Dream of the Red Chamber: Start by gaining Zhao Yun's martial prowess, and be ennobled in a sin

Just as the ministers were each lost in thought, Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, with an invigorated expression, stepped forward and spoke first:

"Your Majesty, I offer my congratulations! Another victory has been reported from the Northwest! Our Great Han army is invincible wherever it goes!"

"While the Duke of Jing's bravery and courage are certainly partly attributable to this, His Majesty's wisdom and martial prowess, his strong support, and his great trust in him are also crucial factors."

"Isn't that also a key reason why we were able to win such a smooth victory in the Northwest campaign?"

"After this battle, our great Han Dynasty will display its military might throughout the world, the enemy will be terrified, and the border will be free from the threat of war for several years, even decades!"

"This is all thanks to Your Majesty, the Duke of Jing, your wise and virtuous ministers, and your united efforts! I congratulate Your Majesty! I congratulate our Great Han!"

Xu Zhuo and Kong Ying, who were standing in the hall, trembled upon hearing this.

The congratulatory words from the Prince of Bei Jing were like putting the two of them on the hot seat!

It is said that Emperor Jingsheng trusted Jia Jing, and that the two were wise rulers and virtuous ministers, and that they were of one mind and one heart, which enabled them to achieve this victory.

Isn't this implying that their previous advice to maintain checks and balances, recall Jia Jing, and use civil officials to patrol the border was a treacherous tactic to sow discord among loyal ministers?

This one sentence practically branded them as treacherous villains with malicious intentions, just like Qin Mie!

This……

As Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, took the lead in offering his congratulations, the other officials in the hall also realized that there was never a shortage of people willing to add to someone's glory.

Marquis Zhongjing, Shi Ding, stepped forward and bowed, saying:

"Your Majesty's diligent governance, military strengthening, and unwavering commitment to foreign policy have given us military officers a chance to prove ourselves!"

"The Duke of Jing is a capable general, and His Majesty is an even more enlightened ruler!"

"This battle turned the tide of the war. From this moment on, our Han Dynasty is strong and well-equipped, and no one will dare to invade again. The momentum of our revival is now unstoppable!"

"Your Majesty, I congratulate you on the glory of our Great Han Dynasty!"

Shi Ding was Jia Mu's nephew, related to the Jia family by marriage, and also had a close relationship with Prince Bei Jing. Naturally, he had to step forward to help.

Once the Prince of Beijing and the Marquis of Zhongjing offered their congratulations, others quickly followed suit.

For a moment, the hall was filled with praise for Emperor Jingsheng and Jia Jing.

Emperor Jingsheng felt somewhat comforted by this scene, but his expression remained calm.

He cast a cold gaze at Xu Zhuo and Kong Ying, and said in a stern voice:

"Censor Xu and Physician Kong, you two just said that I should check and balance Jia Zijie, transfer him back to the capital, and send another civil official to the Northwest to oversee the army!"

"Now that Zijie has won and will soon be returning to the capital, showing no intention of clinging to military power in the Northwest, what do you say?"

Emperor Jingsheng's voice wasn't loud, but every word he spoke was like a heavy hammer blow.

The blows struck Xu Zhuo and Kong Ying's chests, turning their faces pale and causing them to tremble.

What else is there to say?

What else can be said besides being caught in the middle?

Now that all the civil and military officials in the court are praising the emperor and Jia Zijie and celebrating the court's victory, what else would they dare to say?

No matter how many high-sounding reasons are given, they all seem so empty and powerless in the face of this victory.

If we continue to argue like this, what's the difference between us and clowns jumping around?

The winner takes all, the loser is condemned; the outcome is defined correctly, it's that simple!

Xu Zhuo and Kong Ying stood in the hall, facing the slightly mocking gazes of the civil and military officials, feeling utterly ashamed.

In the end, he could only blush, cover his face with his sleeve, and remain silent with his head down.

However, Emperor Jingsheng did not let the two off easily; he was already tired of the civil officials attacking Jia Jing.

This is a good opportunity to give all the civil and military officials a proper lesson.

