Chapter 156: Strike the Heavenly Drum, the Throne Passes from Hand to Hand

Did you underestimate this commoner emperor's breadth of heart?

Xie Linghao, upon hearing your words, wore a look of confusion.

You said calmly: "This Emperor Gaozu came from the lowest ranks; had the world not been in chaos and food not been scarce, he would never have raised arms."

The world would have gained only another ruffian named Zhou Feng, never the High Ancestor of Daqing.

"He established the Heavenly Drum precisely to care for the people, ensuring grievances could reach the heavens—so the common folk might voice their wrongs."

"Not to pacify the people and secure imperial power."

At this point, your gaze darkened, and you spoke slowly: "The Wei family should not have met this end."

A loyal subject did not die on the battlefield, but was buried at his own doorstep!

There is no such principle!

Wei Yue, upon hearing this, trembled within: "Father should not have done this."

Xie Linghao, hearing this, grew frantic and urgently pleaded: "Young Protector, this act may cast His Majesty into a realm of unrighteousness and immorality, tarnishing his sacred name—this is a matter of life and death; you must think thrice before acting!"

"The matter of Wei Gao and Marshal Lu will be reviewed tomorrow by the Three Departments; the truth will come to light, and their innocence will be restored."

"I am willing to represent you, Young Protector, and petition His Majesty directly—perhaps there is still time to undo this."

You smiled after hearing this: "If grievances cannot be voiced, then the world has already changed."

Zhang Lin, upon hearing this, grew even more desperate; she fell to her knees and banged her head hard against the ground: "Young Protector, I beg you—this Heavenly Drum must not be struck!"

Know this: when the Heavenly Drum sounds, every official in the Imperial City Bureau will be thrown into prison, their lives hanging by a thread.

"When the Son of Heaven breaks the law, he is equal to the commoner."

"Moreover, we have waited for him a long time—it is already too late."

The moment your final words left your lips!

Xie Linghao, hearing them, closed his eyes slightly, as if already foreseeing an irreversible outcome.

As for the last sentence, he half-understood it.

Jiao He, upon hearing "equal to the commoner," felt a pang of resentment, but buried it deep within.

In his heart, the Son of Heaven was supreme; there existed no blade, no sword, no rope, no law to punish him.

Thunder and rain, frost and dew—all are the Emperor's grace!

Your Majesty, dare you not kill a single Lu Chen?

Behind the screen, in silent stillness, the three listened intently.

Xie Lingxuan and the others said nothing, yet each wore complex expressions—clearly their views on this matter differed.

Xie Lingxuan stared at you blankly, her slender hands clenched tightly.

Zou Shuning frowned slightly, weighing your gains and losses; she believed this was not a wise move—given your current situation, the capital's political climate was complex, with countless troops stationed.

Your two brothers, along with Marshal Lu, are imprisoned in the Grand Prison; you two returned to the capital without visiting high officials, without entering the palace to petition His Majesty—why?

Striking the Heavenly Drum now will utterly enrage the imperial family; one misstep, and you face utter ruin.

She sighed inwardly, having once thought that you, Young Protector Lu, having weathered the world's storms, had long learned the art of advance and retreat, understood the danger of overwhelming the throne.

Yet you still could not escape the norm.

Throughout history, countless heroes and warriors have fallen to imperial suspicion—their fates are deeply lamented.

It is often said that stepping back reveals new beauty; yet fate mocks, and sometimes retreat is no easier than advance.

The Young Protector Lu who first entered the capital fifteen years ago might have done so—but Lu Chen today cannot.

Fifteen years of cultivation—everything has drifted far away.

The sun and moon gallop like spurred steeds; time flows like fallen petals and running water; years change all things—including hearts and worldly affairs.

Zou Shuning could not help but sigh for you.

Tao Jiamin, however, felt greater admiration for you—he loved heroes.

Of old, knights errant despised nobles; if injustice stirred their hearts, they drew their swords and killed!

We are no humble commoners!

