In the fourteenth year of Jingzhi, winter, tenth month, in the year of Wuyin.
Emperor Zhao Rong resided in Yangxin Hall.
That night, an assassin sneaked in, and the Emperor was murdered.
At that time, the Emperor's corpse had swollen cheeks like drums, hands and ankles were pierced by a sword, looking extremely miserable.
Later, the Imperial Clan Court and the Three Departments inspected and concluded: the Emperor did not die from weapon wounds, but collapsed due to rage.
It is said that during the assassination, the assassin also insulted the Emperor with harsh words, infuriating him, which led to his heart bursting, causing his death.
An official and palace maid who hid behind the hall were fortunate to escape.
They all claimed the assassin was a cat avenger.
It was said that in earlier years, the Emperor obsessed with longevity, ordered inner court officials to hunt black cats to refine medicine, thus the assassin came with resentment.
The assassin might have been the owner of the cats, bearing a grudge entered the palace, targeting the Emperor.
However, these are all hearsay, not entirely trustworthy.
The Grand Historian said: the cat is not the literal cat, but actually symbolizes the oppressed commoners of the world. During the Emperor's reign, he was muddle-headed and tyrannical, indulging in debauchery, killing his brother and betraying family, neither benevolent nor filial.
The black one signifies darkness, like clouds covering the moon, making the world shadowy and unclear.
The cat is a clever metaphor for the people. The people couldn't bear the tyranny, raising the banner to kill the ruler, this was the reason for the downfall of the Dayong!
——"Yong History • Emperor's Chronicles"
The same year, outside Snowthroat Pass.
Duke Beixiang Ju Yong commanded the northern tiger and wolves, exiting Snowthroat Pass, his banners concealing the sky, the sword's edge straight to the capital region.
The northern army's force was like a hot knife through butter, breaking through the Three Passes of the Tiger's Rejection, Goose Feather, and Ghost Sorrow consecutively, the rest all surrendered.
Duke Beixiang led the army personally, conquering cities and villages along the way, until reaching Gubeikou, only two hundred or so li remained to the Dayong Imperial City.
Yet, as fate would have it, the army was gaining momentum when suddenly a heavy snow fell outside Gubeikou for ten consecutive days without abating.
Strategist Gongsun Jin, elderly and frail, caught a cold, bedridden thereafter.
In the tent, Gongsun Jin spoke to the frowning Ju Yong: "Now Dayong's destiny is not yet exhausted, the heavy snow blocks our supply route, if we continue to hold here, our army will surely be defeated. It's better for you to abandon the southern campaign temporarily, return and recuperate, waiting for the opportune time."
Beside him, the military officer Wu Zhiyuan also bowed and advised: "The Dayong's people's hearts are already lost, their defeat is only a matter of time. You should follow the strategist's advice, wait for the spring thunder to move, then plan a southern campaign again."
Ju Yong sighed deeply, feeling that after an initial burst of effort, subsequent attempts weaken and finally exhaust. Now the Dayong Imperial City was within reach, the army was in high spirits, yet fate seemed to spare Dayong...
However, just when Ju Yong was about to order a retreat, the continuous heavy snow outside the camp suddenly stopped, a great sun broke through the previous gloom.
Sunshine entered the tent, Gongsun Jin was surprised, could it be that Dayong's fate has changed, has your destined time arrived?
Just as the sovereign and ministers stared at each other in surprise, outside the tent suddenly came a report from a flying courier, saying that Emperor Jingxing of Dayong had been assassinated, now all in the court were mourning.
Gongsun Jin delighted upon hearing this, but unexpectedly was choked by phlegm, the sovereign and ministers in the tent yelled repeatedly for a medic, after a while the frail old man on the cot slowly recovered.
Once the old man recovered, he advised Ju Yong: "This is a providential opportunity bestowed upon you! With the Emperor dead, Dayong will surely observe mourning rituals, for the day one mourns, ten days there are no court, these ten days will be Dayong's time of downfall, also your chance to consolidate the world!"
Gongsun Jin raised his palm and said: "I am now like a flickering candle in the wind, my life's time has reached its end, not curable by stone or medicine. This is the timing of heaven, not defying by human force."
He said this, exerting all his strength to grasp Ju Yong's hand passionately: "Mourning harms the country, now as I go, I have only one wish, if I die before the great cause is accomplished, please remember that now the ancestral temple and the altars are placed on your shoulders, do not let my moldering bones lead to neglecting state affairs, if so, even if I die here, I would still be content in the underworld."
On the same day, another one named Meng Yongzhen, claiming to be the head of the Four Directions Daoists from the Celestial Master's Mansion, came to meet.
Meng Yongzhen was originally the senior brother among the Xuanji Seven from the Celestial Master's Mansion, but unfortunately, the brothers met successive calamities, today only four sons remained, Master Lyu Tian simply changed the Seven Sons' title, named them the Four Directions Daoists of East Green, South Red, West White, and North Black.
