The grand court assembly had been convened in haste and dismissed even more hastily.
It began at the hour of the pig and had already ended by the third quarter of that hour.
The assembled ministers left the palace one by one, their faces dark as water. Some ambitious men thought over what had happened at court and made up their minds.
In less than an hour, Xu Xiao had killed nearly thirty high-ranking Northern Song officials and given the assembled ministers a fierce dressing-down.
Now that court had been dismissed and the officials had withdrawn, Xu Xiao headed for the inner palace with the three women and the young emperor, attended by palace servants.
In principle, no man other than the emperor was permitted to enter a place like the inner palace.
But there was nothing to be done about it. Xu Xiao held the reins of principle.
Fortunately, Zhao Xu was still young, and there were few consorts in the inner palace, so there was no need to worry about anything like Dong Zhuo's debauchery in the inner palace occurring.
Besides, Xu Xiao had not come to the inner palace merely to find somewhere to stay. More than that, he was there to protect the young emperor.
"Lord Xu, is it true what you said about them coming to rebel?"
As they walked through the inner palace, the young emperor Zhao Xu still found it hard to believe what Xu Xiao had just whispered to him.
"Of course. You didn't think I could reclaim your power just by killing a few people at court and threatening them, did you?"
Xu Xiao wore an expression that said it was only natural.
"But didn't they already agree to all your demands?" Zhao Xu still didn't quite understand.
It wasn't just him. A Zhu and the other two women were also somewhat puzzled. In the end, Wang Yuyan wrapped her arms around Xu Xiao's arm and spoke coquettishly:
"Come on, tell us."
Women learned such things quickly. In particular, after accepting Xu Xiao, each of them had put herself in the right position.
The Military Command Commissioner commanded all the troops under heaven. How was that any different from being emperor?
Forget talk of not caring about status for love's sake. That was because you hadn't seen hundreds of officials kneel and pay their respects to you in Daqing Hall.
Power was a poison, and it targeted men and women alike.
"All right, I'll explain it to you."
Xu Xiao could only give in and explain. He began by asking the young emperor a question.
"Do you know why you became emperor?"
"Because I'm of Zhao Song blood and the heir to Great Song," Zhao Xu answered without even thinking.
"Then do you know what an emperor's job is?"
"To inherit my ancestors' legacy, protect the realm, and pass Great Song's dominion down." Zhao Xu answered just as quickly.
"Oh? Then do you know how to do that?" Xu Xiao asked in return.
This time, Zhao Xu didn't answer quickly. He first nodded, then shook his head.
Seeing him like this, Xu Xiao asked in return:
"Forget it. I suppose that's where you stand. Has no one taught you how to maintain a balance at court or weigh the interests of the different factions?"
"They have, but I've only just begun." Zhao Xu looked a little embarrassed.
Born into the imperial family, he naturally had people specifically assigned to teach him the arts of rulership. Not only that, there were also the experiences left behind by generations of emperors for him to study.
But to someone his age, schemes and politics were absolutely the dullest things imaginable. Though he had studied them, he was still some way from understanding and putting them to practical use.
"All right, then I'll say a little more.
"The reason you became emperor is that your Zhao family held military power and commanded strength back then. That's why you were able to inherit the legacy your ancestors left behind.
"You've been emperor, so you know an emperor can't simply do whatever he wants. You need to discuss matters and compromise with the ministers and noble clans to achieve your aims.
"Fundamentally, the emperor is no different from the ministers. You're all members of the ruling class in Great Song; the only difference is how much power each of you holds.
"And the emperor could be you or someone else from your Zhao family. He wouldn't even have to be a Zhao.
"Today, I killed so many high officials in the hall, and you think they'll submit. But would you believe they're thinking of replacing you as emperor?"
"Why?!" Zhao Xu listened to Xu Xiao, puzzlement showing on his face.
He didn't understand why, after the chicken had been killed to warn the monkeys, these people would still be thinking of replacing him.
Weren't they afraid that he-or rather, Xu Xiao standing before him-would kill them too?
"Because the balance of interests has been upset. Fundamentally, both the emperor and the ministers live off the offerings of the people under heaven. They're all supported by them.
"And you haven't shown them any means of making them willingly cough up the benefits already in their hands.
"Of course, it's also because those fellows haven't seen what I can do, so they're still clinging to a trace of delusion."
Zhao Xu fell into thought. The reason he obeyed Xu Xiao was also that his own safety lay in Xu Xiao's hands.
Moreover, he had personally witnessed Xu Xiao's various immortal-like methods and couldn't muster the slightest thought of resistance.
But the ministers at court were different. Although Xu Xiao's decisive killing had frightened them, that was only temporary.
Xu Xiao had never displayed a power they could not resist before them, so these people would never let the matter rest.
They could contend with a young emperor by brainwashing him and relying on the network of connections they had cultivated over many years.
But Xu Xiao, who had suddenly appeared, was different.
The Military Command Commissioner stood above all officials and commanded all the troops under heaven. Moreover, he had begun by killing decisively and intended to take the ministers' benefits to establish his own office and household.
No one would willingly cough up benefits already in their hands. To keep them, they would stop at nothing.
They might rebel, for instance, or install another emperor and return to an arrangement in which the ruler and scholar-officials governed the realm together.
After all, the saying was that the ruler and scholar-officials governed the realm together; it didn't say they had to remain blindly loyal to one ruler. History was full of such cases.
"Don't worry. For the sake of my own plans, I'll keep you alive too.
"Only after we make it through tonight's ordeal will the proposals from court just now truly take effect, and only then can power be reclaimed into our hands."
Seeing Zhao Xu grow more frightened the more he thought about it, Xu Xiao offered him some reassurance.
Children simply lacked experience. What was there to be afraid of?
Those high officials and great families would have only tonight to resist, and their methods would amount to nothing more than meeting force with force.
Once Xu Xiao shattered their delusions with absolute power and the edicts were issued throughout the country tomorrow, the dust would settle on everything.
As for the forces those people could mobilize, Xu Xiao could have guessed them with his backside.
They would be no more than a few people from the jianghu or some troops. In an ancient world like this, the methods available to them were limited to those.
"Send a few trusted men to convey an order to the imperial guards at the camp outside the city. Tell them not to act rashly; they need only sit back and watch.
"While you're at it, see which imperial guards obey you as emperor and which are beyond your control.
"I'll take action personally and show them what irresistible power looks like."
"Understood." Zhao Xu nodded.