Starting with a blind date with a female constable, you acquire the Nine Swords of Dugu.

Chapter 225 The Qianlong Emperor may perish, but the Central Plains must not perish (Seeking monthly votes)

Gu Guanqi raised an eyebrow and asked, "Which Hu? The Hu people?"

Pei Guanxuan picked up his teacup, took a sip, and slowly said, "They are the barbarians. The Central Plains have enjoyed the Mandate of Heaven for a thousand years. In this era, the Mandate of Heaven has shifted to the borderlands, and the Mandate of Heaven in the Central Plains has been lost."

Gu Guanqi asked, "To what extent has this bloodshed occurred?"

Pei Guanxuan's tone was very heavy as he said, "I can't see the specifics, but without even trying, just thinking about it makes it clear that once the Hu people cross the border and enter the Central Plains, given their barbarity, they won't even think about governing the Central Plains."

Most nomadic kingdoms treated the Central Plains with plunder and slaughter. Therefore, it's easy to imagine that this bloodshed would result in nine out of ten houses being empty, and entire cities and clans being wiped out.

Gu Guanqi frowned and said, "I don't understand. Even if the imperial court is plagued by a chronic disease, there are countless experts in the Central Plains. Half of the people on the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion's three rankings—God, Heaven, and Earth—are in the Qian Kingdom. How could they have fallen to such a state?"

Pei Guanxuan shook his head slightly and said, "How can human power contend with destiny?"

At this moment, Wen Shuyi suddenly said, "But Master, didn't Guan Qi change the destiny before? According to your deduction, the previous General Yan Kunlun was burdened with the destiny of an era. Theoretically, he shouldn't have lost, but in the end, he not only lost, but also died at Guan Qi's hands."

Pei Guanxuan said, "I was wondering about this issue before as well."

"Is the question answered now?" Wen Shuyi asked.

"Yes," Pei Guanxuan said, "I met a master from our Taoist sect some time ago. His level of cultivation should be the number one in our Taoist sect in this world. He cleared up my doubts."

"The number one Taoist master of our time, Zhang Tianshi of the Tianyi Sect?" Gu Guanqi asked.

"No," Pei Guanxuan shook his head and said, "Master Zhang is the leader of our contemporary Taoist sect, but he is not the number one in the Taoist sect. The one I am talking about is a reclusive master, and few people in the martial arts world know about him. Even the Tianji Pavilion, which claims to know everything under heaven, has no information about him."

"Who is it?" Wen Shuyi asked curiously.

Pei Guanxuan slowly said, "I don't know his name or which lineage of Taoism he belongs to. He calls himself Tianjizi, but I asked him and he said he has no connection with Tianji Pavilion."

Gu Guanqi was slightly taken aback, and said, "Master Tianji!"

Pei Guanxuan asked in confusion, "Does Alliance Leader Gu know Senior Tianji?"

Gu Guanqi shook his head slightly and said, "I've heard of it, but I've never had the chance to see it."

Tianjizi, Jiang Baili's master, had been living in seclusion in Wangyou Valley on Wangchen Mountain in Qingzhou. Gu Guanqi had previously lived with Jiang Baili in Wangyou Valley for a long time, but Tianjizi left a letter saying he was looking for a dowry for Jiang Baili, and then there was no further news of him.

Until last year, when Gu Guanqi met Jiang Baili again in Hongzhou, he inquired about Tianjizi's whereabouts, but Tianjizi did not...

Upon returning to Forget-Worry Valley, Jiang Baili was also unaware of its whereabouts.

Pei Guanxuan said, "Senior Tianji has always been elusive and mysterious. I only learned of his existence thirty years ago. Later, when I went to the Tianyi Sect to inquire, I learned that Senior Tianji was a figure from two hundred years ago."

Wen Shuyi exclaimed in surprise, "He's over two hundred years old?"

Pei Guanxuan shook his head and said, "It's uncertain, because that's just the earliest documented record of Senior Tianji in the Tianyi Sect that dates back more than two hundred years, but it's not certain whether Senior Tianji only lived for more than two hundred years."

