Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
As the Grand General, Gu Bei bore heavy responsibilities, and protecting his country was his guiding principle.
For many years, he had adhered to this principle and worked tirelessly for it.
This time, beyond the obedience expected of a soldier, he was willing to go himself. The prospect of nearly ten thousand soldiers being lost spoke volumes about the tyranny of those bandits.
If even the regular army could not match them, one could only imagine the dire conditions the common people were living in.
Gu Bei stepped forward and replied, "Your Majesty, I am willing to lead the troops and will do my utmost!"
"Good!" The Emperor, Imperial Countenance, was greatly pleased. "General Gu will not disappoint me! I entrust this matter entirely to you. Go back, make some preparations, and set out immediately!"
"I accept the command!" Gu Bei declared loudly, shouldering this heavy burden.
The officials breathed a sigh of relief. Regardless of whether Gu Bei would truly succeed, at least for now, someone was stepping up to take the lead. If anything went wrong, Gu Bei would bear the Emperor's wrath, leaving them temporarily safe.
Meanwhile, Gu Rong felt an inner joy. He had never believed that Gu Bei possessed any real capability. In previous battles, Gu Bei had always won—partly due to luck; had someone else taken his place, they might have won as well.
Moreover, Gu Bei had previously relied on many capable subordinates who diligently assisted him. In other words, those victories were largely due to his subordinates' efforts; Gu Bei merely needed to sit in the military tent and wait for the battles to conclude.
However, this time was different.
Most of Gu Bei's confidants had already been lost in that last battle, leaving few capable individuals remaining. Relying solely on Gu Bei would yield little success; since these bandits had defeated the imperial forces five times already, they clearly had some skill. Gu Bei was essentially walking into a death trap!
Gu Rong secretly glanced in Gu Bei's direction, thinking smugly that he would see how much longer Gu Bei could flaunt himself this time! What invincible general? He would surely meet his downfall at Gu Rong's hands!
While Gu Rong reveled in his thoughts, another person silently cursed him fiercely.
This person is none other than Crown Prince Murong Cheng.
Like Gu Rong, he harbors a strong sense of rivalry against Gu Bei, constantly scheming to frame and eliminate him.
However, unlike Gu Rong, Murong Cheng has no personal vendetta against Gu Bei; what concerns him is the military power that Gu Bei holds.
Military power has always been an important bargaining chip in the struggle for imperial authority. The one who possesses military power has a significant advantage in becoming the ultimate victor and successfully ascending to the throne.
For Murong Cheng, who has always viewed the throne as his life's goal, the Tiger Tally represents the most crucial element. It must be in his hands; if it is not, he cannot feel at ease.
After Gu Bei's return, the emperor reinstated the military authority that Gu Bei had previously commanded, which made Murong Cheng secretly wish he could kill Gu Bei.
Now, with Gu Bei being sent to the south to suppress bandits, Murong Cheng's alarm bells rang even louder.
It is important to note that suppressing bandits does not simply involve sending Gu Bei's own troops; that would be too resource-intensive. Typically, some stationed troops from nearby regions are also dispatched to carry out the mission.
To facilitate operations, the military authority in these regions would temporarily be handed over to Gu Bei for unified command, preventing insufficient coordination and communication from affecting the campaign.
Once Gu Bei gains access to local military power, Murong Cheng worries that Gu Bei might embezzle funds and secretly consolidate that power under his own command. If that happens, Gu Bei would become even more difficult to deal with.
Just thinking about someone taking away the military authority that rightfully belongs to him makes Murong Cheng's heart tremble with anger and frustration.
Seeing that the officials were eager to distance themselves from responsibility and readily agreed to let Gu Bei take control of the military in the south only fueled his rage. He despised these useless officials deeply and vowed that once he ascended to the throne, he would dismiss all these fools from their positions!
"Father, I believe this matter is inappropriate!" Murong Cheng took a large step forward and urgently advised against it.
