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

After the hustle and bustle of the enthronement ceremony subsided, the Forbidden City returned to its usual solemnity.

The air inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony was more somber than ever before.

Su Zhe, dressed in a black dragon robe and wearing a flat-topped crown, sat on the Nine-Dragon Throne.

His physique was not particularly imposing, but his composure and imposing presence were perfectly integrated with the massive dragon throne beneath him.

Your Highness, the civil and military officials stood in silence on both sides.

They lowered their heads, even their breathing became softer, and they dared not look directly at the young figure on the dragon throne.

At yesterday's coronation ceremony, the new emperor declared his will to the world in the most direct way.

Today is the first morning court session since this iron-fisted emperor ascended the throne, and everyone knows that the announcements to be made will inevitably cause a huge uproar.

Su Zhe tapped his knuckles on the armrest of the dragon throne, producing a crisp, rhythmic sound.

Each sound resonated in everyone's hearts, making the atmosphere in the hall increasingly oppressive.

"My lords."

Finally, he spoke.

The voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable power, clearly reaching everyone's ears.

"The first thing I want to announce at this morning's court is the Northern Expedition."

Northern Expedition!

Even though everyone had expected it, many civil officials still trembled slightly when the emperor officially uttered those two words.

The resounding victory in the Battle of Beijing still had a lingering impact.

But in many people's minds, taking the initiative to go on an expedition, venturing deep into that vast and unknown grassland, to challenge a nomadic khanate that has existed for hundreds of years, is still a high-stakes gamble.

Su Zhe's gaze swept over the heads of the officials below, taking in their varied expressions.

He picked up the imperial edict that had been prepared beforehand and was about to hand it to Wei An, who was standing beside him, to read it aloud.

"His Majesty!"

An aged yet powerful voice rang out from the ranks of civil officials.

The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw an elderly man with white hair and beard walking out of the queue.

He was dressed in the court robes of the Imperial Censor, and although his steps were somewhat unsteady, his back was ramrod straight.

He walked to the center of the hall and bowed in respect.

"Your subject has something to report."

Su Zhe stopped what he was doing and looked at the highly respected old minister in the court with a calm and expressionless face.

"allow."

The Imperial Censor straightened up and said loudly, "Your Majesty, the Northern Expedition is a matter of great importance to the nation, and I am not against it. The siege of the capital is a great humiliation, and only blood can wash it away. However, as the art of war says, 'An army marches on its stomach, and the rear must be secure before the army can move.'"

His words resonated deeply with many civil officials.

"Although our Great Qian has recovered the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, this region has just experienced a major war, and everything is in ruins, with the people's hearts not yet at peace. Although the barbarian troops have retreated, their cavalry raids have not ceased, and the people are displaced. Without a stable rear, how can we ensure the supply lines for our 100,000-strong army as it ventures deep into the grasslands? How can we maintain the morale of our troops?"

The old censor raised his head and looked directly at Su Zhe.

"Therefore, this old minister humbly requests Your Majesty to postpone the expedition. Instead, send a highly respected member of the imperial family, or a capable and competent minister, to the northern border to oversee all military and political affairs of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun. This includes pacifying the people, repairing cities, suppressing cavalry raids, and cultivating land for grain. Only when the northern border is truly stable and serves as a solid backing for our army should we proceed with the northern expedition. This would be the most prudent course of action!"

These words were well-reasoned, supported by evidence, and clearly organized.

"I second that proposal!"

"The words of the Imperial Censor are those of a wise and experienced ruler; Your Majesty, please consider them carefully!"

"The northern border cannot be without a leader even for a day. We must first establish a leader before launching any campaign!"

In a short time, more than half of the civil officials stood up and expressed their support.

They dared not openly oppose the Northern Expedition, so they used this procedural issue to delay it.

In their view, the safest approach was to first stabilize domestic affairs and thoroughly digest the post-war Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun.

Behind this lies a deep-seated fear of taking the initiative and a rejection of unknown risks.

This is a habitual way of thinking that the Great Qian Dynasty has maintained for decades.

On the dragon throne, Su Zhe listened quietly to the discussions below, his face expressionless.

He knew that this was not a conspiracy against him personally, but a concentrated manifestation of the conservative ideology of the entire bureaucratic system.

They were used to passive defense and to solving problems within the Great Wall.

The thought of turning their gaze to the land beyond the Great Wall, to that unpredictable grassland, made them instinctively uneasy.

But what he needs to do is to completely shatter these old mental shackles.

Instead of directly refuting him, he asked the white-haired Imperial Censor in an almost casual tone.

"In your opinion, who is suitable to send as the Lord of the North?"

The old censor was taken aback for a moment, then replied, "Among the imperial family, Prince Yong is known for his virtue and is capable of this task. Among the court officials, Minister Wang of the Ministry of Personnel is well-versed in government affairs and is also competent."

Su Zhe curled his lips slightly, with a hint of sarcasm.

"Should we send an imperial uncle there to enjoy a life of luxury, or send a minister to gain experience and prestige?"

His voice remained calm, but the mockery in his words made the Imperial Censor blush and turn pale.

