In Emei, start by obtaining golden attributes.

Chapter 478 Who Will Prevail, A Night of Brocade Robes?

The wheels rolled through the snow, leaving deep ruts. As time passed, the carriage slowly came to a stop in front of the Emei Sect's mountain gate.

The coachman jumped down first, saying, "Chief, we've arrived at Emei."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the curtain of the carriage was lifted by a hand.

Shangguan Jinhong got out of the car.

He wasn't wearing an extravagant mink coat, but only a well-tailored brocade robe with a dark cloak over it. He shook the snow off his shoulders cleanly and crisply.

Compared to a few months ago, his aura has changed significantly. It is a kind of "noble air" that has been tainted by power and position for a long time. It is not ostentatious, but naturally imposing.

Beneath that air of nobility lies an even sharper domineering intent, like a knife sheathed, silent yet instinctively making one unwilling to meet its gaze.

As soon as the carriage approached, the Emei Sect elders and disciples stationed in front of the mountain gate had already noticed it.

Shangguan Jin Hong visited the Emei Sect twice.

Many elders within the Emei Sect had seen Shangguan Jin Hong, including the Emei Sect elders currently guarding the mountain gate.

At this moment, seeing Shangguan Jin Hong step down from the carriage, the Emei Sect elder who had seen Shangguan Jin Hong before relaxed his expression slightly.

"This humble nun, Juexin, greets Chief Shangguan."

Facing this elder, Shangguan Jin Hong did not put on airs, but stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Abbess."

After a brief greeting, Shangguan Jin Hong continued, "I have come today specifically to see Young Master Gu. I apologize for troubling you, Abbess."

In response to Shangguan Jin Hong's words, Abbess Juexin returned the greeting and said, "Please wait a moment, Chief Shangguan. This humble nun will go up the mountain to inform the young sect leader."

Having said that, the elder turned and left, disappearing into the snow.

Shangguan Jin Hong stood at the bottom of the mountain steps, letting the snow fall on her shoulders, neither urging her nor showing the slightest impatience.

Within a few months, Shangguan Jin Hong had successfully impersonated Zhu Houzhao and secured his place on the dragon throne.

In the past few months, Shangguan Jin Hong has used his own methods to purge most of those in the palace who were originally loyal to Zhu Houzhao.

However, the imperial status he had held for several months did not cloud Shangguan Jin Hong's judgment.

Even now, Shangguan Jin Hong knows exactly how he obtained his current position.

Therefore, Shangguan Jin Hong also understands that he can now put on airs with various Jianghu forces in the Great Wei Kingdom.

The only exceptions are the Wudang and Emei factions, which are not included in this scope.

Especially in the Emei Sect, not only Gu Shaoan, but even ordinary elders and disciples, he had no right to show disrespect.

Time passed slowly, and the wind in front of the mountain gate grew stronger. The gatekeeper disciples would occasionally steal a glance at him before quickly lowering their heads.

Shangguan Jin Hong seemed completely unaware, simply tucking her hands into her sleeves and gazing calmly at the end of the mountain path, her composure bordering on calm.

After a while.

Abbess Juexin returned, her footsteps kicking up a trail of snow. She walked to the mountain gate, her demeanor even more solemn than before.

"Young Master invites you, Chief Shangguan, to come with me."

Shangguan Jin Hong immediately cupped his hands in greeting:

"Thank you for your trouble, Master."

"Of course!"

After responding, Abbess Juexin turned around and led the way.

Shangguan Jin Hong instructed the coachman to wait outside the mountain gate before following Abbess Juexin up the mountain steps.

Before long, the two arrived at the West Garden.

Whether it was a misperception or not, Shangguan Jin Hong had a vague feeling that the location and temperature of the West Garden were unusually warm in the dead of winter.

Even the air felt warmer than before.

"The West Garden, where the young sect leader resides, is just ahead. Chief Shangguan may enter on his own."

"Thank you for your trouble."

Shangguan Jin Hong quickly returned the greeting, and only after Abbess Juexin left did she continue her journey towards the West Garden.

After walking along a small path, Shangguan Jin Hong saw a villa. In front of the villa stood a pavilion perched on a cliff, with several strings of icicles hanging from the eaves, tinkling softly in the wind.

Gu Shaoan was sitting in the pavilion.

He was dressed in simple robes, with a peaceful expression, and a cup of hot tea in front of him was steaming with a thin layer of white mist.

