News reached the capital. Led by Tao Shuo, the senior ministers rushed straight to the imperial palace, requesting an audience with the Emperor.

At this time, Emperor Yong’an still could not speak, so Zhou Shan naturally came forward to obstruct them.

Tao Shuo grew angry and questioned sternly: “Eunuch Zhou, now that the situation is this critical, you still hem and haw refusing to let us see His Majesty. What exactly are your intentions?”

Zhou Shan smiled bitterly: “Minister Tao, it’s not that this humble servant deliberately obstructs you. His Majesty truly is unwell and needs quiet rest—”

“Don’t use that excuse to put us off anymore. Today we must see His Majesty!” Tao Shuo sneered coldly and took a step forward. “Eunuch Zhou, if you continue to obstruct us, I can only suspect you’ve taken control of His Majesty and plot rebellion!”

Zhou Shan’s expression changed dramatically: “Minister Tao, you cannot speak carelessly!”

“Speak carelessly? Looking through history, eunuchs bringing disaster to the state is not without precedent!” Tao Shuo said without courtesy.

Zhou Shan trembled with rage. Seeing anger and contempt on all the senior ministers’ faces, he struggled for a moment before asking with a stern expression: “Must all you ministers absolutely see His Majesty?”

“That’s right. If we cannot see His Majesty today, we will wait here indefinitely.” Everyone said in unison.

“Very well.” Zhou Shan heaved a heavy sigh. “Since all you ministers insist, then this humble servant won’t play the villain.”

He looked deeply at Tao Shuo: “Minister Tao, select a few ministers to accompany this humble servant to see His Majesty.”

Tao Shuo’s gaze slowly swept over everyone as he called out names: “Minister Fang, Minister Du, Minister Zhao, Minister Xing—let us go see His Majesty together.”

Following Zhou Shan deeper inside, several people felt the atmosphere grow increasingly oppressive. The scent of medicine wafted faintly into their nostrils.

An ominous premonition surged up, making them unconsciously lighten their steps.

Zhou Shan signaled the palace attendants to lift the curtain and said softly: “Your Majesty, Minister Tao and the others have come to pay their respects.”

Hearing no response, the several people waiting outside the screen exchanged glances, growing increasingly uneasy.

Zhou Shan turned back, swept his gaze over the group, and said solemnly: “Ministers, please go in and see.”

Tao Shuo hesitated slightly, then took the lead walking forward.

The others silently followed.

Turning past the screen, they saw Emperor Yong’an lying on the bed.

In that instant, the group was greatly shocked, completely unable to believe their eyes: the usually imposing Emperor had lifeless eyes and a twisted mouth corner—utterly different from before.

“Your Majesty!” Tao Shuo rushed forward in quick steps, kneeling and grasping the bed edge as he called out to Emperor Yong’an.

Emperor Yong’an was conscious, but helplessly unable to speak. Growing anxious, his expression became even more distorted, and unsettling grunting sounds emerged from his throat.

“Your Majesty, what has happened to you?”

Seeing Emperor Yong’an’s reaction becoming increasingly horrifying, Zhou Shan quickly spoke up: “Ministers, please don’t disturb His Majesty. His Majesty truly needs quiet rest!”

This time Tao Shuo no longer insisted. He performed a bow toward Emperor Yong’an and silently withdrew.

Zhou Shan came out, looked at the several ministers, and said softly: “Ministers, you’ve seen it. His Majesty cannot withstand even the slightest disturbance now…”

“How could His Majesty—”

Zhou Shan’s expression was pained: “That day His Majesty fainted from shock. When he woke again, he had become like this.”

Tao Shuo and the others looked at each other, their mood bewildered and heavy.

After who knows how long, Minister Fang asked: “Minister Tao, now Prince Kaiyang, Luo Chi, and Lei Ming have united their three armies and are bearing down on the capital, and His Majesty is… what should we do?”

Tao Shuo sank into silence.

