King of Creation Chapter 1780 - 1765: The Helplessness of Ren Venerate Emperor Ji Long
Previously on King of Creation...
The massacre of over twenty thousand civilians across three towns by a well-organized demon clan invasion on the morning of June 14th sent a shockwave throughout the Great Zhou. This event subsequently placed immense, extraordinary pressure upon Ye Zhen, the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy, Lingzhou's West Patrol, and the Heavenly Patrol Division.
The tragedy that unfolded on the morning of June 15th, where nearly ten thousand civilians in Warm Spring Town met a brutal end, further intensified the turmoil within political circles.
Within the Qiankun Palace in Luoyi, a deluge of impeachment requests against Ye Zhen, Xio Qiangu of the West Patrol, and Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu flooded in like an avalanche.
Not only did various imperial censors condemn Ye Zhen, but Xio Qiangu of the West Patrol also submitted a petition, accusing Ye Zhen of dereliction of duty and urging Venerate Emperor Ji Long to hold him accountable for his inadequate supervision.
Even Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu, unable to bear the mounting pressure, submitted his own confession of guilt.
A furious Venerate Emperor Ji Long commanded Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu to conduct a thorough investigation into the abominable incidents.
Critically, the repeated massacres over two consecutive days ignited widespread panic among the populace in Lingzhou and its surrounding territories.
State governments and county prefectures urgently petitioned Luoyi for aid, as the public’s terror reached unprecedented levels.
This wave of fear and desperation thrust formidable pressure onto the Heavenly Patrol Division.
Even Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu found himself buckling under this immense strain.
Consequently, Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu bypassed the West Patrol entirely and issued a direct military order to the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy, imposing a strict deadline to resolve the case!
Three days!
The directive stipulated that Ye Zhen, the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy, must locate the invading organized demon clan army within this three-day period and lend assistance to Lingzhou’s stationed forces in their extermination efforts.
Failure to comply would result in the enforcement of military law!
To comprehend the gravity of these four words, the enforcement of military law.
Enforcing military law signifies handling matters in strict accordance with military regulations, a distinction that might seem obvious.
The reason for this specific phrasing lies in the exceptionally stringent nature of military laws when contrasted with ordinary civil statutes.
For instance, if North Sea County, falling under Ye Zhen’s jurisdiction, were to delay its annual tribute to the State Governor Mansion for a mere few days, it would constitute a deadline breach.
Under normal circumstances, the State Governor Mansion might issue a reprimand, impose a fine, or perhaps lightly punish the officials responsible for transportation with a caning.
However, under military law, such a delay could lead to the immediate execution of the commanding general and deputy general, while lesser officers and soldiers might face exile and forced labor.
Similarly, for the critical task Ye Zhen was now entrusted with—uncovering the whereabouts of the invading demon clan army—failure to achieve this within the initial deadline set by the Heavenly Patrol Division would earn him a stern reprimand from Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu.
Missing the second deadline would incur salary deductions or caning, and failing the third would result in caning coupled with dismissal from his post.
This particular punishment scale is considered relatively lenient.
But what if these matters were handled under military law?
A failure to execute a designated military order could lead to severe flogging, and in more egregious cases, immediate execution as a stark public warning.
This military order issued to Ye Zhen unequivocally fell into the latter, more serious category; its non-completion would not only implicate Ye Zhen but also subject all leadership under the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy to the full rigor of military law.
If the previous directive from Xio Qiangu of the West Patrol, with its three-day ultimatum to solve the case, would at most have resulted in Ye Zhen's removal from his position and imprisonment in the Ministry of Justice’s jail,
then Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu's order carried the potential to subject Ye Zhen, Liuu Feng, Gu Tieqi, Fengg Jiumo, and Jiu’er—all key officials under the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy—to military law.
In simpler terms, a failure to meet this ultimatum meant potential execution for Ye Zhen and the core officials involved: Liuu Feng, Gu Tieqi, Fengg Jiumo, and Jiu’er.
One could only imagine the crushing pressure Liuu Feng experienced upon receiving this military command, personally signed by Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu.
Yet, at that critical juncture, all he could do was marshal every available resource for the pursuit of the enemy and desperately attempt to establish contact with Ye Zhen.
Meanwhile, concurrently with Liuu Feng’s reception of the order, within the East Arrival Pavilion of the Luoyi Imperial Palace, Venerate Emperor Ji Long’s countenance was as dark and somber as a stormy sea.
The Chief Eunuch, Yu Chao’en, remained stooped, daring not to make the slightest movement.
As for Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu, he stood at the base of the grand staircase, his breathing shallow, afraid to disturb the tense atmosphere.
"So, if you're saying, this massive invasion by the demon clan wasn't due to Ye Zhen's incompetence, but rather something far more intricate?" Emperor Ji Long inquired.
"Precisely, Your Majesty!"
Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu finally dared to speak, "Intelligence from the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy indicates that seven hidden guards were deployed in the four massacred towns. Not a single one managed to send a warning talisman before they were eliminated. As you know, our Heavenly Patrol Division's hidden guards are trained to prioritize sending a warning jade token at the first sign of danger or any unforeseen event, usually within a breath's time. The fact that none could do so is highly irregular."
"Moreover, the demon clan army's assault involved surrounding the towns and a swift central offensive. Even with their speed, the hidden guards should have had ample opportunity to transmit warnings. Their failure to do so, coupled with the impossibility of treachery given it was a demon clan invasion, points to only one conclusion: the hidden guards were deliberately silenced beforehand."
"This silence must have been orchestrated by individuals with highly specialized skills, intimately familiar with the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy's personnel, capabilities far beyond those of ordinary operatives," Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu analyzed.
