Chapter 034: The Grand Assembly at Hanyuan Hall
Just as the system and host were still discussing whether it was permissible to speak during the morning court:
Suddenly, the sound of stumbling footsteps echoed in Hanyuan Hall.
Then, a man dressed in court attireâstill broad-shouldered and robustârolled onto the floor like a ball. He kowtowed loudly, his voice trembling as he went straight to the point:
“âMy Lord, Chang’an… Chang’an has faced military unrest today. I am extremely terrified, and I bear responsibility for my failure to monitor the situation. I request to be demoted to the frontier! I beg My Lord to grant this request, to allow me to go to the borderlands to herd horses and farm the land!”
By the time he finished, the man was speaking incoherently, only repeatedly kowtowing.
His forehead turned from pale blue to deep purple, and finally, bloodstains began to appear, the sound of his head hitting the ground echoing through Hanyuan Hall, leaving a hollow reverberation.
Wei Wanlan, who had been chatting with the system, was distracted by the sight of the blood in front of the throne. She pressed her lips together, feeling a bit of pain for the man, but still didn’t know who he was.
**”He is the Minister of War,”** the system explained.
“You can’t see, though?”
**”But I understand the bureaucracy. Qin Zhen is a vice minister, and his superior is the Minister of War. The Minister would definitely want to distance himself from any association with the rebels. Even if it means herding horses on the frontier, itâs better than losing his life.”**
But Wei Wanlan was confused. “Does he have any connection to Qin Zhen?”
**”I doubt it.”**
“Why would he be so afraid if thereâs no connection?” Wei Wanlan was even more puzzled.
**”Heâd be more afraid.”**
“Why?”
The system replied: **”Kill the chicken to scare the monkey. Establish authority by killing.”**
The system spared no effort in educating Wei Wanlan on the intricacies of ruling as a wise monarch:
**”Do you have classmates who donât do their homework?”**
âYes.â
Wei Wanlan’s ears twitched, unsure why the system had jumped to this topic. It didnât seem to connect with the earlier conversation.
But the system quickly tied the two topics together:
**”Does your teacher ever single out one student for harsh punishment as a warning to the others?”**
If the system hadn’t pointed it out, Wei Wanlan wouldnât have made the connection. But now, after thinking about it, there was indeed an unlucky classmate who became the negative example.
**”This is how authority is established. Anyone who dares follow Qin Zhenâs rebellion will die.”**
The systemâs tone carried an icy chill.
Wei Wanlan tilted her head, the innocent fawn asking, “But what if the innocent are wrongly accused?”
**”Let me remind you again: this is a power struggle narrative. Host, our goal is absolute power. And no one else is allowed to touch it.”**
In the brief moment that Wei Wanlan had been lost in thought, the Minister of War had already disappeared from sight.
Only the bloodstains remained on the floor. Wei Wanlan stared at the blood, his pupils flickering, when suddenly, another group of people knelt down before him:
“I… I once shared wine and poetry with Qin Zhen. His poems already hinted at ambitious intentions, but I was too foolish to realize it earlier!”
“The night of the rebellion, Qin Zhen sent me a letter. I burned it, not daring to join him. But I am guilty of hiding this and not reporting it. I request punishment!”
“I also request punishment! Your Highness, have mercy!”
“Have mercy, Your Highness!!!”
Those ministers, who had been impeccably dressed just moments ago in front of the Dragon Tail Path, were now prisoners inside Hanyuan Hall. A few short steps had separated glory from disgrace.
Wei Wanlan’s heart clenched as he placed his sleeves over his knees.
404 whispered in his ear:
**”See? Isnât this effective? Look how many hidden rebels have been exposed.”**
Eyes full of fear finally dared to glance at the villain standing at the center of it all. Su Jingzhi, who had been expressionless since entering the court, now seemed even more unfathomable. He calmly observed every personâs demeanor, watching their reactions.
No one dared meet his gaze directly.
It was clear that this Regent was different from the person Wei Wanlan usually saw.
Wei Wanlan bit his lip.
He didnât dare move or speak.
As he watched the Regent deal with a large number of courtiers, the once densely packed positions in Hanyuan Hall now had several empty spaces. The court fell silent for a moment. Wei Wanlan felt as if a small piece of his heart had been torn away.
Then, among the courtiers in their purple robes, Wei Wanlan spotted a familiar figureâXin Buyi.
“Lord Xin!”
The Minister of Justice seemed to hear the young emperorâs soft call.
Though his body moved slightly, his gaze remained fixed on the Regent. Xin Buyi bowed respectfully:
“Your Highness, the Minister of Justice has something to report.”
“Speak.”
Receiving the Regentâs nod, Xin Buyi took out a pre-written memorial from his sleeve.
He unfurled it, and the ink on the scroll was thick, revealing row upon row of densely packed names.
