Chapter 281 - 78: Stalling

Chapter 281: Chapter 78: Stalling

In the court hall at dawn, the officials’ expressions were grave.

They had already heard the news before court began.

’Alas, a new reign has begun, but it seems this new year offers no fresh start.’

The first news of the new year was that Chu Ling was dead.

And this second piece of news came as no surprise.

Even with the Grand Tutor present, the officials could not be stopped from murmuring, filling the hall with a low buzz that ceased only when Xie Yanfang entered with the Emperor.

Xie Yanfang was not even wearing his court dress; clearly, he had come straight from the Inner Palace.

Seeing Xie Yanfang dressed this way, the officials were both surprised and not. Xie Yanfang rarely entered the Inner Palace—less often even than Grand Tutor Deng Yi—let alone spent the night there. However, given what had happened, it was only natural for the Emperor’s sole relative to enter the palace in the middle of the night to be with him.

The Emperor took his seat. After the ministers kowtowed, Deng Yi said, "The King of Zhongshan’s Household Soldiers—one hundred thousand of them—are marching to defend the Capital City. They are currently eight hundred li away."

Not all the officials had been privy to the news. A few were momentarily stunned, and one, jolting awake from a drowsy stupor, blurted out, "One hundred thousand soldiers? That’s wonderful! The Capital City is safe!"

The moment he finished speaking, he noticed everyone else staring at him with peculiar expressions.

’What’s wrong?’ he thought. He blinked, his body stiffening as the last vestiges of sleep vanished.

’The King of Zhongshan... Where did he get an army? One hundred thousand soldiers!’

When a Prince is made a king, he is granted a fiefdom and is entitled only to its taxes for his food and clothing. He holds no military or financial authority, and the number of his Prince Mansion Guards is strictly fixed.

One hundred thousand Household Soldiers was a force equal in size to the entire Capital Guard.

’What is the King of Zhongshan trying to do?’

Deng Yi’s expression was placid. "We all know what he’s planning. His reaction since the incident has made it perfectly clear."

"He offered no condolences, nor did he come to court to pay his respects. He remained silent. For a Prince to behave this way is a clear sign of disloyalty."

"Now that Chu Ling is dead and King Western Liang poses an even greater threat in the Border County, he finally has the opportunity to reveal his true intentions to the realm."

The court officials were silent. In truth, they had all suspected as much. But with the country so unstable, it could not withstand more turmoil. They had simply hoped the King of Zhongshan would continue his silence.

’Once the country has stabilized, once the Little Prince is a bit older—’

But the King of Zhongshan would never wait.

The King of Zhongshan would only wait for Chu Ling to die and for the Border County to be too preoccupied to act. Then, unopposed and unstoppable, he would march on the Capital City—

"This is treason!" an official stepped forward and declared sharply. "Your Majesty, please issue an imperial edict at once."

The court officials erupted in a flurry of discussion. "We must crush the King of Zhongshan!" "He may have one hundred thousand Household Soldiers, but we have a hundred thousand soldiers in the Capital City, plus those from the other prefectures!" "The prefectural armies were held back from the Border County for this very reason—to guard the interior against traitors like the King of Zhongshan!"

"The King of Zhongshan’s army is spreading rumors along their route," Deng Yi said, looking at the officials. "They say that Chu Ling is dead and that King Western Liang’s army has invaded. The people are in a panic, which has led to tens of thousands of them following his forces." He paused, then added, "These civilians are at the very front of their column."

With that single sentence, the clamor throughout the hall vanished.

Everyone knew what this meant.

To repel the King of Zhongshan’s army, they would first have to kill those civilians. And how could the court slaughter its own people?

"The King of Zhongshan... To be so utterly despicable!" the courtiers seethed.

What could be done? Could they really just let the King of Zhongshan’s army advance step by step on the Capital City, on the Imperial City itself?

"Grand Tutor, I will issue an imperial decree," the young Emperor’s voice rang out. "It will order the King of Zhongshan’s Household Soldiers to split their forces and take up garrisons, to defend the Capital City alongside our Capital Soldiers. What do you think of this?"

The officials quickly turned to look at the young Emperor. ’Yes, a delaying tactic!’ their thoughts raced. Their eyes then shifted to Xie Yanfang. This had to have been Mr. Xie’s idea.

Deng Yi, unconcerned with who came up with the idea, nodded. "Since the King of Zhongshan claims to be protecting the Capital City, Your Majesty will let him do just that. And protecting the Capital City means obeying the court’s orders. If he refuses—"

"—then he is a traitor, and it is the duty of all to strike him down."

"Should fighting break out, any civilian deaths will be the King of Zhongshan’s crime to bear."

Xiao Yu continued, "We have long been prepared for the King of Zhongshan’s treason. Holding our armies back from the Border County was done in preparation for this very day. The country is in turmoil, so it is inevitable that some will take the opportunity to cause chaos. King Western Liang has done so, as has the King of Zhongshan. I have faced death and survived upheaval, and I am still sitting here today. I believe the Great Xia will overcome this crisis as well."

Hearing these words—spoken in a childish voice but with a placid expression—from the boy on the Dragon Throne, the courtiers were deeply shaken. ’If a child feels no fear, what right have we to be afraid?’ They bowed low as one and proclaimed, "We, your subjects, pledge to serve with all our strength until the day we die! We stand with Your Majesty and with the Great Xia!"