The Ninth Lady is a rebellious person.

Chapter 602 What magic cannot do, power can.
With a flick of his wrist, Tantai Wuji conjured a hand seal, and a huge, golden lotus flower appeared before everyone's eyes, lifelike and vibrant.

"Is this the kind of Golden Lotus you're talking about?" Tantai Wuji sneered. "A magic trick that can be performed with a single spell is something I, having only inherited the legacy of the Imperial Preceptor, can do. What about those so-called demonic cultivators who have been practicing for many years? They're just deceiving the common people who don't understand the Dao."

Shen Qinghe and Zeng Guangchuan were pale as they watched the golden lotus slowly dissipate, their lips moving.

They are different. Even if they are all golden lotuses, they are different. This one is created by magic. It has the form but not the spirit. But the one hanging above Lang Jiuchuan's head is sacred and solemn, making people feel awe and dare not desecrate it. That is the will of heaven.

"No..." Shen Qinghe spoke up indignantly, "Master Lang is absolutely not the kind of sorcerer Your Majesty speaks of. There must be some misunderstanding. The Golden Lotus's attainment of enlightenment is not something that can be achieved by human power. The fact that the Golden Lotus attained enlightenment for her was the will of Heaven. Your Majesty, Master Lang is not only a descendant of loyal officials, but also a person of merit. She just saved Da Dan from danger. If this is also a sorcerer, then I only hope that there are more sorcerers like her. I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly and not to wrong a loyal official!"

You demonic Taoist, you son of a bitch!

You, who don't even know what kind of ghost possessed the emperor's body, are the real demon!
Zeng Guangchuan quickly tugged at Shen Qinghe's sleeve and frantically winked at him.

It's no use. Even if they know that Lang Jiuchuan is not the sorcerer His Majesty claims, people will only believe what they see. Now that His Majesty has created a golden lotus with a single spell, everyone will think that Lang Jiuchuan is the same. It's all about spreading fame and creating a reputation. Even if someone isn't a cultivator, aristocratic families often use this method to build a person's reputation, such as having talented sons or daughters in their family.

However, Shen Qinghe's stubbornness in provoking Emperor Jian'an was tantamount to courting death. In particular, Emperor Jian'an in front of them did not seem to be someone to be trifled with. He was no longer the timid emperor who only listened to his important ministers just over ten days ago. They did not know his current temperament, and rashly provoking him would do more harm than good.

Tantai Wuji indeed looked at Shen Qinghe, narrowed his eyes and said, "Shen Qing, why are you so eager to defend the evil Taoist? Is it because she once helped you save your son and even your whole family, so you are willing to risk your life for her, become her lackey, and help the wicked?"

"Your Majesty!" Shen Qinghe's face turned green with anger. He said in a deep voice, "I study the classics to serve the country and seek the well-being of the people, not for personal gain. My loyalty is as solid as a rock. I do remember the kindness of Daoist Lang, but I also know that countless people in Da Dan remember her kindness because she made great efforts in the fight against the corpse plague and accumulated great merit."

Tantai Wuji's eyes were cold as he said, "What if this corpse plague was a disaster she caused?"

"Your Majesty, what makes you say this? Do you have any basis for it? If not, you are calling a deer a horse, believing slander, and framing loyal officials. I urge Your Majesty to distinguish right from wrong and discern loyalty from treachery." Shen Qinghe looked at Tantai Wuji without fear: "I do not understand. Just over ten days ago, Your Majesty told the Holy Maiden that you would commend Master Lang and build a shrine for his merits. Now you call him a heretic. Your Majesty's mind is wavering, and your temperament has changed drastically. May I ask, is Your Majesty still the same Your Majesty as before?"

hiss.

The officials gasped, thinking that it was a waste for Shen Qinghe not to become an imperial censor. He dared to say anything, and his words were practically pointing at Emperor Jian'an and calling him some kind of demon possessed by him!

Zeng Guangchuan was heartbroken.

This guy is asking for a quick death, he's practically walking into the line of fire!

"Insolence!" the head eunuch roared, "Lord Shen, how dare you utter such outrageous words and defy His Majesty! What is your punishment?"

