Chapter 532 Eunuch Lan
Qifeng Prefecture, Jingbian City.
Emperor Yongping did not know that Shen Wansheng, whom he had sent to the criminal camp, had been rescued.
To him, Shen Wansheng was just a minor character. Once he'd met him and dismissed him, he'd become an insignificant figure in the corner of his memory, and he'd probably be completely forgotten at any moment.
As for the team of guards who escorted Shen Wansheng to the criminal camp, no one paid any attention to them.
The chaotic expeditionary camp seemed to be full of elite soldiers and generals, but in fact, it was all rotten inside.
If Emperor Yongping had not been cautious and wanted to achieve his goal in one battle, and wanted to find out the situation of the northern barbarians in Longxi Prefecture before sending troops, Emperor Yongping would probably have suffered the most tragic defeat in history.
Duke Yong'an and Duke Changle were both in the military camp. Although they had not seen the battlefield for a long time and were somewhat ambitious but lacked talent, they still saw the shortcomings of the expeditionary force.
The two men did not make any suggestions, but secretly reorganized and disciplined the troops under their command.
They actually don't care what happens to Emperor Yongping.
If Emperor Yongping suffers a crushing defeat, then their chance will come.
Of course, neither the Duke of Yong'an nor the Duke of Changle intended to rebel. They simply wanted to take advantage of Emperor Yongping's defeat to gain greater say in the court, allowing the Xu family, with three dukes in the family, to continue to lead the nobles and become the most noble family in the Tang Dynasty.
Eunuch Lan is a wise man, but he is also a stubborn one.
He saw all sorts of shortcomings, but he had no intention of making any suggestions to Emperor Yongping. He was just a eunuch, and eunuchs were not allowed to interfere in government affairs. This was the ancestral rule set by Emperor Taizu, the founding emperor of the Tang Dynasty.
Eunuch Lan had the complete trust of Emperor Yongping, but he knew that the reason he gained this trust was also because he followed the ancestral system.
Today, he can give advice to Emperor Yongping, which may help him save the impending crisis.
But after what happened today, he is no longer pure.
The position of a eunuch who is no longer pure in the emperor's heart will naturally no longer be pure.
Even though the possibility is very small, Eunuch Lan doesn't want to end up in a dead end.
Of course, many of the nobles and generals who accompanied the army also discovered the truth about this false power. However, without exception, everyone remained silent, secretly minding their own business.
The result of this was that everyone in the expedition camp had their own calculations and forces.
Those soldiers who are no longer under the jurisdiction of any faction are in a chaotic state of free-range control.
Emperor Yongping was waiting for the military intelligence report from Longxi Mansion, and would lead the army in person as soon as the opportunity was right.
"Eunuch Lan, tell me, can my achievements in pacifying the Northern Barbarians in this battle be compared to those of Emperor Taizu?"
Emperor Yongping, who felt good about himself, was still dreaming at this moment.
Eunuch Lan really wanted to remind Emperor Yongping, but due to the ancestral rules of Emperor Taizu and his own inner persistence, he could only stand aside with an expressionless face.
"Eunuch Lan, do you think I'm still no match for Emperor Taizu?"
Emperor Yongping now more or less observes the words and expressions of others to try to figure out what Eunuch Lan is thinking.
"Your Majesty!"
Eunuch Lan slowly knelt before Emperor Yongping. "I have something to say that I cannot help but express. However, after saying this, I can no longer stay by your side!"
Emperor Yongping was feeling quite proud of himself, but when he saw what Eunuch Lan did, he couldn't help but frown and stood there in a daze.
He is indeed not a great emperor with great talent and strategy, but he is not a fool either.
Eunuch Lan's attitude clearly indicated that he had something important to say. Furthermore, this important matter was of great importance, even affecting the success or failure of his personal expedition.
"Eunuch Lan, please stand up and speak!"
Emperor Yongping finally decided to listen to what Eunuch Lan had to say.
As for the fact that Eunuch Lan would no longer serve him, it was just a matter of a word from him.
He could replace his personal guard with another eunuch, but Eunuch Lan could become the chief steward of his Qiantian Palace. Moreover, he had complete trust in Eunuch Lan's loyalty.
"Your Majesty, I dare to say something that you may not like to hear, but honest advice hurts!"
Eunuch Lan immediately explained the actual situation within the expeditionary camp to Emperor Yongping, and then added, "Also, Shen Wansheng, the former prefect of Xiangyi Prefecture, who you had previously sent to the Convict Camp, has been rescued. The body of the guards who escorted Shen Wansheng to the Convict Camp is now in a tent where military supplies are stored."
Because spring came late in the north, and there was a terrible cold snap that only happened once in hundreds of years, the weather in Qifeng Prefecture was still chilly.
The corpse stored in the tent will not smell even if it is kept for ten days or half a month.
"How, how is this possible?"
When Emperor Yongping heard what Eunuch Lan said, he was completely dumbfounded.
He thought that by personally leading the army, he would become the most powerful emperor in the history of the Tang Dynasty, comparable to the founding emperor Taizu. But now, Eunuch Lan's words suddenly woke him up from his sweet dream, and even then, he fell into the quagmire.
"Eunuch Lan, are all these things you said true?"
After a long time, Emperor Yongping, who had regained his composure a little, asked another question.
However, before Eunuch Lan could answer, Emperor Yongping asked himself, "Eunuch Lan, you have never lied to me before, and this time will be no exception. It is I who have been foolish!"
"Hahaha……"
Emperor Yongping came to his senses and couldn't help laughing out loud.
At this moment, he thought of last year when he wanted to lead the army in person. At that time, there was a Yan Jing who died admonishing him. And this year, Yan Jing resigned and left him.
At this moment, Emperor Yongping also remembered the drum that Dai Duo had struck.
Who is a loyal minister?
Who is the traitor?
Who can he trust in the court of the Tang Dynasty?
At this moment, Emperor Yongping felt that the whole world was his enemy. Everyone around him was full of malice towards him.
At this moment, he had selective amnesia!
He forgot that the King of Yan regarded him as a brother and wanted to be his loyal minister, but he was afraid in his heart.
He forgot that Mr. Xu and his son fought a bloody battle at Huangfengkou, leading a group of Xiangyi Prefecture garrison troops who had never been in a battle to fight against the Northern Barbarians, and he had no conscience and did not reward them fairly.
He also forgot that the prefect of the capital, Zuo Qiu, had walked along a long blood-stained street under the protection of countless constables and yamen runners in the capital to save the lives of the constables under his jurisdiction.
The Tang Dynasty is not without loyal ministers!
But, the loyal minister was abandoned by him!
Mencius said, "If the monarch treats his subjects as his own hands and feet, then the subjects will treat the monarch as their own heart and soul; if the monarch treats his subjects as dogs and horses, then the subjects will treat the monarch as their fellow countrymen; if the monarch treats his subjects as dirt, then the subjects will treat the monarch as their enemy."
How an emperor treats his subjects is how his subjects will treat him.
"Eunuch Lan, do I have no choice but to return to the court?"
After a long moment, Emperor Yongping took a deep breath and looked at Eunuch Lan. "If so, can I dispatch Marquis Wucheng and Earl Yongwu here to turn the tide?"
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