Water Margin begins as a captain in Yanggu County

Chapter 312 What does Su Ziqing mean by this?
Li Gang was extremely anxious. Although he had never fought a war and did not truly understand military affairs, he knew a simple truth at this moment: Su Wu had obviously arrived from the west and north, and it was time to launch a counterattack and cooperate.

The newly appointed Privy Councilor Geng Nanzhong immediately said, "The troops in Tokyo must not be moved under any circumstances. The Jurchens have already gone north, so we must not provoke them further. We should let them retreat safely!"

Li Gang hurriedly added, "This is not a good strategy. Now that the Northwest armies have arrived, they must have come from the Northwest. If the troops from Tokyo come out again, even if we don't pursue them, we should follow them from a distance and recover cities behind the Jurchens. This will also give the Jurchens more room to maneuver on the battlefield. Hebei is vulnerable, and we must fill the gaps."

Geng Nanzhong waved his hands repeatedly: "We must not take any risks, we must never take any risks! The Emperor is the most important thing, and Tokyo is the most important thing!"

Li Gang looked up, first at Bai Shizhong, then at Li Bangyan, and then at Zhang Bangchang, who had already been taken north by the Jurchens. He also wanted to see the Emperor…

Bai Shizhong and Li Bangyan remained silent, and the Emperor, seemingly unsure of what to do, also kept quiet...

Li Gang sighed helplessly, but remained speechless: "His Highness Prince Su and Minister Zhang are still in the enemy camp... The Jurchens have plundered countless gold, silver, silk, and people, and are extremely bloated. They certainly can't move fast. If Minister Su attacks from the north, we can advance north step by step and capture the city, perhaps saving countless more people..."

Geng Nanzhong waved his hands repeatedly: "Your Majesty, at this moment, the Emperor's troops have all arrived. There will be a large army to fight the Jurchens. The troops in the capital region should just guard the capital. This is the safest course of action, and the country will be safe!"

The emperor nodded and said, "Then so be it!"

The emperor still wore a happy expression, and he felt that Tokyo was more important. As long as he could sit firmly in Tokyo and nothing happened there, the throne would be secure. Without any unexpected complications, this was in line with the emperor's thoughts at the moment.

Li Gang was completely speechless and could only nod: "As you command!"

The emperor's mind was racing. Given the current situation, what was the most important thing to do next?

Then the Emperor said, "Hmm... The Emperor Emeritus went to Zhenjiang to pray for blessings. Now that the great enemy has retreated, it is time to invite the Emperor Emeritus to return to the capital as soon as possible... to take charge of the overall situation!"

Li Gang was incredibly intelligent, and so were everyone present; they could glean so much meaning from just this one sentence.

What does it mean to take charge of the overall situation?

It's nothing more than the saying, "There can't be two suns in the sky, nor two rulers in a country."

The retired emperor must be brought back; he can't be allowed to wander around outside. Otherwise, when it comes to imperial edicts, should we listen to the retired emperor or the emperor?

Emperor Zhao Huan was also in a hurry, wanting to finalize everything completely.

Now, Geng Nanzhong is the head of the Privy Council.

Within the imperial city, Zhao Huan has already made a cleanup in recent days. In other words, all the eunuchs and palace servants within the imperial city are now Zhao Huan's men.

These two things are already secured.

The emperor's words at this moment, which stated that he was asking the retired emperor to return and take charge of the overall situation, inevitably also inquired about the attitudes of those present.

The time has come to make a statement: should we support the new emperor, or the retired emperor?

Geng Nanzhong naturally set an example and was the first to speak: "Your Majesty, you should quickly send someone to invite the Emperor Emeritus back to the capital to enjoy his remaining years!"

The emperor remained silent, merely glancing around as people came and went.

Bai Shizhong naturally spoke up: "Your Majesty, I second that proposal!"

Li Bangyan was not to be outdone: "I second that!"

Why did these two ministers agree? The reason is simple: if the Emperor Emeritus were to return and truly take charge of the situation, these two would naturally have to step aside.

The emperor before us is holding court, and these two men are naturally his left and right humps.

Without even thinking about it, the new emperor is still the best.

As for those people, there were many: Cai Jing, Tong Guan, Liang Shicheng, Wang Fu…

Only those in the main hall who are swept into the trash heap along with the retired emperor can truly rise above others.

