chengsi's wolfish ambitions and Wu Zetian's lack of clear response, and with the Tang Dynasty on the verge of being truly destroyed, Cen Changqian did not hesitate to launch a scathing attack, pointing her finger at Wang Qingzhi and cursing: "This group of people gathering to submit a petition must be instigated by a treacherous person! Your Majesty, please severely punish them and execute their accomplices!"

As soon as Cen Changqian finished speaking, the atmosphere in the imperial court became tense.

Wang Qingzhi had never seen such terrifying power before. He was so frightened that he knelt down on the ground, sweating profusely and trembling.

Wu Chengsi remained expressionless, but a murderous intent was rising within him.

A cold glint flashed in Wu Sansi's eyes, and he sneered, "Prime Minister Cen, you are mistaken! The people's petition is the will of Heaven, how can it be considered 'instigated by treacherous people'? Does Prime Minister Cen think that all the people in the world are wicked villains?!"

Wu Youyi stepped forward, his tiger-like eyes wide open, exuding murderous intent: "Old Prime Minister, watch your words! Wang Qingzhi is a law-abiding citizen of Luoyang. He brought a petition from ten thousand people to plead for his life. What crime has he committed?"

Emperor Wu Yizong was even more impolite, pointing his halberd and shouting angrily, calling out Cen Changqian's name directly: "The heir to the throne is only temporarily residing in the Eastern Palace, so how can you say that he cannot be deposed? You all keep saying that you are shaking the foundation of the country, are you really doing this for the sake of the Great Zhou Dynasty, or do you have other plans?! Today, the people are pleading for the throne, and the will of Heaven is clear. You are doing everything you can to obstruct us, what exactly do you want to do!"

Just then, Wu Youji suddenly stepped forward and spoke calmly, his voice slow yet sharp as a knife: "The old prime minister's desperate obstruction reminds me of something—when the late emperor passed away and His Majesty was regent, there were a few 'loyal ministers' in the court who kept saying they wanted to preserve the legitimacy of the Li Tang dynasty. Now that His Majesty has ascended the throne, you are still obstructing the Wu family's succession. Do you still care about the Li Tang dynasty in your hearts?!"

With this heavy accusation, the atmosphere in the hall instantly froze.

The Wu family members all turned to look at Wu Youji.

I always felt that this kid had a bit of intermittent wit.

He was sometimes consumed by jealousy of his male favorite, and would fly into a rage of impotence; he was utterly useless.

At times, he always manages to easily point out the crux of the matter. Whether it's saying auspicious words at the grand banquet in the Mingtang or today's attempt to steer Cen Changqian towards Xu Jingye and his gang, he's always hitting the nail on the head for His Majesty, stabbing him in the right spot.

As expected, Wu Zetian's face darkened when she thought of those rebels.

Upon seeing this, Minister of the Land, Ge Fuyuan, sensed something was amiss and immediately stepped forward to offer his support: "Your Majesty is wise! Minister Cen is loyal to the country and truly cares for the Great Zhou Dynasty! The Crown Prince is Your Majesty's own son; deposing him would cause unrest throughout the land. Although the Prince of Wei is a member of the imperial clan, he is not a direct descendant, and I fear he will not be able to win over the people!"

This cut was also very precise.

The Wu family members' faces immediately turned ugly.

Di Renjie stepped forward. He had already realized that things could not end well today. If he sat idly by, not only would the position of Crown Prince be in jeopardy, but Prime Minister Cen would also be in trouble. So he immediately spoke up, and he went even further: "The Emperor (Li Zhi) is Your Majesty's husband, and the Crown Prince is Your Majesty's son. Your Majesty possesses the world and should pass it on to your descendants as a foundation for ten thousand generations. How can you make your nephew your heir? Since ancient times, there has never been a case of a nephew becoming the emperor and establishing a temple for his aunt."

That old scoundrel!

Wu Chengsi clenched his fists instantly.

The Wu family members gritted their teeth and began to ponder how to kill these people.

"I second the proposal!"

Ouyang Tong, the Grand Secretary of the Secretariat, was the first to step forward.

"I second the proposal!"

Censor-in-Chief Zhao Wenge then stepped forward.

"I also second the proposal!"

At the same time, more than a dozen people, including Lu Huaizhen, the Vice Minister of Justice, and Du Jingjian, the Director of the Summer Office, stepped forward like waves of wheat in the wind, bowed, and shouted "Seconded!" The sound echoed throughout the entire hall.

Wu Chengsi gave Lai Junchen and Zhou Xing a wink.

Lai Junchen's gaze swept over every face, and he nodded slightly.

