ATPnovel Chapter 293 Tensions Rise, Public Outrage Rages!
Chapter 293 Tensions Rise, Public Outrage Rages!
Zhao Qingxue.
Empress Liyang.
She was dressed in a moon-white casual outfit, her long hair loose, loosely tied up with only a white jade hairpin.
That stunningly beautiful face was devoid of any expression.
Only those deep purple phoenix eyes calmly swept over the assembled officials in the hall.
I scanned those familiar faces.
I scanned the faces that were filled with shock, joy, and confusion.
Zhao Yannian's eyes instantly reddened.
He looked at that familiar figure, at that face he had seen since childhood.
Her lips trembled violently, and she was on the verge of tears.
"His Majesty……"
He murmured, his voice choked with emotion and almost inaudible.
Zhou Yan was also stunned.
He looked at Zhao Qingxue, at that still young face, yet unusually calm.
A complex and indescribable emotion welled up within me.
His Majesty has returned.
They're really back.
Can--
How did she end up here?
Isn't she in the Qin Dynasty?
Zhou Yan's gaze instinctively turned to look behind Zhao Qingxue.
Then--
He was stunned.
Behind Zhao Qingxue, another figure emerged from behind the screen.
A moon-white robe, a handsome face, and a languid and composed demeanor.
The man stood with his hands behind his back, about half a step behind Zhao Qingxue.
The moonlight shone in from behind him, illuminating his handsome face with exceptional clarity.
Those deep eyes, filled with a smile, swept over the assembled officials in the hall.
Zhou Yan's pupils suddenly contracted!
That is……
Qin Mu?!
The Emperor of Qin?!
What is he doing here?!
How did they end up in the Li Yang Imperial Palace?!
Zhou Yan's mind went completely blank for a moment!
It wasn't just him.
All the court officials in the hall were stunned.
They stared blankly at the figure that emerged from behind the screen, at that smiling, handsome face.
He stood there with his hands behind his back, behind their emperor.
It seemed perfectly natural.
It was as if it were always meant to be this way.
After a brief silence...
"boom--!!!"
The hall erupted in chaos once again!
"Qin Mu?!"
"What is he doing here?!"
"How is this possible?!"
"Guards! Protect the Emperor! There's an assassin!"
Exclamations, shouts, and angry yells filled the air!
Several military officers instinctively drew their swords and stepped forward to stand between Zhao Qingxue and Qin Mu!
Zhao Yannian's face turned deathly pale instantly!
He stared intently at Qin Mu, at that smiling, composed face.
Those cloudy old eyes were filled with extreme anger!
"Qin Mu!"
He spoke slowly and deliberately, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between his teeth:
"How dare you!"
"How dare you trespass into my Liyang Imperial Palace!"
"Guards! Seize him!"
The moment the words fell, several imperial guards were about to step forward—
But at that moment,
Qin Mu made a move.
He simply raised his hand.
The movements were slow and casual.
then,
The imperial guards who had rushed forward suddenly stopped!
Their bodies seemed to be frozen in place, standing motionless!
His eyes were wide open, and deep in his pupils was extreme fear!
because--
An invisible, vast, and overwhelming pressure emanated from Qin Mu!
The pressure was so strong, so profound, so terrifying that they couldn't even move a finger!
He could only stand there dumbfounded, letting cold sweat slide down his forehead!
The hall fell silent instantly.
Everyone felt that oppressive aura.
That was a pressure so immense it could crush the heavens, a pressure beyond all imagination.
Faced with that oppressive aura, their martial arts skills, which they were so proud of, and their swordsmanship techniques honed over many years, were rendered meaningless.
They are all as insignificant as ants.
Not worth mentioning.
Zhao Yannian's body trembled violently.
He looked at Qin Mu, at that still smiling, composed face.
Looking into those deep, all-seeing eyes.
In my heart, anger was being replaced by fear little by little.
Because he suddenly understood,
This man is not someone they can handle.
This man was able to appear here silently.
They can stand behind their emperor.
Even Li Chunfeng...
His gaze instinctively fell on Li Chunfeng.
Li Chunfeng stood still, motionless.
His pale face was expressionless.
But a deep sense of awe flashed in those cloudy old eyes.
Zhao Yannian's heart sank completely.
Qin Mu's gaze slowly swept over the assembled officials in the hall.
I swept my gaze across those angry faces, fearful faces, and bewildered faces.
Finally, the blame fell on Zhao Yannian.
He looked at the old man, whose beard and hair were standing on end and whose eyes were full of anger.
She smiled softly.
That smile was gentle, as gentle as a spring breeze.
