Chapter 284 - 79: Unstoppable

Chapter 284: Chapter 79: Unstoppable

The imperial decree burned in the brazier, sending up black smoke that turned everyone’s face in the room as black as soot.

Xiao Xun was not alone in the quiet tent; standing opposite him were three court officials.

They knew Xiao Xun had come with ill intentions, but they never expected him to burn the imperial decree right in front of them.

This left no room for decorum; he had torn away all pretense.

"Princely Heir," the leading court official shouted sternly. "How audacious!"

Xiao Xun smiled, his dimples deepening. "Your Excellency, if I weren’t audacious, how could I have made it here? Or did you think I, Xiao Xun, was some timid little man? You know full well why I am here, and you know full well why *you* are here."

He pointed at the burning decree.

"Did you think this thing could stop me?"

A court official said in a low voice, "Xiao Xun, are you and your father truly defying the late Emperor’s will and plotting treason?"

Xiao Xun sighed softly. "What is the late Emperor’s will, and what is treason? Have you forgotten? My surname is also Xiao. My father is of the Imperial Family’s bloodline. The late Emperor was debauched and inept, unable to raise his own son, and committed such an unnatural, wicked act. This throne should have gone to a person of virtue and ability. Letting a mere child sit on the throne, letting a clerk of humble birth—a maternal in-law—control the court... *that* is the real treason."

"Would a person of virtue and ability do what you are doing? Bullying a child who inherited the throne after losing his parents?" the court official said coldly. "Would a person of virtue and ability use the common people as a shield to threaten the court?"

Another court official said in a low, grave voice, "This decree was meant to save face for you and your father, to urge you to turn back from this misguided path. It is not too late."

Xiao Xun roared with laughter, and Tie Ying took a step forward, his blade aimed at the official.

The official’s expression changed slightly, but he straightened his back and did not retreat.

"Don’t kill him yet," Xiao Xun said. "It’s not time."

Tie Ying sheathed his blade and stepped back.

"Bullying a child," Xiao Xun said softly. "Wasn’t my father, the King, also just a child back then?"

He looked at the three officials.

"Using the people as a shield—it’s not just me. It’s you, too."

"Who did you issue this decree for? Not for me. It was to deceive the public."

"The Capital Camp’s one hundred thousand soldiers are already arrayed ahead. Over a hundred thousand County Soldiers from all directions have already closed in. They’re just waiting for me to reject the decree, to disobey its command, so they can declare war on the grounds of defiance. When the time comes, and the people are crushed under merciless blades and iron hooves, it won’t be the court’s fault."

At this, Xiao Xun smiled.

"But don’t worry. I won’t let the court’s kind intentions go to waste."

"I accept the decree. I will obey the command and protect the Capital City."

"But there is one thing you should not forget."

"When a general is in the field, he may disobey the sovereign’s command."

With that, he signaled Tie Ying.

"Let our three Excellencies rest."

Before the three could react, Tie Ying stepped forward and knocked them unconscious with three swift strikes. The men collapsed to the ground.

Without a second glance, Xiao Xun stepped over their bodies and walked out.

"Everyone, the three officials will be staying with us to protect the Capital City together!" he announced to the crowd that had gathered outside the camp. "Even without General Wei, Chu Ling, here, Western Liang won’t even think of setting foot in our Great Xia! They won’t harm a single citizen of Great Xia!"

The crowd cheered loudly.

Amidst the cheers, Xiao Xun said to the General behind him, "Break camp tomorrow. We will split our forces into four routes and continue toward the Capital City."

The General acknowledged the order.

Xiao Xun looked back toward the Northwest again. ’What a pity,’ he thought. ’That girl won’t be able to see with her own eyes how I conquer the Capital City.’

...

...

Late that night, the troops of the Capital Camp were still on the move.

Zhang Gu stood outside the camp, lost in thought.

"Boss," a fellow posthouse soldier ran over and asked in a low voice, "Something’s not right."

"Of course it’s not right," Zhang Gu shot him a glare. "Are you an idiot? Did you really think everything was fine?"

All these troops from the Capital Camp suddenly being mobilized... They say the court ordered the King of Zhongshan to protect the Capital City alongside the Capital Camp, but that’s just a story to fool the public. Where would the King of Zhongshan get his own army? For a Feudal Lord to maintain a private army is a capital offense.

Besides, with so many troops being moved eight hundred li outside the Capital City, the Post Station Camp never received a single message.

It was obvious the King of Zhongshan’s forces had avoided the court’s surveillance.

As for what these troops intended to do... was there any need to guess?

The posthouse soldier whispered, "Boss, what I mean is, the court isn’t acting right, either."

Zhang Gu looked at him. "At this point, this is all the court can do. They’re trying their best to stop him, and if they can’t... well, the troops are already deployed outside the Capital City."

The forces from every State and County were also on standby. They had long been prepared to deal with an internal threat.

"No," the posthouse soldier said anxiously. "What I’m saying is, the court still hasn’t sent any word to Empress Chu. They’re trying to keep her in the dark!"