Because when Senior Tianji appeared, he was already an elderly man in his eighties. At that time, the Tianyi Sect was facing a crisis of destruction, and Senior Tianji stepped in to save the day. According to Senior Tianji himself, he once owed the Tianyi Sect a favor.

However, he didn't specify what kind of favor it was or when it was owed, so the Heavenly Dao Sect didn't know which era this Senior Tianji belonged to.

Wen Shuyi said, "Could it be that they're not even the same person anymore?"

"There's no way to investigate that further," Pei Guanxuan said. "Because Senior Tianji's cultivation is simply too profound and unfathomable for me to fathom."

Wen Shuyi nodded slightly and said, "Master, please continue. How did Senior Tianji clear up your doubts?"

Pei Guanxuan said, "After hearing my doubts, Senior Tianji just smiled and said that my realm was still too low and I could only see the surface."

Yan Kunlun is indeed destined by Heaven, but he is not part of the grand destiny; he is merely a minor force assisting the true destiny in its operation. Among all destinies, minor forces can be altered, but the grand destiny cannot.

Gu Guanqi asked, "Does this mean that the overall trend is that Heaven's Mandate is in the hands of the Hu people, and the Zhongyuan bloodbath is inevitable? And Yan Kunlun is a minor figure who makes this overall trend work."

"That's right," Pei Guanxuan said. "According to Senior Tianji, after Yan Kunlun enters the capital, he will further accelerate the collapse of the Qian Kingdom's court, making it easier for the Hu people to enter the pass. This is Yan Kunlun's destiny."

However, the effect was the same if Alliance Leader Gu killed Yan Kunlun. Although Yan Kunlun harbored rebellious intentions, he was very capable. He had been guarding the border and effectively blocked the foreign tribes from beyond the Great Wall.

Now that Yan Kunlun has been killed, the border lacks a commander with sufficient ability, which will make it easier for foreign tribes to invade. Therefore, killing Yan Kunlun is a minor matter and will not affect the overall situation. Thus, when he encounters someone with great fortune like Alliance Leader Gu, he will also die.

Destiny is the general trend, not any one person. What cannot be changed is the general trend of destiny; no one is immune to death.

Gu Guanqi chuckled and said, "This sounds like a bunch of nonsense. It all depends on how the person saying it tries to justify it. If I failed to kill Yan Kunlun, then it's his destiny that cannot be changed. But if I killed Yan Kunlun, then it's that minor changes can be made, but major changes cannot."

Pei Guanxuan nodded slightly and said, "Alliance Leader Gu is so young yet possesses unparalleled cultivation. He is the most brilliant figure of his era. It would be strange if you truly believed in destiny and a few words from others."

Gu Guanqi laughed and said, "Judging from what the Imperial Advisor said, it sounds like he's talking about my youthful fearlessness."

"Absolutely not," Pei Guanxuan said. "I genuinely believe that a young talent like Alliance Leader Gu shouldn't believe in fate. There's another young man who, like you, didn't believe in so-called fate, and he succeeded."

"Who?" Gu Guanqi asked.

"Your Majesty," Pei Guanxuan said, "Actually, a long time ago, before you, Alliance Leader Gu, entered the capital, Your Majesty consulted me for a divination. I told him that Yan Kunlun's entry into the capital would be in accordance with the will of Heaven, accelerate the corruption of the court, and allow the barbarians to successfully invade the Central Plains."

However, His Majesty didn't believe him and still cooperated with Zhang Jiexi to summon Yan Kunlun to the capital. I don't know if His Majesty foresaw that Alliance Leader Gu would come to the capital to kill Zhang Jiexi, or if he had a backup plan. In any case, the final result was that he successfully seized power.

Although according to the theory of the senior Tianji that minor trends can be altered but major trends cannot, His Majesty's actions are meaningless and have not changed anything. However, His Majesty has successfully seized power, and with his current plans, even if the Mandate of Heaven remains unchanged, the Hu people should not be able to easily invade the Central Plains.

