The Golden Elixir is A Star, and You Call This Cultivation?
Chapter 50: Past Events - Part 1

Chapter 50: Chapter 50: Past Events - Part 1

"What?" Jin Li was momentarily bewildered.

"I’m currently in Yi Guanjin, leading a group of young followers.

The strength of these young ones is quite decent. They should be able to defeat Sima Ting easily.

So, do you want me to send them over to assist you?" Qi Yuan always kept Jin Li’s situation in mind.

Since he managed to command the Yi Guanjin Imperial Guards, he should hurry and send them over to assist Jin Li. Delaying even a day could lead to irreversible regrets.

"What?" An immense surprise surged in Jin Li’s heart. If Qi Yuan was by her side, she couldn’t imagine what crazy or abrupt actions she might take at this moment.

She was willing to give herself to him, but she was also afraid that she won’t be worthy enough.

"Happy now?" Qi Yuan said smugly, "I’m helping you cheat."

He suddenly felt like he was a player who wasn’t afraid to spend millions of RMB.

Jin Li was just a regular player.

She was also a part of the same game experience for the big spenders.

Of course, when he was seriously ill and living alone, Jin Li was the only glimmer of hope he saw.

"But if I send them there, it might take some time, and they will have to attack from outside the city. With no one to protect you, Sima Ting might become desperate.

In that case, build a shrine and conduct a sacrifice, the Imperial Guards will then appear.

It should take around three days!"

Qi Yuan explained every detail about how to summon the Imperial Guards to Jin Li, which took him about half an hour.

Feeling utterly exhausted, Qi Yuan eventually logged off.

And Xiao Jia, quietly holding Qi Yuan, remained utterly still, as if Qi Yuan was her entire world.

...

"Summon the Imperial Guards!" A smile of joy appeared on Jin Li’s face.

There was both the joy of surviving a catastrophe, and the pleasure of being able to see... Qi Yuan.

"Bring the Minister of Rites, Kong Qi..." Jin Li commanded, then added another name, "Also, bring State Duke Yu!"

About half an hour later.

In the palace, Kong Qi and State Duke Yu stood below the hall.

Aunt Qin, Hua Xian and others were also present.

All of them wore puzzled expressions as they looked at Empress Jin Li.

"Minister Kong, I wish to build a shrine, here are the blueprints. Can it be completed in a few days?" Empress Jin Li handed a sheet of paper to Hua Xian, who handed it to Kong Qi.

The paper was a sketch drawn personally by Jin Li.

Kong Qi took the paper and studied it seriously.

After staring at the paper for a moment, a puzzled expression appeared in his eyes, "Your Majesty, it will take around four to five days to build this shrine.

May I ask, what purpose does this serve?"

Kong Qi was completely baffled.

Next to him, State Duke Yu also looked perplexed.

At this moment, with Sima Ting’s ambitions clearly revealed, shouldn’t they be thinking about how to respond, or even to escape? Why would they want to build a shrine?

Jin Li’s face changed slightly, becoming cold and stern: "Just do as told, no questions!"

"This..." Kong Qi looked troubled, "Although I am the Minister of Rites, the Ministry... actually falls under the control of that traitor, Sima Ting.

If I want to mobilize manpower and resources to construct the shrine, I will need a suitable reason."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Qin was somewhat displeased: "Isn’t the Empress’s decree enough?"

Indeed, she too did not understand why the Empress would want to do this.

But no matter what the Empress decided to do, she would always support her.

"As for the reason... say that I want to conduct a sacrifice to the heavens and our ancestors, is this reason good enough?" Jin Li said, though she felt rather uneasy inside.

Indeed, she had no control over the Six Ministries.

She was like a mascot.

Her life and death depended entirely upon Sima Ting’s whims.

"Your Majesty... I’m afraid... it’s not feasible." Kong Qi knelt on the ground, lowered his body and bowed his head in shame, "I have failed Your Majesty’s expectations!"

