You, a tyrannical ruler, roam the heavens; you cannot understand my joy.

Chapter 68 Royal Secrets, the Tragic Life of Chen Shubao

Clang!

In the open space in front of Wanyi Pavilion, two figures clashed, their long swords exchanging sharp, clear sounds and sparks.

Immediately, the two landed on their own, backs to each other.

Immediately afterwards, Lu Zuo suddenly turned around, his arm muscles tensed, and the blade slashed out horizontally with a whistling sound!

Crackling sound —

A series of sounds, like shattering glass, resounded, and the Demon Blade Thousand Blades immediately split into hundreds of fragments, shooting towards Gu Han, who was practicing with him, like a gust of wind or a sudden rain!

The shattered blades came like meteors, covering the sky and the earth!

Gu Han's eyes darkened, he took a half step back with his left leg, his back arched, and his body slightly bent forward.

Boom!

Immediately, he exerted force with his feet, advancing instead of retreating, like an arrow released from a bow, rushing towards the rain of shattered blades!

Ding ding ding ding————

As soon as he shot out, he wielded his ink-black blade, unleashing a dense barrage of blade shadows in front of him and stirring up streaks of ink-black blade energy!

The shattered blades clashed against it, producing a series of crisp sounds and sparks flying everywhere!

The thousand blade fragments, like a curtain of rain, were actually torn open, and with unstoppable force, they rushed towards Lu Zuo!

Tsk!

A deafening explosion ripped through the air as a dark crescent moon slashed toward Lu Zuo's chest!

It is the strongest move in the "Ink Blade Technique" that the Ink Guards all practice!

Just as the crescent-shaped dark blade energy approached within three feet of Lu Zuo, the remaining half of the demonic blade in Lu Zuo's hand disintegrated again, forming a barrier in front of his chest.

A clang!

The blade's energy cleaved through the barrier, unleashing a powerful burst of energy that spread outwards in a ring, raising dust within a radius of several dozen feet.

"call----"

Gu Han withdrew several feet, stopped, sheathed his sword, and slowly exhaled a breath of fresh air: "Your Majesty's strength has improved by leaps and bounds. My move, Ink Moon Without Edge, is no longer effective against Your Majesty."

These past few days, Lu Zuo hasn't gone to see Zhang Lihua. Besides tormenting Li Qingmei every day, he also has to spar with the Black-Clad Guards to increase his combat experience and understand the techniques of exerting force.

Zhu Yuyan is right. He lacks experience in fighting. Even though they are both at the peak of the Innate Realm, he is still far inferior to a seasoned master.

Take Gu Han for example. Although he has been in the Innate Realm for several years, he has not yet achieved great success.

However, in their first sparring match, he defeated Lu Zuo in just a few dozen moves.

And this—

It was because he was mindful of his status as emperor and dared not fight with all his might.

Even if they use all their special moves, they will still hold back three-tenths of their strength.

"That's because you have reservations; otherwise, I would have been defeated long ago."

Lu Zuo's arm trembled slightly, and the scattered fragments of the Thousand Blades flowed back and were pieced back together.

He sheathed his sword and waved his hand, saying, "Let's call it a day."

"Yes."

Gu Han bowed and turned to leave.

"Your Majesty, as the supreme ruler, why must you be so engrossed in martial arts?"

After Gu Han left, Li Qingmei took a handkerchief, walked gracefully to Lu Zuo's side, tiptoed, and gently wiped the sweat from his forehead: "A little practice is enough."

Lu Zuo chuckled and put his arm around Li Qingmei's soft waist: "If I don't improve my cultivation, I'm afraid I'll be eaten by many people."

Li Qingmei's heart skipped a beat, then she smiled faintly, "Your Majesty is joking."

"You are the Emperor of the Great Chen Dynasty, who would dare to disrespect you?"

"Of course it's you, my beloved concubine!"

-

"Didn't you eat a piece of my flesh last night?"

Li Qingmei's pretty face flushed crimson, and she said shyly, "Your Majesty~~!"

"You're so naughty!"

Not far away, Chen Shubao, along with several other eunuchs, carefully wiped the door frame, floor tiles, and window frames of Wanyixuan with a cloth.

Their flirtatious banter reached my ears without reservation.

As he knelt on the ground wiping, he grumbled inwardly, "You've tormented my beloved, and I still have to clean the floor for you?"

"hateful!"

"Damn it!"

"I'll skin you alive sooner or later!"

Just then, a eunuch rushed into Wanyi Pavilion, bowed, and reported: "Your Majesty, Chen Wu requests an audience."

Since the palace coup, he has been recuperating and detoxifying at the Moyiwei garrison.

The fact that they have come to see me now means that they have recovered.

"I met him in the Imperial Study."

The Imperial Study.

"Chen Wu pays his respects to Your Majesty."

Chen Wu, who had been waiting there, immediately knelt down and kowtowed when Lu Zuo entered.

Get up.

