Of all the great emperors, Jimie was by nature the most meticulous and discerning. Unlike the brash, sharp-tongued Panlong, his first thought was always a matter of principle.
Sure enough, the moment he raised the question, every gaze in the hall turned grave, all eyes fixing squarely on Great Emperor Canghai.
This was something Canghai had already sworn an oath to the Gold-Munching Mouse King about. But he knew perfectly well that this matter could not be settled by Young Lord Zhen alone. If he wanted to return to the Glazed Royal City and earn everyone's forgiveness, he would need every single person to accept him.
"Everyone, anything I say right now, you'll take as me dodging responsibility. Yes — when I sided with the Asura Great Emperor back then, I did have considerable grievances against the Peacock Great Emperor. But what I want to make clear is this: the Peacock Great Emperor's disappearance was entirely orchestrated by the Asura Great Emperor from start to finish. I knew about it, but I absolutely did not participate in it directly." Canghai raised his hand to the heavens and swore. "If there is even a single word of falsehood in what I've said, may I die a wretched death."
Panlong's expression darkened instantly. "So you're telling me those rumors from before — you lot deliberately spread them? You exaggerated the Peacock Great Emperor's downfall to make it easier to seize power?"
Canghai flushed pale with guilt but still gave a nod.
The truth was, he had been on the Asura Great Emperor's side at the time. He had even been the one to mastermind that rumor. And when the Peacock Great Emperor vanished, he had been secretly delighted.
But now, having realized that the Asura Great Emperor was nothing more than a useless puppet — someone utterly incapable of shouldering the burden — he was consumed with regret and dejection.
He knew that the hostility these people harbored toward him would not dissipate easily. But he had no other choice. He could only endure the humiliation and bear the burden, slowly earning their acceptance over time.
"Canghai, if the Peacock Great Emperor's disappearance truly had no direct involvement from you, then no matter how difficult the road back to the Glazed Royal City may be, the city will always leave a path open for you. Whether you cherish that opportunity is up to you. Now — tell us everything you know. Every piece of intelligence. Hold nothing back regarding the Peacock Great Emperor. Not a single word omitted. Don't exaggerate, and don't conceal anything."
The moment Jiang Chen spoke, the others nodded in quiet approval.
Canghai looked as though he had been granted a reprieve. He nodded repeatedly. "It was like this…"
He opened up and poured out everything he knew, like emptying a bamboo tube of all its beans, holding nothing back.
After hearing it all, Panlong flew into an even greater fury. "That bastard Shura — all those years the Peacock Emperor personally elevated and supported him, and this is how he repays it? Sitting on the throne without contributing a damn thing would have been bad enough, but he actually colluded with outside enemies against the Peacock Emperor! Truly an ungrateful wolf that can never be filled!"
Even Jimie sighed. "A creature like that — it's fortunate the Glazed Royal City didn't fall into his hands. If it had, the ancient legacy built up over countless generations would have been destroyed in one stroke."
Great Emperor Nian and Great Emperor Zhenyue exchanged a glance, a heavy look of lingering fear passing between their eyes. They had been the ones who supported the Asura Great Emperor's convening of the vassal lords' assembly.
To put it bluntly, they had mentally sympathized with the Asura Great Emperor at the time.
Thinking back on it now, their hearts still trembled. If Young Lord Zhen hadn't displayed such extraordinary power at that assembly and won all thirteen rounds of the wager, the Glazed Royal City would have fallen into the Asura Great Emperor's hands.
And behind the Asura Great Emperor, the one pulling the strings had been Pill Fire City.
In other words, the Glazed Royal City had nearly become a puppet force secretly controlled by Pill Fire City. If things had reached that point, every one of them would have been branded eternal sinners against the Glazed Royal City.
"Pill Fire City!" Panlong ground his teeth. "Pill Fire City has gone too far! Young Lord Zhen, the Asura Great Emperor may be dead, but this grudge cannot be laid to rest just like that. The true mastermind is Pill Fire City — it's Emperor Danji! Shura was nothing more than a dog they set upon us!"
"Exactly! The Peacock Emperor's fate remains unknown, and this debt will be paid in their blood!"
Rage swept through the hall.
Before, when rumors of the Peacock Great Emperor's fate had been circulating without confirmation, everyone had been worried but not yet driven to extremes. Now that they knew the full truth, every one of them was consumed with fury.
The Glazed Royal City had always stood as an equal to Pill Fire City. That Emperor Danji had the audacity to target the Peacock Great Emperor — and moreover, to attempt to manipulate the Glazed Royal City from behind the scenes!
This was something none of the Glazed Royal City's great emperors could possibly accept.
Even Great Emperor Nian, who had always been the most detached from worldly affairs, was visibly displeased. "Young Lord Zhen, I am ashamed. Back then, I was blinded and nearly deceived by that scoundrel Shura. Looking at the Glazed Royal City's current situation, if not for Young Lord Zhen's efforts, we would have been sold by someone and still been helping them count the money! From this day forward, my Nian lineage will give its full support to Young Lord Zhen and acknowledge him as the master of the Glazed Royal City! I have absolutely nothing further to say on the matter."
"My Zhenyue lineage says the same. From now on, whenever any matter concerns the well-being of the Glazed Royal City, my Zhenyue lineage will never stand in the way. We will firmly and unwaveringly support Young Lord Zhen. Anyone who opposes Young Lord Zhen opposes us."
"Support for Young Lord Zhen!" The others voiced their endorsements one after another.
Canghai's face was flushed crimson. "Young Lord Zhen, I am a man bearing guilt and have no right to pledge any grand loyalty. But I, Canghai, swear this: for the rest of my life, if I ever do even half a thing to wrong the Glazed Royal City again, may I be struck dead by heavenly lightning, and may my descendants be slaves and servants for generation upon generation, never to rise again!"
Canghai placed himself as low as he possibly could. The more abject his posture, the more the hatred in everyone's hearts gradually softened.
After all, this was still a great emperor. Killing him now would bring only a moment's satisfaction.
Keeping him alive might at least allow him to contribute something to the Glazed Royal City.
Since Young Lord Zhen intended to keep him, there must be a reason behind it.
"Canghai, it is good that you understand your situation. Your Canghai Dao field has been kept intact for you. Your seat as a great emperor is still reserved. However, your ranking among the great emperors will of course be the very last. I don't care to hear you make declarations — I only care to see your actions. If you truly wish to atone, the Glazed Royal City will have plenty of places where people are needed in the time ahead. Prove yourself through what you do."
Jiang Chen did not push Canghai any further than necessary.