69novels Chapter 1047: I'm going to make him lose more than he gains!
Chapter 1047: I'm going to make him lose more than he gains!
Gao Yao looked at the old minister kneeling at his feet, overwhelmed with emotion, a complex expression flashing in his eyes. He sighed softly and raised his hand: "Get up, Xiao He. You've worked hard these past few days while I was away."
Upon seeing this, Gao Qun silently bowed, quietly withdrew from the study, and gently closed the door, leaving the space entirely to the emperor and his chief minister.
Xiao He hastily wiped the tears from his face with his sleeve, stood up, still unable to calm his emotions: "Your Majesty, since you have returned safely, why didn't you go directly back to the palace and announce it to the world to reassure the people? Instead... instead, you summoned me in such a secretive way in the residence of the Fourth Prince? The entire court and the public are in chaos searching for Your Majesty, and rumors are flying everywhere!"
Gao Yao didn't answer immediately. He picked up a cup of ginseng tea, took a small sip, and his eyes, seen through the rising steam, appeared even more profound. He put down the teacup and his gaze fell on Xiao He. That gaze no longer held the warmth it had shown before; instead, it gradually became serious, even carrying a clear hint of...disappointment and sternness.
"Announcing it to the world? Going straight back to the palace?" Gao Yao's voice turned cold. "Xiao He, if I were to return in a grand manner now, what I would see is not a well-functioning, united court, but a mess where everyone is fighting tooth and nail for the crown prince position, even at the cost of inviting wolves into the house!"
Xiao He's heart skipped a beat. The elation that had just risen within him was instantly extinguished by this cold question. He bowed again: "Your Majesty... Your Majesty is terrified! What makes you say such a thing?"
"What makes you say that?" Gao Yao slammed his hand on the low table beside him. Though he didn't use much force, the sound was like a blow to Xiao He's heart. "I ask you! I've only been gone for half a month, and the eldest brother has been secretly contacting the northern border generals. What is his intention? The second brother has gathered many retainers, including many descendants of the six former states. What is he planning? The third brother seems to be indulging in wine and women, but secretly he is using his maternal clan to amass wealth and hoard grain and weapons! And the fourth brother..." Gao Yao paused, glanced at the tightly closed door, and said in an even colder voice, "He's quite patient. In the past half month, he's been making frequent moves, monitoring the court officials. Does he really think I don't know?!"
With each word Gao Yao spoke, Xiao He's face paled further. As the chief minister, how could he be completely unaware of the princes' actions? However, with the king missing and the foundation of the state in jeopardy, his primary task was to maintain stability in the court and prevent internal strife. Regarding the princes' outrageous behavior, he could only try his best to mediate and reprimand them, but he could not truly stop them with drastic measures. After all, he had no power to depose or install emperors, nor did he know the king's wishes.
"And what about you, Xiao He!" Gao Yao's gaze was like a sharp sword, piercing straight at Xiao He. "I entrusted the cabinet to you so that you could lead the government, balance the various factions, and stabilize the situation! But look at this! Look at the state of the court now! Princes are vying for the throne, forming cliques and eliminating dissidents, and the people are filled with fear! How have you been the chief minister? Are you just going to try to smooth things over, be a nice guy, and watch my sons turn the country I worked so hard to build up upside down?!"
This reprimand, like a sudden storm, rained down on Xiao He. He knelt down again with a thud, tears streaming down his face. This time, however, the tears were not of joy, but of grievance, self-reproach, and a profound sense of powerlessness.
"Your Majesty! I am guilty! I am incompetent!" Xiao He cried. "Your Majesty has suddenly disappeared without a trace. My heart is in turmoil! The four princes are all Your Majesty's flesh and blood. Before Your Majesty's decree, how could I, as a subject, dare to depose and install princes? I can only do my best to maintain order and hope that Your Majesty will return soon to take charge of the situation! I... I am truly... caught in a dilemma, caught between a rock and a hard place!" He kowtowed, his shoulders trembling slightly with emotion.
Looking at Xiao He kneeling on the ground, his hair and beard turning gray, a minister who had toiled for him and the current court for over a decade, yet now appeared so helpless, Gao Yao's sharp, cold gaze finally softened slightly. How could he not know Xiao He's predicament? With imperial power hanging in the balance, the position of Grand Secretary was inherently a volcano. To have managed to maintain the current situation and prevent a large-scale internal rebellion was already an immense effort on Xiao He's part.
He sighed deeply, a sigh filled with weariness and helplessness: "Get up, Xiao He. I know your difficulties."
Upon hearing this, Xiao He stood up shakily, but still kept his head down, not daring to look directly at the emperor.
Gao Yao pointed to the couch beside him: "Sit down. I reprimanded you not because you were disloyal, but because you were too cautious and lacked courage! Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures! If I really don't come back, are you just going to stand by and watch those brothers fight amongst themselves and drag this vast empire into the abyss of civil war?"
Xiao He sat down as instructed, and said with a wry smile, "Your Majesty, I am foolish and dull. Please enlighten me."
"Enough, let's leave this matter aside for now." Gao Yao waved his hand, his expression turning serious again. "The reason I concealed my whereabouts and secretly returned to the capital was not merely to witness the disgraceful behavior of these rebellious sons. The more important reason is that I received a top-secret military report from the western border during my journey back to the capital!"
He leaned forward slightly, lowered his voice, and spoke with immense weight: "The Qiang people are making unusual movements!"
Xiao He's slightly relieved mind immediately tensed up again: "The Qiang people? Your Majesty, although the Qiang people often harass the border, their metallurgical skills are ultimately insufficient to achieve great things, so there should be no need to worry."
“If it were just ordinary border raids, why would I be so cautious?” Gao Yao’s eyes were sharp as knives. “This unusual movement by the Qiang people is no small matter! According to reports, the various Qiang tribes are secretly gathering and frequently moving their troops, with their target being the counties of Longxi! Moreover, they have changed their usual style of being scattered soldiers who loot and run away. Their actions are quite organized, and behind them… there is probably a mastermind guiding them!”
"What the expert is referring to?" Xiao He frowned, his mind racing. "Your Majesty means...?"
"The Chu army!" Gao Yao coldly uttered two words.
Xiao He gasped, "The Chu army? Does the Chu army still have any strength left? Could it be that the Chu army is trying to take advantage of this opportunity...?"
“That’s right,” Gao Yao sneered. “Xiang Yu is a man of great ambition and ambition. How could he be content with a corner of the country? When I was alive, he was still somewhat wary of me. Now that I have been missing for half a month, news of the turmoil in the court has probably spread throughout the land! Would Xiang Yu let go of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?”
Gao Yao stood up and walked to the huge map of the land and its people, pointing to the border between the western border and the Chu territory: "Look! The area where the Qiang people are active borders our western border and also the northern territory controlled by Xiang Yu. If the Qiang people launch a major attack, drawing away our main force on the western border, while Xiang Yu leads his army south or west along the river, directly threatening Guanzhong... a pincer attack from both sides, leaving us unable to defend both ends!"
He turned abruptly, his gaze fixed intently on Xiao He: "Xiao He! Do you know what this means? This is not a simple border threat; it is a long-planned war intended to take advantage of our internal instability and overthrow our Southern Border Army in one fell swoop!"