“That beast Li Wu has been slaughtering us like pigs.”
“Fellow colleagues, Li Wu is now the Emperor’s favored man. It will be extremely difficult for us to bring him down.”
“Hmph. He will fall sooner or later. We must unite and resist Li Wu.”
“A few days ago, Li Wu impeached me for taking a concubine. Damn it. I lost all face because of him.”
Inside a certain residence, several ministers grumbled bitterly.
“I heard Li Wu supports the Sixth Prince and plans to cast his vote for him.”
“Who told you that? Li Wu has been saying he supports the eldest imperial grandson. Just a few days ago, he even tried to persuade me to vote for the eldest imperial grandson with him.”
“That cunning villain is trying to straddle ten boats at once, not daring to offend any Prince or imperial grandson.”
“Clearly, all the Princes and imperial grandsons are courting him. No matter who becomes Emperor, Li Wu will benefit.”
“No wonder last time he shamelessly declared that no matter how we cast our votes, in the end we would all be supporting the Prince or imperial grandson he had chosen.”
The ministers sighed repeatedly. The ten-year deadline was approaching.
Over these years, every Prince and imperial grandson had been traveling throughout the Empire, working tirelessly to gather support.
Obviously, all of them wanted to become Emperor. Among the officials in the Imperial Capital, Li Changsheng was the most active, frequently associating closely with various Princes and imperial grandsons.
Anyone could see that he had long since secured ties with everyone. No matter who ultimately ascended the throne, he would reap the rewards.
At times, Li Changsheng even openly mocked other officials, claiming that voting for anyone was essentially the same.
“Gentlemen, perhaps not entirely so. I have thought of a clever plan.”
An elderly minister let out a cold laugh.
“Lord Chen, what plan do you have?”
“Have you all forgotten whom Li Wu despises the most?”
“You mean… the Princess?”
As soon as those words were spoken, dozens of ministers stared wide-eyed in shock.
They suddenly recalled how Li Changsheng had repeatedly argued that women were inferior to men, that female cultivators need not pursue official titles because it was meaningless.
He had openly and subtly belittled the Princess’s bid for the throne.
Little did they know that Princess Qianqian had already approached other ministers in secret. She harbored resentment toward Li Changsheng and had vowed that if she became Emperor, she would make him pay. Visit novelping(.)com for the full chapter.
Over the past ten years, Princess Qianqian had not been idle. She had quietly courted ministers. With her cultivation level and seniority, she was the most qualified female cultivator to compete for the throne.
However, the Princes and imperial grandsons were also exceptional and actively building alliances.
Princess Qianqian remained low-profile and never publicly declared her candidacy, unwilling to become the target of her imperial brothers.
Moreover, the ministers understood that for a female cultivator to stand out among so many Princes and imperial grandsons was nearly impossible. The odds were extremely low.
Yet whenever they thought of Li Changsheng’s arrogant and overbearing demeanor, their teeth clenched in hatred.
“Colleagues, do you wish to be impeached by that bastard Li Wu every day?”
“Do you wish to be trampled under his feet forever?”
“The only solution now is to make the Princess Emperor.”
“No matter which Prince or imperial grandson takes the throne, Li Wu’s position will remain secure. We cannot gamble.”
“Our only chance is the Princess. Once she becomes Emperor, Li Wu will fall from favor. Then whether we dismiss him or banish him to some remote region, we will finally have our opportunity.”
“Exactly. Li Wu has always looked down on female cultivators and has never sought out the Princess. Only if she ascends the throne can we unite to impeach him and ruin his reputation.”
“Otherwise, whoever we support, Li Wu will be the ultimate beneficiary. Why should we let him profit?”
“Since the Emperor intends to step back and rule from behind the scenes, it makes no difference who takes the throne. Why not choose the Princess?”
“If we want Li Wu to lose favor, only the Princess can accomplish that.”
At once, the ministers’ eyes brightened. Excitement stirred in their hearts.
Yes. Only the Princess stood opposed to Li Changsheng. He had never approached her. She had never approached him.
He had openly mocked female cultivators. She had secretly despised him. There had never been any association between them.
This was exactly what the ministers wanted.
“I will write letters immediately, instructing the county magistrates and city lords aligned with me in other regions to change their votes to the Princess. With the reputation of us old fellows, we can surely secure her ascension.”
“Gentlemen, do not hesitate. Only the Princess is our hope.”
Over the years, Li Changsheng had stirred chaos in the Imperial Capital, offending every minister. Several had already seen their families exterminated because of him. Everyone lived in fear, gnashing their teeth in hatred.
Many cultivator officials in the Northern District had been executed. Some were exiled, some dismissed, some had their entire households confiscated.
As for the wealthy families and mortal thugs, they had long been crushed and scattered, no longer daring to form factions.
Not only in the Northern District, but in the Western, Southern, and Eastern Districts as well, cries of misery echoed daily. The prisons were soaked in blood, funerals constant.
Many wealthy nobles had been tormented to the brink of ruin by Li Changsheng.
He never stopped. If someone displeased him, he would crush them until their family was destroyed and their wealth gone.
Even Tanhua Xiang Yuanzhong, who had entered office in the same year as Li Changsheng, had not been spared. Now Minister of the Ministry of Rites, diligent and conscientious, he still could not escape impeachment.
Xiang Yuanzhong was an honest man. For years he had been an Imperial Consort, deeply devoted to the Eighteenth Princess. They had children together and built a flourishing family.
He had never taken concubines. He loved only the Princess and was neither greedy nor lustful. He was upright and incorruptible.
Yet Li Changsheng accused him of lacking ambition, of occupying the position of Minister of the Ministry of Rites without contributing meaningfully, insisting he should step aside for someone more capable.
Xiang Yuanzhong was so enraged he vomited blood upon returning home.
To defend her husband, the Princess rushed before the Emperor in tears.
Li Changsheng showed her no respect. He declared that as a married woman she still sought to meddle in state affairs, proving that Xiang Yuanzhong had risen to his post through marital connections.
This accusation enraged Xiang Yuanzhong to the point of vomiting blood again. He had never offended Li Changsheng, yet Li showed no mercy, even mocking him as a pretty boy chosen for his looks.
Later, officials speculated that the Princess had once rejected Li Changsheng, which was why he resented Xiang Yuanzhong for becoming Imperial Consort.
This deeply offended the Princess. She spoke ill of Li Changsheng to other Princesses daily and urged Xiang Yuanzhong to cast his vote for Princess Qianqian.
Thus, the ministers concluded that only the Princess could be Li Changsheng’s nemesis.
Among all the Princesses, only Princess Qianqian was especially favored. She had not married, had no children, and possessed extraordinary talent.
She was quietly competing for the throne and had never sought Li Changsheng’s support.
Moreover, she was breathtakingly beautiful, dignified, and of impeccable character, superior in many ways to the Princes and imperial grandsons.
If such a Princess became Emperor, she would certainly not favor Li Changsheng.
And when that day came, it would be Li Changsheng’s end.
…