After the ghost-hunting master descended the mountain, his fame spread throughout the capital.

The hall was completely silent; everyone was stunned by the shocking crimes that Abbot Hong'an had personally recounted.

"This old monk... feels ashamed before Buddha, ashamed before all living beings, and even more ashamed before those whose lives have been fraught with hardship or who have died unjustly because of my words."

Two streams of murky tears actually flowed from Abbot Hong'an's eyes.

Those tears were partly forced out by Wang Dazhuang's desperate attempt to recall Huiming's teachings, and partly naturally welled up from the thought that he, a wandering ghost, was actually going to put on such a grand show.

With trembling hands clasped together, he bowed deeply to the void, saying, "Today, the truth has been revealed to the world, and I have no face to live on in this world."

After saying that, to everyone's astonishment, he suddenly pulled a gleaming short knife from the top of his monk's boot and, without hesitation, stabbed it into his own heart.

"Pfft!"

The sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh was clearly audible.

Blood gushed out instantly, staining the robe red.

Abbot Hong'an swayed, a look of relief appearing on his face. He glanced one last time at the dumbfounded Emperor Cangqi on the dragon throne, and slowly fell backward.

"Bang!"

His body crashed onto the gold bricks with a dull thud.

Blood spread rapidly beneath him, forming a glaring red pool.

Just as Hong An's body fell to the ground, a soul that no ordinary person could detect floated out from between his eyebrows and darted into the pouch hanging at Chu Jingyu's waist.

The purse looked ordinary, but inside was a soul-soothing talisman personally blessed by Master Xuanji. It was meant to protect Wang Dazhuang's soul from the imperial dragon aura and the masculine, murderous energy within the palace.

In an instant, the hall fell into a deathly silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop, with only the heavy breathing and the faint sound of blood flowing slowly.

All eyes were focused on Emperor Cangqi, whose face was ashen white as paper, sitting on the dragon throne.

"You...you...good! What a bunch of traitors! Evil monks! Rebellious sons!" Emperor Cangqi finally regained his voice from shock and rage.

He pointed at Chu Jingyu, his fingers trembling violently, his chest heaving, his vision blurring, a metallic taste rising in his throat, and a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

He looked around and saw that the ministers who used to be obsequious and respectful to him now had shifty eyes and complicated expressions.

This subtle movement, like the last straw that broke the camel's back, completely ignited the last vestiges of Emperor Cangqi's rationality.

"Minister Xu! Minister Zhao! Are you... are you also going to betray me?!" He said hoarsely, his gaze sweeping over several important officials.

In a suffocating silence, Xu Yuan, the Minister of Personnel, straightened his clothes and slowly stepped out of the queue.

He walked steadily to the center of the hall and bowed to Chu Jingyu.

Then, Xu Yuan turned to the dragon throne, lifted the front of his official robe, and knelt down properly. His voice was clear and powerful, echoing throughout the hall:

"Your Majesty!" He kowtowed heavily, and when he raised his head, his eyes were filled with sorrow. "I have served Your Majesty for more than twenty years, and I have been conscientious and loyal."

"However, the evidence today is irrefutable, and the abbot of Huguo Temple has also shown his integrity with his death... Your Majesty, you have lost the virtue of the world, the trust of your subjects, and the very order of the court!"

He paused, then raised his voice: "The late Emperor entrusted the empire to Your Majesty, hoping that Your Majesty would become a wise ruler who would benefit all people! But Your Majesty listens to slander, frames loyal officials, plots against pillars of the nation, and even coerces border generals and persecutes meritorious officials! How is such behavior any different from that of a tyrant?!"

Xu Yuan's gaze swept over his colleagues, whose faces showed fear, and finally settled on Crown Prince Chu Jingyu:

"His Highness the Crown Prince is benevolent and kind, and has a long-standing reputation for virtue."

Xu Yuan kowtowed deeply again, his forehead touching the cold gold bricks. "Your Majesty, I humbly beg you, for the sake of the nation and its people, to issue an edict of self-reproach, proclaim it to the world, and... abdicate in favor of His Highness the Crown Prince!"

"In this way, we can quell the wrath of Heaven and the resentment of the people, and ensure the longevity of our Xicang Kingdom! If Your Majesty wishes to do so, it would not be a bad thing to consider the overall situation, and it would also... leave yourself a way out!"

