The secret order for the government soldiers in the northern lands to be at odds with the Jurchen people.
Not to mention that the government soldiers being at odds with the Jurchen people is inciting disputes and causing border instability, merely issuing secret orders is a private act that goes against the sacred name and disregards the sovereign.
These are grave crimes that warrant impeachment.
The Duke of Chengguo actually admitted to it?
Then the evidence from the Jinyiwei need not be presented.
Lu Yunqi, standing to the side, remained expressionless, neither disappointed nor angry, as if he hadn't heard anything.
But the other ministers could not pretend to have heard nothing. After a moment of silence in the grand hall, chaos erupted.
"How audacious of the Duke of Chengguo!"
"Such rebellious intentions!"
Not only did the censor, but more ministers stepped forward angrily rebuking.
The emperor seemed startled by the scene, or perhaps he was shocked and disappointed by the Duke of Chengguo's words, unable to believe it.
"Silence, all of you." he exclaimed, then looked at the Duke of Chengguo, "Duke of Chengguo, is there some misunderstanding here?"
This remark displeased the few censors who had quieted down.
"Your Majesty, you're too indulgent with Zhu Shan."
"It is precisely because of your indulgence that Zhu Shan has become increasingly arrogant and unrestrained."
"Your Majesty, you trust him over us, you are too deeply ensnared by his deceptions."
Especially the senior ministers were utterly distressed.
The hall descended into noise once again.
The eunuchs had to quiet the ministers on behalf of the emperor.
"I have allowed you to speak, and now I want to hear what the Duke of Chengguo has to say." the emperor said, looking at the Duke of Chengguo, "I ask you again, did you really do this?"
The Duke of Chengguo nodded.
"I indeed did this." he said, "Your Majesty need not have these censors investigate."
He cast a glance at Lu Yunqi.
"Nor need the Jinyiwei to probe."
He then looked at the emperor again.
"Because I have always done so." he said, "Always instructing the officers and soldiers in the northern lands to be ever vigilant against the Jurchen people."
His posture was upright, his voice rich in tone and smooth in delivery, but strangely the officials in the hall suddenly felt some tension and oppression.
The Duke of Chengguo's voice continued, and he looked at the ministers on both sides.
"......Show no courtesy."
"Be ruthless."
"Create troubles out of nothing."
"Seize every opportunity to suppress."
"Even when there isn't an opportunity, create one."
The officials in the hall were left dumbstruck.
Is he mad? What is he saying?
Ning Yunzhao, standing to the side, lowered his head.
See, this is the real Duke of Chengguo, unlike his gentle and kind exterior, he is indeed belligerent, indeed courageous, and indeed iron-blooded.
"Why do I do this? Because I have dealt with them all my life, I know their temperament very well." the Duke of Chengguo said, "Initiating good relations will never make them submit, and if they initiate good relations, it must be with deceitful intentions."
He withdrew his gaze and looked at the emperor.
"Therefore, Your Majesty, I command the officers in the northern lands this way, and even when I'm not in the northern lands, I command them this way, during wartime and peacetime alike."
The emperor's expression was somewhat at a loss.
"Then, what do you mean by this?" he asked.
The Duke of Chengguo looked at him.
"The territory of our great Zhou is not to be abandoned, especially the lands close to the heart of our territory. As long as the Jurchen people are at our side, the Central Plains cannot be at peace for a day. Today we cede three counties, tomorrow it will be several more; today it's easy to negotiate peace, tomorrow the fight will be much harsher." he said solemnly, raising his wood plate and bowing, "Therefore, the current situation is more dangerous than before, and peace through negotiation is not possible. I plead with Your Majesty to tighten military affairs further, to guard against the Jurchen people mercilessly, with no hint of leniency."
With that, he lifted his robes and knelt down.
"And seek an opportunity to fight again." he bowed his head to the ground.
Is he still petitioning for war!
"Zhu Shan! You are audacious!"
Before other officials could react, someone shouted angrily.
Everyone looked towards the sound and saw Huang Cheng sneering as he stepped forward.
"I petition to charge the Duke of Chengguo Zhu Shan with the grave crime of rebellion and disrupting the imperial court." he bowed to the emperor and looked at the Duke of Chengguo again, "Zhu Shan, since you led the army in the northern lands, the Jurchen people have retreated without damage, and even now launch a grand invasion. Our northern army has been repeatedly defeated, the fortresses have fallen, and this is under your Northern Army. How can you boast here without shame?"
"The Jurchen people have gathered their strength, equipped strong soldiers and horses, used valiant officers, sparing no manpower or resources, thus gaining their current military might." The Duke of Chengguo knelt on the ground, turned his head towards Huang Cheng and said without hesitation.
Huang Cheng sneered.
"You mean our dynasty's lack of heavy troops, unpowerful horses, and not using valiant officers, saving manpower and resources led to previous failures?" he said.