Before the other party could answer, Su Zhe's voice suddenly rose.

"The northern border has just experienced a bloody battle; the bodies of hundreds of thousands of barbarian soldiers are barely cold, and the land of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun still bears the blood of my Great Qian people. Yet you intend to send people there to appease them? To govern them?"

"I ask you, what will you use to appease them? Empty imperial edicts, or your own set of classical Chinese theories?"

"How will you govern? By raising taxes or by imposing corvée labor?"

Su Zhe stood up from the dragon throne and walked down the steps of the imperial steps.

With each step he took, the fierce aura emanating from him, originating from the battlefield, grew stronger, making it almost suffocating for the entire court of civil officials.

He did not stop in front of the officials, but walked straight to the map of the territory hanging on the side of the hall.

"The Northern Frontier, I will go there myself!"

His voice, like a resounding bell, echoed throughout the hall.

"The ruler of the North can only be me!"

Before he finished speaking, he stretched out his finger and pressed it heavily on the map, on the vast area that represented the northern grasslands.

The pressure from the fingertips made the tough leather map creak.

He turned around, facing the assembled civil and military officials, and said, word by word:

"I, the Emperor, will personally lead the army into battle!"

These words, like a thunderbolt from the sky, resounded throughout the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Everyone was stunned into a blank.

The Emperor personally led the expedition!

The emperor personally led his army on a perilous expedition!

This is an extremely rare occurrence in the history books of the Great Qian Dynasty! Since the founding emperor, no monarch has ever personally led an army into battle!

After a brief moment of distraction, the hall erupted in a commotion.

"Your Majesty, you mustn't!"

"A monarch should not stand under a crumbling wall; Your Majesty is of inestimable worth, how can you personally risk your life!"

"Your Majesty, please reconsider! The foundation of the nation is of utmost importance!"

Led by the Imperial Censor, more than a dozen senior officials knelt down with a thud, tears streaming down their faces, crying out their remonstrance.

They were genuinely terrified.

In their view, the way of a monarch is for the emperor to sit in the capital and remotely command.

Taking the lead personally is what a general should do. If the emperor were to suffer any mishap, the entire Great Qian Dynasty would be plunged into turmoil.

"Think it over?"

Su Zhe looked at the old ministers kneeling on the ground, wailing and lamenting, and a cold smile appeared on his face.

He suddenly turned around and slammed his fist into the map of the territory behind him!

"Bang!"

A loud bang shook the entire hall's beams and pillars, making them vibrate.

"When the Northern Barbarian army of 500,000 besieged our city, who among you dared to ask me to reconsider?!"

"When they demanded that my elder sister be sent for a political marriage and that I cede the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, who among you dared to ask me to reconsider?!"

"When the capital was about to fall, and you were all preparing to surrender, who among you made me reconsider?!"

His voice was stern, and with each question he asked, the kneeling ministers trembled and their faces paled.

"Now that I have won, I will take back what we have lost, a hundredfold, a thousandfold! And you are telling me to think twice?"

"Let me tell you!" Su Zhe's gaze swept across the entire room like a blade, "My empire was won by the lives of my soldiers, not by you sitting here in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, 'thinking' yourselves out!"

These words stirred the blood of all the military officers in the hall, causing their chests to heave.

The civil officials, on the other hand, remained silent, their faces ashen.

Su Zhe flicked his sleeves, walked back to the steps, and sat down again on the dragon throne.

He leaned forward, placed his hands on his knees, and made his final declaration in a cold, emotionless tone.

"I am not discussing the Northern Expedition with you all, but rather informing you of it."

"I am giving you three days to gather provisions, prepare weapons, and make all necessary preparations for the Northern Expedition. Ministry of Revenue and Ministry of War, if there are any errors, I will hold you accountable!"

"Three days later, the army will set off. Who dares to utter another word to obstruct it...?"

He paused, his indifferent gaze settling on the Imperial Censor at the very front.

"...and thus met the same fate as Zhang Hu, who was hanging on the city wall."

After he finished speaking, no more voices of opposition could be heard in the entire Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Everyone understood that the new emperor's will was as firm as steel and unshakable.

The morning court session ended in a somber atmosphere.

After the officials left, Su Zhe remained alone in the main hall, quietly gazing at the map of the territory with a profound look in his eyes.

Wei An walked in quietly with small, delicate steps, carrying an exquisite wooden box in his hands.

"His Majesty."

Su Zhe didn't turn around, but asked, "Did you come from the south?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Wei An presented the wooden box, "This is the second letter sent by General Qin."

Su Zhe took the box and opened it.

There were no elaborate greetings or flowery words inside, only a plain white sheet of paper and a line of delicate yet powerful handwriting.

"If you are to launch a northern expedition, will you need provisions? The Qin family army is willing to provide 100,000 shi of grain to aid you in this battle."

Looking at this line of text, Su Zhe smiled, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

Was this female general from the southern border trying to curry favor with him, or was she using the 100,000 shi of grain to test his appetite and bottom line?

This grand game of chess is getting more and more interesting.