newbobooks Chapter 454 The Heavenly Realm Medicine Man Zhuo Luo emerges from seclusion, and Imperial Censor Xu
Chapter 454 The Heavenly Realm Medicine Man Zhuo Luo emerges from seclusion, and Imperial Censor Xu
Everyone hurriedly stood up and knelt down to receive the imperial decree.
Jinxuan, holding a whisk, slowly walked into the courtroom.
He didn't even glance at the officials kneeling on the ground, but walked straight to the presiding judge and pulled out the imperial edict:
"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I am fully aware of the case of Hu Bufei."
He is a drunkard, derelict in his duties, and disrespectful during national mourning; the evidence against him is irrefutable. Furthermore, his father, Hu Cheng, has close ties with the traitor Baili Luochen, and Hu Bufei, as his son and holding a position in the Censorate, is suspected of colluding with the enemy.
"However, considering the minor merits his ancestors had rendered, I cannot bear to punish him severely. Therefore, I hereby strip Hu Bufei of his position as a fourth-rank censor and demote him to a commoner. For three generations, the Hu family will be barred from taking the imperial examinations and from holding official positions."
"The Hu family's ancestral property will be confiscated and put into public use. Hu Bufei himself... will be executed in the autumn as a warning to others!"
"So be it—"
After the decree was read, the hall fell into a deathly silence.
Execution in the autumn... It seems the emperor still intends to kill Hu Bufei!
Xu Wei knelt on the ground, trembling all over.
He suddenly looked up at Jinxuan, his lips trembling as if he wanted to say something, but he couldn't utter a single word.
Gao Shuyi closed his eyes and sighed deeply, while Wang Youzhi remained expressionless.
Upon hearing this, Yan Zheng's face lit up with a hint of joy, and he kowtowed, saying, "Your subject... obeys the decree!"
Hu Bufei knelt there blankly, as if he hadn't heard clearly.
After a long while, he slowly raised his head, looked at the roll of bright yellow silk in Jin Xuan's hand, and suddenly smiled.
The laughter started low, then grew louder and louder, finally turning into a maniacal roar.
"Hahahaha...Good! What a fine 'reluctance to punish severely'! Dismissal, confiscation of property, beheading—Your Majesty is truly merciful! I, Hu Bufei...thank Your Majesty for your great kindness!!"
He kowtowed heavily, his forehead hitting the bluestone slab, drawing blood.
When he looked up again, his eyes were lifeless, and a sinister smile still lingered on his face.
"In the Dali court, all you officials, what I suffer today will be what you suffer in the future! Hahahaha..."
Upon hearing this, Jinxuan shouted angrily:
"You criminal, how dare you spout such arrogant words and disrupt the imperial order! Drag him out and take him back to the death row!"
Two constables stepped forward, dragged Hu Bufei out, and carried him away.
As Hu Bufei passed by Xu Wei, he suddenly stopped and whispered:
"Lord Xu, there's no need to argue anymore. The court of Dali... is rotten to the core."
Xu Wei was overcome with emotion and tears streamed down his face.
Hu Bufei was dragged out of the courtroom, the sound of shackles scraping the ground fading into the distance.
Jinxuan glanced at the assembled officials and said calmly, "His Majesty has one more thing to say, which I have asked you all to convey."
Everyone's ears pricked up.
"His Majesty said," Jinxuan said calmly.
"Hu Bufei's crime lies not only in himself, but also in the Censorate's ineffective supervision."
From this day forward, all memorials submitted by the Censorate must first be reviewed by the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs before being presented to the Emperor. I hope you all… will act accordingly.”
After that, he turned around and left.
The officials in the hall looked at each other, their faces pale.
The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs reviewed the memorials submitted by the Censorate—this meant that channels for free speech had been completely cut off.
Xu Wei slumped to the ground, looking as if he had aged ten years in an instant.
He finally understood that with the new emperor's ascension to the throne, the Censorate was the first target to be used to establish his authority!
……
May 18th, drill ground outside Xuanwu Gate.
The Northern Imperial Guard and 200,000 troops from surrounding prefectures and counties assembled, their banners obscuring the sky.
Swords and spears stood like a forest, armor gleamed in the sun, and a chilling aura of killing intent soared into the sky.
