NIP Chapter 255 Your Majesty Meets Emperor Chongling
Chapter 255 Your Majesty Meets Emperor Chongling
The palace is grand and magnificent, with multiple layers of majestic buildings.
In the Great Tang Xian Dynasty, the emperor and his officials did not accomplish much in state affairs, but they enjoyed a comfortable life.
Chu Shen and his group were guided by the ceremonial officials all the way to the main hall of the imperial palace, where they finally met the current emperor of the Great Tang Xian Dynasty, who was known as Emperor Chongling due to the reign title.
Amidst the intricate rituals, he slowly recalled the life of his cheap father-in-law.
Emperor Chongling was the third son of the previous emperor, with two older brothers who were both the empress's sons.
According to the inheritance tradition, the throne should not have fallen to him. However, both of his older brothers had short lives. One died shortly after birth, while the other, carefully raised, encountered a mishap in his cultivation after coming of age and died at a young age.
Leaving aside the suspicious deaths of the empress's sons, the deaths of two empress's sons, gave the younger brothers a chance.
Emperor Chongling had a particularly good opportunity. Normally, the eldest would be chosen when there was no crown prince.
Unfortunately, his younger brothers were not to be underestimated, as they all had strong backing. On the other hand, his mother's family background was relatively weak. This made the selection of the crown prince a very complicated matter, resulting in the position of crown prince being vacant for over a hundred years and internal strife within the palace for over a hundred years.
It was during this period of more than a hundred years of disputes that serious divisions formed within the Great Tang Xian Dynasty, leading to the decline of the country's power and influence.
What's even more unfortunate is that the old emperor hesitated and suddenly passed away without announcing his successor, which directly triggered a civil war among the princes in the capital.
During this civil war, both the Tian Dou Sect and the Holy Sect were involved, and in the end, the Holy Sect supported Emperor Chongling's ascension to the throne, gaining great prestige, while the Tian Dou Sect, which supported another prince, was suppressed for three hundred years.
However, by this time, the situation of the Great Tang Xian Dynasty had already reached the brink of collapse.
According to a large amount of relevant information collected by frontline intelligence personnel, it is evident that during the three hundred years of Emperor Chongling's reign, the military of the Great Tang Xian Dynasty became increasingly warlord-like, and the power struggles among officials intensified.
In this context, it is not surprising that the Laozhou City tragedy occurred. Although there appears to be unity on the surface, the internal situation of the Great Tang Xian Dynasty is actually a pattern of various factions vying for power, albeit not so openly, while still paying homage to the central court.
However, even this semblance of order was achieved through the reliance of the father-in-law on the Pilgrimage Sect.
Therefore, in Chu Shen's eyes, the true current situation of the Great Tang Xian Dynasty is as follows:
Emperor Chongling, as the symbol of the nation, still enjoys the honor of an emperor, but his power as an emperor has been greatly decentralized, with a large portion being shared by the Pilgrimage Sect.
The Pilgrimage Sect, relying on its support for Emperor Chongling and the sharing of imperial power, has grown stronger while maintaining the surface glory of the Great Tang Xian Dynasty. It can be said that the Great Tang Xian Dynasty has not yet split, thanks to these monks.
Other forces in the Great Tang Xian Dynasty, such as the aristocracy, civil officials, and the military, are intertwined and form a network of power throughout the country. They are divided into different factions and continue to compete within the framework of the Great Tang Xian Dynasty. However, the binding force of national laws on them is constantly diminishing, which is also the root cause of incidents such as the appointment of an evil-practicing governor and the Laozhou City tragedy.
No wonder the entire Great Tang Xian Dynasty is holding onto Li Jinrong, hoping to continue the policy of marriage alliances.
In the current situation, everyone is thinking about preserving their own strength. Who would be willing to fight desperately against the barbarians from the north?
If a princess is sent for a marriage alliance, it would stabilize the frontier against the barbarians, which would be beneficial for both sides.
