frightfiction Chapter 1351 I don’t know what the emperor wants
Chapter 1351 I don’t know what the emperor wants
Nangong Xuanyu raised his eyes to look at him: "Speak."
Bai Mufeng took a deep breath, as if mustering up courage, and then slowly said, "Your Majesty has devoted all his energy to the war. We, your servants, empathize with you and are willing to serve you wholeheartedly."
"While the war IOUs can alleviate the immediate crisis, in the long run, the burden on the national treasury will still be heavy."
"I, your humble servant, dare to offer this advice. Your Majesty is the ruler of the world, and all the people are your subjects. In this time of national crisis, in addition to relying on the strength of the people, the princes of the imperial family, as the backbone of the imperial family, should also step forward and share the country's worries."
He quietly raised his eyes and saw that the emperor had an unpredictable expression, but he did not interrupt him. He continued speaking, his words becoming more and more earnest: "For example... His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin."
"His fiefdom, Bingzhou, is a major city in the north, and his family is quite wealthy. If His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin could sympathize with the emperor's wishes and voluntarily donate his personal property to support the army, or dispatch elite troops from his fiefdom to the border to aid in the battle..."
"It will not only greatly relieve the pressure on the imperial court, but also set an example for all the relatives and nobles in the world, demonstrating the imperial family's determination to unite and resist foreign aggression!"
"This is a good thing for the country, the people, Your Majesty, and His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin."
"In my humble opinion, Your Majesty might...give a hint to His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin?"
Bai Mufeng perfectly packaged Shen Zhinian's murderous plot as a sincere and selfless advice to the public good.
Nangong Xuanyu's deep gaze fell on Bai Mufeng, and he did not speak for a long time.
Beneath the emperor's seemingly calm surface, thoughts raced through his mind, weighing countless pros and cons in an instant.
This suggestion... is brilliant!
On the surface, it was to select talented people for the country and demonstrate the loyalty of the royal family, and no one could find any fault with it.
But inside, it was a conspiracy that went straight to the vital point!
Making King Jin bleed heavily is tantamount to cutting off one of his arms, which will greatly weaken his capital for secretly accumulating strength!
Let the King of Jin send troops? Even better!
If he sent troops obediently, once these troops left their fiefdom and entered the border controlled by the court, he would have no control over whether to win or lose.
If the King of Jin evaded responsibility and delayed, it would just confirm the accusation that he disregarded the safety of the country.
If he dares to take advantage of this opportunity to do something... then he will be handing the crime of treason to the emperor himself!
No matter how King Jin responds, he will inevitably be put in a passive position!
This was a strategy tailor-made for him.
The corners of Nangong Xuanyu's lips curved upwards slightly, then he regained his dignity.
"Lord Bai, your proposal is very much in line with my wishes."
The emperor slowly spoke, "During this national crisis, it is time for our clan members to lead by example."
After the words fell, he stopped looking at Bai Mufeng and turned his gaze to Li Changde beside him: "Li Changde!"
Li Changde immediately stepped forward and bowed, "Your servant is here!"
"Send someone out of the palace immediately to deliver my oral instructions..."
Nangong Xuanyu's voice echoed in the empty hall: "Order Prince Jin to come to the palace to see you."
"Yes!"
Li Changde's heart trembled. He did not dare to delay for a moment and immediately turned around and walked out quickly to arrange this sudden summons.
……
Jin Palace.
With a gentle smile on his lips, he was thinking in his heart, how wonderful it would be if the war IOU could be destroyed!
If this move succeeds, it will not only cut off the emperor's brother's arm, but also quietly and severely damage the prestige of the national treasury.
For his great cause, it was indeed a brilliant move that achieved great results with little effort.
At this moment, hurried footsteps were heard outside the study, and a confidant whispered behind the curtain, "Your Highness, someone has arrived from the palace, saying that His Majesty has summoned you to the palace for an audience immediately."
The smile on Prince Jin's lips slowly disappeared.
Concubine Qi's expression suddenly changed: "Your Majesty suddenly summoned the prince at this time, could it be... could it be about the war IOU..."
She didn't dare to finish the rest of the sentence, but the panic in her eyes revealed all her guesses.
Prince Jin's eyes darkened, and his previous leisurely look disappeared.
He raised his hand to stop Concubine Qi from talking. Although his voice remained steady, it revealed a hint of coldness: "What are you panicking about?"
"This was done cleanly and efficiently. Even if my brother had omnipotent powers, he wouldn't have been able to trace it back to me so quickly."
"Don't lose your composure."
Concubine Qi bowed and said, "Yes."
Prince Jin stood up, his tone returning to his usual gentle tone: "Change your clothes and enter the palace immediately."
"Yes."
The carriage from Prince Jin's Mansion rolled through the streets.
He sat upright in the car with his eyes closed, seemingly calm, but his mind was already rapidly calculating all the possibilities.
Halfway through the journey, the Prince of Jin looked at the eunuch outside the carriage window and asked, "Do you know why my brother summoned me now?"
The young eunuch said respectfully, "Your Highness, Eunuch Li only said that His Majesty urgently summoned him, and didn't reveal anything else."
Even Li Changde was so tight-lipped? Prince Jin's heart sank again.
He didn't ask any more questions, just said "hmm" lightly and closed his eyes again. Countless countermeasures flashed through his mind.
The emperor summoning me at this moment is definitely not ordinary.
Either the IOU incident happened, or there was another tricky matter.
Arriving at the entrance of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Prince Jin took a deep breath, suppressed all emotions, and put on that respectful, humble, and harmless smile on his face again.
This was the scene he saw when he stepped into the hall.
Several important officials in crimson and purple official robes stood with their hands hanging down, their eyes lowered, and the atmosphere was subtle.
Prince Jin's heart sank slightly, but his face remained as gentle as jade. He lifted the corner of his robe and knelt down politely: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. Long live your Majesty!"
Seeing Prince Jin coming in, Nangong Xuanyu raised his eyes, his gaze calm, even with a rare hint of gentleness: "Eighth brother is here? No need to be so polite, please stand up."
"Thank you, Brother Huang."
Prince Jin stood up, a hint of doubt in his eyes, and said in a gentle voice, "I wonder why your Majesty has summoned me here?"
Nangong Xuanyu placed the memorial in his hand on the table, a faint smile on his lips, and said slowly: "It's not an urgent government matter."
"Just now, Lord Bai mentioned that the war with the Xiongnu is getting intense. Although the court has allocated funds, it is still a drop in the bucket."
"Lord Bai is even more generous, offering to donate half a year's salary to alleviate this urgent need. His kindness is commendable, and I am deeply comforted!"
Bai Mufeng bowed at the right moment, with a warm and friendly smile on his face: "I am ashamed to say that I have done my best and cannot possibly deserve your majesty's praise."
Nangong Xuanyu nodded slightly, his gaze returning to Prince Jin. "I was discussing with you, my dear ministers, how we can further relieve the court's worries and help the people. Suddenly, I thought of you, my eighth brother."
The King of Jin's heart sank, but he still smiled: "Your Majesty, I am deeply honored to receive your compliments. I am deeply moved."
"I wonder what instructions my brother has for you?"
"Commands are out of the question."
Nangong Xuanyu leaned forward slightly, his gaze seemingly casually fixed on Prince Jin's face: "Everyone knows that my eighth brother is the most kind and compassionate, and he cares deeply about the people."
"When you were in Bingzhou, you always managed the country well. Your treasury must be more abundant than that of a noble like Bai Aiqing. Now that the country is in trouble, we need close relatives like you to contribute to the country."