Holy Bone

Chapter 2000 Morning Court, the New Imperial Advisor Yuan Yiban

This day.

Before dawn, Jin'an entered the palace early to attend the morning court session.

Since Emperor Kangzhao decided to participate in the ancestral worship ceremony last time, giving everyone a month to prepare, only half a month remains now.

As the date drew near, Emperor Kangzhao felt as if each day was an eternity, so he needed to personally oversee every detail.

As a public security agency that oversees civil law, prison administration, and justice, and integrates criminal investigation, laws and regulations, criminal law, penal affairs, and judicial review, the Criminal Investigation Department naturally has an unshirkable responsibility to conduct security patrols for the ancestral worship ceremony. It must be meticulous and thorough every day to prevent any potential problems.

Being prepared and taking precautions is precisely the duty of the Criminal Investigation Department.

It can be said that the responsibilities of the Criminal Investigation Department are extremely heavy.

No civil or military official could bear as heavy a responsibility as the Department of Criminal Investigation.

Jin An usually took good care of the ancestral worship ceremony, in order to prevent any mistakes from happening in the ancestral worship ceremony and to protect the honor and glory of the ancestral worship ceremony.

It was precisely for this reason that when Emperor Kangzhao personally inquired about the details of the ancestral worship ceremony, he, as the Commander of the Criminal Investigation Department and Supervisor of the Three Departments, had an even greater responsibility to participate in the morning court session and promptly report the details of various matters.

"Imperial Preceptor, are all the matters concerning the ancestral worship ceremony proceeding in an orderly manner?" Emperor Kangzhao, sitting on the dragon throne as if looking down upon the world from above, asked the Imperial Preceptor first.

That is, the newly appointed National Preceptor after the passing of the old one, Yuan Yiban!
Yuan Yiban, who died hundreds of years ago in the Great Wilderness World of the East China Sea and was buried on the shore of Longyan Lake, has been forgotten for hundreds of years!
Yuan Yiban also had a famous title that resonated throughout the court and the country hundreds of years ago: Corpse Immortal Celestial Official!
Legend has it that as soon as the Corpse Immortal Heavenly Official Yuan Yiban was born, the Yuan family discovered that he had a peculiar appearance and extraordinary talent, and that he would become a rare genius in the art of divination and escape, a talent that would be found only once every three hundred years in the Yuan family, and would lead the Yuan family to prosperity.

However, this conflicted with the Yuan family's family philosophy. The Yuan family is skilled in celestial phenomena, feng shui, and Qimen Dunjia. A thousand years ago, an ancestor of the Yuan family left a warning to his descendants, saying that if the Yuan family wanted to continue its lineage for a thousand years, it must act with humility and never act in a grand manner, otherwise it would bring disaster to the family.

The Yuan family had always adhered to their ancestral teachings, keeping a low profile and living in seclusion for hundreds of years. However, the birth of Yuan Yiban brought mixed feelings of joy and worry to the family. They were happy that this child would bring prosperity to the family, but worried that it would conflict with their ancestral teachings. Therefore, they named him Yuan Yiban, meaning "half joy, half sorrow," hoping that Yuan Yiban would think twice before doing anything in the future.

Yuan Yiban was indeed exceptionally gifted. His talent shone brightly in the Imperial Observatory, earning him the emperor's favor and leading him to become the chief of the Imperial Observatory at a young age, overseeing the construction of the imperial mausoleum.

As the years passed and Yuan Yiban reached his seventies, having witnessed the passing of two emperors, he became the Crown Prince's tutor and one of the Three Dukes of the court. For the first time, he felt a longing for life and death, a longing for immortality, and a longing to break through the three extremes in his lifetime.

Then, in the year he turned 79 and was about to celebrate his 80th birthday, Yuan Yiban made an astonishing move. He mobilized the entire nation to find a corpse pill from before the end of the Dharma era and swallowed it. By embracing yin and yang, he transformed himself into a half-human, half-corpse immortal, sealing his remaining lifespan. Once he broke the Four Symbols Formation of Heaven and Earth, he would remove the yin energy, rekindle the yang fire, restore his original lifespan, and continue to be human.

