Entering the court without haste, not announced when paying respects, with sword and shoes ascending the hall.
Establishing an office, equivalent to Three Ministers.
Commanding the World’s Army and Horses, Grand Marshal.
Honored, Heavenly Strategy General!
The ancients said, if it does not chirp, it remains silent; but once it chirps, it startles everyone. If it does not fly, it stays grounded; but once it flies, it soars into the heavens. Ji Daochun thought these were but exaggerations found in history books—within the palace, among the royal family, a young Emperor is raised. Every gesture is watched by the royal family.
Because he is young, he has no one to trust.
Because he is young, he is not taught the broad-mindedness of an Emperor or the boldness of a hero.
Governing the world is like cooking delicate fish.
Governing the Emperor is no different.
Such an Emperor, nominally the lord of the world, is truly just a puppet put forth by the royal family. Strong are the family, not the Emperor himself. He had experienced three Emperors, yet he had never, never been so caught off guard!
Such a heroic transformation!
Like the transformation of a dragon, seizing the opportunity, Ji Zichang represents Li Guanyi’s momentum, but isn’t Marquis Qin Wu, who rose from obscurity and maneuvered through Jiangnan, also Ji Zichang’s momentum?
The series of titles announced had already made the name Marquis Qin Wu a powerful force in the whole Central State Court. The entire court was plunged into a deathly silence, whether aristocrats or royal relatives, all were momentarily silent.
Their hearts seemed clenched tight.
They were oppressed by the stirring atmospheric pressure, unable to speak.
Ji Zichang remained the Great Emperor. He might not be able to mobilize all the troops in Central State, or make aristocratic families wholeheartedly follow his commands, but he was still the lord of this world. He still could grant that name.
The aristocratic families of Central State did not accept it, nor did the royal family.
But still, the people of the world would recognize this title.
Would you obstruct what stands before the momentum of the world and the eight hundred years of prestige of the Red Emperor?
Suddenly, Ji Daochun stepped forward and said, "It cannot be, Your Majesty!"
He was very old now, his generation even higher than Ji Yanzhong, who had reached the Grandmaster realm in Inner Strength and whose real Martial Arts skills were not inferior to the top ten Grandmasters.
However, Ji Yanzhong, this generous elder, was solely devoted to martial cultivation, serving as the protector of the Chi Xiao Sword, ensuring it did not fall into the hands of these clans and become a tool for their misconduct.
Raised to the rank of Marquis, he held an extremely high position within the royal family.
Promoted to Grandmaster and Grand Tutor.
It may be said he was the leader among civil servants. Even figures like Jiang Wanxiang and Chen Dingye, when they met him, would greet him with a smile and respectfully call him "Old Grand Duke." At this moment, this leading figure within the current clans stepped forward, leaning on his dragon-headed cane, knelt down, and said:
"It must not be, absolutely not."
"Originally conferring him the title of Marquis Qin Wu was already taboo for Your Majesty. Born of commoners, even with Military Merit, how could he be raised to the rank of Marquis all at once?"
"How many generals have fought wars for the nation without receiving this title."
"But you are His Majesty, the Emperor, I must not speak too much as an old servant, yet, such an honor, cannot be given to him!"
What obsessed the royal family was not the supposed Heavenly Strategy General title or the Heavenly Strategy Mansion Star, just a celestial star. A mere General’s title counts for little.
Nor was it the earlier honors of walking into the palace with sword and shoes.
They thought they could easily possess such authority and honor.
It was the treatment in between, "Establishing an office, equivalent to Three Ministers."
Or to say, the words "establishing an office."
The phrase "equivalent to Three Ministers" meant that Li Guanyi’s position and treatment were directly comparable to the Three Ministers.
And "establishing an office" meant that Li Guanyi personally had the qualification to establish his own office and select his staff—Military Advisor, Historian, Cheng, Chief Clerk, Deputy General, all ranked like court officials, and this office existed around Li Guanyi.
Just like Jiangnan Eighteen States, where Yan Daiqing served as the Prefecture Governor.
But if Li Guanyi lost control of this region, the so-called State Mansion too would disappear, but once Li Guanyi had the qualifications to establish an office, he could directly select talents as his own staff, Military Advisor, Historian, and these people would be accountable only to him.
Like a small court of its own.
This time, it represented Ji Zichang directly elevating Li Guanyi’s authority to the highest level.
For the clan holding the world.
This kind of treatment and change in mechanism was far more terrifying than sword and shoes entering the palace, entering the court without tribute. It represented their absolute loss of control.
"Please reconsider, Your Majesty, please reconsider!
This elderly royal family member prostrated himself on the ground, tears streaming down his face, immensely sincere.
His tears were genuinely sad.
Because his own interests had suffered tremendous damage.
One by one the civil and military officials prostrated themselves.
As they bowed down, their wide court dress sleeves billowed out. Li Guanyi stood there, looking at Ji Zichang sitting on the throne, thinking that from his point of view looking down, these sequentially billowing officials’ sleeves, did they seem like waves rolling toward him?
Ji Daochun thought that Ji Zichang would relent.
But this time the king merely looked down and said lightly:
"Oh? You have reasons, let’s hear them."
Ji Daochun’s heart sank slightly, he lifted his pupils, his gaze rising from the Qilin pattern on the court dress beside him. Marquis Qin Wu’s gaze fell, serene and indifferent. At that moment, Ji Daochun felt as though he had been wounded by something sharp hidden within that gaze.
Was it the sharpness of youth, or the indifference of a hero?
The most uninteresting yet most intense event on the court was about to begin.
Inside the Primary Capital of Central State, the sunshine was warm and soothing, having moved past the hottest period of high summer. When the wind blew, it brought a refreshing feeling. Jiang Wanxiang quietly watched the sky, leisurely and composed.