Court Military Power

Attending the morning court session was a chore.

Although the time for entering the palace was set at 5:00 AM, an unwritten rule required officials to arrive at the palace as early as 3:00 AM to wait.

Fortunately, most of the officials who came to court to meet the emperor were skilled in martial arts, and the court had built several official residences in the imperial city for officials to rest according to their rank.

It was almost dawn, the full moon hung high in the sky, and the morning sun had not yet risen.

While most ordinary citizens were still asleep, the majority of the court officials had already gathered inside the barbican outside the Meridian Gate.

Above the palace walls, imposing imperial guards stood with their hands on their swords; below, court officials in various colored robes stood in orderly ranks.

No one whispered; the vast barbican was as silent as a dead city.

According to the ancestral system of the Great Yan Dynasty, after entering the palace, the imperial censors would stand by and examine the officials' appearance and etiquette.

Hundreds of officials standing at the pinnacle of power in the Great Yan Dynasty waited quietly for the eunuchs of the Office of Bells and Drums, one of the four departments of the Inner Court, to ring the morning bell at the hour of Yin (3-5 AM).

suddenly,

"Clang--Clang--Clang--"

The morning bell tolled three times.

As the bell tolled, a loud rumble echoed throughout the entire barbican as the gate opened.

According to the rules of the imperial court, officials could not enter the court through the Meridian Gate, but through the side gates on the left and right.

Civil officials enter from the left, while military officials enter from the right.

Although the side gates were open, the civil and military officials standing in front remained quietly in place.

No one moved or made a sound, as if they were waiting for something.

In the midst of tranquility

"Da da. da."

The sound of horses' hooves pounding the ground, accompanied by the rolling of cart tracks, slowly came from behind the barbican. A carriage slowly moved to the front amidst the silence of the officials.

The carriage was engraved with a black dragon, which was very lifelike, especially its eyes.

As the Black Dragon Carriage arrived, the previously tightly closed Meridian Gate suddenly emitted a loud "rumble".

A dozen or so breaths later, the majestic and massive Meridian Gate opened completely, and the black steed stopped in Meridian Gate.

The vast Meridian Gate was opened exclusively for him.

The horse's hooves stopped, the carriage door opened, and a middle-aged man dressed in a black dragon robe slowly stepped down. His steps were light, but each step seemed to tread on the hearts of all the officials.

Standing alone before all the officials, beneath the Meridian Gate.

Xu Yinhe raised his eyes and gazed into the direction of Hall of Reverence to Heaven, sighed with an ambiguous expression, and then stepped inside.

Looking at that retreating figure, some high-ranking officials closed their eyes and remained silent, some showed disgust in their eyes, and some gleamed with shrewdness.

As the middle-aged man's figure completely disappeared into the shadows of the Meridian Gate, a soft, melodious voice echoed from the palace walls:

"Officials enter the court."

As the words fell, civil and military officials entered the court in an orderly fashion, following the court etiquette of the Great Yan Dynasty.

The general entered first, followed by his close attendants, then dukes, marquises, sons-in-law, and earls, then the officials of the Five Ministries and Six Departments, and finally the miscellaneous officials in the capital.

As they walked, the tranquility was broken by some whispers.

"Son-in-law of the Qin state, in the past, when Chancellor Xu pass through the Left Side Gate with the civil officials. Why is the Meridian Gate open for him today?"

"In the war in the Northern Border, hundreds of thousands of the Barbarian Tribe were wiped out. This Minister Xu also made the greatest contribution, and His Majesty must reward him."

"He was the first to be granted the emperor's carriage, and upon entering the court, he was not required to hasten his departure, nor was he called upon during the audience. He was also granted the Nine Bestowments. Now that he is treated with the same rites as the emperor, what further reward can be given? Are we really going to make him the first non-royal king of our Great Yan?"

"His Majesty must have a profound reason for opening the Meridian Gate today."

"Ha, a prime minister in appearance, but a traitor in reality."

"Imperial Censor Liu, be careful what you say. Prime Minister Xu's cultivation is unfathomable. He might be able to detect our whispered communication."

"What good is it if we can find out? We, the men of men, deserve to die."

