Reincarnated as a Ginkgo Tree: I Create an Eternal Divine Kingdom - Chapter 173

“There’s no need to worry about the Great Xia,” Minister Liang assured as he surveyed the group. “I’ll make sure everyone here keeps this secret. When we return, you’ll remain as Deputy Minister Su Yao, and you’ll still be the Vice Master of the Heaven and Earth Pavilion. Moreover, if the divine being saw fit to spare us, it means He finds us trustworthy.”

“That’s right! Anyone who dares speak ill of Deputy Minister Su Yao will be my enemy,” Yang Xuan quickly added.

With his newfound faith and knowledge of Su Yao’s true identity, Yang Xuan understood that they were all in the same boat. Protecting Su Yao meant protecting his own interests.

“Lord Su, we were all spared by the Misty Forbidden Zone,” He Liangyue spoke up. “If any of us were to reveal the truth, none of us would escape suspicion. Others will surely wonder why only the thirteen of us survived. They might accuse us of defecting to the Misty Forbidden Zone.”

The others immediately realized the gravity of the situation. They had overlooked this crucial detail—keeping the truth hidden was not only about protecting Su Yao but also about safeguarding their own lives.

“So what should we say when we return?” someone asked. “Even that Old Master Zhu Huang is dead. Without a proper explanation, the court will never accept it.”

“We don’t need to fabricate a story,” Minister Liang replied calmly. “Not only did our Great Xia Navy suffer heavy losses, but so did the other nations. We should relay most of the truth, but adjust the details. For example, we can claim that we narrowly escaped rather than being released by the Misty Sovereign. Moreover, while others may be at fault, we should emphasize Su Yao’s role in our escape. By securing her position, she will eventually have the power to restore ours.”

The others looked at Minister Liang with admiration.

Minister Liang smiled, “This incident is far too significant. Someone must take the blame. None of you can afford it, so I, as the Prime Minister, will bear it.”

Even Su Yao was moved by Minister Liang’s words.

“Why would you do this?” Su Yao asked, puzzled by Minister Liang’s selflessness.

“Don’t forget, I am still the Master of the Heaven and Earth Pavilion, and you are the Vice Master,” Minister Liang explained. “If we are both punished, the Pavilion will be divided by other forces. One of us must remain to protect it.”

The group made their way back to the coast, where the ships from various nations were still anchored. The Great Xia Navy had nine vessels, each still manned by ordinary sailors. The elite soldiers had gone ashore earlier, leaving the sailors to manage the ships.

Two days later, Minister Liang and the others returned to Taikang City. The imperial court had already heard of the Navy’s defeat, and the return of Minister Liang’s group only confirmed the grim news. Any lingering hope among the ministers was extinguished.

The joint operation of more than twenty nations had ended in complete failure. Not only had they failed to seize the ginseng fruit, but the main forces of their navies had also been decimated. On Wutong Island, the attempt to hunt down the Phoenix had also failed, and the Phoenix had escaped. This was bad news for all involved; once the Phoenix recovered, it would likely seek revenge.

“Minister Liang, you were in command of the Navy during this mission. How do you explain this defeat?” the Emperor of Great Xia asked coldly.

Minister Liang glanced at the Emperor, sensing something different about him. However, there was no time to dwell on it. He bowed deeply and replied, “The defeat was entirely due to my poor command. I am willing to bear full responsibility.”

The Emperor and the ministers were taken aback by Minister Liang’s response. They knew the defeat was not entirely his fault, but Minister Liang’s willingness to take the blame and his sense of responsibility earned him their respect.

“Though I am at fault, Deputy Minister Su Yao, distinguished herself during the operation,” Minister Liang continued. “We were on the brink of total annihilation, but Deputy Minister Su Yao made a critical decision that allowed us to escape. Without her, none of our ships would have made it back.”

“Deputy Minister Su Yao indeed performed admirably,” the Emperor acknowledged.

The other ministers did not object. They saw this as a fair exchange: Minister Liang would take the blame, and in return, the court would elevate Su Yao.

“Due to his failure in leading the Navy, Minister Liang is stripped of his title and imprisoned in the Sky Prison to await further punishment,” the Emperor declared.

After sentencing Minister Liang, the Emperor also punished the other eleven survivors, demoting them from their positions. Finally, he turned to Su Yao.

“Su Yao has earned great merit. She will take on the role of Prime Minister,” the Emperor proclaimed.

With this decree, Su Yao was no longer just a rising star in Great Xia; she had become one of the six highest-ranking officials in the empire. At only sixteen years old, she was now one of the Six Ministers.

After the court session, many officials gathered to congratulate Su Yao. Those who had once allied themselves with Minister Liang now flocked to her side.

“In the past, the Yuhua Immortal Dynasty had Zhang Tang, who became prime minister at the age of twelve. Now, Prime Minister Su stands shoulder to shoulder with him.”

“Under Prime Minister Su’s leadership, the Heaven and Earth Pavilion will surely flourish.”

The officials eagerly flattered Su Yao, but she only smiled politely. Her gaze, however, drifted beyond the crowd to a figure standing at the edge of the hall.

It was Minister Liang.

In contrast to the celebratory atmosphere surrounding Su Yao, Minister Liang was in a sorry state, shackled and escorted by several Imperial Guards to the Sky Prison. Their eyes met for a moment. Su Yao showed no signs of joy from her promotion, and Minister Liang displayed no resentment for his imprisonment. Instead, there was mutual encouragement in their gazes.

After a brief moment, they looked away from each other. Su Yao walked toward the palace gates, while Minister Liang headed to the Sky Prison. No one paid any attention to Minister Liang; all eyes remained fixed on Su Yao.

At the same time, the Emperor of Great Xia sat in his dragon chariot, making his way to the inner palace. His gaze turned southwest, toward the Misty Forbidden Zone.

“Immortal? God?” the Emperor murmured with a sigh.

He, too, felt deep apprehension toward the entity in the Misty Forbidden Zone. The Great Xia Empire, with its three thousand years of history and inheritance from the Yuhua Immortal Dynasty, had many hidden depths unknown to outsiders. But if they were to face a true immortal or god, even the Great Xia Empire would tread carefully.

Fortunately, the being had shown no hostility toward Great Xia so far.

In the days that followed, the empire appeared to carry on as usual, but subtle changes were happening beneath the surface. Previously, the Great Xia cultivators viewed the Misty Forbidden Zone as a demonic land. Now, the situation was different.

Rumors had spread that the Misty Sovereign was an unparalleled god, and the fact that over twenty nations had suffered losses in the Nanzhao Bay at the hands of the Misty Sovereign only strengthened this belief. If a demon were to ascend to godhood, it would transcend the very concept of being a demon.

Several factions were quietly seeking to establish connections with Su City, knowing that it had deep ties to the Misty Forbidden Zone.