Chapter 2403: Failure is Guilt

Lou Yue’s tall and imposing figure, like a towering mountain poised to roar forward.

He raised his questioning voice, which was also like world-shaking thunder, shaking the entire Sanqing Xuandu Shanghuang Palace with lingering echoes.

In the Daoist lineage system, besides the leaders of the three great sacred lands, the Celestial Master holds the highest status. In a sense, they can sit and discuss the Dao with the Son of Heaven.

For thousands of years, within the Daoist country, who has ever dared to question a Celestial Master in such a way?

Almost pointing at Yu Xi’s nose and scolding him for having ill intentions.

Lou Yue is arrogant and is committing offense against superiors!

“Impudent!” It was Jin Wang Ji Xuanzhen who stepped forward at this moment. He glared angrily at Lou Yue, his voice like a tolling bell: “Lou Zhuan Envoy, you have such audacity! Who allowed you to speak to the West Celestial Master like this?!”

Does Lou Yue have the qualification to dialogue with Yu Xi?

Actually, yes.

Although his current status and strength are not as good, his future is observable, and his prospects can be seen.

Just as Jiang Wang said in Tianjing City initially—that sentence—"The absolute peak is but scenery I must pass through."

As the first True Person of the Central Plains, and after Jiang Wang attained the Dao, the most powerful contender for the world’s first True Person… Of course, after Jiang Wang attained the absolute peak, no one mentioned the first True Person anymore. That has become a meaningless matter, even more uninteresting than the first in killing power after Xiang Fengji’s death. Because the eternal first True Person is right before their eyes, still active at the absolute peak.

In short, Lou Yue can take that step at any time, so he is not much lower than Yu Xi. In moments of emotional excitement, a few improper words also have the qualification to be forgiven.

Of course, in terms of identity, the Four Celestial Masters have transcendent status, and Yu Xi represents Yaodu Mountain, so he has some rudeness.

As fellow Imperial Party members, Ji Xuanzhen speaking out in anger is naturally a form of maintenance—

I have already criticized, you all cannot criticize again. I have already represented the imperial clan to outburst, you all cannot represent the Dao Gate to borrow the topic and expand.

Lou Yue’s official position is the Military Affairs Bureau Lou Zhuan Secret Envoy, one of the three military pivot ministers besides the eight commanders.

The other two parallel to him are Jin Wang Ji Xuanzhen and Zongzheng Temple Minister Ji Yumin.

It is not hard to see that they are all from the Imperial Party.

Jin Wang Manor has its own manor guards, with a troop strength not exceeding five thousand. Zongzheng Temple also has temple guards, specifically handling illegal matters within the imperial clan, also numbering around ten thousand. Lou Yue's Ying Tian first family's private soldiers are even fewer than three thousand.

Compared to the eight commanders who hold heavy troops, they in the Military Affairs Bureau are more like nominal idle positions. In fact, it is indeed so. These three military pivot ministers usually only participate in military affairs and do not truly lead troops to fight, even rarely expressing opinions on military affairs. They often hold a cup of tea, drinking until the military meeting ends.

Like Lou Yue’s trip to the East Sea this time, it was just leading a few teams of people to complete the preliminary laying of the Middle Ancient Heavenly Road.

But their sitting in the Military Affairs Bureau is a manifestation of power. Their being listed as Military Affairs Bureau Zhuan Secret Envoys is to represent the Son of Heaven, firmly grasping the direction of the central empire's highest-level military meetings.

In fact, the expansion of the Military Affairs Bureau’s quotas is precisely the shadow of the past imperial power's outward expansion.

At the earliest, Jing State's Military Affairs Bureau was like Qi State's Military Affairs Hall, with eight strong army commanders, thus eight quotas for Zhuan Secret Envoys. From eight quotas to today's eleven quotas, and the three added quotas are all from the Imperial Party. This, placed in any country, is a huge power change, and in Jing State, which is the most ancient, the most outdated, with various forces intertwined, it actually happened without any waves...

This is exactly what happened after Ji Fengzhou took power.

The current Son of Heaven is especially skilled at accomplishing great things in silence, turning thunder into fine rain.

In the past, Wan Sijinghu died an unnatural death on the eve of the Yellow River Assembly, what a great matter, yet it passed without sound or trace.

Mirror World Platform slandered Jiang Wang as colluding with demons and was slapped in the face by the Sanxing Palaces, which was a great damage to the credibility of the ancient Demon-Slaying Alliance treaty, yet it was quickly diluted.

