Chapter 575: Riding a Tiger
Yin Bao's sudden entry surprised everyone. The young eunuch outside the hall followed him. As soon as he entered the hall, he looked at Emperor An and knelt on the ground.
"Your Majesty, I am guilty. I was guarding the outer room when General Yin suddenly came over and I couldn't stop him..."
All outsiders had to be summoned to enter the palace. It was against the rules for someone like Yin Bao to come in suddenly, not to mention that he entered the palace directly without being informed.
The young eunuch was afraid that Emperor An would punish him, so he knocked his head against the wall.
Yin Bao walked straight to the front of the palace and said, "I, this old minister, rushed to the palace upon hearing about Prince Pingshan's rebellion. I just arrived outside the palace and heard Your Majesty's words before insisting on coming in. This young eunuch has nothing to do with it. If Your Majesty wants to blame someone, please blame this old minister. It has nothing to do with anyone else."
Emperor An frowned, and even though he felt a little offended, he couldn't say anything. He just waved at the young eunuch and said, "You leave first."
The young eunuch kowtowed quickly, stood up, and closed the hall door as he left.
Emperor An then turned to General Yin and said, "The secret report from Pingyang County only arrived in the capital tonight. I haven't informed anyone else yet. Even Duke Dingguo and his men only learned about it after entering the palace. How did General Yin know about it?"
"Your Majesty has forgotten that I once led troops at Munan Pass. Although I have been back in Beijing for many years, I still have old subordinates in the south."
Yin Bao seemed not to understand the implication of Emperor An's words, and said calmly:
"Tonight, a general from Munan Pass sent an urgent letter back to the capital, reporting unusual movements in Pingyang County. He also reported that the Pingshan Palace had issued a proclamation seeking to punish the corrupt emperor. I was originally planning to enter the palace to speak to Your Majesty and report this, but unexpectedly, I heard at the palace gates that Your Majesty had summoned Duke Dingguo and others overnight."
"I, this old minister, suspected that Your Majesty might have known about this, so I hurried here. Who would have thought that upon arriving outside the palace, I would hear Your Majesty mention the matter of leading troops..."
Xiao Yan stood aside and smiled, "What a coincidence! Your Majesty was just discussing with us who should lead the troops south to quell the rebellion."
"Lu Jiuan and Prince Pingshan's troops are divided into two groups. He is cunning and treacherous. To prevent him from luring the enemy away from the mountain, we absolutely cannot take all the troops in the capital with us. However, Your Majesty wishes to have Commander Liu lead the troops south. I and the other lords disagree."
Xiao Yan ignored the others he represented and said to Yin Bao:
"I propose that Marquis Wenxin and General Yin lead the troops together. Marquis Wenxin is familiar with the battlefield, and you are the pillar of the Wei Dynasty. No one in the court is more suitable to lead the troops to suppress the rebellion than you. However, His Majesty has stated that you are too old to go south."
Yin Bao said solemnly, "Although I am already seventy years old, my martial arts skills have never slackened over the years. Although I haven't been on the battlefield for more than ten years, I am familiar with military tactics and battle formations day by day. Few other generals in the court can defeat me."
He spoke with great arrogance, and his face was full of confidence and pride when he mentioned the war.
"Pingyang County's terrain is different from the capital, with rivers and seas crisscrossing it. I was stationed at Munan Pass for many years and am familiar with the terrain there. Moreover, if I were to lead the troops, I only need Your Majesty's decree to mobilize the troops in the south, without having to bring too many people with me from the capital."
"Northern Ling is being harassed frequently, and we don't know when war will break out. The troops in the capital must be kept ready to support the northern land at any time. I, an old minister, would like to ask to accompany Marquis Wenxin to lead the troops south to quell the rebellion. I hope Your Majesty will grant my approval!"
Emperor An said in a deep voice, "But you were injured on the battlefield in your early years, and your body is not as good as before. What if you can't hold on..."
