Chapter 118: The Emperor
Slap, slap.
At Qin Mu’s feet, two empty sword cases fell to the ground and rolled twice.
Behind him stood a group of scholars, utterly stunned. Even the child attendant of the Lingyun Daoist turned his head, twisting his neck at an alarming angle, mouth agape as he stared into the hall, unable to utter a word.
Behind this Pure Yang Hall was the Grand Academy Hall of the Imperial College. The Grand Academy Hall was many times larger than halls like Pure Yang Hall. Before it stretched a long staircase of nine hundred and ninety-nine steps. At the top of the stairs, before the hall, sat the Sage’s Seat, the place reserved only for the Grand Sacrificial Scholar of the Imperial College.
But at this moment, the one sitting on the Sage’s Seat was not the young patriarch of the Heavenly Demon Sect, who held the position of Grand Sacrificial Scholar, but a middle-aged man. He wore a yellow robe and a jade crown. The young patriarch of the Heavenly Demon Sect sat below him, and below the patriarch, all the way down the steps, stood several hundred civil and military officials, along with a number of Imperial College scholars.
Below the platform, scholars from all over the country were competing.
The scholars who could make it here were all divine ability practitioners. The content of their examinations differed from that of scholars like Qin Mu. These scholars had also undergone rigorous trials, and it had been very difficult.
After these scholars had endured countless hardships to arrive here, seeing the yellow-robed man on the Sage’s Seat and such a grand spectacle, some fainted from fright and were immediately eliminated.
The one on the Sage’s Seat was none other than the current Son of Heaven of the Yan Kang Kingdom, Emperor Yan Feng.
Emperor Yan Feng’s personal visit to the Imperial College was not unexpected. He had come here many times before to observe scholars from across the land pursuing their studies, becoming his imperial disciples.
The Imperial College, along with the universities and primary schools, were the sharp weapons Emperor Yan Feng used to counter the deeply entrenched sects. The Imperial College, in particular, was of paramount importance and could not be ignored.
Below the platform, many scholars were competing, the battle intense. Suddenly, with a thunderous crash, the back door of Pure Yang Hall, which stood in front of the Grand Academy Hall, exploded. A figure flew backward, crashing into the midst of the battlefield!
Following closely behind this figure were a series of wooden swords, stabbing towards the flying figure at an even faster speed.
The sword wind howled. A rapid series of thudding impacts rang out, seventy-one in total, pinning the figure against the steps, where he lay sprawled on his back.
The Grand Academy Hall fell into dead silence. The many scholars who had been competing stared blankly, dazed, at the person on the steps.
Before the Grand Academy Hall, it was also silent. The several hundred civil and military officials on the steps had also been startled.
After a moment, Emperor Yan Feng spoke unhurriedly with a smile, “Grand Sacrificial Scholar, it seems the competition among your primary school scholars is even more lively than that of the university scholars. They’ve even managed to knock down my Imperial College scholar. This has piqued my interest. I would like to see the primary school scholars compete.”
The young patriarch smiled and said, “Since Your Majesty wishes to see it, then let these scholars come forward and compete here. Lingyun, aren’t you going to get up? Haven’t you embarrassed yourself enough?”
Lingyun Daoist, filled with shame and humiliation, scrambled to his feet and apologized to Emperor Yan Feng.
A wooden sword was stuck in his chest. It was the seventy-second sword. Seventy-two wooden swords had struck the same spot on his chest in succession, and the sword had pierced into his muscles, nearly reaching his heart.
Fortunately, during his flight, he had unsealed his other divine hideouts, recovering his magical power, which prevented Qin Mu from killing him.
But this disgrace happened in front of the entire Imperial College, even before the Emperor, before the court officials, and even before foreign envoys.
—Among the civil and military officials on the steps were several foreign envoys.
Emperor Yan Feng laughed, “Imperial College Scholar, you’ve really made a name for yourself, getting beaten like this by a primary school scholar. Who hit you? Call him up here. Let me see who dares to assault a fourth-rank official of my court.”
Lingyun Daoist felt even more ashamed, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
The young patriarch summoned another Imperial College scholar and told him to accompany Lingyun Daoist. He smiled, “Your Majesty, Lingyun was most likely underestimating his opponent, allowing the primary school scholar to gain the upper hand. But this primary school scholar’s skill is quite impressive, to be able to beat Lingyun like this. Even I am curious to see who possesses such ability.”
Before Pure Yang Hall, Qin Mu acted as if nothing had happened. He turned his head to look back. The few scholars behind him still hadn’t snapped out of it. Only the girl named Si Yunxiang was staring at him with wide eyes. When she saw him turn his head, she quickly averted her gaze, lowered her head, and started twisting the hem of her clothes.
“This shy demeanor is definitely not Granny Si!” Qin Mu thought confidently.
Just then, Lingyun Daoist and the other Imperial College scholar walked over quickly. The child attendant hurried to meet Lingyun Daoist, calling out, “Master…”
Slap.
The child attendant was sent tumbling by a slap from Lingyun Daoist. The other Imperial College scholar frowned and said, “Elder brother, why be so petty? Taking your anger out on a child?”
Lingyun Daoist’s face was dark. He glared at Qin Mu, his heart filled with pent-up resentment that was hard to dispel. He said stiffly, “Follow me!”
The other Imperial College scholar looked at the other scholars and said, “You all come along too. The Pure Yang Hall examination will be paused for now.”
The scholars snapped back to reality and quickly followed.
