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Under Heaven
墨書 Inktalez
In the Hall of Heavenly Authority, the emperor on the Dragon Throne was being scolded by the current Censor, who pointed a finger at him and accused him of being a foolish ruler. The Ministers trembled in fear, thinking blood would be shed at any moment, but to their surprise, the emperor smiled instead of getting angry. He casually picked up a jade seal and threw it down to the Imperial Censor.
"I permit you to use this to crush anyone in this hall whom you are dissatisfied with."
The Ministers were quaking in fear, kneeling all around, but only the Censor looked up and met his gaze, saying word by word, "Your Majesty, I want to crush..."
"Do you dare?!" A sharp voice came from behind the Throne. A woman dressed in luxurious attire stepped forward, her Phoenix Eyes filled with anger as she stared at the jade seal in the Censor's hand. That seal was clearly... the Heirloom Jade Seal!
Zhang Yun was stunned by this sudden turn of events. He quickly glanced at the jade seal and then at the furious noblewoman, instantly realizing her identity, which sent waves of shock through him. After a moment of silence, a hint of determination flashed in his eyes as he slowly raised his hand and pointed the jade seal at... himself!
"Lord Zhang, what do you mean by this?!" Li Gonggong exclaimed sharply, as if he had seen a ghost.
Zhang Yun ignored him, fixated on the jade seal in his hand. This item symbolizing supreme imperial power now felt like a branding iron to him. Taking a deep breath, he declared loudly, "The emperor is obsessed with mysticism and neglects state affairs, leading to corruption in governance and suffering among the people! Today, I shall offer my life as counsel, hoping that Your Majesty can awaken and restore order to the court!"
With that, he raised the jade seal high and brought it down forcefully toward his forehead.
"Stop!" The emperor, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up with a deep voice that carried undeniable authority.
Zhang Yun's movement halted abruptly, the jade seal stopping less than an inch from his forehead. He lifted his head and looked intently at the emperor.
The emperor slowly rose from his seat and walked over to Zhang Yun. He paused for a moment to look at him before reaching out to take the jade seal from his hand.
"Zhang Aiqing, your sincerity brings me great comfort," the Emperor said lightly, his tone revealing no hint of joy or anger. He toyed with the jade seal in his hand, his gaze sweeping over the ministers kneeling below, trembling. Suddenly, he let out a cold laugh. "My esteemed ministers, do you know what this jade seal is?"
The ministers fell silent, none daring to respond.
"I will tell you; this is the Heirloom Jade Seal, representing supreme imperial authority!" The Emperor's tone suddenly turned sharp. "Today, I bestow this jade seal upon Zhang Aiqing, to see how Zhang Aiqing will use this symbol of imperial power to crush those you are dissatisfied with in this court!"
The Emperor threw the jade seal back into Zhang Yun's hands and turned to sit back on the Dragon Throne, his gaze piercing as he spoke each word clearly: "I am waiting!"
====================
Zhang Yun reached out to catch the jade seal thrown by the Emperor, feeling its icy chill. The heavy weight seemed to press down on his chest, making it hard for him to breathe. He looked around and found all eyes focused on him.
Fear gripped him; those officials who usually held high positions now bowed their heads, their bodies trembling slightly, afraid of becoming the next target. Hope flickered in some of the officials who were also dissatisfied with the court's affairs; they looked at him with eager eyes, hoping he would seize this opportunity to cleanse the corruption from the court. Malicious glee radiated from Li Gonggong, standing behind the Emperor with a cold smile, seemingly waiting for a spectacle.
A whirlwind of emotions left Zhang Yun feeling dizzy. He understood that the Emperor was forcing him to make a choice: to submit to imperial power or to uphold his sense of justice by using this jade seal, a symbol of ultimate authority, to strike against this decaying court and those officials who merely occupied their positions without merit—even… against the Emperor himself?
The heavy pressure weighed on Zhang Yun's shoulders. He took a deep breath, striving to remain calm. He looked at the jade seal in his hand, images of suffering commoners flooding his mind—those ragged figures, emaciated faces, helpless gazes, and desperate cries…
"No!" Zhang Yun roared inwardly. His gaze grew resolute; the Emperor wanted him to act like a dog, begging for favor from the powerful and striking down his colleagues. He would not comply! He tightened his grip on the jade seal, his eyes finally landing on Li Gonggong.
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