Chapter 527: Ruler and Ministers Estranged

In an instant, nearly everyone's gaze in the Gongting converged on the few men.

Clearly, those men had not expected Zhao Yun to actually ask for their opinion this time.

However, after sensing the warning-filled looks from Jia Shidao and Ding Daquan and the others, they still made their bitter choice.

The few men exchanged glances and said bitterly:

"Your Majesty, we second the motion!"

In their weakness, they did not dare to oppose the many powerful ministers who held sway over the court.

At this point, seeing that not a single civil official objected, Zhao Yun also said to Jia Shizhu:

"Jia Shizhu, hear your Imperial Conferment!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Shizhu excitedly fell to his knees.

"This general is here!"

"Since this is so, I hereby confer upon Jia Shizhu the title of General Who Pacifies Bandits, to lead the guards of Lin'an City and the Imperial City, a total Army of two hundred thousand, to face the Han Kingdom's rebel forces!"

Zhao Yun looked at the overjoyed Jia Shizhu and said in a commanding voice.

"This general accepts the decree and kowtows to thank Your Majesty for your great grace!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Shizhu was beyond excited and kowtowed once more, saying:

And at this moment, Left Prime Minister Jia Shidao, upon hearing Zhao Yun's Imperial Conferment, was also somewhat pleased.

He immediately bowed to Zhao Yun and said:

"This humble minister thanks Your Majesty on behalf of my Nephew for your trust. I guarantee that Jia Shizhu will not disappoint Your Majesty, and will Scatter and Extinguish the Han Kingdom's bandits in one stroke!"

At this moment, Jia Shidao was secretly thrilled beyond measure.

Now, in the Southern Song's Gongting, the civil officials had long been controlled in his hands.

Now, his own nephew had gained control of the military power of the Imperial City.

Such power and prestige could truly be said to hold sway over the entire court.

"General Jia will surely Scatter and Extinguish the Han Kingdom's bandits, protect our Great Song's rivers and mountains, and render great service for Great Song!"

At this moment, the civil officials and generals who had secretly submitted to Jia Shidao all cried out in unison.

"Sigh!"

"A foolish ruler, treacherous ministers in power, nepotism, the suppression of loyal and good men — this is Heaven's will to destroy our Great Song!"

At this moment, Wen Tianxiang, upon seeing this scene, could not help but cry out in his heart.

In that instant, his young frame also seemed to stoop somewhat.

"You foolish ruler!"

"You are throwing away Great Song's rivers and mountains!"

"Zhao Yun, when the time comes, what face will you have to meet Great Song's ancestors!"

At this moment, a middle-aged general behind Wen Tianxiang suddenly pointed at Zhao Yun and burst into furious curses.

"Lu Xiufu, hold your tongue!"

"You are nothing but a mere Sixth Rank general, and yet you dare insult His Majesty so and curse our Great Song!"

"Your Majesty, I beg Your Majesty to arrest Lu Xiufu and have his entire clan executed, to serve as a warning to others!"

Before Zhao Yun could speak, Jia Shidao, looking at the speaking general, immediately jumped out and rebuked him in fury.

And at this moment, Zhao Yun also looked at Lu Xiufu with a face full of anger.

This was already the second general today who dared to curse him and Great Song in such a manner.

"Guards, take Lu Xiufu down."

"Have him locked up together with Zhang Shijie."

"After we have repelled the Han Kingdom's bandits, I will have them both, these traitorous villains, sliced into a thousand pieces for the crime of Treason!"

Zhao Yun roared loudly at the soldiers outside the Dian.

Because of his anger, the expression on his face now also appeared somewhat ferocious.

"Zhao Yun, you employ treacherous Prime Ministers of a Commandery and suppress loyal men — Great Song's rivers and mountains will be destroyed in your hands!"

At this moment, Lu Xiufu, held up by the soldiers, excitedly pointed at Zhao Yun and shouted.

As Lu Xiufu was taken away, the generals were instantly disheartened.

"Your Majesty, we generals are feeling unwell and beg to take our leave!"

Immediately, all the generals said in unison to Zhao Yun.

"Good! Good! Excellent!"

"Get out of my sight, all of you! Without you, I can still repel the Han Kingdom's bandits!"

Seeing this scene, Zhao Yun burned with even greater fury and roared at the generals.

However, the generals at this point were clearly heartsick beyond measure.

After cupping their fists to him, they all withdrew from the Grand Hall.

"We generals beg to take our leave!"

After the generals withdrew, Zhao Yun said again to Jia Shidao:

"Prime Minister Jia, I leave the Han Kingdom's bandits entirely in the hands of you uncle and Nephew."

"I want only one result: the complete pacification of the Han Kingdom's bandits."

"If there is nothing else, let the court Scatter!"

After saying this to Jia Shidao, Zhao Yun departed with the eunuchs.

And at this moment, Jia Shizhu was still immersed in the joy of commanding an Army of two hundred thousand.

An Army of two hundred thousand!

This is all the troops the Great Song can currently muster.

"Shizhu!"

"This battle depends entirely on you!"

"You must drive back the Han Kingdom's bandits. Whether my Jia family can control Tian Xia rests on this battle of yours!"

Returning to the Prefecture, Jia Shidao spoke earnestly to Jia Shizhu.

"Uncle, please rest easy."

"You know Nephew's strength. I have two hundred thousand Army, while the Han Kingdom has only come with a mere one hundred thousand Army this time."

"Watch Nephew utterly crush the Han Kingdom's bandits!"

Hearing Jia Shidao's words, Jia Shizhu replied full of confidence.

"Excellent!"

Seeing this, Jia Shidao nodded in satisfaction.

……

Meanwhile, after leaving Gongting, the military generals had all gathered together.

"General Wen, what do you say we should do about the current situation!"

"His Majesty now only believes that treacherous Prime Minister of a Commandery's words; he simply won't listen to what we say."

"Everyone in the army knows what sort of fellow that Jia Shizhu is."

"His Majesty actually appointed him Grand General — what's the difference between this and sending us to our deaths?"

"Among the City we lost, weren't there generals far more capable than him? And weren't they still easily taken by the Han Army?"

"What ability does that Jia Shizhu have to resist the mighty Han Army at the height of its power!"

At this moment, a group of military generals all complained to Wen Tianxiang.

To tell the truth, on Gongting today, Zhao Yun could be said to have utterly broken the hearts of all the military generals.

"General Wen, the Great Song no longer has a place for us military generals to stand."

"From His Majesty's attitude today, even if he employs us in the future, we will inevitably end up like Yue Wumu."

"If you ask this general, we might as well defect to the Han Kingdom together."

"The Han Kingdom, like us, are all Han People."

"Moreover, with the Han Kingdom's strength, it might lead us to recover the Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures."

"Also, I've heard that the Han Kingdom doesn't commit the slightest offense against the common folk in the City it has conquered."

"It has even distributed all the farmland of the Great Clan to the common people."

"Now the Han Kingdom's reputation among the people is extremely high."

"Most of us come from common backgrounds — isn't a country that treats its people well exactly what we hope for!"

As this man finished speaking, the gathered generals were all somewhat shocked.

Even Wen Tianxiang, at this moment, looked up at him and asked solemnly:

"Are you certain the Han Kingdom truly distributes farmland to the common people?"

Earlier, when he heard this man inciting everyone to defect to the Han Kingdom, he had been very angry.

But upon hearing that the Han Kingdom had actually reclaimed all the farmland of the Aristocratic Families and distributed it to the common people, his thoughts changed.

Just as this man said, isn't such a country exactly what they had hoped for!