Squeak!
Just as tensions were about to rise, the city gates slowly opened.
A biting wind swept out, stirring up the loose snow on the ground.
Chen Xuanwu subconsciously used his arm to shield himself from the biting cold wind. When he opened his eyes again, a tall and imposing figure was already standing in the center of the gate.
Although he was alone, he was like a sharp sword, inspiring awe and fear. His eyes, like those of a hawk, radiated a captivating light.
In the vast capital city, there are only a handful of military generals with such a majestic presence!
Hua Zhen, Commander of the Imperial Guards!
"Chen Xuanwu, what are you trying to do? Rebel?" Hua Zhen asked in a deep voice.
The deep voice echoed continuously in the city gate, making Chen Xuanwu's blood surge.
Although he was also skilled in martial arts, compared to Hua Zhen, the Imperial Commander, his skills were nothing more than fancy moves.
In addition, Hua Zhen was nominally his equal, and he did not have any overwhelming advantage in terms of status.
However, with the enemy already at the city gates, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Hua Zhen, according to regulations, the city gates must be opened at this time to allow all the officials to enter the city. What is the meaning of keeping the city gates closed? Are you planning a rebellion?"
Hua Zhen said calmly, "I am merely following orders. The Grand Secretary has already canceled the court assembly and is not receiving anyone!"
"Outrageous! You say you won't see me, and you just refuse to see me? You're a military officer, what right do you have to interfere in the affairs of the cabinet? I think you're the one planning a rebellion!" Chen Xuanwu pressed further.
Hua Zhen's face hardened. "You can eat whatever you want, but don't talk nonsense. Since I, Hua Zhen, took it upon myself to protect the Grand Secretary's safety. I have worked diligently and conscientiously, and no one can pin a label on me! Don't think that just because you have a noble family background you can act arrogantly in front of me! If you dare to talk nonsense again, don't blame me for being impolite!"
Hua Zhen took a step forward.
Thump thump thump!
Chen Xuanwu felt as if a huge mountain was pressing down on him, and he quickly took several steps back.
"you……"
"Commander Hua, what a magnificent sight!"
Just when Chen Xuanwu was at his wit's end, another group of people arrived.
They were all wearing Zhongshan suits, with their hair slicked back, exuding an air of authority.
Leading the group was Zhang Yi, the Minister of Revenue, followed by others such as Chen Hu and Xu Huai. More than half of the princes and ministers from the central government, the Censorate, and the Hanlin Academy who were qualified to attend the court assembly were present!
"So it's Minister Zhang and all the esteemed officials!" Hua Zhen greeted them casually.
This arrogant attitude immediately aroused the dissatisfaction of the crowd.
"Hua Zhen, who do you think you are, blocking the city gate and preventing your officials from entering? Are you planning a rebellion?"
"Since the founding of the dynasty, military officers have been forbidden from interfering in politics. You have broken the rules!"
"Get out of here at once!"
The crowd started talking all at once, shouting and yelling.
Hua Zhen naturally wouldn't listen, and simply said indifferently, "I've already spoken to Chen Xuanwu. Since all of you ministers are here, I'll repeat it again: the Grand Secretary has cancelled today's court assembly. If you have any memorials, you can hand them to me, and I can pass them on for you! If you have nothing else, please leave. The Grand Secretary is not receiving anyone today!"
"presumptuous!"
Xu Huai said with a stern face, "The court assembly is a matter of state. How can it be handed over to a military general like you so casually? You need to recognize your position. You are just a gatekeeper. There are some things you cannot control! If you dare to disrupt the court, believe me, I will have the Censorate impeach you and the Hanlin Academy criticize you verbally and in writing!"
"Whether I can control it or not is my own business, Hua Zhen. Of course, writing a long essay is also your right, Lord Xu! But the Forbidden City is my territory. You come here to show off your power. Let me tell you, I, Hua Zhen, don't buy into that!" Hua Zhen said arrogantly, not taking Xu Huai seriously at all.
"How dare you!! What is a mere guard?!"
Chen Hu couldn't hold back any longer. Today, he brought his own sword with him. As a meritorious figure, he was granted special permission to bring a sword into the palace.
Canglang!
He suddenly drew the Seven Star Sword, pointed it at Hua Zhen, and snarled, "Want to test the sharpness of my sword?"
"My sword has never been weak!"
brush!
Hua Zhen's sword was instantly drawn, pointing diagonally at Chen Hu and all the officials.
Whoosh!
The strong wind whipped up the accumulated snow, blowing it towards everyone like a blower.
In an instant, everyone stumbled and fell, looking utterly disheveled.
It took a long time before things finally calmed down.
Zhang Yi and the others stared wide-eyed, their faces extremely grim.
I thought everything would go smoothly today, but I didn't expect to encounter a roadblock as soon as I got outside the door.
"Gentlemen, things have come to this point, so let's launch a full-scale attack!"
"It's not the right time yet. The news about Lin Yu and Hua Zhen's rebellion has just been arranged. We need to wait until things develop further before we can use the pretext of a military coup!"
“Indeed, we can’t force things now. Moreover, Hua Zhen is a martial arts master who was known as the number one expert in the Imperial Palace when he was young. In addition, the Imperial Palace is full of talented people and is unfathomable. Wu Tiande’s reinforcements have not arrived yet. It would be too hasty to make a move now!”
"The reason he's blocking us like this is simply to wait for Lin Yu to return to the capital! Although Lin Yu has already led his troops north, Feidong is enough to hold him off, and there's also the Western Border Army, so we don't need to rush!"
After discussing it, Zhang Yi and the others decided against taking any rash action. They could only try to persuade them with words.
It would be best if we could get in now; if not, then we'll just have to wait!
Zhang Yi thought for a moment, then stepped forward and said, "Hua Zhen, the Grand Secretary has not held court for three days. Is he unwell? We just want to visit him!"
He was actually asking a question he already knew the answer to.
After all, they had received news from Liang Zhenhua early on that Pang Wensheng was already past his prime.
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