Chapter 52.1 Chip Chip Chip Chip Chip Chip Chip…
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
After the New Year, he still had to attend the early court session and take care of important matters concerning the state.
The news of Jiao Kingdom’s retreat was delivered through carrier pigeons, and when the Ministry of War presented the report, there was an immediate atmosphere of joy in the court.
Many ministers who had been worried about Jiao Kingdom’s aggressive approach silently breathed a sigh of relief.
The Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue now faced the challenge of deciding on rewards and honors for the three armies and the Regent Prince.
When Li Jinyu proposed the plan to counterattack Jiao Kingdom, he immediately faced opposition from many individuals.
The reasons for opposition were mainly centered around the belief that “By defending the border, we can ensure peace in the Central Plains. Why waste our soldiers’ lives and shed tears by launching an offensive against another country?” and “The Regent Prince should not be given military power again, as it could destabilize the state.”
There were few supporters, with only a handful of individuals like Zhou Wenyan.
Even Huo Caijin falling ill in recent days resulted in a significant decline in the voices of support.
“Ever since Beiyue Pass was constructed, it feels as though Great Di has given Zhen a certain impression,” Li Jinyu instinctively placed his hand on his chest, where a jade hamster was hidden beneath his dragon robe. “As long as we guard Beiyue Pass, we can rest assured and enjoy peace throughout the land.”
The officials abruptly fell silent.
Li Jinyu reminisced about the vivid portrayal in the novel, where Jiao Kingdom fiercely attacked the border, reducing the area both inside and outside Beiyue Pass to a scorched wasteland. He took a gentle breath and said, “As long as Jiao Kingdom exists, they will constantly have their eyes on Great Di. Beiyue Pass is not an impenetrable fortress. Who among you can guarantee its perpetual defense?”
No one dared to respond.
“Since Jiao Kingdom dares to launch a preemptive attack against us, why can’t we retaliate?” Li Jinyu stood up and lightly tapped the armrest of the dragon throne, his voice clear and resolute. “If we endure being struck on the face and retreat, Jiao Kingdom will only become bolder!”
Furthermore, there were other neighboring small countries surrounding Great Di, not solely Jiao Kingdom.
The officials below fell silent for a while, then someone hesitantly spoke, “Your Majesty’s words are true, but our Di Dynasty’s army is weary from the recent battles and needs at least six months to rest…”
“Jiao Kingdom will recover faster than us.”
In Jiao Kingdom, every citizen was a soldier, and they freely grazed their horses on the grasslands. Unlike Great Di, they had specialized military forces and horse farms. After each war, they suffer edlosses, but with the arrival of spring rain, the grass grew lush again, and they replenished their resources.
On the other hand, Great Di had an entire empire as support, capable of providing abundant supplies to sustain this campaign.
That was why Huo Caiyu wanted to seize the advantage and prevent Jiao Kingdom from having a chance to catch their breath.
Li Jinyu fully agreed with this strategy.
The reasons for counterattacking Jiao Kingdom were clear, but as for the resistance…
Li Jinyu was probably the least worried person in this world about Huo Caiyu gaining exclusive control over the military.
Judging from Huo Caiyu’s current appearance upon returning… Although he had undergone significant changes, he was still the Huo Caiyu who filled him with a sense of security.
The Minister of War and others earnestly advised, presenting numerous pieces of evidence to prove Huo Caiyu’s excessive military influence. However, Li Jinyu paid no attention to them at all.
He couldn’t comprehend these political maneuvers, but he trusted Huo Caiyu.
In fact, he secretly hoped that Huo Caiyu had some hidden intentions!
The decision to launch a counterattack against Jiao Kingdom was now firmly established.
Naturally, in accordance with the agreement with Huo Caiyu, Li Jinyu refrained from mentioning Huo Caiyu’s previous return to the capital.
Although he had no clear understanding of what Huo Caiyu was doing.
Since they were embarking on a counterattack against Jiao Kingdom, both the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Finance needed to mobilize their resources fully. Having just celebrated the New Year, everyone became busy once again.
