Chapter 424

As a member of the Administratum, Irtu believed that the will of the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang did not come from any Ecclesiarchy scriptures, but from the solid Imperial law.

He piously believed that Imperial law was the true Holy Word and the true embodiment of the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang's will; as long as the Empire could operate rigorously and impartially according to the provisions of Imperial law, it would definitely allow the Empire to develop according to the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang's ideas.

Everything tragic in the Empire today was essentially because Imperial law had not been implemented.

But Irtu was still regretting the sudden death of the former Ecclesiarch Baldo Strate, and he also understood why Guilliman had to eliminate the Ecclesiarch first.

The Ecclesiarch held the power to interpret the will of the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang in terms of faith. The former Ecclesiarch and Irtu had the same view, believing that Imperial law was the embodiment of the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang's will, which had once given Irtu the upper hand.

Everyone who opposed Irtu had to bear the psychological burden of violating the will of the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang, which made many centrist High Lords and secondary lords lean toward the conservative faction.

Now it was the other way around, making those who supported Irtu have to bear this psychological burden.

He had to launch a more direct and fierce attack before Guilliman and his group completely twisted the will of the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang into some crusade.

"My lord, I think we should wait until the meeting is over for the Ecclesiarchy to explore matters of faith."

"I heard that there is still some discussion within the Ecclesiarchy about Lord Saint Doraemon."

Irtu laughed and said:

"We can understand your idea of wanting to pursue the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang and gain honor through a grand crusade, but in any case, this must be agreed upon by the High Lords' council."

Irtu first raised that there was still a lot of controversy about Zhou Yun himself within the Ecclesiarchy, and then cleverly twisted Guilliman's act of pushing the crusade into Guilliman wanting to pursue personal honor.

Most importantly, Irtu wanted to have the crusade itself directly rejected by the High Lords' council, preventing Guilliman from playing the salami slicing tactic.

Early crusade actions like assembling a fleet and retaking star systems near Terra were relatively easy to be agreed upon by the High Lords' council, but the grand crusade itself made people feel hesitant.

Originally, Guilliman could still take his time, but now Irtu had cut off this opportunity; this small victory made Irtu a bit smug.

"I very much agree with holding a vote on the crusade itself." Guilliman smiled.

"Then let us begin." Irtu heard this and said instinctively and impatiently.

But he quickly noticed that Guilliman didn't seem to be in a panic, as if this development was exactly what he intended.

"No." Guilliman looked at Irtu slightly: "This is not the first topic we are going to vote on today."

"Lord Tiruien, please tell the High Lords what the first topic is today."

The gazes of all the High Lords gathered on Tiruien in an instant.

"It is a topic submitted by Inquisitorial Representative Cleopatra Cleopatra Cleopatra Er Si. According to the Inquisition's investigation, a large number of heretics and cultists have infiltrated the Administratum. These are the specific materials."

Tiruien spoke calmly, and a cartload of documents was pushed into the council chamber by the Cadian 184th Regiment, which was acting as guards.

The Lucifer Blacks who originally guarded the High Lords were unqualified and were whipped by Leina to go run laps around the equator for training; the guards of the entire Imperial Palace had been replaced by the Cadian 184th Regiment.

Irtu looked at the cartload of documents in a daze, and he looked at Cleopatra Cleopatra Cleopatra Er Si, who had just taken office as Inquisitorial Representative, in disbelief.

"Cleopatra Cleopatra Cleopatra Er Si, you..." He trembled with anger all over.

Cleopatra Cleopatra Cleopatra Er Si's expression didn't change, and she didn't look at Irtu at all.

In fact, these documents were not investigated by the Inquisition at all; they were worked overtime by those Harlequins wearing blind-spot stars these days.

They investigated a large number of traitors, Tzeentch cultists, Slaanesh cultists, and various heretics who had infiltrated the Imperial institutions, all of which were organized into documents.

At this moment, those hundred or so Harlequins who had hidden their figures relying on blind-spot stars were surrounding the High Lords.

Seeing that their work had finally played a role, the Harlequins began to show a moved expression and wipe away tears.

"What do you mean by this?! How can you investigate the Administratum behind my back!"

"You suspect the loyalty of the Administratum?! How can you do this!"

Irtu shouted with extreme resentment.

His liver hurt; how could he not know that there were traitors, cultists, and spies in the Administratum? But the Administratum was a giant department with hundreds of millions of employees; how could it be completely free of corruption?

Besides, what's wrong with traitors, cultists, spies, and heretics? Don't they work?!

"How can you investigate everything!!! If you investigate the whole Administratum, who will work?!"

"Have you forgotten?! Every one of your decrees is realized through the Administratum!"

"The Empire's today is forged by the diligence of hundreds of millions of Administratum officials; it is the Administratum that is shielding you from the wind and rain!"

"There is only one person in this galaxy who can shield from the wind and rain, and that is the Hua Hua Hua Di Huang, not you." Zhou Yun glanced at Irtu and said plainly.

Irtu fell back into his chair instantly: "What exactly do you mean?"