After entering the court, they traveled north along the streets lined with imperial guards. After going through a series of elaborate rituals, the civil and military officials saw that solitary figure standing alone in the darkness once again in front of the Hall of Reverence to Heaven.

As the first rays of dawn touched the earth,

The atmosphere in Hall of Reverence to Heaven was solemn and dignified.

The Prime Minister the Great Yan Dynasty stood in the center, the Second Chancellor stood on the left as the head of the civil officials, and the Grand General stood on the right as the head of the military officials.

To the left and right of the steps below the palace were the bands of the Office of Bells and Drums. Between the palace gates stood the commanders of the Imperial Guards, dressed in full armor. On the left and right of the imperial road and behind the civil and military officials, there were captains holding swords.

After a moment of silence, the orchestra of the Office of Bells and Drums began playing ancient court music, and an official from the Court of State Ceremonial issued a resounding shout:

"Enter the class!"

After saying that,

The Prime Minister was the first to ascend the imperial path, followed by civil and military officials who entered the hall via the left and right staircases, while those of lower rank stood in the courtyard outside the hall.

Upon entering the hall, the space was empty, filled with the fragrance of incense, and the vermilion pillars stood solemnly atop them.

The high and mighty golden throne stood empty, while below it was a low table carved with a giant python, behind which sat a young man with a gentle and refined face, dressed in a python robe.

It was none other than the Crown Prince Li Yucheng, who was in charge of the state.

Upon seeing the middle-aged man who had entered the hall first, Li Yucheng immediately stood up from the cushion behind the low table, bowed respectfully, and spoke in a gentle, smiling voice:

"Teacher."

Xu Yinhe glanced at the other person with a calm expression, then nodded in response:

"Your Crown Prince"

Having said that, he no longer looked at the Crown Prince, but instead gazed at the screen behind the golden throne in the hall.

He focused for a moment, then withdrew his gaze and lowered his eyes to rest.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Li Yucheng sat back down on the cushion behind the low table before the officials entered the hall.

The high-ranking official entered the hall and stood in orderly rows on both sides. The chief eunuch standing to one side then spoke in a soft, melodious voice:

"The officials bow in greeting."

Splash--

Xu Yinhe stood still, while the officials behind him bowed.

Since the Crown Prince was overseeing the country, according to the ancestral system of the Great Yan Dynasty, officials were not required to kneel or bow; a simple bow was sufficient.

After the ceremony, the effeminate voice of the chief eunuch in charge of the palace rang out again:

"Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial, are there any officials who have come to the capital to express their gratitude or Li Capital the capital to request permission to return?"

An elderly man dressed in the robes of Subordinate Third Rank official, who was standing to the side, stepped forward and bowed in greeting.

"Nothing available today."

Upon hearing this,

The chief eunuch's voice rang out again:

"Regarding the urgent military situation on the border, are there any ministers who can submit a memorial?"

The imperial court meetings were conducted in a clear order: first, officials arriving in Li Capital the capital were received; then, urgent matters concerning the border troops were addressed; and only then did general government affairs take place.

After the words were spoken, the vast hall fell silent for a moment.

"Cough."

"Cough."

"Cough."

Three soft coughs sounded almost simultaneously.

According to the unwritten rules of the Great Yan court, each official must cough before presenting a report to avoid confusion and embarrassment caused by two officials appearing at the same time.

Since they spoke at the same time, the chief eunuch in charge of the palace would coordinate.

The eunuch in the python robe standing to one side of the main hall glanced at the three officials who had spoken, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his slightly cloudy eyes.

Two members of the Crown Prince Faction and one member of the Second Prince's faction.

He subconsciously glanced at Prime Minister Xu, who stood in the center of the court, but the other party simply stood quietly with his eyes lowered, offering no hints whatsoever.

A moment of silence,

The chief eunuch in charge of the palace then spoke up:

"Minister Qing, what is it you wish to report?"

On the side of the civil officials, a middle-aged man dressed in the robes of a Vice Minister of the Ministry of Ministry of Rites stepped to the left and bowed respectfully.

"Crown Prince Highness, the war in the Northern Border is nearing its end. The Second Prince has already established his own government in the capital and has been serving in the military for a long time, which is against ancestral rules. I'm afraid we should recall him to the capital immediately."

