Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 399 The Oracle is late

Empress Xie's heart tightened, and she forced herself to kneel down on the cold gold bricks with a thud, despite her heavy body.

"His Majesty……"

Her voice trembled, "Xiao, like a cornered dog, has gathered over 300,000 refugees and launched a fierce attack on Yongding... The city's garrison is less than 50,000... Qi Mingyang is bogged down in the Wei River Valley by the chaotic army, too far away to help. Ma Kun, the commander of the capital's defenses, is nearby, but refuses to send troops to aid him, citing the lack of His Majesty's decree..."

Emperor Chongzhao suddenly raised his eyes, a fierce glint in them.

"What does the Empress want to say?"

Empress Xie's voice suddenly rose, filled with urgency and pleading.

"Your Majesty, please issue a decree immediately, ordering Ma Kun to send troops! Every moment of delay will be handing tens of thousands of soldiers of Yongding to the tiger's den. Your Majesty... you must not embolden the rebels... and you must not allow our Zhao'er... to be in danger."

"Queen!"

Emperor Chongzhao interrupted him sternly.

His eyes were bloodshot, cloudy and deep.

"I am not confused yet, and I can still distinguish between what is important and what is urgent."

Empress Xie's face turned deathly pale instantly. She looked at him in disbelief, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince's surprise attack on Yingchoujian and the burning of Xiao's army's provisions is a great achievement..."

"He is the Crown Prince, this is what he should do," Emperor Chongzhao said coldly, his chest rising and falling slightly.

"Your Majesty is wise, Zhao'er..."

Emperor Chongzhao waved his hand to stop her from continuing, glancing at her with half-closed eyes, his tone softening slightly.

"I have my own considerations on this matter... cough cough... The Empress is six months pregnant and her months are getting longer. She should prioritize the imperial heir and avoid getting agitated. She should not worry about these important military and state affairs and should be careful not to upset the fetus."

"His Majesty……"

Empress Xie wanted to say something more, but Emperor Chongzhao had already closed his eyes and waved his hand impatiently.

"Our ancestors clearly instructed that the empress must not interfere in politics, and the empress must not break the rules."

One sentence shut down all of Empress Xie's excuses.

Her body went limp, and she could barely kneel.

Emperor Chongzhao lifted his eyelids slightly. "I am tired. Empress, go back and rest well... There is no need to speak further."

She swayed, and with all her might, she managed to maintain her empressly demeanor, stiffly curtsying in a gesture of respect.

"Your Majesty... I take my leave."

Wang Chengxi watched the Empress's figure disappear into the light and shadow of the palace gate, then looked at the Emperor resting with his eyes closed on the couch, and sighed silently in his heart.

Even a royal couple can end up like this.

The hall fell silent, save for the smell of medicine and heavy breathing.

After a long while, so long that Wang Chengxi thought the emperor had fallen asleep, Emperor Chongzhao suddenly opened his eyes.

“Ma Kun is waiting for my decree… then I will… give him… this decree…”

"His Majesty……"

"The Crown Prince's dignity must still be maintained."

Wang Chengxi's heart skipped a beat. He dared not delay and quickly bowed in response. He then strode to the imperial desk and spread out a bright yellow silk cloth.

The emperor's voice came out intermittently.

"Imperial decree... Ma Kun, the defense commissioner of the capital region, is to immediately muster his troops and march day and night to reinforce Yongding... Any delay, shirking responsibility, or cowardice in advancing will be considered treason and punished with immediate execution!"

Wang Chengxi felt a weight lift from his shoulders and couldn't help but ask softly, "Your Majesty, shall we reward the Crown Prince for his meritorious service in suppressing the rebellion, in order to boost the morale of the army?"

Emperor Chongzhao swallowed hard a few times, then sighed slowly.

"The Crown Prince's power has been fully established, and his prestige... is excessive."

"Yes." Wang Chengxi understood.

Your Majesty is still Your Majesty.

He is both father and ruler. The Xiao family colluded with Prince Duan to force the emperor to abdicate, and Prince Wei is incompetent. This crumbling empire cannot do without the Crown Prince, its sharpest weapon.

But before His Majesty lay a single-plank bridge—

He needed the Crown Prince to turn the tide, but he also had to be wary of the fact that the sword was too sharp and might backfire and harm him.

