So, early in the morning of September 24, the Imperial Guard once again broke away from the main team, hurriedly accelerated, and escorted Emperor Zhao to Tokyo.

I don’t know whether to say “as expected” or “but”. Along the way, Emperor Zhao didn’t hear any good news!

The Imperial City Department and the Military Control Department kept delivering all sorts of messy, but bad news that we had to admit should have been expected a long time ago...

What happened? Zhengzhou military station was blocked, and the stragglers of the Imperial Camp Cavalry occupied the military station and clashed with Wang De's troops who were advancing behind.

As soon as the order to start the war was issued, some officials took the opportunity to collect the Northern Expedition national debt in order to achieve political achievements;

There are also officials who, after the decree was issued, took the opportunity to expand the situation when dealing with the hoarding according to the original plan in order to make money;

It is not just officials. Some big merchants, after finding that they could not raise prices in Tokyo, simply decided to avoid Tokyo. In the future, Tokyo is likely to face a certain shortage of supplies.

In addition, some merchants and monks took the opportunity to lend money, and some powerful people who had lost their power took the opportunity to spread rumors.

Even though he had been mentally prepared for these troubles, they still made Zhao Jiu anxious and angry when they happened one after another. He walked so fast that many of the civil and military officials who were accompanying him gradually became tired.

In the end, seeing that Lu Yihao could no longer hold on, the official gave up his plan to return to Beijing that night and moved into Chenqiao Town, north of Tokyo City, that evening.

However, not long after they entered Chenqiao Town, the official and his accompanying civil and military officials, as well as the imperial guards, were stunned... because as night fell and the distance shortened, they clearly saw the fire in the southwest direction!

Is Tokyo the southwest?

It was pitch dark and the only thing that was certain was that it was definitely not the Jin army that was attacking.

However, even the Red Heart Knights who had just come from Tokyo today to deliver the memorial could not say anything, because they were fine in Tokyo during the day!

Oh, such a big city like Tokyo was fine during the day, but it was on fire at night. Or did it just enter the critical period of the war?

Zhao Jiu couldn't stand it anymore.

He was ready to immediately abandon the somewhat exhausted old ministers such as Lu Yihao, and lead some of the cavalry on guard duty back to the capital to find out what was going on.

However, someone quickly stopped him.

"What do you mean, Meiqing?"

Zhao Jiu, who was holding the warhorse, responded coldly. He would not be so polite to a servant, especially when his Tokyo City was burning.

"Your Majesty." Under the dense torches, Mei Li bowed his head, obviously a little nervous and afraid. "I think it is not appropriate for Your Majesty to leave lightly at this time..."

"Why?"

"Your Majesty." Mei Li suppressed his uneasiness and tried to explain. "With this kind of scene, it is impossible that the Jin army is coming, nor is it possible that the Imperial Camp army mutinied before leaving... Because the Imperial Camp Cavalry Commander Qu Dutong has already been dispatched, and the Imperial Camp Central Army Commander Wang Dutong has also been dispatched today... The entire army should have left the Yuetai Camp by now... Your Majesty has already known all this through the messengers during the day."

"Then tell me something I don't know!" Zhao Jiu was furious. He held the reins at his side with one hand and the whip with the other and scolded harshly.

"Your Majesty, what I want to say is that no matter if it was the Jurchen spies who took the opportunity to set the fire, or some other incident, or even an accidental fire in the city, this matter could not be worse..."

Zhao Jiu was startled for a moment. Under the torchlight, many other close ministers who had been traveling all day also reacted. Even Lu Yihao, who had recovered his breath, couldn't help but glance at this little attendant who was said to be a direct descendant of Zhang Deyuan's faction.

Mei Sheren looked up at Emperor Zhao and saw that he had calmed down and clearly understood. He was relieved and continued, "Your Majesty, I think that even if there is a disturbance now, the officials who stayed behind can handle it. If you go over now, will it help put out the fire faster? Or what else can you do?"

"But if I don't go, won't I just be standing there doing nothing?" Zhao Jiu sneered in response, his hand still on the reins.

Mei Sheren saw this and quickly explained his true intention: "But the emperor's rush back overnight this time is enough to make everyone think that the emperor is in a panic... I'm sorry, the death of the third prince of the Jin Dynasty, Erliduo, was sudden, which is indeed a great benefit, but our Song Dynasty was caught off guard by the sudden start. Moreover, such a major military and national event has never happened since ancient times, and chaos is natural..."

"nature?"

"Yes, I think this kind of chaos is natural. The emperor should not be so anxious about it that he should not put the cart before the horse, nor should he go beyond his authority to deal with these things." Mei Li tried to respond. "At this time, the emperor cannot take care of all aspects. The only thing he can do, or should do, is to remain calm and show his calmness to reassure the people, because the ministers will only be more chaotic than the emperor... Only when the emperor himself acts calmly and confidently, can the civil and military officials below feel at ease and start to deal with the incident. If the emperor is impatient, it will only make the people below panic... Excuse me, why don't you stay in Chenqiao calmly, send the Imperial City Department and the Military Control Department to investigate, and then return to the capital calmly tomorrow morning to find out the cause of the matter?"

The night wind was cold. Under the light of fire in the distance and torches nearby, Zhao Jiu remained silent for a while, and Mei Li had nothing to say either. He could only bow his head and wait.

"I second the motion." Suddenly, Lu Yihao bowed and stepped forward.

Zhao Jiu glanced at Lu Yihao, thought for a moment, and then nodded: "Good."

After saying this, the official glanced at Yang Yizhong and Yu Yunwen again.

The latter two understood, bowed and walked away immediately to arrange manpower.

Seeing this, Emperor Zhao sighed and was about to go to Chenqiao Posthouse to rest. At this time, Lu Yihao spoke up again from behind: "I request that the Secretary of the Central Secretariat Mei Li be promoted to the position of Imperial Academy Scholar... to show that rewards and punishments are clearly distinguished."

My dear, there is more to this chapter. Please click on the next page to continue reading. It’s even more exciting later!