chsdbacks Chapter 12 Utter Chaos
Chapter 12 Utter Chaos
"Wealth? Wealth is nothing! What I want is the entire empire of the Great Yong!"
Qin Lie snorted coldly.
He makes no attempt to hide his ambition.
"Yes, whatever you say, brother."
Qin Yuan forced a smile, utterly speechless at Qin Lie's behavior of retorting three times for every one thing he said.
As soon as he finished speaking, he turned and walked quickly out of the side hall with his advisors.
Qin Lie watched Qin Yuan slink away, a smug expression on his face. "Haha, at least you know what's good for you! All you can do is play tricks; in the face of real strength, you're nothing!"
Upon hearing this, the northern generals behind him burst into laughter.
……
As soon as Qin Yuan left the side hall, he turned into a deserted palace path.
The calm on his face vanished in an instant.
Instead, a deep sense of bewilderment filled the air.
Qin Yuan looked at his strategist and asked, "Mr. Zhao! Speak! Why did you make me back down just now? You needlessly diminished our prestige and emboldened that brute!"
The strategist surnamed Zhao sighed and said, "Your Highness, please calm down! It's not that I'm trying to boost the enemy's morale, but the situation is critical, and we have no choice but to retreat!"
As he spoke, he took a step closer, lowering his voice even further, as if whispering, "Your Highness, I just received a secret report, but haven't had a chance to inform you yet! The three thousand so-called 'personal guards' that the Prince of Yan brought with him to the capital this time are not ordinary border troops at all!"
Qin Yuan's heart skipped a beat: "What is that?"
"Martial arts masters! They're all martial arts masters!"
Zhao, the strategist, said in a terrified tone, "Even the weakest among them are at least sixth-level martial artists! Those above the centurion level are all seventh-level! His trusted generals, including himself, are genuine eighth-level martial artists!"
"Three thousand martial artists?!"
Qin Yuan gasped, "This Qin Lie, he's really going all out!"
A martial arts master is someone whose strength can shatter rocks and split monuments.
Martial artists of the sixth rank or above can even project their true energy and injure people from a distance!
Ordinary armies are like paper in front of martial arts armies!
An army composed of three thousand martial artists of at least the sixth rank.
Enough to sweep through the capital and overturn the world!
No wonder Qin Lie is so fearless and arrogant!
"Is the news true?"
Qin Yuan still clung to a sliver of hope.
"Absolutely true!"
Zhao, the strategist, nodded emphatically and said decisively, "It was our spy, planted within the Yan army, who risked their lives to deliver this information. The King of Yan has concealed it far too well!"
Qin Yuan fell silent, a few beads of cold sweat appearing on his forehead.
He originally thought that by secretly contacting the deputy commander of the Imperial Guard and taking control of part of the city's defenses, he had already gained the upper hand.
Unexpectedly, Qin Lie, this reckless man, actually pulled out his trump card!
Faced with absolute power, all those schemes seem so pale and laughable.
"In that case, Qin Xiao is doomed today."
Qin Yuan murmured, his heart filled with mixed emotions, "Should we just stand by and watch this brute Qin Lie ascend the throne and become emperor?"
"Your Highness, please don't be anxious!"
Zhao, the strategist, gleamed with cunning. "The Prince of Yan is powerful, and His Majesty will certainly find it difficult to resist. However, His Majesty is not without trump cards. Although Luo Qingluan's Flying Phoenix Army has fewer martial artists than the Prince of Yan, relying on the defense of the imperial city, the Prince of Yan will have to pay a heavy price to take down this tough nut! When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman benefits. When they are both exhausted and the Prince of Yan's strength is greatly reduced, that will be the best time for Your Highness to step in, clean up the mess, and set things right! The hearts of the people and the greater good are in your hands. Wouldn't it be much easier to deal with a weary and heavily damaged Qin Lie than to confront him head-on now?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Yuan nodded secretly.
Indeed, the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind!
Let Qin Lie fight Qin Xiao and the Flying Phoenix Army to the death.
They preserve their strength and then come out to clean up the mess later.
This is the best strategy!
"What you say is absolutely right, sir!"
