fifth form

Chapter 3039 Changxin Palace: Unraveling the Mysteries

The Empress Dowager in Changxin Palace was somewhat mad and somewhat arrogant.

She wore a mocking expression, wanting to see how these emperors, who had been taught to prioritize the greater good, would respond.

She deeply resented the cruel and ungrateful late emperor, who only cared about his own interests. They fought each other their entire lives, and in the end, they even fought to the death.

She would also miss Emperor Jing, who was never free and was controlled his entire life. He was clearly high and mighty, but he just didn't have the confidence or courage to overturn the table, just like a pitiful worm.

After Emperor Jing's death, his past efforts now seem laughable.

The disappearance of Zhu Shiyin ended with a war, while after Emperor Jing's death, he was trampled on repeatedly at Yangling.

Everyone seemed to accept the emperor's death and continued to forget about Emperor Jing, beginning repeated power struggles and continuing to enjoy the benefits of the rentier class.

The longer the time passed, the easier it was for the Empress Dowager to see her future self, and the more she missed Emperor Jing.

In ten or twenty years, she will be buried like this and then forgotten.

No one will care what they did, no one will care what they wanted to do; everything will be forgotten and then stuffed into that cold grave.

"Your Majesty asked me what my pursuit is. Are you satisfied with this pursuit?" the Empress Dowager asked in a low voice.

"Mother, at worst, I'll finish the tomb ahead of time and then charge into battle with you!"

The new emperor wanted to say that the overall situation was more important, but when his gaze swept over Zhang Xuezhou, he abruptly changed his mind, turning the conflict into agreement.

This was a high-risk consent, meaning that the Empress Dowager would no longer be constrained in mobilizing the Han Dynasty's army, and that countless people would lose their lives because of this statement.

"Oh?"

The Empress Dowager stood up, her gaze fixed on the new emperor's face, then swept over Zhang Xuezhou, who was holding a sword to the side.

She had spoken with the new emperor once, but they could not reach an agreement and ultimately resorted to violence. However, because the new emperor needed to break through his cultivation level, the Empress Dowager temporarily conceded.

However, the conflict between the two did not end there. This conflict would not cease simply because one side backed down, and they would continue to be embroiled in disputes over differing political views.

The Empress Dowager did not expect that the addition of another person between the two would allow the new emperor to shift his thinking.

The Empress Dowager remembered Zhang Xuezhou. She had even taken the initiative to invite him to Changxin Palace to discuss flying acrobatics. He was one of the few officials in her life who had been refused entry. He only came to Changxin Palace at this time, and his behavior had nothing to do with discussing flying acrobatics.

"Tell me, why did you persuade His Majesty to agree to this seemingly irrational thing?"

The Empress Dowager pointed at Zhang Xuezhou, signaling him to explain the reasons behind it.

"Your Majesty, I didn't say anything!"

"There's no need to deny it. I know you expressed it, and it even influenced His Majesty's judgment!"

"Revenge for the late emperor is the duty of every Han Chinese..."

"I'll speak like a human being here. Don't think that you can be safe just because you have the Crimson Sky Sword. If I want to target you, I have many ways to deal with you without going through the ancestral rules!"

"Internal strife weakens the Han Dynasty, while external strife, no matter how it's fought, will weaken the opponent!"

The new emperor said he wanted to repair his tomb, and Zhang Xuezhou also wanted to give a high-sounding reason, but the Empress Dowager knew exactly what was going on and directly threatened him, so he could only tell the truth.

Despite her outward appearance of weakness, the Empress Dowager was strong at heart and would not abandon her beliefs simply because she was being obstructed.

If the new emperor also displays strength, the outcome of their clash is not hard to predict.

The Red Alliance has experienced numerous internal conflicts. If Zhang Qiaoen, Pei Jing, and others were alive today, their achievements would be much greater.

Time can buy space, and once interests are aligned, adjustments can be made continuously. This is better than facing a 'mad Empress Lü'. Zhang Xuezhou needs to persuade the Empress Dowager with a single sentence, and he also needs to persuade the new emperor.

His words not only made the Empress Dowager's expression return to normal, but also improved the new emperor's complexion.

"Your Majesty's current concern is whether the Empress is involved with external forces and whether she has a mission to annihilate the elite of the Han Dynasty," Zhang Xuezhou said directly. "The current evidence is extremely unfavorable to the Empress. If the Empress can clarify things, Your Majesty and the Empress will be of one mind and united against external forces, which will also prevent any obstacles in our actions!"

