The events of the morning court session inevitably spread throughout the realm.
Especially the Martial Gods' statements, relayed by the six disciples, which were quickly spread by those with ulterior motives and within a very short time reached every corner of the Human world.
Immediately, the whole realm was shaken, and hidden currents surged wildly.
The Martial Gods—pillars of the Human Race, its guardian deities—were objects of inexplicable worship and trust for ordinary people.
Now, with all three Martial Gods stepping forward to demand the dissolution of the Grand Martial Empire, it showed that the founding of the empire really would bring disaster upon the Human Race. If that was the case, did the empire have any reason to exist?
So, nearly everyone in the world was talking about whether the empire would be dissolved, and when.
Because of the influence of these rumors, the previously smooth implementation of household registration encountered enormous difficulties. People who had been highly cooperative now refused to cooperate, and under the incitement of certain sects, some even began attacking the newly established government offices.
As for the construction of new academies, that too ran into trouble.
Parents who had already sent their children to study at the academies began bringing them home, and those who had planned to send their children now abandoned the idea entirely.
At the same time, some of the newly built academies were smashed up by certain people!
The warming pavilion—where Ian Song usually handled government paperwork.
Today, all six Cabinet Elders were present, each with more or less worry on their faces.
Ian, meanwhile, was buried in the latest memorials sent up for review.
After a while, he put down the memorials and addressed the six elders: "What brings you here today, gentlemen?"
Seeing Ian so calm, the six elders felt much more at ease.
"Your Majesty," Cole Chong Duan stepped forward. "I have matters to report."
Ian nodded.
Cole Chong Duan was not only a Cabinet Elder but also Minister of Revenue, a first-rank official and the top civil administrator. The household registration project was also his responsibility.
Currently, household registration files have already been completed for the Holy Capital and its two neighboring imperial provinces. Now, a large number of Revenue officials have gone to two more provinces, but at this point, rumors have broken out, severely affecting their work. Many residents now refuse to cooperate, and the original plan to finish registration in two provinces within half a month is now impossible—even double that time won't be enough.
So, this was the issue Cole Chong Duan had come to report.
"Your Majesty, if the rumors aren't stopped soon, they could shake the very foundations of the state!" Cole Chong Duan finally said, his face full of worry.
"I understand," Ian nodded. "Do any of you have other matters to report?"
"Your Majesty, I have something to report!" Elder Shea Gu stepped forward and began his briefing.
The construction of academies was handled by the Ministry of Works, but once completed, they were handed over to the Ministry of Rites, which Elder Shea Gu also headed.
Due to the Martial Gods' statements, the Ministry of Works had halted further academy construction. As for the Ministry of Rites, officials were trying to persuade parents to send their withdrawn children back to school, but to little effect.
After that, the other Cabinet Elders reported various matters in turn: the spread of the Martial Gods' statements, sects stirring up trouble in secret—none of it was good news.
"Gentlemen, what are your thoughts on these matters? Is there any solution?" Ian asked.
None of the six Cabinet Elders spoke.
"Sigh."
Ian gave a soft sigh. "All these problems stem from the Martial Gods' statements. If only they would change their stance, every issue would be solved!"
"That's likely impossible," Elder Bu said.
"Indeed," Ian nodded, then sneered. "Those three old men want nothing more than for me to dissolve the Grand Martial Empire. No matter what, they won't take back their words!"
"So what should we do?" The six Cabinet Elders were filled with anxiety.
"You've all worked hard. You may leave now. I need a moment alone."
After sending the six Cabinet Elders away, a cold killing intent flashed in Ian's eyes. Just now, there was something he hadn't said: the reason the Martial Gods' statements had such a huge impact on the people was that his rule was not properly established.
In the real world, he had studied the history of the Yanhuang Republic. In the apocalypse, he had learned about the history of the Centralia Republic.
Empires that endure are almost always founded through great wars and countless deaths, while those built by opportunists rarely last.
For example, the Sui dynasty in Centralia's history, because its rule was not properly established, lasted only a few decades.
The Tang dynasty, on the other hand, was won by the Li family's father and sons after years of war, and so lasted several centuries.
Similarly, the Ming dynasty was also founded after many great wars and countless deaths, and so, established by Zhu Hongwu, it too lasted several centuries.
Now, as for the empire Ian himself had founded.
Apart from a few major wars against the Martial Alliance and the Strategic Operations Camp, there had been almost no warfare. Most of his methods were coercion and promises of profit. Compared to the mountains of corpses and seas of blood that marked the founding of other nations, the Grand Martial Empire was far too gentle.
Because there hadn't been blood and death, the people of the realm lacked fear of the Grand Martial Empire.
Thus, when the Martial Gods made their statements, the people dared to oppose the empire, and the sects dared to stir up trouble behind the scenes.
Only then did Ian realize that the path of opportunism is truly hard to walk.
It was because he understood this that he did not rush to deal with the rumors, but let them ferment. He wanted to see just how many people wished to see the empire dissolved, and how many sects were stirring up trouble.
Once they made their moves openly, his armies and experts would strike, letting all know that this empire was not gentle, but iron-blooded.
Half a month passed in a flash.
The influence of the Martial Gods' statements grew ever greater. The people no longer took the newly founded empire seriously; the entire realm was in chaos, with crime erupting everywhere.
As for some sects, they sent their disciples to secretly assassinate officials and soldiers; during this period, countless officials and soldiers were killed or wounded.
Yet the empire made little response to this.
Five days later, the Sunrise Sect in the Southeast Imperial Province could no longer hold back. Under the banner of 'saving the Human Race,' they rebelled against the empire and raised an army of one hundred thousand to attack the provincial capital.
In an instant, the Sunrise Sect became the focus of the entire realm. If they captured the provincial capital and were not quickly destroyed by the empire, all the other sects would surely follow their example.
Three days later, the Sunrise Sect's army took three cities in quick succession. In the process of burning, killing, and looting, over a million people died, countless homes were destroyed, and untold wealth was stolen from ordinary citizens.
On the fourth day, the Sunrise Sect's army reached the gates of the Southeast Imperial Province's capital, and their numbers had swelled to one hundred eighty thousand.
Yet the empire sent no reinforcements, leaving the fifty thousand defenders inside the provincial capital to face the Sunrise Sect alone.
In the end, after half a month of bitter fighting, the capital was breached. More than half of the fifty thousand defenders were killed or wounded; the rest were all taken prisoner.
Inside the imperial palace, Ian's eyes narrowed slightly, for he sensed that a portion of his qi-luck power had dissipated. When the report of the provincial capital's fall arrived, he instantly understood the reason for his qi-luck's collapse!