Chapter 374: Grand Zhengzhou Assembly (2)
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“What are your thoughts?”
Zhuge Yan asked. She was asking for the reason I had accepted the Zhengzhou assembly. All preparations for the rebellion were already complete. It was something that did not really need to be accepted.
“Were you perhaps touched by that Grand Chancellor’s words? Of course victims will emerge, but to achieve a grand cause, it is inevitable…….”
“I know. That’s not why I accepted it.”
“In that case, I am relieved.”
The Zhengzhou assembly was bound to be prepared very simply. A secretly held assembly. Since we only needed to secure a space where the Grand Chancellor, myself, and the Emperor assembled.
There was no one in particular to accompany me. Because a person to escort me was no longer needed. I was someone who had even defeated one of the Five Great Sword Masters Under Heaven.
At my speed, half a day was more than enough to reach Zhengzhou. Since there was not much to prepare, the moment the day informed by the Grand Chancellor arrived, I departed immediately.
Zhengzhou was peaceful. Unlike Shaanxi, there were no sects or clans here that would clash particularly with the Shaolin Temple.
This was truly the Central Plains I knew. Merchants raising their voices to attract customers, housewives choosing vegetables, and medicine peddlers performing feats of strength in the streets.
Without rules and disorderly, yet neither excessive nor lacking. This was precisely the Central Plains. The Grand Chancellor likely wished to protect this. I also wondered if the Grand Chancellor had arranged the assembly in Zhengzhou to show this to me.
The moment I raised a rebellion, this peace was bound to shatter as well. Overturning a nation carried such a meaning. For a revolution was like a tree that grew feeding on countless blood.
I glanced around the surroundings and headed toward the safe house the Grand Chancellor had instructed in advance. The safe house was merely an ordinary civilian house without even a formation deployed.
Pushing open the brushwood gate, the Grand Chancellor had already come out into the courtyard and was sweeping fallen leaves. Seeing that appearance, one would wonder who could possibly think of him as the prime minister of the Great Empire.
“You have come.”
“Has the Emperor arrived?”
“Yes.”
“Isn’t this place far too defenseless, though? With no formation either. It’s the perfect place to be ambushed.”
“Is there not a saying that to hide a tree, one should hide it in a forest?”
The Grand Chancellor propped the broom against an adjacent pillar and called me inside. Standing before the shabby room door, the Grand Chancellor spoke playfully.
“This is the grand assembly room.”
“It is an assembly of merely three people; what grand assembly is this?”
“Since the greatest people in the present Central Plains have gathered, it is a grand assembly.”
I smiled wryly and opened the door. Inside the room, the Emperor was sitting on the floor.
The room had not the slightest decoration, to the point of giving off a stale odor; it was truly a commoner’s room. It made me wonder if the Emperor had ever sat on such a floor before.
Upon a small side table, three teacups were placed. They were the cups for the Grand Chancellor, myself, and the Emperor. The Grand Chancellor sat in the center, while the Emperor and I sat facing each other.
The Emperor looked at me with a displeased gaze.
“You came. I didn’t think you would truly come.”
“I didn’t think the Emperor would truly come either. Why did you come? What if you die by my hands? You must know what kind of person I am in the martial world right now. But is it fine for you to come bare-bodied like this?”
I asked out of genuine curiosity. The Emperor smirked.
“As one in the seat of Emperor, I must show this degree of magnanimity. Even if you were arrogant and insolent toward me, embracing even that is the tolerance of an Emperor.”
“I didn’t know, but you tell jokes better than expected.”
From the very beginning, words creaked with psychological warfare. The Grand Chancellor stepped in immediately to mediate.
“I shall preside over the assembly.”
“Go ahead.”
The Emperor answered in an indifferent voice. Even speaking like that, the Emperor appeared to trust the Grand Chancellor himself. Because had he not trusted him, there was no reason to come out to such a venue.
“First, there is something Your Majesty must know. Currently, it is no exaggeration to consider that the New Justice Association occupies more than half of the martial world. The sects that left the Palace of Heavenly Worship, the forces originally in the New Justice Association, and the forces that left the Private Martial Union are all potentially on the New Justice Association’s side. If a direct clash occurs, immense damage is expected across the entire nation. This is an undeniable fact.”
“Mmh.”
At the Grand Chancellor’s words, the Emperor let out a low groan. Having eyes and ears in the Central Plains, the Emperor was bound to know. What kind of person I was in the Central Plains right now.
With the imperial palace failing to perform its role properly amidst flood damage and economic collapse, people who idolized me grew even more. Originally, the more chaotic the era, the more people sought a hero. The person befitting that hero was none other than myself.
“Therefore, unless we negotiate here, the Great Empire will suffer immense damage. Of course, I know the relationship between the two of you is not good, nor are your feelings favorable. I merely hope that as great individuals, you will look upon the common people who make their living in the Central Plains with benevolence.”
The Emperor and I crossed our arms simultaneously. Looking at each other with displeasure was an added bonus.
From the Emperor’s perspective, he would think I had crossed the line. Because I was the one who had severed the Grand Eunuch’s head in a place where people and retainers watched.
Of course, from my perspective, the Emperor had crossed the line. Framing me was one thing, but above all, touching the Wudang Sect was immense.
“I shall speak first.”
The Emperor said. The Grand Chancellor nodded.
“There are many deep-seated feelings between us. I too know. I also admit we cannot live under the same sky.”
“It is fortunate if you know.”
The Emperor’s eyebrows twitched. However, he steadied his breath and continued speaking slowly.
