Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 1006 The Calamity's Agony Remains
It was even more astonishing than Fahai's suppression of Yunmengze, after all, the White Lotus Disaster was a real blow to the faces of all the cultivation masters.

Afterwards, everyone said that the Sima family had produced another powerful emperor!
To be precise, he was favored by the times and possessed a remarkable air.

Of course, his subsequent actions were quite outrageous, and he quickly went from having the appearance of a wise emperor to a muddle-headed one.

The only time His Majesty lost his composure was three years ago when a mysterious high priest appeared out of nowhere and publicly slapped him across the face in the Luoyang Palace. This incident caused quite a stir in the cultivation world back then.

Of course, everyone knows what happened to that madman. He was killed by the golden dragon of the nation's destiny, which was activated by the enraged emperor. His body and soul were destroyed!

This further confirms the emperor's unshakeable position.

"If...if His Majesty is truly orchestrating all of this behind the scenes..." Li Gongfeng's voice carried a hint of impatience, "then, shall we launch our 'Fire Calendar' project now?"

But before summer arrives, the position and light of 'Great Mars' in the night sky are not bright enough. Without this favorable timing, even if it is forcibly activated, the effect will not be good. I'm afraid... I'm afraid it won't even reach 30% of the expected effect!
But a sense of restlessness rose within me.

Since things have come to this point, might as well go all out and start afresh, causing a complete upheaval!

The calamity energy gathered again between his brows, and the black energy condensed into the shape of weapons.

Practitioners are most easily influenced at this time. Even if they close their caves and quietly recite the Yellow Court Classic, they will still be drawn out, let alone when they are in the eye of the storm.

At this moment, the radical attitude was quite frightening, but it also carried a kind of seductive power.

"Don't panic!" King Liang felt a chill in his heart, but he forced himself to remain calm, displaying the composure of a powerful figure.

"They won't dare to take any rash actions against us unless they have solid evidence. At most, they'll use rumors and surveillance to put us in our place."

"Otherwise, wouldn't these dozens of vassal kings around the area feel insecure and even unite to rebel if they saw His Majesty punishing his relatives without any evidence? He dares not take that risk!"

"Now, let's remain calm and wait to see what his next decree will be, and then respond accordingly."

Sima Yi's skill in using stillness to control movement was truly masterful; he had indeed mastered the art of forbearance.

King Liang, who believed he had seen through the whole truth, actually developed a twisted sense of pride under immense pressure.

"Indeed, the only one in the entire world who can be my rival is the Emperor!"

"If I can endure such ruthless imperial suppression, remain patient and wait for the right moment to defy fate and ultimately inherit the throne... then my legendary resume will be no less impressive than that of Emperor Xuanzu!"

If Xu Xuan, who was far away at Linji Temple at this moment, knew about the Liang King's convoluted thoughts, how he had perfectly pinned the blame on the emperor, and how this had given rise to such "heroic ambitions," he would probably burst out laughing on the spot.

These important figures in the North really know how to imagine things!
Meanwhile, far away in the Luoyang palace, the Jin emperor, whom the Liang king already considered the mastermind behind everything...

I'm in a very bad mood, extremely bad.

He first heard rumors about Prince Liang colluding with the White Lotus Sect, to which he simply scoffed dismissively.

As a member of the Sima family, to collude with the White Lotus Sect? That's utterly ridiculous and absurd!
That rebellious sect was personally led by me thirty years ago, its backbone broken and its headquarters wiped out; its fortunes have long since declined. The slight disturbances in recent years are merely due to rumors of the White Lotus Holy Mother's reincarnation.

"As long as I capture and kill the rebel leader who has not yet recovered his strength before the time limit calculated by the celestial sphere, everything can be pacified."

"If the Grand Astrologer's prediction is correct, I have ten years left. Ten years is enough for me to complete the supreme path of 'forging an immortal holy emperor'!"

Most of the court officials were skeptical and disbelieving of this rumor, as it didn't make logical sense.

What sense would a powerful prince collude with a rebel sect that has become a homeless dog?
This rumor is utterly absurd.