"Lord Huang knows this well in his heart, our northern lands have not received full and timely provisions in recent years," said the Duke of Chengguo. "Layer after layer of corruption and deductions."
Huang Cheng spat.
"Absurd and laughable, shameless." He glared, "When you win a battle, it's your effective leadership; when you lose, it's the dynasty's fault. You pride yourself on being brave and good at fighting, yet ignore the principle of internal defense, seeking glory and war, wasting our treasury, giving tens of thousands of our Northern Army elites to the Jurchen people, resulting in an empty country and soldiers lost. Thanks to the peace talks, the citizens can find peace to recuperate, yet you still advocate for war. Are you trying to give our great Zhou to the Jurchen people too?"
Other officials also stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, we must not continue the war."
"Your Majesty, waging military campaigns recklessly will lead to the country's downfall."
They all bowed and said.
The emperor's gaze swept over the ministers, finally landing on the Duke of Chengguo, raising a hand to stop everybody's clamor.
"Duke of Chengguo," he said, "even until now you do not agree with the peace talks."
The Duke of Chengguo's expression was gentle, his eyes calm.
"Your Majesty, the Jurchen people gathered their heavy troops to battle us, and our national resources are already depleted. At this time, we should strike decisively to crush their morale, and not give them a chance to breathe. Although peace has been negotiated, the Jurchen initiated it. Our morale is high, the timing and circumstances are in our favor, and the opportunity should not be missed." He bowed, "I ask Your Majesty to consider this."
The court buzzed with chatter again.
"Your Majesty, I have a memorial to present," said Huang Cheng, gesturing behind him, "bring the memorial."
A memorial?
The emperor frowned slightly, nodded to the eunuch, and after a short while, the eunuchs returned carrying a box. When they opened it, memorials fell to the ground with a clatter.
"These are all the memorials brought by the northern officials sent to request the Duke of Chengguo's return after he arrived in the capital."
"They exert pressure on the dynasty and disregard the orders of government officials."
"Uncle Qinghe can hardly make any progress in the northern lands, and the generals of various routes feign compliance while actually disobeying."
Several officials stepped forward and spoke.
The court was filled with murmurs as they pointed at the memorials, their expressions incredulous and unsatisfied.
The emperor looked at the scattered memorials, listening to the buzzing discussion, his expression gradually becoming serious.
"Your Majesty, as long as Zhu Shan is present, there will be no end to border troubles," said Huang Cheng, bowing and knocking his head, "I request that Duke of Chengguo be dismissed from military duties and be punished for abusing his power and making autocratic decisions."
More officials knelt down in agreement.
The hall was filled with voices asking to punish the Duke of Chengguo.
Only four were exceptions: Lu Yunqi, which was naturally not because he disagreed, and Ning Yunzhao, as the emperor had not yet spoken, and the Duke of Chengguo had not spoken, also bowed and knocked his head in supplication.
His plea was, of course, different from that of these officials.
"Zhu Shan," the emperor commenced, "I won't ask you about inciting border troubles."
Isn't he going to ask about this crime? Is the emperor letting the Duke of Chengguo go yet again?
The officials lifted their heads one after another.
The Duke of Chengguo also raised his head.
"I only ask you, can you agree not to request war?" the emperor asked.
The bowed Huang Cheng frowned, thinking this retreat to advance strategy was a bit risky. Zhu Shan was quite shameless; perhaps this was all a ploy to force the emperor to say this sentence. After all, the day's accusation was about provoking border troubles, and the emperor letting it go let him conveniently comply.
After all, with negotiations concluded, whether to fight or not had become just a few empty words.
Is he going to slip away again this time? That would make the next steps somewhat problematic.
Huang Cheng, just about to say something, heard the Duke of Chengguo speak.
"Your Majesty, I cannot." The Duke of Chengguo bowed and knocked his head, his voice gentle yet firm, "It is not yet time to achieve peace without battle."
Huang Cheng breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the emperor's voice above.
"Very well, submit your resignation then."
.....
......
The Duke of Chengguo has resigned!
The Duke of Chengguo has resigned!
The news spread like wildfire through the capital, then scattered outward.
"What resignation?" An old man by the roadside tea stand shook his head, "That was a dismissal, the emperor simply gave face to the Duke of Chengguo, letting him resign. It's ultimately more dignified and sounds better than dismissal."
Whether dismissal or resignation, the populace cared not about the process but the result.
"And then? Did the Duke of Chengguo really resign?" they asked eagerly.
The old man nodded.
"He did resign," he said.
Upon hearing this, Zhu Zan threw a handful of large coins on the table and stood up to leave, Miss Jun hurriedly followed.
"The Duke must have his own considerations in doing this," she said.
Zhu Zan held the horse, smiling faintly.
"There's really nothing to consider," he said, "Coming to the capital to take a look, it's just become clear now."