Seeking Truth with a Sword-Chapter 497 - 448 Gathering

Chapter 497: Chapter 448 Gathering
During the casual conversation, a newsboy dressed in the gray uniform of a Chang’an newspaper entered the tavern, shouting "Extra edition!" while handing a stack of newspapers to the tavern’s servant.
Newspapers in Chang’an varied, published once a day, twice a day, five times a month, and so on. Whenever a significant event occurred, an extra edition, commonly consisting of just one or two pages, would be printed to spread the news quickly and effectively.
Upon hearing there was an extra edition, everyone in the tavern knew something major had happened and lost interest in their meals. People from every table and every private room on each floor came over, taking out copper coins to buy a copy.
Li Ang also bought one. The moment he saw the headline, his eyes widened in shock. "The Emperor of Zhou has abdicated?!"
The extra edition clearly stated that on this very day, the Emperor of Zhou had abdicated the throne to his younger brother, proclaiming himself Emperor Yuantian.
"How could this happen so suddenly?" someone exclaimed in shock and disbelief. "Wasn’t everything fine just recently?"
"It was said he fell ill two or three years ago. After recovering, he suffered from intermittent health issues, leading to the Empress of Zhou and the Crown Prince representing him at the morning court, with the Princes assisting in governmental affairs. Only recently was it announced his health had improved enough for him to handle court matters himself, and the Princes had returned their governing authority."
Another person hesitantly asked, "Then why the sudden abdication?"
Historically, abdications were mostly in favor of sons or adopted sons. The few exceptions included Emperor Rui Zong of Yu Country, who abdicated his throne to his mother, Wu Hou. Abdication to a brother was something that often happened among the Turkic people.
"The paper also says that the Judicial Cardinal and Holy Rite Priest from Taihao Mountain personally presided over the abdication ceremony. This was clearly premeditated!"
Someone whispered, "Could this be another Shenlong incident?"
During the Shenlong Period in Yu Country, the Holy Empress was gravely ill and the government was unstable, ultimately leading to the Shenlong Coup. Members of the Li Yu Royal Family forced the Holy Empress to abdicate through a military remonstrance. Afterward, the five meritorious officers who had assisted in the coup were first ennobled as Commandery Princes by Emperor Li Yu. However, they were later defamed, demoted, and stripped of power. They subsequently died of illness or grief, or were killed by envoys—none survived.
Decades had passed, yet this matter remained sensitive, and no one in the tavern continued the topic. But everyone’s gaze flickered as they pondered the implications of Emperor Zhou’s abdication.
It was possible that Emperor Zhou, having recovered, intended to reclaim his power but met resistance—or even a military remonstrance—from his Prince brother, with Taihao Mountain seizing the opportunity to fan the flames. It was also conceivable that this sudden abdication was orchestrated by Taihao Mountain itself. Faith in Haotian within the Zhou Kingdom was stronger than in Yu Country, though not as universally fervent as in West Jing. The Emperor was still the ultimate authority of the nation, not a subsidiary of Taihao Mountain. Perhaps this time, Taihao Mountain wished to alter this dynamic.
Someone said uncertainly, "If the Zhou Kingdom also completely leans towards Taihao Mountain, then wouldn’t that mean..."
He left his sentence unfinished, but everyone in the tavern hall understood his meaning—Yu Country would be surrounded.
It was noon, yet the tavern was unnaturally quiet; not even the clinking of bowls and chopsticks could be heard. After a moment, people snapped back to their senses. Too preoccupied to sit down and eat, they hastily paid their bills and left.
Over the years, Yu Country had been reinforcing its troops near its Nanzhou border, and the Zhou Kingdom had been matching the buildup; both sides were poised for war. Whether it was the high officials at court or the common soldiers and citizens, all believed that a battle between the two countries was inevitable—if not in a few years, then within a decade. Now, Emperor Zhou’s abdication might just become the turning point in the fate of the two nations.
