Chen and Elder Yang exchanged nods with their peers as they took their seats. The room, filled with the rich aroma of incense and the quiet rustling of robes, was a blend of ancient tradition and solemnity. At the head of the table sat the sect leader, a man in his eighties, yet still exuding an aura of youthful vigor and wisdom. His hair was a flowing cascade of silver, and his eyes, sharp and discerning, held the weight of decades of leadership and battle.
With a steady hand, he opened the imperial verdict scroll that arrived as a reply for their request for expansion into the northern lands, the crisp sound of parchment breaking the silence. His voice, strong and authoritative, carried across the room as he read the decree aloud.
“Mount Hua is one of the pillars of our great empire. I will not deny them their right to bring peace and order to the northern region. However, I desire to grant this reward after the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament concludes. We wouldn't want the demonic sect attacking our guests visiting for the tournament, would we?”
As his words echoed through the hall, a deafening silence fell. The gravity of the message was clear. Mount Hua, aligned with the first prince faction, had long harbored ambitions to expand into the northern lands and form an alliance with the demonic sect. Their plan was to incite rebellion and establish a new order within the empire.
Historically, Mount Hua had been restricted from expanding into the northern mountains since the founding of the Central Plains Empire. In response, the sect had strategically invested in and acquired nearly every iron production forgery in the empire, creating a near monopoly. This leverage was meant to strengthen their negotiating position for northern expansion.
However, Emperor Zhou Yongli's decree was a calculated move. By delaying the approval until after the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament, he bought himself time to introduce new laws addressing monopolies. His decision, framed as a concern for the tournament's safety, subtly undermined Mount Hua’s ambitions without direct confrontation.
The frustration in the room was palpable. One of the elders, his face flushed with anger, voiced what many were thinking. “We should have gotten this news way before the imperial response arrived for our request!”
Nods of agreement spread around the table. The sect leader, stroking his well-groomed beard thoughtfully, turned his sharp gaze to Elder Yang. “Why was this information not relayed to us before the imperial response, Yang? What is your spy in the Imperial Palace doing?”
Elder Yang gulped, feeling the weight of the room's expectant silence. It was true that the sect's strength in maneuvering imperial politics had come from their ability to preempt court decisions. Their informant within the palace had reliably provided intelligence weeks in advance, giving the sect ample time to craft perfect responses. This advantage had kept them a step ahead for years.
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Elder Yang bowed respectfully before speaking. “Sect Leader, I have already informed the sect about his absence from the imperial palace. As we know, he is currently serving as the guard for our esteemed empire’s Little Phoenix, Princess Huangshu. Unfortunately, the princess, in her excitement to meet Young Mistress Edina, abruptly left the palace for the Shining Blade Sect to attend Young Master Tian’s coming-of-age ceremony. As a result, our informant couldn’t be present in the court when the verdict was made.”
A heavy silence filled the room. One of the newer elders, clearly frustrated, spoke up. “Erg! Why do we only have one spy in the palace, and that too in Princess Huangshu’s entourage? She doesn’t even participate in political matters! We are the first prince's faction. Why don't we have more reliable sources of information?”
An elder with a golden tooth chuckled darkly before responding. “As if it’s that simple! The Second Prince watches everything the First Prince does like a hawk. Trying to plant a spy in his faction would draw the emperor’s watchful eyes. The emperor is ever-vigilant, monitoring his sons every move. However, both brothers and the emperor dote on Princess Huangshu, and letters sent from her palace, especially by her personal servants, are rarely intercepted. This makes our informant's position uniquely valuable despite its limitations.”
The newer elder, feeling chastised, quietly sat down. The sect leader, his expression stern, addressed the room. “We have no choice. We don’t have weeks to discuss our perfect response this time. As an imperial verdict, it must be replied to and sent back with the same messenger who brought it by tomorrow morning.”
Everyone nodded in agreement, understanding the urgency of the situation. An elder in an orange robe stood up and proposed an idea. “I propose an idea. The emperor said he would allow us to expand into the northern lands after the tournament. Why don’t we end it early?”
A murmur of discussion spread through the room as elders began to weigh the implications of such a drastic move. Some argued that ending the tournament prematurely could backfire, drawing unwanted attention and suspicion. Others saw the potential for a strategic advantage.
As the debate grew more heated, the sect leader raised his hand for silence. His eyes gleamed with a calculated resolve. “What if the demonic sect attacked the participants? We would have a perfect reason to end the tournament and expand into the northern mountains.”
A hush fell over the room as the sect leader’s suggestion sank in. His smile, filled with dark intent, made it clear what he was proposing. “Imagine this: a coordinated attack by the demonic sect during the tournament. The chaos would give us the perfect excuse to call off the event and focus on securing the northern mountains. We can claim it is for the safety of all involved and our duty to protect the empire.”
An elder with a long, flowing white beard stroked it thoughtfully. “But how do we ensure the demonic sect will play their part in this plan? They are unpredictable and may not cooperate.”
The sect leader leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “We have contacts within the demonic sect who owe us favors. We can manipulate them into believing this attack will benefit them. We promise them support and resources, making them think they are gaining an ally while we use the chaos to our advantage.”
The room buzzed with a renewed sense of purpose. Elder Yang, sensing the momentum shifting, added, “And once the demonic sect makes their move, we can mobilize our forces quickly to ‘quell’ the attack, showcasing our strength and capability. This will not only justify our expansion but also solidify our position as protectors of the empire.”
The sect leader nodded approvingly. “Exactly. This plan will not only allow us to expand into the northern mountains but also discredit the demonic sect in the eyes of the empire. We emerge as heroes, ready to take on new territories with the emperor’s blessing.”
As the elders began to refine the details of their plan, the sect leader’s smile grew. The meeting hall, filled with the most powerful figures of Mount Hua, was now charged with a dangerous determination. They had a clear objective, and nothing would stand in their way.
This was something Senior Edina would have never imagined, A small change as her getting financial management rights of Jinwei Mansion would bring about the consequences of totally changing the timeline of events in the whole empire’s future.