Within the Nine-Bay Hall, the officials whispered among themselves.
They were deeply worried.
The nobles, led by the King of Shu, had not come with good intentions!
Not only had they traveled vast distances to present their petitions in Chaoge, but they also controlled public discourse and used newspapers to drum up support.
The officials were puzzled, too. Elsewhere might have been another matter, but in Chaoge, united as a solid slab of iron, King Zhou could easily have suppressed everything with brute authority. Yet he had not.
Not only that, he had granted the nobles permission to enter court and submit their petitions, seemingly prepared to accept their accusations in public.
He had not delayed even half a day or refused to see them. Instead, he met them head-on.
Perhaps this was what it meant for a sovereign to shoulder his responsibilities?
Still, the ministers could not help feeling sorry for him.
Who did not know that King Zhou, seated behind his desk today, would face a storm of criticism?
Yet there was nothing they could do.
The Imperial Carriage arrived.
King Zhou wore not his usual Imperial Robe, but a full, neatly fitted suit of armor.
Its golden plates resembled fish scales, with a dragon and phoenix setting each other off on the breastplate. Golden beast-head pauldrons adorned his shoulders, trimmed with red tassels, and even his arms and hands were clad in gold. Golden phoenix wings and an elaborate plume crowned his helmet, while gold-woven brocade lined the armor.
In short, beneath its splendor lurked an air of deadly menace.
Why had he donned a helmet and armor?
Shang Rong's heart suddenly tightened.
Armor was only needed on a battlefield. King Zhou clearly regarded today's court session as a battlefield!
Shang Rong was not worried about King