novelraw Chapter 474 - 249, Old thief, I swear to kill you!_2
Chapter 474 - 249, Old thief, I swear to kill you!_2
At this time, he was disguised as a fortune-teller. He chose this role, specifically that of a physiognomist—one of the many trades found among the "three teachings and nine schools"—because they had easier access to dignitaries....
"The twenty-first year of Chongming?"
The charcoal peddler, upon hearing this, turned pale with shock and exclaimed, "Wasn’t that the previous dynasty? The Song family’s?"
His knowledge was limited; he only knew the regnal titles of emperors from the past few decades. Regarding emperors from a hundred years prior, he knew none save for the founding Emperor Tiande.
Emperor Chongming, however, was an exception. The last sovereign of a fallen dynasty is always noteworthy, especially one who had been the subject of numerous theatrical plays.
The charcoal peddler then fixed his gaze on Xu Xing, scrutinizing him carefully from his attire to his facial features. But after observing for a long while, he still couldn’t discern anything extraordinary about this Daoist Priest. Disappointed, he shook his head, concluding the man was merely feigning mystique.
"The current emperor is Emperor Xiaochang; he has been on the throne for five years now."
He snipped off a piece of silver, weighed it with a small steelyard he carried, then returned the excess to Xu Xing, adding this information.
"Interesting."
Xu Xing accepted the cut silver without demur. After a moment’s thought, he retrieved a talisman from his sleeve and handed it to the charcoal peddler. "This is a Home-Guarding Talisman. Hang it in the main hall of your home; it will bring benefits."
With that said, Xu Xing continued his walk through the streets and alleys, banner in hand, inquiring about the current Son of Heaven and the length of his reign.
In less than half a day, Xu Xing had quickly gathered information about the events that transpired after his abdication.
After he abdicated in the seventeenth year of Tiande, Crown Prince Xu Zhang succeeded to the throne. His regnal title was ’Kaiming,’ and he ruled for thirty-seven years. Although he lacked great ambition, during his reign he diligently governed, the administration was honest and efficient, and the common people lived in peace and contentment with surplus food in their homes.
After Emperor Kaiming came three more emperors from the Xu family: Yongshun, Zhongyuan, and Jianchu. Combined, their reigns spanned forty-five years.
Although the reigns of these three Emperors—Yongshun, Zhongyuan, and Jianchu—were short, the foundation established when the country was founded remained strong. Thus, even as the administration gradually grew lax during their three reigns, it did not deteriorate to the point of collapse.
In the seventh year of Jianchu, rebellions frequently occurred across the land, and the Emperor was even forced to flee north. At this critical juncture, Chief Grand Secretary Yu Bao stepped forward to turn the tide. He installed a new Emperor, saved the country from peril, and then dedicated himself to reforming the government, thereby rescuing the nation’s declining fortunes.
The new Emperor’s regnal title was Zhaoshun, and his reign was later termed the Zhaoshun Restoration by historians.
Emperor Zhaoshun reigned for sixteen years before dying of illness. On his deathbed, he appointed four regent ministers.
Initially, with the four regent ministers present, the succeeding Emperor Tai Wu’s performance was passable. However, once Xia Zheng, the one among them who wielded true power, was on his deathbed, Emperor Tai Wu fully revealed his true nature. Reigning for a mere thirteen years, he caused more than half of the northern territories to be lost.
After Emperor Tai Wu came Emperor Jingjia, followed by Emperor Guangwen. All of them had short reigns.
Among them, Emperor Guangwen’s fate was the most tragic. Having just come of age, he died suddenly while being intimate with a woman, expiring, as it was said, on her belly.
The current Emperor Xiaochang, Emperor Guangwen’s younger brother, is only fifteen years old.
As Emperor Xiaochang was young, he did not personally rule. Instead, state affairs were managed by Empress Dowager Li and the powerful minister Huan Shideng.
It was secretly rumored among the populace that Huan Shideng spent nights in the imperial bed, had an illicit affair with Empress Dowager Li, and debauched the imperial harem.
In just over two hundred years since the founding, there have been four empress dowager regencies. Empress Dowager Zhao was my first wife, so I’ll set her aside for now...
The remaining ones—Emperor Zhong Yuan, Emperor Tai Wu, and then Emperors Guangwen and Xiaochang—all experienced empress dowager regencies...
After learning all this, Xu Xing couldn’t help but be dumbfounded by the numerous changes in the Fengxi Country’s governance over a mere two hundred years.
The changes in the Mortal World were far more varied than the monotonous daily routine of cultivation in the Cultivation World.
After founding the country, though his primary aim was to seek immortality and the Dao, he also used his leisure time to promulgate a series of edicts. These included prohibitions against interference in governance by the imperial harem, eunuchs, and imperial relatives by marriage.
However, after Empress Dowager Zhao’s emergence early in the dynasty’s history, these edicts were clearly disregarded by later generations, treated as mere scrap paper.
This mortal affair is but a trivial matter to me; there’s no need to dwell on it excessively, Xu Xing shook his head and mused.
By observing history, one can understand the cycles of prosperity and decline.
The initial national policies of the Fengxi Country were personally established by him.
Now, over two hundred years later, observing the governance of the nine emperors who succeeded him also yielded him considerable insights.
「Soon after.」
Thirty li outside the Divine Capital City.
Yanxia Mountain, Fengling.
Xu Xing, banner still in hand, stopped before the mausoleum. He removed the jade cicada from his neck and gazed at the tomb where the Emperor and Empress were interred together.
Engraved on the tombstone were his name, posthumous title, and regnal title, along with praises for his adherence to the Heavenly Order and his various merits in overthrowing the previous dynasty.
In the northwest corner, near his tombstone, stood another, slightly smaller stele. Engraved upon it were the name, accomplishments, and posthumous title of Empress Tiande.
Although my achievements are somewhat embellished, it’s largely accurate. The Song Family’s dynasty had lost the hearts of the people; it was right for it to be extinguished when its time came... Xu Xing nodded with a smile as he glanced at the eulogizing words on the tombstone.
However, just as he was about to leave, the moment he shifted his foot, he noticed a line of characters engraved with formidable finger strength on the stone plinth where he had just been standing.
"Old Thief! I swear to kill you!"
Upon seeing this line, Xu Xing’s brow furrowed slightly, and his expression darkened.
This line of text was covered in dust, so he hadn’t noticed it when he first arrived. But after the dust was swept away by his Magic Power, the inscription became exceptionally clear.
Mortals have long believed Emperor Tiande to be dead, just as I once believed Song Knife, the founding Grand Ancestor of the Song, to be dead...
Therefore, this inscription must be the work of a cultivator... But which cultivator harbors such a grudge against me?