Pulling the Firewood from Beneath the Cauldron

Sima Sheng thoroughly enjoyed this feeling of having everything under control.

He manipulated the opinions of millions of people with ease, cornering the once-powerful Imperial Family, and even the all-powerful Prime Minister obeyed his every word.

This feeling of being in control of the Heaven and Earth and manipulating the winds and clouds captivated him, as if he were a chess player looking down on All Beings from the clouds.

Prime Minister Zhu Wuyuan in his confidant, his voice gentle yet filled with undisguised admiration:

"Sir, you are highly talented, insightful, and share the same ideals as me. You are truly my lifelong confidant."

If we can use this overwhelming force to force the Sheng Family to abdicate and return power to the people without bloodshed, we can establish a foundation for lasting peace.

The two of us will surely be remembered in history, our story passed down through the ages!

Upon hearing this, Sima Sheng felt even more pleased, but his face remained solemn as he cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards the sedan chair.

"Your Prime Minister, is ridiculously complimentary.

Throughout his life, Sima Yi deeply hated tyranny and harsh laws, viewed Imperial Authority as a shackle on the world, and considered the Sheng Family Eastern Sheng Tumor.

Today, I am able to join hands with the Prime Minister to overthrow this corrupt imperial system and seek a bright and clear Heaven and Earth for the hundreds of millions of people in the Eastern Sheng Kingdom. Even if it means being shattered to pieces, I will not hesitate.

Sima hereby swears that he will do his utmost to assist the Prime Minister, to cleanse the Heaven and Earth, and to restore justice to the land.

His voice wasn't loud, but it was clearly amplified throughout the square and beyond through a specially arranged Formation, ensuring everyone could hear his heartfelt words.

His words were impassioned and righteous.

Coupled with his refined, scholarly, and patriotic face, he instantly ignited the emotions stirred up in the square.

"These are the voices of Lord Sima and the Prime Minister."

Everyone turned around and looked at the alley where Sima Sheng and Zhu Wuyuan were.

Seeing that he had been discovered, Sima Sheng had no choice but to order his men to lift Xiao Jiao and carry her to the center of the crowd.

After a brief silence, the crowd erupted in even louder cheers and applause.

"Lord Sima is truly righteous, Prime Minister is truly righteous!"

"A role model for us all!"

"Overthrow tyranny and return power to the people!"

"Lord Sima is right!"

"As long as the Sheng Family stands, East Sheng will never be at peace."

The place was bustling with noise, a cacophony of voices.

Even inside the sedan chair, Zhu Wuyuan couldn't help but clap his hands gently in appreciation.

Sima Sheng stood before the crowd, basking in the glory of being the center of attention, feeling the overwhelming public support, and his sense of control was almost at its peak.

He appeared smug, but his mind was elsewhere:

"As long as I secretly manipulate this idiotic Prime Minister and this group of fools, I will definitely be able to find a way to get the Imperial Family to sign the Imperial Decree to Protect the King and fulfill the entrustment of the officials."

"I will never be like that fool who was skinned alive and dismembered three years ago, almost bringing the Sheng Family to extinction. He deserves to die."

Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Sima Sheng took a few more steps forward, getting even closer to Zhang Yu.

He no longer waved the feather fan lightly, but held it firmly in his hand, like an invisible sword of justice, pointing directly at Zhang Yu:

Sheng Yu...

Your Sheng family, the royal family, claims to be guardians, but in reality, you are tyrannical!

For millennia, under the guise of maintaining the seal and suppressing Yaomo Xianshen, the government has levied exorbitant taxes and squandered the national treasury.

"Of all that money and resources amassed by the people, how much was actually used for sealing, and how much was used to fill the insatiable greed of your Sheng Family?"

His voice was loud and clear, his words sharp, directly addressing the sensitive issue of the Imperial Family finances.

These words immediately resonated deeply with the crowd.

After all, heavy taxes and difficult living conditions are the most direct feelings of many people.

"This is one example: embezzlement of state funds and oppressive government policies are more ferocious than tigers!"

Without waiting for Zhang Yu's reply, nor needing one, Sima Sheng's momentum intensified, and he pointed his feather fan again:

Secondly, he is autocratic and acts arbitrarily, regarding the common people as insignificant as ants!

Sima Sheng's voice was filled with grief and indignation, as if he were issuing a tearful accusation on behalf of the entire world:

"Your Sheng Family claims to be guardians, but in reality, you act as dictators!"

Throughout history, countless monarchs have acted arbitrarily, causing countless tragedies.

In your eyes, the hundreds of millions of people of this Eastern Sheng Kingdom are nothing but ants and weeds, merely serving to maintain your rule and provide for your pleasures!

Fourthly,...

Fifthly,...

Sima Sheng spoke eloquently, listing all the crimes committed by the Imperial Family.

His words were so earnest, as if he had witnessed it firsthand and felt it personally.

Each statement he made elicited an even stronger response and roar from the crowd below.

