A square-faced man in armor emerged from the ranks on the right.
"Lord Tanaka, your sudden and strong recommendation, especially of an outsider..."
"This cannot help but make us suspect you have ulterior motives!"
"Even setting aside other concerns..."
"If we were to truly win over this Dragon Countryman, and grant him considerable power, what if he used it for personal gain, or even to harm our Sakura Country? How would we handle that?"
"We cannot simply come to our senses and try to fix things after the fact, can we?"
"With Lord Tanaka's intelligence, you must have considered this..."
"And yet, you proceeded."
"I can only question the purity of Lord Tanaka's intentions this time!"
As the warrior finished, the civil and military officials above began to stir, each voicing their opinions, criticizing Tanaka Kenkatsu and advocating for Sakura's nationalism.
The representatives of the powerful families, led by Tanaka Kenkatsu, did not back down either, retaliating with sharp and biting remarks, making for quite a lively scene.
Kannai Guji's face immediately darkened. He slammed his throne and shouted,
"Silence! Silence!"
"Disorderly and noisy in court, what kind of decorum is this?"
At his roar, all the civil and military officials and family representatives who were passionately speaking immediately shut their mouths, lowered their heads, and remained silent.
Kannai Guji turned his gaze to Tanaka Kenkatsu:
"Lord Tanaka, explain in detail, why do you propose this?"
Although staring intently at Tanaka Kenkatsu with his deep-set eyes, Tanaka Kenkatsu remained unfazed. He nodded and began to explain at a measured pace:
"Your Majesty, the reason I make this suggestion is because I see something entirely different in that person."
"It is the aura of a hero! And it is an aura of a hero powerful enough to cleanse the world, to break heaven and earth, and to part the clouds to reveal the blue sky!"
"Your Majesty, you should not have forgotten the court upheaval of four years ago, should you?"
Hearing Tanaka Kenkatsu mention this, Kannai Guji's expression immediately turned serious:
"Of course I remember..."
"The former Emperor passed away suddenly from a serious illness, without leaving any word regarding his successor."
"Out of their greed for the throne, my brothers descended into utter chaos, fighting fiercely within the imperial city."
"Countless officials chose sides, and the most powerful among them were my eldest and second brothers..."
"They once controlled the imperial city and purged their rivals."
"At that time, I was merely a naive, ignorant youth."
"Let alone yearning for the throne... in that situation, simply surviving was the greatest wish."
"But your arrival, Lord Tanaka, changed everything."
"I don't know why the Lord took a liking to me then, and within a very short time, mobilized the entire clan to help me, achieving the initial reversal."
"And so, with the help of the great families, represented by Lord Tanaka, and all of you esteemed officials, after countless life-and-death struggles, I have reached this day..."
"I will never forget this kindness!"
Tanaka Kenkatsu quickly bowed:
"Your Majesty is too kind..."
"The reason I bring up the past is not to seek credit from you, but to explain something."
"That is, the reason I recognized Your Majesty at first glance and spared no effort to help you ascend the throne was precisely because I saw the hero's aura within you!"
"To put it immodestly... our Tanaka family is likely the most skilled in divination and prophecy within Sakura since its founding."
"And as the head of the Tanaka family, I have been immersed in this art for nearly a thousand years. I can see things that most people cannot."
"Therefore, when it comes to discerning talent, there is likely no one in all of Sakura Country who is more adept than I."
As he spoke, Tanaka Kenkatsu's gaze swept over the civil and military officials who had been shouting furiously just moments before.
These officials had completely lost their spirit. Not even a few dared to meet Tanaka Kenkatsu's eyes.
After all, every word Tanaka Kenkatsu had just spoken was an undeniable truth.
With no arguments to present, how could they refute this esteemed figure in front of the current Emperor?
This was precisely the effect Tanaka Kenkatsu desired.
After this sweep, Tanaka Kenkatsu nodded to Kannai Guji once more:
"Your Majesty, your humble servant has a further audacious remark, I wonder if I should speak it..."
Kannai Guji took a deep breath:
"Speak freely, no matter what you say, I will not hold it against you!"
Tanaka Kenkatsu nodded:
"That day, amidst the chaotic imperial city, I saw Your Majesty, panicked and desperately trying to escape."
"Perhaps to others, Your Majesty was just one of the fallen princes at that time, with no so-called investment potential."
"But the undeniable hero's aura emanating from Your Majesty deeply captivated me."
"I immediately made up my mind—even if it meant plunging my entire family into the abyss, I would help Your Majesty rule the court!"
"Because in all of Sakura Country, there was no one like Your Majesty to be found elsewhere!"
"The facts have proven that my judgment was not mistaken in the slightest..."
"Under Your Majesty's leadership, our great Sakura Empire has resolved numerous deep-seated problems accumulated over centuries in just four short years!"
"And Your Majesty's wisdom and might have conquered countless virtuous individuals, making them willing to go through fire and water for Your Majesty!"
"In fact, with the convergence of our domestic forces, we have already begun to develop the foundation to address the greatest malignant tumor hidden within Sakura Country..."
"Truly, a fortune for our Sakura!"
Kannai Guji's expression remained unchanged:
"So, what is this audacious remark you wish to make?"
Tanaka Kenkatsu first took a deep breath, then sighed, appearing hesitant.
Whether he was feigning it or not...
Kannai Guji raised an eyebrow:
"I have already said, no matter what you say, I will not blame you in the slightest."
"There is no need for Lord Tanaka to worry about such matters."
After receiving Kannai Guji's second assurance, Tanaka Kenkatsu nodded with satisfaction, feigning a cautious demeanor:
"It is that, the hero's aura I saw in that Dragon Countryman, Lin Ran, is even..."
"Even several dozen times more potent than the one I saw in Your Majesty back then!"