As a member of the Adeptus Administratum, Irthu believed that the imperial will did not come from any Adeptus Ministorum scriptures, but from the concrete imperial law.
He devoutly believed that imperial law was the true Holy Word Records, the true embodiment of the imperial will. As long as the Imperium operated strictly and impartially according to the regulations in imperial law, it would surely develop according to the Emperor's wishes.
All the tragedies of the Imperium today were essentially due to the imperial law not being implemented.
However, Irthu still lamented the sudden death of the former Pope of the Saint Church, Baldo Sylest, and understood why Guilliman had to first eliminate the Pope of the Saint Church.
The Pope of the Saint Church held the power to interpret the imperial will in matters of faith. The former Pope of the Saint Church shared Irthu's view, believing that imperial law was the embodiment of the imperial will, which had given Irthu a significant advantage.
Everyone who opposed Irthu had to bear the psychological burden of defying the imperial will, which led many neutral High Lords and secondary lords to lean towards the Conservative Party.
Now, the tables had turned, and those who supported Irthu had to bear this psychological burden.
He had to launch a more direct and fierce attack before Guilliman and his faction completely twisted the Emperor's will into some kind of Expedition.
"Sir, I think matters of faith should be discussed within the Adeptus Ministorum after the meeting ends."
"I heard there are still some discussions within the Adeptus Ministorum regarding Saint Doraemon."
Irthu chuckled and said:
"We understand your desire to seek the Emperor and gain honor through a grand Expedition, but in any case, this must be approved by the High Lord Council."
Irthu first pointed out that Alexander himself was still highly controversial within the Adeptus Ministorum, and then skillfully distorted Guilliman's push for an Expedition into Guilliman's desire for personal glory.
Most importantly, Irthu wanted the Expedition itself to be directly rejected by the High Lord Council, to prevent Guilliman from using a salami-slicing tactic.
Early actions of an Expedition, such as assembling fleets and reclaiming star systems near Terra, were relatively easy for the High Lord Council to agree to, but a grand Expedition itself made people hesitate.
Originally, Guilliman could have proceeded slowly, but now Irthu had cut off that opportunity. This small victory made Irthu a little smug.
"I strongly agree to vote on the Expedition itself." Guilliman, however, smiled.
"Then let's begin." Irthu said instinctively and impatiently upon hearing this.
But he quickly realized that Guilliman didn't seem flustered, as if this development was exactly what he intended.
"No." Guilliman looked slightly at Irthu: "The first item we are voting on today is not that."
"Tieron, please inform the High Lords what the first item on today's agenda is."
All the High Lords' gazes instantly converged on Tieron.
"It is a proposal submitted by Ers, the Minister of Adeptus Administratum of the Inquisition. Following an investigation by the Inquisition, a large number of heretics and cultists have infiltrated the Adeptus Administratum. Here are the specific materials."
Tieron spoke calmly, and carts full of documents were pushed into the council hall by the Cadia 184th Regiment, who were acting as guards.
The Lucifer Blacks, who originally guarded the High Lords, had been deemed unqualified and were being disciplined by Reyna to run laps around the equator as training. All the guards in the Imperial Palace had been replaced by the Cadia 184th Regiment.
Irthu stared dumbfounded at the cartload of documents. He looked at Ers, who had just been appointed Minister of Adeptus Administratum of the Inquisition, with disbelief.
"Ers, you..." He trembled with anger.
Ers' expression was unmoving, and he didn't even look at Irthu.
In reality, these documents were not investigated by the Inquisition; they were compiled by the Harlequins wearing Blind Spot Stars, who had been working overtime for days.
They had uncovered a large number of traitors, Tzeentch followers, Slaanesh followers, and various heretics who had infiltrated Imperial institutions, and had compiled them all into documents.
At this moment, the more than one hundred Harlequins, whose figures were concealed by the Blind Spot Stars, were gathered around the High Lords.
Seeing their work finally bearing fruit, the Harlequins began to wipe away tears with moved expressions.
"What do you mean by this?! How could you investigate the Adeptus Administratum behind my back?!"
"You suspect the loyalty of the Adeptus Administratum?! How can you do this?!"
Irthu shouted, furious to the extreme.
His liver ached. How could he not know that there were traitors, cultists, and spies in the Adeptus Administratum? But the Adeptus Administratum was a gigantic department with hundreds of millions of employees; how could it completely eradicate corruption?
Besides, what was wrong with traitors, cultists, spies, and heretics? Didn't they work?!
"How can you investigate everything!!! What if you investigate the entire Adeptus Administratum, who will work?!"
"Have you forgotten?! Every one of your decrees is implemented through the Adeptus Administratum!"
"The Imperium's present is forged by the hard work of hundreds of millions of Adeptus Administratum officials; it is the Adeptus Administratum that is sheltering you from the storm!"
"There is only one person in this galaxy who can shelter it from the storm, and that is the Emperor, not you." Alexander glanced at Irthu and said calmly.