"Abolish the monarchy! Return power to the people!"

"Abolish the monarchy! Return power to the people!"

Sima Sheng's highly inflammatory words reignited the emotions of the crowd in the square.

Murong Bai was ashen, and his body swayed precariously.

Zhang Yu, from beginning to end, simply stood there quietly, listening to Sima Sheng list out his crimes one by one.

He had no interest in verifying the authenticity of the evidence; it didn't matter whether it was true or false, because he was prepared to strike at the root of the problem.

On the Raised Platform, Zhang Yu, who had been silent the whole time, moved.

He didn't roar, he didn't defend himself, and there wasn't even much anger on his face.

Under the watchful eyes of millions, amidst Sima Sheng's confident smile, Zhu Wuyuan chair, and the despair in Murong Bai and the complex emotions in Murong Qiushui's—

A profound sense of grief and shame suddenly welled up on Zhang Yu's face.

"Gentlemen... you're right."

His voice was not loud, and even a little hoarse, but it carried clearly.

"My Sheng Family has indeed committed unforgivable crimes."

These words shocked the entire audience!

Even the thunderous roar of condemnation faltered.

Sima Sheng's smile froze, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Zhu Wuyuan was inside the sedan chair, also stopped clapping and stared intently at Zhang Yu through the gap in the curtain.

Zhang Yu seemed completely immersed in immense grief and self-blame.

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the dark mass of people below:

"Today, since the people consider my Sheng Family to be sinful, the source of all suffering in this Eastern Sheng Kingdom..."

"Then I will use this remaining body, with the last blood of the Sheng Family..."

"Apologize to the world!"

Before the words were even finished, to everyone's utter astonishment...

Zhang Yu suddenly drew a gleaming sword from his robes and thrust it towards his chest.

"Your Highness, you mustn't!"

Murong Bai let out a shrill roar, tears streaming down his face. He tried to rush forward, but was blocked by an invisible aura.

Zhang Lingyun's pupils contracted sharply, and her fingers instantly gripped the sword hilt, but she forcibly stopped herself.

Because Zhang Yu transmitted his voice. "Don't worry, someone can't bear to see me die, you don't need to do anything."

Zhu Wuyuan was in the sedan chair, could no longer remain calm. He suddenly lifted the curtain, revealing a well-maintained but excessively handsome face.

In the square, a million people stood in complete silence.

Everyone was stunned by this sudden, illogical, and unexpected "suicide."

The most outrageous was Sima Sheng.

The composure and smugness on his face vanished instantly, replaced by deathly paleness and utter terror!

The feather fan in his hand fell to the ground with a thud, and he was completely terrified.

This... this isn't right!

That's not how the script was written!

You shouldn't be arguing your case, crying your eyes out, using threats or bribes, or... in short, you shouldn't just slit your own throat right away!

Aren't you even going to offer a few words of explanation?

"No! Stop!"

Subconsciously, Sima Sheng let out a shrill cry, his voice distorted, completely devoid of the refined composure he had displayed moments before.

Without a second thought, he moved with lightning speed, heading towards the Raised Platform to try and stop them.

How could he be a righteous man who speaks out for the people and hates tyranny?

His true identity is one of the Proxy of the Twelve Immortals.

Those twelve were bound by Ancient Oath to remain in the world, so they could only secretly support Proxy to do things for them.

Sima Sheng's goal was never simply to force the last bloodline of the Sheng Family to their deaths, as that would ensure their master would never have a chance to rise again.

What he wanted was to completely dismantle Zhang Yu's defenses through gradual pressure, psychologically, in terms of public opinion, and in terms of strength, ideally to gain control of him and then obtain the Imperial Decree to Protect the King.

If today, in this grand drama orchestrated by him, a million people's vote to force Zhang Yu to abdicate, he were truly driven to commit suicide on the spot, and the Sheng Family bloodline would be extinguished...

Sima Sheng felt his Divine Soul freeze at the mere thought of the consequences.

The tragic fate of the previous Proxy uncontrollably flashed through his mind.

The Proxy orchestrated the upheaval three years ago, but ultimately failed to obtain the crucial Imperial Decree to Protect the King support the emperor, and nearly wiped out the Sheng Family.

As a result... his Soul Extraction and Refining by the enraged Twelve Immortals, his skin peeled off and his bones dismembered. It is said that his mournful cries echoed outside the Immortal cave abode for three whole years.

The mere mention of that scene was enough to keep anyone who knew about it awake at night.

And now, Sima Sheng has actually forced the only bloodline of the Sheng Family to commit suicide in public?

If Zhang Yu really dies, his fate will definitely be worse than that of the Proxy.

Extreme fear, like a cold, venomous snake, instantly coiled around Sima Sheng's heart and choked his throat.

All the fame that would be remembered in history, all the glory of assisting a wise ruler, all the exhilaration of controlling the Heaven and Earth —all vanished in the face of the ruthless methods of the Twelve Immortals.

He had only one thought in his mind: he had to save Zhang Yu.