The problem is that reality is so bizarre. Li Jinrong, who originally had no way out, has found a way, even though becoming Chu Shen's concubine is a very undignified thing for a princess. However, her actions have left all factions of the Great Tang Xian Dynasty dumbfounded.
After all, Chu Shen is not only an official disciple of the Langhuan Heavenly Palace, but also a disciple of the Holy Lord and the acting deputy palace master of the Langhuan Heavenly Palace.
This meeting was tense for both sides.
"Greetings, Your Majesty the Emperor!"
After numerous ceremonial procedures, Chu Shen finally faced Emperor Chongling.
Chu Shen's spirits lifted, casting aside all his thoughts, and stood proudly in the hall, performing a standard bow under the gaze of the officials of the Great Tang Immortal Dynasty.
Unfortunately, no one could find fault. In theory, as the Vice Palace Master of the Langxuan Heavenly Palace, Chu Shen and the Emperor of the Immortal Dynasty were on equal footing, even though Chu Shen was young and only at the Spirit Gathering stage.
"Vice Palace Master Chu is young and talented, with a handsome appearance. It is an honor for us to meet you today," Emperor Chongling said, neither showing joy nor anger, maintaining a calm expression.
Chu Shen followed the script and said, "The purpose of my visit this time is twofold. Firstly, it is a matter of public interest and personal grudges."
"Regarding the public interest, the Langxuan Heavenly Palace and other families have heard of the troubles in the northern border of the Great Tang Immortal Dynasty. We are eager to contribute to the cause of the human race and have sent representatives to assist."
...Please give me flowers...
However, his mind was filled with a mischievous thought: since you aristocratic families resist reform and are willing to collude with the Great Tang Immortal Dynasty, I will take advantage of the situation and elevate you, forcing you to help the Great Tang Immortal Dynasty. Let's see how you handle it!
If the Emperor of the Great Tang Immortal Dynasty is wise and the officials are competent, what Chu Shen is doing would be a foolish act. It would not only strengthen the Great Tang Immortal Dynasty but also provide strong support from the Langxuan Heavenly Palace's aristocratic families.
However, the current Great Tang Immortal Dynasty is a typical liability, so it remains to be seen whether the aristocratic families of the Langxuan Heavenly Palace can perform exceptionally despite being burdened.
The noble families, including Chang Ke, are currently unaware of Chu Shen's malicious intent.
Although the noble families have their own intelligence systems, these scattered intelligence systems cannot compare to the professional intelligence system of Lingxi Peak.
Moreover, the focus of the noble families is often on collecting cultivation resources, gathering commercial intelligence, and news about upcoming secret realms. They are less interested in the politics of various countries.
Therefore, their understanding of countries like the Great Tang Immortal Dynasty is actually somewhat lacking. Even if they know about the Great Tang Immortal Dynasty's strength, they cannot imagine the extent of its power.
After all, the Great Tang Immortal Dynasty's official data is quite powerful, and the dirty secrets among many high-level officials are not openly discussed, making it easy for people to overlook them.
Upon hearing Chu Shen's words, Chang Ke and the others still stood tall, appearing as if they were willing to sacrifice themselves for the greater good of the human race.
Emperor Chongling was greatly pleased and repeatedly said, "Very well, the talented individuals from the Heavenly Palace have such a benevolent heart. It is a blessing for the human race. On behalf of the millions of subjects of the Great Tang Immortal Dynasty, I thank you all!"
After some mutual flattery, Chu Shen continued, "As for personal matters, it is about the engagement between me and your country's Thirteenth Princess, Li Jinrong."
Li Jinrong has already become a wife of the Chu family and has given birth to a child for me. A political marriage is no longer possible, but she still cares about her homeland and the emperor. I felt it necessary to come and clarify the situation, so I came.
Emperor Chongling's face turned black, and the officials of the Great Tang Immortal Dynasty in the hall also showed disapproval.
Damn it, the princess has become this person's concubine, it's a great shame, a great shame!
Da...
He is the Vice Palace Master of Langxuan Heavenly Palace, and it seems that there is still something to discuss!