On the command platform, Xiao Ruofeng stood clad in dragon-scale golden armor, covered by a black cloak, with the Haoque sword at his waist. His gaze swept across the dark mass of troops below, and his voice, projected with internal force, echoed throughout the training ground:
"Soldiers!"
"The rebel Baili Luochen in the southwest has seized power and declared himself king, holding military might! If the rebellion is not quelled quickly, the country will never have peace!"
"Today, I, by His Majesty's order, will lead you south to quell the rebellion! This journey is fraught with danger, and there may be no return—those who fear death, step forward now, and I will not pursue you!"
The drill ground was silent; two hundred thousand people remained silent.
Xiao Ruofeng nodded and continued, "Good! They are all good sons of my Great Li!"
I hereby swear—in this battle, I will advance and retreat with you all! On the day of victory, I will be ennobled and appointed general, and return home in glory!
If, unfortunately, you die on the battlefield… the court will provide generous compensation and support for your parents, wives, and children!
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
Two hundred thousand people roared in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.
Xiao Ruofeng raised his hand, and the audience immediately fell silent. He turned around, facing the direction of the palace, and knelt on one knee.
"Your subject, Xiao Ruofeng, leads the army to quell the rebellion and bids farewell to Your Majesty! This journey will surely quell the rebellion and uphold the prestige of our Great Li Kingdom!"
Behind him, generals Lei Mengsha, Ye Xiaoying, Xun Yichuan, and others knelt down in unison, and the soldiers followed suit.
On the distant palace wall, Xiao Ruojin stood with his hands behind his back, looking towards the training ground. Behind him stood Jinxuan and a group of eunuchs.
"Your Majesty, the Prince of Langya is trying to win over the army!" Jinxuan whispered.
Xiao Ruojin remained expressionless: "Let him bribe him. The more united the army is, the better they will fight. As long as he can pacify the southwest... I can tolerate these minor matters."
He paused, then asked, "Have the Shadow Sect people been arranged?"
“It’s all arranged.” Jin Xuan bowed. “Song Chen, Luo Qinghong, and Zhuo Yifeng took action a few days ago. They will send back messages every three days via falcon.”
"Alright!" Xiao Ruojin nodded. "Tell them that I want to know everything the Prince of Langya does."
In particular…which generals he was close to, and what they said to each other.”
"My slave understands!"
On the drill ground, the flag-raising ceremony began.
The sacrificial offerings of three animals were placed on the altar. Xiao Ruofeng held the incense and bowed three times before inserting the incense into the cauldron.
The flag officer presented a large banner with a black background and gold trim, embroidered with the four characters "Suppress Rebellion and Punish the Rebels".
Xiao Ruofeng took the military flag and raised it high:
"Sacrifice the flag—"
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The war drums sounded, each beat more urgent than the last.
Xiao Ruofeng forcefully planted the great banner into the flagpole in front of the command platform, and the black flag fluttered in the wind.
"Let's go!"
As the bugle sounded, the 200,000-strong army officially set off!
Iron hooves crushed the bluestone slabs, and wheels rolled over Zhuque Street.
The people of Tianqi lined the streets to see him off, some throwing flowers, some handing him food, and some elderly people kneeling and kowtowing, praying for their son's safe return.
Xiao Ruofeng rode at the head of the group, with Lei Mengsha and Ye Xiaoying beside him.
"Seventh Brother, who knows when we'll be able to return?" Lei Mengsha sighed as he gazed at the long official road ahead.
Xiao Ruofeng didn't reply, but instead asked, "Second Senior Brother, are Sister-in-law and Hanyi... settled in?"
“It’s all settled!” Lei Mengsha grinned. “I sent Xinyue back to Sword Heart Tomb with Hanyi. Although my father-in-law doesn’t like me, he can still protect my mother and daughter!”
There's something else. Before Master left, he took Hanyi as his disciple, but a year has passed and he still hasn't come to teach this newly accepted junior sister... cough cough...
"Master is really wicked! Now you and I are both Han Yi's senior brothers!"
Xiao Ruofeng wanted to laugh but couldn't, so he held it in.
"Perhaps Master has other plans..."
