Loyal Heart Roaming the Skies

The mountain rain is coming, and the wind fills the building.

Although the entire Jia City area, including Qingyang Town, appears very calm.

Xizi Chu died, the Xiji family evacuated, and the new lord of Jia City had already taken office, still respecting the Xuan family's governance over Qingyang Town.

To most of the people in Yang Country, this year seems to be very unlucky. A terrible plague broke out, causing many deaths and exposing several incompetent officials.

But that's where it ends. The incompetent officials were punished, the plague has been contained, and the overall situation in the country is improving... at least in the eyes of many.

Only a small number of people know about the plague, and the news of the large army surrounding Yang Country has just occurred. It is currently only being discussed and strategized by the ruling class in Zhaoheng City.

Therefore, at this time, Yang Country is surprisingly still in a very delicate and peaceful atmosphere.

However, Jiang Wang has made the atmosphere in Qingyang Town very tense.

He has been demanding that Zhubiqiong set up more illusion formations, even at the cost of using Dao Yuan Shi to allow Zhubiqiong to replenish the consumption at any time, almost covering all the roads into Qingyang Town.

"I can't do it anymore. I need to rest!" Zhubiqiong said, feeling overwhelmed. The number of illusion formations set up in the past few days is almost equivalent to what was done in the previous month. She has never worked so hard during her cultivation at the Diaohai Building.

Xiaoxiao quickly came up to massage her shoulders and legs, coaxing her by calling her "big sister."

She has been coaxing and deceiving Zhubiqiong for the past few days to keep her going.

"Enough." Zhubiqiong pouted. "I can see that you are ungrateful. No matter how I teach you or how good I am to you, you always side with your master!"

"Of course!" Xiaoxiao said as she massaged Zhubiqiong's shoulders professionally. "You live in my heart, but your direction is towards your master."

"Hmph, you're not usually this sweet-tongued. You and your master are really a pair, serving him when he needs you and abandoning him when he doesn't."

Jiang Wang, on the other hand, watched the scene outside Qingyang Town, pretending not to understand her complaints.

The sky was warm, and a few white clouds were leisurely drifting.

Xiangqian, who had already taken a nap, walked over from the shade of the trees and couldn't help but ask, "Do you really think there will be trouble here?"

"Not just think." Jiang Wang didn't look back and said, "Haven't you smelled the danger in the air?"

He then shouted to Zhubiqiong, "Friend Zhu, can you use your fortune-telling ball?"

Zhubiqiong glanced at Xiaoxiao, as if to say, "I'm not wrong, am I? Look at what your master is like."

She then replied loudly, "Not yet!"

Xiangqian hesitated for a long time before reluctantly saying, "I have a set of sword formations that might be useful. But if we can avoid using them, that would be best..."

***

In Zhaoheng City, in the palace of the Yang Country.

Yang Jiande, the 27th generation monarch of Yang Country, held court for the first time in a long time.

To be precise, there was an internal plague outbreak, and every transcendent cultivator was in danger. There was also a sudden invasion of a large army from Qi Country, causing Yang Country to be on the brink of life and death almost overnight.

Yet Yang Jiande was still practicing in the Hall of Nurturing the Heart, seemingly unwilling to pay attention to the situation, and still wanted to let the crown prince handle the government affairs, with the courtiers assisting, to deal with the current situation.

It was the tearful plea of the crown prince, Yang Xuanji, that finally brought him to the court to convene this meeting.

Under the steps, the courtiers were in a state of confusion, with voices rising and falling, loud and clear, but without a clear plan.

There was no other reason than the fact that the strength of Qi Country had deeply penetrated the hearts of the people. Even if only one army was dispatched, Yang Country had no chance of winning. Faced with the current situation, the courtiers of Yang Country were somewhat desperate!

On the dragon throne, Yang Jiande was drowsy. He was only enduring the scene, waiting for the main event to begin.

He just didn't expect the prelude to this play to be so long, making him feel bored.

"Father!" The voice of the crown prince brought him back to attention, and he resisted the urge to continue meditating, sitting up straight.

As the de facto ruler of the Yang court in recent years, when the crown prince spoke, the entire court immediately quieted down. From a noisy marketplace, it returned to a solemn and dignified place.

The crown prince stood at the head of the courtiers, facing Yang Jiande from a distance.

Tall and imposing, with a loud and resounding voice, he said, "I believe that after hundreds of years of illness, it is time for Yang Country to change!"

"Oh?" Yang Jiande's expression remained unchanged. "How do you propose to change?"

The crown prince was obviously well-prepared and immediately said loudly, "First, father must issue a self-punishment decree, confessing his mistakes and seeking forgiveness from the people!"

As the most trusted eunuch by Yang Jiande's side, Liu Huai, who was serving by his side, immediately shouted, "Your Highness, do not forget the distinction between superior and inferior!"

In the struggle between the crown prince and the other princes, he was undoubtedly on the side of the crown prince. Because he was very clear that Yang Jiande had no intention of changing the crown prince. And none of the other princes posed a threat to the crown prince.

But if the crown prince challenged the monarch, he would undoubtedly stand in front of the monarch. As a eunuch, he was very clear that everything he had was bestowed by Yang Jiande, and he existed because of Yang Jiande. His loyalty could only be given to Yang Jiande.

And today, in this court, he was horrified to find that the crown prince had actually launched a challenge, and it was in such a precarious situation! He didn't have time to think, and he instinctively spoke out.

But...

"Eunuch!" The crown prince pointed angrily and said, "Do I have room for you to interrupt when I am speaking to the king? The decline of the court is because the king has trusted treacherous people like you!"

This crown prince had always been gentle and respectful, calling Liu Huai "Lord Liu" and showing great respect, and his intentions had never wavered. But today, he actually pointed and scolded the eunuch.

Liu Huai felt a deep sense of shame, followed by anger and hatred, surging up, but he dared not resist.Because eunuchs are inherently the servants of the Emperor, the Crown Prince, as the future ruler of Yang Nation, was fully entitled to scold his own servant in such a manner, with complete justification.

Yet Yang Jiande himself remained very calm, waving his hand to dismiss Liu Huai.

Seated on the dragon throne, he leaned slightly forward, looking down at the Crown Prince he had chosen: "A decree admitting faults? Your father is quite curious to hear, where exactly have I erred?"

Liu Huai retreated to a corner, and upon hearing the sovereign's words, tears suddenly filled his eyes.

He was not weeping for the humiliation he had suffered, but for Yang Jiande!

As the ruler of a nation, Yang Jiande, in this court, did not refer to himself in the solitary terms of 'I, the lonely one' but rather as 'your father'. He appeared calm and composed, indifferent and at ease, but there was an almost imperceptible plea and fragility within... Others might not know, but how could he, Liu Huai, who had served the sovereign for most of his life, be unaware?

Since ancient times, the imperial family has lacked familial affection, yet paradoxically, it is familial affection they most desire!

"May I ask, Father King!" The Crown Prince immediately responded, without a moment's hesitation, clearly having harbored these feelings for a long time, unable to feel at ease until he had spoken: "Without our own calendar, discarding our own script. What makes a nation a nation? How can a family be a family?!"

Yang Jiande was silent for a while before he said, "These two matters, indeed, were carried out under my command..."

"The fault is mine!"