Emperor Jingsheng's expression was solemn, and his imperial aura even carried a hint of oppression.

The sound was half an octave higher than before, like a cold, sharp blade slicing through porcelain.

"Since I enfeoffed Zijie as the First-Class Duke of Jing, there has been much discussion and criticism throughout the court and among the people, with unfounded accusations and constant controversy."

"I know that not only Xu Zhuo and Kong Ying, but also countless other civil officials and their cronies are worried that military generals are becoming too powerful."

"It's not impossible that they wanted to suppress Jia Zijie."

"But I want to tell you, I am not the Emperor Gaozong of Song who is suspicious of his meritorious officials."

"The reason I trust Jia Zijie is not because of my personal preference or selfishness."

"But rather, it was he who, in a moment of national crisis, stepped forward to save the nation from collapse and turn the tide, making unparalleled contributions to the court and the people!"

"He shed blood and risked his life for the Han Dynasty. As the Emperor, I must reward and punish him fairly, and give him the status and honor he deserves!"

"This is the law of nature, and also the rule of the imperial court!"

"I will say this one last time: from now on, if anyone in the court attacks Jia Zijie on trumped-up charges, this will be a serious offense."

"Those who speak of checks and balances by powerful ministers or unforeseen dangers are regarded by me as treacherous officials who sow discord between the emperor and his ministers and harbor ulterior motives."

"Regardless of who they are or what their position, they shall be immediately dismissed from their posts, stripped of their titles, imprisoned, and punished!"

"I urge you to do more practical and good things for the court and the people, and to focus your efforts on the right path of the new policies."

"Stop thinking only about forming cliques and eliminating dissent! Become an incompetent and treacherous person who only talks empty words and lies, does no real work, ignores the big picture, and only engages in reckless speech, disruptive governance, and factionalism!"

Emperor Jingsheng's words were resounding and carried great weight!

It not only points out the selfish motives of civil officials forming cliques to suppress dissent,

He even went so far as to declare that anyone who criticizes Jia Jing again, regardless of who they are, will be imprisoned and punished!

This is extremely rare in the court's discourse, which emphasizes decorum and the principle of fighting without breaking apart.

This also made all the civil and military officials realize the high level of importance and trust they placed in Jia Jing!

Xu Zhuo and Kong Ying, who were already in a state of unease, were even more frightened by the words "Emperor Gaozong of Song", "fabricated charges", "forming cliques for personal gain", and "spreading rumors and disrupting the government" in Emperor Jingsheng's words!

This was a conclusion made by the emperor himself, in front of all the civil and military officials, and to be recorded in history.

without any exaggeration,

Emperor Jingsheng's words were not only extremely detrimental to their future careers, but would also have a significant negative impact on their reputations throughout their lives.

Such harsh and direct criticism was something they hadn't expected and couldn't understand!

It's just a few ordinary words of advice, isn't it?

Ultimately, it was all for the sake of the court's overall interests, so why did it provoke such a fierce and merciless counterattack and criticism from the emperor?

Xu Zhuo's face was deathly pale, and his legs felt weak.

His knees, beneath his court robes, bent slightly, then braced themselves, and bent again.

The folding paper slipped from his hand and fell to the ground with a loud crash, which was particularly jarring in the silent hall.

Then everything went black before his eyes, as if his bones had been removed, and he collapsed.

It's not kneeling, it's paralysis.

He landed on his buttocks, his legs as limp as noodles, his court robes scattered on the ground, his hat askew, revealing his gray hair.

To behave improperly in front of the palace is a grave offense.

But no one laughed at him, no one dared to laugh.

The hall was completely silent; countless people were stunned by the sudden burst of imperial aura from Emperor Jingsheng!

As Jia Jing achieved victory after victory on the border, Emperor Jingsheng's throne became increasingly secure.

His prestige grew day by day, and some people in the countryside had already called him the restorer of the dynasty!

At this moment, faced with Emperor Jingsheng's outburst, all the civil and military officials in the hall were filled with trepidation, not daring to confront the thunderous imperial might!