Zhou Xing smiled. He had been waiting for these people to jump out. If no one opposed the emperor, he, the cruel official, would be purged. The more they made a fuss and the more "rebels" there were, the safer he would be. He had originally planned to create a few, but now he was relieved; they had delivered themselves to his doorstep.

"I already understand the intentions of my ministers."

Wu Zetian slowly rose to her feet, the pearls and jade on her nine-phoenix golden crown clinking together with a crisp sound.

"I am tired today."

Wu Zetian said calmly, but her gaze was sharp as a sword, "This matter will be discussed later. Wang Qingzhi..."

Wang Qingzhi shuddered, his forehead pressed tightly against the ground.

"I grant you permission to enter the palace at any time to submit your petition."

This unexpected decision stunned the entire court.

Wu Chengsi was initially delighted, but then frowned—was his aunt's attitude one of approval or disapproval?

As the court was adjourned, the officials bowed again in unison. Wu Chengsi bowed and kowtowed. When he straightened up, he saw that his aunt's nine-phoenix golden crown had disappeared behind the curtain, leaving only the lingering sound of pearls and jade clinking in the hall.

……

Princess House.

Lingni Hall.

Lu Chenyuan was building a mechanism, while the Empress was organizing materials beside him.

This time, he's going to build a mechanical bamboo magpie.

The bamboo magpie can be considered the predecessor of the mechanical beast [Vermilion Bird]. At the Vermilion Bird level, it can fly freely. However, the bamboo magpie is not a mechanical beast, but rather similar to a hang glider or wingsuit flying in later times. It is easier to make and has simpler functions.

So far, martial artists can levitate, but they cannot "stay in the air".

Therefore, the existence of mechanical bamboo magpies and mechanical beasts is of great significance.

After Li Lingyue finished reading the "Memorial Requesting the Establishment of Prince Wei, Wu Chengsi, as Crown Prince," she looked at Lu Chenyuan and asked, "What do you think? Mother allows Wang Qingzhi to enter the palace at any time to submit his petition. Is this a genuine intention to establish Wu Chengsi as Crown Prince?"

The situation was urgent, and she desperately needed answers.

This wind direction is dangerous!
If Wu Chengsi becomes the crown prince, her future as a princess of the Li family will only become more difficult!
Lu Chenyuan stopped what he was doing and smiled. At least Wu Zetian was genuinely hesitant...

The Wu Zhou regime was in an awkward position from the very beginning.

In the end, it was nothing more than a continuation of the old Tang Dynasty under the guise of a new dynasty. There were still old officials in the court who still longed for the Li Tang Dynasty, and the Six Ministries were still operating under the old system of the Zhenguan era. Even when the Empress ascended the throne, she still offered sacrifices to the Li Tang ancestral temple.

This is hardly a revolutionary new dynasty; it's clearly a meticulously planned performance.

The Three Departments and Six Ministries remained untouched, the imperial examinations proceeded as usual, and even the fish-shaped tallies used for troop movements were simply replaced with tortoise-shaped tallies. The so-called "Great Zhou" was nothing more than embroidering a new flower on the old robe of the Tang Dynasty to please the old lady.

The most ridiculous thing is that even the Empress herself could not get rid of this constraint—she could change Luoyang to Shendu, create new characters, and build the Mingtang, but she had to retain the ancestral temples and sacrifices of the Li Tang dynasty. What kind of revolution is this?
She wanted to go further and completely consolidate the Wu Zhou regime, which could only be passed on to the Wu family. This would also prevent her son from restoring the old system of the Li Tang dynasty and prevent the Li Tang imperial family from launching a counterattack and purging her usurpation. However, this would inevitably cause violent turmoil, which she could not resolve and was unwilling to accept, so she could only put herself in a difficult position.

She's caught in the middle now.

If she passes it on to her sons, they might restore the old system of the Li Tang dynasty and deny her rule;

Passing the throne to Wu Chengsi might have continued her rule and prevented the end of her reign, but she has her own father. If he becomes emperor, he will only marginalize her and may even remember how her father died, which will make him hate his aunt even more!

As for the third possibility proposed by later generations, such as establishing Princess Taiping as the crown princess, it is even more absurd. Choosing the first option would only provoke dissatisfaction from the other. Choosing Taiping would mean a double whammy, potentially upsetting the entire Confucian system.

Wu Zetian's hesitation in her later years led to the Shenlong Coup, which shows how well she played the fool.

Otherwise, liquidation will only come sooner!
Of course, extraordinary powers exist in this world, and as long as one's strength reaches a certain level, it is not necessarily impossible to achieve them.

Take the Hidden Immortal Gu Yunsheng, for example. At his level, the so-called rules of the world are nothing more than playthings in his hands, which he can manipulate at will. He truly is a one-man army that can control an entire country.

