Chapter 760: Ascending the Platform

Prince Shun was already in a state of agitation, and after being pointed at by Shou Wang, he was thoroughly enraged. He roared in a fit of uncontrollable fury, as if trying to howl out all his pent-up grievances:

"Although I was the one who passed on the urgent news at the beginning, it was you who were jumping up and down to make the connections for this major affair, ten times more active than me. The initiator is the primary culprit, and you are the mastermind! Not to mention that the matter of imprisoning the State Preceptor was something you proposed, personally arranged, and personally executed. You wouldn't even let me intervene, repeatedly putting me off by saying you could handle it yourself, and now you want to push it onto me?"

This statement also enraged Shou Wang. Although Shou Wang was submissive toward the Emperor, he could strike hard against Prince Shun. He shouted, "Shut up, you insane beast! How dare you try to frame me at a time like this? Although I participated in the State Preceptor's affair, it was clearly your plan. At the time, I said it was impossible; the State Preceptor is the pillar of our Great Jin, how could we move against him? It would only pain our loved ones and gladden our enemies! It was you who urged me repeatedly, even fabricating that the State Preceptor stood on the side of the Empress Dowager, tacitly allowing her to harm the imperial body, and had become a traitor. I was deceived by you, which is why I executed your ridiculous plan full of loopholes..."

Prince Shun was even angrier and said, "Old dog, how dare you bark in front of the Son of Heaven! A ridiculous plan? Even if the plan was ridiculous, it was still your plan. I didn't even know what the plan was! I only knew you took full responsibility, saying that by imprisoning the State Preceptor, he wouldn't be able to spoil things, and that after we succeeded in the future, he could still be used by me. That is why I believed you. Who would have thought you could pin such a pot of filth on me?"

The two of them immediately began to tear into each other, one sentence after another. The crowd, whose hearts had just been riding a roller coaster, found it rare to have some entertainment. Watching these two guys who were so closely related call each other "old dog" and "beast" was quite amusing to think about.

However, as they listened, the clever people among the crowd had a strange feeling:

Perhaps these two really weren't just passing the buck and framing each other out of desperation, but that there was truly some misunderstanding?

Wang Fei watched from the side. As an eyewitness who had been tipped off in advance, his mind was already as clear as a mirror:

At the time, he had followed Shou Wang up the mountain to seek help from the Dao Palace and had sensed that Shou Wang had ulterior motives. He thought Shou Wang and his group were trying to lure the tiger away from the mountain to steal things from the State Preceptor's Dao Palace. Only later did he realize he had underestimated them; they were actually plotting against the State Preceptor himself.

By this point, Wang Fei was already amazed that there were people in the world so bold as to move against the invincible State Preceptor. But the next day, he learned that this Shou Wang, who seemed so deep in his schemes and had everything under control, was actually nothing more than a blade in someone else's hand.

Now, hearing Shou Wang's angry roar, Wang Fei was certain: Shou Wang was not only a blade for someone else, but a muddled blade at that—he didn't even know who he was serving as a blade for. At most, he had participated in one part of the plan, which was going to the Dao Palace to lure them into sending out manpower—and even that was only possible because Zhongmeng Zhenren cooperated with him. Things outside the Dao Palace, such as killing families and wiping out sects, were not things Shou Wang could have accomplished.

Perhaps Shou Wang thought it was Prince Shun's plan at the time and executed it, but now anyone with a discerning eye could see it wasn't. Prince Shun knew even less than Shou Wang; he didn't even qualify as a muddled blade. Therefore, there was only one person who had secretly mobilized all the forces and pushed this matter to such a state today—

That person was the Emperor himself!

Although he had been mentally prepared, Wang Fei still looked at the person above wearing the bright yellow robe with complicated feelings:

What a sinister ruler.

While it wasn't necessarily bad for an Emperor to be an ambitious hero with a deep, calculating mind, as a ruler, to be so reckless in his tossing and turning, playing with conspiracies and schemes—not even using a pair of black Spider Silk Gloves, even treating his own death as something to toy with, without any regard for the risk of a dynasty being overturned—it felt terrifying no matter how one thought about it.

Serving a monarch is like serving a tiger, which is hard enough; how much more so when it is a mad tiger?

The current Emperor didn't look cruel at all; instead, he was gentle and composed, like a graceful young nobleman. At this moment, he said, "So, it was indeed Uncle Shou Wang who took action to trap the State Preceptor? You also know that the State Preceptor is the Pillar of Great Jin; surely you didn't harm him? Now, if Uncle Shou Wang abandons these disrespectful thoughts, release the State Preceptor. Then, confess your past misunderstandings so as not to chill the State Preceptor's heart. Do you still intend to imprison the State Preceptor for your own use?"

Shou Wang naturally could not refuse and hurriedly said, "This old subject dares not, but I do not know..."

At this moment, someone said, "Your Majesty, your subject has arrived late!"

A person entered from the main gate, slightly plump in build, wearing a high cap. He hurried in and knelt down to kowtow. When the crowd looked, it was none other than Zhongmeng Zhenren of the Nine Heavens Dao Palace.

Seeing him, Shou Wang pointed at him, about to speak, but Zhongmeng Zhenren spoke first: "Your Majesty, please uphold justice for the entire Dao Palace!"

Shou Wang froze, momentarily at a loss. The Emperor had already stepped forward and said, "Zhenren, please rise quickly. What is this about? Is there someone acting against you?"

