Chapter 287: A Nation Shaken
"Does he think a single decree can reverse the truth? It's not that easy!"
"Have those Buddhist fools keep their people calm and spread the truth. We should take this opportunity to undermine the royal authority and damage the Jiang family's incense offerings!"
Demon Lord Yang gritted his teeth.
Spread the truth... The words felt strange together to the woman with the purple pattern, but she quickly agreed and left with the young man in black robes.
However, just as they were about to counterattack, signs of top-tier demon forces began to appear in various states.
These demon forces, waving their banners, rallied mountain spirits, river monsters, and other demons, bypassing border cities and infiltrating the states, attacking cities where Buddhist disciples were gathering.
"The Buddha Lord is dead, Dayu will fall!"
"Your Buddha Lord has already been killed by our Demon Emperor. Surrender quickly!"
"Kill them all!"
These demon forces included remnants of Dragon Gate, survivors of the Holy Palace, and the Ancient Demon Temple, as well as the Star Moon Academy, which was known for its neutral stance among demons, comparable to the Hanlin Academy in Dayu.
The Star Moon Academy had always maintained neutrality, not participating in conflicts, and had a non-aggression pact with the Dayu divine dynasty. However, this time they descended the mountain, joining the war against Dayu.
Among the attacking demons, the leaders were all at the Three Immortal Realm, second only to the demon king elders in the top demon forces.
They raised their banners, rallying for an attack with great momentum.
As cities were ravaged one after another, and the demon forces attacked, the accusations from Buddhist leaders that the emperor was shielding criminals were quickly invalidated.
A mere decree could only persuade the people, but the rampant demons made many Buddhist disciples realize that their Buddha Lord had indeed been killed by demons!
After all, the demons themselves were shouting it!
...
Youzhou, Summer Residence.
Reports from various states and cities flooded in. In the council hall, Summer Linglong had returned from the imperial palace with reassurance from the eunuch.
Now, with demons causing chaos and waving banners, it seemed they were preparing for a full-scale assault on Dayu, causing widespread panic among the people.
"Could it really be the Demon Emperor who acted?"
In the council hall, many members of the Summer family were shocked. They initially thought it was the young general who killed the Buddha Lord, but it turned out there was more to the story.
Senior members like Summer Yuanwu were visibly astonished. They had done many things for the emperor, and their eldest sister-in-law was skilled in taming demons. They had heard some rumors but couldn't reveal them.
Now, the unfolding events seemed to confirm some of the rumors they had heard.
Summer Linglong was momentarily lost in thought. The reassurance from the eunuch had put her at ease, and now the unfolding situation seemed to show that the emperor was backing the young general.
She was deep in thought until the discussions ended, and someone asked how they should deploy troops to deal with the demons attacking cities where Buddhist disciples were gathered.
Summer Linglong snapped back to reality, her mind racing. After a moment's thought, she said:
"With demons causing chaos, we must guard against attacks elsewhere. Let the local defenders cooperate with the Buddhist disciples to hold out. You lead troops to defend other cities and prevent the demons from using diversionary tactics."
The others were puzzled, looking at Summer Linglong with some confusion.
Not aiding the cities under attack but instead sending troops to defend other safe cities seemed like a strange and unusual decision from Summer Linglong.
"This..."
Someone hesitated, starting to argue.
Before Summer Linglong could speak, Summer Yuanwu glared and said, "Didn't you hear clearly? Do as the head of the family says. Do you know more than the family head?"
Seeing the elders' support, the previously skeptical members fell silent, realizing there must be a deeper reason.
They knew that their intelligence and the head's intelligence differed. As generals, they understood that mastering intelligence was mastering the initiative. Decisions based on intelligence were the most accurate, while hot-blooded support could disrupt higher-level plans.
They had heard many military examples of using a few thousand soldiers to lure the enemy and then counterattacking the city to achieve victory.
War always involved sacrifices, not just in charging and fighting, but also in luring, ambushing, and using death squads.
Thus, the first rule in the military was obedience!
With no further objections, the council hall emptied as everyone left to carry out their orders. Summer Linglong exchanged glances with her uncles, reading each other's thoughts.
Summer Linglong said nothing but went to see the elderly lady living in a farmhouse within the Summer estate.
"Indeed, there are the emperor's spies among the demons."
The old lady in the rocking chair, her face full of wrinkles, revealed the secret to Summer Linglong.
She had been involved in this but hadn't violated the emperor's orders, so she hadn't told Summer Linglong, the current family head.
It wasn't about distrust. Firstly, the emperor had given her secret orders, which she wouldn't violate. Secondly, knowing wouldn't benefit Summer Linglong, only harm her.
Knowing something meant pretending not to know, which was difficult. Decisions during military commands could show flaws.
Thirdly, while she knew there were spies among the demons, she didn't know their identities, so revealing it was meaningless.
Now, with the emperor revealing hints, Summer Linglong guessed the truth, so there was no need to hide it.
Summer Linglong was stunned, her beautiful face filled with shock.
It was true! The emperor had planted spies so deeply!
Clearly, this attack was orchestrated by the emperor himself.
If this were revealed, many would have their beliefs shattered.
A human emperor commanding demons to attack cities...
"To protect that boy, the emperor has used spies planted a thousand years ago. Truly indulgent..."
The old lady sighed, her eyes showing a hint of envy.
Who could receive such favor from the emperor?
Even his brothers and princes wouldn't receive such care...
Summer Linglong was speechless, not knowing how to respond.
The old lady glanced at her, saying softly, "Surprised? When the emperor discussed this with me, I was as shocked as you are now. But soon, I admired him deeply."
