Chapter 1712: Controversy

Unlike the carriages he had seen in period dramas in his previous life, the vehicle Zhao Hao was in could barely be called one. It was pulled by a colossal mythical beast, and the carriage itself was as vast as a small palace. Its entire body shimmered with pale blue runes, and various stability and wind-controlling spell formations operated smoothly, ensuring those inside felt as if they were on solid ground, completely free from any vibrations.

Almost all high-ranking court officials were present, as if a morning court session were being held in the capital.

The moment Zhao Hao uttered those words, everyone in the room turned to look at Zu An. Their expressions varied: some were shocked and dismayed, some gloating, some filled with concern, while others simply watched the unfolding drama.

Zu An's expression shifted several times. He had initially thought his secret release of Concubine Bai had been exposed and was pondering how to explain it. He never expected it to be about this.

Although he had long anticipated that his identity as Regent would eventually be revealed, he hadn't expected it to happen so soon. It all came too suddenly.

He offered no rebuttal. It was pointless to argue about such matters; the Emperor's judgments were not based on evidence like those in later eras.

He even felt an impulse to flee. Although Zhao Hao was formidable, with his current cultivation and confidence, escape might not be impossible.

Just then, a familiar voice sounded in his ear: "Don't panic. While your identity as Regent may bring trouble, it is also your protective charm."

Zu An was stunned, then overjoyed: "Empress Sister, you're awake?"

Since Mi Li had fallen asleep before, she would occasionally slip into slumber, making Zu An almost accustomed to her absence.

"Call me Master!" Mi Li corrected him with exasperation.

"Master Sister…"

Zu An willingly called out. For some reason, his emotions calmed down a little the moment she appeared. He felt he was truly born to thrive by leveraging others while maintaining his own strength.

"Stop babbling," Mi Li reminded him. "Deal with the current crisis first, then we can chat."

Zu An nodded inwardly. He had now made up his mind. He bowed to Zhao Hao and said, "It's a long story. I had many concerns before, which is why I didn't inform Your Majesty immediately. I humbly ask for your forgiveness."

Zhao Hao was taken aback. He had expected Zu An, given his personality, to argue and prevaricate for a while, and then he would thoroughly convince him after his poor performance. He never imagined Zu An would admit it so forthrightly, neither humbly nor arrogantly.

The various high-ranking officials in the court also showed fascinating expressions. Some who had dealings with Zu An had hoped this was false, so they could speak favorably on his behalf. But given the current situation, they were truly powerless.

Bi Zi'ang was also among the crowd. However, surrounded by the array of court dignitaries, he could only take a seat at the very end. His usual dignified demeanor seemed as insignificant as an ant before such a host of powerful figures.

At this moment, his jaw nearly dropped. Before this, he had absolute confidence when facing Zu An. No matter how brilliantly Zu An performed, Bi Zi'ang paid it no mind. Zu An was merely a favored official of his sister, and no matter how capable, he was nothing more than a dog of the Bi family.

But now, knowing that Zu An was actually the Regent of the demon race, everything changed. After years of propaganda, the demon race was considered by humans to be ferocious and bloodthirsty, yet incredibly powerful, a formidable enemy of similar might to humanity. What did being the Regent of the demon race even mean? Let alone himself, even figures like his father would be three ranks lower in comparison.

Who was the dog now?

King Qi, standing at the head of the assembled officials, raised an eyebrow. He had previously thought this young man was merely a clown, constantly disrupting his plans. But now, he had to reconsider him.

At this point, Palace Attendant Pei Zheng stepped forward and declared, "Your Majesty, this man has committed the crime of deceiving the Emperor and has colluded with the demon race. Holding a high position, yet concealing his true intentions, he harbors truly ambitious and treacherous designs. I implore Your Majesty to have this man executed outside the gates and to thoroughly investigate any remaining demon sympathizers!"

His voice was incredibly impassioned, seemingly filled with anger, yet also excitement.

It was no wonder he reacted this way. A year or two ago, King Qi's influence was immense, and everyone was confident that he would succeed as the next emperor.