Ye Xiaoying interjected, "Speaking of my niece Hanyi... To be honest, Your Highness and Brother Mengsha, I'm about to become a father... I just don't know if my wife will give me a son or a daughter this time..."
Lei Mengsha chuckled, "Let's have a daughter. Daughters are good; they're a father's little angels..."
Xiao Ruofeng finally couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Little cotton-padded jacket? Then why are your winter clothes leaking wind everywhere..."
These words made Ye Xiaoying laugh so hard he almost fell over on his horse, while Lei Mengsha looked completely embarrassed.
"Seventh Brother, you..."
As the two laughed, Xiao Ruofeng suddenly fell silent and said in a low voice, "Second Senior Brother and General Ye each have families, but this battle to quell the rebellion cannot be fought without you. It's really unfair to you, leaving your families behind..."
"What nonsense are you spouting!" Lei Mengsha slapped him on the shoulder. "We've been through thick and thin together countless times, brother and sister. This is just a different place to fight!"
Ye Xiaoying laughed heartily, "Your Highness, my life has long been yours. Even if it's to the Southwest, or even to the King of Hell, I'll follow you!"
A warm feeling welled up in Xiao Ruofeng's heart, but he simply nodded and said nothing more.
Some feelings don't need to be spoken.
The army marched thirty miles out of the city and set up camp to rest on a riverbank.
Inside the central command tent, Xiao Ruofeng convened a meeting of his generals.
"According to the latest military report, Baili Luochen has assembled 150,000 troops along the Juzhou and Yunzhou line, including 100,000 main force of the Pofeng Army, and the rest are garrison troops from various places who have surrendered."
Xiao Ruofeng pointed to the map: "Our route is to leave Tianqi, pass through Luzhou and Jiangling, enter Bashu, and then head south to Juzhou."
The entire journey will take over 2,500 li (approximately 1,250 kilometers) and is expected to take twenty days.
Xun Yichuan frowned: "Your Highness, Sichuan is mountainous, and the army's progress is slow. If Baili Luochen sends troops to intercept us..."
“He will definitely intercept us.” Xiao Ruofeng pointed to a spot on the map. “Jianmen Pass is the gateway to Sichuan. One man can hold the pass against ten thousand. If I were Baili Luochen, I would definitely set up an ambush here.”
Lei Mengsha leaned closer to the map and examined it for a while: "Jianmen Pass is treacherous; a direct assault would result in too many losses. Are there any other routes?"
“Yes.” Xiao Ruofeng pointed to another route, “Take the Micang Road and bypass Jianmen Pass. But this road goes through three hundred miles of dense forest, filled with poisonous miasma and wild beasts, making it difficult for a large army to pass.”
The generals remained silent.
A direct assault would result in heavy losses, while taking a detour carries high risks. A dilemma.
"Your Highness," Ye Xiaoying suddenly said, "This humble general is willing to lead three thousand elite troops to scout ahead. If the Micang Road is feasible, the main army will follow. If it is not feasible... at least we can ascertain the strength and weakness of the garrison at Jianmen Pass."
Xiao Ruofeng pondered for a moment, then shook his head: "Too dangerous. Three thousand people entering a three-hundred-mile-long dense forest, if anything goes wrong..."
"This humble general is not afraid!" Ye Xiaoying clasped his hands in a fist salute. "The brothers of the Double Blade Battalion are all veterans of countless battles, with rich experience in mountain and jungle warfare. Moreover, with fewer people and smaller targets, we are actually safer."
Xiao Ruofeng looked at Lei Mengsha: "What do you think, Second Senior Brother?"
Lei Mengsha stroked his chin: "Hmm... I think it's feasible. But we can't just send Old Ye—I'll lead a thousand Silver-Clad Guards with me. The Silver-Clad Guards are skilled in riding and archery, and bows and arrows are more useful than swords in the jungle."
The two men stared at each other, both with a fighting spirit eager to fight.
Xiao Ruofeng knew he couldn't dissuade him, so he could only nod: "Alright! But remember, this time the focus is on reconnaissance, not on prolonged battles."
Five days later, regardless of whether there has been any success or failure, we must return to rejoin the main army!
"Order!"
After agreeing on a strategy, the generals dispersed to prepare.
……