Could killing Wuyou really count as a minor matter?
The people present were either Shen Tang's trusted confidants or capable officials she relied on. Naturally, they knew she had two Literary Qi Incarnations that she had let roam free for years. These two incarnations were particularly unusual; they could operate independently of her for long periods. Aside from Zixu, whose whereabouts were known, few knew where Wuyou was. The court officials who knew the truth never dared let their guard down, and often warned their families and students to be careful.
Some officials even privately gave their good-for-nothing sons a stern talking-to: "You may be a useless lump of mud that can't be lifted onto a wall, but you'd better be a law-abiding lump of mud. The foundation of all the riches and honors you enjoy is your father. Get in my way, and you'll ruin your own future."
They could spend every day eating, drinking, and having fun, but they mustn't abuse the family name, break the law, or treat human lives like grass. Who knew whether their Sovereign's incarnation was lurking in some out-of-the-way corner, watching coldly? Other rulers spent every day cooped up in their royal courts, relying entirely on local officials to report what happened outside. Even the wisest monarch could let down their guard and grow benighted. But their Kang Sovereign was different.
She went everywhere in disguise, and had the Censorate conduct inspections and supervision throughout the realm. And the Censorate had Cui Xiao, who appeared and disappeared like a ghost.
To officials, all this was a tightening headband on a monkey.
When Tang Sanzang chanted the tightening spell, it could make the Monkey King writhe in pain. When their ruler chanted it, she could make someone's brains burst right out of their skull.