Chapter 711 – Mirage of Kunlun, The Emperor of Light - Part 1

Empress of the Great Tang, Li Youning, was a woman of striking presence. Clad in armor, she was a general who exuded awe-inspiring authority, a figure no one dared to underestimate. Out of armor, she was every inch the dignified mother of the realm, graceful, poised, and flawless in every gesture.

It was now December.

The imperial palace of the Cloud Capital had only recently been completed, a little over a year old. Everything was new, the buildings, gardens, even the atmosphere carried a sense of fresh grandeur.

Though the construction of this new palace had consumed significant manpower and resources, the vastness of the Nine Provinces and the sheer size of the population meant that it hadn’t strained the empire to its limits.

And now, in a world free of ghost domains and meat fields, even with the continued oppression by the powerful elite, the population had surged far beyond what it once was. The Ministry of Revenue had just submitted its latest census: the registered populace now numbered 2.3 billion.

Li Youning sat beside the Emperor, holding a bowl of freshly stewed beef and radish soup.

Out of the corner of her eye, she watched his profile. Even after over five years of marriage, this man still felt distant, like a star in the sky, radiant but unreachable. Only in the moments of intimacy between man and woman did she feel that distance shrink, catching glimpses of the humanity hidden within his formidable strength.

Li Yuan, meanwhile, was studying the census memorial.

He knew what needed to be done.

The era of chaos hadn’t been ended by the Human Emperor, nor by Emperor Xuan. So now, it was up to him to bring it to a close. If there were to be another cycle of reincarnation, let it not be into yet another age of disorder.

He was done with chaos.

“Encourage childbirth,” he muttered. “For those with two children, cut their taxes in half. For those with more than three, grant them three years tax-free, then half taxes after that.”

He spoke softly to himself, then suddenly turned his head to look at Li Youning.

“What do you think, Empress?” he asked. Then he chuckled, a bit self-deprecatingly. “Thinking about these things gives me a headache.”

He was devoted to cultivation, yet he couldn't ignore state affairs. Still, he could only spare bits of time to read a few memorials and offer suggestions.

Most of the time, it was the Empress who handled such documents.

And when the Empress read them, it was essentially the Li Clan reading them.

But Li Youning was no fool. From the day she married, she had considered herself a member of her husband’s household, not her natal family’s. True, the distinction was little more than a ceremonial acknowledgment of an ancestral bloodline returning home. But as Empress, she fully understood the dangers posed by powerful in-laws.

Glancing at the memorial, Li Youning said, “Your Majesty, I believe that as the population grows, we must also expand the pool of officials. Otherwise, the swelling number of households will either go unmanaged or be mismanaged, which will only breed disorder.

“In the past, all official posts were monopolized by the great clans. During the reign of Emperor Xuan, the academies did attempt to recruit officials from among the common folk, but that initiative died with him. In my opinion, it failed precisely because the high-ranking positions were still held by aristocrats. The noble clans will never allow ordinary people to share in their power.”

Li Yuan smiled. “And yet, you’re one of them.”

Li Youning replied softly, “But I know the kind of world Your Majesty longs to build.”

Li Yuan’s expression softened. He tossed the memorial to the Empress and picked up the bowl of beef and radish soup, taking a sip. The spicy, savory flavor spread across his tongue, warming him as he swallowed.

“Did you add mountain pepper?”

“It’s a specialty from the mountain tribes,” she replied. “In the past, the Jade Capital was too far to transport them easily. But Cloud Capital is much closer, so they're more abundant now and cheaper.”

“Then I’ll leave this matter in your hands,” he said casually. “Just consult me before making any final decisions.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Li Youning accepted the task without hesitation.

Outside the window, snow was drifting down. The Empress dipped her brush and began tackling the pile of memorials. Beside her, the Emperor drank his soup.

He glanced around the vast hall. The folding screens blocked the wind, but he could still make out the glow of red lanterns hanging by the palace gates, their light casting halos over the snow and the guards and maids standing watch.

On such a frigid day, a bowl of beef soup was a rare comfort.

By the time he finished, some time had passed. Li Yuan turned his head, watching his wife quietly.

The long years of responsibility had left their marks on her once-youthful face.

Suddenly, he said, “Let’s form a parliament.”

“A parliament?” Li Youning paused mid-stroke, her intelligent face turning contemplative. After a moment, she said, “I’ve heard the Golden Tent Nomads have something similar. Among the nomads, people follow their tribal chiefs. When multiple chiefs band together, they form a tribe. And major decisions, like when to migrate, are made collectively. But in our Tang Empire, all power rests in Your Majesty’s hands. How would we even select such

chiefs

? And how would a parliament even function?”

Li Yuan thought for a moment before answering. “By uniting governance and faith. In our teachings, it’s written that you should keep light in your heart. If someone exploits the people for the benefit of their clan and causes chaos, then doctrine can condemn their intent and strip their power.”

That had been his vision all along.

In the past, anyone who wished to advance within the Bladeseekers had to plant a Jade Seed in their heart. But that era of transcendents had faded.

Now, with the revival of meditative visualization and the founding of the Church of Light, perhaps doctrine could once again serve as a check on ambition.

“But even if great men rise from the common people,” Li Youning said thoughtfully, “aren’t they just the seeds of the next generation of nobles? Today their hearts shine with light, but what about their descendants?”

Li Yuan answered, “Anyone who enters the parliament must sever all familial ties. No family, no descendants allowed in officialdom or business.”

“Then what do they do?” Li Youning asked, genuinely curious.

“They enter the faith as

Holy Attendants

,” Li Yuan replied. “They’ll devote themselves to cultivating doctrine and comprehending power. Children raised from birth within the teachings of the Church will have no room for greed in their hearts. But the Church’s doctrine will have to be written with the utmost care.”

𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

“I understand,” Li Youning said with a nod.

In any other dynasty, such an idea would have been considered absurd and pure fantasy.

But this was a newly founded Tang Empire. And her husband, at this point, wielded unparalleled prestige across the realm. If he chose to raise his hand and block out the sky, no one dared question it.

He could reshape the nation and forge a future no one had ever dared to imagine.

The Empress continued reviewing memorials. But as she worked, her mind wandered to the future. She pictured these very memorials no longer resting solely on her desk, but instead laid out on a round table, surrounded by parliamentarians in deep discussion. The thought was both novel and heavy with significance.

Just then, a pair of strong arms suddenly wrapped around her waist.

A low voice whispered beside her ear.

“It’s rare that I have some free time to myself. Empress, why don’t you rest early tonight?”

A faint flush rose on her cheeks, and her body, soft as water, melted into the embrace behind her.

Li Yuan lifted the woman who, only a moment ago, had been burdened with the weight of the world.

Her warmth, supple and fragrant, molded perfectly against his muscular arms.

Then the beauty reached out, looping her arms around Li Yuan’s neck. Her eyes shimmered with mystery and desire, like a flower blooming at just the right moment, too perfect not to be picked.

The Empress needed to conceive.

Only then would this new dynasty feel truly stable.

The Li Clan was eagerly awaiting the telltale swell of her belly.

And the people were waiting too for the birth of a dragon son.

That night was long and full of effort.