598: The Xuanzun, the Protector of the Nation, was established to control the Regent, and the elders died admonishing him.

“Zhou Xuanli, how dare you threaten His Majesty? Are you the Minister of Rites, or am I the Minister of Rites?”

“The ancestral system established by the Great Ancestor is no longer suitable. In this chaotic world, our Great Chu Dynasty's marriage alliance with Heavenly Destiny Observation is for the Great Harmony of the world. We will also receive the assistance of the Child of Destiny to guard the Dynasty.”

Su Wen said, displeased. It was the New Emperor's first court session, and this damned Zhou Xuanli was already trying to undermine him. If the New Emperor suspected his ability to manage his subordinates, it would be a serious matter.

“My establishment of an Empress is a private matter and needs no further discussion.”

The Prince of Yan suppressed his anger. These old officials even wanted to control his own woman. If it weren't for Zhou Xuanli being an old official who served two Dynasties, he would have already dismissed him.

“Your Majesty, all matters of an Emperor are public. Your every move concerns the common people of the world. You must not…”

“Strip him of his court robes and drag Zhou Shilang out! Dismiss him!”

The Prince of Yan gripped the Dragon head, saying coldly. He was really pushing his luck.

He didn't want to see blood on his auspicious day, right after ascending the throne.

What public or private? When his Imperial Father was in power, he never saw these people stand up and sing a different tune. He had just ascended the throne, and a large group of people opposed him establishing an Empress.

Thump, thump!

Several Imperial Guards moved quickly, and in no time, they stripped Zhou Xuanli of his court robes and dragged him out of Jing Tian Hall.

Seeing Zhou Xuanli's fate, several officials who were about to offer advice were immediately pulled back by their respective superiors.

At this moment, the Prince of Yan was also vexed. The resistance to him establishing an Empress was already so great. If he were to establish a National Preceptor, these old officials would surely argue with him endlessly.

Strength, it was still damned strength! If he had the invincible strength of an old immortal, who would dare to say no?

But now, the arrow was on the string, and he had no choice but to shoot.

The Prince of Yan waved his hand, and the young eunuch again brought out an imperial decree.

The hundred officials watched as the young eunuch pulled out another scroll of imperial decree from his embrace.

Again?

This New Emperor was treating imperial decrees like child's play.

Before everyone could think, the young eunuch opened the imperial decree and read directly:

“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I observe unusual celestial phenomena, with a red glow faintly appearing in the Purple Forbidden Enclosure. Therefore, I confer the title of Protector of the Nation, Xuan Zun, upon Wu Xuanji, the Chief of the Celestial Observatory, and grant him the rank of Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, enjoying the etiquette of the Three Grand Ministers.

He is hereby granted three special honors:

Firstly, he shall preside over the ancestral temple sacrifices. For all national ceremonies, he may use the Nine Streamer Crown, exceeding the standard.

Secondly, he shall carry the Imperial Sword to inspect the forty-nine prefectures. In cases of demonic calamities, strange disasters, or rebellious officials, he may execute first and report later.

Thirdly, he is granted an Iron Certificate of Immunity. To improve efficiency, memorials need not be submitted through the Inner Cabinet.

Fourthly, a Xuan Zun seat shall be set before the Emperor. He may wear a sword when entering the hall and need not bow when addressing the Emperor.

Fifthly, he may establish his own office and staff, setting up the Xuan Tian Pavilion. All matters concerning geomancy and Dragon veins shall be decided by him.

Sixthly, he shall have three hundred personal guards, named Xuan Tian Guards, who may enter and move within the forbidden palace.

Furthermore, three important duties are hereby entrusted to the Protector of the Nation, Xuan Zun:

He shall refine Medicinal Pills for Me every month.

He shall supervise the revision of the Great Chu Laws, integrating all martial and criminal codes, to rectify the universe.

He shall discuss military and political affairs with the Supervisor. All major military and state policies, and border wars, must be decided by their unanimous discussion.

He is granted the Nine Luminaries Star Crown and the Purple Ribbon Eight Trigrams Robe. His annual salary shall be based on the specifications for a Prince.

— Qin Ci (Respect this).

Silence.

The civil and military officials were all in an uproar.

This New Emperor must have gone mad. Some officials almost swore aloud.

Isn't this just appointing a National Preceptor?

One person below all, above ten thousand.

The authority granted was even greater than that of the Supervisor.

This appointment of the Protector of the Nation, Xuan Zun, was clearly aimed at Chu Jiang.

To strip the national sacrificial power and put it in the hands of an outsider.

And to be able to execute first and report later in cases of demonic calamities or rebellious officials—wasn't this allowing him to kill whoever he wanted? Loyal subjects and rebellious factions were just a matter of words.

