The petition, which was ten meters long and five meters wide, was pulled out by a few eunuchs and presented to Li Huanjun. It was densely packed with handprints and names. On this petition was the suggestion to establish a temple for Li Yuanqing.
Originally, the Northern Kingdom was in a precarious situation. Li Huanjun wanted the entire world to know that the Northern Kingdom had produced such a powerful Martial God Paragon. He even wanted to establish one temple in every county. He wanted to reassure the commoners and himself.
However, how could he dare not do what Li Yuanqing had instructed him to do? Not only did he have to do it, but he also had to think of a way to do it beautifully. Therefore, Li Huanjun was very annoyed when he looked at the petition.
Princess Zhaoyang frowned at the side. She knew her brother’s personality. Even the people from the seven great clans did not know that they were completely destroyed overnight. This meant that her brother wanted to keep a low profile.
However, the current situation in the Northern Kingdom needed to let the world know that the Northern Kingdom was guarded by a powerful Martial Saint.
Sometimes deterrence was more frightening than real war.
In the end, Princess Zhaoyang came up with a compromise.
“Father, leave this to me. I know what my brother means…”
Li Huanjun had indeed forced himself to go to the Wilderness. The imperial physician wanted him to rest, but when he heard Princess Zhaoyang’s words, he could only wave his hand and signal for her to deal with it.
At this moment, he had his own selfish motives. He could only leave this matter to Princess Zhaoyang. No one else could do it.
The Wilderness valley was silent after Li Huanjun left. Only Wang Shun would occasionally come to deliver food to him and talk about the major events that had happened in the Northern Kingdom.
Half a year passed in the blink of an eye. On this day, Wang Shun and Li Yuanqing chatted about some important matters in the Northern Kingdom and mentioned Princess Zhaoyang.
“The princess is really amazing. She has erected stone tablets in front of the gates of hundreds of Martial Arts Academies in the country. On them, it said: Those who offend the Northern Kingdom will be punished no matter how far away they are. There is even the word ‘Li’ written below it…
“Princess is really a woman who is not inferior to men. She said such heroic words and set up this monument to let the people of the country see her ambition and the power of the Northern Kingdom. When she set up the monument, the Princess said that this sentence will be engraved in the hearts of all martial artists in the future. This is how martial artists should serve their country and family…”
The Northern Kingdom had only been established for a short period of time. Its foundation was insufficient and there were no strong masters to protect it. It had never been united. Princess Zhaoyang cleverly used Li Yuanqing’s words.
It was used to gather the hearts of the Northern Kingdom’s martial artists and ordinary people.
Li Yuanqing had promised the Emperor of the Northern Kingdom, Li Huanjun, to set up the stone tablet to protect the Northern Kingdom. He did not expect Zhaoyang’s treatment to be so effective.
“Your Highness, you don’t know yet. Actually, Princess Zhaoyang didn’t say that. The princess said that this was said by the Martial Saint, who is guarding the Northern Kingdom. Moreover, the Imperial Court has opened up the old residences of the seven great clans that have been confiscated. As long as you are a commoner of the Northern Kingdom, you can visit the places where the Martial Saint killed the seven great clans overnight…
“They can also visit the mountain range of the Wind Thunder Sect’s headquarters at will. The Imperial Court even sent people to set up tea and porridge stalls there. They provide hot porridge and cold tea for free…”
When Wang Shun said this, he could not help but laugh. Ordinary people originally worshiped Martial Saints and felt that these were otherworldly experts. They had to worship wherever they went.
If a country did not have the protection of a Martial Saint, ordinary people would be terrified. At this moment, the Imperial Court allowed everyone to worship the Holy Land. This was very effective in inspiring the people.
“This is not bad!”
Li Yuanqing couldn’t help but laugh. Princess Zhaoyang’s actions reminded him of some famous people’s former homes or places where famous people fought or went to in his previous life. They were all set up as places to visit that needed tickets to enter. Meanwhile, the Northern Kingdom provided tea and hot porridge for free, which was what the people wanted.
In the long run, the Northern Kingdom would definitely win the sincere support of the commoners. Only when the martial artists of the Martial Arts Academy grew up would the Northern Kingdom become completely powerful.
Seeing that the Crown Prince was happy, Wang Shun quickly added, “Your Highness, we also have a Martial Arts Academy in the Wilderness. It’s especially close to here. If you have nothing to do, go out and take a look. There are some things that you have to see for yourself to know what it looks like. I can’t even say it properly. You don’t have the chance to go to the seven great clans so it’s quite good to go to the Martial Arts Academy to take a look…”
Wang Shun did not know that the Martial Saint he worshiped was actually the Crown Prince he had always served.
He felt that it was a pity that the Crown Prince could not leave the Wilderness to visit the seven great clans. However, the Wilderness Martial Arts Academy was very close to here, so he kept urging the Crown Prince to go down and take a look.
Originally, Li Yuanqing had been exiled to this place. Even though he was a sinner in name, everyone in the Wilderness knew that no one treated the former Crown Prince as a sinner as long as he did not leave the Wilderness.
No one would spout nonsense in this vicinity.
“Got it! You can leave now…” Li Yuanqing said lightly. Wang Shun bowed and left. He took a stroll in the valley as usual. However, he was a little frustrated today and could not calm down. He simply followed his heart and went to the Martial Arts Academy in the Wilderness.
In the past, the Northern Kingdom only had the Royal Martial Arts Academy. That was a place where only the descendants of the royal family and the aristocratic families could study. However, this Martial Arts Academy in the Wilderness was for ordinary people. As long as they met the requirements, they could try.
The country provided all the expenses for free, and Li Yuanqing was the one who suggested to Zhaoyang that she look for those aristocratic families directly.
Back then, the seven great clans had accumulated wealth for more than a thousand years. In order to survive, the clans were forced to take it out.
There was still a long distance to the Martial Arts Academy. Li Yuanqing saw many commoners on the road with joy on their faces as they dragged their children towards the Martial Arts Academy.
Moreover, there were more and more people. In Li Yuanqing’s memory, this scene would only appear during the New Year or when His Majesty pardoned the world.
At this moment, Li Yuanqing was dressed in white. He stood by the side of the road and heard a commotion. He even saw a young man who was wearing tattered clothes and emitting a stench. His clear eyes were looking at the Martial Arts Academy with great yearning.
The young man felt extremely inferior. He tugged at his tattered clothes and did not dare to move forward.
“I heard that there’s an exam. Anyone below the age of eighteen can try. If they’re chosen, the Northern Kingdom will bear the cost and not have to eat the food at home…”
“Yes, yes, I can fill my stomach there. I can eat, wear clothes, and cultivate!”
…
Such words seemed to have attracted this self-deprecating young man. He was already like this, with clothes barely covering his body and an empty stomach. What was there to be afraid of?
This was the worst he could be. He might as well try his luck…