EBE Chapter 137 Zhao Huaijin No Longer Hides His Incompetence
Chapter 137 Zhao Huaijin No Longer Hides His Incompetence
"So, Prince Yu married another concubine?"
"Not only that! Miss, you don't know that Prince Yu's Mansion now has a principal wife, two concubines, and the concubines Liang and Teng..."
Song Qingwan felt a little unbelievable when listening to Chunya's report. Is this Prince Yu crazy or has he come to his senses?
But this news is good news for Prince Huai's party. Since the two sides officially confronted each other, Zhao Huaijin no longer hid his strength.
Although the miasma control plan for Fangling and Yazhou that he and Song Qingwan drafted was approved by the emperor, it was not supported by Prince Yu's party.
The reason they opposed was without exception that Xiao Hechuan was a descendant of the Xiao family, and the Xiao family was, after all, descendants of the previous dynasty, and they might have rebellious intentions.
"Does Prime Minister Song have any better suggestions?"
"Your Highness is too soft-hearted. In my opinion, let them go. They are just two states on the border. What big waves can they cause?"
"So what the Prime Minister meant is that the people over there are not important. Do you know that these two places are the borders between our dynasty and Southern Xinjiang?"
"I know that Southern Xinjiang is just a tiny place, how can it achieve anything? Even if Fangling Yazhou is returned to them, it will not affect the overall situation."
Zhao Huaijin was secretly shocked. It seemed that Song Chengfeng wanted to give up these two cities. He really went to great lengths to please the people behind him.
"I have noticed that Prime Minister Song is becoming more and more confident in what he says. He doesn't even take me seriously. Will you, my father, look down on me in the future?"
"Your Majesty, please do not spit blood at me. I am loyal to the Great Saint Dynasty and the Emperor. Otherwise, I would not be able to be a high-ranking official in the court."
"Prime Minister Song is indeed loyal, but it is not certain to whom he is loyal."
There was something meaningful in Zhao Huaijin's words. The emperor's pupils shrank slightly when he heard it. It seemed that his son had changed a little.
In the past, Zhao Huaijin was either playing around and doing nothing, or he was timid and stayed at home, not even daring to talk back.
In the eyes of the emperor, it seemed that this son had no other merits except filial piety, but Zhao Huaijin has performed extremely well recently.
Not only did he successfully resolve the epidemic in Gusu, he was also able to figure out a solution to the century-old problem of controlling miasma. Now, even a trusted minister like Song Chengfeng seems to be nothing in his eyes.
In fact, the emperor's feeling was not an illusion. Zhao Huaijin no longer needed to pretend. He had almost done what he wanted to do.
After hearing what Zhao Huaijin said, Song Chengfeng was shocked at first, and then felt a little unbelievable like the emperor.
Did King Huai always pretend to be a pig and eat the tiger?
In the end, the emperor criticized the two men separately and gave each of them fifty lashes. As for Song Chengfeng, the emperor always used him as a border guard.
People like Song Chengfeng are the easiest to control. He is an openly bad person, talented, greedy, and timid. This kind of person is the easiest to use.
It is precisely the sons of wealthy families, or those who come from humble backgrounds but are incorruptible, who are the most difficult to control.
To be an emperor, he does not need to be very talented or fair. He just needs to know how to use people and how to use his imperial balancing skills.
This kind of emperor is the most qualified ruler to maintain the status quo, but in fact the Great Saint Dynasty is now surrounded by crises, and it is only calm on the surface.
Zhao Huaijin did not return home after court session. As usual, he was chatting lazily with vendors on Qianjin Street, looking like a little prince who was not doing his job.
When they reached a secluded place, Zhao Huaijin's face darkened. Seeing that there was no one around, he simply rolled over and entered a dilapidated house.
He walked across the yard to the back door, then gently turned the mechanism on the door and it opened.
Zhao Huaijin walked straight out of the back door and walked into the depths of the woods with ease.
"Come out."
Following Zhao Huaijin's order, dozens of men dressed in gray clothes and dressed like ordinary people knelt in front of him.
The leading man was stocky and dark-skinned, with small eyes but a surprisingly firm look in his eyes.
"Shangguan Li, the leader of the Pang Family Army, pays respect to His Majesty!"
"Everyone, get up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
"What's the situation? Are there any casualties among the brothers?"
"Your Highness, several of our brothers were injured. Thanks to the wound medicine given by the princess, they are not seriously injured."
"That's good. How's the situation in the northern border?"
"Your Highness, this year the Western Yue Kingdom has been provoking us frequently, and we brothers all want to fight. I would like to ask you on your behalf, why should we fight?"
Shangguan Li's eyes were somewhat anxious. Everyone thought that without Pang Min, the Pang family army was leaderless, and even the neighboring countries wanted to shit on their heads.
In fact, five years ago, His Royal Highness Prince Huai secretly took over the Pang family army. At first, the brothers were reluctant to take charge, thinking that a young boy was not worthy of leading them.
However, His Royal Highness Prince Huai personally went into battle, charged into the chaotic army, and personally cut off the head of the third prince of Xiyue, thus winning the war without a fight.
At that time, Shangguan Li personally led his brothers to submit to Zhao Huaijin and wanted to write a victory report on this matter and send it to the emperor.
But Zhao Huaijin refused. He waved his hand and put the blame on Shangguan Li, which made the emperor, who wanted to use the excuse to replace the generals, shut up.
From then on, Shangguan Li naturally became the leader of the Pang family army in the northern border, and he had many complaints about the civil and military officials in the court.
Why is it that after Pang Min's death, the Pang Family Army is still controlled by the Pang family? Shangguan Li is Pang Min's cousin. Does this position have to be hereditary?
The old Grand Tutor Pang Chunzhi came to the court in person, voluntarily abdicated, and took out the tiger talisman of the Pang family army. Whoever was capable would take the position.
These corrupt officials immediately shut up. Although the Pang family army was the most elite force of the Great Saint Dynasty, what was the Northern Frontier?
The environment in northern Xinjiang is very harsh, with a large temperature difference between day and night. People are frozen to death in the winter and burned to death in the summer. Not only that, it is also close to Western Vietnam.
The people of Xiyue are a nomadic people and are naturally aggressive, so there are frequent frictions between Xiyue and the Great Sage's northern border, and it is always the Pang family army that leads the charge.
So no matter how unwilling they are to accept it, who among these officials who live a life of luxury and comfort would be willing to go to such a place? If they are not careful, they will lose their lives without even hearing a sound.
Now the commander of the Pang family army is Shangguan Li, and the apparent spiritual leader is Grand Tutor Pang, but in fact the real master of the Pang family army has long become King Huai.
In response to Shangguan Li's request, Zhao Huaijin only said four words.
"Attack them when they are least prepared."
"What does the prince mean?"
"Go and burn their food supplies. If they ask for a fight again, don't be polite."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Zhao Huaijin took out a bag of bottles and cans from his sleeve and handed them to Shangguan Li, who quickly took them.
"This is?"
"This is given to me by the princess. If you carry it with you, it can temporarily stun the enemy."
"Thank you, Your Majesty, and thank you, Princess!"
"Well, let's go."
"Yes, my subordinates are resigning!"