Internal troubles and external threats, the state without an heir apparent—they people would probably become ministers of a fallen state.

“Forget it. When the rebel army arrives, we’ll fight with all our strength. Nothing more than death.” Tao Shuo said through gritted teeth.

With such dispirited words spoken, the group fell silent.

Minister Zhao, who had been silent all along, stroked his beard with deep regret: if he’d known it would come to this, why save private money to drink at Youjian Tavern? He should have emptied his tigress wife’s hidden stash at home.

“Minister Zhao—”

“Ah?” Minister Zhao snapped back to awareness.

Tao Shuo looked at the old minister who had served alongside him for decades, his expression complex: “Minister Zhao has a good relationship with Luo Chi. Perhaps you could try persuading him… Now no one can endanger his daughter’s safety. If he returns from his wayward path, the position of Commander of the Jinlin Guard can still be his to occupy…”

Minister Zhao smiled bitterly: “Then I’ll give it a try.”

What kind of pipe dream was this?

But having reached this point, they could only try desperate measures.

Civil and military officials were in a state of anxiety. Finally came the day when the great army approached the city.

Tao Shuo led the assembled ministers to stand atop the city wall. Looking at the endless army and the banners that blocked out the sun, he felt dizzy and disoriented.

Before the two sides could even converse, an official collapsed under the pressure and broke down crying: “It’s over, it’s over. There’s no hope at all…”

No one rebuked the weeping official.

Seeing this scene with their own eyes, they realized how absurd their lingering hopes had been.

“Minister Tao, we should still open the city gates—”

This proposal immediately drew Tao Shuo’s furious rebuke: “Nonsense! Are you prepared to carry eternal infamy?”

That official covered his face weeping: “It’s not that this humble official fears death—it’s that the tens of thousands of common people in the city are innocent!”

Tao Shuo faltered and turned to look toward the city interior.

The common people who had received the news had all rushed over—a black mass stretching endlessly like the great army outside the city.

Tao Shuo took a deep breath and cupped his hands toward the citizens looking up: “It is our incompetence that burdens you fellow countrymen and elders with the hardship of a city breach—”

Before he finished speaking, rotten vegetable leaves flew over.

Many in the crowd shouted: “Just shut up already!”

“Get down! Who wants to bear the hardship of a city breach? Can’t you just open the city gates?”

“Exactly! Open the gates and let the Zhaoyang Army in. Would the Zhaoyang Army really raise their blades against us common folk?”

Chief Minister Tao Shuo, with rotten vegetable leaves hanging on his head, felt bewildered: had these common people gone mad?

Following the confusion came anger.

They were nothing but ordinary people with no sense of integrity whatsoever. They had already prepared to die defending the city, yet these citizens were clamoring to open the gates!

More rotten vegetable leaves flew over. Besides Tao Shuo who had spoken, the other ministers didn’t escape either.

The citizens’ fury ran high, their curses filling the air.

“When we were suffering from broken homes and deaths in our families, where were you official lords? Now you want us to suffer the hardship of a city breach together—where do you get the face?”

“Open the city gates! Hurry and open the city gates!” Someone shouted.

The crowd surged like a tide toward the city gates.

The soldiers guarding the gates were dumbfounded.

They had prepared to fight to the death defending the gates when the great army attacked, but they hadn’t prepared for this!

They raised the blades in their hands, wanting to stop the rushing citizens.

But there were simply too many people. They didn’t know which way to point their raised blades, nor could they bring them down.

These gate guards weren’t born from cracks in rocks—among those rushing over were their own fathers, elders, and fellow villagers.

After just a moment’s hesitation, the city gates were opened.

On the other side of the moat, Governor-General Luo and Governor-General Lei, sitting astride their horses, looked at each other in bewilderment.

They hadn’t done anything yet, and the city gates had opened?

They didn’t even need to negotiate?

The two hesitantly looked toward Wei Han.

Wei Han’s expression remained calm as he gave orders: “Prepare to enter the city.”