"Your Majesty, rest assured. It will be convenient for me to stay in the rear while I am away from the battlefield."
Yin Bao interrupted Emperor An without hesitation and said in a deep voice, "I have come south only to assist Marquis Wenxin in mobilizing troops and to discuss the deployment of troops with him. In this battle, Marquis Wenxin can be the commander, and I, the deputy commander."
"With the brave and skilled Marquis Wenxin leading the way, Your Majesty need not worry about mistakes on the battlefield."
Emperor An: “…”
Seeing his gloomy face, Xiao Yan curled his lips and said, "Your Majesty, are you worried about mobilizing troops? Don't worry."
"Although you have been criticized for your edict of apology, there are still many loyal and steadfast people in the army. I will hand the tiger talisman to General Yin. Once he and Marquis Wenxin march south, they will surely be able to quickly crush the rebels and quell the rebellion in Pingyang County."
When Emperor An heard these "extremely considerate" words, his throat rolled over and his expression became even uglier.
He went to so much trouble to create what happened today just to force Xiao Yan to break up his power in the capital.
He forced Xiao Yan to choose one of the two.
Alternatively, he could take the tiger talisman and lead his troops out of the capital and head south to quell the rebellion. After he left the capital, Liu Tongen would lead his men to help him regain power in the court, and then they would surround him from behind and join forces with others to destroy Xiao Yan.
Or, he was reluctant to give up his power in the capital and hand over the tiger talisman. After Liu Tong'en got the tiger talisman, he could mobilize troops with justification and no longer had to worry about Xiao Yan's "threat". But who could have thought that Yin Bao would actually interfere.
Emperor An felt a breath of pent-up anger in his throat, making him extremely uncomfortable.
Xiao Yan did hand over the Tiger Talisman, but it didn't fall into the hands of the person he wanted. If anyone else had gotten hold of it, Emperor An would have found a way to make them return it, but Yin Bao...
This old man is just a stubborn old man with a stubborn temper and is very stubborn. He had made great military achievements when he followed Taizu.
He has the title of General Pillar of the State and it cannot be shaken, and he has the red-lettered iron certificate and no one can take control of it. So what is the difference between the tiger talisman falling into his hands and Xiao Yan's hands?
There's no way this old guy would listen to him!
Emperor An was so angry that his hands were shaking. He had spent so much effort to chase away wolves and tigers, but in the end, it was all in vain...
"His Majesty?"
Xiao Yan looked at Emperor An, whose cuffs were trembling slightly and whose fists were clenched so tightly that he looked up with a mocking smile.
"I have brought the Tiger Tally. Your Majesty, would you like me to give it to General Yin? Or do you think someone as formidable as General Yin is unfit to lead the army, and do you have another choice in mind?"
This is really heartbreaking.
Yin Bao looked straight at Emperor An, waiting for his decision.
The other people in the hall also looked up, waiting to see how he would answer.
Emperor An was held high by Xiao Yan. He endured it again and again, and a faint rusty sweetness rose in his throat. It took him a long while to calm down.
"Of course not. General Yin has made great military achievements, and Marquis Wenxin is unparalleled in his bravery. With them leading the troops to suppress the rebellion, I am naturally relieved."
Gnashing of teeth:
"Thank you, Duke Dingguo, for your concern."
Xiao Yan raised his lips and said, "Your Majesty, you are too kind. It is my duty to share your worries."
…
After deciding that Yin Bao and Wen Xinhou would lead the troops, the next step was to discuss the specific matters of the expedition, such as food and supplies, military equipment and manpower, and the mobilization of various units.
Emperor An used the excuse that he was not fully recovered yet and handed the matter over to the Crown Prince. After being helped out of the hall and returned to the Imperial Dragon Terrace by Eunuch Feng, he kicked over the shelf next to him with a "bang" as soon as the door was closed.
The things on the strange shelf shattered to the ground. Emperor An gasped for breath and cursed with gritted teeth.
"Damn Xiao Yan, why didn't he die in the He family back then?!"
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