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“Imperial Father, this… this… what should we do?”
In the main council hall of Prince Yan’s mansion, Cui Hao wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his body trembling slightly. He had just returned to Bozhou from Qingzhou a few days ago.
For this battle, Yan had sent all its elites, even the Cui family’s most elite Black Feather Guard, but now these 170,000 soldiers were all gone.
Prince Yan seemed not to have heard Cui Hao’s words. He gazed at the roof of the main hall, like a clay statue.
Just then, a group of officials suddenly ran into the main hall in a panic. One official exclaimed, “Your Highness, they’ve rebelled! The Fourth Prince has rebelled! The private forces of the Tian family and the Ji family followed the Fourth Prince and took the city gate! They are charging towards the princely mansion!”
“What!” Cui Hao was so startled that he almost jumped.
Prince Yan seemed to wake up from a dream, both startled and angry. “This ungrateful wretch! I wasted these past few years raising him! I should have killed him when they fled to Bozhou!”
Then he asked, “How many of them are there?”
An official said anxiously, “Your Highness, the Tian family and the Ji family have been plotting for a long time. This time, they lead their affiliated powerful families and followers, numbering over 50,000. Your Highness, if you don’t leave now, it will be too late.”
“Fifty thousand people! Imperial Father, the Black Feather Guard in the city only has 25,000 men left; they might not be a match,” Cui Hao said.
Prince Yan narrowed his eyes. He suddenly laughed madly, “I misjudged that little brat Xiao Ming. The Tian family and the Ji family surely wouldn’t have this guts. Xiao Ming must have given them a promise. I never thought I would spend all day fighting snakes, only to be bitten by one now.”
At this moment, the sounds of fighting between the Black Feather Guard and the powerful families’ private forces could already be heard outside the princely mansion. A group of officials and generals said anxiously, “Your Highness, please make a decision soon.”
Prince Yan sighed bitterly. He said to Cui Hao, “Immediately go to Yingzhou. Your eldest brother is in Yingzhou leading 70,000 soldiers to defend against the Prince of Huainan. Now, only that place is safe.”
“Yes, Imperial Father,” Cui Hao said.
Chang’an, Chengqing Hall.
Seated on the dragon throne, Prince Zhao looked down upon his ministers like an emperor. When the memorial reporting the defeat in Yunzhou City was presented, his heart couldn’t help but pound a few times.
The officials and generals in the hall were all watching Prince Zhao. The news of the defeat in Yunzhou City had already spread throughout Chang’an City through merchants and routed soldiers. Now they were all waiting for Prince Zhao’s decision.
Empress Zhao, holding the nearly two-year-old Thirteenth Prince, sat behind the beaded curtain. Prince Zhao was just Prince Zhao; during court sessions, Empress Zhao still had to bring the Thirteenth Prince to attend to political affairs. However, in reality, she was merely putting on a show to appease the old officials of Chang’an City.
Upon hearing the news from Yunzhou City, a faint smile appeared at the corner of Empress Zhao’s mouth behind the beaded curtain.
“Prince Yan and Prince Liang are truly useless! 350,000 troops couldn’t even take one Yunzhou City! Imperial Father, no need to worry. Even if the allied forces are defeated, Xiao Ming’s army must be very exhausted. We should seize this opportunity to take Shu as quickly as possible and absolutely not be distracted by this matter!” Zhao Yuanliang said loudly.
Prince Zhao seemed not to have heard Zhao Yuanliang’s words. He murmured, “Forty thousand Black Armored Iron Cavalry! These are my Black Armored Iron Cavalry! All 40,000 are gone.”
Seeing Prince Zhao in this state, the courtiers in the hall wore various expressions.
Ever since Prince Zhao took control of Chang’an, many ministers had joined his ranks, but others served him in court merely to protect themselves.
Now that the allied forces of the three princes had suffered a major defeat, their keen senses immediately realized that following Prince Zhao would not last long.
If the Battle of Cangzhou was a fluke, and the Battle of Jizhou was a fluke, and the Battle of Wei was still a fluke, then this battle of Yunzhou City was inevitable.
Xiao Ming had proven his army invincible again and again, and everyone had ignored this. Now, the defeat of the allied forces of the three princes completely awakened many people.
Glancing at his somewhat agitated father, Zhao Yuanliang suddenly said, “Dismiss the court.”
“Long live our Emperor, long live, long long live!”
After the shouts, the ministers all turned and departed, leaving the imperial palace.
After all the officials had left, Zhao Yuanliang cautiously asked, “Imperial Father.”
“Xiao Ming! I will kill you!” Just then, Prince Zhao suddenly drew his saber and began to furiously hack at the desk in front of him.
The exquisite desk was splintered by Prince Zhao’s sharp blade.
The Thirteenth Prince was startled and suddenly began to cry loudly. Facing Prince Zhao, who was acting like a madman, Empress Zhao immediately protected the Thirteenth Prince and walked towards the inner chambers.
Zhao Yuanliang also dared not breathe deeply. He knew his father’s temper very well. At this moment, anyone who touched him would suffer.
Vermilion Bird Avenue.
Ministers who had left the court walked in twos and threes, whispering to each other.
“With the allied forces defeated this time, I wonder what insights Secretary Ge has?” Near the edge of Vermilion Bird Avenue, three officials in purple robes walked side by side.
Judging by their official robes, all three were top-ranking officials in the court.
The person asking the question had white hair and a thin physique. He was Yu Zhiyong, the Minister of Revenue.
Ge Yiren squinted at Yu Zhiyong. After Fei Ji fled Chang’an, he was promoted to Grand Imperial Secretary.
This was not because he deeply trusted Prince Zhao, but because he was the most senior official in Chang’an City among many, and he was the top scholar in the third imperial examination of that year.
However, although he was the Grand Imperial Secretary, he held no real power. These past two years were merely a nominal position; actual government affairs were handled by Prince Zhao’s people.
“Whether they win or lose, what does it concern us? No matter who replaces them in the Chengqing Hall of Chang’an, don’t we still serve as officials?” Ge Yiren said blandly.
Ni Kuang, the Minister of Rites, walking on Ge Yiren’s left, shook his head and said, “Secretary Ge is wrong. Now, Prince Qi has ascended the throne in Qingzhou with the late emperor’s imperial edict. If this edict is true, he is the new monarch of the Great Yu Empire. Moreover, this new monarch has a strange temperament, different from ordinary people. Even if he defeats Prince Zhao one day, he probably won’t choose Chang’an as his capital.”
Yu Zhiyong nodded, “Indeed. A few days ago, I met a merchant from Qingzhou. It is said that the Chang’an officials who went to Qingzhou are all now serving in Prince Qi’s state, and Fei Ji has even become a member of the cabinet.”
“Cabinet? What is that?” Ge Yiren asked, puzzled.
“This cabinet was established by Prince Qi. It is said to be above the Six Ministries. This cabinet has a total of nine members who jointly deliberate on state affairs. Currently, there are only two members in this cabinet, and there are seven vacant positions,” Yu Zhiyong added.
Ni Kuang then said, “Gentlemen, in my humble opinion, this Prince Qi has limitless prospects. It is possible that he will be the future Emperor of the Great Yu Empire. We should prepare early.”
Ge Yiren also felt somewhat swayed upon hearing this. He pretended to be indifferent, but who would want to discard their official robes at that moment?
Having served in officialdom for many years, they deeply understood the importance of following the right person.