Chapter 30: The Emperor and His Ministers Have Met with the Time (30)

"Now that the imperial examination has been resolved, I will announce something next."

Shen Minghuan looked around, like a teacher in a school checking who was not listening carefully. Seeing that everyone was serious, he nodded with satisfaction, "The Kou Kingdom played a treacherous trick and harmed our Great Qi Emperor and the Second Prince. I decided to declare war on the Kou Kingdom and make them pay the price!"

The courtiers: "..."

You said before that the two of them died in a fight.

Qu Zhengcheng couldn't stand it now, "No, our army just defeated Li Lan, it's not appropriate to mobilize troops again."

Shen Minghuan glanced at him calmly: "It's just a victory without casualties. It's the time when morale is high. It's better to do it sooner rather than later."

"No casualties?" Qu Zhengcheng was confused. He had also read those few reports of victory and remembered the number of soldiers who died on them very clearly. Those people...

Qu Zhengcheng gritted his teeth, "It's them!"

In the early hours of the morning, those who followed Shen Minghuan and helped him rebel!

Shen Minghuan seemed unaware of the other party's excitement. He was a little proud, "Yes, it's them. Chen Xiaoyu, Chen Xiaoyu!"

He originally wanted to find Chen Xiaoyu to show off, but the other party never showed up. Shen Minghuan thought for a while: "Oh, I asked him to kill someone, but he hasn't come back yet? This is too slow."

The court officials took a step back at the same time, except for Zhuo Feichen who was also very proud.

"Any other questions?" Shen Minghuan asked very patiently.

Qu Zhengcheng: "...The treasury is empty and can't raise enough military pay."

"Wouldn't we have it if we raided the Xue family? Didn't Xue Huai say that their family is rich enough to rival a country."

Qu Zhengcheng: "..."

Damn Xue Huai, he's causing more trouble even after his death.

Qu Zhengcheng was silent for a long while, but he became more serious: "It is not good for the country to mobilize troops rashly."

"How could it be? The Kou Kingdom has disturbed our borders several times and harmed the people. If we defeat them, they will be honest."

Shen Minghuan snorted lightly, "Besides, I am not discussing with you. Before tomorrow, I want to see the Zhenbei Army march westward."

He looked at the others, shook his head in disappointment, and seemed to be talking to himself: "I really don't understand. You have been talking about revenge all the time, why are you afraid of death now?"

All the people of Daqi want to drink the blood and eat the flesh of the Kou Kingdom when they mention it. Even the civil officials have privately written several "war poems".

The literati are like this, let alone the military generals.

At this moment, Zhuo Feichen is like drinking fake wine, his face is slightly drunk, and his motionless body is swaying slightly because of the uncontrollable expectation.

He was just happy, but he seemed to hear someone mumbling something like "not suitable", "unable to mobilize troops", "not beneficial to the country"...

Zhuo Feichen: Which bastard?

He came out of his dizzy state and looked in the direction of the voice angrily.

Oh, it turns out that the bastard was his former friend.

His vision in the past was really bad!

Zhuo Feichen knelt on one knee and said in a sonorous and powerful voice: "I ask for a fight!"

He was standing behind Shen Minghuan. He didn't know whether he was kneeling to the new emperor Luo Xiuyuan in the front or the so-called regent Shen Minghuan.

Qu Zhengcheng knew that the matter was a foregone conclusion. He sighed with worry and looked at Zhuo Feichen with contempt from time to time.

This person was actually his former friend. His vision in the past was really bad!

Shen Minghuan nodded as a matter of course: "Of course you have to go. I will feel relieved to leave the Zhenbei Army to you."

He didn't even call himself "this king". It was obvious that he treated Zhuo Feichen differently.

"I don't agree." Luo Xiuyuan interrupted the two people's "affectionate" conversation, "I know that Kouguo is a great threat to my Daqi, and I also agree to send troops to Kouguo, but Minghuan, you should have received the news. Now Kouguo is invading Lilan. When they are both defeated, our army will definitely have a greater chance of winning. Why rush now?"

Shen Minghuan was a little surprised. His Royal Highness, who was so soft-hearted that he could even forgive his enemies, would actually say that he would use the lives of the people of a country to increase our chances of winning?

However, Shen Minghuan put himself in their shoes and found it not surprising. After all, if it really came to the point where it was difficult to have both, he thought he would give up everything for Xinghe.

What's more, in Luo Xiuyuan's eyes, perhaps the gap between Kouguo and Lilan was not that big. Even if Lilan was a friendly country, it was not like Kouguo, which relied on plunder as the foundation of its country. But they were all not of our race. At most, there were enemies and no enemies. There was no reason to sacrifice oneself to make up for him.

Shen Minghuan nodded, "But your majesty also knows that with the disparity in strength between the two countries, the result will not be a loss for both sides, but the destruction of Lilan."

"Do you think I'm cruel, that I'm deliberately watching them die?" Luo Xiuyuan's face was not good, and he was almost questioning Shen Minghuan.

The hearts of several adults were lifted up, ready to rush up to block the knife for their master at any time.

"What kind of cruelty is this? It's reasonable." Shen Minghuan had a high tolerance for the system's son and his grandson... In short, he had a high tolerance for Luo Xiuyuan, "This king dares to send troops at this time, naturally he is sure to win, Daqi and Lilan, neither of them will be in trouble."

There was a slight smile in his tone, "Your majesty, I will conquer a vast territory for you."

