12dz Chapter 286 Retreating to Advance
Chapter 286 Retreating to Advance
Back to Chai Zhen's side, a slender black-clad secret guard appeared silently at the door of the imperial study. He knelt on one knee, clasped his hands together, and a deep voice echoed in the silent study: "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother has ordered the arrest of Prince Yan. Anyone who resists will be killed on the spot!"
Chai Zhen's hand paused slightly while he was reviewing the memorial, and his red pen left a bright red ink mark on the memorial, like a blood mark, foreshadowing the coming bloody storm.
He slowly put down the red brush in his hand, took a deep breath, and there was no panic on his face. Instead, he showed a meaningful smile, like the pride of a hunter seeing his prey fall into a trap.
"Mother, oh mother... you finally lost your patience..." He murmured to himself, with a hint of sarcasm, helplessness, and an imperceptible sadness in his tone.
He stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the deep night sky, his mind racing. He knew that this power struggle had reached a fever pitch, and if he wasn't careful, he would be doomed.
He must advance step by step in order to ultimately win the war.
He quickly summoned his closest confidants to discuss countermeasures. Urgent secret letters, like black night birds, flew to every corner of the capital. Inside the imperial study in Xuanzheng Hall, the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed frozen, a tense and uneasy air thick with anxiety.
Qin Wu, the Vice Minister of War, clad in armor, his resonant footsteps were especially clear in the silent study. Fan Bu, the Vice Minister of Revenue, clutching an ivory tablet, walked hurriedly, his brow furrowed. Liu Mi, the Prefect of Qifeng, wore his official uniform meticulously, his expression solemn, his steps steady. Amu, the Commander of the Imperial Guards, dressed in black, his sword gleaming at his waist, surveying his surroundings with the vigilance of a cheetah. They arrived one after another, taking their places in the Imperial Study, awaiting the Emperor's instructions.
Everyone had different expressions, some were anxious, some were indignant, and some were silent, but they all cast their eyes on Chai Zhen behind the imperial desk.
"Your Majesty, the Queen Mother's move is clearly to kill us all. We cannot sit and wait to die!" Qin Wu, the Minister of War, was the first to break the silence. He was wearing armor and spoke passionately, his tone full of anger and anxiety. He tightly grasped the sword at his waist, as if ready to rush out and fight the Queen Mother to the death at any time.
"The Queen Mother is pushing us into a desperate situation!" he added, his voice trembling slightly with excitement.
"Yes, Your Majesty, we must take action as soon as possible, otherwise we will be passive!" Fan Bu, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, also echoed. Although he was a civil servant, his face was full of worry at this moment. He kept twisting his beard with his fingers, showing his inner uneasiness.
"The Queen Mother controls the Imperial Guards. We must find a way to regain control! The Imperial Guards are distributed throughout the country, numbering as many as 700,000, and are a deadly threat." He suggested in a hurried tone.
Qifeng Zhaoyin Liu Mi also spoke: "Your Majesty, although the city defense army of Qifeng is small in number, with only more than 20,000 people, they are well-trained and well-equipped, and absolutely loyal to Your Majesty. I am willing to lead the city defense army and defend Your Majesty to the death!" His voice was low and firm, showing his unquestionable loyalty.
The commander of the imperial guards, Amu, remained silent, standing quietly by, observing the crowd's reactions. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, ready to obey the emperor's orders. Although he remained silent, the firmness in his eyes showed his willingness to risk his life for the emperor.
However, Svay Cheng remained calm, listening to everyone's opinions without expressing any opinion. He knew that now was not the time to make a final decision. He needed a foolproof plan to ensure his invincibility.
"I appreciate your loyalty, my dear ministers. But this matter still needs further consideration." He spoke slowly, his tone calm and deep.
He paused and continued, "The Queen Mother's action this time is obviously well prepared. We must act with caution and must not act rashly." His eyes swept over the crowd, and his tone reminded everyone present.
Finally, when everyone was arguing endlessly, Chai Zhen spoke up. He made a suggestion that no one expected - he proposed to the Queen Mother that the Prince of Yan be exiled to a remote frontier town!
When these words came out, everyone was shocked and looked at each other, confused as to what the emperor was up to. The Prince of Yan was the emperor's right-hand man, his most capable assistant at court, and a vital force in his fight against the empress dowager. If the Prince of Yan left Kaifeng, the emperor would lose a vital supporter. Wouldn't that be like cutting off an arm?
"Your Majesty, you absolutely cannot do this! Once Prince Yan leaves Kaifeng, we will lose an important support. Wouldn't that be..." Qin Wu hurriedly dissuaded him, his voice becoming a little sharp because of shock.
"Yes, Your Majesty, this is too risky!" Fan Bu also said, his face full of worry and confusion. He even began to wonder if the emperor had made a wrong judgment because of too much pressure.
Although Amu did not speak, he frowned slightly, obviously he was also confused about the emperor's decision. Although he was loyal to the emperor, he was also worried that this decision would have disastrous consequences.
Chai Zhen looked at the puzzled expressions of the crowd, his lips curled up slightly, revealing an enigmatic smile. He didn't explain much, simply saying, "I will make the decision."
Elsewhere, in Cen Jiexiao's residence, Cen Jiexiao and Chen Zigui were discussing Chai Zhen's decision in low voices, speculating on the emperor's deeper meaning behind this move, when suddenly, the sound of steady footsteps interrupted their conversation.
Cen Jiexiao looked up and saw Li Dehai, the Queen's personal eunuch, walking towards them. Li Dehai was smiling, holding several exquisite lacquered wooden boxes in his hands. It was obvious that they were filled with cakes.
"Dean Cen, the Queen Mother specially ordered me to bring you some cakes, saying that she wants to thank you for taking care of the Queen Mother during this period of time." Li Dehai walked up to Cen Jiexiao and bowed respectfully.
Cen Jiexiao was slightly stunned, and confusion suddenly arose in her heart. She subconsciously looked at Chen Zigui, but saw that he also had a bewildered expression.
"Thank you, father-in-law." Sister Cen Xiao suppressed her doubts and politely took the cakes.
Li Dehai handed the cakes to Cen Jiexiao with a smile, and added, "These cakes are all made by the Empress herself. Dean Cen, please try them."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness." Cen Jiexiao thanked again.
Li Dehai didn't leave immediately. He looked around to make sure there were no other people around. Then he approached Cen Jiexiao mysteriously and said in a low voice, "Dean Cen, there's a secret letter from the Emperor hidden in this cake."
These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in Sister Cen's ears. She was startled, but remained expressionless. She simply nodded slightly, indicating that she understood.