bestfiction Chapter 319 Draft
Chapter 319 Draft
On a chilly spring morning, Xiao Chengjun was reviewing memorials in his study, the gilded brazier on his desk crackling softly. A secret report from the Northwest suddenly made him frown—local herders were frequently rioting, claiming that the court's grassland reforms were harming their livelihoods. However, upon closer investigation, it was discovered that these riots were being secretly funded by mysterious figures, and the weapons used by the rioters were identical to those of the Netherworld Pavilion from years past.
"Your Majesty, the Northwest Military Governor requests reinforcements to suppress the rebellion." A-Lie's voice broke the silence. Xiao Chengjun put down the secret report, his eyes blazing: "Do not act rashly. Order Shen Yunzhou to lead three thousand elite troops in disguise to infiltrate the Northwest and secretly investigate this matter." He stroked the fragment of the ghost-faced token on the table, alarm bells ringing in his heart. The long-dormant forces seemed to be stirring again.
Meanwhile, strange phenomena occurred in the capital. Eerie chanting echoed from the Qinian Temple in the east of the city late at night, and nearby residents claimed to have seen figures in black robes performing a mysterious ritual under the moonlight. Even more bizarrely, the police officers involved in the investigation disappeared one after another, leaving only strange talismans at the crime scenes. When the head of the Inspectorate rushed to the palace that night to report, his forehead was still damp with cold sweat: "Your Majesty, those talismans are extremely similar to the witchcraft and sorcery of the previous dynasty."
Xiao Chengjun's expression was cold and stern. He immediately summoned his confidants to discuss the matter. After reviewing the ancient texts, the Imperial Advisor's expression turned grave: "This is the long-lost 'blood sacrifice technique,' which is rumored to require a living sacrifice in an attempt to defy fate." Before he finished speaking, news came from the inner palace—a favored concubine had suddenly gone mad, babbling incoherently and uttering treasonous words such as "the new emperor's life is nearing its end."
"Investigate thoroughly! Dig three feet into the ground to find the mastermind behind this!" Xiao Chengjun slammed his fist on the table, his eyes blazing with murderous intent. He secretly ordered the Imperial Guards to seal off the capital, thoroughly investigating all suspicious individuals, while simultaneously strengthening security at the palace. However, as the investigation deepened, the leads repeatedly went cold. The Dali Temple official in charge of the interrogation died suddenly in prison, and the only witness was killed by a carriage on his way to the Supervisory Court, leaving behind only half a handkerchief embroidered with Western Region patterns.
Just as the situation reached a stalemate, Shen Yunzhou sent an urgent report from the Northwest. While investigating the mastermind behind the riot, he unexpectedly discovered that a large quantity of contraband saltpeter and sulfur was hidden among the goods being transported by a caravan from the Western Regions. Even more astonishingly, the caravan's destination was the villa of a prince in the capital. Xiao Chengjun immediately ordered his men to monitor the prince's movements, only to find that the prince was well-prepared, rarely venturing out, and leaving no trace of suspicion.
“Your Majesty, perhaps we can find a breakthrough by dealing with Consort Shu,” A-Lie suggested. “Although she is insane, when she is occasionally lucid, she always says, ‘See you at the altar on the night of the full moon.’” Xiao Chengjun pondered for a long time and decided to take the risk. He disguised himself as an imperial physician and went to Consort Shu’s palace in person.
On the night of the full moon, Consort Shu suddenly awoke, grabbing Xiao Chengjun's sleeve: "Your Majesty... the abandoned temple in the west of the city... they want... they want to summon evil spirits..." Before she could finish speaking, she bled from all seven orifices and died. Xiao Chengjun led the Imperial Guards to surround the abandoned temple that very night, only to find it in ruins, with traces of blood still wet on the altar. In the ashes in the corner, he found half a charred secret letter, the words "If the new emperor is removed, enthrone a new ruler" faintly visible.