Zhuang Gaoxian risked the great unrighteousness of the world, borrowing the cover of internal forces in Jing State, and after the Gate of Ten Thousand Demons, attacked Jiang Wang who was fulfilling the human race’s divine descent responsibility. What was the result? Now no one mentions it anymore, the ripples fade in deep water.

But such a huge failure as the Cang Sea, in the end, is impossible to erase silently.

The towering great tree wants to be still, which wind from southeast northwest will stop?

So that many people only today suddenly realize—originally, the monarch of the central Great Jing Empire is not arbitrary, getting what he wants, but also has to face so many problems, so many storms.

Jin Wang opened his mouth, and Lou Yue immediately retreated a step: "Your Highness is correct in reprimanding, making this subject awaken. Governing the country with propriety, cultivating Dao with respect, lightly pointing and drawing is already improper, ignorant and reckless speech is even more rude. This subject spoke out for the Prime Minister, momentarily indignant and lost words, Celestial Master please forgive!"

These Imperial Party members are always like this, especially in recent years.

Always talking to themselves, setting up the stage and performing themselves. Is this Jing State world only surnamed Ji?

Yu Xi coldly smiled: "Jin Wang, no need to speak for me!"

“Let people speak won’t lead to the country’s downfall, not letting people speak will bring the danger of national destruction. There is no such thing as offending superiors, here is the Great Jing Empire’s hall for discussion, the sky is not that high, with reason one can raise their voice!”

He used Lou Yue’s impropriety to set the tone for the discussion, preparing for another attack on the Son of Heaven, and then with a flick of his sleeve: "Since I have been on duty as Celestial Master, I have commanded demons and swept away magic, decreed gods to kill ghosts, for the great cause of the Daoist country, never counting hardships, repeatedly exhausting my fundamentals. I only wish for the Dao Gate to last forever, the Daoist country to govern eternally, only seeking good weather, people in harmony, the world’s people to live in peace."

He stood with his hands behind his back, his posture arrogant: “You ask what is my intention, this is my intention! Taiyuan True Person, is this intention good or not?!”

"This is exactly the public heart, also what we seek, is what the Prime Minister plots!" Lou Yue was very sincere: "Celestial Master, we share the same aspirations, should join hands and walk together. Why today speak of the sin of the innocent, and self-destroy Great Jing's Heavenly Beam?"

Yu Xi looked at Lou Yue with a surprised expression: "Who is Great Jing's Heavenly Beam? Is it you Lou Yue? Or a specific name? Or is it the spirit of the millions of Daoist cultivators, inherited from ancient times?"

“You Lou Yue are naturally a loyal person to the country, and the Prime Minister has repeatedly proven himself. But past matters, today’s matters are not the same matter. Perhaps the initial idea was good, but there is a phrase called ‘things contrary to wishes,’ and another called ‘eyes higher than abilities.’”

His tone gradually became severe: "You say the former Taizu's system, speakers without sin, actors without sin. I also remember Taizu's system. But speakers without sin is for upright and straightforward words, not for demonic words confusing the crowd. Actors without sin is for loyal duties benefiting the country, not for losing power and humiliating the country!"

"Demonic words confusing the crowd? Losing power and humiliating the country?" Yu Xi said this, Ji Xuanzhen could no longer act as a mediator, momentarily sinking his gaze, his face extremely ugly: "West Celestial Master, these words, whether too heavy! Whether need to reconsider!"

"This seat still needs to reconsider what?" Yu Xi was not polite to him at all: "The Daoist country's military and people offered blood and flesh, forming a world-shaking spectacle, letting some people gain prestige at sea. But where did the Middle Ancient Heavenly Road shatter, for whom did the Eternal Heavenly Stele suppress the sea? You come to answer me!"

Is such a huge failure as the Cang Sea able to be covered up?

Jin Wang personally entering the field is what he wished!

Just see when the Emperor cannot sit still!

"The Middle Ancient Heavenly Road shattered by the Transcendent Long River Dragon Lord Ao Shuyi, you Yu Xi have the ability to stop it!?" Ji Xuanzhen suddenly raged, no longer speaking of surface harmony, directly stepping forward, drum against drum with Yu Xi, directly calling his name: "The Eternal Heavenly Stele sank into the Cang Sea depths, Yu Shuai used his body to block, Lingchen Dao Lord risked death to seize back one, destroy three—in your Yu Xi's eyes, what are these? Did Yu Shuai lose power and humiliate the country? Did Lingchen Dao Lord lose power and humiliate the country? Or those soldiers who cannot return home, did they lose our sovereignty and humiliate our Daoist country?!"

