Chapter 3493 Inexplicable Unrest
"So I suspect—"
Zhu Feng asked, "Do you suspect he had some kind of accident that's why he's staying at Chen Biri's house?"
Li Bushang said, "Yes."
“…”
Zhu Feng didn't say anything, but slowly leaned back in his chair, thinking for a long time, and then asked, "Besides this, is there any other news?"
Li Bushang said, "Also—Xiahou Zhengzheng is mobilizing the troops."
Zhu Feng's brows suddenly raised: "Mobilize the army?"
"yes."
"What is he going to do?"
Li Bushang said in a deep voice, "Over the years, due to the friendly relations between the two countries, although Xiahou Jiu held great power, he never moved his troops. Now in Doubei Town, he suddenly mobilized the troops, which clearly means something. And his intention can only be in two directions."
Zhu Feng said, "You say."
Li Bushang said, "First, as I just guessed, something did happen to the King of Yue, and Xiahou Jiu mobilized the army to fight Chen Biri; but the other reason is—"
Having said this, he paused.
He just looked up carefully and glanced at Zhu Feng.
Although he didn't finish his words, there was still a tacit understanding between the monarch and his subjects. Moreover, with Zhu Feng's many years of experience in guarding Peking, how could he not know it?
What other reasons could there be for deploying troops at the border?
Xiahou Jiu still had one choice left, which was to point his sword to the north.
That is their Yan Country!
The originally peaceful and gentle atmosphere in the room had almost disappeared at this time. The remaining space was filled with a tense and even impending sense of crisis, which made people feel a little breathless.
Even the bead curtain that had been swaying just now stopped at this moment, as taut as a bowstring stretched to the extreme.
Zhu Feng was silent for a moment, then looked down at Li Bushang and said slowly, "So where do you think Xiahou Jiu is heading?"
“…”
"Is it Chen Biri's residence or my headquarters?"
Li Bushang lowered his head and said, "I dare not speculate on such a major military and national matter."
Zhu Feng smiled faintly and said, "Now that we've come to this point, it doesn't matter whether we speculate or not. I just want to know. You've been in Yongzhou for two years now, and you know the situation here much better than I do. You can even predict the future and arrange for people to enter Doubei Town beforehand. These are all your efforts in preparing for a rainy day. Now, naturally, I need your advice."
Li Bushang bowed and said, "I dare not."
Zhu Feng said, "Go ahead."
Li Bushang thought for a moment before slowly saying, "I believe that whether something unexpected happened to the King of Yue, or Xiahou Jiu is truly mobilizing his troops to attack Yongzhou, we cannot remain inactive. As the saying goes, those who strike first will gain the upper hand, those who strike later will gain the upper hand."
The sound of a deep breath came from the inner room.
Zhu Feng didn't even look inside, but narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "You mean, we should take action first?"
Li Bushang thought for a moment and said, "Even if we don't take action, we still need to be prepared."
“…”
"At least if the Vietnamese do cross the border, we can respond immediately."
“…”
"In previous years, Yongzhou City wouldn't be afraid of fighting against them, but the two countries have enjoyed friendly relations for so long, and I'm afraid we won't be able to respond in time. Now, Your Majesty and Your Majesty are both in Yongzhou, and we absolutely cannot let war invade us."
“…”
“So, it’s always good to prepare early.”
Zhu Feng curled the corners of his lips: "After all, you are the one who is considerate."
Li Bushang said, "I dare not."
Zhu Feng thought for a moment and said, "You go down first. I'll think about it and make a decision."
Li Bushang frowned.
With Zhu Feng's personality, he should have reacted immediately to such military affairs, especially military ones, but he had to "think about it", which made it easy for him to lose the initiative.
But the emperor had already spoken, and he didn't dare say anything more.
He only whispered, "I'll take my leave."
After saying that, he stood up and slowly walked out.
But just as he retreated to the door and was about to leave, Zhu Feng suddenly said, "How is your wife's injury?"
“……!”
Li Bushang was stunned for a moment.
But he immediately turned around and said with his head down, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. She is fine."
Zhu Feng nodded and said, "I'm glad you're okay."
Li Bushan thought he was going to say something else, but Zhu Feng seemed to have just remembered to ask a casual question and had no intention of saying anything else, so Li Bushan walked out.
As soon as the door closed, there was a loud noise. Nan Yan pulled aside the beaded curtain and walked out of the inner room. Zhu Feng frowned and looked at her, saying coldly, "Can't you be quiet tonight? Are you waiting for people to stare at you?"
Nan Yan didn't care about the sour taste in his words and rushed directly to Zhu Feng: "Is something wrong with Li Wuyu?!"
Zhu Feng said coldly: "Didn't you hear it just now?"
Nan Yan took a deep breath.
Something unexpected happened to Li Wu Yu, and Chen Biri and Xiahou Jiu immediately had a conflict. Now, Xiahou Jiu started to mobilize troops again.
After she came back, she finally found the reason for the uneasiness she had been feeling for most of the day, but - this series of events happened too quickly.
At this moment, she finally understood why she had felt a vague sense of uneasiness and restlessness in her heart when Zhu Feng said that as long as Li Wu Yu was still there, there would be no war.
Because Li Wu Yu is a variable.
He didn't want to fight, but if something happened to him, his ministers might not want to fight.
Especially Chen Bi Ri!
However, it seems that Chen Biri should be the one fighting in the war, so why did Li Bushang just report that Xiahou Jiu was mobilizing troops?
Nan Yan asked her doubts, but she saw Zhu Feng's face remained calm. He just picked up the teacup and took a sip slowly. After a long while, he said, "Didn't Li Bushan just say that Li Wuyu has been staying at Chen Biri's house?"
“…”
"Using the emperor to control the princes is something any minister would want to try."
"Holding the emperor hostage to control the princes..."
Nan Yan bit her lower lip and said in a deep voice, "Chen Biri used Li Wuyu to force Xiahou Jiu to go to war with us? The conflict between the two sides during the day was because of this?"
Zhu Feng said, "I'm afraid that's the case."
"That,"
Nan Yan suddenly felt as if countless sharp thorns in her heart had emerged, pricking her hands and feet. She walked around twice, then sat down next to Zhu Feng, staring at him and asked, "Did Xiahou Jiu really do this?"
“…”
"He's mobilizing his troops now. Does that mean he really wants to fight us?"
“…”
“That shouldn’t be the case.”
Zhu Feng looked at her with a slight smile: "Why?"
Nan Yan said, "The two countries have been friends for many years. Xiahou Jiu holds a high position of power in Yue State because he has been instrumental in maintaining peace for over a decade. If he suddenly turns against us, and with Chen Bi Ri in the country, wouldn't he be making enemies on both sides?"
“…”
"Although he is a reckless man, he wouldn't be so reckless, right?"
Zhu Feng asked: "If it were you, what would you do?"
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