NOVPUBZhao Pu was well aware of the current state of the army, which could be said to be riddled with holes and in dire need of repair, since the fear of the civil officials had resulted in the removal of all mid-level military officers. Even the arrival of a renowned general would hardly be able to rally troops' spirits in a short amount of time.
"I am fully aware of General Xu's predicament, so I am prepared to do a few things to ease the general's mind," Zhao Pu said with a slight smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
"Issue an edict that I pardon the entire army's transgressions, granting them the opportunity to redeem themselves through meritorious deeds and stabilizing the troops. As long as they can repel the external enemies, I will not hold their past errors against them."
As soon as this statement was made, countless people suddenly raised their heads, and several ministers even jumped out and shouted, "Your Majesty, you must not do this! These people all harbor treacherous thoughts. If they are released, we may end up in chaos before the rebels even attack."
"My mind is made up. If any official is unwilling, then they may take their families and defend the city. Otherwise, they should keep their mouths shut," Zhao Pu sternly surveyed the assembly, and the crowd immediately felt an invisible pressure.
It was the will of the monarchy, enduring through a thousand years, and at this moment, they could no longer underestimate the young sovereign before them. They had assumed that this new emperor, who had never received imperial education, would be weak and easily bullied, but they had not expected such sharp retaliation when the time came.
The ministers who came out to protest were indeed acting out of public interest, but mostly because they were the ones who advocated for a purge of the military, and they feared retaliation from those released from prison.
It wasn't that no one had thought of this solution, but who would be willing to offend the deeply entrenched official families to save some commoners? Consequently, the high-ranking ministers of the court pretended to be deaf and dumb, as if they had lost their wits.
But when Zhao Pu proposed it, they could no longer object, and they could feel the resolve contained within his seemingly slender frame was not something they could easily change. Thus, these people were likely grateful to the new emperor and even willing to die for him; Zhao Pu had managed to grasp control of the troops without a sound.
The Prime Minister looked up at Zhao Pu's somewhat youthful face, thinking to himself, "Everyone thought he was just a sheep, but who knew he was a tiger in disguise. It seems that the days ahead will be tough."
With schadenfreude, he glanced around at the others, noticing that each of them wore an ugly expression, wanting to jump out in opposition but stopping themselves out of timidity.
"After all, I am about to retire, so let them deal with this young sovereign in the coming days!"
Chen Xiang had no interest in the changes at court; by that point, he had already reached the top of the city walls and stared blankly at the dense crowd not far away.
Who would have thought that the usually submissive populace would begin to revolt? Years of oppression, fueled by faith, had finally led to the current situation. A single spark can start a prairie fire, but the ferocity of this blaze exceeded the initiators' expectations.
"Big brother, what should we do now? We aren't really going to attack the Capital City, are we?" The protector of the Sect was downcast. He wasn't foolish; he knew that with the strength of the Imperial Court's army and the robust walls of the Capital City, even with their superior numbers, they could not break through.
If they failed, it wasn't certain what would happen to others, but they would surely not escape death.
"How should I know? Right now, these people are just a bunch of lunatics; all they probably think about is how to spread the glory of the Lifeless Old Mother across the whole world," the Sect Hierarch of the Lifeless Cult lamented. Even he found himself riding a tiger unable to dismount—helpless in the face of his disciples, who he could no longer influence after they had been brainwashed by their faith.
"Anyway, it's all the Holy Maiden's doing; let's see how she's going to end this. We should keep a low profile for the next few days. Prepare a few outfits in secret, and if things go south, we'll make a run for it," he pondered and then suggested.
After discussing their response, they hurried off to make preparations, unaware that the Rakshasa Princess had witnessed their every move.
"What a bunch of pusillanimous fools; scared witless by such a minor scene," she sneered with contempt.
But thinking about those fanatics made her frown uncontrollably. Their zeal was unusually fervent, and the Rakshasa Princess understood that it was probably the result of the Lifeless Old Mother casting her gaze upon them.
As for these people, she had no solution. It seemed they had already become lunatics, solely dedicated to spreading the glory of the Lifeless Old Mother. If she were to hinder them, she was afraid she'd be the first one they'd eliminate—the Holy Maiden herself.
"What a headache. If it comes to it, just let them rush to their deaths," the Rakshasa Princess murmured as she massaged her forehead. As for offending the mysterious Lifeless Old Mother, the Rakshasa Princess wasn't too worried—that entity wouldn't bother with a minor character like her.
Atop the city wall, Chen Xiang frowned, sensing a strange force amidst the dense crowd that filled him with revulsion.
"The Lifeless Cult seems to have quite the secret!" Chen Xiang mused to himself. He didn't know where this feeling came from—a natural repulsion of the soul, or perhaps a deep-rooted loathing in his blood.
Meanwhile, Xu Fu, who had taken advantage of a loophole to enter the First Emperor's Mausoleum, also faced a dilemma. Gazing upon the Terracotta Warriors stretching as far as the eye could see, his gaze shimmered with admiration for such a daunting scale, something only an Emperor with grand aspirations could have commissioned.
But what made him frown was that these Terracotta Warriors were no ordinary accompaniments to the dead; they were crafted by Qi Cultivators and carried the souls and spirits of the soldiers who had been fiercely loyal to the First Emperor.
After a thousand years, it was anyone's guess what these souls and spirits had turned into, considering back then the First Emperor had fought both the Heavenly Soldiers and the Heavenly Generals to a standstill with their help.
Xu Fu cautiously took a step forward, his faint footstep echoing eerily in the silent mausoleum. Suddenly, the quiet Terracotta Warriors abruptly opened their eyes, their countless gazes fixated on Xu Fu, putting immense pressure on him.
"Who dares to disturb His Majesty's eternal slumber shall be killed without mercy!" a resounding voice announced, as a towering Terracotta Warrior stood atop a formidable chariot. The mighty voice echoed through the mausoleum, and a surge of murderous intent emerged from the Terracotta Warrior, solidifying into a White Tiger in the void.
Looking at him, Xu Fu seemed to see a Sea of Blood and felt the killing aura that made him tremble in fear. He exhaled softly and murmured a name: "Lord Wu'an!"
He did not expect that Lord Wu'an's soul and spirit would be housed in the Terracotta Warriors, forever accompanying the once great Emperor. With this God of Slaughter as the guardian, the journey into the mausoleum just became much more difficult.