Summer Linglong stared at her.
The old lady continued, "Can all demons be killed? Obviously not. If the Dayu divine dynasty is a juicy piece of meat, there will always be flies eyeing it."
"But if the meat is surrounded by flies, will new ones come?"
"No..."
Summer Linglong was stunned, feeling goosebumps rise all over her body.
Is this the emperor's strategy? "The demon forces..."
"If I'm right, they all have the emperor's spies, always monitoring their movements. The emperor's plan is for the spies to eventually replace the demon leaders. If I'm right, the Star Moon Academy is the emperor's deepest piece."
The old lady's eyes glowed as she spoke softly.
Summer Linglong felt her scalp tingle. She had never imagined the emperor was so terrifying.
"If the emperor has such spies, why hasn't he used them in recent years, reducing our losses?"
Summer Linglong thought aloud. With the spies' information, their casualties could have been minimized!
Many strong warriors from the five great generals' houses had fallen.
The old lady shook her head. "The greater the loss, the deeper the spies can hide. The Buddha Lord never expected the emperor to be so ruthless."
Summer Linglong was speechless.
"If Li Junye hadn't been so determined, charging out alone, he wouldn't have fallen. The emperor showed signs of using spies then, but unfortunately..."
The old lady shook her head. She had always been watching these events, especially with insider knowledge, seeing things others couldn't.
"So the Buddha Lord was indeed killed by General Haotian, but the emperor... still favored him. Now, he's even using ancient spies for him?"
Summer Linglong found it hard to believe. Such favor was unimaginable.
Killing the second most powerful person of the time, without suspicion, even exposing long-hidden spies, not even the most favored crown prince would receive such indulgence! The old lady's eyes were also complex.
"Indeed, extreme favoritism, but also because the boy is irreplaceable. Such talent, if he doesn't become a saint, no one will. The emperor trusts him to inherit the future divine order."
"The future divine order!"
Summer Linglong's pupils shrank, feeling her blood surge.
Those words carried immense weight!
The Buddha Lord's millennia-long plan to spread temples across cities sought a single incense stick.
The long-standing struggle between Buddhism and Taoism was for the divine order, to inherit Dayu's incense offerings.
Now, General Haotian would replace the Taoist Realms' true man, becoming the future object of worship?
The old lady looked at Summer Linglong, seeing her eyes filled with sorrow, and whispered:
"Do you know what this means?"
Summer Linglong, seeing the old lady's sorrow, realized, feeling her heart sink.
When the future divine order appears, does it mean the current true man... is nearing his end?
...
Outside of Youzhou, in other places, many observed the demon attacks on Buddhist gatherings.
Some old fellows, with hidden insights, noticed traces behind the demons but couldn't be sure.
Only the Summer family could confirm, given their skills in tracking demonic lifelines.
But this wasn't something to probe, like touching a dragon's beard.
As demons attacked Buddhist gatherings, the Buddhist monks were shocked and furious, feeling devastated.
The Buddha Lord had just died, and these demons dared to attack. It confirmed that their Buddha Lord had indeed been killed by demons!
Many who had escaped from Wuliang Mountain and witnessed Li Hao kill the Buddha Lord were now shaken. With the imperial decree and demon attacks, they believed it was the demons.
"Kill!"
"Avenge the Buddha Lord!"
"Buddha is merciful, but I must kill demons!"
Many Buddhist monks donned armor, joining the battle against demons.
Meanwhile, in the imperial palace.
Those who had accused Li Hao were trembling, some claiming illness to avoid court.
Emperor Yu, on the dragon throne, threw the investigation files from the Demon Suppression Department and the Ministry of Justice.
"The truth wasn't out, yet you accused a loyal general. Do you plead guilty?"
His words, though not loud, made many nearly collapse.
Doubt? How?
The Demon Suppression Department and Ministry of Justice were powerful. Even if one favored Li's family, the Demon Suppression Department was under the emperor.
Moreover, the news of the widespread demon attacks had reached the capital.
The truth was out. Who dared argue?
Emperor Yu looked at the pale officials, coldly snorting, ordering Chu Jiuyue.
Soon, cries filled the hall.
The officials who had taken bribes from the Buddhist sect were dragged out.
They tried to argue, but the emperor didn't listen.
Heads rolled, blood splattered.
Other officials, leaving court, saw eunuchs washing away the blood, the red spreading, more vivid and striking.
...
Elsewhere, the woman with purple patterns and the black-robed youth, hearing the news from Tianji Hall, were shocked and furious, ordering the demons to retreat.
Who told them to take the blame? They wanted to use this to crush that boy.
But the widespread chaos, despite hasty orders from demon elders, was too late.
The emperor's response was swift and fierce, shattering their plans.
People are unpredictable, prone to suspicion, but the emperor didn't follow their script, exposing spies to protect the boy.
"Damn it!"
The black-robed youth's face turned red with anger. The Buddhist sect was useless.
Even the Bodhisattvas and some disciples couldn't make a difference. Without the lower-level Buddhist disciples inciting riots, there'd be no chaos. Forced summons would only lead to beheading.
"Buddhist sect... useless!"
The woman with purple patterns was grim. They gave up on dealing with the Buddhist sect, returning to the secret temple outside Dayu.
After explaining, the old man with the staff fell silent.
The emperor easily resolved the Buddha Lord's death and turned the angry Buddhist disciples into his sharpest spear against demons.
Too ruthless.
"Report to the Holy Son. Let him decide."
Demon Lord Yang's eyes gleamed fiercely. "Since he pretends to attack, let's make it real!"