On the Golden Throne Hall, the young emperor used memorials as a pillow and slept soundly. The ministers thought the new emperor was easy to fool, and one after another reported that “all was peaceful throughout the realm.” Zhu Houzhao listened with a smile. Once the officials had finished singing his praises, he sprang to his feet. “Issue my decree! Order the Great General Jingbu to lead an army of five hundred thousand into the capital!” As the entire court recoiled in shock, the secret report of the Embroidered Uniform Guard was flung onto the floor: the World Society had infiltrated three provinces, and half the officials at court had become the eyes and ears of Xiong Ba! In a single night, the blades of the Eastern and Western Depots were drawn, and a thousand heads hit the ground. Meanwhile, the young man on the Dragon Throne was toying with the rewards from his sign-in: a hundred thousand Black-Armored Cavalry, a sweeping monk at the Celestial Phenomenon Realm, and the soon-to-open… Imperial Rankings!
