Chapter 531 Does the Saint Want Me to Revolt?
After a moment, Hu Lin said in a low and hoarse voice: "Madam, you must know that Envoy Chang has not yet entered the capital..."
The governor's wife said without hesitation: "The situation is so chaotic now. Even Luoyang has been lost. Many people dare not enter the capital... Envoy Chang is now of high status and has the entire Huainan Province on his shoulders. It is wise not to take risks easily."
"..." Hu Lin was silent for a moment, then said, "Half a month ago, my wife and I happened to talk about the news that the governor of Qianzhong Road had not yet set out to the capital. My wife scolded him for his embarrassed look. When I first met him in the past, I knew he was not a good person."
They were both Jiedushi, so how could changing his surname to Chang be considered a wise move? The governor's wife, Chen, had no guilt at all: "...Don't compare any random person with the Chang Jiedushi. How can they be the same?"
"It's different in the eyes of the Madam." Hu Lin sighed and said, "But nowadays, there are many people who speculate that Envoy Chang Jie has ulterior motives."
He explained his worries: "Madam, have you ever thought that if I ask Envoy Chang for help, it would be equivalent to giving Envoy Chang a legitimate reason to lead troops into Henan Province..."
"I'm afraid that by then..." Hu Lin's words were ambiguous: "It's easier to invite a god than to send him away..."
Chen sat up straighter and asked with bright eyes, "Master, do you also think that Envoy Chang Jie is a god?"
"?" Hu Lin was stunned for a moment before he realized where this inexplicable remark from his wife came from.
He said it was easier to invite a god than to send him away. His wife was amazed that Envoy Chang Jie was a god...
If he said that Chang Jieshi killed people without blinking an eye, the lady would probably only care whether Chang Jieshi's eyes were sore, right?
"Madam is the god..." Hu Lin sighed heavily, with confusion in his eyes: "I am afraid that in the end, in the eyes of the court and the world, my request for Chang Jieshi to enter Henan Road is no different from defecting to King Fanyang..."
"Can they be the same?" Chen asked again.
Hu Lin seemed to be interested in asking: "Madam, please tell me, what is the difference?"
Chen said: "Wherever the Fanyang army went, although it was not as brutal as the Bian army, it was still a mess..."
Fanyang King Li Fu was not a cruel person. He still took into account the dignity of the Li family and did not commit massacres. Whenever the Fanyang army passed a city, they mostly ignored it and continued to attack and capture cities.
However, the four words "don't care" are in themselves a form of cruelty to ordinary people who have no ability to protect themselves.
The Fanyang army did not kill them, but some of them with greed and evil intentions waited for opportunities to cause chaos.
"Let's take a look at how Envoy Chang governed Huainan Road?" Chen said, "Perhaps it can be said that Huainan Road was under Envoy Chang's jurisdiction and was her foothold, so it was natural for her to not pay attention... But the plague in Yuezhou during the summer had no impact on Envoy Chang, but Envoy Chang went there in person to help those poor people. Isn't this great benevolence and righteousness?"
"My Lord, can we compare people casually?"
Hu Lin did not answer, but he had his own standards in his heart. The reason he wanted to listen to his wife was probably to further convince himself.
Seeing that he didn't say anything, Chen asked seriously, "My Lord, are you afraid of letting a wolf into your house and being blamed by the court later?"
Hearing the words "let the wolf into the house", Hu Lin immediately asked, "What are you talking about, Madam?"
Chen pursed her lips and smiled: "Master, you can't stand others talking about the envoy Chang Jie, right?"
Hu Lin looked a little uncomfortable, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart. Yes, how could he not listen to this...
"This is normal." Chen said, "Just because Envoy Chang had previously stopped Xu Zhengye's rebels at the Bian River, the people of Bianzhou did not suffer any harm, and he spared no effort to help us with disaster relief and pray for blessings... With this kindness, if Master Lang now regards Envoy Chang as a flood monster, then he is truly ruthless!"
Hu Lin sighed, "Yes."
"But it's not unreasonable for you to worry about the court's questioning." Seeing that her husband still had a confused look in his eyes, Chen said, "There are few things in the world that can be done both ways. You might as well ask yourself why you chose to stay in Bianzhou."
After hearing this, Hu Lin sat there for a while, his heart was in turmoil, so he got off the couch and drank half a cup of cold tea.
After drinking the cold tea, Hu Lin still felt anxious, so he simply opened the window and stood in front of it to get some fresh air.
Seeing this, Chen said no more, let down the bed curtains, and lay down to rest.
Hu Lin stood in front of the window for the entire night.
Looking at the overall situation, Hu Lin’s personal confusion is not accidental.
At this moment, many people are forced to stand at the crossroads of choice. For them, the only known thing about the future is the unknown, loyalty and treachery, right and wrong, benefit and the people, life and death... the things they need to weigh are unprecedentedly numerous and heavy.
Everyone is afraid. If they accidentally choose the wrong path, they will be reduced to a speck of dust and crushed by the times along with the things they hold on to.
