abcnovels
Chapter 199: 163: Wu Junwan_1
Chapter 199: 163: Wu Junwan_1
Chapter 199: 163: Wu Junwan_1
Translator: 549690339 |
As the words of Prime Minister Chai Jiliang fell, the court of the Great Wu
Dynasty was incredibly quiet.
All the officials looked at Chai Jiliang, who stood at the forefront, with disbelief on their faces; evidently, no one had anticipated that Chai Jiliang would actually advise the Martial Emperor to end the war.
Ever since the Martial Emperor ascended to the throne, he had been constantly waging wars. Now, the territory of the Great Wu Dynasty had increased by a third, all thanks to the Martial Emperor’s accomplishments, which he always proudly boasted about.
And yet, someone dared to step forward and advise him against initiating more wars, even warning that the Great Wu Dynasty faced the risk of collapse-was this not akin to seeking death?
Although Chai Jiliang was the Prime Minister, within the Great Wu Dynasty, this was not a secure position. Since the Martial Emperor’s accession, no one knew how many Prime Ministers had been dealt with, and some even suspected the Martial Emperor planned to abolish the position altogether, henceforth discontinuing the appointment of a Prime Minister.
Chai Jiliang’s head really was made of iron!
The war between Great Wu and Great Xia had just begun, and he dared to jump out and advise the Martial Emperor to end the war.
How could the Martial Emperor possibly agree to ending the war? The conflict had only just started, and Great Wu had already seized two counties from Great
Xia.
It was clear that Great Xia was no match; to a king obsessed with territorial expansion, this was a golden opportunity. How could he possibly stop now?
At this moment, the Martial Emperor, dressed in a black robe with golden dragon embroidery, was staring intently at Chai Jiliang from his throne.
The atmosphere in the hall was exceedingly oppressive; sweat trickled continuously from the bodies of the officials below the throne, and the stifling air made it difficult for people to breathe.
After what seemed like an eternity, the Martial Emperor finally chuckled and said, “Chai Jiliang, it seems that after a few years as Prime Minister, you have begun to lose sight of your position.”
“Since my accession, I have conquered so much land for our future generations. In your eyes, Chai Jiliang, have I become a tyrant who cares not for the people’s lives and only knows how to wage wars?”
Hearing these words, Chai Jiliang continued with neither humility nor arrogance, “Your Majesty has indeed conquered numerous lands for posterity, and at first, the common people praised you greatly. But the continuous wars year after year have now wearied the people of Great Wu. No matter how much more land you conquer, there will be no smiles on the people’s faces. Your Majesty, you are moving too fast, and the common people can no longer keep pace with you.”
“Your Majesty, it is time to rest!”
“You need to rest, the Great Wu Dynasty needs to rest, and the common people need it even more!”
Hearing these words from Chai Jiliang, the Martial Emperor scoffed. As the Martial Emperor’s expression grew darker, Minister of Rites Geng Chengguang stood up and said, “Prime Minister Chai, surely you haven’t been bribed by the Great Xia Dynasty to advise His Majesty to end the war, have you?’
“Now, who doesn’t know that Great Xia is riddled with internal strife and has considerably weakened? If we don’t annihilate them now, we may not have such an opportunity in the future.”
Chai Jiliang said coldly, “Minister Geng, perhaps you are the one who has been bought with money. I have long heard that you are closely associated with the Chu Family of Great Xia, receiving quite a number of gifts from them every year, while the Sum Emperor has long wanted to eradicate the Chu Family.”
“You have repeatedly urged His Majesty to attack Great Xia without regard for the lives of the people of Great Wu; you know your own motives best.”
Geng Chengguang immediately retorted, “Prime Minister Chai, do not casually tarnish someone’s reputation! Everything requires evidence!”
Just as Chai Jiliang was about to speak, the Martial Emperor atop the throne commanded in a booming voice, “Enough!”
After his word, the Martial Emperor looked at Chai Jiliang and said indifferently, “Prime Minister Chai is unwell. From today onwards, stay home and take good care of yourself. The position of Prime Minister will be temporarily assumed by Geng Chengguang.”
Hearing this, Chai Jiliang immediately bowed and said, “I thank Your Majesty
for his graciousness.”