Ten years passed, then another ten years… Sixty years had gone by, and Yuan Yiban had reached the age of one hundred and thirty-nine. The shackles of the Four Symbols Bureau of Heaven and Earth were still there. On the contrary, because the corpse energy had been in his body for too long, penetrating deep into his bone marrow, internal organs, and brain, he was beyond cure and had truly become a monster who was half human and half corpse.

The title "Corpse Immortal Celestial Official" quietly emerged around this time, and it wasn't until an empire was destroyed by him that the name truly resonated throughout the country, lingering for several dynasties.

The collapse of the imperial palace and the extermination of the Manchu people could not awaken the conscience of the Corpse Immortal Heavenly Official, nor could it dispel his obsession with finding the Four Symbols Bureau of Heavenly Destruction... This is the life verdict of the Corpse Immortal Heavenly Official Yuan Yiban!
Yuan Yiban left behind a regretful remark in the Great Wilderness World of the East Sea Ruins—

His lifespan in the mortal realm has not yet ended!

Who comes and who dies!

The thirteenth year of Zhengde was the time when Yin was born from Yang, the sun and moon fell, and the world was turned upside down!
I regret being born at the wrong time!

One move off guard!
This means that the fate of the mortal world is about to end, and great calamity is imminent in the thirteenth year of Zhengde. Only in the thirteenth year of Zhengde can he take advantage of the destruction of the Four Symbols Formation of Heaven and Earth to achieve his great cause of immortality.

Unfortunately, he miscalculated the time and arrived at the Great Wilderness of the East Sea at the wrong time, which caused him to be trapped at the bottom of the East Sea. He died without ever getting out and eventually died of depression on the shore of Longyan Lake at the bottom of the East Sea.

However, Jin An still couldn't figure out why Yuan Yiban had been resurrected. Yuan Yiban was indeed alive now; even Jin An couldn't see the slightest flaw in his demeanor.

This Corpse Immortal Heavenly Official, Yuan Yiban, who once personally destroyed an empire, was resurrected and returned to the world of the living. He assumed a false identity, changed his name to Ta Xian, and claimed to have become an immortal. He then captured nine dragon veins and presented them to Emperor Kangzhao. The appearance of the nine dragons symbolized the supreme ruler. On that day, the strange phenomena in the sky above the capital disappeared, and the heavens and earth were clear and the sky was blue. That is why Emperor Kangzhao respected Yuan Yiban so much and did not hesitate to appoint him as the new national teacher, giving him full authority to handle all affairs of the country.

only……

Yuan Yifan became second only to the emperor, and had a new national advisor who controlled the life and death of millions of people in the country. This was too bizarre and absurd.
Moreover, he still doesn't understand how Yuan Yiban was resurrected and returned to life, whether he really obtained the secret of immortality, or whether there are any accomplices in the world.
Furthermore, the other party was already at the late stage of the third realm during their lifetime, and their cultivation level now is probably even more unfathomable...

For these reasons, Jin'an did not take action against the new Grand Tutor Yuan Yiban.

They worried that if their plan to kill them failed, they might instead do something that would endanger the entire nation.

Furthermore, he had no direct evidence to prove that the other party was Yuan Yiban, the Corpse Immortal Heavenly Official from hundreds of years ago.

After all, those who had seen Yuan Yiban had been extinct for hundreds of years, and no one in the present day has ever seen the former Corpse Immortal Heavenly Official Yuan Yiban.

Therefore, considering all these factors, if he wanted to kill Yuan Yiban, he could only do so secretly, not openly.

Because openly killing a new national advisor would severely damage the reputation of the Five Organs Taoist Temple, and if the killing failed, innocent people across the country would suffer as a result, and the karmic consequences he would incur would be too great... However, he had not yet found an opportunity to secretly kill Yuan Yiban.

Yuan Yiban is now the new Grand Preceptor. Whenever he goes out, he is surrounded by crowds, making it difficult for him to find an opportunity to kill someone alone.

