Chapter 185: The Emperor's Wrath, the Storm Gathers

Kaifeng, Imperial Palace, Imperial Study.

Before Guo Rong lay a thick stack of secret reports.

These reports came from a secret intelligence agency he had just established, answerable only to him—the Huangcheng Office.

The Huangcheng Office's agents spread throughout the Capital, inside and out, monitoring every move of nobles and officials, of the imperial clan's powerful.

And the thrust of this stack of reports all pointed to the same person.

Li Chongjin.

"...... The Pacification Commissioner has recently been frequently meeting in private with remnants of the former dynasty's forces, at these gatherings often speaking ill of court policies and expressing resentment......"

"...... On the eve of the Battle of Gaoping, a person suspected to be a Khitan envoy slipped out the back gate of the Pacification Commissioner's residence, his movements mysterious......"

"...... The Pacification Commissioner, in his suburban villa, privately hoarded over a hundred sets of armor and fifty bows, all standard military issue......"

Guo Rong flipped through the reports page by page, his face growing darker, his grip on the documents tightening until his knuckles whitened.

Wang Hao's warning was like a seed that took root in his heart. These reports caused that seed of suspicion to sprout and grow rapidly into a towering tree named 'Anger'.

Privately hoarded armor! Colluding with the Khitan!

Either of these two charges alone would be enough to kill him a hundred times over!

"Good! Good, my fine cousin-in-law!" Guo Rong laughed bitterly in extreme anger, he fiercely slammed the reports in his hand onto the imperial desk.

"Bang!" A loud crash startled the nearby attending eunuch, who shuddered and hurriedly knelt.

"Your Majesty, please quell your anger!"

"Quell your anger?" The fury in Guo Rong's eyes could burn the eunuch before him to ashes, "My realm, my troops—just a hair's breadth from being destroyed in this traitor's hands! How can I quell my anger?"

He recalled the peril of the Battle of Gaoping, and the note Wang Hao had sent him. If not for Wang Hao, he would likely now be a cold corpse!

The more he thought, the more fearful he became; the more he thought, the more furious. A cold killing intent rose uncontrollably from the depths of his heart.

He wanted to issue an immediate order: have Supreme Commander of the Palace Guard Zhang Yongde lead the Imperial Guards to raze Li Chongjin's mansion, seize him, and slice him to pieces.

But his remaining reason told him he could not do so.

These reports, while appearing solid in evidence, upon closer examination all lacked the crucial 'solid proof'.

Private drinking gatherings could be said to be merely contacting feelings.

Envoy exchanges could be excused as commercial cooperation.

Privately hoarding armor could even be defended as ancestral ceremonial gear.

Li Chongjin, after all, was the beloved nephew of Emperor Taizu Guo Wei, the highest‑prestige figure among the imperial clan. Without ironclad evidence, acting rashly against him would surely shake court and populace, unsettling hearts, and might even drive other imperial fief holders who likewise command troops to rebel.

He had just won a great victory, consolidating his throne. He could not, and did not want, to let the Great Zhou fall into internal strife again at this time.

"Hah..." Guo Rong forcibly suppressed the killing intent in his heart, slowly sat back onto the Dragon Throne, and closed his eyes.

He was thinking about how to handle this hot potato.

Kill, cannot kill lightly.

Release, cannot release either.

Releasing the tiger back to the mountains brings endless future trouble.

Just as he was vexed and torn, a military report from the south was delivered to him.

"Report to Your Majesty, urgent news from Southern Tang!"

Guo Rong opened his eyes and took the military report.

The report said that Southern Tang's ruler Li Jing, after hearing that the Later Zhou had crushed the Khitan, outwardly sent envoys to congratulate, but secretly, in the Huainan region, he was training troops, reinforcing fortifications, faintly showing intent to betray.

And another military report came from Shu territory.

Later Shu's ruler Meng Chang lived extravagantly, neglected governance, causing domestic resentment to boil over and bandits to spring up. The Later Shu generals guarding Qin and Feng prefectures were even more disloyal to the court, secretly sending people to contact the Later Zhou, intending to surrender.

Looking at these two reports, Guo Rong's anger eased somewhat.

He knew, his chance to unify the realm had arrived!

Southern Tang, Later Shu—these two regimes that have long held sway in the south are utterly rotten, waiting for this heroic lord to pluck the fruit.

A fervor of ambition stronger than his killing intent surged in his chest.

Compared to the great undertaking of unifying the realm, what is Li Chongjin's petty scheming?

But before that, he still needed to take down Li Chongjin; otherwise, if he went out to campaign and the rear erupted in flames, it would keep him busy.

He had no evidence, but he didn't need evidence.

He only needed to use a righteous pretext to remove Li Chongjin from his command of troops, and that would suffice.

"Come!" Guo Rong's voice returned to the imperial composure of joy and anger hidden.

"Convey my decree: at tomorrow's grand court assembly, I have an important announcement to make!"

……

The next day, Hall of Great Celebration.

Civil and military officials stood in two rows.

Guo Rong sat high upon the Dragon Throne, his expression calm, showing no joy or anger.

Everyone felt that the atmosphere in court today was somewhat out of the ordinary.

"Officials, yesterday I received a military report." Guo Rong spoke slowly, "Southern Tang's Li Jing harbors treacherous intentions. Later Shu's Meng Chang is foolish and misgoverned. This is a heaven‑sent opportunity; I intend to soon dispatch a great army southward to pacify the realm!"

These words spoken, the whole court gasped.

Having just finished defeating Northern Han, now launching a southern campaign? This new emperor's ambition is too great!

But this time, no one dared to stand up and oppose.

The glorious achievements of the Battle of Gaoping had already established Guo Rong's absolute authority. Everyone knew that this young emperor, once he made a decision, could not possibly change it.

"Your Majesty, sagely wise!"

"Your subjects, we are willing to go through fire and water for Your Majesty!"

The officials all shouted "long live" in response.

Guo Rong nodded satisfactorily, his gaze slowly falling on Li Zhongjin, who stood at the front of the military officers' ranks.

Li Zhongjin's heart tightened, an ominous premonition welling up in his chest.

"This southern campaign concerns the fate of the nation; it is no trivial matter." Guo Rong's voice grew heavy: "I need a general who is both wise and brave, highly respected and virtuous, to guard the capital and oversee the nation's troops, lest anything happen."

Everyone's gaze turned in unison toward Li Zhongjin.

Looking across the entire Great Zhou, aside from the emperor personally leading the campaign, in terms of seniority and prestige, only he, this Expedition Commander, could bear such a heavy responsibility.

Li Zhongjin's heart leapt up to his throat in an instant.

"Guarding the capital and overseeing the nation's troops? Isn't that exactly the power he has dreamed of? Has Guo Rong had a change of heart? Forgetting past grudges, he wants to reuse me?"

He suppressed his inner joy, about to step forward to express his thanks.

Guo Rong, however, changed the subject.

"After much thought, I believe Expedition Commander Li Zhongjin is the best choice."

"But..."

A hint of "regret" and "concern" appeared on Guo Rong's face.

"I have heard that the Expedition Commander, in his early years, followed the Former Emperor on campaigns in all directions, leaving many old wounds on his body—especially an arrow wound to his waist, which flares up painfully in damp, rainy weather. Though you did not personally go to the front in this northern campaign, you have still toiled day and night for state affairs; surely your old injury has acted up again?"

Li Zhongjin froze.

It's true he has an old waist wound, but it's just an old injury that hardly affects his ability to lead troops in battle. Why did Guo Rong suddenly bring this up?

"I, I cannot bear to do this," Guo Rong sighed deeply, his voice full of "sincere" concern.