Martial Arts: My achievements in Beiliang were so great that they threatened the lord's positio

"The situation at the time was truly regrettable."

Lin Xuan snorted: "It would have been better to send Chief Minister Zhang to the northern frontier long ago. If the Chief Minister had just stood on Zhenbei Pass and shouted that if the troops did not withdraw, I would have impeached you, the Northern Mang military god Tuoba Pusa would have been so frightened by Chief Minister Zhang that he would have turned around and fled. The hundreds of thousands of Northern Mang troops would have been routed."

"puff"

As soon as he finished speaking

The officials in the court could no longer hold back and burst into laughter. Even those officials who had previously impeached Lin Xuan joined in the laughter.

In all these years, Lin Xuan was the first person in the imperial court to dare to embarrass Chief Minister Zhang like this.

Sitting on the dragon throne, the emperor tried his best to suppress his laughter. After a while, his expression calmed down, and he rebuked in a serious tone, "General, you must not speak nonsense."

Zhang Julu considered himself to be quite well-mannered, but at this moment, his face couldn't help but tremble slightly with anger.

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Lin Xuan, however, was unwilling to give up: "It's just that I really can't hold back some things."

The emperor nodded slightly.

He looked at the Grand Secretary and said in a low voice, "Everyone says that Grand Secretary Zhang is selfless and cares about the common people. I used to believe it to some extent."

"But seeing you today, I realize that most of the rumors are false, and that you, Chief Minister Zhang, are nothing but a figurehead who only cares about your own interests."

Lin Xuan's sharp gaze swept over the civil and military officials in the hall, and a chilling killing intent spread out.

"Chief Minister Zhang, how many troops do you think I should command?"

"Why don't you tell me the number?"

"Is it twenty or thirty thousand, or forty or fifty thousand? Once we get back, I will cut the extra troops."

"Outside Zhenbei Pass, the Northern Barbarians are stirring; in the Shangdang area, the grassland tribes harass the people of Yanzhou every few days."

The Qianniu Three Guards, the Duoyan Three Guards, and the able-bodied men from various Hu and Qiang tribes totaled over 100,000. These men were elite cavalrymen when they mounted their horses, capable of drawing strong bows and unstoppable in their bravery.

"The Hu people are fierce. If our Yan region doesn't have a large army stationed there, how can we suppress these tribes that have submitted?"

Lin Xuan's questioning echoed in the hall, and the officials who had just been vying to impeach him now all looked embarrassed.

"Lord Zhang, why aren't you saying anything? Say something!"

He stared coldly at Zhang Julu: "Tell me, how many troops should this general command?"

"And you."

Lin Xuan pointed at a remonstrating official from the Censorate and rebuked him: "Didn't you just accuse me of abusing my power and having ulterior motives? Give me a number, and I'll go back and cut the extra soldiers."

"But there is one condition: all of you, including Chief Minister Zhang, must bring your entire families with you to Yan. If any of you are from the Northern Mang or the Hu and Qiang tribes, and you dare to set foot in Yan, I will personally chop off the heads of you treacherous officials."

"Arrogant!"

The Minister of Works, his face ashen, stepped forward angrily and rebuked him: "You are nothing but a military man, yet you dare to threaten the entire court in the presence of His Majesty."

What are your intentions?

"I think you're the one who's arrogant."

Lin Xuan was instantly enraged, and a murderous intent surged forth. The officials were all terrified, and fear appeared on their faces.

"I have fought in the south and north for more than ten years, from the Jianghu to Beiliang, and from Beiliang to Yan. You are a piece of trash, with no merit and no shame. How dare you talk to me?"

Lin Xuan slammed his wine cup heavily on the table, his face grim and filled with murderous intent. He turned to look at the emperor on the dragon throne, rose, and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I believe that many of the civil and military officials in this court are spies from the Northern Mang, who specialize in spreading rumors, disrupting the government, and framing loyal officials. They should be executed."

"Don't talk nonsense!"

The officials panicked; no one could bear such a heavy responsibility.

They all knelt down on the ground, cursing Lin Xuan while shouting that they were innocent.

"Minister Lin."

The emperor was overjoyed, never expecting Lin Xuan to be so sensible as to take the blame.

He still kept a straight face and said, "I understand your grievances, but you cannot falsely accuse others."

He then looked at the officials and noble families kneeling on the ground, filled with fear and unease, and said sternly, "You may impeach others, but you cannot fabricate facts, much less make trouble unreasonably."

As for General Lin's claim that you are colluding with foreign enemies, I believe that this is certainly not true.

The officials then breathed a sigh of relief.

At this moment, Cao Zhengchun suddenly stepped out from the side and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, we must be on guard. I have heard that the spies of Northern Mang are everywhere."

The emperor pretended to ponder for a moment, then nodded and said, "Very well, this task is entrusted to you. Take the Eastern Depot guards and thoroughly investigate the spies of Northern Mang in the capital."