Xin Buyi took a few steps in the court:
“Since the Censorate began its comprehensive inspections in Chang’an and throughout various counties, it has taken less than a month to uncover numerous officials guilty of corruption and malfeasance. Their actions are heinous, severely damaging the reputation and interests of the court.”
“This list contains two thousand names. All should be punished severely; otherwise, public outrage will not be quelled, nor will corruption in our dynasty be eradicated. I ask for Your Highness and His Majestyâs approval!”
Xin Buyiâs voice grew more resolute as he spoke, his expression firm and uncompromising.
As his words echoed through Hanyuan Hall, the oppressive atmosphere grew heavier.
Sweat began to drip from some, othersâ legs trembled beneath their robes.
Who could guarantee their name wasnât on the list? Who could be sure the Censorate’s investigations were flawless, without any mistakes or omissions?
The trembling ministers could no longer control themselves.
Some, overcome with guilt, were already gasping for breath, while others fainted outright. Despite efforts to revive them with pinches and slaps, some remained unconscious:
“Lord Zhang…”
“Lord Chen!?”
“Lord Ning, wake up, wake up!!!”
The Imperial Guards continuously dragged the fallen out of the hall.
Ordinarily, the death of a colleague would warrant concern, but now, no one dared approach the unconscious ministers. They acted as if these men carried some fearsome, contagious plague.
Wei Wanlan straightened up slightly on the dragon throne.
His clear eyes reflected the image of Xin Buyiâs scroll, as ominous as a death note.
He lowered his gaze, unwilling to look further into the hall, his eyes instead focusing on the eaves. Yet the sounds of wailing and sobbing filled his ears, making his breath feel heavier.
Wei Wanlan asked, “Will all these people die?”
**”The second mission is to quell internal unrest. The most important thing is to cleanse the corruption of the Wei dynasty. The rot has run deep, and drastic measures are needed. According to the logic of a power narrative, Su Jingzhi is doing the right thing if he wants immediate results.”**
“So you mean…”
**”Support him.”** 404âs tone dripped with confidence. **”Weâll ride along with the Regent on this mission, using his blade to do our work. Once the Regent is gone, youâll be the benevolent ruler while he takes the blame.”**
Ever since the Grand Assembly, 404âs tone had grown frosty, almost to the point of freezing.
Wei Wanlan felt a chill in his bones and shifted slightly on the dragon throne, exhaling softly. Everything around him felt cold, and even his breath was icy.
The cold Wei Wanlan clenched his fists within his sleeves.
He hadnât expected to be called upon by Xin Buyi at that moment.
Wei Wanlan heard the Minister of Justice bow and address him in the now silent court:
“Your Majesty, the Censorate system is a great innovation for strengthening the Wei dynasty and ensuring its prosperity for generations. Your Majestyâs decree to establish this law will benefit the people for a thousand years. The common folk will remember Your Majestyâs love for them!”
**”Approve it.”**
“Huh?”
**”Be the spokesperson. Announce the new law.”**
**”Xin Buyi is clearly giving you face! Youâll officially announce it in the Grand Assembly, giving the Regent all the credit. Itâs a win-win, and it benefits the people. Besides, youâve already promised Xin Buyi back in the Hundred Beasts Garden.”**
Memories flashed back to those early days after he had first arrived.
When Wei Wanlan had been trapped in the beast garden created by the original bratty emperor, he had asked for Su Jingzhiâs help. At that time, Su Jingzhi had been discussing the Censorate system with his trusted officials.
He had indeed promised Xin Buyi.
…I promised because it would help the people.
Wei Wanlan hadnât forgotten, he wasnât that forgetful.
But standing amidst the cries that shook Hanyuan Hall, the words caught in his throat.
Somehow, everything felt right, and yet not right. The line between the two blurred, and he couldnât make sense of it, unable to form the words.
“I…”
Xin Buyi looked at him, his eyes full of expectation.
The other two chief officials of the judicial institutions also glanced over, adding two more silent gazes.
Perhaps sensing the young monarchâs uncertainty in his first major court assembly, Eunuch An stepped forward to try to smooth things over. However, when he saw Su Jingzhiâs gaze sweep over him, Eunuch An quickly shut his mouth in fear.
Su Jingzhi didnât linger on Wei Wanlan for long. Seeing that the emperor remained silent, his voice lowered as he addressed the courtiers:
“Since His Majesty has no objections,” Su Jingzhi asked, “does anyone else have any dissent?”
The courtiers all adopted the posture of quails.
All heads bowed low.
Just as Wei Wanlan lowered his gaze to his toes, another voice rang out in Hanyuan Hallâquick-paced, clear, and sharp:
“Your Majesty, I disagree with incorporating the Censorate system into law at this moment.”
Wei Wanlan looked up in surprise at the brave soul!
Who could this be?!
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