Chapter 470: Red Face, White Face

"The latest website: 'The Emperor has turned danger into safety and arrived at Yancheng, and the war in the northern border also shows signs of turning around. This is truly a joyous occasion. Your humble official Liu Fu dares to toast the Emperor!'" With his spirits high from the Wine, Liu Fu stood up holding his wine cup.

"You must be the tutor of Yan Wang, right?" Although Zhao Heng was slightly tipsy, his mind still retained a sliver of clarity.

"That is correct." Liu Fu bowed.

Zhao Heng looked Liu Fu up and down and said, "The position of tutor in the Prince's mansion has always been appointed by the Imperial Court. Since Yan Wang has chosen you to serve as tutor, I will no longer interfere. You must perform your duties faithfully and not fail the trust of Yan Wang."

Upon hearing this, a strange look flashed in Liu Fu's eyes. "Your humble official will strictly follow the Emperor's teachings."

Zhao Xu drank and ate by himself, pretending he had not heard.

This father of his and the Second Prince were neither of them easy to deal with.

The Second Prince was using every sentence to sow discord between him and Zhao Heng.

And this father of his was poaching his subordinates right in front of his face.

This remark of his was spoken for Liu Fu to hear, but in reality, it was also for the officials and generals sitting there to hear.

The implication was: although you are under the command of Yan Wang, you are, after all, subjects of Great Song.

He, this Emperor, possessed the power of promotion and demotion.

It was no different from reminding everyone that the one they should truly be loyal to was him, the Emperor of Great Song.

"This general also toasts the Emperor." Zhong Li stood up.

Seeing this, the smile on Zhao Heng's face grew broader, thinking his words had taken effect.

But the very next moment, his expression changed.

Zhong Li finished the wine in his cup and slammed it onto the ground, producing a crisp "clatter."

Zhao Heng was startled, his drunkenness vanished, and his expression changed abruptly, not knowing why Zhong Li had suddenly made such a move.

With anger on his face, Zhong Li said loudly, "Emperor, this general offering a toast was out of respect for the Emperor, but smashing the wine cup is to cry out for justice for His Highness Yan Wang!"

"Zhong Li, the Emperor is present, how can you be so rude? Someone, Captain Zhong Li is drunk, send him back."

Two guards stepped forward to push Zhong Li out,

but they were shaken off by Zhong Li. He continued, "Your Highness, even if you were to take this general's head today, this general must say these words to the Emperor today."

Zhao Xu was about to reprimand him again, but was stopped by Zhao Heng, who said, "I would like to hear the full story. What exactly happened?"

"The Emperor may not know, but just a few days ago, an army faked an Imperial Edict, impersonated the Imperial Guard, and attempted to break into Yanguan to coordinate from within with the Northern Di army coming from the sea." Zhong Li raised his voice.

The other generals and officials sitting there nodded one after another.

"Faked an Imperial Edict? Impersonated the Imperial Guard?" Zhao Heng frowned tightly and looked at Zhao Xu. "Yan Wang, is this true?"

"Replying to Father Emperor, Captain Zhong Li has not spoken a single word of falsehood." Zhao Xu now feigned a look of distress.

Then he gave Xu Lie a look, and Xu Lie left.

When he returned, he held the fake Imperial Edict in his hand, and two soldiers pushed a Baggage Cart into the courtyard.

"Father Emperor, please look!" Zhao Xu presented the Imperial Edict.

Zhao Heng glanced at it, and his expression became extremely unsightly.

Zhao Xu then ordered the soldiers to show the hidden compartment of the Baggage Cart to Zhao Heng, while simultaneously explaining the whole story of the fake Imperial Guard incident.

"You mean to say that this matter was still done by Yuan Li colluding with the Northern Di?" Zhao Heng felt a surge of evil fire rising to his forehead.

Zhao Xu then took Zhuoge's Confession from Xu Lie's hand and presented it to Zhao Heng.

This Confession was fake; Zhuoge's mouth was very tough.

But whether he spoke or not did not matter; the soldiers had forcibly pressed his finger onto the confession to leave a print.

Zhao Heng continued to read, and the hand holding the Confession began to tremble slightly.

Zhao Xu took the opportunity to fan the flames. "This Zhuoge is a Deputy Commander of the Northern Di Black Iron Guard. During this time, he often entered and exited Fanyang to plot this matter with Yuan Li. If it weren't for Wulanba's army being buried at sea this time, as soon as the Northern Di army reached Nan Cheng, these dead soldiers would have coordinated from within to take the city gates."

Pausing for a moment, he said sorrowfully, "If that had happened, Yanzhou would be gone by now, and this son would naturally have been unable to save Father Emperor."

