“Is it time that wanders about this deeper and deeper autumn, or is it this deeper and deeper autumn that is being brought away by a moment of time?”

Within the most majestic Yunqin Imperial City, a newcomer foreign poet muttered this type of crazy talk while drunk in a deep alley, staring at the old elms reaching out from the houses nearby.

In the eyes of this unconventional nomadic poet who didn’t care about matters of the royal court, the passing of autumn in the massive Yunqin Empire this year was no different from the last.

However, for the people who worried about the empire’s greater matters, this autumn was extremely alarming.

In the furthest west of the empire, after a great reorganization was carried out for a hundred thousand men in Jadefall City, there were still sixty thousand left. The west defending great general position was temporarily left vacant. In the eyes of most of Yunqin’s officials, Nanshan Mu who was of great use in pacifying the chaos, moreover held an important position in Jadefall Border Army was at least going to take on the Vice Commander-In-Chief Cheng Yu’s position.

However, for some reason, Central Continent Imperial City didn’t give out this type of order, instead transferring over River Facing Province’s Provincial Supervisor An Xuting to take over Cheng Yu’s position, leaving the west guarding great general position above him vacant. Meanwhile, Nanshan Mu resigned from his post in retirement, Central Continent Imperial City not asking him to stay behind either, instead quickly granting him permission to do so.

That Elder Huang established a rich family before Yunqin Empire was established, he even used his entire family’s resources to create weapon workshops, supporting the late emperor in resisting the enemy. Several days after Great Mang Dynasty’s unmatched national master Li Ku was killed by Wenren Cangyue and Purgatory Mountain, he also forever closed his eyes.

Only truly influential officials understood clearly that when Wenren Cangyue disappeared from Jadefall City, Great Mang’s Old Emperor already completed the imperial order to pass on the title of emperor to his student Zhantai Qiantang, while Great Mang’s unrivalled Li Ku already died. As long as Li Ku didn’t die and continued to live in this world, no one in Great Mang would dare overthrow the Old Emperor Zhantai Mang’s imperial order.

However, even though Li Ku already wandered to the borders of Great Mang, he was still trapped by Purgatory Mountain. Li Ku was unrivalled in Great Mang, but Purgatory Mountain Patriarch Shentu couldn’t convince him, and he also couldn’t afford to take on the price of facing him head-on… Together with Wenren Cangyue who defeated everyone under the heavens, Li Ku and Zhantai Mang’s defeats were already set in stone.

These true Yunqin official bigwigs also understood extremely clearly that the current emperor only wanted the crown prince to accumulate contributions in the west, moreover wished to formally allow him to appear on Yunqin’s stage. The position of west suppressing great general was originally meant for the crown prince to build prestige and establish his own military background. However, no one expected Wenren Cangyue to be able to kill so many Sacred Experts in succession, no one expected the crown prince to die in Jadefall City. That was why even if it was because of emotional reasons, the position of west guarding great general might be left vacant for an extremely long time. Moreover, An Xuting was someone from Huang Family. This type of transferring, even though it was clearly for An Xuting to temporarily sit in this Jadefall City chair, in reality, it was equivalent to Huang Family’s greatest strength being sent away to serve a penal sentence after Elder Huang’s death, using them to clear the road for the one who was going to replace the elder’s authority.

…

In this autumn where many things happened, there were new news that came from Great Mang again. The Old Emperor Zhantai Mang was already seriously ill and about to die, his mind unclear, so Great Mang prepared to carry out a great funeral. Great Mang’s imperial position, according to the written imperial order, was to be passed onto the imperial nephew Zhantai Luji.

Yunqin Empire’s traitor general, Wenren Cangyue, was granted the title of Great Marshal over Great Mang’s army, obtaining Great Mang’s Seven Paths Great Army Military Insignia.

These news were different from others, deliberately quickly sent out. All of Yunqin was in an uproar. Even those who originally viewed Great General Wenren as their idol and didn’t believe that their Great General Wenren who had such illustrious contributions, someone who was endlessly glorious, would betray the empire, began to feel endless hatred towards Wenren Cangyue, really wishing they could eat his flesh.

