Chapter Thirteen: Absurdity, Truly Absurdity

“Your Majesty!”

Cao Ding hurried into the court. As soon as he entered the grand hall, he eagerly greeted Empress Tian Yueying.

Along the way, he had held onto a faint hope—that this time the Empress had come to court alone, without the rebel Yang Chuan from Dakang by her side.

However, just as he reached the steps of the Golden Throne Hall, he suddenly looked up and saw Yang Chuan standing beside the Empress, glaring fiercely across the entire hall!

“Your Majesty, who is this man?”

Knowing that Cao Ding had come to court, he planned to use his high rank and authority to completely dismiss Yang Chuan’s position as Prime Minister.

But this time, she would no longer tolerate Cao Ding’s reckless behavior!

Now that Young Master Yang had become the pillar of Great Qi, what could a mere Cao Ding do, even if he had objections?

“Grand Marshal, since you arrived late to court, let me introduce him to you again.”

With that, she took Yang Chuan’s right hand once more, speaking deliberately and clearly:

“Today, I bring Dakang’s former Grand Minister Yang Chuan to Qi, so that in the future, the fortune of Great Qi may flourish just as Dakang’s once did.”

“My lifelong wish is to clear the six directions for my late father, sweep through the eight wildernesses, reign over the nine provinces, and unify the world!”

“I am well aware that in both civil affairs and military achievements, I fall short of others. Therefore, today, I willingly appoint Yang Chuan as Prime Minister, bestow upon him the title of Peerless King, grant him the Nine Honours, and honor him as Lord Yang.”

“From now on, Prime Minister Yang may attend court without deference, receive praise without titles, and ascend the throne with sword and boots. Whenever the officials see him, it shall be as if they see me!”

Upon hearing these words, Cao Ding was instantly struck dumb.

“Your Majesty, you are mistaken!”

After kowtowing three times to Tian Yueying, he trembled as he spoke:

“Your Majesty, yesterday the Dakang envoy reported that Yang Chuan is a rebel who escaped from the Dakang capital. How can Your Majesty entrust such a treacherous minister?”

As his words fell, Cao Ding cautiously glanced at Yang Chuan seated above in the hall.

Seeing that Yang Chuan did not look at him, he continued:

“Moreover, the Dakang envoy explicitly said yesterday that if the rebel Yang Chuan is captured within Great Qi, Dakang’s Empress Yan Wugou will surely reward the captor handsomely!”

“Your Majesty, how can you take out your anger on the entire Dakang empire because of one man?”

“Impertinent!”

At these words, Tian Yueying’s eyes blazed with fury as she publicly rebuked Cao Ding:

“Grand Marshal Cao, during the three years I was absent, have you governed the court in such a way that you are willing to remain subservient, forever a vassal state to Great Qi?”

“My decision is final. Whoever dares to object further shall be charged with treason!”

After enduring for three years, today she no longer needed to cater to Cao Ding’s whims.

With Yang Chuan standing guard beside her, how could she still show Cao Ding any mercy?

Seeing that the Empress gave him no face in court, Cao Ding stood abruptly and stepped forward.

“Your Majesty, it’s not that I distrust Yang Chuan, but he was just dismissed by Dakang’s Empress. This matter is suspicious. If Your Majesty hands over all of Great Qi’s governance to him directly, I fear that soon Great Qi’s territory will be swallowed by Dakang!”

At this, the officials in the hall were all shocked.

Although Cao Ding had ruled despotically for three years, causing much harm to many officials, his words today awakened many.

Indeed, Yang Chuan had once fought his way out of Great Qi’s territory alongside Empress Yan Wugou of Dakang!

Before Yan Wugou ascended the throne, she and Yang Chuan had survived alone within Great Qi’s lands.

Now, with a decade of emotional history between them, a man and woman left isolated—who would believe there was no selfishness involved?

The officials, initially intending to use the Empress’s return to punish Grand Marshal Gongsun Xin, after careful consideration, unexpectedly sided with Cao Ding.

After stroking his beard thoughtfully, the aged Gongsun Xin dragged his frail body out from the crowd.

“Your Majesty! What the Grand Marshal said is not without reason. Do you truly understand Yang Chuan’s character? How can you be sure that he did not come to Great Qi as a spy for Dakang?”

Even the usually most respectful protector now spoke in Cao Ding’s favor, causing Tian Yueying to reveal a look of disbelief.

Yet, when faced with such a simple question, she dispelled it with ease.

“Protector Gongsun, if you harbor doubts about Yang Chuan’s character, I will not blame you.”

After glancing at Yang Chuan, Tian Yueying gave him a resolute look.

Today, she had set her heart on elevating Yang Chuan to the position of Prime Minister of Great Qi. A few voices of doubt could never quell her determination.

“I have seen Yang Prime Minister’s true nature more clearly than anyone over these three years.”

Suddenly stepping forward, she declared openly before the officials:

“Because during these three years, I was not out seeking the elixir of immortality, but rather serving as a maid attendant to Prime Minister Yang in the Dakang Grand Minister’s mansion!”

“Your Majesty, you—?”

At this revelation, the court officials were all aghast.

They even doubted their own ears, unable to face the words spoken by Tian Yueying.

The great Empress of Great Qi, who had been nowhere for three years, had willingly humbled herself to serve as a maid in Yang Chuan’s residence?

If this got out, how could the world not mock her?

“Hahaha, ridiculous! Truly ridiculous!”

Though Tian Yueying shattered all doubts to defend Yang Chuan, this gave Cao Ding an opportunity.

He wildly swaggered to the foot of the dais, comically pointing at Tian Yueying as he addressed the officials:

“Everyone see this? This is our Great Qi’s ruler—a woman who has abandoned all dignity!”

“Gentlemen, our Empress is now so foolish. If we do not overthrow her, why keep such a person?”

Relying on the many loyalists he had gathered over the years, Cao Ding intended to seize the moment to force Tian Yueying to abdicate and take the throne for himself.

However, he still reckoned that Yang Chuan was utterly powerless—a mere wastrel who rose thanks to a woman.

Otherwise, with all the courage in the world, he would never have dared openly defy a cultivated martial master.

Back when Yang Chuan had killed two Grand Master-level warriors in one breath in Great Qi, the nation’s martial fortunes had declined to the extreme.

Even now, after three years of effort, Cao Ding had barely trained a dozen fifth-rank martial practitioners.

Yet, he believed that with just two summoned, they could easily suppress the useless Yang Chuan!

Then, he clapped his hands outside the hall. Instantly, five warriors leapt in, swords pointing directly at the dais.

As Cao Ding prepared to openly rebel, Protector Gongsun Xin regretted speaking on his behalf.

After all, Tian Yueying was the Empress he had raised since youth.

Even if not bound by ruler and subject, there was the bond of father and daughter.

“Grand Marshal, you must not! The fact that the Empress dares to humble herself as a maid in Yang Chuan’s residence proves how highly she values the Prime Minister’s talent!”