Invasion Myth: Starting with the Schoolteacher

Chapter 496 Giving Gifts
January 1st marks the beginning of the new year for the emperor.

The first month of each year is the time for grand court audiences to receive congratulations.

When the emperor visited the Deyang Palace to receive congratulations, all the officials, ministers, generals, and local chiefs of various prefectures and counties, as well as chiefs of ethnic minorities and envoys, presented tributes and offered their congratulations.

When feudal lords pay homage to the emperor, it is called "reporting on their duties." If a lord fails to pay homage once, his rank will be demoted; if he fails to pay homage twice, his territory will be reduced; if he fails to pay homage three times, the six armies will be transferred to his territory.

It means that today is a joyous day, and everyone is here to tell the emperor about their achievements last year, whether their tributes were sufficient, and whether their income was above average.

If you achieve excellent results, you won't be rewarded immediately; if you achieve poor results, you won't be dismissed immediately.

But we can talk about it afterwards.

In short, this is an occasion where efforts are made to please the emperor. Those who know, know. Data workers have a very long history, and their salaries can be raised as much as they want.

This year, however, everyone is a bit panicked, and some are even considering whether to write more content to get through the grand assembly.

The trembling courtiers entered the main hall and saw an extremely calm emperor.

There was no rage, no madness; his eyes were like deep pools, seemingly concealing endless darkness.

Excellent, this is the demeanor of an emperor.

They accepted the court's congratulations, praised their subjects, and celebrated the peace and prosperity of the land.

It was as if everything yesterday was an illusion, but when the court session ended, the emperor still bestowed the divine pill.

The previous batch of elixirs had been examined by alchemists and found to contain extremely precious medicinal materials, which even prominent families would not be willing to give to everyone.

The pharmacology is also very gentle and suitable for all body types, so there will be no problems.

This formula shows that Emperor Jin's thirty years of cultivation did yield some results.

Therefore, this time, many more people swallowed the divine pill than last time, which can be seen as a way of expressing their stance.

Emperor Jin nodded in satisfaction. Such was the nature of human nature; no wonder he was so cautious.

Finally, he gave a few minor instructions, which made the courtiers even more serious and attentive.

The first priority is to thoroughly investigate the truth behind the death of the Grand Priest of the Palace, the one who wore the Fangxiangshi mask.

Because of the backlash from the failed Great Exorcism, almost all the few remaining wizards in the capital were wiped out, effectively ending their lineage.

Secondly, the origins of the red-robed wizard must be investigated, and if found, his entire family must be exterminated.

It is only natural that the person who slapped the emperor in the face in public must pay the price.

Third, find out who Zhang San is.

this.
The Vice Minister of Justice looked troubled. The first and second places were expected and were things they should do.

But there are hundreds of such names in the capital alone, and tens of thousands throughout the entire country.
"I accept the decree."

Compared to tracking down the trail, the group of worshippers and the Grand Historian were probably in a worse situation.

As expected, the vast majority of court officials were driven out of the capital.

What kind of Fulong Court is this? The dragon has already been slapped in the face, and you guys haven't even lifted a finger. What use are you?

The worshippers were also helpless; they couldn't even comprehend the level of conflict from below.

If they truly had the ability to intervene, who would still want to be some kind of imperial court servant?

In the end, the only person in the imperial court who could be considered an extraordinary individual was the Imperial Preceptor.

Although the situation was out of control for a day, it was generally heading in the direction that some people had planned.

At this moment, Imperial Censor Ji Lang stepped forward and asked, "The strange phenomena of yesterday have caused great anxiety among the people of the capital. We need a good plan to appease them."

If it were simply a matter of fooling the people, Geelong could easily come up with seven or eight solutions without even asking.

However, since it involved the Great Nuo ritual and His Majesty, he dared not overstep his bounds.

Emperor Jin was silent for a moment, then said, "Just say that the White Lotus sorcerers caused trouble and were suppressed by the Imperial Preceptor."

