Steal my marriage? Turn around and marry the tyrant to take the throne

Chapter 1670 Auspicious Omens Descend from Heaven, Blessing My Great Zhou

The emperor did not enter the harem before because of Xingchen's affair, which annoyed the women in the harem.

There was another reason, even if he didn't want to, that he had to admit...

The humiliation of being cuckolded and the resulting inferiority complex left him unsure how to face Nian Nian...

Nangong Xuanyu didn't know how to face Nian Nian's trusting eyes.

He feared that the lingering gloom and suspicion in his eyes would betray his true feelings.

What I fear even more is that the distrust and disdain of the harem might inadvertently hurt Nian Nian...

But she doesn't know anything about it.

She continued to care about him and think about him as always.

Even when he deliberately distanced himself, she still sent him soup full of heartfelt care.

Thinking that she had developed a slight suspicion of Niannian and Axu because of Xingchen's baseless accusations before her death, and even secretly sent people to investigate her past before entering the palace...

Even if Niannian is ultimately proven innocent, the mere existence of doubt is already a betrayal of her deep affection.

A sudden wave of indescribable guilt washed over Nangong Xuanyu...

Those sordid matters have been settled, Xingchen has turned to blood and mud, and the Feng and Chu clans have been completely wiped out.

The hatred in his heart should finally be put to rest.

Niannian was the person he cherished most, and he could not continue to neglect and distance himself from her because of the sins of others.

He wants to make up for the lack of love and companionship during this period.

The emperor looked at Fuqu, his expression softening. He was about to instruct Li Changde to prepare the imperial carriage for Yongshou Palace.

"His Majesty……"

Li Changde entered again at this moment, bowed and said, "The Minister of Rites is requesting an audience outside the hall, saying that he has important matters to discuss with the Emperor immediately!"

Nangong Xuanyu raised his eyebrows slightly.

The Minister of Rites was Consort Zhuang's uncle and Consort Mei's father.

He was a senior official in the court, always prudent, but at this moment he claimed to have important business to attend to and needed to see the emperor immediately.

Could it be related to the recent purge of Fatu Temple and the punishment of the rebellious monks?

Nangong Xuanyu said, "Summon."

"Yes."

Li Changde announced loudly: "The Minister of Rites is hereby summoned for an audience—!!!"

Nangong Xuanyu looked at Fuqu and said, "Go back and tell the Imperial Noble Consort to take good care of herself and not to worry about me. When I have time, I will go to see her and the Fourth Prince."

His Majesty hasn't entered the inner palace for a long time. Upon receiving this promise, Fuqu was overjoyed: "This servant understands!"

She then curtsied and bowed as she left the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Before long, Minister Zhuang walked in.

He had a lean face, a neatly trimmed short beard, and an air of dignified composure in his movements. He took a few steps to the imperial desk and performed a deep, meticulous bow: "Your humble servant greets Your Majesty!"

"Flat body."

Nangong Xuanyu raised his hand and asked, "What brings Minister Zhuang to the palace at this hour?"

Minister Zhuang rose, took a memorial from his wide sleeves, held it above his head with both hands, and exclaimed excitedly, "Your Majesty, I congratulate you! Heaven has sent forth auspicious omens, blessing our Great Zhou!"

Li Changde took the memorial and presented it on the imperial desk.

Nangong Xuanyu's eyes narrowed slightly: "What auspicious omen? Tell me in detail."

Minister Zhuang's face flushed, and his voice became louder: "Your Majesty, a few days ago, due to continuous rain, the Sui River in Qinghe County, Puyang Prefecture, Yuzhou, swelled and washed away the banks."

"An urgent report arrived in the capital at noon today, stating that after the river receded, a huge, strange rock was revealed on the riverbank. It is about twelve feet high and more than eight feet wide, with a dark bluish-black color and a hard, smooth texture, unlike any other common mountain rock in the area. The natural patterns on the rock even reveal characters!"

