In a place without anyone around, Governor Gong slapped the head of the Jiang Clan, and he spun in the air before landing, blood filling his mouth.
"You bastard. Appointing me as the City Lord of Qingcheng was my biggest mistake. Let your ancestor find a way to live a few more years on his own, don't let us clean up after him!"
"Didn't you say your ancestor's practice of sorcery was secretly permitted by the Jiang Emperor? Contact the Jiang Emperor now. Only he can save us at this point!"
The head of the Jiang Clan grumbled and spat out the blood in his mouth. "In the past, it was only the Jiang Emperor who contacted us. We have never contacted the Jiang Emperor."
At this moment, Governor Gong doubted whether the Jiang Emperor even knew about Jiang Yixing's practice of sorcery. Maybe the Jiang Emperor really was selfless and had never reached out to the Jiang family.
But now, these details were irrelevant.
"So you're saying the Jiang Emperor can't be relied on!" Governor Gong's face looked as if it could drip water, "Now there's only one feasible plan."
"What is the plan? Sending someone to kill Zhang Li?" The head of the Jiang Clan and City Lord Zeng immediately asked.
"You fools! Killing Zhang Li after he has just applied to trace back time is not killing him, it's humiliating the court. If the court doesn't deal with this matter, where is its dignity? When they investigate, we'll all be doomed!" Governor Gong cursed angrily, feeling that his century of cultivated composure was shattered twice in one day, first by Zhang Li, and now by these two fools.
"The Third Prince admires the achievements of the Emperor, so he intends to promote officials who have served as City Lords in Qingcheng, including us. Right now, we can only try to sway the Third Prince to carry out the time retracing, to protect us. Then we'll have a chance to survive!"
“But who is qualified to meet the Third Prince?”
Prefect Gong gave a cold smile, "Since I ascended to the position of City Lord in Qingcheng, it's not just me who has risen in status. Their positions are not low. Now that the secret is out, no one can run away. Let them help by pulling some strings."
...
"Jiang Ren, the Emperor's cousin, practices the demonic path, and he has the Emperor's approval. Is this true?!" The Third Prince stood up in excitement, his face full of disbelief.
"In response to Your Highness, it is true. I learned about this during my time as an official in Qingcheng, and I was extremely shocked," said the official who had served as the City Lord in Qingcheng in recent days, using all his connections to finally get the opportunity to bring Prefect Gong in front of the Third Prince.
After entering the capital city, Prefect Gong rehearsed repeatedly before daring to approach the Third Prince.
"Jiang Ren holds a high and influential position. There are only a few he truly trusts. Therefore, he places particular importance on familial ties. But as the Emperor, he cannot show it too openly. In truth, he cannot bear to see his cousin die. He secretly gave his cousin the instruction to practice the demonic path, break through the infant transformation stage, and extend his life."
"If the matter of the Emperor's cousin practicing the demonic path is confirmed by those two young fellows, the revelation of the Emperor's involvement in instructing the demonic path practice might also come to light. If such a thing really happens, the Emperor's reputation will plummet, Your Highness!"
"If we cover up this matter, when the Emperor finds out, he might even thank us."
The Third Prince paced back and forth in the room, his eyes shining with joy, silently repeating "Emperor's reputation," "thank us," "Emperor's kindheartedness can't bear his brother's death," "brotherly affection transcends the demonic path." Finally, he said to Prefect Gong, "I'm aware of this matter."
...
Great Zhou Dynasty, Chancellery.
Emperor Zhou Jiji was a man with dark eyes, a slender figure, and a handsome face. Just sitting there gave off a sense of authority and justice.
This was not an illusion, but a real feeling brought about by bearing the fortune of the nation.
The fortune of the Great Zhou Dynasty was closely related to the law. The fairer the law, the stronger the fortune of the nation. As the protector of the national fortune, if Emperor Zhou Jiji acted unfairly, he would have difficulty bearing the weight of the national fortune and would ultimately be crushed by it.
