Fan Wuji's words immediately alerted the valiant General Pang Xianchu.
Pang Xianchu grabbed Fan Wuji by the collar, his eyes sharp and his expression serious, and said, "Fan Wuji, what are you up to, kid?"
"Do you know that it has always been a major taboo for military generals who are the founders of a dynasty to interfere in politics, let alone such a major event as the appointment of an empress for a new dynasty!"
Pang Xianchu, exasperated, rebuked him, "Considering our shared background as former members of the Po Lu Army, I advise you to abandon this idea as soon as possible."
"Whom His Majesty should appoint as the new Empress, and how to bestow titles after the founding of the dynasty, are not matters for us to concern ourselves with. Our most urgent task is to wipe out the remnants of the previous dynasty for His Majesty!"
"Let's drop this matter!"
After saying that, Pang Xianchu rode away without looking back, leaving Fan Wuji bewildered and disoriented in the wind.
After a moment, Fan Wuji watched Pang Xianchu's departing figure and muttered to himself sullenly, "Is it that serious? Does that mean we military generals who fought for the emperor shouldn't have our own thoughts?"
"Besides, the surrendered generals and civil officials of the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun dared to jointly petition the Emperor to establish an Empress. Are we, the trusted confidants who rose up in Longcheng, being treated like stepchildren?"
hehe!
As he spoke, Fan Wuji suddenly laughed self-deprecatingly and continued, "Indeed, General Pang, you are not only the leader of the Po Lu Army, but also the commander of the Imperial Guard who was raised by the late Emperor."
"You don't need to worry at all. After the founding of the country, the emperor will definitely not treat you unfairly by bestowing official titles and ranks in the imperial decree in the main hall."
"But what about me, Fan Wuji?"
Fan Wuji sneered, "Let's not talk about being made a marquis, at least we should try our best to make him an earl. Just based on my military achievements as your deputy on the battlefield, do you think I can be made an earl?"
"I, Fan Wuji, absolutely must get involved in this struggle for the Empress's position!"
After saying that, Fan Wuji spurred his horse and followed in Pang Xianchu's footsteps, advancing towards the border of the Southern Yue Kingdom.
If even Fan Wuji, who came from the Polu Army, was like this, one can imagine that the civil and military officials who surrendered had already taken action on the matter of establishing an empress.
For no other reason than to find a powerful backer in the new dynasty.
Even before the founding ceremony and enthronement ceremony were held, undercurrents were already swirling in the court of this new dynasty!
At the same time.
The capital of the Nanyue Kingdom, the Royal Palace of Yangcheng County.
In the Golden Palace, Emperor Tiande, Li Zongmin, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, was summoning his civil and military officials to discuss state affairs.
News of the Longcheng Southern Expeditionary Army's approach to the South Vietnamese border had already reached South Vietnam two days prior.
Faced with the overwhelming military force of the new emperor Trần Hái Đàn, the Southern Yue kingdom, which occupied several vassal states in Guangdong, Guangxi, and Vietnam and possessed 200,000 troops and tens of millions of people, split into two factions.
One faction advocated war, while the other advocated peace.
The pro-war faction, led by Li Shiyu, the crown prince of the Southern Yue Kingdom, strongly advocated relying on geographical and climatic advantages to fight the Longcheng Southern Expeditionary Army to the end.
The peace faction, led by the current prime minister Tang Bo, advocated for timely peace talks with the new emperor Chen Huai'an, retaining the name of the Nanyue Kingdom, submitting to the new dynasty established by Chen Huai'an, and paying tribute annually.
The conflict between the pro-war and pro-peace factions has intensified to the point of irreconcilable differences.
Therefore, only Emperor Tiande could mediate to ease tensions between the two factions before the great war, so that everyone could work together to resist the foreign enemy.
Cough cough!