However, in the palace, Li Jinyu received an audience with General Meng, who had retired and returned home.
Li Jinyu held a certain level of respect for this seasoned general who had dedicated half of his life to the Di Dynasty.
“Have a seat and enjoy some tea, General. What brings you to the palace?”
General Meng didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he carefully observed Li Jinyu’s face and let out a soft sigh, “Your Majesty bears a striking resemblance to the Late Emperor.”
Li Jinyu felt somewhat confused and absentmindedly touched his own face. “As father and son, it’s only natural for Zhen to resemble the Late Emperor.”
Shaking his head, General Meng let out another sigh before proceeding, “This official has obtained some information regarding the Regent Prince.”
Li Jinyu was surprised. “What kind of information?”
“The Regent Prince left the border with a few trusted aides before the New Year,” General Meng revealed, producing two sealed letters from his pocket, “However, carrier pigeons from Beiyue Pass informed us that the Regent Prince has been stationed with the army all along.”
Li Jinyu was momentarily taken aback, suspecting that General Meng had discovered Huo Caiyu’s covert return to the capital.
After receiving and examining the letters, Li Jinyu realized that they were unrelated to that matter.
The letters detailed several instances where the court’s undercover agents and the intelligence networks of the Meng and Han families witnessed Huo Caiyu’s movements. After leaving Beiyue Pass, he first traveled to Jiangnan before making his way to the capital. However, his whereabouts became unknown when he neared the capital.
Considering the time Huo Caiyu departed from the border… it had been almost two weeks since New Year’s Eve.
Li Jinyu was momentarily stunned.
He had assumed Huo Caiyu had returned directly from the border… but apparently not?
His initial thought was that General Meng was trying to deceive him.
However, the detailed information provided by the general, including reports from the court’s undercover agents, made it pointless to fabricate. He could cross-check the case files for verification.
If this information was true… what was Huo Caiyu doing in Jiangnan?
Li Jinyu furrowed his brow, deep in thought.
General Meng lifted the nearby teacup, took a sip, and placed it back down. His gaze was solemn. “Your Majesty, the Regent Prince’s actions of purging traitors and securing the border are those of a loyal servant to Great Di. However, if he harbors ulterior motives, then he is a traitor to Great Di!”
Li Jinyu wholeheartedly supported Huo Caiyu’s claim to the throne, but he couldn’t tolerate others speaking ill of him. He immediately countered, “Huo Aiqing is not that kind of person.”
“Leaving the army without imperial orders and traveling back and forth between Jiangnan and the capital… he has committed a grave offense!” General Meng shook his head. “Having served in the military for decades, I have never witnessed such behavior…”
He presented the second piece of intelligence, a tinge of sadness in his gaze. “This is… the recent reorganization of the capital’s garrison.”
Li Jinyu glanced at it, feeling a bit overwhelmed by the intricate deployment details. “What does this imply?”
“Since Prime Minister Ye’s downfall, the officers in the garrison have been gradually and quietly replaced,” General Meng explained, pointing at the intelligence. “Most of the new faces are now responsible for the palace’s nearby security.”
Li Jinyu sensed the underlying meaning behind General Meng’s words and furrowed his brow. “This matter may not necessarily be connected to Regent Prince.”
Huo Caiyu handled various political affairs, but he purposely avoided meddling in the military, especially the Imperial Guards under the Emperor’s direct command, to avoid suspicion.
Li Jinyu himself didn’t bother with military matters and had always allowed them to follow the established procedures.
“How can we be sure this isn’t a deceptive tactic?” General Meng scoffed. “There’s no need for frequent changes in palace guards during normal deployments! If this official hadn’t specifically investigated, it might have gone unnoticed!”
Li Jinyu pressed his lips together. “What does the General’s mean?”