"I did indeed have contact with people from the Celestial Court," the Empress Dowager said without hesitation. "My great-grandfather was Zang Tu, the Prince of Yan. He was once recruited and instigated by the Celestial Court to rebel against my great-grandfather, thus leaving his name in the Celestial Court. He was then investigated by some scheming cultivators, and even used against me. They even tried to instigate me. But after three or four generations of descendants, who would listen to the orders of a force that has not been in contact for a long time and whose background is unknown? If you were in this situation, would you still be loyal?"

“That’s difficult,” Zhang Xuezhou said, shaking his head.

"Even if they want my loyalty, they need a reason to be loyal," the Empress Dowager said. "Do I lack their one or two longevity pills? Do I want to lie in bed and wail for another twenty years after my body has deteriorated? Am I, Wang Zhi, such a coward who clings to life!"

"Why would the Empress Dowager abandon her own daughter?" the new emperor asked, frowning. "What were your reasons for following the late emperor?"

"We were too weak back then. A single cultivator from the Celestial Court could bring disaster and death to our entire family." The Empress Dowager was silent for a few seconds before saying, "After my special talent in cultivation was discovered, my mother was powerless to resist, and I had no choice but to obey orders. Thus, I used my beauty and abilities to get close to the late Emperor!"

"Oh?"

"After I achieved mastery of my cultivation and gained power, I plotted to murder him several times, but he was skilled at avoiding danger and running away, which allowed him to escape each time!"

The celestial being was once high above, but the Empress Dowager was no longer the weak woman she once was.

The Empress Dowager recounted several experiences of turning the tables on her, repeatedly creating accidents to take the other party's life while maintaining contact. Although the attempts failed, the other party did not contact her again for many years.

Zhang Xuezhou listened and felt that the more he listened, the more it sounded like his cheap martial uncle Yao Yuanguang.

Before the effects of the Longevity Elixir were largely exhausted, Yao Yuanguang did not accept the task of obtaining the Longevity Elixir again. He would not squander the benefits associated with the Empress Dowager, and it is even highly likely that he did not report the Empress Dowager's situation to the higher-ups of the Celestial Court due to personal reasons.

Of course, given Yao Yuanguang's position in the Celestial Court, it would be difficult for him to report to the higher-ups.

Even the Six Ding and Six Jia, who were responsible for eroding the Han Dynasty, were nothing more than high-level employees of the Celestial Court, changing batch after batch, not to mention reporting such information to the Jade Emperor or higher.

"I see!"

The new emperor breathed a sigh of relief, feeling as many mysteries from the past were being unraveled.

Emperor Jing's will marked the Empress Dowager with a specific reason; the Empress Dowager at that time did indeed have problems.

However, the Empress Dowager, now that she had gained sufficient power, was clearly no longer satisfied with this control and repeatedly launched counterattacks, refusing to follow the orders of the celestial cultivators.

"Mother needs to avoid being controlled by her family. It would be wise to bring my sister to Chang'an as soon as possible," the new emperor said after thinking for a moment.

"Isn't Your Majesty afraid that such a thing will humiliate the late Emperor and make you a laughingstock?" the Empress Dowager asked.

"I'm just afraid that if this matter is used by others, it will throw the Empress Dowager into a state of confusion, making it difficult for her to concentrate on avenging the late Emperor," the new emperor shook his head and said, "As for other rumors, what does it matter? I have been criticized for having no political achievements over the years, so a few words will not affect me!"

You've grown into someone even better than I imagined!

The Empress Dowager looked at the new emperor, and she was clearly very satisfied with the answer he had given.

This outcome far exceeded the Empress Dowager's expectations and provided protection for her family members who were caught in the middle.

With a common and unified direction, many problems become much easier to solve.

"Lord Dongfang, you are welcome to visit Changxin Palace more often. My cultivation has gone awry, and I dare not casually instruct others on how to advance their cultivation realms, but I do have some knowledge of magic and will not mislead anyone!"

As the Empress Dowager and the new emperor discussed the transfer and merger of power, Zhang Xuezhou kept moving away, clearly not wanting to hear these potentially troublesome secrets.

As she bowed to take her leave, the Empress Dowager gazed at Zhang Xuezhou for a few seconds, then extended a very sincere invitation to him once again.