Chapter 55: The Young Emperor Emerges, the Old Party Raises the Banner

Seven days after the Sky Patrol Edict of Wrath reached the Human Realm, in the southwest of the Beijing Capital Region, Anling Commandery raised its banner.

The banner was very old.

The Orthodoxy of Great Yin.

The one who raised the banner was a remnant of the Old Imperial Family, the Prince of An's faction.

They enthroned an eight-year-old child as Emperor.

The child's name was Xiao Cheng'an.

He was precisely the youth who had once stabbed Jiang Che with a short dagger in the Imperial Palace Ruined Garden.

No.

To be precise, the one now pushed onto the throne is not the true Xiao Cheng'an.

But his younger brother, Xiao Chengping.

After the Prince of An died, Jiang Che spared Xiao Cheng'an and sent him to study at the Capital New School.

Meanwhile, the Prince of An's youngest son, Xiao Chengping, was secretly hidden away by the Old Party.

Now that the Wrathful Decree from the Upper Realm has arrived, the Old Party immediately thrust him forward, claiming the late Emperor's bloodline is unbroken, that Jiang Che is a Rebel, and that the Council Hall is a False System.

The edict from Anling Commandery was released:

"A nation cannot be without a ruler."

"Jiang Che wields the sword to disrupt governance, shattered the Dragon Throne, and insulted the Ancestral System."

"Now we establish the Young Emperor of the Xiao Clan and call upon the world to form a Loyalist Army."

The edict was written with tears and voice combined.

In its words, not a single character mentioned the Lu'an Blood Sacrifice, the Heavenly Gate Pact, or the evidence of the Old Dynasty's crimes.

It only said Jiang Che killed the ruler.

It only said the old rites had collapsed.

It only said there is no Emperor in the world, and disasters arise frequently.

Even more viciously, they claimed the East Sea Red Tide and the Southern Border Demon Well were Heaven's Wrath summoned by Jiang Che shattering the Heavenly Gate.

In an instant, many remote prefectures indeed wavered.

Some began to doubt:

Was the world at least peaceful when the Heavenly Gate existed?

Did Jiang Che's sharpness attract calamities?

Is it truly impossible without an Emperor?

The Capital Council Hall erupted into chaos.

Some argued for immediately sending troops to quell the rebellion.

Others worried that once they attacked the Young Emperor, the Old Party would solidify the charge that "Jiang Che massacred the Royal Family."

Gu Chongming's beard trembled with rage:

"This group uses a child as a shield; their hearts deserve execution!"

Qin Su said, "The problem is, the common people may not see clearly."

Chen Shanhe sneered, "Then post the old case files again."

Gu Chongming said, "Even if posted, they will claim they are forged."

Chen Shanhe slammed the table, "Then what is the point of wasting words? Fight!"

Just as the Council Hall argued endlessly, one person walked into Zichen Hall.

Xiao Cheng'an.

He no longer wore a brocade robe, but the green student uniform of the Capital New School.

Everyone looked at him.

The youth's face was pale, yet he forced himself not to lower his head.

Gu Chongming frowned, "What are you here for?"

Xiao Cheng'an said, "My younger brother has been thrust out by them."

Chen Shanhe said coldly, "So what? Do you come to beg for the Old Dynasty?"

Xiao Cheng'an gritted his teeth, "I want to go to Anling."

Silence fell within the hall.

Xiao Cheng'an continued, "They use the Xiao Clan's bloodline as a banner, but the Xiao Clan owes the world too much."

"My father was guilty; I admit it."

"The Royal Family was guilty; I admit that too."

"But my younger brother is only eight years old."

"He should not be used by them as a weapon."

Chen Shanhe stared at him, "You want to save him?"

"Yes."

"What if he refuses to go with you?"

Xiao Cheng'an fell silent for a moment.

"Then I will stand before the people of Anling and speak the truth of the Old Dynasty."

Chen Shanhe sneered, "You, an old member of the Imperial Family, saying the Old Dynasty was guilty, is more useful than us saying it."

Gu Chongming pondered.

Qin Su said, "Let him go; it might be better than sending troops."

In the end, the Council Hall decided to dispatch a small team to Anling.

Not to suppress the realm with a massive army.

But to publicly debate the crimes.

Xiao Cheng'an would take the lead, the History Camp would carry the Old Dynasty Crime Files along, Gu Chongming would assign three Legislative Officers, and Chen Shanhe would send three hundred soldiers from the Northern Garrison Army as escorts.

By the time the message reached the Southern Border, Jiang Che was already on his way north.

He looked at the letter, silent for a long time.

Xie Tingxue asked, "Are you worried?"

Jiang Che nodded: "If the Old Party dares to raise their flag, there must be remnants of the Heavenly Gate behind them."

"Xiao Cheng'an might die."

Xie Tingxue said, "He chose it himself."

Jiang Che said, "Yes."

"Are you going?"

Jiang Che shook his head.

"This time, I cannot go either."

Xie Tingxue looked at him.

Jiang Che said, "If the New System is to stand firm, it cannot rely on me to slash everything flat with a single sword every time the Old Dynasty pushes back."

"The debts owed by the Xiao Clan should be spoken by someone of the Xiao Clan themselves."

Anling Commandery.

The Old Party was preparing the sacrificial rites for the Young Emperor's accession.

Eight-year-old Xiao Chengping, dressed in a tiny Dragon Robe, sat upon the high throne, his face blank with confusion.

Below the platform, a group of old officials knelt and bowed, shouting long live the Emperor.

The child did not understand why they were kneeling.

Nor did he understand what "restoring the nation" meant.

He only knew that everyone around him told him:

Jiang Che was a villain.

The Council Hall was rebellious.

He was the Little Emperor destined by Heaven.

It was on the eve of the sacrificial rites.

Outside Anling City, a small team arrived.

Xiao Cheng'an stood beneath the city walls, looking up at the Old Dynasty Dragon Flag atop the ramparts.

He clenched the Short Dagger hidden in his sleeve.

The same dagger he had once intended to use to stab Jiang Che.

Now, he would use it to tear open the Xiao Clan's final veil of shame.

The guards on the city walls shouted down:

"Who goes there?"

Xiao Cheng'an took a deep breath and proclaimed loudly:

"Xiao Cheng'an, of the Sinful Clan Xiao."

"I have come to question the crimes of the Old Dynasty."