King vs. King

The sky over the Divine Capital was still a heavy, gloomy cyan, with only a faint sliver of pale white piercing through the eastern horizon.

Inside and outside the Palace of the Crown Heir, it was already brightly lit. The Golden Feather Guards, clad in gleaming armor, had already formed their ranks. A chilling aura of solemnity permeated the morning mist.

Gu Chengyin wore a brand-new official robe of an Internal Affairs Bureau Director. A golden jade belt wrapped around his waist, adorned with a golden fish pouch and a jade passage token. He stood beside the carriage outside the palace gates.

The fabric of the official robe was crisp and the patterns intricate, manifesting royal favor and authority. Worn on him, it instead exuded a uniquely steady demeanor.

A profound-black, gilded carriage slowly drove out from within the palace. The carriage shafts were carved with lifelike Luan birds and cloud patterns, fully displaying the majesty of the imperial nobility amidst its low profile.

The carriage came to a steady halt, and a female official bowed to lift the carriage curtain.

Luo Zhao's figure appeared. She wore a nine-pheasant four-phoenix crown, its dangling jade beads swaying slightly and reflecting a cold, clear luster.

She was clad in a profound-black ceremonial robe embroidered with the Twelve Ornaments. Though slightly simplified according to regulations, the patterns remained incomparably solemn.

Her gaze swept over Gu Chengyin beside the carriage, her eyes calm and placid, as if the experience in the pavilion yesterday had been nothing but an illusion.

"Director Gu, you shall accompany me." Luo Zhao's voice was cold, carrying an undeniable tone of command.

"This subject obeys."

The carriage set off, slowly heading towards the Imperial Palace of the Divine Capital under the escort of the Golden Feather Guards.

Along the way, the palace gates opened sequentially, and the imperial guards saluted in silence.

The morning light gradually brightened, dyeing the towering palace walls and halls with a faint golden rim. It was solemn and majestic, yet it also exuded a suffocatingly heavy atmosphere.

In front of the main hall, the massive white marble plaza was already filled with civil and military officials waiting for the morning assembly.

According to their ranks, the civil officials stood on the east and the military officers on the west, forming solemn ranks.

The vermilion and purple robes of the Grand Secretaries, the crimson robes of the Ministers, the cyan and green everyday attire of the mid-to-low-ranking officials, along with the various armors and military robes of the generals, converged into a solemn sea of colors in the dawn light.

The air was so quiet that one could only hear the fluttering of banners in the wind and the occasional suppressed cough.

When Luo Zhao's carriage stopped at the edge of the plaza, almost all gazes were drawn over in unison, as if attracted by an invisible magnet.

Curiosity, scrutiny, awe, apprehension, observation, calculation... countless lines of sight flooded over in an instant.

Besides this, spiritual senses from the martial generals also swept past faintly, carrying probing intents.

Gu Chengyin's expression remained unchanged. He kept his eyes lowered and his mind focused inward. Silently, he unfurled the extraordinary perception granted by his system, capturing every trace of emotional fluctuation and low-voiced discussion.

"I haven't seen Her Highness in days, yet her imposing aura remains as extraordinary as ever."

"Who is that person behind Her Highness? So young!"

"I heard it's this very person who turned Luoshui Commandery upside down."

"Mind your words! His Majesty is attending the court today. Let's wait and see."

"The Second Prince is here too, right over there..."

The whispers were as faint as the buzzing of mosquitoes, but they were clearly distinguishable within Gu Chengyin's acute perception.

Right at this moment, Luo Zhao, who was the focus of countless gazes and invisible pressure, suddenly let out an extremely soft sound from her nose:

"Heh."

Though the sound was light, it seemed to carry a strange rhythm and penetrating power, instantly shattering the pressure field enveloping her.

Luo Zhao did not pause her steps, nor did she even look at anyone; she merely raised her chin slightly.

In that instant, the Twelve Ornaments embroidered on her profound-black ceremonial robe seemed to come alive. The sun, moon, and stars revolved, while the mountains, dragons, and flowery fowls looked ready to take flight.

A restrained majesty, as if a seal had been undone, erupted and spread outward!

This absolute confidence and authority was a natural aura stemming from her bloodline, status, and willpower.

