I am a soldier in the border army

Chapter 660 Han Shao: I am unable to walk
joke?

Doesn't Your Majesty think this joke has gone a bit too far?
Han Shao's army numbered in the hundreds of thousands and had never been defeated since the beginning of time!
Now that it occupies six provinces of the world, why would Your Majesty make a joke about him?

Aren't you afraid that this hard-won positive situation will be reversed in an instant?

While the court officials were inwardly grumbling, some couldn't help but frown secretly.

They could tell that the recent string of successes had made the young emperor a bit arrogant.

Indeed, since Ji Yin ascended the throne, he first executed Shangguan Ding, and then swiftly wiped out the entire Shangguan faction. His deep scheming and decisive and ruthless methods left them in awe.

He then defied public opinion and made the decisive move to appoint Gongye Jin, a defeated general, which can be considered a considerable achievement.

This gave many people hope for the revitalization of Dayong.

Shouldn't we be even more cautious at times like these?
Why the urgency?

In addition...

If they remembered correctly, when Shangguan Ding was still alive, hadn't that person already been promoted to Prince of Yan?

Why does Your Majesty still refer to him as 'Duke of Yan'?
An old minister frowned, but finally couldn't help but offer a word of advice.

Upon hearing this, Ji Yin, seated on the throne, turned his seemingly gentle and calm eyes toward the old minister.

"How can the things that traitor Shangguan Ding set be counted?"

After these words were spoken, not only the old minister, but all the court officials present were stunned.

After looking at each other for a while...

Despite the fear and apprehension many court officials felt towards Ji Yin's unpredictable temper, some still mustered the courage to speak up.

"Your Majesty, the central government's decree has already been issued. If it is changed arbitrarily, I fear it will damage Your Majesty's authority..."

To be honest, they were genuinely taken aback by Ji Yin's sudden move.

Regardless of whether Ji Yin's intentions were genuine, he personally nodded in agreement to the imperial decree that conferred the title of king.

How can you just change things as you please, or disregard them as you please?

If that's the case, who will take the words of the central government seriously in the future?
Just as the court officials thought Ji Yin didn't understand the seriousness of the matter and were about to persuade him, they saw Ji Yin suddenly smile.

"Who said... the decree has already been issued?"

Upon hearing this, all the court officials present were stunned once again.

Just as they were wondering what Ji Yin meant by those words, Ji Yin said leisurely and self-satisfiedly.

"That traitor Shangguan Ding is coercing me, attempting to use this to disrupt my rule and ruin my empire. How can I allow him to do as he wishes?"

"Don't worry, that imperial edict is still in my hands and has not been issued."

After hearing Ji Yin's words, the court officials were stunned for a moment before they finally understood.

To be honest, the situation in the capital has been too chaotic in the past six months. Their lives and fortunes are hanging by a thread, so how could they have the energy to care about anything else?

So much so that they were completely unaware that the imperial edict that had been issued to confer the title of king had never left the capital!
Seeing that they had made such a blunder, the court officials couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed.

However, they quickly came up with another problem.

"So... our Lord Yan has performed a great service in suppressing the bandits, yet he hasn't received a single reward?"

The courtier who spoke was too quick to react, and immediately regretted it after saying it.

He glanced cautiously at Ji Yin on the throne and, as expected, saw Ji Yin looking at him with a gloomy expression.

A chill ran down his spine, and Ji Yin grinned.

"You're so eager to speak up for that person before me, could it be that you've received a bribe from him?"

"Or... are you his spy planted by my side?"

Upon hearing Ji Yin's scathing words, the court official trembled as if he were being shaken.

However, before he could even open his mouth to protest his innocence, Ji Yin had already taken back what he had just said and said with a smile.

"However, I don't think you are like that either."

"After all, even being someone's dog, being my dog, is much better than being that person's dog, don't you think?"

Upon hearing this, the courtier, disregarding Ji Yin's comparison of him to a lowly dog, trembled and cried out repeatedly.

