Chapter 6304: Pavilion Elder

Because the prince consort knew how to conduct himself and how to be a good official, all the ministers in the court had high hopes for him. After all, the princess was the current

emperor’s own sister-his full-blooded sister!

With such a status, Chen Yuan was seen as having the potential to become the Chief Minister.

“You all overpraise me, my lords. This is merely my duty,” Chen Yuan responded modestly, though he concealed his true intentions.

Today, he had a significant scheme to reveal!

“Hmph, just wait! If today’s plan succeeds, it’ll be like grabbing them by the throat.”

On the surface, the prince consort appeared harmless, but beneath that facade, murderous intent surged within him.

As he entered the grand hall, the officials had already taken their seats.

Even the ever-mysterious and unpredictable Grand Commander of the Immortal-Slaying Tower had arrived early.

His presence puzzled many.

In the eyes of the court officials, this man was the guarantor of imperial power and a close confidant of the emperor. He rarely attended court sessions, usually reporting directly to the Tang Emperor if there was any issue. For him to attend court so early today clearly indicated that something significant was happening.

“Why is he here?”

Chen Yuan silently cursed in his heart. When he looked at the Grand Commander, there was hatred in his eyes, but also fear.

Many in the court harbored grudges against the Immortal-Slaying Tower.

The Immortal-Slaying Tower was not only a formidable force within the cultivation world but also had the authority to oversee the entire court. Even the prince consort feared them, not to mention the other officials. If the Immortal-Slaying Tower targeted someone, that person would be in for a rough time, if not facing death itself.

“Lord Yan, is the Grand Commander here today because of the matters in Shanhai County?”

Among the civil officials, all were on edge.

Lord Yan, who led them, raised an eyebrow and sneered, “Why should we concern ourselves with a eunuch? As for Shanhai County, it’s one of the most important coastal cities of the Tang Empire. If there were to be an investigation, it would be the task of the imperial inspectors, not the Immortal-Slaying Guards!”

Yan Zhong!

A central figure of power within the Tang Empire, head of the Six Ministries, and the Chief Minister of the Imperial Cabinet-he was second only to the emperor.

Only he would not fear the Immortal-Slaying Guards.

After all, he too was a close confidant of the Tang Emperor, perhaps even closer than the Grand Commander of the Immortal-Slaying Tower. He had no worries about the Guards trying to frame him. With the emperor’s protection, he could act with impunity.

Of course, he had to possess sufficient power, not only in his official capacity but also with the backing of his family.

The Yan family hailed from Changshui County in Mangshan Prefecture. Their ancestors had followed Emperor Wuzong six hundred years ago. Though originally military men, the family transformed into a prestigious civil service family thanks to Yan Zhong’s father.

In just a few decades, the Yan family became a renowned noble house in the Tang Empire. When Yan Zhong became the Chief Minister, the family reached its zenith.

In the court, both civil and military officials looked to this Chief Minister for leadership.

As for the emperor, he had been preoccupied with cultivation, leaving the heavy responsibility of the empire to Lord Yan.

The Imperial Cabinet was established because of him, reflecting the Tang Emperor’s trust in him.

Yan Zhong’s father had served under three emperors, and Yan Zhong himself had served two, even being entrusted with the care of the late emperor’s son. Thus, the current emperor trusted him enough to hand over much of the power to the Imperial Cabinet.

It reached the point where the emperor often skipped court sessions, leaving the Chief Minister to preside.

However, recent days had seen the entire court shaken by a single document from the prince consort.

The reason for the upheaval was interesting.

The prince consort’s main objective was revenge!

Meanwhile, the court officials sought to tarnish the reputation of the Immortal-Slaying Guards, as the details of the destruction of the Jiang Kingdom were still unclear. Even the fishermen of Shanhai County knew more than the court officials.

In this way, the officials had successfully outmaneuvered the Zhanxian Guards while also aiding the Imperial Son-in-Law.

Naturally, the two sides came together.

Though the Imperial Son-in-Law was merely a son-in-law, he was backed by the entire noble faction.

Today, their collaboration would undoubtedly strip the Zhanxian Guards of their power.

Now that the Grand Commander of the Zhanxian Guards had arrived, they assumed it was due to this matter.

Once they achieved their objective, they would become ravenous wolves, ready to crush the Zhanxian Guards or replace them with their own people.

This was the nature of court struggles; in an instant, they could tear the flesh from their

opponents.

A single misstep could lead to the confiscation of property and the execution of entire

families.

Such conflicts were akin to a dance of swords.

In the entire court, there was only one observer, the Emperor.

As the bell rang, a middle-aged man dressed in a black dragon-patterned robe appeared above the grand hall. His expression was resolute, and an indescribable aura of nobility surrounded him, overshadowing the immortal energy emanating from the cultivators.

He was the Emperor of the Great Tang Restoration, “Li Miao.”

“Morning court session!”

With the eunuch’s sharp voice, the morning court officially began.

Today’s topic was the Imperial Son-in-Law’s furious criticism of Shanhai Prefecture, with

the aim of targeting the Zhanxian Pavilion.

Of course, the main topic wouldn’t be brought up too quickly; there needed to be some

prelude.

It started with trivial matters, all of which were addressed by Elder Yan Zhong. Emperor Tang didn’t even listen, keeping his eyes closed and frowning the entire time.

This puzzled Yan Zhong, as this Emperor had always been a calm and thoughtful person. Why

was he frowning today?

Officials were masters of reading expressions.

Noticing the Emperor’s displeasure, Yan Zhong signaled for the Imperial Son-in-Law to

speak, introducing today’s main topic.

This matter had been discussed with the Emperor the day before.

The advantage of the inner cabinet was that they could report directly to the Emperor in

person.

In fact, many issues had already been communicated to the Emperor or the inner cabinet before they were brought up in the morning court. It wasn’t a place where one could speak

freely.

Time was limited!

Upon receiving Elder Yan’s approval, the Imperial Son-in-Law, Chen Yuan, stepped forward with a serious expression and solemnly said, “Your Majesty, Shanhai Prefecture has been massively accepting refugees from Jiang State, among whom are many influential figures from Jiang. These individuals not only brought gold and silver but also military equipment and armor. Such a significant matter has been concealed by Shanhai Prefecture for several months. Their intentions are undoubtedly malicious, harboring thoughts of rebellion!”

Rebellion?

This word was highly sensitive in court, as it implicated not just an individual but an entire group-a matter that could result in the collective loss of heads.

Upon hearing the Imperial Son-in-Law’s report, the Restoration Emperor immediately opened his eyes and looked directly at Chen Yuan, his brother-in-law.

“Elder Yan, regarding the Jiang State issue, why have I never heard of it?” Emperor Tang turned his gaze to Yan Zhong.

It seemed like a question about mismanagement, but in reality, the target was the Grand Commander of the Zhanxian Guards.

However, it wasn’t appropriate for him to confront the Grand Commander directly, and this was where Yan Zhong stepped in to relieve the burden.

“Your Majesty!” Yan Zhong cupped his hands and replied, “The Jiang State issue was brought to our attention a year ago through intelligence from the Zhanxian Guards, and it has been under investigation ever since. The Zhanxian Guards have always had the responsibility of monitoring the realm, regularly sending intelligence to the Ministry of War for analysis. However, this investigation abruptly stopped six months ago. As I am stationed in the capital and focused on my primary duties, I was powerless to continue. I humbly request Your

Majesty’s punishment!”

With those words, Yan Zhong spoke flawlessly.

He first praised the Zhanxian Guards, then clarified each party’s role.

One side monitored the realm, while the other governed it.

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