My low-key cultivation of immortality was discovered by the emperor in my diary.

The Night Guard Commander, with a stern expression and swift steps, once again arrived at the Imperial Study to report on the situation.

At the same time, he secretly sighed to himself that while the emperor could still issue imperial seals and his subordinates could still ask for leave, he himself had not had a single day of rest all year round and had to be available at any time.

Composing himself, the Night Guard Commander slowly stepped forward and knelt down: "Your Majesty, I have come to report the latest developments in the Xinghua Tower assassination case."

The emperor raised his head slightly and said, "Rise and speak."

The Night Guard Commander gave a detailed report on the latest developments in the case, as well as the various clues discovered by the Night Guard during the investigation. The remaining informants and contacts have also been quickly apprehended and imprisoned in the dungeon for interrogation.

The Xinghualou assassination case was far more than a simple assassination incident. He was fully aware of this. The existence of the Qin Prince's mansion's assassins was a lapse in the Night Guard's authority, which also threatened the Emperor's safety. He had to take concrete actions to make up for the Night Guard's mistake.

At this point, the Night Guard Commander couldn't help but recall the bloody storm that had swept through the Night Guard when the Four Kings and Eight Dukes fell from power.

Of the original three titled squads, two had already been secretly bribed by the rebels and become their pawns.

In key events such as Zhenbei City and the suppression of bandits during the spring drought, these bribed Night Guard members not only failed to fulfill their duties, but also covered up the crimes of Prince An and fabricated merits for Governor Sun.

All of this has caused enormous damage to the Night Guard's reputation.

Since its inception, the Night Guard has been subordinate to imperial power, existing as the emperor's eyes and ears.

Unexpectedly, they were instead used by the traitors to block their access to information and create a false impression!

When the Night Guard Commander learned that his elite troops had been secretly infiltrated by traitors and had chosen to betray him and become accomplices, his heart felt as if it had been struck by a boulder. He was shocked and furious.

Thus, an unprecedented cleanup operation quietly began.

The Night Guard Commander personally oversaw a thorough investigation of everyone involved in the case.

He showed no hesitation or mercy when the traitors were massacred.

Only in this way can the Night Guard regain the emperor's trust and find value in continuing to exist.

The remaining titled squad, although there was no evidence to suggest their involvement, was still under suspicion and awaiting dismissal due to the incident.

The Night Guard Commander sighed inwardly. When the Emperor is angry, blood flows for miles. Now, almost all of his men have been replaced. There are too many new people, which is why mistakes keep happening.

He held the list and looked at it over and over, only to find that it was Lou Qing, the one he had previously troubled, who had become his only support.

This left the Night Guard Commander with mixed feelings. Fortune changes, and who could have predicted today's situation?

As the emperor listened to his report, he gently flipped through the secret report on the latest developments of the delegation on his desk. His eyes swept over the words, but his expression remained completely calm.

He put down the secret report, turned his gaze to the respectfully waiting Night Guard Commander, and instructed him: "The envoys have come from afar and may experience many discomforts. Give orders to the post stations and lodgings to pay close attention and not to neglect them."

"Yes," the Night Guard commander immediately replied, bowing his head.

At the same time, he couldn't help but feel secretly surprised.

Your Majesty is usually very busy with state affairs, and usually delegates such trivial matters to subordinate officials, rarely paying attention to them personally. Today's meticulous care is truly rare.

It seems His Majesty is in a good mood today?

The Night Guard Commander had many guesses in his mind, but after quickly recalling all the information, he really couldn't think of any good thing that could make the emperor so happy.

Does Your Majesty think that Chu Lengyu's intimidation of the foreign envoys the other day did not disgrace Great Xia?

Finally, he left, completely baffled.

The emperor got up and walked to the window to look at the scenery, feeling pleased.

Although he had read that book, "Cultivation Diary," countless times, every time he opened it, it was as if he were seeing it for the first time, filled with novelty and anticipation.

The emperor's thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the days when he first read Chu Lengyu's diary.

This suddenly appearing book proclaimed the existence of cultivators, abruptly shattering his old views and shocking him time and time again.

Chu Lengyu's vision and perspective extend far beyond the Great Xia Dynasty.

In her writing, the whole world seems to become within reach, full of infinite possibilities, and magnificent.

It was the shock and enlightenment she brought that made the emperor determined to send his princes out of the palace to experience the world firsthand and truly see its vastness and complexity.

The world is vast, and the Great Xia Dynasty is but a small part of it.

The emperor's gaze sharpened as he seriously considered that once the matter of the Nine Tripods was over, he should perhaps urge the Ministry of Works to begin shipbuilding as soon as possible.

Chu Lengyu has her own way of teleporting thousands of miles, so she is naturally not afraid of traveling long distances.

Although he was filled with envy, he was also well aware that for ordinary people, whether it was a distant expedition to foreign lands or a journey overseas, it was an extremely difficult and lengthy undertaking.

Building a fleet of ships capable of traversing vast oceans is an especially complex undertaking, requiring at least several years of preparation.

The emperor gazed up at the distant sky, once again filled with boundless longing for the future.

"With a clear mind and a wonderful heart, though mountains are high and waters are far, when will we be able to look forward to it?"

"A clear sky, a moonlit night, and colorful clouds drifting by—all these stir my boundless imagination." (Note)

_______________________

Note: This is from Zhang Jixian's "Magpie Bridge Fairy - Sent to Peng Quan" (Song Dynasty).

The context wasn't quite right, but the final phrase "it inspired me again, and my imagination ran wild" was quite fitting.