“According to unofficial historical records, when the Da Liang Emperor founded the Great Liang Empire, he single-handedly killed 50,000 Imperial Guards, shocking the entire Tianlong Continent. Everyone was moved, deeply touched, and utterly sincere, which allowed the nation to stand for a hundred years!”
The storyteller, an old man, spoke with great emotion, yet no one present believed him; they all scoffed and chuckled.
“What? Emperor Liang Sheng killed 50,000 people by himself? And Imperial Guards? Nonsense! Imperial Guards, what are they? If it came to a real fight, even General Shenwu would have to ride his Rouge Horse and flee.”
“The Rouge Horse, its entire body like Vajra, possesses the ability of an indestructible Vajra; ordinary blades and spears cannot pierce it. Even this horse, facing 50,000 Imperial Guards head-on, would have to flee.”
“Exactly, Old Man Zhang. You old rascal, did you drink that widow's strong liquor again?!”
As soon as the widow was mentioned, the surrounding onlookers immediately became interested, chiming in one after another.
With everyone talking at once, the entire venue immediately became chaotic.
“No, no!” The storyteller, Old Man Zhang, his face flushed, repeatedly shook his head and waved his hands. “How could a scholar kick a widow’s door at night?”
“Haha, Old Zhang, no one said you kicked a door! Why did you just imagine that yourself? Could it be? Haha!”
“Heh, when people get old, their minds don’t work as well,” Old Man Zhang muttered in a low voice, scratching at the few white hairs that could barely hold a hairpin. “Why don’t they believe it?”
“It's only been a few decades, not even two generations, so why don't they believe it?”
Old Man Zhang’s voice was very low, mixed in with the shouts of the surrounding onlookers, completely inconspicuous, let alone heard by anyone.
Seeing this, a young man dropped two copper coins for tea, stood up, and led his warhorse towards the capital city gate!
Great Liang, Imperial Capital!
At three-quarters past the hour of Mao (5:45 AM), the city gates usually opened at this time.
But today, they were tightly shut, and above the city walls, blades and spears stood like a forest, and banners fluttered!
Soldiers, wearing helmets and armor, had grim faces, their countenances clouded with an unyielding gloom.
“Has it begun?” the young man murmured softly. “If the dragon grows old and can no longer awe the world, then it should die!”
Imperial City, Hall of the True Son of Heaven!
“Your Majesty, I have heard that when all things reach their peak, their lives do not last forever. Now that Your Majesty has reached this point, it would be better to arrange your affairs early, so you can preserve the imperial legacy!”
“Ha?” On the dragon throne, Emperor Liang Sheng’s eyelids drooped, his gaze cloudy, his appearance decrepit and aged, devoid of any imperial bearing.
Fortunately, he was still seated on the dragon throne, allowing him to clearly see the assembled officials below in the grand hall!
Emperor Liang Sheng moved his lips: “Is this what you all think?”
“Your Majesty is sagely!”
“Your Majesty, establishing a Crown Prince early is the foundation of the realm.”
Such pronouncements rose and fell, creating a powerful, almost overwhelming momentum for a time.
Among the officials, the Prime Minister, the Grand Secretary, the Chief Grand Secretary, the ministers of the Six Boards, and the noble lords of the fiefs glanced at each other, as if trying to discern whose hand was behind this move.
After confirming that it was not each other, many gazes involuntarily turned towards the dragon throne!
Could it be...?
Impossible, he's almost dead!
The idea that Emperor Liang Sheng still had a trump card was extinguished as soon as it surfaced.
It seemed it was from the border generals. The faces of those in the imperial court who could conceive of this possibility all changed.
They wanted Emperor Liang Sheng to die sooner, but certainly not to replace him with a different master.
Instead, they wanted to support a young ruler, which would truly be a government of upright officials and the hope of the world!
Seeing the uneasy expressions of the many high-ranking officials, the clamoring voices of the lesser figures, who had been shouting “Sagely!” like a mountain and sea, gradually grew softer until they disappeared.
“Heh?” Emperor Liang Sheng laughed!
A cold, hoarse laugh, like an ancient, long-unopened door suddenly creaking open.
“Establish a Crown Prince?” Emperor Liang Sheng’s voice was low, yet it still resonated throughout the entire hall. “Don’t you know that I have no heirs?”
“We can choose one from the imperial clan!” The young jinshi who had been the first to step forward, holding his ivory ritual tablet, spoke with a resolute expression, “Your Majesty, your humble subject—”
“Subject? Oh? You still know you are a subject, do you?” Emperor Liang Sheng had been in this world for seventy or eighty years!
When he first arrived on the Tianlong Continent, Emperor Liang Sheng was still a hot-blooded youth!
He built an empire with his own two hands and feet!
—The Great Liang Empire!
That’s right, Emperor Liang Sheng was a transmigrator, a transmigrator who had succeeded in conquering the world and becoming an emperor.
As a transmigrator, he naturally knew a little about everything and nothing about anything.