On the dragon throne, Emperor Tiande, Li Zongmin, looking exhausted, coughed twice, cleared his throat, and said, "My dear ministers, I'm sure you all already know;"
"The Longcheng Southern Expeditionary Army has already reached the gates of Yongzhou City, and is only a thousand miles away from Yangcheng County, the capital of our Southern Yue Kingdom."
After a pause, Li Zongmin continued, "This morning, I received a letter from Pang Xianchu, the commander of the southern expeditionary army outside Yongzhou City."
"Pang Xianchu said that the new emperor, Chen Huai'an, remembered that the Nanyue Kingdom had proactively sent envoys to the Prince of Jin's residence to express goodwill during the Lingwu coup, and had maintained neutrality during the Lingwu coup;"
Therefore, they were unwilling to engage in armed conflict with the Nanyue Kingdom, which resulted in the tragic loss of millions of Nanyue people to the ravages of war.
"but--"
Li Zongmin abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming sharp, and he said sternly, "Chen Huai'an also demands that the Southern Yue Kingdom relinquish all military power and that the Longcheng army be stationed in Southern Yue."
"As for me and my beloved ministers, we shall restore our titles and official positions as they were before I became emperor."
"I have summoned all my beloved ministers here today to discuss with you the future direction of the Southern Yue Kingdom!"
"Father, you must not agree to that scoundrel Chen Huai'an's conditions!"
In the main hall, Crown Prince Li Shiyu was the first to stand up and object, vehemently denouncing, "This Chen Huai'an is simply going too far! Isn't he clearly trying to drive my Southern Yue Kingdom to its doom?"
Even under the rule of the Great Xin Dynasty, our Southern Yue Kingdom still enjoys immense privileges; military power and the appointment and removal of local officials are all entirely in our own hands.
"This Chen Huai'an is quite something. He hasn't even ascended the throne and established his own kingdom yet, and he's already demanding that my Southern Yue Kingdom hand over all military power so that his rebel army in Longcheng can garrison it."
"Once he establishes his own kingdom, shouldn't he launch a purge of the entire Southern Yue Kingdom's rulers and officials on trumped-up charges?"
After a pause, Li Shiyu continued, "Chen Huai'an also became emperor as a king of a different surname from the former dynasty. How is he any different from the Nanyue Kingdom established by my father as the former Prince of Guangxin?"
"Why should our Southern Yue Kingdom be required to abolish its national title just because he declared himself emperor?"
As he spoke, a fierce glint flashed in Li Shiyu's eyes, and he said sharply, "Is it because his Longcheng rebels are good at fighting?"
"Little did they know, the wolf soldiers of my Southern Yue Kingdom are not to be trifled with!"
"After a year of training, the 200,000 wolf soldiers of my Southern Yue Kingdom are already a formidable force. Although they may not yet have the ability to conquer the Central Plains, they are more than capable of protecting my Southern Yue Kingdom from foreign invasion."
"Your subject is willing to personally lead the Crown Prince's elite guards to Yongzhou City overnight to fight the invading Longcheng rebels to the death!"
After saying this, Crown Prince Li Zongmin knelt upright in the Golden Palace and volunteered to fight for Emperor Tiande.
With Crown Prince Li Zongmin taking the lead, the pro-war faction of the Crown Prince's party in the Golden Palace also knelt down and volunteered for battle, shouting in unison:
"Your Majesty, we (your humble servants) are willing to follow His Highness the Crown Prince on the expedition to Yongzhou and fight to the death against the invading enemy!"
"We (the humble generals) are willing to follow His Highness the Crown Prince on the expedition to Yongzhou and fight to the death against the invading enemy!"
In an instant, the vast palace of the Southern Yue Kingdom was filled with voices urging for war.
As the representative of the pro-peace faction, Tang Bo, the prime minister of the Southern Yue Kingdom, did not rush to express his opinion after seeing this scene. Instead, he stared meaningfully at Crown Prince Li Shiyu in the main hall, looking at him again and again.
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