Chapter 598: A Stomach of Bad Intentions (Double Monthly Ticket Request)
Inside the Golden Palace.
With the empress's death and these words, everyone realized that the peace talks were finalized.
Everyone in the delegation was completely panicked and no longer had the calmness they had just shown.
Xu Wenyan's forehead was covered with beads of sweat. Xu Xuelian took several steps back in a daze, muttering:
"No...you don't dare...how dare you..."
The peace talks collapsed.
What followed was a life-or-death struggle, and the first to be sacrificed would undoubtedly be these people.
"Don't dare?" Xu Zhenguan looked down at Princess Yanshan with disdain, then glanced at the fat prince, as if he were looking at two naive children, and said with pity:
"Don't pretend to be stupid for too long, or you'll become really stupid. Ma Yan."
The governor of the imperial court responded: "Your humble servant is here!"
The Empress said, "Immediately take all the members of the delegation to the Imperial Prison and await their fate."
After a brief pause, Xu Zhenguan glanced at the peace advocates in the hall, his eyes dim:
"Also, interrogate this group of envoys and find out who in the capital has been secretly in contact with them during this period. Don't let any of them escape."
Upon hearing this, the peace-loving officials became agitated, and some of them turned pale and looked terrified.
Some officials were not afraid at all and just sighed.
Those who advocated peace talks were not necessarily parasites; many of them were indeed considering the court's chances of victory.
During the two months of peace talks, the imperial court has been conducting secret investigations and has obtained many clues. Combined with the confessions from interrogations, it is possible to distinguish between loyalty and treachery.
It is conceivable that those who secretly helped the delegation would be implicated, and another group of people in the court would fall.
Ma Yan immediately said:
"Your humble servant obeys my order! I will do it immediately!"
Immediately, he turned around, squinted his eyes, looked at the prince, the princess and others with a sneer, and said in a deep voice:
"Come here, take him down!"
The imperial guards who had been guarding outside the palace rushed in like wolves and tigers. With the empress present, no one dared to resist and they surrendered obediently.
"Also, there are soldiers guarding the delegation outside the imperial city and in the post station..." Ma Yan said again.
But Zhao Duan interrupted with a smile: "No need."
He gestured with his eyes at the blood-stained sword on the ground… He had already killed those at the entrance of the imperial city, and those remaining in the post station had already been captured by the people of Lihuatang.
When the delegation members realized this, their scalps went numb and they lost all the strength to resist.
When being taken away, Xu Wenyan looked deeply at Zhao Duan and said through gritted teeth:
"You're courting your own death. Expecting to destroy Jiancheng in March is a pipe dream. I'll wait for the day you lose your head."
Zhao Duan glanced at him and curled his lips:
"Don't worry, before I die, I will take with me all those who are my enemies."
Inexplicably, many people in the court shuddered...
After the delegation was taken away, the empress issued several more decrees, including how to respond next, how to publicize this decision, and how to enhance the confidence of the people... It seemed that she had already thought everything through.
All the ministers received the order, then dispersed and left in a hurry to prepare for the difficult situation that was to come.
…
After all the ministers had left, Sun Lianying also left the hall with several eunuchs.
In the empty hall, only the emperor and his minister Zhao Duan and Xu Zhenguan remained.
"Your Majesty, the words about sharing the blame just now were unnecessary."
Zhao Duan looked at the empress with a helpless tone.
Xu Zhenguan walked down the steps and stood side by side with him, looking at the white jade square outside the palace like a perfect couple. She chuckled and smiled playfully:
"You dare to say you don't want to hear it? Then I take it back?"
Zhao Duan said tactfully, "...Your Majesty's words are golden. If you rashly withdraw them, it will only damage the dignity of the royal family."
Xu Zhenguan curled his lips:
Haha, men...it's obvious that they are secretly happy when they hear it, but they have to pretend that they don't care.
Zhao Duan touched his nose awkwardly, then asked seriously:
"The Xuanyin... has really entered the Western Regions?"
