"Wait a minute—how is it your father who's stepping in?" Red Chicken Brother looked at Guan Ya with bewilderment. Yang Zheng's sudden move not only stunned the enemy forces but also left the allied troops confused. What did "your father" mean? Guan Ya lowered her voice. "I don't know. Just don't worry about him now. Go—keep an eye on those assassins, and be ready to strike at any moment." With a combination of gestures and eye contact, she singled out seven assassins among the crowd. The Master of the Halt, Xiao Yuan, and Xie Lingxi silently changed into simple, everyday attire, shedding their elaborate robes for ordinary civilian garments. Sun Miao Miao expelled the Sixth-grade Spirit of Resentment, Yin Chuan Mei, and then, using a secret technique, coiled the various spirit servants into a long whip, striking hard on Yin Chuan Mei's back and commanding, "Bring them into the realm of illusion." The graceful and elegant Yin Chuan Mei murmured softly, then bowed low, "Thank you, Master, thank you, Master. Please strike me once more." The women in the carriage turned to look at Sun Miao Miao, surprised to Sun Miaomiao blushed, feeling embarrassed, and quickly defended herself: "The spiritual servant gifted to me by Yuan Shi Tian Zun has to be physically punished before she'll do anything. How is Yuan Shi Tian Zun any different from a strange person?" As she argued, Yin Chuanmei had already stepped out of the carriage, quietly influencing the seven assassins. The Master of the Zheng Sha Palace, Xie Lingxi, and Xiao Yuan changed into their clothes, opened the carriage doors, and stepped down one by one, blending into the crowd, ready to act. Except for the Master of the Zheng Sha Palace, Xiao Yuan and Xie Lingxi were merely extraordinary cultivators. Yet, those capable of concealing themselves within the crowd to assassinate the昏king must be masters at the Saint Realm (Junior Master level). That didn't matter, however—the advantage of cultivators at the Spiritual Realm is their diverse array of tools; they could launch unorthodox, surprise attacks. As long as Yin Chuanmei drew the assassins into the illusion, all targets except the Mountain God would surely fall. At that moment, the crowd began to stir. Seeing Yang Zheng firmly stepping in to halt the celestial ritual, the common people, who A mid-level general of the city's defense forces approached with three soldiers, bowing stiffly and saying, "Yang Chancellor, please. Don't make me uncomfortable—Master of the State and the common people are both watching." Implied was that, with the Master of the State present, he couldn't possibly stir up much trouble, and with so many civilians observing, if he wished to preserve his dignity, he should gracefully step aside. Yang launched a foot forward, striking precisely at the general's chest and abdomen. The speed and force were so sudden and powerful that the mid-level general had no time to react, simply collapsing like a sandbag, rolling and tumbling several meters before finally coming to rest. Now even the two ranks of civil and military officials were startled. The city defense troops responsible for maintaining order among the civilians turned around in surprise, watching their own superior officer struggling to rise. "Clang!" The general immediately drew his sword, his face contorted—half from pain, half from indignation. Zheng Wenhan, no longer able to contain himself, broke his silence and roared, "Yang Zheng has defied the imperial decree and is plotting rebellion! Seize him immediately. If he dares resist, kill him on the spot!" A general stepped forward with a cold smile, leading two ranks of soldiers. "Brave indeed!" Zhang Yuancheng tore a strip of skin from his cheek—thin as a cicada's wing—and shouted, "I am the reigning emperor! How dare you attempt to assassinate me?" The general who had come with his subordinates halted abruptly, turning to Zheng Wenhan. "Your Majesty?" The court officials were now in even greater turmoil. Even these seasoned administrators, accustomed to the rhythms of court politics, found themselves at a loss. How had Yang Zheng suddenly become the emperor? Zheng Wenhan's closest aides exchanged glances, hesitating, some remaining silent, others pretending not to hear. Zheng Wenhan spoke with fierce intensity, "You bold rogue! You dare to impersonate the emperor and disrupt the celestial sacrifice ceremony! What dignity remains for the imperial family? Bring him here and execute him!" "This was said to the assassins stationed outside, signaling them to act. Zhang Yuanqing reached into his cloak, opened his inventory, and produced a square, bright yellow jade seal, holding it high with the dignity equal to Zheng Wenhan's commanding voice: 'Here is the Imperial Seal!' With his other hand, he retrieved a pair of dragon-jade pendants of the same quality from within his robes, gazing steadily at the ministers: 'Do the ministers not recognize the Imperial Seal? Do they not know of my personal jade pendants?' 