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

"Your Majesty's loyalty is as clear as heaven and earth, as evident as the sun and moon!"

Upon seeing this, Ji Yin burst into laughter.

Father, can you see this?
These are the courtiers you fear and tolerate every day!

So, Father, you are not as good as me!
As Ji Yin's gaze swept over the pair of timid eyes below, his heart surged with emotion.

A surge of strong confidence welled up from his chest, even giving him the illusion that everything in the world was nothing more than this.

Fortunately, he quickly composed himself and gradually calmed down.

When the laughter subsided, Ji Yin, with a playful smile on his lips, nodded slightly.

"Alright, I have seen your loyalty."

"As for what you just said, I also think it makes a lot of sense."

At this point, Ji Yin paused slightly before continuing.

"Yan Gong Han Shao has indeed made great contributions to the state. If I do not bestow titles or rewards upon him, wouldn't the people of the world mistakenly think that I am a harsh and ungrateful ruler?"

"Well then, what do you all think I should reward him with?"

After Ji Yin finished speaking, the court officials exchanged glances.

In the end, they all chose to remain silent, like gourds with their mouths sawed off.

After all, no one wants to be accused of colluding with foreign vassals or advocating for them.

Only when Ji Yin frowned slightly, showing a hint of displeasure, did they hurriedly cup their hands in greeting.

"Thunder and rain, all are the Emperor's grace!"

"This matter should be decided solely by Your Majesty."

Someone spoke first, and the hall instantly erupted in a cacophony of voices.

"Your Majesty, we humbly beseech your wise judgment!"

Seeing this, Ji Yin finally showed a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

"In that case, Linghu An, you shall draft the decree for me."

Now that he had been appointed as a Zhongchangshi (a high-ranking official) and was in charge of the Lantai Pavilion, Linghu An felt a chill in his heart, but then calmly agreed.

Ji Yin gave him a look of appreciation.

"Issue my decree: He... has rendered great service, so grant him the title of king."

"As for this title..."

Ji Yin had originally intended to use his wits to sabotage the title and take the opportunity to annoy someone, but then he changed his mind and felt that doing so would be too petty, so he simply said it directly.

"Fine, let's keep the character 'Yan' as our pseudonym."

Make the king!

He should be made a king!

Unexpectedly, after going through such a long and complicated process, Ji Yin still chose to bestow the title of king upon Han Shao, without changing a single word of the king's title.

The court officials were clearly taken aback.

But they quickly realized what was going on.

The fact that Ji Yin is now taking the initiative to grant himself the title of king is completely different in meaning from the time he was forced to do it by Shangguan Ding.

Once the court officials realized this, their doubts were immediately dispelled.

Meanwhile, the slight tension that had been lurking in their hearts gradually dissipated.

In fact, although not everyone knew about the disagreement between Ji Yin and Han Shao back then, most people had heard about it.

Therefore, they feared that Ji Yin might be fixated on past personal grudges and act impulsively, choosing to break ties with Han Shao now.

But as it turned out, Ji Yin was rational and knew that no matter what the cost, he had to keep the other side calm first.

As for whether or not there will be retribution later, that's definitely inevitable.

One world cannot allow two 'kings' to exist!
These aristocratic families, with generations of officials and nobles, would never allow such a powerful being to rise above them all!
In this respect, their interests are completely aligned with those of Emperor Xingping, Ji Yin.

But that can only be discussed later.

With the world still unsettled, Ji Yin needs time to pacify it and increase his strength.

They also need to reintegrate the various forces that were scattered due to the conflict between Shangguan Ding and Emperor Taikang.

In addition, they need time to digest and absorb the legacy left by Shangguan Ding and his ilk in order to strengthen themselves.

While not seeking to restore Shangguan Ding's former formidable prestige, at least a certain degree of balance between the ruler and his subjects should be achieved.

So that they wouldn't be powerless against Ji Yin after he and Han Shao finally settle their score.

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

This shout came from the bottom of my heart.