The characterization is complete. It has to be said, it's really good that the Empire has a dumping ground; anything can be thrown into it. Even though the White Lotus Cult hasn't had time to claim responsibility yet.

The storm in the capital continued to sweep across the land, while the small world of Qiantang remained peaceful and quiet until the thirty-seventh year of Wenhe.

Amidst the music and singing, a grand banquet begins. Celebrating the New Year. Dishes are served by slender hands, their strands of hair flowing gently. A sense of harmony permeates the air, carried on the east wind.

Banners and pennants adorn the aunts and sisters. Wearing them makes them even more adorable. Wishing everyone good fortune and prosperity after the New Year. May everything go as you wish.

Sitting in his four-wheeled vehicle, Xu Xuan recited poetry in a pretentious manner, pretending to be cultured, while nimbly drifting open the gate to the courtyard.

This is the same model used by Zhuge Liang, made from wood from the Southern Mountains. It bears the source of human calamities and is not something an ordinary person can control.

Mr. Xu considers himself a big shot, so he can naturally take advantage of his bad leg condition to be a little more high-profile.

Okay, actually I just did it because I thought it was interesting.

As one's cultivation level increases, one shouldn't become increasingly repressed.

After regaining some of his magic power, he realized that he had evolved!

The third realm of Pure Land is equivalent to the Taoist practice of refining the spirit and returning to emptiness.

Through introspection and focused meditation, and by nurturing and nourishing the body, one can cultivate a pure Yang spirit.

In later generations, such a person would be considered a deity. As long as their spirit remains intact, they can freely possess another's body and be reborn.

As for divine retribution and human tribulation, that's another matter; in any case, the feedback from one's realm is just that powerful.

Next, as long as the nine grades of afflictions in the desire realm are eradicated, one can attain the direct realization of the non-returning fruit.

In small sects, this level is equivalent to a sect leader; in large sects, it's equivalent to an elder.

Those who were making rapid progress dared not tell the nameless old monk, for fear that he would come with his golden alms bowl to subdue the demon.

She is simply too outstanding.

I hope I won't scare my senior brother when we meet again; this speed is really too much for a white lotus.

I sincerely hope to spend a few more years here, for every place has its own unique scenery.

It's a pity that time flies by too quickly.

Okay, this is just his affectation after his self-preservation ability improved after entering the third realm. If he were still in the early stages of his cultivation, when his life was hanging by a thread, he wouldn't be able to immediately reach the pinnacle of the mortal world and sweep away all enemies.

Once my legs are healed, I'll practice the Yu Step again; it's another amazing skill.

In a good mood, he was waiting for the first person to offer New Year's greetings.

Then came heart-wrenching cries.

Brother Youde's tears were genuine; he was truly worried about his younger brother's health.

I never imagined our feelings were so genuine. You've really gone too far with this.

After the explanation, Song Youde understood that it was just a minor ailment and immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Having experienced the benefits of having powerful backers, he had no desire to return to his previous life of petty scheming.

As long as I lick it well, my virtuous brother will send me to the clouds!
He happily had the servants outside carry the New Year's gifts inside, and soon the courtyard was piled high with them, a testament to the weight of the gifts and the sentiments they conveyed.

These tightly wrapped items are not agricultural products from local villagers; those kinds of things can withstand scrutiny by any cadre.

The gifts included genuine gold and silver jewelry, precious medicinal herbs, and various other valuable items.

True brothers don't play games; that's real friendship.

They were all gifts from wealthy families, and some were even brought out by their own families.

Song Qingtian had a very clear understanding of the situation: even if all this wealth were multiplied tenfold or a hundredfold, it still wouldn't buy him the position of prefect, let alone the prefect of Wu County in the heart of Jiangnan.

Moreover, in terms of money-making techniques, my virtuous brother can easily teach you a trick to make a fortune from wealthy families, temples, and Taoist temples.

(End of this chapter)