"This is the Yang Gong Treasure."
Sulia, who had followed Daniel Davis into the Yang Gong Treasure, looked at the treasure before her with a hint of disdain. The so-called Yang Gong Treasure didn't even come close to the wealth they had looted from the Six Fortunes Gambling House earlier. As for the weapons stored here, which could arm thousands of soldiers, most of them were rusted and unusable.
Although Sulia's Demon Sect was only interested in the Evil Emperor's Bead stored within the Yang Gong Treasure, seeing the legendary treasure that was rumored to grant its possessor the power to rule the world in such a state naturally left her deeply disappointed.
"This is just a decoy. The real treasure isn't here."
With a wave of his right hand, Daniel Davis used the spatial displacement ability of the Ope Ope no Mi to transport himself and Sulia to the true core of the Yang Gong Treasure. The design of the treasure vault by Lu Miaozi was ingenious, comparable in some ways to the Mo Family's Mechanism City. The entire system was powered by hydraulic mechanisms.
Chang'an was known as the city surrounded by eight rivers. Unless there was a drastic geographical change, like the shifting of the stars, the mechanisms of the Yang Gong Treasure would never fail.
"All gold. Not a bad idea."
The inner vault of the Yang Gong Treasure was filled entirely with gold, with no other treasures or antiques. This made it easy to preserve and prevented depreciation. It was clear that Yang Su had long harbored thoughts of rebellion.
In addition to the gold, there were also enough weapons and equipment to arm around three thousand soldiers. Unlike the rusted weapons in the decoy vault, these were well-preserved, coated with anti-rust oil, and ready for battle.
Along with the hidden Evil Emperor's Bead, this was the true face of the Yang Gong Treasure. While it was undoubtedly valuable, the idea that obtaining it would allow one to unify the world was greatly exaggerated.
Of course, if used strategically, a small elite force could use the secret tunnel to infiltrate Chang'an and potentially seize control of the empire. This was likely Yang Su's original plan, and later, Kou Zhong had similar intentions, though in the end, it inadvertently benefited Li Shimin.
Thus, the true value of the Yang Gong Treasure wasn't the weapons or wealth it contained, but the secret tunnel that allowed access from outside the city into Chang'an.
"Is this the Evil Emperor's Bead?"
After collecting all the gold and weapons, Daniel Davis activated a mechanism on a stone table within the vault. From the table, a bronze jar rose, containing their target—the Evil Emperor's Bead.
The so-called Evil Emperor's Bead was a strange yellow crystal. It was discovered by the first Evil Emperor, Xie Bo, in an ancient tomb of the Qi Kingdom. Due to its mystical properties, it later became a treasured artifact of the Demon Sect.
"Speaking of which, the Twin Dragons are quite the destroyers. They've ruined a lot of good things. Wait, no, I think this was later stolen by Shi Zhixuan."
While the true essence and life force stored within the Evil Emperor's Bead were valuable, the yellow crystal itself was also a rare treasure. Unfortunately, like the Heirloom Seal of the Realm, it was eventually destroyed.
"This is a good treasure, but it's useless to me now."
After sensing the true essence and life force within the Evil Emperor's Bead, Daniel Davis shook his head slightly. In the past, he might have absorbed some of the life force, but now it was unnecessary.
The true essence within the Evil Emperor's Bead wasn't particularly remarkable. What made it truly desirable was the life force, which could compensate for one's inherent deficiencies. The Twin Dragons' later advancement to grandmaster-level was largely due to the Evil Emperor's Bead, which made up for their late start in martial arts.
"This thing needs to be distributed carefully."
Now that the Evil Emperor's Bead was in his hands, Daniel Davis intended to maximize its utility. In the original story, the Twin Dragons absorbed nearly 70% of the life force, which was a tremendous waste. Given their level of strength, they couldn't fully convert that life force into their own potential, and most of it dissipated.
"Let's go."
After securing the Evil Emperor's Bead, Daniel Davis casually placed the bronze jar back into the mechanism of the stone table and restored it to its original state. While he wasn't sure if this step would be useful later, he decided to leave it as a precaution.
"Huh? Even the Buddhists are involved. Sulia, do you think the people from Ci Hang Jing Zhai might have struck some kind of deal with Li Yuan?"
Back on the streets of Chang'an, Daniel Davis noticed the increased presence of imperial guards and gang members patrolling the area. Occasionally, he even spotted a few bald monks, which made him wonder.
