The Empress' Livestream
/ The Empress' Livestream Chapter 494 - Besieging Fengyi County (II)
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Bang!
Huang Song pounded on the table with his fist, looking ferocious and enraged. He threw a bamboo page full of words onto the ground.
Feng Jue heard the loud bang from outside the tent. The soldier guarding the military tent bowed to him and lifted the curtain to let him enter.
"Bogao, what is it that made you this angry?" Feng Yu entered the tent and discovered with his sharp eyes that there was a crack on the table that Huang Song pounded. Growing doubtful on the inside, he asked Huang Song with concern, "The messenger called for me just now, saying that you have something urgent."
Feng Jue's gentle voice brought Huang Song's rationality back. Huang Song took a deep breath, trying hard to suppress the surging rage in his heart.
Huang Song pointed at the scattered bamboo slip on the ground with a murderous look in his eyes, as if he was staring at the enemy who killed his father.
"Huaijie, read the letter… The treacherous traitor, Prince Changshou, is lawlessly arrogant!"
As he started speaking, his voice became slightly hoarse because of his anger. It sounded wearier than before.
Feng Jue squatted down a little and picked up the bamboo slip. Then, he unfolded it with his hands and read it, frowning.
He could maintain his composure a lot better than Huang Song. Even though the content on the bamboo slip made his heart jolt, he still kept a calm look on his face and said convincingly, "Although Prince Changshou's trick looks normal, it's indeed a deadly trap. He's trying to doom you to death!"
Huang Song was not stupid like Prince Changshou. When he received the bamboo slip in his military tent, he realized that something was wrong. It even made him feel pins and needles. An unprecedented sense of crisis surged through his brain. He hurriedly called for Feng Jue to think of a way to get out of the situation.
Sitting down on the seat below, Feng Jue put the bamboo slip aside as if it was a venomous snake.
Although the words on it seemed submissive and harmless, its contents could be called a lethal viper. One would die if he was bitten by it.
"Prince Changshou and the current Emperor are brothers. The latter is more suspicious than the former." A trace of cynicism was hanging in the corners of his lips. He had long despised the royal family. "Although Prince Changshou has sent this letter of solicitation, he won't believe that you're sincere if you take advantage of the opportunity and side with him. Therefore, the original intention of this letter is probably to sow discord between you and the Emperor and try to harm you through someone else's hands."
Being suspicious was not entirely a bad habit for someone superior, but being terribly suspicious would bring nothing but harm.
Unfortunately, the current Emperor and Prince Changshou were both like that.
Although the letter was obviously Prince Changshou's trick to jeopardize Huang Song, his official career would come to an end when the news was made known in the palace.
It was not a big deal to lose one's official position. He was afraid that everyone in his family would have their lives threatened.
Since the Emperor had decreed to move the capital to Chenzhou after the earthquake in Shangjing, Prince Changshou forged a decree, left the county with his troops and besieged Chenzhou for the entire winter. The Emperor grew more and more suspicious as the days passed. The mere rustle of leaves in the wind would stimulate His sensitive nerves.
So far, there were countless virtuous ministers and loyal warriors who had been wrongfully killed by the Emperor. The court and the common folks heard danger in every sound.
In the Chenzhou today, the Emperor obdurately used the power in His hands to kill any existence that made Him feel unpleasant, unhappy, or disgusted.
He had not even ruled Chenzhou for long.
Not to mention that much blood was shed, He had already killed so many people that everyone was trembling with fear and feeling imperiled!
The aristocrats in Chenzhou did not dare to criticize the government, discuss the people's livelihoods, study the principles of governance, and propose to strengthen the military and enrich the lives of the people. People even mocked those matters as vulgar. They only dared to talk about romance during their gatherings and poetry parties. It was described euphemistically as idle talk.
Feng Jue felt helpless and his heart broke at the sight of such an ethos. He was already extremely dissatisfied with the emperor.
