After crossing, I surrounded the capital from the countryside

Xiao Yuheng seemed calmer. He stood by the window with his back to the crowd, his hands behind his back, and his eyes stared through the window lattice at the bustling Xiaoyao Sect outside.

Although there was no obvious change in his expression, his deep eyes revealed a firmness after careful consideration. He seemed to be silently calculating every detail in his mind, making the most thorough preparations for the upcoming uprising.

Liu Hanwen sat next to Xu Qingqing, his brows slightly furrowed, his eyes showing both worry and expectation. He unconsciously stroked the table with his hands, as if looking for a strength to support his determination. Whenever he looked at other people, a warm light flashed in his eyes, which was the trust and reliance on his companions.

Wang Dahu was the most direct one. He stood up, clenched his fists, and scanned the crowd with his eyes. His face was filled with an almost fanatical passion, as if he couldn't wait to join this vigorous uprising.

……

With Xu Qingqing's order, the whole situation seemed to be ignited by an invisible force. The Shadow Pavilion acted quickly like a ghost in the night, and their tentacles spread silently to every corner of Da Zhou. At the same time, Gongfu Bank, a financial institution that has gained fame among the people in recent years and has gathered many business elites, has also become another powerful driving force of this storm with the tacit cooperation of its owners.

For a time, whether it was the prosperous capital or the remote countryside, they were all filled with the same shocking news - the current emperor, the almighty emperor, was actually the illegitimate child born from the affair between Concubine Shu and the northern barbarians.

This news spread quickly throughout the Great Zhou like wildfire, causing an unprecedented uproar.

People were shocked, angry, confused, and talked about it. All kinds of emotions intertwined together to form a civil force that could not be ignored. The court also began to be turbulent, and officials were also discussing it privately. Some believed that this was all a false accusation and was made up, and tried to find the truth from clues. At the same time, some people began to consider how to protect themselves in this storm.

In the bustling market, vendors stopped what they were doing and customers forgot about buying, instead gathering together, whispering and talking.

"Have you heard? The emperor is the illegitimate offspring of the concubine and the northern barbarians!"

"How is this possible? How can a royal affair be so absurd?"

"That's right, it's being spread everywhere now, it seems like this is not a simple matter!"

The teahouse was even more lively. The storyteller gave up his original story and started telling this latest palace secret, which aroused exclamations and sighs.

"Ah, this royal water is really unfathomable!"

"So, aren't the taxes we've paid over the years used to support a bunch of dirty people?"

"Shh, keep your voice down, don't say this casually, but who doesn't think so in their heart?"

On the country roads, farmers returned carrying hoes and talking all the way.

"Lao Zhang, have you heard about that?"

"How could you not know? It's all over the village now. How come the world is so chaotic?"

"We ordinary people can only listen and watch, what else can we do? We just hope that we won't be implicated."

At night, every household is brightly lit, and people sit together and continue the topic of the day.

"Mother, is the emperor really a bastard?"

"Mother, what is a bastard?"

"Shh, shut up! We can't explain these things clearly, but you have to remember that no matter how the world changes, we must stick to our original intentions and do our own things well."

There were also those who had been greatly oppressed and had received the grace of freedom who discussed with each other.

"Dad, should we follow Lun Xiaoyao's boss and join the uprising? Boss Xu is a good man!"

"Revolt is no joke, we must think twice before we act. But no matter what, we must not forget that we are the people of the Great Zhou, and we must think about the country and our families. If the emperor is really a bastard... then we will go to Xu Dongjia and join her in the uprising, and we must get rid of that bastard."

"How can we allow a person of northern barbarian blood to become the emperor of our Great Zhou? It's simply a joke. The northern barbarians have been fighting us for so many years and have not been able to invade us, but an emperor crawled out of a woman's belly. It's ridiculous!"

At this time, the Great Zhou Palace

When the emperor finally learned this shocking news, he felt suffocated.

He dragged his heavy body to sit on the magnificent dragon throne, his face ashen and his eyes burning with anger.

"Asshole! Who dares to slander me like this!" The emperor's voice was deep and powerful, and every word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, filled with uncontrollable anger. He knew very well that once this news spread, it would cause an immeasurable blow to his supreme imperial power, and might even cause unrest in the court and the people.

However, what made him even more panic was that the mystery of his origins was revealed at this time. He was not unaware of his origins, but it was a secret that was deliberately covered up and buried deep in his heart. Now, this secret was like a scar that was exposed to the sun, bleeding, making him feel unprecedented helplessness and panic.

"I am the true dragon emperor, appointed by heaven, how can I allow such a despicable person to slander me at will!" He roared, his voice echoing in the empty palace, with endless majesty and anger. However, beneath this anger, he was hiding deep panic and timidity.

"Someone come! Investigate this matter thoroughly for me! Whoever dares to spread rumors and cause trouble, I will tear him into pieces!" The emperor roared, his voice trembling.

The palace servants agreed tremblingly and retreated like birds.

After the group of servants left, the emperor began to pace in the palace. Every step he took seemed extremely heavy, as if he was carrying a thousand-pound burden.

He couldn't imagine how he would face the people of the world and how he would maintain his rule if this news was really confirmed.

What he feared even more was that once this secret was revealed, he would no longer be the high and mighty emperor, but an evil son ridiculed by the world.

"No, no, this is impossible!" He muttered to himself, his voice full of despair and helplessness, as well as resentment towards Concubine Shu. He resented why his mother was a whore who had an affair with someone, and why she gave him such a dirty bloodline, causing him to feel uneasy even sitting on the throne.

Under the heavy shadow, the emperor's heart was shrouded in an unprecedented dark emotion. His original deep respect and attachment to his mother gradually twisted into indescribable resentment and confusion.