Chapter 40 Attendants 8
"General Xi and his entire family of ten...were all taken hostage by the enemy army of Feng Kingdom and threatened..."
They threatened General Xi, giving him twenty hours to open the city gates and surrender. Otherwise, they would kill one person every two hours until his entire family was wiped out, then seal off Langcheng and wait for the city to run out of food and surrender.
The King of Zhen could no longer hear the messenger's faint voice; the rest was deciphered directly from the coded message. Based on the decoding method, military codes, and military insignia, the intelligence in the letter was undoubtedly from the military headquarters in Langcheng, on the frontier.
"Your Majesty, I will send the messenger to the Imperial Hospital first," Shinju suggested, seeing the King of Zhen's furrowed brows and guessing that something major had happened.
"No need. Send it to the palace first. I'll have someone fetch the imperial physician. You come with me to the Zhengren Hall." Prince Zhen put away the secret letter and strode towards the Golden Palace.
The messenger, his eyes half-open and his consciousness hazy, stared at the boy's slender arms before him. Just as he was wondering how the boy would carry him, he suddenly felt his body lighten. This tall man, standing eight feet in height, was easily lifted up by the boy and carried on his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. The long and steep steps in front of the palace were traversed by the boy as if they were flat ground, his steps swift and agile.
As Zhen Su moved with incredible speed, passing by the members of the Privy Council, the King of Zhen had already ordered the Privy Council to immediately proceed to the Zhengren Hall. Zhao Qianheng, the Privy Councilor, had initially been stunned by the speed and coordination between the young attendant and the emperor, but upon hearing of the unusual movements at the border, his expression immediately turned serious. He glanced discreetly towards the direction of the inner palace before quickly averting his gaze.
Inside the Zhengren Hall.
The Privy Councilor, annoyed by the few words of the people behind him, had no choice but to take the lead in raising questions, "Military matters are of great importance. I wonder if this eunuch could recuse himself from the situation?"
Their Privy Council is the highest military institution, and it is perfectly normal for them to discuss military affairs in the Zhengren Hall. But how can this young eunuch stay here? Even the senior eunuch Bao, in the past, would only wait outside the hall for orders, no matter how big or small the matter was.
Zhao Qianheng was also very concerned. Although this young eunuch was handsome, he was ultimately just a eunuch who served others. What right did he have to be here? Wasn't His Majesty afraid that he would leak military secrets?
Shinjuku then realized that he shouldn't have been an eavesdropper; it turned out that attendants weren't qualified to do so. But it was clearly King Zhen who had allowed him to come in, so he cast an inquiring glance at King Zhen.
The Prince of Zhen was displeased. What kind of time was this to be clinging to such formalities? He slammed his hand on the table and said coldly, "It was I who ordered Attendant Qing to stay here. Any further objections? Raise them now."
The Privy Councilor was the first to kneel, and the others had no choice but to follow suit. "Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"
King Zhen's cold gaze swept over everyone, then he handed the secret letter to Zhen Su beside him, instructing him to give it to the Privy Councilor.
The Privy Councilor wiped the cold sweat from his brow and began to read the letter. However, after reading just a few lines, his cold sweat continued to pour down, and he was greatly alarmed.
"Your Majesty... this letter was signed two days ago, and the twenty hours mentioned in the letter are probably..." The Privy Councilor couldn't bear to continue.
The King of Zhen's brows and eyes exuded a sinister aura, and he closed his eyes tightly.
The secret letter was then circulated and read, shocking everyone in the Privy Council.
"General Xi... I believe that General Xi is wholeheartedly devoted to the country and would never open the city gates!"
"That kind of coercion is truly despicable, those damned Feng people!"
"I believe that General Xi may very well surrender. As far as I know, the general's family of ten should include the posthumous child of his sworn brother. I have no doubt that General Xi will sacrifice his family for the greater good, but... what if there are other obligations besides his family?"
"Yuncheng and Tianhecheng have already fallen. If even the most important Langcheng falls, I'm afraid all ten border cities will be lost, and the entire frontier will collapse." Nian Kingdom's territory is relatively small. If the borders retreat further, the capital will soon be next.
King Zhen was certainly aware of these principles. Even Shinju, an outsider, gradually came to understand the current situation. However, despite the heated discussions within the Privy Council, no one could offer an effective solution for the time being.
After a while, the crowd calmed down from their chaotic panic and concluded, "Langcheng is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Even if General Xi hasn't truly surrendered yet, the nearby Yuncheng Tianhe cannot provide support or supplies, so its fall is probably only a matter of time. We must quickly dispatch troops and appoint a general to lead the rescue of Langcheng!"
"But who can shoulder this heavy responsibility...? The most outstanding Generals of the Cavalry are General Chen and General Yu, who are guarding Yuncheng Tianhe. Yet, no news has come from there. We have to make the worst-case scenario: it's likely that not only has the city been breached, but the situation inside is probably..."
After some deliberation, no one knew who to choose or who they could choose, so they turned their attention to the Poison King behind the table.
"Does Your Majesty have someone in mind?" the Privy Councilor asked.
Then, as if struck by lightning, the King of Zhen said, "There's no need to choose anyone. I will lead the troops myself."
Upon hearing this, the members of the Privy Council immediately knelt down, pleading and begging, "Your Majesty, please reconsider! The front lines of war are fraught with danger; Your Majesty, with your invaluable life, how can you venture into such a place?"
Even Shinjuku's eyes widened as he suddenly looked at the profile of the King of Venom.
The King of Zhen noticed the gaze cast from the side, tilted his head slightly, looked at Shinju, and asked, "Do the ministers not want me to personally lead the expedition, and does Xiaoqingzi disagree as well?"
