Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The Qin Emperor thought to himself that he did not want his country to be occupied by the Jin Kingdom, nor did he want to be in a constant state of war with them, leading to instability.
Li Bangyan, although a mediocre official, was loyal to him and would not betray his Song State by surrendering to the Jin people.
Therefore, he still needed to keep him around; he could not allow the War Faction's influence to grow too strong, or it would lead to worse outcomes.
He said, "Li Bangyan, Your Excellency, why are you in such a sorry state? Kneeling on the ground like this is truly pitiful. Please get up! You have done nothing wrong; how could I dismiss you from your position as Chancellor? Get up!"
Li Bangyan knelt on the ground, looking quite disheveled, with his white hair in disarray and a pale face filled with fear at the thought of losing his position.
Upon hearing the Emperor's words, he was very surprised.
He asked, "Your Majesty really will not punish me and will keep my position as Chancellor?"
The Qin Emperor, wearing the Golden Dragon Robe, nodded. He did not plan to dismiss him for now; he still had use for him.
"I will not dismiss you. Quickly get up! The country still needs you and Li Gang to manage it together for the sake of our Great Song!"
Hearing this from the Emperor, Li Bangyan immediately burst into laughter, filled with excitement!
It was a laugh typical of a schemer; since he had not been punished, he would surely become even more rampant.
After all, being older and physically stiff, his legs felt weak from kneeling on the ground for too long.
Those from the Peace Faction who originally intended to make him a scapegoat became enthusiastic again and rushed over to help him up.
They had thought he would be dismissed but were surprised that he retained his position. They could not afford to offend him; otherwise, life would be difficult in the future.
Right Chancellor Li Gang looked at the Emperor's continued tolerance towards Li Bangyan with dissatisfaction. However, dismissing such a corrupt official was already considered merciful. Given his level of corruption with all that silver, execution would not have been excessive.
He said, "Your Majesty, Li Bangyan is a mediocre official; he cannot serve as Left Chancellor. We must select capable individuals as Chancellor to ensure the safety and strength of our Great Song Dynasty."
Qin Feng also agreed. Based on his memories, Li Bangyan was a great traitor who would harm the country and its people; it was better to dismiss him.
He added, "Your Majesty, I support Prime Minister Li Gang's opinion. Dismiss this mediocre official Li Bangyan and choose a wise person as Chancellor so that our Great Song Dynasty can turn crisis into safety and grow stronger."
Di Wu Wang Ding They also agreed and followed suit, determined not to let Li Bangyan, the Corrupt Official, escape, at the very least he should be dismissed from his position.
Li Bangyan looked on in terror, recalling how he used to command respect; these fellows wouldn't dare confront him before. Today, however, they seemed to have gone mad, actually coming to bite him.
Let's wait and see; it will be a situation of water and fire, incompatible with each other.
The Qin Emperor, dressed in a Golden Dragon Robe, was originally smiling, but his expression darkened slightly as he looked at them with concern.
Previously, the Peace Faction was in power; they couldn't let the Peace Faction sink entirely while the War Faction became the main force. They needed to keep each other in check.
He said, "Your Excellencies, please stop arguing. If there’s nothing else, Li Gang, take them to complete the defenses of Tokyo City! The stronger, the better."
"I have already decided to stay in Tokyo City and will not head south again. Arrange the city's defenses and concentrate our forces on the City Wall. Go!"
He turned around, intending to return to his palace.
The court was divided into two factions: the pro-war and pro-peace. Once they started arguing, it would be endless, and their heads would ache from it.
Li Gang looked on with worry and sighed twice; it seemed that dismissing Li Bangyan from his position today was impossible.
He said, "Your Majesty, wait a moment. Minister has one more thing to discuss regarding the defenses of Tokyo City."
Qin Feng and others felt regretful as well; the Imperial Guards around the emperor were all pro-war and full of morale. It would be much more satisfying to dismiss Li Bangyan, this incompetent Chancellor.
The Qin Emperor paused and said, "Li Gang, what else do you have? Hurry up!"
Dressed in a Purple Official Robe, Li Gang slightly bowed and spoke.