Although he was widely revered in Nanqian, he couldn’t even control the Ministry of Rites.

However, Kong Qi raised his head again: "Your Majesty, the priority now is to leave the royal city.

Building an altar is not a big issue.

Please, Your Majesty, consider the overall situation foremost, and plan to leave the capital, heading to Yanbei Pass, and ordering General Tianqi to suppress the rebels!"

In Kong Qi’s view, what use is building an altar?

The urgent matter at hand is for Your Majesty to leave the capital.

As long as General Tianqi remains loyal to Nanqian, you are still the ruling monarch!"

Jin Li remained silent.

Building the altar is crucial.

But she could not disclose marking the Imperial Guards, otherwise it might reach Sima Ting’s ears.

This matter might seem bizarre and far-fetched, but what if Sima Ting became cautious?

State Duke Yu, who was standing by, also whispered: "Your Majesty, it is wise to leave the capital at this moment.

Only by leaving the capital can there be a glimmer of hope!"

Although, most people present knew that the queen might not be able to successfully leave the capital.

But this was the only chance to grasp hope.

Jin Li’s face was grave: "Build the altar!"

At this moment, she had to stand firm with her opinion and indicate a resolute attitude!

Setting eyes on this, Kong Qi was somewhat disappointed with Empress Jin Li.

Although the Late Emperor was distant, he always sought to break free from constraints, his actions bore the style of a wise ruler.

But Empress Jin Li, however...

Kong Qi’s heart was filled with pain. Seeing Jin Li’s stubbornness, he wept: "I, as your unworthy servant, can’t ease Your Majesty’s troubles and thus contribute three hundred and seventy taels of silver for the construction of the altar."

Three hundred and seventy taels of silver, which is a lot for ordinary people, but not enough to build an altar.

State Duke Yu sighed leisurely upon hearing this: "Your Majesty is risking everything for the country!

I pledge eighty thousand taels of silver and eight hundred craftsmen to construct the altar. This will be the last service I provide to Nanqian."

Back in the day, when his daughter, Noble Consort Xi, was pregnant, so was the queen. Both were enjoying flowers when a bowl of ordinary soup and an almond blossom drink were served.

Noble Consort Xi always enjoyed the almond blossom drink, so the queen shared some with her.

Who would have known that the drink was tampered with, and after ingesting it, Noble Consort Xi miscarried and subsequently fell into deep depression and passed away.

Let’s just say, if Noble Consort Xi hadn’t existed, the queen would have been the one to drink the soup, and in that case, there wouldn’t be an Empress Jin Li.

It would appear that Noble Consort Xi and her unborn child gave their lives for Empress Jin Li.

Of course, the outside world speculated that Noble Consort Xi had been poisoned in jealousy by the queen, but State Duke Yu knew that it was Sima Ting’s doing.

That’s why, when Empress Jin Li came to his mansion to borrow books, State Duke Yu violated protocol by asking her to pay respects at his daughter’s shrine.

Because his daughter and unborn grandchild died for Empress Jin Li.

Sometimes, he even considers Empress Jin Li as his own granddaughter.

Jin Li naturally didn’t know any of this, but upon hearing State Duke Yu’s words, she was elated.

"Thank you, State Duke Yu!"

Silver was very important, but craftsmen were vital.

With the eight hundred craftsmen provided by State Duke Yu, virtually all problems were solved.

How could Jin Li not be happy?

State Duke Yu looked at Empress Jin Li and stood up to say: "Your Majesty, I do not understand the purpose of your actions.

But I want to say, your life was exchanged with countless others’ sacrifices!

Your Majesty’s life or death concerns the wellbeing of Nanqian!

Please give priority to the state affairs and I will build the altar within the palace!"

What he didn’t say was that he would use the construction of the altar as a distraction, while Empress Jin Li secretly escaped.

Empress Jin Li, upon hearing this, inferred what State Duke Yu had hinted at, and assured: "I understand."

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.