Chapter 147 - The Empress's Preparation, The Mysterious Rank 1
Ming Imperial Harem.
Imperial Chamber.
Empress Wu Zhao stared at the ranking, her expression constantly shifting.
"Miss, how could we not be first? This doesn't make sense!"
"It's not the Qin Dynasty, the Tang Dynasty, or the Yuan Dynasty either."
"There must be a powerful nation in the Nine Provinces that even we are unaware of."
"To have hidden so deeply, their motives must be extraordinary."
"Their ambition is certainly not small."
The Palace Maids, Qing'er and Shangguan Wan'er, had thoughtful looks on their faces.
"Miss, could it be the nation of that Sage Realm cultivator?"
"Only someone at that level could surpass His Majesty, and only their nation could become first in the ranking."
A flash of realization crossed Shangguan Wan'er's mind as she guessed aloud.
Sage Realm?
Wu Zhao's heart stirred at the thought.
It really was possible.
"Then where exactly is this nation located?"
"Or is it hidden in the shadows?"
"If it's near our Ming Dynasty... or worse, inside it, that would be a disaster."
Qing'er grew visibly anxious.
"That's unlikely. If that were true, His Majesty would have already discovered them with his strength and intelligence network."
"Before reaching the Sage Realm, that person wouldn't have been able to stand against His Majesty anyway."
Though Shangguan Wan'er tried to comfort herself, she couldn't help but feel worried.
It was all speculation, what if their worst fears turned out to be true?
If a Sage Realm figure became His Majesty's enemy.
Could His Majesty prevail?
What if he failed? Wouldn't that mean certain death?
If anything were to happen to His Majesty, the entire Ming Dynasty would collapse.
Even Wu Zhao herself, the Empress, would not escape a tragic fate.
How could they not worry about such an outcome?
Even Wu Zhao felt the same.
Though the chances were slim, one must always be prepared for the worst.
If His Majesty let his guard down, the consequences would be unimaginable.
She had to be strong enough to protect herself, and help His Majesty.
"Wan'er, Qing'er, stay in the Imperial Harem for the next few days. I'll be leaving for a bit and will return soon."
Wu Zhao had only one thought now: Phoenix Nest.
There were still many secrets within it yet to be uncovered.
Last time, she had already gained great benefits.
This time, she might be able to obtain even more.
As for danger, she wasn't too worried.
Since Phoenix Nest had fully recognized her as its master, she could now control all of its formations with ease.
At the very least, her life would not be in danger, only tests awaited her.
"Yes, Miss. We know what to do!"
Both Shangguan Wan'er and Qing'er were her closest confidants. They would never betray her.
And even with secrets, there was little need to hide things from them.
The Empress nodded, then her figure flickered.
She quickly left the palace and flew toward the Phoenix Nest.
As for His Majesty, she was surprised to discover that he wasn't in the palace either.
No one knew where he had gone.
==========
Southern border of the Ming Dynasty and Song Dynasty.
Further south.
In a vast stretch of ocean.
At this moment, a massive warship sailed swiftly across the sea.
"Great Governor, who do you think will take the top spot on the National Power Ranking?"
A burly, bearded man asked the silver-armored, heroic young man in front of him.
"Heh. The answer is already clear."
"Who else but our Vast Sea Dynasty could top the ranking?"
"The only real threats, Qin Dynasty, Tang Dynasty, and Ming Dynasty, have already appeared in the ranking. Rank 1 is obvious!"
"Fortunately, His Majesty wisely established the dynasty in the far south of the continent. Let the other nations tear each other apart."
"Meanwhile, we've developed ourselves from across the vast sea."
"In just a few short years, our strength has become number one among all nations!"
"Back then, His Majesty's decision was truly brilliant."
"Yeah, at first when His Majesty brought us here by force, I resented him a little."
"But now, I couldn't be more thankful."
"If we were still in the Han Dynasty, with all the chaos and war, I'd probably be dead already."
"And you, Great Governor, if not for His Majesty's support, would have been nothing more than a minor noble's son, with your life constantly in danger!"
They both looked genuinely grateful.
Boom!
At that moment, the sky lit up as the ranking refreshed.
[National Power Ranking – Rank 1]
[Vast Sea Dynasty]
[Territory: Six Stars]
[Population: Four Stars]
[Military: Five Stars]
[ Expert: Six Stars]
[Economy: Five Stars]
[Public Support: Five Stars]
[Overall National Index: Five Stars]
[Reward: One thousand hundred years added to the Emperor's lifespan, fifty million taels of silver, fifty million bushels of grain, one million fine horses]
[Reward: Saint-Grade Treasure – Eastern Monarch Bell, power beyond measure]
"Hahaha! Great Governor, it's true!"
"Vast Sea Dynasty really is number one!"
"This is amazing!"
"Alright, Gan Ning. Don't get too excited. We're about to reach the port, it's time to go ashore."
The silver-armored general smiled.
Though his tone was calm, the brief glint of emotion in his eyes betrayed his excitement.
"This time, by bringing another strong nation under the Vast Sea Dynasty's control, His Majesty will surely reward you handsomely when we return."
"You're guaranteed a place among the Vast Sea Dynasty's top ten marshals!"
The general smiled modestly and shook his head.
"Let's not get careless. The Vast Sea Dynasty has many powerful generals, I may not be chosen."