"Lingchen Dao Lord in his position has fulfilled his responsibilities, Yu Shuai sacrificed his body for the country is heroic enough, no need for you to move out to block arrows! Those soldiers who died for the country are not your talking points, is Jin Wang just stirring up trouble like this? Merely making people feel cold!" Yu Xi coldly faced him: "Just discussing the matter, is it too difficult for you?"

Song Huai sat there with a calm face, letting the confronting sides move the Penglai Island Sect Leader back and forth, left block right shield, as if completely uninterested, as if hearing nothing.

But someone was unwilling to let him pretend to be deaf and dumb.

North Celestial Master Wu Daoyou at this time turned his head to look at him and spoke: "These matters have been argued to this extent and can be considered clear, presumably people have their own scales—East Celestial Master, how do you see?"

Song Huai looked at this most senior Celestial Master with no expression, slightly smiled: "This seat thinks, everyone discussing is also good, arguing is no harm, speakers without sin, right."

Ji Xuanzhen immediately said: "Say speakers without sin, but some voices are wanting this country better, or wanting to rely on one's own narrowness, stubbornly control the country's direction, or let some people die? This king thinks, it needs to be deliberated. Right words without sin, loyal words without sin, using words as knives to harm the country, this wind how can be encouraged?"

Song Huai smiled without speaking, not knowing if agreeing or not.

Wu Daoyou waved his hand: "You all are driven by emotions, mutually attacking, but also no need. Although saying court meetings are for arguing, big court big argue, small court small argue, but today everyone rarely gathers together, not just to watch arguing."

These words made many ministers smile knowingly, slightly easing the atmosphere.

Then he rose and left his seat.

This most senior Celestial Master, with a full head of white hair pinned into a Dao bun, like clouds in the sky. His well-maintained white beard hung down to his abdomen, like an inverted waterfall.

Wearing a white Daoist robe, his large sleeves fluttering, he had a full air of immortal wind and Daoist bones. He walked down from that golden bridge, also to the red steps before, same as West Celestial Master Yu Xi, Jin Wang Ji Xuanzhen, Military Affairs Zhuan Secret Envoy Lou Yue, also beside the prostrate Lu Qiu Wenyue on the ground.

If saying Lu Qiu Wenyue piled on the ground's famous accounts like a stele, his person with five limbs thrown to the ground, waiting for death like before a tombstone.

Then the three absolute peaks, one mid-domain strongest True Person, four people standing at four corners, just like four coffin nails, nailing in the four directions...

Also not knowing who wants to nail this coffin dead, who wants to lift the coffin lid open.

Wu Daoyou walked to here, yet did not look up at the red steps.

He turned around, facing the full hall of civil and military officials, slowly said: "Taiyuan True Person earlier said that speech, this old one somewhat does not agree!"

Lou Yue bowed to him: "Speakers without blame, actors have heart. Celestial Master naturally cannot agree with me, just as I do not necessarily agree with you."

Wu Daoyou yet did not look at him: "This old man foolishly lived long years, today relying on age to sell old, say a few words of a past person's words—In the past, Taizu founded the country, heavily rewarded brave men, thus had the opening of the demon realm; Wen Emperor governed, bestowed grace on the world, thus gained the submission of ten thousand states; as to the former monarch Xian Emperor, also rewarded merits and punished faults, using both grace and might. Today, the chips we wield in the grasslands, in the Cang Sea, in the present world, and even in the ten thousand realms of heavens, are all the graces left by predecessors, the accumulated resources of past dynasties, cannot be squandered arbitrarily."

"What does this old man want to say?"

He raised his voice: "A leader of a hundred men should understand flag orders; a vanguard general should break the enemy array; to lead an army of hundreds of thousands or millions, in one battle to overturn the country, should welcome victory! That high position is not for people to sit and watch the scenery. Sitting in that position, there is the responsibility to bring victory. Besides that, all are empty talk! No matter what reasons, what excuses, what inside or outside the bureau, speaking of these what significance?"

“Transcendents of course are unimaginable, whoever we are, also impossible to stop Ao Shuyi, also cannot observe, layout, design for Transcendents, chanting their names thinking of their honors is already sensed by them, fundamentally beyond discussion. But did we place such a big bet to fill the Cang Sea? At the beginning of the Pacify Sea Plan, this old man did not agree, who acted willfully, and who was obstinately persistent?”

