Free Web NovelChapter 2268: Chapter 22: The World Is Not Qi’s Alone to Scheme
The wedding of the Marquis of Bowang’s grandson and the goddaughter of Imperial Court Adviser Yi Xingchen could be described as grand.
It has been the most eye-catching event in Qi Country since the beginning of the new year.
Marquis Wu’an, as the best man, exceptionally didn’t cultivate for the whole day, busied himself everywhere, and accompanied the couple throughout the wedding. Overall, they paid respects to heaven and earth, then to the parents, the couple bowed to each other, and then were sent into the bridal chamber.
A grand wedding of such noble families as Shuofang Earl’s Mansion and the Marquis of Bowang’s Mansion displayed the stability and prosperity of Qi Country after its campaign against Summer Country. Bao Yi and Zhongxuan Yunbo, both figures who have rolled and tumbled in Qi Country’s military and political arenas for years, chose to facilitate the marriage of their younger generation at this time as a political statement.
Of course, under this grand political premise, there were also complex reasons within the two families.
However, the world was not just Qi’s maneuver.
Not to mention Zhongxuan Sheng being forcibly taken into deep mountains for "special training" the day after the wedding, nor Yi Family’s second son Yi Huaimin being attacked by a mysterious person and forced to copy a volume of the "Agama Sutras" the day after the wedding. The Imperial City Inspection Mansion initially suspected the remnants of the Withering and Flourishing Temple, claiming to fully investigate but to no avail so far... freewebnøvel.com
All corners of the world, at every moment, have their own stories happening.
For example, in the extremely cold region of the Northwest, the closed-door policy of Snow Country, which lasted for several months, has ended.
This mysterious country, which has always remained aloof from worldly affairs and had little interaction with the outside world, recently produced a new True Monarch who calls himself the Winter Emperor!
The first battle of this Winter Emperor after proving his Yan Dao was to travel far to the homeland of Jingguo to challenge the Dragon Martial Great Commander Zhong Jing.
Jingguo is a Military Court Empire composed of Six Protectors and Seven Guards, where the army chief is also the king, personally controlling the Upper Protector Army and the Forward Protector Army among the Six Protector Armies, as well as the Yulin Guard among the Seven Guards.
The Dragon Martial Army is also among the Six Protectors, serving as the Lower Protector Army.
The political significance of the battle between the Winter Emperor and Zhong Jing far outweighed the battle itself.
The outcome of the battle is unknown to outsiders.
But Jingguo’s westward expansion campaign against the Northwest Five Countries Alliance came to an abrupt halt after devouring most of Gao Country and half of Liao Country.
Some say Snow Country, witnessing the threat at its borders, adopted the stance of not hesitating to join forces with the Northwest Five Countries Alliance to stand against Jingguo, using the momentum of having a new True Monarch, thereby stabilizing the Northwest situation.
Others say Jinguo, having absorbed the gains from its great victory over Mugu, secretly exerted influence.
Of course, the People of Jing Kingdom’s own saying is—"Minor punishment, great warning, this is the blessing of the lesser people."
They claim they are not enthusiastic about war, only stepping in to give a lesson due to the increasingly arrogant behavior of the Northwest Five Countries Alliance, based on the responsibility of maintaining peace in the Northwest.
Now that the lesson has been achieved, they can confidently retreat their troops.
Jingguo, having stopped here, did not suffer any losses. They took advantage of the major battle between Jing Shepherd and Mugu, launching a westward expansion war, almost carving out the land of a country from the Northwest Five Countries Alliance.
And the cost was minimal.
Compared to the influence lost by Jinguo in the Southern Territory, compared to the heavy losses suffered by Mugu being driven into the grassland, compared to Qi Country’s gamble with Jinguo risking national destruction... in this chaotic situation, Jingguo could very well be said to have obtained gains.
However, with Snow Country having a new Yan Dao expert, the Northwest Five Countries Alliance suffering heavy losses, and Jinguo pressing on the Northern Territory, the current situation in the Northwest is sure to change.
The upcoming period will be anything but peaceful in the northwest, depending on how all parties handle it.
As for Jiang Wang, who is focused on cultivation, the reason why he is aware of these global trends is that these days he accompanied Upper Minister Yu Liyang to participate in the imperial court meetings.
Yu Liyang attended the court meetings to represent the people of Xia Territory and communicate some governance issues regarding Xia Territory. Qi Country newly acquiring Xia Territory faces a severe shortage of manpower, and without annexing the surrounding countries along the way, it’s essentially managing a vast enclave, which naturally causes many issues.
The methods used by the People of Qi to govern Qi, when applied to Xia Territory, may not be effective.
The laws of Qi Country, if imposed rashly, might not be accepted by the people of Xia Territory... After all, local customs and traditions vary.
Changing customs requires a long period.
At such times, Yu Liyang’s importance is beyond doubt. He can best represent the demands of the Xia people and liaise with Qi Court officials to address various issues individually. At the same time, he can ensure the efficient implementation of Qi Court’s policies in Xia Territory.
During the era of divine martial arts, he was the pride of Summer Country. After the era ended, he served as the political link between Qi and Xia territories.
As for Jiang Wang, who seldom ventures out, only focusing on cultivation, his participation in the court meetings... it was purely because the Son of Heaven named him.
One day, the Son of Heaven looked around and said, "Where is Marquis Wu’an? Where is Marquis Champion? Are they not concerned about the state affairs?"
Court officials couldn’t answer.
The next day Jiang Wang and Zhongxuan Zun rushed to attend the court.
Zhongxuan Zun even hurried back from some deep mountain forest and would roll up his sleeves and hurry back every day after the court...
Sometimes Jiang Wang would follow along to observe.
Observing various confrontations and applications of the Monster Art, understanding the mysteries of Dao Technique, made him feel quite good.
The only regret was... Zhongxuan Sheng stubbornly refused to accept assistance.
Jiang Wang and Zhongxuan Zun both have the qualification to cultivate with the help of national power, but this qualification originates from their "titles", not their "positions".
So, theoretically speaking, they don’t have to attend the court meetings at all. They don’t have any specific work to do and have no intention of wielding power. Their own great strength is everything.
