Jun Jiuli had not yet sat down when the Minister of Rites immediately jumped out.
"Your Highness, wait. What is the meaning of this? Although His Majesty is gravely ill, this seat is not for a mere woman to occupy."
Despite using a respectful title, he showed no regard whatsoever. He thought his plea to wait would stop Jun Jiuli, but to his surprise, she directly sat down.
The Minister of Rites was so enraged he stomped his feet, raising his hands and shouting.
"Absurd! Absurd! Are you all just going to watch a woman act so outrageously? Where are the rites? Where are the ancestral rules? Prime Minister, this is the good daughter you raised."
His voice boomed, his face flushed. He wanted more support from his peers, but most simply lowered their heads and remained silent.
"Hahaha, you, you, you..."
He pointed at several people. "You are all cowards, letting a woman ride over your heads. Prime Minister has sent you messages, and you are blindly following his nonsense. If this continues, our Zhao kingdom is in peril, in peril!!"
Shui Wa: "This is Zhao Jingheng's most trusted confidant, his sharpest card."
Jun Jiuli: "He's so noisy!"
"You, shut your mouth! You call yourself the Minister of Rites. Shouting loudly in the Golden Hall and speaking without decorum to slander me, is this the etiquette you've learned?"
The Minister of Rites was stunned by her boldness, freezing in place, unsure of his next move.
He had expected a woman raised in seclusion to be so frightened that she would burst into tears.
He had only considered this Empress a shield, with the Prime Minister truly in charge. He hadn't anticipated that she herself would be such a formidable figure.
"Eunuch Li, read His Majesty's imperial decree."
A good portion of the officials remained standing resolutely, pretending not to hear and turning their heads away.
Jun Jiuli chuckled. "Why do you not kneel? Are you disrespecting the imperial authority, or do you intend to rebel!"
As she spoke, she slammed her hand on the table, and everyone felt the oppressive atmosphere drop by three degrees. The situation became tense, with everyone eager to see the young Empress embarrassed.
Instead of anger, Jun Jiuli smiled. Several men in black suddenly appeared and forcefully kicked the backs of the officials' knees.
These men were merely puppets, serving as replacements for Zhao Jingheng's previous hidden guards.
Caught off guard, they cried out and crashed to the ground, collapsing onto their knees, their strength and courage gone.
"Little Eunuch Li, continue!"
After Little Eunuch Li finished reading the imperial decree, Jun Jiuli declared loudly, "Anyone who disagrees or disbelieves can come forward to verify its authenticity. If there are none, then everything will proceed according to His Majesty's imperial decree."
"Today, I shall see what tricks Your Highness the Empress is playing."
The Minister of Rites flicked his robe and stepped forward first. The loyal veteran officials harbored some suspicions.
Looking at the Prime Minister's impassive face, they all chose to step forward to examine the decree.
"This... this is impossible. Absolutely impossible. How did you do it?"
"The Minister's mouth is truly stubborn. I hope you will guide me more in the future."
"A lie, this is absolutely a lie!"
He held the imperial decree, lost in confusion. The Emperor was incapacitated, and now the Empress was taking the stage. The Empress had the Prime Minister as her backing, and the Emperor had previously humiliated her so severely.
Where should they, his loyal followers, go from here? How should he conduct himself in the future? He had offended many people for the sake of the Emperor.
The others, seeing his slightly deranged demeanor, already believed him by three-tenths. The Duke of the Protectorate directly took the imperial decree from him, carefully verifying its authenticity.
He bowed respectfully to Jun Jiuli and returned to his seat. Some rejoiced, while others despaired. A few officials simply could not accept it.
Led by the Minister of Rites, a group of people removed their official hats, threatening Jun Jiuli. Jun Jiuli remained completely unfazed, bidding them farewell with a simple "Farewell and be well."
"Thief who steals the country, you are inviting divine retribution. I shall watch with wide eyes and see what good end a woman in charge will meet. You cowards, I disdian to associate with you."
The anticipated scene of someone trying to stop them did not materialize. Most people watched coldly.
The Emperor was in such a state that it no longer mattered who was in charge; they just didn't want their own interests disturbed.
Women were the most soft-hearted. If a royal descendant were to take over, they might not fare any better.
As a few of them reached the stone steps outside the great hall, a sudden bolt of lightning struck, cleaving all of them down.
The one behind felt incredibly lucky and tried to flee back, but another bolt of lightning struck him dead.
The palace attendants outside the hall screamed in terror, all rushing into the great hall. Their faces were pale, and they trembled like sieves.
The court officials were also greatly alarmed. Why was there lightning on a clear day? And why did it strike precisely those who had defied the Empress?
The Prime Minister was the first to kneel. "Heaven has sent down heavenly lightning to punish the defiant and disobedient officials. This is the will of Heaven! Heaven blesses our Zhao Kingdom, long live His Majesty."
His voice was loud and clear. The atmosphere instantly quieted, and everyone turned towards the dragon throne.
Everyone inside the hall knelt in unison. "Greetings, Your Majesty, long live, long live, long, long live."
Jun Jiuli ordered the Imperial Guards to return the charred bodies to their families. All matters requiring her attention were handled one by one.
The replacements for their positions would require a few more days of consideration. The Prime Minister watched her methodically managing state affairs with considerable relief.
Today's events had also broadened his horizons. Seeing that she left no loopholes or weaknesses in her actions finally put his mind at ease.
What kind of place was the palace to allow someone to grow to such a degree, with intricate planning and steps that were not easy? It must have been with the help of a wise advisor, who had calculated the timing perfectly.
After the morning court, she also received a batch of memorials. Shui Wa tirelessly processed them, as she had to cling to their powerful benefactor.
Zhao Jingyi nearly fainted upon receiving the news.
"What did you say? Say it again."
"Minister Wang, Minister Zhang... they were all struck by lightning and died. There is no one in court who dares to oppose the Empress. The Empress... Your Highness the Empress has directly ascended the throne."
Zhao Jingyi slumped to the ground in despair, pounding his fists and weeping uncontrollably.
"Why, why? Why does even Heaven favor that b*tch? Ahhhhh, why is this happening?"