“The result is the result, the process is just the process. The result is a wrong result, then no matter how tortuous the process, it is just different wrong processes. the Pacify Sea Plan failed, so it was wrong. It’s that simple.”

He finally turned back, with the posture of a true Celestial Master standing outside the heavenly gate, standing in this great hall.

Topping heaven and standing on earth!

This old Celestial Master with all white hair and beard, facing the Son of Heaven on the red steps, his eyes looking at the prostrate Lu Qiu Wenyue, his mouth yet dialoguing with Lou Yue: “You have a very profound understanding of the word ‘sin,’ but life is not about explaining characters, what faults, violations of law, this seat wants to say—failure in affairs is sin!”

These last four words shook the entire great hall as if trembling.

That trembling uneasiness was almost also in the hearts of the people.

Failure in affairs is sin, whose sin is it?

What does Yaodu Mountain want to do? What does Daluo Mountain want to do?

Today, the sword points to whom?

Just at this time, an even louder voice rang out, ringing outside the great hall: "Good one, failure in affairs is sin!"

All turned their heads to look, then saw an old man, striding into the hall.

Able to enter this central great hall arbitrarily during the great court meeting, able to arbitrarily continue Wu Daoyou’s words, this person is of course not simple.

He stepped into the hall shattering the heavenly light, in appearance, having a kind of aged and decrepit state similar to Wu Daoyou’s. He has a pair of drooping white eyebrows and a pair of pale yellow eyes that at first glance seem somewhat turbid.

Every step he walked into the hall, pulled people's gazes.

He is the last pivot minister in the Military Affairs Bureau who does not command troops, Zongzheng Temple Minister—Ji Yumin...

If comparing qualifications, his qualifications are even older than Wu Daoyou!

Because he is the founding Taizu Ji Yusu's younger brother.

Of course, not his biological younger brother. Ji Yusu’s generation had six brothers and sisters, all extraordinary, collectively called the Ji Clan Six Heroes. These brothers and sisters followed him in the uprising, helped him achieve the Dao, and in the process of founding the central empire, for various reasons, all died.

Ji Yumin is Ji Yusu's bloodline distant relative, who threw himself under the old big brother's banner, followed in conquests everywhere, and established deep feelings.

Ji Yusu extremely valued this distant relative younger brother, gave him the character "Yu," and moved him to his own branch's clan genealogy.

That is to say, in law, Ji Yumin can be considered Ji Yusu's biological younger brother, with unquestionable nobility.

Ji Yusu back then wanted to enfeoff him as a king, the true kind that divides a fief. He declined and did not accept, thinking he did not have the talent to govern a fief, only wanting to guard the household for his elder brother.

Thus he became the Zongzheng Temple Minister, in charge of imperial clan affairs.

From Taizu's time until now, he has been holding Jing State's Zongzheng Temple, unchanged through generations. He knows the most secrets of this country, and he also receives the highest trust. The invaluably noble Ji surname imperial clan, in his eyes, has no secrets at all.

At the beginning, it was he who first sat into the Military Affairs Bureau, opening the door for the expansion of the Military Affairs Bureau’s quotas.

A sentence "Formerly followed Taizu in conquests, thus have the central world" made all sides' great officials not utter a word of opposition.

How can one say he Ji Yumin does not know military affairs?

Or say he has no qualification to participate in military affairs?

People qualified to say that are all gone.

Today he walked into the central great hall, representing that the Imperial Party has made preparations—preparations that make people dare not imagine.

And he looked at Wu Daoyou: "Did not expect in this central great hall, the Daoist country's core, the present world's highest authority place, there are ignorant juniors, only using success or failure to judge heroes!"

Wu Daoyou shows qualifications, he also shows qualifications.

With his qualifications, he can indeed say to Wu Daoyou a "junior"!

Wu Daoyou speaks of the Son of Heaven, he also speaks of the Son of Heaven.

"In the past, Taizu founded the first empire, established the national system, with ruling the six directions as the supreme ideal, but fell short, did not reach the top. He can be considered a failure, is he not a hero?"

"In the past, Wen Emperor allied with vassals, dominated the world, wanted to accomplish what Taizu did not, to grasp the supreme heavenly power. In this goal, he can also be considered a failure—is he not a hero?"

This month's last day, still begging a little.