Chapter 567 - 276: Holy Decree (2)

Chapter 567: Chapter 276: Holy Decree (2)

It was all a matter of fate.

Jun Buxiao continued to pose as a common passerby, wandering the streets and performing in a dazzling array of masks. It was said he was no longer alone, but had formed a small three-man theatrical troupe: Jun Buxiao, Mo Kuang, and 567.

In addition to Shadow Puppetry, fire-breathing, and acrobatics, Jun Buxiao had added a new skill to his repertoire: blindfolded Flying Saber tossing. This was a skill he had likely learned from the Elder Divine Doctor. He never expected that after just over a month of practice, it would become a specialty that earned him silver. Jun Buxiao later said with a grin that he had the Elder Divine Doctor’s selfless dedication to thank for it.

was a member of the Dawn Department, introduced by Xi’er. He was said to be a former member of the old Weiyang Night Guard who walked the Mourner Path, possessing the ability to empathize with small animals as he wept.

Because Lord Blade of Xiaoyao Square had been brought to justice so swiftly, the area was unsealed not long after.

Jun Buxiao had a good amount of savings. He took over the land in Xiaoyao Square, converted it into a theater, and named it: the Gentleman’s Theater.

On the opening day of the Gentleman’s Theater, he even held a grand ceremony and invited the Red King to cut the ribbon. Zheng Xiu gave Jun Buxiao face. The Red King’s presence attracted a great deal of attention, and everyone instantly understood who was backing the Gentleman’s Theater.

Tickets for the Gentleman’s Theater sold out immediately. Zheng Xiu watched a performance from the VIP room and instantly understood why Jun Buxiao was destined for success.

From the blindfolded Flying Saber tosser, to the one tied miserably to a post, to the one wailing earth-shatteringly at the side, the act culminated with Mo Kuang taking up a brush on the spot. He grandly composed a ten-thousand-word Blood Letter denouncing Jun Buxiao, which sent the whole audience into roaring laughter.

The trio’s performances complemented each other perfectly. They were all extremely professional. No wonder it was such a hit; no wonder they were destined to be big.

This was a world where everyone was happy and content.

Aside from the joyous occasion of the Gentleman’s Theater opening, Sun Erming, who had been chewing on dry rations for two months, finally accepted the Disaster Prevention Bureau’s recruitment offer and honorably became one of its members.

Zheng Xiu had never been stingy when it came to Innate Mystics. He immediately had Sun Erming join the "Pillars," bestowed upon him the name "Pillar Two," and gave him an advance on his first month’s salary. Sun Erming was so moved he wept on the spot. That very day, he went to the Fragrant Pavilion for a huge feast, muttering to himself as he ate, ’Master, your disciple has finally made something of himself.’

It seemed Sun Erming’s Path Cultivation had been forcibly stalled by Zheng Xiu, frustrating him so much that he was nearly sick with it.

With Sun Erming’s induction, the "Pillar" division of the Disaster Prevention Bureau now had six members:

Pillar Qing, Yin Qingqing; Pillar Cat, Kitty; Pillar Phoenix, Feng Bei; Pillar Flower, the Monk; Pillar Blind, Wei Chen; and Pillar Two, Sun Erming.

As for the four newly-recruited Orchid Mystics—Bobo, Pingping, Lily, and Zizi—Zheng Xiu was still struggling with whether to count them as "four" people or "one," so he hadn’t formally inducted them into the "Pillar" division. Besides, ahem, their method of cultivation was unique. Zheng Xiu couldn’t very well send them out on duty, as it would only hold them back. So for now, he let the matter rest, keeping them hidden as a trump card.

Zheng Xiu looked back and realized that, without his noticing, he had gathered quite a few Mystics around him. Even he himself was an amalgamation of the Prisoner, Painter, and Wandering Deceitful Objects.

The Disaster Prevention Bureau of today was faintly showing signs of surpassing the scale of the original Ye Weiyang.

The Monk’s journey had finally reached its end. When he entered the city in ragged clothes, he was nearly mistaken for a beggar and sent to sleep on the streets by the Ministry of Justice. Zheng Xiu later sent people to bring the Monk to his mansion to stay.

After washing up and changing into new clothes, the Monk returned to his fair, clean, and smooth-skinned appearance. You couldn’t tell at all that he had just completed a long journey on foot. The scars left from his travels had long since vanished, a testament to the tenacious life force of an Ascetic Monk.

Many in the Prince’s Mansion knew the Monk. Qing Shisan, in particular, knew that the Monk was his master’s sworn brother who had faced life and death with him, and treated the Monk with the utmost respect.

Feng Bei’s condition improved, and she recovered.

She finally understood the source of her illness. Using the Luohe Divine Arrow too often would affect her very nature and worsen her condition. It could only be treated as a last resort.

With the Monk’s return, Zheng Xiu fulfilled his promise.

First, the Monk and Feng Bei became sworn siblings. Then, with Second Lady and the Monk acting as their guardians, Zheng Xiu and Feng Bei were formally engaged. The wedding was tentatively set for the full moon on the fifteenth of the eighth month of the following year.

Seeing this great matter that had worried her for half her life finally settled, a smile bloomed on Second Lady’s face like a field of peach blossoms.