“However, I too refuse a direct collision with a person like you. The damage to each other would undoubtedly be immense. Then bastards like the Demonic Cult might bare their venomous fangs to reap the fisherman’s profit.”
“As far as I know, you are currently cooperating with that Demonic Cult.”
“That bastard cannot be trusted. He is someone who will stab us in the back whenever an opportunity arises. That is why they are the Demonic Cult after all.”
It was the content I agreed with most among everything the Emperor had said so far. Having met the Heavenly Demon of the Blood Cult as well, he was truly a person whose inner thoughts were unfathomable.
“Therefore, I propose: let us establish two skies.”
“Two skies?”
“Indeed. The imperial palace shall make you a Duke of the State, and you shall rule the martial world. As far as martial artists are concerned, you will become king. If a dispute arises between martial artists and the people of the Great Empire, it shall be resolved by the laws of the Great Empire.”
“A Duke of the State. How is that different from when you proposed an official post back then?”
“It is different. If that was subjugating you underneath, this is simply treating you as a feudal lord. Without interference. Treating you as the king of another nation.”
“Are you speaking of a complete separation between the martial world and the Central Plains?”
“Indeed. And one more thing. Once we conquer the Jianzhou region, we shall grant you an enfeoffment there. Of course, that will take some time, so until then, remain in the Central Plains.”
A laugh escaped me. He was telling me to leave the Central Plains. Burying everything that had happened until now.
Since the number of martial artists was small compared to the people of the Great Empire, a place like Jianzhou would be enough to take them all in.
Suddenly, the Grand Chancellor’s words came to mind: that an unjust peace was better than a righteous war. Was that truly so?
“How about it? Among the proposals I can make, it is the utmost concession.”
The Emperor’s words were undoubtedly true. In truth, that was likely the utmost concession for an Emperor. It seemed a proposal heavily influenced by the Grand Chancellor’s sway as well.
“It is a more reasonable proposal than expected.”
“Indeed. Let us both proceed comfortably. You reign and live like a king, and I enjoy my life as Emperor in my own way. How good a proposal is this?”
Originally, those who possessed things were conservative. Because they wished to protect what they had.
And I was also someone who possessed things. Since I had plenty of money right now and many people following me.
Therefore, thinking rationally, it was right for me to accept this proposal.
“From what I know, you are a moderate person. Being able to rage to that extent when Mount Wudang was attacked means you cherish your own people. If the New Justice Association and the imperial palace clash right now, you would be driving the people you cherish into crisis as well. A wise person like you will know what choice must be made.”
The Grand Chancellor added. Clearly, he was a remarkable person. Having claimed he could not grasp people, he had pierced through the essence of the person that I was to this degree.
And it was also difficult to think of the common people with such pure goodwill until that age. I clearly knew that.
However, that pure goodwill was goodwill from a human perspective. That heart to save many people was touching, but that was all. Such a holy intention was astonishingly emotionless to me.
“Your Imperial Majesty.”
I opened my mouth.
“Speak.”
“Did you come moved by that Grand Chancellor’s words? Originally, you had not the slightest intention to make such a compromise with me, did you not?”
“To speak honestly, it is simply because that seems better for preserving the Emperor’s throne. I dislike gambling with the position of Emperor.”
“It is nice that you are honest. Originally, do not people move according to their own objectives? Where is good and where is evil in that?”
“Indeed. As expected, words communicate well with you. It is just that we do not suit each other.”
“Right. In a way, we are understanders of each other. Because our patterns of behavior are similar.”
“It can be seen that way as well.”
I turned to look at the Grand Chancellor.
“Grand Chancellor, the words you spoke to me were certainly fine words. Words that shook a person’s fundamental emotions, shall I say? Those emotions that one cannot help but have if one is human.”
“Is that so.”
“The Grand Chancellor seems to believe in human goodwill. Believing in the possibilities of people. It is clearly noble and warm.”
The Grand Chancellor wore an uneasy expression. It felt as though his anxiety was amplified as I continued my grand speech.
“However, there is something the Grand Chancellor has overlooked: already, the Emperor and I have deviated greatly from being human. That is why we came to this place without empathizing in the least with the Grand Chancellor’s words. And that is the same for the Emperor as well. That is why it feels touching. In other words, in this place right now, the Grand Chancellor was the only one who genuinely believed the problem would be resolved.”
At my words, the Grand Chancellor’s expression completely froze.
“Then what is your reason for coming to this place?”
“You probably will not understand.”
“That is something for me to hear and judge.”
“Can you see it?”
At my words, the Grand Chancellor blinked his eyes. To him, they were abrupt words.
“I asked if you can see it.”
“What do you mean?”
“The thing currently in front of my face, that is.”
At my words, the Grand Chancellor strained his eyes. However, no matter how much force the Grand Chancellor put into his eyes, he could not see what was before my face.
The Emperor was also blinking both eyes. He likely could not see it either.
It was truly a pity. To think that while it was so vivid before me, it was invisible before them.
“They say seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times, but even if I wish to show you, it is invisible, so what can be done? Even if I speak a hundred times, you will not understand anyway.”
“I cannot understand in the least what you are talking about right now.”
“That is only natural. We merely share the same language; we are different beings. Though it has not been long since I became such a being.”
To be precise, it had been like that ever since purchasing the Grade 2 talent Transcendence, but telling them that would be incomprehensible anyway.
“I shall tell you what is visible before me right now. The thing you all cannot see.”
My mouth slowly opened. Before my eyes, the text of the Martial Talent Shop was floating more clearly than ever before.
[ Martial God ― Grade 1 ]
[ Price: The Emperor’s Head ]