Chapter 597: Unveiling! I request a military order! (Please give me double the monthly ticket at the beginning of the month)
"Have you asked me?"
Zhao Duan's voice mixed with the pale daylight coming in from outside the hall, and echoed clearly in the ears of all the officials in the hall.
It's like a stone thrown into a lake, creating ripples.
The dead silence was suddenly broken, and the people in the Golden Palace who had been stunned for a moment because of the abrupt scene finally came to their senses.
Then, different expressions appeared on those faces.
Xu Wenyan, Xu Xuelian and other members of the delegation who were the first to be affected were frightened. Their first subconscious thought was that the appearance of this white-faced police officer was arranged by the empress.
Because this is the only logical way, a small police officer can easily come up to them with a sword and speak so arrogantly.
Moreover, both Princess Yanshan and Prince Hejian had been followed and tested by Zhao Duan some time ago... and these actions were naturally interpreted by them as the Empress's intentions.
But when they heard the words "Have you asked me?", the shock of the delegation turned into confusion.
Because no matter how you listen to these words, it doesn't sound like he came here on orders, but more like he is following his own ideas.
All the officials in the hall also realized this. Some of them turned around and looked at the empress sitting high on the dragon throne.
Some people frowned, feeling puzzled.
Some people are confused and don't know why.
Some people showed expressions of shock and anger, staring at this ignorant little police officer.
However, the few people who knew Zhao Duan's true identity, such as Yuan Li, Ma Yan, and Sun Lianying, had deep eyes and remained silent without expressing their opinions.
"Your Majesty, what does this mean?"
Finally, Mr. Feng's angry voice broke the silence. This great guest representing the Hejian Palace ignored Zhao Duan and turned around angrily, staring at the female emperor on the throne, and said in a deep voice:
"Or has Your Majesty already decided to abandon peace talks and declare war on us? So you no longer care about your dignity?"
The old official from the Yanshan Palace beside Xu Xuelian also wore a calm and fearless attitude. He faced the empress and sneered:
"If Your Majesty is determined to sit back and watch the world in chaos and the barbarians invade for the sake of power, you might as well make your point clear. Why send a mere soldier here to speak out? Wouldn't that just make the world laugh at you?"
Everyone in the delegation also came to their senses. Although they were nervous and frightened in their hearts, their faces showed expressions of anger and determination.
An attitude of "If you want to fight, then fight."
They were not sure whether this was a boring play arranged and directed by the Empress to scare them, so they could only maintain a high profile.
Seeing this, Xu Wenyan, who pretended to be stupid, no longer cared about his personality and knew that he had to speak.
With a stern expression, he stepped out, raised his head and stared at Xu Zhenguan, saying firmly:
"Your Majesty, if you wish to kill me, then so be it. However, I must remind you that if the peace talks fail, my Hejian Palace will fight to the death with the imperial court."
Xu Xuelian also came back to her senses and expressed her shock and anger:
"My Yanshan Palace will also fight to the death!"
In just a moment, the peace talks were on the brink of collapse.
Seeing this, some of the silent ministers in the hall finally couldn't help but persuade him:
"Please don't misunderstand me, Your Majesty cares about the people, so this matter can still be discussed..."
Then, he turned around and bowed to the Empress, saying in a sad voice:
"Your Majesty! Peace talks involve serious matters and should not be taken lightly, nor should you listen to slanderous words!"
Another person also loudly advised:
"Your Majesty, please reconsider. This matter can still be discussed..."
Then he raised his finger and pointed at Zhao Duan, saying angrily:
"Who are you? What's your official rank? How can you have a say in the court hall?"
Another person jumped out, pointed his gun directly at Zhao Duan, and said in a trembling voice:
"You're coming into the palace with a sword in hand, spouting such outrageous words. Are you planning a rebellion?! Peace talks are a matter of national importance. What right do you have to dictate the outcome? You even boasted that you'd be consulted. Does His Majesty's decisions require your approval?!"
A lot of curses!
At this moment, the "peace faction" in the court could no longer turn a deaf ear to the situation, because if they allowed the situation to continue, once the peace talks broke down, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Therefore, even if they took a step back and assumed that this white-faced police officer was indeed secretly instructed by His Majesty, they still had to express their stance.
