The scenery was enchantingly beautiful, multicolored clouds fluttering aloft.
Upon the high terrace on the islet, silhouettes gathered in abundance. The Master sat quietly in the seat of honor, while the cultivators of the Li clan were dressed in formal ceremonial robes. They had shed their daily attire painted with water patterns and moonlit hues, put away their weapons, unfastened the jade tallies from their waists, and stood aligned in proper hierarchy.
At the horizon, clouds coalesced and surged upward as a speck of golden light drove forth from afar. Li Suining focused his gaze. Leading the way were two jade horses, each carrying a rider clad in golden armor. From behind their armor rose tall banners with dark patterns, and in their hands they wielded dark-green banners embroidered with the white character "Song."
Behind them trailed more than a dozen ceremonial carriages glowing with golden luster, adorned with dark-sheened jade trappings in grand, magnificent splendor. Deep azure three-tiered parasols patterned in white and vivid crimson pennants trimmed with black waved aloft. On both flanks, streamers, parasols, halberds, and staves were held high. Spots of multicolored radiance sparkled, embodying wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, water, fire, wood, and earth—all marshaled in orderly ranks.
Li Suining lowered his brow, noticing Li Zhouda—standing a position ahead of him—scowling with glaring eyes. Unaccustomed to wearing flowing robes, the burly man had merely draped the cloth over the bronze bell at his waist, murmuring under his breath:
"What an extravagant display."
Li Suining knew well that Li Zhouda possessed a fierce and fiery temper. He thought nothing of the Song Emperor, and even less did he believe his family's king needed to be enfeoffed by that man. Li Zhouda hadn't just harbored such thoughts in his heart; in his past life, he had voiced them in private. Naturally, he looked upon this grand procession with utter disdain today.
Fortunately, everyone else present was capable of keeping him in line. With a sharp glare from Li Xuanxuan, the fellow sullenly shut his mouth. Li Suining turned his gaze to the other side.
Li Zhouming stood further ahead, already some distance from him. Tilting his head to gaze at the sky with a drowsy expression, he seemed half-asleep—until the jade horses, moving like living creatures, arrived at the edge of the sky, and a fair beauty in white disembarked ahead of the carriages. Only then did he perk up, sneaking glances her way.
‘Master Ning…’
Li Suining immediately lowered his gaze. Li Xuanxuan had already stepped forward ahead of Li Zhouwei to welcome her, respectfully stating:
"Greetings, Emissary!"
The old man's expression was as respectful and courteous as it had been a hundred years ago, when the Xiaguang cloud boat descended and the green-clad envoy indifferently disembarked.
Yet as the old man finished his greeting, Li Suining's emotions grew intensely complicated. Stealing a glance around, he saw his little uncle Li Jiangchun turn his face away to gaze across the waters of the islet. The other clan members flanking them wore varied expressions: Li Minggong maintained a polite, accompanying smile, Li Zhouming's smile faded, while Li Zhouda kept his head down, staring at the ground as if trying to bore flowers into the stone.
Her own expression complex, Ning Wan accepted the shimmering white celestial decree from an attendant at her side. Holding it between both hands without unfurling it, she even bowed her head slightly and presented it to Li Zhouwei as he came forward, reciting:
"The Emperor, inheriting the True Lineage, remembers the Li clan of the previous dynasty—celestial boughs of Mingyang, a lineage of noble blood, who yet suffered unjust eclipse… Minghuang has faithfully safeguarded Tingzhou of Jianghuai, serving as Our core pillar and strength… It is fitting that he receive fief and soil to establish his state. We hereby enfeoff him as Prince of Wei, granting exclusive command of military campaigns beyond the imperial domain…"
Her delicate brows dipped as her heart rose into her throat. Only after quite a while did the young man before her incline his head in courteous formality, offering a bow as he replied:
"Your subject has cast his lot in distant frontiers, long bathed in imperial grace. Hard-pressed to repay such exalted favor, I shall ever remain loyal and prudent."
His voice was calm yet potent, reverberating across the entire terrace. In an instant, the people across the platform dropped to their knees en masse with a rustle of garments. Whether the Great Song soldiers who had arrived riding the immortal radiance or the Li clan members waiting upon the terrace, all voiced in unison with deference:
"All hail the Prince of Wei!"
This cry shook the heavens, causing the golden pupils beneath Li Zhouwei's brow to flicker with a subtle light. The radiance across his entire being rolled relentlessly, his aura rising and dipping erratically. The divine ability within him flared with bright luster, yet appeared constrained by something, carrying a sense of struggle.