Lu Chenyuan stroked his chin and said, "She probably does have some ideas, but she won't take action."

Li Lingyue breathed a sigh of relief, then asked, "Why?"

"The simplest reason is that the conditions don't allow it." Lu Chenyuan put down his carving knife, walked over and hugged her, and laughed, "The Wu Zhou dynasty's replacement of the Tang dynasty can only be achieved through appeasement. It's like replacing a large ship; it can't be done overnight. Openly dismantling the ship will only make everyone on board jump up and fight desperately. Smart people take it one step at a time, replacing a deck today, a mast tomorrow. By the time everyone realizes what's happening, the whole ship will be brand new. Only then can we talk about the next helmsman, and she can choose whomever she wants."

Before that, we need to stabilize the boat and prevent it from capsizing.

The current situation is already unstable. The Netherworld Palace is causing trouble everywhere, and the surrounding barbarian tribes are eyeing it covetously. If there is further turmoil within the court, the entire Divine Continent will be instability. This is no longer just a matter of succession. Therefore, even if she wanted to establish Wu Chengsi as heir, she could only prioritize stability for now. The best approach is to remain ambiguous. On one hand, offer some incentives to encourage Wu Chengsi to continue his military campaigns, but without granting him a formal title. On the other hand, allow the heir to continue residing in the Eastern Palace to appease the Li Tang faction. Then, she simply waits.

Li Lingyue quickly understood and sighed softly.

What are you waiting for?
Once all the old ministers of the Li Tang lineage have died, and the court has completely become the Wu Zhou dynasty, then there will be no problem.

But this raises another issue: lifespan.

She's already sixty-seven...

That's why he went to great lengths to find the elixir of immortality, treated those two swindlers with utmost respect, and seized every opportunity, however slight, to rejuvenate and prolong his life, giving himself more time to complete a complete dynastic change...

Li Lingyue looked up at Lu Chenyuan's sharply defined jawline, a hint of amazement flashing in her eyes, and reached out to touch his eyes.

"What?"

Lu Chenyuan glanced outside and deliberately whispered, "It's still daytime..."

"Pooh!"

Li Lingyue blushed and lightly patted him: "I wanted to see how your eyes are shaped. Can a pair of discerning eyes really produce such a clever mind?"

Lu Chenyuan laughed and said, "This is one of a kind."

Li Lingyue remained silent, her gaze calm.

Ever since the nun Jingyin visited, she found it increasingly difficult to bear this unresolved wait.

This feeling of fate being entirely dependent on the mother's decision!

She was fed up with it all!
"you're right."

She suddenly looked up, her voice as soft as falling snow, yet carrying a resolute determination breaking through the ice: "The ship must be steered by itself!"

Her slender fingers touched his cheek. "Will you help me?"

"..."

Lu Chenyuan understood the implied meaning, was slightly surprised, and looked down into her eyes.

Not long ago, his eyes held only admiration for his mother and affection for his brother. That was the Princess Taiping he knew—spoiled yet respectful, willful yet sensible.

But now...

He saw the resentment surging in her eyes, and the ambition that was gradually burning, like a dagger hidden in brocade, a deadly blade beneath a beautiful sheath, beautiful yet dangerous!

This little vixen has changed a bit too quickly...

Was Jingyin nun really that agitated?
Lu Chenyuan said in a deep voice, "This path is not easy to walk, especially for you..."

Li Lingyue didn't even frown; she just looked at him and stubbornly repeated, "Will you help me?"

"of course."

Lu Chenyuan suddenly chuckled, pulled her into his arms, and whispered in her ear, "I told you I've been yours for a long time. As long as one day you don't create a Control Crane Bureau..." Practicing martial arts and cultivating immortality, reaching the pinnacle and looking down on all living beings is the greatest joy in the world. If you can also help out an empress to bully, wouldn't that be even more interesting?
Li Lingyue felt a sense of relief; the gloom she had felt since hearing the news vanished instantly. A hint of smugness flickered in her eyes as she reached out to stroke his eyes: "Don't worry, raising you alone is expensive enough..."

She mimicked his previous tone when coaxing a child: "You stay here obediently. I'll take care of things at Songshan first. I'm afraid Qing Shuang and the others have run into trouble. The person behind this is very powerful!"

She turned to leave.

Lu Chenyuan said, "There's one more thing."

Li Lingyue stopped and turned around.

Lu Chenyuan said in a deep voice, "The Martial Emperor's rule is merely a change of the Empress Dowager's regency. A female crown prince is something that has never happened in thousands of years! This matter can only be discussed in detail. Right now, there is an opportunity that Your Highness must seize."

Li Lingyue's expression turned serious.