For a moment, Zhao Duan seemed to be the target of thousands of criticisms, like a dark reef in the raging sea, facing the storm.
"Oh!"
Zhao Duan laughed, and this laugh was full of sarcasm and disdain, as if a depression that had been suppressed in his chest for many days was finally released.
He held the sword in his right hand and scanned the faces that were angrily accusing him with cold eyes. At this moment, the disgust in his eyes reached its extreme.
"No need to pretend to test me. I'm not here on anyone's orders."
Zhao Duan's voice was sonorous and powerful, and he gave a positive response.
This made more people stunned, and they wondered if this person was really crazy?
Just because you did a few things in Beijing and gained some fame, you think you can interfere with the peace talks?
However, the eyes of those pro-peace officials who made the accusations brightened. If it was not His Majesty's instruction, then there was room for easing everything.
"Bold lunatic!"
An official who advocated for peace was furious and pointed his finger at his face:
"How dare you commit such an act of rebellion without being summoned? Come! Where are the imperial guards? Take this man away immediately!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a large group of armored guards actually came outside the hall, but they did not come close, but just stood outside the hall in silence.
Instead of looking like someone who was here to catch a thief, he looked more like a white-faced police officer guarding the front.
This scene stunned even more people.
Zhao Duan also lost his patience. He stared at the official with a cold gaze, sneering under his mask:
"You, and you all..."
He raised his right hand and pointed the bloody tip of his sword at the peace-loving ministers.
His left hand slowly raised and pressed on the pure white mask on his face.
"You ask about my rank, questioning my qualifications to discuss politics and attend court? Okay, a mere acting police inspector is certainly not qualified, but..."
As soon as he finished speaking, the white mask on his face was suddenly lifted up and thrown casually onto the smooth floor of the hall.
Reveal your true face.
Zhao Duan looked around at the ministers with a cold gaze: "Is the title of Grand Commander-in-Chief of the Rebellion Suppression sufficient?!"
boom!
Like a thunderbolt falling from the sky, it hit the earth hard.
At this moment, when Zhao Duan took off the mask, his true face was revealed.
Inside the vast palace, all the officials felt as if thunder had exploded in their heads. Their brains went blank, and their ears rumbled. Almost everyone's face was filled with shock.
Zhao Duan!
Prince's Guardian, Grand Commander in Chief of the Rebellion Suppression, Imperial Consort... He holds countless titles. Since the war began, he has made numerous military achievements. Not long ago, he killed Xu Jingtang and pacified Zhao Duan on the west line of the Huai River!
"How is that possible?!"
Someone exclaimed in surprise, and then the silent hall suddenly began to boil.
Governor Zhao returned to the capital? When? Shouldn't he be stationed in the south? Why did he return to the capital so quietly, without any further news?
No, if he just wanted to return to Beijing secretly, there was no reason for him to pretend to be a white-faced police officer... Unless, the acting police officer of Lihua Hall was actually Zhao Duan in disguise.
Only in this way can we explain the scene before us.
But...how could it be? How did they do that...
All the ministers who supported peace changed their expressions.
Master Dong, who was leaning on a cane, looked stunned.
The Deputy Privy Councilor's eyes widened.
The six ministers were stunned.
The members of the peace negotiation delegation were struck by lightning. Their resolute momentum was interrupted and many of them showed panic expressions.
A man's reputation is like the shadow of a tree.
The name Zhao Duan has long carried a heavy weight in the "Eight Kings Camp".
Xu Wenyan's expression changed drastically, and panic and fear finally revealed in the depths of his eyes.
He was confident that he could use the overall situation to threaten the empress, but he had no confidence in restraining Zhao Duan.
Although he didn't know why the white-faced detective became Zhao Duan, he now remembered the scene when the two met outside the Duke of Chen's mansion that day.
So... the one testing him wasn't some empress, but the legendary Zhao Duan.
Thinking of the siege by thousands of black-clad civilians when he entered the city, Xu Wenyan suddenly broke out in a cold sweat on his back. He felt dizzy and had difficulty breathing. He realized that this trip to Beijing might be the most wrong decision in his life.
