Chapter 538: The Heart of the People Contains Righteousness and the Dao
Someone who brings ruin to a government comes to bear a heavy weight. In fact, a weight like that is enough to crush the soul and leave one damned by myriad tribulations. Someone who survives such an ordeal experiences something like nirvanic rebirth. Having done so, they can soar beyond the highest heavens and become the focus of all eyes.
As of this moment, Xu Qing, who had trampled thistles on the way to the throne, was now returning. He was that person who had experienced nirvanic rebirth. After experiencing the calamity he did, then returning to be the center of attention, he was like the most dazzling light in existence. His light burned so brightly that it stoked the emotions of all living beings, burning away the pressure that resulted from all the recent hardships.
Cheering filled heaven and earth. The sound soared along with the wind.
The events of the past year or more had been difficult for everyone in Sea-Sealing County. The death of the old governor left everyone in a daze. Then war came, seemingly out of the blue. Even as they were still in that daze, the death of Palace Lord Kong struck like tribulation lightning, tearing apart Sea-Sealing County and leaving the survivors deeply scarred. After the war ended, and the reeling Sea-Sealing County finally started to recover, the Lieutenant Governor’s Coup brought despair.
The people felt apprehensive, confused, bitter, and helpless. They needed someone who could bring about real change. They needed someone who could lead them through the crisis. In the past, they had believed Palace Lord Kong to be that person, except he died in battle. Later, they thought that person to be Seventh Prince or the lieutenant governor....
But today, they fully believed it was Xu Qing! His moment of return brought a change to the dome of heaven. Auspicious signs proliferated, and the people cheered endlessly. Men and women. Old and young. Cultivators and mortals. To them, there was only one person worth looking at.
Xu Qing was the focus of all the eyes in the county capital.
The golden dragon roared. Qingqin released a piercing cry. The destiny aura surged into the sky, swirled around, and formed a dazzling crown over Xu Qing’s head.
And then, within the cheering, people started shouting something very specific. It didn’t take long before others heard and approved, then joined in shouting the same word.
“Governor!”
“Governor!”
As they cheered, the atmosphere in the county capital grew more passionate. The Wood Spirit grand elder, at Xu Qing’s direction, stopped about 300 meters outside the city wall. Xu Qing stood on his shoulder, looking out at everything, his heart pounding.
Xu Qing was only twenty years old. Despite having learned a lot from his Master and the Captain, he was currently struggling to control his emotions. His goal had never been to assume the office of governor. In fact, the thought had literally never occurred to him. He had merely been following his heart and doing what he thought needed to be done. Therefore, he just stood there outside of the city thinking for a long moment. He was really at a loss.
But the cheering only grew louder, so he finally took a deep breath, calmed himself, and walked into the city.
He went straight toward the altar. Everywhere he passed, the mortals clasped hands and bowed. The cultivators did the same. On every road he walked down, it was the same. The crown above him became clearer and more eye-catching.
Eventually, he reached the square below the altar. The hundreds of thousands of cultivators from the three palaces looked at him with shining eyes as they clasped hands and bowed! No one asked them to do it. It was just something they instinctively felt they had to do after everything they had witnessed.
It was because of their respective fallen palace lords. It was because of the old governor. It was because of the crisis Sea-Sealing County had gone through. It was because of how Xu Qing had bravely stepped out alone. For a number of reasons, everyone was more than willing to bow to him.
Hundreds of thousands of people all bowed simultaneously, causing the crown over Xu Qing’s head to thrum loudly as it glowed with dazzling light.
The three deputy palace lords smiled as they also bowed. Among them, Li Yunshan seemed the most grateful. The three honor guards bowed as well, and they seemed almost dazed.
Master Seventh did not bow. Nor did the Captain. Of all the residents of Sea-Sealing County, only those two, because of their status, qualified to refrain from bowing. After all, they were essentially Xu Qing’s family.
Master Seventh did nothing to hide the pride in his eyes. It was bright and impossible to overlook. It was similar with the Captain, who stuck his chest out and grinned, looking very pleased with himself.
