Chapter 6: The Dragon's Majesty Unleashed—Who Dares Challenge Its Might?
Su Li shot a fierce glare at Tang Yu, his expression gradually darkening as he spoke.
“I would not dare, but in my humble opinion, there is something suspicious about this matter. Why not conduct a thorough investigation and give the world an explanation? Otherwise, to deal with the Mother of the Nation in such a manner is, in both sentiment and reason, highly improper.”
That last sentence, though spoken with apparent calm, was in truth a warning to Tang Yu—a veiled threat cloaked in civility.
Tang Yu’s brow furrowed tightly. Did Su Li still know his duty as a minister? His fox-like features were painted with certainty as he forced Tang Yu onto the scaffold of public condemnation. The tension in the hall thickened once more. The clash of their auras sent chills through the assembly; none of the other ministers dared utter a word.
Su Li stood there, confronting Tang Yu. Sensing the rising storm, Lin Ze and Zhou Cheng promptly stepped forward, kneeling and proclaiming in unison,
“Your Majesty, we too find something questionable in this matter. Why not investigate thoroughly and seek the truth?”
Though they seemed to offer Tang Yu a way out, in truth, they were supporting Su Li’s position. These two were civil officials Su Li himself had raised through the imperial examinations. Lin Ze was Minister of Justice, overseeing the laws; Zhou Cheng was Deputy Minister of the Ancestral Affairs Office, in charge of reviewing officials’ crimes and deciding matters of life and death within the palace.
Both the law and the judiciary were now questioning whether the Emperor of Great Xia still commanded respect!
In a flash, Tang Yu’s face turned ashen, his gaze darkening, an unnamable rage rising within him.
“Very well, very well,” he said, scanning the court. Everywhere his gaze landed, officials averted their eyes; not one dared stand against him, and the realization chilled him to the core.
He forced a smile through gritted teeth.
“Then tell me—who do you think the culprit is? Are you suggesting it was Ye Yue, the shadow guard at my side, or Murong Yun, Commander Murong?!”
He struggled to contain his fury, but in the end, he could no longer hold back, and his voice rose to a near-shout.
Wolves in sheep’s clothing! Did they mean to have his only two loyal followers executed? If that happened, he would lose the people’s trust—and who would remain at his side?
Lin Ze and Zhou Cheng’s faces changed. Out of the corners of their eyes, they glanced at Su Li, who remained unperturbed, so they mustered their courage to speak.
Zhou Cheng declared, “Your Majesty, if traitors are allowed to remain, there will be no future for Great Xia!”
Lin Ze began, “Your Majesty—”
“Enough!” Tang Yu’s eyes burned red with rage as he roared, “How dare you! To curse the fate of Great Xia in open court—what are your intentions? If not for these two, my own life would not have been safe. Will you answer for your words? What punishment should befall a minister who insults the court’s most trusted?”
The Hall of Supreme Harmony was thick with his fury. Imperial power thundered; all the ministers and officials prostrated themselves in terror.
“Your Majesty, please calm your anger!”
“Your Majesty, please calm your anger!”
“Out!” Tang Yu shouted again.
How could he not be furious? That the Minister of Justice and Deputy Minister of Ancestral Affairs dared slander his loyal followers—how bold!
Ye Yue and Murong Yun were both taken aback. Was the Emperor shielding them?
Murong Yun, loyal for decades, felt warmth return to his long-chilled heart, and tears welled in his eyes. With such a sovereign, even death today would not be in vain.
Zhou Cheng and Lin Ze had never expected that this weak and indecisive emperor would dare to defy them. They prided themselves on their scholarly virtue; to be so publicly humiliated was a bitter disgrace.
Zhou Cheng, hot-tempered by nature, immediately retorted with a cold expression:
“Your Majesty, is this not the truth? Commander Murong was forbidden from returning without summons, yet today he appears at court. To my knowledge, Your Majesty did not issue an imperial edict! Does Commander Murong so disregard imperial command? Is Great Xia his to come and go as he pleases? Your Majesty, you cannot distinguish loyal from treacherous—though you are the Son of Heaven, you speak crudely and shame both the Grand Emperor and Grand Empress. How can you answer to us, your loyal ministers?”
Tang Yu, incensed to the point of laughter, found his bottom line trampled by Zhou Cheng’s words.
“You are not fit to lecture me! You defy your sovereign—do you know the distinction between ruler and minister?”
In that moment, imperial majesty overflowed; the sovereign’s bearing was revealed for all to see. Clearly, if he did not strike back, these men would never relent.
With that, Tang Yu strode forward, drew the sword of a nearby attendant, and advanced on Zhou Cheng with a murderous aura.
Ye Yue, seeing danger, cried out,
“Your Majesty!”
But it was already too late. The blade was pressed to Zhou Cheng’s throat. Before the entire court, Tang Yu shouted coldly,
“Do you wish to die?”
The air was thick with killing intent, and the assembly paled in terror. Would he truly kill?
“Your Majesty, if you strike him down, all the officials will turn their hearts from you!” Su Li trembled with rage, unable to believe Tang Yu would go so far.
Everyone knew Zhou Cheng was Su Li’s protégé; was this not a direct slap in his face? Zhou Cheng, stripped of his former arrogance, went deathly pale, too frightened to move—like a rooster cowed in defeat.
Tang Yu glanced at him coldly, then turned to Su Li, now beside himself with anger, and laughed.
“Turn their hearts? I am the Son of Heaven! All that I do is just—let anyone who dares defy me come forward!”
His gaze swept the hall; all the court officials shrank back, none daring to meet his eyes. In their hearts, they were cowed into submission. This was true imperial authority—who would dare challenge it?
“I will kill him now!”
As he spoke, he raised the sword to strike.
Su Li cried out, “Stop!”
Driven to desperation, Zhou Cheng lost all restraint and screamed,
“You tyrant! You fool! You dare kill me?”
A scholar’s pride would not allow such humiliation.
Disaster! Su Li’s heart sank; Lin Ze’s face changed as well, but it was too late to intervene.
Tang Yu’s plan had succeeded. He laughed,
“Excellent! All have heard, have they not? This dog has defied his sovereign and insulted the Son of Heaven—who can blame me now?”
He threw aside the sword.
“Guards! Take him to the Imperial Prison at once, and await my command for execution!”
This was the moment he had been waiting for. To kill a minister was against custom, and might unsettle the people. But with Zhou Cheng’s blatant insubordination, he now had ample justification. No matter what excuses he might find, even a pardon from home could not save him from the crime of insulting the emperor.
“Yes, Your Majesty!” The imperial guards obeyed, stepping forward to seize Zhou Cheng.
Ye Yue’s eyes cleared. She had thought Tang Yu, blinded by rage, truly meant to kill—but now saw it was all to rid himself of Su Li’s right-hand man.
At this realization, a smile bloomed on Ye Yue’s lips, and all her worries vanished.
“No… no… you cannot arrest me! I am the Deputy Minister of the Ancestral Affairs Office! Let go… let go…”
Zhou Cheng struggled, but the imperial guards were unmoved. In desperation, he looked to Su Li for help.
“Prime Minister, save me, Prime Minister!”
“Silence!” Su Li’s expression was ashen. For the sake of the greater good, he could only grit his teeth and shout,
“All my efforts in raising you are wasted. Today, you dared defy your sovereign and insult the Son of Heaven—no one can save you!”
At these words, “no one can save you,” Zhou Cheng’s heart died within him, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.
“You can’t, you can’t! I have served you for so long—if not merit, at least hard work! Will you not save me? I have your secrets, you old fox!”