The Martial Emperor, not wanting to waste more words, stood up and with a wave of his sleeve declared, “Court is dismissed!’
After that, the Martial Emperor left Li Zheng Palace.
No sooner had he left than some officials began to take pleasure in Chai
Jiliang’s misfortune, making snide remarks.
“Mr. Chai, what necessity was there for this? Now look, you’ve lost your position because of it.”
“Mr. Chai, I think His Majesty is absolutely right; you’ve been Prime Minister for a few years, and you’ve forgotten your place.”
“Our Great Wu army is about to reach the capital city of Great Xia, and Mr. Chai dares to oppose His Majesty. If they say you haven’t been paid by Great Xia, I certainly don’t believe it.”
“Mr. Chai, you might as well go home and recover. Better yet, see a doctor about your head,haha!”
Hearing the officers’ sneers and jeers, Chai Jiliang didn’t take it to heart and headed straight for the exit of the grand hall.
In Great Wu, the Prime Minister was merely a workhorse, and while he did wield some power, it was indeed limited.
The extent of that power was evident from the mocking Chai Jiliang had just endured; his influence was virtually negligible.
His authority could be stripped away at anytime, so few court officials were afraid of him as the Prime Minister.
Great Wu.
Imperial Palace, Green Cloud Hall.
A woman clad in a purple gown sat on a couch, her long legs crossed elegantly.
She was stunningly beautiful, with a visage that could topple kingdoms and a complexion like ice and jade, seemingly radiating a holy glow.
Presently, she held a bamboo slip in her hands, her gaze intently focused on it. At that moment, a maid entered the hall and said, “Princess, Prime Minister Chai is here.”
The woman softly replied, “Let him in.”
Her mature and melodious voice was like a warm spring breeze to the ear.
Soon after, Chai Jiliang entered the hall.
“Your servant greets Princess Junwan.”
Wu Junwan uttered a sound of acknowledgment, then asked, “What brings Prime Minister Chai to my Green Cloud Hall today?”
Chai Jiliang spoke frankly, “Your Highness, today I advised His Majesty to end the war with Great Xia and angered him. As a consequence, he has stripped me of my position as Prime Minister, and I am no longer in that role.”
Upon hearing Chai Jiliang’s words, Wu Junwan slightly raised her eyes and could not help but let out a soft laugh.
“Ending the war, Mr. Chai? You do have quite a sense of humor.”
With that, Wu Junwan fixed her gaze on Chai Jiliang before continuing, “Speak up, what brings you to me? Do you perhaps intend to have me persuade my father to end the war?”
“If that’s what Mr. Chai believes, then you might as well leave now.”
Chai Jiliang immediately responded, “You misunderstand, Princess. I am here to ask that you use your connections to keep the Yue Emperor mindful of the situation in the north at all times.”
Wu Junwan was clearly puzzled upon hearing Chai Jiliang’s request.
“The north?”
“Our relations with the Yue Emperor are indeed good, but why should I prompt the Yue Emperor to pay attention to the north?”
Chai Jiliang explained, “To the north, Great Xia has fifty thousand heavy cavalry. If these troops were to pass through Great Jue, they could potentially cut off Great Wu’s military supply lines.”
Wu Junwan maintained her smile upon hearing Chai Jiliang’s words.
“Is Mr. Chai referring to the North Prince of Great Xia’s fifty thousand heavy cavalry?”
Wu Junwan was no ordinary princess; she wielded considerable power and was well-versed in the affairs of all great dynasties and nations. She was also aware of what Chai Jiliang meant by the fifty thousand heavy cavalry.
Chai Jiliang affirmed, “Exactly.”
Wu Junwan then dismissed the concern, “There is no need for Mr. Chai to worry. Those fifty thousand heavy cavalry won’t be able to pass through Great Jue. To prevent the Barbarian Tribes from moving south, Great Jue has dispatched two hundred thousand soldiers to the north.”
“Even setting aside the Yue Emperor of the Great Jue Dynasty’s likely refusal to allow the North Prince passage, even if they tried to sneak across the land of Great Jue, those two hundred thousand troops would stop them.