The world shook when the news spread. Li Hao’s latest actions were more reprehensible than his elimination of the Four Seas Company. This wasn’t just a matter of killing one hundred people. If he wanted to kill people, the various institutions wouldn’t mind it if he destroyed an entire city!1

The strong had such privilege—he possessed that privilege now.0

However, killing nobles—no matter how minor or major, no matter how many, and a public beheading at that, was an upheaval of class. That was exceedingly deplorable! This meant that the authority of the ruling echelon might be overturned! Everyone would know afterward that there was no difference between the emperor or a peasant committing a crime!1

Before that, even though the royal family had retreated behind the curtains and the nine ministries formed, there was no such thing as sentencing nobles for their crimes. The Steadfast Duke’s brazen initiative to lob city annihilation missiles had only resulted in a demotion.0

Hou Xiaochen had killed the Steadfast Duke’s younger brother in private, giving rise to rumors that circulated...0