11: Chapter 11 The world is in shock!

The pressure came quickly and left just as quickly.

The ten-thousand-foot Phantom of the Human Emperor in the sky dissipated like a hallucination.

Inside and outside the Golden Throne Hall, however, a deep silence fell.

"Huff, huff, huff..."

Heavy, rapid breathing became the only sound in the great hall.

Everyone remained in a prostrate position, sprawled on the ground.

No one dared to be the first to lift their head.

No one dared to be the first to stand up.

What had just happened had completely destroyed everything they were proud of.

An Innate expert, blown to pieces just like that.

The Phantom of the Human Emperor, appearing out of thin air.

This was not something a Mortal could understand.

This was a miracle.

It was also divine punishment.

Prime Minister Wei Yong lay at the very front of the officials, his aged face pressed against the cold floor tiles, his entire body trembling uncontrollably.

His mind was blank.

Only one thought echoed crazily.

It's over.

Everything is over.

The power he had spent a lifetime building, the court situation he thought he could play with in the palm of his hand, the cowardly royal family he looked down upon as something he could manipulate at will.

In front of that terrifying power just now, it was all a joke.

His actions, in the face of absolute power, appeared small and ridiculous.

Now, that giant had simply, impatiently, flicked his foot.

His sandcastle was shattered.

Along with his dignity as an ant, it was all shattered.

This was not a contest on the same dimension.

Great Xia Imperial Palace.

What kind of monster was hidden in here?

Just as Wei Yong was filled with terror, the sound of robes rustling rang out.

In this silence, it was exceptionally clear.

Everyone subconsciously looked toward the sound. Beside the dragon throne, the young Emperor Li Zhan was supporting himself on the armrests, his legs trembling as he struggled to stand up.

His face remained pale.

Cold sweat streamed down his forehead.

But his eyes were exceptionally bright.

The embarrassment, anger, and helplessness within them were gone.

Replacing them was ecstasy.

It was ecstasy from the bottom of his heart.

Grandfather.

It must be Grandfather who acted.

The vast heavenly might felt outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation that day was of the same origin as the Human Emperor's pressure just now.

So, this was Grandfather's true strength.

So, this was the true trump card of his Great Xia Li family.

To hell with the three hundred thousand troops, to hell with the empty national treasury.

With such an Immortal figure sitting in command, why worry about the barbarians not being destroyed, why worry about the world not being settled.

Li Zhan's back slowly straightened.

He stood on the high platform, his gaze sweeping slowly over the sprawled civil and military officials below.

When his gaze fell on Wei Yong, it carried mockery and indifference.

It was like looking at a dead object.

"My subjects, why are you still kneeling?"

Li Zhan's voice rang out, hoarse from exhaustion, yet possessing a true majesty.

"Is the court of Great Xia not worthy of you all standing to discuss matters?"

The officials below were startled, their faces turning pale with shock.

"Your Majesty, we dare not!"

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"

They scrambled to climb up from the ground, tidying their messy clothes and hats, each lowering their heads and avoiding their eyes, not daring to make a sound.

Those officials of the Wei faction who had just been mocking the Emperor and clamoring for peace and surrender now wished they could find a hole to crawl into.

The atmosphere of the entire court changed in an instant.

The previous sharp-tongued debate turned into silence.

Li Zhan was very satisfied with this effect.

He knew that from this moment on, no one in this court would dare to question a single word of his again.

Because everyone understood that the one truly in charge was not him, the Emperor.

It was that mysterious expert who could erase an Innate expert with one finger and summon the Phantom of the Human Emperor.

"I, what I said just now, still counts."

Li Zhan scanned the hall, his voice not loud, but firm.

"The imperial expedition will flatten the Black Wolf Royal Court."

This time, no one dared to object.

Those old generals who had been shaking their heads and sighing, thinking the Emperor was crazy, now stood straight, their eyes burning with fervor, as if they could already see the scene of the imperial army sweeping through the enemy.

As for Wei Yong and his cronies, they were all pale, heads bowed, lacking even the courage to meet his eyes.

An imperial expedition?

What a joke.

That was no imperial expedition; that was clearly a god descending to earth to clean up a bunch of ants.

Who dared to object?

Who still dared to object?

Were they not afraid of being the next one to be "blown" into a blood mist on the spot?

"Of course."

Li Zhan changed the subject, smiling meaningfully.

"This expedition will not be commanded by me personally."

