newbobooks Chapter 254: New Chapter in the Palace and Ripples in the Jianghu
Chapter 254: New Chapter in the Palace and Ripples in the Jianghu
Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting stood in the magnificent hall of the palace, with His Majesty the Emperor in front of them and a group of court officials behind them.
Ling Xuan stood tall and straight, his eyes firm and deep. After clasping his fists in salute, he said in a steady and powerful voice, "Your Majesty, the flaws in the palace guard system have endangered the safety of the palace.
Treacherous individuals lurk within. If not dealt with, chaos will ensue." Yun Mengting nodded slightly, her eyes sharp yet resolute. She added, "Your Majesty is wise. Swift reforms are the only way to maintain peace in the palace. This is the foundation of our nation."
However, just as he finished speaking, an old minister stepped out tremblingly, his face filled with worry: "Your Majesty, such a change goes against the laws of our ancestors. The palace guards have followed the old system for generations and cannot be easily changed. I am afraid that something will change."
For a time, there was a lot of discussion in the court, and many conservative forces echoed it.
Ling Xuan's expression remained unchanged. He took a step forward and spoke loudly, "Sir, although the old system still exists, it is full of loopholes. Today's guards are lax in training and poorly supervised. The previous palace riot is a case in point.
If we cling to the old ways, it will be too late to regret if disaster strikes again someday." Yun Mengting also said softly, "Your Majesty, although reform may bring initial pain, it is necessary to break down before building up. In the long run, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. You can try out the new rules first, observe their effectiveness, and then make a final decision."
The emperor sat on the dragon throne, and after a moment of contemplation, he said, "What Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting said makes sense.
You may first draw up a detailed reform plan, and I will make a final decision after careful consideration." The two men received the order and left the court.
After returning home, Ling Xuan paced back and forth in deep thought, then said to Yun Mengting, "The opposition voices in the court today are just the beginning. There will definitely be many obstacles in the subsequent implementation."
Yun Mengting pursed her red lips and said, "It's okay. As long as His Majesty supports us, we will proceed step by step and will definitely be able to eliminate the bad forces among the guards."
At the same time, in the martial arts world, the leaders of Huashan and Songshan secretly met in the mountains.
The Huashan Sect Leader's expression was solemn: "The situation in the imperial court is changing. If they tighten their control over the martial arts world, our sect may lose its freedom."
The head of Songshan nodded and said, "That's right. We should unite all the major sects and discuss countermeasures. If necessary, we can confront the imperial court."
On the other hand, the leader of Qingcheng Sect went to Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting's residence in the capital with generous gifts.
Upon seeing the two, he beamed, "You two are both growing in status within the palace. The Qingcheng Sect is willing to serve you faithfully, but we ask for your continued support in the future."
Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting were well aware of the serious situation in the martial arts world. After discussion, they decided to send Ling Xuan's right-hand man Zhao Feng to the martial arts world.
Zhao Feng possessed exceptional martial arts skills and a meticulous mind. Before leaving, Ling Xuan instructed him, "Zhao Feng, when you go to Jianghu, be sure to convey the message between Meng Ting and me.
The Jianghu and the imperial court should be mutually dependent, not antagonistic. If the various sects have demands, they can discuss them with the imperial court through proper channels and must not act rashly."
Zhao Feng clasped his fists in acceptance, then turned and disappeared into the night. He first arrived at the Beggars' Sect headquarters, where everyone was suspicious of him.
Zhao Feng calmly explained Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting's philosophy one by one: "Young Master Ling and Miss Mengting are dedicated to peace in the martial arts world and the imperial court. If there is unrest in the martial arts world, the imperial court will send troops to suppress it, and it will be the people and the heroes who will suffer."
The Beggar Gang elder pondered for a moment and said, "You go back first, we will consider it."
Then, Zhao Feng went to Emei Sect. When the female disciples of Emei Sect heard his purpose, they led him into the inner hall.
The Emei Sect Leader asked, "What specific plans do Master Ling and Miss Meng Ting have for balancing the jianghu and the imperial court?" Zhao Feng replied, "You two plan to establish a jianghu affairs department within the imperial court. This department will be managed jointly by jianghu members and imperial officials. They will handle jianghu disputes and implement imperial policies regarding jianghu, ensuring that the interests of both sides are taken into account."
Meanwhile, at the palace, Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting continued to work on reforming the imperial guard system. They personally selected loyal, reliable, and skilled warriors to form a new imperial guard inspection team, which rigorously evaluated the existing guards.
Guards who were lazy or colluding with bad forces were singled out one after another. This move caused strong dissatisfaction among conservative forces.
A powerful official in the court secretly ordered his men to set an ambush on Ling Xuan's way out. Although Ling Xuan was a skilled martial artist, he was outnumbered.
However, at the critical moment, Yun Mengting arrived with the palace guards. It turned out that Yun Mengting had been prepared and secretly sent people to follow and protect Ling Xuan.
After this battle, Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting knew their opponents would not give up. They accelerated their reforms while waiting for news from Zhao Feng.
Zhao Feng traveled around the martial arts world for many days and finally spread Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting's ideas to all major sects.
Although some sects still have doubts, many have begun to waver in their original idea of resisting the imperial court.
After returning to the capital, Zhao Feng reported to Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting, "Young Master and Young Lady, the reactions from the various sects in the martial arts world vary, but generally speaking, most are willing to consider cooperation. However, there are still a few major sects that are holding a firm stance, so we need to consider it in the long run."
Ling Xuan nodded: "That's good, as long as the martial arts world is not in chaos, the palace reform can proceed smoothly.
We will write a few more letters to invite the leaders of those enlightened sects to come to Beijing to discuss the cooperation between the martial arts world and the imperial court."
Yun Mengting smiled: "This is a very good plan. I believe that in the near future, the palace and the martial arts world will usher in a new situation."
However, just as they were preparing, news arrived from the palace that the Emperor had suddenly fallen seriously ill and was in a coma. Within the palace, turmoil reignited, with various forces preparing to take action.
Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting realize that a greater crisis is coming. They must stabilize the situation in the power vacuum of the court, while continuing to promote reforms and balance the martial arts world. This is undoubtedly a more difficult test.