Zhao Gou never imagined that his ticulously planned sche, which had been in the works for years, would be exposed by a blind man in just a few words.
"Absurd, utterly absurd!" Zhao Gou laughed in anger, his expression twisted and terrifying. The noble aura he had cultivated from his high position dissipated, transforming him into a malevolent ghost ready to devour anyone in its path.
What the hell!
Who could tell him where this ng Qingzhou had co from? He had wandered over out of nowhere, spouted a few words, and ended up ruining a battle for the throne!
Zhao Gou felt a hysterical urge to laugh. Just as he was about to grab a weapon and kill ng Qingzhou, the Empress appeared with a cold killing intent. Without a word, she suppressed Zhao Gou with a flip of her hand, sealing all his spiritual power.
The once high-spirited heir apparent of the Shu region, Zhao Gou, now lay on the ground like a dehydrated catfish, struggling helplessly.
So ministers who secretly supported Zhao Gou felt a chill down their spines, sensing the doom of their ally.
Anyone with eyes could see that Zhao Gou was finished!
The leader of the Imperial Guard sighed lightly. Despite being a woman, the Empress was as ruthless as any legendary warlord in history.
"Spiritual power fluctuations?" ng Qingzhou sensed sothing but quickly dismissed it as the fluctuation vanished.
ng Qingzhou shook his head, thinking it was just a cultivator passing by, and paid it no mind.
"Take my advice, quickly leave the Shu region with your family. Zhao Yuhuan may be ambitious, but the Shu region is too shallow. To fight an entire dynasty, he would need to conscript soldiers, regardless of their cultivation level, gender, or age. When that happens, every household in the Shu region will hang white mourning cloths. It's tragic."
ng Qingzhou directed his final piece of advice to Zhao Gou, who lay on the ground, unable to speak.
He didn't realize that his words had already caused the downfall of the heir apparent of Shu, who was now a prisoner unable to move.
ng Qingzhou felt a sense of pride. Yes! Not bad!
A good deed a day, and today he had saved another person.
Zhao Gou's chest was about to explode with rage. He glared at ng Qingzhou with hatred, wishing he could tear him apart.
The damned blind man was still pretending to care, not knowing that his well-aning advice had ruined years of planning in the Shu region.
If his mouth weren't sealed, Zhao Gou would curse ng Qingzhou's ancestors for eighteen generations and expose the Empress's identity.
Many ministers disguised as commoners in the market were eavesdropping and were shocked by what they heard.
Another prophecy from a Sage?
The King of Shu, Zhao Yuhuan, intended to drain the entire Shu region of its population to seize the throne?
Even the Empress, Dongfang Liuli, fell into deep thought, realizing the gravity of the situation.
"I'll take my leave now," ng Qingzhou politely cupped his hands towards Dongfang Liuli and prepared to leave with his basket of vegetables.
"Let's go back together," the Empress said after a few seconds of contemplation, a hint of curiosity in her eyes as she followed him.
ng Qingzhou nodded, "Alright, I'll let you taste my cooking."
"Okay," Dongfang Liuli replied succinctly.
The two walked side by side, the atmosphere harmonious and pleasant, looking like a pair of lovers.
Zhao Gou, lying on the ground like a dead dog, was filled with resentnt, his eyes almost bursting as he whimpered in despair.
The ministers, eunuchs, and palace maids disguised as villagers watched ng Qingzhou leave, their previous disdain replaced with a mix of respect and awe.
"Take him away! I will personally interrogate him!" Jiang Canghai waved his hand.
Imdiately, a group of armored cultivator soldiers appeared from all directions, escorting Zhao Gou to the Ministry of Justice's prison.
Jiang Canghai stood in place, watching ng Qingzhou leave. Stroking his beard, he said gravely, "The chaotic tis are upon us, and a Sage is about to erge. Could the Mandate of Heaven be with our Great Jin?"
"No..."
"Perhaps there's another explanation. The presence of the Empress has attracted a Sage who appears once every three thousand years."
Qin Fenghuo, the Minister of War and Grand General of the State, stepped out from the chaotic spatial currents and said, "According to historical records, Sages comprehend the Heavenly Dao and must act in accordance with it. They cannot go against it. If the Empress's Husband is truly a Sage, he would only have a lifespan of a hundred years."
Qin Fenghuo, known for his straightforward and decisive nature, said, "While the Empress's Husband is still alive, we should quickly start a war and use the Sage's prophecies to sweep through the nations!"
Jiang Canghai was tempted. He hadn't thought of using the Sage's prophecies to start a war, but this brute had thought of it in advance. He said, "We need to verify it further. Once it's confird that the Empress's Husband is indeed a Sage, we can start the unification war!"
***
The Green Tiles Small House, also known as the Taiji Hall, was the Empress's palace in Great Jin.
Smoke rose from the chimney of the kitchen, and soon a rich aroma filled the air.
Although ng Qingzhou was blind, his hands were extrely dexterous. With a light touch, he accurately asured the right amounts of oil, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar.
"Try this," ng Qingzhou said, placing the last dish of braised pork ribs on the table and wiping his hands with an apron.
Dongfang Liuli glanced at the table full of delicious dishes and exchanged a look with Su Qingqiu.
"I've never seen this cooking thod before," Dongfang Liuli said, picking up a piece of stead pork and putting it into her mouth. With just two chews, the perfectly balanced at lted in her throat.
"Mmm! Delicious!" Dongfang Liuli's eyes lit up, her already stunning face becoming even more radiant, like a blooming begonia flower.
Unfortunately, ng Qingzhou couldn't see this beautiful sight. He didn't know whether Dongfang Liuli was beautiful or ugly, so he remained at ease in her presence.
"What's this dish called?" Dongfang Liuli asked eagerly after tasting a piece of the bright red ribs.
"Braised pork ribs," ng Qingzhou replied generously. "If you ever crave it, just let know."
"Alright," Dongfang Liuli said, wiping her mouth with a handkerchief and regaining her composed deanor.
Dongfang Liuli had tasted countless delicacies prepared by imperial chefs, but none could compare to ng Qingzhou's simple ho-cooked dishes.
This cooking thod was unheard of, even for the Empress.
"Grumble..."
Su Qingqiu, standing aside, stared longingly at the food, her stomach growling.
"Sit down and eat with us. There's no need for formalities in private," ng Qingzhou said with a chuckle, gesturing for Su Qingqiu to join them.
Su Qingqiu shook her head, trying to step back.
"I said sit, so sit!" ng Qingzhou pulled her by the sleeve, making her sit beside him and thoughtfully providing her with a bowl and chopsticks. "Eat, don't be shy."
Su Qingqiu glanced at Dongfang Liuli, who nodded, and then she relaxed a bit. She took a bite and gave ng Qingzhou a thumbs-up with sparkling eyes.
Realizing ng Qingzhou couldn't see her, Su Qingqiu playfully stuck out her tongue and whispered, "It's delicious!"
***
About half an hour later, the two won had elegantly finished the dishes.
Su Qingqiu patted her round belly, showing a satisfied smile.
"Qingzhou," Dongfang Liuli said, sipping her tea, "I want to know your thoughts on the future of Great Jin. And what do you think of the current Emperor—Qin Liuli?"
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