Chapter 1954

Wu Zhao raised her phoenix eyes, the last trace of hesitation in them replaced by fury.

She turned resolutely and walked into the Imperial Study, her black dragon robe billowing in the autumn wind, leaving behind only a cold voice.

"Draft an edict! Gao Yang resigns from office, and I... grant it!"

"Immediately proclaim to the world: dismiss Gao Yang from all official posts and titles, including Duke of Zhenguo, Champion Marquis, Chancellor, and General of the Flying Cavalry, and demote him to a commoner!"

"Within one cup of tea, if the crowd before the palace gate does not disperse, it shall be treated as treason; order the Imperial Guards to... suppress them on the spot!"

The six words "suppress them on the spot" fell like ice beads, carrying a grim, bone-chilling murderous intent!

In that instant, the air seemed to freeze.

Once these words were spoken.

Zhang Ping and Zhang Shou, as if granted amnesty, hurriedly kowtowed to receive the order: "Your subjects obey the edict!"

Once they had the imperial edict in hand, the two wiped the sweat from their foreheads in unison and let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"Big brother, am I smart?" Zhang Shou asked with a rather smug smile.

"Smart your mother's head! Have you forgotten that slap from Her Majesty so quickly? Do you think Chancellor Gao is an ordinary person, whom the Embroidered Uniform Guard can casually bite without ironclad evidence?"

"If Chancellor Gao did it, you and I are safe. If he didn't, once Her Majesty investigates thoroughly and finds that Gao Changwen only had some unspeakable habit with that Wang Sheng, which is why he went in the middle of the night, then our end will be miserable!"

Zhang Ping cursed and swore.

Zhang Shou was also stunned; coming back to his senses, he felt a lingering fear in his heart.

This matter could not withstand an investigation; if Gao Yang hadn't planned all of this, then they were indeed in big trouble!

"Saved our lives! Let's go, to the Chengtian Gate!"

Zhang Ping raised his head and took a deep breath before speaking.

The imperial edict... had been issued!

All of this, there was no room for turning back!

Everything would be settled!

As long as Wu Zhao's reaction was a moment slower, even if she wanted to investigate later, this matter would have been turned into ironclad evidence...

Before the Chengtian Gate.

The autumn wind was biting, whipping up dust and withered leaves from the ground; the sun was obscured by thick, dark clouds, and the lead-gray sky hung low, pressing down so heavily that people could hardly breathe.

Li Long, in black armor, stood before the formation.

Behind him, the dense formation of Imperial Guards stood with spears like a forest and crossbows drawn; the cold arrowheads glinted with a ghostly light of death under the dim sky.

Both sides were in a standoff.

Li Long cursed inwardly.

This thorny matter had all fallen on his head.

If it truly turned into a river of blood, he, Li Long, would surely bear the infamy of the ages!

But at this moment.

Zhang Ping and Zhang Shou, wearing flying-fish robes, strode out.

Zhang Shou unfolded the imperial edict in his hand and said coldly, "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: from this moment on... dismiss Gao Yang from all official posts and titles, and demote him to a commoner! Respect this!"

He closed the edict in his hand, looked at Li Long and the tens of thousands of commoners and Han Lin scholars before him, and said with a cold face.

"Her Majesty has ordered: one cup of tea is the limit; those who do not disperse before the palace gate—shall be treated as traitors! Order the Imperial Guards to suppress them on the spot!"

Boom!

Once these words were spoken.

It was like a gale sweeping through fallen leaves, a black sandstorm erupting instantly in the desert, suddenly buzzing in everyone's minds.

Chi Potian's pupils shrank, as if he had aged dozens of years in an instant.

Huang Zhizhan, Lin Shuhan, and others also found it hard to accept, their faces filled with unwillingness, their eyes reflecting the despair of a collapsing faith.

A heaven-shaking clamor erupted among the tens of thousands of scholars and commoners.

"Why? Why is Her Majesty so resolute?!"

"The Xiongnu are sharpening their blades, Her Majesty is muddled!"

"Chancellor Gao has achieved such great merit, how could he end up with this outcome?"

Huge wails and disturbances erupted among the commoners.

On the other side.

Seeing this scene, Cui Xinghe shook his head, and a voice with a hint of a sigh rang out.

"Once the imperial edict is issued, everything is settled!"

"Her Majesty is resolute; she will not turn back."

The Pei family.

Pei Cheng let out a heavy sigh of relief, a flash of wild joy on his face, extremely excited, "The edict is issued, the Living Yama has no room for a comeback!"

"If these ignorant commoners and scholars continue to petition, that is treason, and then this Living Yama... is finished too!"

The Pei father and son watched the excitement from afar, their faces full of smug smiles.

At this time.

Zhang Shou stood out and said coldly.

"Where are the Embroidered Uniform Guards?"

"Here!"

Rumble!

Behind Zhang Ping and Zhang Shou, the voices of the Embroidered Uniform Guards rang out, the clamor spreading in all directions like a physical force.

Their expressions were grim, the large blades in their hands glinting with cold light.

"By Her Majesty's order, one cup of tea's time; those who do not retreat shall all be slaughtered!"

Li Long had no choice either.

The edict was out, and he could only obey the order.

"Where are the Imperial Guards?"

"Those who do not retreat in one cup of tea shall all be slaughtered!"

"Yes!"

One by one, the black-armored Imperial Guards responded loudly, their faces grim, holding large blades, forming a line to face the enemy!

For a time.