Inside the main hall, at this moment, another person began to stand out. It was Cai Mao, the prefect of Kaifeng, who was at the head of the hall. His official position was not low, and he had done a very good job in handling the matter. He deserved the most credit for the emperor's fundraising efforts.

This man also came from a high social standing. He was the son of the former prime minister Cai Que and the son-in-law of the former prime minister Feng Jing. He was the same Feng Jing mentioned in the saying "mistaking Feng Jing for Ma Liang". In fact, Feng Jing was also a great talent, having passed the imperial examinations in three rounds. He was also the son-in-law of Fu Bi, the prime minister during the reign of Emperor Renzong, having married two of Fu Bi's daughters.

Cai Mao and Cai Jing were actually relatives. Cai Mao's father, Cai Que, and Cai Jing shared the same great-grandfather. Although they were somewhat distant relatives, they were still from the same clan.

Cai Que was a core figure in the reform faction during Wang Anshi's reforms. Cai Jing once tried to curry favor with him, meaning that Cai Jing was indeed a follower of the reform faction at one time. Later, Cai Jing skillfully switched between the reform faction and the conservative faction.

After the reformists lost power, Cai Jing immediately became the vanguard of the conservatives and even purged the reformists. As a result, the two families were not very close, and the Cai family even had some dissatisfaction and hatred towards Cai Jing.

Later, during the reign of Emperor Zhezong, the reformists regained some ground, and Cai Jing once again became a member of the reformists...

Then came the reign of Emperor Huizong, and that's how the grudges and grievances lasted for decades.

Cai Mao has worked diligently this time, which has caught the Emperor's eye. Moreover, he is not particularly close to people like Cai Jing. How can we not use him?

Cai Mao, also a high-ranking official of the third rank, stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and seconded the motion.

Emperor Zhao Huan then saw Cai Mao, smiled slightly, and said, "Prefect Cai of Kaifeng has made great contributions in relieving the siege. He deserves to be rewarded and promoted to Associate Privy Councilor!"

It's not enough to just put Geng Nanzhong in the Privy Council; we also need to put Cai Mao in!
The emperor has his own agenda. To be honest, none of the others around the retired emperor are of great importance. Only Cai Jing and Tong Guan are the most troublesome. One has followers all over the country, and the other has high prestige in the army.

Now that the struggle for power has begun, those still in the court are now of one mind with the emperor, which makes things much easier.

The key lies in the Privy Council. The importance of military power in the struggle is self-evident. Tong Guan must be dealt with, which means we need to fill the Privy Council with people. If one is not enough, we need two.

As long as these situations stabilize, even if the retired emperor returns, he won't be able to cause any trouble.

This is only because there seems to be no one available at the moment. If there were someone available, Zhao Huan would stuff as many people as possible into the Privy Council, such as those who would serve as Privy Councilors or Associate Privy Councilors.

These people all went to the Privy Council, each wielding great power and displaying their unique abilities, all with one goal in mind: to put Tong Guan under control.

How could Cai Mao not be overjoyed? At this moment, he immediately bowed deeply and said, "I thank Your Majesty for your boundless grace. I will certainly devote myself to the country and share its burdens until my dying breath!"

The emperor nodded with a smile. With power in his hands, he could issue orders at will. The appointment and removal of court officials could be decided with a single word at this moment. There was not a single objection in the court. Under such circumstances, how could he not do more?

The moment the retired emperor returned, the entire court was transformed.

The Emperor also wanted to reward him: "This time, Minister Bai has shown loyalty and righteousness, and remained calm in the face of danger. He is hereby promoted to Grand Chancellor, concurrently serving as Vice Minister of the Chancellery, and further promoted to Duke of Chong!"

Everything happened too fast. The Jurchens had barely left when the emperor, without waiting a moment, began bestowing titles upon his officials. The reasons for this are self-evident.

So fast that even Bai Shizhong was stunned for a moment, and he could only bow deeply and say: "I thank Your Majesty for your boundless grace. I will continue to work hard and serve you as a subject!"

Li Bangyan had already looked up; he knew it was his turn.

The emperor then said, "Bring forth the Grand Minister!"

"Your Majesty's grace is beyond my humble request..."

Suddenly, more and more people began to look up. The Emperor, true to his word, was willing to bestow honors: Zhao Ye was promoted to Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel; Wang Xiaodi was appointed Minister of Rites and Vice Minister of the Chancellery…

These were people who hadn't been very close to Cai Jing in the past, but they were all put to use this time, and they all deserve credit.

