Chapter 169

Chapter 169: The Emperor's Inspection in Luoyuan (Part 1)

Half a month passed quickly. It was nothing more than pressing a few more fingerprints on Qiu Ping Tian's IOU, 

nothing more than being ordered around by Qi Shuangran, nothing more than being teased by Cheng Tian Yang 

countless times without being able to vent his frustrations. Si Cang Qing finally returned to the palace smoothly.

The following days were peaceful and uneventful, as busy and orderly as ever.

After the morning court session, Si Cang Qing spent most of the day in the Imperial Study handling state affairs. 

The others also performed their duties, sharing his burdens. Occasionally, when he had a moment of leisure, he 

would accompany a concubine for a relaxing nap.

In two months, Si Cang Qing visited Wuyai Temple twice. Mo Qing Jue's decaying body had improved somewhat, 

but the almost imperceptible aura made him look no different from a dead man.

On this day, having dealt with most of the important matters, Si Cang Qing strolled with Feng Lan in the 

Imperial Garden, enjoying the scenery. In the distance, they saw several people crowded in a pavilion. They 

went to observe and found Liu Ziwen and Si Cang Jue tian playing chess, with Qiu Ping Tian, Cheng Tian Yang, 

and Qi Shuangran also watching.

Si Cang Qing was slightly surprised. He knew that the people in the palace didn't like to run into each other, 

especially Qi Shuangran and Cheng Tian Yang, who harbored inexplicable hostility towards one another.

...Perhaps it was because of what happened during the southern expedition!

Since there was nothing else to worry about, Si Cang Qing sat down with Feng Lan without much thought.

The others were all engrossed in the chess game, and even Feng Lan was drawn to it. Si Cang Qing wasn't 

particularly interested, so he quietly leaned against the railing, picked up a book, and began to read.

"Father, make this move!"

"Uncle Liu, make this move!"

The previously quiet argument gradually intensified, even startling Si Cang Qing, who put down his book and 

looked over, seeing Liu Ziwen's face filled with helplessness.

"Xiao Qi, you help me play!" Liu Ziwen said gently, rising to step aside.

Across from him, Si Cangjue Tian, ​​following his senior brother's example, also left his seat and said to 

Cheng Tian Yang, "Tianyang, then Father will leave this game to you!"

Seeing their elders step aside, the two were slightly embarrassed, but quickly got into the game.

"Snap!"

With a crisp sound, the player's strength was so great that a black piece was perfectly embedded in the board.

Glancing at the anger in her opponent's eyes, Cheng Tian Yang smiled sweetly, gracefully picking up a white piece 

and gently blocking the black piece's path.

Seeing this, Qi Shuangran snorted and quickly picked up a black piece, slamming it heavily onto the chessboard.

"Seventh Young Master," Cheng Tian Yang said with a smile, playing his own game as his opponent's pace 

quickened, "Don't be too heavy-handed; this chessboard is extremely precious."

With a scoff, Qi Shuangran moved quickly, saying, "Enough with the nonsense!"

For a moment, the pavilion was filled with the clatter of pieces falling. Si Cang Qing then withdrew his gaze, 

refocusing his attention on the book before him, when suddenly he heard Feng Lan exclaim, "Father, be careful!"

Suddenly looking up, Si Cang Qing stared in slight astonishment at the chessboard that had suddenly flown into 

the air. The players simultaneously stood up, one holding a chess bowl, the other rapidly slamming pieces against 

the violently shaking, spinning board.

The force of the impact momentarily stabilized the chessboard in mid-air, but the game was thrown into chaos, 

with many pieces falling to the ground. Neither player seemed inclined to yield, their hands moving with lightning 

speed, the pieces raining down like rain.

With a loud bang, as a dozen or so pieces from both sides collided simultaneously, the jade chessboard finally 

shattered under the combined force, instantly breaking into countless fragments. The pieces and jade shards flew 

in all directions like exploding water droplets.