Upon receiving the report, the local magistrate personally led his constables and elders to investigate. After cleaning the stone with clear water, the characters became even clearer, revealing eight large ancient seal script characters—

At this point, Minister Zhuang took a deep breath and said, word by word, "With a wise ruler in power, the world will be forever at peace!"

Nangong Xuanyu's eyes narrowed slightly: "Oh?"

Minister Zhuang glanced at the emperor's expression and continued, "Your Majesty, this is a clear sign from Heaven!"

"The boulder, buried beneath the riverbed for countless years, has reappeared this year, its patterns forming characters. These characters are auspicious words praising divine virtue and praying for peace!"

"Puyang in Yuzhou has been the heart of the Central Plains since ancient times, and the Sui River is also an ancient waterway. This stone and these words must be a sign from Heaven in response to Your Majesty's civil and military achievements in recent years, which have quelled border troubles and brought peace to the world. This auspicious omen proves that Your Majesty is the chosen one of Heaven and that your holy virtue has moved Heaven! This is a great blessing for the country and a great fortune for the people!"

As the Minister of Rites, Zhuang Shouzhen knew in his heart that many auspicious omens were actually the result of human intervention.

Local officials, seeking political achievements and pleasing the emperor, have a long history of finding strange stones and exotic animals, manipulating them, and falsely claiming them as divine will.

The eight characters on that boulder, "A Holy Ruler Reigns, the Four Seas Are Forever at Peace," are perhaps a bit too perfectly crafted and too fitting for the occasion. They must have been fabricated by those below to curry favor with His Majesty.

However, due to the recent collusion between Fatu Temple and the rebels, the atmosphere in the capital is tense, and His Majesty is not in a good mood.

The appearance of auspicious omens at this time was undoubtedly a lucky sign, so officials at all levels were happy to cooperate.

Minister Zhuang was no exception; he came specifically to report this good news to His Majesty, hoping to make some use of it...

Nangong Xuanyu was not a foolish ruler who blindly believed in ghosts and gods.

Having reigned as emperor for many years and wielded power, how could he not understand the intricacies of the situation?

But given the current situation... all the officials in the court do indeed need auspicious omens with a divine influence to ease the tense atmosphere in the capital.

Although the Xingchen case has been resolved, the palace scandals and bloodline doubts involved have left Nangong Xuanyu with unsettled emotions.

At this moment, the report of auspicious omens from heaven, whether true or false, would only further glorify his image as a sage ruler, linking his achievements since ascending the throne to the will of Heaven.

This also provides an opportunity to divert some attention.

Truth and falsehood are sometimes unimportant when faced with political needs.

Thinking of this, the emperor looked at Minister Zhuang and said, "The natural characters formed by the patterns on the boulder are indeed a marvel. Minister Zhuang, what do you think should be done about this?"

Minister Zhuang immediately replied, "Your Majesty, I believe this is clear evidence of Heaven's blessing upon the Great Zhou Dynasty and a manifest sign of Your Majesty's sagacious virtue. It should be treated with utmost seriousness!"

"In my humble opinion, we should immediately dispatch an imperial envoy, together with officials from the Ministry of Works and the Hanlin Academy who are skilled in epigraphy and seal carving, to Qinghe County for on-site inspection. After confirming that the auspicious omen is genuine, we should hold a grand ceremony to announce the auspicious event to the world and record it in history!"

"At the same time, an imperial edict can be issued to build a monument and pavilion in the local area to protect this auspicious land. It will also allow all people to admire it and feel the boundless grace of Heaven!"

"Your Majesty may take this auspicious omen and issue a decree to reduce or exempt some taxes in Yuzhou, so as to show that Your Majesty shares in the joy and that Your Majesty's grace shines upon all!"

The process was explained flawlessly, clearly indicating that they had come prepared.

As Nangong Xuanyu listened, he slowly opened the memorial.

In addition to Minister Zhuang's report, there was also a detailed report from the magistrate of Qinghe County, as well as a rough sketch of the size, texture, and inscription on the boulder.

With pictures and text, it actually looks quite convincing.