Chapter 1707: Controversy

Unlike the carriages Zhao Hao had seen in historical dramas from his previous life, calling the vehicle he was riding in a "carriage" was a stretch. It was pulled by a massive exotic beast, and the entire cabin was more like a small palace. Pale blue runes shimmered all over its body, and various stabilization and wind-controlling formations operated smoothly, making those inside feel as if they were walking on flat ground, completely undisturbed by any vibrations.

Almost all high-ranking court officials were present, as if attending a royal assembly in the capital.

The moment Zhao Hao uttered those words, everyone in the room turned to look at Zu An, their expressions varied: some were shocked and appalled, some gloated, some showed worry, while others simply watched the unfolding drama.

Zu An's expression also changed several times. He had initially thought his secret release of Concubine Bai had been exposed and was wondering how to explain it. He never expected it to be about this.

Although he had long anticipated that the truth about the Regent King would eventually come out, he never imagined it would be so soon, taking him completely by surprise.

He didn't try to refute it; arguing was pointless in such a situation. An emperor's judgment wouldn't rely on evidence like in later eras.

He even felt an impulse to bolt for the door. Although Zhao Hao was formidable, with his current cultivation and confidence, escaping might not be impossible.

Just then, a familiar voice sounded in his ear: "Don't panic. While your identity as the Regent King may bring you trouble, it is also your protective charm."

Zu An froze, then was overcome with joy. "Empress Sister, you're awake?"

Ever since Mi Li had fallen asleep before, she would occasionally drift back into slumber, making Zu An almost accustomed to her absence.

"Call me Master!" Mi Li corrected him testily.

"Master Sister..." Zu An called out willingly. For some reason, his emotions steadied the moment she appeared. He truly felt like he was destined to live off others' resources while still being strong.

"Stop being glib. Let's deal with the current crisis first, then we can talk," Mi Li reminded him.

Zu An nodded discreetly. Having made up his mind, he bowed to Zhao Hao. "This is a long story. I had many concerns before, which is why I didn't report it to Your Majesty immediately. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me."

Zhao Hao was surprised. He had expected Zu An's personality to lead him to argue for a while, after which he would thoroughly convince him after his poor performance. He never imagined Zu An would admit it with such dignified frankness.

The expressions of the various elders in the court were also captivating. Some who were friendly with Zu An had initially hoped this was false, so they could speak on his behalf. Now, in this situation, they were truly helpless.

Among the crowd was Bi Zi'ang, though he was relegated to the lowest seat among the central court elders. His usual dignified demeanor appeared as insignificant as an ant before such an array of powerful figures.

At that moment, his jaw nearly dropped. Before this, he had absolute confidence when facing Zu An, never caring how brilliant Zu An's performance was. Zu An was merely his sister's favored subordinate, and no matter how capable, he was still just a dog of the Bi family.

But now, knowing that Zu An was actually the Regent King of the demon race, everything changed. After years of propaganda, the demon race was considered by humans to be a ferocious and bloodthirsty yet extremely powerful race, a formidable enemy of similar stature to humanity. What did it mean to be the Regent King of the demon race? Not to mention himself, even figures like his father would seem three-tenths shorter compared to him.

So who exactly was the dog?

Prince Qi, standing at the head of the officials, raised an eyebrow. He had previously thought this young man was merely a clown who often disrupted his plans, but now he had to reconsider him.

At this point, Grand Councilor Pei Zheng stepped forward and declared, "Your Majesty, this man has committed the crime of deceiving the emperor and colluding with the demon race. Holding a high position yet concealing his true intentions reveals a wolf's ambition. I implore Your Majesty to have him executed outside the gates and thoroughly investigate the remaining demon sympathizers!"

His voice was intensely passionate, seemingly filled with anger, yet also excitement.

It was no wonder he behaved this way. A year or two ago, Prince Qi's faction was incredibly powerful, and everyone was confident that he would succeed as the next emperor.

