My Cultivation Starting from Archery

As he spoke the latter part, his breath was clearly insufficient.

"Your Highness..."

The trusted guard Han Yan said with a troubled face, "Do we still need to investigate this? Even if the local officials were audacious, they wouldn't dare to blatantly pocket all the tax silver. This must be the doing of the Yan Party, and above the Yan Party... Anyway, Your Highness knows how much the Emperor spends each year; just the pursuits of seeking immortals and alchemy alone... they account for over a third of the annual tax revenue..."

"We must still investigate!"

The Crown Prince's voice trembled as he said, "Investigate!!"

"Yes, I will investigate immediately!"

Han Yan hastily replied, "We'll execute everyone we find, execute them in pairs if we find pairs. Your Highness, please calm your anger and take care of your health."

"Go now!"

"Yes, yes!"

Han Yan hurriedly left.

"Your Highness, why are you so enraged?"

The black-robed monk quickened his pace to catch up.

"It's nothing, it's nothing..."

The Crown Prince gasped for air, "Speak."

"There's been a problem with the incense offerings."

The black-robed monk spoke softly, "The folks below say that a vigilante named Zhang Lai Zi has emerged in Jianghu, continuously sabotaging our incense offerings. Moreover, it seems his craft in incense is quite exaggerated, capable of grasping any amount of incense and refining it instantly!

"The most crucial point is, this Zhang Lai Zi seems to know about our affairs."

"Who leaked it?"

The Crown Prince did not panic; he quickly deduced, "Since this Hero Zhang has not disclosed it up till now, it means he is not interested in this matter. He must be a noble person. As long as we do not offend him, it should be fine. Furthermore, we could try to win him over; he would be a great asset to us."

"Very well."

The black-robed monk nodded slightly, "This monk understands."

"Old Yao, wait a moment."

The Crown Prince raised his hand, signaling him to stop.

"Your Highness, do you have any further orders?"

The black-robed monk inquired.

"Old Yao."

The Crown Prince, leaning on his cane, finally caught his breath and spoke solemnly, "What exactly is the cost of following the Evil God Path?"

"The cost?"

The black-robed monk's eyes harbored a strange look, "It's just that it consumes more incense than usual; haven't you known this all along, Your Highness?"

"Tell the truth."

The Crown Prince looked towards the horizon, "I am not blind. Along the way, the Tongtian Dragon King sacrifice, the South Mountain God sacrifice, and various river god sacrifices... it was all your doing, correct? The so-called cost of the Evil God Path is to use lives of living people, right?"

"To deceive Your Highness is a death sin for this monk."

The black-robed monk reluctantly admitted, "But Your Highness, you might not be aware, this is the necessary path of the Evil God Path. If we do not periodically sacrifice living people, the Evil God will rage and we will suffer backlash!"

"Heh, I knew it; there's no such thing as a free lunch in this world."

The Crown Prince first scoffed at himself, then stared at the farmers bustling in the fields, falling into a long silence.

"Amitabha, Your Highness need not blame yourself."

The black-robed monk tried to console, "All of this was arranged by this monk, and the sin also lies with this monk alone, as the saying goes 'If I don't enter hell, who will?' The people sacrificed compared to the ten days in Yunzhou are but a drop in the bucket.

"After the accomplishment, Your Highness ascends to the throne, sweeps away the decadence across the realm, and restores Dasheng with a clear administration; these commoners also will have entered the path of great mercy, and in the next life, they shall surely receive a good fate..."

The Crown Prince did not hastily respond but supported himself on his cane and lent a hand to an old woodcutter passing by who nearly fell.

Once there was no one around, he sighed, "Go do it."

"Amitabha."

The black-robed monk said again, "Your Highness, it might not seem like it, but with Lai State stabilized and many states under it, if you could increase the number, you might extend your life, considering your health..."

"Enough!"

In the breeze, the Crown Prince turned his head and forcefully pounded his cane twice on the ground, "How many times do you want me to say it, I do not want any eternal reign! All I want is to use the rest of my life to reestablish the Cao Family's realm!"

"This monk will never bring this matter up again," the black-robed monk quickly assured.

"Thump..."

The cane fell from the Crown Prince's hand, and he knelt slowly on the ground, his head heavily touching the mud, leaving a deep indentation. He restrained his voice, his eyes reddening, "My Cao Family owes the people a lot!"

"Starting next year, in the Eastern region, all places involved in sacrifices will be tax-exempt for five years, to recuperate and recover!"

"Amitabha, truly a reincarnation of Bodhisattva," the black-robed monk clasped his hands and bowed, then turned and left.

...

Yong Yue Prefecture.

The vicious siege had already begun

"Bang—"

Martial Saint Meng Quji, carrying his spear, first ascended the city wall. With one thrust of his spear, the horrific power directly shattered five or six soldiers from Qing Country into pieces, their body fragments raining down like hailstones in all directions.

"Meng Quji! Meet your death—"

King Tang Li Gong suddenly appeared from the flank, his dark metal dragon mace whistling through the air.

"Bang—"

Two overwhelming forces collided, producing a sound like the sky tearing and the earth cracking; the bricks under their feet shattered inch by inch, leaving a huge gap in the city wall.

Shortly afterwards.

Meng Quji was forced to retreat, and Dasheng's troops also sounded the retreat, signaling a temporary cessation on both sides.

"That Meng really deserves to die!"

Li Gong cursed as he walked towards the Central Army Tent, "Fighting and fighting, even spreading lime; despite being a Martial Saint, he's using such childish tricks, truly shameless!"

"Yes."

Deputy General Liu Huanrong followed and cursed, "The stuff he spread contains a strange poison. The Prince is fine, but the brothers beside him suffered..."