“Did the Regent Prince personally send Your Majesty the plan for the counterattack against Jiao Kingdom?” General Meng suddenly stood up. “This official suggests Your Majesty immediately halt the plan to counterattack Jiao Kingdom, temporarily control the Huo family, and issue a special order to recall Regent Prince.”
Recalling someone with a special order was almost certain death for commanders in the field.
Li Jinyu shook his head without hesitation and placed the evidence back on the desk. “The counterattack against Jiao Kingdom is now unavoidable. Zhen cannot halt the progress of our army because of such matters.”
General Meng tightened his brows, his voice becoming more serious. “Your Majesty, this concerns the fate of our nation!”
“The counterattack against Jiao Kingdom is also for the sake of our nation’s stability.”
General Meng glared at Li Jinyu, as if he was about to burst into anger right then and there.
In the past, he had actually been furious with Emperor Jingchang, but Emperor Jingchang never paid him any attention and only stuck by Prime Minister Ye.
Now, His Majesty wasn’t as reckless as before, but still blindly trusted those with hidden motives, just as always!
General Meng suddenly seemed to lose his strength. The anger on his face slowly faded away, and after a moment of silence, he let out a long sigh and turned to leave directly.
Li Jinyu had almost thought General Meng was going to hit him, and he even wondered where he could hide.
The black cat, lying on a nearby soft cushion, watched the whole scene and let out a sneer once everyone was gone. “General Meng is still as stubborn as ever.”
Li Jinyu slowly snapped out of it and became somewhat concerned. “Is he alright?”
Thinking about how stubbornly he had blindly trusted Huo Caiyu and ignored the evidence, General Meng must have been furious.
“Never mind him. Although he’s stubborn, he remains unwaveringly loyal to the Emperor,” the black cat said disdainfully. “He spent his whole life being foolishly loyal, hmph.”
The black cat turned its head. “You should rather worry about what’s truly going on with Huo Caiyu.”
Li Jinyu pursed his lips and carefully read through the intelligence report again.
The report stated that Huo Caiyu had traveled to a certain county in Jiangnan with a trusted confidant, but then went missing. Later, they reappeared near the capital.
The next events would likely involve Huo Caiyu urgently rushing on horseback to the palace in the capital…
Li Jinyu felt a sense of discomfort in his heart.
He wasn’t afraid of Huo Caiyu seizing power, but he did mind the fact that Huo Caiyu hadn’t informed him about going to Jiangnan.
This thought kept lingering in his mind, causing him to feel somewhat disgusted with himself.
After all, he was not someone close to Huo Caiyu, so why should he feel obligated to report everything to him?
However, despite thinking rationally, Li Jinyu couldn’t help but feel inexplicably bothered.
Maybe Huo Caiyu is actually plotting to seize the throne… that’s why he didn’t tell me.
Li Jinyu could only console himself in this way.
The black cat seemed to have seen through Li Jinyu’s thoughts and suddenly chuckled coldly. “Don’t dwell on it. Huo Caiyu surely has no intention of seizing the throne.”
Li Jinyu never expected the black cat to have even more confidence than himself, prompting him to instinctively refute, “Who says so?”
“Huo Caiyu probably desires to become your Empress now,” the black cat clucked with a touch of schadenfreude, “Placing him in the Jiaolan Palace back then wasn’t a mistake.”
Now Li Jinyu knew that the Jiaolan Palace was reserved for the Empress. Upon hearing the black cat mention his past blunder, he couldn’t help but blush slightly as he forced himself to say, “How do you know he doesn’t intend to seize the throne and then appoint me as the Empress?”
At first, he only said those words to counter the black cat, but as they left his mouth, Li Jinyu himself became momentarily dazed.
Then, his eyes brightened suddenly.
Yes!
He had been constantly contemplating how Huo Caiyu would usurp the throne after confessing his love… How could he have overlooked this aspect?
Huo Caiyu could easily turn villainous, seize power, and then crown him as the Empress, all in order to “possess” him!
With this realization, everything fell into place logically!
If you enjoy this novel, support the Translator ginevre on her ko-fi account :))
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
