Isolated town in northern border region

"Hmph! You old bastard, you truly deserve to die!"

Xiao Lie's words left everyone in the hall completely stunned!

No? So you really don't consider the Chu Emperor human?

The throne hasn't even been passed on yet! How dare a mere subject speak to the emperor like that?

Inside the main hall, everyone exchanged glances, not daring to make a sound, for fear of being misunderstood by Xiao Lie.

The smile on the Emperor of Chu's face froze instantly, and the corners of his mouth twitched uncontrollably before he could even retract them.

Xiao Lie strode forward, his boots making a clear sound as they stepped on the gold bricks, walking step by step toward the high platform.

The assembled officials watched as Xiao Lie walked step by step toward the throne, and couldn't help but let out a very soft gasp, like a pebble falling into deep water, creating ripples.

Xiao Lie walked to the dragon throne and looked down at Emperor Chu.

"Uncle, is this seat comfortable?"

The Chu Emperor gave an awkward smile and shifted his position somewhat guiltily.

"I am utterly incompetent and immoral; this throne is truly unbearable for me!"

"It would be better if my nephew sat down..."

Xiao Lie snorted coldly and reached out...

He grabbed the Chu Emperor by the collar and pulled him off the dragon throne!

Xiao Lie's movements were neither fast nor savage, but enough to plunge the entire hall into deathly silence.

Emperor Chu staggered for a moment, but after regaining his footing, he did not struggle. He simply raised his eyes, which held a hint of madness, and looked at Xiao Lie. His lips moved slightly, as if he was expecting something.

He didn't struggle or shout; instead, he revealed a numbness bordering on relief, his eyes seeming as if he had been waiting for this moment for far too long.

The entire court of civil and military officials stared in disbelief.

Some people opened their mouths wide but couldn't make a sound, some dropped their ceremonial tablets to the ground, and some subconsciously took a half step back, as if afraid of being splattered with blood.

An old minister of the Du family stepped forward, trembling.

"Your Highness! This...this is against etiquette!"

"You have not yet ascended the throne; to treat His Majesty in this way is perhaps..."

He didn't finish his sentence because he saw Xiao Lie draw his sword.

The moment the Taiping Blade was drawn, its blade gleamed with a cold arc of light in the morning light of the hall.

The entire hall gasped in astonishment!

"Your Highness! You mustn't!"

"Your Highness! How could you kill the emperor?!"

"Your Highness, stop immediately!"

The Second Prince Xiao Zhang's face turned pale instantly, and his legs went weak, almost causing him to kneel down.

He was covered in sweat, and his hands were trembling!

Xiao Lie dares to pull even the emperor, dares to touch the dragon throne, and now he's even drawn his sword!

How could someone who once fabricated the rumor of being a "lone star destined for misfortune" possibly escape punishment?

He slumped to the ground, his lips trembling.

The imperial guards outside the hall had already rushed in, their blades and spears pointed at the steps, but everyone looked at each other, completely at a loss for what to do.

One was a tyrannical ruler, yet still a ruler; the other was a wise king, yet still only a king…

What should I do?

The old minister of the Du family was still trembling, but Xiao Lie ignored him.

His gaze swept over all the civil and military officials in the hall.

Some see fear, some see anticipation, and some are quickly calculating the pros and cons.

Xiao Lie rubbed his thumb against the blade, his eyes fixed on Emperor Chu.

"Your Majesty, do you think it's because the dragon throne in this capital is so sturdy..."

"Is the blade of my northern frontier still sharper?"

Upon hearing this, the Emperor of Chu showed no alarm; instead, he straightened his robes.

"King of the Northern Frontier, isn't it pointless to fuss over a dragon throne?"

"If Your Highness does not mind, I am willing to offer my head as a test subject for your blade!"

"With a single stroke of the prince's blade, heroes from all corners of the land will be annihilated!"

"Slaughtering one's clan, a subject murdering his ruler—even the most virtuous king in the land will bear the same infamy as me for all eternity. Isn't that delightful?"

Xiao Lie twirled his sword.

"OK!"

"Since Your Majesty is in such a good mood, I will gladly oblige!"

The next second, Xiao Lie raised his knife and brought it down!

