So what if I have a few billion concubines while I'm cultivating immortality?

"His Majesty……"

Luo Qingluan's delicate body trembled, and her pretty face flushed red.

He struggled for a long time, but couldn't utter a single word.

"Hahaha!"

Suddenly, Qin Xiao smiled, leaned back lazily on the dragon throne, and waved his hand listlessly.

"Since Minister Luo is unwell, and I see that none of you have anything else to say, then let's adjourn the court!"

After saying this, without waiting for the ministers to speak, he stood up first and left in a huff.

They turned directly towards the direction of the harem.

Luo Qingluan maintained her bowed posture.

Only after Qin Xiao's figure completely disappeared into the shadows of the rear passage did he slowly straighten up.

She raised her eyes and looked in the direction Qin Xiao had left.

Her beautiful eyes were swirling with complex and unfathomable emotions.

There was disappointment, there was heartache.

There are also deeply suppressed, unique emotions.

……

The bells rang to signal the end of the court session.

Officials filed out one after another, each with their own thoughts.

Many officials did not return to their residences directly.

Instead, they hurried towards the most magnificent mansion in the east of the city.

The residence of Prime Minister Xu Guofu!

The Xu residence, a secret underground chamber.

The flickering candlelight cast shifting shadows on dozens of faces.

The air was thick with a mixture of tension and excitement.

The one sitting in the main seat was naturally the current Prime Minister, Xu Guofu.

He slowly stroked his beard, his eyes filled with malice.

The image of "loyalty to the emperor and patriotism" that they once had in the imperial court is long gone.

Four or five trusted ministers sat at the lower end of the table.

Wang Ben, the deputy commander of the capital's garrison, spoke first in a booming voice: "Prime Minister Xu, His Majesty's actions today are tantamount to cutting himself off from the world! Taking in concubines? Does he really think the Great Yong is his personal harem? My 80,000 men are all ready to rid the country of traitors!"

Beside him, Li Yong, the Vice Minister of Revenue, chimed in, "General Wang is valiant! As for armor and weaponry, I have already secretly made arrangements. The stockpiles in the treasury over the years, plus a new batch cast under the guise of repairing city defenses, are enough to equip 50,000 elite troops!"

A Grand Secretary of the Hanlin Academy also said, "Several drafts of the proclamation have been prepared. We are just waiting for the right opportunity to list out all the absurd acts of this tyrannical emperor since his ascension to the throne and proclaim them to the world! This will cause him to lose the hearts of the people!"

Another well-to-do official patted his chest and said confidently, "There's no need to worry about supplies. We have people in the capital's granaries; they're more than capable of supporting a purge of corrupt officials!"

Dozens of officials were also seated on the perimeter.

Everyone chimed in with their own opinions.

All matters concerning troops, armor, official documents, and provisions were finalized.

The atmosphere grew increasingly heated.

However, when it came to the most crucial point, Wang Ben frowned: "Prime Minister Xu, everyone, everything is ready, but this title..."

"If we, your subjects, raise an army, it will ultimately be a rebellion, and I fear we will find it difficult to gain the support of the people!"

"Before the troops even move, public opinion will surely condemn him to the title of 'traitorous minister'!"

Upon hearing this!

The intense atmosphere in the sealed room momentarily froze.

Indeed, it is wrong for an inferior to a superior to act improperly.

This is a major taboo in starting a rebellion!

Seeing the worried expressions on everyone's faces, Xu Guofu smiled confidently and said, "How could I not know what General Wang is worried about?"

The voice just fell.

Footsteps sounded from behind the side screen.

A young man dressed in a brocade robe with a delicate, feminine face walked out slowly.

He had a smile on his face and a composed demeanor.

He nodded slightly to the ministers present.

"Ninth Prince!"

Wang Ben, Li Yong, and the others were taken aback at first, then their faces lit up with excitement, and they all stood up to greet them.

The visitor was none other than the ninth son of the late emperor.

Qin Tao, the Ninth Prince and Qin Xiao's half-brother!

When the late emperor was in power, he once valued the intelligent and quick-witted Qin Tao and even considered changing the heir apparent.

However, Qin Xiao's performance was more outstanding.

This matter is no secret in the government and among the public.

With this legitimate son of the late emperor and the rightful prince around, their uprising would no longer be considered a rebellion.

Instead, it was about "removing corrupt officials from the emperor's court and supporting the legitimate ruler!"

It's perfectly legitimate!

