Hou Ye's palm heart is a black lotus

Everyone looked at it.

They dare not say anything, but this person might.

After all, he was a great hero who risked his life to save the crown prince back then and secretly protected him as he grew up.

Even now that he is crippled, they dare not be disrespectful to him and treat him with great respect.

Ogiwara said, "It is not a wise decision for Your Highness to lead troops into the capital at this time."

Everyone held their breath, their hearts pounding – only he could say such things!
"Oh?"

The man wearing the silver mask spoke coldly, revealing no emotion.

Ogiwara seemed oblivious to the chilly atmosphere.

"First, the soldiers have been marching at breakneck speed and fighting continuously, and are now exhausted and at their limit. If they are forced to continue north, many will likely collapse from exhaustion. Second, Your Highness promised to spare the people of Fengdu after entering the city, but later went back on your word and slaughtered all the innocent people in the city. Such actions will surely be condemned by the people of the world. Your Highness should find a way to make amends as soon as possible. Otherwise, you will likely be branded as a tyrant in the future."

After those words, the air seemed to freeze.

The group of people were so frightened that they lost their minds and knelt down on the ground in a panic.

"Your Highness, calm down!"

The expected outburst of rage did not occur.

The man stared intently at Ogihara. "Has Lord Di finished speaking?"

"No."

Ogiwara met his gaze, his expression frank and his tone resolute.

"Your Highness understands your eagerness to restore the Great Zhou, but this is something that cannot be rushed. For more than a decade, our people have been waiting in various places for this day. But the more this is the case, the more cautious Your Highness must be. Countless people have sacrificed their time and lives to get to this point; it has not come easily. If Your Highness insists on going your own way, you may ultimately betray their years of forbearance and waiting. Therefore, I hope Your Highness will be prudent."

The masked man suddenly countered, "Lord Di, haven't you wanted to say these things for a long time?"

"Your Highness is very perceptive," Ogiwara sighed inwardly.

He sensed something was wrong the day he arrived. The soldiers were exhausted, each more violent than the last, clearly on the verge of collapse from suppressed emotions. No wonder his recent encounters with Li Huaiqing had all ended in defeat.

He had originally planned to find a suitable time to persuade them properly, but when Fengdu was massacred, he realized that it was too late.

—His Highness has gone mad.

Therefore, he chose to step forward at this time.

Whether His Highness wanted to hear these words or not, he had to say them.

"Now that you've finished speaking, you can leave." The masked man's voice was completely calm. "Lord Di is not in good health and it is not suitable for him to continue traveling north with the soldiers. It would be better if he stayed in Fengdu. Don't worry, someone will stay with you and take good care of you."

Ogiwara frowned.

"Your Highness—"

"Master Di."

The other party abruptly interrupted him, their eyes filled with warning.

"You have suffered a lot over the years. I am where I am today without Lord Di's help. If the Great Zhou is restored, Lord Di will surely make a great contribution. But... Lord Di has been out of the world for a long time, so it is better not to mention some suggestions. I know what to do, so I don't need Lord Di's guidance."

After saying that, he immediately called people in.

"Send Lord Di back to recuperate."

he said.

Soon, Ogiwara was taken away.

The masked man looked around.

This time, there were no further objections.

"Move out immediately! Issue the order: the first soldier to enter the capital will be rewarded with a thousand pieces of gold!" (End of Chapter)