At this moment, in the imperial court, ministers led by Grand Secretary Zhang launched another attack. They jointly submitted a memorial, claiming that the strange phenomena in the capital were all caused by the new emperor's "reforms against Heaven," and demanded the immediate abolition of the new policies to appease Heaven's wrath. Xiao Chengjun coldly looked at the memorial, and suddenly ordered the evidence of the Western Regions caravan case to be made public, causing an uproar in the court.
"Gentlemen, are you aware that the so-called herdsmen's uprising and the strange phenomena in the capital are all the work of a premeditated scheme?" Xiao Chengjun unfolded a fragment of a secret letter. "Someone is attempting to use witchcraft to undermine the foundation of the nation and collude with foreign forces to overthrow the court!" His gaze swept over the pale-faced Grand Secretary Zhang. "Lord Zhang, as a veteran of three reigns, you have participated in this. What is your punishment?"
Grand Secretary Zhang knelt down abruptly: "Your Majesty, spare my life! This old minister was bewitched... It was all Prince Ning's doing!" These words shocked the entire court. Xiao Chengjun immediately ordered Prince Ning's arrest, only to discover that the prince had already committed suicide by poison, leaving behind a suicide note in which he took all the blame.
The case seemed closed, but Xiao Chengjun knew the truth was far from over. He secretly ordered Shen Yunzhou to continue investigating the forces behind the Western Regions caravans, while simultaneously strengthening border controls. During an incognito visit, he met a mysterious Western Regions merchant. The man appeared ordinary, yet he was extremely knowledgeable about the affairs of the Nanzhao court, repeatedly hinting at fatal flaws in the new policies.
Xiao Chengjun remained calm and collected, instead drinking and chatting with the merchant, deliberately revealing some "secrets." Sure enough, rumors soon spread throughout the capital, pointing to the new policies as leading to a depleted national treasury. Xiao Chengjun seized the opportunity to turn the tables, arranging for the Censorate to lay a trap. When the mysterious merchant met with a mole within the court, he was caught red-handed.
The interrogation revealed a shocking truth—the mastermind was none other than the Grand Preceptor of the Western Jing Kingdom! He had attempted to instigate internal strife in the Southern Zhao Kingdom through witchcraft and rumors, hoping to reap the benefits. Prince Ning, Grand Secretary Zhang, and others were merely pawns in his game.
In the aftermath of this upheaval, Xiao Chengjun thoroughly reformed the court and purged the remaining corrupt officials. He understood that governing a country required not only the implementation of policies but also the ability to understand people's hearts and guard against lurking conspiracies. To prevent a recurrence of similar incidents, he established the "Secret Intelligence Bureau," specifically responsible for gathering intelligence, while simultaneously strengthening cultural control and strictly prohibiting the spread of rumors and sorcery.
One rainy night, Xiao Chengjun stood atop the palace wall, gazing at the capital city shrouded in rain. Lightning flashed across the night sky, illuminating his resolute face.
A Mysterious Enigma Shrouded in Fog: Turbulent Waves Rise Again, Piercing the Sky
In the instant the thunder roared, the vermilion ink in Xiao Chengjun's hand smeared across the Xuan paper. The urgent report from the Secret Service, delivered overnight, struck him like a hammer blow—although the Grand Preceptor of Xijing Kingdom had been executed, intelligence agents along the border reported that a mysterious fleet carrying hundreds of "bronze figures" was sailing up the river, their casting techniques strikingly similar to the mechanical arts lost to Nanzhao a century ago. Even more unsettling was the recent appearance of foreign monks carrying bronze compasses in the capital, and wherever they went, the people inexplicably fell ill with symptoms identical to those of the plague that struck the southwest years ago.
"Your Majesty, General Shen has an urgent report!" A-Lie rushed into the Imperial Study, soaking wet, raindrops dripping from his cloak and forming streams on the blue bricks. "A fugitive from the Northwest Caravan case has appeared in Dunhuang, colluding with the Tuyuhun tribe, seemingly preparing... some kind of forbidden ritual." Before he finished speaking, a mournful bell rang out from outside the window—an eerie bluish-purple mist rose from the direction of the Qinian Temple, condensing into a huge vortex in the downpour.