Gu Guanqi was silent for a moment, then said, "Do you know the time?"

Pei Guanxuan said, "I know, but this timeframe wasn't deduced by me. It was said by Senior Tianji that within three years, the Mandate of Heaven will completely shift. And the Hu people will have eighty years of Mandate of Heaven."

"Eighty years later, will destiny return to the Central Plains?"

"No," Pei Guanxuan said, "Eighty years from now, the Mandate of Heaven will be divided equally. The various kingdoms in the world will compete for the Mandate of Heaven, just as they did a thousand years ago. Whoever wins will obtain the Mandate of Heaven."

Gu Guanqi asked, "Was it like this once a thousand years ago?"

Pei Guanxuan nodded slightly and said, "A thousand years ago, the world was still in tribes. There was no concept of the borderlands or the Central Plains. It was the Xuanyuan clan that unified the various tribes and established the first dynasty. Only then did the concepts of the Central Plains, the Hu people, and the borderlands gradually emerge."

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "Then I'll see how this destiny is transferred." He paused for a moment and asked, "Grand Preceptor, I've recently heard a theory that I wonder if it's related to this destiny."

"What?" Pei Guanxuan said, "Alliance Leader Gu, please speak freely."

Gu Guanqi said, "I killed a demon-possessed expert in Yanzhou a few days ago. You might know him; he was Su Qingzi, the leader of the Tianzong Sect."

o

"I don't know him," Pei Guanxuan said, "but I know this person. The Heavenly Sect is a branch that separated from the Heavenly Dao Sect, and they cultivate the Golden Core Dao."

"Yes, it is the Golden Core Path," Gu Guanqi said. "However, Su Qingzi fell into demonic possession and used evil cultivation methods to successfully comprehend the Golden Core Path to its fullest extent, thus gaining a glimpse of the opportunity to become an immortal."

However, at the crucial moment, he was ambushed by someone claiming to be from the Heavenly Gate. This person from the Heavenly Gate claimed to be the guardian of the mortal realm, forbidding anyone from becoming an immortal, saying that anyone who did would steal the mortal world's fortune. "You are knowledgeable and worldly, have you ever heard of this Heavenly Gate?"

"There really is a Heavenly Gate?" Pei Guanxuan asked in surprise. "I have indeed seen legends about the Heavenly Gate, in Qintian..."

I saw it in a book of strange tales kept in prison.

It says that the Heavenly Gate was created by Xuanyuan, the first emperor of the human world. It is said that a thousand years ago, there was a divine mountain that connected to a mysterious place called Kunxu.

There are many powerful cultivators in the world who try every means to climb the sacred mountain and enter Kunxu. Once they successfully enter, they can become immortals, live forever, and roam freely in the world.

However, Xuanyuan later discovered that with each immortal born, the human world's fortune would decline by a certain amount. Eventually, the fortune began to dry up, natural disasters occurred frequently, and the people suffered greatly.

Therefore, Xuanyuan issued an order prohibiting the attainment of immortality. However, the allure of immortality was too great to resist.

Enraged, Xuanyuan personally went to the sacred mountain and took the Xuanyuan Sword, which gathers the power of humankind.

He ascended the sacred mountain, reached the outskirts of Kunxu, and met with the Lord of Kunxu, demanding that he close the entrance to Kunxu. However, he was refused. Subsequently, Xuanyuan and the Lord of Kunxu engaged in a fierce battle. In the end, Xuanyuan broke the sacred mountain, and Kunxu flew into the sky, becoming the moon.

However, at the last moment, the Lord of Kunxu scattered the method of becoming an immortal to the mortal world. Xuanyuan could not destroy it all, so he killed the divine beast Phoenix, fused the Phoenix's essence and divine bones, and forged an immortal body. From then on, he went into seclusion and established the Heavenly Gate to monitor the mortal world. Whoever became an immortal was killed, thus preserving the fortune of the mortal world.

