Outside the main hall, the spring rain fell piteously.
The rain beat against the glazed tiles, the sound weighing heavily on everyone's hearts.
The court officials in their crimson and purple robes stood like clay sculptures or wooden carvings.
At the front of the crowd, Cheng Buxiu's heavy cloak was soaked through and clung to his body; his hair was disheveled, and he showed none of the poise expected of a Mountain Gazing Martial Venerable.
No words were needed.
Just by looking at Cheng Buxiu's current state, everyone had already guessed the outcome.
Five Immortals Mountain had not left Great Tang a path to survival.
If they had simply refused to act, that would be one thing... but to be made to bark like a dog, to be toyed with...
And finally to be driven away from the mountain gates like a stray dog... how was this an insult to Cheng Buxiu alone?
This was clearly a slap to the face of the Emperor, to the face of all the civil and military officials, and even more so to the eight-hundred-year legacy of Great Tang!
"Your Majesty..."
A long time passed.
Finally, someone broke the silence.
The person who stepped forward wore a purple robe with a jade belt, possessing an elegant and dignified aura.
He was the Chancellery Attendant, Liu Xingyun of the Liu Clan.
"Elder Cheng did not hesitate to humiliate himself for the sake of Great Tang. Such loyalty is witnessed by heaven and earth, and we... also feel his pain."
"However, I believe that now is not the time for indignation."
As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere became subtle.
Liu Xingyun ignored it, straightened his back, and said slowly, "Since Five Immortals Mountain closed its doors and even used such methods to humiliate Elder Cheng, their mind is made up. They are determined to sit idly by, and perhaps... they even wish to see Great Tang fend for itself."
"Since that is the case, further pleading is useless, and further anger... is also useless."
"Currently, the situation in Jiannan Circuit and Longyou is dire. The people are suffering, and every moment, countless lives are lost to the maws of demons."
"Your Majesty..."
Liu Xingyun looked up, his gaze meeting the Emperor's directly. "The urgent matter is not to demand an explanation, nor is it to vent anger at Five Immortals Mountain for the sake of face."
"If Great Tang falls, today's humiliation will be a humiliation for a thousand generations. If Great Tang can survive this disaster, even if we knelt today, in the future..."
"It might not be impossible to make others kneel as well!"
As soon as he finished speaking—
"Bullshit!!!"
A thunderous roar erupted within the hall.
A burly general with a face full of stubble strode out of the ranks.
He rushed up to Liu Xingyun in a few steps and grabbed him by the collar. "You, Liu! Are those words even human?!"
"Elder Cheng threw away all the dignity of his life for Great Tang! He was toyed with like a dog! And now you're talking to me about the big picture? Saying anger is useless?!"
"Look clearly! That is Elder Cheng! When he knelt there, he didn't just lose his own face; he lost the face of our Great Tang! The face of all us men!"
"Now that they're shitting on our necks, you're still telling us to endure? Endure until when? Endure until we're all dead?!"
Faced with such a confrontation,
Liu Xingyun did not struggle, allowing the other man to hold his collar.
He just looked at him quietly and asked flatly, "Then what would you have us do?"
"Gather the troops and march on Five Immortals Mountain?"
The general's body stiffened. "I..."
Liu Xingyun continued, "We both know what kind of existence Five Immortals Mountain is. Currently, the demons of the Spirit Mountain have not been eliminated, and Great Tang is already struggling alone. If we provoke Five Immortals Mountain now..."
"Do you want the Great Tang Empire to collapse right now?!"
The words fell.
The general opened his mouth, wanting to argue.
But a thousand words stuck in his throat, eventually turning into a powerless roar.
"Pathetic..."
He let go, covered his face, and his burly frame shook slowly. "It's so damn... pathetic!!!"
In the hall, many generals also turned their heads away.
In the ranks of the civil officials, several Old Ministers sighed deeply, their expressions bleak.
Who didn't want to stand tall?
Who didn't want to settle scores happily?
