How to Deal with This

Ji Lie had been thrown into a foul mood by one unexpected turn after another. He asked coldly, "How much longer?"

No matter what, he couldn't send a substitute to the Heaven-Sacrificing Ascension Ceremony and receive the court officials' congratulations.

The chief red-robed supervisor replied, "Two quarters of an hour. However, there are still criminals who must be executed in full view of the public. Their blood must be used to make offerings to Heaven and Earth, so Your Majesty must be present to oversee the executions."

The condemned were Yuan Qinghua and the others. Xu Yi had escaped, but Yuan Qinghua and the rest had paid the price. They had been kept alive only for today's ceremony.

"Just execute them already. They're mere ants. Why should I be bothered?"

Ji Lie had never thought much of people like Yuan Qinghua, who had been gathered as a flimsy cover to save the royal court's face. Besides, the secret discussion was at a critical juncture. Compared with that, the tedious ascension ceremony seemed dreadfully dull.

The chief red-robed supervisor gaped. He had never imagined that this new emperor would neglect his duties so badly before even ascending the throne.

Everything was ready, and the proceedings had all been arranged. It wasn't so easy to change them now.

The chief red-robed supervisor was about to try again when a Golden Armored General came striding into the hall. Ji Lie's face darkened at once. "What is it now?"

The crushing pressure forced the Golden Armored General to stagger and collapse to the ground. He hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, Marquis Anqing arrived with an edict from the Empress Dowager and took away all the prisoners from the execution grounds. I sent men to stop him, but Marquis Anqing wounded them instead. His