Later, through the efforts of the Xuanyuan clan, the methods to achieve immortality gradually disappeared, the ancient qi refiners gradually became legends, martial arts gradually flourished, and finally, qi refinement was completely abolished, and there were no more immortals in the world.

Wen Shuyi said, "This is too far-fetched! It's practically a myth!"

Pei Guanxuan chuckled and said, "I originally saw it in a book of strange tales. That book records dozens of myths and legends. Tianmen is just one of them. There are also various myths and legends about the Queen Mother of the West, the dragon, the phoenix, the black tortoise, demigods, and so on."

Gu Guanqi asked, "Besides this, are there any other records about Tianmen?"

Pei Guanxuan shook his head and said, "The Imperial Observatory only has this in one book of strange tales; there are no others. However, the Imperial Academy has a much larger collection, so there might be other records. Would Alliance Leader Gu like to consult it? If so, I'll give you a token right now, and you can go to the Imperial Academy's library to look it up."

Gu Guanqi cupped his hands and said, "Then thank you very much."

Pei Guanxuan immediately took out a silver token from his pocket and tossed it to Gu Guanqi, saying, "How about this, I'll give Shuyi a few days off and let her accompany you to find the book. Shuyi has a photographic memory and flips through books very quickly; she'll find the book very fast."

Upon hearing this, Wen Shuyi immediately raised her head, her eyes filled with joy.

Gu Guanqi looked at Wen Shuyi and asked, "Shuyi, can I trouble you for help?"

Wen Shuyi smiled faintly and said, "I'll do anything you ask."

"Thank you, Shuyi," Gu Guanqi said.

"Then it's settled," Gu Guanqi said. "Tomorrow we'll go to the southern suburbs to see the lotus flowers, and then we'll go find the book when we get back."

"Mm." Wen Shuyi nodded.

Gu Guanqi stood up, cupped his hands in greeting to Pei Guanxuan, and said, "Grand Preceptor, I have benefited greatly from your guidance today. However, it is getting late, so I shall take my leave now."

Pei Guanxuan stood up, cupped his hands in return, and said, "It's getting dark soon, so I won't keep you any longer. I'll see you off!"

Immediately, Pei Guanxuan and Wen Shuyi escorted Gu Guanqi out of the Imperial Academy.

However, Pei Guanxuan only went to the door and did not go out.

Wen Shuyi escorted Gu Guanqi a long way, then watched him until he was out of sight before returning to the Imperial Academy.

As soon as he entered the door, Pei Guanxuan walked over with a smile and said, "Good disciple, this is all I can do to help you. Your master was young once too. Whether or not we are destined to be together, it is still a joy to spend more time with the person you admire."

Wen Shuyi said embarrassedly, "Master—you're teasing me again!"

Pei Guanxuan laughed and said, "You don't want to be alone with Gu Guanqi? That's fine too. Actually, I know where the book about Tianmen is in the Imperial Academy's library. I'll go get it for him tomorrow."

Wen Shuyi immediately exclaimed, "No, I—" But as soon as the words left her mouth, she realized her mistake and said, "Master, you're teasing me again!"

"Hahaha!" Pei Guanxuan laughed a few times and asked, "I noticed you hesitated earlier; you must have something you wanted to ask Gu Guanqi, right? Why didn't you ask?"

Wen Shuyi was silent for a while, then said, "I don't dare. I want to ask him if he actually came to the Imperial Academy today for something, and not just to see me. But I'm afraid, I'm afraid he really didn't come here specifically to see me. It's good as it is now. Even if he's not being honest, I'm still happy."

"Sigh," Pei Guanxuan sighed, "You child, you're so outstanding, so what if it's Gu Guanqi? If you like him, just say so!"

"I—I dare not." Wen Shuyi lowered her head and said, "Master, you don't understand. When I face him, I feel so inferior."

He was as bright as the sun, while I was like dust in the soil; just getting close to him exhausted all my courage!