Zheng Xiu and Feng Bei also breathed a sigh of relief. As Zheng Xiu looked at the faint smile on Feng Bei’s face, he inexplicably recalled Wei Chen’s words, the water stain he had left on the table, and the character for "Bei."

The Red King’s engagement was no small matter, and news quickly spread among the dignitaries and nobles. The three Princes and high-ranking officials in the Court sent congratulatory gifts one after another.

Even the Great Emperor, in a high-profile gesture, ordered a pair of "golden mandarin ducks" to be cast from pure gold. The ducks’ eyes were inlaid with fine Jade, making them sparkle with opulence, and sent them to the Red King Mansion.

In the eyes of calculating observers, this naturally sparked a round of secret discussions. It was nothing more than gossip like, "The Red King’s power is now unstoppable," "The Great Emperor dotes on the Red King," and "He is the foremost man beneath the Great Emperor."

Zheng Xiu only smiled faintly when he heard the rumors from the Court. In any case, he didn’t attend the morning assembly, so he had no need to mind the expressions of the court officials.

Everything seemed to be heading in the right direction.

「In the eleventh month.」

A heavy snow suddenly sealed the city.

In the blink of an eye, the Imperial City was painted white.

The snowstorm had come so suddenly, without any warning.

This snow, which had arrived earlier than usual, fell for three straight days.

On the third day, the snow and wind stopped. Before Zheng Xiu could take his Madam on an excursion to enjoy the beautiful post-snow scenery, an urgent Holy Decree arrived in the early morning, shattering Prince Zheng’s daily routine of showing off and strolling about town.

The messenger was about fifty years old, with a refined appearance and a thin mustache. He waited quietly in front of the Red King Mansion, shivering despite wearing a goose-down cloak.

When Zheng Xiu heard it was a Holy Decree from the Great Emperor, he didn’t dare to be negligent. He was about to give the messenger a grand reception and probe for information.

The messenger had a memorable face, and Zheng Xiu recognized him at a glance: the Civil Servant Yi Gao, who was deeply trusted by the Great Emperor. Zheng Xiu had met him once in the sixth month.

Zheng Xiu dressed properly and invited Yi Gao inside for a bowl of ginger tea to ward off the cold, but Yi Gao politely declined with a smile, solemnly placing a golden scroll—the Holy Decree—into Zheng Xiu’s hands.

"Your Highness, this matter is of great importance. You must open it yourself and not let it fall into anyone else’s hands. The Great Emperor has commanded that after you finish reading the Holy Decree, you are to immediately enter the court for an audience."

Just as Zheng Xiu was about to say something, Yi Gao waved his hand and said with a wry smile, "Your Highness, please don’t make things difficult for this humble one. Everything the Holy Emperor wishes to say to you is within this scroll. I am only responsible for delivering the message; how could I possibly know the Holy Emperor’s unfathomable thoughts?"

After speaking, Yi Gao hurriedly departed.

Zheng Xiu pinched his fingers together in a quick calculation, his brow furrowed. ’The procedure seems a bit off,’ he thought.

It was still the hour of the morning court assembly. The Great Emperor wanted him to read the Holy Decree *then* enter the court for an audience?

’What could be so important that it can’t be said in front of all the civil and military officials at court?’

’I’ve been a Prince for so long, when have I ever attended the morning assembly?’

"Something’s strange."

While puzzling over it, Zheng Xiu called for his servants to prepare incense, a bathing tub, and his princely attire.

As he made preparations to enter the court, Zheng Xiu went to his study and examined the Holy Decree in his hands.

The Holy Decree was tied with a small red string. The moment Zheng Xiu untied the blood-red string, it dissolved into a puff of red smoke and vanished. Only then did Zheng Xiu realize that a Miracle Technique was hidden within the decree.

Zheng Xiu couldn’t help but think of Yi Gao, the messenger. ’No wonder he insisted that I must open it myself and not hand it to anyone else.’

’There’s a Miracle Technique hidden in the decree. If an outsider opened it, it would surely be triggered, and who knows what would happen.’

’It must be Yi Gao’s Miracle Technique. If someone like Jiang Gaoyi, who awakened his potential late in life, could glimpse the Official Path, how could there not be other Officials among the hundreds of sharp-minded high-ranking figures in the Court? Perhaps they each have their own skills and are secretly hiding their true abilities.’

With a thought, Zheng Xiu opened the Holy Decree, only to find it filled with a pile of useless rhetoric and nonsense.

But at that moment, Zheng Xiu’s vision blurred. The characters on the Holy Decree swam before his eyes, gradually disappearing like flowing water. The vanished words transformed into streams of dim golden light, each concealing a mystery, and sank into the space between Zheng Xiu’s eyebrows.

Zheng Xiu hesitated for a moment but did not resist, allowing the golden light to enter him.

Soon, the back of the Great Emperor appeared before Zheng Xiu’s eyes.

An illusion materialized before him.

The Great Emperor was in his Imperial Study, standing before a piece of calligraphy that read "Ruling the World with Benevolence."

His voice reached him.

"We have civil and military officials,"

"We have the Divine Martial Army,"

"We have three sons,"

"countless people who would die for Us,"

"but for this matter, only you can solve Our worries."