The distant Great Mang was always a great enemy of Yunqin. Moreover, because of Wenren Cangyue, the border situation was definitely going to be even more nervous, even more nasty.

However, this wasn’t what Yunqin’s influential bigwigs were most concerned with.

What they were most urgently awaiting… was the issue of the position behind the layers of curtains being opened up.

According to the previous situation, Wen Family who was already deeply-rooted in Government Sector should sit over there.

However, that previous impasse deadline of Elder Huang’s death made everyone in Yunqin’s royal court know that it wasn’t just Yunqin emperor’s patience with Green Luan Academy that ran out, his patience with these nine dark clouds that normally stood in front of him was also approaching its limit.

In this type of near breaking off relations situation, many people suspected that Yunqin emperor might just remove this position, not allow anyone else to sit there.

These nine positions Yunqin’s late emperor and Principal Zhang established would thus forever become one fewer. In the future, they might become even fewer in number.

However, the day this down and out poet muttered to himself, intoxicated in an alley, the orders that came out from Central Continent Imperial City once again shook up all of Yunqin’s royal court!

Yunqin emperor didn’t remove that position like many people suspected, but the one who replaced Huang Family wasn’t the Wen Family everyone believed, but rather Leng Family who was in charge of the Internal Affairs Sector all these years, yet regardless of whether it was their strength or support, they were clearly beneath that of Wen Family!

Failing when in sight of victory would easily make one feel despair and anger.

However, what made all of the intelligent officials feel even more chilliness was that when facing this type of ultimate result, Wen Family’s people instead restrained themselves well, actually not displaying any bit of opposition. This type of strange peace even more so made these intelligent officials sure that in this autumn in Central Continent Imperial City, there was definitely going to be even more alarming and shocking things that would happen.

…

Inside Yunqin Empire’s Discussion Hall, the damaged pure gold dragon throne had already been replaced with a new one.

However, the dragon robed Yunqin Emperor Changsun Jinse didn’t sit down, only standing. He faced the nine heavy curtains, as well as the silver-clothed Grand Secretary Zhou standing in front of him.

His eyes were covered in blood wisps, it had clearly been many nights since he last got any sleep. However, his body’s figure was more straight than at any other time, his body’s aura also more dignified than ever before.

“I only asked Wenren Cangyue to hand over Jadefall City, for him to properly live out his days… yet he actually killed my son, killed a future virtuous monarch!”

“As Yunqin’s subject, he actually betrayed the country, taking command over Great Mang’s army.”

While looking at everyone in front of him, this monarch who had the greatest authority in this world spoke one word after another, “I am going to send forces south… I am going to cross Thousand Sunset Mountain, wipe out Great Mang and kill this traitor!”

No thunder radiance appeared from the body of this monarch who possessed a unique cultivation lineage.

However, when the two words ‘send forces’ sounded, the entire spacious Discussion Hall instead rumbled with noise, as if a clap of thunder suddenly erupted.

Behind the nine heavy layers of curtains, the position originally held by that Elder Huang maintained absolute silence.

Everyone else in the hall knew that no matter what happened from here on out, Leng Family’s Leng Zhennan who sat there would definitely remain quiet, he wouldn’t speak out like the previous Elder Huang.

Behind the curtains right next to Leng Zhennan, an aged figure lowered his head. With this stance alone, the others knew that he wouldn’t speak out again, because the elder behind these curtains was also surnamed Wenren.

Under the absolute silence of these two curtains, two other individuals were about to speak out, but right at this time, Changsun Jinse raised his head slightly, slowly saying, “Previously, you all advised for me to not kill Lin Xi, to not draw a dividing line between Green Luan Academy and Yunqin, that the main cause of disaster is Wenren Cangyue, that if I am going to act, I need to act against Wenren Cangyue first… I can listen to your suggestions, but if you all are even going to dissuade me in this matter, I definitely wouldn’t take any steps back.”

After a slight pause, Changsun Jinse looked at another rippling curtain, saying with a bit of mockery. “Thousand Sunset Border Army’s Great General Hu Piyi has already expressed absolute loyalty to me. He will become the great marshal of this battle, take command over the south expedition’s great army.”

“What?!”

A voice of alarm and anger immediately sounded from behind that curtain.

