Chapter 750: Chapter 478: Deceiving the Monarch
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The same night.
Within the Huai River, a black canopy boat sailed from the river, with a lamp hanging on a post at the bow.
An orange light shone from within the lamp, casting a hole in the curtain-like black night.
The black canopy boat docked at the pier, and about five or six people disembarked, heading towards a house with a solitary lamp hanging at its entrance, in the midst of a light rain.
Leading the group was someone in a raincoat, carrying a precious sword, with an official robe underneath that had not been changed for many days.
Governor Ning Zechen of the Cao Yun seemed to have lost weight, yet his whole presence was sharper than before. He walked along the slightly muddy road to the wooden house.
Before he could get close, someone hidden in the dark stopped him: "Who goes there?"
Ning Zechen took off the hat of his raincoat, revealing a determined face full of a blue-black stubble:
"It’s me."
"Governor, please come in." An elite soldier hidden in the dark nodded.
Ning Zechen left the few people behind him outside the house and pushed the door open to enter.
Inside the somewhat simple room, there was only an old wooden table with an oil lamp on it. Sitting around the bench by the table were several figures.
The one facing the door was Mo Chou.
Although she was famed outside as a "female chancellor," she was actually the first female official, a great maid beside the empress, looking exhausted, her eyes filled with bloodshot veins.
To her right was the White Horse Bureau Director, Sun Lianying, with a head full of silver hair and deeply sunken eye sockets. He was also effectively the head eunuch, a close confidant of the empress.
On her right side was the Minister of Rites who presided over the Sealing Ceremony that day. His crimson official robe was stained with mud, and his black hat was long gone, making him look a bit embarrassed.
But more than that, there was a sense of impending national collapse and the sorrow of a kingdom about to perish.
The other people in the room also included the civil and military officials who once participated in the Sealing Ceremony.
"Governor Ning, how is the situation?" Mo Chou saw Ning Zechen come in and tried to perk up.
Ning Zechen cupped his fists in a martial manner, saying:
"Fortunately, I have not failed in my mission. Although the rebels are fierce, the Cao Yun government office is a territory I have managed for many years. Jiancheng may not be saved, but the Cao soldiers of this segment of the Huai River Canal are still under my control. Now, according to our previous plan, we’ve used gunpowder to blow up rocks, and sent boats carrying stones onto the river, scuttling them to block the shallows...
This way, we can ensure the blockade of the shallows so that neither Prince Huaian nor Prince Chen can lead their troops north through the canal."
The spirits of the officials inside the room lifted, and the Minister of Rites said happily:
"Governor Ning truly is a cornerstone of the empire. Once we find Her Majesty and suppress the rebels, your great contribution will surely be remembered."
Ning Zechen had long become desensitized to such formalities, turning to Mo Chou:
"Is there any news of Her Majesty?"
Officially the White Horse Director but also controlling the court’s Shadow Guard dispatch, Sun Lianying said in a deep voice:
"The latest intelligence reports that Eunuch Hai has been held up by Duan Shuiliu and his men. The military mansion generals leading other regiments are struggling to organize troops, blocking the paths to Jiancheng Road and Yunfu Road, preventing the two rebel armies from marching north, without a moment to spare..."
After the Sealing Battle at that time, Zhao Douan fled with Her Majesty, leaving a group of officials at a loss.
At that time, everyone put all their effort into searching for Her Majesty to ascertain her life and death. Later, realizing Zhao Douan had taken Her Majesty away, they stopped searching.
At the same time, they learned that Prince Jing had launched a rebellion.
The group had no choice but to split into several teams, some going to intercept the troops of Prince Jing, who were pursuing Her Majesty.
Another part set off to return to the capital while trying to stabilize the local governments, ordering them to hold their ground, and thinking of ways to block the rebel army.
"In this case, isn’t Her Majesty and Lord Zhao in danger?" Ning Zechen couldn’t hide his anxiety.
Sun Lianying, however, said: "With Zhao Douan’s ability, no matter how perilous the situation, he will turn danger into safety and successfully bring Her Majesty back to the capital."
The old courtier had blind confidence in Zhao Douan.
"Ha... just because Zhao Douan is your subordinate, you blindly trust him like this? At such a time? We are so many people who couldn’t protect Her Majesty, how can just he alone reassure us?" The Minister of Rites was in a bad mood and spoke irritably.
Sun Lianying glanced at him and said indifferently:
"If the Minister can’t control his temper, he could go outside to feel the wind and rain, or if he’s not confident, he might as well pledge allegiance to Xu Wen, also a good wallflower option."
The Minister of Rites was caught off guard by the sarcasm, feeling downcast, he said:
"I naturally hope that Her Majesty can turn calamities into blessings, I am merely concerned."
"Then why don’t you go protect Her Majesty? Why let Lord Zhao bear all the pressure alone?" Ning Zechen coldly added in.
"You all..." The Minister of Rites was rendered speechless by the two, turning to Mo Chou for help:
"Mo Zhaorong, you know I’m just too concerned to think rationally..."
Mo Chou calmly said:
"I also believe in Zhao Douan. He has accomplished too many things that can only be described as miraculous, and I believe he can do the same this time."
The Minister of Rites was stunned, looking at the three of them, angrily heading to the corner of the room, putting his hands inside his sleeves sulkingly:
"Unbelievable!"
He felt a bit aggrieved; although his words might not have sounded pleasant, he was speaking the truth, yet these three teamed up against him.
Ning Zechen and Sun Lianying, however, couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to the Minister of Rites, who played a limited role during the journey and merely represented the highest-ranking visible official.
They began to spread out the map, discussing the direction of the team’s next moves:
"Our group’s combat power is limited, and our target too obvious. Rather than rescuing Her Majesty, it’s more likely to bring trouble to her. What we must do now is return to the capital as soon as possible to stabilize the situation."
"By now, all the Eight Princes have likely rebelled, and the news will soon reach the capital. By then, rumors of Her Majesty’s disappearance, or even death, will surely be rampant, and the capital is bound to be in chaos.
We can only return quickly to bring back the most accurate information to stabilize the situation, waiting for Her Majesty to return. Otherwise, if something happens in the capital, even if Her Majesty returns, it may be too late."
"Moreover... I worry that by now, the capital may already be unstable, with Her Majesty missing, can Li Yanfu remain obedient?"
Sun Lianying was deeply worried, and the more Ning Zechen listened, the heavier his heart became.
He lifted his head, looking at Mo Chou, who hadn’t said a word:
"Mo Zhaorong? What are you thinking?"
Only to see Mo Chou staring blankly at the fine rain outside the gap in the door, suddenly saying:
"I am wondering what Her Majesty is doing now."
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P.S.: Surely writing like this isn’t crossing the line, right...?