Yes, Madam Prime Minister

Page 351

Rules are for mortals; are they mortals?

For the emperor, who was in charge of the ceremony, it was even more torturous, as he had the most to do.

Since the inception of this grand sacrificial ceremony to Heaven, over the past thousand years, through several dynasties, most emperors have only paid perfunctory attention to it after the first time, and some have even tried to abolish these ceremonies altogether, but unfortunately, no one has ever succeeded.

This set of rituals was originally designed to torment the emperor; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a test of obedience. After all, in this extraordinary world, more than half the time, it was the emperor who served the gentry, not the other way around.

However, at this moment, Emperor Zhao Disheng was full of energy because he believed that all the suffering he was currently enduring would soon be repaid in full. Once the ceremony was over, it would be the death of that group of traitors and the beginning of his unparalleled imperial career.

The little bit of hard work you're going through now is nothing more than the slight bitterness of a perfectly brewed cup of tea.

As the process progressed and time passed, at 11:00 AM, the final stage was finally reached.

The emperor used the sacred seal to activate the altar and then received divine revelation.

It's basically a lottery.

The guaranteed minimum is the increase in spiritual power or magic power. This increase may be more or less. If the emperor's cultivation level is relatively low, but he happens to receive a relatively large increase, then he can directly advance to the next level. This has happened before.

Besides that, there's the option to enhance your fundamental power and grant additional spells. This is based on probability; you might not get it, but the probability isn't very low.

First of all, whether in the West or in Seris, the rulers are all summoners, without exception, because only the offspring of the summoned can inherit the power. Even if the inherited power is weak, or if the child is not born a summoner, it is not a problem to have a child with talent.

Therefore, according to Ronan's estimation, its essence is a special enhancement for summoned spirits, allowing them to learn a divine spell, which is the spell that Seris mentioned.

The Seris training method refines summoned spirits into their source power; the summoned spirits' unique abilities can only influence subsequent spells and weapons.

The emperor's offering of sacrifices to heaven most likely triggered some mechanism in this alternate dimension, and this mechanism, when applied to the emperor, could potentially allow the summoned spirits to learn another spell.

This is nothing new. After all, Ursel, one of the three giants of the former Kingdom of Phos, once tried to teach his summoned spirits elemental magic, but so far only he himself has succeeded.

Inside the Temple of Heaven.

Accompanied by rousing music, Emperor Zhao Disheng picked up the imperial seal and walked toward the place where it would be opened. With each step, his heart pounded violently like a drumbeat.

"The world is finally going to be in my hands," he thought excitedly.

At this moment, he was not trying to activate any divine revelation, but rather to activate the magic array that had been set up long ago, designed by his teacher and constructed by Wu Jiuxiao and his disciples.

This magic array will cause officials below the fifth rank to go berserk and rapidly grant talents to the honor guard, while temporarily paralyzing the Imperial Guard.

At that time, having secured a series of leverage, and with the help of Wu Jiuxiao and his master to control the situation, he could quickly eliminate these traitors who had usurped high positions and were disloyal and unjust, thus ushering in a new era.

Chapter 813 They're all traitors, an unexpected turn of events, you think it's just us?

Strange runes began to appear on the ground within the entire enclosure. These runes covered the entire area and were visible to everyone. They lit up in a rhythm almost like breathing lights, dimming into a gentle white light. On the smoother altar, the runes were even denser and brighter at their brightest moments.

Those present were not surprised, because they had either heard of it to some extent, or as old ministers left behind by the late emperor, they had witnessed it firsthand.

This is the normal performance of a divine revelation ritual.

The two most important ministers in the court shared the same idea at this time.

Zhang Yuanyi, Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, Chief Grand Secretary, concurrently Minister of Personnel, in charge of supervising education and overseeing the Imperial Guard, was effectively the prime minister.

The title of Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion is self-explanatory. Unlike in the West, in Seris, one must have a cultivation level of at least the third level to become a Grand Secretary. The reason is that Seris's cultivation method requires studying scriptures, and if your cultivation level is insufficient, it is assumed that your virtue is insufficient. How can someone with insufficient virtue enter the cabinet?

The chief minister is a prime minister who does not have the power of a government office.

