Mirror Hongchen: Elder Kong, I think a hundred is the perfect age to strive for greatness!

Outside the Heavenly Screen, in the Hall of Bright Virtue.

Jing Hongchen was studying blueprints at his desk when the words "Hongchen Family" made him spring from his chair.

He stood frozen, his face slowly paling before anger surged across it.

"How could the Hongchen Family decline?"

He slammed a fist onto the desk, sending splinters flying. He had built the Hongchen Family with his own hands and paved its way forward. Even if something happened to his Hall of Bright Virtue in the future, the family should never have fallen into decline.

His chest heaved as he stared fixedly at the Heavenly Screen.

On the Heavenly Screen, Qian Renxue looked puzzled. "How glorious was the Hongchen Family once?"

"Jing Hongchen of the Hongchen Family was once dean of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy and master of the Hall of Bright Virtue. Back in the days of the Sun Moon Empire, he was practically the second most powerful man in Mingdu," Yin Hongye explained.

"Shame he was still too merciful." Irritation crept into his voice. "That cripple Xu Tianran? If it were me, I'd have deposed him ages ago. A useless man who can't even produce an heir—anyone could sit on that throne."

"Believe me, put any prince with Sun Moon Imperial Family blood on the throne, and Kong Deming wouldn't object. That old man is loyal to the Sun Moon Empire, not any particular emperor."

"Ministers and emperors stand on opposing sides to begin with. And Xu Tianran has a flaw that big! No heir! That means the greatest benefit they could hope for in the future is all but gone."

Xu Tianran went rigid at those words. Depose the emperor? Does he think my methods aren't ruthless enough?

"How dare you! You dare speak of deposing