Xiao Chengjun grabbed his Xuan Tie sword and rushed out the door. Through the rain, he saw dozens of dark figures darting across the palace walls. The shouts of the Imperial Guards and the clang of metal rose and fell. A masked assassin broke through the defenses and aimed straight for his throat, his curved blade engraved with intricate Sanskrit mantras. The instant their blades clashed, Xiao Chengjun smelled a nauseating stench. Dark purple veins writhed on the assassin's neck, like a parasitic creature.
"Step back! This is a corpse puppet controlled by evil magic!" The Grand Preceptor's exclamation came from behind. The old Grand Preceptor trembled as he threw out a talisman. A flash of golden light, and the assassin turned into a pool of foul-smelling black water. However, more shadowy figures surged in like a tide, and a blood-red magic circle suddenly rose beneath the city wall, enveloping the entire palace.
Xiao Chengjun's pupils constricted sharply; this was the legendary "Netherworld Blood Array," drawn from the blood of ten thousand. He swung his sword towards the array's core, only to see a surge of crimson light, and countless vengeful spirits erupting from the ground. At the critical moment, a figure in white broke through the rain—it was none other than Xie Wuhen, the legendary swordsman who had vanished for many years. Sword light flashed like lightning, sword energy crisscrossed, and the vengeful spirits emitted piercing screams, causing cracks to appear in the blood array.
"Your Majesty! This formation requires human sacrifice to maintain; there must be something fishy about the mass grave west of the city!" Xie Wuhen pointed his longsword westward, his white robes soaked in blood. "When I investigated the Netherworld Pavilion years ago, I discovered they were searching for the lost 'Tai Su Gui Lu,' a forbidden technique capable of manipulating life and death!"
Xiao Chengjun immediately ordered, "A'Lie, lead the Imperial Guards to seal off the mass grave! Shen Yunzhou, return to the capital immediately!" He turned to the Imperial Advisor, "Activate the royal secret array to protect the dragon vein!" The torrential rain washed away the bloodstains on the palace walls. He gripped his sword hilt tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force. This time, his opponent was clearly more insidious and ruthless than before.
Deep within the mass grave, hundreds of civilians were chained to a massive altar. At the center of the altar, a monk clad in black robes chanted incantations, the bronze compass beneath his feet inscribed with ancient scripts from the Nanzhao, Western Regions, and even Tuyuhun kingdoms. When Alie arrived with his men, the last drop of human blood fell into the compass, and the entire earth began to tremble. Countless bronze figures burst from the ground, their eyes bloodshot, their chests adorned with flickering, eerie blue flames.
"These bronze figures are war puppets crafted using mechanical arts and sorcery!" The craftsmen accompanying the army were pale-faced. "Only by shattering the 'life fire' in their chests can they be destroyed!" However, the bronze figures moved like the wind, and soldiers fell wherever their scimitars passed. At the critical moment, Shen Yunzhou's cavalry arrived in time, unleashing a barrage of crossbow bolts, temporarily suppressing the bronze figures' offensive.
Meanwhile, the crimson magic array within the palace clashed fiercely with the royal secret array. Xiao Chengjun personally oversaw the operation, channeling his inner energy into the array's core. Veins bulged on his forehead, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, yet he gritted his teeth and persevered. The Imperial Preceptor, his white hair disheveled by the shockwaves, chanted ancient incantations beside him: "Your Majesty! The enemy is draining the dragon vein's power! If this continues, the foundation of Nanzhao will be destroyed!"
In the nick of time, Xie Wuhen charged straight at the black-robed monk on his sword. The two engaged in a fierce battle in mid-air, their sword energy clashing with their spells, causing the heavens and earth to change color. The black-robed monk removed his hood, revealing a face covered in cursed runes—it was none other than the former Vice Minister of Rites who had faked his death years ago! "Xiao Chengjun, do you think you're safe now that you've eliminated the Imperial Preceptor of Xijing?" he roared with maniacal laughter. "With the appearance of the *Tai Su Gui Lu*, the world will surely descend into chaos!"
