Chapter 598 1 Bad Stomach
Chapter 598: A Stomach of Bad Intentions (Double Monthly Ticket Request)
Inside the Jinluan Hall.
As the empress left the scene and said these words, everyone realized that the peace talks were finalized.
The members of the delegation were completely panicked and no longer had the calm attitude they had just had.
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-and-death struggle, and the first to be sacrificed were undoubtedly these people.
"Don't dare?" Xu Zhenguan looked down at Princess Yanshan with disdain, and then glanced at the fat prince, as if he was looking at two naive children, and said with pity:
"Don't pretend to be stupid for too long, or you will become really stupid. Ma Yan."
The governor of the imperial court responded: "I am here!"
The empress said: "Immediately take all the members of the delegation to the imperial prison and wait for their fate."
After a brief pause, Xu Zhenguan glanced at the peace advocates in the hall with a gloomy look in his eyes:
"In addition, interrogate the delegation and find out who in the capital has had secret contact with them during this period. Don't let any of them escape."
Upon hearing this, the peace-seeking officials became agitated, and some of them turned pale and looked terrified.
Some officials were not afraid at all and just sighed.
Those who advocate peace talks are not necessarily parasites; many of them do consider the court's chances of winning.
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:
"I obey your order! Do it immediately!"
Immediately, he turned around, squinted his eyes, sneered at the prince, the princess and others, and said in a deep voice:
"Someone, 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 all surrendered.
"Also, there are soldiers guarding the delegation outside the imperial city and in the post stations..." Ma Yan said again.
But Zhao Duan interrupted with a smile: "No need."
He signaled 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 people from Lihuatang.
When the delegation members realized this, their scalps went numb and they lost the strength to resist.
When being taken away, Xu Wenyan looked deeply at Zhao Duan and said through gritted teeth:
"You are courting your own death. It is a pipe dream to expect to destroy Jiancheng in March. I will wait for the day when your head falls off."
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, how to enhance the confidence of the people...it seemed that everything had been thought out.
All the ministers received the order, then dispersed the court 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 were left.
"Your Majesty, there was no need to say that we shared the blame."
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 snorted 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 take them back hastily, it may damage the dignity of the royal family."
Xu Zhenguan curled his lips:
Oh, men...it was obvious that they were secretly happy after hearing what they heard, but they had to pretend that they didn't care.
Zhao Duan touched his nose awkwardly, then asked seriously:
"The Xuanyin... has really entered the Western Region?"
Xu Zhenguan said "yes" and said:
"The Shadow Guard has not sent back any news 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 for Shenlong Temple.
But in the past few months, this seems not to be the case.
Excluding this option, Xuan Yin has few choices. Going to the Western Regions and using the power of the Buddhist ancestral temple in the Western Regions to counterattack is one of them.
"Xuan Yin is not someone who is willing to be inferior to others, and neither is the Western Region Dharma King. I don't know what happened to the ancestral temple and how they merged."
Zhao Duan frowned.
Xu Zhenguan was also puzzled:
"I have not sensed any changes in the celestial phenomena coming from the west. Perhaps Xuan Yin did not resort to force, or perhaps the two sides fought but the secrets were blocked... After all, the Western Region is outside the Yu Kingdom. With some means, a battle at the celestial level 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 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 beforehand and was an impromptu decision.
Zhao Duan smiled bitterly:
“Although many people in the capital support fighting to the end, the capital does not represent everyone.
Once the news of the breakdown of the talks spreads, military and civilian morale in all regions 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 in the past six months to make this announcement and stabilize people's hearts."
"Refusing peace talks is for the sake of people's hearts, and the same is true for issuing a military order."
"Besides, I am not completely unsure. Now that Prince Mu is dead, Prince Jing can still form an alliance with Prince Chen of Binhai, but the imperial court will no longer be restricted by Prince Mu in deploying troops... 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, the morale will be high. This is the second."
"The princess consort beside Prince Jing was an insider that I had planted a long time ago, but she has never been used. This is the third."
Zhao Duan said calmly:
"Add to that the Tianyuan Cannon and the role that this local snake can play after Prince Huai'an surrenders, as I reported last time, and the fact that we can borrow the power of the Tianshi Mansion... With all these chips in hand, it's not impossible to quickly defeat Prince Jing."
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, and he is the most cunning of the eight princes. The card of Princess Lu Yan'er may not really work, and Jiancheng is quite close to the rebels, but there is no figure like Zhao Shixiong to instigate rebellion..."