After leaving the Imperial Academy, Gu Guanqi did not linger in the city and went directly to Tianxing Garden in the east of the city.

As soon as he arrived outside Tianxing Garden, Gu Guanqi saw a very simple carriage parked at the entrance of the alley. He immediately stopped because he recognized the person sitting on the carriage frame and driving the carriage as Ma Yushan, the supervisor of the West Depot, in disguise.

The fact that Ma Yushan was driving the carriage meant that the person inside could only be the current emperor, Zhao Mingce.

At this moment, Ma Yushan hurriedly drove the carriage over, then dismounted, bowed to Gu Guanqi, and then turned around to lift the carriage curtain.

Zhao Mingce stepped out of the carriage with a gentle smile on his face and said, "Brother Gu."

Gu Guanqi cupped his hands and said, "Did Your Majesty come here specifically to wait for me?"

Zhao Mingce nodded slightly and said, "I received news at noon that Brother Gu had returned to the capital, so I was eager to see him. However, I was preoccupied with trivial matters, and I also learned that Brother Gu had gone to the Imperial Academy to see Dr. Wen, so I suppressed my emotions and waited until evening to come over."

Gu Guanqi said, "I've kept Your Majesty waiting."

Zhao Mingce walked up to Gu Guanqi and said with a smile, "I've been waiting for this for a long time. Ever since Brother Gu left the capital, I've been looking forward to seeing you again, day after day!"

"Uh—" Gu Guanqi was slightly taken aback and said, "Your Majesty, please don't say that. That's a bit too ambiguous. If others hear it, they might start to have doubts."

"Hahaha—" Zhao Mingce laughed heartily and said, "It has to be Brother Gu, his words are always so unexpected." Then, he said to Ma Yushan, "Ma Daban, go open the door."

"Yes."

Ma Yushan cupped his hands in greeting, then leaped into the courtyard, removed the bolt from the gate, and opened the gate from the inside.

Because Gu Guanqi rarely stays here, no servants have ever been assigned to Tianxing Garden. However, the place is very clean because Zhao Mingce often arranges for people to clean it.

Previously, when Zhao Mingce gave this courtyard to Gu Guanqi, Gu Guanqi refused, mentioning that he rarely came here and the courtyard was just empty and gathering dust.

Therefore, Zhao Mingce specially arranged for someone to take care of it regularly.

Immediately afterwards, Zhao Mingce and Gu Guanqi walked into the courtyard side by side.

Ma Yushan immediately went to light the lanterns in the courtyard.

Gu Guanqi and Zhao Mingce entered a side hall and sat down facing each other. Zhao Mingce asked, "Brother Gu, how did your trip to Yanzhou go?"

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "It went very smoothly."

"With Brother Gu's reputation and cultivation, it would be abnormal if things didn't go smoothly." Zhao Mingce smiled and said, "Some time ago, Minister Shen submitted a memorial asking me to arrange the appointment of officials in Yanzhou. I just replied a couple of days ago, asking Governor Shen to ask Brother Gu for his opinion. Unexpectedly, Brother Gu has returned first."

Gu Guanqi asked in confusion, "The appointment of officials is a matter between the court ministers and His Majesty. Why are you asking me?"

Zhao Mingce pondered for a moment, then waved to Ma Yushan beside him.

Ma Yushan immediately bowed and then withdrew.

After Ma Yushan left, Zhao Mingce slowly said, "Actually, what I meant was, Brother Gu, to arrange for some of your people to take up positions in Yanzhou, similar to Hongzhou and Qizhou."

Gu Guanqi's pupils contracted slightly.

He was momentarily confused about Zhao Mingce's meaning.

Theoretically speaking, most of the officials in Hongzhou and Qizhou are now his people, and Zhao Mingce, as the emperor, must be very suspicious and wary of him.

Under these circumstances, Zhao Mingce's words made Gu Guanqi somewhat suspicious that Zhao Mingce wanted to confront him and make him hand over the power of the two states.

