I Possess a Scroll of Demon-Subduing Records

Lin Yi had been the king for so long and had a good reputation, so no one blamed him and naturally shifted the blame to Ling Yi.

Someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes, and the rumors spread quickly.

Lin Yi was naturally furious when he heard the rumors.

Of course he knew what was going on.

It's normal for disasters to happen occasionally, but if disasters happen all the time, there must be someone behind it all.

Moreover, the Shang Dynasty was at its peak, so there was no reason for it to suffer from frequent natural disasters.

These calamities, while not enough to cripple the Shang Dynasty, did slightly weaken its national strength.

Lin Yi knew that this was a sign that the people in the sky were going to make their move, but he didn't expect them to target Ling Yi first.

Lin Yi figured out the ins and outs after a little thought.

Lin Yi's image as a wise ruler in the court was very solid and could not be easily shaken.

But Lingyi is different. She has no powerful connections, and her marriage to Lin Yi was not long ago. The public doesn't know much about her.

But some people with ulterior motives stirred up trouble, and the rumors spread like wildfire, turning her from a natural-born woman into a source of misfortune.

If Lin Yi doesn't deal with her, it means he's ignoring advice and indulging in lust.

This creates a weakness in attacking.

If Lin Yi were to deal with her, it would make people think that Lin Yi is cold-hearted and would even abandon his wife to secure his position.

In short, this move was extremely insidious and vicious.

Lin Yi was furious because these people lacked martial ethics and attacked his family members, who happened to be the people he valued most.

Lin Yi certainly wouldn't let this matter rest.

He allowed Lingyi to calm down in the palace and strictly forbade the palace servants from passing on any news to Lingyi. At the same time, he went to great lengths to trace the source of the rumors.

He dispatched his personal guards, the Black-Clad Guards, to arrest people all over the country. Anyone who dared to speak ill of the Princess was to be arrested, and there was a reward for reporting them.

If someone is arrested, they can be spared punishment if they can clearly explain where they heard the rumors from and help catch their employer; otherwise, they will be demoted to the lowest class of slave.

In the Shang Dynasty, slavery was not completely abolished; it merely existed in name only.

Some people are called slaves, but they actually enjoy the rights of ordinary citizens. The lowest level of slavery was designed for prisoners of war.

Although these prisoners of war became true slaves, as long as they had offspring, they could be promoted along with their offspring and would no longer be slaves.

The system of slavery was reformed by Lin Yi, so whatever he says goes.

He can grant slaves the rights of citizens, and he can turn citizens into slaves in an instant.

This is the supremacy of royal power.

Under the suppression of the powerful, Lin Yi followed the clues and gradually found the mastermind behind it all.

Several of them were nobles in the court, and they still had designs on the position of princess.

Lin Yi insisted on not taking a concubine, so they set their sights on Ling Yi.

With Lingyi losing her position as princess, others naturally have a chance.

Lin Yi showed no mercy to these nobles, exterminating their entire clan.

Anyway, with the population growing so fast, freeing up some space is just a good opportunity for others to take over.

As for public opinion, Lin Yi did not let his guard down.

How could he lose to someone else when he stopped playing something years ago?

When he invented papermaking, he had already laid the groundwork for controlling the media discourse.

Soon, newspapers about some nobles fabricating rumors to slander the princess for their own benefit were published in Da Shang.

These days, the literacy rate among the general public is not high.

But it doesn't matter. When Lin Yi was writing his novels, he trained a group of storytellers. These storytellers may seem to be storytellers, but they are actually his secret agents.

These people are scattered in various places, which is perfect for telling these stories.

Within just a few days, the gossip about the princess disappeared.

Even if there are a few stubborn trolls, they can't form a torrent.

However, this matter is not over yet.

When Lin Yi was tracing the source of the rumors, he found not only a few nobles, but also a few cultivators who had run away.

These cultivators were naturally beyond the reach of ordinary soldiers.

But Lin Yi can.

Following the clues, he found the things those people had touched. As long as they left a trace, Lin Yi could detect them.

However, when dealing with cultivators, the larger version cannot be used.

As night fell, Lin Yi, as usual, let Ling Yi go to sleep first. He then slipped out of the palace under the cover of darkness, also putting on a silver mask.

This disguise belongs to the Sword Immortal of the Jingye Division.

However, tonight, he will not go to slay demons and monsters, but to kill people.

Jiuquan Manor, located in the southwest of Dashang, is famous for its clear spring water used for brewing wine.

But no one knew that this seemingly ordinary mountain villa was inhabited by immortals.