But what Zhao Yannian saw sent chills down his spine.
"This old man."
Qin Mu spoke, his voice very soft, yet exceptionally clear in the deathly silent hall.
"What did you just say?"
"Take me down?"
He paused, his gaze deep and unfathomable:
"You can give it a try."
Zhao Yannian's body suddenly stiffened.
He looked at Qin Mu, at that smiling, ever-composed face.
He opened his mouth, as if to say something.
But he couldn't utter a single word.
Only in those cloudy old eyes, the anger was gradually being replaced by fear.
Seeing his expression, Qin Mu remained silent.
He simply withdrew his gaze and took a step.
He walked toward the high and mighty throne.
The moon-white robe trailed across the ground, stirring up a faint breeze.
He walked on, his steps leisurely and his posture elegant.
It was as if he were the master of this palace.
He stopped in front of the throne.
He turned around.
He sat down slowly.
Leaning back in his chair, he rested his chin on one hand.
His posture was relaxed and unhurried.
Those deep eyes, with a smile, swept over the assembled officials in the hall.
My gaze swept over those faces, stunned into silence.
The light swept across those trembling figures, filled with fear.
Finally, the blame fell on Zhao Qingxue.
Zhao Qingxue stood in the center of the hall, no more than ten feet away from him.
She stood there quietly, watching him sit in his seat.
That stunningly beautiful face was devoid of any expression.
But a complex emotion flashed in those deep purple phoenix eyes.
The emotions were very complex.
No one could understand it, and even Zhao Qingxue herself might not be able to understand what her own emotions were.
Inside the hall, there was a deathly silence.
All the courtiers stared blankly at this scene.
They watched as their emperor stood in the center of the hall.
Watching that man sit on the throne.
Time seemed to stand still.
I don't know how much time passed.
It may be just a moment, or it may be a long time.
at last,
Zhou Yan's body swayed slightly.
His legs felt weak.
He could barely stand.
He reached out and steadied his colleague beside him, barely managing to regain his balance.
That aged face was now filled with deep bewilderment.
He looked at Qin Mu on the throne, then at Zhao Qingxue standing in the center of the hall.
He opened his mouth, as if to say something.
But in the end, he only murmured:
"What...what is this...?"
He couldn't continue.
Because what he was seeing was completely beyond his comprehension.
His Majesty has returned.
Qin Mu also arrived.
Qin Mu sat on the throne.
His Majesty stood there.
All of this—
What does it mean?
Zhou Yan didn't know.
All he knew was that from this day forward, the Li Yang Dynasty—
Things are probably about to change drastically.
At this moment, Qin Mu finally spoke.
"My beloved ministers."
"Since we're already here—"
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials in the hall:
"Then let's discuss it properly—"
"Let's talk about the wedding between me and Your Majesty."
Inside the Tianqi Hall, there was a deathly silence.
Qin Mu sat on the throne, one hand supporting his chin, his posture languid.
The moon-white robe gleamed warmly in the morning light, its hem draping across the golden brick floor, creating a strange harmony with the sandalwood dragon throne that symbolized the imperial power of Liyang.
He just sat there, as if he was meant to be there.
It was as if this palace, this world, had always belonged to him.
Zhao Qingxue stood in the center of the hall, ten feet away from him.
She stood there quietly, her moon-white dress gleaming softly in the morning light.
That stunningly beautiful face was devoid of any expression.
But his deep purple phoenix eyes calmly swept over the assembled officials in the hall.
She glanced at those faces she knew all too well.
My gaze swept over the faces that were filled with shock, confusion, anger, and fear.
She knew this moment would come sooner or later.
I just didn't expect it to come so quickly.
The brief silence inside the hall was finally broken.
"No--!!!"
A heart-wrenching roar erupted from the ranks of civil officials!
An elderly minister, dressed in a dark purple robe adorned with cranes, staggered out of the ranks.
His hair and beard were all white, and his face was thin. At this moment, his aged face was filled with extreme anger and resentment.
That was Chen Wenyuan, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites.
He was a veteran of three reigns and was known throughout the court and the country for his uprightness and willingness to speak out.
He once confronted the late emperor directly, and at the beginning of Zhao Qingxue's ascension to the throne, he overruled public opinion and submitted a memorial in support.
He was one of Li Yang's most loyal subjects.
At this moment, he rushed to the front of the line, his cloudy old eyes fixed on Qin Mu on the throne.
Staring at that smiling, composed face.
"A tyrannical ruler!"
He spoke slowly and deliberately, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying a deep-seated hatred!
"What kind of sorcery did you use to bewitch my Emperor?!"
