Chapter 1 The Front Gate of the Forbidden City

Before the Wu Gate of the Forbidden City.

Emperor Wanli, having received Zhang's message, had been waiting here for a long time. He had also brought the three Grand Secretaries and ministers like Xu and Liu.

The summoned officials were puzzled, unsure of what was to be done.

They only heard the Grand Secretaries say, "Just watch the show."

Soon, the layers of gates from the imperial city to the Forbidden City gradually opened.

The eunuchs and soldiers of the Imperial Horse Administration followed the entire way.

The Divine Generals of the Northern Garrison Division guarded the gates.

The officials saw Ji Xiang walking in, grabbing Nurhaci by the scruff of his neck, arriving at the Wu Gate, and throwing him down at the entrance.

Originally, Emperor Wanli, upon hearing this astonishing news, had wanted to summon Nurhaci and Ji Xiang to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, but he came back to his senses and remembered that the Hall of Supreme Harmony had been burned down in a fire....

"Forget it, we'll just sit at the gate. It's a pity there are no melon seeds, or we could have a chat."

"Nurhaci, look at me."

Emperor Wanli issued a soul-calling shout to Nurhaci.

But Nurhaci's eyes were black, and there was a bowl-sized hole in his forehead. Although no brains could be seen, a lot of blood had flowed out, and his face was now covered in red. Moreover, because his spine had been broken, his body was paralyzed, but he was still alive, even able to barely support himself, but he couldn't lift his head.

"You're still alive after all this? Your life, it seems to me, doesn't seem quite normal?"

Emperor Wanli was also surprised by Nurhaci's tyrannical vitality. A normal person at this time, beaten into this state, should have died long ago. Watching Ji Xiang drag Nurhaci in earlier, his aura was like Guan Yu warming wine to slay Hua Xiong....

Emperor Jiajing's "Romance of the Three Kingdoms," in twenty-four volumes, had been read by Emperor Wanli during his time at home. Recently, because he was writing a novel, he had picked it up again and flipped through it, thinking that the scene just now was excellent.

"It has a bit of Guan Yunchang's flavor."

"Daoist Ji, also known as Little Lord Guan."

However, Emperor Wanli was not panicked, after all, he had seen Fire Lord beaten into this state before. Fire Lord also had a dent in his head, and his chest had been flattened, but everything was fine.

Emperor Wanli thought, "Perhaps, this is the vitality of a master."

At this time, the surrounding ministers were a little panicked.

They didn't know what was happening.

How could the Righteous Master of Great Virtue, Benevolence, and Awe of the North Pole, newly appointed by the Great Ming, attack Nurhaci, who was leaving the capital?

Moreover, it seemed that it was with the Emperor's approval?

The three Grand Secretaries, having already been informed by the Emperor, began to explain:

"It seems that Nurhaci really stole the national prestige and was caught red-handed. Now he has finally been caught."

"Celestial Master Zhang just came to inform us, and in less than a quarter of an hour, the Grand Master captured Nurhaci and entered the Forbidden City."

The three Grand Secretaries' explanation shocked the ministers.

They did not expect that the chaos caused by the two temples had not ended for a few days, and someone had already set their sights on the remaining divine power of the national god in the temples.

"But....."

"So that's how it is... But Nurhaci is, after all, the commander of the Jianzhou tribe. How could he be beaten into such a near-death state... Even if he was to be captured, such powerful and swift methods should not have been used...."

Some ministers looked unhappy, feeling that Ji Xiang's actions were too rude and barbaric.

"Heh, you jest, sir. If swift methods weren't used, I'm afraid he wouldn't have been caught!"

Ji Xiang, hearing some of the words, sneered and explained:

"The Dragon-Tiger General is a master who can transform into water and fire, become a woman, and divide his form into hundreds!"

"This series of middle-level transformations includes twenty-five types, appearing and disappearing, coming and going without a trace, turning into stones, mud, birds, beasts, and livestock, escaping disasters and avoiding calamities, fleeing and hiding, making it impossible to defend against, truly a divine skill!"

"These past few days, perhaps the concubines and such in the homes of you gentlemen were all transformed by him!"

Ji Xiang joked here, and then said: "Moreover, the Dragon-Tiger General used shamanic spells to bewilder the Minister of Rites of Yingtian Prefecture on the street, devouring his national prestige."

"As for the 'Nurhaci' who left Shuntian Prefecture with Shuerhaci, I'm afraid it was some illusory dharma body, or a puppet disguised by someone else."

Upon hearing this transformation, the expressions on the faces of all the ministers immediately changed, filled with shock.

Emperor Wanli laughed: "Turning into a woman in broad daylight, indeed, it's hard to find him!"

"As for the matter of Jianzhou, it is indeed more troublesome. Ji Xiang, your actions were indeed a bit too heavy-handed! Pay attention next time!"

However, Emperor Wanli spoke of trouble, but in fact, his expression did not change at all.

Of course, it didn't change.

