svetikya Page 19
Page 19
Among the crowd, a young man holding a fan, who had been watching with a smile, suddenly turned gloomy upon hearing this.
His eyes were filled with icy coldness and chilling intent!
Zhu ignored the elderly man standing beside him who was coughing from time to time, his face equally gloomy.
However, thinking of the birthday gift they had previously discussed, the two exchanged a glance and a cold smile crept onto their lips.
"Oh, we were wondering who was so generous, but it turns out to be the Divine Marquis! My apologies for not recognizing you!"
Just as everyone was still shocked by the generous gift of a five-hundred-year-old elixir, a soft yet sharp voice suddenly rang out, its tone full of sarcasm.
Everyone was taken aback and looked in the direction of the sound.
The crowd parted, and a middle-aged man dressed as a eunuch walked slowly towards them, a fake smile on his face that sent chills down one's spine.
He was followed by dozens of eunuchs, the leader of whom carried a tray covered with a red cloth, which aroused curiosity.
"What I do is none of your business," Zhu Wushi sneered. "But Commander Cao, instead of interrogating the traitor at the Eastern Depot, has the leisure to come to Wudang Mountain?"
Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed drastically, and their eyes were filled with hostility as they looked at Cao Zhengchun. Some even glared at him angrily, wishing they could tear him apart.
'As expected of the Divine Marquis, he managed to sow discord between our family and them with just a few words.'
Cao Zhengchun remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he secretly praised him.
The Eastern Depot was infamous in the martial arts world of the Ming Dynasty. Once its identity was exposed, it naturally aroused the disgust of everyone.
But he didn't care at all, he just chuckled and said lightly:
"I have long admired Master Zhang's name. His Majesty, upon learning of Master Zhang's birthday, specially ordered me to come and offer my congratulations. Does Your Excellency have any objections?"
"You—" Zhu Wushi was speechless for a moment, his eyes almost bursting with killing intent!
Due to limitations imposed by their status and the occasion,
He could only forcibly suppress his inner anger.
He snorted coldly and turned his head away.
Upon seeing this, Cao Zhengchun revealed a smug smile.
He reached out and lifted the red cloth on the tray held by the little eunuch beside him.
He respectfully picked up the imperial edict under the watchful eyes of everyone.
He cleared his throat and raised his high-pitched voice to proclaim:
[By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Although I reside deep within the palace, I have long admired the name of the True Man Zhang. On this auspicious occasion of his birthday, I hereby bestow upon him two thousand-year-old medicinal herbs!]
[Zhang Zhenren is hereby appointed Grand Preceptor of the Ming Dynasty, holding the highest position among officials; the Wudang Sect is hereby established as the state religion, ruling over all other sects in the martial arts world! So be it!]
The entire hall fell silent instantly!
Whether they were independent monks who came to observe the ceremony,
They are also representatives of various sects.
After hearing the contents of the imperial edict, they all fell silent, their expressions complex.
The atmosphere in the room subtly became more delicate.
'How infuriating! This young emperor has gone to such lengths!'
Zhu Wushi's gaze turned cold.
I felt angry and stressed.
He naturally understood the emperor's intention.
Originally, a five-hundred-year-old elixir was offered.
It can both show goodwill and ensure that the other party remains neutral.
But now the emperor has directly presented two thousand-year-old medicinal herbs.
He couldn't help but feel worried!
However, Zhu Wushi was unaware of this.
Song Yuanqiao, the host of the birthday banquet,
My emotions are equally unsettled at this moment.
The thousand-year-old elixir is indeed precious.
But once you accept the imperial decree, it's tantamount to taking sides.
Offending Zhu Wushi is secondary.
The truly tricky part is the second half of the imperial edict—
Command all the factions in the martial arts world of the Ming Dynasty!
How can we easily agree to such a statement?
Especially in front of representatives from various factions,
This is tantamount to making Wudang a target of public criticism!
Song Yuanqiao had full confidence in his master and the strength of Wudang.
However, he also knew that he couldn't fight the entire martial arts world alone.
Ultimately, they were unable to withstand it.
But if one refuses the imperial edict,
That would be tantamount to openly defying the emperor's dignity...
Song Yuanqiao was caught in a dilemma, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.
Cao Zhengchun, seemingly oblivious, continued to smile and hand the imperial edict to him: "Great Hero Song, from now on we're family. I hope you'll take good care of me."
"This..." Song Yuanqiao was speechless for a moment.
Feeling the piercing gazes from behind him, he appeared uneasy.
