I Possess a Scroll of Demon-Subduing Records

How come someone took away the dragon's energy to make soup?

Why can't I kill Xiao Se, whom I want to kill?

So many unexpected things happened to him.

Xiao Zhao was originally full of vigor and thought he was the chosen one. This trip south was the time for him to announce his arrival as king to the world. Who would have thought that he would not only fail to accomplish one thing, but also run into obstacles everywhere.

Having suffered such a huge blow, it would be an understatement to say that he was depressed; Xiao Zhao had truly broken down.

My mood fluctuated so much, and then I was exposed to a cold wind, which is why I started to experience symptoms of a cold.

However, he was in good health and wouldn't actually catch a cold and become seriously ill. He was also very determined, and even after being hit hard, he didn't forget what he was supposed to do.

This southward expedition was bound to be exposed sooner or later. He originally wanted to return with a great victory and then seize the throne, which would have been a smooth and successful journey.

Now that everything is going wrong, the rebellion can no longer be delayed. The entire court, whether they are his own people or his enemies, all feel that his rebellion is imminent. If he doesn't take action soon, even those who are with him will likely betray him.

Therefore, Xiao Zhao had already dispatched his men to take action. Soon, a proclamation to eliminate treacherous officials and cleanse the court of corrupt ministers was issued. At the same time, an elite force controlled by the King of Liang began to march south.

Many border troops remained unmoved, but the fact that the King of Liang only dispatched one elite force under his control was enough to intimidate the emperor.

The emperor had to consider whether Xiao Zhao would mobilize more border troops if the resistance became too fierce.

Despite the potential for internal instability, no one dared to gamble in the face of imperial power.

Before the battle even began, the emperor was already on the defensive.

However, not long after Xiao Zhao issued his proclamation, Xiao Qian also issued an edict.

He certainly didn't issue an edict to the soldiers to defend against the powerful enemy; instead, he issued an edict to directly abdicate the throne.

In the imperial edict, Xiao Qian severely criticized himself for his mistake in appointing the wrong people, and also severely criticized the prime minister Gu Xiang, ordering him to be dismissed from his post, his home to be confiscated, and his entire family to be exiled to Yuezhou.

All the royalists were rebuked by Xiao Qian in the imperial edict, and some were demoted or exiled.

The court officials were stunned. Before the war even started, the emperor had already dealt a heavy blow to all his own allies.

But that wasn't all. At the end of the edict, Xiao Qian stated that he was not fit to be emperor, unable to secure the country or bring peace to the people, and felt truly unworthy of the title. Therefore, he simply announced that he would pass the throne to Xiao Zhao, hoping that he could govern the country well and recover lost territories.

Good heavens, the Liang King's army hadn't even officially marched south to attack the city, and the emperor had already surrendered.

And this kind of operation?

Even more ridiculously, due to the time difference in communication, Xiao Qian's imperial edict was issued before Xiao Zhao's proclamation reached the capital.

When Xiao Zhao's proclamation arrived, everyone finally understood what was going on, and their speechlessness towards Xiao Qian reached a new level.

So you predicted Xiao Zhao's rebellion before you even saw it, and that's why you were able to surrender first?

The imperial edict was sent out and spread everywhere at top speed. Those who received the news were all stunned, especially Xiao Zhao. When he saw that Xiao Qian had issued an edict to pass the throne to him, Xiao Zhao felt a surge of resentment.

He had been patiently developing his strength for so many years, but before he could truly show his abilities, his opponent surrendered directly, without giving him any chance to demonstrate his power. What a rip-off!

How could he reward his subordinates, and how could he deal with his former officials?

"This emperor is really interesting."

Just as Xiao Zhao was feeling troubled, he suddenly heard a clear voice. He immediately knew that it was Yan Qingqiu who had come over.

"Mr. Bai."

Despite the failure of his plan, Xiao Zhao remained exceptionally respectful to Yan Qingqiu.

He knew that he would need Yan Qingqiu's help many times in the future, and even if he became emperor, he would not dare to offend such a top expert too recklessly.

He still needs allies.

"I wonder what brings you here so suddenly, Mr. Bai?"

Chapter 276 Suppressing Buddhism

Yan Qingqiu looked at Xiao Zhao, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes.

However, she hid it very well and was not noticed by Xiao Zhao.

"Your Excellency will soon be enthroned, and I have come to offer my congratulations."

Xiao Zhao wore a smile, but inwardly he felt a growing sense of apprehension towards this "Mr. Bai".

It should be noted that although the emperor's edicts spread quickly, not many people knew about them. Xiao Zhao was able to see them so quickly because he had special channels.

The fact that Mr. Bai could appear here at this time could not possibly be because he had read the imperial edict; it was more likely that he had calculated it himself.

As a person destined by Heaven, Xiao Zhao's future was not easy for others to see, let alone the fact that he was about to become emperor, making it even more difficult to predict his future.

However, Mr. Bai knew about what had happened to him, which shows that he was very powerful.

Faced with Mr. Bai's congratulations, Xiao Zhao could only give a wry smile and then began to pour out his grievances, repeatedly talking about his own hardships.

Yan Qingqiu could only listen to the other party's story with a smile and politeness. After all, the identity she was temporarily using, Bai Su, was this person's advisor. When you are someone's subordinate, you have to be polite to a certain extent.

After Xiao Zhao poured out his grievances, Yan Qingqiu smiled and said, "Although the process will be difficult, you will eventually become the emperor you have been longing for, so don't be too sad."