Luo Xiuyuan was silent.

He knew that his throne was useless at the moment, and neither approval nor opposition counted, but he still responded in a dry and solemn voice: "Okay."

*

Shen Minghuan originally had many decisions to announce, and he was preparing for a drastic reform.

However, it was late for the morning court today, and the late emperor and the second prince were still lying in the Daming Palace without anyone to deal with; the five thousand soldiers he brought had not been arranged; Zhuo Feichen was about to leave to join the Zhenbei Army, and he also had some things to entrust; although he handed over the imperial examination to Chen Xin, he could not ignore it completely; Xue Huai died, and the follow-up matters had to be completed...

Anyway, the ministers probably had no intention of working today, so it would be better to give them a holiday.

The ministers did not think this was a holiday. Shen Minghuan was a man who wanted to fight as soon as he spoke, but they did not dare to be as relaxed as this man. Fortunately, they already had very good self-care ability, and the huge dynasty machine was running quickly under their management. This time, there was no trouble from the late emperor. Although it was hasty, they actually felt the long-lost smoothness.

Shen Minghuan was very pleased to have such a group of diligent subordinates.

As soon as Shen Minghuan walked out of the hall, he saw someone leaning against the palace wall waiting for him.

The guards guarding the palace gate on both sides knelt on one knee to salute. Zhuo Feichen, who had just had an argument with Qu Zhengcheng, ran after him, and under the dark red palace wall in front, Li Chengzhuo glanced at him from a distance with complicated eyes.

Although Shen Minghuan had a bad temper, he did not bear grudges. Seeing that Li Chengzhuo looked like he had something to say, he nodded slightly and motioned for him to follow him.

Zhuo Feichen behind him stopped unconsciously. He waved his hand to stop the soldiers who wanted to follow to protect Shen Minghuan.

Not to mention that Shen Minghuan himself was a superb martial artist. If there was an accident, Li Chengzhuo would protect this person with his life.

Zhuo Feichen was too familiar with that look just now, and he was happy to see it.

When Li Chengzhuo arrived, the morning court had already begun. A door could not block much sound, not to mention that he had practiced martial arts since he was young, so his hearing was better than that of ordinary people.

As a prince of another country, Li Chengzhuo did not want people to misunderstand that he was intentionally eavesdropping on the secrets of the Qi Dynasty. He was about to walk away and wait for Shen Minghuan, but he heard the word "Li Lan" as soon as he turned around.

Li Chengzhuo, the prince of Li Lan, could not help but eavesdrop on the secrets of other countries.

Everything was bleak. There were a few winter plum trees planted in the imperial garden, with dots of red on the branches, as if even the snow had become warm.

Li Chengzhuo followed Shen Minghuan silently. He did not speak, and Shen Minghuan did not speak either. He looked at the flowers quietly and comfortably, and looked at the frost and snow remaining on the tree trunks.

"Thank you." After a long time, Li Chengzhuo said in a slightly hoarse voice.

Shen Minghuan said nonchalantly, "What are you thanking me for? I promised you."

He asked Li Chengzhuo to wait for him for three days.

Li Chengzhuo smiled and exhaled, "Minghuan, I want to go back to Lilan."

"Now? The Kou army has clashed with Lilan on the border. It will be dangerous for you to go back now." Shen Minghuan didn't like anyone other than him to take risks. He frowned: "If you are worried about Lilan, you might as well go with Zhuo Feichen. Once the Zhenbei Army enters the Kou territory, the Kou army will certainly return to defend, and Lilan's danger will be resolved."

"I know, of course I believe in your decision." After what happened just now, Li Chengzhuo has become very good at coaxing Shen Minghuan. He smiled slightly and said: "But I also want to help you. Although Lilan is not as good as Daqi, it is not as weak as you think. I can help you delay a little time if I go back. Moreover, if the Kou army withdraws to defend, I can also attack from the front and back with you."

So he must go back. Only he can make this decision and only he can command the Lilan army.

Shen Minghuan frowned even more: "No need to do this, you will suffer heavy casualties."

"You can't take all the risks." Li Chengzhuo still smiled: "The Lilan people can also defend their country. We can't always wait for rescue, right? As for casualties..."

Li Chengzhuo said: "Minghuan, do you know? As early as when Qi Dynasty declared war on us, I was ready for the death of the whole army."

"Fortunately, you are here."

*

While Shen Minghuan frowned and Li Chengzhuo smiled, the civil officials also gathered together for a small meeting.

In the past, the former emperor was suspicious. They gathered together for warmth in the twisted court. Even if they sympathized with each other, they did not dare to communicate too much in private. They did things more by tacit understanding and the same sense of mission.

But Shen Minghuan was different.

This man obviously knew that each of them hated him and wanted to kill him personally, but this man didn't care at all.

Even Qu Zhengcheng, who apparently did not interact with the court officials, came to this serious meeting. He also brought two military officers, Gu Chenglin and He Zhang.

If Shen Minghuan saw this scene, he would be very proud, because this included all the future team members of the protagonist Luo Xiuyuan, which showed that his mission was extremely successful.

Too many things happened today, even if everyone had countless mysteries in their hearts, they didn't know where to start.

Lu Zhi asked in a deep voice: "Why did Prime Minister Qu suddenly mention the imperial examination and the Xue family?"

He was not questioning, but just wondering whether the current situation was within Qu Zhengcheng's expectations, and how they should cooperate in the future.