Luo Zhao's steps were steady as she walked straight to the very front of the civil officials' ranks, the specific position belonging to the Crown Heir.

Gu Chengyin, along with Shangguan Yunying, followed closely behind.

Just then, a slight commotion arose from the other side of the plaza.

A procession appeared, dressed in the court attire of a Prince of the First Rank, their retinue appearing somewhat ostentatious.

The leading man, aged around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, had a pale face and slightly puffy under-eye bags. He was none other than the Second Prince, Luo Yanchen, who had been claiming illness.

His appearance made the atmosphere on the plaza even more delicate.

Many officials' gazes darted back and forth between him and Luo Zhao, holding their breaths in rapt attention.

The Second Prince also saw Luo Zhao. His gaze suddenly turned sharp and complex. A trace of unwillingness and venom flashed faintly, but he quickly concealed it.

He similarly walked toward his designated prince's position, not far from Luo Zhao. However, there was no interaction between them; they acted like complete strangers.

At exactly the hour of Mao, bells and drums rang in unison. The deep, resonant sounds echoed throughout the imperial city.

The officials instantly stood at attention and orderly entered the main hall, led by Luo Zhao and the Second Prince.

A moment later, a figure appeared on the dragon throne that symbolized the supreme imperial power.

The Emperor of Great Luo, Luo Houcong.

His calm gaze swept over the dense mass of officials below, lingering on Luo Zhao for a split second before glancing over the Second Prince, Luo Yanchen.

"Long live Our Emperor, long live, long, long live!" A deafening wave of worshipful cheers erupted as the officials knelt and prostrated themselves.

"Rise, my subjects."

The Luo Emperor's voice was not loud, yet it entered everyone's ears with absolute clarity.

The officials gave their thanks and rose, standing solemnly with their hands at their sides.

The Chief Eunuch, Lyu Fang, took a step forward. His shrill voice echoed through the grand hall: "His Majesty decrees! For today's morning assembly, if there are matters to report, present your memorials; if there is nothing, the court is dismissed."

It was the customary opening, but everyone present knew that it was impossible for today to be uneventful.

The imperial court was dead silent. Everyone's gazes, whether overt or covert, were cast toward Luo Zhao and the Second Prince standing at the very front.

Sure enough, the moment Lyu Fang's words fell, the Second Prince fiercely stepped out of the ranks. The sheer magnitude of his movement stood in stark contrast to his pale, frail complexion.

"Imperial Father! Your son has a memorial to present!"

The Second Prince's voice carried a passionate intensity, instantly shattering the silence of the court.

Everyone's hearts leaped into their throats. Here it comes!

The Luo Emperor's gaze landed on the Second Prince, remaining calm: "Granted."

Luo Yanchen took a deep breath, as if the resentment he had accumulated for days had finally found an outlet.

He raised his hand, pointing directly at the indifferent-looking Luo Zhao beside him, and spoke sternly:

"Your son wishes to impeach the Eldest Princess for shielding corruption and deceiving the sovereign!"

"The malpractices in the water transport of Luodu have accumulated for decades. The personnel, funds, provisions, and networks involved are incredibly complex. The Eldest Princess was there for barely a month, and she claims to have finished the investigation and returned? It is simply the greatest joke under the heavens!"

"It is clear that she knew her abilities were lacking and harbored ulterior motives. Instead of digging deep, she randomly grabbed a few scapegoats, put up a superficial show, and returned to report just to fish for political achievements and fame!"

"To actually treat such a major matter concerning the nation's welfare and the people's livelihood with such perfunctory negligence!"

"Imperial Father!"

The Second Prince abruptly fell to his knees, his voice carrying a weeping tone. "By doing this, the Eldest Princess shows no regard for her sovereign and father, and deceives the imperial court. Her treacherous heart deserves death! Your son implores Imperial Father to strip her of her position as the Crown Heir, to serve as a warning to others!"

His series of accusations were resounding and forceful, striking directly at the core.

Above the imperial court, there was a deathly silence.

All the officials held their breath, keeping their eyes lowered and their minds focused inward, not daring to make a single sound.

Several white-haired and white-bearded veteran ministers of the Grand Secretariat kept their eyelids lowered, as if their minds were wandering beyond the heavens.

Everyone's gaze focused on Luo Zhao, waiting for her reaction.