Lu Zuo stepped forward, patted him on the shoulder, and sat down in front of the throne: "From now on, when you meet me alone, you need not perform the formalities of a subject and a ruler."

"Chen Wu dares not."

"Have your injuries fully healed?"

-

"Thanks to Your Majesty's good fortune, Chen Wu's injuries have healed. Furthermore—"

He took out a section of bamboo tube from his bosom and presented it to Lu Zuo with both hands: "A secret report has come from Nantong."

A palace coup nearly wiped out the Black-Clad Guards, leaving only a dozen or so men.

But the spies of the Black-Clad Guards are still around!

Although some spies were afraid of being implicated after hearing about the palace coup, they either went into hiding or fled to the Northern Sui Dynasty.

However, the spies in Nantong did not suffer many losses.

Lu Zuo reached out and took it, opened the bamboo tube, took out the secret letter inside, and looked down at it.

Immediately, his brows furrowed!

"Your Majesty, is the situation in Nantong critical?"

Lu Zuo nodded: "Officials at all levels in Nantong, as well as prominent families, have decided to rebel and have made contact with Shen Xun, the prefect of Dongyang."

"They are levying exorbitant taxes to raise funds for the military and recruit soldiers."

"An upheaval is imminent—"

"Chen Wu!"

"I hereby appoint you as the Thousand-Guard of the Black Robes. You shall immediately proceed to Nantong and keep the spies there in check."

"After the palace coup, the spies of the Black-Clad Guards were in disarray; some fled, some betrayed. We absolutely cannot afford any more problems in Nantong."

With the Northern Sui Dynasty eyeing the country covetously from outside its borders, and six powerful families conspiring in secret, a rebellion in Dongyang was imminent.

If Nantong, this vital waterway and land route, were to encounter another problem, Shen Xun's Dongyang army would be able to advance unimpeded all the way to the gates of Jiankang!

By then—

Lu Zuo simply couldn't imagine what the situation would be like in the Southern Chen Dynasty!

It seems he'll become a king who brings about the downfall of his kingdom far too soon.

"Yes."

Chen Wu responded and turned to leave the imperial study.

After he left, Lu Zuo also stood up from the dragon throne and paced back and forth in the room, pondering the current situation.

"Although Shi Wenqing and Li Chengan have been dealt with, the situation remains perilous!"

"If I'm not careful, I—hmm?"

His gaze suddenly sharpened, landing on the dragon carving on the pillar inside the room.

"It looks like the dragon's eye just twitched?"

Thinking of this, he stepped forward, reached out and touched the longan. With a splash, the longan detached from its socket, fell from the pillar, and hovered in mid-air.

A thin gold chain also hung on it.

"This is... a secret mechanism?"

Lu Zuo reached out, grabbed the longan, and pulled it down forcefully.

Crackling sound —

The sound of mechanisms turning filled the air, and a stone brick slowly emerged from the north wall, upon which rested an antique wooden box.

"This is--."

Lu Zuo stepped forward, took down the wooden box, and placed it on the imperial desk.

The moment the lid was opened, a refreshing and invigorating aura wafted out, bringing a sense of inexplicable comfort.

"This is----"

He took out a seal from the box, examined it intently, and carefully perceived its meaning.

"By the mandate of Heaven, may your reign be long and prosperous?"

"And that pure and upright spirit flows from it—"

"This is the true Imperial Seal of the State!"

"Yes, that's more like it—"

Lu Zuo had always found it strange that the He Shi Bi, also known as the Imperial Seal of the State, in the original novel clearly possessed strange energy.

Cihang Jingzhai even used it to promote the idea of ​​"choosing a master on behalf of Heaven" —

The one in the Imperial Study was clearly ordinary and unremarkable, which was completely inconsistent with the description in the original work.

"So it really had been hidden all along —"

Lu Zuo's heart stirred, and he threw the Imperial Seal into his personal space, then took out another item from the box.

The Secret Records of the Chen Family!

Fifteen minutes later.

Lu Zuo threw the Chen family's secret records into his spatial storage, restored the layout of the Imperial Study to its original state, and went to the window, gazing in the direction of the Imperial Mausoleum with a gloomy expression.

"So, the Chen imperial family's foundation lies within that imperial mausoleum."

Secret records indicate that the Chen imperial family secretly trained a group of experts known as the Shadow Guards.

The Shadow Guards are trained from childhood, brainwashed into loyalty, taught martial arts, and secretly trained. They are absolutely loyal to the royal family and possess extremely powerful strength.

If all the Shadow Guards were mobilized, they could annihilate any one of the nine great families!

However, there were only thirteen of them, and because they had to guard the Emperor Yin, who was a man who could not be killed even by being hacked to pieces or sliced ​​to pieces, they remained in the imperial tomb.

Throughout the Chen imperial family's history, only the emperor, wielding the Imperial Seal, could command these individuals; however—

"The Shadow Guards were able to tell whether someone was of royal blood?"

"Isn't that a bit perverted?"

This is yet another tricky problem!

