The Red Emperor, Yang Quan, was seated atop the dragon throne forged by the Mohist School in the Ministry of Works.
At this moment, the Red Emperor closed his eyes, first letting his mind clear.
Taking a deep breath, he felt an incomparable coolness enveloping his mind.
It was as if on a scorching summer day, he had just drunk a bowl of iced beverage. The sensation was so refreshing, with beautiful palace maids fanning him, the air filled with the fragrance of young girls. As he let go of all thoughts, he sat there in a state of absolute peace and contentment.
As the Red Emperor, I should rule the world!
To rule, how should I do it?
At this time, the Red Emperor began to ponder a question he had been considering since before he became Crown Prince.
Back then, I was King Jin, and later I was Crown Prince.
But I was never the Emperor, much less the Red Dust Immortal of the Imperial Path, so my thoughts were still quite different from what they are now.
As before, I once thought Zhang San could become my friend, and I genuinely intended to befriend Zhang San.
However, now that the Red Emperor Yang Quan was contemplating how to manage all the people under his command, he no longer thought about forming friendships with anyone.
Even the thought of befriending Zhang San now seemed somewhat absurd to him.
Though I feel in my heart that I do indeed need a friend, sitting on this dragon throne, it no longer seems like I need one. f.r e\ewebnov(e)(l).c om
I am the Red Emperor of the Great Sui, the Red Emperor of the world!
What need has an emperor for friends!
I need only to consider the desires and weaknesses of different people and make use of each one of them to achieve my aims!
Even Zhang San, whom I once considered half a friend, is .
So is Head of the Wen Family, Wen Chudao, who has been secretly assisting me.
Thus, as the Red Emperor pondered matters concerning all his subordinates, more than a two-hour had passed before he slowly opened his eyes on the dragon throne.
"Mozi, this Heavenly Path Dragon Seat is excellent. I am most satisfied!"
Hearing this, Mozi smiled proudly.
"Naturally, it is a creation forged from countless efforts of the Mohist School. If Your Majesty sits on this chair to contemplate state affairs year-round, it would surely yield twice the results with half the effort! Moreover, it can rid one of selfish thoughts, keeping the world in heart!"
The Red Emperor stood up from the Heavenly Principle Dragon Seat and spoke to those beside him, "Take this Heavenly Principle Dragon Seat to my palace. I shall often sit upon it."
Saying this, the Red Emperor looked at Mozi with satisfaction and said, "Having just ascended the throne, you of the Ministry of Works present me with such a treasure. You shall be rewarded! All craftsmen of the Ministry who participated in creating the Heavenly Principle Dragon Seat will be given ten taels of gold each. Mozi, for your outstanding efforts, I grant you a mansion in the Capital, an additional thousand taels of gold, and a hundred bolts of silk. Should you require any valuable materials for your creations, simply inform the national treasury."
Mozi immediately bowed to the Red Emperor Yang Quan and said, "Reporting to the Red Emperor, Your Majesty, the humblest servants of the Mohist School practice frugality and do not covet precious possessions. I hope the Red Emperor might retract these rewards."
The Red Emperor’s originally pleased countenance immediately turned cold.
"Your humble servant is present."
Although Mozi perceived the Red Emperor’s displeasure, he did not think that just because the emperor was unhappy, he should back down.
"What I give, you shall take! This is the first time and also the last. Should you defy my intentions another time, these rewards could well become your and the Mohist School’s funerary offerings. Understood?"
Having said this, the Red Emperor Yang Quan flicked his sleeve and left the Ministry of Works with his entourage.
Meanwhile, Wen Chudao had long been waiting outside. Upon seeing the Red Emperor come out, he immediately followed along.
Inside the palace, Mozi watched as the Heavenly Principle Dragon Seat was about to be carried away and suddenly realized that the Red Emperor and Moon Emperor were indeed different, and in quite a significant way.
