A loud noise came from Yu Street, and Huang Cheng, who was standing on the city wall, looked increasingly gloomy.

The officials at the city gate were obviously confused by the significantly increased noise and looked back frequently, while most of the officials on the city gate had already learned about it through the reports from the imperial guards.

When they heard that tens of thousands of refugees from the north were pouring in, they looked unhappy.

Refugees, victims of disasters, and civil unrest all mean the same thing to officials.

This is also the reason why many state governments have closed their doors and refused to accept refugees.

More importantly, this matter was not reported at all in advance.

The emperor's face had returned to normal as he sat on the dragon throne, and he no longer looked angry, but everyone knew in their hearts that he was not happy at all.

However, Duke Cheng's troops were getting closer and closer, and the officials from the Ministry of Rites had no choice but to move forward.

"Your Majesty, Duke Cheng has entered the city. The auspicious time has arrived." He bowed his head and asked for instructions.

The emperor seemed to have just woken up from a dream, with a hint of excitement on his face.

"Ah, we're here. Good, good," he kept saying, patting the armrests, but he didn't stand up.

"Your Majesty." Huang Cheng suddenly came out, his expression solemn and his anger undisguised, "Your Majesty, please return to the palace."

Return to the palace?

The officials present were shocked.

If he returns to the palace at this time, wouldn't that make Duke Cheng lose face in front of the whole world?

Of course, this is what Huang Cheng dreams of, but if you ask the emperor to do this, there must be a reasonable reason, right?

The emperor had obviously thought of this as well, and he looked surprised and uneasy.

"Why do you say that, Lord Huang?" he said, frowning and standing up. "Duke Cheng is coming soon. I have praised him with my own words. The civil and military officials and the people of the city are waiting for him. Don't joke around."

As he spoke, he took a step forward and motioned to the eunuch.

"Be prepared for the audience."

The eunuchs answered yes, and just as Huang Cheng was about to leave, he knelt down and stopped the emperor's steps.

"Your Majesty, you can't do that." He choked up and pointed outside the city. "That Duke Cheng brought tens of thousands of northern refugees to the capital without a decree. This is too dangerous. The northern refugees have traveled so far, and their identities are questionable. If there are spies among them and hurt Your Majesty, our Great Zhou will be finished."

This also makes sense.

The arrival of these tens of thousands of people was too strange and too sudden.

Those were not the citizens of the capital city on Yu Street. Although there were a large number of people, they had also been strictly checked. Not to mention that the identities of tens of thousands of northern refugees had not been verified, if these tens of thousands of people started to make trouble together, the guards on Yu Street might not be able to stop them.

If it was a Jin spy, or even if they were disguised and mixed in with them...

The Jin people broke into the imperial city and abducted the emperor.

Everyone present thought of this. That incident was the nightmare of the royal family. The emperor's face suddenly turned pale.

But he still didn't turn around and leave. Instead, he gritted his teeth and took a step forward.

"Master Huang, you are worrying too much." He said firmly, "I believe that with Duke Cheng around, such mistakes will not happen."

Having said that, he continued walking down the city gate.

Huang Cheng knelt down, kowtowed, and cried to the ground.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please don't do that." He shouted, "It's not that I have a petty mind, it's that Duke Cheng first refused to return after the peace talks, and then simply went to the territory of the Jin people. Who knows how he came back? Your Majesty, you have to be on guard."

The officials around were shocked.

This statement simply means that Duke Cheng has surrendered to the Jin people and has evil ambitions.

This crime is really...

The emperor was obviously shocked by these words, but he was timid by nature and never meant any harm to anyone. When he first heard these words, he was so panicked that he didn't know how to refute them.

"Don't talk nonsense, don't talk nonsense." He just waved his hands and said repeatedly, in order to escape this thought, he quickened his pace and went downstairs, "I will go to see Duke Cheng now, I believe in Duke Cheng."

The officials followed with uneasy looks on their faces. Huang Cheng caught up with him and actually knelt down and rushed over to hug the emperor's legs.

"Your Majesty, I would rather die than let you take this risk!" he shouted.

By this time they had already arrived at the foot of the city. All the civil and military officials saw this scene and were immediately stunned.

The eunuchs and eunuchs were startled, and the Jinyi Guards also drew their swords.

Fortunately, the emperor stopped it in time and did not kill Huang Cheng as a traitor.

"Master Huang, what are you doing?" He looked at Huang Cheng's gray hair and couldn't bear to push him away, so he stamped his feet anxiously.

Other officials also gathered around, some tried to pull him back while others tried to dissuade him.

Huang Cheng just sat on the ground and couldn't get up.

"Sir Huang, if you feel it is dangerous, just don't let those refugees enter the city." An official advised.

