Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Ying Changchuan raised an eyebrow, looking at the young man.

As the emperor, he was not afraid of someone like Jiang Yuxun, who couldn't even manage petty theft well.

He feared his subordinates harboring duplicity, deceiving him.

Moreover...

The man before him was neither humble nor arrogant, showing no signs of guilt.

As if eavesdropping on the emperor's conversation was the most natural thing to do.

"Would you like to listen more?" Ying Changchuan asked.

"Yes."

Jiang Yuxun felt resigned.

One second, two seconds.

Three seconds...

Silence still prevailed all around.

After a long silence from Ying Changchuan, Jiang Yuxun finally mustered the courage to cautiously open one eye.

—The person who had been standing here had, at some point, returned to the hall.

The Xuan Yin Monitor cleared his throat and whispered to him, "Imperial Secretary, please enter the hall."

Could it be that Ying Changchuan actually wants me to go in and listen?!

As the personal secretary, Jiang Yuxun had his designated seat.

Right under Ying Changchuan's watchful eye.

Barely seated in a daze, he heard the eunuch announce loudly, "Your Majesty, the chief diviner of the Listening Heaven Pavilion has arrived—"

Ying Changchuan spread his sleeves: "Summon them."

The huge screen divided the Liuyun Hall in two.

Through the openwork taotie pattern, Jiang Yuxun saw diviners in lead-white robes, accompanied by shamans carrying ritual implements, entering the hall.

As they walked, their jade rings clinked against each other, emitting a crisp sound.

His emotions surged in response.

From his coronation to his demise, Ying Changchuan's "God-destroying" tactics grew increasingly radical.

In the end, he directly ordered someone to burn down the Lingtian Platform, its subordinate institutions, and related scriptures in a single blaze.

All clergy and the devoted believers, previously marked and recorded by the Xuan Yin Surveillance, were shown no mercy, slaughtered indiscriminately rather than risking leniency.

Such extreme measures, followed by forty years of chaos, eventually led to the gradual loss of the tradition of "witchcraft and sacrificial rites."

Not even a single related relic was left behind.

However, today, I not only saw the sacred robes and ritual implements with my own eyes, but even beheld the presiding diviner in person!

Jiang Yuxun, previously restless, suddenly became spirited.

The Grand Diviner, well over ninety, his hair and beard all white, was helped to sit opposite Ying Changchuan, separated only by a screen.

He looked quite imposing, but Jiang Yuxun knew:

The real power of the Lingtian Platform had long been in the hands of the young Junior Diviner.

The old man before him was merely a figurehead, thrust into the limelight.

"I have heard that the great flood in Zhaodu has submerged half of the Yuyang Palace," the Grand Diviner's voice, raspy and grating as if ground through gravel, said, "Your Majesty, you mentioned that the Yuyang Palace has stood for over three hundred years. Why has such a thing never happened before?"

Having said that, he lifted his gaze towards the screen.

Jiang Yuxun also sneakily glanced at Ying Changchuan with the corner of his eye.

Any other emperor facing this situation would surely be in a state of utter panic.

But what would Ying Changchuan think?

At the seat of honor, Ying Changchuan casually browsed through the reports, offhandedly remarking, "The ways of heaven are unpredictable, merely a coincidence."

It seemed he wasn't at all concerned with the Grand Diviner's threats or implications.

A coincidence?

Truly worthy of you, the foremost materialist fighter of the Great Zhou Dynasty!

Jiang Yuxun couldn't help but stifle a laugh.

The wizards sitting behind the diviner exchanged bewildered glances.

After a moment of silence, someone finally couldn't resist kneeling down to explain their purpose: "We believe all this originates from the 'ritual sacrifices'."

Another added, "Since Your Majesty's ascension, there has never been a grand sacrifice to the Xuan Tian. The recent events are a punishment from the heavens. Without rectification, I fear it may lead to great disaster."

"We implore Your Majesty to consider the welfare of the people and not to persist in unilateral action!"

At this point, the words carried an implicit threat.

"Oh?" Ying Changchuan finally set aside the memorial, "What does the Listening Heaven Pavilion suggest we should do?"

The chief diviner scoffed coldly, sat up straight, and airily replied, "Find three hundred male and female sacrifices each, and offer them on a chosen day at the Listening Heaven Pavilion."

The recent abnormal weather was causing not just undercurrents among the populace.

The Listening Heaven Pavilion could hardly restrain itself, seeking to rise again through this natural disaster.

This was recorded in history.

But hearing it firsthand felt different.

"...Six hundred lives, just like that?"

The words of the chief diviner were like a bucket of cold water thrown at Jiang Yuxun.

His earlier excitement and elation vanished in an instant, replaced by a chilling dread.

Jiang Yuxun clenched his teeth fiercely, cursing inwardly.

What nonsense.

You old fool, why don't you offer yourself as the sacrifice!

Caught in his indignation, Jiang Yuxun didn't notice that the chief diviner had stopped. After a while, he suddenly asked in confusion, "...What is that strange sound?"

At the same time, he frowned and looked towards the screen.

A strange sound?

Where is it?

The youth instinctively looked up, only to find Ying Changchuan and the Xuan Yin Surveillance, both looking straight at him.

"Does my minister have something to say?"

Jiang Yuxun: "..."

So, the noise the old man heard was just me gritting my teeth.

Quite old, but his ears are still sharp.

From the other side of the screen, the Grand Diviner slowly narrowed his eyes, peering through the gaps in the taotie patterns.

After recognizing Jiang Yuxun's official robe, he murmured ambiguously, "Ah, it’s the esteemed Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, a name long revered."