Throughout the history of Seres, every emperor desired absolute power, but in a transcendent world, a world where the elite truly existed, it was incredibly difficult. Nearly two thousand years had passed, and all they managed to do was strip the prime minister of his authority, preventing him from arbitrarily promoting appointed officials. In fact, the first prime ministers of the early dynasty did not concurrently serve as Minister of Personnel, but over the generations, the emperors had failed to overcome the civil officials, to the point that the current prime ministers all concurrently hold the position of Minister of Personnel.

The chief minister of the Wei Dynasty cannot be replaced at will, but can only serve for five years. After all, civil officials also compete fiercely. The civil officials in the extraordinary world are not just talkative officials, but tough guys who can smash the pillars of a palace with one punch.

The Minister of Personnel, there's not much to say about that.

The Directorate of Education was a government office that supervised the Education Commissioner, who was a high-ranking local official in charge of those with extraordinary abilities.

The Guardian of the Way is also a government office, equivalent to the Ministry of Magic in Western kingdoms, a place specifically for investigating, arresting, and interrogating superhumans. This department was originally controlled by the emperor and did not have the authority to investigate or arrest because it lacked high-end combat capabilities. However, through the successive efforts of several generations of civil officials, the department was expanded and upgraded.

It is precisely because he controls these two government offices that the so-called chief minister can truly control civil officials and be called prime minister. Otherwise, he can only govern ordinary people, and what is he if he only governs ordinary people?

Another powerful figure in the imperial court was Yang Xiuzhi.

He was a Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, the Second Grand Secretary, in charge of military command and control, and concurrently led the Yingrui Division.

They are both cabinet ministers, but one rank lower than the chief minister.

The position of "Commander-in-Chief" and "Controller" refers to the two offices that respectively command and manage the Imperial Guards and the Border Troops. In reality, they were the highest-ranking officers in the army.

Apart from the navy, he basically held all military power.

The Heroes' Division is essentially a mage corps, bringing together relatively high-end superhuman combat power willing to serve the country. This department used to be in the hands of the emperor, but as the saying goes, over the generations, the emperor couldn't defeat it, so it ended up in the hands of civil officials.

Of course, the position of the Second Assistant Minister can hardly be described as a simple civil official. He is more like a general from a long, long time ago, only he cannot directly lead troops.

However, generally speaking, the military wasn't entirely in the hands of this second-in-command, because the selection, training, and logistics of the army were handled by the Minister of War, who did not concurrently hold the position. While the Elite Division possessed high-end combat capabilities, the Guardian Division actually had even more advanced fighting power.

As for the money bag, it's in Number Three's hands.

At this moment, Zhang Yuanyi and Yang Xiuzhi, who were standing at the very front and second only to the emperor, exchanged a glance, and everything was understood without words.

Zhang Yuanyi, representing the southern capitalists who advocated war, and Yang Xiuzhi, representing the northern landlords who advocated peace, both believed that the emperor was about to side with them. They secretly deceived each other, then eliminated the other, supported themselves, and suppressed the other's faction.

Both men knew they were traitors in the emperor's eyes, but each felt the other was even more treacherous.

Little did they know, the emperor intended to kill them both and their core followers all at once, and then seize power swiftly and decisively.

After a brief exchange of glances, the array runes shone brightly.

"coming soon."

At this moment, the three ministers, Zhang Yuanyi, Yang Xiuzhi, and Emperor Zhao Disheng, all spoke in unison.

However, the next moment, a strange change occurred, and the white light suddenly turned red.

Before most people could react, the red light burst forth and shot into the sky.

"Haha." Inside the honor guard, a tall and imposing young man with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes couldn't help but laugh next to Liu Chongyu. He then shouted, "Everyone, don't panic."

The emperor wanted to transform the resentful illegitimate sons of powerful families into talented individuals and use them as a new force to reclaim some military power. Of course, he had to keep this a secret from most people to avoid leaks, but he also needed to win over a few individuals to stabilize the situation at crucial moments.

"This is His Majesty..." However, before the valiant young man could finish speaking, his face contorted in a ferocious expression, rendering him speechless.

At the same time, the 10,000 Imperial Guards inside and outside the city were not paralyzed as expected, but instead their spiritual power surged and they went berserk.

Many officials who are superhuman have gone berserk or lost control.

The emperor, who had thought he had everything under control, suddenly changed his expression and looked at his master in disbelief, only to find that his master had already turned into a wisp of green smoke and disappeared.

"Tch, what a cunning old fox, he actually got away." Wu Jiuxiao said, looking at Qingyan.