"What methods did you use to defeat the Imperial Advisor?!"
"you--"
His voice grew increasingly shrill and agitated, until it was almost a scream:
"Even if I die on this spot, I will seek justice for Li Yang!"
The moment the words fell—
He suddenly drew a short sword from his sleeve!
The sword was only about a foot long, but it gleamed with a cold light, clearly a sharp weapon capable of cutting hair in two!
He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, ready to charge at Qin Mu!
But he had only taken one step—
A figure had already blocked his way.
Zhang Julu.
He stood before Chen Wenyuan, his aged face expressionless.
Only in those sharp eyes did a deep weariness flash through them.
"Lord Chen," he said, his voice hoarse.
Chen Wenyuan looked at Zhang Julu, at the old face that had served in the same court as him for decades.
Those cloudy old eyes were filled with disbelief and shock.
"Zhang Xiang?!"
His voice trembled so much it was almost inaudible:
"You—you're going to stop me?!"
Zhang Julu looked at him and remained silent for a moment.
Then, he slowly began to speak.
"Lord Chen."
He paused, then spoke slowly and deliberately:
"You are no match for him."
Chen Wenyuan was stunned.
He opened his mouth, as if to say something.
But Zhang Julu continued, each word like a sharp blade tempered with ice:
"You saw the battle last night."
"The Imperial Advisor's all-out sword strike was met with his—"
He paused, a deep sadness flashing in his eyes:
"Shattered with a single punch."
Chen Wenyuan's body trembled violently.
He recalled the sword light that shot into the sky last night.
I recall the countless sword shadows flying across the sky.
He recalled the terrifying pressure that had almost suffocated him.
That was the Imperial Advisor.
The Sword God of Liyang unleashed a sword strike with all his might.
But after that sword strike—
Everything returned to calm.
The Imperial Advisor was still standing in the square.
But his face was as pale as paper.
Chen Wenyuan's hand holding the sword trembled slightly.
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stab it out.
Because what Zhang Julu said was true.
His old bones weren't even qualified to make a move in front of the Imperial Advisor.
Even the imperial advisor was defeated.
What can he do if he goes up there?
Tears welled up in Chen Wenyuan's eyes.
The tears slid down his aged cheeks, flowing over the deep wrinkles, and dripped onto his dark purple official robe, spreading out a small, dark stain.
But he did not sheathe his sword.
He simply stood there, gripping his sword, staring intently at Qin Mu.
Those cloudy old eyes were filled with deep-seated hatred.
And resentment.
Just then—
Another voice rang out.
"I disagree too!"
An elderly man dressed in a dark purple robe adorned with a qilin emblem rushed out from the royal family's ranks.
It was Zhao Yannian, the Imperial Clan Court Official.
Behind him followed seven or eight members of the royal family, all with livid faces and eyes full of anger.
Zhao Yannian walked to Chen Wenyuan's side and stood shoulder to shoulder with him.
Those cloudy old eyes were fixed on Qin Mu.
"Qin Mu".
He spoke each word slowly and deliberately, each word like a sharp blade tempered in ice:
"The dignity of the Li Yang royal family must not be trampled upon."
"The marriage of Empress Liyang is not to be decided by outsiders."
"No matter how strong you are—"
He paused, a resolute glint in his eyes:
"Don't even think about making us bow down!"
The moment the words fell—
The members of the royal family behind him all stepped forward!
"Yes! We will never back down!"
"The Li Yang royal family would rather die than surrender!"
"Go ahead and kill us if you dare!"
Roars rose and fell, echoing throughout the hall!
Immediately afterwards—
"We also disagree!"
Seven or eight figures rushed out from the ranks of the military officers!
Leading the group was Chen Yanjing, the Vice Minister of War.
His eyes were wide open, and his resolute face was filled with barely suppressed rage.
His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, and he looked like a tiger about to pounce.
"The army of Liyang, the men of Liyang—"
He spoke slowly and deliberately, each word seeming to be squeezed out from between his teeth:
"We will never allow outsiders to bully us!"
"Absolutely not!"
The generals behind him all drew their swords!
The sword flashed, its cold light chilling!
"no way!"
The roar was deafening!
Immediately afterwards—
More people also rushed out from the ranks of civil servants!
Those old ministers in purple robes, middle-aged officials in scarlet robes, and young officials in blue robes—
One after another, they rushed out of the queue!
They stood behind Chen Wenyuan, Zhao Yannian, and Chen Yanjing!
This puts them in a standoff with Qin Mu, who sits on the throne!
Inside the hall, tensions were high!
The atmosphere was extremely tense!
It felt like a bloody battle was about to break out at any moment!