Qin Yuan took a deep breath, regaining his usual composure. "I was too hasty. We shall follow your plan, sir!"
After speaking, he straightened his robes and led Zhao, the strategist, back to the side hall.
Then, he made up some excuse and left with his people.
Watching Qin Yuan leave in a disheveled state, Qin Lie felt an immense sense of satisfaction. With a wave of his hand, he sternly ordered one of his trusted lieutenants, "What are you waiting for? Give the signal! Get the men to move! Surround the palace! Don't let a single fly out! I'll see who dares to stand in my way today!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
The lieutenant was overjoyed, as if the merit of following the emperor was right before his eyes, and hurriedly accepted the order and left.
……
at the same time.
As time went on and Qin Xiao failed to appear, the chaos inside the Golden Palace was nearly out of control.
After waiting for so long, not only did the emperor not come, but even a lowly eunuch who was supposed to deliver the message did not arrive.
"What on earth is going on?!"
"Has Your Majesty forgotten that today is the anniversary of your ascension to the throne?!"
"Even if something truly enormous has happened, there should still be an explanation!"
The crowd was buzzing with discussion.
A hot-tempered censor could no longer contain himself. He grabbed the sleeve of Shen Quan, the chief eunuch who had just returned from the side hall, and asked urgently, "Eunuch Shen! You're a senior servant of the palace. Give me a straight answer: where is His Majesty? Is he in good health?"
Shen Quan's old face scrunched up in a bitter expression. He shook off the censor's hand, bowing and forcing a smile, "Oh dear, my Lord Zhang! You've really put this old servant in a difficult position! This old servant has no idea!"
Another minister nearby spoke up, "You don't know? Why don't you go to the inner palace and inform them, inquire about the situation? Tell them that all the officials have gathered, and all the nations have come to pay homage, awaiting His Majesty!"
Upon hearing this, Shen Quan's bitterness deepened: "My lords, please understand! It's not that this old servant doesn't want to go, it's...it's that I can't go!"
"Shortly after His Majesty ascended the throne, he issued a strict decree that the outer court and the inner palace should be clearly separated and not interfere with each other!"
"Although I hold the title of Grand Eunuch, my duties are primarily confined to the palaces and pavilions of the imperial court."
"There are other stewards in charge of specific affairs, and they keep to themselves from interfering with our previous dynasty."
"Without His Majesty's special decree, this old servant is absolutely forbidden from setting foot in the inner palace area!"
"Anyone who disobeys will be executed on the spot!"
"Even with the greatest courage, one wouldn't dare defy the Emperor's will and trespass into the inner palace!"
Upon hearing this, the ministers exchanged bewildered glances.
This was the first time they had ever heard of such rules governing eunuchs in the imperial palace.
"The former dynasty and the harem are so isolated?"
"This, this is outrageous! Never before in history have there been such strict palace regulations!"
"His Majesty, oh, he must be in the harem... oh..."
"Even so, shouldn't someone be sent to deliver a message?"
Amidst the discussion, a fearful voice suddenly rang out: "Has something happened to His Majesty in the harem?!"
Upon hearing this, the entire hall fell silent!
Then came an even bigger uproar!
Yes!
This statement is extremely treasonous.
But given His Majesty's style of doing things, it's not impossible.
Could it be that he indulged in excessive sexual activity and became a royal guest?
Just when everyone was filled with anxiety.
Prime Minister Xu Guofu, who had remained silent and observed coldly, finally made a move.
He coughed softly, drawing everyone's attention.
He then slowly walked out of the queue, came to the center of the hall, and symbolically cupped his hands in front of the empty dragon throne.
Then he turned to face the assembled officials and said in a loud voice, “My colleagues, please calm down. His Majesty is the Son of Heaven, blessed with boundless fortune. How could he be ill so easily? In my opinion, His Majesty is simply resting quietly in the inner palace and has simply forgotten the time.”
"But it's Prime Minister Xu!"
Chen Wang couldn't help but step forward, his tone urgent, "Even so, someone should have informed them! What about the dignity of the court? What about the envoys from other countries?"
Xu Guofu waved his hand: "Lord Chen is absolutely right. If you wish to see His Majesty, I do have a way that might be worth a try!"