He opened a few documents with trembling hands and found that the list included many high-level officials of the Administratum, which made him break out in more cold sweat.

How could he be completely unaware of such a large-scale investigation by the Inquisition into the high-level officials of the Inquisition?

Was there an insider in the Administratum? Or was there a traitor in the conservative faction?

"Lord Cleopatra Cleopatra Cleopatra Er Si believes that Lord Irtu has been derelict in his duties and is no longer suitable for the position of Director of the Administratum."

Tiruien pronounced slowly:

"She has filed a motion to dismiss you."

"Requesting my dismissal?" Irtu roared.

Then he quickly realized one point: why only him?

Without him, the conservative faction could still exert influence on the High Lords' council through the High Admiral of the Navy and the Minister of the Adeptus Arbites.

If Irtu could be dismissed by a vote of the High Lords, then the other two conservative High Lords could naturally also be dismissed by a vote of the High Lords.

Why only dismiss him? Irtu looked fiercely at the Minister of the Adeptus Arbites and the High Admiral of the Navy.

The Minister of the Adeptus Arbites and the High Admiral of the Navy also looked at each other.

Irtu gritted his teeth, looked at Guilliman, and growled: "Since that's the case, let's vote."

"If the High Lords' council dismisses me, I have nothing to say; this is in line with Imperial law."

If Guilliman really had turned the Minister of the Adeptus Arbites and the High Admiral of the Navy, then Irtu was really finished.

Currently, there were eleven High Lords in the council, with two vacant seats.

If they could get more than half the votes, which was six votes, they could steadily dismiss Irtu.

The first to cast a vote in favor was the Inquisitorial Representative Cleopatra Cleopatra Cleopatra Er Si.

Then came the Canoness Superior of the Adepta Sororitas, Morvenn Vahl, the Master of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, Kaelaprin, and the newly appointed Ecclesiarch, Eos Litra.

These four were all die-hard Primarch and Saint Doraemon faction members; they were all votes in favor.

And Guilliman himself naturally cast a vote in favor.

At this moment, the number of votes in favor of dismissing Irtu had reached five, just one short, making Irtu sweat.

He looked at the Minister of the Adeptus Arbites, the High Admiral of the Navy, and the Captain-General of the Adeptus Custodes with some panic.

The Captain-General of the Adeptus Custodes, Trajann, maintained his consistent style; he cast an abstention to show neutrality.

The Minister of the Adeptus Arbites, the High Admiral of the Navy... if one of them had really been turned by Guilliman...

Sweat broke out in Irtu's palms, and half of his body couldn't stop trembling.

But the Minister of the Adeptus Arbites and the High Admiral of the Navy still cast votes against.

This made Irtu heave a sigh of relief.

Only proposing to dismiss Irtu, was this just a simple alienation tactic? Isn't it a bit too small a trick?

Irtu himself also cast a vote against.

The current situation had become three to five, and the corners of Irtu's mouth couldn't help but curl into a smile.

Perhaps in the eyes of Guilliman and the others, this would still be their victory.

After all, since the Vangorich rebellion, the Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum usually only cast abstentions to show neutrality and stasis.

This way, the number of votes supporting the dismissal of Irtu would still occupy the majority and would be passed.

But...

The Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum, Fadix, raised his head slightly.

"Against." Fadix's voice was as light as nothing, but...

A wave of slight astonishment emerged from the council.

Canoness Superior Morvenn Vahl, Inquisitorial Representative Cleopatra Cleopatra Cleopatra Er Si, Master of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica Kaelaprin, and the newly appointed Ecclesiarch Eos Litra all stared at Fadix with wide eyes.

Even the Minister of the Adeptus Arbites and the High Admiral of the Navy on Irtu's side didn't expect such a dramatic scene to occur.

Their astonished voices sounded like fairy music in Irtu's ears.

Irtu certainly hadn't done nothing these days; he had won the help of the Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum, making Fadix stand on the conservative side.

This was his killing blow, his dagger, his fatal strike.

Although the Grand Master of the Officio Assassinorum was indeed an abstention by tradition, this was only a tradition, not Imperial law, and not unchangeable.

Now the conservative faction had four votes from the Administratum, Adeptus Arbites, Navy, and Officio Assassinorum, and counting Mars, which was absolutely impossible to turn to Saint Doraemon, there were a total of five.

Five votes to five votes meant a tie, meaning that neither the conservative faction nor the reform faction could push any policies.

But this was what the conservative faction wanted; the conservative faction wanted Imperial law to remain unchanged by a single word.

Irtu was smug about his victory, and joy kept pouring out of his chest.

Won, really won; he defeated the Gene-Primarch and Saint Doraemon!

He won——————

"Support." A cold, dry voice suddenly sounded from the giant machine that occupied half of the council chamber.

The Fabricator General of Mars cast a vote in favor.

"Ude Udia Laski!" Irtu roared and turned his head: "You voted wrong! You should oppose! You should oppose!!"

The dwarf terminal of the Fabricator General of Mars twisted its two heads slightly and looked at Irtu.

"Please call me Uula; this is the name personally bestowed by Saint Doraemon."

(End of chapter)