Chapter 64: The Late Urgent Report

“Fools, all of you! It has been ten whole days since Pingxi City fell, and this urgent report just reached the Capital. What were you all doing?” Wang Li’s face was dark as he slammed the report onto the table.

The ministers in the Imperial Study did not dare to speak; even their breathing was cautious.

Wang Li calmed down before continuing: “Today, the army will march south to suppress these rebels—is there any issue with that?”

“Reporting to Your Majesty, I will personally capture the rebel leader and hang him at the eastern gate as a warning,” the Cavalry General rose and replied firmly.

“Good, I await your good news. Given the urgency, all unnecessary formalities can be skipped,” Wang Li added.

He meant, “Go quickly, don’t waste time here.”

Wang Li immediately saw the rebels occupying Pingxi City as his Tribulation. After careful thought, he realized it could turn out either big or small.

If he failed to crush them and they grew stronger, not only he but the entire Great Li Kingdom would be lost—that would be a major Tribulation.

But if he eliminated them before they could grow, it would only be a minor Tribulation.

That is why it could be big or small, so Wang Li chose to go all out from the start.

“All of you, leave now and assist with the arrangements for the army’s march south,” Wang Li said, rubbing his temples.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The officials in the Imperial Study bowed and withdrew; seeing Wang Li’s headache, they knew it was not the time to stay and talk.

Wang Li’s headache over the rebels was one thing, but he was also worried about the aftermath.

He had set a bad precedent: succeeding his brother, especially after the previous Emperor Li ‘ascended’ and the other royal heirs died suddenly.

This easily gave others a reason to criticize him. To those unaware of Immortal Fuyao’s existence, Wang Li’s rise to the throne seemed illegitimate.

As for the celestial signs? Some in the Capital had witnessed them, but those who hadn’t might just smile knowingly—propaganda, after all, was common.

What worried him more was that he had no heir.

This was a fatal weakness, even if he claimed not to care.

After all, he had begun cultivating immortality. If he achieved Immortality, an heir would not be security but a potential threat. For a ruler seeking eternal life, having no heir was actually a good thing.

But that benefit would only come after he gained Immortality. For now, he had to face the consequences of having no successor.

Without an heir, the throne looked like a tasty prize to the other royal relatives. If Prince Zhuang could sit on it, why couldn’t the other princes?

Without a rebellion, others might not have much cause, but now, with rebels rising, if the suppression failed or dragged on, it could give them a pretext to march on the Capital. If he lost then, a simple ‘accidental drowning’ would hand the throne to someone else.

He knew better than to underestimate the throne’s appeal to others.

That was why Wang Li felt such a headache.

As for reasons?

If they were determined to seize power, they could think of any excuse—marching to the Capital, purging evil advisors—even making up charges without evidence.

After much thought, Wang Li sighed and stood up. “Attendants, prepare for Kunci Palace.”

If he couldn’t figure it out, there was still Lü Xian.

Regarding Lü Xian’s talent, Wang Li could only acknowledge that she truly lived up to being ‘fished out’ by the Great Immortal; he deeply admired her.

Yes, he had not only married Lü Xian but also made her his Empress.

With Lü Xian as his clever and strategic partner, Wang Li’s daily burdens had eased considerably.

Mainly, he knew Lü Xian’s abilities far surpassed his own, so he delegated power to her, letting her indirectly participate in governance.

He wasn’t afraid of her sidelining him—Wang Li knew where his true backing lay.

Not his position as Emperor, but Immortal Fuyao standing behind him.

He provided resources for Immortal Fuyao to refine the Divine Soil Xirang, and in return, Immortal Fuyao protected him. The earlier warning about the Tribulation, even pointing out its location, was a form of that protection.

Of course, this was how Wang Li viewed Chen Xiyi.

Luckily, Lü Xian was smart; she never sought to monopolize power or sideline Wang Li, instead showing great judgment.

She knew she and Wang Li were tied together. As Empress, her position was extremely secure—she was the true mistress of the inner court. With her skills and Wang Li’s favor, anything she wanted was just a word away, as long as she didn’t cross his bottom line.

So she had no reason to overstep.

As for her maternal family?

Hah, she had long ignored them; they probably thought she was dead.

Unless she or Wang Li revealed it, no one would know her true origins. After all, she had been ‘fished’ from a thousand miles away to the Capital. No one would connect the lofty Empress to the drowned daughter of a branch family in Baiyuan City, even if the names matched.

Those in her clan who knew her had no means to enter the palace, let alone see her.

She understood Noble Families well—if she acknowledged them, the Lü Family would surely try to use her. Better to keep her distance.

…

“These rebels are moving on a large scale—could they have gathered enough Power and started capturing cities?”

Chen Xiyi, who had been reading, suddenly noticed the rebels’ movements. After all, he had been keeping an eye on them via his Game Map. With so many red dots suddenly heading in one direction, it was hard to miss.

Chen Xiyi zoomed out on the map and judged from the red dots’ movement that they were indeed advancing toward a cluster of white dots.

Unfortunately, his Game Map was rudimentary and couldn’t display buildings, so he didn’t know which city they were targeting.

He didn’t even know what place the rebels currently occupied, let alone their target.

As for using the Great Li Kingdom’s map—frankly, he couldn’t compare the two.

Placed side by side, his Game Map seemed incredibly accurate by comparison.

So, he had no way to align the Great Li Kingdom’s map with his own.

Though simplified, his Game Map’s precision was no joke. Using it, Chen Xiyi could even track an individual’s movements precisely.

“The Imperial Court’s army should be fine, right?” Watching the rebels’ rapid growth, Chen Xiyi began to doubt.

Over ten thousand people might not seem like much, but who knew how many more they would recruit by the time the army arrived? Even if they were rabble, in large numbers they could still pose a significant threat.