Imperial Cultivation

Chapter 549: Chapter 546: Means

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Da Meng Imperial Palace

The Prince Song was soon escorted into the Chengtian Hall by the guards.

Behind the Dragon Desk in Chengtian Hall, Li Hongzhao, dressed in a bright yellow palace gown, languidly perused the memorials.

Her jade-like, crystalline hand held a vermilion brush. With a sweep of her phoenix eyes, she started writing, her pen gliding as if dancing with dragons, yet her writing was swift and excellent.

She then tossed the memorial aside and picked up another one.

A palace maid beside her caught the memorial, gently blew on it, and then neatly stacked it.

Li Hongzhao reviewed at lightning speed, her phoenix eyes sweeping over as she picked up the pen to write, then tossing it aside.

In the blink of an eye, she had finished reviewing a book. Within a short time, she had completed a stack of memorials.

But the eunuch continued to bring in another stack.

”Your Majesty.” After entering the hall, Prince Song approached the front of the Dragon Desk and clasped his fists in salute.

”Sixth Uncle,” Li Hongzhao said, ”Have you seen Chu Zhiyuan?”

”Yes, just recently,” he replied.

”How was it?”

”Truly a dragon among men,” Prince Song marveled. ”A rarity in the world, second only to Your Majesty.”

”Haha...” Li Hongzhao chuckled lightly. ”Sixth Uncle, you have a keen eye.”

Prince Song laughed, ”Your Majesty, this time we’ve lost much face in Da Meng.”

”This kind of disgrace doesn’t matter,” Li Hongzhao said. ”Which dynasty doesn’t have those evil cultists? It’s just that they haven’t been discovered.”

”It’s horrifying,” Prince Song shook his head, his cheerful expression retracting, revealing a fierce demeanor, ”These cultists must be thoroughly purged!”

”Tianjing is like a luxurious robe full of fleas,” Li Hongzhao said, ”If truly unveiled, I’m afraid no one would wish to see it.”

Prince Song frowned.

Li Hongzhao said, ”Sixth Uncle, it’s unnecessary to be so concerned.”

”Should we just watch these evil cultists run rampant?”

”We can deal with them covertly.”

”How to act covertly?”

”In the City Guard, form a separate camp dedicated to exterminating evil cultists. How about that?”

”I believe we should directly draw personnel from the military to form a camp,” he suggested.

”Previously, the Divine Dragon Camp had created a huge uproar, forming another camp would be too much.”

”Let them stir up trouble!” Prince Song sneered, ”I want to see who dares to truly stand out!”

He saw the temperament of the Emperor, and others had seen it too.

As fiery as a blazing inferno.

Prefers softness, not hardness.

If truly opposed, they must accept her fierce retaliation.

As an Emperor, wielding the Emperor’s Sword, even military generals dared not challenge her edge directly.

She had just demoted an iron-capped Prince, the Emperor’s Sword already hanging over the generals’ heads, waiting to see who dared to stand out and be punished as an example to others.

These military generals appeared rough, but they weren’t truly brutish and ignorant.

On the contrary, they were as clever as monkeys, how could they stand out at this time?

If an iron-capped Prince could be stripped of his title, what of military ranks?

Admittedly, stripping the iron cap had incited great anger throughout the Imperial Family, yet its effect of deterrence was remarkable.

Initially, because a woman became the Emperor, many were dissatisfied.

Now, seeing her sharp methods, so different from the benevolence of the former Emperor,

be it the Imperial Family, the aristocracy, or the courtiers, they were swiftly changing their attitudes and ways of doing things.

In hopes of securing a footing in the court, rather than being expelled from the court or the aristocracy.

This new Emperor, though a woman, was acknowledged by the Emperor’s Sword, and bore the Phoenix Bloodline.

This meant a long reign, now impossible to shake.

Prince Song used to be a good man, offending no one, slippery as an eel.

Now, he had become tough.

Also adapting to Li Hongzhao’s ways of doing things.

”This time they infiltrated the Imperial Guard, then let’s draw a camp from them to handle the special task of eliminating evil cultists.”

”This...” Prince Song looked troubled.

”Can’t do it?”

”Your Majesty, they might find it difficult to serve great use,” Prince Song replied helplessly.

This was to continue pressuring the aristocrats.

Imperial guards were selected with loyalty as a priority, skill came second.

Imperial Guards often inherited their positions, deeply rooted, whether from a Marquis Mansion, a Prince Mansion, or a Prince Consort Mansion.

