Worldwide Awakening: My Soul Kinds Are Lost-Chapter 483: Are you thinking in a way as if you are desperately trying to meet a horrible end_1
"Bastard, damn bastard..." Emperor Jing trembled as he cursed. He truly did not expect the Royal Family to bypass him and directly target the Dai Temples. He had absolutely no idea what the Royal Family sought to gain by this. Did they truly have to bring about the demise of Dajing?
All three hundred sixty-five Dai Temples in the Central Plains were burned down. In their wake, rebel armies—no, Emperor Jing was too embarrassed to even call them rebel forces—sprang up everywhere. Within a few short months, the entire Dajing had fractured. Warlords seized territories, vaguely forming alliances and advancing towards the Capital.
That alone would have been disastrous, but all the blame was placed squarely on his shoulders. The Royal Family had retreated into the shadows, turning him into the scapegoat. By the time he tried to find them, they had vanished without a trace, mysteriously disappeared.
At that moment, an icy chill ran through him. He didn’t need to think hard to know something was terribly wrong with the Royal Family. He issued public decrees, but no one believed them. After all, the Royal Family had ostensibly been acting in his name all along, causing his reputation to suffer immensely—to the point where he was almost universally reviled.
"Your Majesty, there’s still no trace of them," Li Zheng said smoothly as he entered and saluted.
No one wanted Dajing to fall into such a state, but Li Zheng believed Emperor Jing’s words. Through the Imperial Guards, he had found numerous leads, even indications that the Royal Family might have been behind the death of King Heaven Equivalent. He couldn’t understand it. The Royal Family’s ties to Dajing were far deeper than those of any Great Family; why would they instigate such chaos? Yet, when he tried to investigate further, all clues had vanished. Whoever had orchestrated the retreat had left not a single trace, covering their tracks perfectly.
"However, our initial suspicion is that the Royal Family may have been replaced, most likely by remnants of the previous dynasty. Otherwise, there’s no explaining why they would want to overthrow Dajing," Li Zheng voiced his speculation.
Emperor Jing’s face darkened. Li Zheng’s explanation was logical; why else would the Royal Family seek its own destruction?
"And those I recruited earlier..." Emperor Jing began to ask.
"It has been confirmed. They are likely part of these remnants as well." Li Zheng had, of course, questioned Zhang Lin and the others. They hadn’t planted anyone near Emperor Jing; in fact, they had intercepted many who tried to get close. At this critical juncture, the Great Families had no reason to lie.
This left Emperor Jing utterly exasperated. What in the world was happening?
"Search with all your might! I want them to die without leaving a whole corpse!" Emperor Jing roared in a low, furious voice.
Li Zheng naturally assented. After the Royal Family’s withdrawal, Emperor Jing had regained power. However, with the realm plunged into chaos, his authority was greatly diminished. Fortunately, external pressures had forced an uneasy alliance between Emperor Jing and the Great Families.
The Great Families saw the situation clearly. If these rebel forces were their own creations and still under their control, they certainly wouldn’t align with Emperor Jing. They might even make a bid for the throne themselves. However, these rebel armies were composed of common folk who had risen in revolt. When they killed, they spared no one, regardless of status. No one was foolish enough to believe their noble standing could pacify a horde of starving, enraged people. Any Great Family harboring such delusions would have been annihilated long ago.
Thus, whether it was the Southern Zhang Clan or the Five Surnames and Seven Hopes, all stood with the Court at this moment. None were more desperate than them to quell the rebellion sweeping across the land.
"Your Majesty, the pressing issue is not these remnants, but the rebellion," Zhang Lin stated, walking in with a weary expression.
Emperor Jing’s face stiffened. "Haven’t arrangements already been..."
"They are not following orders and show signs of carving out their own territories. Moreover, the soldiers of the various armies within the Capital show hidden signs of mutiny," Zhang Lin reported. He had been working relentlessly; if not for being a Spirit Master, he would have collapsed. However, in this impending era of turmoil, Spirit Masters were of little use. They were too few, and their powers not formidable enough; under a volley of arrows, they could easily be turned into porcupines.
"Mutiny? What do they think they’re doing?!" Emperor Jing exclaimed, not having anticipated this.
"The death of King Heaven Equivalent," Zhang Lin reminded him. "The welfare system Wang Linchi established back then inevitably invited comparison."
The more one compared, the clearer it became who had been better.
This remark instantly ignited Emperor Jing’s temper. Why was everything related to this dead man? Couldn’t he just rest in peace now that he’s dead? However, he remained relatively rational and refrained from an excessive outburst.
"Is there a solution?" Emperor Jing was, in fact, reluctant to offer substantial rewards. He believed that both severe punishments and gentle rewards were manifestations of imperial grace, not acts of compromise. This meant he wouldn’t offer substantial benefits, at most making empty promises and offering verbal encouragement. However, if one made a mistake, then they would face his ’thunderous methods,’ a harsh lesson in what imperial grace could also entail. It was, colloquially, being ungrateful and cruel.