But a weak nation has no diplomacy.
Great Tang no longer had the national strength it possessed during the era of the Great Ancestor. Now... there was indeed nothing they could do about Five Immortals Mountain. Liu Xingyun took a deep breath, turned to face the Emperor, and bowed again.
"Your Majesty."
"Only by enduring what ordinary people cannot endure can one achieve what ordinary people cannot achieve."
"The humiliation of Elder Cheng is etched into our hearts; we do not dare to forget, nor can we forget."
"But for now..."
"I ask Your Majesty to consider the common people, temporarily quell your thunderous rage, and focus all efforts on... resisting the demons!"
The Emperor sat on the dragon throne, watching the scenes below.
He slowly closed his eyes.
In a daze,
He recalled the time of the Great Ancestor.
Unifying the six directions, sweeping through the eight wilds, and establishing the Central Plains. Wherever the sun and moon shone, wherever the rivers flowed, it was all the land of the Han.
How high-spirited was Great Tang back then?
He told himself that since ascending the throne, he hadn't dared to slack off for a single day.
Rising at the first crow of the cock and resting late at night, reviewing memorials, reforming the bureaucracy, reducing taxes, and allowing the people to rest.
He did not crave pleasure or indulge in wine and women.
But why... by his generation, had things become like this?
He clearly wanted to be a good emperor, to protect the foundation of his ancestors, and to let the people of the world live in peace for a few days.
But the result... was demons at the city gates, and the people of two circuits becoming food.
Elder Cheng had to kneel before someone's mountain gate like a dog, wagging his tail and begging for mercy.
His only younger sister had to face such a crisis alone!
Thinking of this,
The Emperor's shoulders slumped in dejection, his fingers digging into his hair.
Was it that he simply didn't deserve to sit on this dragon throne... If he had even half the talent of the Great Ancestor, if he could have entered the Lamp-Lighting Realm... how could Guyue have come to this?
How could Elder Cheng have come to this?
How could Great Tang... have come to this?!
A deep sense of powerlessness submerged him like a tide.
He was the Son of Heaven of Great Tang.
But at this moment,
He felt like a useless person.
"Report——!!!"
Right then,
A sharp, long cry tore through the wind and rain.
An Imperial Guard, looking frantic and not even caring about his breach of etiquette before the Emperor, scrambled into the hall.
"Your Majesty! Lü Qinghou, the Left Demon Suppression Envoy of the Demon Suppression Division, requests an audience!"
As soon as these words were spoken,
The originally lifeless hall was instantly stirred by a wave of commotion.
Lü Qinghou?
As one of the few Mountain Gazing Martial Venerables who could still be mobilized, why would he suddenly return to the capital instead of being in Jiannan?
Could it be... Liu Xingyun's heart skipped a beat, and his expression changed drastically.
Could it be that the front line had already completely collapsed?!
The Emperor's expression also tightened as he said hurriedly, "Summon him in!"
"Summoning——Left Demon Suppression Envoy Lü Qinghou for an audience!!!"
As the voice penetrated the curtain of rain,
Before long,
A figure stepped quickly into the hall.
Heavy panting echoed in the hall.
Clearly, this Mountain Gazing Martial Venerable had flown at top speed to make the journey, and his breathing was currently unstable.
Liu Xingyun's eyes flickered, and he asked in a heavy voice, "Lord Lü, you return to the capital at this time—has the Jiannan defensive line collapsed?"
In the ranks of the generals, someone also clenched their fists and held their breath.
At this juncture,
When a pillar of the Demon Suppression Division abandoned his post to return to the capital, no one could think of any reason other than defeat.
Lü Qinghou stopped his pace, did not look at Liu Xingyun, and simply gave a deep bow to the Emperor.
His voice was hoarse, but it was like a sudden clap of thunder.
"Your servant, Lü Qinghou, has returned to the capital to report a victory! The demons of Jiannan Circuit have all been executed, and Yizhou Prefecture is reclaimed!"