Outside the palace, chaos reigned supreme, while inside, Emperor Wenhui desperately tried to maintain a facade of peace. Unfortunately, today no one was willing to comply with his wishes. Emperor Wenhui sat with a darkened expression on the gold-lacquered dragon throne, looking down from his elevated position at the court officials kneeling in rows below.

Song Lan’an said, “I beseech Your Majesty to dispatch troops to reinforce Su River.”

“Today’s events are known throughout the realm. Within ten days, Prince Ning will surely learn that Xun City and Chiyang are left undefended. By then, even if the court dispatches troops, they will be beyond reach.”

Emperor Wenhui’s face contorted savagely as he said, “I have already stated this is utter nonsense. Can you fools not comprehend what I have said?”

“Your Majesty.”

Song Lan’an rose to his feet and declared loudly, “If these are merely rumors, I beseech Your Majesty to bring out Consort Jiang and allow all the ministers to see her.”

“Song Lan’an!”

A memorial requesting troops was thrown at Song Lan’an’s feet. Emperor Wenhui slammed the table in fury and shot to his feet, his eyes bloodshot with rage.

Wu Xixiang’s father, Censor Wu, knelt and cried out, “I beseech Your Majesty to dispatch troops.”

“We beseech Your Majesty to dispatch troops.”

The ministers echoed the call. Emperor Wenhui felt a burning pain in his stomach, so intense he staggered and collapsed back into the dragon throne.

Yet at this moment, no one cared whether the dragon body was well or not.

Censor Wu rose from the ground: “Your Majesty wishes to set an example for all generations and leave your name in history, yet you attempt to achieve this through such base and despicable acts—truly a wild fantasy.”

“Does Your Majesty not know that the spirits watch from three feet above, and though you may not fear others knowing, you should fear your own conscience? Today you have sacrificed countless Dongning soldiers and generals. When the day comes for Your Majesty to join your ancestors, how will you have the face to meet the imperial ancestors of Dongning?”

“Your Majesty uses Dongning’s territory, the Crown Prince, and the lives of ten thousand generals as sacrifices. Even if this pure reputation is bestowed upon Your Majesty, how can you bear such a burden?”

“Does Your Majesty believe all the people under heaven are as blind in heart and eye as you, bewitched and confused?”

“Insolent!”

Emperor Wenhui suddenly leaned heavily on the imperial desk, raising his eyes to glare murderously at Censor Wu.

“Someone, drag Wu Shiliang out and beat him fifty strokes with the rod. As for today’s officials of the fourth rank and above present in the hall, confiscate their salaries…”

“Your Majesty, think thrice.”

Zheng Yunshan spoke tremblingly, loudly saying this must not be done.

But Wu Shiliang said, “Duke Zheng, do not plead for this humble official.”

“For those who serve as ministers, remonstrating and assisting is our fundamental duty. Today, this old minister failed to open Your Majesty’s heart and eyes—that is this old minister’s incompetence.”

“But this old minister knows what loyalty to the sovereign means.”

“I do not wish Your Majesty to leave an infamous legacy for all eternity, to become one whose name is mentioned alongside Jie and Zhou. I only wish to die quickly to appeal to the azure heavens, to knock upon Your Majesty’s heart.”

Having said this, Wu Shiliang ran in several quick steps to the cloud-dragon pillar and violently struck his head against the gilt-covered column.

“You… you…”

Emperor Wenhui clutched desperately at his chest, unable to make a single sound.

Song Lan’an’s gaze swept over Wu Shiliang’s corpse. He frowned slightly, unable to bear looking again. He swept his sleeves and knelt: “I beseech Your Majesty to dispatch troops.”

“We beseech Your Majesty to dispatch troops.”

The court officials called out loudly in petition. Emperor Wenhui clutched his chest as his body suddenly convulsed, and he fell straight down from the imperial desk onto the floor.

“Your Majesty…”

The attending eunuchs came forward to help Emperor Wenhui up, but the court officials remained kneeling on the ground, refusing to rise.

The palace eunuchs carried Emperor Wenhui back to his sleeping quarters to be treated by the imperial physicians. When the sky began to lighten, he finally regained consciousness.

“Are those rebellious subjects still…”

“Reporting to Your Majesty, Elder Zheng and Minister Song are kneeling outside the sleeping quarters.”

Emperor Wenhui clutched his chest, nearly fainting again from rage.

