*If you don’t abdicate, your fate will be the same as the previous emperor…* The words echoed in Emperor Yongxing’s mind as he recalled the tragic scene of Emperor Yuanjing’s mutilated corpse.

The Golden Hall fell silent, not even a bird’s chirp could be heard.

All eyes turned to Xu Qi An, and for a brief moment, no one dared rebuke or protest.

In today’s Da Feng, if anyone dared to kill an emperor and would follow through with such threats, Xu Qi An was certainly one of them.

After a long moment, Prince Yu stepped forward with a stern face and pleaded:

“Xu Qi An, Da Feng is already battered by internal and external troubles—it cannot withstand more turmoil. Consider the court’s past nurturing of you and show mercy.”

Prince Yu knew that while he hadn’t particularly supported Xu Qi An, he had helped him several times, so he stepped forward to persuade him.

“That’s right!”

The Minister of Justice swallowed hard, gathered his courage, and called out:

“Xu Qi An, you were Wei Yuan’s trusted confidant. Wei Yuan devoted himself to supporting the state and bringing peace to the Central Plains people. How can you betray his dying wishes and push the court into an irredeemable abyss?”

Following these two, the nobles and officials supporting Emperor Yongxing began adding their persuasions.

In their eyes, while Xu Qi An was indeed a lawless warrior, he wasn’t a bloodthirsty madman. On the contrary, his past actions could all be praised as righteous and chivalrous.

Therefore, they believed that by holding the moral high ground and reasoning with him, they could pressure Xu Qi An.

A gentleman can be persuaded through proper means!

Emperor Yongxing, like a cornered beast, suddenly leaped up from his throne, pointing at Xu Qi An and howling maniacally:

“You dare force Me to abdicate?”

“Xu Qi An, I trusted you so deeply, relied on you so heavily, and even bestowed Lin’an’s hand in marriage to you. Is this how you repay Me?”

“Aren’t you afraid that when this spreads, your reputation as Silver Badge Xu will be destroyed in an instant? Don’t you fear being recorded as a villain in future histories, your name forever tainted?”

Even a cornered rabbit will bite—how much more so an emperor!

“If I want to marry Lin’an, I’ll marry her—why would I need your bestowal?”

Xu Qi An grabbed the spear from Yang Yan’s hand and with a flick of his wrist, sent it flying with a “bang,” pinning Emperor Yongxing’s robes to the throne behind him.

Emperor Yongxing collapsed to the ground, pupils dilated, body trembling slightly.

In that instant, he had felt intense killing intent—that spear seemed to pierce his chest.

He means to kill me… Overwhelming fear exploded in Emperor Yongxing’s heart.

“No!”

Clamor erupted in the hall.

Prince Yu and others were startled. One prince grieved and indignant, threw caution to the wind and rebuked:

“Xu Qi An, when did the authority to depose and enthrone Da Feng’s emperors fall to you?”

“Do you have any regard for the court or the royal family?”

The assembled princes and dukes’ faces turned ashen, feeling deeply humiliated and resentful.

What an unprecedented shame!

In Da Feng’s six hundred years, no one had ever dared to be so audacious. Even the Supervisor hadn’t been this domineering, treating the royal family like insects.

Killing the previous emperor at will, and deposing the current emperor at whim—while the previous emperor may have deserved death, also demonstrated the royal family’s weakness and showed that Xu Qi An held the Da Feng royal family in contempt.

He even saw them as puppets to be manipulated at will.

This scene was an enormous humiliation for the royal family members present.

What face did they have left?

Xu Qi An walked slowly to the throne, looking at Prince Yu and the other royal family members, saying:

“Yuan Jing was foolish and tyrannical, betraying both ancestors and people. Therefore, I killed him.”

“After Yuan Jing’s death, Da Feng was battered by storms, the cold disaster raged, and Yunzhou rebels seized the opportunity to rise. Yongxing was weak and cowardly. To protect his position, he ceded territory for peace, even willing to betray his ancestors. Do you think such an incompetent ruler can truly support a court teetering on the brink?”

“The Founding Emperor endured countless hardships to establish this foundation. Can you bear to watch it destroyed by Yongxing’s hands?”

“Why are the court officials willing to join me in purging the emperor’s corrupt advisers? Why are the Wang and Wei factions, usually like fire and water, willing to set aside their differences at this moment? Why are the soldiers outside willing to risk their lives to force Yongxing’s abdication? Ask yourselves who is right and who is wrong.”

