The Tyrant of the Great Qian Dynasty: Not only will I refuse to arrange a marriage alliance, but I w

The news that Su Zhe had decided to take the initiative, launch an expedition to the grasslands, and strike directly at the Northern Barbarian King's court caused quite a stir among the newly formed wartime cabinet and senior generals.

Inside the council chamber, no one spoke, except for the occasional clanging of armor plates.

The Great Qian Dynasty had just ended a fierce war to defend the country.

Although they ultimately won a great victory, both the army and the nation's strength were severely damaged.

The soldiers were exhausted from repeated battles and desperately needed rest; the capital and its surrounding areas were in ruins and needed time to recover.

At this time, launching a massive expedition deep into the unfamiliar heart of the grasslands was, in the eyes of many, not a wise move.

"Your Highness, I believe this matter requires careful consideration."

A veteran general, known for his composure and steadiness, who had led troops since the time of the previous emperor, was the first to stand up and voice his opposition.

His name was Li Muzhi, a veteran in the army, and highly respected.

"Although our army has won a great victory, our soldiers are exhausted, and there have been many casualties. The new recruits will need time to be trained. Moreover, the grasslands are vast and the climate is harsh, quite different from that of the Central Plains. Once our army penetrates deep into them, the supply lines will be extremely long, and the difficulty of transporting grain and fodder is unimaginable. If anything goes wrong, our army risks being surrounded and annihilated. I believe it would be better to rest and recuperate first, strengthen the border defenses, train the new army, and wait until spring when the flowers bloom before launching the northern expedition. This would be the safest course of action."

Li Muzhi's words were reasonable and well-founded, representing the sentiments of many generals present.

They all turned their questioning gazes to Su Zhe, who was in the main seat.

After listening, Su Zhe slowly shook his head.

"General Li's words are wise and insightful, and I would certainly have heeded them under normal circumstances." His voice was steady and clear, revealing an undeniable determination. "But as the art of war says, attack where the enemy is unprepared and strike when they least expect it."

His gaze swept over every general present, forcing them to look him in the eye.

"The Northern Barbarians' main force of 500,000 men was wiped out beneath the walls of our capital. Their Chanyu, Huyan Ba, was beheaded, leaving their royal court vulnerable, their people in a state of panic, and their tribes wavering between two sides. This is precisely the weakest they have been in a century! If we don't fight now, are we going to give them a chance to regroup, elect a new Chanyu, reorganize their tribes, lick their wounds, and then, in a few years, gather hundreds of thousands of cavalry to harass our borders again?"

Su Zhe's voice rose, carrying a chill.

"Our Great Qian Dynasty cannot withstand a second siege of the capital!"

These words silenced all the generals who advocated for a cautious approach.

Yes, no one wants to experience those days of being besieged and living in constant fear a second time.

"I know what you're worried about." Su Zhe stood up and walked to the sand table. "Supplies, climate, unfamiliar environment. But you should also see what we have now!"

He pointed to the capital city on the sand table, "We have the Great Snow Dragon Cavalry and the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry, the two strongest cavalry forces in the world! We have an unfamiliar environment, aren't the Northern Barbarians afraid of our Mo Dao troops advancing, afraid of our Divine Machine Battalion's volley fire, afraid of our artillery raining down from the sky?"

"The best way to deal with wolves on the grasslands is never to build high walls around your home!" Su Zhe's voice was powerful and resounding. "It's to actively charge into their dens, break their legs, and pull out their teeth! We must instill fear in them to the very core of their being, in the depths of their souls! We must make them tremble with fear at the mere sound of my Great Qian's horses' hooves, so that generations of them will never dare to dream of going south again!"

These words stirred the blood of many young generals present.

But Su Zhe knew that verbal encouragement alone was not enough.

He needed to use a more direct and ruthless approach to completely unify thinking, and also to give a bloody warning to those who still harbored illusions.

Before he could finish speaking, he turned to Wei An: "Where is Zhang Hu, the traitorous general who feigned surrender?"

A general in charge of the capital's defenses stepped forward and replied, "Your Highness, after Zhang Hu was enfeoffed as the Earl of Loyalty and Valor, he is currently enjoying himself at his residence. I've heard... he's been feasting incessantly these past few days and has even taken several new concubines."

"Enjoying life?" Su Zhe scoffed, his tone devoid of any warmth. "He thinks that a title of 'Earl' will allow him to rest easy?"

"Summon him to see me."

The order was given, and the atmosphere in the council chamber became strange.