After all, Shuerhaci was an internal spy. With his older brother dead, he would directly inherit the estate and position, truly being ungrateful to his brother, as the younger brother would take everything.

And the current Shuerhaci was not far from Shuntian, staring blankly at a sheep that had returned to its original form. That sheep was quite intelligent, leading the convoy on its own accord.

Ji Xiang bowed, indicating that he would definitely pay attention next time.

"Nurhaci, do you still remember when your father died?"

Emperor Wanli, at this time, with a sighing tone, sat on a small stool and began chatting with Nurhaci, who was lying on the ground.

"Your grandfather and father both died at the hands of my Great Ming army. Li Chengliang cannot escape the blame for this matter, and neither can I. So later, I took extra care of you, giving you thirty imperial edicts and thirty horses, returning the corpses, and also conferring upon you the title of Fourth-Rank Left Vice Commander."

"A few years ago, I also conferred upon you a Dragon-Tiger General Grand Edict, with an annual salary of eight hundred taels of silver and fifteen bolts of python silk."

"You, ask yourself, has the Great Ming treated you poorly? Why do you harbor rebellious intentions and want to steal the nation?"

"Did those rogue immortals and thieves of the Outer Mountains give you some benefits, causing you to become greedy and commit such a great disaster? Tell me in detail, and I can guarantee you a way out."

Emperor Wanli said this, but in his heart, he thought, "After I imprison you for three to five months, by the time you really run back, your family property will have long been taken away by Shuerhaci! Your son, Huang Taiji, is only five years old this year, a child who still smells of milk, how can he protect your foundation!"

"I'm afraid your wife and son will be taken advantage of by your younger brother!"

"By then, if Li Chengliang sits his ass down in Liaodong again, you won't be able to cause any trouble, no matter how capable you are."

"At that time, I can still earn a reputation as a wise ruler who doesn't hold grudges."

Nurhaci's mouth overflowed with blood, but at this time, he laughed loudly, his voice terrifying:

"The so-called way out that Your Majesty speaks of is probably not a simple way out. Even if I live to go out, I will either die on the way, or be 'assassinated' to death as soon as I return to Jianzhou!"

Emperor Wanli was also annoyed and retorted:

"Once you leave Shuntian Prefecture, does your life and death still require me to wipe your ass? If you don't have the ability, just die outside. You've committed such a great mistake, and instead of being grateful that I'm letting you go, you're still thinking about me helping you all the way back?"

"In that case, perhaps it's better for me to help you command the land of Jianzhou!"

"Are you going to speak, or not?"

"If you don't speak, according to the heavenly laws, or according to the laws of the Great Ming, you will inevitably have to walk the execution platform in the West Market. Are you not afraid of death?"

Nurhaci shook his head: "I am afraid of death, but I really don't know what Your Majesty is talking about!"

The people of the Outer Mountains had Nurhaci make a Great Dao oath. Once he violated the oath, the punishment he would suffer would be similar to the shamanic heavenly punishment.

Therefore, Nurhaci knew that as long as he didn't say anything, even if his body was destroyed, the people of the Outer Mountains could make him "live" again.

It's just that the next time he came back to life, the power he had built up in the Inner Mountains would inevitably have disappeared without a trace, divided up by outsiders. Everything would have to start from scratch, and he didn't even know in what situation he would come back to life.

He couldn't help but lament and hate in his heart!

This life would end here. The Heavenly Marrow he had consumed would all be wasted. Perhaps even, the failure of this action would leave a bad impression in the hearts of those people in the Outer Mountains, affecting his future path to rise.

It was truly momentary greed that ruined great things. If he hadn't suddenly encountered Ji Xiang, then this theft should have been a perfect success.

But, there was one sentence that Nurhaci had to say. He knew that he was doomed this time. Emperor Wanli wanted to dig some information out of his mouth. Nurhaci laughed out loud:

"Your Majesty! The Daoist you have appointed is highly skilled in magic. I am not his opponent. But if you mention the heavenly laws, he claims that I am recklessly practicing evil arts, turning my back on righteousness and facing evil... Hmph, hmph, hahahaha!"

"Shamanism is the religion of my Jurchen people. How can it be called an evil art! Moreover! When the Daoist you appointed recognized my transformation technique, the scriptures he chanted could hinder the operation of a person's magic power, affect a person's spirit, and summon a person's soul and will. This is the real evil art!"

"If Your Majesty wants to kill me, why not listen to this Daoist's demonic sounds of evil arts before making a decision?"

Even if he died, he would disgust Ji Xiang and drag him down!

Nurhaci was certain that the magic Ji Xiang used to find him earlier was similar to shamanic soul-calling magic, and definitely did not belong to the category of righteous methods! Even if it wasn't an evil art, it was a demonic or ghostly art!

"A righteous master appointed by the dignified Great Ming! Yet he uses demonic and ghostly evil arts to capture criminals, instead of using righteous methods! Wouldn't that be ridiculed by the world!"