Chapter 282 A Decisive Decision
Inside the Golden Palace, you could hear a pin drop.
Huo Yunting's sharp eyes swept over Qing Ming, then he strode forward, clasped his hands in a deep fist salute to Chu Jichen on the high platform, and said in a steady yet impassioned voice: "Your Majesty! This humble general believes that this matter is absolutely unacceptable!"
"Commander Qingming, although she was promoted to a second-rank general for her meritorious service in protecting the emperor, this is, after all, her first appearance in the court. The Northern You Kingdom's army is fierce and ruthless, and this invasion is particularly aggressive. Our Great Zhou and Northern You are bound to have a fierce battle. If the commander makes even the slightest mistake, the consequences will be unimaginable, and it may even shake the foundation of the nation!"
He raised his head, his gaze fixed intently on Chu Jichen, then glanced at Shen Qingci, and said in a deep voice, "This humble general is unworthy, but for the sake of the Great Zhou Dynasty, this humble general is willing to volunteer to fight, to share His Majesty's burdens, and will certainly not allow those barbarian barbarians of the Northern You to set foot in my Great Zhou!"
Huo Yunting's words were somewhat high-sounding, but they were also resounding. As soon as he finished speaking, a stir immediately broke out among the court officials.
Several elderly ministers with white hair and beards immediately stepped forward to echo: "General Huo is absolutely right! Your Majesty, military campaigns are no child's play. How can... how can you let a mere woman lead the army?"
"Indeed, since ancient times, what kind of logic is there in women leading a large army into battle? Wouldn't that make the Northern You Kingdom laugh at our Great Zhou for having no one capable?"
"I second that suggestion! The battlefield is dangerous. If we let this woman, whose background we don't know, lead the troops, who will take responsibility if we are defeated?"
Questions arose one after another, with the criticism directed at Qingming, who was kneeling in the center of the hall.
Chu Jichen sat high on the dragon throne, resting his chin on one hand. His deep phoenix eyes looked at the excited ministers below with a half-smile, and finally his gaze fell on Huo Yunting.
"Minister Huo, you are truly devoted to the country."
Chu Jichen spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but it carried a chilling undertone, "However, I remember that when you were appointed general a few days ago, no one in the court seemed to question your abilities, right?"
He abruptly changed the subject, his gaze sharpening: "Why do you all have so many concerns when it comes to General Qingming? Is it simply because... she is a woman?"
"Your Majesty!" Huo Yunting's expression remained unchanged as he continued to argue, "This humble general does not mean to belittle women, but... after all, she has no military achievements to speak of, so how can she convince the masses? The one being questioned now is General Qingming herself."
Chu Jichen raised an eyebrow, a playful smile curving his lips: "You're right, my dear minister. If there are doubts, then let's prove them. Precisely because the Northern You Kingdom is exceptionally fierce, if General Qingming can repel them, wouldn't that further prove her abilities? This is a once-in-a-lifetime touchstone."
Huo Yunting sneered inwardly, but on the surface he feigned deep sorrow and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty! The battlefield is not a training ground! Those tens of thousands of soldiers are living, breathing human lives!"
"Their parents, wives, and children are all waiting for their return. How can they be used as tools to prove General Qingming's abilities? If they die unjustly because of their incompetence, wouldn't that chill the hearts of the people?"
These words immediately resonated even more strongly.
"General Huo is right! The lives of our soldiers are not to be trifled with!"
"Who would be willing to follow a woman to their death? Even if His Majesty were to issue a decree, the morale of the army would likely remain unstable!"
"Yes, the army is full of hot-blooded men, how could they willingly obey a woman?"
Just as the wave of opposition was about to overturn the main hall, Shen Qingci, who had been sitting upright on the phoenix throne, suddenly let out a very soft laugh.
"Oh……"
The laughter, though soft, carried an undeniable pressure that instantly silenced the noise in the hall.
Shen Qingci slowly turned the jade bracelet on her wrist, her cold gaze sweeping across the entire room before finally landing on Huo Yunting. She said indifferently, "General Huo keeps saying that the soldiers are unwilling, but how do you know... that no one is willing to follow Qingming?"
"Your Majesty," Huo Yunting bowed slightly, his tone respectful but his eyes provocative, "the military camp is a man's domain, where strength and prestige are paramount. Commander Qingming, if I may be so bold, she has no foothold in the army."
"Without any foundation?" Shen Qingci slowly rose from her phoenix throne, looking down at him with a clear and firm voice, "General Huo seems to have forgotten that Qingming is a member of the Shen family! He was personally trained by my father, Shen Jingxuan!"
Upon hearing the name "Chen Jingxuan," many of the military officers in the hall became more solemn.
Shen Qingci descended the steps one by one, her dress trailing on the ground, her imposing aura: "The spirit of the Shen family army lies in loyalty and courage, in trust! I dare say that most of my former subordinates who served under my father would be willing to follow him if they heard that the army was led by someone personally trained by my father!"
She walked to Qingming's side, offered a helping hand, then turned to look at Huo Yunting, a meaningful glint in her eyes: "Besides... General Huo, have you forgotten? My Shen family still has an invincible 'private army'."
"With my Shen family's private army here, what is there to fear?"
Huo Yunting's pupils suddenly contracted.