Xu Xuelian's face was also pale and colorless, without any arrogance. She stared at Zhao Duan as if she had seen a ghost.
Although she had never seen the real person, Zhao Duan's portrait had already spread to all the major royal palaces, and she had seen it countless times.
Thinking about the bold actions and strange methods of this police officer in Jizhao Temple... everything was explained.
"Zhao... Governor Zhao... you... I don't know... I..."
The official who had just angrily rebuked Zhao Duan was pale, his lips blue, and his body swayed slightly. How could he, bearing the brunt of the attack, still have the courage to show anger? All that was left was deep fear.
Zhao Duan sneered and stepped forward with his sword in hand:
"I'm asking you this: Is this Governor worthy enough to enter the palace? Is he worthy enough to participate in politics and negotiate peace?!"
The official was forced back by the sword tip, took several steps back, and then fell to the ground in a mess, losing his voice for a short time due to fear.
"snort!"
Zhao Duan's eyes flashed with disdain. He dropped the sword in his hand onto the shining tiles with a clang. He then stopped looking at the ministers and respectfully clasped his hands together, leaning over to salute the empress on the throne.
"Your Majesty, I have something to say."
Then, the Queen of Yu, who had been silent like a towering statue, finally spoke. Her voice could be heard from behind the pearl curtain:
"allow."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Zhao Duan straightened his back, retracted his gaze, looked around at the ministers, and said calmly:
"It has been three years since the Second Prince Jianwen launched the Xuanmen Palace Rebellion and Your Majesty quelled the rebellion and ascended the throne."
"For the past three years, Your Majesty has enjoyed peace and harmony under your rule. However, the remnants of Jianwen have distorted historical facts and wreaked havoc everywhere. Zhuang Xiaocheng, the leader of the Kuangfu Society, has been responsible for the rebellion, so I have him killed."
"After Zhuang Xiaocheng's death, Xuanyin of Shenlong Temple teamed up with Qingshan Wuxiankui to attack Your Majesty at Luoshan. The vassal kings had been plotting rebellion for a long time, taking advantage of the chaos and plotting rebellion. The bandits fought each other, causing the mountains and rivers to be shattered, wars to break out, disasters to spread across the land, and the people to be displaced. This is the crime of treason!"
"Later, I was commissioned by His Majesty to suppress the rebellion, and I successively destroyed King Heng and King Mu. I also persuaded King Huai'an to submit. The bandits saw that the situation was not good, so we held today's peace talks."
Zhao Duan was talking freely, but his tone suddenly darkened:
"Yes! I led my soldiers on the front lines, fearlessly fighting to wipe out the bandits. It was a difficult journey to get to where we are today.
"Some in the court are using this as a bargaining chip to win the favor of the rebel king and seek peace, even at the cost of sacrificing power and humiliating the court! Furthermore, these traitors have the nerve to question the governor's eligibility to attend court. Isn't this the height of ridicule?"
No one dared to respond!
Grand Tutor Dong, Ma Yan and others nodded slightly. The "peace-seeking" officials were speechless and could only remain silent.
"I know some of you are dissatisfied! Some believe that peace talks are merely a temporary solution, and even believe that for the greater good, for the sake of the people, it's honorable to bear the infamy you so desperately need...?"
Zhao Duan took a deep breath, heartbroken:
"I don't think so! Just a few days ago, when the peace talks reached a stalemate, I was walking around the city in plain clothes, visiting the taverns in the four districts of the city. Do you know what I heard and saw?
I saw that the people in the capital were all saying that the court wanted to cede territory in exchange for peace;
It is said that your majesty endures the humiliation;
The rumors that our Yu soldiers fought bloody battles on the front lines and won several great victories are all false, and the so-called victories are all lies;
There were even rumors that barbarians from the Western Regions were coming to kill us.
This has caused panic among the people, alienating them from Your Majesty and the court, and turning their backs on Him!"
"I, the governor, would like to ask you gentlemen, is this the result you want?
Do you really think that ceding territory and negotiating peace will resolve the situation? Will it be beneficial to the overall situation?