Being a ruler is difficult; suspicion is the fate of emperors.

The imperial edict was quickly drafted and sent to the western frontier at the fastest speed, heading straight for Liang Jun's camp at Shuangtuo Ridge...

however--

This decree, which embodied the emperor's wisdom and the sovereign's decisions, was ultimately... a step too late.
-
The camps stretch along Shuangtuo Ridge, their banners fluttering in the wind.

Inside the central command tent, the charcoal fire burned extremely brightly.

Ma Kun, dressed in gleaming armor, sat imposingly on a tiger-skin chair, with an open map before him.

He was about forty years old, with a fair complexion and well-maintained appearance. His narrow eyes revealed shrewdness and calculation.

"My lord!" a lieutenant general reported, bowing anxiously, "Scouts report that the rebel offensive is relentless, and the Yongding garrison has suffered heavy casualties. We cannot delay any longer..."

"What's the rush?" Ma Kun didn't even lift his eyelids, slowly picking up the hot tea beside him and taking a sip. "The rebel army has more than 300,000 men, a formidable force... If we rashly charge in with our small force, wouldn't that be like throwing an egg against a rock? Yongding City is high and well-fortified, holding out for ten days or half a month shouldn't be a problem. We can wait until His Majesty's decree arrives before we make our move. Only with a legitimate reason can we speak with authority."

The generals inside the tent exchanged glances, all seeing the worry and resentment in each other's eyes. Ma Kun had stood by and watched his allies be annihilated; his heart was truly despicable.

However, he was the commander-in-chief and held the military command.

"Report—" The tent flap was suddenly flung open.

A messenger rushed in, panting and looking panicked.

"Reporting to you, sir! A troop of light cavalry, about a hundred men, has been spotted outside the camp. They are... claiming to be His Highness the Crown Prince... and saying they are Yu Qianshan, the commander of the Eastern Palace Guard, and that they have an urgent order from His Highness the Crown Prince to deliver."

“Yu Qianshan? Someone from the Eastern Palace.” Ma Kun paused in tapping the table, a flicker of surprise and doubt crossing his eyes. He then raised an eyebrow and asked:

"How many people did you bring?"

"Only a hundred or so light cavalrymen, weary from their journey!"

A hundred or so people can't make a fuss.

Ma Kun stroked his neatly trimmed short beard, his eyes gleaming: "Bring Yu Qianshan in! The rest of you, wait outside the camp."

"Yes!"

About half a cup of tea's time later, footsteps could be heard outside the camp.

Yu Qianshan, with his hand on the hilt of his sword, strode into the tent. His sharp gaze swept over the generals inside, finally settling on Ma Kun. He clasped his hands in a salute, his voice booming.

"This humble general, Yu Qianshan, pays his respects to the Defense Commissioner—"

He was tall and imposing, his black armor stained with dark blood, and a new scar on his cheek. He exuded the fierce aura of a battlefield general, and despite having only two personal guards with him, he showed no sign of timidity.

"General Yu, you've worked hard." Ma Kun sat firmly on the ground, gesturing to the seat beside him. "I wonder what His Highness the Crown Prince's decree is? How is the battle at Yongding? I am extremely worried and eagerly await His Majesty's order day and night so that we can immediately dispatch troops..."

Yu Qianshan did not sit down. His gaze swept over Ma Kun's pampered face, a cold, hard smile curving his lips. He took two steps forward.

"The garrison of Yongding fought desperately for several days. The corpses piled up like mountains at the city gates—the soldiers drank blood when thirsty and ate grass when hungry. Meanwhile, Lord Ma, with 100,000 elite troops, sat there calmly, indulging in revelry day after day. What worries did he have? What anxieties did he have?"

With each word he spoke, his imposing manner grew stronger.

All the generals in the tent looked ashamed and lowered their heads.

The atmosphere became awkward, and Ma Kun slammed his fist on the table and stood up.

"Insolence!" he shouted, his voice trembling with fear. "I act according to established rules. How dare you, a mere guard of the Eastern Palace, roar here?"

"I dare! Of course I dare!"

Yu Qianshan let out a deep shout, and his long sword was drawn with a clang.

"The Crown Prince's decree is here!"

(End of this chapter)