However, everything changed the moment Zu An arrived in the capital. Low and mid-level officials in King Qi's faction were either dismissed or stripped of their power. Recently, even the core figures of King Qi's party, Imperial Secretary Yu Nan and Minister of the Left Yu Xuanchong, had fallen from power one after another. The events in Yunzhong had further destroyed decades of King Qi's efforts. The entire King Qi faction's power had waned to an extreme low.

All of this was linked to Zu An. As Pei Zheng watched him rise steadily through the ranks, his resentment grew, yet he felt powerless.

Now that he had finally found an opportunity to retaliate, how could he not be pleased?

Zu An thought to himself, "Grandpa Da Manman is really showing no mercy. If he knew about my relationship with his granddaughter, would he still be so intent on destroying me?"

At the same time, General Wei Liu Yao also stepped forward and said, "Indeed, in this dynasty, colluding with foreign races is a grave offense punishable by the execution of the entire family. This man, surnamed Zu, knowingly committed this crime. He received the great imperial favor of our Great Zhou Dynasty, yet became the Regent of the demon race—this is an even greater offense!"

Many people in the room had strange expressions. Ordinarily, King Qi's faction and the Emperor's faction would argue fiercely over even trivial matters. They never expected them to be on the same side, for the first time, regarding Zu An.

The Emperor nodded slightly. "What you say makes sense."

At this moment, Bi Qi, who rarely expressed his opinion, spoke up: "Your Majesty, your humble servant believes this is inappropriate. We previously wondered why the demon race's terms for truce and peace talks were so lenient, fearing a trick. Now, we finally understand it must be due to Sir Zu's influence on their side. Therefore, from this perspective, Sir Zu still considered humanity's best interests. Not only is he blameless, but he has actually performed a meritorious service."

Bi Zi'ang was astonished. He never expected his father to speak up for Zu An at such a critical moment.

It was true that Zu An was a trusted aide promoted by his sister. But now that he was the Regent of the demon race, how could he still willingly serve the Bi family?

Even with his sister herself, it was unclear who was truly in control.

His father always planned carefully before acting. He couldn't possibly be unaware of this. Why would he take such a great risk?

Pei Zheng sneered, "According to Sir Bi, this man, surnamed Zu, colluded with the demon race and should not only go unpunished but be rewarded? Where does that leave the laws of the nation? If everyone followed suit and colluded with the demon race, wouldn't our nation cease to exist?"

As a leading figure of the Crown Prince's faction, Bi Qi and Pei Zheng frequently engaged in verbal sparring. Pei Zheng, moreover, held Bi Qi's character in contempt. Thus, he seized the opportunity to unleash a torrent of criticism.

Soon, those allied with Bi Qi and those allied with Pei Zheng began to chime in. The room quickly devolved into a chaotic clamor once more.

Watching this familiar spectacle of factional strife, Zhao Hao frowned. For years, the two sides had been bickering like this, which always irritated him.

What was different this time was that their respective factions seemed to have unprecedentedly split into two camps. Some agreed with Bi Qi's view, while others supported Pei Zheng's call for Zu An's execution—a truly rare occurrence.

He then turned his gaze to Jiang Boyang: "Boyang, you are the Grand Judge, responsible for the court's laws. How do you view this matter?"

Jiang Boyang bowed before speaking: "In your humble servant's opinion, colluding with the demon race is indeed the most severe crime in this dynasty, and Sir Zu, having committed this crime, deserves execution.

"However, he did help humanity secure significant benefits during these peace talks. If he were executed directly, it would inevitably invite criticism. Furthermore, given his status as the demon race's Regent, if anything were to happen to him, would the demon race simply let it go? The truce, meant for recovery and recuperation, might reignite into war, which would truly not be a blessing for the common people.

"This is no longer merely a legal issue. Your humble servant does not know how to render a judgment. I can only rely on Your Majesty's brilliant wisdom and martial prowess to make the correct ruling."

The officials in the room secretly cursed him, calling him an old fox who offended no one, truly cunning.

Zu An thought, "Dean Jiang's father is truly sympathetic. Pei Zheng, you should take notes."

Zhao Hao remained noncommittal. He then looked at Zhao Jing, who stood beside him. "King Qi, what is your opinion on this matter?"