Martial Arts Crossover: It All Started with Hijacking Li Canghai

"Bring me the imperial edict. Let me see what official position the Emperor has bestowed upon me!"

Zhang Tan and Liu Guang exchanged a glance, both seeing fear in each other's eyes.

They never expected that Qin Han would be so audacious and arrogant to such an extent.

With the imperial edict in hand, they still had some confidence.

Zhang Tan steadied himself, took out the rolled-up bright yellow imperial edict from his bosom, and held it high.

"Qin Han, since you want to see it, then I will tell you about it!"

He began to read the imperial edict in that treacherous voice.

The contents of the imperial edict were very simple.

First, they lavishly praised Qin and Han's achievements of "commendable loyalty and bravery, and their wisdom in repelling the Jin army."

Then, changing the subject, he said that in recognition of his hard work and great achievements, he was specially granted the title of "Loyal and Brave Earl", and was awarded ten thousand taels of gold and a thousand bolts of brocade. He was also ordered to immediately hand over the military power in Sichuan to Liu Guangdai, and was instructed to go to the capital on a chosen day for another important appointment.

He thinks he can exchange a vague and unattainable title for his 300,000-strong army and the entire Sichuan province?

That's right, the army now numbers over 300,000.

Zhao Gou really had a clever plan.

Are they treating me like Song Jiang from Water Margin?!

"...So be it!"

After Zhang Tan finished reading, his arrogant expression returned to normal.

"Qin Han, oh no, Earl of Loyalty and Valor, why don't you kowtow and thank the Emperor for allowing Lord Liu to take over this place?"

Inside the main hall, Qin Han's confidants were already unable to contain themselves.

Qin Han suddenly laughed.

He laughed very loudly.

"The Earl of Loyalty and Courage? Hahaha... What a fine Earl of Loyalty and Courage!"

His laughter ceased, and his eyes instantly turned sharp.

"I, Qin Han, guarded the southwestern gateway for the Song Dynasty, repelled the Jin army of 150,000, lost tens of thousands of brothers, and wounded tens of thousands more. In the end, all I got in return was a meaningless title of Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery?!"

"And what have my brothers, who fought and bled, given their lives, received in return?"

There's nothing there!

"I, Qin Han, will not accept this imperial edict!"

"Let whoever wants the title of Marquis of Zhongyong take it!"

Zhang Tan and Liu Guang were both dumbfounded by the scolding.

They had been ordered to appease countless local warlords, but they had never seen anyone so ungrateful.

"Qin Han! You...you dare to defy the imperial decree?!" Zhang Tan's voice trembled.

"Disobeying the imperial decree?"

Qin Han's smile turned incredibly cold.

"No."

"I suspect that you two have been bribed by the Jin Dynasty and are falsely conveying imperial edicts!"

"What?!" Zhang Tan and Liu Guang were shocked.

"We, Qin and Han, have rendered such tremendous service to the country and its people. Your Majesty is wise and mighty; how could you possibly grant me only a mere earldom and demand that such a loyal and courageous man relinquish his military power?"

"Wouldn't this chill the hearts of all Han Chinese? Who would be willing to stand up for their country in times of crisis in the future?!"

The voices of Qin and Han were like muffled thunder.

He was neither the foolish Song Jiang nor the selfless Guo Jing.

If they really think Qin Han was a dog, then the Southern Song Dynasty could be replaced, since it wasn't just the Jin and Liao dynasties eyeing this land.

With Sichuan as my territory, and an army of 300,000, I'm treated like royalty wherever I go!

"This must be the work of you two treacherous villains, deceiving the emperor and forging an imperial edict!"

"Tianbao Junbao!"

Qin and Han dynasties broke off their battle cry.

"exist!"

Dong Tianbao had been itching to get started for a long time, and even wondered if the official was crazy.

At this point, they actually want to sideline Master Qin?!

"Drag these two treacherous dogs who falsely claimed to be acting on imperial orders and plotted against the emperor out here and execute them!"

"yes!"

