Ten years of dormancy: Starting as a martial arts master at the pinnacle

above the hall.

Li Changqing strode into the main hall with the imposing presence of a dragon and the powerful stride of a tiger.

From the moment he appeared, he became the center of attention.

The officials looked at the seventeen-year-old boy before them, their hearts filled with mixed emotions.

The very few ministers who knew the truth felt as if they were dreaming.

Who would have thought that this young man in front of us is actually the supreme martial arts master?

The other civil and military officials were equally incredulous.

This thirteenth imperial grandson is quite a legendary figure.

Given that he had been away for ten years and had been lost since he was very young, it's reasonable to assume he was away from home for ten years.

His true identity will inevitably be criticized.

Even though he was the legitimate son of the Prince of Qin, when he was first found, no one thought he would inherit the Prince of Qin's mantle.

No one would believe that he could become a pivotal member of the Great Zhou Dynasty in the future.

Even if His Highness the King of Qin ascends the throne, he will need to appoint a crown prince in the future.

The ten years he lost will become a deep wound in his life.

However, this very grandson of the emperor, having just been found, was bypassed by several princes and directly granted the title of Prince.

Then, he became the spokesperson for the Prince of Qin's mansion.

His Highness the King of Qin never seemed to doubt his identity.

Immediately afterwards, they confronted His Highness the Crown Prince at Baima Temple and ultimately emerged victorious.

They successfully conquered the Salt Gang and the Beggar Gang, and in one fell swoop established the World Society.

The Jin Kingdom and the grasslands, with an army of 60, launched a national war against the Great Zhou.

Because of untimely preparations, the Great Zhou suffered heavy losses.

In that situation, it wouldn't matter which general or even a prince was sent.

It would be difficult for either of them to turn the tide.

On the surface, the Great Zhou Dynasty appears to be calm and peaceful.

In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that the Great Zhou Dynasty was in a state of extreme tension at that time. Officials from the cabinet and the six ministries were in meetings almost every day.

They had even prepared for the fall of Beimo City and the displacement of millions of people.

Once again, Li Changqing stepped in, leading the Golden Dragon Hero Chen Changfeng, along with numerous experts and grandmasters of the Free and Unfettered Realm. They turned the tide on the northern border, repelling the attacks of the Jurchens and the steppe people.

Not only that, they also burned the enemy's supplies.

Given the environment of the Jin Kingdom and the grasslands, they will be unable to launch another attack on the Great Zhou for at least five years.

With such achievements as a foundation, Li Changqing was granted the title of Prince Yong, and it was even said that he would accept the abdication.

The vast majority of civil and military officials reluctantly accepted it.

Even if something unexpected happened and Li Changqing did not successfully ascend to the throne.

He has now become a very important figure in the entire Great Zhou Dynasty.

He is the only one who will become the future emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Who would have thought that Emperor Li Zheng of the Great Zhou Dynasty would not abdicate, but instead appoint Li Changqing as regent.

After the investiture, no further opinions were accepted.

Some loyal ministers who cared deeply for the Zhou Dynasty felt they had no choice but to take action.

Since the emperor usually did not accept their opinions, they would remonstrate with their lives during the investiture ceremony.

They could not stop Li Changqing from becoming emperor; they might even support it.

But Li Changqing's ambition to become regent is out of the question.

What's the difference between this and two suns suddenly appearing in the sky?

If His Majesty the Emperor and the Regent disagree on their decrees, whose will should they obey?

There can be no two suns in the sky, nor two rulers in a country.

These were words they had prepared in advance, intending to say them the moment they saw Li Changqing.

However, just as they were about to speak, Li Changqing, who had entered the main hall, spoke up.

"From now on, the Regent's Palace will establish an Imperial Censorate. This censorate will be specifically responsible for supervising all officials, including the Golden Guard and the army. Who agrees? Who disagrees?"

As soon as he finished speaking...

Those censors who had originally intended to remonstrate with their lives suddenly fell silent.

They originally opposed Li Changqing, the regent. This was despite His Majesty the Emperor being lucid and fully capable of handling state affairs.

There is really no need for another emperor.

But as soon as Li Changqing finished speaking, the tone of their next words changed.

Are they opposing Li Changqing, the regent, or simply opposing the system?

Who can explain this clearly?

I'm afraid no one can say for sure.

This is what makes Li Changqing so remarkable; he shut down these censors with just one sentence.

"I am the regent, not the ruler. As long as none of you are corrupt, lawless, or traitorous, the Regent's Palace will not do anything to you."

We have our own small team, and we will definitely have one in the future.

But given the current situation, Li Changqing really didn't need to say these things.

You have to eat one bite at a time, and walk one step at a time.

First, let's stabilize the Regent's power; we can deal with the rest later.

Once people get used to the Regent's existence, they won't object too much as the Regent's Palace gradually increases its power.

This is called nibbling away.

"Li Changqing, Prince Yong, is hereby appointed Regent of the Great Zhou Dynasty!"

……

The Crown Prince had been preparing for today's court assembly for a long time.

When he learned that Li Changqing was the Supreme Being, he understood in his heart that the throne of the future emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty was likely to slip through his fingers.

But by this time, Crown Prince Li Yuanqian could no longer turn back.

He represents not only himself, but also those who have come to him.

The old ministers who maintained the court, the prime minister, the deans of academies, and the Yipintang and Jianghu sects who had joined him.

If Li Yuanqian were to withdraw at this point, those people could tear him to shreds.

He was determined to fight for it no matter what.

That's why Li Yuanqian made arrangements in advance to prepare for questioning the position of regent.

As it turned out, the Regent's Palace didn't manage state affairs at all; it only supervised the government.

In this situation, if his subordinate censors were to step forward again, wouldn't it be because they didn't want to be supervised?

Is there something to hide?

In that brief moment of hesitation, the imperial edict appointing him regent had already been issued.

Li Changqing officially became the Regent of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

His domineering questions had left a very deep impression on all the officials and civil servants.

Who's in favor? Who's against?

Everyone tacitly agreed, and no one raised any objections.

No wonder Crown Prince Li Yuanqian was envious.

If he had such a supreme son, why would he need to fight for the throne?

He only needed to wait for his father to abdicate, just like his sixth brother.

Li Changqing was appointed Regent Prince, and the former Qinghe Prince's Mansion was changed to the Regent Prince's Mansion.

Li Changqing has never moved into the Prince's Mansion since it was built.

The plaques on the gate of the Prince's Mansion have been replaced three times.

Li Changqing recruited 3000 elite soldiers, and countless sects flocked to him.

He also has a group of his own skilled fighters under his command.

But that wasn't enough. He used Chen Changfeng's identity to extend another invitation to those powerful and carefree individuals.

This time, the Great Zhou Armory was involved, which was home to powerful and carefree individuals who did not need to fight over money and ordinary resources.

This time, I was clearly tempted.

Although they are unwilling to accept constraints, they are willing to endure 10 or 8 years of hardship in order to make further progress.

In just a few days, Li Changqing recruited more than a dozen powerful figures.

……