Chapter 330

But after a slight investigation, everyone was shocked.

One hundred thousand people outside Xianyang City, plus Li Xin's private army, and tens of thousands gathered from various regions!

Thus, forming a force of one hundred and fifty thousand!

As for the one hundred thousand outside Xianyang City, when Facing Ying Su was in Xianyang, he had no way to deal with them, because this group was too loyal to Seeing Ying Zheng.

As long as Seeing Ying Zheng was there, they were there!

Fiercely defending Seeing Ying Zheng!

Later, Facing Ying Su had no choice but to find Zhuge Liang!

Zhuge Liang proposed that even if they could not be reclaimed, they must not become the blade in Seeing Ying Zheng's hand!

Thus, came the matter of replacing the generals!

In this way, although Facing Ying Su could not move them, Seeing Ying Zheng could not move them either!

One must admit, this strategy was quite good!

But...

After all calculations, Li Xin was still miscalculated!

Li Xin is different!

He is truly different!

For Seeing Ying Zheng to mobilize the army, he needed to issue an edict to mobilize the generals, and then the soldiers would obey the generals; thus, the entire army would follow orders!

But what about Li Xin?

He is exactly the same as Wang Jian, Wang Ben, Tell Meng Wu, and General Meng Tian!

Mobilizing troops required neither the tiger tally nor an edict!

Relying solely on his illustrious military achievements in the Qin State back then, combined with his own prestige, was enough to make the entire army believe in him!

Plus a single phrase: helping the First Emperor return to the throne!

At this moment, the tiger tally was truly unnecessary, nor was the approval of various generals needed.

With one sentence, he could directly mobilize this army!

Combined with his own charisma, he easily gathered another fifty thousand people!

Thus, one hundred and fifty thousand troops arrived beneath the city walls!

This simply made Seeing Ying Zheng excited!

But completely turning the situation around was impossible!

After all... Zhuge Liang and Wang Hao still had two hundred thousand people!

Moreover, they were the side defending the city!

Before an army of two hundred thousand defenders, it was unrealistic for Li Xin to capture Xianyang City!

And Zhuge Liang and Wang Hao did not want to start a war either!

Because... starting a war like this would severely deplete the state's strength!

Moreover, it was highly likely to ruin the grand plan to destroy the Xiongnu!

This was not what Facing Ying Su wanted to see, nor was it what Zhuge Liang and Zuo Zuo Zongtang wanted to see!

In this way, both sides formed a standoff!

Military struggle once again evolved into court political struggle!

And in this political struggle, Seeing Ying Zheng, having the fifteen thousand of Li Xin as a backing, became much more assertive!

He demanded to wear imperial robes, and to enter and exit the main hall of Ruchaotang at will!

More importantly, he demanded to call himself "Guaren" and sit upon the imperial throne!

And all of this, naturally, could not be permitted by Zhuge Liang, Zuo Zuo Zongtang, and others!

Preventing Seeing Ying Zheng from doing all this was to suppress the nobility, suppress the various forces in the court, and make them realize who the Emperor truly was!

Do not think that because Seeing Ying Zheng has returned and Facing Ying Su is gone, Seeing Ying Zheng can successfully reclaim the throne!

Impossible!

Absolutely impossible!

But Seeing Ying Zheng's attitude was as hard as stone!

Neither side would yield to the other, so a series of political struggles and games began!

Various factions took sides, and Qin Fa, along with related figures, were all drawn in!

Many people were stripped of their official posts on various fabricated charges, and many others were beheaded for violating Qin laws!

Seeing the court situation escalate, it was clearly heading towards factional strife!

Finally, Zuo Zuo Zongtang and Zhuge Liang discussed it and decided to compromise!

This cannot continue; if it does, it will be too unstable, and the people's hearts will be thrown into chaos!

After all... with Facing Ying Su gone, many nobles need Seeing Ying Zheng to suppress them!

Without Seeing Ying Zheng, the nobles would turn the world upside down!

They would cause many, many things!

And after various games, finally, everything was settled!

First was Seeing Ying Zheng's title; he could continue to call himself "Guaren"!

Second was Seeing Ying Zheng's time for court; he could enter and exit Ruchaotang at will, without needing to enter with everyone else!

But regarding the wearing of robes and the imperial throne, both Zuo Zuo Zongtang and Zhuge Liang insisted on their stance!

Not allowed!

Even if war breaks out, it is not allowed!

Because... in this way, it would very likely give the people of the world a false impression!

Two Emperors in one nation!

This cannot be permitted!

Even if war breaks out, it must not be allowed!

In the end, on this matter, Seeing Ying Zheng compromised.

This looks as though Seeing Ying Zheng suffered a loss!

But... on another matter, he gained a right: the right to review memorials to the throne!

Any report or imperial decree must pass through his approval before it can be issued!

He had thought this matter would be opposed by Ceng Guofan, Zhuge Liang, Li Si, and the others, but... he did not expect them to agree directly!

"Why?"

"Why?"

At that moment, even Seeing Ying Zheng did not understand.

He looked at Zhuge Liang and the others, utterly confused: they clung stubbornly to the emptiness of sitting on the imperial throne and wearing imperial robes, but... in the face of such true imperial power, they gave in?

Moreover, they agreed so readily?

Seeing Ying Zheng was utterly bewildered!

But one sentence from Zhuge Liang made him unable to restrain his rage!

"This power was granted by the Emperor!"

"What?"

The moment those words were spoken, Seeing Ying Zheng was consumed by boundless fury!

The phrase "granted by the Emperor" immediately placed him beneath Facing Ying Su!

Since when could imperial power be granted in such a manner?

He was filled with boundless anger!

Yet in the end, he could not fathom why!

However, Zuo Zuo Zongtang, Zhuge Liang, and Li Si all understood: this was Facing Ying Su's helpless measure!

When Facing Ying Su intended to depart, he had asked them: "After I leave, which of you three can command the full confidence of the entire court without sparking controversy?"

No one dared to accept this question.

No matter how capable Zuo Zuo Zongtang and Zhuge Liang were, they had only appeared two months ago; few people knew them. Giving them the posts of Left and Right Sima was already extravagant.

Command the full confidence of the entire court?

It was utterly impossible!

Li Si?