Xie Wuhen's longsword pierced his chest, but the Vice Minister of Rites transformed into a cloud of black mist and merged into the bronze compass. The compass erupted with blinding light, and all the bronze figures suddenly ceased their attack, instead fleeing wildly towards the palace. Xiao Chengjun realized the danger and immediately spurred his horse back into the city.
When he arrived, the bronze figures had already broken through the defenses and surrounded the royal secret formation. The lead bronze figure raised its scimitar, about to strike the center of the formation. Xiao Chengjun roared, concentrating all his inner strength into his sword, and leaped into the air. The blade collided with the eerie blue flames on the bronze figure's chest, bursting forth with dazzling light. With a deafening boom, the bronze figure crashed to the ground, and the remaining bronze figures also lost their life force.
However, the crisis was far from over. The ultimate curse activated by the black-robed monk before his death was taking effect, causing fissures in the earth and spewing lava in many parts of Nanzhao. Despite his serious injuries, Xiao Chengjun personally directed the disaster relief efforts. He ordered the national treasury to be opened to provide relief to the victims; he mobilized the army to dredge waterways to prevent flooding. At the same time, he and the imperial advisor studied day and night for a way to break the curse, finally finding a clue in the royal secrets—only by gathering the "Five Elements Sacred Objects" scattered throughout the land could the evil spell be resealed.
Shen Yunzhou, Xie Wuhen, and others accepted the mission and set off. After overcoming numerous hardships, they finally found the sacred artifacts. Under Xiao Chengjun's supervision, a grand sacrificial ceremony was held at the Qinian Temple. The moment the five sacred artifacts merged into the earth, the earth cracks stopped, the lava receded, and the sky returned to clear skies.
After this catastrophe, Xiao Chengjun deeply understood that peaceful and prosperous times are never a gift from heaven, but require constant vigilance and relentless protection. He further strengthened the intelligence network and sent people to study mechanical arts and evil magic to gain a thorough understanding of both himself and his enemies. He also ordered the compilation of the "Record of Forbidden Arts" to seal away dangerous knowledge of evil magic and prevent it from flowing back into the hands of the people.
Late at night, Xiao Chengjun stood on the rebuilt Qinian Temple, gazing at the lights of thousands of homes.
The Nanzhao Kingdom, having weathered the storms, has returned to peace. Magnolias bloom in full glory both inside and outside the palace walls, their pink and white petals fluttering onto the glazed tiles. Xiao Chengjun, having finished the last memorial concerning post-disaster reconstruction, gazed at the swaying blossoms outside the window and suddenly realized that the celadon vase on his desk had been empty for a long time—since Princess Chang Le's passing, no one had filled his study with fresh flowers. Seeing this, A Lie tentatively spoke up: "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Rites has submitted the list of candidates for the imperial concubine selection..."
Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Chengjun's knuckles had already tapped lightly on the sandalwood table. He was well aware that the matter of choosing an empress concerned the very foundation of the nation, and the memorials submitted by the senior officials in the court had already piled up to half a foot high on the table. But when he thought about choosing a woman from among many women to spend the rest of his life with, he could only picture his younger sister's smiling face holding magnolia blossoms when he was young, and his mother Lin Wanqing's gentle figure embroidering under the lamplight in the Jiaofang Palace.
Three days later, the imperial concubine selection took place as scheduled. Red silk fluttered outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and over a hundred young women, dressed in magnificent robes, filed in, led by palace maids. Xiao Chengjun sat upright on his dragon throne, his gaze sweeping over the reserved young women below, but he felt only the figures before him flickering like phantoms. Then, a soft sound came from a corner, and a celadon vase in the arms of a woman in plain clothes suddenly slipped, the crackled porcelain shards shattering on the golden bricks, eliciting gasps from the entire room.
"This humble woman has been impolite; please forgive me, Your Majesty." As the woman knelt, the silver hairpin in her black hair trembled and swayed slightly. Xiao Chengjun looked closely and saw that she had a pair of almond-shaped eyes that were slightly upturned at the corners. Although she wore no makeup, she had a naturally elegant and aloof air. What was even more strange was that half of a bamboo slip was protruding from her sleeve, with ink stains on the edges.
