blogombal Chapter 352: By sidelining the royal family, he completely takes control of the empire!
Chapter 352: By sidelining the royal family, he completely takes control of the empire!
Gazing at the six lifelike yet desolate ice sculptures that gleamed with a cold light amidst the ruins, Prince Xuexing felt a chill run from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
Then, he finally couldn't hold back any longer. He scrambled to the edge of the ice pit, pointed at Tang Chuan in mid-air, and said in a sharp, distorted voice filled with anger:
"Tang...Tang Chuan! How...how dare you?! How could you be so cruel?!"
"This is the Clear Sky Sect! A staunch ally of our Heaven Dou Empire, a vital pillar in our fight against the Spirit Hall! You...you actually froze them all here?! Do you have no regard for the Empire? No regard for...the late Emperor's legacy?!"
He spoke incoherently, attempting to intimidate others with the pretext of righteousness.
Marshal Golong followed closely behind, his hand on his sword hilt, his face ashen. But when he looked at the six ice sculptures and Tang Chuan's indifferent gaze, cold sweat beaded on his forehead, and he dared not make the slightest move.
Upon hearing this, Tang Chuan slowly turned around, his gaze calmly falling on the slightly agitated Prince Xue Xing. At this moment, his gaze held no murderous intent, yet it made Prince Xue Xing feel as if he had been splashed with ice water, his words abruptly cut off, as if his throat had been gripped by some invisible hand.
"ally?"
"When those old dogs from the Clear Sky Sect ganged up on my Soul Palace, Prince Xuexing, where were you? Why didn't you come out to stop them? Where is your sense of righteousness as an ally?"
As he spoke, he took a small step forward.
Prince Xuexing instinctively took a step back, and even stumbled a little.
"At that time, you remained silent and watched coldly from the sidelines."
"Now that I've gotten rid of these old dogs who lack any sense of the big picture and only know how to fight amongst themselves in crucial moments, you've come out here barking at me?"
"Don't you think...it's ridiculous, Your Highness?"
Every word Tang Chuan spoke was like a slap across Prince Xue Xing's face.
Upon hearing this, Prince Xuexing's face turned purple. He wanted to refute it, but found himself speechless.
At that time, didn't he also harbor a sliver of hope, even secretly hoping to use the Haotian Sect to eliminate Tang Chuan, who was difficult to control, and his Soul Hall forces?
Tang Chuan stopped looking at him and turned his gaze to the devastated palace. Then his gaze swept over the trembling royal family members and the complex-looking Marshal Ge Long. Finally, his eyes settled on the Fourth Prince Xue Beng, who was being supported by several eunuchs. Xue Beng was pale as a sheet and could barely stand.
"The late emperor was poisoned by the Spirit Hall and passed away. The empire suddenly lost its pillar and the country was in turmoil."
"At this critical juncture of life and death, the most urgent task is to immediately establish a new ruler, unite the people, and regroup to resist foreign enemies."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the entire room with an almost tangible intensity, especially towards Prince Snowstar and Avalanche.
"However, a nation relies on a wise ruler and strong allies. Without a strong army to deter villains within and without sharp weapons to defend against powerful enemies without, empty talk about allies and righteousness is nothing but a castle in the air, which will collapse in an instant."
"The Haotian Sect, relying on its military might, has been wreaking havoc in its internal strife, bringing no benefit to the nation and is no longer of any use. Now that my Soul Palace has intervened and quelled this internal strife, then..."
Tang Chuan's gaze returned to Xue Beng, his voice calm yet carrying an immense weight.
"The heavy responsibility of purging the palace, stabilizing the court, protecting the new emperor's succession, and resisting the Spirit Hall should naturally be borne by our Spirit Hall."
"From this day forward, the entire Heavenly Dou Empire must obey orders and unite to resist the enemy. Anyone who outwardly obeys but inwardly defies orders, colludes with foreign enemies, or, like these old dogs, lacks a sense of the bigger picture and causes internal chaos…"
He didn't finish his sentence, but the chilling killing intent emanating from his body and the extreme cold emanating from the six crystal ice sculptures not far away were the best explanation.
Upon hearing this, Prince Xuexing felt a chill run through his body, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
He understood; this wasn't a discussion at all, it was a notification.
