Chapter 1278: 1273: Going Too Far
Chapter 1278: Chapter 1273: Going Too Far
Yue Shi hurriedly followed behind Xiao Rongyan, inevitably feeling self-reproach. No wonder the eldest lady didn’t tell him anything. It turns out… he can’t conceal his emotions well, which also causes the master some trouble.
Determined, Yue Shi decided that once the matters in Xiliang were settled, he would go back and properly consult Wang Jiuzhou, to learn how Wang Jiuzhou usually hides his emotions.
When Xiao Rongyan arrived at the main hall, Wei Zhong was holding a teacup and sipping tea, until he heard the announcement from outside: “The Ninth Prince arrives…”
Only then did Wei Zhong leisurely put down his teacup and stand up to greet Xiao Rongyan: “An old servant greets the Ninth Prince.”
Behind Xiao Rongyan followed the Second Prince of Yan Kingdom, Murong Ping, and the Great General Xie Xun, along with other Yan Kingdom commanders who glared at Wei Zhong with angry expressions, wishing they could swallow Wei Zhong alive. However, Wei Zhong was unfazed, still maintaining his smiling demeanor.
“Eunuch Wei, it has been a long time…” Xiao Rongyan nodded and took a seat at the head of the table, then said, “Everyone, please be seated!”
After the Yan Kingdom commanders thanked him and sat down, Wei Zhong stood upright facing Xiao Rongyan, folding his hands before his abdomen and began to speak: “This time, as per the Emperor’s orders, I have come to meet the Ninth Prince of Yan Kingdom because our Zhou army and Yan joined forces to defeat the enemy, but we were betrayed… resulting in the fifth son of Bai family, brother to our Emperor, suffering grave injuries and being captured alive, and he has yet to awaken.”
Xiao Rongyan heard Wei Zhong speak thus and knew he had brought the Yan Kingdom generals at just the right moment.
“That’s not right, I heard the fifth son of Zhou has already awakened!” A Yan Kingdom commander shouted.
“When I arrived, the fifth son did wake up once but then fell unconscious again. If the Yan Kingdom general does not believe me, he can go see for himself.” Wei Zhong spoke at a moderated pace.
Xiao Rongyan raised his hand to stop the Yan Kingdom commander and said with a pretended earnest attitude, “This matter, I have already sent Yue Shi to personally deliver a letter explaining to the Emperor of Zhou, and… General Chu, who betrayed the fifth son of Bai family, has already been dealt with by military law. I wonder how the Zhou Emperor wishes to proceed, Eunuch Wei, please speak your mind. If Yan can meet those needs, we will definitely fulfill them.”
“Ninth Prince, according to our Zhou’s knowledge… the one who betrayed both countries’ war tactics to General Cui Shanzhong was not General Chu but the Empress Dowager of Yan. Our Zhou confidently claims righteousness to our ally Yan Kingdom, yet the Empress Dowager of Yan during the combined attack on Yunjing to destroy Xiliang, feared Zhou would first seize Yunjing, and stabbed us in the back, selling the tactics to Xiliang.” Wei Zhong spoke without condescension, noticed a Yan Kingdom commander standing up but remained unaffected, continuing, “Moreover, the plan was for Cui Shanzhong, after ambushing and capturing a sibling of the Emperor of Zhou, to send them to Yan Kingdom…”
The Second Prince Murong Ping gripped the sword at his waist tightly and looked nervously at his Ninth Uncle.
Others did not know his Ninth Uncle was not truly contending for power with Xiao Ali, but Murong Ping knew. If his Ninth Uncle wanted the throne, he would not have needed to let Xiao Ali ascend, but instead could have claimed the throne himself using the Imperial Edict from their father.
The appearance of discord between his Ninth Uncle and Xiao Ali was for others to see, as was the discord between his Ninth Uncle and the Empress Dowager.
