The emperor would rather have a

Chapter 161 Han was stunned

After the court assembly, Emperor Chai Rong summoned four senior civil and military officials who remained in Tokyo to the Jinxiang Hall in the inner court.

Walking slowly along the vermilion corridor, Li Yi and his three companions followed behind the leading eunuch, passing through layers of palaces and corridors.

The blue bricks paving the corridor were as smooth as a mirror, gleaming with a cold luster under the midday sun, reflecting the blurry figures of the crowd.

As you pass through the last gate, a ray of sunlight shines through the eaves, casting dazzling spots of light on the gilded door knocker, momentarily blinding you.

Under the corridor on the side of the inner hall, several eunuchs were already standing with their hands at their sides.

Upon seeing the arrival of the group, the leading eunuch in scarlet robes bowed and said, "Gentlemen, please wait a moment. His Majesty is currently discussing matters with the two ministers, Fan and Wang."

He spoke with his eyelids slightly lowered and his breathing extremely soft, as if afraid of disturbing the solemn atmosphere in the hall.

Li Yi stood in the shadows under the corridor, his gaze subtly sweeping over the three people beside him.

Xiang Xun was dressed in a crimson official robe, with a jade belt at his waist that gleamed with a warm luster. The other party was an old acquaintance of his. Since they became friends during the Battle of Xinkou, the two had been close friends and their relationship could be described as intimate.

His gaze shifted to the right and landed on Wang Pu.

The scholar from the Duanming Hall, dressed in a blue robe and with a slender build, was adjusting the accessories at his waist.

Li Yi thought to himself: Wang Pu was a very famous figure in the history of the Five Dynasties. His "Strategy for Pacifying the Borders" alone was enough to make him famous in history. Not to mention that even Zhao Kuangyin once lamented: "With this man by my side, I would not be able to wear this robe."

However, Wang Pu was a purely civil official, and Li Yi had never dealt with him, so there was no question of any closeness between them.

Li Yi's gaze finally settled on Han Tong.

This newly appointed commander of the Imperial Guards, both cavalry and infantry, is only forty years old. He is broad-shouldered and burly, with a full beard as thick as iron, and a pair of large, bright eyes that are truly worthy of the nickname "Han the Staring-Eyed."

As if sensing the gaze, Han Tong turned his head and looked over, their eyes meeting in mid-air.

Li Yi raised the corners of his mouth slightly, about to nod in greeting, but Han Tong acted as if he hadn't seen him and turned his face away directly.

This left Li Yi momentarily stunned, and then somewhat embarrassed. He thought to himself: I haven't offended you, so why are you pretending to be so aloof?

Of course, despite cursing in his heart, Li Yi didn't care too much. Han Tong and Shi Yanchao were the same kind of people, both like rocks in a latrine—stinky and hard.

The autumn wind rustled the fallen leaves beneath the red steps. The few people under the eaves were lost in thought, and for a moment the only sound was the tinkling of the copper bells on the eaves in the wind.

After an unknown amount of time, the clear sound of jade chimes came from inside the hall.

Chancellor Fan Zhi and Wang Pu walked out slowly. When they saw the four people waiting to be summoned, the two chancellors nodded slightly in greeting, their eyes smiling but they did not say a word. Led by the eunuch, they walked away along the corridor.

"Please follow me into the palace to meet the Emperor," said a eunuch in a scarlet robe, bowing slightly, his voice still very low.

Li Yi straightened his clothes, and then the group stepped over the vermilion threshold.

The hall was dimly lit, with only the bronze crane lampstand in front of the throne emitting a warm glow. The emperor sat upright behind his desk, his casual robes gleaming softly in the candlelight.

"Your Majesty, we pay our respects." The four bowed in unison, the rustling of their robes particularly clear in the quiet hall.

"My dear ministers, there's no need for such formalities." The emperor's voice was deep and powerful, echoing in the spacious hall.

"The war in Huainan is raging, and I will personally lead the expedition tomorrow," Chai Rong said slowly, his voice tinged with weariness. "The task of guarding Dongjing will require the concerted efforts of all my beloved ministers." The ministers naturally agreed, saying, "We will certainly do our utmost and live up to Your Majesty's trust."

Chai Rong nodded slightly: "This time I personally led the expedition to Huainan, and the war is naturally of utmost importance. However, matters in the capital should not be neglected. The most important thing is to expand Daliang City. Minister Wang, you are proficient in construction methods, and I have read the plan you presented. There are no omissions, but this matter still requires your attention."