He subtly belittled, "General Gu has indeed achieved great military accomplishments in the past, which we all admire. However, he suffered a heavy defeat previously and was gravely injured. Now that he has just begun to recover, I fear he may still need time to recuperate and may not be fit to lead troops into battle."
Murong Cheng repeatedly brought up Gu Bei's only defeat, solely to humiliate him and let others know that Gu Bei had once returned in disgrace, reduced to a pitiful state.
The thought that this misery was something he, Murong Cheng, had personally inflicted upon Gu Bei filled him with satisfaction.
"Father, I believe that although General Gu has received Imperial Favor and been reinstated to his position, the fact remains that he suffered a defeat before and has since been unable to recover. I think General Gu should take more time to recuperate. Rushing him into battle now might lead to complications. What if—"
Murong Cheng paused deliberately before continuing, "What if we face a repeat of the previous disaster? That would waste resources and harm the local populace!"
His insinuation was clear: he believed Gu Bei was unfit for duty and could not bear the heavy responsibility of suppressing bandits.
Of course, his ultimate aim was to prevent military power from falling into Gu Bei's hands.
The emperor watched the impassioned crown prince with a flicker of complex emotions crossing his eyes, almost too quick for anyone to notice.
He straightened his face and said with displeasure, "Why must the crown prince bring up old grievances? Besides, the true cause of the last defeat has long been investigated. It was due to someone embezzling supplies, which led to a breakdown in military logistics. That was not Gu Bei's fault."
Murong Cheng would not retreat so easily. To protect his own military authority from being seized by Gu Bei, he was willing to go to great lengths to tarnish Gu Bei's reputation.
"Father, while the events of that time were not solely Gu Bei's fault, as a general, he failed to protect his soldiers and could not repel the enemy to safeguard the local people. That is also a fact. We cannot overlook his mistakes simply because General Gu has previously earned merit!"
To avoid leaving an impression of personal bias against Gu Bei in front of the emperor and other officials, Murong Cheng crafted his words carefully.
"Father, I am also considering what is best for the court and the local populace. Look at how many soldiers have already been sent out only to return defeated; it has embarrassed the court. If even General Gu were to fail and be captured this time, wouldn’t it lead others to believe that our dynasty has no capable talents left, just a bunch of incompetents?"
This speech struck a chord with the emperor. Although he had confidence in Gu Bei, warfare was unpredictable; who could guarantee victory?
If an unexpected event occurred and Gu Bei were defeated by those bandits, it would indeed bring shame upon the court.
It was not just a matter of embarrassment; the most important thing was that if anyone thought that even the Invincible General was nothing more than an ordinary person, someone to be looked down upon, then that would pose a serious problem.
Whether it was the domestic unrest or foreign nations seeking to take advantage of the situation, both would cause severe losses to the country.
Once credibility was lost and these restless individuals could not be suppressed, the consequences would be endless.
The Emperor pondered for a moment and decided to send Gu Bei, but he added a condition.
"Gu Bei," the Emperor said, looking at him, "the responsibility on your shoulders this time is immense. If this campaign against the bandits fails again, it will lead to a loss of public trust and disappointment in the court's incompetence. Therefore, you are only allowed to win; failure is not an option!"
He emphasized his words and asked, "Gu Bei, do you have confidence?"
Gu Bei understood the severity of the situation and recognized the Emperor's concern. This was not only for the people and the court but also a chance for him to restore his own credibility by eliminating this stubborn threat.
Previously, Gu Bei had suffered defeat but faced no punishment; instead, he was reinstated and favored by the Emperor. This had caused discontent among many who whispered behind his back, believing that Gu Bei was no longer the original Invincible General but merely a hollow shell.
By assigning this mission against the bandits to Gu Bei, the Emperor aimed to give him an opportunity to prove himself and silence those who murmured in discontent.
"I swear here," Gu Bei declared solemnly, "that I will not rest until the bandits are eradicated! Please watch closely, Your Majesty!"
"Very well!" The Emperor nodded in satisfaction. "Gu Ai Qing, go back and prepare immediately for departure!"
Comment 0 Comment Count