This time… If the Empress Dowager indeed made such a mistake and conspired with General Cui Shanzhong, the ministers around his Ninth Uncle would surely urge him to seize this opportunity to strip the Empress Dowager from her regency role. How should the Ninth Uncle respond?
If he indeed took this chance to remove the Empress Dowager, then his Ninth Uncle’s intention to keep Xiao Ali hidden would be compromised. The confrontation between the Empress Dowager and the Regent Prince would become visible to outsiders and Yan’s ministers, making some national policies impossible to implement smoothly with Xiao Ali hidden behind Ninth Uncle and the Empress Dowager.
On one side, Zhou has already assembled troops at Yan’s border, seeking accountability.
On the other, Yan’s current balanced situation in the Imperial Court, with ministers under Ninth Uncle ambitious to depose the Empress Dowager from her regency.
It’s practically putting Ninth Uncle on a grill.
“Cui Shanzhong is already dead! Dead without proof, do you Zhou think that by this means, whatever you say becomes the truth?” A Yan Kingdom commander spoke emotionally.
“Exactly! From your words, what… you want to do to our Empress Dowager of Yan?”
“Simply being opportunistic! Although our Yan Kingdom betrayed your Zhou first, didn’t our Ninth Prince personally infiltrate the city, risking his life to save people? Moreover, isn’t your fifth son still alive!” A Yan Kingdom commander, no longer able to restrain his emotions, rolled up his sleeves and approached Wei Zhong, shouting loudly, “After our Yan Army entered the Yunjing Imperial Palace, we withdrew, while you remained inside the Imperial Palace even before determining whom Yunjing belonged to. What does this mean?”
On hearing “isn’t your fifth son still alive”, Wei Zhong’s pupils suddenly contracted, his lips smiling, but the coldness in his eyes was unmistakable.
Not just Wei Zhong, even Xie Xun and Murong Ping felt uncomfortable on hearing those words, with Murong Ping first speaking, “General, please speak cautiously!”
Wei Zhong stared directly at the speaking commander: “It seems this general only remembers your Yan Kingdom entering Yunjing, but not how your Yan Army entered Yunjing. Beneath the winch of the East Gate… your Yan Army could enter Yunjing, it was because Zhou’s Bai family army paid with their bones!”
Wei Zhong’s smile grew slightly deeper: “Indeed, those Bai family soldiers you betrayed… they fought to the death to open the city gates for you. Has anyone among your Yan Army counted how many Bai family soldiers’ bones lie beneath the winch of the East Gate? It was… the fifth son of Bai family, gravely wounded and captured due to betrayal by your Yan Kingdom Empress Dowager, who thought about the alliance between both countries and divided the troops in the city prison, opened the East Gate! Rather than… Zhou’s Lord of Gaoyi waiting in ambush at the South Gate!”
This statement unexpectedly calmed the previously emotional Yan Kingdom generals somewhat.
The Yan Army had to admit that they did indeed step over the bones of Bai family soldiers to enter the city. Had the Bai family soldiers not fought to open the gate… the Yan Army did not have troops skilled in siege warfare like Zhou’s Shuoyang Army; they would certainly not have breached the gate so swiftly.
In truth, Yan Kingdom betrayed Zhou, and even at this time Zhou opening the East Gate for Yan would not be a matter of complaint from Yan.
“Naturally, Zhou has always maintained clarity, since the two countries are allies, the gates will be opened for Yan. However… now that Xiliang is defeated, our Zhou Emperor and the full Imperial Court feel it’s time to settle Yan’s betrayal.” Wei Zhong smiled at the previously emotional Yan Kingdom commander, “This general just mentioned evidence, without which… this old servant would certainly not have come today!”
Wei Zhong turned to Xiao Rongyan: “We Zhou have captured Cui Shanzhong’s confidants and clearly understood, General Cui Shanzhong indeed sent someone to Yan Kingdom and reached an alliance with the Empress Dowager of Yan.”