Chapter 478: The First Retribution

"Prime Minister Li, we have only one demand: to depose the emperor. As for who should ascend the throne afterward, we have no opinion. So do not imagine our actions are tainted by hidden agendas or sinister schemes. We act with integrity—we merely demand the removal of this incompetent, foolish Emperor Taixing, to restore clarity and order to the Great Qian Dynasty."

"Restore clarity and order to the realm!"

"Depose the emperor! Depose the emperor! Depose the emperor!"

"The emperor is foolish—how can we cling to outdated customs? It is time for the world to see our courage and audacity: not all court officials are mere idlers."

"The emperor is foolish, squandering the nation's wealth, promoting traitors, and bringing ruin upon the land. Unless we remove Emperor Taixing, the realm will never know peace. Unless we remove Emperor Taixing, the sky of the Great Qian will collapse."

Chants grew louder and bolder with every cry.

Some elderly ministers turned pale with fear.

Certain young officials grew eager, as if they too wished to join in shouting the call to depose the emperor.

Princes and royal dukes opened their mouths to speak, yet none dared step forward as the first to defy convention. It was too dangerous! Supporting Zhao Mingqiao was suicide. But not supporting him felt like letting a precious opportunity slip through their fingers.

How agonizing!

They wanted to defend their father's dignity, yet could find no fitting words. After all, the emperor's deeds these past years had brought nothing but divine wrath and mortal outrage—only old age and senility remained.

As for the chief traitor Jiang Tu, he had long since hidden away, fearing he would be beaten to death by this mob. In such a setting, if one were killed, it would be meaningless—no one would avenge him. Not even someone to collect his corpse might be found.

Hiding was the wisest course.

As for dignity, when your life is on the line, what use is honor?

Jiang Tu, a man who rose from the streets, knew how to bend and stretch. He understood his goal clearly: survival was the paramount concern. Unlike scholars who overthought everything, or martial heroes obsessed with face, or rebels driven by pride, he cared for none of that.

They did not seek pride, nor honor, nor lofty ideals. Their sole, unwavering goal: to live!

With such clarity of purpose, action became swift and decisive.

He stayed far away, avoiding the chaos of Taiji Palace. Though a young eunuch, paid well, kept him informed of events within, his mind remained fixed solely on survival—he could not bring himself to engage in this spectacle that shook the empire and would echo through history.

Why hasn't the old emperor awakened yet?!

Has his brain truly been damaged?

Zhao Mingqiao and his madmen are so brazen—even the Embroidered Uniform Guard hesitates. But what of the Imperial Guards? The palace eunuchs? Qiu Defu? What are they all doing? Why haven't they arrested Zhao Mingqiao?

Everyone says the emperor has a Grand Master at his side. Yet now, with the call to depose him ringing through the court, why has not a single Grand Master stepped forward to restore order?

Are the Grand Masters of the Great Qian Dynasty merely spectators, content to watch the drama unfold?

Absurd!

Utterly absurd!

Ridiculous!

Jiang Tu suffered in torment, cursing Li Liangcheng's incompetence—a Grand Secretary unable to subdue a single court official.

Had he been Grand Secretary, he would have ordered Zhao Mingqiao's arrest long ago—the grass on his grave would already be sprouting.

"Useless! Useless! A pack of useless men!"

He gave the young eunuch more money, instructing him to gather more informants, to report Taiji Palace's movements with greater speed. Better still, to stir up chaos—to exploit the confusion and kill Zhao.

The eunuch took the money but only promised to gather intelligence—he would not be responsible for murder.

"With so many eyes watching, my lord Jiang, do not put me in such a bind."

"Precisely because so many eyes are watching is it easier to stir up chaos."

"My lord Jiang, you jest. Zhao Gong is surrounded by a mob of madmen—all of them ready to die. We eunuchs facing such men—we die, and no one cares."

"What did you call him? You dare call him Zhao Gong? What virtue or merit does Zhao Mingqiao possess that you address him as 'Gong'? Absurd! Have you eunuchs all been bewitched by him? What benefit would deposing the emperor bring you? Do you truly believe replacing the emperor will let you ascend to heaven?"

The young eunuch bristled at the word "eunuch." They could use it themselves—self-deprecating humor. But no one else had the right to hurl it as an insult.

The eunuch's expression was half-smiling, yet his eyes grew dark. "Whether we ascend to heaven, I do not know. But we eunuchs know one thing: the palace hasn't been this lively in years. You know—we're lowly servants, we don't understand grand principles. Zhao Gong speaks loudly before crowds, and many support him. He can't possibly be evil."

"Can you even tell good from evil? Do you understand court politics?"

"Those who treat us as human beings are good." The eunuch chuckled lightly. "Zhao Gong never looks down on us eunuchs. Who else but a good man would do that? If you have the courage, my lord Jiang, why not go to Taiji Palace yourself and confront Zhao Gong face to face? With your wit, you would surely shine and convince the court."

"Get out! Get out! If I could go to Taiji Palace, would I be hiding here chatting with you? Go! Find out what's happening there right now! Hurry!"

"My lord Jiang, wait. News will come soon."

…

"Absurd! Listen to what you're saying—is this the speech of a loyal minister? Your words are no different from those of rebels! The state has nurtured scholars for three hundred years—not so you could rant here and shatter court order. If the state falls one day, you will all be traitors. You set the worst precedent—you destroyed the very rules of the court."

Li Liangcheng cried out in anguish!

"What rules? To cling to a comatose, foolish emperor—what kind of rule is that?" Zhao Mingqiao demanded sharply. "The emperor brings ruin upon the land, yet you do not urge reform or seek a true solution—you only speak of 'rules.' Every time you say 'rules,' I recall: last year at this time, where were you when the emperor deposed the crown prince?"

When the crown prince was deposed, the rules were already shattered, the court's order already broken. We merely strike a few more blows upon a ruined foundation—no destruction, no renewal; only after breaking can we rebuild. Will you continue to enable this foolish emperor, letting him bring further ruin upon the realm?"

"We refuse!"

"Depose the foolish emperor!"

"If the state falls, you are all traitors!"

"Li Xiang is useless! Li Xiang must step down!"

"Li Xiang must die!"

"Li Xiang must die!"

These madmen, no longer satisfied with deposing the emperor, now turned their fury toward Li Liangcheng—for he still defended the old order, the foolish emperor, the court's dignity.

To these madmen, the crown prince's deposition had already erased all dignity, all order.

When the crown prince was deposed, wise men had foreseen: this act would bring endless calamity. The people's sense of order and dignity had been shattered—its damage would be lasting, irreversible.

Today, the first retribution for deposing the crown prince has fallen upon the old emperor.