Li Ang was among those leaving the tavern. He returned to his Golden City Mansion and, upon entering, saw Chai Chai sitting in a chair, holding a newspaper, lost in thought.
"Young Master," Chai Chai called out, snapping out of her daze. She trotted over, taking the medicine box from Li Ang’s shoulder, and asked nervously, "Have you seen today’s extra edition? Is there going to be a war? Should we ask Le Ling?"
"I’ve seen it," Li Ang nodded. "Emperor Zhou’s abdication was such a significant event, and for no word of it to leak beforehand clearly means it happened suddenly. Even Yu Country’s secret agents in the Zhou Kingdom’s court didn’t foresee it. Asking Le Ling would be useless. As for war... it shouldn’t happen in the short term."
Neither Yu Country nor the Zhou Kingdom was currently prepared for an all-out war. The former needed time to lay railways and improve transportation, while the latter also needed time to expand its military and train soldiers. However, if the Zhou Kingdom received the full backing of Taihao Mountain, the situation would be different. Taihao Mountain had always wanted to transform Yu Country into a nation devout to Haotian; the Judicial Cardinal from two generations ago had even spoken of "leveling the Academic Palace to the ground."
After soothing the anxious Chai Chai with a few words, Li Ang returned to his study, his brows slowly furrowing. The noisy footsteps from the streets drifted through the window into the study. Anticipating future unrest, the common people of Chang’an were heading out to purchase daily necessities like rice, grain, salt, and oil. Li Ang’s Communication Copper Plate, hanging by his side, began to vibrate.
A summons from the Academic Palace.
Zhou Kingdom Imperial City, outskirts, Viewing Tower.
"Jiangcheng is like a painting; the mountains at dusk gaze upon the clear sky," recited a youth named Feilian. Shaking his head with a swagger, he propped himself on the handrail as he ascended the tower, dark-skinned Yan Fu by his side. Their behavior was peculiar, yet the crowd on the tower enjoying tea and the scenery paid them no heed. This was because Jun Qianzi was seated at the highest point of the Viewing Tower, with Ya Jiu beside him, controlling everyone in the building using the Thousand Mechanism Puppet Technique.
RUSTLE—
Feilian carelessly dragged over two chairs. He tossed one at Yan Fu’s feet, then twisted the other around and casually flopped down, resting his arms on its back. He picked up a piece of rice cake from a plate on the table, threw it into his mouth, and mumbled indistinctly, "Say, aren’t you afraid Bian Yubo and his lot will discover you, just sitting here leisurely sipping tea?"
Bian Yubo was Bian Chenpei’s father, the current Judicial Cardinal of Taihao Mountain—a man second to only one, yet above tens of thousands. At this very moment, Judicial Cardinal Bian Yubo, along with the Holy Rite Council, was inside the Zhou Kingdom Imperial City, coordinating with Zhou Kingdom court officials to handle the numerous affairs following the abdication. These two Cardinal-level entities of the Candle Cloud Realm, along with their attendants and servants, represented a force capable of annihilating a small nation. Combined with the many Candle Cloud and Cloud Patrol Realm cultivators within the Zhou Kingdom Imperial City, for a wanted criminal like Jun Qianzi to appear on the outskirts of the Imperial City was undeniably courting death. Yet, he appeared unconcerned. He slowly brewed tea, poured a cup for Feilian and Yan Fu each, and said gently, "Someone else will be arriving soon."
Yan Fu accepted the teacup with both hands, while Feilian downed his tea in one gulp and asked nonchalantly, "Who?"
THUD. THUD. THUD. Footsteps echoed from downstairs as figures ascended to the upper floor.
There was the kind-faced Yuan Sou; Ghost Shovel, his expression cold as he chewed on raw meat; and the pale-skinned youth Yu Shi, whose eyebrows and hair were as white as snow—he was the long-missing disciple of Situ Zhi.
...
The members of Zhao Ming had now gathered.