NOVEL NEXT Chapter 50: Past Events
"Huh?" Jin Li was momentarily stunned.
"I'm currently in the Forbidden Land of the Clothed and have subdued a group of minions. These minions should be strong enough to defeat Sima Ting without much trouble. Should I send them over to help you?" Qi Yuan had always kept Jin Li's situation in mind. Since he had subdued the Forbidden Land of the Clothed's Forbidden Guards, he thought it best to send them quickly to assist Jin Li. Delaying even one day could lead to irreparable regret.
"Huh?" Jin Li felt a surge of immense joy. If Qi Yuan were by her side, she couldn't imagine what kind of crazy or impulsive actions she might take at this moment. She was willing to sacrifice herself but feared she wasn't worthy of him.
"Happy now?" Qi Yuan boasted, "I'm helping you cheat."
He suddenly felt like a wealthy player in a game, spending thousands of dollars, while Jin Li was just a regular player. A regular player was experiencing the benefits of a wealthy player's assistance. More importantly, when he was gravely ill and living alone, Jin Li was the only light he saw.
"However, sending them might be slow, and they'll have to attack from outside the city. If no one is there to protect you, Sima Ting might get desperate. How about this: build a Sacrificial Altar, conduct a ritual, and the Forbidden Guards will appear. It should take about three days!"
Qi Yuan detailed the method of summoning the Forbidden Guards to Jin Li, which took about half an hour. Exhausted, Qi Yuan finally logged off.
Little Bride quietly held Qi Yuan, unmoving, as if Qi Yuan was her everything.
...
"Summon the Forbidden Guards!" Jin Li's eyes gleamed with joy. There was both the relief of surviving a disaster and the joy of possibly seeing Qi Yuan.
"Someone, summon Minister of Rites Kong Qi..." Jin Li began, then added another name, "Summon Duke Yu!"
About half an hour later, Kong Qi and Duke Yu stood in the palace hall. Aunt Qin, Flower Immortal, and others stood to the side. They looked at Empress Jin Li with a trace of confusion in their eyes.
"Minister Kong, I wish to build a Sacrificial Altar. Here is the blueprint. How many days will it take?" Empress Jin Li handed a blueprint to Flower Immortal, who then passed it to Kong Qi.
This blueprint was drawn by Jin Li herself.
Kong Qi took the blueprint and examined it carefully. After a while, his eyes filled with confusion. "Your Majesty, this Sacrificial Altar can be built in four to five days. But may I ask, Your Majesty, what is the purpose of building this altar?"
Kong Qi was very puzzled. Duke Yu, standing nearby, was also somewhat confused. With Sima Ting's treacherous ambitions, shouldn't they be figuring out how to counter or escape him? Why build a Sacrificial Altar now?
Jin Li's expression turned cold and stern. "Just do it, do not ask why!"
"This..." Kong Qi looked troubled. "Although I am the Minister of Rites, the Ministry of Rites...is actually under that traitor Sima Ting's control. To mobilize resources to build the Sacrificial Altar, I need a suitable reason."
Aunt Qin, hearing this, was somewhat dissatisfied. "Is the Empress's decree not enough?"
Although she didn't understand why the Empress wanted this, she always supported the Empress's decisions.
"The reason...say it's for me to worship the heavens and ancestors. Is that reason enough?" Jin Li spoke, feeling a bit distressed inside. Indeed, she had no control over the six ministries. She was like a mascot, her life and death entirely dependent on Sima Ting's whims.
"Your Majesty...I'm afraid...it won't work." Kong Qi knelt, prostrating himself on the ground, his face filled with shame. "I have failed to live up to the imperial grace!"
Though he was renowned in Southern Qian, he couldn't even control the Ministry of Rites. However, Kong Qi raised his head again. "Your Majesty, the urgent matter is to leave the capital. Building a Sacrificial Altar is not significant. Please prioritize the bigger picture and discuss plans to leave the capital, go to Yanbei Pass, and order General Tianqi to fight the traitor!"
In Kong Qi's view, what use was building a Sacrificial Altar? The priority was for the Empress to leave the capital. As long as General Tianqi remained loyal to Southern Qian, the Empress would still be the Empress!
Jin Li remained silent. Building the Sacrificial Altar was crucial. However, she couldn't reveal that it would summon the Forbidden Guards. If Sima Ting heard of it, he might take precautions. Though it sounded bizarre, like a fairy tale, what if Sima Ting was cautious?
Duke Yu, standing nearby, also spoke softly, "Your Majesty, it is better to leave the capital now. Only by leaving the capital can there be a chance of survival!"
Most present knew that the Empress had little chance of successfully leaving the capital, but it was the only chance for survival.
Jin Li's face darkened. "Build the Sacrificial Altar!"
At this moment, she had to be stubborn and firm!
Kong Qi felt disappointed in Empress Jin Li. Although the former emperor was also controlled, he always sought to break free and acted with the wisdom of a sage king. But Empress Jin Li...
Kong Qi's heart ached. Seeing Jin Li's stubbornness, he shed tears. "I am useless, unable to alleviate the Empress's worries. I am willing to contribute 370 taels of silver to help build the Sacrificial Altar."
Three hundred seventy taels of silver was a lot for an ordinary person but insufficient to build the Sacrificial Altar. Duke Yu sighed deeply. "The Empress intends to share the fate of the nation! I am willing to contribute 80,000 taels of silver and 800 craftsmen to build the Sacrificial Altar. This will be my last act for Southern Qian."
Back then, his daughter, Consort Xi, was pregnant, and the Empress was also expecting. Both were admiring flowers when a maid brought a bowl of apricot blossom soup, a simple broth. Consort Xi loved apricot blossom soup, so the Empress shared some with her. Who knew the soup was poisoned? Consort Xi miscarried and later died of sorrow.
Had Consort Xi not drunk the soup, the Empress would have, and Jin Li would never have been born. Consort Xi and her unborn child had saved Jin Li's life. Although the public believed Consort Xi was poisoned by the Empress out of jealousy, Duke Yu knew it was Sima Ting's doing. So when Jin Li borrowed books from Duke Yu's residence, he violated etiquette, making her kneel at his daughter's spirit. For his daughter and unborn grandchild had died in Jin Li's place.
Sometimes, he even considered Jin Li his granddaughter.
Jin Li, unaware of this, was overjoyed by Duke Yu's words. "Thank you, Duke Yu!"
Money was essential, but craftsmen were crucial. Duke Yu's provision of 800 craftsmen solved nearly all the problems. How could Jin Li not be pleased?
Duke Yu looked at Empress Jin Li and said, "Your Majesty, I do not know your purpose in doing this. But I must say, your life was exchanged by many sacrifices! Your life and death concern the safety of Southern Qian! Please prioritize the nation's welfare. I will stay in the palace to build the Sacrificial Altar!"
He implied that he would be a distraction, building the Sacrificial Altar while Empress Jin Li secretly left.
Empress Jin Li, even if slow, understood Duke Yu's implication and said, "I understand."