When they arrived before the platform of the Grand Academy Hall, their hearts began to pound violently. None of them had expected so many people to be here, all influential figures of the empire, and even the Emperor himself among them!
Qin Mu glanced around, then averted his gaze, focusing his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart. Wei Yong was also standing below the platform, but he wasn’t being examined. When he saw Qin Mu, he wanted to call out but held back, fidgeting anxiously.
Emperor Yan Feng smiled and said, “Which is the primary school scholar who knocked down my Imperial College scholar? Step forward and let me have a look.”
Qin Mu took a step forward, raised his head, and faced the Emperor directly, thinking to himself, “So this is the current Emperor of the Yan Kang Kingdom, Emperor Yan Feng?”
Emperor Yan Feng was different from what he had imagined. He had pictured a wise and mighty figure, majestic as a god. But this Emperor Yan Feng seemed somewhat amiable. He wore a yellow dragon robe and a red belt inlaid with gold and jade. His face was a bit plump, with a broad space between his brows, a high nose bridge, and four strands of mustache and beard.
He had two strands on his upper lip and two on his lower lip, the lower ones much shorter than the upper, but they didn’t look out of place. Someone must have regularly helped trim his facial hair, keeping it neat and tidy, giving him a very distinguished look.
Emperor Yan Feng looked him over curiously and smiled, “Very young, aren’t you? To possess such strength is truly rare. Where are you from?”
Qin Mu bowed, about to say Li Prefecture, but then changed his mind and answered honestly, “Your servant comes from the Great Ruins.”
As soon as he said this, a young general stepped out from among the officials, bowed, and said, “Your Majesty, please order this man’s arrest! He is a castaway from the Great Ruins!”
As soon as these words were spoken, the hall erupted in commotion.
Qin Mu followed the sound and saw that the young general was none other than the young General Qin Feiyue. Qin Feiyue was certainly no stranger to him; they had met more than once and even chatted in an inn in Xianglong City.
Qin Feiyue knew some of his background.
Just then, an old minister beside him said in a low voice, “Your Majesty, this young man is the Flower Alley divine physician that your servant was searching for.”
“The Flower Alley divine physician? So young?”
Emperor Yan Feng was taken aback, then laughed, “Young General Qin, stand down. He has already said he is from the Great Ruins. Why must you make such a fuss?”
Qin Feiyue protested loudly, “Your Majesty, this man’s origins are suspicious. He is connected to the Heavenly Demon Sect. I beg Your Majesty to see clearly!”
Emperor Yan Feng frowned slightly and said, “The Heavenly Demon Sect is also a sect under my rule, and its members are also my subjects. If I order the arrest of my own subjects, how can I continue to govern the Heavenly Demon Sect?”
Qin Feiyue wanted to argue further, “But…”
Emperor Yan Feng’s expression darkened slightly. He waved his hand and said, “Step back. Among my court officials are elites from various sects and schools. If we talk about origins, half of them are from demonic sects and paths. Young General Qin, you are going too far!”
Qin Feiyue had no choice but to step back.
Emperor Yan Feng looked at Qin Mu and smiled, “All under heaven is the king’s land, and all who live on it are the king’s subjects. My domain is not limited to Yan Kang; subjects from the Great Ruins are also my subjects. Are you a disciple of the Heavenly Demon Sect?”
Qin Mu bowed and said, “Yes.”
Emperor Yan Feng laughed heartily, looking around at the assembled civil and military officials. “The Heavenly Demon Sect has always been elusive, and now its disciples are coming to the Imperial College to study. Grand Sacrificial Scholar, your merit is immense!”
The young patriarch inclined his head and said, “This is due to Your Majesty’s boundless good fortune.”
A minister beside him said, “Your Majesty, this child might be a castaway…”
“A castaway?”
Emperor Yan Feng was unconcerned. He said leisurely, “A castaway of the gods, I may not necessarily cast away. The gods may cast away all living beings, but I cannot cast away all living beings. Once they come to my land, regardless of their origin, they are all my living beings. Where do castaways come from?”
An old minister stepped forward, bowed, and said, “But Your Majesty, recently there have been frequent disturbances by sects. I fear the Heavenly Demon Sect is also restless. If this child is a spy for the Heavenly Demon Sect…”
“These martial sects always want to pull off some big stunt to scare me.”
Emperor Yan Feng also seemed a bit troubled. He sneered, “They claim to oppose the National Teacher, but in reality, they oppose me! They want to move my backside and put their own backsides on the dragon throne. What wishful thinking! In the past, the state was an appendage of the sects. Whoever became emperor was decided by the sects. These sects sucked the blood of the state and the people. Any emperor who didn’t suit their fancy was replaced or killed. Times have changed. Sects can only be appendages of the state!”
As he spoke, something seemed to touch a nerve. He stood up, somewhat agitated. “The National Teacher and I are pushing for reform precisely to change this situation where sects control the lifeline of the people and the state. I want not only reform but revolution—to revolutionize these sects and to revolutionize myself! If these sects don’t want change, then they can wait for me to come and revolutionize them! The resources these sects control must all be nationalized. They can forget about trying to control me! Not only must the sects change, but the court must change too. If the court doesn’t change, it will be finished sooner or later! You all say the National Teacher is radical, but the National Teacher is not as radical as I am. The National Teacher’s actions are all at my behest! To oppose the National Teacher is to oppose me!” ①
① Note: The word “revolution” is not a foreign loanword. It originated from the Book of Changes two to three thousand years ago, which states: “Tang and Wu revolutionized [their regimes], following Heaven’s will and responding to the people’s wishes.”