Chapter 361 - Emperor’s Invite (1/2)
Translator: StarReader
Editor: Elitecoder
What did the best steward under heavens mean? His orders were second to the emperor in court and he was the supreme commander of the three armies. He was literally beneath the emperor and above the world.
He was the epitome of power, a Prime Minister and Marshal in one, albeit with the emperor standing above him still.
With how the imperial reign was built on this authority alone, it was no different than capitulating the very ground that was holding his throne!
Dugu Zhantian’s eyes twitched, looking at the emperor with a dumb look. Zhuge Changfeng was doing the same, albeit with a casual glance.
[The geezer’s plan is obvious, he wants to give Zhuo Fan a power even above that of the Four Pillars.]
As a Prime Minister, he had figured out the old schemer on the spot. The emperor wanted to balance the factions. [His reign had been steady all these years because of Dugu Zhantian and me.]
[But won’t this trouble addict, who goes on withdrawal if he doesn’t cause a mess once every three days, have all this power go to his head and blow everything sky high? Or maybe…]
Zhuge Changfeng squinted, scoffing inside.
[The old coot can’t take it anymore. He wants to speed up the chaos by getting the monkey added incentive to do just that, and flip the board while he is at it…]
While Leng Wuchang tensed, his heart was resentful.
He had already guessed what the emperor was up to, but that didn’t mean he liked it. He was Regent Estate’s steward, the one famed across the whole empire as Unwonted Contriver.
Yet for a neophyte to suddenly call himself best steward under heavens didn’t sit quite right with him, to say the least.
Though Zhuo Fan’s deceit and shrewdness had him pensive, by right, that title should be his!
Sunk into depression, Leng Wuchang took a deep breath, twice, to regain his cool. He looked at Zhuo Fan with jealousy and greed…
“Present the violet mantle!”
The emperor had spoken. A servant responded on point, presenting a plate with a purple cape and golden thread.
The cape was unraveled, presenting a golden dragon with its four claws in the corners, while also a hint of a possible fifth claw, on a visibly empty pattern.
The imperial family’s robe was characterized by dragon claws, it was a symbol of their rank, authority and power.
Four made one a prince, while five lifted him to be the son of heaven, an emperor. This cape was proof that Zhuo Fan was just shy of having the entire empire at his feet.
Such controversy would never have stood. Since it held a strong feeling of outrage and rebellion against the current court.
Yet the emperor himself bestowed Zhuo Fan with this contradiction. It went on to show that along with the best steward under heavens, Zhuo Fan was truly beneath the emperor, in both name and power. Not even the seven houses, princes, or even crown prince could compare.
Crown Prince trembled and finally fell to one knee, “Imperial father, this is most unbecoming. Please reconsider!”
The rest followed his example, shouting in unison, “Please reconsider, Your Majesty!”
“I order you to stand down!” The emperor’s piercing cold tone sent shivers down their backs. They could not defy him.
The emperor was the son of heaven, his word was solid gold. No man could sway his mind!
They were all awakened to this simple yet painful truth, knowing any persuasion would fall on deaf ears.
Without further ado, Zhuo Fan was entitled as the First Steward Beneath Heaven. His glorious radiance stabbing the eyes of all below, while also pricking no few hearts with discontent.
Now that Zhuo Fan had both power and right, any defiance would be ill-advised, in a manner of speaking. He could stick the imperial family’s army on anyone’s ass at the drop of a hat!
Pill King Hall and Merry Woods exchanged a pained glance.
They never gave Zhuo Fan and Luo clan a second thought up till now, yet against fierce adversity they had become a behemoth. If only they’d known, they’d have it snuffed in its cradle.
Regent Estate took this news quite well, too well, in fact. That was because they knew something everyone else didn’t, Zhuo Fan’s title was totally void of authority…
The emperor didn’t stop at Zhuo Fan’s cape, showering the other high value members of the Luo clan with a title each, albeit far lesser than the first three. It was all so that the people would recognize who the Luo clan was, to open their beady eyes in the face of greatness and not step on their toes.
Even still, there was one teeny-tiny matter that had everyone’s dumbstruck faces on full display; while Pill King Hall and Drifting Flowers Edifices were slack jawed.
Luo clan’s second elder, Pill House elder, was Vicious Pill King Yan Song!