Chapter 487 - 250: Mandate of Heaven
It was previously mentioned that this is a world governed by Divine Dao, where all the major changes in the Mortal World trace back to the overt and covert struggles of the Yin World Deities.
The current situation is no exception. Decades ago, during the reign of Emperor Ping of Chen, there were two major events: the execution of the Arrogant General and the chaos caused by the Five Imperial Eunuchs.
The former was the Xiao-Chen Imperial Family’s deities competing for power and profit with other factions’ deities, contending both in the Underworld and Mortal World.
As for the latter, it was another scheme by the Xiao-Chen Imperial Family.
As the legitimate rulers, the Xiao-Chen Imperial Family enjoyed the most abundant offerings and worship, making their power the strongest, supported by several Third-Rank Great Gods.
However, those who wish to wear the crown must bear its weight. Just as water can carry a boat, it can also overturn it. While the Xiao-Chen Imperial Family enjoys the offerings from the world, they also bear an unshakable responsibility. Wherever there is turmoil among the Nine States, they must stand at the front. Otherwise, if the common people suffer, if misfortunes strike, grudges will surely form and transform into a Karmic Force that backlashes against them.
The rise and fall of dynasties come from this.
For instance, during the chaos of the Drought Demon King, to suppress it, the Xiao-Chen Imperial Family’s deities paid an immense price, losing a Junior Third Grade Great God, and ultimately, they had to painfully concede benefits to the Three Religions and Hundred Schools and local forces to clean up the aftermath, stabilize the region, and settle the people.
Such turmoil significantly weakened the Imperial Family’s deities, coupled with various grievances arising from governance, its Karmic Force constantly eroded the deities, making their burden extremely heavy.
Therefore, they had to use some strategies to divert and dissolve the grievances and Karmic Force of the populace.
The Five Imperial Eunuchs were such a strategy.
So why did Emperor Ping of Chen indulge the Five Imperial Eunuchs, allowing these eunuchs to disrupt the court and even harm officials? Was he truly a foolish emperor?
No, no!
The Imperial Family aimed to use the Five Imperial Eunuchs as a tool, first to purge the court and check various forces, consolidate imperial authority and prestige, and finally discard them, pinning all sins upon them to transfer the Karmic Force formed by public grievances and even attempt a Restoration Ascension to revive the dynasty’s fortunes.
Therefore, there was the incident where the former Crown Prince, Xiao Ye, reported the Five Traitors but was ultimately demoted to Yangzhou and enfeoffed as King Liang.
To put it bluntly, it was a classic tactic of playing good cop, bad cop.
First, let the Five Imperial Eunuchs purge the court, eliminate dissent, and bear all the bad reputation, then let Xiao Ye correct the chaos and restore order to the court, using the narrative that "the Emperor had good intentions but was deceived by treacherous ministers" to divert and dissolve the grievances and Karmic Force of the populace, and then achieve the Supreme Dragon Qi and a dynastic Restoration Ascension.
This tactic has been employed across many eras and dynasties.
The Xiao-Chen Imperial Family also intended to do this, but halfway through, an unexpected challenger emerged, overshadowing Xiao Ye’s momentum as the Hidden Dragon of Restoration Ascension.
As a result, when Emperor Ping of Chen heard the news, his rage overwhelmed him, and he suffered a mysterious backlash, spitting blood in court and falling seriously ill. He passed away in less than a month.
This was not all. The Hidden Dragon of Restoration Ascension had not yet gained momentum, and such a sudden change made all the forces eager to make a move.
Originally, the state of Chen had existed for over two hundred years, with substantial foundation and still-present strength. At this time, a Celestial God reincarnated, transforming into a Hidden Dragon, intending for Restoration Ascension, so even if the various forces were unwilling, they had to swallow their resentment and let it happen.
But now, due to a turn of events, the Hidden Dragon was subdued before its rise, unable to timely rectify the chaos and eliminate the Five Traitors, thus failing to transfer and dissolve public grievances and Karmic Force, instead causing their own decline, leading to the reigning emperor being back lashed to death.
In such circumstances, would all the forces continue to swallow their resentment?
Of course not!
Therefore, after the Five Imperial Eunuchs supported Emperor Kang of Chen to ascend the throne, all forces launched a counterattack.
The most intense effort came from the Third-Rank Great God in Qingzhou. With his push, the renowned family from Qingzhou, the Huo Family, which held power for four generations and three chancellors, acted decisively, leading troops into the capital, disposing of the treacherous ministers, and executing the Five Imperial Eunuchs who tried to suppress them, and furthermore deposing Emperor Kang of Chen and instating Emperor Ning of Chen.
This was a struggle between local deities and Imperial Family deities, just like with the Weishui River Dragon Monarch behind him and Xiao Ye. If you want to use me to establish your prestige, how could I sit and wait for death? Even if it means burning jade and stone together, I must fiercely counterattack.
The deity of Qingzhou successfully counterattacked. Huo Ming entered the palace, exterminated the Five Traitors, seized the fortune that originally belonged to the Hidden Dragon of Restoration Ascension, and carried out a coup, seizing greater control of state affairs, further reducing the fortunes of the Chen Dynasty.
This is the bitter result of a failed Restoration Ascension!
It is also the reason for the current turmoil under heaven, with dragons and snakes rising in the land.
Because of this unexpected variable, the Xiao-Chen Imperial Family overplayed their game, overreached.
However, even a dying camel is bigger than a horse, and now in name, the land still belongs to the Xiao-Chen. Even Huo Ming only dares to control the emperor to command the feudal lords and not replace him to establish a new dynasty.
The Xiao-Chen Imperial Family still has strength, and the deities behind them continue to engage in open and covert struggles with the deity of Qingzhou behind Huo Ming and other deities.
Besides, the various Great Gods, even Upper Realm Heavenly Gods, and some Third-Rank Demons and Monsters also watch warily, eager to move and even enter reincarnation to join the competition for the dragon.
An era of great competition is coming!
How will Shen Hex respond?
Back when Xiao Ye was defeated in battle, the Weishui River Dragon Monarch, who had invested in him, acted decisively, sparing no expense to help him rise again, taking Jinhua, one of the three prefectures of Yangzhou, and reached an agreement with the Jinling Prefect, and even with the Lanruo Old Demon, to surround him on three sides, trapping him firmly in this Jinyang Land.
Now, let alone his faith, even ordinary people cannot step out of Jinyang Land.
Although he retaliated, having Li Mubai serve as the Governor of Yangzhou, occasionally issuing a Proclamation Against the Rebels, condemning Xiao Ye as a treacherous minister and villain, turning Jinyang into a state within a state, that’s all it is.