Tang Chuan was not seeking the opinion of the royal family, but announcing to everyone that from this moment on, the highest authority and de facto controller of the Heaven Dou Empire had changed hands.
The royal family, especially the soon-to-be-established new emperor Xue Beng, will become the most legitimate banner and puppet for the Soul Palace to control the entire empire and command all parties.
Not far away, Sword Douluo had a cold expression and a furrowed brow. His lips did not move, but his soul power was already flowing quietly. A condensed and silky voice transmission was accurately sent to Ning Fengzhi's ear beside him.
"Feng Zhi, this young man is ruthless and his ambition is obvious! He intends to... completely seize control of the Heaven Dou Empire and sideline the royal family! How should we proceed?"
Upon hearing this, Ning Fengzhi stood rooted to the spot like a statue, his face even paler than usual. However, his gaze was unusually clear, even carrying a hint of worldly wisdom.
He slowly, almost imperceptibly, shook his head, responding in a similarly strained, drawn-out tone:
"Uncle Jian, the Heavenly Dou Royal Family's fortunes have turned against them, beyond human control. After this upheaval, their prestige has been completely shattered, and they have lost all real power. They are now just an empty shell, with no value left to rely on."
"For my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School to rebuild its sect and continue its heritage under the watchful eyes of the Spirit Hall, relying on such a royal family is nothing short of wishful thinking."
Upon hearing this, Chen Xin was slightly startled, and he understood Ning Fengzhi's meaning.
He remained silent, his gaze turning to Ning Fengzhi with a complex expression.
Ning Fengzhi did not send another telepathic message. He gently closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his eyes were calm, even carrying a hint of appropriate respect and recognition.
The next second, he stepped forward, moved to a position where everyone could see him clearly, and then bowed slightly in Tang Chuan's direction, his clear and steady voice ringing out.
"Tang Chuan's words are all reasonable and hit the nail on the head regarding current problems!"
"At this critical juncture for the nation, with the late emperor recently deceased and the Spirit Hall raging with ferocity, what the empire needs most is not internal strife and empty talk, but a strong leader and a united force! The elders of the Clear Sky Sect, disregarding the overall situation, recklessly launched a war, nearly causing an even greater disaster. Tang Chuan's decisive action to quell the internal strife was not only a last resort, but also for the stability of the empire!"
"Our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School has been deeply favored by the late Emperor and shares the fate of the Empire!"
"Today, I, Ning Fengzhi, in the name of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School Master, fully support the Soul Hall's efforts to stabilize the empire! I believe that with the support of Tang Chuan and the powerful figures of the Soul Hall, the new emperor will surely ascend the throne smoothly, the court will be restored, and the entire empire will be united in its hatred of the enemy, jointly resist foreign aggression, avenge the late emperor, and protect our land!"
These words were clear and resounding!
He not only fully endorsed Tang Chuan's actions of killing the Haotian Sect members, characterizing it as quelling internal strife for the greater good, but also directly expressed his support for Tang Chuan and the Soul Hall's dominant position in the future imperial landscape, placing his hopes for supporting the new emperor and restoring order on the power of the Soul Hall.
This is tantamount to a period of power vacuum in the empire.
The first and most influential force openly pledged its allegiance to the Soul Hall.
Upon hearing this, Prince Xuexing swayed, and the last trace of color drained from his face. He knew that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's statement had practically brought an end to the era of the royal family.
…………
Half a month later, in Tiandou City
The entire city was draped in white mourning clothes, and paper money fluttered in the wind along the desolate streets. The enthronement ceremony of the new emperor Xue Beng was extremely simple; it was less a formal coronation and more a transfer of power completed by the Soul Palace under the shadow of white banners.
Shrek Academy, west of the city.
Black gauze hung from the old gate, and the courtyard was desolate. Since the news of the palace coup arrived, people were filled with fear and panic. Teachers and students either returned home or went into hiding, and the former hustle and bustle was gone.
"Squeak—"
The heavy oak door was slowly pushed open, revealing four figures draped in plain cloaks, travel-worn and stepping through the fallen autumn leaves onto the empty plaza of the academy. (End of Chapter)