novelinnhs Chapter 15 The Imperial Advisor Must Be Executed!
Chapter 15 The Imperial Advisor Must Be Executed!
All the officials held their breath, some even secretly worried for the old remonstrating official.
After all, he was questioning the national policies issued by the Grand Preceptor.
After working together for five years, everyone in the court knew one ironclad rule.
Although the new king was known as a tyrant, she would not pursue any advice or sarcasm directed at her personally, and would simply laugh it off.
She seemed to be the most benevolent monarch in the world.
But whenever the imperial advisor is involved, she reverts to being a tyrant.
They couldn't say anything bad about Cheng Xiao; to do so would be a capital offense.
Although the old advisor questioned the Grand Preceptor's decrees, Chu Ning did not get angry.
Her expression didn't change much; she just listened silently and attentively.
He even nodded slightly when the other party mentioned that frequent transfers caused delays in official documents.
"I have heard what Doctor Lin said. The Military Council will re-examine the manpower allocation in each county. As for your statement about the exhaustion of the people, I will send my secret guards to verify it. If it is true, the new law will reduce taxes by 30%. You may leave now." Chu Ning's voice was cold, but his tone carried a hint of gentleness.
He did not appear to be angry.
The old official was taken aback, then burst into tears of gratitude and prostrated himself on the ground.
He dared to criticize the flaws in the Grand Preceptor's policies only when he was prepared to die, all for the sake of the Great Chu and all the people under heaven.
But the King of Chu not only did not punish him, he even said he would investigate.
The feeling of surviving a disaster made him wipe the sweat from his forehead. Although he had been prepared to die, he didn't really want to die.
Everyone was shocked after Dr. Lin left.
He's questioning the imperial advisor's decrees!
Could it be that Your Majesty...
This "tolerance" was quickly interpreted by some as another signal.
The Grand Preceptor had not attended court for almost a year, and all affairs of state, large and small, were handled by Chu Ning alone, gradually delegating power.
Now Chu Ning can tolerate the doubts about the Grand Preceptor in the court.
This made them wonder... if their relationship wasn't as good as it used to be.
Chu Ning ascended the throne at the age of thirteen, and Cheng Xiao controlled the government.
But how can royal power be shared by others?
Many speculated that the King of Chu felt he had gained enough power and wanted to reclaim it completely.
"Your Majesty is wise and humbly accepts advice, which is a blessing for all the people of Chu."
Another official stepped out of the train.
This man, named Wang Xian, saw that Doctor Lin's advice had been beneficial, and he could no longer contain himself.
He thought he had figured out the woman on the throne. As long as he could tell what she was thinking and relieve the king's worries, wouldn't he be able to rise to prominence in the future?
"Since Your Majesty has opened up all avenues for discussion, then I must speak of the greatest hidden danger facing Great Chu."
Wang Xian stepped forward again, his back straight, looking neither humble nor arrogant.
"The Grand Preceptor Cheng Xiao wields immense power, and the Grand Council, though nominally a shield for royal authority, is in reality entirely in his hands. Your Majesty has reached adulthood, yet power has fallen into the hands of outsiders. The Grand Preceptor resides deep within the palace, his frequent comings and goings further tarnishing the royal dignity. We fear Your Majesty may be misled and become a puppet of those who manipulate power. We beseech Your Majesty to execute the Grand Preceptor, reclaim your power, and restore order to the nation!"
He imitated Doctor Lin, displaying an upright and unyielding attitude, as if everything he did was for the sake of the State of Chu.
In Wang Xian's view, the King of Chu and the Grand Preceptor probably had a long-standing grudge, and now that he had spoken up, it was as if he was relieving the king's worries and handing him a knife.
This would allow her to assassinate the Grand Preceptor and reclaim the throne.
After Wang Xian finished speaking, the entire room fell silent.
Although everyone had their own guesses, they didn't expect him to be so bold as to say it out loud.
