Chapter 526: Jia Shizhu

At this moment, the entire row of military generals was thoroughly angered by Jia Shidao's words.

But before General Zhang and the other generals could retort, Right Prime Minister Ding Daquan also stepped forward from the Chulu, pointed at the generals, and angrily rebuked:

"Your Majesty, this humble minister agrees with what the Left Prime Minister has said."

"If these generals had not feared the Han Dynasty and dared to engage them in battle, how could my great Song have lost the greater part of its territory in just half a month?"

"And all of this is entirely the result of these generals' failures."

"This humble minister implores Your Majesty to issue an edict to punish General Zhang and all the other generals."

With the appearance of the two treacherous Prime Ministers of the Southern Song Gongting, Jia Shidao and Ding Daquan, all of their lackeys now also turned their spears against the generals.

"Your ministers implore Your Majesty to severely punish the generals for their crimes!"

And at this moment, seeing this scene, the generals all wore extremely ugly expressions.

How could a bunch of generals like them, when it came to verbal sparring, possibly be a match for these civil officials who had held positions in the court for so long?

"This, this."

At this time, Zhao Yun, seeing the civil officials and generals making such a scene, also had no idea what to do.

"You treacherous ministers, if not for your meddling, how could my great Song have fallen to such a state!"

"Sooner or later, my great Song will be buried in the hands of treacherous sycophants like you two!"

At this moment, Zhang Shijie pointed at Jia Shidao, Ding Daquan, and the others, and furiously cursed at them.

But upon hearing his angry curses, Jia Shidao and Ding Daquan were pleased rather than angered.

"Your Majesty, Zhang Shijie has no respect for Your Majesty and dares to curse my great Song — this is the crime of treason."

"I beg Your Majesty to issue an edict to exterminate his entire clan!"

Jia Shidao looked at Zhang Shijie and said to Zhao Yun in a righteous and stern tone.

"I beg Your Majesty to issue an edict to execute Zhang Shijie's entire clan!"

As Jia Shidao's words fell, a chorus of agreement rose once more from behind him.

And at this moment, upon hearing Jia Shidao's words, Zhao Yun stood up from the Dragon Throne, and his expression also turned ugly.

His aged face was filled with raging fury, and his gaze, brimming with killing intent, turned toward Zhang Shijie.

"Bastard! How dare you curse my great Song to be Extinguished!"

"Zhang Shijie, you actually dare to curse that the Emperor's great Song will be Extinguished — for such treason, if I do not punish you today, how will the Emperor command the respect of the people!"

"Guards, seize Zhang Shijie and his entire clan and throw them into the Heavenly Prison."

"The Emperor will wait until after the Han Army is pacified, and then execute his entire clan on the charge of Treason!"

As Zhao Yun's furious roar fell, over a dozen soldiers poured into the Grand Hall from outside and swiftly took Zhang Shijie down.

Seeing this scene, Wen Tianxiang and the other generals immediately pleaded with Zhao Yun on Zhang Shijie's behalf.

"Your Majesty, General Zhang absolutely did not mean it!"

"That's right, Your Majesty, this is all those treacherous Prime Ministers slandering General Zhang!"

"We beg Your Majesty to forgive General Zhang — he is absolutely without disloyalty toward the great Song!"

"Your Majesty, now is precisely the moment when the Han Dynasty's Army is attacking — we absolutely cannot kill General Zhang!"

At this moment, Zhao Yun, seeing the crowd pleading for Zhang Shijie, was instantly enraged.

"Impudence! Do you still have the Emperor in your eyes or not!"

"Anyone who pleads for Zhang Shijie will all be thrown into the Heavenly Prison and dealt with under the same crime as Zhang Shijie!"

Having said this, Zhao Yun furiously flung his sleeve and sat back down on the Dragon Throne.

And Wen Tianxiang and the other generals also forcibly suppressed their anger, not daring to further provoke Zhao Yun.

Seeing this scene, Jia Shidao and Ding Daquan were secretly delighted within.