"Are you suggesting it was Xiao Qiangu?"
"How dare he!" Emperor Ji Long slammed his hands down, rising in anger. "That scoundrel grows bolder, colluding with the Demon Clan!"
Hearing this, Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu offered a wry smile; the implication was indeed obvious.
"However, Your Majesty, the current priority isn't the accusation. It's about safeguarding the critical asset we painstakingly placed within the West Patrol! Ye Zhen is our sole successful infiltration, and he's currently in seclusion attempting a breakthrough. This incident occurring precisely now is a considerable coincidence."
"Ye Zhen remains in seclusion?" Emperor Ji Long questioned.
"Indeed. He entered seclusion on the evening of June 13th, and the incident unfolded on June 14th," Wu Yu replied, his expression etched with a bitter smile.
After a moment of contemplation, Emperor Ji Long declared with a cold tone, "Since Xiao Qiangu has dared to strike at my people, I authorize your Secret Overseer and the Heavenly Patrol Department to provide Ye Zhen with full support in navigating this crisis."
"Your Majesty, my Secret Overseer primarily focuses on officials and nobility, and these small towns have few agents. Nevertheless, I can mobilize five thousand Secret Scouts to Lingzhou within half a day to track the demon clan forces," Chief Eunuch Yu Chaoen stated.
"Excellent! The same applies to your Heavenly Patrol Department," Emperor Ji Long turned his gaze to Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu. "Ye Zhen is a rare and valuable asset. If Xiao Qiangu is indeed behind this unexpected turn of events, then any opponent he faces will be thwarted by his machinations. This situation isn't a simple battlefield failure."
"Wu Yu, this time, I grant you permission to deploy one-third of the Void Hunting Kings stationed in Luoyi!"
"One-third?"
The magnitude of this order visibly stunned Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu.
Mastering Spatial Cultivation Techniques requires immense time and effort. Out of a hundred thousand Heavenly Patrol Divine Hunters, only about a hundred achieve the rank of Heavenly Patrol Divine General, and among them, a mere one or two break through to become Void Hunting Kings. Their numbers are exceedingly scarce.
Despite this scarcity, the Celestial Patrol Division of Great Zhou has existed for nearly 200,000 years. Through this prolonged accumulation, even considering the difficulty of reaching the Void Hunting King realm, their total number is still substantial. Deploying a third of those stationed in Luoyi could easily overwhelm thousands of demon clan troops, let alone tens of thousands.
"I accept the order! However..." Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu expressed a hint of hesitation.
"Speak your mind, Wu Yu," Emperor Ji Long permitted.
"Your Majesty, if this matter is indeed orchestrated by Xiao Qiangu, then, knowing his nature, he would absolutely not allow Ye Zhen an opportunity to retaliate!" Wu Yu stated.
"Meaning? What are you implying?" Emperor Ji Long's brow furrowed.
"If I were in Xio Qiangu’s position, after committing these vile acts and forcing Ye Zhen into a desperate situation, I would completely... eliminate the evidence." Wu Yu stated.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Ji Long’s face dramatically shifted, "Wu Qing, are you suggesting that even dispatching numerous individuals from our ranks will fail to reveal any remnants of the Demon Clan’s forces?"
"Most likely, after achieving his objective, Xio Qiangu could easily obliterate that Demon Clan contingent. With the Xio family's pervasive influence in the West Patrol, this would be a simple feat to accomplish." Wu Yu’s expression was notably grim.
Hearing this, Emperor Ji Long was momentarily bewildered.
After a prolonged silence, he expelled a deeply frustrated sigh, "Does this imply that even I, the Nine-Five Supreme and sovereign ruler of Great Zhou, am powerless to protect Ye Zhen?"
Grand Celestial Official Wu Yu’s countenance was somber; he dared not directly answer Emperor Ji Long’s query, yet the unspoken meaning was undeniably clear.
This time, Ye Zhen was truly beyond salvation.
He, the Nine-Five Supreme, had been outmaneuvered by the minister Xio Qiangu.
"Is there truly no alternative available..."
Truthfully, Emperor Ji Long held Ye Zhen in high esteem. At the very least, Ye Zhen possessed considerable competence and had achieved many objectives the emperor desired.
For instance, his assistance in Princess Changle’s complete dominion over the Barbarian Spirit Hall, or his resolute opposition to the Heaven-defying Temple, which consequently plunged the Heavenly Temple’s critical asset, the Tianming Marquis Country, into chaos.
"Your Majesty, a potential solution might still exist." Chief Eunuch Yu Chaoen, who had remained silent until this point, suddenly interjected.
"Speak without delay!" Emperor Ji Long urged, his voice filled with anticipation.
"Your Majesty, prior to and during the unfolding of this incident, Ye Zhen had already entered seclusion for his cultivation breakthrough, entrusting the responsibilities of the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy to his second-in-command. This arrangement can serve as the pretext to sacrifice the pawns and safeguard the king three days hence!" Yu Chaoen explained.
"Deal with the subordinates beneath the Second Route Wind Patrol Envoy? Thereby protecting Ye Zhen?"
"Sigh...." The Nine-Five Supreme of Great Zhou seldom emitted such a prolonged exhalation; this predicament indeed caused him considerable unease.
"Then, it shall be executed thus. Nevertheless, our efforts must proceed on parallel tracks. Continue dispatching reinforcements towards Lingzhou, diligently seeking any glimmer of a chance for reversal. Concurrently, dispatch an envoy to Ye Zhen’s seclusion sanctuary, instructing him to prolong his retreat and formally conveying my decree, thereby granting him the opportunity to present his defense. The sacrifice of the pawns will secure the king!"