Volume One: The Sovereign's Command Chapter Ninety-Five: The Lofty Loyal Ministers

The towering Tianming Palace was already packed to capacity under the slanting moonlight. Everywhere, fully armored Iron Guards and generals clad in gleaming battle attire gathered in great numbers, standing on the long stone steps outside the palace gates, each seemingly hesitating as they awaited the next imperial decree.

Since the Qin King took over the Iron Dynasty, it had remained no different from when the previous emperor was alive. Orders and edicts were issued and enforced even more swiftly than before. Despite some warfare and unrest throughout the year, the economy remained relatively stable, and the people voiced few complaints—an achievement not easily attained.

The royal token he guarded was always carried close to his person. Only recently had he removed it and handed it over to another.

“What I protect is not this worthless scrap of metal, but the common folk of the Iron Dynasty’s domain—those subjects who have chosen the Liao family. I cannot betray them.”

The Qin King’s resolve far outmatched that of other members of the royal family. The Crown Prince’s power struggles and the Fourth Prince’s ambitions seemed mere child’s play, unworthy of his attention. Instead, he awaited the return of a youth from the Heavenly King’s Path, hoping this young man might teach the Liao clan a lesson.

The notion that surviving the trials of the Heavenly King’s Path would make one a rightful contender for the throne was nothing but nonsense. None of the elder generation present, including the Qin King and the Empress, believed it; it was only the younger generation who held such views.

One year was enough to stir the long-dormant waters, as uprisings and loyalist militias emerged from all corners, each baring their fangs to test the sharpness of their secret honing against others—who was stronger, who was weaker.

“Three hundred and fifty-eight years. A dynasty lasting so long must surely be on the brink of collapse,” the Qin King murmured, clad not in the elaborate robes of a civil official, but in golden silk armor, feeling safer in its protection.

He trusted neither eunuchs nor those without true courage. Standing beside him was a general whom he trusted implicitly.

“Gongcheng, how long have you served me?” the Qin King asked.

“Since I was eight, Your Majesty. I am now thirty-eight—thirty years in total,” the general respectfully replied.

“The Xun family is truly admirable. Such integrity and spirit—not only in Xishui Prefecture but also in Central Province.”

Most great families in Central Province relied heavily on the court and were swept up in the turbulent tides of official politics. The Xun family was the exception. After the Iron Dynasty established Baiyu Capital, step by step, they solidified their foothold in this precious land through the talents of their kin, building a clan numbering thousands.

The Xuans excelled in both literary and martial arts, each generation producing extraordinary talents capable of shaping the world, yet they remained reserved, their gifts seldom flaunted. Over the years, this had caught the Qin King’s attention.

Thanks to his tireless efforts, the Xun family’s presence grew in the court. The fierce General Xun Yong was among them, as was Xun Gongcheng, who stood by his side now.

“Your Majesty, I do not understand why you choose to hold court in such a precarious place. Surrounded by enemies on all sides, it is most disadvantageous for us,” Xun Gongcheng said with utmost respect. Having grown up beside the Qin King, he admired his strategy wholeheartedly.

There were clearly better choices. Baiyu Capital had become a hot potato, especially after a year of weakening the Qin King. Iron Guards were scattered throughout Central Province, fewer than fifty thousand in the capital, leaving them at a clear disadvantage against any force.

“If I were to simply leave, how would the people fare? The Nine Provinces are in chaos, and hostile powers surround us, ready to invade and ravage the land,” the Qin King said, hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the waning moon as he awaited someone’s arrival.

A figure in a Daoist robe hurriedly approached from beyond the Ninth Gate. Sweat drenched and breath ragged, he dashed up the stone steps and stood before the Qin King.

“Master Gongsun, you’re late. If dawn had come, I might have lost my head,” the Qin King finally smiled—a sincere, unguarded smile.

Gongsun Qi carried a full set of ritual instruments on his back. Leaving his secluded residence at night, he dared not ride, traveling on foot to arrive here only with great effort. “Your Majesty, you don’t know how heavy this spirit compass is—my waist almost gave out.”

Right before the Tianming Palace gate, Gongsun Qi set down a four-cornered square table and lit white candles from his bundle. Carefully arranging them according to the pattern, he dipped his brush in vermilion and painted a well-practiced formation diagram on the bluestone.

He took the royal token and placed it in the recessed center of the table, perfectly filling the slot. The eight-trigram compass instantly glowed, its radiant light illuminating the faces of the three men.

“The timing and direction are perfect. I ask again: Are you sure you want to proceed? Since the Iron Dynasty’s founding, no one has dared to try this. I speak only from theory—I have never put it into practice,” Gongsun Qi said gravely, filled with doubt about what was to come.

“Time is of the essence. This method alone can determine the fate of heaven and earth. Otherwise, I would have long since taken the Iron Guards and left. The Gongsun family has always guarded the royal token; I trust this time will be no different.”

The Qin King’s resolute gaze steeled Gongsun Qi’s resolve. He signaled for the others to stand back, not to disturb the ritual.

Baiyu Capital was built upon a dragon vein. For generations before the Iron Dynasty, many sought to unravel its mysteries, including the Liao ancestors, but none succeeded.

