"Capturing the King of Qingzhou, you say that so lightly!
The King of Qingzhou commands a force of three hundred thousand soldiers, and Northern Qi remains poised to strike. Do you know the consequences of capturing the King of Qingzhou, yet you dare to propose such a reckless suggestion to my father, the Emperor?"
The speaker was Si Fengchi, the eldest son of the Great Qin Emperor, and also his legitimate son.
By all rights, from any perspective, he was the undisputed Crown Prince of Great Qin.
But then came Si Fengming, whose literary talent, martial prowess, and background were no less than Si Fengchi's.
To win hearts and minds and to buy time, Emperor Gengshi had even appointed Si Fengming as the Crown Prince. Now, however, he could not find a suitable excuse to depose him.
Over the years, watching the person he detested most occupy the position that rightfully belonged to him, Si Fengchi had tossed and turned countless nights, unable to sleep.
Fortunately, the Emperor truly disliked Si Fengming and had divided the Crown Prince's powers, which rightfully belonged to Si Fengming, between him and Si Fengqi. This forced Si Fengming to be cautious and humble, stripping him of any princely authority. Only then did Si Fengchi feel a little more balanced.
However, this balance was shattered after Feng Xi Wu appeared.
Feng Xi Wu was nothing like the cautious Si Fengming; he wasn't even careful with his words.
He was arrogant and unrestrained, saying things others dared not say and doing things others dared not do.
Even yesterday, when he killed a person in front of the Emperor, Emperor Gengshi had not reprimanded him.
Si Fengchi could not understand it. What right did this prince, who had no parents and hailed from a small southern country like Qian, have to be so wanton and unrestrained?
Therefore, when Feng Xi Wu proposed a suggestion that most people considered inappropriate, he immediately rebutted it without a second thought.
To his surprise, Feng Xi Wu did not get angry when rebutted. He merely said indifferently, "Is Prince Rui confused? His Majesty asked for this King's opinion.
This King merely stated his opinion and did not ask you to act according to it. Why are you so anxious?
You can also state your own opinion, which you do not deem reckless. If His Majesty and the officials find it feasible, they will naturally consider it.
The grand strategy of a nation, do you truly believe it can be decided on a whim by someone slapping their thigh?"
Si Fengchi was so stunned by the retort that he was speechless. He still wanted to say something to regain some of his dignity, but then Emperor Gengshi spoke again.
"The two methods proposed by Prince Qin are indeed the most direct strategies that everyone could think of.
However, what Prince Rui said is not without merit. The King of Qingzhou commands three hundred thousand troops. It would be too risky to dispatch troops to suppress him by force."
As Emperor Gengshi spoke, he looked at Feng Xi Wu with some suspicion, as if he could not believe that these words came from someone who had served as regent.
Seeing this, Si Fengchi quickly added, "Your Majesty is wise. Suppressing the rebellion by force is the worst possible option.
This humble son believes that the King of Qingzhou's rebellion is a pretense. His true intention is to use this opportunity to extort benefits from the court. If we directly dispatch troops, we might provoke the King of Qingzhou and force him into a full-blown rebellion.
Instead, why not let the Crown Prince negotiate with him to ascertain the King of Qingzhou's true intentions? Once the various vassal kings arrive in the capital, they will surely prevent the King of Qingzhou from dictating terms to the court."
"Indeed, Your Majesty. My scouts have been investigating, and the King of Yuezhou, at the latest, will arrive in the capital tonight. The Kings of Yuzhou and Yongzhou will also arrive within three days.
As long as we can make the Crown Prince delay the King of Qingzhou for half a day, the King of Qingzhou's plan to rebel will be stillborn!"
The person who spoke up was Grand Commandant Lan An. As soon as he spoke, many military officers unconsciously echoed his sentiments. However, the more people who agreed, the more unfathomable Emperor Gengshi's expression became.
By the time Prime Minister Fan Jiang and Prince Xian, Si Fengqi, echoed Si Fengchi's words, Emperor Gengshi could no longer conceal the gloom in his eyes.
"The arrival of the various vassal kings in the capital will create a balance of power, forcing the King of Qingzhou to abandon his plan to rebel. This is indeed a good idea."
Emperor Gengshi's cold gaze swept across the officials, "But who among you can guarantee that the Crown Prince can indeed delay the King of Qingzhou?
Half a day's time is enough for the capital city of Zhongzhou to change hands if the King of Qingzhou is well-prepared.
At that time, how many Crown Princes will you have left to drag out as shields...?"
These words struck the assembled officials as if they had been carved by knives, leaving them both ashamed and shocked.
Was it not the ironclad rule of the past twenty-three years to push Si Fengming forward to face disasters when necessary, and to claim credit for themselves when there were none?
Why were they suddenly speaking up for Si Fengming today?
While the officials were still in shock, Feng Xi Wu and Lu Qing Wan exchanged a glance, holding hands, and saw the sarcasm in each other's eyes.
These people, having navigated the treacherous currents of officialdom for decades, knew full well what mistake they had made.
However, to admit their mistake now would mean stepping forward themselves to negotiate with the King of Qingzhou. If they succeeded, they would be credited with no wrongdoing; if they failed, they would be criminals of Great Qin.
It was precisely because they understood this point that they feigned ignorance while knowing the truth.
Little did they know that Emperor Gengshi was also aware of their petty calculations. His usual indulgence of their disrespect towards the Crown Prince and the Eastern Palace was merely because he was displeased that the position of Crown Prince was occupied by the orphan of the former Crown Prince, whom he most detested.
But now, with the King of Qingzhou threatening the throne and imperial power, which Emperor Gengshi valued most, and they were still cleverly calculating against Si Fengming, Emperor Gengshi could no longer tolerate it.
"Although the Grand Commandant has not led troops in battle for many years, he was a formidable general who commanded the army in his youth. Today, I shall order you to lead our Great Qin's elite soldiers to defend Zhongzhou.
If the King of Qingzhou's entourage harbors any rebellious intent, you must apprehend them on the spot."
This command came abruptly, leaving Lan An no room for negotiation before it was issued.
As the officials were bewildered, Emperor Gengshi continued to issue orders, "Fan Jiang, immediately transmit an imperial edict to the various vassal kings, ordering them to arrive in Zhongzhou as quickly as possible.
Furthermore, by noon, I want to see the troop deployment situation of the King of Qingzhou.
Do not say there is insufficient time. I ordered this matter from the moment the King of Qingzhou first requested an audience in the capital. If it is not obtained today, you, as Prime Minister, should step down."
Seeing that Emperor Gengshi was not letting anyone idle, Censor Yan, before being named, took the initiative to say, "Reporting to Your Majesty, these are the letters exchanged between the King of Qingzhou and various parties since his first request to return to the capital. Please review them, Your Majesty."
At once, all eyes fell upon the Censor.
The Censors of Great Qin were a position that all officials feared.
They held the power to supervise officials, relying not only on the Censor's own keen observation but also on the countless overt and covert spies of the Censorate.
Therefore, although Censors were annoying, no one dared to offend them.
However, Yan Lixian, in his years as a Censor, had always upheld the doctrine of the mean. He never interfered in matters of blatant corruption by officials.
He had never inquired about the private affairs of officials, which were often used by Censors to attack court officials. Thus, after many years of holding his post, Yan Lixian remained the Censor with the best reputation in the four hundred years since the founding of Great Qin.
But now, to suddenly produce letters from a reigning vassal king and various officials like this was a first.