"Rebellious subjects and traitors!" Zhao Heng slammed the Confession onto the ground.

Yan Wang's words made him break out in a cold sweat.

Just as Yan Wang said, if Yuan Li's plot had succeeded, Yan Wang could not have had the spare strength to save him.

Then he would likely already be a prisoner of the Northern Di by now.

Moreover, Yan Wang knew the news of him being trapped in Xian City; it was impossible for Yuan Li not to know.

For Yuan Li to still do this was equivalent to watching him die!

How could he not be angry?

During the last Yanguan mutiny, Yan Wang had suppressed it in time.

He could not empathize, and considering the balance in Yanzhou, he had let Yuan Li off the hook.

However, although there was no solid evidence at the time, he also felt that Yan Wang would not shoot without a target.

So when Yuan Li returned to Yanzhou, he had specifically reminded Yuan Li and given him the four words: "Loyal to the Emperor and patriotic to the country."

Now it seemed that Yuan Li had not repented in the slightest, but instead had become even worse.

And the previous impeachment of Yuan Li for treason by Yan Wang was basically true.

"Emperor, do you now understand why this general was crying out for justice for His Highness Yan Wang?" Zhong Li continued.

Liu Fu also said, "From the Northern Di Autumn Hunt, the Yanguan mutiny, the Jinzhuzhizhan, to the current setbacks in the Northern Expedition, His Highness not only saved the Emperor but also reversed the decadent trend of the Northern Expedition. It is evident that His Highness Yan Wang is truly loyal to Great Song, yet in these four events, has he, Yuan Li, contributed even a single bit of effort?"

He sighed deeply. "Not only without merit, but twice colluding with the enemy and betraying the country—what virtue or ability does his Yuan Family have to occupy the Southern Three Commanderies of Yanzhou?"

"That's right!" Zhong Li shouted. "Regarding the last reward for Yan Wang, although His Highness felt deeply grateful for the Imperial favor, we subordinates felt indignant in our hearts. Why is it that he, Yuan Li, colludes with the enemy and betrays the country, yet sits securely in the most prosperous Southern Three Commanderies, while His Highness Yan Wang only has the two barren lands of Ping County and Liaojun?"

"That's right."

"It really makes no sense."

"His Highness Yan Wang has suffered many grievances."

"If Yan Wang were to govern Yanzhou, how could the Yuan Family be allowed to cause trouble repeatedly?"

"..."

The other generals and officials were whispering among themselves at this moment, casting their gazes toward Zhao Heng from time to time.

"Ahem... Actually, I also wanted to hand over the entire Yanzhou to Yan Wang to govern at the time, but there were ministers in the Imperial Court who obstructed it; I was willing but lacked the power." Zhao Heng felt a wave of guilt as everyone stared at him.

After all, in this matter, he was also the one who started it.

Looking toward Zhao Xu, he said: "Yan Wang, you have indeed been wronged during this period. This time, you saved me and thwarted the Northern Di's plot to invade Yanguan. This is an unparalleled merit, but rewarding land is a major affair; I need to return to Jinling to discuss it with the ministers."

After all the fuss, he actually already understood the meaning of the generals and officials under Yan Wang's command.

They wanted him to expel the Yuan Family from Yanzhou and let Yan Wang govern the entire Yanzhou.

"Imperial Father, do not listen to their nonsense. Your son dares not have any criticism of the Imperial Court, but the people in Yanzhou are fierce and rugged. The officials and generals under my command are naturally hot-tempered, and sometimes I cannot restrain them either." Zhao Xu wore a helpless expression.

"Oh? Hehe..." These words fell into Zhao Heng's ears, and his face turned pale.

Zhao Xu looked harmless, but how did he feel that this sentence was full of threats?

Sweeping his gaze over the officials with gloomy faces and strange expressions, his heart tightened, and he said: "I am the Son of Heaven of Great Song; actually, why must I discuss it with the ministers? Yan Wang, hear the decree: from this day forward, all seven commanderies of Yanzhou are incorporated into your fief. You shall be diligent and humble, protect the borders and defend the land, and never forget the duty of being a screen for the Imperial Clan."

"Imperial Father, really do not listen to their nonsense!" Zhao Xu appeared flattered and repeatedly declined.

Zhao Heng said sternly: "This is an Imperial Edict; how can you push it back and forth? Why don't you accept the decree yet?"

Zhao Xu glared fiercely at the generals and officials, and only then did he reluctantly kneel to accept the decree.

It seemed as if all this had nothing to do with him.

But the moment he lowered his head, a smile emerged at the corners of his mouth.