All Under Heaven Is the King's Land — The Matter of Establishing an Empress and Taking Consorts
All Under Heaven Is the King’s Land — The Matter of Establishing an Empress and Taking Consorts
Aside from the matter of the rankings, Yin Mei also raised many suggestions that, in Gu Changge’s view, were all extremely useful.
For example, with the Divine Empire newly established, across All of Heaven and Its Thousand Worlds, members of every race could serve as officials. Many clans and Daoist traditions could hold nominal positions in the Divine Empire, enjoying the authority and the obligations that came with them.
At the same time, she could see that Changge intended to support ordinary Cultivators and common living beings, attempting to balance the interests between the various powers — this could be achieved through a combination of suppression and support, applied to each as needed.
For instance, some traditions with extremely ancient heritages could be made to offer up their clan-guarding techniques and legacies. Then, in exchange for this contribution, the Divine Empire would bestow many benefits upon them, keeping them satisfied while also serving as a form of suppression.
In short, when it came to these imperial arts of rulership, Yin Mei had clearly done no small amount of research.
Furthermore, Yan Ji was also highly ambitious, bringing up many methods for suppressing the various Daoist traditions and powers.
The few of them discussed back and forth, drawing on each other’s ideas, and indeed came up with quite a few good plans.
Of course, with the Divine Empire newly founded, what it needed most was talent in every field. Changge had long anticipated this — back when he scattered the Golden Finger seeds across All of Heaven and Its Thousand Worlds, he had already thought about gathering talent.
However, the talent on his side consisted of those Fortuitous Ones, each possessing different destinies and Fortuity, waiting for the right time.
These Fortuitous Ones possessed different abilities, and all of them were incomparably devout toward Gu Changge. Having received his gifts in their times of weakness, they called themselves Divine Envoys and Divine Disciples.
“Young Master, you are now both the Divine Lord and the Son of Heaven, the sovereign of the Divine Empire who rules over All of Heaven and Its Thousand Worlds. Naturally, you should take all the worlds as your domain — all under heaven is the king’s land.”
Yin Mei’s delicate little hands gently massaged Changge’s brow, her tone soft as she spoke.
She was very ambitious. Although Changge had yet to take any consorts — he hadn’t even established an empress — many ministers within the Divine Empire felt she was highly capable, managing everything in perfect order.
Meanwhile, although Yue Mingkong was Changge’s properly wedded wife, her authority and prestige within the Divine Empire fell far short of Yin Mei’s.
In fact, quite a few people felt that if Changge were to establish an empress in the future, Yin Mei would be even more suitable than Yue Mingkong.
Of course, Gu Changge was aware of all this talk. He understood it was an unavoidable consequence of the Divine Empire’s founding.
Yin Mei herself, and Yue Mingkong as well, had both mentioned to him multiple times that he should find the time to settle these matters, lest the ministers of the Divine Empire gossip endlessly.
Many things had to be considered from the bigger picture — things could no longer be as casual as they once were.
Besides, Yin Mei was also somewhat worried that Yue Mingkong might overthink things, which was why she had repeatedly sounded out Gu Changge’s intentions. She had great ambition for power, but she would never do anything unreasonable or overstep her bounds.
“I’ve long had arrangements for these matters. What lies before me now is only the matter of Sealing Immortals that I mentioned before.
In the face of absolute power, these rules can be changed at will, established at will. Just like now — for me, founding the Divine Empire and ruling over all the heavens, isn’t it all just a game played on a whim?
Whether the myriad races of the heavens submit or not depends only on whether I will it or not.”
Gu Changge smiled faintly, reaching out to take the tea she handed him, blowing on it lightly.
He didn’t regard the foundation of the Divine Empire as all that significant — to him, the Divine Empire was merely a means of absorbing the power of faith.
Because no matter what, the Divine Empire’s current glory was propped up entirely by him alone.
If he were to suddenly vanish, the Divine Empire would collapse overnight. Gu Changge didn’t...
“Do you know how infuriating those words sound?”
Hearing this, Yin Mei’s beautiful eyes blinked. She felt Gu Changge was being far too casual, not taking the matter seriously at all. She said, “This is an immortal Divine Empire — the first Immortal-Dao-level power born in the Beyond in countless years. It can be recorded in ancient history, eternal and indestructible.
I believe that even if great upheavals come in the future, the Divine Empire will stand firm and immortal, enduring through the long river of epochs.”
This was her greatest ambition — to help Gu Changge build such an immortal empire.
Gu Changge smiled, reaching out to pull her into his embrace. His gaze stretched out, as if piercing through the vast and boundless All of Heaven and Its Thousand Worlds, overlooking everything from within the Divine Empire.
Yin Mei gazed at him infatuatedly, her eyes full of admiration and love.
But then she remembered something else and said with slight distress, “Young Master, regarding the matter of establishing an empress and taking consorts, many ministers have been submitting petitions lately, wanting to send their clans’ Saintesses or various Gifted Ladies into the palace.
What’s more, even some female great Transcendent experts of bygone years — whose cultivation dominates the world and whose beauty is unmatched — have repeatedly expressed their wish to enter the palace. Among them is that Golden Sun Gifted Lady of the Godly Illusion Clan.”
The Golden Sun Gifted Lady — she was a true Hidden Expert, one who had even crossed paths with Gu Changge before. She was an extremely ancient existence of the Godly Illusion Clan.
In ancient times, her beauty eclipsed the world, and countless heroes and prodigies pursued her. Later, she suppressed her era, broke through to enlightenment, and her cultivation became unfathomably deep.