Irthu immediately fell back into his chair: "What exactly do you mean?"
He trembled as he flipped through a few documents, finding that the names on them included many high-ranking officials of the Adeptus Administratum, which made him break out in more cold sweat.
How could he have been completely unaware of such a large-scale investigation of the Adeptus Administratum's high-ranking officials by the Inquisition?
Was there an inside man in the Adeptus Administratum? Or was there a traitor within the Conservative Party?
"Ers believes that Irthu has been derelict in his duties and is no longer suitable for the position of Minister of Adeptus Administratum."
Tieron slowly announced:
"She has brought forth a vote to dismiss you."
"Dismiss me?" Irthu roared suddenly,
Then he quickly realized something: why only him?
Without him, the Conservative Party could still influence the High Lord Council through the High Admiral and the Minister of Justice.
If Irthu could be dismissed by a High Lord vote, then the other two Conservative Party High Lords could naturally also be dismissed by a High Lord vote.
Why only dismiss him? Irthu suddenly looked at the Minister of Justice and the High Admiral.
The Minister of Justice and the High Admiral also looked at each other.
Irthu clenched his teeth. He looked at Guilliman and growled, "In that case, let's vote."
"If the High Lord Council dismisses me, I have nothing to say; this is in accordance with imperial law."
If Guilliman had truly turned the Minister of Justice and the High Admiral, then Irthu was truly finished.
Currently, there were eleven members on the High Lord Council, with two vacant seats.
If they could get more than half the votes, which was six votes, they could steadily dismiss Irthu.
The first to cast an affirmative vote was Ers, the Minister of Adeptus Administratum of the Inquisition.
Followed by Great Canoness Morven Vahl of the Battle Sisters, Kellam Purion, the Minister of Adeptus Administratum of the Astra Telepathica, and Eos Litra, the new Pope of the Saint Church.
These four were staunch Primarch and Saint Doraemon supporters; they all cast affirmative votes.
And Guilliman himself, naturally, also cast an affirmative vote.
At this point, the votes to dismiss Irthu had reached five, just one short. Irthu was sweating profusely.
He looked with some panic at the Minister of Justice, the High Admiral, and the Captain-General of the Adeptus Custodes.
Trajan Valoris, the Captain-General of the Adeptus Custodes, maintained his usual style, casting an abstention to show neutrality.
The Minister of Justice, the High Admiral... if one of them had truly been turned by Guilliman...
Sweat broke out on Irthu's palms, and half his body trembled uncontrollably.
But the Minister of Justice and the High Admiral still cast dissenting votes.
This made Irthu let out a sudden sigh of relief.
To only propose dismissing Irthu, was this merely a simple scheme to sow discord? Wouldn't that be too petty?
Irthu himself also cast a dissenting vote.
The situation was now three to five, and Irthu couldn't help but smile.
Perhaps in Guilliman's eyes, this would still be their victory.
After all, since the Vogorich rebellion, the Grand Master of the Assassinorum usually only cast an abstention to show neutrality and stasis.
Thus, the votes supporting Irthu's dismissal would still be in the majority and would pass.
But...
Fadix, the Grand Master of the Assassinorum, slowly raised his head.
"Oppose." Fadix's voice was light as air, but...
A slight gasp of astonishment rippled through the council.
Great Canoness Morven Vahl, Ers, the Minister of Adeptus Administratum of the Inquisition, Kellam Purion, the Minister of Adeptus Administratum of the Astra Telepathica, and Eos Litra, the new Pope of the Saint Church, all stared wide-eyed at Fadix.
Even the Minister of Justice and the High Admiral on Irthu's side hadn't expected such a dramatic turn of events.
Their astonished voices sounded like heavenly music in Irthu's ears.
Irthu had certainly not been idle during these days; he had secured the help of the Grand Master of the Assassinorum, getting Fadix to side with the Conservative Party.
This was his trump card, his dagger, his fatal blow.
Although the Grand Master of the Assassinorum traditionally abstained, this was only a tradition, not imperial law, and thus not unchangeable.
Now the Conservative Party had four votes: Adeptus Administratum, Ministry of Justice, Navy, and Officio Assassinorum. Including Mars, which would absolutely not side with Saint Doraemon, they had a total of five votes.
Five votes against five votes meant a tie, meaning neither the Conservative Party nor the reformists could implement any policy.
But this was what the Conservative Party wanted; the Conservative Party wanted imperial law to remain unchanged.
Irthu was smug about his victory, joy continuously welling up in his chest.
He won, he really won, he defeated the Primarch and Saint Doraemon!
He won——————
"Support." A cold, dry voice suddenly came from the huge machine that occupied half the council hall.
The Mars Fabricator-General cast an affirmative vote.
"Oud Oudia Raskian!" Irthu roared, twisting his head: "You voted wrong! You should oppose! You should oppose!!!"
The Mars Fabricator-General's dwarf terminal slightly turned its two heads to look at Irthu.
"Please call me Oudia, a name bestowed by Saint Doraemon himself."