Yet Gongsun Qi’s ancestors discovered a method to temporarily awaken the dragon vein using the royal token. Within the dragon vein’s scope, the token’s bearer, when activated by this magic, would compel the dragon vein to choose the one blessed by fate.

Many times the late emperor had wished to use this technique to select an heir but hesitated, fearing the fortune might be stolen by another, which led to the current calamity.

The golden dragon spirit within the royal token was awakened by the compass formation, unleashing an unparalleled power that shook Baiyu Capital. A million sleeping citizens awoke in panic, rushing from their homes, anxiously scanning their surroundings.

A vivid topographical map appeared before Gongsun Qi. With closed eyes, he covered them with two leaves, chanting softly.

A crack formed between his brows as a third golden pupil suddenly appeared, spinning as it surveyed the map. The golden light roused what appeared to be a river, and a clear dragon’s roar thundered through the heavens.

“Twenty-third generation of the Gongsun family, Gongsun Qi, summon the dragon vein—select the one blessed by fate!”

His feet lifted from the ground without his noticing, floating midair. Opposite him, a golden dragon’s head gradually took shape, the waning moon marking the dragon’s eye.

Clearly, this was not the ideal time to summon the dragon vein; the moon was half-hidden, and the dragon’s gaze was only half-open. At Gongsun Qi’s command, the dragon raised its claw and pointed into the distance. The ground beneath Tianming Palace cracked inch by inch, golden light flowing like molten lava along the fissures toward the direction indicated.

The Qin King’s body relaxed instantly, sweat pouring down his face. The dragon vein had not chosen him but one of the besieging forces.

“Could it be the Fourth Prince, the Crown Prince, the Empress, or that young swordsman?” The Qin King’s mind raced, immediately planning the next moves for himself and the Iron Guards scattered across the capital.

But then the dragon’s head turned, approaching the Qin King closely. From its mouth, it spat out a round, gleaming golden pearl. The Qin King raised his hands to catch it; the pearl was warm and smooth.

Puzzled, the Qin King saw that Gongsun Qi remained in deep concentration, so he refrained from questioning and held the dragon pearl, awaiting the dragon vein’s will.

Only Gongsun Qi could understand the dragon’s roar, and he listened in stunned silence as a clear voice narrated: “The dragon spirit has departed with the destined one. Temporarily entrust the dragon pearl to your hands to govern the fate of the Nine Provinces. May you know this and treat all beings kindly.”

The voice faded with the golden light but lingered in Gongsun Qi’s ears. The Qin King and Gongsun Qi exchanged wide-eyed looks, leaving Xun Gongcheng utterly bewildered.

“What’s going on? The Qin King says nothing, and Master Gongsun remains silent—I’m anxious to know. Can you explain?” he asked.

The waning moon sank further, and the two men gradually emerged from their trance. Gongsun Qi beamed, exclaiming, “Congratulations, Your Majesty! The fate of the Nine Provinces lies in your hands!” He pointed to the pearl cradled in the Qin King’s palms. “This is the dragon pearl. The dragon vein chose the bearer of the royal token’s dragon spirit—the dragon pearl is the supreme treasure that holds fate’s mandate. It is entrusted to you. The dragon vein has chosen you!”

“What!” The Qin King was taken aback. He had expected the dragon vein to select some young successor, or at worst, the foreign-born youth—so long as the people were well cared for, the throne’s surname mattered little.

He never imagined the dragon vein would choose him. “I’m too old now to be emperor. Wouldn’t that only hinder the people?”

The dragon pearl seemed to sense his emotions. It transformed into a scorching stream and flew into his mouth. The Qin King fell backward, and his graying hair quickly turned black. His appearance visibly rejuvenated by at least twenty years.

As his eyes flickered, his body underwent a profound transformation. The dragon pearl sank into his dantian, infusing him with surging vitality and strength.

From the dragon head atop Tianming Palace, all within Baiyu Capital could see clearly. The oblivious citizens knelt and bowed their heads toward the dragon, witnessing a sacred and solemn scene. They believed divine blessings had descended and that the golden dragon’s appearance foretold a bountiful harvest in the coming year.

Meanwhile, riding swiftly toward Baiyu Capital, Liu Xiaoyi suddenly saw four golden lights streak toward him and enter his body. The heat surged into his sea of consciousness, and he bent low on his horse, struggling to steady his mind.

It was the golden dragon spirit! Since fusing with one-fifth of his shattered soul, he had felt incomplete and often experienced heart palpitations. As the four golden lights entwined with his soul, a profound sense of wholeness arose.

The little tiger in his arms poked out its head, its golden slit pupils glowing like Gongsun Qi’s third eye, and recited the dragon vein’s message to Liu Xiaoyi.

“The royal token is invalid. The fate belongs to the Qin King?”

Startled by the dragon’s words, Liu Xiaoyi realized that since the matter was settled, his approach with the army was merely to play along with the Qin King’s performance.

Determined, Liu Xiaoyi handed over the Green Huang Sword and immediately left with Yu Wenwan, never to return to the capital again.