Isolated town in northern border region

As Peng Xuan knelt in the center of the main hall, the iron chains on his hands and feet dragged across the gold-brick floor, making a dull scraping sound.

He ate and slept well during his journey to the capital, without the slightest panic, because he always believed in one thing.

The Chu Emperor will save him!

He was working for His Majesty, and he held so many orders that couldn't be made public. His Majesty wouldn't let him die at Xiao Lie's hands.

In the main hall, civil and military officials lined up on both sides, while the Chu Emperor sat high on the dragon throne. Peng Xuan delivered the most exquisite performance of his life.

"His Majesty!"

Peng Xuan's voice echoed back and forth in the empty hall.

"Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present!"

"King Xiao Lie of the Northern Frontier is colluding with rebels and plotting a rebellion!"

"To incite unrest in Qingzhou and provide disaster relief on behalf of the emperor is tantamount to treason!"

"They bully and dominate the market in Yongzhou, causing virtuous and honest people to lose their integrity and inciting panic among the ignorant masses!"

"They occupy the northern frontier, disobey the emperor's orders, cede territory to establish their own independent regime, and use the land of Great Chu to support their private army!"

He listed Xiao Lie's "crimes" one by one, kowtowing once for each one, his forehead hitting the gold bricks, and blood seeped out after three hits.

Those eyes, that posture, they truly seemed like loyal ministers and generals, serving their country and its people!

He stopped, raised his head, and glanced at the civil and military officials on both sides, waiting for the other officials to echo his sentiments.

But the hall was completely silent.

No one spoke.

No?

This doesn't make sense, does it?

I've launched the final offensive!

Why aren't you following along?

Peng Xuan was escorted back to the capital, unaware that the entire Great Chu had undergone a complete transformation.

Xiao Lie dominated eight states of the Great Chu, with a large army and many generals. After connecting trade routes, he became even richer than a country!

At this time, everyone was eager to get on good terms with Xiao Lie and gain merit by following him, so who would dare to follow him?

Peng Xuan's breathing began to become heavy.

He then looked at the aristocratic officials who had once called him brother.

Some people were looking down at the tips of their boots, some were holding a ceremonial tablet and studying it carefully, and some were turning their heads to talk quietly to the people next to them.

No one looked at him.

He looked at his Peng family members, but the elders in the clan not only did not speak up for him, but also looked at him with a gaze he had never seen before.

It's as if they're saying, "How dare you come back alive?"

Peng Xuan suddenly felt that the gold brick under his knees was very cold, so cold that it felt like it was freezing his whole body.

He turned to the man sitting on the dragon throne.

"Your Majesty! I am acting under imperial decree! I am utterly loyal to Your Majesty! I..."

The Chu Emperor sat on the dragon throne, looking at him expressionlessly, his face devoid of any emotion.

Peng Xuan swallowed the rest of his sentence, because he suddenly understood the look in the eyes of the person on the dragon throne.

There was no anger, no pity, no hesitation in his eyes, only a calmness that was rapidly calculating the pros and cons.

He was weighing whether it was more worthwhile to save Peng Xuan or to give up Peng Xuan.

"Take him away."

The Chu Emperor's voice was calm.

"We'll decide later."

Two guards stepped forward and lifted Peng Xuan up.

As Peng Xuan was dragged out of the main hall, he looked back one last time, but none of the civil or military officials in the hall raised their heads.

That night, the Chu emperor locked himself in his study without lighting any lamps.

Of course he wanted to protect Peng Xuan. If he couldn't even protect someone who had done things for him, who would dare to do things for him in the future?

But he doesn't have enough chips left.

The five northern prefectures are in Xiao Lie's hands. Qingzhou, Yongzhou, and Bingzhou have also been transferred to him. Xiao Lie holds the late emperor's edict in his hand, and the powerful families in the court have long begun to loosen their grip.

If he shows even the slightest sign of wanting to turn against Xiao Lie, Xiao Lie might immediately raise the banner of "avenging the late emperor and killing the tyrant" and march south.

But what if we kill Peng Xuan?

What will those who did things for him think?

Do they think...?

If His Majesty couldn't even protect Peng Xuan, will he also use the things we do for him as pawns to be discarded?

The Chu Emperor sat in the darkness, feeling like a ship caught in a whirlpool, with cliffs on both sides, and no matter which way he turned, he would crash into the rocks.

He sat in the dark all night, and finally decided to give up his old face.

"Someone come here!"

An old eunuch groped his way forward on his knees.