“Who truly betrayed the ancestors?”

Prince Yu was moved slightly. The princes and dukes around him opened their mouths as if to refute but couldn’t find the right words.

Xu Qi An then looked around at the officials, sweeping his gaze over those supporting Emperor Yongxing, and spoke gravely:

“In the battle for Qingzhou, tens of thousands of soldiers died wrapped in horsehide. They barely managed to defeat Yunzhou’s elite forces, yet you nullified their efforts with a single document. You eat the court’s salary—is this how humans should act?”

“The treasury is empty, maintaining military expenses and court operations is already difficult. Yongxing, for temporary peace, cut off our path to survival. Not only did you not advise against it, you welcomed it, promoting peace talks. Have all your sage teachings gone to the dogs?”

“Ceding Yuzhou rich in iron ore and Zhangzhou abundant in grain to the Yunzhou rebels—are you afraid Da Feng isn’t collapsing fast enough? If Yongxing deceives himself and others, are you all such waste as well?!”

His accusations echoed through the hall.

The Bronze and Silver Badge officers following Xu Qi An in rebellion, along with the various guard units, gripped their weapons tightly, filled with righteous indignation.

Recently, rumors of the court’s peace negotiations with Yunzhou had spread throughout the capital. Anyone with hot blood in their veins felt the injustice.

Since ancient times, things have cried out when treated unfairly.

Now the civil officials, like the royal family, were struck speechless with shame.

But civil officials excelled at verbal sparring. Someone dissented in a low voice:

“But even the Supervisor is dead—what choice do we have? In today’s situation, there is no option but peace talks. Who else can resist Yunzhou’s superhuman experts?”

All eyes fell on Xu Qi An, waiting for his response.

It wasn’t that they lacked backbone, but that Da Feng was already in a precarious position. Their choices were forced by circumstances—they would never admit Xu Qi An was right.

“Then let me do it!”

Xu Qi An’s voice suddenly rose:

“Let the soldiers fighting on the frontlines do it, let the men willing to shed blood for Da Feng do it. Whether Da Feng falls or rises will be decided by us, not by you weak scholars who only engage in verbal sparring in the halls of power.”

“Soldiers, are you willing to die on the battlefield for the Central Plains, for Da Feng!”

The armed guards in the hall responded thunderously:

“We’ll follow Silver Badge Xu to death on the battlefield!”

Xu Qi An looked around at the civil officials, sneering mockingly:

“If this Silver Badge dies, if Da Feng’s soldiers fall with broken spears, then you can surrender—it won’t be too late.”

No one spoke further.

At this moment, Xu Qi An extended his hand and said calmly:

“Come!”

From outside the hall, a golden light streaked in, delivering itself into Xu Qi An’s hand.

The Nation-Stabilizing Sword!

It had chosen Xu Qi An again… At this moment, the royal family, nobles, and court officials stared dumbly at this sword of the Founding Emperor, the divine weapon that had stabilized the nation’s fortune for six hundred years.

In their eyes was shock, resignation, reflection, and even relief.

Three months after the previous emperor’s death, the Nation-Stabilizing Sword had once again chosen Xu Qi An.

The hall fell into dead silence. No one dared to rebuke or reproach anymore.

Huaiqing’s expression remained cool as she clasped her hands at her waist, saying softly:

“Please remain in the hall, for now, awaiting my summons.”

She then looked at Xu Qi An, nodding slightly.

Xu Qi An bent down to grab Emperor Yongxing, walking out alongside Huaiqing.

Passing the Yunzhou delegation, he glanced at them casually.

Ji Yuan, Yuan Shuang, and Yuan Huai felt their hearts grow cold simultaneously.

After Xu Qi An and Huaiqing left the Golden Hall, Ji Yuan lowered his voice:

“Yuan… Yuan Huai, any confidence in breaking through?”

Yuan Huai looked at him like he was an idiot:

“There are three Fourth Rank experts in the hall alone, surely more outside.”

Despair enveloped the Yunzhou delegation.

“Damn it, this brainless brute—wasn’t Xu Qi An supposed to be brilliant in strategy, repeatedly frustrating the National Teacher?!” Ji Yuan’s eyes were bloodshot, veins bulging on his forehead:

“Has he gone mad?!!”

He believed that given Da Feng’s current situation, “compromise” would have been a wise choice, followed by gradually seeking opportunities to turn the tables.

