No one at the scene responded; everyone remained silent.

Because answering at this moment, no matter how one responded, would seem somewhat inappropriate to Emperor Xuanwu.

They couldn’t answer with grievances; replying like that might mean losing their heads the next moment.

Neither dared they say they had no grievances; after all, Emperor Xuanwu had a penetrating mind, and someone who had sat in this position for so long could see through their thoughts at a glance.

Therefore, staying silent was the best choice for them.

Emperor Xuanwu’s gaze swept over them; although there was no change on the surface, a hint of disappointment flickered in his eyes.

Having sat on this dragon throne for so long didn’t mean he enjoyed the wealth and honor, nor that he liked being on this throne.

In fact, since he once led a ragtag team from being a commoner to this level, what he liked most were those who refused to bow to authority and fate.

After all, in their era, he was the one who personally drew the long sword against those powers and fate, and cut them all down with it.

Therefore, he rather hoped these younger generations could uphold the spirit of their time.

Although it appeared to be a prosperous era now, the hidden crisis was something only he knew.

Thus, he hoped for worthy successors rather than this timid group who didn’t even dare to speak.

Disappointment in Emperor Xuanwu’s eyes grew; he was ready to call it a day and return to his daily toil.

But just then, a voice suddenly echoed within the great hall.

"This humble servant has no objections."

These words made everyone present look towards the voice in surprise, and then they saw Qin An bowing to Emperor Xuanwu with a very calm demeanor.

"How dare he?"

A thought floated in everyone’s mind.

They had all risen from the grassroots level, essentially savvy individuals who could analyze the current situation.

But Qin An had spoken so rashly; what was the reason?

Yu Feng sighed helplessly in his heart, "Mr. Qin, why must you go against the grain? If Your Majesty is truly angered by you, even the General won’t be able to save you."

He couldn’t intervene to stop it; to speak out now would worsen the situation, so he could only wait and see how things unfolded.

A trace of surprise flickered across Emperor Xuanwu’s eyes. He lightly stroked the sleeve of his dragon robe, placed his wrist on the dragon chair, and gently tapped the armrest with his fingertips: "Why no objections? Do you like people who are not punctual?"

This question made everyone present sweat with anxiety.

At this moment, Emperor Xuanwu appeared imposing, and coupled with the majesty and charisma from years on the throne, the question emanated an oppressive force like a mountain that ordinary people could hardly resist.

Qin An also felt an overwhelming oppression, yet he calmly sat there, looking extremely composed, even sitting slightly straighter.

"Your Majesty, the reason this humble servant has no objections is that Your Majesty is the master of this Daqian Kingdom and the one who toils for it every day."

"What Your Majesty does surpasses us; the matters Your Majesty considers are more complex than ours, so even if Your Majesty is late, we have no objections."

His words carried no flattery; these were genuinely Qin An’s thoughts.

Everyone has different responsibilities and things to do.

He was well aware that although the emperor looked glorious, he constantly pondered the changing future situation. The burden he carried was heavier than anyone else present.

Someone who could bear such a heavy burden being late occasionally was inconsequential.

Even if he didn’t come today and returned tomorrow, to Qin An, it seemed entirely normal.

Emperor Xuanwu looked directly into Qin An’s eyes, and Qin An did not flinch, meeting the emperor’s gaze.

After a long while, Emperor Xuanwu suddenly smiled.

The instant the smile spread, the oppressive feeling on everyone present instantly dissipated, but their astonished expressions only deepened.

Since Emperor Xuanwu had appeared, he hadn’t shown any expression, and now he was smiling at Qin An, which was intriguing.

Whether it was good or bad, no one could tell, but seeing that Qin An remained unharmed, it seemed to be more good than bad.

Emperor Xuanwu withdrew his smile, rubbed his chin with his fingertips, and said blandly, "You are quite interesting. A moment ago, I saw the word ’serious’ on your face and found that what you said was genuinely sincere, indicating that this is indeed what you think."

"I have suddenly found some interest in you. Your name is Qin An, right?"

"I have heard of you and know what you have done on the Celestial Cloud Path. I also know your secret identity and am aware that two of my inept sons seem to be targeting you."

Qin An shook his head slightly and said, "Anyone striving to reach the pinnacle will inevitably face the world’s criticism and targeting. From Ding County to here, I’ve encountered too much right and wrong, and I’ve long become accustomed to it."

Emperor Xuanwu placed one hand on his knee and the other on the armrest of the dragon chair, using his palm to support his cheek.

This relaxed posture didn’t diminish his nobility; instead, it exuded an exceptional noble aura.

"You are interesting and outstanding. I’ve seen many generations of geniuses, but you have brought some surprise to me, though it’s just surprise."

"Well, let’s move on to the next matter. Everyone, what are your thoughts on the current situation? Or what solutions do you propose?"

These words made everyone present look serious.

They knew the main event had arrived.

Every time they had an audience, these favored of heaven would face this question from Emperor Xuanwu, and based on their answers, he would determine their future positions and possibilities.

These were all related to everyone’s subsequent development, so they all showed a heavy expression.

Soon after, one after another bowed and began to share their thoughts.

Qin An did not stand up first but listened patiently.

Yet, the more he listened, the more something felt off.

When discussing their ideas, they were all very restrained, with each one’s ideas being extremely conservative.

Most hoped for the Daqian Kingdom to progress steadily in a conservative manner, which made them timid and their viewpoints rather similar.

Qin An instinctively glanced at Emperor Xuanwu and found his eyes still calm, like autumn water.

No one could discern any emotional changes from his expression.

However, it was precisely this calmness that proved that the group’s answers weren’t surprising enough for Emperor Xuanwu.

Qin An fell silent, his mind racing.

And as more people came to meet the emperor and answer questions, fewer remained.

When the last person finished answering, everyone directed their gaze towards Qin An.

They knew only Qin An was left and were eager to hear what he had to say.

At this moment, Qin An was still leaning on his chair, his eyes somewhat vacant as if lost in thought.

Everyone was curious about how Qin An would respond.

Because during this audience, Qin An had been the one to perform the most unusually.

Emperor Xuanwu withdrew his gaze, turned towards Qin An, and after a moment’s thought, slowly spoke, "Qin An, what are your thoughts? Tell me."

Though there was no emotional fluctuation in his words, in his heart, Emperor Xuanwu hoped Qin An could provide a unique answer.

He had grown weary of those answers, everyone speaking as if they were afraid of making a mistake in front of him.

Today, the feeling Qin An gave was different; he hoped for something fresh.

Qin An snapped out of his daze and fell into a brief silence.

Afterward, he suddenly lifted his head,

and a loud, powerful voice echoed in the great hall.

"Kill! This humble servant believes that only by using violence to curb violence can the chaos of this world be ended!"