By the time Gao Yiye and the rest of the group led by Shan Shier arrived at the gates of the imperial palace in the capital, the place was already packed to the point of absurdity, with carriages clogging every approach road and streams of people pouring in from all directions, all of them representatives of various trades and regions across the country.
At a glance, it looked lively and grand, yet if one took a closer look, it was exactly as Xu Dafu had complained earlier, because the majority of these so-called "representatives of the people" were not really common folk at all, but rather local gentry, landlords, wealthy merchants, and famous figures with status and education, which in plain terms meant that it was still largely the same old ruling class wearing a slightly different coat.
There was simply no helping it, since governing a country could not be entrusted to illiterates, and those who possessed knowledge were, more often than not, products of the old system itself, a reality that Li Dao Xuan understood very clearly as he observed everything from above, knowing that the road toward true collective governance would be long and difficult, and that even in the era he came from, such ideals were still… well, not exactly perfect, yet difficulty alone was no excuse to abandon the direction entirely.
Inside the palace, the Huangji Hall had already been thoroughly rearranged.
What had once been a solemn hall where only the emperor could sit upon the dragon throne while all officials stood below to debate had now been transformed into something entirely different, as the throne itself was occupied by a statue of Dao Xuan Tianzun to "hold the scene," while a chair had been placed beside it for Gao Yiye, also to "hold the scene," and the rest of the vast hall had been filled with rows upon rows of chairs, each one occupied by a representative from some corner of the land.
Shan Shier stepped forward with a draft in hand, cleared his throat with exaggerated seriousness, and looked over the crowd before speaking.
"I hereby announce that the New Ming National Assembly is officially in session," he said, pausing for a moment as if about to add one of his usual idioms, then abruptly waving it off with a self-conscious grin. "Actually, forget it, this is a serious occasion, I'd better not mess it up with my nonsense this time."
A ripple of awkward silence spread through the hall, followed by a few suppressed chuckles.
Shan Shier coughed again, regaining his composure as he continued, "Now then, the first issue on the agenda is whether we should launch an attack on Shenyang."
The moment the words left his mouth, Flat Rabbit shot to his feet like a spring-loaded trap, his voice loud enough to echo across the entire hall. "What is there to discuss? We attack, of course! Just send the troops and be done with it!"
"Sit down!" Shan Shier snapped immediately, glaring at him. "This is a formal meeting, not a tavern brawl."
Before Flat Rabbit could even sit properly, Chen Qianhu from Shanxi had already stood up as well, raising his hand as if afraid to be left behind. "I cast my vote in favor of attacking Shenyang immediately."
Shan Shier's forehead twitched. "There is a process to follow! You cannot just jump in like that."
Zhu Yujian, representing the Jiangnan merchants, spoke calmly from his seat, "I support the military action."
"I support it as well," Zhu Youzhong added without hesitation.
"I agree too," said Shi Lao Si from the Gao Village Family, nodding earnestly.
That was the last straw.
"Enough!" Shan Shier raised both hands, half exasperated, half amused. "All of you talking over each other like this might work in a small meeting, but there are hundreds of people here. If everyone shouts 'I agree' one by one, do you expect me to keep count with my ears alone?"
The hall fell silent again, this time with a hint of embarrassment.
Shan Shier pointed at the small wooden placards placed in front of each representative and explained, "You all have a card on your table. The red side means you agree, and the white side means you oppose. Just raise the side you choose so I can see it clearly."
The moment he finished speaking, a wave of motion swept across the hall, and in the blink of an eye, every single placard was raised with the red side facing forward, creating a sea of unanimous approval.
Shan Shier blinked, then let out a short laugh. "Well then, that makes things easy. I hereby declare that the proposal to attack Shenyang has passed unanimously, and from this moment onward, it takes immediate effect."
A hesitant voice rose from somewhere in the crowd.
"Um… shouldn't we still consult Dao Xuan Tianzun about this?" the representative asked cautiously. "After all, the campaign against Shenyang has always been under his direction, and his incarnation is still at Dalinghe City. What if he does not approve?"
Before Shan Shier could respond, the statue seated on the dragon throne suddenly spoke.
"There is no need to ask for my opinion anymore."
The voice of Li Dao Xuan carried calmly through the hall, causing every head to snap toward the throne.
"From this day forward, all major decisions will be made by the assembly," he continued in a relaxed tone. "Not by me. I am… somewhat tired, you see, and I have plans to travel the world for a bit. I even promised Cai Xinzi and Queen Qianyan M that we would play mahjong until the last tile falls, but I have not had the time yet."
A murmur spread among the representatives, many of whom recognized Queen Qianyan M as a famous figure in the immortal realm, though Cai Xinzi remained a mystery to them, likely another deity in the heavens.
Tan Liwen raised his hand, his expression serious. "Tianzun, we are still mortals, lacking true foresight. If we make the wrong decision and choose the wrong path, what then?"
Li Dao Xuan let out a soft sigh before replying, "Then you bear the consequences of your mistake, and afterward, you correct it. Remember this well, no one in this world is always right. Making mistakes is not what is frightening. What is truly frightening is stubbornly refusing to correct them."
Flat Rabbit suddenly leaned forward, his usual brashness replaced with unease. "Tianzun… the way you are speaking… are you saying you are going to leave us?"
Li Dao Xuan chuckled lightly. "Not quite. I will still be watching from above, but most of the time, I will only be watching. I may come down to play now and then, but I will not interfere much. By now, you already possess both the courage and the ability to stand on your own."
He turned his gaze toward Gao Yiye. "If something truly major happens, you may ring the bell to call me, though whether I respond or not will depend on my mood at the time."
As his voice gradually faded, the hall fell into complete silence, and in the next instant, a series of thuds echoed one after another as every representative dropped to their knees in unison.
…
Far away, at Dalinghe City, Lu Xiangsheng received two pieces of news almost at the same time.
One was the imperial edict from Zhu Youjian ordering him to return to the capital to provide aid.
The other was the report that the capital had already fallen, with Cao Huachun opening the gates to welcome the forces of collective governance.
Standing atop the city walls, Lu Xiangsheng could only let out a bitter smile, for there was nothing else he could do. He turned toward the direction of the capital, bowed from afar, and sighed deeply, his heart heavy with uncertainty about what fate awaited him in this new era.
He thought of seeking out Li Yuanwai for guidance, only to find that the man had entered a state of silent meditation, unresponsive no matter how many times he was called.
Just as confusion began to settle in, a new order arrived.
It was from Sun Chuanting, the newly appointed Minister of War.
"The first resolution passed unanimously by the Assembly is to attack Shenyang," the message read. "Effective immediately. All frontline forces are to advance under the command of Vice Minister of War, Lu Xiangsheng."