Xu Zhenguan said "yes" and said:
"The Shadow Guard hasn't reported back yet, but since the King of Hejian dares to use this as a threat, it must be true."
Zhao Duan sighed softly, but was not surprised.
Xuan Yin entered the Western Regions... This was already in the mind of the king and his ministers. After the destruction of Shenlong Temple, Xuan Yin would either go south and build a second main altar of Shenlong Temple.
But in the past few months, that hasn't seemed to be the case.
Excluding this option, Xuan Yin has few choices. Going to the Western Regions and counterattacking with the help of the power of the Buddhist ancestral temple in the Western Regions is one of them.
"Xuan Yin is not someone who is willing to be inferior to others, and neither is the Dharma King of the Western Regions. I don't know what happened to the ancestral temple and how they merged."
Zhao Duan frowned.
Xu Zhenguan was also puzzled:
"I haven't sensed any changes in the celestial phenomena coming from the west. Perhaps Xuan Yin didn't resort to force, or perhaps the two sides fought, but the secrets were blocked... The Western Regions are outside the Yu Kingdom after all. With some means, a celestial-level battle can be concealed."
Zhao Duan nodded, and suddenly remembered that he had a "secret agent" in the Western Regions... It was the Red Sect master who took the initiative to join him during the Buddhist debate.
But Zhao Duan never really trusted the old monk...
In addition, there is a great master in the Western Regions who had once assassinated him, and he is also a member of the vengeful notebook.
"The situation will definitely be difficult next. The military order you issued is too extreme." Xu Zhenguan frowned, somewhat dissatisfied with Zhao Duan's decision.
The military order...was not discussed in advance and was improvised.
Zhao Duan smiled bitterly:
“Although many people in the capital support the fight to the end, the capital does not represent everyone.
Once the news of the breakdown of the talks spreads, both military and civilian morale will inevitably be shaken and chaos is inevitable.
The best method I can think of is to use the power accumulated from my several consecutive victories over the past six months to make this announcement and stabilize people's hearts."
"Refusing peace talks is for the sake of public opinion, and the same is true for issuing a military order."
"Besides, I'm not completely unsure. Now that Prince Mu is dead, Prince Jing can still form an alliance with Prince Chen of Binhai, but the court's military operations will no longer be restricted by Prince Mu... This is one reason."
"It only took me a few months to pacify King Mu. With this precedent, as long as I lead the army, morale will be high. This is the second point."
"The princess consort beside Prince Jing was an insider I planted a long time ago, but she has never been used. This is the third reason."
Zhao Duan said calmly:
"Add to that the Tianyuan Cannon, as I reported last time, the role this local tyrant can play after Prince Huai'an's surrender, and the possibility of borrowing the power of the Tianshi Mansion... With all these chips in hand, a quick victory over Prince Jing is not a fantasy."
Yes.
Although his military order was forced by the situation, it is also feasible.
Xu Zhenguan was not optimistic:
"Prince Jing is cunning and treacherous, the most cunning of the eight princes. Using Princess Lu Yan'er as a card might not really work, and Jiancheng is quite well-connected within the rebels, but he doesn't have someone like Zhao Shixiong to instigate a rebellion..."
Zhao Duan smiled, his eyes shining:
"Therefore, dealing with Prince Jing requires some thought and planning. We should strive to achieve victory in one battle rather than a protracted war."
"Do you have any ideas?" The empress looked at him in surprise.
Zhao Duan shook his head and said:
“It’s not mature yet, so I need to spend time to understand the details. I have to go to the Eastern Front myself to take a look before I can formulate a specific plan.
It just so happens that Jingchuan County has basically stabilized. Next, after I break through and advance, I will travel from Jingchuan County to the eastern front to hand over to Xue Shence. Your Majesty must issue another order to the front line."
Seeing that he had thought everything through, the empress was certain in her heart that this guy was probably starting to plot against someone again.
Just like when he was a humble person, he was involved in the vortex of political struggle in the court and plotted against important officials one by one.
Now he is calculating the princes and the world.