"What does Your Majesty mean? Please speak plainly," Gu Guanqi said.

"I mean it sincerely," Zhao Mingce said. "Brother Gu, this noon I summoned the Grand Preceptor and instructed him to tell you about the matter of 'Heaven's Mandate is with the Barbarians, and bloodshed will ensue in the Central Plains.' The Grand Preceptor should have told you that, right?"

"So it was His Majesty's request," Gu Guanqi said. "No wonder the Imperial Preceptor came to see me today."

Zhao Mingce sighed and said, "Not only does the Imperial Preceptor know about this matter, but the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion, the Heavenly Dao Sect, and the Great Bright Temple also know about it and have all told me about it."

But I refused to accept my fate. So, after I came to power, I took big steps, carrying out a massive purge, causing a huge uproar. I established the Western Depot and supported the Eastern Depot, using extremely violent methods.

In fact, I am well aware that these methods I have used are merely treating the symptoms, not the root cause, and have left behind great potential problems. Once a mistake is made, I will face a backlash from all the powerful clans and martial arts sects, which will shake the foundation of the nation and even lead to its downfall.

Gu Guanqi frowned slightly.

He knew about the series of ruthless measures Zhao Mingce had taken after taking power, and Shen Qingqiu, now the governor of the Six Doors, had experienced them firsthand.

Gu Guanqi had previously discussed with Shen Qingqiu that Zhao Mingce was being a bit too radical, and now it seems there's more to the story.

Zhao Mingce continued, "The Great Qian Dynasty has been established for nearly three hundred years and is already riddled with problems. If I want to revitalize the Great Qian, I must stabilize the situation and then proceed gradually, rather than rushing things through like this now."

However, I can't wait any longer, because the destiny of the Central Plains is about to be lost. The Imperial Preceptor says this is the inevitable trend, and Zhang Daoji, the Holy Monk Lianchi, and the Master of Tianji Pavilion all say so. But I don't believe it, and I refuse to accept it, so I'm going to take a gamble.

Now that I am in power, I want to fight with all my might. At present, various foreign tribes are stirring up trouble on the border. More than a dozen foreign tribes, mainly the Xianbei and Xiongnu, are preparing to move south.

Therefore, I plan to fight with all my might. I do not believe in fate. Even if my Qian Kingdom is already a sick tiger, I do not believe that those barbarians can be defeated by a few hungry wolves.

But regardless of the outcome of this battle, the foundation of my Qian Kingdom's royal family will be completely destroyed. At that time, all the major aristocratic families will surely say that I am ambitious and wasteful of resources and manpower.

At that point, the Zhao family's empire will, without a doubt, fall into my hands. Of course, losing would be better; at least I could leave a good name in history.

Gu Guanqi asked, puzzled, "Since Your Majesty knows that winning or losing is not good, why did you still do it?"

"I said it, because I'm not convinced," Zhao Mingce said. "If it's true that destiny has been lost, then I'll fight it out. I want to see if destiny is really that hard, if it's really irreversible."

Even if I become the ruler of a fallen kingdom, I will die on the battlefield. I am the emperor, and my death on the battlefield will set an example for the people of the Central Plains. An emperor can die, but I cannot lose my fighting spirit, and I cannot give up an inch of land.

I refuse to believe that, under these circumstances, even if everyone in the Central Plains rises up in battle, they cannot change the so-called destiny and the general trend of fate. Before I go to war, I will leave behind an imperial edict, which will be made public after my death in battle. That edict contains only one sentence.

Gu Guanqi asked in a deep voice, "What did you say?"

Zhao Mingce said, "Any hero who can drive out the barbarians will naturally be the ruler of the world, and can rightfully ascend the throne as emperor."

"The Central Plains must not perish!"

Gu Guanqi looked at Zhao Mingce with great surprise.

Throughout history, when the world was in chaos, heroes rose up to vie for control of the Central Plains. They would all try to gain a legitimate claim and stand on the side of righteousness. This was the greatest reliance of the former imperial family and their trump card that ultimately secured their survival.

