Chapter 301 Defection to the Enemy
After finally leading Vice General Li through the Imperial Garden, Mingzhu practically lifted her skirt and ran back to Weiyang Palace, as if a raging flood was chasing her.
As soon as she stepped across the threshold, she didn't even look around. She went straight to the teapot on the table, picked it up, and gulped down several mouthfuls of cold tea from the spout. Her actions were so bold that she completely lost her usual composure.
After pouring the tea, she slammed the teapot on the table, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, and then, panting, looked at Jiang Huan, who looked completely bewildered.
"I'm angry, and no one can appease me!"
Her chest heaved, her voice filled with obvious resentment, "Your Majesty, do you think my uncle did it on purpose? Did he think I was too noisy and deliberately sent someone to punish me?"
Jiang Huan was startled by her display of force and quickly pulled her to sit down.
"What's going on? Tell me slowly, who bullied Mingzhu?"
"Who else! It's that Lieutenant General Li!"
Mingzhu recounted what had happened in the Imperial Garden, embellishing the story, and at the end, she stomped her feet in anger.
"I said the fish were fat, and he told me they were easy to kill; I said the snacks were delicious, and he told me the military rations were plentiful... This isn't chatting, it's like talking to a brick wall!"
"No, it's like playing the piano on a rock. At least when you throw a rock into water, you can make a sound, but this doesn't even make a sound!"
As Jiang Huan listened to her vivid description, she could almost picture the serious, straight-man-like appearance of Vice General Li.
She quickly pursed her lips, trying to put on a sympathetic expression.
She originally thought Huo Lin was just talking, but she never expected him to actually arrange a marriage for the princess.
"Oh dear, this General Li has spent most of his time in the military camp, and he's used to being around rough men, so his speech is a bit crude."
She tried to ease the tension by saying a few words in Lieutenant General Li's defense, "However, he is an upright and reliable man, and he is also very good at fighting."
"What's so great about him!" Mingzhu was even angrier. "Does being good at fighting kill the conversation? I'm never talking to him again, and I'm never talking to the Imperial Uncle again. From now on, I'll only talk to you, Your Majesty!"
Jiang Huan found it both funny and heartbreaking to see her so flustered.
"I support you. Your royal uncle is just being nosy. Let's ignore him. How about this, I'll secretly give you the rose pastries that I was going to give to your royal uncle as a little punishment, okay?"
Upon hearing the name "rose pastry," Mingzhu's crying subsided slightly, and she sobbed, "I want...I want two boxes!"
"Be greedy, ten boxes are fine!" Jiang Huan said with a smile, pinching her cheek.
After finally managing to calm the crying princess down and send her away, Jiang Huan hadn't even had a chance to catch her breath when the atmosphere in the palace suddenly became tense.
The urgent report from the border was like a thunderclap, shattering the previously relatively peaceful court.
The Northern Barbarians somehow acquired a new type of siege weapon. It was ingeniously designed and extremely powerful. Caught off guard, they managed to breach an important small town on the border in one fell swoop.
To make matters worse, the city lord of Chiyun City was cowardly and did not put up much resistance before surrendering with a portion of the garrison!
When the news reached the court, the entire court was shocked.
Huo Lin's face instantly turned ashen, and the atmosphere in the imperial study became frighteningly low.
The previous days of ease and joy were swept away, replaced by the somber atmosphere of renewed fighting.
Just as the court was arguing endlessly about this matter, with the pro-war and pro-peace factions fiercely debating, Prince Mu, Huo Ting, entered the palace.
He was dressed in a dark purple prince's casual robe, his face pale from illness, which made his dark, sinister eyes appear even more unfathomable.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects." He bowed, his voice calm and even.
"Your Highness, there's no need for such formalities." Huo Lin raised his hand, his gaze sharp. "What urgent matter brings you to the palace at this hour?"
Huo Ting straightened up, calmly took out a roll of blueprints from his sleeve, and presented it with both hands: "I have heard that the war in the northern border is not going well and that Chiyun City has fallen. I am worried and have come to present this to Your Majesty."
Wang Degui quickly stepped forward, took the blueprints, and carefully unfolded them on the imperial desk.
The drawing on the blueprints depicted the new type of siege weapon used by the Northern Barbarians, even more accurately than the description in the military reports!
The imperial study fell silent as everyone's eyes were fixed on the blueprint.
Huo Lin's gaze swept over the blueprints, then slowly rose and landed on Huo Ting's face, his eyes deep and unreadable.
"You've got quite the connections. Where did you get it from?"
Huo Ting smiled slightly: "Your Majesty, this thing is incredibly powerful. With our current equipment, I'm afraid it will be difficult to withstand."
He paused slightly, his tone becoming meaningful: "The Northern Barbarians have come prepared this time, and their morale is high. If we choose to confront them head-on at this time, we may suffer heavy casualties and shake the foundation of our nation."
"In my opinion, it would be better to avoid their sharp edge for now, negotiate peace first, and then think of a solution once we have gained some time."
Huo Lin did not answer, but a cold laugh ran through his mind.
Even Shen Yi's undercover agents couldn't uncover such detailed information, yet he had connections everywhere.
Is it that they hope to see this drawing and give up?
Ha... dreaming.
The new king of the Northern Barbarians was ambitious; what he wanted was for the Great Liang to submit and cede territory and pay reparations.
If peace is negotiated, it will be exactly what they want.
Does Huo Ting think that just because he's a pig, everyone else is a pig too? It's such a simple principle.
Before Huo Lin could even speak, Li, the deputy general standing to the side, couldn't stand it anymore.
Huo Ting's remarks about peace talks were like a knife, deeply wounding the young soldier's heart.
He disregarded all etiquette and propriety, his blood boiling, and immediately knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in a fist and loudly proclaimed, "Your Majesty, you mustn't!"
He raised his head, his gaze intense, staring directly at Huo Lin, his chest heaving slightly with excitement.
"The city of Chiyun was lost because the city lord was cowardly and afraid of death. Moreover, those barbarians from the Northern Di have no sense of morality. If we negotiate peace and make concessions at this time, they will only think that we are easy to bully, and we will never have a peaceful life on the border again."
His voice was firm and resounding: "My border soldiers would rather risk their lives to fight those barbarians than kneel and beg for mercy. This humble general is willing to return to the northern border immediately, regroup, and recapture Chiyun City. I beg Your Majesty to make a wise decision!"
Huo Ting was interrupted by this sudden rebuttal. His face was so dark it could drip water, and a hint of disgust flashed in his eyes as he looked at Lieutenant General Li.
Hmph, what an ignorant and arrogant fool, only knowing how to show off his reckless courage.
Huo Lin looked at Li, the deputy general kneeling below, his expression excited yet his gaze firm, and then glanced at Huo Ting beside him, whose face was displeased. He had already made up his mind.
He slowly rose, his steps steady, and walked to Deputy General Li, personally taking his arm and helping him up steadily.
"General Li, please rise."
He spoke, his voice deep and resonant, carrying a power that penetrates the heart: "The general is right."
His gaze swept over everyone in the imperial study, finally settling on Huo Ting's gloomy face, and he spoke each word with unwavering resolve.
"The Great Liang will never negotiate peace!"
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