Atop the Imperial Court, various officials hung their heads, their expressions somewhat dazed.

They had grown accustomed to peace throughout the realm, and hearing this sudden news made them feel as if they were in a dream.

How had this peaceful world suddenly rebelled, and how did the rebels manage to capture a county city? That was the major concern.

After all, there had been numerous small-scale rebellions, but none that had succeeded in capturing a county city.

This not only shamed the full court of officials, but also enraged the old Emperor, who bellowed furiously.

"Useless, absolutely useless! A small band of rebels sends you scurrying in fear, has the Imperial Court fostered a pack of wine-soaked sots for so many years?" The old Emperor’s furious roar resounded throughout the entire hall.

A memorial was tossed down by him, striking the Prime Minister squarely on the face.

Under normal circumstances, the Emperor would have left the Prime Minister some dignity and not acted so rudely, but in his anger, the furious old Emperor no longer cared for such decorum.

"Look at this, these are the officials under your command, pig-like creatures. Immediately have him arrested for fleeing in the face of the enemy, for dereliction of duty and humiliating the nation, I want him flayed alive."

The old Emperor’s fury was clear to everyone, as he already had a reputation for tyranny, and with the news of the severe drought that had been suppressed now surfacing, he realized he had lost control over the lower echelons.

Such a realization filled him with dread, and the words of the Golden Light Master seemed to echo in his ears once more, leaving him anxious and restless. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Could it be that the Daoist Sect really has the power to sever the nation’s fate?" murmured the old Emperor.

Lately, the Imperial Court had faced nothing but adversity, with the drought followed by rebellion, unsettling everyone in the empire and creating an illusion reminiscent of a dynasty’s demise.

This made the old Emperor very vigilant, resolving to have a grave discussion with Golden Light Master.

Atop the Imperial Court, the atmosphere was extraordinarily tense.

All the ministers kept their heads low, not even daring to breathe too loudly.

Everyone was well aware of the old Emperor’s unpredictable moods, especially given such circumstances; anyone who dared to provoke misfortune might soon add another wronged spirit outside the Noon Gate.

The Prime Minister frowned and slowly unfolded the memorial beside him, the message written on it filled him with indignant rage, for he finally understood why the Emperor was so furious.

If two armies clashed and a city was breached, it meant insufficient strength, but to show cowardice before the battle, let alone desert during it, the guilt was substantial.

Particularly after learning that the rebels were nothing but a band of unarmed vagrants, the Prime Minister detested the County Magistrate of the local city even more.

If only he had shown a bit of courage to hold the city, with the combat strength of that mob of destitutes, they wouldn’t have stood a chance of breaching the walls.

Yet they encountered a fool who fled without fighting, handing over the city on a silver platter, thus allowing a rabble of peasant soldiers to seize the city effortlessly, an unfolding scenario unheard of for centuries.

Upon reading this, the Prime Minister secretly breathed a sigh of relief; fortunately, the situation wasn’t as dire as he had feared. The band of vagrants was merely lucky, and as long as the Imperial Court took the matter seriously and dispatched the Imperial Army to surround and exterminate them, they posed no real threat.

However, the Emperor’s attitude alarmed him, for what the Prime Minister could foresee, the Emperor certainly could as well, yet he still chose to cause trouble in the Imperial Court, even denying the Prime Minister the slightest respect.

This was clearly the Emperor using this incident to chastise his officials, but then again, these ministers had indeed been too outrageous lately.

The severity of the drought disaster was such that someone still dared to deceive their superiors and mislead their subordinates. Now that the initial signs of adverse consequences had emerged, even the Prime Minister, head of all officials, believed there indeed needed to be a thorough rectification.

Thus, he respectfully knocked his forehead to the ground and said, "This humble servant has failed to manage his subordinates strictly, leading to the loss of state power and national disgrace. I beg Your Majesty to mete out punishment!"

The Prime Minister bowed his head, a gesture of extraordinary significance. All the officials present realized that the matter at hand was no small issue; otherwise, someone as dignified as the Prime Minister would not lower his head so readily.

The aged Emperor nodded silently upon hearing this. The Prime Minister truly was an old minister who had weathered many years in the treacherous seas of the court; he had quickly grasped the Emperor’s intentions.

Of course, this was also why he had been chosen as the Prime Minister. In terms of ability, he was not the most formidable in Great Ning, but when it came to discerning the Emperor’s will, he was indeed the best at it.

With the cooperation of the Prime Minister, the Emperor naturally could advance his own ideas.

So began a grand purge of officials. Countless high-ranking officials fell into the misery of prison, but even with all their might, they could not avert the degeneration of the times.

The problems of Great Ning were multifaceted, and even with the Emperor’s ambitious spirit to turn the tide, he was still powerless to reverse the situation.

However, the Imperial Army tasked with suppressing the rebellion advanced toward the location where Wang Qi resided, as everyone anxiously awaited.

Leading them was the youngest general of Great Ning, Huo Shan. A son of a military family, he had been well versed in the art of war from a young age. For this opportunity to lead troops, his father had called in countless favors.

After all, such opportunities to gain visibility did not come by often. As soon as it became known that Wang Qi and his band of Rebels were merely a group of refugees, they became synonymous with military achievements.

This was indeed like a gift of merit delivered to their doorstep, so the entire Imperial Court was in an uproar, each hoping to be appointed the military commander for this campaign.

In the end, Huo Shan snatched the opportunity right from under everyone’s nose, securing this heaven-sent chance for himself.

At this moment, he sat astride a tall horse, his face filled with a smug expression.

He still remembered the envious looks on the faces of his peers when he left the Capital city.

He relished such treatment. To be without jealousy meant to be mediocre; being envied by so many people only proved his competence.

Once he returned in triumph, the expressions on their faces would surely be even more interesting. At this moment, Huo Shan could hardly wait to savor the fruits of victory.

As for defeat, he had never considered it; how could such a ragtag bunch possibly be his match? As soon as the Imperial Army arrived, they would be utterly obliterated, and he would return to the Capital city basking in the glory of victory.

At this thought, he felt a surge of power coursing through him. Lifting his whip, he spurred his horse and shouted loudly, "Hurry up, everyone! I want to properly deal with this group of audacious Rebels!"

The troops moved in a mighty procession, speeding across the land of Great Ning like a long serpent.

Meanwhile, Wang Qi had also received news of the approaching Imperial Army, and his face was as gloomy as if it would drip water.

Although he had been prepared for this, the prospect of facing the Imperial Army still invoked an indescribable fear deep in his heart.

After all, his people were not professional soldiers; they were completely green when it came to military strategy, relying solely on innate talent. Against the regular forces of the Imperial Court, they had no idea where to find the chances of victory.

Fortunately, he had already abandoned the County Magistrate’s seat and had fled into the mountains. It was not easy for the enemy to track them down.