Outside the pavilion, the snow fell silently, but inside, it seemed to be a tranquil world unto itself.

In Shangguan Jin Hong's eyes, Gu Shaoan was sitting in the pavilion, but he could not sense any of Gu Shaoan's presence.

It was as if the figure in the pavilion was perfectly integrated with this world, this mountain forest, and even the pavilion itself.

If it were last year, or when she first met Gu Shaoan, Shangguan Jin Hong might have been startled by Gu Shaoan's aura of harmony between heaven and earth.

However, after the battle at Yixiantian, Shangguan Jin Hong did not feel there was anything wrong with the feeling Gu Shaoan gave him at this moment.

Shangguan Jin Hong stopped, looked up at the person in the pavilion, and the ingrained habits he had developed from long holding a high position were completely suppressed at this moment. He bowed respectfully, his tone humble:
"Greetings, young master."

Gu Shaoan did not get up. Instead, he gently pushed the cup of tea that had just been poured to the opposite side with a burst of energy and said in a calm voice, "Sit!"

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Jin Hong immediately nodded and took the initiative to sit down opposite Gu Shaoan.

They were sitting very properly.

After Shangguan Jin Hong took a small sip of tea, Gu Shaoan finally spoke, "Did things go smoothly?"

Shangguan Jin Hong respectfully replied, "After Zhu Houzhao and Bai Xiaosheng were gone, the Azure Dragon Society was taken over by me. With the help of the Azure Dragon Society and the method of disguise, I quickly took control of the palace. By the time Zhu Houzhao's confidants realized something was wrong, it was too late."

"Now, the palace and the capital are completely under my control."

"In addition, the edicts concerning Yixian Gorge and Cihang Jingzhai have been prepared by my subordinates. Please take a look, young master."

As he spoke, Shangguan Jin Hong stood up and walked to Gu Shaoan, taking out an imperial edict from his bosom and respectfully handing it to Gu Shaoan.

The contents of the edict were also Gu Shaoan's instructions to Shangguan Jin Hong when they were at Yixiantian. The edict packaged the events at Yixiantian in the name of the imperial court, and conveniently branded Cihang Jingzhai and Bai Xiaosheng as "traitors" who colluded with the Great Yuan Kingdom and attempted to overthrow the martial arts world of the Great Wei Kingdom.

As Gu Shaoan's gaze fell upon the imperial edict, Shangguan Jin Hong whispered, "If you are satisfied, young master, I will have the Ministry of Rites handle this matter after I return this time. After the New Year, I will be able to arrange for the Azure Dragon Society and the imperial forces to wipe out Cihang Jingzhai."

"Not bad!"

As he spoke, Gu Shaoan handed the imperial edict to Shangguan Jin Hong.

Shangguan Jin Hong accepted the teacup with both hands, her movements extremely steady. When she returned to her seat, the hem of her robes remained perfectly smooth. Outside the pavilion, the snow fell softly; inside, the tea steam rose gently. It was clearly just an ordinary couple sitting together, yet for some reason, Shangguan Jin Hong felt as if she were sitting on the edge of an invisible abyss of thunder—beneath the calm surface, undercurrents ran with their own rules, allowing no room for the slightest impropriety. Gu Shaoan picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and then spoke softly:
"After I came back, I went to Shaolin Temple."

Shangguan Jin Hong's breathing tightened slightly, as if she had thought of something, but a bright light quickly ignited in her eyes.

The next moment, Gu Shaoan's voice floated into his ears again.

"Nowadays, Shaolin no longer has any martial artists at the Celestial Realm. If the treasury of the Great Wei Kingdom is not full, an ancient temple with thousands of years of history would be a good alternative."

In an instant, Shangguan Jin Hong's eyes flashed.

He was neither a brute nor a gang leader who only knew how to act violently.

Having held the throne for several months, his perspective on matters had long since shifted from those of a single city or faction to those of a single nation or region.

Therefore, Shangguan Jin Hong also clearly understood what a large sect meant to the country.

Among them, Shaolin is the most unique.

Shaolin Temple is too large, and it has existed for too long.

Temple properties, incense offerings, the number of believers, and the number of monks—each of these is not merely a matter of money; it carries the weight of influencing public sentiment and taxes. With too many monks, no one engages in farming or practical work, yet their wealth continues to accumulate in the gray areas.

The profound heritage accumulated by this ancient temple over a thousand years is far beyond what ordinary forces can match.

