The third year of Jingming.
Dozens of fast riders came from the west.
There was a command flag on the horse's back, and anyone who saw the flag, whether it was a carriage or a pedestrian, would give way.
When passing toll booths along the way, whenever they saw the word "Soldier" written in large letters on the wall, the riders would shout, "Urgent news! Change men and horses!"
In just the time it takes for a stick of incense to stick, the soldiers at the messenger station built next to the toll station would carry their bags, take the command flags and sealed letter tubes, ride on the horses fed by the station, and continue on their way.
It's like a relay race, passing it from one military station to another.
Horses and even people died from the run, but the transmission of military intelligence was never delayed.
Express delivery of 800 miles is no joke.
Even if you can't run 800 miles a day, you can still run 600 or 700 miles.
It is summer and the sun is scorching the earth.
The trade routes are smooth, and the closer to the capital, the more vehicles and pedestrians there are.
The toll station received the news early and began to evacuate the vehicles and pedestrians stuck at the intersection.
"Make way, everyone. Make way. Make way for me."
The fast riders passed by, stirring up a gust of hot wind and a cloud of dust.
"Where did this fast rider come from? Why is he so domineering?" someone complained.
"Hush! Didn't you see the command flag on the horse's back? It's the most important military information, sent 800 miles in advance. If pedestrians and carriages don't give way, they will be trampled to death and their deaths will be in vain."
"There's no war going on, so where does the military intelligence come from?"
"Who said there was no war? The Northwest Army has been fighting with Xiliang. I don't know."
"The fighting is still going on! I thought it was over a long time ago. The thing is, we didn't feel any fighting atmosphere at all along the way."
"It's been going on. You should read the newspaper more often. There are reports in the newspaper from time to time."
"Wouldn't the imperial court object to this constant war? How much money and food would be spent on war?"
"It's no use for the court officials to object. Your Majesty is determined to fight. As long as the corvée and taxes don't increase, it doesn't matter to us ordinary people whether there is a war or not."
"That's true. The court has money, and the emperor loves wars, so let them fight. Just don't burden us ordinary people with the burden."
Ride quickly eastward and the capital is in sight.
The crowded and slow official road was thrown into chaos and traffic accidents occurred one after another because of the arrival of the 800-mile express.
Enter the city and the palace!
The Northwestern Army captured the capital of Xiliang, killed the King of Xiliang, and destroyed the Xiliang Kingdom.
When the news came out, the whole world was shocked!
"Did they really destroy the Xiliang Kingdom?"
"The Duke of Lu has no more titles to offer and no more rewards to give!"
"The war of annihilation of a nation, what a merit it is! It is equivalent to expanding the territory of the Great Zhou. In the time of Taizu, he would at least be a hereditary Duke."
"Your Majesty is confused! How can you sit back and watch the Duke of Lu start a war to destroy his country? This is embarrassing for the court!"
"Your Majesty is a fool! Instead of restricting the Northwest Army, you provided them with money, food, and weapons, allowing them to conquer Xiliang. I want to see how Your Majesty will deal with this."
"What's the Northwest Military Governor's Office for? How come the imperial court didn't get any information about such an important matter beforehand?"
"In this urgent military report sent over eight hundred miles, does it mention when the Marquis of Lu conquered the Western Liang Kingdom? What's the situation in Western Liang now? Are the Marquis of Lu's people currently in the northwest or in Western Liang?"
"Why hasn't anyone reported the situation in the northwest? What are the officials in Jinzhou doing? Could it be that they've been bribed by the Northwest Army and are colluding with them to deceive the court?"
"There's no point in saying this now. Send someone to the northwest to gather information. Be sure to get to the bottom of everything."
"There are many officials in the court who are from the northwest. Why didn't we hear about this before?"
"Now it seems that someone may have deliberately blocked the news of the Northwest, including the Northwest Army."
"In such a vast Northwest, who can block the news?"
"Who else could it be except the two in the palace?"
"Where does this come from? How would blocking the northwest news benefit the Emperor and Empress?"
"Whether it's beneficial or not, you might as well keep watching. When the drama comes to an end, the truth will eventually be revealed."
The Northwest Army's destruction of the Western Liang Kingdom quickly made headlines in major newspapers.
The common people were delighted.
"The wolfish ambitions of Xiliang have finally been thwarted."
"Before, it was always others who bullied us, but now it's finally our turn to bully others."
I feel proud, absolutely proud.
For many years, the northwest border defense has been on the defensive, hiding in the trenches. Occasionally there are one or two victories, but they are not enough to change the situation.
Just thinking about it makes me feel depressed.
Now, it is finally the turn of the Great Zhou to take the initiative and destroy a country.
As for the grievances and hatreds between the Northwest Army and the imperial court, the common people do not care.
Everyone was just happy, hanging lights and decorations, and setting off firecrackers and fireworks to celebrate.
Compared to the common people who were excited, everyone in the court had a solemn look on their face.
At the grand court meeting, many court officials confronted the leaders of the three provinces and six ministries and launched an attack on Emperor Jingming Liu Zhao.
It's such a big thing. I would never believe it if you say that the big bosses from three provinces and six ministries are unaware of it.
There was so much food, fodder, and military equipment, the establishment of military stations along the way, the construction of fortresses and strongholds, the Ministry of the Imperial Household, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Works, the Ministry of Revenue, every one of them was involved.
As for the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Justice, they were raised by three stepmothers, so don't even think about staying out of it.