This voice made the hearts of everyone in this great hall tremble again. At the same time, the entire great hall entered a temporary stillness.

Grand Secretary Zhou who was standing with his head hung raised his head.

He looked at this monarch whose eyes were covered in bloody wisps, but more dignified than ever before with inward coldness.

To separate the greatest power Hu Family fostered from their family’s control… have Leng Family’s absolute loyalty be replaced by Huang Family… these were all things he originally ought to know, but were things not even he knew about at all.

Wenren Cangyue’s terror didn’t only lie in his cultivation, but rather in his terrifying strategic and soldier unification abilities, as well as his callous nature. If it wasn’t for the fact that he could even abandon the Sky Wolf Guards and people like Cheng Yu who were absolutely loyal to him, there was no way he could make Central Continent Imperial City, Green Luan Academy and even Zhan Taimang suffer this type of defeat.

He knew that Thousand Sunset Border Army’s Hu Piyi was also a talented commander hard to find within a hundred years… However, once Thousand Sunset Mountain was crossed, this would no longer be a battle between two generals, but rather a battle between two countries.

He did not believe Yunqin could obtain victory in this type of battle.

It was just like breaking off relations with Green Luan Academy, this was also an imperial order he definitely couldn’t approve of or endorse.

“Your majesty, Jadefall City Border Army’s situation hasn’t stabilized yet, we also exhausted large amounts of military force in Dragon Snake Border Army before that. In recent years, Great Mang has experienced favorable weather, their national power thus increasing greatly. Previously, Zhantai Mang even had large amounts of extra troops to transfer around… This is precisely when Great Mang’s army is at its greatest.” He knew that right now, those people behind the layers of curtains needed to hear his voice as well. As such, he said, “This subject fears that carrying out an offensive on the south at this time might not be effective.”

“Then when do you believe we should wait until?”

Changsun Jinse looked at this Grand Secretary who was normally the most intimate with him, at this most important minister who also possessed powerful influence and authority in Yunqin, a hint of anger and mockery instead appearing on his face. “If Great Mang continues to have favorable weather, then should we just continue waiting? Wait until the murderer of the crown prince, the traitor of our empire dies of old age? Great Mang’s national power flourishes, but can it compare to my Yunqin’s vast territory and abundant resources, as domineering as my Yunqin’s national strength? Don’t you all normally rely on Green Luan Academy, believing that it won’t do if we leave Green Luan Academy? Since Green Luan Academy and Purgatory Mountain already had many grudges before, then let them exert themselves more, let them display their use! This is what you all should be considering.”

Grand Secretary Zhou’s heart became even colder. He took a deep breath, wishing to say something, but Changsun Jinse instead released a heavy sneer before he spoke. “Grand Secretary Zhou… I designated you as the Grand Secretary not only because of your abilities, but also because of your loyalty to me… but what about you? Just what kind of motives do you have towards me?! Do not think that I did not find out that the female zither master is one of your people!”

Grand Secretary Zhou’s face became a bit pale. He raised his head to look at Changsun Jinse. He knew that doubt, this type of thing, was like a poisonous plant that took root in the heart. If it was already growing, then it was impossible to pull out. He looked at Changsun Jinse, looked at the anger and craziness in this monarch’s eyes, knowing that this monarch had already had his rationality completely twisted from his ambitions, desires, grief and anger. He knew that it was already useless no matter what kind of explanations he gave.

“A Grand Secretary who isn’t loyal to me… what use is he?”

Changsun Jinse slowly sat back down on the golden throne. He looked at this graceful and refined Grand Secretary, slowly saying, “I will let Sector Head Wen take over your Grand Secretary position… if you still view me as the emperor, if you still feel some mutual affection between ruler and minister, then you should ask to resign from your post yourself.”

Grand Secretary Zhou’s silver clothes trembled slightly, not because of his own fate, but because of the fate of all of Yunqin Empire.

He slowly bowed, giving Yunqin Emperor on the dragon throne a bow and then silently withdrew.

This autumn day… Grand Secretary Zhou who was loved and respected by Yunqin’s people asked for resignation, walking out from the cold and imposing Imperial Palace, silent and desolate.