Just as they were in this predicament, Master Zhang's voice drifted down from the mountaintop, not loud but clear in every word: "Please convey to His Majesty, Eunuch Cao, that I am deeply grateful for your kindness. However, I am devoted to martial arts and truly unworthy of the position of Imperial Preceptor. If there is anything Wudang can do to help, I will certainly do my utmost."
As soon as this statement came out, everyone had different expressions.
The independent martial artists secretly praised Master Zhang for his extraordinary demeanor.
Cao Zhengchun's face darkened, and his smile vanished. However, due to Zhang Zhenren's reputation and the covetous eyes of various factions, he had no choice but to suppress his anger.
The leaders of each sect secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Even if Wudang accepted the decree, they wouldn't blindly obey, but they would inevitably be constrained. This outcome was exactly what they wanted.
Chapter 15 Accident
The sinister glint in Zhu Wushi's eyes faded, and a slight smile appeared on his lips. He secretly mocked Zhu Houzhao's rash actions, yet was also relieved that Wudang hadn't seized the opportunity. To publicly declare Wudang's dominance over the martial world was tantamount to trampling on the dignity of all other sects. It would have been better if the agreement had been reached privately; now, the imperial court had lost face. Thinking of this, he felt even more smug.
Fortunately, the opponent was one of our own!
030- Besieged by various factions, Wudang refuses to yield an inch!
"How hateful! How dare they humiliate me like this!"
Among the crowd, Emperor Zhu Houzhao, disguised, had a livid face.
His gaze was sharp and chilling.
Wei Jinzhong, standing beside him, had a complex expression, a mixture of surprise and helplessness.
He never expected that, due to a moment of negligence in not reviewing the contents of the imperial edict,
Such a shocking turn of events has occurred!
This imperial edict is to be read aloud at this moment.
It's clearly an attempt to put Wudang on the hot seat—
If the imperial decree is truly accepted...
Wouldn't that mean making an enemy of the entire martial arts world of the Ming Dynasty?
Even a three-year-old child can understand the implications of this situation!
Wei Jinzhong secretly groaned inwardly.
It was his idea to present the two thousand-year-old medicinal herbs.
Now, an imperial edict
But this pushed him and Wudang into a fire pit.
The most terrible thing is,
This cannot be said outright yet—
The imperial edict clearly bears the emperor's own handwriting.
If I were to offer words of advice to dissuade him, wouldn't that be blaming the Emperor?
He rose and fell in the palace for decades.
He was well aware of this.
At this moment, all I can do is furrow my brow.
He racked his brains trying to figure out how to take the blame for his master.
......
Half an hour later, at the Wudang training ground.
"Shaolin, Emei, Huashan, Qingcheng, Taishan, Hengshan, Kunlun, Kongtong, Shenjian Villa, Wuzheng Villa, Jinqian Gang... Good heavens!"
The wandering martial arts practitioners watched as the dark mass of people gathered.
Everyone was speechless.
This kind of spectacle is enough to brag about for half a lifetime!
Several well-traveled lakes,
Upon recognizing the guest lineup, they gasped in shock.
The righteous sects of the Ming Dynasty martial arts world
Seven or eight out of ten people showed up!
Besides the word "shocking",
It's hard to describe my feelings right now.
Just as everyone was eagerly anticipating Zhang Zhenren's appearance,
Song Yuanqiao walked slowly out of the Zixiao Palace.
He clasped his hands in a fist and looked around, then loudly apologized:
Guests arrived one after another, and Song Yuanqiao stood before the hall, bowing respectfully. "I am deeply grateful to all of you for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend my teacher's 100th birthday celebration."
"My teacher has been unwell recently and is unable to receive guests. I hope you will understand."
"I, Song, thank you all for your kindness on behalf of my master."
"Please follow the disciple who received you to the plaza to take your seats."
Please forgive any shortcomings in my communication.
Upon hearing this, although the people present felt a little regretful that they had not been able to see the true face of the martial arts master, they all expressed their understanding and were about to leave with the guiding disciple.
Suddenly, Abbot Kongwen of Shaolin Temple stepped forward slowly, his hands clasped together. "Amitabha."
"Master Zhang needs to rest and recuperate; we, these old monks, will naturally comply."
"However, besides offering birthday wishes, I have another matter to inquire about today."
"Please, Master Song, invite Master Zhang and his wife to come out and answer this question."
Before the words were even finished, the previously noisy square fell completely silent. The various heroes, bewildered by what had happened, exchanged bewildered glances.
Song Yuanqiao's heart skipped a beat, but his expression remained calm. "Today is my master's birthday; could we discuss other matters another day?"
Huashan Sect's Xianyu Tong interjected with a sneer: "But let me ask you a question. Why is Master Song being so hesitant?"