From Emperor Jing’s reluctant expression, Zhang Lin could see he was unwilling to offer benefits as appeasement. Of course, even if he wanted to, he had nothing to give. The national treasury was already empty, having been plundered by the Royal Family. Otherwise, where would the funds to recall so many steam machines have come from? Did they think resources would simply materialize upon request? Were the men expected to cover the costs of provisions for themselves and their horses, as well as transportation and logistics, out of their own pockets? No doubt, everyone would just drag their feet.
"We can use the name of the Heaven Equivalent Benevolent Holy Emperor for recruitment. Perhaps that could work," Zhang Lin offered, presenting what was less a suggestion and more the only remaining option. "Since you’re unwilling to offer material rewards, then use a spiritual pillar."
Although still displeased, Emperor Jing agreed. Adhering to the principle that whoever proposed an idea should implement it, he tasked Zhang Lin with the matter.
Zhang Lin, naturally, unhesitatingly... refused.
"Your Majesty, I am currently overwhelmed with numerous affairs. I fear I lack the capacity to handle this as well." In other words: he didn’t have the energy, so either the Emperor could do it himself or they could all wait for doom. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮
Emperor Jing’s face darkened. As the supreme sovereign, how could he personally handle such a task? It would be too humiliating. However, upon meeting Zhang Lin’s gaze, he relented.
"I am indeed not adept at such things. If I were to handle it, there would inevitably be flaws," Emperor Jing said euphemistically. What flaws? It would be an outright failure.
"This realm is Your Majesty’s realm. A few flaws wouldn’t matter," Zhang Lin said with a smile. The implication was that failure wouldn’t matter to them; by then, it would be Your Majesty’s misfortune alone. As for them, these Great Families could always prepare their instruments of surrender.
Given the current dire situation, Zhang Lin had little patience left for wrangling with Emperor Jing. Do it or don’t, it was up to him. This Emperor was an utterly incompetent ally! If the timing were right, he would have wanted to replace him.
Although Zhang Lin’s words were tactful, it was tantamount to an open break. Emperor Jing opened his mouth to reprimand him, but ultimately, he couldn’t bring himself to say it. He could only manage a feeble, "Alright," after which Zhang Lin turned and left.
"Minister Li, what are your thoughts on this matter?" At that moment, Emperor Jing’s mind was a complete blank. He knew he could use the name of the Heaven Equivalent Benevolent Holy Emperor as a rallying cry, but how exactly was he to implement it? He had no plan at all; he could rack his brains and still come up with nothing.
"This matter is indeed difficult. The rebel uprising was a direct result of the Royal Family’s sacrilegious destruction of the Dai Temples." Li Zheng implied that success hinged on Emperor Jing disassociating himself from the Royal Family, providing evidence of his innocence, and bringing the culpable Royal Family members to justice. Only then could a foundation for recruitment be laid.
But none of this was feasible. All participating Royal Family members had vanished. So, even if he proclaimed his innocence, no one would believe him. If it were that simple, Zhang Lin wouldn’t have passed the buck.
In truth, however, the situation wasn’t as critical as Zhang Lin made it out to be. As long as Emperor Jing didn’t hinder their efforts, it wouldn’t be a simple matter for the Rebel Army to take the Capital. It was just like before: if Emperor Jing hadn’t resorted to his peculiar tactic of offering empty promises and verbal encouragement while providing nothing substantial, stabilizing the situation wouldn’t have been much of a problem.
"This... is indeed rather difficult. Otherwise, how about we use the remains of King Heaven Equivalent as leverage to force their surrender?" Emperor Jing proposed, thinking he had devised a perfect plan that would not only threaten the Rebel Army but also allow him to vent his anger.
!!! Li Zheng stared at Emperor Jing in shock. What kind of twisted logic was this? If he actually dared to do such a thing, forget the Southern Zhang Clan; even with the Five Surnames and Seven Hopes, they wouldn’t be able to suppress the mutiny brewing among the soldiers in the Capital! No wonder Zhang Lin had been so infuriated; Li Zheng’s own blood pressure was now rising.
"Your Majesty, King Heaven Equivalent’s remains are far away on Mount Tai. We wouldn’t be able to retrieve them in time," Li Zheng said, not bluntly calling the Emperor an idiot, but tactfully pointing out the logistical impossibility.
"You can’t even handle such a small matter. Fine, withdraw. I will reconsider how to use King Heaven Equivalent’s name to make the Rebel Army obediently accept their deaths," Emperor Jing said, his tone laced with dissatisfaction.
Hearing this, Li Zheng inwardly sighed with relief. From the time Emperor Jing had been a mere figurehead until he ostensibly regained power, his actual time wielding authority had been short. If he were truly allowed to govern, the entire realm would suffer.