If we don't deal with them, and their identities are discovered one day, we'll be doomed.

"never mind."

"These people are all stuck in the imperial mausoleum for now. Let's get through the Nantong rebellion first."

Thinking of this, Lu Zuo said in a deep voice, "Someone, summon Ren Zhong."

Half an hour later————

"It's so difficult, so incredibly difficult!"

Inside the imperial study, Ren Zhong frowned and shook his head repeatedly: "Your Majesty is wise."

"The nine great families have been operating for many years, and they have people in every government office and military camp."

"His Majesty's strategy to adjust the commanders of the five major camps is correct, but it won't be a complete overhaul!"

Lu Zuo frowned slightly: "So many people from aristocratic families?"

Ren Zhong hummed in agreement and nodded: "Leaving aside other matters, just take the Imperial Guards and the Five City Garrison as examples. Although they were reorganized after the palace coup..."

"However, many of the officers at all levels in the military still have their sons who are fiercely loyal."

"Restructuring is easier said than done."

The foundation is completely rotten.

Lu Zuo pondered for a moment, then asked, "What about just guaranteeing one battalion?"

"Can the old general do it?"

"If it's just one battalion—" Ren Zhong pondered for a moment, "this old minister is ninety percent certain."

Lu Zuo: "Then let's start by changing the strongest combat force, the Divine Martial Camp."

"The old general must hurry!"

"I can only give you ten days. You can gradually revise the remaining four battalions, but the Divine Martial Battalion must be done quickly!"

Seeing his grave expression, Ren Zhong asked, "Your Majesty, what has happened?"

"A rebellion is imminent in Nantong; I must go there as soon as possible to quell it!"

"otherwise----"

"The Great Chen Dynasty is doomed!"

Ren Zhonghu's eyes widened, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints!

As evening approached, the shops along the street gradually removed their doors, the creaking sounds echoing throughout the area.

Wine flags hung from the eaves, swaying lazily in the breeze, while the peddler's wheelbarrow creaked and groaned as it rolled over the cracks in the stones, heading home.

"The common people are thin and bony, and even after a busy day, they can't earn much money."

Fan Qinghui strolled slowly along the bluestone street, surveying her surroundings, and murmured softly, "The signs of the fall of the Southern Chen dynasty are growing stronger."

Beside her, Bi Xiuxin looked towards a small alley, a hint of anger flashing in her eyes.

At the base of the wall, a dozen or so beggars, dressed in rags, with sallow skin and skin as thin as bones, huddled on the ground, wrapped in a few tattered straw mats, with flies buzzing around them.

"What's infuriating is—"

"To maintain a facade of peace, the State of Chen forbade refugees from begging on the main streets, forcing them to huddle in alleys and eat scraps!"

Upon hearing this, Fan Qinghui also glanced towards the alley, a look of compassion appearing on her face.

"During the Sui Dynasty, in Daxing City, were there ever any prohibitions against vagrants begging in the streets?"

"It would be an absolute injustice if the State of Chen didn't perish!"

"well----"

She sighed sadly, "The more I look at it, the more upset I get. Let's go."

"Master Kuci's invitation to us must mean that the position of Imperial Preceptor has been secured."

The two women quickened their pace, their shadows stretching long in the setting sun.

Shortly after they left, Huang Ye, who was in town to buy food and medicine, passed through the alley.

She stopped, glanced at the beggars inside, took some food from the cart, and went inside.

Before long, these refugees and beggars followed Huang Ye out of the city and headed towards Da'an Village.

A short while later, deep within a courtyard with five entrances and exits.

A spacious hall was set up, with its carved nanmu wood doors wide open.

The flickering light of a dozen or so glass lamps illuminated the room as if it were daytime.

The floor is paved with mottled stones from the South China Sea, the walls are adorned with authentic works of art by renowned artists, the display cases showcase antiques and jade artifacts, and the dome is inlaid with luminous pearls...

Every detail here exudes wealth and luxury.

-

Beside a rosewood table sat a monk of medium height, dressed in a light yellow robe, with a kind face, who looked to be in his thirties.

"Amitabha----"

With a solemn expression, he chanted Buddhist prayers and sighed, "I originally thought that tyrannical emperor would appoint me as the national preceptor."

"Unexpectedly—"

"But they bestowed a title upon a woman of unknown origin."

"It seems this tyrant has absolutely no Buddhist nature whatsoever."

Bi Xiuxin hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Who is this Zhang Lihua?"

Why would a foolish ruler entrust state affairs to her?

"And she just took power and immediately appointed Zhu Yuyan as the Imperial Advisor. Could there be a connection between the two?"

Ku Ci thought for a moment: "Zhang Lihua is merely a vile woman presented by Kong Fan, a scourge to the country—"

"But it's not impossible that she's a member of the Yin Gui sect."

Fan Qinghui and Bi Xiuxin exchanged a glance, both of their eyes showing a hint of seriousness.

It seems that————

We really need to hurry and find a way to get close to that tyrannical emperor.