Qin Tao raised his hand in a gesture of support, his tone gentle: "My lords, there is no need for such formalities. Since my brother ascended the throne, he has acted perversely and licentiously, causing chaos in the court and widespread resentment among the people."

"As a descendant of the Qin family and a prince of the Dayong clan, how can I sit idly by and watch my ancestors' legacy be destroyed?"

He surveyed the crowd, raised his voice slightly, and proclaimed, "Today, with the assistance of all you loyal ministers, it is truly a blessing for the Great Yong Dynasty and a boon for all its people!"

"Once this great undertaking is accomplished and the chaos is rectified, you will all be the heroes who have restored our Great Yong Dynasty!"

"For your service in supporting the emperor, I, the king, will certainly not treat you unfairly!"

These words instantly ignited the ambitions of everyone in the secret room.

"I am willing to die for Your Highness!"

The crowd roared in unison, their voices echoing in the secret chamber.

It was as if they could already see a future of being promoted to high office and wielding immense power.

……

at the same time.

In another, relatively secluded mansion in the capital.

The atmosphere was equally somber.

This is the residence of Chen Wang, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate.

More than a dozen ministers were gathered in the study.

Most of them had thin faces, and their official robes were faded from washing.

This stands in stark contrast to the wealthy and shrewd group in the Xu family's secret chamber.

They were the upright officials led by Chen Wang.

"A humiliating disgrace! A national disgrace!"

An elderly scholar with graying hair pounded the table, heartbroken and indignant. "How could His Majesty do such a thing! That treacherous Xu Guofu actually presented such filthy offerings! It's utterly disgraceful!"

"Lord Chen, we can't wait any longer!"

A younger censor exclaimed excitedly, "If His Majesty continues to indulge in the harem like this, the court will be completely controlled by the Xu faction, and the country will cease to exist! We must take action!"

Another middle-aged official, relatively calm, said with deep concern, "Action? How can we act? Haven't we received enough memorials of advice? Has His Majesty even glanced at them? You all saw the situation in the hall today; the Xu faction is powerful, and we are unarmed!"

They were full of loyalty and righteousness, and fervent passion.

But in the face of absolute power.

It appears so pale and powerless!

Chen Wang remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking: "To directly stage a military coup is tantamount to rebellion, something no subject should do. Our goal is not to overthrow His Majesty, but to restore order and awaken him!"

As he spoke, his gaze swept over each of his colleagues present: "What we must do is unite more like-minded ministers, submit a joint memorial, and remonstrate with our lives! We must force His Majesty to write an edict of self-reproach, admit his mistakes, expel treacherous officials like Xu Guofu, and return to the right path, to govern diligently and love the people!"

"Yes! Submit a joint petition!"

"I'd rather die than refuse!"

"Let His Majesty see the integrity of our subjects!"

The crowd was stirred up again.

But Zhou Mingtang, the Minister of Rites, remained calm amidst the crowd. He looked at Chen Wang and tentatively asked:

"Master Chen, this plan is excellent, but we must ensure it is foolproof."

"Xu's faction will certainly not stand idly by; if they become desperate..."

"We need the power to protect ourselves and even control the situation."

"Otherwise, before we even submit our remonstrance, we'll probably be imprisoned!"

Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.

Yes, there is no guarantee of military force.

All the passionate fervor could turn into a joke!

Chen Wang took a deep breath and decisively said, "Therefore, we still need to win over one more person!"

"Who?"

Everyone asked in unison.

Chen Wang slowly uttered three words: "Luo Qingluan, General Luo!"

"General Luo?"

Some people wondered, "Although she holds the rank of general, she doesn't command many troops, and her relationship with His Majesty..."

Everyone knows that Luo Qingluan's relationship with His Majesty is delicate.

It's possible that love could turn into resentment.

Chen Wang said in a deep voice, "That's precisely why she's more likely to stand on the side of reason."

"General Luo may be a woman, but she is unparalleled in loyalty and righteousness, and is by no means a follower of Xu's faction!"

"Although she only commands a little over ten thousand 'Flying Phoenix Army' soldiers, they are all battle-hardened elites, stationed in key positions within the imperial city!"

"If we can gain her support, at least we can ensure the stability of the capital, protect His Majesty, deter the Xu faction, and ensure that our advice reaches the Emperor's ears!"

"This is our only option right now!"

With that, he stood up, straightened his slightly wrinkled official robe, and said solemnly, "I will personally visit General Luo; success or failure hinges on this!"