Some courtiers breathed a sigh of relief and even showed obvious signs of joy.

What they didn't notice was that Ji Yin, who had witnessed the whole scene, had a hint of mockery in his eyes.

"It's not like I'm bestowing titles of kings upon you, so why are you all so happy?"

Upon hearing this, the court officials' expressions changed, and they hurriedly offered their explanations.

"Your Majesty possesses a broad mind and profound virtue, displaying the qualities of a sage ruler from ancient times." "We are overjoyed to see the Great Yong Dynasty on the verge of restoration!"

Ji Yin laughed heartily.

"Haha, with such virtuous ministers as you to assist me, why should I worry about the prosperity of my Great Yong?"

After saying that, he suddenly changed the subject.

"By the way, you all say I'm magnanimous, so I might as well be generous one last time!"

"How about this, I will bestow upon you another Prince Yan's Mansion in this capital city!"

"Once our Prince of Yan receives the imperial decree, let him bring his family and relatives to live in this capital!"

At this point, Ji Yin's face was filled with emotion and reluctance.

"Speaking of which, our Prince Yan has fought in the north and south for so many years. Although he has made great contributions to the country, he has also endured a lot of hardship. I often think of him and can't sleep at night. I feel very sorry for him!"

"And my capital city is rich and luxurious, and extremely comfortable! It's time to let our Prince Yan enjoy it to the fullest!"

After he finished speaking non-stop, the ease that had just accumulated on the faces of the court officials instantly froze.

What do you mean by not being able to bear it!
What wealth and comfort!
Of all Ji Yin's words, the only thing they heard was the phrase "sleepless nights"!
Having said all that, Ji Yin's true intentions were all too clear!
He actually intended to use the title of Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yan's mansion to lure that fierce tiger from Liaodong into this capital city—and imprison him!
absurd!

Innocent!

Just crazy!

After a long, deathly silence, a courtier finally couldn't help but ask a question.

"Your Majesty, what if the Prince of Yan... refuses to obey the imperial edict?"

Ji Yin grinned.

"Disobeying the imperial decree, what do you say?"

……

The angel from the central court finally left the capital.

The process of being crowned king had already been largely completed six months ago, and all necessary preparations had been made long ago.

Therefore, the movements appear extremely rapid.

The journey that followed was also very smooth, thanks to the efforts of Gongye Jin's 100,000 imperial guards over the past six months, as the prefectures and counties along the way were returned to the king's territory.

The angel arrived in Yanzhou with almost no trouble.

Now that Yanzhou is under the actual control of the Zhenliao Army, things are going smoothly for them.

The imperial envoys, who had originally planned to deliver the imperial decree in Yanzhou, were disappointed to learn that Han Shao had already returned to Zhenliao City in Youzhou.

Thinking that they still had thousands of miles to go, the leading angelic envoy frowned and said with dissatisfaction.

"Since we hold the Emperor's decree in our hands, can't we ask Lord Yan to take time out of his busy schedule to come and receive it?"

The general in charge of welcoming them from Zhenliao was so angry he almost laughed, and in the end he only replied with the word "get lost".

"You lowly, eggless castrated dog slave, do you think you're worthy to order my lord around?"

Hearing the general's curses, the group of angels turned ashen with anger and wanted to retaliate, but when they looked up at the cold, menacing weapons, they ultimately chose to remain calm despite their burning rage.

"Traitors! These traitors! They have no respect for the emperor! They are utterly lawless!"

The general of Zhenliao Army, who had simply tossed the eunuchs aside, naturally did not hear their angry curses behind their backs.

But even if they heard it, they probably wouldn't be angry.

Instead, they will become complacent.

What is the emperor anyway?
We, the fierce and ruthless rulers of Zhenliao, have always known only the sovereign, not the emperor!

……

Zhenliao City.

Compared to the chaotic world today, this northern fortress has long lost its former status as a vital border town, appearing completely out of place in the current turmoil.

The scene before one's eyes is bustling with merchants and travelers, and all industries are thriving.