Another person to mention is Li Zhuo, who was the first to go and talk to the Jin people and give them money. Although he was not very brave and was often frightened by Wanyan Zongwang's words, he stood out this time.

He was promoted to the position of Chief Secretary of the Privy Council and Academician of the Privy Council! He was now on par with Su Wu in rank.

They still tried every means to send people into the Privy Council.

At this moment, all one could see was the emperor waving his hand, bestowing official ranks and rewards continuously. Even Li Gang was somewhat expectant and was looking up...

The emperor also remembered Li Gang, promoting him from Vice Minister of War to Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, which, in name, could be considered equivalent to prime minister.

Li Gang was also excited, and couldn't help but feel that his wish had been fulfilled. What a scholar should seek in this world is to be appointed prime minister.

With great excitement, Li Gang bowed deeply in gratitude, his eyes reddening. He was filled with a sense of pride and even... dreaming of serving the country and the nation in the future.

The court was thus stabilized.

With the Privy Council crammed with many people, the court was stabilized, and the inner palace of the capital was firmly under control, remaining an impenetrable unit. Now, the most important thing was to quickly bring the retired emperor back.

Even while the retired emperor was away, he still engaged in some questionable activities, issuing imperial edicts to demand money and provisions from all over the place, and requiring people to serve and obey him...

These details need no further explanation.

The Jurchens were heading north, collecting their "deposits" from city to city. Before leaving, they would make one last effort, so their journey was not going to be fast. Giving up these valuables easily was simply out of the question...

While Su Wu was in Yanjing, he began to set up defenses and strategize. People from Jingdong, both civil and military, were constantly being sent from Cangzhou to Yanyun, and official positions were being issued to them...

The money, grain, and laborers from Hedong continuously traveled to and from Yanyun via the eight passes of Taihang and Datong.

Within the Yan-Yun region, in many cities, the people gradually returned, and even the government began to be reorganized, with officials returning and being reorganized. Laborers were also requisitioned and mobilized.

Even the things that Prime Minister Su did in the past are being done again now, namely distributing grain to the people. Last time, it was to gain a good reputation, but this time it is different; this time it is truly life-saving grain.

Many families had fled, but their homes were already empty. Fortunately, Lord Su's army arrived quickly; otherwise, who knows how many more people would have starved to death in the wilderness.

Lord Su's act of saving lives was not in vain. All the able-bodied men had to work, whether it was as military baggage handlers or civilian laborers, repairing city walls and government offices, or even cleaning the streets and organizing basic military training...

Everything is unfolding slowly, the only difference being the order and the speed...

In the south, Liu Guangshi has already conquered Xiong Prefecture and is now heading towards Hejian Prefecture to probe its defenses...

Zhenjiang!

The letter from Dongjing (Kaifeng) arrived quickly, even before the retired emperor had reached Zhenjiang. It reported that the Jurchens had retreated and requested the retired emperor to return to the capital immediately to take charge of the overall situation and reassure the people.

How could the retired emperor not be overjoyed?
With a beaming smile, how could Wang Fu not say, "Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations! Your minor ailment has been resolved. Please, Your Majesty, set off for the capital as soon as possible!"

Old Cai Jing was also beaming with joy, but amidst the happiness, there was a slight worry, and he didn't rush to speak.

Tong Guan showed no joy, but after offering a forced smile, his expression immediately turned to worry.

The retired emperor was overjoyed and smiled at Wang Fu, saying, "The mandate of heaven is there; how can petty people change it?"

But looking at Cai Jing and Tong Guan again, the retired emperor was puzzled and asked, "Why do you two not seem so happy?"

Cai Jing and Tong Guan exchanged a glance, and Cai Jing said, "Your Majesty, this return to the capital, I'm afraid..."

Cai Jing paused, then the retired emperor asked, "What are you afraid of?"

Cai Jing sighed and looked at Tong Guan again...

Tong Guan then said, "When His Majesty returns to the capital, things will likely... never be the same as before."

"What do you mean 'not as before'?" The emperor's smile vanished, and he was utterly bewildered.

Cai Jing said, "His Majesty personally issued an edict, abdicating the throne to the Crown Prince. His Majesty is returning to the capital... Since ancient times, every emperor has a new court... We ministers are old, but that's fine; His Majesty is in good health and will live a long and prosperous life..."