Yesterday he had been injured in the heart and lungs by that vile woman Song Yuning. Though he had used the secret palace medicine to forcibly preserve his life, it would certainly affect his lifespan. Since yesterday he had felt unbearable burning pain in his internal organs; even drinking water or swallowing felt like torture. Thinking of this, Emperor Wenhui waved his hand, summoning the stooped old eunuch, and took out a red pill from a porcelain bottle.

After swallowing the red pill, Emperor Wenhui’s face gained several shades of ruddiness.

Once he felt more comfortable, Emperor Wenhui pressed his chest and said in a deep voice, “Issue an edict saying that I am unwell in body, and from this day court is suspended for ten days. Seal the palace gates—no one may enter or exit.”

“Since they wish to kneel, let them kneel.”

Having said this, Emperor Wenhui followed the eunuch out of the imperial sleeping quarters.

When the edict suspending court was issued, Song Lan’an and the others were utterly disappointed in Emperor Wenhui. Some of the older ministers broke down crying on the spot.

Zheng Yunshan clutched the edict and slumped to the ground in defeat, his face showing the despair and regret of a nation on the brink of collapse.

Duke Yingguo sighed deeply: “What are we to do now?”

Song Lan’an rose and walked before Zheng Yunshan: “I must trouble Duke Zheng.”

Taking the court suspension edict, he casually handed it to Ming Huaxin: “His Majesty has ordered the palace gates sealed. I hope Duke Yingguo will proclaim the edict.”

“Minister Song speaks correctly.”

Holding the edict in his hands, Ming Huaxin’s eyes showed three parts ruthlessness. Zheng Yunshan watched their actions, his lips opening and closing, but ultimately he did not voice his words of obstruction.

Last night outside the palace there had been commotion all night long. Countless people knelt on the ground begging to see Emperor Wenhui. Those scholars had even charged straight to the palace gates—if not for Song Fu and the other court ministers blocking and protecting them, they would likely have been cut down long ago by the blades of the gate-guarding generals.

Huai Su’s corpse still lay before the palace gates. Mother Jiang had long since collapsed from crying.

Lin Jiayue, with her inconvenient condition, was protected by Qing Wei in the general goods shop.

Last night, the funeral musicians played and beat drums all night, continuing until now, so that the streets and alleys of the capital were packed with common people.

Some who previously thought to avoid offending the imperial family’s taboos, fearing they might anger the Emperor and lose their heads, after this night had passed, were all moved by the civil and military officials who had been unable to enter the palace and had knelt before the palace gates.

“Years ago when the Crown Prince was sent to Nanqing, that wasn’t something a real man would do. Now he’s sent the Imperial Consort to be tormented by the Nanqing people. This Emperor’s spine is so soft—why doesn’t he just stuff his head into his crotch?”

A man wearing coarse cloth and carrying goods on a shoulder pole shouted loudly in the crowd. Someone who knew him quickly tugged at his sleeve: “Do you want to die? Hurry and go sell your goods. What are you doing joining this commotion?”

“This young brother speaks correctly. Haven’t you seen what’s written on all those papers on the ground? Not only did the Emperor send away his own woman, he also handed over Xun City and Chiyang with both hands.”

“Isn’t this exactly what a fatuous ruler would do?”

“Stop talking, be careful of your head.”

The earlier peddler scoffed: “I don’t see that the Emperor has the courage to actually take anyone’s head.”

The common people grew angrier as they spoke. Seeing that cursing the Emperor while the officials kneeling in front and the Imperial Guards guarding the city remained indifferent, one after another they began cursing as well.

Shen Qianbai listened to the words of the people around him, feeling extremely stifled in his heart.

Before long, the palace gates opened slightly, and Ming Huaxin emerged from the palace to proclaim Emperor Wenhui’s edict.

Just when the officials thought the darkest night had passed and Emperor Wenhui would finally relent under the petitions of the civil and military officials, when those words about suspending court for ten days were spoken, everyone realized Emperor Wenhui had made up his mind to ruin to the very end this empire he had so easily obtained.

“Bah!”

One of the Jingshan Academy scholars who had been suppressing his anger suddenly picked up a brick from the ground and viciously hurled it at the Imperial Guards guarding the palace gates.

This action was like the first cold arrow released in a battle between two armies. The Imperial Guard let out a cry and had just drawn his sword when he was set upon by a group of scholars and common people.

“Report…”

The palace gates were blocked tight. A messenger on horseback came galloping from outside. But when he reached the palace gates, his horse could not advance even half a step further.

The messenger didn’t know what had happened, but the military intelligence in his hands was urgent. Reaching the crowd, he could only shout toward Ming Huaxin, who was wearing the Duke Yingguo’s court robes: “Report, Su River is in dire emergency…”