'Indeed, Your Majesty?' 'How is it that Your Majesty is here?' The ministers, initially bewildered, quickly fell to their knees and cried out, 'We bow to Your Majesty!' Zheng Wenhan's trusted ministers could only follow suit. Only Zheng Wenhan remained standing, hesitating—neither able to kneel nor to remain upright—frequently glancing toward the common people gathered outside the square. Why hasn't the Shen Rui Army moved yet? Why have his appointed assassins remained silent? Unfavorable! As a master of political strategy, Zheng Wenhan knew his arrangements had been undone by the indifferent sovereign—the assassins would never make their move if they hadn’t appeared immediately. Wait—he had even managed to infiltrate disguised as Yang Xiang! Wang Beiwang had thought the sovereign hesitant, unwilling to appear personally, and thus had entrusted Yang Zheng to block the way. Zheng had just been mentally cursing the sovereign’s incompetence—how could Yang Zheng, lacking legitimacy, effectively obstruct the way? "Really, that dog emperor?" "Setting fire to his own children, incompetent and unworthy—fated to suffer divine retribution!" "An incompetent sovereign! An incompetent sovereign!" At the edges of the square, citizens of the capital rose in a chorus of uproar, their criticisms and accusations continuous, undeterred by the risk of being charged with disrespect—this was now their accustomed mode of expression. Since Zhao Shun ascended the throne, the public’s criticisms and outbursts had never ceased, yet the court had consistently turned a blind eye, never taking action. Even the Imperial Academy had tolerated students openly criticizing the emperor during banquets and poetry gatherings. Young scholars now regarded such criticism not only as politically correct but as a mark Hearing the clamor of the common people, and hearing his own increasingly bold voice—nurtured by his deliberate indulgence—Zheng Wenhan felt a sudden spark of inspiration. With the anti-imperial sentiment now at a high tide, he could fully align himself with the people's will and launch a sharp rebuke against the weak emperor, even going so far as to depose Zhao Shun. As long as the Grand Preceptor supported him, everything would unfold smoothly. He would then decide later—whether to establish himself as emperor or to install a puppet ruler. But should the sacrificial ceremony fail, the Grand Preceptor might... As he hesitated, Emperor Zhao Shun, holding the jade seal in one hand and the jade pendant in the other, spoke with clear authority: "A few days ago, spies from the Northern Dynasty infiltrated the palace, using disguise to replace me and deceive the palace guards. Fortunately, the loyal and steadfast Lady Wan, Lady Ya, Consort De, and Princess Wang risked their lives to protect me and helped me escape. I have now been wandering outside the palace for five days. Though the Northern spies failed to kill me, they have resorted to an absurd plan—to set fire to three hundred young boys—to The bustling scene suddenly fell silent. The common people, once protesting and cursing, now stood stunned, their voices hushed. They began to whisper and exchange murmured opinions among themselves. Wang Beiwang, mingling among the crowd, was momentarily taken aback. He knew the root of the emperor's misfortune lay in the Zheng family's plot to overthrow him—not in the espionage activities of the Northern Dynasty. He didn’t understand why the emperor hadn’t exposed Zheng Wenhan’s conspiracy right then. Then it struck him: this was a deliberate move to steady Zheng Wenhan’s confidence, preventing the powerful chancellor from becoming desperate and scrambling for action. Zhang Yuancheng continued to speak with great conviction: “The ritual of offering sacrifices to heaven was not my intention, and the burning of the young prince—so contrary to human dignity—was deeply unjust. The Northern Dynasty has come with overwhelming force. The sovereign guards the nation’s gates; the ruler sacrifices himself for the state. Why must an innocent child die for it? “Let us halt the ritual and return the young prince home.” Silence reigned. The ranks of civil and military officials stared in disbelief at the emperor, who had just spoken these words—so bold, so heartfelt— Wang Beiwang was filled with passion—when a king dies for his