"The entire Northern Border is in chaos now. Those rebels with white cloths tied around their heads are all but holding their blades to my throat."
"Never mind those traitorous ministers and rebels in the south. But the northern aristocratic clans—when has Great Zhou ever mistreated you? Great Zhou has nurtured you with its grace for six thousand years, and this is how you repay me?"
"Or are you preparing to find yourselves a new master?"
The ministers lowered their heads, cold sweat pouring off them. They hardly dared to breathe.
Anyone who dared lift his head now would be courting death.
"Speak! Aren't you all silver-tongued on any other day?!"
The emperor roared hysterically.
He was not afraid of the World-Purifying Cult rebelling.
What frightened him was the wavering allegiance of the northern aristocratic clans.
After all, the northern aristocratic clans were Great Zhou's foundation.
It was their support that had allowed Great Zhou to hold its rule over the realm securely.
And Great Zhou's rewards for them had been substantial.
For six thousand years, the northern aristocratic clans had stood above their southern counterparts. That alone was proof.
But now?
The Yong Province Sui Clan, one of the leading northern aristocratic clans, had not even bothered to keep up appearances. It had defected outright to the rebels of the World-Cleansing Evil Cult.
Could it be...
That the northern aristocratic clans, seeing Great Zhou's allotted days drawing to an end, were preparing to support a new representative of their interests?
That was something the emperor absolutely could not tolerate now.
Beneath the emperor's towering fury...
The head of all the officials...
The reigning Prime Minister Wen, who had kept his eyes closed and his head bowed like an old monk deep in meditation, slowly opened his shrewd, wise old