Xiao Che's declaration of "divine will" weighed heavily on the hearts of everyone in the Golden Palace, like an invisible mountain.
The entire court fell into an unprecedented and eerie silence.
The ministers exchanged bewildered glances, their faces filled with shock and confusion. They had spent their lives studying the classics and adhering to the principle of "respecting ghosts and gods but keeping them at a distance." They had never imagined that one day, in the Golden Palace, the symbol of the empire's highest rationality, the emperor would use such an absurd reason as "a goddess appearing in a dream" to decide on a national policy that could change the fate of the country.
This is a direct challenge to their worldview built up over decades!
But would they dare to object?
They dare not.
Because the emperor had elevated this matter to the level of "divine will." To oppose it was to defy Heaven. None of them could bear that accusation.
Just when this group of so-called pillars of the nation had all turned into silent quails, at a loss, a cold and questioning voice, like a sharp sword, resolutely pierced through this layer of hypocritical calm.
"Your Majesty, I have an objection."
Everyone felt a chill and looked in the direction of the sound. They saw Regent Xiao Yuan slowly walking out of the queue.
His face had returned to its usual calm, but a chilling glint still flickered in his sinister eyes. He knew that if he couldn't refute Xiao Che's "ghostly and divine" theory today, all his meticulous planning from yesterday would become a laughingstock!
He walked to the center of the hall, and unlike the others who were intimidated by "divine will," he bowed to Xiao Che with neither arrogance nor servility, and then spoke in a clear and powerful voice, full of rational strength.
"As the sage said: 'The Master did not speak of strange phenomena, physical prowess, disorder, or spirits.' Your Majesty, the most important affairs of the state are sacrifice and war. Disaster relief and saving the people are of paramount importance, concerning the lives of millions of people in our Great Liang. How can we make a decision based on a vague and illusory dream?"
His words were like a breath of fresh air, instantly giving those civil servants, who were bewildered by the "theology," a sense of direction.
Yes! The Regent is right!
How can matters of state be decided based on dreams? If word gets out, won't the whole world laugh at us?
"'Work relief' and 'issuing bonds' are two policies never heard of before. Their advantages and disadvantages, and the risks involved, are all unknown," Xiao Yuan continued. His logic was clear and well-organized, attempting to forcefully pull the discussion, which had veered off course, back to the level of real-world politics. "I believe that this matter requires careful consideration and should be entrusted to the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers to jointly devise a foolproof plan. We must not act rashly based on a dream and place the nation in danger!"
These words were reasonable, well-founded, and measured, instantly winning the silent approval of many officials.
They looked at the Regent with admiration in their eyes. He truly lived up to his title; at a time when the entire court was intimidated by the Emperor's "divine might," only he dared to stand up and speak the truth.
Xiao Yuan looked at the officials' reactions and sneered inwardly.
Young Emperor, do you think you can subdue me by invoking some ethereal goddess? How naive! Today, in front of the entire court, I will expose your ridiculous tricks! I will show you that governing a country relies on strategy and strength, not on charlatanry!
He raised his head, ready to press his advantage and use an impeccable set of political logic to completely refute Xiao Che's "divine oracle" as "nonsense."
However, he never expected this.
Xiao Che, sitting on the dragon throne, had absolutely no intention of reasoning with him!
Faced with his rational and politically astute questioning, Xiao Che showed no panic whatsoever; instead, he even wore a strange smile, as if he were looking at a fool.
He completely ignored Xiao Yuan's offer of "deliberation," instead leaning slightly forward, placing his hands clasped on the imperial desk, and directly asking in a seemingly calm but actually incredibly sharp tone:
"Uncle, do you mean..." He paused, each word spoken extremely slowly and clearly, as if setting a linguistic trap for Xiao Yuan from which he could not escape, "...that I am deceiving the people of the world, deceiving our ancestors?"
Boom!!!
This question is more shocking than all the previous "oracles" combined!
The confident expression on Regent Xiao Yuan's face instantly froze!
The entire Golden Palace fell into a deathly silence once again!