Before leaving, he turned to look at Xu Qing. Xu Qing’s return, and the ceremony that resulted, had fixed the image of Xu Qing deeply in Seventh Prince’s mind.
In addition to Yao Tianyan, there’s now a second person I’m going to remember from Sea-Sealing County. My father will definitely reprimand me for letting a lone hero like this take center stage. But I can accept that.
With that, Seventh Prince made his departure.
The Lieutenant Governor’s Coup was over.
The forces of Sea-Sealing County were mobilized. Hundreds of thousands of cultivators spread out to help purge the mutagen, save the mortals, and restore order. As orders streamed out from the county capital, the various prefectures of the county were rescued from calamity. Because of all the various karma involved, there was no attempt made to hide the truth about the Lieutenant Governor’s Coup. Official announcements were made so that everyone knew what happened.
The curtain closed on the coronation ceremony for the new governor.
***
In the end of the tenth month of the year 2932 of the Dark War calendar, the tumult in Sea-Sealing County was revealed to be the work of the lieutenant governor, who was exposed as a member of Torchlight. His real name was Bai Xiaozhuo, and he had served as the governor of Sea-Sealing County in the days of the Sovereign Kingdom of Violet and Cyan. By using a god magic, he was reincarnated, and then sowed chaos in Sea-Sealing County.
The swordsage Xu Qing, who had received a 30,000-meter pillar of light in the Grand Emperor’s assessment of the heart, stepped out from the crowd during the coronation ceremony. Ignoring the threat to his own life, as well as his own desires, he strongly opposed the coronation. Then he revealed the truth about the conspiracy, resolved the danger to Sea-Sealing County, and saved everyone from a massive catastrophe.
The emperor was deeply moved.
In that same month, the emperor issued five edicts. The first edict was a strong rebuke of Seventh Prince for his failure to manage the situation properly.
The second edict put all members of Torchlight on the Most Wanted list. In all counties and prefectures, the Five Greater Celestial Divisions, and all associated government departments, were to scour the lands and kill anyone connected to Torchlight.
The third edict named Yao Tianyan, direct descendant of Heavenly Marquis Yao, as the acting governor of Sea-Sealing County. It also named the righteous folk hero Zheng Kaiyi as the new lieutenant governor, and gave him the authority to recommend a new governor for the county, as long as that person was in the Void Returning level. If so, then Sea-Sealing County could appoint a new governor with no further formalities. [1]
The fourth edict removed the commanders-in-chief as the palace lords of the three palaces, and instead promoted the existing deputy palace lords to those positions.
The fifth edict bestowed swordsage Xu Qing with a golden identity medallion, a yellow robe, the right to attend the Imperial University, and grade-one battle credit.[2]
***
Those five imperial edicts were announced publicly everywhere.
In a very short time, all human regions and counties were deeply shaken, and Xu Qing’s name spread far and wide.
There were two things in those edicts that were particularly important. The first was Zheng Kaiyi’s mission. The second was Sea-Sealing County’s right to appoint a new governor with no further formalities.
Clearly, the emperor knew how important the situation was, but at the same time, couldn’t change the law. That said, he wasn’t going to ignore Sea-Sealing County’s wishes. That was why he gave such an important mission to Master Seventh. After all, everyone in Sea-Sealing County now knew about the relationship between Master Seventh and Xu Qing. As for the new governor being able to take office without further formalities, that essentially guaranteed that as long as Xu Qing reached Void Returning... then he would be the governor of Sea-Sealing County.
Sea-Sealing County’s moment of catastrophe had passed. Everything... went back to normal.
But to Xu Qing, it was just a new starting point. It was time to set sail again....
1. In case you forgot, Zheng Kaiyi is Master Seventh’s name, as revealed in chapter 113. It was only mentioned a few times other than that, specifically in 115, 116, 122, and 127. ?
2. Historically speaking, the ‘Imperial University’ was a real life school; it was the highest ranking educational establishment in certain dynasties in ancient China. ?