jdhmnovel Chapter 196: Emperor Tai'an is in a state of panic, and the Marquis of Zhenxi rules the southwe
Chapter 196: Emperor Tai'an is in a state of panic, and the Marquis of Zhenxi rules the southwe
(Sorry everyone, I was feeling a bit under the weather yesterday and had a terrible headache, so I'm taking a day off! Thank you all for your understanding, I'll update as normal today!)
Tianqi City, the Imperial Palace, the Purple Palace.
Xiao Chongjing in the bedroom hardly slept the whole night, and before dawn he ordered the eunuchs to help him change his clothes.
He rode in a warm sedan chair to Pingqing Palace, where palace servants had already prepared a silver charcoal stove and a fox fur coat.
Xiao Chongjing sat in front of the imperial desk, pulled out a piece of paper, thought for a while, and then wrote down:
"The Emperor's son is like the wind,
The Marquis of Zhenxi intended to commit a rebellious act. He secretly mobilized the Pofeng Army and forged an imperial edict to seize a huge sum of one million silver coins from the Southwestern Road treasury.
The villain Wen Yanzhao also mediated, Feng'er did not need to stay in Jincheng to wait for the Wen family, and immediately returned to Tianqi after seeing the letter.
My father has entrusted me with a great responsibility, so I hereby decree this.
Xiao Chongjing waited until the ink on the letter paper was completely dry, folded it into four pieces, and put it into a vermilion lacquered envelope:
"Come here, quickly deliver this letter to the King of Langya in Jincheng, and order him to return to Tianqi immediately!"
The eunuch in attendance hurriedly took the envelope, said "Yes, Your Majesty," and quickly left the hall.
……
At the morning court that day, Xiao Chongjing's face was extremely grim. Seeing the emperor's gloomy face, the other ministers naturally understood and only presented the good ones.
After listening to the memorials of the six ministries and nine officials, he did not comment, but just raised his hand:
"Do the ministers have anything else to report? If not, please adjourn the court!"
The ministers under the throne looked at each other and responded in unison:
"I am fine!"
The eunuch in the hall shouted in a shrill voice: "If there is nothing else, please withdraw from the court!"
All the ministers left the hall in a crowd, leaving only Emperor Tai'an Xiao Chongjing sitting on the dragon throne.
Seeing all the ministers leave, Xiao Chongjing rubbed his temples and said slowly to Zhuoqing who was standing beside him:
"Zhuoqing, follow me back to the palace... By the way, summon Zhang Chengzhong from the Censorate back to the palace. I have something important to discuss with him."
"Also, go to the Shadow Sect and ask Yi Bu to wait for me in the Purple Palace."
Zhuoqing's eyes rolled, and he saluted and replied, "As you wish."
……
Emperor Tai'an's bedroom.
"Zhang Chengzhong, I've finished explaining the matter. Go back to the Censorate and discuss with the other six censors. Come up with a plan for a thorough investigation tonight!"
"According to the laws of the Beili Kingdom, we will investigate as we should and sentence as we should!"
"The matter of taxes and silver concerns the foundation of the country. Anyone who dares to touch the taxes and silver should be executed, no matter who they are, not even my own son or brother!"
"Also... have Hu Bufei pack up and head to Qiandong City immediately to collect evidence."
Xiao Chongjing leaned sideways on the dragon couch. Although his voice was low, Zhang Chengzhong, who was kneeling in front of the couch, could hear some murderous intent in it.
"Your Excellency...Your Excellency obeys my order!"
How could Zhang Chengzhong not know that Xiao Chongjing had already decided to kill him?
Xiao Chongjing was already wary of his old brother Baili Luochen, who commanded a large number of troops. Now, Baili Luochen, under the mediation of Wen Yanzhao, cleverly seized millions of taels of tax silver from the four states and mobilized troops without authorization, which gave Xiao Chongjing a reason to take action!
Zhang Chengzhong's head was covered in sweat, and he was still sweating even after he left the bedroom.
As he walked he kept muttering, "Trouble, great trouble! Disaster is coming, disaster is coming!"
……
Chaisang City, Gu family.
"Jian San'er, let me give you these two hundred thousand taels of silver as spiritual compensation!"
"I know this money is just a drop in the bucket for you, but after all, we had an agreement..."
Behind Wen Yanzhao, more than twenty horse-drawn carriages, loaded with two hundred thousand taels of silver, stopped at the door of the Gu family's house.
Gu Jianmen looked at the convoy and said sarcastically:
"Stingy guy! The profit of our Gu family's mine in half a year is more than 200,000 taels. And the money we've spent on that bastard official over the years is even more than 200,000 taels..."