Chu Ning was flipping through the memorials, but stopped after hearing those words.
She slowly raised her eyes, her gaze still calm, but a murderous intent was gathering within them.
Over the past five years, she has humbly listened to advice because her teacher taught her that "accepting advice enables one to discern the truth of the world."
She was tolerant of officials who spoke out because her teacher said, "If the water is too clear, there will be no fish."
Everything she did was to be a student who would satisfy her teacher, a sharp blade that could protect the great Chu empire.
But all of this is on the condition that her teacher is not harmed.
Now, the teacher lives deep in the palace, busy with the longevity of the Chu state. He said he would leave all the affairs of the court to her.
After so many years of cleansing, many capable people have been promoted in the court of the Great Chu.
The teacher said he would no longer interfere in court affairs, and that if she was unsure about anything, she could listen to the opinions of the loyal ministers.
But... someone actually wants to abolish the Imperial Preceptor?
"You're saying the teacher is an outsider?" Chu Ning's tone was no longer as gentle as before, and her eyes were filled with even more murderous intent.
She now possesses the strength of a peak eighth-rank cultivator.
A crimson aura continued to gather behind her.
Wang Xian felt a tremor in his heart, but he felt that Chu Ning had been too lenient over the past five years.
He thought this was a test, a test to break free from the Grand Preceptor's control; he thought Chu Ning must want to reclaim the throne.
So he braced himself and continued, "Although the Imperial Preceptor has done a good job in teaching you, his wolfish ambition has made you so cruel..."
Before he could finish speaking, a dark red aura of malevolence suddenly erupted from the throne!
No one even saw how Ning made his move; even the martial arts officers with cultivation only saw a blur.
Immediately following was a piercing scream.
Wang Xian's body was suddenly gripped by an invisible force, his entire body was lifted into the air, and he was slammed hard into the dark dragon pillar of the main hall.
"Cough... Your Majesty... Your subject is... speaking the truth..." He was still struggling in his death throes.
Because of today's events, some people are speculating whether Chu Ning wants to get rid of the Imperial Advisor.
But to my surprise, her reaction was still so strong.
Many people were secretly relieved that they hadn't made any wild guesses or said anything.
Chu Ning had appeared before Wang Xian at some point.
Her fair fingers gripped Wang Xian's neck tightly, tightening their grip little by little.
Wang Xian wanted to beg for mercy, but he couldn't utter a single word.
"I gave you the right to speak so that you could share the burden of your teacher, not so that you could sow discord."
Everyone in the imperial court panicked.
They hadn't seen Chu Ning like this in so long, and they all knelt down, their heads bowed as low as they could go.
Chu Ning's fingernails dug deeper and deeper into the other person's flesh.
"This world belongs to Great Chu, to all the people of Great Chu, but I belong only to my teacher. Who do you think you are, daring to speak ill of his power?"
The crisp sound of neck bones breaking was particularly jarring in the hall where everyone was kneeling.
Wang Xian's head slumped down limply, his eyes still filled with disbelief and astonishment.
Without any formalities, Chu Ning personally carried out the killing right there in the imperial court.
In the past, even those who were corrupt and lawless would go through the proper procedures and be investigated before being executed to avoid wrongful convictions.
But anyone who dared to speak recklessly about Cheng Xiao was killed on the spot by Chu Ning.
She released her hand without showing any emotion, then took the white handkerchief handed to her by the palace maid and gently wiped the blood from between her fingers.
Chu Ning sat back on the dragon throne and glanced indifferently at the kneeling officials.
"I accept Dr. Lin's advice. Please continue with your comments on the shortcomings of national policies. I am listening attentively."
Chu Ning unfolded the memorial again, his voice returning to calm.
Below the main hall, no one dared to utter a single word.
They finally understood that the empress's tolerance always had its limits.
That border is called Chengxiao.
No matter how many years have passed, no matter whether Cheng Xiao is still in the imperial court.
This boundary has never changed.