Seeing that the time was right, Chu Jichen spoke up at the opportune moment.
He nodded and said gently, "General Huo's concern for the country and its people is reasonable; the Empress's trust in the Shen family's former subordinates is also reasonable and well-founded."
"Since the two sides are deadlocked, I will compromise."
Chu Jichen sat up straight, his imperial majesty instantly enveloping the hall: "Issue my decree: immediately post imperial proclamations in all military camps and city gates throughout the capital, making this matter public. This expedition will not be forcibly mobilized; it will be entirely voluntary!"
"Whether you are a soldier, a chivalrous hero, or a former member of the Shen family, anyone willing to follow General Qingming on his expedition to Beiyou is welcome to sign up!"
He held up one finger and said in a deep voice, "Ten days! I'm giving you ten days. After ten days, however many people you've gathered, General Qingming will lead that many men into battle!"
"If we cannot gather the men, then it is the will of Heaven, and I will choose another capable general. But if we can gather them..." Chu Jichen's gaze swept coldly over Huo Yunting, "then it proves that the army's morale is high!"
Huo Yunting frowned, about to say that this was too frivolous, but looking at Chu Jichen's unquestionable eyes and thinking of Shen Qingci's words about "private soldiers," his thoughts raced, and in the end he gritted his teeth and swallowed his words.
"Your Majesty is wise!"
...
After the court session ended, in a side hall of the Taiji Hall.
Chu Jichen dismissed all the palace servants, leaving only Shen Qingci and Qingming.
Qingming, who had been dashing and aloof in the hall just moments before, now had his brows furrowed and a look of worry on his face.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness..." Qingming hesitated for a moment before speaking, "This subordinate is somewhat worried. In ten days, will anyone really be willing to accompany me on this expedition? If no one responds by then, wouldn't that be..."
Wouldn't that be a disgrace to the Shen family and ruin His Majesty and the Empress's grand plan?
Shen Qingci, who was holding a teacup, lowered her eyes upon hearing this, chuckled softly, and gently skimmed away the tea foam with the lid: "What? Are you doubting the importance of our Shen family in the hearts of those veterans? Or are you doubting that your skills are genuine?"
Qingming quickly lowered his head: "This subordinate dares not, this subordinate only..."
"Alright." Chu Jichen waved his hand, interrupting Qingming. "What you're worried about isn't important."
He stood up, walked to the window, looked at the gloomy sky outside, and said in a low voice, "Our goal has never really been to recruit a lot of stragglers with this notice."
He turned around, looked at Qingming, and his eyes gleamed with wisdom: "Our goal is to create momentum. To make Huo Yunting, and everyone watching us, believe that you are the commander of the Shen family's private army, and that this private army is real and about to assemble!"
"The more confident and fearless we appear, the more Huo Yunting will suspect that the Shen family's private army has already infiltrated the area around the capital, just waiting for an order."
Shen Qingci put down her teacup, walked to Qingming, straightened her collar, and said softly, "So, your performance in the palace today wasn't quite enough. You were too tense, not wild enough."
"Remember this: from this moment on, you are the commander of the Shen family's private army, a force with considerable power and confidence. You should project an image of self-assurance, even arrogance."
Shen Qingci's voice carried a hint of seduction: "If anyone asks about it these next few days, or tries to probe, just tell them—"
"What's there to be afraid of? Even if we can't gather a single soldier, as long as I'm here, and with the Shen family's private army behind me, I will never lose this battle!"
Looking at the shrewd and resourceful couple before him, Qingming's initial unease finally vanished.
She took a deep breath, her eyes hardening, and nodded emphatically: "I understand! I didn't know how to deal with it before, but now I know how to play this role!"
...
Meanwhile, in an extremely remote and desolate palace within the palace complex.
The area is overgrown with weeds, clearly uninhabited for a long time, with only a few crows cawing silently on the withered branches.
A black figure paced back and forth in the somewhat dimly lit hall, the sound of his footsteps sounding particularly anxious.
"Just who exactly is this Qingming?"
The man stopped, his voice filled with surprise and doubt, "How come I've never heard of this person before? I've never seen her around Shen Qingci and Chu Jichen either?"
The light was dim, making it impossible to see his face, but the voice was unmistakably Huo Yunting's!
He whirled around and looked at the other person in the shadows: "Could they really have a force we know nothing about? Could the rumored Shen family private army really exist? And right under our noses?"
From the shadows, another man slowly emerged. He was slightly hunched over, but his demeanor was steady.
"My lord, please calm down." The man's voice was hoarse, yet it carried a chilling undertone. "There's no smoke without fire. Since that old bastard Shen Jingxuan was able to intimidate the late emperor with this title back then, he must have had some backup plans."
"However, whether Qingming is a private army commander or not cannot be determined by words alone."
The man sneered, "Since she's using the Shen family's name, then we'll investigate! If she really did work for the Shen family, those surviving veterans in the Shen family army couldn't possibly be completely unaware. If even her old subordinates don't recognize her..."
"This so-called private army is nothing but a joke made up by that woman Shen Qingci to bluff her way out of trouble!"
Huo Yunting's eyes flashed with a sharp light: "You're right! Send people to investigate immediately! Find those retired members of the Shen family and have them identify Qingming with her portrait! I want to expose her true colors within ten days!"
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