It was drizzling outside the window, and the raindrops were blown by the wind onto his cheeks, carrying with them the dampness of the rain. This dampness brought Hu Lin back to the Bian River, to the scene when he first met General Ningyuan.
He had never seen a woman like that before, so naturally the memory of her was particularly deep.
Moreover, when they first met, he had inexplicably seen a hint of the former crown prince in that girl...
At this moment, at this critical juncture, he tried to find some shortcomings in the other party, including his intelligence, ability, character, and vision... However, no matter how picky he was, he still got nothing in the end.
This gain of nothing made Hu Lin stunned for a moment.
He couldn't help but ask himself, is there another person like her in the world today?
The answer was so clear that he couldn't think of another person.
At this time, the sky was getting light and the candle was almost burned out.
After a moment, Hu Lin placed something on the candle and let it be devoured by the flames - it was the manifesto sent by King Fanyang.
By daybreak, the rain had stopped.
"Take my handwritten letter and rush to Huainan Road to request Envoy Chang to send troops to aid Bianzhou—"
The newly promoted Bianzhou military officer took the letter from Hu Lin with a look of surprise in his eyes. His spirits suddenly lifted and he clasped his fists heavily, "I obey your orders!"
Looking at the excited back of his subordinate striding away, Hu Lin sighed softly.
Many times there is no need to say much, this subconscious excitement is the most true portrayal of human nature.
In this chaotic world, how many people can inspire people just by mentioning their name? The invisible hearts of people she has accumulated along the way have begun to pave the way for her.
Now, as long as she is willing, she can join this competition at any time - as an eighteen-year-old girl of a different surname, with a unique and magnificent figure.
So, does she really mean this?
Hu Lin looked far away in the direction of Jiangdu. Although he had put aside many doubts, he was actually not sure about Chang Suining's thoughts... It was still unknown whether he could wait for reinforcements by writing a letter for help this time.
Although the rain has stopped, the sky is still gloomy.
It had been raining for several days in Jiangdu City, and the air was filled with the damp chill of late autumn.
But in the Jiangdu governor's mansion, a group of eunuchs who came to convey the imperial edict were so anxious that they were sweating profusely.
At this moment, in the front hall of the Governor's Mansion, a blue-robed eunuch who was leading the group sat in a chair. He anxiously put down the teacup, which made a slight "bang" sound.
He stood up and asked in a rather sharp voice, "We have come here under a secret decree and have been waiting in Jiangdu for five days, but we still have not seen the face of the Honorable Envoy Chang Jie... Is the Jiangdu Governor's Office so disrespectful of the Emperor's will?"
Gu Erlang, who was in charge of the reception, sighed helplessly and said, "Please calm down, eunuch. On the morning of your arrival, the envoy had just left for the army... Military affairs cannot be delayed, and the envoy must have rushed back as soon as possible. Please forgive me, eunuch."
"Military affairs cannot be delayed, but can the emperor's will be delayed?" The blue-robed eunuch was full of anxiety and dissatisfaction. The smile on his face in the first two days was gone. He simply said, "Since the noble envoy Chang Jie is busy, let the loyal and brave marquis come to see him!"
He heard the news of Luoyang's fall yesterday... and the Saint wanted to order Chang Kuo to lead his troops to Luoyang, so it would be better to use this secret decree to put pressure on Chang Kuo and let him leave quickly! As for the deliberately negligent Envoy Chang, it won't be too late to ask the Saint to punish him when he returns to the capital! When Gu Erlang heard this request, he was about to send someone to pass the message to Chang Kuo, when suddenly a clerk came quickly to report: "The Envoy is back!"
The blue-robed eunuch was invigorated and said quickly, "Hurry up and ask Envoy Chang to come and receive the decree!"
He then ordered: "Please invite the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery as well!"
Soon, Chang Suining appeared outside the hall.
The blue-robed eunuch looked over immediately; this was his first time out of the capital, and also the first time he saw the legendary governor of Huainan Province.
In our sight, the girl was wearing a tight-sleeved green gown, her thick black hair was tied up with a bronze hairpin, she was tall, and her pretty face showed no distinct emotions.
The eunuch was a little surprised. This was completely different from the murderous and domineering female Rakshasa he had imagined.
At this moment, he was holding the secret decree representing the emperor's supreme order, and silently, he looked down on the girl who was walking towards him.
"Your Excellency Chang Jie is very busy, but he asked us to wait for a long time." The blue-robed eunuch bowed and said with a smile, "We came with the emperor's secret order, but we have been waiting for more than five days. This is unprecedented."
Hearing these sarcastic words, Kang Zhi frowned and said, "It takes three days to send a message to the military camp. My master has only stayed in the army for less than two days in total—"
She always spoke in a very aggressive manner. The eunuch in blue robe was displeased when he heard her words. He glanced at her coldly and sneered, "The people under Envoy Chang Jie are so unruly. They interrupted without permission and overstepped their authority. If they were in the Palace Office, they would have been dragged down and beaten to death long ago!"
Chang Suining smiled slightly: "Thank you for your concern, eunuch, but this is not Sigongtai, this is Jiangdu."
The blue-robed eunuch's face froze, and when he was about to say something else, he heard a sharp voice saying, "Please announce the decree, eunuch."
