Chapter 19: Grand Morning Assembly

"Summon the officials to audience."

"Summon the officials to audience."

In the magnificent Shenwu Hall, Li Xianzhi sat on the grand master's chair, with the Nine Thousand Years Old and Xiao Xuan standing behind him.

The Empress sat on the phoenix throne, her eyes containing hidden anger as she looked at the three of them.

This murderer who had just killed her nephew was now sitting openly in the Shenwu Hall. And he hadn't even glanced at her.

She was the Empress, the most powerful Empress who controlled the Great Chu world. As long as there was a pretext, or that sickly weakling on the dragon bed died completely, she could sit on that true throne of the Nine-Five Supreme.

This was all her previous vision.

But now it seemed that was not the case. The Nine Thousand Years Old, who had always ignored world affairs, did not seem to be loyal to this declining dynasty. Even in Yang Domain's view, it was hard to say if the Nine Thousand Years Old had the Great Chu Dynasty in his heart at all.

Who was that man who made the Nine Thousand Years Old humble himself, that man whom the Nine Thousand Years Old treated as an honored master?

Empress Yang Domain fell into deep thought.

The officials entered the hall one after another.

The first to enter was the current Prime Minister, Ye Yingxing, known as the dynasty's brain trust.

As soon as he entered the hall, Ye Yingxing froze.

The Nine Thousand Years Old was actually standing, which made his heart, which had always remained calm, instantly somewhat turbulent.

Li Xianzhi closed his eyes to rest, not caring at all about the scrutiny of Ye Yingxing and the officials behind him. His calm and composed appearance caused stormy waves in everyone's hearts.

"Prime Minister, what is this?"

Minister of War Yang Yun could not control his excited emotions, his mustache trembling as he bowed and asked Prime Minister Ye Yingxing in a low voice. The officials also pricked up their ears, seemingly waiting for Ye Yingxing's answer.

Throughout the dynasty, all matters, big and small, were handled by Prime Minister Ye Yingxing.

Everyone knew a little bit about what happened yesterday. But the true details were somewhat vague.

Ye Yingxing did not look back but glanced at Yang Yun.

This was a warning.

Having been fellow officials for many years, Yang Yun instantly understood Ye Yingxing's meaning. He quickly silenced himself and quickly withdrew his gaze, which had been scrutinizing Li Xianzhi. "That was close," Yang Yun thought, terrified. Because just now, the Nine Thousand Years Old had also glanced at him. If it weren't for Ye Yingxing's reminder, he would probably have met the Nine Thousand Years Old's gaze just now.

Yang Yun broke into a cold sweat.

Who was the Nine Thousand Years Old? He was a ruthless character who never gave a reason for killing.

"Long live, long live, long live our Emperor!"

Although the Chu Huang was not present, the officials still symbolically bowed to the empty dragon throne. Originally, according to regulations, everyone had to bow to the Nine Thousand Years Old, but the Nine Thousand Years Old did not like this, so he canceled this cumbersome etiquette.

A True God can live for three thousand years.

So, like ordinary dynasties, calling "Long Live" was also a supreme title.

"Officials, rise and stand at ease."

The Empress waved her long sleeves, and at this moment, Yang Domain's face returned to that supreme look. Although because of the Nine Thousand Years Old, the officials did not bow to her, wasn't everything still under her control? She was still presiding over this Shenwu Hall!

"Cough, cough!"

"It seems that in the days I was away, the Empress has become increasingly proficient in handling court affairs."

In the vast Shenwu Hall, a cough sounded, and everyone looked up. They saw an old man in a black robe supporting the Chu Huang as he slowly walked to the imperial throne.

Today, the Chu Huang had broken the precedent and put on a black imperial robe, wearing a golden crown, full of royal majesty. Only his sunken eye sockets added a bit of morbidity to his face.

"Why are you all so surprised? Just now I saw you all bowing respectfully to this empty dragon throne, why are you shocked and stunned now that you see me, the true Emperor?" The Chu Huang looked playfully at the officials and the Empress. In his spare time, he also glanced at Li Xianzhi and the other two.

"Long live, long live, long live our Emperor."

Ye Yingxing was stunned for a moment, and an unprecedented joy appeared on his face. He bowed and shouted "Long Live." The other officials followed suit.

"Officials, rise!"

The Chu Huang looked very satisfied with the officials' performance. Then he looked at the Empress, whose face had changed slightly. "Empress, look at us, who has more majesty and looks more like the supreme one?"

The Chu Huang's seemingly joking question was actually a warning to the Empress, or perhaps it was just to show off his power and satisfy that most real thing hidden in his heart.

The Empress's heart was filled with murderous intent.

She did not know why that sickly weakling, who hadn't attended court for decades, appeared in the Shenwu Hall today and asked her such a harsh question. However, the Empress, who had long been swirling in the vortex of power, would certainly not be easily stumped by such a question.

The Empress smiled gently. She did not bow and scrape to flatter the Chu Huang, but instead spoke with seriousness.

"Emperor, it might be inappropriate for you to ask such a question. Who is more majestic, you or I, should not be answered by us. Aren't all the officials here? Emperor, why not ask the officials? If the officials cannot answer, aren't there still the Nine Thousand Years Old and his master? I think the two Venerable Masters must have an answer."

The Empress's words made the officials break into a cold sweat. The Chu Huang looked coldly at the Empress he had chosen himself.

Was she forcing the officials to take sides? Was she trying to give him a show of power, telling him who the master of the world was? Then he would like to see how many people in this world were on his side, and how many people cared about the Great Chu world.

The officials were silent as cicadas in winter, all waiting, waiting for someone to stand up and resolve this crisis. And the only ones who could resolve this crisis were probably the Nine Thousand Years Old and the man sitting in front of the hall.

Ye Yingxing really wanted to rush up and severely reprimand the Empress for being so presumptuous. But the Chu Huang had been ill for a long time, and in this court, he was also unable to support the situation alone. So he suppressed the impulse in his heart.

Li Xianzhi watched the confrontation between the parties in the Shenwu Hall and found it somewhat funny.

Power, what a fascinating thing. In many lifetimes, Li Xianzhi himself had died in this struggle for power. And now that he thought about it, Li Xianzhi felt it was all so ridiculous.

The declining Great Chu, the covetous Three Mountains and Four Seas, and the "Underworld" hiding behind the Three Mountains and Four Seas—everything made this seemingly prosperous dynasty look precarious.

And yet they were still fighting here. When the nest is overturned, are there any intact eggs? They didn't even understand this simple truth!

"Xiao Li Zi." Li Xianzhi opened his eyes and looked at the slightly angry Xiao Li Zi. The Nine Thousand Years Old immediately understood Li Xianzhi's meaning.

The Nine Thousand Years Old was very dissatisfied with everything today. If the Nine Thousand is dissatisfied, someone is going to be unlucky!

"Is it that this servant can no longer lift the blade?" The Nine Thousand Years Old's eyes swept across the throne and the hall. Everyone, including the Chu Huang, felt the crisis. ===== CHAPTER 20 =====