Zhongmeng Zhenren did not rise but only lifted his head. His plump face was covered in tears, and he looked utterly distressed. He said, "Your subject dares not. Ever since I began serving the State Preceptor, I have seen with my own eyes how the State Preceptor has worked diligently, with all his thoughts and actions for the sake of Great Jin. I have followed in his footsteps, and while I dare not say I have exhausted my efforts, I have served my mentor with all my heart and worked for the Imperial Court. In all these years, I have never committed a major error. How could there be someone harming our entire Dao Palace? That person is even a member of the Great Jin royal clan. Could it be that the Imperial Court no longer has use for us and wants to abolish the Dao Palace? If so, I hope that in consideration of the State Preceptor's past merits, please pardon him to return to his hometown. We are also willing to resign from our posts and serve our master in retirement in the mountains!"

Shou Wang was struck as if by lightning. He pointed at Zhongmeng Zhenren and cursed, "You bull-nosed priest, how dare you turn the tables on me..."

However, the Emperor ignored his anger. His own anger rose to his brow as he said, "Zhenren, why do you say this? The State Preceptor's importance to Great Jin is far greater than mine. Even if there are one or two rebellious subjects offending the State Preceptor, I shall punish them severely! Even if I were to have trouble, I would not let the State Preceptor have trouble! Where is the State Preceptor now?"

Zhongmeng Zhenren shed tears again and said, "On the mountain! Please, Your Majesty, come to the front of the building to take a look."

The Emperor nodded and said, "Good, I was just about to go out. My ministers, follow me."

Just as he was about to go out, he looked back and saw those few rebellious princes now huddled together. He waved his hand and said, "Take them."

With these two understated words, several armored guards in brocade flashed from outside and took these golden-branched and jade-leaved princes away without hesitation.

These guards were not the ones originally here, but were brought by the Emperor. It seemed the Emperor had made preparations when he arrived. Although he held the moral high ground, he still had to ensure he kept his fist clenched.

When these princes were seized, not one of them triggered their Protective Aura. The aura that had just seemed to represent legitimacy had vanished long ago under the Emperor's personal decree. It seemed the legend that when the Emperor is present, other royal clan members have no legitimacy at all was not false in the slightest.

This also led everyone to guess that the Protective Aura everyone had just possessed might have been bait created by the Emperor. This aura had its own operating mode; the Emperor suppressed himself, and others temporarily gained power. Once the Emperor lifted the restriction, those powers naturally retreated, leaving nothing behind.

Shou Wang only shouted symbolically, "This old subject truly has a heart of loyalty and righteousness, Your Majesty, please see clearly!" before allowing himself to be bound.

Prince Shun did not resist much either, seemingly accepting his fate, but his expression was calm, as if he still harbored deep intentions.

The Emperor had by now led the hundred officials and royal relatives to the highest terrace. This terrace was newly built; another floor had been added to the original Jindinglou. Above the roof was a large platform, with no walls on any side, only railings, completely open and sufficient for stargazing.

This modification was not done recently, but was ordered by the Emperor last year to be supervised and built into this special form, as if it had been prepared for today.

The Emperor stood at the very front, looking up. At a glance, he could see the towering Zijin Mountain and the Dao Palace on the mountain.

Only, at this moment, the foot of the mountain was brightly lit, as bright as day, while the mountain itself was pitch black. It was as if one were looking from a gorgeous, brightly lit stage toward the audience, where nothing could be seen.

However, this group of big shots in magnificent clothing appearing on the roof immediately caught the attention of the commoners below, and a cheer like a mountain landslide and a tsunami erupted instantly.

These commoners did not know what kind of surging undercurrents had erupted among the powerful people on the building just now; they only saw that the noble Emperor had finally appeared, and were naturally very excited.

The Emperor turned his head and revealed a smile to the commoners that they could not possibly see, then asked Zhongmeng Zhenren, "Where is the State Preceptor?"

Zhongmeng Zhenren pointed to the top of the mountain and said, "There!"

At the very moment he spoke, a "Whoosh—" was heard, and a firework rose into the sky, exploding with a "Pop!" into a gorgeous floral display.

This sound seemed to have flipped a switch; on top of the Dao Palace, a blue lightning bolt suddenly appeared!

It was a pillar of thunder descending from the sky, rushing straight from the mountaintop to the nine heavens, as if building a blue passage between heaven and earth. The lightning made a crackling sound, jumping and rubbing, but compared to the scale of this Thunder Light, such a sound was quiet, even docile.

As the Thunder Light rose to the sky, everyone was shocked. The commoners below were the most amazed, and gasps of surprise erupted everywhere. But most of them thought this was part of the royal fireworks display. After all, in these times, strange occurrences appeared frequently, and the commoners could handle all kinds of mysterious sights. If the Heavenly Demons and Yin Calamity were spectacular, then it was not unreasonable for the royal family to create some spectacular scenery, so most were just amazed and not panicked.

But the high-ranking officials present had different expressions. The Emperor looked up, watching the mighty thunder. Although his face was calm, his lips were pursed, and a trace of longing appeared in his eyes.

Only Prince Shun, who had been escorted out, took advantage of the fact that no one was paying attention and looked down from above. He happened to lock eyes with a refined, middle-aged man in his forties below.

Everything was understood without words.

At this time, the Emperor asked Zhongmeng Zhenren again, "Seeing the State Preceptor here, his condition seems fine, why do you say he is in trouble?"

Before Zhongmeng Zhenren could speak, tears were about to fall again. He said, "Although the State Preceptor's power has not waned, his consciousness is gradually sinking. I fear there is a danger of him falling into an eternal sleep. I beg Your Majesty, no matter what, to save him."