northernbook Chapter 224: The King's Defenders
Chapter 224: The King's Defenders
Emperor Chongming stood in front of the window and looked at the fish in the garden pond outside. He stared at the goldfish swimming in the water with deep eyes. The goldfish were leisurely and contented in the rippling water, and seemed to have a kind of confidence in holding power. He frowned slightly, as if he saw the shadow of Yuan Quan in the goldfish, the young man who dared to rebel against him.
"Ji Gang, you must quickly inform Sun Ting and ask him to end the encirclement and suppression of the rebels as soon as possible!" There was unquestionable majesty in Emperor Chongming's voice, "Especially that Yuan Quan, I want to see for myself what Yuan Chong's son looks like, and whether he has inherited his father's shrewdness?" At this point, he couldn't help but fall into memories, remembering the decision to reuse Yuan Chong.
At that time, Yuan Chong had held out for three years in the cold wind of the northeast, built solid city defenses, and compressed the living space of the Liang people. However, his growing prestige in the army made Emperor Chongming suspicious, and he finally chose to distance himself from him. Thinking of this, Emperor Chongming sighed softly.
"I have conveyed the emperor's intention to Sun Ting a few days ago. I believe he has already made every effort to encircle and suppress Yuan Quan." Ji Gang replied respectfully.
"Okay, okay." Emperor Chongming nodded, a stern look flashed in his eyes, "I want to see if Yuan Quan is really so powerful that he dares to rebel against me!" He paused, and then whispered, "As for the peace talks with the barbarians, it must be kept extremely confidential, and the ministers outside the court must not be allowed to have any handle to hinder the plan."
Ji Gang smiled slightly. He knew the situation in the court was complicated and the ministers had their own thoughts. But as the emperor's confidant, he knew the emperor's intentions and determination. "Your Majesty is wise. As long as you are determined to negotiate peace, no one will dare to oppose it even if the outside court knows about it." He said confidently.
Emperor Chongming nodded with satisfaction, feeling deeply gratified by Ji Gang's loyalty and ability. "I have always been confident in your work," he said slowly, "As for Sun Ting, you must continue to follow up and make sure he can capture Yuan Quan. Although Yuan Quan is young, he is said to have the style of his father, so he should not be underestimated."
"Yes, I will do my best." Ji Gang replied respectfully.
Emperor Chongming pondered for a moment and continued, "The peace talks do need to be handled with caution. Many ministers in the court are opposed to peace talks with the barbarians, believing that it is an insult to the Dakun Dynasty. But now the situation is pressing, and we have to make concessions. You must always pay attention to the dynamics of the court, and report to me immediately if you find someone secretly obstructing the peace talks."
"I understand." Ji Gang replied, with a firm gleam in his eyes.
"Also, you should also pay more attention to protecting Yang Chenhe's family." Emperor Chongming's voice was filled with concern. "Yang Chenhe will definitely be wronged in this matter. I'm worried that some radical foreign officials will attack his family. If this happens, no one will be willing to work for me in the future."
"Yes, I will arrange people to secretly protect the Yang family." Ji Gang replied.
Emperor Chongming nodded. He knew that Ji Gang was not only his eyes and ears, but also the sharpest knife in his hand. He believed that Ji Gang could handle everything.
"In the next few days, Yang Chenhe will propose peace talks, so you must pay close attention tonight to see if there is any secret tip-off. Also, where are the troops coming to support the king?" Emperor Chongming gave his final instructions, his eyes revealing his expectation for peace talks and his trust in Ji Gang.
"Your Majesty! The fastest of these Terracotta Warriors and Horses is the 5-plus troops brought by the Southeast Governor Ma Weidong! The others may take several days to arrive due to the long journey!" Ji Gang answered carefully.
"Is it because the journey is too far, or we dare not fight with these barbarians! I didn't expect that among these local officials of my Dakun Dynasty, Ma Weidong is the only loyal minister!" Emperor Chongming couldn't help but sigh at this time.
"Your Majesty! Governor Ma has sent a message requesting a night raid on the barbarian camp!"
"A night attack on the barbarian camp?" Emperor Chongming raised his eyebrows, with a hint of surprise and admiration in his eyes. "Ma Weidong is indeed a courageous man. However, this matter is extremely risky, and we need to act with caution."
"Your Majesty is right." Ji Gang nodded in agreement. "However, since Governor Ma is determined and if he is sure, we might as well let him have a try. If he succeeds, it will be a great achievement. Moreover, if we suppress the arrogance of those barbarians, it will also be beneficial to our future negotiations! Otherwise, those barbarians will be unbridled!"
Emperor Chongming pondered for a moment and nodded, "Okay, as you say. Send a message to Ma Weidong immediately and tell him to do it, but be careful. Don't take risks if you are not sure!"
"Yes, Your Majesty. But Your Majesty, please inform the military supervisor Zhou Qiqian! I'm afraid he will stop Master Ma from doing anything!"
Ji Gang responded respectfully, but in his heart he deeply admired Ma Weidong's courage and determination. This governor of the southeast dared to stand up at a critical moment and share the worries of the court. He was indeed a model of a loyal minister. So he helped him first. In order to save him from being constrained and harassed by Zhou Qiqian.
As night fell, there was silence inside and outside the palace. Emperor Chongming stood in front of the window, looking at the twinkling stars in the night sky, but his heart was surging. He knew very well that this war with the barbarians was not only a military contest, but also a contest in many aspects such as politics, economy, and culture. In this contest, he must keep a clear mind and make the right decisions to ensure the long-term stability of the Dakun Dynasty.
"Ji Gang." Emperor Chongming suddenly turned around and said to Ji Gang who was standing beside him, "Do you think Yuan Quan can really inherit his father's shrewdness?"
Ji Gang was slightly startled, and then replied: "Your Majesty, I think that although Yuan Quan is young, he is very brave, but in terms of marching and fighting, he is still far behind his father! Otherwise, he would not be forced into this state by Minister Sun."
Emperor Chongming nodded, and sighed in his heart that he had too few people at his disposal! "You are right. If Yuan Quan is really a talent, we can consider letting him deal with those barbarians. There are too few people who can lead troops to fight now!"
Emperor Chongming decided the fate of many people in the deep palace.
At this time, in Ma Weidong's barracks, he had just set up camp on Xiaojin Mountain outside Kyoto City, and the military supervisor Zhou Qiqian rushed over.
"Military Supervisor!"
"Governor Ma, you are stationed here late at night. Do you have any special arrangements?" As soon as Zhou Qiquan entered the door, he directly asked Ma Weidong about the marching plan, with a hint of scrutiny on his face.
Ma Weidong stood up, bowed respectfully, and then said in a deep voice: "Master Military Supervisor, I do have a plan. The barbarians have been arrogant in recent days and have repeatedly provoked our army. I think we must give them a heavy blow to dampen their enthusiasm."
Zhou Qiqian frowned and said, "Governor Ma, do you know that this move is extremely risky? If it fails, not only will there be heavy losses, but it will also affect the peace talks between the court and the barbarians."