Si Cang Qing moved swiftly, his figure instantly appearing before the onlookers. He unleashed a palm strike, 

knocking down the flying pieces with a series of sharp cracking sounds.

The sudden turn of events stunned the others. Only when they saw Si Cang Qing make his move did the two 

instigators stop what they were doing, each still holding their chess bowls.

"Ahem!"

After a long silence, Si Cangjue Tian coughed, breaking the stillness. He slowly walked to Si Cang Qing, frowned, 

and surveyed the group, saying in a deep voice, "You children, so eager to fight, where is the slightest bit of 

royal dignity?!"

The Emperor rarely showed his anger, and the young men all lowered their heads, appearing obedient and receptive.

Seeing that they had all calmed down, Si Cangjue Tian turned to look at Si Cang Qing, and for the first time, he 

was angry with his son: "Qing'er, you too, you need to discipline them properly. Without rules, there is no order. 

Otherwise, people will laugh at our royal family for lacking any royal demeanor!"

With that, Si Cangjue Tian turned and left; Liu Ziwen smiled at the group and followed him.

Watching Si Cangjue's departing figure gradually disappear into the corridor, Si Cang Qing finally turned to 

the group standing silently before him.

When his gaze fell upon Cheng Tian Yang, he saw the man smile charmingly and ask softly, "Your Majesty, are 

you all finished with your work today?"

Hearing this, Si Cang Qing turned his gaze to Qi Shuangran without a word. The man raised an eyebrow, his 

expression arrogant, glancing sideways at him. Then, glancing at Qiu Ping Tian, who had been observing, he 

smiled slowly, "QingDi, this destroyed chessboard was made of Southern Ginseng Jade, extremely rare… This 

loss is on your tab!"

Without responding to his words, after glancing around, Si Cang Qing casually bent down to pick up the fallen 

book, dusted it off, and said indifferently, "I'm going to the Imperial Study to review memorials."

Seeing Si Cang Qing leave on his own, the group's gazes met briefly, then they looked away in tacit agreement, 

each turning and walking in different directions. Only Feng Lan stood there, stunned, staring blankly at the 

scattered chess pieces.

"Hehe," Si Cang Jue Tian couldn't help but laugh upon returning to his palace, "These children... Qing'er has a 

headache!"

Pouring a cup of tea and handing it to him, Liu Ziwen chuckled, "Qing'er's temperament is too cold. Letting these 

children cause a ruckus is a good thing!"

Canglong Palace.

Si Cang Qing sat high on the dragon throne, indifferently watching the group of people who entered the hall, 

bowing slightly and heads lowered. They were dressed in foreign attire, wearing dark gray robes with colorful 

sashes around their waists and their trousers tightly bound at the ankles.

Upon entering the hall, two rows of people prostrated themselves on the ground, bowing deeply. The leader spoke, 

"Luo Yuan Kingdom's Su Dao, along with twelve officials, pays respects to the Holy Dynasty's Emperor! Long live 

the Emperor!"

"No need for formalities!"

The crowd kowtowed three times again, then rose respectfully to stand.

Glancing at Su Dao, Si Cang Qing coldly asked, "What brings you to the capital, Su Dao?" 

Su Dao was the son of King Luoyuan, the head of the five great vassal kings. Three days prior, he had led a 

delegation of twelve officials from King Luoyuan, presenting numerous rare treasures and requesting to pay 

homage to the Emperor.

"Your Majesty," Su Dao proclaimed loudly, "King Luoyuan has specially dispatched this humble subject to meet 

Your Majesty on your behalf. Firstly, to offer rare treasures from the five regions as a sign of submission and 

reverence; secondly, the decennial pilgrimage ceremony of the five vassal states is held in Luoyuan Bendu, and 

King Luoyuan, through the twelve officials of Luoyuan representing Heaven, Earth, Spring, Autumn, Summer, 

Winter, North, South, East, West, and Central, earnestly requests Your Majesty to travel to Bendu to bestow 

blessings upon the people of my five regions!"

