Murong Ziheng arrived at the Hall of Political Affairs early and walked around the imperial throne, as if appraising a treasure. He touched the throne and, seeing that it was still early and no one was in the hall, he sat down.
Sitting on the imperial throne felt much better than he had imagined. Looking down from a high vantage point, everything below was within his sight. No wonder everyone wanted to be emperor, sitting on the high imperial throne, as if the whole world was within his grasp.
Murong Ziheng couldn't help but laugh: "All ministers, rise."
"Ziheng, do you also want to be emperor?" A low voice sounded as if by his ear, startling Murong Ziheng and causing him to tumble off the imperial throne.
"No, I don't. I just saw some dust on it and was wiping it clean." He said, pulling at his sleeve and rubbing the armrest of the throne.
Xiao Man snorted and walked out: "Have you wiped it clean?"
Murong Ziheng nodded frantically. Upon realizing the voice sounded wrong, he looked up and saw Xiao Man. He pointed at Xiao Man with trembling fingers: "You… how are you here?"
Xiao Man walked past Murong Ziheng and sat directly on the imperial throne, looking down at the kneeling Murong Ziheng: "Tell me, why is朕 here?"
Murong Ziheng's heart skipped a beat. Kneeling on his legs, he wondered if Xiao Man had already captured Jinling without him realizing it. Had Murong Shengrui asked him to handle state affairs so he would be a scapegoat?
No, that was impossible. If Xiao Man had truly captured Jinling, the city would not be so calm. "You snuck in!"
Xiao Man crossed her legs and looked at Murong Ziheng with amusement: "So what?"
Murong Ziheng's eyes darted around. He scrambled up and bolted for the exit, but in his haste, he tripped and fell. He scrambled to the door, yanked it open, and shouted: "Guards! Quick, guards, catch the assassin!"
Outside the door were a group of court officials. Seeing the door open, they all walked in, none of them paying attention to Murong Ziheng, and took their seats in their respective positions.
"Greetings to Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty, long live, long live."
Murong Ziheng stared at the officials in shock: "Are you blind? The one sitting up there is not His Majesty, but the Empress of Blue Moon, Xiao Man!"
"Insolent child, how dare you offend His Majesty! Guards, drag him away."
Xiao Man waved her hand, signaling them not to bother, and watched Murong Ziheng as if he were a clown. When she had fallen into Murong Shengrui's trap, she had also wanted to struggle, but she had ultimately given up. She was no match for him and was willing to admit defeat. But now that she had returned, she would not let herself be defeated again.
"Welcome Your Majesty back to court." Lord Lu, who was usually the most smooth-talking, shouted loudly.
The court officials echoed: "Welcome Your Majesty back to court."
Murong Ziheng was completely stunned. He didn't understand what was happening and quickly grabbed the closest minister: "Are you all crazy? Look carefully, look carefully at who she is!"
The man shook off Murong Ziheng: "Your Highness Prince Song, we are very clear about who is sitting up there, but you may not be. Do you know who you are?"
"Where is His Majesty? I want to see His Majesty," Murong Ziheng said excitedly. "Xiao Man, if you dare to attack Yunqi, Yushan and Bei Rong will not stand idly by."
Xiao Man's expression was calm: "朕 has already reached an agreement with Nangong Yu. Bei Rong belongs to him, and Yunqi belongs to朕."
"Yunqi is not yours. Do you want it? Have you asked His Majesty? Have you asked all these court officials? Have you asked the people of the world?"
"My dear ministers, do you agree?" Xiao Man looked at all the officials and asked softly.
"Your subjects agree."
"Where is Lord Qu? Where is General Xiahou? They will not agree." Murong Ziheng anxiously searched the crowd and suddenly spotted Commander Zhao. He immediately lunged forward and grabbed Zhao's arm: "Commander Zhao, His Majesty treated you well. How can you betray His Majesty?"
Commander Zhao looked straight ahead and pulled his arm away from Murong Ziheng: "Your Highness Prince Song, please conduct yourself with dignity."
Murong Ziheng scanned the court officials, but not a single one looked at him, as if they had all been bewitched and only recognized Xiao Man as their master. She was just a woman. Even if she wielded great power in Blue Moon, this was Yunqi, a man's world!
"You, dignified men, are actually willing to submit to a woman. You are truly spineless!"
"Is Prince Song's backbone very hard?" someone asked softly.
"At least, this prince will not submit to a woman."
"Your Majesty, our country has a punishment called bone-crushing. It involves smashing all of a person's bones with a hammer. Since Prince Song's integrity is so great, why not test how hard his bones are?"
Murong Ziheng shivered and quickly looked at Xiao Man. Xiao Man's face was expressionless, and her eyes revealed no emotion, but Murong Ziheng's heart sank to the bottom.
He saw her crimson lips, as red as rose petals, part slightly, and she spoke clearly: "Granted."
These two short words decided Murong Ziheng's fate. Murong Ziheng wanted to beg for mercy, but the words wouldn't come out. He wanted to curse, but he was so terrified his tongue had gone stiff, and he couldn't utter a single word, only staring at Xiao Man with desperate eyes.
He suddenly remembered the scene from many years ago when Empress Dowager Dugu had let him leave Jinling. He clearly remembered Empress Dowager Dugu telling him never to return to Jinling. Once he returned, he would never be able to leave Jinling again.
"Who are you?" As he was being dragged out of the Hall of Political Affairs, Murong Ziheng finally managed to speak. He desperately resisted the floor, struggling forward, "Who are you?"
"I am I, the one who can make the world tremble." Xiao Man said unhurriedly. "I told you, don't come back to Jinling once you leave, otherwise, you will never be able to leave Jinling again."
Murong Ziheng was completely stunned. He finally understood why he had felt a sense of déjà vu when he saw Xiao Man, why he had feared Xiao Man from the bottom of his heart. Because this person was the one he had always feared!
But, wasn't she dead? She had died in the fire at Shou Kang Palace, died in Murong Shengrui's schemes. Why was she still alive? And why had she become Xiao Man, the Empress of Blue Moon? How many things had she planned? And how many people had become her pawns?
Had she really fallen into Murong Shengrui's trap back then? Or was all of this her own plan? Had she and Murong Shengrui never fallen out? Had she simply retreated behind the scenes, changed her identity, and returned to Murong Shengrui's side?
No, it wasn't like that. She was after the throne, after the world. It was likely that Murong Shengrui was now like meat on a chopping block, at Xiao Man's mercy!
"You are truly a terrifying schemer!"