country, even a commoner can do so too! A fresh wave of sound rose again, different from the earlier outbursts of anger—this time it carried surprise, astonishment, and excitement, especially among the parents of the children chosen to be sacrificed. They were instantly thrilled, hearts racing with excitement, yet simultaneously fearing it might all be a dream. Zhang Yuanqing glanced at Zheng Wenhan, raised his head as well, and fixed his gaze upon the high-ranking master, declaring loudly: "Master, you treat your people as your own children, and you are also my senior. In your opinion, have I done right?" As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a powerful spiritual awareness repeatedly sweeping over him, as if it were meticulously peeling away every layer of his being. The master remained silent, still gazing at the common people, offering no response. The young parents hurried up to the wooden platform, quickly locating their children among the crowd of stunned children. Without pausing to examine them closely, they rushed back into the throng, as if fleeing for their lives. Then the father chased after his wife carrying the child, only to stop midway, hesitate, and turn back to bow deeply: "Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Your Majesty..." With this opening, parents in the crowd began to gather and break through the city defense lines, moving in groups toward the platform to reclaim their children. Those children whose parents were absent were carried back by neighbors or elders at home. Among the crowd, a beautiful young girl suddenly knelt and cried out: "Your Majesty is so kind! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" The parents who had regained their children, filled with gratitude and joy, immediately responded, kneeling and shouting "Long live the Emperor!" Their actions triggered a ripple effect, inspiring more and more people to kneel, until the crowd became a sea of loyal subjects chanting "Long live the Emperor!" Lingxi was perfectly responsive! Zhang Yuanqing was delighted. At the same time, a voice from the spiritual realm reached his ears: 【Ping! Congratulations on completing the side quest—Winning the People's Hearts! Reward: Dragon Qi Protection!】 【Ping!】 Side quest activated—Gain public favor. A distant, clear dragon's roar resonates in Zhang Yuanqing's ears. Soft, pale yellow light spills from the heads of the common people, gathering into a somewhat diffuse five-clawed golden dragon that then enters his body. Immediately, a message appears in his mind: [Name: Dragon Qi Protection] [Type: Consumable] [Function: Defense] [Description: The dragon qi formed by the unity of public sentiment can resist venomous spirits, curses, and vengeful spirits. It features an inherent hidden effect: upon the death of the protected, the victim will suffer a reversal of the dragon qi, experiencing the celestial and human five declines.] [Note: Only emperors and enlightened masters can command dragon qi.] Is gaining public favor rewarded with Dragon Qi Protection? A truly powerful buff—almost a match made in heaven for witch-venom and night-wanderers! Zhang Yuanqing's eyes light up. "The emperor guards the nation's gates; the sovereign dies for the state... Segment, the Master of the Sect, stands by the window, deeply gazing at Zhao Shun's figure. After a few seconds, he frowns, "What do you mean?" The Master has now begun to concern himself with the emperor's safety? Xu Elder, perceiving the Master's inner thoughts, sighs, "The emperor is unwilling to expose Zheng Wenhuan's conspiracy because he fears pressing him too hard. Zheng Wenhuan holds great power; should he be driven to desperation, the situation would spiral completely out of control. Yet, by not exposing Zheng Wenhuan's rebellion, the emperor must continue to accommodate him. And Zheng Wenhuan has numerous means to make the emperor's passing appear entirely legitimate." Segment, the Master, clenches his fists and taps the window frame angrily, "I am no match for the Imperial Physician." Outside the Tianji Pavilion, on the square, Zheng Wenhuan reflects. With the Imperial Physician remaining silent, he can only hold his ground. Though today's assassination attempt has failed, since the emperor has personally appeared, he will welcome him back to the palace. At the very worst, he will launch another night assault Moreover, the incompetent sovereign has disrupted the Grand Minister's celestial ritual, and the Grand Minister will not rest content. "A profound shame!" Suddenly, a roar shook the entire assembly. "Upon these words, the Grand Master—heretofore utterly composed—finally lost his composure."