Upon hearing this, Emperor Zhao Disheng trembled all over, looking over with disbelief in his eyes.

“Yes, it is me, Your Majesty,” Wu Jiuxiao admitted directly.

"How, how..." Emperor Zhao Disheng still couldn't believe it. First, Wu Jiuxiao couldn't possibly understand this kind of formation arrangement. Second, Wu Jiuxiao had no right to cause trouble.

“That’s right, I really don’t understand, but Your Majesty, if you think only your good master understands, you’re underestimating all the talents in the world. As for the reason, ha, the real Wu Jiuxiao certainly has no reason to rebel, but I do.” Wu Jiuxiao replied.

"No way, how could you be fake?" Zhao Disheng didn't believe it.

Wu Jiuxiao is a seventh-level cultivator; no one can impersonate his abilities and aura.

“I am Wu Jiuxiao, but not the Wu Jiuxiao of this place,” Wu Jiuxiao said, uttering a statement that the emperor could not comprehend at all.

The emperor pointed at Wu Jiuxiao, then felt dizzy and unsteady on his feet. His lips trembled so badly that he couldn't even utter a curse.

At this moment, Zhang Yuanyi, the Grand Secretary, who was at the fifth level of cultivation and was somewhat affected but had not gone berserk, stepped forward and roared at Wu Jiuxiao, "Traitor Wu Jiuxiao, do you think you can overthrow my David with just you and the traitors around you?"

"Why waste words with him? Kill him." Yang Xiuzhi was also at the fifth level, and he still had the ability to move.

"Prime Minister, Second Prime Minister, aren't you two being a bit too arrogant?" Wu Jiuxiao laughed. Two fifth-level cultivators dared to act so arrogantly in front of him?

"Fool, do you think it's just us who are involved in such a big matter?" Zhang Yuanyi sneered.

“That’s right, it’s not just us,” Yang Xiuzhi added.

Chapter 814 He's just one person? Actually, it's a teleportation array, unfilial son.

If the emperor is going to act recklessly and on a grand scale, things could easily spiral out of control. Even if things don't spiral out of control, restoring order afterward is not something that can be accomplished by political power alone; it requires strong military force.

The Imperial Guard, the Guardian Division, and the Elite Division are all unacceptable.

We need a truly top-tier figure to come and keep things in order.

Therefore, Zhang Yuanyi and Yang Xiuzhi jointly invited three seventh-level experts to ensure that no major chaos would be caused.

Both individuals harbored selfish motives, and these motives were significant. They subtly prioritized factional interests over national interests. However, neither of them desired any major upheaval or upheaval in the country, even if they were ultimately the losers and the ones destined to be suppressed.

With three seventh-rank officials present, what makes Wu Jiuxiao think he can cause trouble? As for the faction of rebels who are affiliated with him and have some strength, with the civil and military officials present who haven't yet lost control, suppressing this group shouldn't be a problem.

At this point, the scene had completely descended into chaos.

Those at the fifth rank and above were somewhat affected, but their thoughts and actions were not affected. Those at the fourth rank had their spiritual energy somewhat disordered, and although their mutated organs could still function normally, they found it difficult to cast spells. Those at the third rank were in a more serious state, experiencing dizziness and mental confusion, and could only barely maintain a still state. As for those at the second and first ranks, they had entered a berserk state and began to launch indiscriminate attacks on their surroundings.

What's truly terrible are those below the highest level, and even those who are simply mortals. In this short time, they have completely lost their reason, their power in all aspects has surged, and their appearance has undergone a huge change. Their faces are bizarre and terrifying, their bodies are like rotting corpses, and they are completely inhuman. They pounce and bite around like monsters, their resistance and physical qualities have increased by leaps and bounds. Even if their limbs are broken, it cannot stop their demonic nature that is determined to tear and devour everything in front of them.

At the same time, the red light emanating from the land within the entire walled area not only did not stop, but continued to rise and spread, forming a huge red pillar that shot straight into the sky, visible to people thousands of meters away.

At this moment, Liu Menglong could barely maintain his consciousness and formed a circle with several other colleagues in similar situations to protect themselves.

Lu Jianling's fists pounded like cannonballs, and his legs swept across like a mace, clearing away the frenzied Imperial Guards on the left and right, heading straight for the ceremonial guards at the front of the altar.

She had cast aside all thoughts of the political situation, the general trend, and her own predicament. Now, all she cared about were her second and youngest sons. Her second son was quite powerful and could hold the line for a while, but her youngest son was just an ordinary person, and a member of the honor guard at that, in the worst possible position.