Though Li Zhouwei merely stood there, Ning Wan felt the light of the celestial decree in her hands dim abruptly, its weight turning so immense that it nearly slipped and fell to the ground. She immediately channeled her divine ability through both hands.
Crack!
The roller knobs at both ends of the celestial decree instantly groaned under intolerable strain, seemingly on the verge of shattering at any moment. The light pouring from it became scalding hot, searing a patch of Mingyang purple flame onto her fair arms, while a shrill cicada cry erupted on the right.
"Mm?"
The flame and cicada cry seemed almost an illusion, dancing before her eyes and ringing in her ears for just an instant. As Li Zhouwei took the scroll from her hands, every abnormality vanished. The celestial decree was merely somewhat dimmed in brilliance.
Yet the moment this scroll settled into the hands of the Prince of Wei, as though having gained some recognition, every disturbance dispersed, and it lay there quietly, once again glimmering with the radiance of True Qi.
Still, how could a Violet Abode cultivator suffer illusions? Reining in her shock, Ning Wan avoided looking too closely. In some awkwardness, she hurried to help up Li Xuanxuan beside her, glancing up at Li Zhouwei as she whispered:
"There is no need for such formality. Let us speak inside…"
Li Zhouwei turned slightly sideways and said, "Please!"
Ning Wan turned and signaled. In an instant, immortal simurghs descended one after another onto the terrace. Dismissing her attendants, she walked with Li Zhouwei toward the rear of the hall, bearing a somewhat melancholy air.
She was somewhat changed from the years when she had just emerged from seclusion—then cold as autumn, pure as white snow, unstained by dust. The years spent aiding tyranny and walking the razor's edge between life and death had cast a touch of gloom over her demeanor, yet with her delicate brows lightly knit, she remained a striking beauty.
Li Zhouwei invited her to be seated and said softly:
"Congratulations to Senior!"
How many undertones lay within this congratulation, Ning Wan could hardly tell, offering only a gentle sigh:
"The Prince of Wei is too courteous."
Li Zhouwei set down his cup and asked:
"How should I address the emissary?"
Ning Wan adopted a solemn expression and answered:
"I dare not claim the title of emissary; I am merely the mountain master of Qingchi and a Master of the Great Song's Office of Immortal Ceremonies."
She paused, drawing a token of authority from her sleeve. On one side was carved "Song" and on the other "Qingchi," glowing with the luster of True Qi:
"The imperial favor places supreme importance upon the Immortal Dao. Qingchi Sect is still permitted to carry on its lineage and cultivate within the mountains… I am the Sect Master of Qingchi as well as a Master of the Great Song's Office of Immortal Ceremonies; the two do not conflict…"
She turned her head slightly and called out:
"Send Chen Wenyao in."
Before long, a young man carried a tray into the hall. He knelt first before the threshold, then moved forward with lowered head and knelt once more before their seats, raising the golden tray above his head.
Ning Wan said softly:
"Prince of Wei, please look!"
Resting on the golden tray beneath a layer of white gauze-like light was a neatly folded feathered cloak. Each plume was distinct, uniform in length and color, the tip of every feather tinged with light purple. Under the daylight, dense and exceedingly precious dark-gold mystic patterns were revealed.
Merely resting upon the table, it emitted a marvelous prismatic display of True Qi before their eyes, sending forth waves of wondrous vibrations.
Ning Wan wore a solemn expression as she said gravely:
"This is the Zhengting Prince of Wei Cloak bestowed by the Imperial Family. Its surface is crafted from the True Qi treasure Divine Light White Silk, woven with threads of Tianli Red Gold, and tied with 1,872 long plumes of the Purple Qi winged beast, the purple mi oriole, forged at the expense of vast spiritual resources…
"It is said that Divine Light White Silk is renowned for enduring damage without destruction and dimming in luster without breaking. This princely cloak is further consecrated with diverse secret arts; unless shattered completely in a single stroke, it can repair itself over time! This is to wish the Prince of Wei invulnerability through a hundred battles and further advancement!"
She raised her tone, solemnly adding:
"Among all the kings, it is the most exalted, second only to the Emperor's Cloak!"
Regardless of its efficacy, the value of the spiritual materials used was undoubtedly among the very highest. What was more, this feathered cloak was crafted solidly; that astonishingly vast swath of Divine Light White Silk alone would have been enough to tailor three or four spiritual artifacts!