To say that Shaolin is "rich enough to rival a nation" is by no means an exaggeration.

If we can swallow Shaolin as a piece of fat meat, it will not only fill the national treasury, but also open up the subsequent military pay, disaster relief, river repair, armor making, and cavalry maintenance.

Even Zhu Houzhao had considered Shaolin Temple before.

However, Shaolin's foundation was too deep, and there were too many powerful figures within the sect.

So many that even Zhu Houzhao had to be wary of a power like Shaolin.

But now, with no more Celestial Realm martial artists in Shaolin, it's like a toothless tiger.

With the Celestial Realm of Shaolin Temple no longer present, the situation naturally becomes different.

Even Shangguan Jin Hong devised several methods to destroy Shaolin in just a few breaths.

Shangguan Jin Hong's mind was racing, but his expression remained calm.

He put down his teacup, stood up, and bowed to Gu Shaoan with swift and restrained movements.

"I will begin work on it after I return."

Gu Shaoan didn't say much, but simply picked up his teacup, gently blew away the foam, and his eyes were as calm as the snow outside the pavilion.

Don't rush things.

"Understood!"

Shangguan Jin Hong responded first, then hesitated for a moment before saying again, "I have another matter to ask for your approval this time."

Gu Shaoan's heart stirred, but he didn't speak. Instead, he waited quietly for Shangguan Jin Hong to continue.

Shangguan Jin Hong said, "In a few years, I want to direct and stage a play in the palace so that the surname of the people in the world will change from Zhu to Shangguan."

Substituting one thing for another is merely a temporary measure. Now that he has taken that position, Shangguan Jin Hong naturally wants that position, and the world, to bear the name "Shangguan".

In response, Gu Shaoan said calmly, "You can arrange these trivial matters yourself, but you know what I want."

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Jin Hong replied without hesitation, "Your subordinate understands, please rest assured, young master."

Gu Shaoan gave a soft "hmm" and then remained silent.

The two then stopped talking and simply enjoyed the snow and tea amidst the swirling snow.

However, Shangguan Jin Hong would occasionally get up and take the initiative to pick up the teapot to refill Gu Shaoan's cup with tea.

Half an hour later, Gu Shaoan waved his hand and said, "You know about the situation in the Central Plains. If anything happens, I will inform you. As for the rest, you can handle it yourself."

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Jin Hong understood what Gu Shaoan meant.

After Shangguan Jin Hong agreed, he did not linger any longer.

He straightened his sleeves, stood up and took half a step back, then bowed again with his hands clasped in a clean and efficient manner, his movements perfectly measured.

He then turned and left the pavilion, stepping onto the path in the garden.

The snow reflected his silhouette, and his dark cloak swayed gently in the wind before returning to its composed state.

Footsteps fell on the stone path, short and clear, passing through bamboo shadows and eaves, gradually swallowed up by the stillness of the West Garden.

Before long, only Gu Shaoan remained in the pavilion. The steam from the teacup was still rising slowly, like a very faint white line that circled around his knuckles and then dissipated into the cold air.

Icicles under the eaves occasionally touch each other, making a soft tinkling sound before falling back into silence.

Gu Shaoan did not get up immediately.

He merely turned his head slightly, his gaze passing over the pavilion railing and landing on the distant cliffs.

The mountain wind sent the snow flying even further, and the clouds and mist below the cliff surged like a layer of silver-gray curtain.

Behind the clouds, the continuous mountain ranges undulated like a dragon's spine, one layer pressing down on another, their ends disappearing into the deeper sky.

The next moment, a very faint smile appeared on Gu Shaoan's lips.

Who controls the rise and fall of this vast land?

For any man, who hasn't dreamed of reaching the pinnacle of power and ruling the world?

Looking back over thousands of years, how many people can truly be considered to have reached that position?

Human nature, the times, war, fate—any one of these can drag a person down from the clouds to the mud.

Gu Shaoan just didn't expect things to get to this point.

He was clearly an outsider, yet he became the one who pushed the situation forward.

When fame and power fall into the hands of others, he is like someone who is dressed in fine clothes but walks in the dark. The world only sees the shadow on the throne, but cannot see the hand that is actually outstretched.

half an hour.

Gu Shaoan withdrew his gaze, his fingertips gently stroking the rim of the cup, as if to confirm that a certain temperature was still present.

Then, he lowered his eyes and murmured something softly.

"This feeling is not bad."

　Please hurry up and write the next chapter!
　
(End of this chapter)