Thinking of this, Jin An, standing at the forefront of the court, calmly looked at the new Grand Tutor Yuan Yiban.

The new national advisor, Yuan Yiban, makes a strong first impression. He has half black and half white hair, a long face, triangular eyes, and a unique bone structure, showing extraordinary talent.

Yuan Yiban was a shining star in his era and dynasty, the most dazzling sun and moon of his time. Before he was twenty, he was promoted to deputy director of the Imperial Observatory for his meritorious service in finding a dragon's lair. In just a few years, he was quickly promoted to director of the Imperial Observatory and then became one of the Three Dukes, wielding immense power. Even the Purple Star Emperor was overshadowed by his Venus. Therefore, Yuan Yiban had a very unique temperament. He had the imposing official aura of a duke, the appearance of a prime minister and duke, the dignified and majestic demeanor of a prime minister commanding all officials, and the divine power hidden in his eyes. His forehead was bright and his eyes were like stars, giving people a sense of oppressive power that could cover the sky.

Coupled with Yuan Yiban's unique bone structure and facial features, he left a very deep impression. One glance was enough to penetrate one's soul, and one would not forget him even after one or two decades.

This is the unique person with a distinctive face. Because his face is unique in the world, it makes a deep impression on people. He was destined to be extraordinary from birth. Yuan Yiban has the majesty of a commander of officials, the domineering pressure of a master of the divine path, and a unique aura that is hidden deep inside. That aura is very strange.

It may be related to his early desire for immortality, his mobilization of the nation to find a corpse pill from before the end of the Dharma era, and his consumption of it. By borrowing yin and yang, he transformed himself into a half-human, half-corpse immortal, a monstrous experience that allowed him to borrow several decades of lifespan. Therefore, he possesses a very demonic aura, as fierce as a monster.

When a nation is about to perish, monsters will inevitably appear.

If the thirteenth year of the Kangding era was indeed a year of great calamity, it must be because this ominous star before us has caused trouble, obscuring the Purple Star Emperor and bringing murderous intent to the world.

Every time Jin An saw the new Grand Tutor Yuan Yiban, his desire to kill him intensified, and he always wanted to find a secret opportunity to kill Yuan Yiban.

There was another reason why he wanted to kill Yuan Yiban: the Lesser Yang Formation of the Four Symbols Formation of Heaven-Severing Earth was located in the Great Wilderness of Guixu at the bottom of the East Sea.

Yuan was half-dead but resurrected.

The Four Symbols Formation, which severed the heavens and earth, was destroyed.

The meaning is quite clear: the destruction of the Four Symbols Formation of Heaven and Earth is inextricably linked to Yuan Yiban.

This adds yet another reason why Yuan Yiban is destined to die!
When Emperor Kangzhao asked him, Yuan Yiban, now known as Taxian, who was the Grand Preceptor and the most prominent official among the ministers, replied with neither arrogance nor servility: "Everything is normal. The ancestral worship ceremony can be held as scheduled. Your Majesty's great achievements in defeating the powerful enemy of the neighboring country will surely be remembered for thousands of years and be praised for eternity."

Those ministers who followed the new national advisor Yuan Yiban and became his henchmen also bowed deeply and said in unison, "May your name be remembered for a thousand years and your fame last for ten thousand ages."

Emperor Kangzhao's face lit up with joy, and he burst into laughter.

It's unclear whether he was overjoyed by Yuan Yiban's statement that "everything is normal," or by the ministers' words that "his name will be remembered for a thousand years and his fame will last forever."

"Grand Preceptor, I will have to continue to work hard for the next two weeks. I hope you will put in your best efforts for the Empire so that this ancestral worship ceremony can be completed smoothly." Emperor Kangzhao was in a good mood. He looked at the new Grand Preceptor Yuan Yiban with a warm gaze and said with a smile.

"The ancestral worship ceremony is a matter of honor and disgrace and supreme merit for the millions of people across the country. This matter must not be neglected, lest it chill the hearts of the millions of people. I am holding this ancestral worship ceremony not for personal honor or disgrace, but for universal celebration, to inform the world of the momentous event of the fall of the steppe khanate, that the borderlands will have one less powerful territorial state, and that the borderlands will forever enjoy peace for thousands of years."