Ci Hang Jing Zhai's plan to "select the emperor on behalf of heaven" had been exposed. Due to the actions of Daniel Davis and Emperor Yang Guang, the reputation of Ci Hang Jing Zhai, Ning Daoqi, and Jing Nian Chan Yuan had suffered greatly. Under these circumstances, Fan Qinghui might not insist on Li Shimin being the chosen one and could instead shift her support to Li Yuan.
This would not only resolve the rift between Ci Hang Jing Zhai and Li Yuan but could also strengthen their cooperation. If Ci Hang Jing Zhai chose Li Shimin as the "emperor selected by heaven," it would be strange if Li Yuan didn't have any reservations.
For the sake of the supreme position, acts like patricide, fratricide, and killing one's siblings were not uncommon. Although Li Yuan of the Li Clan didn't have a prominent reputation among the four great clans, he was far from a simple figure. Judging by the benefits he brought to the Li Clan, the timing of his rebellion, and his submission to the Turks, it was clear that Li Yuan was a shrewd individual. Strictly speaking, he was only slightly inferior to Song Que.
For Li Yuan, as long as it helped him ascend to the supreme position, any cooperation was possible. Once he was in power, he could always find an excuse to turn on his allies later.
Li Shimin's belief that obtaining the Dongming Sect's ledger would force Li Yuan to rebel was somewhat naive. Li Yuan had long harbored thoughts of rebellion; the key was to have a justifiable cause. Choosing to rebel while Yang Guang was still alive was entirely different from rebelling after his death.
Just like when the Li Clan captured Chang'an and immediately supported Prince Dai Yang You as emperor, they gained the moral high ground. This was one of the reasons they were able to take Chang'an so easily.
It was similar to how Cao Cao in the Three Kingdoms period used the emperor to command the feudal lords.
"Master, given their usual methods, this is indeed possible. After all, for them, you are now their greatest enemy." After some thought, Sulia slowly spoke.
"Moreover, while it may seem like they are abandoning Li Shimin, they are actually protecting him and preserving their own reputation."
If Ci Hang Jing Zhai were to abandon Li Shimin and cooperate with Li Yuan, Li Shimin, being Li Yuan's son, would not be harmed. Given Li Yuan's sentimental nature, he wouldn't do anything to Li Shimin, especially since the Li Clan still needed Li Shimin's military prowess.
Within the Li Clan, while there were many talented individuals, none matched Li Shimin's military genius.
"They're not easy to deal with. Let's go and see if we can meet our guests." As Daniel Davis spoke, he turned and headed toward the outskirts of Chang'an. In his left hand, he held the Evil Emperor's Bead, which he had kept out in the open from the start.
"Master, there's something I don't understand." Along the way, Sulia finally couldn't contain her curiosity and asked the question that had been on her mind.
"With your strength, you could easily eliminate them now. Why are you letting them go?" Sulia almost added, "Why not release the Black Divine Dragon?" If Daniel Davis did so, countless people would flock to his side, and it would further undermine Ci Hang Jing Zhai's plan to "select the emperor on behalf of heaven."
After all, Daniel Davis was the true "emperor selected by heaven."
"This is the Demon Sect's way of thinking—the strong rule. But such thinking isn't suitable for governing a nation. For me, unifying the world is easy. If I wanted, I could ascend to the throne within a month. But that's not what I want. Some things are easy to do during the chaos of conquest, but once the world is unified, they become much harder."
During the chaos of conquest, any rules can be broken, and it's the perfect time to eliminate certain undesirable elements.
In times of chaos, it's normal for a noble family to be wiped out. Everyone is fighting for survival. But once peace is achieved, rules must be followed.
Even though Daniel Davis didn't have much talent for being an emperor, he had interacted with figures like Ying Zheng and Han Fei, and in the world of One Piece, he had been the leader of a significant faction.
As an individual, Daniel Davis could act recklessly, killing those who displeased him. But as the emperor of a nation, certain rules had to be followed. After all, if you don't abide by the rules you set, how can you expect others to? He had no desire to be a tyrant.
Those rules were, of course, the law.
"You'll understand these things in time." Seeing the confusion in Sulia's eyes, Daniel Davis didn't elaborate further. After all, their understanding of the world and the role of an emperor was fundamentally different.
---
"No trace of him? How is that possible? Send more people. We must find him. This is a rare opportunity. Cough."
In the Qin Prince's residence, Li Shimin, who should have been bedridden due to his severe injuries, immediately disregarded his condition upon hearing that Daniel Davis had appeared in Chang'an. He ordered the entire Tiance Mansion to mobilize and also enlisted the help of the Buddhist forces.