Zhao Duan smiled, his eyes sparkling:
"So, we need to spend some time and effort to plan to deal with Prince Jing. We should try to achieve our goal in one battle, rather than fighting for a long time."
"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 some time to understand the details. I have to go to the Eastern Front to take a look before I can make a specific plan.
It just so happens that Jingchuan has basically stabilized. Next, after I break through and advance, I will go from Jingchuan to the east line to take over from 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 planning to plot against someone again.
Just like when he was a humble man, he was involved in the vortex of political struggle in the court and plotted against important officials one by one.
Now he is plotting against the vassal kings and the world.
"I really don't know where all these evil ideas come from." The empress muttered softly.
Zhao Duan suddenly laughed frivolously:
"Your Majesty, don't you know how much evil I have in my heart?"
Xu Zhenguan was stunned for a moment, unable to react. 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.
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 was over, 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 appointed government agencies 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 signal the end of court, all the scholars at the Xiuwen Academy located in the imperial city stood up at the same time and could not wait to go out and walk 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 Master Dong's sedan chair.
"Grandmaster! May I ask what your majesty decides?"
Han Zhou stopped, bowed towards the sedan 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."
The advocate of war... is that the talks have broken down... Upon hearing this, the scholars of Xiuwenguan were mixed with joy and sorrow.
As the younger generation of the Imperial Party, most of the people in the museum are in favor of war, but they are also well aware of the consequences if they let go of the fighting.
And Master Dong's next words stunned everyone.
"Zhao Duan went up to the palace with a 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 had returned to the capital a long time ago and had been hiding his identity... No wonder this mysterious police officer who appeared out of nowhere was able to command the Lihua Hall and had extraordinary means... No wonder, including the time with Taqiu, he was the first one to deliver military intelligence from the front every time...
The scholars suddenly understood.
Then, I imagined in my mind the scene of Zhao Du'an holding a sword and going to the palace, angrily scolding the ministers and petitioning loudly, and my blood boiled.
A thought popped into my mind: A real man should be like this!
"You are worthy of being a scholar from Xiuwenguan." Some people feel 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 easily?
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 should blame himself... This..."
"Alas, Mr. Zhao is a true hero, but what he said was a little thoughtless. What should I do? What should I do..."
"We still think it's not feasible. We're afraid that once the news spreads, there will be people who will question Mr. Zhao's boasting..."
The scholars were worried.
I have no hope of fulfilling this military order.
……
inner city.
Inside the teahouses and taverns, a group of people from the capital were 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 opened, and someone ran in, wrapped in cold air, and shouted:
"There's news! Governor Zhao came to the palace with a sword in hand, angrily rebuked the ministers, and requested war for the people. His Majesty agreed... The peace talks broke down! The members of the envoys are being taken to the Heavenly Prison by the King of Hell in the Imperial Court!"
boom!
The whole tavern was suddenly in an uproar, and all the patrons looked over in shock, with disbelief written all over their faces.
Why do I know every single word but can’t understand it when they are put together?
Governor Zhao? Wasn't he in charge of the Huai River? Why did he come to the palace with a sword?
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 Governor Zhao here, the court can't humiliate itself and negotiate. King Zhao... Bah, who is Lord Zhao? How can he swallow this?"
"Your Majesty is wise, and Governor Zhao is truly a hero... We must make this clear!"
In the corner, a scholar who had cursed the cynics in the court a few days ago laughed loudly, stood up and drank the wine.
Excited cheers echoed.
They were still afraid of King Yan Zhao, but who wouldn't be happy when the revered Little King Yan stood on their side and bared his fangs at the enemy?
However, amid 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 defeat of King Mu in a few months made Governor Zhao become arrogant?
Do you think similar success can be replicated?
……
Imperial yamen.
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. As soon as he came out, they all surrounded him, greeting him, praising him, asking for instructions, and making indirect comments... It gave him a headache.
Especially a group of peace advocates, who welcomed the visit 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 girls 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 crossed her arms, walked over with a gloomy look in her eyes and explained:
"The news of 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 that this new police officer in Lihuatang was familiar. It turns out that he is our Grand Commander Zhao. You have deceived us so badly."
Zhang Han and the other detectives nodded at the same time. They were also extremely shocked after hearing 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, with a golden hairpin adorning her hair, 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 faintly: "You have always wanted to sleep with my sister-in-law, but you have 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 anything.
He had a stern face, and seeing more and more Jinyi people coming to join in the fun outside the courtyard, he took a deep breath:
"Go back to the house and talk!"
(End of this chapter)