Bai Qingyan’s palms tightened. She pressed her lips together firmly, and after a long while spoke in a hoarse voice: “Grandmother… is wrong.”

Imperial ruthlessness – this was the Lin family’s way of ruling!

But she believed that governing a nation should rely on law. Laws are ruthless, but rulers should have compassion!

A sovereign should not only harbor great benevolence in their heart, but also have compassion and righteousness.

She would prove to Grandmother that Grandmother was wrong…

“Elder Sister…” Bai Jinse stepped forward and said quietly, “Ji Tingyu has already gone in pursuit. He will surely be able to bring Grandmother back!”

Bai Qingyan nodded: “Send someone to report safety to Shuoyang, lest Mother and the aunts worry.”

“Elder Sister, rest assured. I’ve already sent someone back to Shuoyang to report!” Bai Jinxiu said.

Inside the great hall.

“The sun has been eclipsed, and it is exceedingly ugly. That moon wanes, this sun dims; now these people below suffer exceedingly. The sun and moon announce misfortune, not following their proper course. The four kingdoms have no governance, not employing their worthy ones. That moon being eclipsed is normal; this sun being eclipsed – what is not good about it? Brilliant lightning flashes, bringing neither peace nor good omens. A hundred rivers boil and surge, mountain peaks crumble and collapse. High banks become valleys, and deep valleys become hills. Alas for today’s people – why do such cruel things go unpunished?”

Li Mingtang entered from outside the great hall, reciting “The Tenth Month,” bowing deeply to all the officials: “The ‘Tenth Month’ in the Book of Songs was composed by a minor official in the court during King You of Zhou’s reign! The sun is the mother of the yang virtue, and the sun is also the symbol of the sovereign. Now our Jin nation’s heaven and earth are unstable, warning the world that those without benevolence are unfit to be rulers. The Lin imperial power… is just like King You of Zhou’s royal house – it has reached its end.”

“Li Mingtang! How dare you still come!” Minister of War Shen Jingzhong drew Lin Kangle’s sword and was about to charge at Li Mingtang, fortunately Lin Kangle was quick to stop him.

“Gentlemen, Mingtang knows… because of Mingtang’s previous assistance to Prince Liang, you all harbor resentment toward Mingtang. But among the officials standing here, Mingtang is not the only one who has assisted Prince Liang. Minister An… Minister Pan? Isn’t that right?” Li Mingtang smiled warmly as he looked toward two officials who had shrunk to the back of the group.

Those two officials gave embarrassed smiles, and Minister Pan hurriedly knelt and kowtowed toward the great hall entrance: “This subordinate swears to follow Princess Zhenguo to the death from now on!”

Li Mingtang’s gaze fell on Chancellor Lu, with the air of someone about to speak at length: “Chancellor Lu, today we first had a solar eclipse, then news came of earthquakes in Chongluan Ridge and floods at Shuijiang Pass. Isn’t this enough of a heavenly warning that this Jin nation should change its master?”

“The emperor is single-mindedly constructing the Nine-Tiered Platform… wanting to use the lives of a thousand children to refine elixirs of immortality. How is such a ruler who treats the people as grass and even livestock any different from King Zhou of Shang?” Li Mingtang’s voice was measured and deliberate, his hand covering his heart as if in extreme anguish. “Li Mingtang originally thought… Prince Liang would be a worthy master, but I later discovered I was completely wrong. Prince Liang only wants to ascend to the throne. His desire to sit in that position is not to benefit the people, but so he can do whatever he pleases, kill whoever he wants! Such a ruler would surely be another King Zhou of Shang!”

“And the deposed Crown Prince…” Li Mingtang shook his head, “You all should have seen his character, his cowardice – how could he possibly serve as ruler of a nation?”

“The hundred-year military family, the great Bai family, has protected Jin for hundreds of years. The Bai family has always taken supporting the ten thousand people as their responsibility, campaigning north and south, protecting our Jin border people from worry and fear! The achievements of the Bai clan can be said to be unmatched in Jin, and the Bai clan’s heart for protecting the people is unmatched by anyone!” Li Mingtang surveyed the hundred officials. “In court, you all have served alongside Duke Zhenguo Bai Weiting or Duke Zhenguo Bai Qishan. You have all witnessed the character of the Bai clan with your own eyes!”

