116: The dust has settled

Mu Wuchen looked down from above, staring directly at Yan Zijin, who was already slumped on the ground, and spoke indifferently.

“Do you know Jiang Huaian’s location?”

Upon hearing Mu Wuchen’s words, Yan Zijin’s body trembled, then began to shake violently.

Yes, she knew.

Jiang Huaian had once given her a small Qilin pendant, and through that pendant, she could sense Jiang Huaian’s location at any time.

The right to choose was once again in her hands.

Should she speak?

“Honestly, Yan Zijin, before you all made a move against me, I never even thought of destroying the Celestial Tome Dynasty and your Yan family. The only one I wanted to kill was Jiang Huaian.”

Mu Wuchen’s voice entered Yan Zijin’s ears.

At this moment, Mu Wuchen’s previous words echoed in her ears again.

…

“How about it? Kill that pretty boy and come with me?”

“Impossible. Young Master Jiang has shown great kindness to my Celestial Tome Dynasty. I won’t let you kill him!”

“Yan Zijin, I’ll give you one chance to choose: your Young Master Jiang, or the lives of your entire Yan clan.”

Suddenly, she seemed to realize something, and a chill shot directly from the soles of her feet to her crown, causing her to instantly collapse.

This was a death trap!

She absolutely could not defy the person before her…

Now, and in the future.

“I… know…”

After a painful struggle, Yan Zijin seemed to have used her last ounce of strength to utter three words.

At this moment, dressed in a tight red outfit, she appeared somewhat tragically beautiful.

Hearing her answer, Mu Wuchen suddenly laughed.

“Yan Zijin, you finally chose correctly once. If you had dared to say you didn’t know, your head and the heads of your Yan clan would be hanging on the Imperial Palace city wall tomorrow.”

Saying this, Mu Wuchen crouched down, placed something in Yan Zijin’s palm, and gently patted her face.

“I never go back on my word. You know what to do.”

Yan Zijin stared blankly at the item in her hand. Finally, she nodded and tremblingly uttered a single word.

“Yes.”

…

Thousands of miles away from the Celestial Tome Imperial City palace, in a cave, Jiang Huaian leaned against a Qilin stone pillar, looking extremely weak.

Just then, a figure appeared by the cave, and Jiang Huaian immediately became alert.

But upon seeing who it was, Jiang Huaian’s expression brightened; it was Yan Zijin!

Yan Zijin’s presence here proved that the matters outside were resolved, and that terrifying White-Robed Man had most likely left.

Jiang Huaian forced himself to sit up and flashed Yan Zijin a smile that was uglier than a cry.

“Princess, believe me, I still have backup plans. As long as you give me time, I can definitely make the Celestial Tome Dynasty rise again!”

“Once I recover, we’ll fly far away and leave the Heavenly God Domain!”

Yan Zijin noncommittally uttered an “En,” then took out a pill from her pocket.

“Young Master Jiang, this is a healing pill I got from the palace. Please take the medicine first.”

Upon hearing Yan Zijin’s words, Jiang Huaian’s expression immediately brightened.

The Princess didn’t look down on him just because he became a cripple; she still cared about him!

He didn’t hesitate at all and swallowed the pill directly.

However, just as Jiang Huaian swallowed the pill, Yan Zijin staggered back a few steps, her body beginning to tremble uncontrollably.

Sensing Yan Zijin’s abnormality, Jiang Huaian also realized something was wrong.

“Princess, you…”

At this moment, Jiang Huaian seemed to sense something. His eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief, and black blood began to seep from the corner of his mouth.

“You!”

But before he could finish his words, his head slumped, and he completely died.

Watching Jiang Huaian die, Yan Zijin slumped to the ground in a daze, looking at her trembling hands, still in shock.

…

The Celestial Tome Imperial Palace, or rather, the former site of the Celestial Tome Imperial Palace.

The Celestial Tome Imperial family and all the officials looked up anxiously, unsure of how Mu Wuchen would treat them.

Every word Mu Wuchen spoke next would affect their fate. The Celestial Tome Dynasty had now been split into eight pieces by that terrifying blow, losing its qualification to be a high-grade dynasty.

Mu Wuchen looked down and spoke indifferently.

“The Yan clan of the Celestial Tome Imperial family and all others who defied heavenly might and conspired to harm me shall be stripped of their imperial status, demoted to commoners, and forbidden from holding office or receiving emoluments for one hundred years!”

“Yan Zijin, daughter of a criminal, shall enter my residence as a maid, kneel in repentance for one hundred days, and not step out of the residence for one hundred years. Otherwise, her entire clan shall be exterminated. Do any of you have any objections?!”

Upon hearing Mu Wuchen’s judgment, the Celestial Tome Emperor’s face showed despair. Such a judgment was no different from death for him. He felt too ashamed to face his ancestors and immediately tried to draw his sword to commit suicide.

However, Yan Zijin, who was beside him, stopped him. Yan Zijin looked at her father, her face covered in tears and pleading.

“Father, no. Though the country is broken, the family is not destroyed. We still have hope.”

“For these hundred years, Zijing will perform well and serve the Gongzi diligently. After a hundred years, I will beg the Gongzi to show us mercy.”

Upon hearing Yan Zijin’s words, the dignified ruler of a nation, the former Celestial Tome Emperor, seemed to age several decades in an instant…

At this moment, facing Mu Wuchen’s words, many people present exchanged glances, then lowered their heads, not uttering a sound.

In their opinion, being the first to stand out now would at least earn them the reputation of disloyalty, to be scorned by outsiders.

Just then, Gu Xiangning’s grandfather, Grand Tutor Gu Chenfu, suddenly stepped forward, knelt down first, and spoke loudly.

“This old minister, Gu Chenfu, along with the entire Gu family, respectfully obeys Your Excellency’s command!”

Others had no relation to Mu Wuchen, but he did!

His granddaughter had already become Mu Wuchen’s maid. Now was the time when someone needed to be the first to step forward. Although it might bring the stigma of disloyalty, he had to do it!

Looking at Gu Chenfu below, he knew that this was an old fox who could only adapt to circumstances, but in his opinion, it didn’t matter.

Mu Wuchen smiled faintly.

“Good! The Celestial Tome Dynasty is now divided into eight parts, each comparable to a medium-grade dynasty. You can choose one; from now on, you will no longer be a subject, but a monarch!”

Upon hearing his words, Gu Chenfu’s heart trembled, and he immediately knelt in gratitude!

Just then, another swift kneeling sound rang out.

“This old minister, Li Yin, respectfully obeys Your Excellency’s command!”

“Your subject, Qian Beiwan, obeys Your Excellency’s command!”

…

With Gu Chenfu leading the way and receiving such generous rewards, one by one, the former important officials of the Celestial Tome Dynasty knelt down with thuds, fearing they would be a step too late!

Yan Wuqi’s expression was complex as he watched the officials who had once respectfully pledged their loyalty now scrambling to express their gratitude.

This was human nature.

So Mu Wuchen selected a few of the first officials to pledge loyalty, making them emperors overnight, and tasked them with handling public opinion.

Thus, this matter came to an end.

Mu Wuchen once again looked down from above at Yan Zijin.

“Come here.”