Chapter 374: Forcing the Emperor! _3
The old man surnamed Su showed a look of disappointment, shaking his head and saying, "Pei Hao has changed, and you have changed too. I am but a mere commoner, not as precious as a Prime Minister. If I die, then so be it. If my death can make the people see this foolish Emperor clearly, then how does it matter if I die?"
The Left Prime Minister sighed. Before he came, he already knew the outcome of this trip.
He moved his lips, wanting to speak, but the old man surnamed Su waved his large sleeve and said solemnly, "If our paths differ, we should part ways. Escort the guest out!"
The Left Prime Minister gave him one last look, sighed lightly, and left.
Great Scholar Su didn't look at him again, instead, he raised his head and gazed at the portrait of the Confucian Saint on the wall, his eyes filled with determination...
...
Ningxin Garden.
Li Zhi walked barefoot through the grass, swaying as she approached Anning, who was sitting by the lake in a daze. She stretched out her arms and said in a childish voice, "Mother, hug me..."
Anning gently stroked her chubby little face and softly said, "Go find your Auntie Phoenix to hug you. Mother wants to be alone for a while..."
Although Li Zhi didn't understand what her mother said, she knew that her mother didn't want to hold her right now, so she turned and swayed towards another figure.
Aside from her mother, her favorite embrace was that of Auntie Phoenix.
Only Auntie Phoenix's embrace felt the same as her mother's hug.
Phoenix picked up Li Zhi and glanced worriedly at Anning, who was sitting by the lake in a daze. She was about to walk over when Jiaren reached out to stop her and said, "Let her be alone for a while..."
Today, everyone in the Li Mansion was doing their best to care for Anning's feelings.
Even Yiren, who usually didn't get along with Anning, wasn't arguing with her.
Great Scholar Su, along with several academy teachers and over a thousand students from Chang'an, was sitting in protest at the palace gate, completely blocking it. The officials from the three provinces could only enter the government offices through other palace gates.
Their only goal in sitting in protest was to force the Emperor to appoint a successor.
Phrased nicely, it was to have the Emperor appoint a successor.
Phrased harshly, it was to force the Emperor to abdicate.
They said the Emperor had neglected state affairs for over a decade, sought immortality, conspired against the Imperial Family, employed treacherous ministers, and disrupted the government, so he should abdicate quickly and give the throne to a wise ruler...
The Emperor was Anning's father, so it's understandable that she felt distressed.
It wasn't just Anning; they all felt uncomfortable to some degree.
After all, the treacherous ministers accused of disrupting the government were also her father...
Chang'an.
In two years, this was already the second large-scale protest.
Last time, it was the "Clean up the court" movement led by King Han and King You, aimed at eliminating the Minister of Justice Li Xuanjing.
That movement ended in a disastrous defeat for King Han and King You.
Not only did they fail, but the Daxia Imperial Family was also massacred by Li Xuanjing under the charge of treason, leaving mountains of corpses and a sea of blood.
This time is different.
The initiator of this protest is a Great Scholar from the Confucian Fifth Realm, and the main purpose of the protest is not to clean up the court but to force the Emperor to abdicate.
The Emperor had neglected state affairs for over a decade. Officials in the court and knowledgeable figures among the populace had long criticized him, but he never changed. This time, led by Great Scholar Su and with widespread support from academy teachers and students, they completely occupied the palace gate, aiming their criticism directly at the Emperor.
Whether or not this protest succeeds, it will undoubtedly leave a significant mark in historical records.
The Emperor's reputation is utterly ruined. Previously, only commoners gossiped about him. This time, led by a Great Scholar, he became the first Emperor in Daxia's history to be forced to abdicate. If he concedes, he would be the most humiliated Emperor...
Great Scholar Su said, if the Emperor does not concede, he will declare his resolve through death.
Driving a Great Scholar to death is a disgrace that no emperor can bear, unless he is prepared to be reviled throughout history.
Imperial Palace.
Within a certain deep palace hall.
The Xia Emperor clenched his fists, his eyes full of murderous intent. As his chest heaved, his black hair instantly turned white, and wrinkles quickly surfaced on his face. Within a few breaths, he transformed from a youthful figure into an old man nearing death.
He trembled as he took a blood-red pill from his sleeve and put it into his mouth. The next moment, his white hair gradually turned black, and the skin on his face became tight once more.
The Xia Emperor took a deep breath and gritted his teeth, saying, "How dare this old dog insult me so!"
A figure approached from outside the hall. The Xia Emperor looked at him and said solemnly, "I want him dead, but not at the palace gate."
The figure stopped, nodded slightly, then turned and left.
Watching the tall and straight figure depart, the look of rage gradually disappeared from the Xia Emperor's face. He stared for a long time in the direction where the figure vanished, his gaze deep and as calm as an ancient well.