"That is also dangerous. It is dangerous to lead refugees into the city. Even if I lose face and am scolded by everyone for taking revenge, even if I become a traitor in the eyes of the world, I will never let Your Majesty take danger." Huang Cheng shouted.

These words and this scene caused a lot of discussion among the civil and military officials, and they soon found out the whole story.

Ning Yunzhao, who was standing behind, smiled.

"This is Satan's trick." He said, and sighed, "Mr. Huang is lucky to have met a benevolent emperor."

The officials nearby didn't bother to discuss this and lowered their voices in a somewhat impatient tone.

"What do we do now?" he asked in a low voice.

As soon as he finished speaking, more than half of the officials knelt down.

"Your Majesty, please return to the palace." They all kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty must not take any risks."

Looking at the officials kneeling down in a hurry and listening to the endless exhortations, Huang Cheng, who was sitting on the ground with his head down, showed a slight sneer at the corner of his mouth.

Shame? If the ministers did not bring shame to the emperor, did the emperor have to leave and return to the palace on his own initiative?

The emperor's words are law, and he can only go back on his word because he is forced to do so.

He knew without raising his head that the next moment the emperor, who was sympathetic to his subjects, would have no choice but to return to the palace.

Duke Cheng will be left out in the street.

So what if we enter the city?

So what if we rely on public opinion?

You still can’t get what you want!

Is it okay after passing the three levels? As long as Huang Cheng is here, there is still the fourth level, the fifth level, Zhushan, and the capital level. The levels are like cages. Now that you have broken in, you can never escape.

Hearing the chaotic voices of advice, the officials standing beside Ning Yunzhao became even more anxious.

"What about us?" he asked.

Kneel or not? Persuade or not?

"Of course I'll kneel." Ning Yunzhao said, then he shook his sleeves and strode forward.

The officials around him didn't react and followed subconsciously.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty, Your Majesty."

A clear and pleasant voice rang out amid the chaotic, low, and vague speeches, and it was like drinking sweet spring water, and all one's annoyance instantly disappeared.

However, is this the right time to say congratulations?

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice, and the emperor also looked over, only to see a handsome young official approaching, raising his hands high, and kneeling down.

The seven or eight officials following behind him were also confused. How could this be considered congratulations? Congratulations to His Majesty for having such a loyal minister like Huang Cheng to protect him?

It seems to be different from what I imagined...

But now that things have come to this, I can only kneel down.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty." Ning Yunzhao said again, looking at the emperor with a smile on his face, "Hundreds of thousands of people from the three counties have returned to Zhou, and tens of thousands of people have traveled thousands of miles to come and thank the emperor for his grace. Your Majesty originally wanted to praise Duke Cheng, but now it seems that Duke Cheng, the people of the north, are praising your majesty." He bowed again after he finished speaking.

"Your Majesty not only made the Jin people surrender and pay annual tribute to become a vassal, and the ancestral temples comforted you, but also hundreds of thousands of people refused to give up and returned. Tens of thousands of people came to the capital to thank you. Your Majesty is a wise ruler with a benevolent heart that can be seen by heaven and earth. There is no one before and no one after you, not even Yao and Shun."

There is no one before him and no one after him, and Yao and Shun are no exception.

After hearing this, all the civil and military officials blushed.

Your ability to flatter is unprecedented and unparalleled, right?

The smile on Huang Cheng's lips had faded, and he raised his head, looking sinisterly at the young official kneeling on the ground.

Unexpectedly, it turned out to be not a rabbit, but a tiger.

The worry, anxiety and panic on the emperor's face disappeared, replaced by a radiant glow.

Ning Yunzhao raised his head and looked at him sincerely.

Yes, Your Majesty wants to save face. He would not do anything shameful if others do it, but at the same time, of course he would like to do things that bring him face himself instead of giving them to others.

It all depends on whether saving other people's face is more important or saving your own face is more important.

Everything is about interests, nothing is absolute.

"Your Majesty." Ning Yunzhao bowed again, "This is a great achievement of Your Majesty. The whole world should celebrate. I congratulate Your Majesty." The officials behind him did not stand there in a daze this time, and followed suit and kowtowed.

At this point, they have already followed Ning Yunzhao. Regardless of whether they say congratulations or not, in the eyes of everyone and the emperor, they are in the same faction as Ning Yunzhao.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty. Congratulations, Your Majesty." They shouted in unison.

At least it's a good thing to say.

Yes, this is his great achievement. If he turns back to the palace at this time, the people in the north will only recognize him as the Duke and will only be grateful to him.

All the land under heaven belongs to the king, and all the people in the world are the king's subjects.

This credit belongs to him, he has to take it.

The emperor stood up straight, shook off Huang Cheng, and raised his hands high.

"Xuan." He said loudly.