56: Tell the emperor to come see me!

Chu He's words were like thunder from the Nine Heavens, exploding in Liu Yong's mind.

To have... His Majesty the Emperor come to Chu City in person?

And to bring the National Treasure as well?

Just to... stand and speak a few words with him?

Crazy!

This Chu He is absolutely crazy!

Liu Yong knelt on the ground, his entire body shaking like a sieve. He didn't even dare to look up at Chu He's face, fearing that the other party would grind him into dust if he was even slightly displeased.

The Golden-Armored Guards and the group of officials behind him were even more terrified, their faces pale as they didn't even dare to breathe.

They had seen arrogant people before, but never anyone this arrogant!

This was no longer just a slap to the imperial family's face; it was pressing the Emperor's face into the ground and trampling it ruthlessly!

"What, can't you remember it?"

Chu He's voice rang out again, tinged with a hint of impatience.

"I... I remember! This Junior remembers!"

Liu Yong jolted back to his senses and kowtowed repeatedly. "This Junior will certainly deliver Senior's words word for word!"

"Mhm."

Chu He nodded in satisfaction and then waved his hand as if shooing a fly.

"Leave the items behind. As for the people, you can scram."

The terrifying pressure weighing down on Liu Yong vanished instantly.

Liu Yong felt as if he had been granted a great amnesty. He scrambled to his feet, not even stopping to pick up the Imperial Edict that had fallen in the dust. He bellowed with all his might to his dazed subordinates behind him:

"Go! Quickly, go!"

In an instant, everything was in a state of total chaos.

The Imperial Honor Guard, which had been so majestic and overbearing just moments ago, now fled in panic like stray dogs, leaving behind the hundred-plus boxes of Heaven And Earth Treasure and a complete mess, disappearing at the end of the official road in the blink of an eye.

It wasn't until the last trace of bright yellow vanished from sight that the deathly silence around them was broken.

"The Patriarch is mighty!"

"Long live the Chu Family!"

On the city walls and both inside and outside the city gates, countless citizens of Chu City erupted in cheers that shook the heavens like a mountain-shaking roar.

The way they looked at Chu He was no longer just with admiration, but with a fanatical faith as if he were a god!

Imperial power and wealth, the dignity of the Son of Heaven—before their Patriarch, all were like clay chickens and pottery dogs!

Facing the cheers of ten thousand people, Chu He's expression remained unchanged.

He turned around and looked at the hundred-plus large boxes, smiling at Lin Waner and Su Qingxue beside him. "It seems His Majesty the Emperor's family fortune is quite substantial."

Lin Waner stepped forward and opened one of the boxes. Inside, she saw neatly stacked High-Grade Spirit Stones shimmering with a faint light. A rough count showed there were over a thousand.

"One hundred thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones and so many Heaven And Earth Treasures; it is indeed a grand gesture." Lin Waner nodded, then added with some concern, "Husband, you have humiliated the imperial family so much today. I fear their next step will be to break all pretenses and use thunderous means."

"Break all pretenses? That would be more fun."

Chu He smiled indifferently.

This was exactly the effect he wanted.

If the imperial family really swallowed their pride and the old Emperor scurried over to Chu City, he would actually feel a bit embarrassed to directly snatch the items.

Now, he had kicked the ball back.

To come, or not to come?

If he comes, the imperial dignity will be swept away, and they will become the laughingstock of the world.

If he doesn't, then that's perfect; it gives Chu He a legitimate pretext.

"Qingxue, put everything away, categorize them, and register them into the warehouse," Chu He instructed.

"Yes, Husband," Su Qingxue replied. She then took out a Storage Ring and, with a wave of her fair hand, the hundred-plus large boxes vanished into thin air, all collected within it.

Only after all this was done did Chu He turn his gaze toward the Imperial Edict abandoned in the dust.

He walked over and bent down to pick it up.

Beside him, Lin Waner asked curiously, "Husband, is that thing still useful?"

"Of course."

Chu He unfurled the Imperial Edict, and as he looked at the four large characters "state protecting dharma king" written with the vermilion imperial brush, the curl of his lips became even more pronounced.

"This is a 'Righteous Cause' delivered right to our door. It would be a waste not to take it."

He casually handed the Imperial Edict to Lin Waner.

"Waner, pass down my order. Have the contents of this Imperial Edict printed in one hundred thousand copies and have our Pill Hall's merchant caravans distribute them to every corner of the Great Yan Dynasty."

"I want everyone in the world to know that I, Chu He, am now the 'state protecting dharma king' personally bestowed by the Emperor, and my status is equal to his own."

Lin Waner was extremely intelligent and instantly understood Chu He's intention, her beautiful eyes lighting up.

"Husband wants to... use the imperial family's name to carry out our own affairs?"

"No."

Chu He shook his head and corrected her.

"It's not borrowing."

"From this day forward, in this Great Yan Dynasty, my Chu family is the law!"

As he spoke, he looked up toward Tianyan City, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.

"Calculating the time, that old fellow should have received my 'reply' by now."

"I'd like to see what kind of response he will give me."

...Tianyan City, Imperial Palace.

When the Minister of Rites, Liu Yong, scrambled back into the great hall and repeated Chu He's arrogant words of "tell the Emperor to get over here and see me" word for word.

The entire imperial court fell into a deathly silence that lasted for fifteen minutes.

Everyone stood frozen on the spot as if under a binding spell, their faces filled with disbelief.

"Pfft—"

Finally, the Emperor of the Great Yan Dynasty, seated upon the Dragon Throne, could no longer suppress the monstrous rage in his chest. He spat out a mouthful of heart's blood, staining the Dragon Robe before him red.

"Traitor! Traitor!!"

He pointed outside the hall, his body trembling violently and his eyes bloodshot, looking like a man possessed.

"How dare he! How dare he humiliate me so!!"

"Pass down my decree! Assemble the army! Mobilize all Imperial Consecrators! Activate the National Protection Array!"

"I will lead the campaign personally! I will raze Chu City to the ground and tear that Chu He into ten thousand pieces!!"

The Emperor's roar echoed in the hall for a long time, filled with endless resentment and killing intent.

A war capable of overthrowing the entire Dynasty was now on the verge of breaking out!