"Since ancient times, a ruler's heart has been like Heaven's heart, untouched by the sorrows and joys of the mortal world!"
Chongxuan Sheng, who kept claiming he had spoken out of turn, refused to share the unspoken understanding of the wise with Jiang Wang. He continued speaking out of turn like a fool.
"They supported your presiding over this Yellow River Assembly for all manner of reasons. But I think they all shared one premise—they believed their rule would not be shaken, certain that the status of the Hegemon States would stand firm for a thousand autumns."
"But now, people keep telling them that this certainty has already been shaken."
"The most dangerous thing about this is not whether it is true, but whether it has already become a consensus in people's eyes."
He watched the crisscrossing trails of rainbow light left by meteors constantly streaking across the heights. "Even if the emperors do not think so, they will probably end up weighing it this way. Because power, too, is a product of consensus."
"Putting on a show onstage really ain't easy work. My face was stiff from smiling up there, my mouth tasted like birdshit, and my whole body felt wrong." The Demon Ape could not sit still. Even sprawled on his back, he kept twisting left and right, working his limbs. "Next time, I'll go myself, damn whether the waters run high or low! Let all-under-heaven condemn me or praise me—there'll only be this one time, I reckon!"
Chongxuan Sheng fell silent for a moment. "Did you tell all the emperors?"
"I stated my case long ago!" the Demon Ape shouted with great confidence. "At most, I'll emphasize it one more time."
The Marquis of Bowang lay evenly spread across his recliner. "But if you only speak of