634: Chapter 57: If you want the Jade Seal, just take it.
634: Chapter 57: If you want the Jade Seal, just take it.
Above the high tower, the Giant Dragon twirls and spirals—a scene full of fantasy, placed in the Eastern Imperial City, feels out of place.
Outside the city, Nomads and the Rebel Army are closing in step by step, while lights within the city are extinguished one after another.
Yet in the Inner City, a different bustling scene unfolds.
A gray-haired old master, his Official Robe filthy and wrinkled, staggers along the street with a wine flask in one hand and a chicken leg in the other.
Upon hearing the sound of silk and bamboo instrunts from the building beside the street, he joins in, dancing and shouting with joy.
A fat and big-eared monk sits on the Lotus Platform, allowing scantily clad won to cling to him, painted in gold, his face showing a boundless rciful Dharma Form…
“Holy Son of Heaven!
A great amnesty to all under heaven!”
“Heaven has eyes!
The state prospers and the people live in peace!”
“All under heaven celebrates together, people from all directions co to pay homage!”
“Why should not a man carry a Wu Hook to reclaim the fifty states beyond the mountain passes!”
Delirious people shout out insane words in their drunken stupor and dreams.
Li Mumu and the other two silently blend into the Inner Court, and every place they pass depicts scenes of raucous laughter and debauchery.
Countless civil and military officials are disheveled, twisted and fighting together.
So snatch the Golden Hamr from the palace guards and swing it with a fierce gust, while others press upon dazzling palace maids, thrusting rapidly back and forth.
…
Could it be that soone is burning opium in the palace, getting everyone high?
Otherwise, Li Mumu really can’t understand the motivation behind these people’s actions.
“They are dreaming,” Xia Yubing whispers.
“In their minds, perhaps the Imperial Court…
the officials…
are always supposed to be like this?”
An endless supply of fine wine, an abundance of at.
Inexhaustible pleasure with won, a wealth that never ceases to grow.
So people hate the Governntal Office, not because they hate the corrupt officials, but because they hate not being one of them.
If only one day I could rise high with ease, becoming a high-ranking official, riding fine horses, I would certainly tear those who bullied and insulted to pieces, taking their wealth, violating their won, and then steal money to buy an even bigger official title.
What about the common people?
When I was one of them, those high officials never cared about .
Now that I have beco a high official, why should I care about the common people?
The President has been in power for two years, and now order is restored under heaven, and all sides submit.
The wise have long recognized the situation and started to try to integrate into the new era.
Who else is still obsessed with the past, longing to continue the glory of the Thousand-Year Dynasty?
The forr courtiers?
If they truly had the ability, they wouldn’t have ended up in such a state; all that’s left for them now is impotent fury and plaintive wailing.
The remaining lot are…
Those who have no power to change reality and are unwilling to learn, progress, or work hard, lying in bed daydreaming, fantasizing about pies falling from the sky—such inept and rotten people.
His Holiness decrees a great amnesty, bestowing nobility and ranks, and everyone holds an official position!
Throughout their journey, Li Mumu has seen seven pri ministers, twelve Great Generals, each one believing they are the true “second only to one, above millions,” and feeling imnse anger towards those who question them.
Greed, anger, delusion…
Threads of invisible obsession rise from the heads of these civil and military officials, ultimately converging towards the center of the Inner Court.
Atop the great hall of the Imperial Palace, a twenty-ter long golden Giant Dragon sprawls, all the obsessions gathered from all around, finally rging into the body of this golden Giant Dragon.
Li Mumu looks up and sees the grand doors of the palace hall wide open, with a young man in a yellow robe and crown seated atop the throne.
Simultaneously, the young man also seems to sense sothing and turns his head to see Li Mumu and the others.
“Do you also seek to be granted a title?
Co forward!”
Li Mumu turns to look at Xia Yubing; after a mont of silence, Xia Yubing nods slightly.
“It’s the one I know.”
“He seems ntally unwell.”
“Anyone would lose their sanity after staying in such a godforsaken place for too long.”
Xia Yubing looked around and, seeing nobody in sight, stepped forward to ask, “Xia Yu, why are you here?”
The na she uttered made the Emperor on the golden throne hesitate for a mont, then he replied with a smile, “This is my Imperial Palace, where else could I be if not here?”
“Your voice…
it sounds familiar to ; are you one of my concubines?”
The won in the palace are the Emperor’s won.
If that’s how you count, then indeed there’s nothing wrong with what people think.
Xia Yubing said coldly, “Are you lucid right now?
Do you rember that you have abdicated?”
“Of course, my mind is clear, it has always been.”
The Emperor nodded with a smile, “If you’ve co for the enthronent ceremony, whatever title you desire, I will grant it.
Do you wish to be my Empress?”
“How many Empresses have you nad already?”
“Over twenty, I suppose; I don’t quite rember.”
The Emperor raised his hand and took paper, ink, brush, and inkstone from beside him, along with a square Jade Seal.
The Imperial Jade Seal!
Indeed, it’s here!
Shen Qingxi’s eyes imdiately lit up.
Although the entire process was ambiguous and full of unknowns, the outco was right!
I truly am a genius!
Xia Yubing raised her hand to stop Shen Qingxi, who was about to rush forward, and whispered, “There are many types of Imperial seals, and according to the rules, the Imperial Jade Seal should not be used to grant titles to concubines.”
“Who cares about rules?”
The Emperor laughed, “Most people only recognize the Imperial Jade Seal, what else can I do?”
Xia Yubing turned and exchanged a glance with Li Mumu.
Despite appearing ntally unstable, the Emperor seed through this conversation to retain a degree of lucidity and coherent logic.
Not like what they had initially imagined.
Shen Qingxi coughed and stepped forward, loudly asking, “Your Majesty, are you planning sothing grand?”
The Emperor responded with a laugh, “If you say it is, then it is.”
So anything goes, huh!
Shen Qingxi, seizing the mont, boldly said, “We didn’t co here for an enthronent, but to take back the Imperial Jade Seal.
Would Your Majesty be willing to part with it?”
The Emperor nodded without a second word and pushed the Jade Seal in his hand towards them.
Really?
Without any resistance?
Shen Qingxi nervously stepped forward, took the Jade Seal from his hand, and inspected it.
It was indeed the Jade Seal she had brought, no question about it.
But at this mont, the Giant Golden Dragon lurking outside the Imperial Palace’s great hall slowly opened its eyes.
“Put the Jade Seal down!”
The thunderous voice resonated in the ears of Li Mumu and the others.
Xia Yubing turned to face the Golden Dragon outside with a displeased expression.
“And what may you be?”
“Blind fools!”
The Golden Dragon opened its maw wide, and a boundless aura of dragon might swept over them.
“I am Destiny itself!”
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