After all that, Wang Fu was the first to get anxious. Why? The other two were old, while Wang Fu was still young and had a bright future. He understood what was going on. He was afraid that if he returned to the capital, he, Wang Fu, would be in trouble.

That's how it is. Wang Fu was unaware that when the emperor in the capital was raising funds, he first confiscated Wang Fu's house. And he really did confiscate it. Who told Wang Fu to be away from home? Who told Wang Fu to have no power?

Only then did Zhao Ji truly understand, and he waved his hand, saying, "What are you saying? The Crown Prince has always been kind and virtuous, and is exceptionally filial..."

Zhao Ji's thoughts were indeed correct. Although Zhao Ji did not like Crown Prince Zhao Huan and had considered replacing him with Zhao Kai, who was more like him, Zhao Huan had been flawless from childhood to adulthood. He was truly kind and honest, and extremely respectful and filial to his father.

Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) did not believe Cai Jing and Tong Guan's words. He thought it was impossible. How much ability could his son, who was so weak that he couldn't even fart with a stick, possibly have?
The reason why Cai Jing and Tong Guan said this was because they understood the complexities of human nature better than the virtuous Emperor Huizong. They were thinking of making some countermeasures and could not just foolishly return to the capital, otherwise they would be in a very passive position.

Therefore, Cai Jing couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, there's no need to rush Xu's return to the capital. Let's observe the situation first..."

Zhao Ji was already somewhat displeased: "Grand Tutor, are you questioning the Crown Prince's virtue of filial piety?"

Cai Jing waved his hands repeatedly: "Your Majesty, this old minister dares not, this old minister is just thinking that it is better to be prepared!"

"Then tell me, how can we be prepared for any eventuality?" Zhao Ji asked, though he was actually displeased.

When it comes to how to prepare and respond, Cai Jing was actually somewhat at a loss. What could someone not in Tokyo do? Apart from contacting some old friends, it seemed there was no other way...

Therefore, we should just look at Tong Guan; clearly, Tong Guan has a solution…

Why?

Tong Guan had Su Wu!

Tong Guan then slowly began to speak: "I wonder where the Northwest armies have arrived, and whether Su Ziqing's troops have already entered the capital region, or even the capital city..."

This is a powerful ally. If Su Wu were in the capital region or had entered the capital city of Tokyo, returning would be no problem. At worst... he could stage a coup in the name of the retired emperor...

Cai Jing immediately said, "Then the Grand Chancellor should quickly send a letter to Su Ziqing, instructing him to lead troops into the capital region!"

Tong Guan nodded: "The letter is easy to find, but we don't know where he is. We can only send more people north with the letter and search for him. It shouldn't be too difficult to find him..."

“Yes, yes, let’s do it this way…” Cai Jing nodded repeatedly.

It is indeed a strange turn of events that things have changed. At this moment, it is understandable that Tong Guan would rely on Su Wu, but even Cai Jing seems to have no choice but to rely on Su Wu.

"Oh dear, I think you're all overthinking this!" Zhao Ji waved his hand, somewhat annoyed.

Cai Jing quickly said, "Your Majesty, this is just a precaution..."

Zhao Ji, even more irritated, retorted: "Even if what you say is true, the Crown Prince is not a man of great talent and ambition. He has no idea how to manage everything within and outside the court, from the Six Ministries of the Secretariat and Chancellery to the Censorate, the Privy Council, the Palace Guard, the Imperial City Guard, the eunuchs, and the various military units. This is truly needless worry. I have reigned for over twenty years, bestowing favors upon countless officials. Even the common people of the capital, who hasn't received my boundless grace? How can you say that I am so incompetent?"

Emperor Huizong and others, with the crown prince coming and going, still treated Emperor Huizong as the emperor, not as some kind of retired emperor.

Cai Jing quickly bowed and said, "It was my overconfidence, Your Majesty, please forgive me!"

"Hmph, even if what you say is true, we should be hurrying back right now. If we keep dragging our feet, wouldn't that allow unfilial people to leisurely appoint treacherous officials to control the situation?"

Even the emperor is using his brain.

What he said wasn't without reason. If it really came down to a struggle for power, it seemed better to return quickly than slowly.

Wang Fu, who had been listening in a daze, nodded upon hearing the Emperor's words: "Yes, if that is truly the case, Your Majesty's swift return will surely deter the villains. Even if there are any improprieties, Su Ziqing's army is far away and relies on him... The two old ministers in Dongjing have countless disciples and old friends everywhere, which will also be of great help..."