"Send a message to the Peng family, telling them to back down tomorrow."

"Tell Peng Xuan again, I want him to go insane!"

The Chu Emperor breathed a sigh of relief, thinking he had made the arrangements perfectly.

Xiao Lie's trump card was already prepared.

The next morning at court, officials from the powerful families of Yongzhou made their move.

One of the imperial censors from the Wang family stepped forward.

"In my opinion, Peng Xuan has slandered the prince and framed a pillar of the state, and his crime deserves to be beheaded."

Immediately afterwards, one of the doctors from the Li family added a comment.

"The King of the Northern Frontier restored the Northern Frontier, stabilized Qingzhou, and eliminated the abuses of powerful families in Yongzhou, thus contributing greatly to the nation."

"None of Peng Xuan's reports are true; they are all fabrications."

The third person, the fourth person, the fifth person.

Those faces that were silent yesterday have stepped forward one after another today, their tone becoming more and more resolute, their voices more and more unified.

It's as if someone wrote out all their lines for them last night.

Those aristocratic officials who had originally sided with the Chu Emperor began to quietly move closer to the center of the hall.

Neither in front nor behind, it stands in a position where it could fall to either side at any moment.

As the Emperor of Chu watched this scene, he felt as if sharp spikes had suddenly sprouted from the dragon throne beneath his buttocks, or as if a red-hot iron had been branding him, making him restless and uneasy.

Even so, the Chu Emperor decided to give it a try.

"Peng Xuan has probably gone mad."

"Otherwise, how could they distort the truth like this?"

He turned his head to look in the direction of the Peng family.

What do you all think?

The elders of the Peng family were stunned for a moment. Their years of experience in the court and the reminder from last night made them understand the meaning of the Chu Emperor in an instant.

His Majesty wants to spare Peng Xuan's life, but he needs a way out.

The old patriarch of the Peng family stepped forward, trembling.

"Your Majesty, my grandson Peng Xuan... has indeed been behaving strangely since returning from Bingzhou. He often talks nonsense, and I'm afraid... I'm afraid he has contracted madness."

The Chu Emperor nodded.

"In that case, spare his life."

"Presumably, the King of the Northern Frontier is magnanimous and wouldn't stoop to the level of a madman..."

"Your Majesty, please wait."

A voice came slowly from the ranks.

An old minister from the Du family stepped out of the ranks, his voice calm and even, as if he were reciting a sage's essay.

"Whether Peng Xuan is insane or not, we'd better examine him in court."

The Chu Emperor narrowed his eyes and looked at the old ministers of the Du family.

"Is this confirming Peng Xuan's madness, or is there something more to it?"

"It should be the former... finding a royal physician would at least give us an explanation."

After pondering for a while, the Chu Emperor ordered Peng Xuan to be brought to the main hall.

A short while later, Peng Xuan was brought in.

At this moment, Peng Xuan had lost the arrogance he had yesterday. His hair was disheveled, and he looked emaciated, truly resembling a madman.

In front of all the civil and military officials, the Chu Emperor summoned a knowledgeable imperial physician who took Peng Xuan's pulse on the spot and "confirmed" his madness.

Just when Emperor Chu thought everything was over and the dragon throne beneath him had become soft and comfortable again, those old ministers from the Du family spoke up again.

"I have heard that Peng Xuan was so frightened by the Northern Frontier King's spear that he fell off his horse outside the south gate of Bingzhou."

"It is said that he scrambled to his feet, covered in dust, and his panicked state drew the attention of passersby."

Another veteran of the Du family chimed in.

"I have also heard that the King of the Northern Frontier wrote a poem and posted it at the gate of Bingzhou City, where it is still there today."

He cleared his throat and read it out slowly and deliberately.

"The green spear casts a cold light, the helmet falls to the ground and rolls in yellow dust."

"Those who claim to be generals but receive no official rank are nothing but jackals and dogs occupying the court."

"Before the saddle is even stained with blood, the rider falls from the horse; from which can one judge merit?"

"The third-rank general who governs Bingzhou is no match for a frontline warrior on the northern frontier!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a burst of laughter erupted in the hall, which then immediately fell silent.

Some people were trying not to laugh, some turned their faces away and pretended to cough, and some looked down at their toes.

The Chu Emperor sat on the dragon throne.

"The Northern Frontier King pacified the Northern Barbarians, slaying countless enemies. His murderous aura was terrifying, and Peng Xuan was probably frightened at that time..."