"Everyone, those who can still listen to me, do not act rashly or try to escape. Three seventh-level experts are on their way." Zhang Yuanyi shouted loudly. Although the situation was already chaotic, he could not let it get any more chaotic.

The ones most capable of stabilizing the situation and calming people's hearts were naturally the three seventh-tier beings who arrived immediately.

Yang Xiuzhi also shouted, "Everyone, those who are weak, form a defensive formation to protect yourselves. Those who still have strength, come closer to me. The traitors have incited His Majesty to cause chaos and intend to overthrow the court. Everyone, follow me to protect His Majesty and kill the traitors."

He himself didn't understand what was going on, so he couldn't explain it. So he simply said, "Serve the king and kill the traitors."

However, Wu Jiuxiao showed no sign of panic.

"What makes you think he's just a person?" At that moment, a man's voice descended from the red light in the sky.

Immediately afterwards, a figure wearing a white coat, with shoulder-length hair combed back and a white bone mask on his face slowly descended from the sky.

Before he could land, a figure suddenly fell from the sky, shaking the ground and raising a cloud of dust. Before the dust settled, a young man with flowing purple hair, a handsome face but an arrogant expression, wearing a magnificent beast-faced cloud-swallowing armor and holding a large Guan Dao appeared on the ground. "Second brother, you're always so slow."

This young man was the same purple-haired youth Ronan had met before.

As for the masked man who landed next, he was another "Ronan".

"It doesn't matter, as long as I'm faster than my opponent," "Ronan" replied, still as nonchalant as ever.

At this moment, Lu Jianling was the first to rush to the front, getting close to the altar.

Only her.

Because apart from her, no one else would care about their good-for-nothing son who just coasts along in the honor guard; his death would save them the money of raising a good-for-nothing.

"Sigh." Liu Chongyu sighed heavily. He had not turned into a zombie like the others.

“Chongyu, you…” Lu Jianling was shocked. Not only was his youngest son unharmed, but he was also emanating a strange and incredibly powerful aura.

“I’m sorry, Mother,” Liu Chongyu sighed.

Not far away, the purple-haired youth carrying a Guan Dao laughed and shouted, "Eighth Brother, this is nothing like you."

"Get lost! I'm not some scoundrel who calls you brother!" Liu Chongyu cursed.

“Chongyu?” Lu Jianling’s gaze toward her son had changed.

"Forgive your unfilial son." Before the words were even finished, Liu Chongyu had already thrown a punch. Lu Jianling crossed his arms to block, but he couldn't completely block the punch and had no chance to retaliate. The next moment, Liu Chongyu raised his leg and delivered a powerful knee strike, sending Lu Jianling flying. In mid-air, before Lu Jianling could make any move, Liu Chongyu transformed into a giant cannonball, grabbing Lu Jianling by the neck and flying through the crowd.

They didn't stop until they brought her to the second son, Liu Chongsi.

Liu Chongsi was also acting strangely; he was still conscious and able to move freely. "You bastard Liu Chongyu, you lied to me!"

Liu Chongyu ignored him completely, saying, "Mother, let's go. Staying here will only lead to certain death."

As he spoke, hundreds and thousands of humanoid creatures with strange auras and faces adorned with large or small white bone masks emerged from the enormous red pillar of light and descended.

Some of the auras were extremely powerful.

At the same time, apart from those who were originally mortals, everyone else began to improve, and it seemed that the effect of the red light on them was beginning to weaken.

That's for sure. Only a small portion of this strange formation is used to zombify people; its primary function is a teleportation array connecting to the celestial realm. As for Ronan and his group, they arrived in this world several years ago.

“Mother, let’s go. My elder brother is waiting for you in Hanyang,” Liu Chongyu said again. At that moment, a group of people rushed towards him from the side.

Already filled with anger and grief, Liu Chongyu lost control when he saw a group of people getting in his way. "You're asking for it!"

Instantly, magma surged from the flat ground, and the lava and flames surged and swept away like a raging torrent.

"Die, all of you!" Liu Chongyu was filled with murderous intent. Although he was loved and protected by his mother and brothers, he was still one of the illegitimate sons of a wealthy family who were regarded as good-for-nothings. He grew up under the cold eyes and contempt of others, and had long accumulated countless resentments and hatred in his heart.