Even during the Lunar New Year, this is the case.

However, this caused great hardship for the officials in various government offices throughout the city.

Even if someone is on annual leave, someone must remain at the yamen to keep watch, lest chaos arise and no one is there to handle it.

After changing into ordinary clothes, Han Shao wandered around the city for a while and, seeing that everything was in good order, couldn't help but praise it.

"The prosperity of the common people is all thanks to you. I will remember your contributions."

Upon hearing this, the accompanying officials were overjoyed.

For an official, what could be more gratifying than having the emperor's favor?
Just that one word of praise made them feel that even death would be worthwhile!

Unfortunately, Han Shao had limited time and didn't say much to them before disappearing from their sight.

To put it bluntly, Han Shao's city tour today was just a spur-of-the-moment thing.

Nowadays, he no longer does everything himself.

It's enough to deal with the important things first, so you're not completely clueless.

The remaining matters will be handled by the Prime Minister and the Secretariat, which will also allow them to get used to things in advance.

"By the way, how has Madam Shangguan been these past few days?"

Upon hearing Han Shao's question, Zhongxing Gu hurriedly replied.

"Much better, after all, half a year has passed."

In fact, what Zhongxing Guben wanted to say was that, regarding the matter of Shangguan Ding and the Shangguan family, Madam Shangguan did not seem to be very sad.

However, she was concerned that saying this would make Madam Shangguan seem cold-hearted and provocative.

Therefore, they could only give vague answers.

Upon hearing this, Han Shao shook his head and chuckled.

"That silly woman..."

If it were anyone else, they would pretend to be heartbroken at this moment, even if they weren't actually sad, in order to gain sympathy and comfort. But this silly woman is just a blockhead and knows nothing!
"I'm staying at her place tonight, so I asked her to prepare... never mind, nothing special."

Having said that, Han Shao did not dwell on the matter and instead said...

Where are the angels?

"We just passed Yanzhou and took the road through Jizhou."

Han Shao nodded, indicating that he understood.

……

It was the end of the first month of the second year of the Xingping era of the Dayong reign.

An angel arrived in Youzhou to guard Liao, and Han Shao, along with the civil and military officials in charge of guarding Liao, welcomed and paid homage to him.

It was said to be a welcoming ceremony.

In reality, Han Shao sat high above, with civil and military officials standing on either side, watching Ji Yin's envoy enter the main hall of the shogunate.

Upon seeing this, the previously arrogant group of angels instantly hunched over and shrank back.

Upon seeing this, Han Shao laughed.

"Are the angels afraid of my majesty?"

He may seem to be joking, but he is actually arrogant.

After all, what exactly are angels?
It's as if the Emperor himself has arrived!

To say that these angels feared his majesty is to say that Ji Yin feared his majesty.
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire hall erupted in loud laughter.

Han Shao's gaze swept over the assembled civil and military officials, a look of satisfaction appearing in his eyes.

Very well, he is not Cao Mengde.

He also did not have Xun Yu under his command who was loyal to the Han dynasty.

When the angels, their faces flushed, reluctantly read out the imperial edict, the beginning was fine: Han Shao was granted the title of king, and all the civil and military officials present were honored.

But upon hearing the rest, the expressions of the civil and military officials present changed.

Feng Can, who returned with Han Shao, was furious and raised his fist to send these angels on their way.

Are they treating our emperor like an idiot?

"When angels are present, one must not be disrespectful."

A mild rebuke stopped Feng Can's impulsive act.

Upon seeing this, Feng Jian became extremely anxious.

"Your Majesty, that scoundrel emperor is not human; you mustn't fall for his tricks..."

Han Shao glared at him.

He then waved his hand and said to the angel.

"I appreciate Your Majesty's kind offer."

"It's just that I've been on the battlefield for a long time, accumulating injuries, and now my old ailment has relapsed, making it difficult for me to walk."

"So I'm afraid I won't be able to go to the capital city anytime soon."

……

(End of this chapter)