Shen Qinghe said, "Even serious offenders must be sentenced based on evidence, not just on a single sentence. May I ask Your Majesty, what wrong has Master Lang committed? What evil magic has he used? Whom has he harmed to be called a heretic? What slanderous words have Your Majesty believed to cause this..."

"Lord Shen, you have overstepped your bounds!" Zeng Guangchuan shouted suddenly, turning his back to Tantai Wuji and glaring at Shen Qinghe: "How dare you be so insolent before the Holy Emperor!"

He frantically winked at his ancestors, "Stop talking, sir!"

"Is Shen Qing questioning me? I say she is, and she is. This is the dying warning of the National Protector: if this evil sorcerer is not eliminated, he will surely bring chaos to Da Dan." Tantai Wuji looked at him coldly, without the slightest emotion, and said, "Since you are grateful for her kindness and are trying your best to exonerate her, you are determined to collude with the evil sorcerer. You are a traitor and should be flogged as a warning to others. Shen Qinghe disrespects the monarch, but because of your loyalty, he can be spared the death penalty, but he cannot escape punishment. Drag him away, give him fifty strokes of the cane, and exile his family three thousand miles away." His tone was icy, allowing no room for questioning or advice. He calmly gave the order to eliminate Lang Jiuchuan's supporters.

They were flogged without warning, and their entire families were implicated, all because Shen Qinghe had defended Lang Jiuchuan. A loyal minister, for such a trivial matter, was brought down to earth.

This is imperial power, this is the majesty of an emperor!
The emperor's power is such that anyone who crosses it will surely die.

Everyone was terrified, watching in horror as the palace guards stepped forward and dragged the equally astonished Shen Qinghe away.

Shen Qinghe didn't beg for mercy; his back remained ramrod straight. He only sneered, "The imperial tomb caught fire, and heaven sent down lightning as punishment. The country is doomed, as expected. A demon is in power. This official position is better off not holding it!"

He ripped off his official hat and threw it onto the throne room.

Before long, everyone heard the dull sound of caning coming from outside the hall, and they fell silent, their faces pale and their hearts filled with unease.

Zeng Guangchuan knelt down with a thud: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

Some people knelt down as well, while others simply bent over.

"Anyone who pleads for mercy is an accomplice of this evil path, and will be punished along with them." Tantai Wuji looked coldly at the officials below and said, "You may all have doubts about why my temperament has changed so drastically. This is because I have received the teachings of the Imperial Preceptor and have been enlightened, which is why I can transfer my affections. It is not because of any demons as you all think. Tell me, as the Son of Heaven, I am protected by the dragon's aura. What kind of demon would dare to possess me? This is utter nonsense! I am Tantai Yan, and I have the blood of Tantai. I am merely inheriting the blessings of my ancestors and possessing the body of the Dao. Do not overinterpret this!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Tantai Wuji issued several chilling orders: mobilizing 10,000 Beiling Guards to suppress the rebellious refugees; all those involved in the uprising were to be slaughtered and their bodies displayed at the city gates; those who feared battle were to be executed on the spot as a warning to others. The national treasury was now empty, and to prepare for war and quell the rebellion, taxes in various regions were to be tripled. Furthermore, anyone who raised an army without orders was to be considered a traitor and their entire family exterminated…

Suppressed gasps filled the hall, even more intense than before. The mob incident was no longer a matter of suppression, but a policy of annihilation akin to massacring the entire city. The methods were cruel and ruthless, and the threefold increase in taxes was an act of oppression.

"...The Marquis of Kaiping's mansion is harboring a heretic. Effective immediately, the Marquis title is stripped, and all members of the Lang family are imprisoned. The heretic will not be pardoned until he is eliminated!" Tantai Wuji issued another order.

He is a monarch, even if he becomes a tyrant in their eyes, he is still a monarch. If there is chaos, then so be it. This chaos is her fault!

Everything is a cycle of cause and effect.

Tantai Wuji's eyes flickered uncertainly, a hint of bloodlust flashing within them. What magic cannot do, power can.

　Oh no, my eyes are starting to water and hurt when exposed to wind. I feel really tired and they're sore and dry.

　　(End of this chapter)