Wang Pu bowed and replied, "Your subject will respectfully obey Your Majesty's command."

Chai Rong nodded in satisfaction and turned his gaze to Han Tong: "And Han Qing, you have presided over the construction of many strong fortresses in the border areas. You have always been experienced in construction projects. Now you are in charge of the laborers and able-bodied men conscripted from Kaifeng and the surrounding areas to expand Daliang City. You must make good use of their resources and assist Wang Qing in doing a good job."

Upon hearing this, Han Tong's eyes, which were as big as copper bells, widened even more, and he replied in a gruff voice, "Your subject will certainly do his utmost!"

Chai Rong then said to Xiang Xun, "Your Excellency Xiang has always been steady and reliable. I am quite at ease entrusting you with the responsibility of guarding Tokyo. You and Minister Wang should discuss all matters inside and outside Tokyo and handle them accordingly. If you are really unsure about something, report to the Huainan front-line command and I will make the decision."

"Your Majesty, I will certainly live up to your trust," Xiang Xun said solemnly.

At this moment, Chai Rong looked at Li Yi and called out, "Minister Li."

Li Yi quickly stepped forward: "Your subject is here."

Chai Rong said, “As the deputy inspector, you must assist Minister Han in apprehending criminals and maintaining security and order in and around the capital. You should also help Minister Wang and Minister Han with the many matters concerning the expansion of Daliang City. After I leave the capital, you should also take care to arrange and train the personnel and soldiers sent from various places to Tokyo to serve as imperial guards. You have experience in this matter, and I trust you with this responsibility.”

Li Yi bowed respectfully and said, "Your subject obeys."

After giving his instructions, Chai Rong said in a deep voice, "The Shu Kingdom recently lost the four prefectures of Qin and Feng, and it will not dare to have any disloyal intentions in the short term. However, the situation in the north is not so certain. If they learn that I have personally led an expedition away from Tokyo, they may send troops to invade our borders. My dear ministers, you must be more vigilant about this."

"Yes!" the men replied.

"Let's leave it at that for now." Chai Rong nodded slightly, straightened up, and said, "The army will set off at dawn tomorrow. My dear ministers, please go back and make preparations as soon as possible."

The four men responded in unison and were about to bow and take their leave when the emperor said, "Minister Li, please wait."

After the other three left the hall, Chai Rong rose from behind his desk and slowly walked to Li Yi.

The emperor was half a head shorter than Li Yi, but the powerful aura he exuded was enough to make people ignore the difference in their physiques.

Chai Rong shed his courtly demeanor, his tone surprisingly warm: "My dear minister, your wedding was only a few days ago, yet I sent you to lead an expedition against Qin and Feng. Just as you were enjoying your honeymoon, the war disrupted your peace."

Upon hearing this, Li Yi didn't understand why the emperor would suddenly bring up this matter. Besides, it was he who had volunteered for the mission and even signed a military pledge for it. How could the emperor be blamed?

But he remained respectful and said in a low voice, "Serving the country is the duty of a subject; how dare I neglect public duty for private reasons?"

Chai Rong chuckled and nodded, saying, "The war in Jiangnan is currently intense, and we are in dire need of manpower. I originally intended to have you accompany me on the expedition. However, I heard from the Empress that your wife is pregnant. The Empress feels sorry for her sister and begged me not to transfer you out of the capital for the time being. After careful consideration, I realized that the Palace Guard indeed needs a capable person to oversee it, so I went along with it and left you in Kaifeng."

Li Yi quickly bowed and said, "Your Majesty and the Empress have shown me such favor that I am truly humbled. Family matters are minor compared to national affairs. I would much rather accompany Your Majesty on your personal campaigns and share your burdens."

Chai Ronglang chuckled and waved his hand: "I know you are loyal. But what the Empress said makes sense. Since I ascended the throne, you have made many great contributions and served me diligently. Now that you are newly married and about to become a father, wouldn't it be too inhumane of me to send you on a military expedition?"

Li Yi bowed deeply, his voice choked with emotion: "Your Majesty's compassion is so profound, Your Majesty..."

Chai Rong patted Li Yi on the shoulder: "In the court, we are ruler and subject; outside the court, we are also relatives by marriage. We are family, so we don't need to speak like outsiders. This time, you can stay in the capital and do your job well for me."

(End of this chapter)