"There are already many in the military who surpass me."
"Marshal Li Jing of the First Army, Marshal Han Xin of the Third Army, Marshal Yue Fei of the Sixth Army, they've all achieved brilliant victories and have His Majesty's full trust."
"In terms of battle accomplishments, how could I compare?"
"True, those guys are monsters!"
"How did His Majesty even find them? His judgment is unbelievable."
"Take Marshal Li Jing, unappreciated in the Sui Dynasty, but His Majesty spotted his talent instantly and brought him to the Vast Sea Dynasty."
"Then there's Marshal Han Xin. I heard he once suffered the humiliation of crawling between a man's legs. If it were me, I would've looked down on him, but His Majesty immediately saw his potential. Incredible!"
"And Yue Fei, he was just about to enlist when His Majesty snatched him away. That's why the Southern Song Dynasty lost a general, and we gained a mighty commander."
"Forget His Majesty's unmatched power. Just his ability to recognize talent makes him a great Emperor!"
The burly general was full of admiration.
Even he had once been nothing more than a pirate in the Han Dynasty.
Only because His Majesty gave him a chance did he rise to become a naval general.
It was almost unbelievable.
The silver-armored general smiled again.
"You only see the military. What about the court officials?"
"All the high-ranking officials today are incredibly talented."
"Take Xiao He in the cabinet. He was just a minor local clerk in the Qin Dynasty until His Majesty saw his potential."
"There are countless others like him."
"The Vast Sea Dynasty's rapid rise in just a few years is thanks to all of them."
"Of course, the greatest credit still belongs to His Majesty."
"If not for him, none of us, including you and me, would be where we are now."
"We'd probably still be struggling at the bottom, if not already dead."
"Indeed. What's more, His Majesty's power far surpasses the so-called top cultivators of the Nine Provinces."
"Years ago, he was already an invincible God Demon Realm cultivator."
"Honestly, I wonder... could that Sage Realm cultivator be His Majesty's breakthrough?"
"Enough. Don't speculate. This is a serious matter, do not spread such rumors!"
The silver-armored youth shot a stern glance at the burly general.
"The Nine Provinces are in chaos. All nations are at war. The Vast Sea Dynasty will not be an exception."
"Whether I earn a spot among the top ten marshals depends on my performance going forward."
He was full of confidence, clearly determined to claim that title.
==========
South Sea Archipelago.
A strategically located group of islands.
These islands had been developed remarkably well.
Each one resembled a grand city, perhaps even surpassing those on the mainland.
The largest island was especially prosperous.
Even compared to the capital cities of dynasties, it was far more splendid.
Within a grand Imperial Palace.
Shockingly, the one seated on the central throne was Zhu Houzhao, Ming Emperor.
Only now, his aura and appearance differed from his usual Ming Imperial Palace self.
"Minister Xiao, the Heaven Dao Reward, silver, grain, and horses, are all yours to manage."
"Yes, Your Majesty. I will make full use of these resources to strengthen the Vast Sea Dynasty."
"But should we continue expanding into the South Sea kingdoms or intervene in the Nine Provinces wars?"
Xiao He asked sincerely.
Zhu Houzhao was more than satisfied with Xiao He, whom he had forcefully brought to the Vast Sea Dynasty.
Whatever the task, Xiao He handled it efficiently, saving him countless troubles.
"Minister Xiao, you're one of the few who knows my true identity. What do you think the Vast Sea Dynasty should do next?"
"Your Majesty, I believe we should continue conquering the South Sea."
"If the Vast Sea Dynasty enters the Nine Provinces war now, your identity as the Vast Sea Dynasty's Emperor will be exposed."
"If Ying Zheng, Li Shimin, or Temujin learn that you are also the Ming Emperor, they might unite to attack both the Ming Dynasty and the Vast Sea Dynasty."
"We cannot take that risk."
"Now is the perfect time to watch from the sidelines as tigers fight."
"It's not yet time for Your Majesty to reveal yourself."
"I agree. But now that the Vast Sea Dynasty's strength has been revealed, the entire Nine Provinces will be watching us closely."
"Be cautious."
"As for my identity, I have ways to keep it hidden."
Thanks to the Lying Flat System's rewards, Zhu Houzhao had powerful skills to conceal his aura, change his appearance and build.
Even God Demon Realm cultivators couldn't detect his true identity, let alone ordinary spies.
And those few ministers like Xiao He who knew his secret had been bound by special means.
When he abducted talents from the Nine Provinces to the Vast Sea Dynasty, he had already prepared precautions.
He was never one to trust easily.
As an Emperor, a healthy level of suspicion was necessary.
This time, the exposure of the National Power Ranking caught him off guard.
Fortunately, he had planned ahead.
But who knew how many more rankings might appear in the future, each one exposing more of his secrets?
If this continued, he might not be able to hide everything forever.
Zhu Houzhao looked up at the sky.
His expression was a mix of emotion.
There were many benefits, yes, but also serious dangers.
If he were not so capable, he might have already become the prime target of all Nine Provinces.
Buzz!
At that moment.
After the final spot on the ranking was revealed, the golden text in the sky refreshed once more.
[National Power Ranking has been fully updated]
[A new ranking will be revealed in three months]
The Golden Ranking slowly closed.
Then transformed into a streak of light and disappeared.