novelaction Chapter 223 The outbreak of war
Chapter 223 The outbreak of war
The auspicious dragon bids farewell to the year with great blessings, and the house is filled with auspiciousness and a new year.
On the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, the peaceful atmosphere of the New Year still lingers in the streets and alleys of the capital. Festive red lanterns hang high on the branches, swaying with the lingering echoes of reunion and well-being.
However, this warm scene of family reunion was suddenly broken by the sound of galloping horses.
A steed rushed into the capital at lightning speed. The postman on the horse was covered in dust, and his eyes were filled with fear and exhaustion.
He ran straight to the palace, holding tightly in his hand an urgent report on the war from the frontier, as if the thin piece of paper carried the weight of the fate of his country.
In the court, Emperor Xuan Ye was wearing a dragon robe and sitting on the majestic dragon throne with a solemn and deep expression.
Although his heart was in turmoil, years of imperial majesty made his face as calm as water. His deep eyes revealed calmness and determination as he silently watched the ministers who hurried over.
As the battle report was presented to the emperor, Xuan Ye began to read it carefully, his brows gradually furrowed.
It turned out that the Xiqi Kingdom took advantage of the cover of night and brazenly dispatched an army of 200,000, which raided the two northwestern counties like ghosts walking at night.
In an instant, the northwestern border was engulfed in flames and filled with smoke, and the people were plunged into panic over the chaos of war.
"My dear ministers, the situation on the border is critical right now. Xiqi's move is a blatant provocation. What good strategy do you have for responding?"
Emperor Xuan Ye's voice was deep and powerful, echoing for a long time in the solemn court, breaking the brief silence and instantly waking the ministers from the leisurely atmosphere of the New Year.
General Xiao Zhenting of Zhenbei, although he is already gray-haired, his posture is as straight as a pine tree. The vicissitudes of life have left deep marks on his face, but have never erased his bright eyes.
He took a step forward, and the heavy armor on his body made a dull sound. He clasped his hands together, knelt on one knee, and said loudly: "Your Majesty! I am willing to lead the army personally to the northwest border to fight against the bandits in Xiqi. I have been stationed at the border for many years and I know the local terrain and the habits of the enemy like the back of my hand. This time I will fight to the death to protect our territory and protect our people!" His words were full of firmness and determination, and his slightly trembling hands showed his eagerness to serve his country and his loyalty.
General Zhao Chongwu, the General in Charge of the Western Expedition, was a burly and strong man with a full beard standing upright. His eyes were wide open, filled with anxiety and anger.
Without waiting for the emperor's signal, he stepped out, clenched his fists, and shouted loudly: "Your Majesty, I am willing to go with General Xiao! The villains from Xiqi dared to invade during the celebration of our dynasty. It is really too much! I will let them see the power of our dynasty's cavalry!" As he spoke, the red cloak on his body danced in the wind, just like a burning flame of war, showing his bravery and fearlessness.
The young General Annan and the eldest prince Xuanchen, dressed in silver armor, with a long sword at his waist, had sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and looked heroic.
He bowed slightly and said solemnly: "Your Majesty, I think that in addition to sending a large army to support, we must also strengthen the dispatch of food and armaments from the rear to ensure that the front line has no worries. I am willing to lead an elite force to be responsible for escorting food and ensuring the military supply of soldiers on the front line. At the same time, we must closely guard against enemy sneak attacks along the way." His voice was clear and firm, and his eyes revealed a calmness and wisdom beyond his age.
The Second Prince Xuan Heng also stepped forward quickly, clasped his fists, and said, "Father, I, your son, am also willing to go to the border to fight the enemy!"
The pro-war ministers, led by Imperial Censor Zhao Qiming, responded one after another. Zhao Qiming, dressed in black official uniform and with an excited expression, stepped forward, cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, Xiqi's surprise attack is a serious provocation to our dynasty. If we don't resolutely fight back, it will become a serious threat in the future. Our dynasty is a great country, how can we retreat? We must mobilize all our national strength and raise an army to punitive against Xiqi, letting them know that our dynasty's majesty is inviolable!"
His voice was high and powerful, his eyes flashed with a fiery light, and his words were full of resentment towards Xiqi and his firm determination to go to war. Several ministers behind him nodded in agreement, their faces showing determination.
However, the voices of the peace faction also emerged.
Li Wenhan, Grand Secretary of the Imperial Academy, dressed in a blue robe and holding a tablet, slowly stepped out of the line, bowed slightly, and said, "Your Majesty, I think it is not appropriate to rashly launch an attack at this time.
Our dynasty has just passed the new year and has not yet recovered its vitality. Moreover, the border areas have been at war for years and the people are exhausted. If we go to war with Xiqi at this time, the outcome will be unpredictable, and it may cause great suffering to the people and waste money and resources.
It would be wise to send envoys to negotiate peace with Xiqi first, to ascertain their true intentions and demands, and then make a final decision. This might avert a catastrophe that would cause devastation to all."
His voice was neither hurried nor slow, and his expression seemed calm, but in fact there was a hint of nervousness. He glanced at the ministers around him from time to time, observing their reactions.
As soon as Li Wenhan's words left his mouth, they aroused strong dissatisfaction among the pro-war faction. Wang Yue, the Vice Minister of War, dressed in military uniform and looking radiant, stepped forward, glared at him, and loudly retorted, "Grand Secretary Li, these are cowardly words! Xiqi has invaded our border without cause, burning, killing, and looting. If we seek peace now, wouldn't that be a sign of weakness to the world?"