Upon hearing this, Li Yucheng did not immediately express his opinion. He glanced at the officials below the throne and pondered for a moment:

"The scourge of the Barbarian Tribe has not yet subsided, and my second and third brothers are far away in the Northern Border, which is not very safe. What do you all think?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a murmur rippled through the court.

"Your Highness is benevolent. This journey to the Northern Border is indeed perilous. Although the Barbarian Tribe army has been annihilated, many of their powerful members are still wandering abroad. The Second Prince and the Third Prince are both of noble birth, and it is feared that they will be in danger in the Northern Border."

"His Highness is of noble status, and his presence in the military might influence the generals' decisions and delay crucial battles. Therefore, he should indeed be recalled."

"His Highness's act of erecting a monument for the soldiers of Beifeng is a deed that will be remembered for generations to come, and he should be recalled to the court for commendation."

"Your Highness"

Although the proposer wanted to recall Li Zhaoyuan on the grounds of ancestral rules, the court officials immediately understood the meaning after the Crown Prince finished speaking, and turned their attention to the Second Prince's personal safety and the matter of rewarding him for his meritorious service.

Those who can stand in this court are all shrewd and capable individuals.

They all knew exactly what the Second Prince wanted from his trip to the Northern Border.

By recalling the person back to the Imperial Capital, we can nip what they want in the bud.

As for rewards and honors?

Just give them a title and reward them with some money.

Hearing the almost unanimous agreement from His Highness, Crown Prince Li Yucheng did not immediately express his opinion. Instead, he first glanced at the middle-aged man with graying temples standing alone in the center of the court and respectfully asked:

"Teacher, what's your opinion on this matter?"

He believed that this teacher would stand by his side this time, after all, his younger brother had just offended the teacher.

As long as his teacher stood on his side, no one in the imperial court dared to voice their opposition.

Upon hearing this, Xu Yinhe, who stood quietly with his eyes lowered, remained calm and unhurried in his hawk-like eyes:

"His Highness the Crown Prince can discuss this matter with the court officials."

The Prime Minister's Mansion neither participates in nor takes sides in the struggle for succession within the imperial family.

As soon as the Prime Minister finished speaking, some of the Second Prince's supporters no longer cared about anything.

"Cough."

Without being called by the chief eunuch,

A middle-aged man dressed in the robes of a Vice Minister of Ministry of War stepped to the side and spoke:

"Crown Prince Highness, I believe it is inappropriate to recall the Second Prince directly at this time."

As soon as he finished speaking,

The first to speak, the Vice Minister of Ministry of Rites, immediately retorted in a sarcastic tone:

"Minister Liu, what's wrong with that? According to ancestral rules, the Second Prince should be recalled. Moreover, if the Second Prince is away for an extended period and something happens to him, can you take responsibility?"

The Vice Minister of Ministry of War glanced at the other party and chuckled softly:

"Minister Qing, the Second Prince's trip to the Northern Border was ordered by His Majesty himself. Although Your Highness is overseeing Crown Prince country, is your hasty recall of the Second Prince intended to make him disregard the Emperor's decree?"

"."

After he finished speaking, the court fell silent.

Minister Qing's expression suddenly darkened, and his fist clenched slightly beneath his sleeve.

What a huge hat!

Let alone him, probably no one in the imperial court, except for the ever-silent Prime Minister Xu, would dare to accept this hat.

Even the Crown Prince couldn't handle it.

Li Yucheng steered the conversation from ancestral rules to concern for the safety of his younger brother, precisely because he was worried that someone would use this matter to make trouble.

Although he was acting as regent, his father was still alive.

The emperor's and the Crown Prince's orders conflicted; everyone knew whose order to obey.

Be quiet for a while.

Li Yucheng gave the Vice Minister of Ministry of War a deep look, smiled gently, and spoke in a warm voice:

"What Liu Qing said makes sense. Qing Qing is also worried about the safety of my second and third brothers. Father's orders are naturally inviolable. We will discuss this matter again later."

Seeing that the Crown Prince had made a decision on this matter, the chief eunuch in charge of the palace audience once again announced in a loud and rhythmic voice:

"General Huaiyuan, what brings you here?"