"Raise your head." As Xiao Chengjun finished speaking, the air in the hall seemed to freeze. The woman slowly raised her head, her eyes neither humble nor arrogant: "I am Su Mingyue, my father is the headmaster of the Jiangnan Academy. This bamboo slip contains my study of 'Water Conservancy,' which I intended to present to Your Majesty for reference." Her voice was clear and melodious. "Hearing of Your Majesty's new policies, I dare to suggest that areas of the riverbed that are silted up could be..."
"Enough!" The Minister of Rites was sweating profusely. "How dare you discuss state affairs here during the imperial concubine selection! Get out of here immediately!" Xiao Chengjun, however, raised his hand to signal for someone to bring bamboo slips. The handwriting on the yellowed paper was delicate, and although the water management plan was somewhat naive, it contained hidden ingenuity. He suddenly remembered that during the Jiangnan salt tax case, a woman had disguised herself as an accountant to assist the Inspectorate. Could it be...?
That night, Xiao Chengjun ordered his secret guards to thoroughly investigate Su Mingyue's background. Their report stated that the woman had studied classical texts with her father since childhood, often disguised as a man to enter and leave the academy. It was only when she won first place at the Jiangnan Talented Women's Poetry Competition that everyone learned of her true gender. Even more interestingly, she had worked at a soup kitchen in the west of the city, personally teaching displaced children to read.
On the second day of the talent show, Xiao Chengjun summoned Su Mingyue to the Imperial Garden. Under the crabapple tree, he pointed to the winding artificial waterway: "What about the water control method you mentioned the other day? What if there's a downpour?" Su Mingyue lifted her skirt, squatted down, picked up a twig, and traced patterns on the soil: "We can set up sluice gates at the confluence of the waterways and then divert tributaries to irrigate the farmland. But..." She suddenly looked up, a sly glint in her eyes, "But I have a favor to ask."
“Speak freely.” Xiao Chengjun’s heart skipped a beat as he watched the crabapple petals drift from her hair. Su Mingyue pulled a cloth bag from her sleeve, revealing several small animals carved from tree bark: “These are what I taught the children to make at the soup kitchen. If Your Majesty allows me to open a girls’ school in the palace and teach the palace maids to read and write, I will impart all my knowledge of water management to you.”
These words startled the eunuch beside him, nearly causing him to spill his teacup. Xiao Chengjun, however, burst into laughter, his laughter startling the orioles perched on the branches: "Su Mingyue, do you know that throughout history, no woman has ever dared to negotiate with me during the imperial selection process?" He reached out and took the small deer bark, its rough texture carrying a fresh, grassy fragrance. "I grant your permission. Not only will you have access to girls' education, but you may also speak frankly if you have any other ideas in the future."
The news spread, causing an uproar throughout the court. An old minister submitted a memorial impeaching Su Mingyue for "lack of manners," but Xiao Chengjun threw the memorial onto his desk: "I have chosen an empress who can assist the country, not a mere figurehead!" Half a month later, the investiture ceremony was held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Su Mingyue wore a nine-phoenix robe and adorned her head with pearls and jade, but hidden beneath her phoenix crown was a bamboo hairpin—a modified version of the silver hairpin she had broken when she first met Xiao Chengjun.
On their wedding night, Xiao Chengjun lifted the red veil and found Su Mingyue engrossed in reading a book on agricultural administration. As the candlelight flickered, she rose and curtsied, saying, "Your Majesty, regarding the selection of a site for the girls' school, I have made some progress..." Before she could finish, a gentle kiss sealed her lips. Xiao Chengjun embraced her waist and chuckled softly, "No rush, there's plenty of time."
The next morning, the palace servants in Jiaofang Palace saw the new empress carrying a stack of documents to the imperial study, while the ink that His Majesty had personally ground for her spread out in varying shades on the Xuan paper.