Chapter 113: Forcing the Throne

Howling, cold ribbons of rain lashed against the roof tiles in front of the palace.

The silk curtains fluttered wildly, and the eunuchs and palace maids scurried about, frantically closing the windows one by one. A pair of eyes, deep and dark as abyssal pools, watched their busy figures in silence. Slender, alabaster fingers rested lightly on the delicate porcelain lid of a teacup, stirring the liquid with a thoughtful, rhythmic motion—once, then again.

The windows were finally secured. The servants bowed slightly to him and retreated from the room.

Emperor Tianjue lifted his gaze to the torrential rain, which pounded against the lattice like heavy fists. He fell into a momentary silence.

"Your Majesty..." a voice came from behind.

His eyelashes fluttered. He turned to see the person standing behind him and offered a faint smile. "You have come."

The person standing there had not yet shed her armor. Her head and body were damp from the rain, and her expression was solemn. It was Kai Ming, who had just been appointed to the rank of general.

Emperor Tianjue gestured for her to sit, but she did not comply, keeping her eyes locked on his face. "What does Your Majesty mean by this?"

"What?" He arched an eyebrow, feigning ignorance of her implication.

Kai Ming said anxiously, "Why strip Da Yin of her military rank, only to appoint me to the very same position? Isn't this clearly meant to make me take her place?"

"Do you know how many generals there are in the entire nation?" Emperor Tianjue sneered. "Besides, could you ever truly take her place?"

*Indeed, I cannot,* she muttered to herself. *At the very least, I cannot replace her as your lover and bear your children.*

"Do not overthink it. Just do your job well." He turned back, looking once more at the storm raging outside the window. "If this is all you have to say, you may leave."

"Your Majesty!" she said, her voice strained. "In the battle at the Northern Palace, Kai Ming neither captured Ying Huo nor secured the palace territory for Your Majesty. I have achieved no merit and performed no service. I beg Your Majesty to rescind this appointment!"

Emperor Tianjue replied coldly, "If you have no merit, then is it to be assumed that all credit belongs to Dai Yuheng? Do you want me to grant the title of general to him instead?"

Kai Ming said urgently, "That is not what I meant..."

"Kai Ming, why are you so nervous about me granting you the rank of general?"

*It is all because of Da Yin, of course!* she thought to herself, though she could not bring herself to say it aloud.

As if reading her mind, Emperor Tianjue continued where her thoughts left off, "If it is because of Da Yin, there is no need for you to be this way."

"Ah?" She was stunned, staring blankly at the Emperor. Could this man also read minds?

Her lips twitched slightly. "But Your Majesty also bestowed a luxurious mansion upon me..."

"A luxurious mansion?" Emperor Tianjue smiled faintly. "Are you referring to the residence I granted you? You are a general; you must have a manor that befits your status, lest the Central Palace appear too stingy."

She stood there with her mouth agape, unable to speak. Although she had envied Da Yin’s grand estate when she first saw it, and though she had longed for a home of her own—especially in the capital where land was worth its weight in gold—the prospect of obtaining such a house under these circumstances made her feel deeply uneasy.

If she were expected to trade her freedom and her life for a useless house, she would rather not have it at all.

"Your Majesty..."

"If you continue to decline, it will only make you appear hypocritical." Emperor Tianjue swiftly cut off her attempt at refusal. She could only sigh. "Your Majesty is driving me into a dead end."

"I am merely guiding you, General Kai Ming, onto the correct path." Emperor Tianjue turned to look at her, his smile bright. "It seems General Kai Ming is not a foolish person after all."

"Anyone can see that!" Matters having reached this point, she felt helpless, and her tone turned somewhat flippant. "By giving me a title and a manor, anyone would assume I have defected to Your Majesty’s side. I fear the assassins from the Dai manor will be at my door tonight. I beg Your Majesty to help me collect my remains tomorrow morning."

Emperor Tianjue could not help but laugh. "What kind of talk is that? Since I have appointed you, I will naturally provide guards to ensure your safety. Rest assured, General Kai Ming, I guarantee not a single hair on your head will be harmed tonight."

"Only tonight?" she asked, feeling quite aggrieved.

Emperor Tianjue intentionally stiffened his face. "Do you expect me to protect you for your entire life? You are not my consort!"

Realizing she had overstepped, she quickly acknowledged his words.

Emperor Tianjue’s expression softened slightly. "Kai Ming, I heard that during your pursuit of Ying Huo, you obtained the Northern Palace’s National Policy Pearl?"

"Eh?" At his reminder, Kai Ming’s heart skipped a beat. She stammered, "Who... who is the one spreading such rumors? Your Majesty should not listen to such nonsense."

"Nonsense?" Emperor Tianjue sneered. "I heard that General Kai Ming displayed the National Policy Pearl in front of thousands of troops. Why was it not presented to me upon your return to the Central Palace? Could it be that you, General, have embezzled it?"

"Your Majesty, there is absolutely no embezzlement! Why would I want that useless glass ball?" She quickly covered her mouth, realizing her slip of the tongue. Sure enough, Emperor Tianjue’s eyes turned sharp. "A glass ball? If you have never seen it, General, why do you know it is a glass ball?"

"Sigh, I will tell the truth." Kai Ming had no choice but to confess honestly. "The Northern Palace’s pearl was indeed obtained, but it was taken by Dai Yuheng."

"Dai Yuheng?" Emperor Tianjue said coldly. "I knew it. He insisted on serving as the military supervisor for this expedition to the Northern Palace without good intentions. It seems he was aiming for the National Policy Pearl all along."

