Mu Qinghe, seeing his Master ask, began to recount with great grievance how, over the past few months, the Imperial Advisor had increasingly disregarded him, the Emperor, and how he had colluded with court officials to rebel. He embellished everything, painting himself as a pitiful and helpless victim in desperate need of his Master's protection.
Ming Li: ......?!
Ming Li stared blankly at Mu Qinghe's exaggerated performance, thinking that this fellow should be a storyteller, not an emperor. Finally, she impatiently interrupted him, "Enough already. Why are you talking so much?"
Mu Qinghe: ......?! He was too timid to speak.
Ming Li: Where is the Imperial Advisor?
Hearing this, Mu Qinghe immediately reacted, recalling a very important matter. "Master, before the Imperial Advisor knocked me out, he said he was going to take my Tiger Tally to mobilize troops to attack Da'an Kingdom. He should be nearing the border by now. We must stop him before war breaks out!"
Ming Li's lips curved into a sly smile. "Let's wait." Since the court officials in Mu Qinghe's court were so fond of being opportunistic, she, as his master, would put in some effort and set fire to these weeds.
Mu Qinghe: ......?! He had a strange feeling that his Master was up to something, and he was inexplicably a little excited?!
The next day, during the morning court, the officials intended to go through the motions as they had in previous days. Since the Emperor had not attended court for several days, some officials were privy to the reasons but said nothing.
When all the officials had taken their places in the court and looked towards the dragon throne, they found it empty, as expected. The chief eunuch at the front, with his high-pitched voice, called out, "If there is anything, report it. Otherwise, the court is dismissed!" After a moment, seeing that the Emperor had still not arrived, the officials were preparing to disperse. Suddenly, a woman in red appeared in their sight, and with audacious boldness, sat on the supreme seat.
The assembled ministers: ......?!
After a brief moment of stunned silence, an official angrily stepped forward.
"Bold commoner! Do you know you have committed a capital offense!"
"Guards! Quickly, apprehend this woman who knows not her place!"
......
Ming Li listened to their reprimands, her gaze turning cold. "Noisy!" In an instant, the overwhelming pressure of a formidable being escaped her control. The ministers who had been babbling below suddenly dared not speak further. Looking at the woman now seated on the dragon throne, the ministers felt a sense of déjà vu, seeing the late Emperor. In fact, the woman's aura was even more powerful than the late Emperor's.
The assembled ministers: ...... Collectively cowered in fear.
Seeing that they had stopped their incessant chatter, Ming Li lowered her head and chuckled softly. The laugh echoed abruptly in the silent court, startling the ministers into retreating further. They had a premonition that something unpleasant was about to happen.
Seeing that they remained silent, Ming Li stood up and looked at the apprehensive ministers, speaking with a taunting tone, "Since you all have nothing to say, it's my turn. Come, speak! Who are the Imperial Advisor's people?"
No one stepped forward from below. The air was silent for two to three seconds. Seeing no one volunteer, Ming Li kindly asked again, but still, no one came forward. Ming Li's gaze swept over them one by one, and those she met averted their eyes.
A few minutes passed. Just as the ministers thought Ming Li could do nothing to them, they saw the woman on the dragon throne suddenly laugh, a bloodthirsty laugh. Before they could react, before they could even discern how the woman moved, a large portion of the court fell into pools of blood.