Everyone's heart was in their throat!
This question is absolutely toxic!
This is a complete logical trap! A question that strikes at the heart!
Xiao Yuan said that "national affairs cannot be decided based on dreams," which is a political viewpoint based on "rationality."
However, Xiao Che cleverly shifted the focus, elevating the issue to the level of "the emperor's integrity" and even "the legitimacy of imperial power"!
You question my dream?
So you're saying that I, the emperor, am lying!
If an emperor lies in front of all the civil and military officials using the most sacred reason of "divine decree," he is deceiving not only the people of the world, but also his ancestors who granted him power and Heaven!
What crime is this?
This is shaking the very foundation of the nation!
A fine layer of cold sweat instantly beaded on Regent Xiao Yuan's forehead. He opened his mouth, wanting to explain, but found that no matter what he said, he would be wrong.
If he admits that Xiao Che is lying, that would be openly accusing the emperor, which is disloyal and disrespectful!
If he denies that Xiao Che is lying, it would be tantamount to admitting the authenticity of the "divine maiden's dream," and all his previous doubts would be disproven!
Xiao Che used a simple question to force him into a black-and-white dead end!
However, before he could escape this trap, Xiao Che's seemingly calm but actually relentlessly pressing questions came one after another!
"Since ancient times, the right of kings has been divinely ordained. I am the Son of Heaven, whose mandate is ordained by Heaven."
Xiao Che slowly rose from the dragon throne and walked down the steps of the imperial palace. With each step he took, the imperial aura emanating from him intensified, and the invisible force of his presence seemed to solidify the air in the entire hall.
"Now, a great disaster has struck Jiangnan, and the people are in dire straits. Heaven, with its benevolent nature, cannot bear to see its people suffer, and has therefore sent down a divine decree, through my own mouth, to bestow a remedy to save the world and help me rescue the people from this calamity!"
He walked up to Xiao Yuan and stopped. The two were no more than three feet apart. He was slightly shorter than the tall Xiao Yuan, but at this moment he looked down at his powerful uncle with a scrutinizing gaze.
“Uncle Wang,” his voice turned cold and oppressive at this moment, “yet you are here, obstructing me in every way and questioning me in every way.”
His gaze suddenly turned as sharp as a knife!
"What...are you up to?"
"Could it be that Uncle Wang wants to tell the entire court, and the people of the world, that you, Xiao Yuan..."
His voice suddenly rose to a high pitch, like a thunderclap!
"...More knowledgeable about governing than even the gods?!"
This last question, like a red-hot, heavy branding iron, was fiercely branded onto the forehead of Regent Xiao Yuan!
He knows better than any god how to govern a country!
This is no longer just "disrespectful"!
This is usurpation! This is blasphemy! This is a blatant challenge to the "divine right of kings," the very legal cornerstone upon which the entire empire rests!
These words directly placed Regent Xiao Yuan on the stake for "questioning the legitimacy of imperial power" and "opposing the gods"!
The entire room fell silent!
Everyone was completely stunned by Xiao Che's ultimate counterattack, which was full of logical traps and soul-searching questions!
That's too ruthless!
That's absolutely ruthless!
They had never seen such a sharp, domineering, and unreasonable emperor, yet one that was impossible to refute!
This is a complete and ruthless crushing of "reason" and "politics" by "faith" and "legal authority"!
Regent Xiao Yuan, a powerful minister who had been maneuvering in the court for decades and had manipulated countless political enemies, tasted for the first time the bitterness of being speechless and unable to express his grievances!
His face flushed and paled in turns, a dramatic display as if a dye vat had been opened. Looking at his young nephew, whose expression was icy and whose sharp gaze seemed to see right through him, he felt an unprecedented surge of resentment and anger rush to his head!
He knew he had lost.
If he dares to say another word, even just a single word of rebuttal, he will be charged with the heinous crimes of "great disrespect" or even "treason."
He could only watch helplessly as Xiao Che, the puppet emperor he had always regarded as a plaything in his palm, used the method he despised and scorned most to wrest all the initiative back from his hands!
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