*He has long coveted those pearls. Your Majesty must find a way to punish him!* Recalling how Yuheng had crushed the pearl and injured his hand, she felt a sense of spite.

"Does Dai Yuheng desire the five palace pearls?" Emperor Tianjue shifted his gaze toward the chaotic scene outside the window and sank into deep thought again.

The wick of the candle crackled and popped. The heavy curtains swayed gently as the cool breeze slipped through the cracks in the window. Emperor Tianjue sat silently on the pear-wood chair, watching everything before him.

The room he sat in was enclosed and dim. The side wall was painted with a pattern of a divine bird—the rebirth of the Vermilion Bird, depicted so vividly that it seemed to drift and shift in the flickering candlelight. Before him sat a circular tray with five slots. Four were empty, and only the center slot held a transparent bead.

On the face of the bead, a large character, sharp and poised, seemed ready to leap off the surface.

"Tell me," he murmured, staring at the bead. "Is there really a national policy? Or is it just an absurd rumor? One Dai Huang has already caused me endless headaches; if you dare to toy with me further, I will see you all crushed to dust!"

"Who does Your Majesty wish to see crushed to dust?" An insidious voice suddenly came from behind. Emperor Tianjue’s seated frame shuddered, and he shifted his gaze to the side with a hint of panic.

"Who is it? How dare you break into the Divine Hall without an imperial decree!"

A figure emerged from the shadows. The normally arrogant back bent in a symbolic bow. "Your humble servant, Dai Huang."

"Dai... Minister Dai? Why have you come so late at night?" Emperor Tianjue’s tone carried a trace of unease.

Dai Huang caught the strangeness in his voice and grinned. "I have some unresolved questions that I wish to consult with Your Majesty."

"Whatever the matter, let us discuss it tomorrow!" Emperor Tianjue composed himself and waved his sleeve. "I am tired. Eunuch Chen..."

When no one answered his call, Emperor Tianjue said angrily, "Where have these dogs hidden themselves to slack off when I need them?"

"It is not that they are slacking off, Your Majesty." Dai Huang lifted his head, the dancing candlelight moving across his rigid face. "It is that they cannot come."

Emperor Tianjue rose abruptly and turned to look at him. "Dai Huang, what do you mean by this?"

Dai Huang shook his head and sighed. "The reason your humble servant has done this is that Your Majesty has pushed people too far."

Emperor Tianjue furrowed his brows tightly.

Dai Huang paced around him, his eyes never leaving him. "Does Your Majesty remember the struggle for the throne back then? The battle was so brutal. If I had not wholeheartedly supported Your Majesty, how would you have achieved your current glory? Over these past few years, I have been loyal and devoted, working myself to the bone to cultivate Your Majesty into the wise monarch you are today..."

Emperor Tianjue’s eyes followed his movements, his brows knitting tighter and tighter.

"But how has Your Majesty treated me?" Dai Huang leaned closer, and Emperor Tianjue’s face darkened instantly.

"Dai Huang, you are too audacious!"

The expression on Dai Huang’s face was complex, a mixture of love and hate. "I treated Your Majesty like my own beloved son, raising you with such care for so many years. I watched you grow into a grand and imposing Emperor, thinking I would have someone to rely on in my old age. But who would have thought—alas!"

At the sound of a sigh, a clanging noise erupted outside the door. Soldiers armed with spears and blades swarmed in, surrounding the two of them completely.

Emperor Tianjue’s face changed drastically. "Dai Huang, how bold you are, daring to bring troops into my Divine Hall!"

"Your Majesty." Dai Huang bowed to him, lifted his face, and smiled sinisterly. "Since Your Majesty is so obtuse, your humble servant has no choice but to force a coup."

"A coup?!" Emperor Tianjue was shocked. "Do you intend to usurp the throne?"

Dai Huang smiled cordially. "I have had designs on the imperial throne for more than a day or two; Your Majesty should know that best."

"Are you not afraid of the world’s scorn? Are you not afraid that my people will rise up and attack you?" Emperor Tianjue’s body trembled; Dai Huang was being far too brazen.

Dai Huang straightened his posture and chuckled. "I fear the scorn of the people, which is why I allowed Your Majesty to reign as a peaceful Emperor for so many years. But the situation is different now. The five palaces will go to war sooner or later. Once I pacify them and obtain the National Policy Pearls, I will naturally have the brilliant strategies to govern. Whoever occupies the highest seat should be the one who is wise, and the people will see it with their own eyes. Do you think I am right, Your Majesty?"

"As for those loyalists of yours..." Dai Huang paused intentionally, leaving Emperor Tianjue in a state of great tension before continuing slowly, "...they have already been confined to their own manors by me. It is absolutely impossible for them to come to Your Majesty’s aid."

Emperor Tianjue stepped back, his heart pounding. "Dai Huang, you are determined to succeed tonight, aren't you?"

"That is exactly what I intended," Dai Huang grinned, showing his teeth. "I must ask for Your Majesty’s cooperation; otherwise, I fear I may have to overstep the bounds of the ruler-subject etiquette."

"Scoundrel!" Emperor Tianjue slapped the back of the pear-wood chair with force. "Dai Huang, I have always been diligent and kept to my duties. Why have you forced me to this point?"

"Your Majesty, your only mistake is that you were too eager for quick success. With one Da Yin gone, another Kai Ming has arrived. Your Majesty, are you really so eager to keep the military power in your own hands?" Dai Huang laughed. "You should understand that one mountain can never contain two tigers!"