Gao Zhijian

Chapter 666: Gao Zhijian

When Gao Zhijian left the noisy, many-eared court and walked into the silent inner palace, catching sight of the green imperial garden in the distance, his mood finally lifted a little.

He stepped into the garden, sat down on a stone bench, and enjoyed this brief moment of quiet.

Suddenly, he walked over to a rockery, scooped up a large stone with both hands, and lifted it with effort.

With a low grunt, he tossed the stone high into the air and caught it steadily, then began performing a military arts technique while holding the heavy stone. The eunuchs watching from the shadows had their hearts in their throats.

Only after a thin layer of sweat had formed on his body did Gao Zhijian put the stone down and let out a long breath.

To tell the truth, though the palace had everything he could want, he still missed his time at Cowheart Village.

Back then, he could silently stare at the girl he liked, or use his strength to protect the sworn brothers who meant life or death to him.

More importantly, back then, his mind wasn't as sharp as it was now, and he didn't have to think about all these messy problems.

"You're really not much of an emperor. You only listen to problems without solving any of them?" A voice sounded, and Li Huowang's figure emerged from the bushes beside him.

Gao Zhijian sighed and sat down on the stone, as if Li Huowang's appearance was no surprise at all.

"The Fa Sect stirred things up, and then a bunch of Great Qi refugees got mixed in. The court has no money and no grain left. With so many problems hitting at once, what do you want me to do? I can't just conjure up money and grain. Li-shixiong, being emperor really isn't that easy."

"But don't worry, Li-shixiong. There are plenty of skilled mud-painters in the court. They'll think of ways to muddle through."

"Muddle through? Is that it? If those things aren't handled properly, a lot of people might die!"

"Li-shixiong, then what do you want me to do?! If you were in my position, what would you do?" Gao Zhijian's face showed deep helplessness.

"Everyone says Great Liang is the best under heaven, but only those in the know realize that this 'best under heaven' is just for show. It's leaking everywhere. The emperor is just another mud-painter, patching wherever it leaks."

After saying this, Gao Zhijian paused for a moment, then spoke again. "Li-shixiong, I'm sorry. I shouldn't talk to you like that. But I've got so many worries."

Li Huowang shook his head slightly. "It's fine. I understand your position. I don't blame you. But Qingqiu and Later Shu really need to be your top priority."

"They're already fighting the Fa Sect. Nothing is more important than the Fa Sect. If we don't help Qingqiu and Later Shu, and they get swallowed up, then Great Liang will be in serious trouble. This is a matter of life and death."

"Li-shixiong, I know. I understand the logic. But the Fa Sect inside Great Liang hasn't been cleansed yet. If our own house isn't clean, how do we have the leisure to help clean someone else's?"

Hearing this, Li Huowang seemed to think of something, his brow furrowing in concentration. "Zhijian, the Fa Sect members inside Great Liang suddenly popping up all at once like this… could it be a way to tie Great Liang's hands?"

Earlier, when the Fa Sect had besieged Shangjing, Li Huowang had always found it strange. So many people attacking Shangjing to deal with Gao Zhijian—it was a bit impractical.

Looking back now, it seemed their goal might not have been to deal with Gao Zhijian. Perhaps it was just a smokescreen, a way to sacrifice all the Fa Sect followers inside Great Liang and force the Liang court to be unable to act.

Thinking further back to the Fa Sect's earlier, meaningless spread across the land—it had no other use than drawing attention.

And during this time, although they had encountered plenty of trouble, not a single one could be called a hard bone to chew. Even Taishan Shi hadn't been found. The more Li Huowang thought about it, the more likely this possibility seemed.

"And what if you do know? This is a transparent scheme." A voice came from the woods on the left, and then Li Huowang saw the Great Liang National Preceptor step out from among the trees.

"If you send all the military officers to help other countries, aren't you afraid something else will happen behind Great Liang's back? Do you really think that besides the Fa Sect, everything else under heaven is peaceful?"

"So we just let the Fa Sect develop over there? No countermeasures at all?"

"Of course not. His Majesty has his own plans." The National Preceptor took a step back.

Gao Zhijian stood up from the stone and looked at Li Huowang. "We will help, of course. The Supervisory Heavenly Office has already transferred people over. As for the military officers, once Great Liang is a bit more stable, I'll see how many I can squeeze out."

"Squeeze out? Zhijian, this is the Fa Sect! It's the Fa Sect that worships the Child-God! You have to realize this is a danger that could destroy the kingdom! You have to make the decision to fight to the death!"

"Great Qi was taken over by the Child-God. Do you know what Great Qi has become now?" Li Huowang said, reaching behind his back. He drew his bone sword and swung it at a nearby urn.

A rift flew out. Strange liquid seeped from it, drenching the grass beneath. Accompanied by a horrifying sound, the blades of grass twisted their grotesque bodies, squirming and crawling, infecting the surrounding soil.

The Great Liang National Preceptor frowned slightly. Raising his astral sword and pointing it at the air, a sudden dry thunderclap erupted from the ground. As the booming sound crashed, those things were blasted into nothing.

"I don't know what that was, but I know Great Qi is truly finished now." Li Huowang said, thrusting the bone sword back into its sheath on his back.

"I know. Of course I know. But Li-shixiong, do those generals and ministers know? Do they know? Do the soldiers know? Do all the people of Great Liang know? Are they willing to endure half a year of corvée labor? Are they willing to pay their grain taxes early? Are they willing to go to war?"

"I am the emperor, it's true. I can command them. But that doesn't mean I can just issue any decree I want. Every decree I issue involves a lot of people. It might cause a lot of deaths."

"Li-xiong, being emperor isn't like what you imagine, doing whatever you please. That's only something a tyrant would do."

After saying this, Gao Zhijian was silent for a moment, then forced himself to cheer up and comfort Li Huowang. "It'll be fine, Li-shixiong. The situation isn't as bad as you say. We know what we're doing. Qingqiu and Later Shu have some ability too; they won't be taken over by the Fa Sect so easily."

"Besides, Xuanpin has already gone over with Zheng Boqiao. The Si Tian Jian of Qingqiu, Later Shu, the Four Qi, and Great Liang are all gathering together. The Fa Sect won't get any advantage."

"Don't worry. Once Great Liang is a bit more stable, I'll send troops immediately."

Li Huowang still had doubts about whether relying on the Supervisory Heavenly Office alone, without mobilizing the full strength of Great Liang, could deal with the Fa Sect. After all, the Fa Sect wasn't some evil spirit. It relied on an endless sea of commoner believers.

No matter how many people the Supervisory Heavenly Office had, against an entire country's population, how much use could they be?

Leaving aside how powerful the upper echelons of the Child-God were, the endless lower ranks alone were not something the Supervisory Heavenly Office could handle.

What's more, those outer members of the Supervisory Heavenly Office, people drawn together by the lure of Yang Life Pills, were not at all loyal. At the first sign of danger, they scattered like birds and beasts.

Right now, only the bloodthirsty military officers, these institutionalized killing machines, could curb the momentum of the enemy's grassroots expansion.

He took another look at Gao Zhijian and nodded. "Alright. Then do it as soon as you can."

Li Huowang turned to leave. He had only taken two steps when Gao Zhijian called out to him. "Li-shixiong, where are you going?"

"Someone like me—where else would I go? To Qingqiu. To destroy the Fa Sect!"