In truth, such things were not uncommon even in mortal kingdoms.
Let alone in a Divine Empire meant to rule over all the heavens — many traditions, powers, and clans wanted to use marriage and other such means to claim a place within this vast Divine Empire. After all, this was...
The matter of the Sealing Immortals Rankings had long since spread throughout All of Heaven and Its Thousand Worlds. Every universe was shaken and discussing it, and even the ancient Forbidden Areas that had lain dormant for ages showed signs of upheaval.
All of Heaven and Its Thousand Worlds was vast and boundless. Even those whose cultivation pierced heaven and earth could not claim to have explored every corner, to know and perceive everything.
But the establishment of the Divine Empire had shown hope to all living beings, and let every tradition and clan witness that terrifying aura of unifying all the heavens.
As the Lord of the Divine Empire, everything Gu Changge did shook every corner of the heavens.
Now, who did not fear him? Who did not revere him?
For the Beyond, this would be an epoch-making — one might even say epoch-dividing — brand new...
...his expression did not change. He had, in fact, long anticipated this.
After all, as the Lord of the Divine Empire, a Son of Heaven of his generation...
Yue Mingkong, as the Empress of the Unrivaled Celestial Dynasty, had ruled it for so many years — she naturally knew what Gu Changge would face.
She naturally wouldn’t mind. On the contrary, she felt Gu Changge should give the matter proper consideration, and while he was at it, properly settle the many beauties at his side.
In the past, she had been somewhat domineering and prone to jealousy.
But ever since the two of them married, many of her views and ideas had changed. She had developed what Gu Changge would call the bearing of a mother of the nation — one who could hold everything down.
“That Golden Sun Gifted Lady — how many epochs has she lived? For even her to have such thoughts, I’m honestly a bit surprised.”
Gu Changge shook his head. If it were Jiang Luoshen of the Godly Illusion Clan wanting to become his consort, he would find that perfectly normal. But it was precisely the Golden Sun Gifted Lady, which genuinely surprised him.
After the Resplendence Universe Incident, the number of Hidden Experts had plummeted — let alone female Hidden Experts.
Yin Mei was also somewhat helpless. “The Golden Sun Gifted Lady of the Godly Illusion Clan has petitioned three times on her own initiative, saying she wishes to enter the Divine Palace and remain by your side, Young Master.”
Gu Changge smiled faintly. “She’s lived that long — even her eyelashes are hollow with cunning. She wouldn’t make such a decision merely out of admiration. She’s probably worried that the Sealing Immortals Rankings hide some great pitfall, yet she’s unwilling to pass up the Opportunity to Become an Immortal — so she came up with this method.”
He didn’t believe his charm had grown so great that a Hidden Expert would willingly and gladly enter the palace to serve him.
It was merely a decision made for the sake of achieving immortality.
Of course, Gu Changge didn’t feel much of anything about this. At his level, it was already very difficult for emotions like joy, anger, or sorrow to arise casually.
“Young Master, don’t say that. To the living beings of the heavens of the Beyond, you carved your way through thorns, purged and pacified countless calamities, and founded the one and only immortal Divine Empire since ancient times — what kind of feat is that?
It’s an achievement countless Cultivators wouldn’t even dare dream of.
Moreover, Young Master, you are a True Immortal of this era. In terms of looks, how many men in the world could compare? In terms of talent and gifts, no one can match you. A figure rare even in myths and legends — what woman in the world could fail to be won over by you?
The Golden Sun Gifted Lady was, in her own era, a goddess whose beauty eclipsed the world, with countless suitors and admirers. For her to feel admiration toward you is only natural.”
However, hearing Gu Changge’s words, Yin Mei’s little face grew serious. On that devastatingly beautiful face, naturally tinged with fox-like allure, a very solemn expression appeared as she explained.
This was the image of Gu Changge in her heart, without the slightest trace of exaggeration.
Gu Changge chuckled, unable to resist tapping the tip of her nose. “Since when did even you learn to flatter?”
Looking at Yin Mei before him, his thoughts drifted somewhat. Back then, he had merely planted a demonic seed in her so she would work for him, planning to discard her as a spent chess piece once her usefulness ran out.
But who could have imagined that among the people now closest to him, she would be one of them?
All this time, Yin Mei had actually been the one who helped him the most. In some matters, she had done and given even more than Yue Mingkong.
It could only be called the tricks of fate.
“I’m not making this up. If you don’t believe me, Young Master, go ask around yourself — which heaven’s proud daughter doesn’t say the same?” Yin Mei’s little face was full of earnestness as she spoke.
Gu Changge smiled and said no more. Then he took out a booklet and placed it before her. “Mingkong gave this to me. You can take a look too.”
Yin Mei accepted it curiously, her gaze sweeping over its contents. The booklet mainly concerned the matter of establishing an empress and taking consorts.
For example, how to divide the authority of the imperial harem: the Empress, the Divine Consorts, and the Celestial Consorts — these were the three highest ranks. There would be one Empress, three or four Divine Consorts, and the number of Celestial Consorts could be somewhat greater.
As for the consorts below those, it was much simpler and more casual — principal consorts, secondary consorts, and so on.
“The Empress drew all this up long ago?”
Yin Mei was startled to find her own name among the Divine Consorts, and a look of delighted surprise appeared on her face.
Without a doubt, the position of Empress belonged to Yue Mingkong alone. As for the remaining positions, Yue Mingkong intended to discuss them with her before deciding.