Anyone with even a slight knowledge of the Luoyuan Kingdom knows of its twelve officials, who administer 

the rites of Heaven, Earth, Spring, Autumn, Summer, Winter, North, South, East, West, and Central to worship 

the gods of the North, South, East, West, and Central, and to pray for the well-being of the local people. Although 

it was inappropriate for the emperor to travel to a vassal state to attend the court audience, King Luoyuan's 

dispatch of his eldest son, accompanied by twelve officials, to invite Si Cang Qing was a gesture of veneration, 

signifying Si Cang Qing's deity-like status.

The court officials, seeing this display, were slightly agitated.

At this moment, Su Dao raised his voice, "I humbly request Your Majesty to allow me to present tribute." As he 

spoke, attendants veiled in colorful gauze and dressed in blue robes entered the hall, carrying exquisite boxes, 

wooden chests, and even golden cages containing animals.

Soon, the hall floor was filled with tribute.

After scanning the area, Si Cang Qing said calmly, "Liu Yi, you will receive the Luoyuan delegation," then 

looked at Su Dao, "The matter of the court audience will be discussed later. Court adjourned!"

Inside the imperial study, Si Cang Qing sat behind his desk, gazing intently at the information gathered by 

Dong Ying Tower and Qiu Ping Tian. The five vassal states of the former Hongcheng dynasty (Luoyuan, Zishang, 

Nancan, Miluo, and Xifan) were located in the southwestern basin region, surrounded by mountains on three sides 

and bordering the sea on the other, situated in a tropical forest area with a rugged environment, thus having 

limited contact with the outside world.

Early in the Hongcheng era, the five vassal kings followed the lead of the most powerful and wealthy central 

state, Luoyuan. Apart from paying annual tribute, the five states rarely contacted the imperial court. After 

Si Cang Qing's southern expedition conquered Hongdu, the vassal states, which had previously only engaged in 

minor skirmishes in the south, quickly defected and submitted to Canghuan.

"Your Majesty, the invitation from King Luoyuan to attend the local grand ceremony is quite suspicious..." 

Liu Yi spoke first, his brows furrowing slightly. "The pilgrimage ceremony is held once every ten years in 

the Five Kingdoms, and Emperor Hongcheng has never been invited before."

“It matters not,” Si Cang Qing raised his eyes to glance at the assembly and said calmly, “The ceremony will be 

held on the third day of the eleventh month. Liu Yi, you will accompany me. After I leave court, state affairs 

shall be entrusted to West Empress Cheng Tian Yang, assisted by Hong Hengwei.”

"Master?" Feng Lan looked at Si Cang Qing with slight surprise.

"You will also accompany me," Si Cang Qing said to Feng Lan, then looked at the memorial in his hand.

The Five Great Feudal Kingdoms existed long before the division of the world into three kingdoms. However, 

because the local people lived in tribal communities, were superstitious and religious, and were extremely 

resistant to outsiders, coupled with the complex terrain, Hongcheng Kingdom had no choice but to accept this 

situation.

Originally reluctant to confront the Five Kingdoms so soon, Si Cang Qing changed his mind after the Phoenix 

Temple incident. Any potential threat could not be allowed to remain, whether it be the Five Kingdoms or the three 

islands of the South China Sea. Furthermore, the Qiang clan was hiding in the South China Sea; if an attack were 

to be launched, the Nancan Sea area would be the ideal location.

Putting away the secret report, Si Cang Qing fell into deep thought.

Qiu Ping Tian's spies had only infiltrated a few major capitals of the Five Kingdoms; the rest of the territories 

were closed tribes, making infiltration difficult. However, recently, a spy brought news from Bendu:

Two months ago, the Luoyuanxi aquatic tribe migrated to Nancan, only to be brutally murdered by bandits in 

Guilin; a month and a half ago, the northern Zhu tribe rebelled and fled north, only to be wiped out by the 

Luoyuan army on their way to Zishang…

Now, even the once-every-ten-years pilgrimage ceremony has been extended to him by the Luoyuan King… 

Is all of this just a coincidence?

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