She wanted to hear why this decree came.
The blue-robed eunuch said, "This secret order requires the loyal and brave marquis to kneel and listen together."
As soon as he finished speaking, Chang Kuo appeared outside the hall accompanied by two subordinates.
The blue-robed eunuch raised his eyebrows and held the secret decree in his hand: "Please ask Envoy Chang Jie and Marquis Zhongyong to kneel down and receive the decree."
Chang Kuo walked into the hall on crutches, and was about to drop his robe and kneel down, but Chang Suining raised his hand to stop him: "My father has difficulty walking, so there is no need to kneel. Please just read the decree directly, eunuch."
The blue-robed eunuch's face changed slightly. He refused to kneel when receiving the imperial edict. This was a serious matter. How could it be avoided with just a word from her?
This is a blatant disrespect to the Holy Will!
But the next moment, the girl in green robe knelt down on one knee neatly, and said with her hands clasped without looking away: "Your Highness, I respectfully listen to your Majesty's will--"
The blue-robed eunuch's expression changed several times. He glanced at Chang Kuo, who was standing there motionless and obeyed his daughter's arrangements very well. Finally, he temporarily suppressed his anger and slowly unfolded the secret decree and read it aloud.
The hall was very quiet, and every word of the eunuch's imperial decree could be heard clearly.
The imperial edict ordered the loyal and brave Marquis Chang Kuo to lead his troops to rush to Luoyang for assistance.
Chang Suining, the governor of Huainan Road, was ordered to leave for the capital today.
As the eunuch sang loudly "There must be no mistakes" and the words "I hereby order" fell, the hall became increasingly quiet.
Kang Zhi, who was kneeling and listening, looked gloomy, and Gu Erlang was also stunned.
The eunuch's voice was sharp and loud, and several generals waiting outside the hall also heard the contents of the imperial edict clearly. They exchanged glances, feeling both shocked and angry.
The Saint needs the Jiangdu Army, but if he only wants them to rush to Luoyang, then that's fine. But the Saint wants the injured Loyal and Brave Marquis to lead the troops, and let the envoy come to the capital alone! At such a critical moment, what's the reason? To put it bluntly, this is simply too much! Or, the so-called favoritism shown by the king before was just to tie up the adults so that they would make such concessions and be willing to take risks? On the contrary, Chang Kuo's expression was very calm. He just slightly clenched the tiger-head crutch in his hand, turned his head silently, and looked at Chang Suining who was kneeling there.
The eunuch in blue robe closed the cloth, lowered his eyes and said, "Please ask Envoy Chang to receive the order."
Chang Suining did not stretch out his hands to take the imperial edict, but stood up directly.
This action was not in accordance with the rules. Seeing this, the eunuch in blue robes' heart skipped a beat. He repeated as calmly as possible: "Please ask Envoy Chang to accept the order..."
The green-robed girl still had no intention of reaching out, but her eyes were somewhat puzzled, and she said: "The Saint wanted to send the Jiangdu army to quell the rebellion in Luoyang, but he let my injured father lead the army, and sent me to the capital--"
She asked, "Is the Saint's move intended for me to rebel?"
Even though these frank and dangerous words were spoken in a calm tone, they still startled the blue-robed eunuch. He tried his best to look dignified: "...How dare you! Envoy Chang Jie speak such treasonous words. Do you have rebellious intentions?"
"No." Chang Suining raised his chin slightly and said slowly, "It's obviously you who are bold."
The blue-robed eunuch was stared at by those eyes that suddenly revealed a cold and pure aura, and he suddenly felt a surge of fear in his heart.
The next moment, the owner of those eyes drew the sword from his waist without looking away.
She moved very quickly, and the blue-robed eunuch only felt a flash of cold light before his eyes and a sudden chill on his neck.
His body froze and he staggered back subconsciously to avoid the attack and raised his hand to touch his neck. However, what caught his attention before he did was the screams of the other two eunuchs beside him.
Blood splattered, the blue-robed eunuch's neck was tilted and about to fall off, and he fell to the ground with a bang.
The new head of the Palace Office is his adoptive father. This time, he was recommended by his adoptive father to come and convey the imperial edict. In order to reassure him, his adoptive father privately reminded him that saints always have plans when they act. Since he has made this move, he is sure that Chang Suining will obey orders and come to the capital...
So he believed it.
With this support in his heart, he acted with less fear, convinced that Chang Suining would not dare to disobey.
But at this time...
Thick blood began to flow out of the blue-robed eunuch's mouth. His body twitched slightly, and his dilated pupils were filled with fear as he looked at the green-robed girl who was walking towards him with a sword in hand.
Chang Suining stepped on the blood-stained imperial edict and said, "The sage is wise and has always made every possible plan. It is impossible that he did not know that this imperial edict would chill the hearts of the ministers, alienate the monarch and his ministers, and might even force me to rebel—"
"So, this eunuch must have ulterior motives and is misrepresenting the emperor's will." She looked at the two trembling eunuchs and asked, "My Lords, is that right?"
4300 words, good night everyone~
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