Yuan Yiban remained humble yet assertive, saying, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will not disappoint the people of the world and will ensure that Your Majesty's ancestral worship ceremony is held perfectly."

Emperor Kangzhao was overjoyed and said, "Good, good, good, hahahahaha."

Next, Emperor Kangzhao inquired about the Six Ministries to see if any oversights had occurred.
All six responses were measured and without omission.

After the six ministries had finished questioning each other, it was the turn of the Criminal Investigation Department, where Jin An was located. Emperor Kang Zhao, sitting on the dragon throne, looked at Jin An and said with a smile, "Commander, is there any oversight on the part of the Criminal Investigation Department?"

Jin An answered with only one word: "No."

Emperor Kangzhao nodded in satisfaction, then reminded Jin An, saying, "Marquis Shenwu, your Criminal Investigation Department is responsible for the security and safety of the capital. For the next half month until the day of the ancestral worship ceremony, your Criminal Investigation Department can be said to bear the heaviest responsibility of all departments."

"I hope that Marquis Shenwu will put in his best efforts to ensure the ancestral worship ceremony concludes perfectly and without any mishaps. Can the Commander do that?"

Jin An's answer this time was only four words: "Go all out."

Emperor Kangzhao said with a slightly serious expression, "It's not just about going all out, it's about making sure it's done."

“Okay.” As a martial arts immortal, Jin An maintained a very calm attitude when facing a secular emperor, and always answered with few words.

Emperor Kangzhao had grown accustomed to Jin'an's concise manner and no longer questioned him further, instead inquiring about other ministers.

While Emperor Kangzhao was questioning Jin An, the new Grand Tutor Yuan Yiban was also sizing up Jin An. Jin An did not avoid the question and met the gaze of the new Grand Tutor Yuan Yiban.

Jin Quan remained expressionless throughout, calmly exchanging glances with the new national advisor, Yuan Yiban.

After Emperor Kangzhao finished his morning court session and inquired about all the details of the ancestral worship ceremony, it was almost Chenshi (7-9 AM). This morning court session lasted much longer than usual.

Just as Emperor Kangzhao finished inquiring about all the details of the ancestral worship ceremony and was about to announce the end of the court session, the new Grand Preceptor Yuan Yiban suddenly stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I have a request to ask the Criminal Investigation Department of Marquis Shenwu."

Emperor Kangzhao, who was about to leave the court, saw that it was the Imperial Preceptor who spoke, so he sat back down on his dragon throne and asked with interest, "What brings the Imperial Preceptor to the Ministry of Justice?"

The new Imperial Advisor, Yuan Yiban, said: "As an ancient capital with a history of thousands of years, the capital has many underground tunnels and ditches hidden beneath its layers of buildings. These tunnels and ditches are prone to harboring filth and lurking dangers, and are also suspected of being hiding places for all sorts of scoundrels. For example, my Imperial Advisor's residence recently lost valuables, and the thief was later found hiding in an underground tunnel. Therefore, I believe that these tunnels and ditches are also a source of harm, and I hope that the Ministry of Justice can strictly guard these tunnels and ditches in the near future to prevent anyone from hiding there and interfering with the ancestral worship ceremony."

Emperor Kangzhao looked at Jin'an and asked, "Marquis Shenwu, what is your opinion?"

Jin An: "Your subject will arrange for people to guard the area closely."

Emperor Kangzhao nodded and said, "If there is nothing else to report, then let's adjourn the court."

Then a eunuch holding a whisk flicked his wrist and shouted in a shrill voice, "Court adjourned."

"Long live my emperor."

The officials bowed their heads and, after seeing Emperor Kangzhao off, slowly retreated with their backs to the palace gate.

Just as Jin An was leaving the palace, someone called out to him. Jin An turned around and saw that it was the new Grand Preceptor, Yuan Yiban, calling him...

(End of this chapter)