After much back and forth, Cai Jing and Tong Guan exchanged glances, unable to utter a single rebuttal...

Then the emperor said, "Could it be that there is such a thing as patricide? Even Emperor Taizong of Tang did not dare to do this. How could the crown prince dare to do it? If he really did it, how could he face the world?"

Having said all that, Tong Guan thought about it again and realized it made perfect sense. As long as the Crown Prince didn't dare to commit patricide, no matter how bad the situation became, as long as Su Wu's army was there, they could always turn things around...

Su Wu had a deep bond with the emperor, and the emperor was clearly aware of this, so he was not worried at all.

Tong Guan then went to see Cai Jing...

Cai Jing frowned and pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded: "Your Majesty is wise!"

"Go, hurry up and go to Tokyo day and night..." The emperor waved his hand, still displaying the demeanor of a powerful ruler. His subjects were worried about his departure, but the emperor was very confident and majestic.

Wang Fu had already spoken: "Then I will go and make preparations immediately, and turn back to Tokyo right away!"

Emperor Zhao Ji began his journey back to the capital, rushing to regain control of the imperial power.

Emperor Zhao Huan was also busy in the capital at this time, preparing for many things, especially those within the imperial city.

Su Wugeng in Yanjing was also busy. Zhao Cuncheng arrived, having come with Qin Ming, the military commander of Qingzhou. He arrived a little late.

Su Wu insisted on seeing him, and the two met in the imperial city of Yanjing, exchanging greetings.

After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Su Wu spoke up: "Prime Minister Zhao has finally arrived. The affairs in Yanjing are truly a headache. The army is mostly made up of soldiers, and we are waiting for you, Prime Minister, to govern Yanjing properly..."

Zhao Cuncheng came because he thought Su Wu needed manpower, but he also had concerns, so he couldn't help but ask, "Lord Su, is this... a private exchange?"

Su Wu smiled and waved his hand: "What private dealings? How could I do such a presumptuous thing? This is just a temporary measure. How can a city of 300,000 people be left unattended? The enemy is coming from the south. How can we report to the court? We'll just let you, Prime Minister, govern it first. We'll report to the capital again in the future. If the court approves, then Prime Minister Zhao will be the governor of Yanjing. If the court doesn't approve, then let them send someone else, and we'll lead our troops home!"

Su Wu still had to deceive Zhao Cuncheng. Many things require a gradual approach, like boiling a frog in lukewarm water. You have to boil it slowly until it reaches a certain point, at which point Zhao Cuncheng will be considered a traitor even if he wasn't one, and then there will be no way to stop him.

If Su Wu were to speak frankly at this moment, Zhao Cuncheng would probably be so frightened that he would wet himself on the spot, and then he wouldn't be able to do anything.
Su Wu would treat everyone from JD.com in the same way.

Zhao Cuncheng's mind calmed down, and he nodded, saying, "Then I will handle the affairs of Yanjing in the same way as the military..."

“Yes, that’s it!” Su Wu nodded repeatedly.

Zhao Cuncheng nodded in agreement: "Very well, I will say the same to everyone. Let everyone get their tasks done and manage the affairs of Yanyun first, and then we'll see how Tokyo decides in the future..."

Su Wu nodded in agreement: "Excellent!"

One can't help but think, Zhao Cuncheng, you come from a prominent family, your ancestors were prime ministers, you have connections in the capital, why would you care about such a small opportunity?

Those people are different. They beg and plead for opportunities, but they can't get them no matter how hard they try. Once they finally get an opportunity, they're not willing to give it up easily.

To be honest, Yanyun is still a battlefield at this time, and there will be a major battle in the future. Why would these people from Jingdong be willing to take such a huge risk to become officials here?
Why?

Firstly, it's out of trust in Prime Minister Su; everyone keeps saying that Prime Minister Su is invincible. Secondly, isn't it because they have no connections that they're forced into this situation? Now that they've been pushed to this point, if they don't take office this time, they'll likely never have another chance in their lives.

Anyway, these people all came from the Zhao and Li families; they are all disciples of the Li and Zhao families. In the future, even if Su Wu doesn't say anything, if the court really kicks them all away, and they cause trouble, it will be Zhao Cuncheng who will be the one causing the trouble...

What is the purpose of this disturbance?