No! You are framing His Majesty as unkind and the court as unjust, destroying the public support His Majesty has accumulated over three years of benevolent rule!"
Zhao Duan was angry at his lack of resistance and glanced at the faces of the ministers who supported the peace talks:
"If we lose the peace talks, we lose a lot. If we lose the people's hearts, we lose everything."
His face was cold and arrogant, and he spat:
"How stupid!"
Dead silence!
Many officials blushed and felt so ashamed that they wished they could crawl into the ground.
However, some officials who advocated for peace, seeing the situation was not good, tried to fight back and said:
"Commander Zhao, we understand your feelings. However, the Western Buddhist sects have already merged with the East and West, and the Mysterious Seal has entered the Western Regions. The various nations will rise up in arms. If we fail to stabilize the borders by spring, the imperial court will be attacked from all sides. Even if we destroy the Kings of Hejian and Yanshan, allowing the Western Regions to take over will only lead to even greater suffering. This is a grave mistake."
"Yes, Commander Zhao, it's not that we're selfish, but if we don't negotiate, what will happen? You're in the south, and you should know that Prince Jing is still eyeing us covetously, and Prince Chen is also separatist... If we can't win quickly, and rebellion breaks out, what will we do?"
Zhao Duan faced the officials' questions with an expressionless face.
After being scolded, many officials were also furious:
The peace talks are humiliating. Okay, then why don't you come up with a solution?
"Are you done?"
Zhao Duan glanced at everyone coldly. Seeing that no one said anything, he turned around and looked at the empress on the throne again, clasping his fists and bowing:
"Your Majesty, I request a military order!"
"Since the ministers in the court want an explanation, then I will give one!"
"As soon as the ice and snow melt, I will rush to the eastern frontier of the Huai River to lead the troops to quell the rebellion. You can transfer Privy Councilor Xue to Wang Xiping Road to hold back the countries in the Western Regions!"
"Three months!"
"If you can hold off the enemy for three months, I will surely kill Jing Wang Xuwen! As long as the Jiancheng army led by Xuwen is severely defeated, the rebel king will no longer have a leader. By then, the likes of Chen Wang and Lingnan Wang will be powerless. With the unity of our Yu Kingdom, the small country in the Western Regions will naturally retreat!"
His voice was like thunder, rolling across the throne room:
"If the rebellion is not quelled within three months, I will die as an apology! If anyone else wants to negotiate peace, I will be buried alive and unable to dissuade them. What do you think?"
His voice echoed in the quiet hall.
Suddenly, Ma Yan stepped out and saluted the empress:
"I am willing to act as a guarantor for Zhao Duan. If this fails, I will bear the responsibility as well."
Master Dong laughed loudly, leaning on his cane, and said:
"I am also willing to guarantee for Commander Zhao. After all, my eldest grandson has already gone to the battlefield in Xiping. If he wants to die, what is there to fear if my Dong family is wiped out?"
Yuan Li sighed and said, "Your Majesty, I can also act as a guarantor for Zhao Shaobao."
"Your Majesty, minister..."
"I am willing to guarantee..."
One after another, the pro-war ministers stood up, and the voices of guarantee became continuous and gradually deafening.
Outside the Golden Palace, the densely packed, silently standing armored guards knelt on one knee and said in unison, "We are willing to guarantee Governor Zhao!"
The sound was as loud as thunder, and the roof tiles of the entire palace seemed to be shaking!
Inside the hall, the officials who supported the peace talks felt that the situation was hopeless and remained silent.
Xu Wenyan, Xu Xuelian and other members of the peace negotiation delegation looked pale.
Amidst the petition.
The Empress Xu Zhenguan of Dayu slowly stood up, raised her hands, and pressed her ten fingers lightly:
"Please stand up."
The corners of the empress's mouth curled up as she slowly walked down the imperial platform, a smile on her stunning face: "I don't need your guarantees."
The empress paused and looked at the faces that all raised their heads and looked at her in confusion.
Golden Words:
"Husband and wife are one. If Zhao Qing is defeated, I will suffer with him. I will confess my sins and apologize to the world."
——
Typographical errors will be corrected first and then
(End of this chapter)
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