How can we let the fervent blood of our soldiers go to waste? How can we guarantee the safety of the people?" His voice was as resounding as a bell, each word resounding. His armor creaked slightly with excitement, and his hands were clenched tightly, as if he was about to rush to the battlefield to fight the enemy.
As the two factions were arguing, Liu Chongshan, the Minister of Revenue, stepped forward worriedly. He was slightly overweight and pale. After hearing the battle report, his brow furrowed. He said to the emperor, "Your Majesty, war is a matter of money and food. I will immediately begin to investigate the national treasury and make every effort to prepare military pay and food.
"But time is of the essence. Although our dynasty has reserves, a prolonged war would be difficult to sustain. Furthermore, it is the spring plowing season, and even if taxes were collected, it would take time and would increase the burden on the people, affecting their livelihoods."
Liu Chongshan's voice was filled with fatigue and anxiety. He folded his hands in front of him and rubbed his fingers constantly, revealing the tremendous pressure in his heart.
At this time, Zhang Qiwen, the Minister of Works who had remained silent, seemed to suddenly remember something. His eyes lit up and he stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the high-yield crops harvested by Princess Fuxi last year ripen within a few months, and the yield is quite good.
If we can promote its cultivation nationwide this spring, it might help alleviate our urgent food shortage. As soon as these words were spoken, the court erupted in discussion. Many ministers expressed surprise, while some nodded in agreement, thinking this might be a viable option. Others expressed doubt, harboring misgivings about this unprecedented idea.
For a time, the ministers in the court who advocated war and those who advocated peace argued endlessly and refused to give in to each other.
Some ministers, with red faces and ears, argued fiercely about the pros and cons of war;
Some ministers sat in silent contemplation, weighing the situation;
Some ministers are waiting and watching, and have not yet expressed their position.
Prime Minister He Changting, who had remained silent until then, slowly stepped forward. He was sixty-five years old, with a thin face. His dark purple court robes accentuated his refined demeanor. His graying beard rustled in the breeze, and the tablet in his hand was tightly gripped, trembling slightly.
He first bowed to the emperor, then raised his head, his eyes calm and profound, and slowly said, "Your Majesty, I believe that this sudden attack on Xiqi may have a deeper meaning. The most urgent task is not only to respond militarily, but also to address it diplomatically.
We can immediately send eloquent people to the neighboring countries to explain the interests and seek support or at least ensure their neutrality to prevent our dynasty from being isolated and helpless.
At the same time, we must appease the people and stabilize the situation at home to avoid unnecessary panic caused by the fighting on the border. As for war and peace, we must carefully consider the long-term and avoid hasty decisions. "Prime Minister He's voice was a little hoarse, but every word was precious, revealing the experience and composure of years of assisting the government.
The Prime Minister Xie Jinan, only 35 years old, has already made a name for himself in the court.
He had a fair face and a stern expression. He was dressed neatly in a black official uniform, and the jade pendant around his waist exuded a warm luster.
He bowed slightly and said in a neither humble nor arrogant manner, "Your Majesty, I second the Prime Minister's words. Furthermore, in my opinion, we should strengthen security around the capital to prevent Xiqi from launching a surprise attack on the capital."
At the same time, local governments were ordered to recruit soldiers and expand military forces to prepare for emergencies.
Furthermore, we must rigorously investigate whether there are any spies from Xiqi within the court to prevent the leakage of confidential information and ensure the foolproofness of our military deployments." Prime Minister Xie's words were clear and coherent, his eyes gleaming with shrewdness and decisiveness, demonstrating the competence and courage of the younger generation of officials.
Li Mingxuan, the Minister of Rites, dressed in a crimson official robe and hat, stepped out anxiously and said, "Your Majesty, the war has broken out on the border. I believe that we should quickly send envoys to appease the people there to prevent panic and damage to morale.
At the same time, we can organize some prayer ceremonies, praying for God's blessing on our soldiers' triumphant return, calming the people's hearts, and demonstrating the court's attention and concern for this war." As he spoke, he gently wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief, his eyes full of worry.
Zhao Wenyuan, the Minister of Justice, stepped forward with a stern face and sharp eyes and said, "Your Majesty, I believe we must be careful to prevent lawless elements in the country from taking advantage of the opportunity to cause chaos and disrupt the rear.
I will deploy additional personnel to strengthen security patrols in the capital and elsewhere, cracking down on any attempts to undermine stability. This will ensure the safety of our empire's rear areas and ensure the officers and soldiers on the front lines have no worries." His words were brief and powerful, brimming with authority.
Other officials also spoke up, some with anxious expressions, some with solemn faces, and some with passionate voices, each stating their own views and countermeasures.
In the court, discussions were heard one after another, and the atmosphere was tense and solemn. Everyone knew that this sudden war would be a severe test for the entire dynasty, and every decision they made would affect the fate of the country and millions of people.
The emperor listened quietly, sometimes nodded slightly, sometimes fell into deep thought, the imperial pen in his hand tapping the dragon table unconsciously, weighing the pros and cons of each strategy, trying to find a way out of the predicament at this critical moment, to turn the tide and save the collapsing building.