Therefore, during the first half of Emperor Liang Sheng’s life, the Great Liang Empire could be said to have all kinds of officials, mutually restraining each other, with the Emperor high above, maintaining a profound demeanor to balance the various forces.
However, taking shortcuts always comes with a backlash in the end.
Didn’t someone just come to cause such a commotion now?
Emperor Liang Sheng clenched his fist. When he first arrived on the Tianlong Continent, he discovered a problem!
That was him, invincible!
That’s right, invincible in the physical sense!
One punch might not shatter a star, but striking a bull through a mountain was effortless!
Perhaps this was compensation for a transmigrator’s loneliness.
In any case, after Emperor Liang Sheng discovered this, he didn’t think much of it.
After all, it was a benefit, who would doubt it?
Emperor Liang Sheng thus built an empire with his own two hands and feet.
However, the drawback of overwhelming power is that when encountering problems, a super intellect will habitually use super strength!
Super strength!
At the thought of super strength, Emperor Liang Sheng glanced at Dongfeng, which was nearby.
Dongfeng was a spear, a great spear!
It was forged by Emperor Liang Sheng from the 50,000 Imperial Guards he had annihilated.
It was entirely black and glistening, so black it seemed reddish. With one strike, Emperor Liang Sheng had once tested it and found it could destroy a planet!
Physically, it could destroy a planet!
Of course, Emperor Liang Sheng’s attempt was unknown to anyone!
Thinking of this, Emperor Liang Sheng suddenly felt an itch in his hands. He looked at the young jinshi below in the main hall who was still chattering on.
Emperor Liang Sheng glanced at the leading Grand Eunuch Wei Zhongxian beside him.
Yes, Wei Zhongxian.
Emperor Liang Sheng had bestowed this name upon the eunuch.
As soon as Wei Zhongxian saw Emperor Liang Sheng’s gaze, he immediately understood. “Guards! Seize this rebellious minister and traitor!”
Instantly, a group of junior eunuchs swarmed out from the back hall, directly moving to apprehend the young jinshi.
“Your Majesty, this does not conform to the rules!” Minister of the Inner Cabinet Qi Liancheng habitually interjected.
Over the years, Qi Liancheng had developed this habit.
He felt he had long since figured out Emperor Liang Sheng’s temperament.
Often, when he offered a remonstrance, the Prime Minister and others from the opposing faction would speak up.
Then Emperor Liang Sheng would mediate, which was considered an unwritten rule of the imperial court.
Only this time, Prime Minister Liu Kuangyin had not yet had a chance to speak, or perhaps Prime Minister Liu Kuangyin had sensed something?
“Heh heh!” Emperor Liang Sheng’s mouth moved slightly, and his voice suddenly emerged. And unlike before, it carried a hint of lightness, as if it shouldn’t appear from such an aged body.
“It seems I truly am old.”
“Your Majesty, since you already know you are old, you should heed your humble subjects’ advice!” The young jinshi, thinking he had gained the support of the Minister of the Inner Cabinet, was now full of excitement.
But in the next instant, the young jinshi suddenly felt the world spin before his eyes.
Immediately after, he saw the coiled dragon on the main hall, but this time, why did it seem a bit off? It lacked its usual majesty.
Instead, it had a terrifying, eerie quality, as if it wanted to devour someone?
No, I didn’t look up?
Where is my body?
Why are they all panicking?
The young jinshi’s questions were destined to go unanswered.
Emperor Liang Sheng, holding the Dongfeng Great Spear, slowly sat down, and seeing the dumbfounded officials, he felt a surge of satisfaction!
How exhilarating!
Since becoming the Emperor of Great Liang, Emperor Liang Sheng had never personally killed anyone.
Now, he had finally broken his fast!
Eh?
Emperor Liang Sheng suddenly noticed a special energy slowly transferring from the Dongfeng Great Spear into his body.
What’s going on?
It felt like he was getting younger?
Emperor Liang Sheng felt something was amiss!
Before his eyes, an illusion appeared—a nearly transparent screen.
Since Emperor Liang Sheng had transmigrated to the Tianlong Continent, when had he ever seen such a thing?
He couldn’t help but rub his eyes.
【Emperor Liang Sheng has slain a treacherous minister, successfully activated the True Son of Heaven’s destiny, and gained all of the opponent’s lifespan, equivalent to one year of Emperor’s destiny!】
“What is this?”
“Your Majesty?” The Grand Eunuch Wei Zhongxian, who had just recovered his senses, looked at Emperor Liang Sheng with a shocked expression. Now, hearing Emperor Liang Sheng’s question, Wei Zhongxian quickly asked solicitously, “Your Majesty, are you feeling unwell?”
“Your Majesty, such rebellious ministers and traitors do not require your personal intervention!”
As Wei Zhongxian spoke, he instructed the junior eunuchs nearby to quickly clean up the bloodstains and to throw out the head of the young jinshi, whose eyes had not even closed in death!