The kneeling crowd immediately stopped crying and shouting. Although they didn't understand why the emperor would listen to the opinion of a mere attendant, they were also worried that the attendant might say something that would affect the emperor's decision. Therefore, they all stared nervously at Shinjuku.
Shinju initially felt that King Zhen didn't need to personally go to the frontier. Historical records stated that the kingdom's rule this year was secured by General Xi, who also defended against the Feng Kingdom's invasions year after year. Clearly, Emperor Yuhu lacked the ability to fight on the battlefield and command an army.
However, he remembered that the King of Zhen was not Emperor Yu Hu.
Furthermore, the fall of the two cities and the forced surrender of General Xi are not recorded in historical texts, representing a completely new development. It is unknown whether this was due to the replacement of Emperor Yu Hu by the King of Zhen. In short, the development of this small world has now completely deviated from historical records, rendering them of little reference value.
Shinju bowed his head slightly and said directly, "Please allow me to come along." With him by his side, nothing would happen to the King of Poison.
The King of Zhen paused for a moment, about to speak, but was interrupted by a commotion from the Privy Council members.
What kind of sycophantic speech is this! Not only does he flatter the Emperor, but he also takes this opportunity to show his loyalty. I never expected that this person, so young, would have such a big ambition! It makes us, the ministers, look disloyal! Zhao Qianheng felt that he had really underestimated this attendant, and like the others, his eyes were almost spitting fire.
"I implore Your Majesty to reconsider!! The capital absolutely cannot be without Your Majesty's presence!" The Privy Councilor's knees never left the ground.
King Zhen raised his hand slightly, signaling them to be quiet. He turned to Shinju and said, "The battlefield is not a place for one-on-one combat. What if I say you are not allowed to go?"
Shinju said earnestly, "Your Majesty is so intelligent and resourceful, you would never put yourself in danger. As Your Majesty's attendant, I have always followed you. How could I be in danger? I may not be good at much else, but I am good at taking care of people. Please allow me to go to Langcheng with Your Majesty!"
King Zhen suddenly covered his mouth, which was about to burst out laughing. He secretly sized up Shinjuku and thought to himself, "He's so good at taking care of people, how come he didn't notice? At least not the slightest bit that night in the bath."
The members of the Privy Council, listening to their oblivious conversation, inexplicably felt an urge to escape, sensing that they shouldn't be there but rather outside.
At this moment, Zhen Wangchao gave Zhen Su a meaningful look, and then said solemnly, "My mind is made up. Back then, I personally led the expedition to recover ten lost cities, which earned me the approval of the entire court and allowed me to ascend the throne. Today, three border cities are in danger, and the lives of the entire Xi family are at stake. How can I have time to argue about trivial matters and engage in empty formalities? If any of my ministers has any objections, please step forward, and I will let him sit in my place!"
The Privy Council members pressed their upper bodies to the ground, trembling and afraid to rise. To stand up would be to threaten power; who could bear such a heavy responsibility?
King Zhen glanced at the silent crowd with satisfaction, then turned to Zhen Su and whispered, "After leaving the city, you are not allowed to stray too far from me."
Shinjuku Kiyoshi's eyes darted around, and he nodded, saying, "Okay!"
Then came the planning, strategizing, and implementing various arrangements. Shinju was dispatched to summon more officials for an emergency meeting.
However, there were ultimately voices of opposition to the King of Zhen's plan to personally lead the expedition.
That was the Empress Dowager.
Uhee Palace.
Birds chirped outside. The Empress Dowager, dressed in simple and understated clothes, sat in a grand chair. Upon hearing the nanny's report, she paused in her act of skimming the tea foam, and the corners of her mouth involuntarily curled up. After a dozen or so breaths, she pulled her legs back slightly, then tossed the teacup to the ground and began wiping the tea-stained black jade rings on her ten fingers.
"What an unfilial son! Disregarding the Emperor's health, he insists on going to that barbaric place. Lingxuan is my own flesh and blood, whom I carried for ten months! How can you always be thinking about his battlefield? Isn't this hurting my heart? You never think about your mother." The Empress Dowager scolded.
The old woman narrowly escaped being hit by a shard of teacup. She took a deep breath and said, “His Majesty cares deeply for the people, and his haste is understandable. His Majesty is a rare man of great righteousness, which is a blessing for the people! However, this decision is indeed a bit rash… The General of the Cavalry can be appointed elsewhere, and it is far from the point where His Majesty should personally lead the campaign.”
"Then what do you intend to do, Granny Qin?"
The old nanny glanced at Qing'e, the head palace maid who hadn't returned with the message, then exchanged a look with the Empress Dowager and said, "Forgive my humble opinion, but if His Majesty insists on going on the expedition, then a crown prince must be established first! The palace cannot be without a ruler for even a day!"
The Empress Dowager immediately slapped Granny Qin's plump hand hard across the face. "How vicious you are! You're cursing my aunt's Lingxuan! How could anything happen to Lingxuan? He couldn't possibly be in trouble! You, Granny Qin, are you trying to kill your aunt? How could you say such a thing!"
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, I misspoke, I am guilty! I'll hit myself, so as not to hurt your hand." The old woman touched her aching arm and helplessly continued to slap herself, making a "slap slap slap" sound. "But if you think about it carefully, I'm doing this for the sake of the country, the harem, and for Your Majesty! If a good crown prince is chosen, His Majesty can go to war with peace of mind, without any worries."
"You, you... sigh." The slapping sound gradually stopped.
Standing outside the house with her eyes closed, Qing'e heard everything that was happening inside. Then she sighed silently, turned around, and went back to report.
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Author's note: Masaya is full of confidence: I'm very good at taking care of people.
King of Poison: ...You'd better be.
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