At this moment, the manor owner was soaking in the hot spring. The hot spring exuded a mystical aura and was a treasure brought down from the celestial realm. Only he could enjoy such a wonderful thing.

The manor's owner is named Lei Zhen, the youngest son of the Heavenly Emperor Gouchen of the Upper Realm, and also the vanguard of this battle for human destiny.

The Immortal Realm also attaches great importance to this battle for destiny, and even the youngest son of the Heavenly Emperor can only serve as the vanguard.

Of course, Lei Zhen's descent to the mortal realm was just a way to gain some credit; he didn't need to do much.

All he needs to do is push forward the Heavenly Emperor's Great Calamity.

Because the Shang Dynasty's national fortune is too strong, he was ordered to arrange for his subordinates to create some natural disasters.

Spreading rumors was also his idea.

Unexpectedly, the Shang Dynasty was so resilient that neither earthquakes nor floods and droughts could truly cripple it.

However, the spread of rumors, which he had initially paid little attention to, actually exposed the Shang king's weakness.

"Your Highness, the King of Shang has blamed the nobles, and the people have believed that explanation. It will probably not be so easy to frame the Queen Consort of Shang now."

A servant dressed in black stood respectfully by the hot spring and spoke.

His name is Hei Jia, and he is Lei Zhen's most valued subordinate. Today, the several earthquakes within the Great Shang territory were all caused by him.

However, when he took action, he did not dare to recklessly affect the fate of the nation, so the casualties were actually not significant; it was just a commotion to scare people.

Spreading rumors is the cheapest method, but unfortunately, that method has been cracked. At this point, all methods have been neutralized, which is not good news.

Black Armor was nervous, worried about being scolded.

Lei Zhen calmly smiled and said, "I thought that Zi Shou was a genius, but it turns out he's nothing special."

"Your Highness, what do you mean by that?"

"How can an emperor be concerned with personal feelings?"

To protect Lingyi, his massive arrests will inevitably alienate the people, and moreover, future disasters will follow. What methods will he use to quell the rumors then?

Lei Zhen looked wise and asserted, "When there is another disaster, not many people will believe what he says. Do you think he will push the blame onto other nobles?"

What about the next time?

"He can't bear to part with a woman? With just this one move, I can ruin his reputation and make him lose all public support."

Upon hearing this, the man in black armor exclaimed in amazement, "As expected of His Highness, this move is absolutely brilliant!"

"What if he abandons Princess Shang next time?"

Black Armor knew that Lei Zhen must already have a plan, and he asked this question to play the straight man.

Sure enough, Lei Zhen said confidently, "That would be even better. That Princess Shang is no ordinary person; she is the daughter of the two saints."

I went to see them get married.

Since the two saints are present, they must still be mindful of family ties. If Zi Shou dares to abandon Ling Yi, the two saints' wrath will be enough to make him suffer.

"Your Highness, that's brilliant!"

Lei Zhen was also the son of the Heavenly Emperor, so he naturally knew important figures in the Heavenly Court.

He hid himself very well at the time and did not attract anyone's attention.

It could be said that he was in the shadows while Zi Shou was in the light, so the advantage lay entirely with him.

Hearing the praise from the black-armored man, Lei Zhen was secretly pleased, but he still pretended to be humble and said calmly, "This is nothing. If the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden were here, she might be even more powerful than me."

How could the black-armored man not know Lei Zhen's thoughts? The Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden is the goddess of war and the goddess of military strategy. Comparing himself to the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden is just a way of thinking he's very powerful.

Moreover, he added the word "maybe," so it goes without saying what he was thinking.

The man in black armor immediately flattered her, saying, "Even the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden is no more than this, Your Highness, please don't be so modest."

That's why Black Armor became a trusted subordinate!

Lei Zhen was thrilled by the flattery, and his heart was filled with boundless pride.

Now that we have grasped the weakness of the child, we should strike hard and beat him to death.

No matter what moves he makes, I have ways to deal with them.

The advantage lies with me, a god who can dominate mortals!

"Little Black, go to the capital tonight and cause an earthquake. Then spread rumors and see how that bastard deals with it."

Upon hearing this, Black Armor felt a chill run down his spine.

It would be fine if he caused trouble elsewhere, but how dare he send me to the capital?

Although he was a deity in the celestial realm, his power was suppressed when he came to the mortal world.

To rebel in the capital would surely cause a backlash against the dynasty's fortune.

The current Shang Dynasty is at its peak, and the nation's fortunes and the people's hearts are at their zenith.