Upon hearing this,

To the side of the military officer, a burly man in the robes of an imperial guard commander stepped to the left, bowed respectfully, and then lowered his head and said in a low voice:

"Crown Prince Highness, the Second Prince sent a message from afar last night, expressing his pity for the lives of the soldiers and his concern for the common people in the Northern Border. He wishes to share the burdens of His Majesty and Your Highness."

"."

After he finished speaking,

The civil and military officials in the hall were all silent. Those who knew each other looked at each other and whispered among themselves.

Even Xu Yinhe, who had been keeping his eyes down and silent, glanced at the person who had spoken.

General Huaiyuan was one of the ten commanders of the Imperial Guards of Di'an City.

The reason why the people in the court were in such an uproar was because of the identity of this General Huaiyuan.

The Imperial Guards of the Great Yan Dynasty were practically the Crown Prince Faction's private domain, with the Grand Commander being a staff member of the Crown Prince Prince's household, not to mention his subordinate generals.

This imperial guard commander, who was appointed to the position of Feng Huaiyuan, was also a ruthless member of the princeling Crown Prince Faction.

In the past, during morning court sessions, he almost beat up the Second Prince's advisors on several occasions.

What is the meaning behind this sudden act of speaking on behalf of the Second Prince?

Reversal?

Amidst the incense-filled hall, many officials observed the Crown Prince's expression.

Unfortunately, no one could discern anything from his face.

Li Yucheng maintained his bright and gentle expression, quietly looking at General Huaiyuan who had spoken, lightly tapping the table with his fingertips, and said with a gentle smile:

"Commander Jin, please elaborate. How does your second brother intend to share the Emperor's burdens?"

Commander Jin lowered his eyes, his voice steady and unhurried:

"The Second Prince, along with his soldiers, fought valiantly in Beifeng City, and inscribed words on the Beifeng in memory of the hundreds of thousands of fallen heroes, expressing his willingness to follow the example of Wu Yuan and lead the army north to annihilate the remnants of the Barbarian Tribe."

"."

Upon hearing this, a look of realization flashed in Xu Yinhe's eyes, whose temples were graying. He glanced once more at the golden throne in the hall, his expression meaningful.

Unlike Chancellor Xu's sudden realization, Li Yucheng was filled with doubt.

Li Yucheng's gentle, jade-like face remained unchanged as he lightly tapped the table, but his bright eyes narrowed slightly.

military power

Not only did Li Zhaoyuan secretly turn one of his most trusted imperial guard commanders against him, but he also dared to directly petition for military power.

Before Li Yucheng could even speak, his Crown Prince Faction officials had already taken his place.

"Ha, does the Second Prince not understand ancestral rules?"

"Now that they have established their own government and command, they still dare to demand military power."

"Your Highness, it seems you aspire to be the King of Zhou."

King Zhou, hundreds of years ago, was a prince who, with his troops stationed in the capital, staged a rebellion and attempted to kill his father.

These words were already a direct attack on his conscience.

"Minister Wang, be careful what you say! My second brother merely wants to share Father's burdens."

Li Yucheng reprimanded the last person to speak, then turned to Commander Jin and asked in a gentle voice:

"Commander Jin, does my second brother want you to lead the Sixth Division of the Imperial Guard north?"

Li Zhaoyuan did not build military formations; if he wanted troops, he would need a general to command them.

Upon hearing this, Commander Jin lowered his body even further and whispered:

"Crown Prince Highness, the Imperial Guards cannot be moved rashly. The Second Prince only desires an army unit, with the soldiers to be recruited from the civilian population."

Li Yucheng took a deep breath and smiled softly:

"And what about you Commander Jin?"

Commander Jin raised his eyes and glanced at Li Yucheng, then bowed slightly in greeting:

"Your Majesty, I am willing to share your burdens and travel north."

Li Yucheng understood what his second brother wanted to do.

The organization and command of the army, as well as the funds and troops, will likely be provided by those sects.

But how could such behavior possibly be agreed to?

Take a deep breath.

Li Yucheng was about to speak,

Then a melodious, feminine voice came from behind the screen behind the golden throne:

"Your Majesty has arrived!"