bayedsolid Chapter 1774 Everyone has their own agenda
Chapter 1774 Everyone has their own agenda
Within three days, the news of Liu Che's murder swept the entire Han Dynasty.
The September autumn wind swept across Chenliu County with a solemn and murderous atmosphere, picking up dead leaves on the ground and hitting the vermilion lacquered gate of the Chenliu Palace.
The three large gilded characters "Prince of Chenliu" sparkled brightly in the autumn sun, and the stone lion statue in front of the door still had traces of dew from last night.
In the main hall of the palace, 35-year-old Liu Xiu sat in the main seat.
He was dressed in a dark green python robe, and the pearls inlaid on the jade belt around his waist shone with a warm luster in the morning light.
Those eyes, sharp as an eagle's, slowly swept across everyone in the hall. Wherever his gaze fell, all the officials present held their breath and even breathed a little more lightly.
Tang Yimin, the chief official of the palace, stroked his gray beard and slowly stood up. This old official, who was over sixty years old, specially changed into a brand new official uniform today.
His aged yet steady voice echoed in the hall: "My Lords, I believe you have all heard the tragic news of His Majesty's passing. This morning I received an urgent military report from eight hundred miles away, confirming that His Majesty has indeed..."
At this point, the old minister's voice choked and he had to pause for a moment.
County Magistrate Li Huan slammed the table and stood up, causing the teacups on the table to clink.
This local official, nearly fifty years old, was so excited that his beard trembled. "The country cannot be without a ruler for a day! The most urgent task is to quickly establish a new ruler to reassure the people! If the court is unstable, even a million-strong army will be unable to defeat the Chu cavalry!"
"Master Li is absolutely right!"
Captain Wang Lei suddenly stood up, and the armor on his body made a rattling sound with his movements.
The general stationed in Chenliu had a solemn expression on his face: "The Chu army is eyeing us covetously. If there is no leader at the court, how can the soldiers at the border defend themselves with peace of mind?"
He turned to Liu Xiu and knelt on one knee: "I believe that among all the royal family members, only the Prince of Chenliu has both virtue and talent and is worthy of inheriting the throne!"
For a moment, voices of agreement rose and fell in the hall.
Liu Xiu's slender fingers tapped lightly on the rosewood table, and the corners of his lips raised slightly.
This is exactly the effect he wants - only when it is supported by the people can it be legitimate.
Just as the crowd was getting excited, a trembling voice suddenly came from the corner: "What if, what if this is a rumor spread by the Chu army?"
The young County Magistrate Zhang Yu's face turned pale, beads of sweat oozing from his forehead. "If Your Majesty were still alive, wouldn't we be considered traitors?"
The hall suddenly fell silent.
Several officials who had shouted the loudest just now looked at each other, cold sweat breaking out on their foreheads.
Tang Yimin was about to speak when Liu Xiu suddenly stood up, and the golden dragon on his python robe sparkled in the sunlight.
"This king has received a secret report."
His voice was as deep as the clash of metal, and he pulled a blood-stained letter from his sleeve: "This is the military report brought back by the defeated army. It is stamped with the seal of the Admiral of the Navy."
He handed the letter to Tang Yimin: "Your Majesty has indeed died for his country. All 100,000 naval forces perished in the Yangtze River."
Everyone then breathed a sigh of relief.
Li Huan immediately knelt and shouted, "Our country is in crisis. Please, Your Majesty, put the country first and take the throne immediately!"
"This matter cannot be rushed."
Tang Yimin suddenly waved his hand, his shrewd eyes sweeping over the crowd: "The Duke of Huguo commands a hundred thousand border troops, and Gongsun Ao leads eighty thousand. Without the approval of these two, no one can ascend the throne and become emperor."
Liu Xiu's eyes flashed: "Tang Qing is absolutely right."
He turned to the desk and ground the ink himself. He moved the wolf hair brush freely on the rice paper. A drop of cinnabar spread on the paper like blood.
As he wrote, he said, "I will write to the two generals and explain the pros and cons."
