She Holds the World After Being Reborn
Chapter 152: Don’t Reach for What’s Not Given to You

Chapter 152: Chapter 152: Don’t Reach for What’s Not Given to You

"This conflict primarily stems from the recent internal strife in the Qin State, our ally, which we ought to have taken care of..." the Chief of Staff pondered slowly as he spoke.

The Emperor lifted his head and glanced at him, "Either tell me something I don’t know, or shut your mouth."

The Chief of Staff lowered his head.

"How long ago did the Qin State’s internal chaos occur! You spend your days consuming the Imperial Court’s provisions, yet you fail to make prior arrangements, letting those western tribes brazenly cross into our Dawei Border!" the Emperor slammed his palms down on the table, creating a loud smacking sound.

"Do you think we simply lost a few villages?" He clenched his teeth and slapped his own face, "We lost my dignity! The dignity of the entire Dawei!"

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger—!" The ministers knelt, not daring to rise, each of them fraught with anxiety.

The Emperor looked at this group of civil officials with frustration boiling in his heart.

"Can’t you say something useful!" the Emperor roared with rage, "All you know is to ask me to calm down, but will calming down bring back our lost face?!"

"If the Crown Prince were here, a small dispatch of troops could easily have had a deterrent effect on the few lost villages, which aren’t even that far in the west..." another old official said.

As soon as these words were spoken, the Emperor stood up abruptly, "The Crown Prince, the Crown Prince! Without Xiao Pingfeng, can the entire Dawei not survive?!" Realizing his words were improper, he added, "At present, the Crown Prince is engaged in a military expedition in the North, where the battle is fierce. Do you expect him to deploy troops for a few villages as well? Are you all incapable?!"

As he spoke, his gaze fell on Prince Xiao Hongshen, who was kneeling at the very front.

"Seventh son, would you be willing to take a trip to the west?"

Xiao Hongshen was entirely unwilling in his heart.

It was just a few villages; if they were lost, then so be it.

With the current favorable situation in the Imperial Court, if he left, he might come back to face a predicament similar to the Crown Prince’s due to the rapidly changing tides of court politics.

But he couldn’t refuse outright.

Otherwise, he would fall into his father’s trap.

Xiao Hongshen masked the chill in his eyes and bowed deeply, "If it is my father’s wish, your son will spare no effort to fulfill it."

The Emperor’s gaze stayed on him, his eyes narrowing slightly, "Really?"

Xiao Hongshen knelt with an extremely submissive posture, "Your Majesty, I am willing to follow in my brother’s footsteps and dispel the invaders for you and Dawei, to uphold our nation’s prestige!"

"Good!" Hearing this, the Emperor’s expression improved a bit.

He glanced at the other ministers and then said, "Is there anyone else willing to accompany Prince Seven to the west?"

Many officials stepped forward, and the Emperor surveyed each of their faces in turn.

"Well, since that is the case, prepare to return to the capital immediately. After some regrouping, dispatch the troops," the Emperor declared with a grand sweep of his hand, "I will give you three thousand Iron Cavalry, make it quick."

Xiao Hongshen bowed his head, "Understood, I will not fail your mission, Father."

With the Emperor sending out the well-supported princes, many old officials had reservations about this decision, unsure of what he really intended.

If any mishap befell the princes on their journey, and with the aging Emperor no longer attending to state affairs, Dawei could be at risk of ruin!

A few old ministers exchanged glances, discerning the mutual worry in each other’s eyes.

It appears that we need to seek another audience with His Majesty soon.

To persuade him to abandon the idea of Prince Seven leading a campaign.

"Everyone else, leave. Seventh son, stay," the Emperor suddenly ordered.

The old minister sent a representative, "Your Majesty, the old minister also has something to say to Your Majesty."

"I said, the seventh stays, the rest leave," the Emperor glanced at him, the old minister was annoyed inside, but could only bow his head and say, "Yes."

In recent years, the Emperor had become addicted to the art of elixirs, and had long since grown distant from these ministers, who were now being ordered around dismissively. After all, these old ministers had also dedicated their lives to Dawei for so many years; it was simply too much.

The old minister, with tears in his eyes, walked out.

As soon as he stepped outside, he respectfully took off his official hat and placed it on the ground, then kowtowed toward the sky outside.

In the face of everyone’s shock and dismay, the minister, with tears in his voice, said, "Dawei is doomed!"

"My lord, you must not speak rashly!" The Chief of Staff hurried over to help the man up and picked up his official hat, dusting off the dirt, "There are too many eyes and ears here; you must take care not to invite disaster with your words."

"Cowards!" The old minister swept the Chief of Staff with a glance, "If you dare not even speak, how can you serve as a minister!"

The Chief of Staff, matter-of-factly shamed, replied somewhat sheepishly, "What my lord teaches is correct."

"Hmph!" the old minister snatched his official hat out of his hand, walked over to his old friends, and a few old men with white beards gathered together, their expressions grave as they began to speak.

The Chief of Staff, seeing this, knew it was something he should not meddle with and kept his distance.

They could not be provoked, but he could stay away.

Meanwhile, back inside the hall.

Xiao Hongshen was still kneeling on the ground.

The Emperor looked down at him from high above and suddenly said, "I want to take back control over the Imperial Forest Army from you, do you object?"

Xiao Hongshen’s heart skipped a beat, "Why so sudden, Father Emperor..."

He raised his head, his expression incredibly fragile, much like a wounded child looking at the Emperor.

The Emperor, expressionless, said, "Just answer, are you willing or not?"

Xiao Hongshen’s hand on the ground could not help but clench into a fist, "Has your son committed any mistake that has displeased Father Emperor? Please, punish your son. Just don’t let such matters drive a wedge between us, father and son."

The Emperor, after hearing this, snorted lightly, "You have not yet answered my question."

The oppressive aura of an Emperor burst forth from him, and Xiao Hongshen’s forehead began to bead with sweat.

"Everything your son has is given by Father Emperor. It is only right for Father Emperor to take it back if he wishes, and your son would not dare to object."

The Emperor looked deeply at him, speaking meaningfully, "Indeed, you should always remember that everything you have is given by me. Without me, you are nothing."

Saying this, he sneered, "The dragon spawns dragons, the phoenix spawns phoenixes, the son of a rat will make holes. This is a common saying among the people, but I find it to be very reasonable." He slowly walked over to Xiao Hongshen, looking down at the obedient child kneeling neatly before him, a child who nonetheless always managed to do things that unsettled him.

"What you should be most grateful for is that your body is flowing with half of my blood. Otherwise, no matter what, with the status of your despicable mother, you would not have the right to kneel here and listen to my lecture."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Hongshen’s body involuntarily trembled, "...Father Emperor’s lesson is well taken."

"Some things, when I wish to grant them to you, are a favor," the Emperor enunciated each word, "In other words, if I do not wish to grant them, you should never ever reach out to take them!"

Xiao Hongshen’s complexion was as pale as paper, his robe soaked with cold sweat, feeling as if he had been pricked by needles all over.

It was indeed still because of the matter where Li Chengyuan had let something slip!

Father Emperor must have found out something!

He frantically reviewed the entire sequence of the incident in his mind, terrified he might forget any detail that could cost him his head...

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