"We must remember that we must not allow loyal and virtuous people to be wronged, nor can we allow the Northern Serpent's spies to escape."

Although the emperor spoke softly, his words were like an ice pick hitting the ground, causing many civil and military officials in the hall to change their expressions drastically, with fine beads of cold sweat appearing on their foreheads.

A sense of foreboding swept through everyone's hearts—His Majesty might use this opportunity to purge the court.

"This old servant obeys the decree."

Cao Zhengchun bowed and retreated to his original position.

"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable!"

A civil official from a prominent family said urgently, "If this is done, it will surely cause unrest among the people, both inside and outside the court."

"If they aren't spies from the Northern Python Army, why the panic?"

Lin Xuan coldly retorted.

"How could I possibly be alarmed?"

The civil official turned his head and glared angrily, only to see Lin Xuan's eyes flash like lightning, staring intently at him, which made him dizzy and stagger to the ground.

"That's exactly right."

"Whoever is cowardly may be a spy for the Northern Python."

The emperor's close advisors seized the opportunity to echo his sentiments, their words sharp and cutting, attacking their colleagues, and the palace was once again filled with uproar.

Grand Secretary Zhang sighed inwardly, knowing that a major change was about to occur in the court.

They intended to prevent the rise of a second Northern Liang king, but unexpectedly, this gave the emperor an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.

Once the Imperial Guards intervene, whether they are truly spies for the Northern Pythons becomes irrelevant—if they are, they are; if they are not, they are.

The key is that whoever the emperor wants to be the spy, that person will be chosen.

"His Majesty."

The imperial uncle, the Divine Marquis, stepped forward and said, "I believe this matter has far-reaching implications. If it is not handled properly, it may cause upheaval in the court and among the people. It would be better to have the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review jointly try it."

"I second that opinion."

"I also agree."

Many upright officials stepped forward to echo this sentiment, saying that as long as the matter wasn't handed over to the secret police for investigation, everything was negotiable.

"The Divine Marquis is indeed exceptionally majestic."

Lin Xuan's expression darkened: "A single, casual remark has drawn the attention of all the officials, who openly question the imperial decree. They truly deserve to be called the elders of the royal family."

This statement has been made

The hall was completely silent.

The emperor's expression grew cold, and his gaze swept over the ministers who had just seconded his opinion.

Despite harboring deep resentment towards Lin Xuan, the Marquis calmly replied, "I have never been arrogant as the Imperial Uncle; my heart belongs only to Your Majesty and the people of the land."

"I implore Your Majesty not to be provoked by villains."

"Insolence! Does the Divine Marquis's statement imply that His Majesty lacks the ability to judge character, or does he harbor resentment for not being given a more important position?"

Lin Xuan was immediately branded with a serious crime.

"You treacherous villain!"

The Marquis glared at him angrily.

"I have guarded the border for over ten years, yet you call me a treacherous villain? I wonder, my self-proclaimed upright lord, what merits have you rendered for the world, the court, and His Majesty?"

Faced with Lin Xuan's questioning, Shenhou was furious but had no way to refute it.

"Without having accomplished anything, how dare you speak so presumptuously about the fate of the nation and its people?"

Lin Xuan scoffed: "Empty words and nonsense, I'm ashamed to be ranked with you."

"Chief Minister Zhang, have you thought this through?"

Lin Xuan's gaze fell back on Zhang Julu, his expression mocking: "You know my troops like the back of your hand, which shows that you once sent people to investigate the true situation in Yan."

Now that you've investigated, why remain silent?

"I am unfamiliar with military affairs."

Zhang Julu shook his head.

"A pedantic old scholar, all talk and no action, is like a vicious dog that only knows how to bark."

Lin Xuan's Madness

He went so far as to confront all the officials and even the emperor, directly addressing the chief minister and vehemently rebuking him.

"Lin Xuan".

The emperor's tone suddenly rose.

"Please forgive me, Your Majesty, for I was truly overcome with indignation."

Lin Xuan cupped his hands in greeting.

"Minister Gu".

The Emperor appointed the Minister of War, saying, "Among all the officials in the court, none knows more about military affairs than you."

"And tell me, are 100,000 troops in Yanzhou too many?"

Minister Gu stepped forward, pondered for a moment, and then replied, "If we wish to defend against the Northern cavalry, drive out the Hu and Qiang tribes in the east, and pacify the Six Guards internally, 100,000 troops are not too many."

"Very good."

The emperor showed a satisfied expression.

"But how do you explain the fact that the General privately forged weapons and armor?"

Zhang Julu finally became truly enraged.

"I had already submitted a memorial to the Ministry of War, but I have not received a reply."

Moreover, as a second-rank General Who Guards the North and concurrently the Prefect of Yanzhou, I have the authority to supervise the manufacture of weapons and armor.

"That is indeed true."