If one cannot get the support of the soldiers on the front lines, he will be just a puppet even if he ascends the throne.
Therefore, the most important thing for him at the moment is to obtain military power!
At the same time, under the same autumn sun, the Qinghe Palace in Caiyang County presented a completely different scene.
Liu Cheng, who was over fifty years old, was leaning on a throne covered with white tiger skin, playing with a dagger inlaid with gems in his hand.
The sunlight filtered through the carved window lattices, casting mottled shadows on his sinister face.
"How dare Chu Ning, that little kid, kill our emperor!"
He suddenly crushed the teacup in his hand, not even noticing the porcelain shards piercing his palm. Blood dripped through his fingers onto the white tiger skin.
"This hatred is irreconcilable!"
"Your Majesty, calm down!"
The staff member Zhou Chen quickly handed over the handkerchief. The goateed strategist rolled his eyes:
"The most urgent thing is..."
"It's about seizing the throne!"
Liu Cheng interrupted him with a sneer, the dagger drawing a bloody mark on his palm: "I have been lying dormant for many years, waiting for this day!"
Zhao Bi, the official in charge of the government, stepped forward cautiously and said, "But I'm afraid the Prince of Chenliu and the Prince of Guangling won't agree."
"Oh, are those losers worthy?"
Liu Cheng suddenly lowered his voice and signaled his attendants to leave.
When only his confidants were left in the hall, he said sinisterly, "Did you know that Prime Minister Chen Pin's granddaughter was promised to my eldest grandson last year? They can get married when the right opportunity arises."
The officials were shocked when they heard this.
Deputy Governor Zhou Chen was the first to react, immediately kneeling and shouting, "God bless Qinghe! I beg Your Majesty to set off for the capital immediately!"
"Not urgent."
Liu Cheng played with the jade ring on his thumb, a cunning glint in his eyes: "Let those idiots fight to the death first."
He suddenly smiled sinisterly and beckoned everyone to come closer: "Order the secret guards to set up an ambush on the way to the capital from Prince Chenliu."
Captain Han Qi was shocked when he heard this: "Your Majesty, this..."
"Don't worry, it's not his life."
Liu Cheng rubbed his thumb ring and said, "Just hold him back for a few days."
He turned to Zhou Chen and said, "You must leave for the capital immediately and tell Chen Pin that I want to see the imperial edict appointing the crown prince within three days."
After everyone left, Liu Cheng came to the secret room alone.
There was a detailed map of the Han Dynasty's territory hanging on the wall. He tapped the "Chang'an" position with his bloody finger, leaving a bright red fingerprint.
Three days later, on the official road leading to Chang'an, the carriage of Prince Chenliu was galloping under the escort of five hundred elite cavalry.
The autumn wind blew up the carriage curtains. Liu Xiu looked at the rolling hills in the distance and suddenly asked, "Mr. Tang, has the reply from the Protector of the Country arrived?"
Tang Yimin was about to answer when there was a sudden commotion ahead.
A group of black-clad knights blocked their way, the leader holding a black banner: "In compliance with the Prime Minister's order, we welcome the Prince of Chenliu to the capital!"
Liu Xiu and Tang Yimin exchanged a meaningful look.
This happened faster than they expected - it seemed that the situation in the DPRK was more chaotic than they had imagined.
At the same time, in the secret room of the Qinghe Palace, Liu Cheng was trying on the dragon robe that had been made overnight in front of a bronze mirror.
Zhou Chen hurried in and whispered a few words, and Liu Cheng suddenly laughed out loud, "Good! Chen Pin really didn't disappoint me!"
He yanked off his dragon robe and said, "Orders must be passed to the capital at 3:00 AM tomorrow morning, with light equipment and a small entourage!"
Outside the window, the autumn rain suddenly poured down.
In the rain, you can vaguely see a few pigeons flapping their wings and flying in different directions.
A secret letter tied to the leg of a gray pigeon clearly read: "Prince Chenliu has set out and is proceeding according to plan."
The prelude to this battle for the throne has just begun.