He also had to share power with the Supervisor, compressing and restricting his authority.

The establishment of the Xuan Tian Pavilion clearly meant bypassing the Inner Cabinet. In the future, the Inner Cabinet might even become a subordinate unit of the Xuan Tian Pavilion.

At this point, everyone was restless.

The next moment.

An official from the Ministry of Revenue, his face flushed with anger, stepped forward and said, “Your Majesty, to confer the title of National Preceptor, with a rank equal to the Three Grand Ministers and a salary of a Prince, upon someone who has never rendered any meritorious service, we, your humble servants, do not understand. Please enlighten us, Your Majesty!”

Chu Jiang was conferred as a First-Rank Marquis and Supervisor, having risen step by step, establishing illustrious military achievements for Great Chu, suppressing demonic calamities and rebellions in many places.

His top-tier reward was understandable.

But for a newcomer, someone who appeared out of nowhere, to be directly appointed as National Preceptor, with a rank equal to a Prince, was simply unacceptable.

Such a reward, even a single item of it, was something countless people could never achieve in their lifetime. Yet, it was bestowed without any foreshadowing or prior consultation with the court officials.

Why?

If the Old Chu Emperor were in power, such a thing would be impossible.

Countless people felt unbalanced, and even several members of the Inner Cabinet had grim expressions.

This official almost directly pointed at the New Emperor's nose and cursed him. Such behavior was no different from that of a tyrannical ruler. The Chu Emperor had been infallible throughout his life, and his only mistake was probably allowing the Prince of Yan to succeed him.

Having just ascended the throne, he was already making a mess of things. Not only did he fail to stabilize the great figure of the Supervisor, but he also established a National Preceptor to divide power.

By establishing the Xuan Tian Pavilion, he was excluding all civil and military officials. Within a few years, the Xuan Tian Pavilion would become the supreme authority.

The Great Chu Dynasty was highly likely to become a theocratic state.

At this moment.

An old man in a python robe, trembling slightly, stepped forward.

“It's Yang Jisheng, the veteran of three Dynasties.”

Everyone looked at the old man. This person had once served as the Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet. He was already an official when the Old Chu Emperor's father was on the throne, though at that time, he was merely a seventh-rank county magistrate.

He was a true veteran of three Dynasties, a contemporary of Zhu Gongliang, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, and one of the most Senior old officials in the current court, holding a nominal first-rank position.

After a slight bow, Yang Jisheng said, “Your Majesty, the Great Chu Dynasty is not a theocratic state. By establishing a National Preceptor and elevating divine power to a sacred altar, even if you successfully restrain the Supervisor and exclude him, what will it achieve? Although the Supervisor's Killing Intent is heavy, he only kills those who deserve to be killed, for the stability of our Great Chu's ten thousand people. As for this unknown National Preceptor, we know nothing about him.”

“When divine power has taken root, it will not be something Your Majesty can simply revoke with an imperial decree. To put it mildly, it is a violation of ancestral rules. To put it gravely, it is to change the foundation of the nation and subvert your Xiang family's own empire!”

Yang Jisheng's words startled everyone. They had expected this veteran of three Dynasties would not have anything good to say, but they didn't expect this Senior to speak so bluntly, without any pretense, not even bothering to act.

The Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet, Grand Secretary Liang Long, his face drastically changed, immediately rebuked, “Scholar Yang, shut up! Are you mad? How dare you utter such treasonous words!”

“You shut up! A junior who just became Grand Secretary of the Inner Cabinet, how dare you point fingers in front of me? When I was an official, your father wasn't even born.”

Yang Jisheng sternly rebuked, completely ignoring Grand Secretary Liang Long, and continued:

“As an Emperor, one must consider the overall situation, not personal gains or losses. Even if the Supervisor has offended you in the past, in this chaotic world, you should not seek private revenge.”

“You are no longer the Prince of Yan who vied for power; you are the New Emperor, bearing the responsibility of the nation. You must consider the countless subjects of Great Chu and must not treat it as a game…”

“Without peerless martial power to suppress, how can Your Majesty's empire be stable!”

“The late Emperor has just passed away, and Your Majesty is already changing the late Emperor's last wishes. This act is too disheartening.”

“I implore Your Majesty, withdraw your command!”

Bang!

Yang Jisheng's head heavily knocked against the main hall, bleeding profusely.

As these few words came out, all the officials present, whether they were the Ministers of the Six Ministries or other middle and high-ranking officials, broke out in cold sweat. This old Senior truly left no way out for himself.

Was he trying to die in remonstrance?

Everyone's gaze turned to the New Emperor.