Patrol Captain

"Wait!"

Just as the atmosphere reached its most oppressive point and the palace servants hurriedly bowed and went out to deliver the imperial decree, a voice suddenly rang out in the hall.

His voice was old yet strong and resonant.

Then, a burly figure walked in from outside the hall.

He wore a black python robe, the kind only a prince could wear. He was as strong and vigorous as an old pine tree. He had three wisps of goatee on his chin, white and gray, neatly trimmed and hanging down his neck. His eyes were gray and misty, as if covered by a layer of fog. A mysterious aura flowed around him. As he stepped in, the light and shadow in the hall became illusory and chaotic.

Even the candlelight before the imperial steps was affected, and the light became distorted.

On the dragon throne, the reigning Emperor Wu, upon seeing the visitor, slightly loosened his grip on the imperial desk, his anger subsided beneath his nine-dragon crown, he straightened his posture, and managed to utter a few words.

"Uncle, is there something you need here?"

After the newcomer entered the Taiji Hall, he walked very slowly, but in an instant he arrived in front of the steps. He glanced at Lü Tianji, who was kneeling beside him with half of his face stained with blood, and then his gaze fell on the scattered pieces of paper on the imperial desk. Then he raised his hand and gestured towards the imperial desk.

The shattered pieces of paper danced like snowflakes, flying towards the person, gathering together, and then the memorial was restored to its original state, reappearing in the person's hands.

The man glanced at the memorial in his hand, then spoke in a low voice.
"If I do not come to stop Your Majesty, Your Majesty may make a mistake, so this old minister has no choice but to appear."

He held Helian Shan's memorial in his hand, raised it, and turned his gaze to the Emperor Wu on the dragon throne, whose face was gloomy. Ignoring the majesty of this celestial being, he spoke frankly.

"Is this why Your Majesty intends to punish Helian Shan?"

Beneath the Nine Dragon Pearl Crown, Emperor Wu narrowed his eyes, his face dark with anger. "Is Imperial Uncle criticizing my actions?"

The atmosphere inside the main hall was turbulent and unpredictable. The palace servants knelt on the ground with their buttocks sticking up high, wishing they could bury their heads in the ground. These words were not for them to hear.

The visitor was His Majesty's uncle, Xiao Xuance, an old royal uncle who had lived for over eight hundred years. He was a master of martial arts, controlled the Six Paths of the Heavenly Patrol Division, and was a powerful member of the royal family guarding the Dragon Court, as well as the pillar of stability for the Great Qian Dynasty.

If word gets out that this old imperial uncle is questioning His Majesty in court, they'll probably lose their heads.

"I wouldn't dare!" The old imperial uncle's voice was very soft, but then his tone suddenly changed.
"However, Your Majesty should not make hasty judgments on the matter of Grand Preceptor Helian. Helian Shan has served as regent for three emperors and made great contributions to the Great Qian Dynasty. His loyalty is beyond question. The situation in Jiannan Circuit is rather special. Your Majesty is far away in the imperial court and cannot depose or install emperors based on the Mandate of Heaven. What is written in this letter is true."

At this point, the old imperial uncle adjusted his armrests and raised his voice.

"Your Majesty, please reconsider, lest you disappoint people."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Wu, who was on the dragon throne, slammed his hand on the table and stood up abruptly.

The sound startled everyone who was kneeling, causing them to tremble with fear.

"Now, even my royal uncle dares to defy me?" Emperor Wu bypassed the imperial desk, kicked aside the servant kneeling on the ground blocking his way, and stared at his royal uncle, whose face remained calm and composed, with the rage of an emperor in his eyes.

Xiao Xuance lowered his hand, his eyes like deep pools, unfathomable. “Your Majesty, as the Emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty, with war raging across the land, you must know what to do and what not to do. Imperial power plays no role on the battlefield; they only hasten the dynasty’s demise. Our Great Qian Dynasty has stood for 1,500 years, weathering the storms of six dynasties. Now, it is teetering on the brink of collapse, just like the Great Xia Dynasty. If we make a wrong move, it may be too late to recover, and everything will fall apart. We should be cautious and prudent, not act on impulse.”

"At this time, we must put aside the past, discard the barriers, and unite all available forces to achieve stability."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Wu's expression changed rapidly as Xiao Xuance directly confronted him. He tried to suppress the surging emotions in his heart, but he still couldn't help but reveal a hint of killing intent.

"Imperial Uncle, are you saying that I manipulate power, that I should have allowed those people from Jiannan Circuit to kill the officials I sent from the capital, to disobey my orders, to act recklessly, and to refuse to report it? How is that any different from slapping me in the face?"

"Am I to become a laughingstock of the world, with everyone following suit? Where will the court's authority be? Who in the world will listen to me then?"

He roared angrily, his voice tinged with hysteria. This terrified the palace servants, who immediately began to kowtow repeatedly.

"Your Majesty, calm down."

"Your Majesty, please calm down."

"."

In this atmosphere of unease, the imperial uncle, facing Emperor Wu's anger, neither challenged nor showed fear, but remained suffocatingly calm.

He also wanted to say,

"Your Majesty should have vented your anger by now!"

"This old minister still maintains the same view: Your Majesty, at this juncture, you should have the will to win, unite all forces that can be united, look to the world, for you are the only great ruler. Get the court truly moving, and then all problems will be solved. No one can stop an emperor with ambitions for the world."

"Don't delay any longer regarding the imperial decree to bestow titles and rewards upon Shu. If we don't go now, it will truly be too late."

The old imperial uncle's last words were spoken in a drawn-out tone, carrying a hint of helplessness.

After speaking, the person's figure disappeared into the hall like a dream amidst the distorted light.

Only the sound of kowtowing and pleading "Your Majesty, please calm your anger" remained in the hall.

Emperor Wu watched his uncle leave, his heavy breathing rising and falling before gradually subsiding. Then, in a fit of rage, he laughed, a laugh that sent chills down one's spine.

"In the end, I was forced to bow my head, ha ha ha."

Laughter echoed in the flickering candlelight of the Taiji Hall, then gradually faded away, and the hall returned to silence.

Before the imperial desk, the Grand Chamberlain, who had been kneeling and prostrating himself, raised his head and looked at His Majesty. His expression calmed down, and he looked tired. He walked back to the dragon throne and quickly got up to help him up.

While supporting Emperor Wu's arm, he carefully whispered:
"Your Majesty, please take care of your health. Should the decree still be issued?"

Emperor Wu sat back on his dragon throne. The eyes of the emperor, adorned with the Nine Dragon Pearl Crown, were already bloodshot. Those eyes turned to his personal attendant, a terrifying sight that immediately terrified the attendant into kneeling.

"This servant deserves to die. Please punish me, Your Majesty."

As he spoke, he kowtowed again, "pang" "pang".

Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger. Even as His Majesty's close attendant, he had just seen murderous intent in His Majesty's eyes, and he felt like he was about to die.

Just as this personal eunuch was terrified, he heard Emperor Wu's voice ring in his ears.

"never mind."

"I am tired today and do not wish to see anyone."

"Yes, yes, yes, then this servant will help Your Majesty down to rest. Guards, are they all dead?" Feng Daban immediately felt as if he had been given a new lease on life, and quickly got up to help him up. Then he angrily shouted at the palace servants kneeling below.

"No need, you can draft an edict for me!" (End of Chapter)