As the Chu Emperor watched the blade hurtling towards his head, his eyes cleared instantly, and his legs buckled, causing him to tumble down the steps.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

"Xiao Mu! If you really take this blow without moving, I'll have to think more highly of you!"

"I never expected him to talk so tough, but he's such a coward inside!"

"These days, you've been ordering this person around and that person around, while you hide behind the scenes having a great time..."

"A ruler must have decisiveness and courage!"

"Someone like you will be a good-for-nothing your whole life!"

The Chu emperor, tumbling down the steps, was disheveled, his clothes in disarray, his hair disheveled, and he looked utterly pathetic.

On the steps, Xiao Lie's words were like knives, piercing straight to the heart; in the main hall, the ministers lowered their heads, covering their mouths and snickering...

Everything was telling him one fact—Xiao Mu was the most absurd emperor in the world!

Xiao Mu's eyes were bloodshot as he pointed at Xiao Lie and growled.

"Xiao Lie! You say such nice things..."

"Always claiming it's for the sake of the world and the people, all he talks about is justice..."

"But in the end, isn't what you still want this dragon throne?"

"hypocrite!"

Xiao Lie glanced at Xiao Mu, his condescending gaze as if he were looking at a pile of garbage.

Then...

The Taiping sword fell again!

The first strike cleaved into the back of the dragon throne, scattering gold paint fragments and creating a long gash in the gilded wood.

The cracking sound was particularly jarring in the empty hall, making one's teeth ache.

The second strike cleaved the armrest of the dragon throne, sending gilded wood chips flying everywhere.

With his third strike, he severed the gilded dragon head at the very top of the chair back, a symbol of the emperor's authority.

Wood chips and gold dust were scattered on the imperial steps, like a golden snowfall.

The entire hall was silent.

The jade tablet in the old minister's hand finally fell to the ground, and the sound of it shattering seemed to shatter the imperial power as well.

Xiao Lie sheathed his sword and turned around.

His gaze swept over the trembling faces.

"I believe that the Great Chu does not need a throne..."

"Who's in favor...who's opposed?"

He glanced at the Chu Emperor.

"The Xiao family is not the master of the Great Chu..."

"If such a useless person were to sit in that seat, how many troubles would be caused for no reason?"

"During Xiao Mu's more than ten years in power, land annexation occurred throughout the Great Chu, officials and merchants colluded, and exorbitant taxes and levies were rampant!"

"The five northern prefectures have fallen! The nation's prestige has been lost!"

As Xiao Lie was speaking, several old men from the Du family stepped forward, trembling.

"Your Highness!"

That's incorrect!

"His Majesty has indeed made many oversights, but the relationship between ruler and subject, father and son, is a fundamental principle of heaven and earth; how can it be treated so lightly?"

"Moreover, now that His Majesty has reflected on his actions, Your Highness will soon be able to ascend the throne."

"With Your Highness's great talent and vision, you will surely lead our Great Chu to prosperity and glory..."

Before Old Man Du could finish speaking, Xiao Lie reached out to stop him.

Xiao Lie plopped down on the steps, using his Taiping Blade to pick up loose pieces of wood and hurl them at the Chu Emperor.

"Lord Du, are you so certain that I can lead Great Chu to prosperity?"

"Very well! Even if Lord Du has a discerning eye, what about my child?"

"Where's your grandson?"

"Are they necessarily virtuous rulers? Are they certain they can lead the Great Chu to prosperity?"

At this moment, the Second Prince Xiao Zhang quickly stepped forward.

"King of the Northern Frontier is both wise and virtuous. Under his rule, the five prefectures of the Northern Frontier have transformed from dilapidated border counties into the most prosperous prefectures of our Great Chu!"

"With such unfathomable abilities, Your Highness is sure to inherit the divinely bestowed talents of the future emperor!"

"Shut up!"

As the second prince was speaking with great enthusiasm, Xiao Lie threw a Taiping sword, which pierced Xiao Zhang's toes.

Xiao Lie glared at Xiao Zhang.

"Do you even believe this nonsense yourself?"

"Wise or foolish?"

"Easy for you to say..."

"Are the common people of this world so unlucky that they have to gamble the livelihood of their generation, or even several generations, on whether we, the people surnamed Xiao, are wise or foolish?"

"Why?!"