Xu Yuan's statement was like a thunderclap, completely shattering the oppressive atmosphere in the imperial court.

"I second that proposal!"

Almost the instant Xu Yuan finished speaking, General Zhou Ang, known for his uprightness, stepped forward first, his armor clanging, and knelt on one knee, his voice booming:

"Your Majesty's actions have chilled the hearts of loyal soldiers! This humble general humbly begs Your Majesty, for the sake of the nation, to abdicate and yield the throne to a more worthy successor!"

"Your Majesty, please abdicate!"

"Please, Your Highness, ascend the throne!"

In the blink of an eye, a large number of officials knelt down in the main hall.

Only a handful of people have yet to express their opinion.

Some of them were loyal confidants whom Emperor Cangqi relied on, and at this moment their faces were pale, not daring to advance and with nowhere to retreat.

The other group consisted of cowards who huddled at the back of the line, wishing they could hide in the ground for fear of being swept away by the towering wave.

As Emperor Cangqi looked at the scene before him, he felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head, as if he had fallen into an ice cave.

Betrayed by all, abandoned by friends and family, utterly alone.

He suddenly clutched his chest, which was wracked with intense pain. He could no longer suppress the metallic taste in his throat, and with a "whoosh," he spat out a mouthful of blood, which splattered onto the front of his dragon robe, a shocking sight.

"You...you all...you've rebelled! You've all rebelled!"

He leaned on the armrest of the dragon throne, barely managing to stand upright, and with all his might, roared hoarsely towards the outside of the hall:

"Imperial Guards! Where are the Imperial Guards?! Come in here! Kill these traitors! Kill the Crown Prince! Kill these rebellious ministers! Leave no one alive!"

The mad roar echoed through the hall, yet... outside the hall, all was deathly silent.

The imperial guards in their gleaming armor, as expected, did not appear.

Only the faint sound of footsteps could be heard in the distance.

That was the sound of Xie Jinchen leading his troops to control the palace and key roads, tightening the encirclement.

Emperor Cangqi's last hope shattered completely with this deathly silence.

His outstretched arm froze in mid-air, his fingertips trembling.

"Your Majesty..." The head eunuch's terrified scream had not yet fully escaped his lips.

Emperor Cangqi's body had already fallen backward uncontrollably, crashing heavily onto the dragon throne and completely losing consciousness.

Only the approaching footsteps grew clearer and clearer, striking a chord in everyone's hearts.

Chu Jingyu looked at the unconscious Emperor Cangqi on the dragon throne, and the last trace of complexity in his eyes returned to calm.

He slowly turned around, facing all the ministers in the hall, his voice steady and calm:

"His Majesty was overcome with anger and fainted."

Chu Jingyu paused, his tone completely calm, "Guards, escort His Majesty back to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Order the Imperial Medical Bureau to provide full treatment. Without my decree, no one is to disturb His Majesty's rest."

As soon as he finished speaking, several well-trained eunuchs and guards stepped forward and carefully helped the unconscious Emperor Cangqi up from the dragon throne and quickly carried him away.

Chu Jingyu's gaze swept over the various expressions on the faces of the people in the hall, and he continued:

"You have all witnessed what happened today. A country cannot be without a ruler for even a day. From this day forward, I will oversee the country and take charge of all government affairs."

"All matters will be discussed later. All of you may now withdraw and return to your posts to maintain order and prevent any mishaps."

Xu Yuan, kneeling on the ground, was the first to kowtow, "Your subject obeys!"

Soon, more people realized what was happening and, whether they liked it or not, they all bowed their heads.

"Your Majesty, we obey!"

The officials exited the Zichen Hall one by one, each with a complex and indescribable expression on their faces.

When they stepped out of the palace gates and saw the soldiers on both sides of the palace road still exuding murderous intent, the last bit of lingering resentment in their hearts vanished completely.

Chu Jingyu stood alone in the center of the much emptier hall, tilting his head slightly to look at the golden dragon coiled above the dome.

Sunlight streamed through the high window and shone directly onto the dragon throne, which was empty.

Just then, the light and shadow outside the palace gate dimmed.

A tall, imposing figure appeared in the doorway against the light, carrying a faint scent of blood.