He paused, his gaze passing over the great hall, looking toward the direction of Dragon Imperial Hall deep in the imperial palace, his expression full of reverence.

He deliberately raised his voice, declaring word by word:

"This expedition will be personally commanded by the guardian deity of our Great Xia, the Retired Emperor!"

As these words were spoken, the entire court was in an uproar.

The Retired Emperor?

That Li Xuan who had abdicated over twenty years ago, been forgotten by the world, and was rumored to be on his deathbed?

It was him?

That earth-shattering finger just now, that peerless Divine Might of the Phantom of the Human Emperor, was actually the work of that Retired Emperor?

In an instant, everyone understood.

Why the Emperor had suddenly issued an edict a few days ago for a discarded concubine from the Cold Palace to serve the Retired Emperor.

Why, after that day, the heavens had sent down the auspicious sign of the Dragon and Phoenix.

Why the Emperor, who had been cowardly for three years, had suddenly become so powerful and overbearing.

So that was it.

So the root of everything lay with that legendary Retired Emperor who had long ignored worldly affairs.

He was not a candle in the wind at all.

He was a living Immortal hiding behind the scenes, silently guarding Great Xia.

Thinking of this, all fear vanished from everyone's hearts, leaving only reverence and peace of mind.

Great Xia had a god.

Wei Yong's body swayed violently, almost collapsing.

Retired Emperor Li Xuan.

He repeated this name silently, feeling a chill throughout his body.

He had lost.

He had lost completely.

All his schemes and calculations were based on the premise that the royal family had no one left.

But he never expected that the royal family not only had someone, but that someone was a god, a monster.

He had schemed his whole life, only to find out in the end that he had been fighting against a god.

How ridiculous.

How sad.

Seeing Wei Yong's desperate face, Li Zhan felt a surge of pleasure.

But now was not the time to settle accounts with this old dog.

The urgent priority was to use the Divine Might established by Grandfather to take back military power from this group of national traitors.

His eyes turned cold, and he directly called out.

"Where is the Minister of War?!"

The named Minister of War trembled. This person was Wei Yong's trusted aide, and at this moment, his face was pale as he tremblingly walked out of the queue.

"I am here..."

"I order you to immediately reclaim the military tally from the commander of the Beijing Garrison, Sun Qi! Also, conduct a thorough investigation of the Shenwu Armory. Anyone who has embezzled or withheld military supplies, regardless of rank, is to be seized and executed on the spot!"

"Within three days, I want to see the food and weapons for the five hundred thousand troops fully prepared! If you cannot do it, you don't need to be Minister anymore!"

The Minister of War's legs went weak, almost kneeling.

This was not asking him to prepare military supplies; this was clearly asking him to cut off the Prime Minister's arms in the Beijing Garrison and the Armory.

He subconsciously looked at Wei Yong, his eyes filled with a plea for help.

However, Wei Yong at this moment was like a soul lost, head bowed, saying nothing, as if he hadn't heard.

The Minister of War's heart sank.

He knew that the Prime Minister could no longer protect him.

"I obey the decree!"

He spat out these words with difficulty, his entire person instantly wilting.

"General Zhang!"

Li Zhan looked again at the old general who had always advocated for war.

"This subject is here!"

The old general's spirits lifted, responding loudly.

"I appoint you as the Grand Marshal of the Northern Expedition, in charge of all military affairs for this rebellion suppression! I grant you the power to execute first and report later! From this moment on, mobilize the troops and set out!"

"This subject accepts the decree! I will not fail Your Majesty, and I will not fail the trust of the Retired Emperor!"

The old general was so moved he shed tears, kneeling heavily and kowtowing.

With Li Zhan's orders being issued one after another, a gap was torn in the power Wei Yong wielded over the court.

Throughout the process, no one dared to oppose.

The situation was settled.

This morning's court session was destined to be recorded in the history books of the Great Xia Divine Dynasty.

When the bell for the end of the court session rang and the officials walked out of the Golden Throne Hall in a daze, everyone was still in shock.

What happened in the hall today was too shocking, too subversive.

A name began to be respectfully and repeatedly muttered among these top-ranking nobles of Great Xia.

Li Xuan.

The name of the Retired Emperor that once only represented the past and old age.

From today on, it had a brand-new meaning.

It was Divine Might.

It was a taboo.

It was power that could not be fathomed.

It was the true guardian deity of Great Xia.