Chapter 27: The Ruthless Emperor Ming
Hall of Benevolence, Royal Palace. Capital City, Shang Empire.
Sitting on the throne, Emperor Ming looked at the ministers below. With the war report in his hand, he read the war report with a frown. The more he read it, the deeper his frown became. Those ministers standing under the throne did not dare to look up at him or make a noise. After a long silence, he threw the battle report to the ministers below.
Srak!
The war reports are written on bamboo slips strung together into a bamboo scroll. With this throw, the thin rope tied the bamboo slips together broke, and the bamboo slips were scattered all over the ground. Looking at the bamboo slips scattered on the ground, the ministers and generals immediately fell to their knees.
"Please calm down, Your Majesty!"
Their voices were solemn, but Zhao Jue could sense their indifference. He slammed his hand on the throne chair arm, stood up and pointed at the ministers and generals kneeling below.
"Shut up, all of you!" He shouted angrily at the ministers and generals.
After his shout, the spacious and magnificent Hall of Benevolence suddenly fell into silence. None of the ministers nor generals dared to move or speak out. Although Emperor Ming was neither a benevolent nor a wise Emperor, he was a ruthless Emperor.
In order to control military power and political power, he did not hesitate to execute countless brave and talented generals, and exiled the Xiao clan. He even put his biological mother, the Empress Dowager, under house arrest. Fortunately, under the pressure of the other loyal ministers and generals, Emperor Ming’s plan to execute the Xiao clan failed. In the end, he had to exile them from the Shang Dynasty instead.