Lu Yu firmly seized the drumstick and struck the towering Heavenly Drum—the drum stood over a zhang tall, and beneath his blows, it thundered into life.

He channeled his spiritual energy into the drumstick; each strike carried immense power, reverberating through the drum's sound.

Dong—Dong—

The drumbooms roared.

The sound was extraordinarily grand!

It spread throughout the capital.

The people of the capital halted, looked up, and wondered where this sudden sound had come from.

It was struck—after all!

Zhang Lin collapsed to the ground—the Imperial City Bureau is finished!

Xie Linghao sighed, helplessly listening to the drum's thunder echoing through the capital.

Jiao He turned decisively and left—he must return to the palace and report everything to his master.

Whether Lu Chen lives or dies rests solely on his master's sovereign will.

…

…

"That drum sound!"

Beneath the skies of the capital, a deep drumbeat suddenly struck.

Dong—Dong

Elders who had lived in the capital for decades halted their steps, carefully discerning its direction.

Moments later!

Their eyes gleamed with astonishment, as if witnessing something inconceivable.

"What?!"

"The Heavenly Drum, silent for over a decade, has been struck again today."

The elder sighed.

Great events are about to unfold!

Among the younger generation, though some had heard its legend, none had witnessed it firsthand; thus, most felt only curiosity, secretly thinking this would be another spectacle to watch.

Every corner of the capital!

All eyes turned toward the source of the drum, filled with questions and wonder.

"Who struck the Heavenly Drum?!"

Among the crowd, some began recalling recent events—the most prominent of which.

Wasn't it the arrest of Lu Jiaxuan, commander of the Lu Army, and the arrival of the Young Protector of Zhongnan to face inquiry? Could this be connected?

In the capital's morning market stalls.

Chen Ji paid and followed Zhou Cheng and the old Daoist out.

Zhou Cheng and the two others walked away.

A beautiful woman stood beside her stall, her eyes filled with reluctance and tenderness, yet her gaze lingered a few breaths longer on Zhou Cheng's back.

She sighed inwardly: such a man of elegant bearing, surely of noble lineage, with a gentle, jade-like disposition—rare in this world.

I wonder how he is in other ways!

She breathed in sharply.

The woman was lost in thought when her husband approached, speaking softly and tenderly:

"Wife, if you're tired, rest a while longer."

The morning market was growing empty, nearing closing time.

His wife was likely exhausted—she worked hard every day.

The woman turned, and gripped a certain spot on the man.

The man's pupils widened in shock.

The woman leaned close to his ear and whispered: "Come home early tonight!"

The man felt heat stir below.

Yet he did not know why his wife had suddenly grown so affectionate—normally she ignored him; today was unusual.

But!

The short, sturdy man quickened his pace, eager to return home.

His wife's skills were formidable indeed!

On the streets, pedestrians halted in unison.

Hearing the drum!

On the gray-robed elder's usually indifferent face, astonishment appeared for the first time.

Having cultivated for years, he could discern the spiritual energy transmission within the drum's sound—its grandeur far surpassed ordinary noise.

The man striking the drum was undoubtedly a Grand Master.

The capital truly is the finest place under heaven—Grand Masters are common here!

Zhou Cheng, upon hearing this, smiled faintly and murmured: "When the Heavenly Drum sounds, the Son of Heaven has lost virtue. Brother Two, Brother Two—let's see how you handle this."

"Come, let's go watch the show!"

The people of the capital gradually grasped the deeper meaning behind the drum; many who understood the situation hurried toward the Imperial City Bureau, eager to witness the coming upheaval.

Zhou Cheng and the other two followed the crowd as well.

Chen Ji was worried.

With so many people around, he might be recognized.

But he dared not stop his master.

At this moment.

On the road leading to the Imperial Guard's mansion in Chengnan.

Xie Chunan walked slowly along it.

Though he held high rank and generous salary, he disliked servants and carriages.

He also heard the drum beat!

He shook his head and said:

"Is it really true that the emperor's seat rotates? Whose turn is it this year?"

(End of Chapter)