The generals exchanged glances, all filled with confusion and astonishment.

Why does Your Highness summon Zhang Hu at this moment?

Before long, Zhang Hu, with a ruddy complexion and dressed in a magnificent brocade robe, was brought to the council hall.

He seemed to have just come from a banquet, still smelling strongly of alcohol.

When he saw the gathering of military leaders and the tense atmosphere in the council hall, he was shocked and his alcohol-laden body turned into a cold sweat.

"Your subject... Your subject Zhang Hu greets Your Highness." He knelt down somewhat uneasily to pay his respects.

Su Zhe did not let him get up, but just looked at him coldly and began to list his crimes in front of all the generals.

"Zhang Hu, I ask you, why did you open the south gate that day?"

Zhang Hu was taken aback, and hurriedly explained, "It was... to save my elderly mother, I was coerced by a villain..."

"Opening the door to save your mother, disregarding the safety of a million soldiers and civilians in the city. This is disloyalty!" Su Zhe's voice was flat and monotone, every word a judgment.

"I ask you again, with the city on the verge of falling, why do you, as the commander defending the city, choose to live on instead of perishing with it?"

"Your Majesty's secret orders..." Zhang Hu's voice trailed off.

"That was my chance to save your life! You cling to life out of fear of death, clinging to life in vain; this is cowardice!"

Su Zhe's voice suddenly turned stern, "I later ordered you to feign surrender and infiltrate the enemy camp, and you indeed rendered meritorious service. Therefore, I bestow upon you the title of Earl as a reward for your feigned surrender. But merit is merit, and demerit is demerit! Merit and demerit can never offset each other!"

Zhang Hu panicked completely. He kowtowed desperately, pleading, "Your Highness, I know I was wrong! I know I was wrong! Please, Your Highness, spare my life in consideration of my past service!"

Su Zhe slowly walked down the steps, and the Emperor's Sword at his waist emitted a clear and melodious dragon's roar.

"Your good deeds can ensure the safety of your family. But your transgressions must be repaid with your life!"

Amid Zhang Hu's terrified and desperate screams, and under the utterly shocked gazes of the generals, Su Zhe raised his sword and brought it down, a flash of cold light passing by.

A head flew up, spun in the air, and crashed heavily to the ground, its face frozen in a look of astonishment.

A fountain of scalding blood gushed out, quickly spreading a blinding red across the floor.

"Issue my decree!" Su Zhe, carrying a still-dripping sword, spoke in a voice that echoed throughout the hall, "Although Zhang Hu has the merit of feigning surrender, his crime of treason is unforgivable. However, his mother is innocent, and her merit can offset the crimes of his family. Therefore, his mother shall be given a grand funeral, his property confiscated, his family members demoted to commoners, and banished from the capital."

This decisive action, clearly distinguishing between reward and punishment, sent chills down the spines of the generals present.

They finally understood that there was no room for luck when it came to Su Zhe.

Merit will be rewarded; but mistakes, especially fundamental ones like treason, will cost you no matter how much you do to make amends later!

Su Zhe, carrying the still-dripping sword, walked back to the main seat step by step.

He didn't wipe the blood off the sword, letting the bright red liquid drip from the tip and fall to the ground, making a "drip, drip" sound that struck everyone's heart.

He returned to his seat, planted his sword heavily on the table beside him, and surveyed the room.

"Now, does anyone still think we should 'rest and recuperate'?"

The council chamber was completely silent.

Veteran generals like Li Muzhi, who had previously harbored doubts, now had cold sweat beading on their foreheads.

They looked at the blood-dripping sword, at Su Zhe's unwavering eyes, and no longer harbored any thought of objection.

"Thump!"

Chen Baipao was the first to kneel on one knee, his voice booming like thunder: "This humble general is willing to die for Your Highness and trample the grasslands!"

"I am willing to die for Your Highness!"

Without further hesitation, all the other generals knelt on one knee and shouted in unison. Their roar was filled with determination and fierce courage.

The goal of making an example of someone has been achieved.

The plan to launch a northern expedition to the grasslands was officially put on the agenda.

Su Zhe began to mobilize troops, while Qian Kun worked day and night in the Ministry of Revenue to prepare the massive amount of grain and supplies needed for the expedition.

The entire Great Qian Dynasty, like a sophisticated war machine, began to operate at high speed.

At that very moment, an unexpected person presented a visiting card, requesting an audience with Su Zhe.

The newcomer was the female general sent by Qin Hongying from the Southern Frontier.

She brought Qin Hongying's second handwritten letter.