You bunch of traitors, you've made it so hard for everyone by hiding this from us!
As soon as the grand court meeting began, the Golden Palace was in an uproar.
No one discussed the Northwest Army, no one discussed the Marquis of Lu.
Let’s settle the old accounts first, and then we can discuss the Duke of Lu.
Both sides were talking at the same time.
In the end, everyone was so anxious that just talking was not enough, so they rolled up their sleeves and took action.
Hats and shoes flew everywhere, stinky feet and foul mouths filled the air, and words of disrespect to ancestors were rampant...
Well, it looks like a shrew scolding people in the vegetable market.
Liu Zhao sat on the dragon throne, saying nothing and watching indifferently.
Lin Shuping asked quietly: "Your Majesty, do you want to control it?"
Liu Zhao smiled coldly, "Let them fight. Anyone who starts a fight, write down their names. I will settle the score later."
"As you wish!"
Lord Lu was in a very sorry state.
The dignified Minister of the Secretariat was actually besieged by a group of censors.
With the help of his colleagues, Lord Lu broke through the siege and went to Emperor Liu Zhao for help. "Your Majesty, you can't just ignore this chaos!"
The person who issued the gag order was Liu Zhao. Now that the fighting has broken out, he doesn't care and acts as if it has nothing to do with him.
That’s too much!
Liu Zhao smiled and said, "My dear minister, why are you so anxious? It's not time yet. Let them continue fighting. Beat them silly and they will know what's right and wrong."
As soon as he finished speaking, a boot came flying.
Lin Shuping was horrified, "Protect the emperor, protect the emperor!"
The eunuchs rushed forward to protect Liu Zhao.
Liu Zhao, who could have easily avoided the flying boots, was put into a miserable state by Lin Shuping's yell and the eunuch's movement.
When the murder weapon "Boots" was caught, Liu Zhao was furious.
He picked up the inkstone and smashed it hard on the ground.
The Golden Palace fell silent!
The two sides stopped fighting, leaving only a mess on the ground.
Liu Zhao slammed the table and stood up, "Whose boot is this? Stand out before me."
How could they dare to plot against him?
"Investigate! Investigate this right here and now. No one is allowed to move until this is clear."
The big Han general rushed into the Golden Palace and compared the boots one by one.
An official from the Dali Temple, nearly in tears, said weakly, "The boots are mine. This, this, this, this is all an accident."
I want to cry, but I dare not cry!
Without even a glance, the official was dragged away by the Han general.
No one spoke, the whole place was silent.
"Still fighting?"
Liu Zhao sneered, "Speak up! You were quite talkative, but now you're mute."
The courtiers remained silent.
Bang!
Liu Zhao slapped the table, his hand hurt so much, but he had to pretend nothing happened and continue to maintain his image of being wise and brave.
"You really treat the throne room like a market! Yet you are worse than street shrews. You are nothing but a bunch of trash, scum, and narrow-minded fools!"
"Your Majesty, be careful with your words!"
The courtiers could not bear it any longer after being publicly insulted as useless fools.
At this moment, those standing in the Golden Palace, not to mention the nobles and military generals, but also the civil officials, all of them were the result of thousands of troops fighting their way through the imperial examinations.
The imperial examinations were held every three years, with only about 300 candidates admitted each time. How difficult it was to pass the imperial examinations and become a Jinshi!
After passing the imperial examination, it was even more difficult to enter the court and participate in court meetings.
How could such a group of people be useless idiots?
It is no exaggeration to say that the group of people standing in the court are the smartest group of people in the world.
This group of people are full of pride in their bones.
Being called a fool is intolerable.
Even if the emperor is angry, I will stand up and force him to take back his words.
Don't blame everyone for attacking you for insulting the court officials like this.
Liu Zhao sneered, "Am I wrong? You call yourselves important ministers of the country, but look at what you have done. How can you be a minister of the country? Even street shrews are better than you."
This is so hurtful to my self-esteem.
"Your Majesty, calm down! We have realized our mistake. However, everything has its cause. If we were not so excited, we would never lose our composure in court."
"Is it a good thing that the Northwest Army destroyed the Western Liang Kingdom? If so, why were they so excited that they started a fight in the court? Could it be that you, the ministers, are just hoping for the Northwest Army's defeat, hoping that the Western Liang Kingdom will invade, so that you can profit from it?"
"We, the ministers, absolutely do not have such intentions."
"For such a major event, countless grain, fodder, and military equipment were secretly used, yet the three provinces and six ministries kept it a secret from the entire court. We simply want an explanation."
Liu Zhao sneered, pointing at the entire court. "Ask yourselves, can the affairs of the court really be kept secret from you? I've heard a saying before: the court of the Great Zhou is like a sieve; there are no secrets at all."
The war in the northwest, the northwest army's counterattack against Xiliang, how could this be hidden from you, the ministers? The Ministry of Revenue mobilized money and grain, who among you present didn't know about this? The northwest army marched westward and accidentally captured the Xiliang royal city, destroying the Xiliang Kingdom. How could this be hidden from you, the ministers? At least provide some real evidence to accuse you of this."
“This is the appearance, not the essence.”
"fart!"
"Your Majesty, be careful with your words!"
"Then tell me what is the exterior and what is the interior. I want to hear your great principles today."
"The Northwest Army's counterattack against Xiliang is a show, and the Ministry of Revenue raising money and grain is also a show. But..."
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－－
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