Chapter 448 383: The Real Plan! The Grand Ancestral Temple

Imperial Capital, before the Grand Ancestral Temple.

The numerous officials from the Ministry of Rites looked at each other, whispering amongst themselves. Many faces were filled with resentment and anguish. Others clenched their fists, as if they had already made a decision...

"This... This! What has this become?"

"From beginning to end... it's all been... The Emperor hasn't even met with us!"

"...What Emperor? I refuse to acknowledge him! He's nothing but a usurper."

"You bastard, he's been acknowledged by the Great Goddess Nuwa! Although..."

"Saying that, are you trying to side with the new Emperor? Heh, Daqian has nurtured its scholars for two hundred years, only to produce a bunch of things like you?"

"You can die! You can die right now! What are you shouting for?"

"Fine... If that rebel chieftain shows up, I'll smash my head against this altar and die! I'd like to see how he plans to continue this sacrificial ceremony then."

"If you were really going to do it, would you be announcing it?"

The officials' minds were in a state of chaos, and they even began attacking each other verbally.

If this had been a conventional war for the throne, where both sides were mortal enemies, then what would happen when the enemy breached the city walls would go without saying—

The spineless officials would kneel, beg for mercy, and surrender... The stalwart ones would organize resistance, and if that failed, they would simply die...

However, this was clearly completely different from the two changes of dynasty they had experienced in the past.

Compared to the previous two times, this was like 'Heaven Itself' had personally descended to help this mysterious new master—who had yet to even show his face—conquer the world!

For them, who were well-read in history and the classics, it was as if their worldview and outlook on life had collapsed all at once.

Unlike the Military Generals and Nobility, who were simple-minded—fight if you don't submit, and if you die, you die—these scholars thought far too much...

Suddenly, a faint humming sound arose.

The officials abruptly fell silent. They looked up and saw a fleet of drones.

"Now, commencing broadcast!" A calm voice emanated from the drones. It was Dream Language. It was the voice of Nuwa.

"Currently, broadcast has been successfully established to all one hundred and ten thousand of Daqian's Ancient Relic television sets..."

"Broadcast established to all three hundred and twenty thousand of Daqian's Ancient Relic mobile phones!"

The assembled officials: "!!!"

Their expressions changed drastically.

The man leading them, a thin man with a calm but pale face wearing a formal hat, took out his phone. He turned it on and truly saw it... The light screen projected by the phone was indeed showing the scene of the current ceremony...

"...How can this be?" the man murmured. He never knew these Ancient Relics had such a function.

Wait! A thought struck him. 'So, they're using this live broadcast to deter any potential... assassinations of the new Emperor by Transcendents?'

The man's brow furrowed... but he quickly denied this idea in his heart. 'Perhaps the official Transcendents, specially educated within the government system, would choose to remain silent in this situation... But what about the others? What about the Cult Influences?'

It had to be known that ever since the Imperial Capital was attacked and fell, the entire city had not known a moment of peace.

The officials—or more accurately, the former dynasty's Transcendents—had been desperately suppressing various Cult Influences. But this suppression was already becoming extremely strained!

Compared to the previous period of stability, all the official Transcendents were now asking themselves one question. Why should they continue to fight the Cult Influences?

'To protect the so-called people? But for all we know, the new Emperor might conduct a great purge against them as soon as he takes the throne...'

The official Transcendents had never considered that Chu Bamboo actually had very little Extraordinary Influence under his command... or that this new Emperor might choose to absorb them directly...

On one hand, their loyalty to the former Heavenly Monarch prevented them from doing so—or rather, even if some wanted to surrender, the thought hadn't yet spread because Chu Bamboo had conquered too quickly!

On the other hand, they suspected that the Extraordinary Influence in his hands was far beyond imagination... They even felt that the reason he was able to conquer the realm so quickly was because he had no honor, violated the prohibitions, and used Extraordinary power!

Only they, the honest ones, were still obediently using mortal strength!

'He probably... used a backdoor with Nuwa!'

This filled them with sincere anger and resentment... Why couldn't they do it, but he could? Was it just because he was the so-called child of the Celestial Mandate?

Is that fair!!

On what grounds?!!

...

In the next breath, a piercing whine echoed.

An unmanned shuttle suddenly appeared above the Grand Ancestral Temple, landing at high speed.

"?!" The thin man narrowed his eyes, watching cautiously as a handsome young man stepped out. A faint smile touched the corners of his lips. He was dressed in casual clothes, yet he naturally possessed an exceptional air.

'?' the man pondered. 'Is he the pilot of this Ancient Relic? As expected of the new Emperor. Even his exclusive pilot is so extraordinary and distinguished.'

And then...

Hu Kaikang, dressed in a Cardinal's Robe, and Huo Qiming, wearing a Jinyiwei Fish Dragon Suit, descended with stiff expressions. They stood protectively behind Chu Bamboo.

The thin man: "..."

The many officials of the Ministry of Rites: "..."

Some of these Ministry of Rites officials even recognized Huo Qiming, their faces filled with disbelief.

"..." The Jinyi Guard who saw this scene via the live broadcast and recognized Huo Qiming... also frowned and fell into deep thought. 'Something feels wrong here, doesn't it?'

And finally, the upper-echelon figures across the land, who had just received the news and were still in a state of confusion as they watched the scene through numerous Ancient Relics: "...?"

...

「Celestial Capital.」

"...This is impossible?!" Ji Lan, who was hiding in a secret room, drinking his wine in silence, had his expression change drastically. He stared intently at Chu Bamboo, his lips trembling. "So young... He's so young! This... Just how old is he?"

"Wait a minute, is that really Mr. Zhu from Jinghai City... Impossible! That person isn't even seventeen yet, is he??"

In fact, back when the Celestial Capital fell, he had already mobilized the Transcendents under his command to start gathering intelligence—

At the very least, they now knew the new dynasty's Emperor was named Chu Bamboo. For them, having a name was enough!

Ultimately, this only meant that the world was Chu Bamboo's on the surface...

The intelligence agencies belonging to Daqian were still deeply rooted, operating beneath the surface.

Based on their limited intelligence, they suspected this new master was very likely a descendant of a certain Heavenly Monarch of the Great Chu, just like the Grand Ancestor Emperor...

His surname was even the national surname of the Great Chu!

Most likely, he wasn't a descendant from a side branch like the Grand Ancestor Emperor... but from the direct line!

Intelligence on Mr. Zhu had, of course, also been collected...

However, Ji Lan had dismissed it with a single glance.

He was too young!

But now... Ji Lan felt as if his face was being slapped repeatedly.