Helian Jue's proposal to personally lead the expedition was thus approved.
No one in the court objected anymore.
Of course, the people's obedience was not entirely out of fear.
Helian Jue was indeed ruthless, but he had only recently ascended the throne and was not yet indispensable to the Great Zhou Dynasty.
If he were to die unexpectedly before the war, the aristocratic families and members of the imperial clan would once again have the opportunity to "control the government."
Helian Jue had a son, who was still an innocent baby.
With Helian Jue dead, the powerful families and members of the imperial clan could then install their young sons on the throne, and they could become regents.
This seems to be more beneficial to everyone than having a powerful, adult emperor like Helian Jue sitting on the dragon throne.
A few of the more cunning ones even started secretly considering it:
If Helian Jue really dies in battle, should one of the quadruplets be promoted to the throne, or should another member of the imperial family be adopted?
The late emperor had several sons.
The practice of succession by younger brothers after the death of an elder brother is in line with the old customs of the Xianbei people!
Helian Jue sat high in the main seat, looking down over the entire court.
He may not be able to see through everyone's thoughts, but he can still discern some clues.
Ha! He wants to wait for me to die so he can then divide up the empire that belongs to him?
Do you really think my Ah Yuan is just for show?
Helian Jue was fully confident that even if something happened to him outside, A Yuan could still control the capital and stabilize the court.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have felt comfortable leading the army in person and leaving the rear to A Yuan!
"These people are ugly, but they have such high expectations!"
Helian Jue, who has always been at the pinnacle of good looks, is always so confident in his appearance.
In his eyes, apart from his wife and children, everyone else was probably ugly and stupid.
Oh, right, there's also a chubby little guy who's not bad looking!
Helian Jue stood upright and solemn, but inwardly he was ranting and raving.
"However, it's not entirely without merit that these self-righteous fools think this way!"
"At least they will no longer stop me from going on campaign!"
Helian Jue was willing to bet that these people would not only not stop him, but would actively support him!
War is no small matter.
It's not something that can be solved simply by touching the upper and lower lips together.
Food supplies, weapons, horses, laborers for transportation, soldiers for the battle, and so on all need to be prepared in advance.
The Great Zhou Dynasty has been relatively stable in recent years. After unifying the country, taxes and grains from the Southern Dynasty have been continuously transported to the capital.
Although the transportation lines between the north and south are too long, they consume a lot of time and manpower.
However, overall, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.
At present, the treasury of the Great Zhou Dynasty is rapidly replenished, enough to support Helian Jue in a major battle against the Turks!
Of course, the subsequent affairs of the Southern Dynasty still need to be resolved.
Helian Jue was not worried. Besides himself and his court officials, he also had the most versatile and considerate partner—A Yuan!
Xie Yuan proved her ability through her repeated "achievements".
This further fueled Helian Jue's deep trust in her.
Helian Jue believed that after the capital was moved, A Yuan would offer him an excellent solution to the problem of grain and fodder transportation.
These are all things for later; right now, only two things are of utmost importance in the capital—
First, compile the "Clan Records";
The powerful families are practically going crazy over this.
Rules, etiquette, and the pride and dignity of aristocratic families all become worthless when it comes to matters that truly concern the family's interests.
Using veiled criticism and innuendo are already basic tactics.
It's not uncommon for people to hurl insults.
The most outrageous thing is that, for the sake of their own rating, several white-haired, highly respected elders, holding their official tablets and with their sleeves rolled up, got into a brawl in the main hall. Can you believe it?
Having one's official robes torn on the spot, or being hit on the head with a ceremonial tablet, is considered normal behavior!
Helian Jue watched with great interest.
The nobles and commoners alike were all dumbfounded.
Is this the spirit of a distinguished family?
Why is it different from what I heard?
The powerful families were in an uproar, with those who wanted to enter the first tier arsenal refusing to relinquish their positions.
Trying to downgrade a rival will inevitably provoke a counterattack from them.
For the sake of a ranking, for the sake of a level, even the gentle and refined scions of noble families have turned into madmen.
Amidst this chaos, the Xie family remained remarkably calm.
Xie Hong, as the head of the family, did want to fight for the Xie family, but he was just a minor official with no real power and didn't even have the right to attend court.
Moreover, for Xie Hong, the most important thing is to maintain his position as the head of the family.
There's also Xie Zhen, the rightful heir, eyeing the throne with predatory intent.
In order to gain the recognition of the aristocratic families, Xie Hongdu wanted to make a deal with the Cui and Wang families—to agree to let the Wang and Cui families be rated as first-class aristocratic families.
Ahem, Xie Hong may not have real power, but he is still the head of the Xie clan of Chenjun.
Whether in the Southern or Northern Dynasties, the Wang and Xie families were highly respected.
If the Xie family were to relent, emerging Northern Dynasties aristocratic families such as the Cui family of Qinghe and the Wang family of Taiyuan would have the opportunity to be ranked first.
Xie was like an expert outside the official staff; he might not have much power, but he still had important advisory authority.
The Xie family's attitude still carries some weight among the elite families.
Xie Hong secretly contacted Cui, Wang, and several other families.
He never expected that there would be someone even more ruthless and eccentric than him.
Unlike Xie Hong, Xie Zhen, though young, was the Empress's younger brother.
Helian Jue also granted Xie Zhen special privileges, allowing him to freely enter and leave the palace.
Needless to say, the main hall of the outer court was even more impressive.
When Helian Jue attended court, Xie Zhen would sit in the seat below him to join in the fun.
Xie Zhen, the young master of the Xie family, was somewhat familiar to the court officials.
However, this time, Xie Zhen did not sneak into the court as the emperor's brother-in-law.
As the heir of the direct line of the Xie clan of Chen Commandery, he solemnly took the memorial and stood in the queue.
While the powerful ministers Wang, Cui, and Zheng were arguing endlessly over the "Clan Records," a small figure stepped forward.
"Your subject, Xie Zhen, is the only surviving member of the direct line of the Xie clan of Chen Commandery. I voluntarily request to be demoted!"
Xie Zhen's voice was still immature, but it was firm and resonant.
The once bustling imperial court, resembling a noisy marketplace, suddenly fell silent.
Even Zheng Taifu, as the chief editor, found it hard to believe what Xie Zhen said.
He stepped out of the line, came to Xie Zhen, and looked carefully at the little boy who was seven or eight years old.
"Xie Zhen?"
Grand Tutor Zheng asked in a low voice.
"It is indeed you, young man!" Xie Zhen bowed calmly. Although he was young, his manners and etiquette were impeccable.
Do you know what you just said?
"certainly!"
"Then, do you know the consequences of your actions?" A demotion. From a top-tier aristocratic family, falling to second or third-rate!
Although they are still aristocratic families, there is still a huge difference between the first and the last rank.
Grand Tutor Zheng came from a prestigious family, and the honor and disgrace of his family were deeply etched into his soul.
He simply couldn't understand Xie Zhen's actions.
"I know! But Xie Zhen insists!"
Xie Zhen stood upright, like a small pine tree.
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