Upon hearing this, Dong Tianbao and Zhang Junbao pounced like two tigers, each pinning Zhang Tan and Liu Guang, who were still in a daze, to the ground!

"I'm innocent! Qin Han...you, how dare you!"

"Are you trying to rebel?!"

"We are officials appointed by the imperial court! Killing us is tantamount to open rebellion!"

The two screamed like pigs being slaughtered and struggled desperately.

Qin Han didn't even bother to look at them again.

He's not like Yue Fei, who had no temper. I have soldiers, generals, and money. Do you think I'm going to let you have your way?!

"Hang their heads on the city wall."

"Tell all the people of the city that a treacherous official has been bribed by the Jin Kingdom to falsely convey the imperial edict, and has been executed on the spot by me."

On the city tower of Shuzhou.

Two more heads were quickly added.

One was Zhang Tan, a eunuch, and the other was Liu Guang from the Censorate.

Their faces, wide open in death, still bore traces of terror and disbelief.

"The imperial envoy who falsely conveyed the imperial edict has been executed on the spot by Leader Qin!"

This news.

Like a magnitude 12 earthquake, it instantly ignited the entire Southern Song Dynasty court.

……

Beijing.

The Imperial Palace, Zichen Hall.

"Outrageous! Outrageous!"

Emperor Gaozong of Song, Zhao Gou, slammed a memorial in his hand onto the imperial desk, trembling with anger.

How many years has it been?!

This is the first time I've been attacked so aggressively in front of my face!

He pointed at the kneeling ministers below and began to curse them.

"This is outrageous! It's a complete rebellion!"

"A roughneck from the streets, a rebel from humble beginnings! How dare he kill an imperial official in the street and hang his head on the city wall!"

"Whose face is being slapped? This is a slap in the face of me! This is a slap in the face of my Great Song Dynasty!"

Zhao Gou's roar echoed in the empty hall, making people's eardrums ache.

The civil and military officials below were all silent and trembling, not daring to raise their heads.

Left Chancellor Cai Jing kept his eyes down, seemingly oblivious to the emperor's anger, like a clay Buddha statue.

Just kidding, anyone who goes looking for trouble these days is a fool.

Qin Han was a scoundrel who even dared to kill imperial envoys, clearly showing his lawlessness. If troops were actually sent at that time, there would be no room for maneuver.

Moreover, Sichuan is a long and arduous journey with treacherous mountains and rivers. The army would have to spend a huge amount of food and supplies to set out, and it would take at least a year and a half to get there.

By the time the army arrived, it was too late.

Right Chancellor Han Tuozhou wanted to say something tough, but he opened his mouth and ultimately swallowed his words.

After all, he also bore responsibility for Wang Quanbin's situation, so it was indeed difficult for him to speak up.

Although Qin Han killed the imperial envoy, his reason was irrefutable: he falsely conveyed the imperial edict.

This charge can be serious or minor.

To put it mildly, those two imperial envoys brought this upon themselves and deserved it.

To put it more broadly, the Qin and Han dynasties were challenging imperial power and openly rebelling.

The key point is that if the imperial court says the edict is real, then it is real; if it says it is fake, then it is fake.

This put the imperial court in an extremely awkward situation.

Fighting is risky and expensive.

If they don't fight, they'll lose face; what will become of the imperial dignity?

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger."

Just as no one spoke, a slightly aged voice rang out.

The crowd looked in the direction of the voice and saw an old man dressed in the robes of an imperial censor, whose eyes revealed a shrewdness and sinister intent, walk out from the line.

It was none other than Jia Sidao, the Imperial Censor-in-Chief of the current dynasty.

This person comes from the prestigious Jia family in the capital. He is a venomous snake that everyone in the court fears, mainly because his official position is designed to impeach and supervise all officials.

This old fellow was known for his sharp tongue; he was a venomous snake used by the government to keep its officials in check.

When Cai Jing and Han Tuozhou saw him step forward, they both frowned. What was this old dog doing out at this time?