Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 477 The Decline of Humanity
The matter of the Taihu Lake Water Lord may seem to be going smoothly, but in reality, it has once again caused a huge wave thousands of miles away.

Before the grand assembly.

The courtiers were abuzz with discussion, speculating whether some natural disaster or man-made calamity had struck somewhere else.

This year, every celestial event has brought us to the Jin Emperor; everyone has gotten used to this frequency.

They huddled together in twos and threes, chatting idly.

A newly appointed official returning from a posting was curious about the whereabouts of the Grand Historian, a prominent figure in the capital.

"That it."

Following my colleague's gesture, I took a look and was shocked.

"This man seems to be the third son of the Duke of Ziyang, and he is quite talented. How come he looks so old?!"

With half his hair white, a sallow complexion, and a hunched back, he looked several years older than his grandfather.

Someone sighed and said, "The solar terms in Jiangnan have changed, so we need to use an armillary sphere to observe the changes in the four seasons."

Well, that is indeed the duty of the Grand Astrologer, nothing more to say.

In recent years, more and more strange changes have occurred in the world.

No one could have predicted that the position of Grand Astrologer would be transformed from a leisurely and retirement-oriented department into one that consumes a lot of resources. Many people with connections used their influence to get out of there.

Standing amidst the crowd, Jia Chong merely glanced at the unfortunate fellow and gave a cold laugh.

Emperor Jin pursued immortality, and most of the power below the court was in the hands of the Jia family.

As relatives of the emperor, their relationship with the Sima family was quite delicate.

The Marquis of Ziyang was from the Prince of Runan's faction, and they were naturally at odds. When the Marquis tried to use his connections to transfer to another position, he forcefully suppressed him.

'It's a pity that so many changes have occurred, forcing His Majesty to leave the alchemy room and regain power. How hateful, how regrettable, how despicable!'

Hopefully, the Imperial Advisor will keep his promise.

The Grand Preceptor, standing alone at the forefront, appeared calm on the surface, but in reality, he was somewhat uneasy.

Jiangnan has been plagued by troubles, even He finds it difficult to handle. After all, the Imperial Preceptor also has the intention of protecting the country.

Fortunately, His Majesty made the choice in the end.

For humans, immortality is also a curse.

Just as people's opinions were divided, the somewhat noisy hall quieted down.

It turned out that the Emperor of Jin had arrived.

Today's emperor does not wear ordinary clothes or a Taoist robe, but rather a crimson gauze robe with black trim, embroidered with the twelve imperial symbols. His crown is nine inches high, adorned with a gold Boshan emblem, and decorated with coral and cloud dragon ornaments.

His eyebrows and hair were gray, but his blood and energy were abundant, and his stride was full of kingly aura.

"This...this is His Majesty!"

The veteran ministers were moved to tears on the spot, as if they were seeing the valiant emperor who had just ascended the throne, the emperor who had repelled the northern barbarians and pacified the White Lotus Rebellion.

Some are happy, some are sorry, and some are wary.

No one knew why this immortal emperor had suddenly begun to take charge of human affairs, so everyone perked up.

The agenda for today's grand assembly is very simple.

The first is unsurprisingly, the Jiangnan region experiences different seasonal changes.

The Grand Astrologer knelt down and said that some unusual phenomena during the Great Cold season were not a bad thing.

All because Deng You had been eliminated and the country was at peace, Heaven sent down auspicious omens to indicate that the Wu region was turning from bad to good.

He took out the Taichu Calendar and, based on classical texts, explained to everyone the connection between the changes in the solar terms and the hearts of the people.

He spoke with great logic and conviction, and his aged appearance made him very persuasive.

The courtiers nodded in agreement. "As expected of the Grand Astrologer from a prestigious family," they thought. "He's quite interesting. His quick wit will keep him alive for another six months to a year."

The emperor nodded, making no further request to use the armillary sphere, and the Grand Astrologer, sweating profusely, stepped aside.

The second report came from the Imperial Observatory, which stated that the light of Mars had been appearing intermittently during this period.