These Imperial Guards appeared in shining golden armor, tall and mighty, majestic and daunting.

But they were mere trappings.

Compared to the City Guards and military soldiers, they were akin to children compared to adults.

This time welcoming, already picked experts from the Imperial Guards, to avoid Da Jing’s Fourth Prince seeing Imperial Guards as purely decorative.

Li Hongzhao said indifferently, ”First establish a camp and see, gradually draw personnel from the Imperial Guards.”

”...Understood.” Prince Song gritted his teeth and agreed.

He inwardly lamented.

This Emperor’s methods are indeed..., this is to continue pressuring those aristocrats.

Whichever one doesn’t obey, bring their sons or household members into this camp.

Now the Imperial Family in Tianjing was extremely dissatisfied with the Emperor, secretly joining forces to prepare for action, wanting to knock on the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Holding to the idea that the law doesn’t punish the masses, they wanted to use this extreme measure to make the Emperor fearful and stop being reckless.

If an iron cap can be stripped, will not all titled persons have to tuck their tails between their legs?

Living so stifled, where’s the fun in having a title?

It seems the Emperor was aware of their covert alliance and was starting to put pressure on them.

This method wasn’t as violent, yet it would make them wary.

Their family members joining the Imperial Guards was for gaining qualifications, not truly fighting to earn merit.

To deal with evil cultists meant truly risking life, these cultists even dared to kill Princes and Princely Heirs.

Li Hongzhao said, ”As for Da Jing’s envoy, send someone to monitor closely and see if they can lure out spies.”

”Yes.” Prince Song hurriedly said, ”But since the Princely Heir assisted in killing the evil cultists, shouldn’t there be some acknowledgment?”

Li Hongzhao disdainfully glanced at him, ”Seems you really like the Fourth Prince.”

”The Fourth Prince helped a lot, without reciprocation, I always feel indebted,” he replied.

”This matter was originally caused by him,” Li Hongzhao said, ”These evil cultists aimed to assassinate him.”

”If it weren’t for the Fourth Prince’s intervention, our Imperial Guards would have suffered great losses.”

”He’s not one to meddle in affairs,” Li Hongzhao shook her head, ”This is indeed a gentleman tricking you with honesty, certain that Sixth Uncle you are sincere, to win your favor.”

”I...” Prince Song felt helpless.

”Then how should he be rewarded?”

”Grant some Spirit Pills?”

”Hmm, that would work too,” Li Hongzhao said, ”Give him a bottle of the Phoenix Immortal Pill.”

”Your Majesty is wise!”

”About the formation of a camp within the Imperial Guards, I must trouble Sixth Uncle.”

”This minister will not shirk this responsibility!” Prince Song solemnly clasped his fists.

Though he knew this was a thankless task, but to deal with evil cultists, someone had to do it.

Exerting effort against evil cultists was thankless, even facing severe retribution.

So over the years, everyone turned a blind eye, pretending evil cultists didn’t exist.

Only now did they realize, with eyes shut, they infiltrated.

Afterward, when wanting to deal with them, one would find it impossible, only watching them devour them.

What a terrifying situation!

He would not tolerate such a matter.

”Your Majesty, Mr. Zhou requests an audience,” outside, a palace maid’s crisp voice reported.

Li Hongzhao said, ”Invite Mr. Zhou in.”

She turned to Prince Song, ”Sixth Uncle should hear from Mr. Zhou what he has discovered.”

”Very well.”

Zhou Ling entered the Chengtian Hall lightly, clasping his fists in salute, ”Your Majesty, I have obtained information.”

”What’s the story?” Li Hongzhao leaned forward.

”These are orders personally issued by Venerables of all sects, to exhaust all means to kill Chu Zhiyuan. Those who execute the order have their souls ascend the celestial realm, so the cultists are acting crazily.”

Li Hongzhao nodded slightly, ”Chu Zhiyuan becoming the common enemy of the evil sects was inevitable.”

Zhou Ling said, ”The Venerables granted secret techniques to hide aura and essence, preventing detection by the Great Grandmaster, and evading Chu Zhiyuan’s perception.”

Li Hongzhao snorted, ”The facts have proven that they can’t hide from Chu Zhiyuan.”

Zhou Ling said, ”They have just acquired the secret techniques, their proficiency is shallow. In time, they could be confident in hiding from the Princely Heir.”

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