Minister Gu replied, "However, the Ministry of War's inventory of weapons and armor is limited, making it difficult to allocate them to the Yan territory."

"Why did you occupy Tianxian Pass without permission?"

Zhang Julu's voice was low and deep.

"If Beiliang cannot defend Tianxian Pass, then I will be the one to defend it."

Lin Xuan showed no intention of backing down, his gaze meeting the current chief minister's directly: "Besides, Tianxian Pass originally belonged to Yan territory, but it was secretly incorporated into the territory of Beiliang when I was about to take up my post."

Lord Zhang knew perfectly well what was going on, yet he used this as an excuse to impeach me. Those unaware of the truth might think that Lord Zhang was acting as a mouthpiece for my adoptive father, Xu Xiao, the Prince of Beiliang.

A murmur rippled through the hall as a variety of complex gazes turned toward the Grand Secretary.

Even the emperor's eyes flashed with an indescribable depth.

Zhang Julu remained calm, completely ignoring the stares of those around him, and continued to press, "Why did you privately communicate and negotiate with the Tuoba tribe and the Doyan Three Guards without the court's permission?"

"Given the circumstances, I believe Your Majesty will understand."

Lin Xuan's lips curled into a slight smile: "Does Lord Zhang have any further questions?"

"If not, please finish asking your question quickly."

Zhang Julu remained silent.

"Now that you've finished asking, it's my turn."

Lin Xuan's expression turned stern: "I would like to ask Lord Zhang how he has performed his duties as Grand Secretary for more than ten years."

He constantly talks about the people and the state of the country, claiming to share the emperor's worries.

"The Northern Pythons have been invading the south for years, plunging the Yan region into chaos and devastation. The Hu and Qiang tribes plunder the people of the Central Plains every year. Why do you turn a blind eye? If you truly had a good plan, how could you allow the Northern Pythons and the Hu and Qiang to run rampant like this?"

"As the Grand Secretary, why have you not sent a single ration, a single reinforcement, a single sword, or a single suit of armor to our tens of thousands of soldiers in Yan County who have been fighting the two hundred thousand troops of the Northern Python for months?"

Lin Xuan spoke with a resounding voice, filled with murderous intent and indignation: "More than 50,000 of my Yan County soldiers died in battle, did Chief Minister Zhang ever show up and say a single word of condolence? When I was pacifying the Hu and Qiang and fighting to the death against the Northern Python, I'm afraid that Chief Minister Zhang was still indulging in pleasure in some brothel."

"Pooh."

He spat on the ground, coldly sweeping his gaze over the assembled officials, and sternly said, "You still dare to call me a butcher? If my blade doesn't slay the Northern Python or kill the Hu and Qiang, their blades will fall on your heads and chop off your heads."

He then shook his head: "However, given your opportunistic and weak-willed nature, I'm afraid if the Northern Python really attacks, you'll be the first to kneel down and beg for mercy."

He said sarcastically, "Anyone who disagrees and thinks I was wrong to call you spineless cowards and opportunists is welcome to come with me to Yanzhou."

Whether it's facing the Northern Pythons or annihilating the Hu and Qiang tribes, as long as you dare to draw your swords, mount your horses, and charge into battle—I will retract my previous statement.

Among the civil and military officials, some had flushed faces, some bowed their heads and remained silent, some were visibly angry, and some had eyes as sharp as knives, as if they wanted to tear Lin Xuan to pieces.

"This is utterly absurd!"

An official from the Censorate was so angry that his beard and hair stood on end. He rolled up his sleeves and was about to rush forward, but was held back tightly by his colleague.

"I've heard that the Divine Marquis possesses unparalleled martial arts skills. Do you dare to go to the Northern Python Kingdom to assassinate its Empress, or even slay the Northern Python Kingdom's military god, Tuoba Bodhisattva?"

Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow: "Didn't you claim to be loyal to the emperor and patriotic, and devoted to the country? Whether it was assassinating the Empress or Tuoba Bodhisattva, both were righteous acts, enough to demonstrate your loyalty."

If successful, the people of the Central Plains can be spared the ravages of war; if defeated, they can still die for their country, fulfilling their duty to His Majesty and the common people.

The Marquis's face turned ashen, and he gritted his teeth, but dared not utter a word in response—to agree would be to court death, while not agreeing would appear cowardly.

Who would have thought,

A military general from Yan province one day stood before the emperor in the imperial court and silenced all the civil and military officials, even the chief minister and the divine marshal were rendered speechless.

Even Xu Xiao, the King of Northern Liang back then, was never so flamboyant and unrestrained.

The emperor sat upright on his dragon throne, secretly feeling a sense of satisfaction.

He had long harbored resentment towards these officials, but had no excuse to vent it.

Especially the Divine Marquis, relying on his status as the Imperial Uncle, speaks of benevolence and morality, and constantly talks about the country and its people.

There was nothing that could be done about him for the time being.