The Jiangnan region is ravaged by war, yet no signs of it have been detected by the people.

On the night of the Great Cold, a red light spread across the east and swept westward. The Imperial Observatory vaguely glimpsed a scene of war, seemingly filled with the aura of water, as if a monarch was about to be born.

Upon hearing this, the courtiers appeared terrified, but were secretly delighted.

Various prominent families have their own interpretations of the changes in celestial phenomena and stars, and according to the theory of the Five Elements and their cycles, the fortunes of a dynasty are constantly changing.

Emperor Gaozu of Han was the son of the Red Emperor, and therefore belonged to the element of fire. In the mid-Han period, Jia Yi, Gongsun Chen, and others repeatedly petitioned the emperor to change the element of earth to earth, and to reform the calendar and change the colors of clothing. In the late Han period, Emperor Guangwu resumed using the element of fire.

The changes have always followed the general trend of people's hearts.

The state of Jin was established after the abdication of Wei. Earth produces metal, which is the virtue of metal. Now it is time for metal to produce water.

This was not feudal superstition in ancient times, but a legitimate doctrine that was recognized by everyone.

In addition, given the numerous celestial anomalies this year and the emergence of five dragon-like auras in Jianye, it might indeed be a sign of something.

At least the King of Chengdu and the King of Donghai took it seriously; it is said that someone was instigating the worship of the virtue of water in order to seize the initiative.

Several other members of the royal family were also making some clandestine movements, such as the Prince of Runan and the Prince of Chu, who were both highly respected.

Some court officials were observing, some were joining, and some aristocratic families made some small preparations.

Emperor Jin looked at the eerily quiet courtiers below, his eyes swirling with a multitude of thoughts.

Finally, I made a decision.

He wants to be an immortal, and he wants to be an emperor, so let's make you suffer, let the common people suffer.

He then casually remarked, "Order the Directorate of Astronomy and the Grand Astrologer to investigate this matter."

The Grand Historian knelt down again, but in reality, waves of dread swept through his mind. One calamity after another; this official position was truly inhuman.

One last thing.

"I will hold a ceremony to worship Heaven and Earth in the southern suburbs after tomorrow."

In addition to demonstrating the Mandate of Heaven, the sacrificial ceremony also served to signify a peaceful and unified golden age.

The thirty-sixth year of the Wenhe era was too chaotic, and people's hearts were unsettled.

The emperor prepared to pray to Heaven and the Five Spirit Emperors for blessings upon the Great Jin Dynasty, hoping for favorable weather and a stable and prosperous land in the new year.

The officials all expressed that this was a very good thing.

Some clever people already know what the winds will blow next year.

After offering sacrifices to Heaven and Earth, the emperor would ask his ministers about his achievements in governing the country and compare them with those of emperors of previous dynasties.

This will likely be the main topic of discussion during the autumn imperial examinations.

The immortal emperor is using various methods to regain power.

It's easy to distribute power, but difficult to take it back. Lord Jia's smile had become extremely unpleasant.

After the court session ended, all the high-ranking officials received gifts from the emperor.

It is said that the day will arrive and the divine elixir will be bestowed upon them.

The elixir, made from an ancient formula from the pre-Qin period of Qi cultivation, can prolong life, strengthen muscles and bones, and replenish vital energy.

Some were moved to tears and swallowed the elixir on the spot, some put it away without a second thought, and some took it home with great caution. Others stubbornly refused the elixir as a reward, saying that the king should focus on governing the country for the benefit of the people.

Something is changing from the top level.

The order of heaven and earth is the most sophisticated instrument, balancing and managing the natural world and all living beings.

In the past, there were deities involved in maintaining and adjusting things; now, only instinct remains.

Any change can trigger further evolution.

The vast majority of these changes are heading towards the abyss.

For example, the Golden Dragon of Fortune seems to have weakened a bit, indicating that there is a problem within the pillar of human fortune.

In Qiantang, the year-end is approaching.

Master Xu is making prayer beads inside Leifeng Pagoda.

(End of this chapter)