Free Web NovelChapter 333: Chapter 125: Wielding a Hundred Swords, New Dawn, Incense Flows North
In the third year of Tianyou, autumn.
The Divine Martial Monarch of Great Yin ventured alone to the north, consolidated the army, selected eight thousand light cavalry, prepared three horses, and dressed in mourning attire. Over seven days, he fought across two thousand miles, seized Wutong Pass, and slew more than thirty thousand soldiers. Then he proceeded north into the Yong Dynasty’s Rouge Plains for over a thousand miles, killed the Southern Grand General of the Yong Dynasty, and decimated an army of one hundred thousand. At the time, the General Antagonist of the East led an army of eighty thousand in an assault, and it was broken again. No one could oppose him; it was said, "No one could secure their positions, as thousands of troops avoided the white robe." As the light cavalry arrived at the Great Yong’s royal city, the entirety of the Great Yong’s military encircled him, prompting a retreat, during which he killed the Lanxin Monarch, captured thirteen thousand heads, killed King Guangyuan, executed all armor-clad soldiers, and captured twenty-one thousand heads, until he reached Wutong Pass, where he was killed by Buddha.
...
The historian picked up his pen, meticulously recording the life of this legend.
At this moment, it was already late December of the following year.
Outside the window, snow fell heavily.
Inside, the fireplace had cooled considerably.
The historian’s pen tip wavered slightly, paused, gazing at the Spring and Autumn style text on the rice paper, feeling a rush of emotions.
For this, he intentionally added in the poem circulating in the northern regions.
Soon, in the deep palace, the Bear Puppet Sovereign Zhao She received this account, glanced at it for a while before discarding it. It was not unexpected, the Divine Martial Monarch, no matter how strong, was not stronger than Buddha, especially since Buddha evidently waited in leisure to ambush after the Divine Martial Monarch had fought extensively outside.
But shortly after discarding it, a report came from outside the palace saying, "Zhao She’s rightful wife has arrived."
Bear Puppet Zhao She was baffled.
Wasn’t Zhao She’s real wife already killed?
Currently, his rightful wife was Princess Consort De, also a Bear Puppet, and what they did wasn’t typical husband and wife activities, but eating together.
Then... where did this rightful wife come from?
The transmitting eunuch handed over a dark object resembling a tooth, claiming it was a "token."
Bear Puppet Zhao She was shocked upon seeing the token. This object... was the master’s "token." To him, it was like an "imperial edict," akin to the imperial envoy’s "sword of authority," and what happened next wasn’t up to him but the orders of this "imperial envoy."
Thus, Bear Puppet Zhao She grabbed the "imperial edict" and rushed outside, only to see a plump woman with a fierce expression.
The plump woman was Ji Nanfeng.
Ji Nanfeng called out, "Nanji greets her husband."
Bear Puppet Zhao She was stupefied for a moment, then showed a look of realization, his eyes reddening, and dashed over, saying, "I... I’ve been looking for you for so long!"
The nearby eunuchs were dumbfounded, while Bear Puppet Zhao She had already taken this rightful wife into the inner palace.
Entering the inner chamber, Ji Nanfeng sat heavily on the bed and said, "From now on, I’ll be in charge here."
Bear Puppet Zhao She and Princess Consort De promptly agreed.
Ji Nanfeng said, "I am called Feng Nanji. You will honor me as queen, and from now on, I’ll handle all political matters."
Bear Puppet Zhao She rejoiced, saying, "That’s great, I don’t know how to manage those affairs anyway."
Ji Nanfeng asked, "Do you know of other Bear Puppets in the royal palace?"
Bear Puppet Zhao She quickly responded, "Yes, there are."
Before long, he brought the commander of the Flying Forest Army. Seeing the token, this commander too hurriedly bowed.
Ji Nanfeng asked, "Are there any young and handsome boys in the royal city? Send someone to inquire, then blindfold and bring them here. Once I’ve had enough, you can kill them."
The Bear Puppet commander promptly agreed and left.
Then Ji Nanfeng picked up the ink-stained record about the Divine Martial Monarch, her expression filled with deep resentment as she looked at the writing and sneered, "Nonsense! What ’thousands of troops avoid the white robe’? It’s clearly Li Xuan colluding with Great Yong, which led him to suddenly pull back; otherwise, why did he stop when he had reached the capital? This is a crime of treason, according to the law, the entire family should be executed, implicating nine clans."
Bear Puppet Zhao She echoed, "Indeed, indeed, Master Nanji is right. I’ll have the historian change it!"
Immediately, he summoned the historian who had written the biography, angrily berated him, and ordered the revision.
Unexpectedly, the historian was stubborn, refusing to change even in the face of death.
Bear Puppet Zhao She ordered him taken away to be beheaded.
In the palace, given the limited number of Bear Puppets, many advised against it, saying that if the historian was killed and information falsified, no one in the land would trust or obey, reducing the royal authority... to a laughingstock.
Ji Nanfeng was undeterred, insisting not only on executing him but also on doing it publicly in the marketplace before the citizens of the royal city.
Once the historian was detained, Ji Nanfeng began searching for new historians to disgrace the Divine Martial Monarch Li Xuan and condemn the entire Li family.
But she found five in succession, yet not one agreed to tamper with the record.
Consequently, on the next day, these six were sent to the guillotine.
This time, the watching citizens rarely applauded but instead cursed loudly, each shouting, "The Divine Martial Monarch is a hero of Great Yin, how dare you change the truth!?"
"These gentlemen are right, why behead them!"
Some even raised fists shouting, "Truth! Truth! Truth!"
The battle at Wutong Pass claimed many lives, among them were soldiers originally from the royal city, and even some from noble families sent to earn military exploits, who were too late to retreat.
The Divine Martial Monarch’s victory brought prestige, allowing them to hold their heads high, avenging them, and his mourning attire added to the emotional impact.
The entire royal city was nearly unanimously opposed.
Ji Nanfeng paid no mind.
Ordinary citizens, what could they do but resist, she ordered the continued executions, and proceeded to search for a historian "who can convince the world" to amend the record.
On the high platform, two figures in plain clothes watched the distant scene.
The two were a man and a woman, an elder and a youth.
The elder stroked his beard, gently sighed, "What kind of sovereign reigns like this? The Zhao family’s destiny is depleted."
The young woman said, "Why not seize the opportunity and take..."