During wartime, they risked their lives, disregarding their own safety, solely focused on serving their country. And after the war, they were driven away? Does that make sense?
Even clay figures have tempers, let alone the highly educated scholars of the Song Dynasty.
Su Wu was thinking a lot, but Zhao Cuncheng hadn't considered these things. Now that he had finished speaking with Su Wu, he felt relieved and cupped his hands in greeting: "Then I'll head to the government office to handle official business!"

Su Wu rose and bowed, saying, "Thank you for your hard work, Prime Minister Zhao!"

"Not at all, not at all. Now that we are all one entity, you and I are even closer. It is a matter of great importance to our country and people, and we dare not slack off!" Zhao Cuncheng spoke sincerely. In officialdom and politics, he and Su Wu were already bound together.

"The government office has already been prepared, and there are people to help. If you, Lord Zhao, still need more people, whether officials or clerks, then we will arrange it..."

Su Wu was truly at ease, letting Zhao Cuncheng handle everything, allowing Zhao Cuncheng to invite friends, elders, and juniors as he pleased.

"That's only natural. Prime Minister Su is busy with military affairs and many other matters, so he can't afford to make any mistakes in governing!" Zhao Cuncheng said earnestly, and he was a serious person.

After a few exchanges, the two parted ways. Zhao Cuncheng went to do his work, and Su Wu could ask the Yanjing government office for money, grain, and manpower whenever he needed them.

Furthermore, let's talk about Tokyo...

A message finally reached Tokyo: the northwestern armies, and even Su Wu, had not gone to Hebei or the Beijing area at all, but had gone directly to Datong to advance into Yan and Yun.

How could Emperor Zhao Huan not be furious upon hearing this news?
Li Gang repeatedly tried to persuade him: "Your Majesty, although Prime Minister Su's actions may go against Your Majesty's wishes, they are also a wise move. As recorded in history, since ancient times, when nomadic tribes invaded, the inland troops fought and blocked them, while the border troops intercepted and blocked them. This is the proper way. Prime Minister Su understands this principle well, so his actions should not be blamed..."

Emperor Zhao Huan understood to some extent at this point, but he said nothing more than: "Where is there a general who would disobey an imperial edict? What does Su Ziqing mean by this?"

Li Gang, wanting to exonerate Su Wu, said, "Your Majesty, it was also a strategy of 'besieging Wei to rescue Zhao.' The Jurchens retreated in fear that their escape route would be cut off, which was also a result of Prime Minister Su's successful plan. Moreover, Prime Minister Su's deployment of defenses in Yan and Yun not only allowed him to recover lost territory but also perhaps intercept the Jurchens' spoils from their plunder of the Central Plains. It was a win-win situation..."

Emperor Zhao Huan was a reasonable man to some extent. Su Wu had been quite close to him in the past, and he could only sigh, "Alas... such things are truly not good..."

Having just ascended the throne, Emperor Zhao Huan clearly valued his dignity as the Son of Heaven, but he also had some fears and worries. Moreover, he had often heard that the retired emperor and Su Wu shared a very deep friendship...

Moreover, there was also Tong Guan... the man who single-handedly promoted Su Wu, and there were even rumors that Su Wu was Tong Guan's adopted son...

How can this not cause concern?

Moreover, given the gravity of the matter, Su Wu's defiance of the imperial edict inevitably led the emperor to wonder: was he disobeying the new ruler's orders? Or was he willing to obey the retired emperor's decree?
People are all petty-minded...where is there any true magnanimity...?

Fortunately, Li Gang's advice was reasonable, and for the time being, Su Wu's actions were understandable...

The Emperor waved his hand: "Minister Li, you may leave..."

Li Gang felt reassured, having successfully persuaded him, and then withdrew from his busy work.

With Li Gang gone, the emperor still had his most trusted confidant, Geng Nanzhong, by his side. The emperor couldn't help but ask, "What does Minister Geng think about this matter?"

Geng Nanzhong frowned several times, pondering for a while, before finally speaking: "In the end, it's a bad omen..."

"Alas..." Even the emperor sighed.

Observing the expressions on the other's face, Geng Nanzhong continued, "We still need to think of some ways. There are some things we can't ignore..."

These two had been together for over a decade. Not long after Zhao Huan entered the Eastern Palace, Geng Nanzhong came to accompany him. They had truly reached a point of deep intimacy, and their conversations were completely unreserved and straightforward.

(Brothers...)
(End of this chapter)