"Alright, alright, just treat me, Gu Jianmen, as your friend. After all, the Marquis of Zhenxi has given me such a big face, I have to accept it!"
Wen Yanzhao waved his hand, and the soldiers in charge of escorting the silver immediately started moving the silver into the Gu family compound box by box.
"Stingy? Do you want to listen to what you are saying..."
"Half of the southwest is now in the hands of the Marquis of Zhenxi. Your Gu family will surely become the largest family in the southwest. Why would you care about two hundred thousand taels of silver today?"
"With this kind of relationship, no amount of money can buy it. You're taking advantage and still acting so ungrateful... Tsk!"
Wen Yanzhao teased Gu Jianmen a few words, then crossed his arms and prepared to leave.
Seeing him about to leave, Gu Jianmen quickly stopped him:
"Wen Yanzhao, where are you going?"
Wen Yanzhao waved without even turning his head:
"I've finished with Bingzhou, but there are still Meng, Zi, and Jizhou waiting for me... Remember to buy me a drink next time you come!"
"goodbye!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Wen Yanzhao stepped into the air and disappeared into the clouds.
Gu Jianmen stood there, lost in thought, and said enviously:
"This kid has really reached the Half-Step Divine Wandering Realm..."
Baili Luochen and his son Baili Chengfeng quickly controlled the soldiers and officials stationed in various cities in Bingzhou, and collected more than 3.5 million taels of tax silver in one state.
This does not include the more than two million taels of stolen silver that Baili Luochen seized from corrupt officials reported by local people. Looking at the silver transport convoy that seemed to have no end in sight, Baili Luochen frowned as he sat on his horse.
Baili Chengfeng rode his horse closer to his father and asked when he saw his father's appearance:
"Father, we have confiscated this huge sum of money, why are you still so depressed?"
Baili Luochen sighed:
"I'm not depressed, I'm just thinking about something..."
"Chengfeng, do you think that what I did was a bit unfair to my sworn brother, His Majesty?"
Baili Chengfeng looked at his father and shook his head:
"Do you still remember the words you often said when you taught your son the art of war?"
Baili Luochen: "What?"
Baili Chengfeng paused and said loudly:
"My son was only fourteen years old that year. My father taught me the first volume of the Military Classics, the Wisdom Section. The four most important words in this volume are—"
"Apparently, opportunity, momentum, and knowledge!"
"My father said at the time that the most important of these four words is 'first'!"
"What is first? The first to strike first is first, the first to strike first is first!"
"My son, when I think about it now, it's still vivid in my mind! Father, everything we did was because the emperor was suspicious. We took the initiative to protect ourselves!"
"It's only been a little over ten years since General Ye Yu exterminated our clan. Have you softened your heart?"
After listening to his son's words, Baili Luochen nodded and said:
"Yes, Feng'er, you said it well! When the rabbit is dead, the dog is cooked, and when the bird is dead, the bow is put away. For you and Dongjun, an old man like me should take the initiative to take action!"
"But there is one thing you must remember to tell Zhao'er. Tell him to kill as little as possible!"
"It's no pity that corrupt officials should be killed, but those ordinary clerks and soldiers in government offices and military camps must not be killed unjustly!"
Baili Chengfeng responded:
"Father, you're worrying too much. Zhao'er is very smart..."
"There are more than 2,700 soldiers in the three camps of Chaisang City. Zhao'er just put them in a dream and made them unable to wake up. Don't worry, he knows very well that these people will be of use to us in the future!"
Baili Luochen held the whip in his hand and said after a moment's hesitation:
"Zhao'er is a talented person. Fortunately, he and Dongjun are as close as brothers. Even after a hundred years, there is no need to worry about Dongjun's safety."
……
Mengzhou, Changle City.
The same means, the same routine.
After evacuating Chaisang City, Wen Yanzhao went to Changle City first and instigated the Lu family, a wealthy and prominent family that had suffered from extortion by the government, to confront the prefect.
Late at night, after assisting the local prominent family Lu to kill all the corrupt officials who oppressed the people, he also sneaked into the barracks and fell into a deep sleep.
In this way, the military horses, money and food of the entire state were all taken over by the Marquis of Zhenxi.
Without further ado, soon half of the Beili world fell into the hands of Baili Luochen.
Baili Dongjun, who was traveling with Nangong Chunshui and Yin Luoxia, was unaware of all this.
He has now mastered the essence of two-handed swordsmanship and is now leaving Qianyue Town with Nangong Chunshui and heading towards Jincheng in Shuzhong.
……