"Oh?"
Li Zhouwei's golden eyes flickered as his gaze rested on the cloak. Its texture was exquisite to the touch. He nodded:
"I should submit a memorial to express my gratitude."
As his words fell, the princely cloak began to tremble of its own accord. A fine, feather-like flame of light surged upward, as if preparing to bestow its blessing in response to his acknowledgment, yet Li Zhouwei pressed it down, keeping it motionless. Ning Wan remarked:
"In the path of True Qi, tokens and immortal thrones are not considered the most venerable. The highest honor belongs to feather adornments, and among them, the feathered cloak is supreme. The Zhengting Prince of Wei Cloak serves as the token of the Prince of Wei, granting the privileges of an imperial escort and being addressed without personal name during court audiences."
With a lift of her delicate hand, the woman produced a small banner about the size of a palm. It had a bluish-purple ground with black-gold patterns, inscribed with the words "Prince of Wei of the Great Song."
Ning Wan said:
"This is the Xiuwu Tingzhou Prince of Wei Banner. Erected in the Great Void, it can quell the disasters of wind and fire, evil spirits, and barbarians across an entire region, drawing together the True Qi of heaven and earth to benefit the cultivation of younger generations."
Li Zhouwei picked up the spiritual artifact at leisure to examine it. Its wonders were far inferior to those of the Zhengting Prince of Wei Cloak, functioning primarily to dredge spiritual veins, nurture the spiritual energy of a territory, and provide some protective warding.
‘The only aspect worth noting is that it can be planted in the Great Void… When armies campaign abroad, raising this item across the void allows one to sense if a Violet Abode master descends or spies upon them.’
This was clearly refined for campaigning in the north. Taking a sip of tea, Li Zhouwei quickly understood the Song court's intentions, and asked casually:
"What matters does the Office of Immortal Ceremonies oversee? Which sects and clans are included?"
Ning Wan lowered her voice:
"The Song court possesses Three Halls and Six Offices. At present, the Six Offices have been established to govern the affairs of state, but the Three Halls have not yet been brought into use… It is said that the highest is the Purple Gold Hall, which will admit only a select few; those who enter will receive immense benefits.
"As for the Office of Immortal Ceremonies… it oversees very little. Its main purpose is to regulate the sects, yet in the State of Yue today, there are hardly any sects left to speak of. It is mainly Qingchi, Xueji, and Wanyu… along with various small temples and courtyards of varying sizes…"
"Wanyu?" Li Zhouwei asked.
Ning Wan replied:
"Yang Ruiyi… went to the Sword Sect. The Sword Sect will lead its inner disciples and Foundation Establishment cultivators to continue sealing the mountain, while the outer sect will gather at Taijian Crossing to preserve the Sword Sect's foundations and heed the directives of the Office of Immortal Ceremonies.
"Forgive me for speaking further… among those at Taijian Crossing, there are bound to be Cheng clan members… Many have already headed south. To my eyes, they harbor ambitions of seeking official posts."
Her expression grew somewhat intricate as she answered:
"It is hard to say! The Sword Sect built its reputation on moral virtue, and the Cheng clan has always championed moral virtue, preaching reclusion and cultivation while paying no mind to the affairs south of the river. Now, entering the palace to seek office and govern territories is suddenly regarded as virtuous as well. It seems… the Cheng clan is the one that disregards the rules most of all."
Though Ning Wan had said it was hard to speak of, she was now among the boldest speakers within the Sun lineage. Her expression gradually settled into calm, and she let out a sigh:
"It is a pity for Senior Ling Mei… That the Sword Sect yielded Jingchuan Commandery so readily was driven by the sect elders arguing that the ancient arts and moral virtue opposed entering the mortal world to rule. Now, seeing so many Cheng clan members leaving the mountain, who knows what he must be thinking."
Li Zhouwei had received kindness from Ling Mei that remained yet unpaid, so he refrained from commenting on the matter, merely nodding in silence. Pausing briefly, Ning Wan swiftly steered the conversation elsewhere:
"His Majesty places paramount importance upon the Prince, regarding you as his right hand. My visit today was first to carry out the enfeoffment ceremony, and second, to deliver the decree on the fiefdoms.
"With the founding of the new dynasty, the lands of Yue have been divided into six provinces and thirty-two commanderies: Lake Wangyue as Tingzhou, Xunlin Plain as Xunzhou, Cangwu and Helin as Hezhou, the Hengdong Plain as Hengzhou, the Simin and Jiachuan region as Minzhou, and the Lixia mountains as Lizhou.