"Hmph, truly a bunch of brainless fools — daring to contend with the Prime Minister of a Commandery, seeking death!"

"What a pity Wen Tianxiang didn't step forward; otherwise these two great thorns in our side could have been eliminated in one go."

Jia Shidao looked at Zhang Shijie being led away and thought to himself.

At this moment, after hearing the words of Jia Shidao, Ding Daquan, and the others, Zhao Yun no longer trusted Wen Tianxiang and the generals.

He swept his gaze over the ministers below, and finally fixed his eyes on Jia Shidao.

"Prime Minister Jia, now the Han Dynasty's Army is about to reach the walls — does Prime Minister Jia have any strategy to repel the enemy?"

Zhao Yun looked at Jia Shidao and asked with great worry.

"Hahaha, Your Majesty need not worry."

Upon hearing this, Jia Shidao immediately smiled with confidence.

Then, pointing to a tall and slightly stout young general in the row of military officers, he said:

"Your Majesty, this is my Nephew, Jia Shizhu!"

At this moment, upon hearing Jia Shidao's words, Jia Shizhu immediately stepped forward from the Chulu, puffed out his chest before Zhao Yun, and said:

"This humble general, Jia Shizhu, pays respects to Your Majesty!"

At this moment, Zhao Yun looked at Jia Shidao's maneuver with some confusion and said:

"Dear minister, are you saying that your Nephew here has a strategy to defeat the enemy?"

Upon hearing this, Jia Shidao replied as a matter of course:

"Your Majesty, my Nephew began training in martial arts at three years old, and began studying military strategy at six."

"Today, he possesses the bravery of one who can withstand ten thousand men, and has ten thousand volumes of strategy in his mind — he is a top-tier Grand General talent of my great Song."

"This minister recommends that Jia Shizhu be appointed Grand General, to annihilate the Han Kingdom's bandits in one stroke."

Jia Shidao said to Zhao Yun with absolute confidence.

"This! This!"

At this moment, Zhao Yun, watching Jia Shizhu, could not help but feel extremely hesitant within.

Meanwhile, the generals below, led by Wen Tianxiang, upon hearing Jia Shidao's words, turned ashen-faced.

Jia Shizhu — this fellow truly lives up to his name.

What strategy does he have? Every general present could grind him into the dirt.

Nevertheless, for the sake of the Great Song's future, Wen Tianxiang still decided to make one last effort.

"Your Majesty, Jia Shizhu is nothing but a man of empty appearance. If he is truly the one to hold back the Han Army, then our Great Song will truly be finished!"

"I beg Your Majesty to reconsider!"

Having spoken, Wen Tianxiang kowtowed heavily upon the ground.

Seeing Wen Tianxiang's action, the other generals alongside him followed suit, falling in unison to the ground and kowtowing heavily as they said:

"We beg Your Majesty to reconsider!"

At this sight, Zhao Yun's wavering heart grew even more indecisive.

Just then, Jia Shidao shot a look at Jia Shizhu.

Jia Shizhu caught it at once and understood perfectly.

"Your Majesty, this final general is willing to sign a Military Pledge — if I cannot repel the Han Army, I will present my head to you!"

Jia Shizhu prostrated himself before Zhao Yun and spoke with solemn gravity.

"Your Majesty, this humble minister believes that General Jia Shizhu can serve as Commander-in-Chief, and is certain to pacify the Han Kingdom's bandits for Your Majesty!"

At this moment, Right Prime Minister Ding Daquan strode forward and addressed Zhao Yun.

"Your Majesty, General Jia Shizhu, being Prime Minister Jia's Nephew, must surely possess extraordinary qualities. We ministers are willing to trust Prime Minister Jia!"

At this time, the majority of the civil officials in the ranks spoke solemnly to Zhao Yun.

In the hall, only a mere handful of ministers remained standing in place, unmoving.

They were people who wished to side with neither party — neither opposing nor endorsing, plainly intending to protect themselves through prudence.

"What about you? Do you have any different suggestions?"

But what these people did not expect was that Zhao Yun, who normally paid them no heed, now unusually asked for their opinions.