Northern is revered in Daoism, Meng Yongzhen, called North Black Daoist, under the name of the Celestial Master's Mansion, pledged allegiance to Duke Beixiang.
"Dayong is immoral, its fate near ending, you are the destined sovereign, now I follow heavenly reasoning and come, willing to assist you in conquering Dayong."
Ju Yong frowned and said: "You, an outsider, what help can your words offer me?"
"An outsider has their own arts outside of methods, our Celestial Master's Mansion has inherited for a millennia, all can become your assistance!"
Ju Yong sneered: "I lead the northern tiger led brigades, advancing through the Three Passes like a hot knife through butter, why need external arts?"
Meng Yongzhen laughed: "Your forces are valiant, but with snow blocking roads, horses mired and trapped, the army has difficulty moving an inch, I just happen to have a method to clear the way, solving this worry; Moreover, the capital's city walls and fortifications are difficult to break, I also have a method to cultivate a path, allowing your forces to cross in secret, this is as if divine troops descending, the stronghold can be broken in no time."
Ju Yong's eyes flickered, after thinking for a long time said: "Even without your external arts assistance, I can clear the snowy roads, break this stronghold."
Meng Yongzhen repeatedly agreed, but when leaving the tent, he still showed a faint smile.
After dismissing Meng Yongzhen, Ju Yong fell into silence for a moment, then once more came to the side of Gongsun Jin's bed.
Ju Yong, with a short beard, nearing forty, gazed at the candle in silence.
Gongsun Jin awoke occasionally, seeing Ju Yong standing by the bed, asked what was troubling the ruler.
Ju Yong spoke about the North Black Daoist coming to offer service, and exclaimed: "Before reaching the northern frontier, a friend gave me three words and a nine-character warning, which enlightened me and enabled my accomplishments today."
"That friend of mine has always looked down on the Celestial Master's Mansion, saying how would beasts be worthy to wear Daoist robes, pretending to cultivate purity while perpetrating monstrous deeds."
Ju Yong frowned and said: "If following the advice of an old friend, I should drive this Daoist out with sticks immediately, however, he did come in good faith to offer help, if I drive him away, it might damage my reputation of respecting the wise and cherishing the talented."
Gongsun Jin laughed upon hearing this: "Your friend, with their hatred for evil and love of the good, is indeed virtuous, but you are a monarch, not just one individual, there are countless ministers under your command, how can each one be virtuous and capable?"
One must know, if the water is too pure, there are no fish. As long as the arrivals are talented, have not committed great mistakes, the good should be put to good use, the bad to bad use."
Gongsun Jin earnestly said: "One day, you will have to govern and manage the state and balance ministers, this is the way of employing people, also the way of an Emperor. In my humble opinion, your mind is already made up, otherwise, you wouldn't have come to consult the old minister."
Ju Yong's furrowed brows relaxed, feeling the gloom in his heart dissipate along with the clearing sky.
At that time, it had been over two days since Emperor Jingxing of Dayong passed, the direct and loyal dry minister who served Duke Beixiang for more than a decade, Gongsun Jin, passed away.
Unaware of this, Duke Beixiang followed Gongsun Jin's final plan, taking advantage of Dayong's civil and military officials busy with mourning activities, pushed forward, and within ten days, reached the city's gates.
After successfully launching a surprise attack on the Imperial City, establishing victory, Ju Yong then heard the sad news of Gongsun Jin's passing.
Yet Gongsun Jin passed away without witnessing the fruition of the great achievements.
...
Along the Ancient Yin River Dao, Xu Qing walked slowly.
This trip to the capital had brought him great gains.
First, the long-held grudge was avenged, bringing satisfaction to his heart;
Second, the demise of Dayong's fate allowed him to seek out old friends and fulfill past promises, bringing great comfort to his heart.
As for Emperor Jingxing and Feng Dehai...
These two were of no importance.
Feng Dehai could only offer an Earth-tier upper-grade Embrace Gang Child Skill.
This Cultivation Technique was useless against zombies, Xu Qing was contemplating, Iron Pillar and Sun Erzhuang seemed both still unmarried, perhaps upon returning to the Jin Sect, he might inquire about passing down this Cultivation Technique.
Compared to the grandmaster Feng Dehai, Emperor Jingxing was even less noteworthy at night.
All Xu Qing gained from him were some insights into an Emperor's psychology, techniques for ruling people, and some indulgent entertainments.
Ironically, while the other was a ruler of a nation, among so many human rewards, he lacked even a trace of Imperial fortune.
Initially, Xu Qing thought there might be a chance to obtain the lost Emperor's Purple Qi from the old Emperor.
Now it seems, even the Emperor's fortune despises this aging dragon, who manages to wet his shoes despite urinating downwind.