"The former territories belonging to Xueji, Ziyan, Wanyu, and Xiukui have been established as commanderies rather than provinces… There are twelve such commanderies, mostly retaining their former names."
The woman blinked and added:
"After all… most of those names were established by King Yue in the past. Adopting the old institutions now, whatever changes occurred merely restored the original names."
Li Zhouwei raised a brow and asked:
"How have the various commanderies been enfeoffed?"
Ning Wan answered without much hesitation:
"The Great Song has enfeoffed three kings: first, the Prince of Wei of the Li clan; second, the Prince of Yuyang of the Chen clan; and third, the Prince of Nanjia of the Lingu clan… The remaining titles of nobility… are not worth mentioning!"
She hesitated for a moment before adding:
"In truth, there is also a protectorate named the Jinghai Protectorate, situated in the old lands of Shahuang overlooking Shitang, garrisoned by Protector Liu."
The Protector Liu she spoke of was naturally Master Zhusheng. This caused Li Zhouwei to raise his eyebrows slightly and set down his cup:
‘It is hardly surprising; Sui Guan coordinated this long ago… After all, Master Zhusheng is an imperial scion as well, a descendant of the State of Chu. Even Xiao Wu's legitimate line came from Chu, so they naturally could not bypass him. Add to that Shitang's vital position… establishing such a protectorate was inevitable.’
‘As for figures like Sima Yuanli and Yang Ruiyi, they are truly the Great Song's own confidants, so enfeoffing them as kings was out of the question.’
Ning Wan looked at him and continued:
"Among the six provinces, only Tingzhou has been enfeoffed to a king, belonging to Wei. Its borders were demarcated by your Li Jiangliang. The other kings hold only the territory of a single commandery and cannot claim an entire province…
"Your noble house residing in Tingzhou sees little change, but the Chen clan's fief has been reduced most drastically—cut by more than half, leaving them only a commandery seat… The Lingu clan fared somewhat better, reduced by only ten to twenty percent.
"As for the rest… most commanderies in Minzhou belong directly to the state, with only a small portion granted as fiefs… I have examined the map of fiefdoms: past Mount Quanwu, the situation changes entirely… Clans stand side by side, and petty nobility is scattered everywhere, so numerous they are practically impossible to count."
Hearing this, Li Zhouwei glanced over the map she handed him and immediately understood:
‘A "province" is directly administered by the Great Song, formed from what were once the core territories of Qingchi, Hengzhu, and Changxiao, much like the main peak of Wangyue's manor; the lands beyond correspond to how the Li clan governs the wilderness…
‘The difference lies in the immense size of the State of Yue. The twelve commandery seats remain under Great Song control with officials appointed and dismissed by the court, while the territories outside the commandery seats can be lavishly enfeoffed to aristocratic clans, sending them forth to reclaim wild lands… The numbers are terrifyingly vast…’
Having cast a brief glance over the broader situation, he immediately shifted his focus to Tingzhou, finding its expanse considerably vast:
‘The northern border extends all the way to the riverbanks, and the south leans against the mountains—neither had reason to change. As for east to west, it begins from what is traditionally considered the eastern shore… stretches across Mount Xiping, the boundary between Wu and Yue, and even encompasses a small patch of the great desert…’
At the very least, Lake Wangyue as defined by the Song court was larger, not smaller, than the Li clan's current sphere of influence. The sole drawback was that the wilderness had been established as commanderies: Jiangjun Commandery to the west and Baoshan Commandery to the east.
‘Only the wilderness was cut.’
The wilderness of today was hardly a fine place anyway, scarred and battered by the turmoil wrought by the Dayu Dao. The actual loss was negligible, though many affiliated clans still had their foundations in the wilderness, making relocation troublesome.
Li Zhouwei nodded, his gaze lingering quietly on the topmost portion of the map.
The billowing river delineated by the black curve connected to the Salt Lake, and directly below the Salt Lake was Shanji Commandery. Upon this commandery seat, which had been lost for many years, a note was specially marked: belonging to the Great Song.
Seeing Li Zhouwei's focused gaze, Ning Wan followed his line of sight and immediately understood:
‘A nail planted by Zhixuan Pavilion. The Song Emperor cannot turn a blind eye to it; in the end, a massive war is inevitable…’
Chapter 1026