None of the three sons of the Feng family were ordinary.
Feng Jue could sense that once the mindset of idle-talking had spread, the country would suffer!
Even if everyone knew that Prince Changshou's move was to trap Huang Song, according to the Emperor's suspicious personality, He would never trust Huang Song again.
If the Emperor still had a trace of rationality, he would most likely strip Huang Song's colonel-level military power, transfer him away from the front line and make him vulnerable.
However, based on Feng Jue's judgment about the Emperor, He would probably not be that benevolent.
It was better to wrongfully kill 10,000 loyal ministers and excellent military officers. He would never let a treacherous traitor who would possibly betray Him slip by.
The royal family was merciless. Brothers fought amongst themselves.
The brothers, Prince Changshou and the Emperor, were already pitted against each other, let alone Huang Song, the descendant of a eunuch, who was not related to the Emperor at all.
Huang Song looked pallid, as if the blood had drained from his face. Depressed, he sat in the distance with a complicated look in his eyes.
Feng Jue asked Huang Song with a sigh, "What are you going to do now?"
If he did not do anything to protect himself and wait for the news of 'Prince Changshou soliciting Huang Song with a generous promise' to reach the Emperor's ears and provoke the emperor's suspiciousness, by then… Haha. Even if Huang Song had a god-grandfather to put in a good word for him, he would still be in danger.
Holding his head decadently, Huang Song replied somewhat pitifully, "I don't know… I don't know how to dispel the emperor's suspicion…"
Huang Song still had expectations for Dongqing so far, hoping to become a loyal minister who would do his utmost to stem a raging tide and bring prosperity to the people.
However, Huang Song was not foolishly loyal.
If the emperor really wanted to kill him, he could not stand still idiotically, allow himself to be captured without putting up a fight, and simply wait for doom.
Feng Jue replied with a sigh, "It's too difficult to dispel His suspicion. Even if you manage to dodge the attack this time, if you suffer a slight defeat in the war once, it's difficult to ensure that the Emperor won't suspect you of colluding and conspiring with Prince Changshou… By then, you'll be really doomed."
Battlefields were fast-changing. No one could guarantee that he would win.
Prince Changshou's scheme was simple and totally diabolical. He crushed the advantages that Huang Song had managed to accumulate.
Upon hearing Feng Jue's words, even if Huang Song was not willing to believe it, he felt somewhat weak when he thought of the Emperor's current appearance…
He said tearlessly, "Huaijie, you have to save me…"
It was difficult to be a loyal and patriotic warrior in recent years.
Even if Huang Song had the intention to save the country and the people, reality did not allow him to do so. He even had to face the possibility of being beheaded.
Feng Jue closed his eyes and pondered for a moment. He said firmly, "Judging from the current situation, you have to sacrifice your minor benefit and make an escape."
"Sacrifice my minor benefit and make an escape?" Huang Song muttered.
Feng Jue knew what Huang Song was thinking. He had yet to dispel his expectations towards Dongqing completely. If that was the case, Feng Jue had to give him a push.
He replied, "Yes. This is the only plan that can save your strength. Bogao, write a letter and send it to the Emperor in secret. Explain the details and be sure to sternly reprimand Prince Changshou's wolfish ambition to sow discord between the Emperor and yourself. Lastly, retreat for the sake of advancing. Volunteer to resign from the colonel position and be transferred away from the front line temporarily. Keep yourself away from these sensitive positions for the time being."
Startled, Huang Song contemplated after hearing what he said. He was still hesitant on the inside. The emotion of unwillingness flooded his heart.
He hated Prince Changshou to death!
His venomous scheme was way too vicious.
Feng Jue added, "If it's possible, volunteer to govern other places. It can't be a position that's too sensitive. If so, the Emperor will assent to it. If you can govern a district well, the Emperor will notice your absolute sincerity and put you in an important position again in the future."
Chapter end
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