However, ever since Zu An arrived in the capital, everything had changed. Low and mid-level officials within Prince Qi's faction were either dismissed or stripped of power. Recently, even the core pillars of Prince Qi's party, including Yu Nan, the Vice Minister of the Central Secretariat, and Yu Xuanzhong, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, had successively fallen. The events in Yunzhong had further destroyed decades of Prince Qi's efforts, weakening his entire faction to an extreme degree.

All of this was connected to Zu An. Watching him rise swiftly, Pei Zheng felt resentment but also helplessness.

Now that he finally had an opportunity to strike back, how could he not be pleased?

Zu An thought to himself, "Grandpa Damanman truly shows no mercy. If he knew about my relationship with his granddaughter, would he still push me to my death like this?"

At the same time, General of the Guards Liu Yao also stepped forward and said, "Indeed, in our dynasty, colluding with foreign races is a crime punishable by the execution of one's entire family. This 'Zu' fellow knowingly committed this offense, despite enjoying the imperial grace of our Great Zhou Dynasty, and even became the Regent King of the demon race. His crime is compounded!"

Many in the room wore strange expressions. Normally, Prince Qi's faction and the Emperor's faction would quarrel fiercely over minor issues, yet today, regarding Zu An, they were uncharacteristically united.

The Emperor nodded slightly. "What you say has merit."

At this moment, Bi Qi, who rarely expressed an opinion, spoke up. "Your Majesty, I believe this is inappropriate. Previously, I wondered why the terms for this truce and peace negotiation with the demon race were so lenient, fearing a trick. Now I understand that it is likely due to Sir Zu's influence on their side. Therefore, from this perspective, Sir Zu still acts in the interest of humanity. He is not only without fault, but has actually rendered meritorious service."

Bi Zi'ang was stunned, never expecting his father to speak up for Zu An at such a critical moment.

It was true that Zu An was a trusted subordinate promoted by his sister, but now that he had become the Regent King of the demon race, how could he still be willing to be controlled by the Bi family?

Even with his sister herself, it was unclear who was controlling whom.

His father always planned carefully before acting; he couldn't possibly be unaware of this. Why would he take such a great risk?

Pei Zheng sneered, "According to Sir Bi, this 'Zu' fellow colluded with the demon race, and instead of being punished, he should be rewarded? Where does that leave the laws of the state? If everyone follows suit and colludes with the demon race, won't our nation cease to be a nation?"

As a leader of the Crown Prince's faction, Bi Qi and Pei Zheng frequently engaged in verbal sparring. Pei Zheng, who particularly disdained Bi Qi's character, seized this opportunity to unleash a torrent of criticism.

Soon, those friendly with Bi Qi and those friendly with Pei Zheng began to chime in, and the room quickly descended into a noisy commotion once more.

Witnessing this familiar display of factional infighting, Zhao Hao frowned. For years, both sides had been quarreling like this, which always irritated him.

However, what was different this time was that both factions seemed to have uncharacteristically split into two camps: some agreeing with Bi Qi's viewpoint, and others endorsing Pei Zheng's demand for Zu An's execution, which was indeed unusual.

He then turned his gaze to Jiang Boyang. "Boyang, you are the Grand Judge, responsible for the court's laws. What is your opinion on this matter?"

Jiang Boyang bowed before replying, "In my humble opinion, colluding with the demon race is indeed the most serious crime in our dynasty, and Sir Zu, having committed this offense, deserves execution.

"However, he did help humanity secure significant benefits in these peace talks. If he were to be executed directly, it would inevitably draw criticism. Furthermore, given his status as the Regent King of the demon race, should anything happen to him, would the demon race simply let it go? The recently established truce and period of recuperation might reignite into full-scale war, which would certainly not be a blessing for the common people.

"This is no longer a simple legal matter. Your subject is unsure how to pass judgment and can only rely on Your Majesty's wisdom and martial prowess to deliver the correct verdict."

The various officials in the room secretly cursed him as an old fox who offended no one, finding him incredibly cunning.

Zu An thought, "Dean Jiang's father is truly considerate. Pei Zheng, you should learn from him."

Zhao Hao remained noncommittal and looked toward Zhao Jing, Prince Qi. "Prince Qi, what is your view on this matter?"