He said, "Our Great Song has fewer than one hundred thousand elite troops in Tokyo City, while the Jin Kingdom has over a hundred thousand soldiers, most of whom are Cavalry, skilled in archery. They have fought for many years and recently defeated the Liao Dynasty, making them extremely formidable."
"With our current troop strength, dealing with the Jin Army is somewhat challenging. I would like to request Your Majesty to issue a decree seeking talented warriors to join our army, strengthening our Song Army's numbers and capabilities so that we can better repel the Jin Kingdom."
"Of course, this also includes talented Scholars, especially those skilled in military strategy; some experts are buried among the common people."
Qin Emperor listened and showed a hint of worry on his face, feeling even more anxious and uneasy.
Li Gang exclaimed, "Ah! Li Gang! You have no guarantee of victory, and it feels a bit strenuous. Yet you still want me to stay; now I feel embarrassed to even think about escaping."
It was not possible to refuse, so he went along with it.
“Your Excellency Li Gang, you are quite right. The number of soldiers in the Jin Kingdom is greater than ours. We need to recruit some wise individuals. Immediately draft a decree and distribute it throughout Tokyo. The recruitment will be under your management; just report the situation regarding the recruits.”
“I will leave it to you, but do not let me down. My head is really spinning right now; it hurts a lot. I’ll go back and rest.”
Li Gang immediately knelt down, thinking the emperor was truly wise and must be a great emperor.
Left Chancellor Li Bangyan appeared displeased. Li Gang’s actions were clearly aimed at strengthening the War Faction, opposing him directly!
However, this time he had to endure.
Our forces in the Great Song are certainly not as numerous as those in the Jin Kingdom. The outcome is hard to predict, so we should recruit more wise individuals. At worst, we can deal with them later.
Qin Feng also realized that the city’s Guard Soldiers were not as many as those in the Jin Kingdom, which posed some disadvantages.
He thought of a strategy to recruit some capable individuals who were not afraid of death.
He said, “Your Majesty, please wait a moment. Minister has thought of a plan that can immediately recruit fearless warriors to serve you.”
Qin Emperor was about to leave but was very pleased upon hearing this; since there was such a good strategy!
He said, “Qin Aiqing, please proceed. If it is a good plan, there will be generous rewards.”
Qin Feng continued, “Tokyo City has quite a few prisons, housing many prisoners. Some are serving heavy sentences, and there are even death sentences that have yet to be carried out.”
“The emperor can issue an edict allowing them to atone for their crimes by serving valiantly on the battlefield. If they are willing to fight for you and risk their lives, their heavy sentences and death penalties can be waived. Those who perform well can be incorporated into the army to serve you.”
The Peace Faction members were all very surprised; some of these individuals had been wrongfully imprisoned and could not be released, or else there would be future troubles.
Li Gang They were also surprised that Qin Feng could come up with such a strategy; he was truly a rare talent. Since they were all facing the death penalty, they would fight desperately to kill enemies and save their own lives.
The wise Qin Emperor, although worried, still agreed. He had just become emperor and was thinking of granting a general amnesty, following his own wishes.
Those who had been sentenced to heavy crimes and death would at least have to spend several decades in prison, living a life worse than death. If given the chance for freedom, they would surely fight to the death.
Truly fearless warriors rejected the opinions of the Peace Faction and agreed.
He said, “Li Gang, Qin Feng, Your Excellency all have valid points. One is to recruit capable people from among the populace to serve the country, while the other is to pardon prisoners who will fight desperately against enemies. This is truly excellent.”
“I shall approve this, incorporating both of your Your Excellency's suggestions into the talent recruitment decree. The final part will concern those prisoners; if they perform well, not only can they avoid the death penalty, but they can also be given an official position.”
Li Gang and Qin Feng were both very pleased, knowing that victory was within their grasp.
In times of national crisis, it is also when talents emerge. Some remarkable individuals will appear and be incorporated into the court, which will surely serve the country; otherwise, it could lead to great chaos.
He said, “Your Majesty is wise; long live the Emperor!”
Comment 0 Comment Count