"We, your humble servants, second that it be! We implore Your Majesty, the Phoenix Seal shall be returned to the Empress!!!"
The roaring sound, like a tidal wave, crashed against every corner of the Golden Palace, wave after wave.
Kneeling on the ground were more than half of the court officials. Behind them stood the endless crowds of the capital's people outside the palace. Above them hung the "umbrella of the people," carrying the will of 370,000 people from Jiangnan!
This is the trend!
A bottom-up movement, gathering the hearts and minds of the people and officials, ultimately coalescing into an unstoppable and powerful force!
Faced with this overwhelming force, the schemes and will of any individual appear so insignificant, so... vulnerable.
Regent Xiao Yuan stood alone among the kneeling crowd, feeling as if his body was being mercilessly torn apart and submerged by this torrent.
His face was ashen, like the sky before a storm. For the first time, a hint of barely concealed panic and ferocity flickered in his eyes, which always seemed to be in complete control.
He was unwilling to accept it!
He absolutely refused to accept this!
He had spent decades building his empire, finally cornering that mere child, and the vast empire was within his grasp. How could... how could he let all his hard work go to waste because of a woman, because of a group of ignorant people?!
"absurd!"
A roar filled with resentment and anger erupted from his mouth, attempting to tear a hole in himself amidst the overwhelming sound.
He stared intently at the direction of the dragon throne, once again resorting to his tired, clichéd arguments that had been refuted countless times.
"The Empress has no son, and the foundation of the nation is not secure! This is the first reason!"
"The empress must not interfere in politics; this is an ironclad rule personally established by the founding emperor! The empress overseeing the country and managing state affairs is already an overreach! Now, she even dares to attempt to seize the imperial seal and command the six palaces, mixing the power of the empress with the affairs of the court! This is the second point!"
"How can someone who disregards offspring and interferes in politics be worthy of being the Empress?! How can the Empress Dowager's seal be returned to her rightful place?!"
His voice was hoarse and shrill, filled with a final struggle.
In the past, either of these two reasons would have been enough to plunge any empress into an irredeemable predicament.
However, this time...
Before Xiao Che on the dragon throne could speak...
The old tutor Wen Zhong, who had just kowtowed with tears of blood, slowly stood up from the ground on his own!
He didn't even look at the emperor, but turned around and stared directly at Regent Xiao Yuan with an unprecedentedly cold and contemptuous gaze!
"Your Highness!"
The old tutor's voice no longer carried the previous sorrow, but was now filled with a hardness and determination like cold iron!
"I'll only ask you one question!"
"Compared to the merit of saving countless lives, are offspring a minor matter or a matter of paramount importance?!"
"The Empress's regency was a temporary measure taken to preserve the country and the nation during a time of crisis when His Majesty was unconscious and the court was without leadership. This action was not only without fault, but also of great merit to the country! How can it be considered interference in politics?!"
The old tutor's questions were like heavy hammer blows, slamming down on Xiao Yuan's pale and powerless defenses!
He stepped forward, his thin body now seemingly containing the power of a mountain, causing Xiao Yuan to involuntarily take half a step back!
"Your Highness's words are all about 'offspring' and 'ancestral rules,' yet you completely ignore the Empress's immense contributions to the well-being of the people and the stability of the nation!"
"I would like to ask Your Highness!" The old tutor's voice suddenly rose, booming like thunder, "Are you speaking out of personal motives, or... for the sake of the nation?!"
"you……"
Xiao Yuan was rendered speechless by this righteous and incisive question, and his face instantly turned a deep liver color!
For the first time, he realized how fragile and ridiculous his once-proud political maneuvering was when "reason" and "righteousness" were no longer on his side!
Just as he was being refuted and retreating step by step, about to be completely defeated.
Suddenly, a series of hurried footsteps and the distinctive, high-pitched chanting of the eunuchs came from outside the hall.
"The Empress Dowager...has arrived!"
Everyone was startled and turned to look.
Supported by several palace maids, the Empress Dowager entered the Golden Palace with graceful bearing and a hurried demeanor.
Her face held just the right amount of worry and affection, clearly indicating that she had heard about the changes in the palace and had come specifically to "take charge of the situation."
When Regent Xiao Yuan saw her, a glimmer of hope, like grasping at a straw, flashed in his eyes!
He knew that his only ally had arrived!
The Empress Dowager ignored the strange atmosphere in the hall. She walked straight to the steps and, without bowing to Xiao Che, spoke softly in a tone of affection, like an elder addressing a younger person:
"Your Majesty, I have heard that in the court, you actually had a dispute with the old ministers over the matter of the Phoenix Seal? You child, you are just too impulsive. The affairs of the country are difficult, and you have just recovered. You must not get angry and harm your health."
Her words, seemingly expressing concern for the emperor, were actually a veiled criticism of Xiao Che for being "immature" and clashing with a high-ranking official over matters concerning the harem.
Then, she turned to Wen Taifu, who was kneeling on the ground, and a kind smile appeared on her face.
"Grand Tutor Wen, you are also quite old. Why get so angry? The Empress is young and inevitably makes mistakes in her actions. As her mother-in-law, I should guide her carefully. As for the matter of the Phoenix Seal, there is no rush. When the Empress is truly capable of handling things on her own, I will naturally hand it over to her."
She is trying to repeat her old tricks, once again playing the "motherly guidance" and "elderly care" card to defuse the overwhelming public opinion and official sentiment.
In the past, this tactic of hers had always been successful.
However, this time...
Before Grand Tutor Wen could speak, a Censor from the Censorate, who was known for his "uprightness," stepped forward from the crowd!
He bowed to the Empress Dowager, his voice not loud, but clearly resounding in everyone's ears.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager! Please forgive my bluntness!"
"According to our dynasty's ancestral rules, the Phoenix Seal is a token held by the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager held the Phoenix Seal on her behalf because His Majesty was young and no Empress had been established. Now that His Majesty has assumed power and there is a virtuous and capable Empress in the inner palace, for the Empress Dowager to hold the Phoenix Seal on her behalf again is... a transgression of ancestral rules!"
"We earnestly request Your Majesty the Empress Dowager to follow the will of Heaven and the people and return the Phoenix Seal as soon as possible, so as to rectify the national system and uphold the law!"
The censor's words were like an incredibly sharp knife, mercilessly tearing away the Empress Dowager's mask of "benevolent mother"!
This is a violation of ancestral rules!
These four words are more lethal than any argument!
The Empress Dowager's face froze instantly! For the first time, a crack appeared on her well-maintained face!
She stared in disbelief at the censor who dared to openly defy her, then looked around at the officials who, though kneeling, all stood with their backs straight and their faces etched with "it is only right."
She then realized with horror...
Times have changed.
Her methods no longer work.
The officials no longer respect her!
Regent Xiao Yuan and the Empress Dowager, the two who once held absolute power in this golden palace, now stood alone before the kneeling officials who represented the "great power."
They were refuted and rendered speechless, and completely ignored.
For the first time, they discovered that the power, status, and even the supreme identity they had always been so proud of were so fragile, so... vulnerable, in the face of true "popular support."
The feeling was like two giant beasts that had always lived in a dark cave, thinking they were in control of everything, only to be mercilessly slammed against the rock wall by the towering waves of the vast ocean outside the cave one day!
They could only watch helplessly as the young emperor, whom they had once regarded as a plaything and a pawn, slowly rose from his dragon throne amidst the cheers of the masses.
His figure was no longer thin.
His eyes no longer held back his restraint.
At this moment, he is the sole ruler of this world!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com