Lu Chenyuan said, “Cen Changqian, Di Renjie, and others have offended the Wu clan. Wu Chengsi and his cronies will inevitably resort to the old methods of cruel officials, spreading rumors and slander. Your Highness should save them if possible, and protect them if possible. The Crown Prince is too indifferent, the Prince of Luling is too lenient, and Wu Chengsi has wolfish ambitions. You must let the court officials know this, as well as Princess Taiping, who is devoted to the Li Tang dynasty, but be careful…”

"Be careful not to offend your mother. This is not for the sake of the Li Tang dynasty, but for the sake of the Great Zhou dynasty."

Li Lingyue turned around and smiled sweetly, saying tenderly, "I know, my Lord Lu~"

Li Lingyue left quickly.

Just as Lu Chenyuan was about to continue gaining experience, a small hand suddenly reached out from beside him and touched his eyes.

"...Lingxi, what are you doing?"

Lu Chenyuan closed his eyes and let her touch him for a while, then asked curiously, "What book have you been reading this time?"

The goddess tilted her head: "Brother, don't you like it? You seemed to like it a lot just now..."

"..."

Lu Chenyuan opened his eyes and turned to look at the Empress.

His eyes met those incredibly pure and precious eyes, and he had no words to express his bitterness.

I always have this feeling that I'm a beast...

He was an expert in studying psychological changes, so of course he knew about the increasingly strong emotions in the goddess. This was not a big deal in itself; there were so many literary works in later generations, and it was not uncommon for robots to awaken and fall in love with their masters. To put it bluntly, she was nothing more than his slave and possession. But the problem was that he simply couldn't see her as a robot.

She's more like a younger sister...

Feelings towards my sister... this is fucking...

Lu Chenyuan felt ashamed just thinking about it. He lightly slapped himself, took a deep breath, and softened his voice: "Lingxi, go to the storeroom and get some ironwood. We'll make the skeleton for the bamboo magpie next."

"Ah."

The goddess obediently got up, walked out of the Lingni Hall, and turned towards the east wing.

Just then, a maid came slowly in carrying lunch.

The Empress glanced at her and noticed that the medicinal properties were emanating from her body, as if she had just taken some kind of elixir. However, the elixir had already dissolved and there was no residue on her body, so she couldn't tell exactly what it was. She didn't take it to heart, since many people in the princess's residence practiced martial arts to strengthen their bodies, and it was not surprising that they took some elixirs.

The two drew closer and closer until they brushed past each other.

Inside the Lingni Hall.

The golden lion suddenly sensed an unusual aura, abruptly opened its eyes, and looked outside the hall.

Just as Lu Chenyuan was about to ask a question, his pupils suddenly contracted, and a warning bell rang in his heart like a thunderclap.

He immediately used his lightness skill, smashing through the palace gate in an instant and rushing into the courtyard—

Just as the maid and the goddess passed each other, the maid's bewildered face suddenly twisted, and she plunged her right hand into her abdomen with a "plop." As blood gushed out, she pulled out a blood-stained yellow talisman from her stomach. With the infusion of true energy, intricate crimson patterns appeared on the blue bricks beneath her feet, instantly weaving into a large teleportation talisman array, and the talisman light enveloped the two of them!
"Lingxi!!"

Lu Chenyuan's eyes widened in fury as he unleashed the deadly move of the "Heaven-Cutting Hand." His robes billowed as he struck with his right hand, palm like a blade, a blinding white light bursting forth from his palm—

【White Emperor Cuts Autumn】!
The platinum-gold blade light, like an inverted Milky Way, crashed down with the force to cleave the heavens and split the earth!

Where the blade flashed, the void was neatly sliced ​​open like a thin silk!

Before the maid could even react, her body was reduced to dust in the dazzling light of the blade!

Strangely, the blood mist was completely absorbed by the talisman array, and the originally crimson array patterns suddenly turned golden. In the blinding light, the maid's shattered face still wore a chilling smile, while the goddess's figure gradually faded away like a mirage.

"boom!"

The blade, its momentum undiminished, struck the talisman array, but it was like a mud ox entering the sea. Instead, the array diagram erupted with an even stronger golden light, sending Lu Chenyuan flying backward. By the time he spat out blood and regained his footing, only a ten-zhang-long blade mark remained in the courtyard, while the talisman array and the two men had vanished without a trace.

"I'll fuck your mother!"

Lu Chenyuan's true energy surged wildly, causing the stone slabs within a five-zhang radius to shatter inch by inch. His usually smiling eyes were now bloodshot, and the veins on his forehead bulged. His originally handsome face was twisted and ferocious with rage.

He instantly transformed into a streak of light and rushed out of the princess's residence.

you wanna die!
(End of this chapter)