Given the current state of the Eastern Sheng Kingdom, the Imperial Family had long wielded its authority over the people, and the common folk had grown to loathe the Sheng Family.
Heavy taxes and endless corvée, on top of years of war, had turned all their fury toward the Imperial Family's incompetence and corruption.
Getting these subjects to sincerely support Zhang Yu's ascension was no different from asking the impossible.
Sure enough, as soon as Zhu Wuyuan finished speaking, Murong Bai was the first to lose his temper. He leaped to his feet and berated him:
"Zhu Wuyuan, you're utterly shameless.
"This is plainly deliberate obstruction. You've intentionally set a condition that can never be met, just to drive Your Highness to his doom."
Zhu Wuyuan's expression darkened, but he did not get angry. Instead, he retorted with righteous conviction:
"Lord Murong, you're mistaken.
"To rule the Eastern Sheng Kingdom and command its people, one must have their approval. Without it, one's claim to the throne is neither proper nor justified.
"Tell me, if you can't even win the hearts of your own subjects, how can you sit securely on the Dragon Throne?
"Isn't that only right and proper?"
He shifted the focus of his words, swept his gaze across the plaza, then looked toward the countless people from prefectures and provinces shown on the Image Jade Tokens. He called out, "Everyone, am I right?"
"Right!"
"Of course!"
"Prime Minister, you speak the truth!"
Hundreds of millions of people answered almost in unison, their voices surging like a tide, so powerful that the clouds trembled.
They had no idea that Zhu Wuyuan had carefully guided them to this response. They only felt his words were forceful and self-evidently right.
Private discussions rose and fell through the crowd:
"We'll never support