The current ruler of Great Yan is a female emperor.
This matter is known to few. Only those close to the Yan Emperor and a very small number of important ministers in the palace are aware of it.
During the reign of the previous Emperor, the civil and military officials and the people of the realm only heard that the only imperial prince had been sent out of the palace since childhood, and no one had ever seen that prince.
Thus, no one knew what kind of life the young prince lived outside, nor did anyone know that the mysterious “prince” was actually a girl.
After the previous Emperor passed away, the young “prince” returned to the palace to inherit the throne. Under the assistance of the former National Preceptor and other trusted confidants of the previous Emperor, Great Yan developed steadily.
At that time, many people questioned whether this new monarch would become a puppet on the throne. Or rather, without the support of those trusted confidants, did she really have the ability to keep Great Yan prosperous forever?
The current Yan Emperor dispelled everyone’s doubts with facts.
As the trusted confidants who followed the previous Emperor each passed away from illness or old age, the Yan Emperor quickly promoted a new group of important civil and military ministers to power, and at the same time, widely recruited beauties from the realm into the palace to expand her harem.
To this day, aside from failing to bring the woman she most coveted into her harem, the Yan Emperor has made remarkable achievements both in domestic governance and in preventing the barbarians from making a comeback.
Although the Yan Emperor has never appeared in public, in fact, she has made many incognito visits.
Precisely because of that period of life outside, the Yan Emperor carries both royal nobility and a touch of worldly temperament.
Su Cheng had previously addressed the Yan Emperor as “old emperor” and claimed she wanted to break his “third leg” precisely because, like almost all subjects of Great Yan, she had never imagined that the current monarch was a female emperor.
And this also allowed her to never be recognized as the current monarch during her incognito visits.
Outside Anhuang Palace.
Imperial Guard Commander Xu Sichen wiped the corner of her mouth and walked out of the palace, just as she came face to face with an old man who was walking with his head slightly lowered and taking small rapid steps.
Just as the two passed each other, the other party spoke first:
“Commander Xu, please hold a moment.”
Xu Sichen stopped, turned around, and met the old man’s gaze.
That single look made Xu Sichen, as the Imperial Guard Commander, break out in a fine layer of sweat on her forehead.
“Cui Gonggong, what business do you have?” Xu Sichen asked.
Although the two had only met a few times, Xu Sichen knew that this Cui Gonggong before her was the only surviving old servant in the palace who had followed the previous Emperor.
Furthermore, Xu Sichen also knew that this Cui Gonggong was one of the super experts hidden in the palace. That brief eye contact just now had even put pressure on Xu Sichen, who was at the Grandmaster level.
“This old servant originally had an important matter to report to His Majesty, but seeing that Commander Xu appears to have just bathed His Majesty, it would be inconvenient to disturb His Majesty.”
Cui Gonggong bowed and said:
“So, could I ask Commander Xu to deliver a message for this old servant?”
Upon hearing this, Xu Sichen’s eyebrow twitched. ‘Could it be that the fragrance on my body was detected by Cui Gonggong?’
Recalling the scenes just now, Xu Sichen couldn’t help blushing, but she still pretended to be calm and replied:
“Cui Gonggong, please speak.”
“According to intelligence from Tianji Pavilion, the monster beast rampages in the various prefectures are gradually calming down, but there is one place that has recently become unstable.”
Cui Gonggong said.
“Which place is unstable, requiring a report to His Majesty?”
Xu Sichen was somewhat puzzled.
“What are the local prefects and those martial forces doing?”
“This matter really can’t be blamed on them. That place is a bit special.”
Cui Gonggong replied.
“What exactly is this place that is so special?”
Xu Sichen continued to ask.
“That place is the ‘River of Forgetfulness’.”
Cui Gonggong answered, a profound meaning suddenly showing in his eyes.
Xu Sichen also couldn’t help gulping, and asked nervously:
“Cui Gonggong, is this true?”
“This old servant also confirmed the news with Tianji Pavilion repeatedly before preparing to report it to His Majesty.”
Cui Gonggong nodded slightly.
“This… this is really bad…”
Sweat kept forming on Xu Sichen’s forehead, and she began to pace back and forth nervously.
The meaning contained in the five words “the River of Forgetfulness is unstable” was known only to a few.
The previous generation’s Sword Pavilion Master touched the “Forbidden Land”, absorbed the power of the “Wuxiang Demonic Art”, and fell into demonic corruption, stirring up a bloody storm between heaven and earth.
A large number of palace experts who had followed the previous Emperor engaged in a shocking great battle with the demonized former Sword Pavilion Master to stop him.
For a full ten days and ten nights, the two sides fought until the sky and earth went dark, and only then did they finally kill the demonized former Pavilion Master.
The Great Yan imperial family also paid a heavy price for this.
Besides those who died in battle, the remaining surviving experts were eroded by the power of the “Wuxiang Demonic Art” and fell ill. Many died not long after the battle ended.
Those who had made great contributions and died gloriously for Great Yan should have been buried in the Great Yan Imperial Mausoleum.
However, after they were buried, incidents of evil spirits haunting the capital occurred frequently, as if the resentment of those experts was hard to dissipate.
To let them find peace, the Great Yan imperial family had to move their remains out of the imperial mausoleum and bury them in the “River of Forgetfulness”.
The “River of Forgetfulness” should have been an extremely yin place, with blood-yellow river water teeming with snakes and insects, burying countless lonely ghosts that could not be reincarnated.
But ever since a Ferryman appeared, the “River of Forgetfulness” became different from before.
That Ferryman maintains the balance between the mortal world and the Nether Capital, not only allowing all souls with lingering resentment after death to find peace there, but also suppressing some restless evil ghosts and fierce spirits that constantly think of causing chaos in the human world.
Since Tianji Pavilion reported that the “River of Forgetfulness” is unstable, it must mean that one of the balance points has been broken by some force.
If the impact is small, it just means some ghostly disturbances in the surrounding areas.
But if the impact is large, it will not only cause an imbalance between yin and yang, but may also allow those suppressed evil spirits to break free, bringing immeasurable disaster and harm to the human world!
“But… after the last ‘riot’, the ‘River of Forgetfulness’ has maintained nearly thirty years of stability. How could something suddenly happen?”
Xu Sichen was utterly baffled.
“According to Tianji Pavilion’s statement, it is speculated to be affected by the monster beast rampage.”
Cui Gonggong answered.
“Can that ‘Ferryman’ resolve this ‘instability’?”
Xu Sichen asked.
“This old servant cannot be certain.”
Cui Gonggong shook his head.
“However, I heard that Daoist Fang from Celestial Purity Temple is preparing to take people to investigate. As for whether to send reinforcements, that depends on His Majesty’s later decision.”
Xu Sichen was delighted upon hearing this.
“Daoist Fang? Is that Daoist Fang Tianhai? He has come out of seclusion?”
Daoist Fang Tianhai is a great power in exorcising demons and catching ghosts. During times of peace, he had been in seclusion for many years.
Even Fang Tianhai has come out of seclusion. The “unstable” state of the “River of Forgetfulness” should presumably be properly calmed, right?