These words of comfort seemed to be a common tactic, and Xiao Zhao's face broke into a smile.

Immediately afterwards, Yan Qingqiu put forward new requirements.

"Now that you have become the emperor, according to the agreement, it is time for me to go and take a look at the dragon vein."

Upon hearing Yan Qingqiu mention this, Xiao Zhao's expression changed slightly.

The child sold his father's sweetheart without a second thought. He had agreed to many conditions beforehand in order to get the demon's help, and Xiao Zhao had been making the deal all along.

But now that he has become the emperor, even though he has not yet ascended the throne, since the emperor has already surrendered and admitted defeat, he is naturally the emperor.

Previously, he used public funds to support himself, so he naturally did whatever he could. With this trait, Xiao Zhao attracted many people to work for him, including many experts.

At that time, he had only one goal: the throne.

At that time, he naturally didn't consider whether the country would belong to him in the future. Everything was just about climbing to the highest position step by step, and he was willing to do anything to achieve this goal.

But now the situation is different. If he becomes emperor, then everything in the world will be his. How can he take food from his own bowl to feed others?

Xiao Zhao instinctively wanted to renege on his promise. After all, he was about to get the throne, and he could give up if his ally wanted too much.

Of course, this applies to other people.

Xiao Zhao dared not embezzle Mr. Bai's share, so he could only say with heartache, "Mr. Bai, please don't worry. Once everything has settled down, I will fulfill my promise."

These words sounded quite bold. Yan Qingqiu chuckled and said, "I know you are reluctant to part with the dragon vein's spiritual energy, but the dragon vein's spiritual energy is never an inexhaustible resource. When the country prospers, the energy is abundant; when the country declines, the energy is deficient. As long as you can make the country strong, a little dragon energy is not worth mentioning."

Yan Qingqiu's words really hit the nail on the head. Xiao Zhao thought to himself, "What a great idea that as long as the country is strong, that's all that matters. Is it that easy for a country to become strong?"

Moreover, if the dragon's energy is depleted, natural disasters and man-made calamities will occur. Under such circumstances, it is extremely difficult to make the dragon's energy strong again.

"If the country were strong, it would be as easy as you say."

"I have a brilliant plan."

"Oh? Please enlighten me, sir."

"The Qi dynasty's fate has run its course, and it is difficult for it to become strong. If you change the dynasty, everything will be renewed. The Qi dynasty's dragon energy will weaken, while the new dynasty's dragon energy will rise like the sun in the east. What do you think of this plan?"

Xiao Zhao: "..."

Can this be done?

Xiao Zhao was truly astonished by Yan Qingqiu's ingenious ideas.

He changed dynasties, but he didn't intend to change the country's name. After all, he was also a member of the royal family and had a certain right to inherit the throne. In that case, his rebellion and usurpation could be considered reasonable and legal.

However, if it were a change of dynasty, then one would become the ancestor, but this would also completely deny the legitimacy of the "purging of corrupt officials" and be tantamount to admitting that one is a traitor.

Xiao Zhao pondered for a long time, but still hesitated. He then asked, "Will this strategy make the country strong?"

"Of course not."

Yan Qingqiu shook her head, but when she said no, she looked confident, clearly having a plan.

"Sir, do you have another good plan? Please stop hiding it from me. I will definitely repay you handsomely."

When talking to Yan Qingqiu, Xiao Zhao didn't put on airs like a prince or emperor; he knew how formidable Yan Qingqiu was.

Yan Qingqiu was just bargaining; otherwise, how could anyone believe a scheme that was given away for free?

"Your Highness is too kind. I do not ask for a great reward from Your Highness. I only ask for something insignificant from Your Highness."

"What is it? Take it if you want, sir."

"It's not the right time yet. You'll know when the time comes."

As for this strategy to strengthen the nation, it's actually quite simple: suppress Buddhism.

"hiss……"

Xiao Zhao gasped upon hearing this.

The phrase "suppressing Buddhism" is only two words, but what comes into view is a scene of flashing swords and bloodshed.

The Buddha was not a true celestial being or Buddha, and Xiao Zhao did not have the ability to destroy Buddhism.

Clearly, the persecution of Buddhism mentioned here refers to Buddhism in the human realm.

Buddhist temple.

However, the influence of Buddhism should not be underestimated. Although it has not been introduced to China for long, it quickly became a major school of thought alongside Taoism and Confucianism.

In fact, among the three schools of thought—Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism—Buddhism, though ranked last, is in no way inferior in influence to Confucianism and Taoism.

Within the imperial court, the influence of Buddhism was deeply entrenched. Xiao Zhao was certain that if he proposed the suppression of Buddhism, the entire court would be thrown into turmoil.

"How can the suppression of Buddhism become a strategy for strengthening the country?"

“Buddhism does not engage in production, yet it possesses vast amounts of land and a large following. How can a nation become strong without eradicating Buddhism?”

Xiao Zhao understood the principle Yan Qingqiu was talking about, but all he wanted was to take a piece of flesh from the Buddhist sect, while Yan Qingqiu wanted to kill them all.

"Does the gentleman have a grudge against Buddhism?"

"Your Highness need not worry about that. Your Highness only needs to consider whether to gamble or not."

I wonder if Your Highness, now that you're about to become emperor, will still have the courage. If you're not willing to gamble, then just pretend I never said anything.

However, fortune favors the bold; Your Highness, the decision is yours!

After saying this, Yan Qingqiu saw the conflicted look in Xiao Zhao's eyes, and then she smiled confidently.