The sky was slightly bright, and the sun's light caused the entire Imperial City to be shrouded in a haze.
Some ministers had already appeared at the gate of the palace's discussion hall, discussing some unimportant matters.
After the bell in the upper hall rang, groups of ministers quickly entered the hall and lined up neatly on both sides.
The king sat on the jade steps, looking majestic.
After paying his respects, the king asked loudly," Do you all have this memorial?”
A general stepped forward. This person had thick eyebrows, big eyes, dark skin, and a tall and muscular figure. It was obvious that he had been fighting outside for many years.
The person who spoke was called He Lian. He was from the Shang Dynasty."Your Majesty, the western border has been invaded by the barbarians. The people have been persecuted. I am willing to lead my troops to suppress them!"”
The King did not express his opinion. Instead, he asked," What do you all think?”
At this moment, an old official with a white beard stood out and said," Your Majesty, General He's courage is commendable. It's a blessing for our dynasty. However, he had been fighting outside for many years. Presumably, the barbarians must have a good understanding of General He's combat methods and would be prepared. I believe that General He can be the vanguard, and the marshal can order others.”
This old official was called Ye Rong. He was the one who helped the Shang King make important decisions. He was the highest administrative officer among all the ministers.
Ye Rong was knowledgeable, had unique insights, and was accurate. She was trusted by the king and the ministers, and had a high prestige in the court.
The other ministers nodded in agreement, and even the king agreed.
"But I wonder who will be the marshal?”
The hall immediately fell silent.
Only the breathing of the officials remained.
A tense atmosphere filled the hall.
Everyone knew that most of the barbarians in the west were small tribes and could not pose a big threat. Now, although most of the troops were concentrated in the south, the State of Yue had already agreed to send troops. Once the State of Yue moved, the other vassal states would also take action. Victory in this war would be easy. Whoever became the marshal would receive the credit.
The Fourth Prince and the Crown Prince had been fighting for power in the court for a long time, and the King was well aware of it. However, the King doted on both his sons and always turned a blind eye to them. The Fourth Prince was especially arrogant and went around wooing officials. Now, the court was divided into two factions, supporting the Fourth Prince and the Crown Prince respectively.
At this time, no one wanted to stand out. As long as they had been in this court full of traps for two or three years, they would become cautious.
Seeing that no one answered, the King directly asked Prime Minister Ye Rong," What do you think, Minister Ye?”
Ye Rong took two steps forward and bowed." This old minister thinks that it is appropriate to let the Fourth Prince go.”
This shocked everyone. They all thought that Ye Rong would recommend His Highness the Crown Prince.
All along, although Ye Rong had maintained a neutral attitude and never participated in the battle between the two princes, many people knew that Ye Rong actually admired the Crown Prince and intended to marry her daughter Ye Xing to the Crown Prince as his concubine.
However, his words today clearly showed his stance.
The Fourth Prince was overjoyed. With Ye Rong's support, what was there to be afraid of?
He looked at the Crown Prince again. His face was calm and composed. There was not the slightest change in his expression.
The King wanted the Crown Prince to lead the troops, but since Ye Rong had said so, it was not good to reject it. He could only continue asking," May I know what Minister Ye's intentions are?”
"Your Highness is a man of great talent, and the only thing you lack now is actual combat. This battle will allow Your Highness to gain experience, and you will definitely be a pillar of our dynasty in the future.”
The King felt that it made sense. He nodded in agreement and immediately issued an edict. The fourth prince Zi Mu will be the marshal, and General He Lian will be the vanguard. Tomorrow, he will lead the army to the western border to quell the invasion and display the might of our dynasty.
When He Lian heard that the Fourth Prince was in command, he reluctantly accepted the edict with a black face.
She blamed Ye Rong in her heart over and over again.
After retreating, He Lian quickly caught up with Ye Rong and asked angrily," Prime Minister Ye, why did you…"
Ye Rong waved her hand and interrupted his question." General, you only know how to lead troops into battle. You don't know how complicated the court is. Some things require strategy.”With that, he left without looking back.
He Lian was confused. Was there something else going on?……
As he walked forward, he muttered to himself," What do you mean? What strategy? These scholars, everything is so complicated. I'd better ask the Crown Prince myself when I have time!”
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