Chapter 292 The Wrath of Thunder

The turmoil in the Golden Palace did not subside with Huo Lin's departure; instead, it brewed and fermented in the shadows.

After the Northern Di envoy left, the Empress Dowager, with a sullen face, went to the Imperial Study to find Huo Lin.

"Your Majesty!" The Empress Dowager's tone was clearly displeased. "You were extremely inappropriate in your conduct in the palace today!"

Huo Lin lowered his eyes, his expression calm: "Why does the Empress Dowager say such a thing?"

Why do you say that?

The Empress Dowager raised her voice, "The new king of the Northern Barbarians took the initiative to show goodwill and offered a princess. What a great honor this is! Since ancient times, marriage alliances between the two countries have been the best way to stabilize diplomatic relations. But you, in front of all the civil and military officials and envoys, refused so forcefully. How can the Northern Barbarians step down? How can the border be peaceful?"

She grew angrier as she spoke: "I think you've been bewitched by that Consort Zhuang. For her sake, you've even disregarded the fate of the nation! She's just a foreign princess. What good is it to bring her into the palace? If she had any sense of propriety, she should have taken the initiative to persuade you to accept her, to show her virtue!"

Huo Lin frowned as he listened to the Empress Dowager's words, a surge of irritation rising in his heart.

It's that same old rhetoric again: all the credit goes to you, but she has to take the blame for the mistakes.

He put down his pen, his voice cold: "Your Majesty is overthinking it. The new king of the Northern Barbarians is not on an stable throne. Offering the princess is ostensibly for a marriage alliance, but in reality, it is for espionage. If I accept her, I will be putting the country and the nation in danger."

The Empress Dowager sneered: "Then shouldn't you have played dumb and pretended not to notice? Now look what you've done, giving the Northern Barbarians an excuse to start a war!"

Huo Lin's eyes sharpened: "If the Northern Di really want to start a war, they will create one even if there is no excuse. My showing weakness only makes them think they have an opportunity to take advantage of me."

He stood up and looked down at the Empress Dowager: "Diplomatic relations are fine, but marriage alliances are out of the question. The peace of the Great Liang's borders does not need to be maintained by women's marriages!"

The Empress Dowager was speechless at his words, and her face turned even more unpleasant.

"I need to attend to some business. If the Empress Dowager has nothing else to say, please leave."

As soon as he finished speaking, Huo Lin put away his cold gaze and ordered in a deep voice: "Summon the Minister of War and the Minister of Revenue... to report immediately."

Such a blatant dismissal made the Empress Dowager clench her fists inwardly, but she didn't say anything and simply turned and left.

Soon, several important officials rushed to the scene, and the atmosphere in the imperial study became solemn.

Huo Lin stood before the enormous map of the northern border, his face grim.

"The Northern Barbarians will not let this go unpunished. There may be war on the border. Ministry of War, immediately take stock of the troops, equipment and food reserves of the three armies in the north and report the detailed figures to me within three days. Ministry of Revenue, do your best to raise military funds and food to ensure a worry-free supply."

"Your Majesty, we obey!" the crowd responded in unison, their expressions solemn.

In the following days, the entire imperial court sped up its operations.

Huo Lin spent almost every day and night in the imperial study discussing countermeasures with his senior officials, deploying troops, and preparing provisions.

Orders were issued from the palace, and messengers traveled back and forth along the post roads leading to the northern border.

As Huo Lin had predicted, an urgent report came from the border in just three days.

The new king of the Northern Barbarians, citing the humiliation of the envoy by the emperor of the Great Liang, formally issued a declaration of war, stationed troops on the border, and was ready to make a move.

When the news reached the imperial court, it immediately caused a great uproar.

Amid this tense atmosphere, some malicious remarks began to circulate quietly.

On the morning of that day, an old minister stepped forward, trembling.

"Your Majesty, the Northern Barbarians have launched a blatant attack. Although it is their insolence, if Consort Zhuang had been more sensible and had taken the initiative to advise Your Majesty to temporarily accept the princess, perhaps this war could have been avoided. Now that war has broken out, Consort Zhuang has lacked foresight."

His words, though seemingly regretful, were insidious, directly blaming Jiang Huan for igniting the war.

Several officials who were on good terms with the old ministers and were already dissatisfied with Jiang Huan's favor immediately echoed in hushed tones.

"Yes, women in the harem should prioritize virtue."

"If Consort Zhuang had been able to persuade His Majesty back then, things wouldn't have turned out this way."

"Beauty is a curse; this saying is certainly true."

...

Just then, a voice rang out.

“That is incorrect!” Xu Xiuyuan stepped forward.

"The Northern Barbarians' deployment of troops on the border, their provocation and initiation of war, is a premeditated plan. Even with the fastest news, it wouldn't take just three days for them to deploy their troops. What does it have to do with whether or not Princess Na is taken? Attributing the war between the two countries to one person is blind and incompetent; you refuse to see the bigger picture!"

He turned and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Huo Lin, his voice firm and resounding.

"Your Majesty is wise. The Northern Barbarians' military campaign reveals their ambitions. My sister is living in seclusion in the palace; what wrong has she done? Such remarks not only fail to repel the enemy but also disrupt our own formation and chill the hearts of loyal ministers and generals. I implore Your Majesty to severely punish such words that sow discord and undermine the foundation of the nation!"

Xu Xiuyuan's words were reasonable, well-founded, and resounding, leaving the ministers speechless and their faces turning pale.

Huo Lin sat upright on the dragon throne, his face ashen. He listened silently to the debate below, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

Okay, very good.

Among the list that Shen Yi found, the one who had the most frequent secret contact with the Northern Di delegation was the one who led the conversation.

He was just looking for an excuse to get rid of these traitors when they came knocking on his door.

“Minister Xu, you are absolutely right.” He said, turning his gaze to the old minister, “Zhou Jin.”

Zhou Jin's legs went weak under that gaze: "Your...your old minister is here..."

"I would like to ask you," Huo Lin's voice was eerily calm, "the Northern Barbarians' declaration of war lists several crimes, but does it mention even a single word about marriage alliances? As an imperial censor, instead of impeaching treacherous officials and offering strategies to defend against the enemy, you are presumptuously trying to fathom the emperor's mind and framing the harem. What are your true intentions?"

"This old minister misspoke... This old minister had no other intention than to be concerned about the affairs of the state..." Zhou Jin shed tears and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Worried about the affairs of the state?" Huo Lin sneered, his voice suddenly turning stern. "I think your intentions are despicable. With the Northern Di army pressing in, the most important thing is to unite and defend against the enemy. You deliberately spread rumors and disturb the peace. I think your time as an imperial censor is over!"

His gaze swept over the few who had just echoed him, his voice icy and chilling.

"The Ministry of War hereby records that Zhou Jin is stripped of all his official positions and immediately exiled to the northern frontier to serve in the army. All others who echoed this order shall be demoted three ranks and fined one year's salary, pending further observation. Anyone who pleads for leniency shall be punished in the same manner!"

Zhou Jin's vision went black and she fainted. The other officials who were named also turned ashen-faced and collapsed to the ground.

Exiled to the Northern Frontier? That would be a near-certain death sentence.

"Your Majesty, please have mercy!"

"I know I was wrong, and I will never dare to do it again!"

Huo Lin remained unmoved, his tone chilling, his gaze sweeping over every minister in the room like that of a hawk.

“Execute immediately; anyone who shakes morale will be treated the same way.”

The entire Golden Palace was deathly silent. All the ministers bowed their heads deeply, their court robes soaked with cold sweat, and no one dared to utter a word.