"I really don't know where you get all these evil ideas from." The empress muttered softly.
Zhao Duan suddenly laughed frivolously and said:
"Your Majesty, don't you know how much evil I have in my heart?"
Xu Zhenguan was stunned and didn't react for a moment.
However, Zhao Duan had already taken big strides and ran away.
"Wait, if you reveal your identity now, it will definitely raise a lot of questions. There is no need to explain, just don't answer. Let those people guess." The empress stopped him and reminded him.
Zhao Duan said without even turning his head: "I know."
Disappear quickly.
Only Xu Zhenguan was left pondering the meaning of the word "bad water". After a long while, she suddenly blushed and spat:
"Dirty..."
…
…
After the court meeting, what happened in the morning court was like a whirlwind, spreading rapidly throughout the capital through the mouths of the officials who attended the court.
In order to avoid rumors, the empress personally instructed the government to publicly announce the results of the peace talks and the court's decision.
Xiuwen Hall.
The scholars had no intention of working today. They all sat anxiously in the library, waiting for the outcome of the negotiations.
As the bell rang at the Meridian Gate to dismiss the court, the scholars from the Xiuwen Academy located in the imperial city stood up at the same time, and without waiting, they simply went out and walked towards the palace.
Han Zhou, who had been promoted to chief scholar, walked in front of the crowd, running fast in the cold wind, and soon bumped into the sedan chair of Grand Tutor Dong.
"Grand Master! May I ask what your Majesty decides?"
Han Zhou stopped, bowed towards the sedan chair and asked anxiously.
The curtain of the sedan chair was pulled aside, revealing Dong Xuan's old face. He smiled and said:
"Your Majesty advocates war."
Advocating for war... the talks just broke down... Upon hearing this, the scholars at the Xiuwen Academy were both happy and worried.
As the younger generation of the Royalists, most of them are in favor of war, but they are also well aware of the consequences if they let loose a fight.
And Master Dong's next words stunned everyone.
"Zhao Duan went up to the palace with his sword in hand, rebuked the officials, and issued a military order."
Han Zhou and other scholars were confused and suspected that they had heard it wrong. But when they learned from Dong Xuan what had happened in the morning court, everyone was completely confused.
The white-faced police officer is Zhao Duan... He'd long since returned to the capital, keeping his identity hidden... No wonder this mysterious police officer, who suddenly appeared, was able to command the Lihua Hall, his methods were extraordinary... No wonder, including the Taqiu incident, he was always the first to deliver military intelligence from the front...
The scholars suddenly understood.
Then I imagined in my mind the scene of Zhao Duan holding a sword and going to the palace, angrily scolding the ministers and petitioning loudly, and my blood boiled.
A thought popped up in my mind: A real man should be like this!
"You are worthy of being a bachelor from Xiuwenguan." Some people are proud of it.
The others looked at him sideways, thinking that since he was from the imperial guards, could he have some shame and not flatter him so blindly?
As for why Zhao Duan could appear frequently in the two places, they subconsciously attributed it to certain magical methods... There is always no shortage of secret methods in the imperial palace.
"But, defeating the bandits in March... this is too harsh. How can we do it? If we fail by then, will we really commit suicide?" someone worried.
"Not only him, but also Your Majesty must blame himself... This..."
"Alas, Master Zhao is a true hero, but what he said was too thoughtless. What should I do? What should I do..."
"We still think it's not feasible. I'm afraid that once the news spreads, there will be people who will question Master Zhao's boasting..."
The scholars were worried.
I have no hope of fulfilling this military order.
…
Inner city.
In the teahouses and taverns, a group of people from the capital were also anxiously waiting for news.
The end of the year is approaching, but what everyone is most concerned about is the progress of the peace talks.
“Dengdengdeng…”
There were footsteps outside the tavern, and then the thick windproof curtain was lifted, and someone ran in, wrapped in cold air, and shouted:
"There's news! Commander Zhao has entered the palace with sword drawn, angrily rebuking the ministers and demanding war on behalf of the people. His Majesty has granted his request... The peace talks have broken down! The members of the diplomatic corps are being escorted to the Heavenly Prison by the Yama Kings!"
boom!
