Chapter 1096: Chapter 1: Epic Calamity, A Marriage Alliance Reenacted in History?
"But I, Ji Tianyan, will leave my name in history, forever to be remembered!"
"Isn’t that much better than being a mere prince or becoming an insignificant Yin God?"
Zhao Xing laughed, "You are right."
"How about a toast with tea instead of wine?" King Heavenly Destiny raised his teacup.
"Sure."
The two clinked their cups.
After putting down the teacup, King Heavenly Destiny continued, "Three major projects are underway at the Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion."
"I can’t tell you about two of them, I’m not qualified for that."
"However, one of them is related to the Minister of Agriculture, and I must tell you."
Seeing King Heavenly Destiny’s solemnity, Zhao Xing also sat up straight, "Please speak."
"In the future, there will be a great catastrophe affecting the entire Xuanhuang Realm!"
"Whether it’s the Southern Barbarians, Japan, the Four Seas, the Nineteen States, or even the Pocket World, all will undergo drastic changes."
King Heavenly Destiny said gravely, "One-hundred-year climate changes will be everywhere, and thousand-year changes will no longer be rare."
"In many visions I’ve seen, there were images of life extinguished."
"The earth rolling, earth fire erupting, tsunamis surging..."
"In the face of this disaster, even the Minister of Agriculture Official cannot stop it."
Zhao Xing’s face showed a slight change, "Not even the future Grand Minister of Agriculture?"
King Heavenly Destiny mused, "I don’t know."
"What do you mean?"
"Though it has appeared many times, indicating a high probability, I can’t see the people of the future clearly."
"I don’t know whether the future Grand Minister of Agriculture will stop it or not, we can’t predict that."
"Therefore, this deduction is still ongoing and will remain one of the main directions of the Great Zhou Fate Officer deductions."
"Why are you telling me?" Zhao Xing asked.
"I saw you," King Heavenly Destiny said, "I saw your figure."
"You aren’t saying that I stopped the disaster, are you?" Zhao Xing’s expression was a bit surprised.
"No, it’s unstoppable," King Heavenly Destiny replied, "In many of the deductions, the disaster has already occurred without any indication of defense against it."
"I saw you, but I don’t know what you did, nor do I know if you are the key to saving it," King Heavenly Destiny said, "I even only saw your back."
"Saw just the back... How can you be sure it’s me," Zhao Xing said, understanding a bit of the divination skill, which doesn’t fit the basic laws of fate divination.
"Intuition," King Heavenly Destiny smiled, "Just consider it as the Fate Officer taking precautions, whether it’s you or not doesn’t matter... If it really is you, telling you in advance is certainly better."
"I understand," Zhao Xing nodded. "Do you have anything else to say?"
"Nothing more, the other two matters I have no right to tell you, unless His Majesty allows."
Zhao Xing nodded. Fate Officers are not among the hundred officials, even the Grand Minister of Agriculture has no right to know their matters, only serving the Emperor.
"Oh, a personal matter," King Heavenly Destiny said. "Luo Hou, that rascal, still owes me several Seventh-rank Divine Weapons, I feel he’s trying to slip away, help me collect the debt in the future."
"You really are joking."
"Hahaha." King Heavenly Destiny laughed heartily. "Alright, lad, let me give you a divination."
"What aspect will you divine?"
"Your future," King Heavenly Destiny pretended to calculate with his fingers, "Within a hundred years, you will become the Grand Minister of Agriculture!"
"What’s with using a teacup for divination?"
"Hahaha."
The 47th year of Yongzhi, Qingming.
The First-Rank Official, Ji Tianyan, passed away.
The funeral was held very discreetly, with few people knowing.
...
Spirit Ruins Blessed Land, Qitian Mountain Peak.
Amid the small mound wrapped in stones and snowflakes, a sigh was heard.
"King Heavenly Destiny is gone too."
"What he told me, must be the Primordial Qi Tide to happen in the future."
"The Fate Officer has two more major projects to deduce? That I’m not aware of, but one of them is definitely related to the Southern Barbarians War, what about the other?"
"Nevermind, I’ll know when I need to." Zhao Xing’s thoughts calmed from activity.
Ever since Qitian Mountain reached a height of ten thousand meters, his thoughts also became more profound.