As for the second rumor, it sounded even more ridiculous to them.

"King Liang is trying to replicate the elixir of immortality? Ha... that's laughable."

Instead of learning the good, they learn the bad. Even the King of Huainan, who should have been researching alchemy to seek immortality, wasn't doing this. What kind of nonsense is this, you, the King of Liang, who's just living in a remote corner of the country?
However, one point in the rumors caught the attention of several bigwigs:
"But if it is true, as the rumors say, that people's internal organs were destroyed in the process of testing medicine... then this is too violent and goes against the natural order."

If this kind of thing doesn't get out, that's fine, but behind the scenes, no one is necessarily clean.

But since the matter has already spread far and wide and reached the imperial court, in order to maintain the dignity of the royal family and uphold the law, the central government still has to issue a document to reprimand the matter, at least to save face.

It must be said that the King of Liang was somewhat fortunate this time.

Because of the Jianye affair, Yu Gong was tied up in Wu County and couldn't get away for the time being.

Otherwise, given that official's fiery temper and unyielding integrity, he would probably have already broken down the gates of the Liang Prince's mansion and given him a few good punches to teach him a lesson about the laws of the court.

However, Academician Yin happened to be on official business in Sichuan and Chongqing by imperial decree, which made the criticism of this matter by the Confucian faction much less effective in terms of organization and momentum.

In addition, Fu Tianchou, the censor known for his impartiality, had not yet returned from his inspection tour in other places. Although there were memorials in the court impeaching the Prince of Liang, the intensity and frequency were not too great.

"Oh, how absurd."

In the Golden Hall, most of the court officials only focused on the fact that the Prince of Liang had "improper behavior" and "damaged the dignity of the imperial family," and began to make general criticisms of the princes' extravagance, debauchery, and disregard for the law.

Although they didn't usually interact much with these princes, the civil officials always felt that being able to take the opportunity to subtly criticize these nobles in court was something that allowed them to demonstrate their integrity and power.

Amidst the clamor of discussion, no one noticed that the emperor on his throne had remained calm, even showing a hint of disdain, when he heard the rumors of "colluding with the White Lotus."

But when they heard the specific descriptions of "King Liang imitating the elixir of longevity" and "the people who tested the medicine had all their internal organs emptied out," they were shocked.
His face visibly darkened, and even a hint of extreme cold flashed in his eyes!

At the same time, the Grand Preceptor, who stood beside the throne, also experienced a slight pause in his magical power within his solemn golden body, with a barely perceptible agitation rising within him.

To onlookers, the Imperial Preceptor appeared dignified and solemn, unaware that the eerie description of "empty internal organs" had instilled a sense of unease within him. "One by one... Could it be that my plan has also gone awry, and someone has noticed something amiss?"

From Suzhou to Zhenjiang, and then to Shouchun, now even the Liang Kingdom has stirred up trouble.
The Imperial Advisor pondered, "This world...this world..."

The Imperial Advisor, who had always considered himself and was proud of being a villain who had usurped a high position in the court and secretly planted his own seeds among the people, was now feeling somewhat exhausted.

There have been too many unexpected events in the past three years, with all sorts of unforeseen variables emerging one after another.

It suddenly felt a little confused. Was its grand scheme, which it had been planning for a hundred years, still hidden, or had it already been exposed to the eyes of many people without its knowledge?

Heart tired
Could it be that the decline of Tao and the rise of Demons have not yet reached their peak?

While the courtiers were still exchanging words, the emperor, who had been silent all along, finally spoke slowly.

He first coughed lightly twice to draw everyone's attention, then spoke in a tone tinged with reminiscence and emotion:

"Ahem... Some time ago, during the spring sacrifice held in the eastern suburbs, I suddenly had some insights while standing on the altar."

His gaze swept over the assembled officials in the hall, finally seeming to land in the distant direction of the Liang Kingdom:
"Our ancestors always hoped that we brothers could live in harmony and friendship and protect the world together. But... thinking about it carefully, it is ultimately because I, as the eldest brother, have not cared enough for my brothers and have neglected to discipline them."