For Li Shimin, Daniel Davis had now become his number one enemy, surpassing even Li Jiancheng.
Originally, Li Shimin's situation had been extremely favorable. He only needed to wait quietly, and he would ascend to the supreme position. But in the blink of an eye, the situation had taken a drastic turn for the worse, and even Li Yuan had grown wary of him.
Throughout history, those who successfully ascended to the throne were unwilling to relinquish their power until death. Why did so many people, including crown princes, rebel? It was because they had been in the position of crown prince for too long. As someone once said, "How can there be a crown prince for sixty years?"
"Your Highness, we must be patient now. It's not the time for further action."
On the side, Zhangsun Wuji, Du Ruhui, and Fang Xuanling immediately advised Li Shimin. With so many people within the Li Clan keeping a close eye on Li Shimin, any exposure of his hidden strength would only increase their vigilance.
Although Li Shimin was now being suppressed by Li Yuan, Li Jiancheng, and Li Yuanji, and the authority of the Tiance Mansion had been greatly reduced, none of the core members of the Tiance Mansion had left.
The plan to "select the emperor on behalf of heaven" had made Li Shimin a target, but it had also earned him significant prestige. Moreover, none of the core members of the Tiance Mansion were fools. Even if they left Li Shimin and joined Li Jiancheng, they wouldn't be heavily trusted and would bear the stigma of being traitors. Therefore, it was better to stay with Li Shimin.
Everything followed the principle of first come, first served. Li Jiancheng's faction wasn't lacking in people, so newcomers couldn't suddenly rise to high positions. This rule applied to any era and anyone, including Li Shimin and Daniel Davis.
After all, there were only so many positions. If others occupied them, newcomers would naturally have to wait. In such a situation, even if you were exceptionally talented, there would still be skeptics. In the original story, when Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong joined Li Shimin's faction to fight against the Demon Sect, there were still members of the Tiance Mansion who doubted them.
"I have a feeling he will be my greatest enemy. If we don't take this opportunity to keep him in Chang'an forever, there won't be another chance. I don't know why he didn't go to Luoyang but came here instead. But once he reaches Luoyang, it will be too late. Contact them and have Ning Daoqi take action." At this point, Li Shimin began coughing again.
"Your Highness, please rest. I will notify them. With Ning Daoqi taking action, he won't have a chance to reach Luoyang." Zhangsun Wuji hurriedly assured him.
"Also, keep an eye on the Daoist sects in Chang'an. See if they make any moves." Li Shimin continued.
"Your Highness, are you worried about Master Yuan and the others?" Mentioning the Daoist sects, Zhangsun Wuji seemed to immediately think of someone.
"Earlier, they promised my father they would come out of seclusion, but now they keep delaying. You should understand why." As soon as Li Shimin said this, Zhangsun Wuji's expression changed.
Within the Tiance Mansion, Zhangsun Wuji was undoubtedly the most senior and trusted by Li Shimin. After all, his sister was Li Shimin's wife and the legitimate Qin Princess. If Li Shimin ascended to the throne, she would undoubtedly become the empress.
With this relationship, coupled with Zhangsun Wuji's top-tier martial and intellectual abilities, no one could challenge his position as the chief of the Tiance Mansion.
Some things, like the later additions of Li Jing, Fang Xuanling, and others, were unknown to them, but that didn't mean Zhangsun Wuji was unaware. In some ways, he and Li Shimin were childhood friends.
"Master Yuan Tiangang pays his respects to Young Master Daniel Davis."
"Li Chunfeng pays his respects to Young Master Daniel Davis."
In a secluded bamboo forest on the outskirts of Chang'an, Daniel Davis and Sulia were waiting for someone to appear. However, to Daniel Davis's surprise, the person they were waiting for didn't show up. Instead, two unexpected individuals appeared—two seemingly ordinary Daoist priests. But their names were anything but ordinary, for they were Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng.
"Such distinguished guests. Daniel Davis of the Daoist Heavenly Sect pays his respects to the two masters." Meeting these two was a genuine surprise for Daniel Davis, but it also made him very happy. Seeing them, he immediately realized that the Daoist sects of this era were not sitting idly by while Ci Hang Jing Zhai and Ning Daoqi carried out their plan to "select the emperor on behalf of heaven." The Daoist sects were also taking action.
Pfft.
Just as they exchanged greetings, Yuan Tiangang, while carefully observing Daniel Davis, began moving his fingers rapidly as if calculating something. But in the next moment, Yuan Tiangang suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, startling Li Chunfeng behind him and, of course, Daniel Davis as well.
(End of Chapter)
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