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墨書 Inktalez
Chapter 233: Mutation
"Prince Qi has a point, but I must refuse. Since His Majesty has sent me, it is to hope for fair treatment, not to consider the greater picture," Wei Zheng said.
Li Yuanji looked at Wei Zheng's face, suppressing the urge to pounce on him and beat his face into a pulp. The impulse to strangle him to death was also strong.
"Hmph, I truly do not understand how my royal brother can tolerate you. If I were emperor, I would have you torn to pieces."
"Your Highness, I will be sure to inform His Majesty of your words."
"Do you think I wouldn't dare to kill you?"
Wei Zheng leaned slightly forward. "I believe, Prince Qi, that you lack the courage."
In their silent confrontation, it was ultimately Li Yuanji who averted his gaze first, pretending to be fierce did not change the fact that he dared not kill the Imperial Envoy.
Wei Zheng shook his head with some regret. "You have no blood courage at all; let alone compare with His Majesty, even with Prince Qin, Your Highness falls far short!"
Li Yuanji could no longer contain himself; he stood up and leaned forward, grabbing Wei Zheng's robe and nearly lifting him off the ground.
Wei Zheng's expression remained unchanged. "You do have some bravery, but I wonder what merits you have in the founding of our dynasty?"
"Are you trying to provoke me into killing you?"
Wei Zheng smiled and nodded. "What you have done, if it were an ordinary person, they would have been executed long ago. If my life can be taken to exchange for justice for the wronged commoners, it would be worth it."
Under Wei Zheng's disdainful gaze, Li Yuanji released his grip. "Prince Qi, I will take those few people away now; you should head to Chang'an immediately."
...
That night, Li Jian Cheng sat beside the Queen and asked, "How many palace maids have been released?"
"Nearly four thousand."
"Four thousand is quite a lot," Li Jian Cheng nodded. "But I've heard that the Retired Emperor refuses to let anyone go?"
Xiao Chanyan removed her phoenix hairpin. "I only sent someone to ask once. My father isn't particularly willing, so I let it go. We can't let the subjects think that Your Majesty and I are being harsh on the Retired Emperor, or it would be a crime of unfiliality."
Filial piety can sometimes weigh heavily on a person. Li Jian Cheng felt dissatisfied but still smiled and said, "Indeed, there’s no shortage of those around Father and the Empress."
Because of Li Yuanji, the previously reconciled relationship between father and son had become distant and antagonistic again.
Initially, they had an understanding; Li Jian Cheng had assured that he wouldn't kill Li Yuanji. However, after Li Yan met with Pei Ji and some members of the Royal Family, his attitude changed once more.
He reverted to the typical noble mentality, believing that as long as his youngest son didn't rebel, there was nothing to worry about.
If the family hadn't reached this position, as a father and brother, he should still take care of his siblings. Moreover, the Li Family already held dominion over the world.
The Emperor should naturally be supreme, but it was also only right for brothers to enjoy wealth and honor together.
Li Jian Cheng had tried to have a heart-to-heart with him, but they simply couldn't reach an agreement. In fact, Li Yan had begun to openly try to command him.
It was clear that the Retired Emperor's ambitions had been stirred up by certain individuals.
If this had happened before the founding of the nation, it would have been easier to handle; during the time of conquering territories, there were no rules to bind them, and there were no officials qualified to advise against him.
But now that the nation had been established, every move Li Jian Cheng made was being recorded by historians standing by with their pens. Every word and action was subject to advice and restraint from officials. Plus, with Li Yan holding onto the concept of filial piety, things had truly become complicated.
"Your Majesty, the Empress's health is worsening; I am very worried."
Li Jian Cheng frowned upon hearing this. He had little affection for Li Yan; even during their childhood, they only exchanged a few words while practicing archery.
However, it was different with the Dou Family. After enjoying twenty years of maternal love, he naturally felt a sense of attachment.
"The Imperial Physician has no good remedies? Tomorrow I will issue an edict to reward those who can find a skilled doctor to treat the Empress's illness."
Since giving birth to Li Yuanji, the health of the Dou Family had been poor. They had sought countless renowned doctors and miraculous medicines, but Li Jian Cheng knew that this was beyond what medicine could cure.
In the future, he should summon Shimin Xuanba and Xiuning to the palace more often to accompany the Empress, allowing her to enjoy more familial happiness.
After extinguishing the candles, the couple began to whisper to each other. They had never been this close even during their honeymoon, but since ascending to the throne, their bond had grown stronger day by day.
After discussing trivial matters, they were about to engage in intimate activities. The Emperor and Empress currently had only one son, which was naturally insufficient; they needed to continue expanding their lineage for the State.
However, before they could formally begin, they were interrupted by a servant outside the hall. The female official trembled as she spoke, "Your Majesty, there is an urgent military report. The courtiers are waiting for you in the front hall."
The couple immediately got up. The Queen hurriedly assisted the Emperor in dressing without caring for her own appearance, while the palace maids brought in fragrant court robes from Eunuchs.
They left the sleeping quarters and rushed straight to the Council Hall, ordering that the courtiers be allowed in quickly; after all, it was already night, and without an edict, they could not enter the palace.
Li Jian Cheng arrived at the main hall first, followed closely by civil and military officials who filed in one after another. The Emperor spoke directly, "Alright, no need for formalities. Let's discuss state affairs first. What is the urgent report?"
Pei Ji stepped forward to respond, "Your Majesty, two factions of Turkic forces that were previously engaged in battle have suddenly called for peace and gathered an army of two hundred thousand to march southward. They have already crossed Lingwu and are approaching the Capital City!"
Qin Shubao, Li Mi, Xu Shijie, and others immediately stepped forward: "Your Majesty, we request permission to mobilize troops to defend against the Turkic forces and protect the Capital City!"
Fang Xuanling interjected: "Your Majesty, if we are caught off guard and suffer defeat, it would be perilous for the State. It would be better to follow Kaihuang's example and offer gold and silk as appeasement to temporarily avoid conflict for future planning."
Dan Xiongxin angrily reproached Fang Xuanling: "With a great enemy at our doorstep, avoiding confrontation will only diminish morale; that is truly dangerous."
Fang Xuanling sincerely said, "I know that all of you generals are brave, and I understand that you fight for the country and the emperor, never fearing death on the battlefield. However, this is a matter of great importance for the survival of the State. We cannot rely solely on bravery to gamble for victory; we must also be concerned about defeat!"
Qin Shubao grabbed Dan Xiongxin's arm and said, "As warriors, we will simply follow His Majesty's orders."
Everyone's gaze ultimately fell upon Li Jian Cheng. Among them, Li Mi felt a sudden sense of relief; it was truly not easy to serve as a ruler.
Enjoying pleasure is easy, but making decisive choices during times of survival and extinction is difficult.
Li Jian Cheng had no time to ponder why those two factions had suddenly joined forces, nor could he consider why Tongye Hu, who had initially been eager to ally with the Tang Dynasty, had suddenly changed his mind.
The urgent matter at hand was how to make them withdraw their troops. This battle absolutely could not turn into a siege of the capital; otherwise, the hard-won stability of the realm would be thrown into chaos once again.
The capital had around two hundred thousand troops, but it was impossible to send them all into battle. At least forty to fifty thousand troops needed to remain in Chang'an to ensure they did not suffer a complete loss.
This meant they were at a disadvantage in terms of troop strength. At least within ten days or half a month, reinforcements from various regions would arrive.
They could still fight, but it was best not to engage in battle. To avoid fighting, they ultimately needed to prepare for it first!
……………
(End of Chapter)
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