Outside the Ministry of Works, Wen Chudao reported in a low voice: "Reporting to the Red Emperor, Your Majesty, Zhang San did not use the troops from the Capital Region Road. He despises them for never having been in battle and thus lacking fighting prowess. He called up three thousand troops from his Divine Martial Army in Longyun Path and an additional eighteen hundred martial artists from both the Town Martial Office and the former Town Demon Office, along with his entourage, totaling nearly five thousand. They departed Daxing City this morning, heading towards Sword South Path."
Red Emperor Yang Quan nodded slightly, then turned his head to give a glance at the extremely respectful Wen Chudao.
"Wen Chudao, there’s something I do not quite understand. Back then, because of the death of your grandson Wen Ruchu, you were adamant about putting Zhang San to death. Later, upon learning that Zhang San was not the culprit, you instructed the Wen Family to cease hostilities against him. One could say your two families turned swords into plowshares. Why now, do you aim to stab Zhang San in the back? Sending Zhang San to Sword South Path to quell the rebellion is a plan to put him on the hot seat!"
Wen Chudao immediately bowed and smiled, saying: "Your old servant has no intent to harm Zhang San. My actions are entirely for the consideration of the Red Emperor, Your Majesty."
Wen Chudao explained: "Your Majesty, the Red Emperor, in the past, the Town Martial Office and the Town Demon Office were at odds. Although the Town Demon Office never gained the upper hand, they knew that the Kaihuang wouldn’t allow either side to dominate. Seeing them contest and compete left the Moon Emperor at ease."
"But now, Your Majesty, you generously allowed the Town Demon Office to merge into the Town Martial Office. Though they require time for internal adjustment, they will eventually become one. Yet this also gives Zhang San, who runs the Town Martial Office, too much power. This is not ideal, especially not for Your Majesty. It is not a threat but having subordinates wielding too much power can lead to arrogance over time."
"Thus, I advised to send Zhang San to Sword South Path to suppress the rebellion. While King of Shu, Yang Ling, has not rebelled, Zhang San isn’t going to return empty-handed. By then, whatever he does, people from Sword South Path will be dissatisfied with him! Among the imperial relatives, there will surely be dissenters against Zhang San, too."
"Especially now, with Sword South Path being home to numerous martial path factions, and after Li Moxian retired there, Zhang San’s Town Martial Office, singlehandedly held by him, will undoubtedly become a target for all martial path factions. If Zhang San makes a mistake or kills too many while subduing the rebellion, those so-called righteous elements among the martial path factions across the land will undoubtedly denounce him as a fiend!"
"At that time, even if Zhang San’s realm advanced to the Purple Mansion Realm and he managed to suppress the Town Martial Office, as an enemy of the martial path world, he would have no choice but to rely on you, the Red Emperor!"
"A minister should only be good if they are loyal to the monarch. Your Majesty, wouldn’t you agree?"
Hearing Wen Chudao’s explanation, Red Emperor Yang Quan couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
The method I had just contemplated on the Heavenly Path Dragon Seat for controlling Zhang San is not much different from what Wen Chudao proposed.
"Wen Chudao, you have done well. Rest assured, keep serving me diligently. When the Path of Life and Death is conquered, and I gain immortality, I shall find a way to revive your favored long son, Wen Ruchu."
Hearing the possibility of his grandson being resurrected made Wen Chudao’s heartbeat skip with excitement.
Then he knelt down immediately, kowtowing to the Red Emperor, saying: "The old servant thanks the Red Emperor. For your majesty, both I and the Wen Family would brave death countless times!"
The Red Emperor Yang Quan knew that throughout his life, Wen Chudao had cherished his wife, and after her passing, all his memories were entrusted to his eldest grandson.
Grasping this point, Wen Chudao would be unable to stir up any trouble.
The Red Emperor Yang Quan eagerly anticipated how Zhang San, who was destined to unleash infinite slaughter in Sword South Path, would manage to keep his hands clean.