Emperor Zhou Jiji reviewed the memorial requesting the investigation of the demonic path cultivation accusations involving an Infant Transformation stage practitioner in Qingcheng. He asked, "There is a suspicion of a Infant Transformation stage practitioner practicing the demonic path in Qingcheng. The City Lord of Qingcheng may have shown favoritism and destroyed evidence. Now, we need someone to go to Tianqing Prefecture to investigate the matter. Who is willing to go?"
The princes and princesses remained silent. Such matters were either futile if handled well or could bring trouble if handled poorly. It was customary for the Emperor to assign two individuals, one to execute and one to supervise, and this was just going through the motions.
"In response, I'd like to go, Father," the Third Prince stood up, causing the other princes and princesses to glance at each other, not understanding why the third prince was so enthusiastic. Was he trying to impress the Emperor?
"Then the third prince will go, and the fourth prince will accompany him. This matter is settled. Adjourn."
After the assembly, the Third Prince called the Fourth Prince over.
"Fourth Brother, come here for a moment."
The Fourth Prince frowned. His relationship with the Third Prince was not particularly good. The two had their eyes on the throne, and their struggles, both open and secret, were countless. Many courtiers had already chosen sides.
When the Fourth Prince was called over, he could only think it was related to the investigation of the demonic path cultivation.
"Do you know the background of the case Father wants us to investigate this time?"
"Isn't it about the City Lord of Qingcheng helping an Infant Transformation stage practitioner to cultivate the demonic path?"
"The background of that Infant Transformation stage practitioner is not simple. He is the Emperor's cousin and the Emperor's only peer relative."
"What?!" The Fourth Prince was surprised. When he first heard about the background of this case from the Third Prince, he didn't take it seriously. With the strength of the Great Zhou Dynasty, even if the other party was a Practitioner of the Dao Sect, they dared to act according to the law. They would arrest those who needed to be arrested and judge those who needed to be judged, unless the other party had a background that even the Great Zhou Dynasty dared not provoke.
The identity of the Emperor's cousin and only relative fit this condition.
Moreover, if the Emperor's cousin practiced the demonic path, would the Emperor be unaware? The power of the Emperor was unimaginable. Could it be that he also practiced the demonic path?
If the Emperor practiced the demonic path, would the Great Zhou Dynasty intervene or not?
Oh, after giving it some thought, how scary. No wonder there was such a big background. Father didn't mention it in the court. I'm afraid that no matter whether the Emperor's cousin practices the demonic path or not, the final result can only be "not"!
The Great Zhou Dynasty had the power to manage the Emperor, but not the ability, as he was a Practitioner at the Breaking Free stage. The Great Zhou Dynasty exerted all its power just to be like a moth flying into a flame.
The Fourth Prince's thoughts turned extremely fast, and he quickly reached a consensus with the Third Prince.
Although they had conflicts, when it came to the Great Zhou Dynasty's face and survival, a temporary reconciliation could still be achieved.
...
The location for investigating the demonic path cultivation was set on the outskirts of Qingcheng. Therefore, after submitting the request, Jiang Li and Yuan Wuxing returned to Qingcheng.
In recent days, Yuan Wuxing had been extremely nervous. Practitioners at the Infant Transformation stage and the Nascent Divinity stage, who were rarely seen on ordinary days, had come to visit one after another, pressuring and enticing them in every possible way, asking Jiang Li to take care of himself and withdraw the application.
The reasons were nothing more than concerns about the influence on the Emperor and the overall situation, and Jiang Li yawned as he was listening. He responded politely to these people.
One Nascent Divinity stage practitioner had inadequate self-restraint and was provoked when Jiang Li said, "What do you understand about the Emperor Jiang?" He flew into a rage and made a move. Jiang Li then put on a classic performance of a gifted Infant Transformation stage practitioner confronting an established Nascent Divinity stage practitioner for Yuan Wuxing to witness.
When someone knocked on the door, Yuan Wuxing had no choice but to go and open it.