Just as Li Mingtang was speaking eloquently, Bai Qingyan had already stepped into the great hall: “I shall speak to you, distinguished ministers, about this matter myself. There’s no need to trouble Minister Li.”

Upon hearing this, Li Mingtang hurriedly bowed to Bai Qingyan and gracefully withdrew to one side.

His hands clenched behind his back in unwillingness. Li Mingtang had taken the lead this time, hoping to gain some merit before Bai Qingyan, but who knew Bai Qingyan seemed unappreciative and insisted on facing the hundred officials directly.

Under the gaze of all the officials, Bai Qingyan walked toward the steps where the dragon throne sat. She climbed several steps, then turned to face the officials in the great hall and spoke: “Bai Qingyan has always acted openly and honorably, with a clear conscience. In all matters, there’s nothing I dare not speak directly to others about…”

Just as her words fell, the officials saw Liu Hong entering the great hall with a Liang Kingdom surrendered general.

“Greetings to Princess Zhenguo!”

Liu Hong and Yang Wuce both saluted Bai Qingyan.

Throughout this journey, Liu Hong had witnessed so much misery resembling scenes from hell on earth. His loyalty to the emperor gradually wavered and then cooled. Now that he had returned, he still held a thread of hope in his heart – if Bai Qingyan wanted to rebel against the emperor, that was fine. The emperor was unbenevolent… let him abdicate. At least the Crown Prince was still somewhat kind-hearted, so supporting the Crown Prince’s ascension would suffice.

However, upon entering the city, Liu Hong had heard… about the emperor’s death and Prince Liang’s ascension. Now he didn’t even know if the Crown Prince was still alive.

If the Crown Prince hadn’t survived, perhaps Princess Zhenguo would have been Jin’s best choice.

Bai Qingyan looked down at Liu Hong and Yang Wuce, who were kneeling on one knee to report.

Liu Hong declared loudly: “This general Liu Hong and General Yang Wuce, following orders, led twenty thousand soldiers along the line of Puwen City, Longyang City, Youhua City, and Tianlan Mountain back to the capital, ordering the government offices not to forcibly conscript children, returning the children already conscripted by the offices to their homes. For those unclaimed children who were brought to make up numbers, this general and General Yang brought the children back to the capital.”

Yang Wuce glanced at Liu Hong, who hadn’t finished speaking, then cupped his fists and continued: “Along the way… the defending generals of Puwen City, Longyang City, Tianlan Mountain, and other large and small sixteen cities rebelled. Hearing that Princess Zhenguo had ordered an end to forced child conscription and had already rebelled against the Lin dynasty that treated people like livestock and grass, they all came out of their cities to surrender and submit!”

As soon as Yang Wuce finished speaking, the court ministers suddenly understood and all widened their eyes to look at Bai Qingyan…

Princess Zhenguo had rebelled?!

Liu Hong gritted his teeth tightly. Yang Wuce hadn’t said a single false word, especially regarding Longyang City. Upon hearing that Princess Zhenguo had rebelled, the people cheered with joy, running about crying with happiness, saying they were finally about to welcome a true protector of the people.

That scene… even now, when Liu Hong thought of it, he still felt stirred.

Bai Qingyan gripped the sword at her waist with one hand, standing tall and straight like a pine or cypress on the high steps, without any trace of guilt or retreat, allowing all the officials to scrutinize, examine… and speculate.

She looked at the officials who were either deep in thought or at a loss, her gaze falling on Chancellor Lu.

Chancellor Lu was a clever man. Now that Bai Qingyan held military power, if she truly wanted to rebel against anyone… who among those present had the strength to oppose Princess Zhenguo?

Moreover, the news brought back by Liu Hong and this Liang surrendered general showed that the emperor’s tyrannical policies, wanting to use a thousand children to refine elixirs, had already forced many places into rebellion…