However, if Zhao Mingce issues this imperial edict, it means that even if all the feudal lords in the world declare themselves emperors and establish their own rule, no one needs to worry about being labeled as a rebel.

This is tantamount to the emperor personally encouraging rebellion.

By then, the Zhao imperial family's greatest advantage would be gone, and in the struggle for supremacy, there would be no need to deliberately support a puppet emperor, completely cutting off any possibility of the Zhao family restoring the dynasty, because everyone would be the legitimate ruler.

"Your Majesty, what a magnificent spirit!" Gu Guanqi exclaimed.

"Actually, I made this decision after I learned about the so-called Mandate of Heaven. So, I deliberately stirred up trouble between the Empress Dowager and Zhang Jiexi, and later guided Zhang Jiexi to bring Yan Kunlun to the capital. I wanted to take a gamble and see if I could reap the benefits from the three-way struggle," Zhao Mingce said.

Gu Guanqi asked doubtfully, "So, even if I hadn't been there during the Battle of the Imperial City, His Majesty would still have had a backup plan to eliminate Zhang Jiexi and the others?"

"I'm not absolutely certain," Zhao Mingce said, "but I'm capable of fighting."

Zhao Mingce pondered for a moment, then said, "Brother Gu, do you still remember the murder case in the capital before, where several people with the destiny of an emperor made sacrifices?"

"Yes," Gu Guanqi nodded, "I was worried at the time that someone was plotting against His Majesty."

"Actually, I'm the one behind it all."

Zhao Mingce said, "With the help of the Tianji Pavilion Master, I cultivated the Corpse Dissolution Technique. Those people were also arranged for me by the Tianji Pavilion. In addition, I also had a Qilin bone transplanted into my body."

To be honest, my cultivation level is actually quite high now. If it really came down to a fight, even against the top experts ranked on the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion's God Ranking, I believe I would have a fighting chance. Of course, any gamble has the potential to win or lose.

However, I was lucky. Brother Gu came to the capital, and I didn't even have to lift a finger. You killed Zhang Jiexi and Yan Kunlun, especially Yan Kunlun, who was destined for greatness, and you still managed to kill him.

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly and said, "Your Majesty, you truly have the signs of a revival!"

"Unfortunately, I was born in this era."

Zhao Mingce sighed and said, "So, what I just told Brother Gu, I want Yan Prefecture to be like Hong Prefecture..."

You should assign your people to oversee the situation in Qizhou.

I am sincere. The Zhao family's empire is destined to be lost, and of course, I don't care. I hope to change the so-called destiny and fate. As for you, Brother Gu, you are unparalleled in the world, with unmatched martial arts skills. If you can make plans in advance, this empire should fall into your hands in the future.

When the world is in chaos, you will control Qizhou, Yanzhou, and Hongzhou. With further maneuvering, you can even quickly bring Qingzhou and Yunzhou into your hands.

"You rose to power from the five provinces; the world should be yours, you are the ruler of the world, you are the founding emperor, and the destiny of heaven should be rewritten by you."

As he spoke, Zhao Mingce grasped Gu Guanqi's hand and said, "Brother Gu, these are all my heartfelt words. You don't need to worry that I have ulterior motives. I swear to God, if there is even the slightest falsehood, may I be torn apart by five horses and die a horrible death!"

Gu Guanqi looked at Zhao Mingce and asked, "Does Your Majesty trust me that much?"

Zhao Mingce said, "Because, in my view, among all the heroes in the Qian Kingdom today, there are only Brother Gu and myself. From the first time I saw Brother Gu, I felt that Brother Gu was extraordinary. Your demeanor should surpass even the will of Heaven."

Brother Gu, I will pave the way for rewriting destiny. I will test the limits of that destiny for you. If, by then, you feel it is possible to reverse destiny, then we will use this vast land to help you defy fate and save the Central Plains!