Ji Yuan had been confident entering the capital for negotiations, swaggering like a victor, precisely because he believed Xu Qi An possessed such wisdom.

But Xu Qi An’s current choice completely contradicted his past actions.

As reckless as a completely crude warrior.

Ji Yuan was scared, cold fear rising from his heart.

A Xu Qi An seeking death like this would have no reservations.

The Yunzhou delegation was in grave danger!

In the Imperial Study.

Xu Qi An threw Emperor Yongxing into the chair, looking at his dazed brother-in-law-to-be, and said flatly:

“Need me to grind the ink for you?”

Emperor Yongxing’s face was ashen as he said resentfully:

“If you don’t want me to seek peace, I can change. If you want the court to continue fighting, I can comply with your wishes. Xu Qi An, I bestowed my sister’s hand to you, yet you repay kindness with enmity.”

“You repay kindness with enmity!!”

In the end, he roared with all his might.

“I gave you chances,” Xu Qi An picked up an ink stick, grinding it gently:

“Your betrothal of Lin’an to me was merely to win me over. If someone else had reached Third Rank, you would have given Lin’an to them just the same. Lin’an is the woman I love, yet you view her as a tool to win people’s hearts—what kindness is there?”

“Yongxing, your greatest mistake was sitting in this position.”

“Without ability, yet coveting power. Peace talks are just the beginning—if future battles go poorly, you’ll continue making decisions to sell out the country to protect yourself. In future histories, you won’t escape being labeled a ruler who lost his nation.”

“Forcing your abdication is both self-preservation and for Da Feng’s realm.”

He dipped the brush in ink and handed it to Yongxing:

“That’s all I have to say. Do what you must.”

Xu Qi An then looked at Huaiqing:

“There are still several battles unresolved in the palace. I’ll go suppress them first. I leave this to you.”

Huaiqing nodded.

Watching Xu Qi An leave, she instructed the guards outside:

“Go invite Prince Li, and bring all the princes and dukes from the hall as well.”

Several guards accepted the order and left.

Soon after, several Silver Badge officers and over a dozen armed guards escorted the princes and dukes into the side hall next to the Imperial Study.

The elderly Prince Li, who hadn’t attended court today due to his age, arrived late.

Supporting himself with a cane, Prince Li crossed the threshold, his slightly clouded gaze sweeping the room.

Huaiqing, in her plain white dress, sat in the main seat. Prince Yu and the other princes and dukes sat in guest positions, their manner somewhat constrained, in stark contrast to Huaiqing’s relaxed tea drinking.

“Uncle, please be seated.”

Huaiqing made a welcoming gesture, indicating Prince Li should sit in the secondary position beside her.

Prince Li, leaning on his cane, walked unhurriedly to sit beside Huaiqing. He turned his head to look at this understated younger generation member and said slowly:

“Tell me what’s happening.”

Unexpectedly, this old prince known for his fierce temperament was remarkably calm.

Huaiqing smiled:

“The greater the matter, the calmer Uncle becomes. Then Huaiqing will speak directly.”

She briefly explained the situation.

“Forcing Yongxing to abdicate…” Prince Li sighed:

“I am old now, with no interest in power struggles. With Da Feng reaching this point, I can no longer judge who is right or wrong. I know you gathered everyone here to avoid bloodshed.”

“Speak directly—who do you want to enthrone!”

The assembled princes and dukes all looked toward Prince Yan.

Prince Yan was born of Empress Dowager, a true legitimate son, and Huaiqing’s full brother. With Huaiqing and Xu Qi An rebelling together, they couldn’t possibly benefit someone else.

They must be planning to support her brother’s ascension.

If this prince were to ascend, they had no objections. Emperor Yongxing had offended everyone in the royal family by betraying their ancestors and acknowledging the Yunzhou line as legitimate.

They wouldn’t risk their lives to protect Yongxing’s throne.

Prince Yan’s face instantly flushed red, hearing his own heart pounding wildly in his chest, his blood boiling.

He couldn’t help but recall when Huaiqing had shown him the Zhou histories—waiting for the right moment!

He knew that day had finally come.

“Well done, Huaiqing!”

Prince Yan took a deep breath and walked toward his sister, moving to place his hand on her shoulder in approval.

Huaiqing raised her head, looking at him coldly:

“Fourth Brother, you’re not qualified for the throne.”

She turned to look at Prince Li, sweeping her gaze over the assembled princes and dukes, speaking word by word:

“I intend to become Emperor!”