His dark brown eyes, cold and murky like a mud pit, instantly gave one goosebumps.

Yet the youth seemed fearless.

As soon as Ying Changchuan finished speaking, Jiang Yuxun started rattling off: "Your Majesty, I was just curious. Recently, not only in Zhaodu but across the Great Zhou, there have been heavy rains. Many people, defying the imperial edict, are conducting private sacrifices. Surely, Lingtian Platform must be aware of this?"

Jiang Yuxun's tone was sharp, almost accusatory.

As he spoke, he slowly stood up.

The Xuan Yin Surveillance beside him was startled. Just as he was about to pull Jiang Yuxun back into his seat, he saw Ying Changchuan's interested expression and silently withdrew his hand.

"But these sacrifices haven't been effective," Jiang Yuxun said, suddenly slowing down his speech, looking around, "In my view, perhaps all this is because Xuan Tian is dissatisfied with the offerings and human sacrifices provided by the people."

The wizards were alarmed: "What do you mean by that?"

Jiang Yuxun ignored him, instead turning earnestly to the Grand Diviner and said:

"Since Lingtian Platform possesses the 'ability to listen to heaven,' the Grand Diviner, naturally, would be Xuan Tian's confidant. I believe, compared to ordinary people, Xuan Tian would most want the Grand Diviner himself to accompany him. But I wonder, would the Grand Diviner be willing to sacrifice himself for the people?"

Jiang Yuxun had always found this old man disagreeable and seized the opportunity to speak his mind.

Finally, he took a deep breath and sat back down.

That felt good!

In that moment, the Xuan Yin Surveillance looked at him with newfound respect: Jiang Yuxun was right!

The hall was dead silent.

The wizards' faces grew uglier by the moment, but they were at a loss for words.

Until the Grand Diviner, well over ninety, suddenly pointed at Jiang Yuxun, trembling, "You, you, insolent brat..."

He was about to say something when his face turned ashen, and he clutched at his heart.

"Grand Diviner?!"

"How do you feel, sir?"

The wizards immediately crowded around him, some soothing, others fanning.

The imperial physicians and eunuchs also rushed over in a panic.

For a while, the hall was in utter chaos.

Until the Grand Diviner, trembling, was helped out of the hall.

Jiang Yuxun, forgotten on the side, suddenly realized: Damn, did the old man actually get so angry he fell ill?

This is troublesome.

With new grudges added to old ones... Lingtian Platform will definitely hold a serious grudge against me!

The hall of Liuyun regained its quietude.

Ying Changchuan rose with a smile and walked to the window to watch the rain.

After a moment, he slowly turned around: "The calf does not fear the tiger, indeed a display of youthful vigor from my dear minister."

As Jiang Yuxun looked up, he found himself caught in those seemingly smiling, smoky-gray eyes.

Ying Changchuan, in a crimson gauze robe, had deep-set features and a slight upturn at the corners of his lips.

His brows exuded arrogance and a languid grace.

Apart from his height, which appeared to be over 1.9 meters, he bore no resemblance to the middle-aged, robust man depicted in the "Emperor's Portrait of a Thousand Years" from later times.

Stop!

Now is not the time to think about these things.

Calming down, Jiang Yuxun suddenly realized: Ying Changchuan, from the beginning to the end, had not shown any surprise at his words.

As if everything was within his expectations.

...Isn't that the fact!

"Your Majesty is truly far-sighted," Jiang Yuxun gritted his teeth in frustration.

Cunning and shrewd!

Ying Changchuan, this scheming man!

—He might not be aware of the debuff, but he had long seen through my character.

Ying Changchuan intentionally kept me in the hall today.

His purpose was to make me publicly declare my stance in front of everyone from Lingtian Platform, drawing a clear line and setting up a direct opposition!

From now on, Ying Changchuan and I are tied together in this.

"Is my minister displeased?" Ying Changchuan discerned the emotion in his words, but far from being angry, he actually laughed.

"It's easy to speak boldly, but once spoken, I remember that unlike you, I have no one to protect me. If the Grand Diviner, in his anger, wants to kill me, it would be easy for him to take my life. Your Majesty enjoys today's grand spectacle, but how can I be happy when I am so close to death?"

Although the Grand Diviner is just a figurehead, I am even less than that!

If that old man really dies from anger, I'll surely be the first one Lingtian Platform blames.

Jiang Yuxun's words carried a hint of petulant resignation.

Unexpectedly, after listening, Ying Changchuan seriously nodded: "Indeed, it is an oversight on my part."

Huh?

Has Ying Changchuan lost his mind?

"Summon someone," Ying Changchuan turned and looked around the hall.

The Xuan Yin Surveillance immediately knelt on one knee: "At your service—"

"By my decree, from this day forward, all members of the right division of the Xuan Yin Surveillance are to follow the commands of Minister Jiang Yuxun, without exception."

"As you command!"

What, what?

Jiang Yuxun was taken aback.

The historically renowned Xuan Yin Surveillance, divided into left, right, and upper divisions.

Has Ying Changchuan really just handed over a third of that power... to me?

Am I dreaming?

Jiang Yuxun was stunned for a long moment, completely forgetting to acknowledge the decree and express his gratitude.

It wasn't until Ying Changchuan reminded him, "Does my minister not wish to say something to me?" that he reacted.

Oh right, gratitude.

Coming back to his senses, Jiang Yuxun immediately bowed and, before he could even thank Ying Changchuan, earnestly promised, "In the past, I indeed judged your majesty's noble heart with my petty mind. I will no longer secretly accuse you of being petty in my heart."

Jiang Yuxun: ...?

Jiang Yuxun: !!!