NCCnovel Chapter 304 Guess
Chapter 304 Guess
Emperor Zhao's gaze was like a sharp sword, sweeping across the faces of his ministers one by one, and finally, it stopped on Prime Minister Bao.
"Prime Minister Bao, what are your thoughts on this matter?" Emperor Zhao's voice was low and steady, and no emotion could be heard from it, but it made everyone feel nervous.
Prime Minister Bao walked steadily out of the procession, his posture straight and his expression solemn and serious. He first bowed respectfully to the Emperor of Zhao, and then slowly spoke: "Your Majesty, I believe that the strategic location of Donghai Island is extremely important. It is related to the safety of the coastal defense of our great Zhao and must not be lost."
"Since Lord Chen has urgently sent a request for assistance, the situation on the island must be extremely critical and requires no further delay. I implore His Majesty to order the immediate dispatch of troops to support Donghai Island to alleviate its pressing needs and safeguard the integrity of the Great Zhao territory."
Prime Minister Bao knew very well that the emperor was an outstanding ruler. Before he ascended the throne, he had fought bravely on the battlefield and made great achievements. After he ascended the throne, he attached great importance to military strength.
Although he was deceived by treacherous villains in the past few years and made some wrong decisions, killing many meritorious officials, which made some veteran generals disheartened, if he can properly handle the East China Sea Island crisis and preserve this territory, there may be less gossip about the emperor in the court in the future.
Emperor Zhao listened quietly without any expression on his face. He neither nodded in agreement nor shook his head in disapproval.
Then he turned his gaze to Rong Taigong and asked the same question again.
Rong Taigong stepped forward, bowed with both hands, and stood upright, displaying the steadiness and wisdom of a civil official. "Your Majesty, I firmly second the proposal to send troops. Our Great Zhao is a great nation. How can we allow mere pirates to wreak havoc in our East China Sea, burning, killing, looting, and harming the people? I am willing to send my fourth son to lead the army to the East China Sea islands to wipe out the bandits, share the burden and relieve your majesty's worries, and enhance the prestige of our Great Zhao army!"
Mr. Rong's words were sincere and powerful, and his face was filled with enthusiasm and determination to serve the country.
However, Emperor Zhao looked at him deeply, and his eyes seemed to contain many complex emotions that were difficult to understand.
After a moment, Emperor Zhao slowly spoke, his tone calm but unquestionable: "This matter is inappropriate. I have made my decision. I appoint the neutral Li Yuanhong as the Imperial Commissioner. He will depart immediately and dispatch troops under the command of Longmen City as quickly as possible to reinforce Donghai Island."
On the vast territory of Zhao State, Emperor Zhao, from the beginning of his accession to the throne, began a grand plan with great ambition to consolidate national defense and vigorously enhance the country's military strength.
After careful consideration and meticulous planning, four large and strategically important military towns came into being.
These four important military towns are like four shining pearls, located in the east, south, west and north of Zhao State respectively. They face each other from afar and respond closely to each other, like an indestructible steel line of defense, jointly guarding the peace and tranquility of the land of Zhao State.
Each important city was commanded by a trusted general who was deeply trusted by Emperor Zhao. These generals were responsible for a series of important responsibilities such as stationing troops and training them, and were always ready to respond to the court's dispatch orders.
It is worth mentioning that the planning and design of these military towns are exquisite.
If war breaks out suddenly in any direction of the country, east, south, west or north, and troops need to be dispatched urgently, the troops in the four major cities in all directions can be assembled quickly like a storm, and then rush to the battlefield at lightning speed.
At the same time, such an ingenious design has another deeper meaning - it can effectively ensure that when troop mobilization is carried out, it will not bring any adverse effects to the military defense of other regions, thereby effectively maintaining the high stability of the entire Zhao State’s military layout.
The existence of the four major cities is not only a symbol of Zhao's military strength, but also a strong proof of Zhao's national prosperity, which makes the surrounding countries dare not easily use force against Zhao.
On this day, the morning court session had just ended in the Golden Palace.
Prime Minister Bao and Lord Rong, who were the heads of the civil and military officials of the State of Zhao, walked out of the hall first with steady steps. They still had the solemn expressions of the court on their faces. After nodding slightly to each other, they left in opposite directions.
After returning to the mansion, Mr. Rong went straight to the study without any delay.
He knew the situation was urgent and immediately ordered his sons to come over.
After everyone arrived, Rong Taigong's expression became increasingly solemn. He slowly spoke, "At court this morning, we received an urgent military report from Longmen City. The situation on Donghai Island has reached a critical moment."
When the eldest master of the Rong family heard the news, he was shocked. When he heard that Emperor Zhao appointed Li Yuanhong as the imperial envoy to handle the matter, he couldn't help but feel confused.
I couldn't help but ask, "Father, why doesn't the Emperor let Fourth Brother lead the troops? Our Rongguo Mansion and the Chu Palace have had a good relationship in the past. Is the Emperor worried about this? And Chu Lingfeng, does the Emperor really not intend to use him anymore?"
Rong Taigong shook his head slightly, a pensive expression on his face. He always felt that the decision made by Emperor Zhao in the court today seemed fair and reasonable, but in fact there seemed to be a deeper intention behind it, especially when it came to Chu Lingfeng, the only remaining male in the Chu Palace. The attitude of Emperor Zhao was very subtle and unpredictable.
As long as Chu Lingfeng was still alive, Grandpa Rong felt like there was a huge stone pressing on his heart, and he could never feel at ease.
Rong Taigong originally planned to personally come forward and ask Emperor Zhao to let his fourth son lead troops to Donghai Island, hoping to take this opportunity to get rid of Chu Lingfeng and prevent future troubles.
Unexpectedly, his proposal was rejected on the spot by Emperor Zhao, which made him even more uneasy.
At this moment, the Third Master of the Rong Family's eyes rolled and he proposed an idea: "How about having my younger sister go and test the Emperor's mind? Perhaps she can find out what he is really thinking."
Upon hearing this, Master Rong's expression suddenly changed. He waved his hands hastily, shaking his head repeatedly in disapproval, "Third brother! This is absolutely not feasible! Since ancient times, the harem is not allowed to interfere in government affairs. This is an iron rule passed down by our ancestors."
"My younger sister is at a critical moment now. One wrong step could lead to a catastrophic disaster. We must not ruin the future and plans of the entire family because of a momentary impulse!"
At this moment, Princess Min'an's marriage is like rowing against the current, and it is extremely difficult. They can do very little in this matter. Their only hope is that Concubine Rong in the palace can mediate skillfully and do her utmost to maintain the status and reputation of the Rong family in the court.
At this critical juncture, the Rong family is already walking on thin ice and can no longer withstand the slightest storm or setback. If they make even the slightest mistake and are caught by others, the consequences will be unimaginable.
For a moment, everyone present was silent and lowered their heads in thought.
The originally relaxed atmosphere in the study suddenly became extremely solemn, as if the air had solidified, so depressing that it was almost hard to breathe.