The height of Qitian Peak has not changed, but its size is expanding.
For many consecutive years, precious earth attribute resources have been invested.
The fate is like a mountain; Zhao Xing continuously expands the limit of the Heavenly Fate Realm through such accumulation.
When his thoughts become active once again, it’s already the 56th year of Yongzhi.
"Another decade has passed."
Zhao Xing stands by the lake, feeling somewhat bewildered.
Since last year, Emperor Wu has left the Princess Mansion.
Thus, he often finds himself daydreaming by Heavenly Horse Lake.
Occasionally, a Heavenly Horse passes by Zhao Xing, without any fear, even coming to rub against him.
Because Zhao Xing emanates a very close, natural aura.
In May, Chen Shijie and Xia Jing visit the Spirit Ruins Blessed Land.
Nowadays, these two also gradually find time, as they have entered the Third-rank Realm this year.
According to convention, they have a relatively long vacation to consolidate their Primordial Soul Realm cultivation.
But upon seeing Zhao Xing’s true self in this state, they leave again.
...
In early July, Zhao Xing feels a loosening at the bottleneck.
But at the same time, he learns of bad news.
"The envoy of the Southern Barbarian Holy Light Royal Court enters the capital, wishing for the Crown Prince of the Holy Light Royal Court to marry the Empress, to establish a peace treaty, and is willing to regard Great Zhou as the suzerain state."
"Princess, the princess has been betrothed!"
Liu Wanliang’s anxious voice appears in Zhao Xing’s ear.
Zhao Xing, who is staring blankly at the lake surface, turns his head, his expression gradually coming to life.
"I know."
Zhao Xing calmly nods. "Liu Sicheng, please go to the capital to inform the princess that both my teacher and I will be aware of this matter."
Liu Wanliang gazes at Zhao Xing for a moment, then sighs: "You better hurry."
After Liu Wanliang leaves, Zhao Xing closes his eyes.
"History repeats itself, Princess You Ruo is still being betrothed."
"I have warned her many times, why doesn’t she listen?"
Zhao Xing sighs.
"Emperor Jing doesn’t even spare his brothers, how could he tolerate the existence of a princess who controls the East Sea shipping routes, can command the Daoist Academy, possesses numerous high-ranking Water Clan warriors, and is wealthy enough to rival a nation?"
"Truly the clarity of an observer, the confusion of a participant." Zhao Xing thinks to himself.
Since the first year of Yongzhi, when Princess Ji Yingluo was born, Zhao Xing has seen clearly.
How could Emperor Jing change the era name for a princess, and immediately bestow titles upon her, showing greater favor than to Princess You Ruo?
"The birth mother of the Thousand-year-old Princess is nothing but a legitimate daughter from an ordinary Duke family."
"This already implies something."
"I advised the princess to set aside official duties and travel more, to hint at understanding Emperor Jing’s intentions and voluntarily surrender power; the maritime routes were secondary, primarily the authority over the Daoist Academy and Water Clan."
"Around the 40th year of Yongzhi, Emperor Jing also sent the young Emperor Wu over for her to tutor, this was to give her some protection."
"Because Emperor Jing had already poured all his strength into Emperor Wu, there was absolutely no contest for the throne among the nine dragons, Emperor Wu was the sole fate!"
"Thus, Emperor Wu learned faster than other princes, his talents fully meeting the standards of an emperor."
But can Zhao Xing talk about these things? He cannot.
How could a father openly reveal to take away the daughter’s power?
The dignity, Emperor Jing maintained, and the test was left.
How could outsiders speak up?
And make it so plain?
Wouldn’t that be interfering with royal matters and stirring father-daughter relations?
"The number of people promoting the Derivation God Decision is increasing, yet this matter remains undisclosed to Princess You Ruo."
"With the slightest action from Princess You Ruo, Emperor Jing goes along with it; the last thirty years of Yongzhi were a time of royal power transfer. Emperor Jing truly desires peace in these decades."
"Alas, this is not her test, can Liu Tianning and I remain unscathed?"
"I really admire you, Old Six!"
PS: A new volume has begun, and since the power went out for a bit this afternoon, plus preparing for a wedding banquet dinner, just over ten thousand words today, I will explode more tomorrow.