These words sounded full of brotherly affection and self-reflection, but some of the more experienced and prudent ministers in the hall couldn't help but feel a slight unease.

"Issue the imperial decree: Summon the Prince of Liang to the capital immediately to listen to the lectures of great Confucian scholars with me for three months, so as to calm his mind, cultivate his character, and eliminate his violent tendencies."

Emperor Jin had his own plans: regardless of whether the rumors were true or false, he would first bring this "good brother" to the capital, under his own nose, to observe and test him closely before making any further decisions.

If it's really just a misunderstanding, then it doesn't matter. These three months of studying together can be presented to the outside world as a beautiful story of brothers getting close to the royal family and living in harmony.

Moreover, this opportunity can also serve as a good warning to the other princes who have been acting unruly lately.

Especially since one or two of them were getting too close to Jia, this was a good opportunity to establish some rules.

Therefore, when this imperial decree was delivered to the Liang Kingdom by fast horse, the King of Liang received it on his knees and breathed a sigh of relief.

Don't be fooled by his usual composure and forbearance, his constant practice of calligraphy and reading of "Letter to the Prime Minister," which makes him appear calm and collected. In reality, he is quite anxious.

Now, he has only been summoned to the capital to "attend classes," so there is still room for maneuver.

However, we still need to make some arrangements before heading to Beijing.

First, he found the princess, dismissed the servants, and solemnly instructed her: "I will soon be going to the capital by imperial decree to study for three months. All mundane affairs in the mansion will be handled according to the old practice and you will be in charge. If there are any important matters that you are unsure about, you can write to ask Li Gongfeng. You must keep the rear stable."

Then, he secretly summoned the General of Pingdong of Liang and instructed him: "During my stay in the capital, you must continue to maintain the previous state of vigilance, keeping the outside relaxed but the inside tight, and monitor the movements of all sides, especially the border and the defense of Suiyang City. There must be no slackening!"

Finally, they found Li Gongfeng, and the explanation here was the most important.

Especially considering that without the presence and suppression of his own destiny as the ruler of Liang, the canopy above the palace would eventually be much thinner, making the hidden threat of divine punishment and the possible covert surveillance even more dangerous.

"Shutong, you should not leave the manor for the next few months. All external affairs should be postponed. Stay close to the backyard. With the remaining fortune of the Prince's Mansion protecting you, you can get through any minor disasters."

"Also, your temper is becoming increasingly volatile. Spend more time practicing the calligraphy I left behind."

Knowing that this matter concerned his own safety and even the overall situation, Li Gongfeng immediately bowed and replied, "Your Highness, rest assured, I know what is important. I will be cultivating in seclusion in the manor for the next few months and will never step out of the manor."

Having made these arrangements, and feeling that there were no oversights, the King of Liang changed into his royal robes, set up his ceremonial guard, prepared his carriages and horses, and set off in a grand procession westward to Luoyang.

However, as he sat in the spacious and luxurious carriage and the convoy slowly started moving away from Suiyang City, he had a vague feeling that he had forgotten something.

It was something that seemed small, but was actually quite important.

But my thoughts were in disarray, and I couldn't recall it for the time being.

"Never mind, it's probably nothing serious." Shaking his head, he dismissed the doubt and headed towards Luoyang with a hint of inexplicable unease.

In the backyard of the Liang Prince's mansion, in that small, dark room...

Prince Liang, the "God of War of the North," had just learned the "bad news" of his father's departure for the capital from a servant who had secretly come to deliver his meal.

He was stunned for a moment, seemingly not quite understanding.

"Father...is gone?"

"Oh no, we've entered the capital."

Immediately, an overwhelming sense of resentment and a feeling of regaining "freedom" welled up inside him, and he couldn't help but let out a low, excited laugh:

"Jie Jie Jie Jie..."

He suddenly raised his head, and a fierce flame of revenge burned in his bloodshot eyes, which were filled with blood from being confined.

Although the two sides didn't really interact much, the forced self-reflection these past few days made him truly hate that person, wondering when he had ever suffered such injustice in his life.

"Xu! Xuan!!!"

That's right
(End of this chapter)