The entire tavern was suddenly in an uproar, and all the customers looked over in shock, with expressions of disbelief written all over their faces.
Why do I know every single word, but can’t understand it when they are put together?
Commander Zhao? Wasn't he stationed at the Huai River? Why would he be carrying a sword into the palace?
What battle have you invited?
A group of people gathered around, asking questions one after another.
The person who reported the news danced with joy and spread the exaggerated news he had heard, making everyone's blood boil.
"Okay!" A big man pounded his fist on the table, shaking the wine bowl three feet high, and said with a red face:
"That's how it should be! Those princes and princesses are just wishful thinking! It should be this way! It should be this way!"
A drunkard straightened his back and said proudly:
"What did I say? I said that with Commander Zhao here, the court can't afford to humiliate itself and negotiate. King Zhao... Bah, who is Lord Zhao? How could he swallow this?"
"Your Majesty is wise, and Commander Zhao is truly a hero... This must be made public!"
In the corner, a scholar who had cursed the cynics in the court a few days ago laughed heartily, stood up, picked up the wine and drank it.
Excited cheers echoed.
They still feared King Zhao Yan, but who wouldn't be happy when the revered Little King Yan stood on their side and bared his fangs at the enemy?
However, amidst the revelry, some guests remained sober and frowned.
It is certainly exciting to advocate war, but is the military order issued by Governor Zhao too risky?
Could it be that the continuous victories and the defeat of King Mu in a few months made Governor Zhao arrogant?
Do you think similar success can be replicated?
…
Imperial Court.
Zhao Duan took advantage of Zhenbao's silence and hurriedly left the palace, but the journey was not smooth.
At the gate of the imperial city, a large number of officials were waiting there. As soon as he came out, they all surrounded him, greeting him, praising him, asking for instructions, and making indirect suggestions... It gave him a headache.
Especially a group of peace advocates, they greeted with a smile and tried to ease the relationship.
Zhao Duan dealt with the situation for a long time before he was able to get away. When he returned to Lihua Hall, he was surprised to find that the small hall was already crowded with people.
"Da Lang (Big Brother)!"
I saw that Eujinhua and Zhao Pan had come to the yamen for some unknown reason. The two women shouted and ran over.
Behind them were Ning Zechen's wife and daughter, as well as Haitang, Zhang Han and other detectives who had arrived earlier.
"Why are you here?" Zhao Duan looked at the women in the family in surprise.
Haitang walked over with her arms folded and explained with a gloomy look in her eyes:
"What you did in the court spread, and they came here after hearing about it."
After a pause, the female police officer gnashed her teeth in dissatisfaction:
"Okay, I was saying that I felt this new police officer at Lihuatang was familiar. Turns out it's our Grand Commander Zhao. You tricked us so badly."
Zhang Han and the other police officers nodded at the same time. They were also shocked when they heard the news.
Not to mention the ordinary brocade-clad riders in the Pear Blossom Hall, who were all stunned...
Eugene Hua was wearing a thick cotton skirt, her hair adorned with a gold hairpin, and her eyes were filled with worry:
"I heard that you signed a military order to pacify Prince Jing after the New Year. If you fail..."
Zhao Pan also bit her lips and came closer, her autumn-water eyes full of worry.
Obviously, they were all frightened by Zhao Du'an's words that if he was defeated, he would die to thank the world.
Zhao Duan felt warm in his heart and smiled gently and confidently:
"Auntie, sisters, don't worry. When have I ever failed in what I want to do?"
Zhao Pan said quietly, "You've always wanted to sleep with your sister-in-law, but you've failed time and time again..."
Zhao Duan's expression froze, and the other people in the yard looked at each other, pretending not to hear.
He kept a straight face and took a deep breath when he saw more and more people from Jinyi rushing in from outside the courtyard to join in the fun.
"Go back to the house and talk!"
(End of this chapter)
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