Zhao Mingce let out a slight breath and said, "If after my death, Brother Gu feels that fate cannot be changed and wishes to withdraw from the world, that is also fine. But I hope that at that time, Brother Gu can choose a hero for all the people of the world, bestow the land upon him, and let him complete what I have not finished."

Gu Guanqi looked at Zhao Mingce, pondered for a moment, and nodded slightly, saying, "Your Majesty can try to think of other methods."

Zhao Mingce said, "Thank you, Brother Gu, but there is no other way. I am the emperor, and I must fight this first battle."

We must fight, but the Qian Kingdom's court is already corrupt. Regardless of victory or defeat, we will lose our kingdom.

However, if I don't fight, then the Mandate of Heaven will be lost, and the Central Plains will be ravaged by bloodshed and devastation. The barbarians have held the Mandate of Heaven for eighty years; by then, perhaps not even one in a hundred of the Chinese people will survive, and they will be enslaved for generations!

Gu Guanqi frowned slightly.

"Haha," Zhao Mingce patted Gu Guanqi on the shoulder and said, "Brother Gu, I've heard you're very skilled with the xiao (vertical flute). If one day you hear news of my death in battle, please play a tune for me as a farewell, okay?"

Gu Guanqi nodded slightly.

"Alright," Zhao Mingce said, "The main reason I came to see Brother Gu today is to discuss these matters. It's getting late, so I'll head back to the palace now. Um, Brother Gu, spend the next two days carefully selecting some candidates for official appointments in Yan Prefecture. Once you've made your selections, submit them to me."

"Alright." Gu Guanqi nodded, looked at Zhao Mingce, and said, "Your Majesty, please wait a moment."

Zhao Mingce asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

Gu Guanqi looked at Zhao Mingce intently and said, "Your Majesty, have you recently encountered any evil cultivators? I have a vague feeling that your mental state seems a bit off. Relax and let me investigate to see what's going on!"

"No need," Zhao Mingce waved his hand and said, "I know what happened. I was indeed infected with a mental spell."

o

"Hmm?" Gu Guanqi asked, puzzled.

Zhao Mingce said, "In my harem, there is now a concubine whose title and appearance are Hua Qianyue, the eldest daughter of the Hua family, the richest family in Tianzhou. That is, the Hua family that you destroyed."

I met her and fell in love with her, but at that time I was still in hiding and could only secretly pledge our lives to each other. However, she actually had another identity, with a background in the demonic path.

But I didn't know that at the time. Before, the Hua family was destroyed, and she ran away. After I came to power, she found me again, and I had someone change her appearance and bring her into the harem.

It has now been discovered that she is backed by the Heavenly Principle Sect, one of the six major sects of the demonic path. The Heavenly Principle Sect possesses a divine skill called the "Separation of Life and Death Divine Skill," which can amplify a person's love. The Heavenly Principle Sect intends to use my love for Hua Qian Yue to control me.

Gu Guanqi asked, "Since His Majesty knows this, why does he still allow them to do this?"

Zhao Mingce said, "The people of the Heavenly Principle Sect may not be very smart. They actually think that love can control an emperor. But what they are doing can also help me."

The path I cultivate is the path of severing ties. Therefore, I am happy for them to do this, as it allows my emotions to reach a limit. At that point, when I sever all ties, my cultivation can break through to an unimaginable level.

"When the time comes, once I'm on the battlefield, my chances of rewriting destiny will be much greater. At the very least, with my higher cultivation level, I can take more barbarians down with me."

Gu Guanqi pondered for a moment, then said, "Since Your Majesty has a plan, then let's do it this way!"

"Hmm." Zhao Mingce nodded, smiling slightly. "I hope that one day, after I've severed all ties and broken through to the next level, I'll have the strength to fight Brother Gu! Haha, that's all for now, I'm off!"

Immediately, Gu Guanqi got up and saw Zhao Mingce out.

The two walked side by side, a crescent moon hanging high in the sky, its pale light casting a hazy and tranquil glow upon them.