Chapter 463: The royal city has been occupied

Chancellor Zhang wanted to flare up, but the current situation is very unfavorable to him.

Whether it was the still-held Ten Thousand Memorial or Kang Mengxian standing aside, they left him with no position and no way to speak.

Emperor Ning glanced at Attendant Xi, who immediately understood, saying, "If you have a memorial, present it; if not, withdraw from court."

In a moment, the court that had been arguing for several months suddenly fell silent, as if both sides had lost their strength.

"Sir, why not gather in the Imperial Study?" Before Emperor Ning left, he directly said to Kang Mengxian.

"Kang Mengxian, receive the edict!" Kang Mengxian performed a commoner's salute, then followed Emperor Ning to the Imperial Study.

Chancellor Zhang hurriedly left the palace amid everyone's laughter.

"Can someone be sent to chase after him?" Kang Mengxian asked.

Emperor Ning nodded, saying, "Sir, I have already sent someone to pursue him; I just want to see who exactly can arbitrarily appoint my Da Ning Chancellor's people."

Following the vine to find the melon, they have been searching for years—are they finally going to come out?

Kang Mengxian shook his head, saying, "It's probably not easy; the person behind this is so cunning that we have investigated for years, only gaining some clues and a scope, yet over all these years we have never confirmed it."

"Chancellor Zhang is foolish, but that person certainly isn't!"

"Didn't Yun chu say, 'Do one's best and leave the rest to fate'?" Emperor Ning laughed heartily; his expression was not anxious but rather relaxed.

At court, there is open and covert struggle; he cannot openly declare his position, and many matters still require observing a balance.

If one wishes to bring about its downfall, one must first drive it mad.

They are raising a tiger, enlarging its appetite there, so they can later sweep it all in.

"How is the Xi Fang battlefield?" Kang Mengxian looked at His Majesty. Besides the Ten Thousand Memorial, what he cares most about today is the Xi Fang battlefield; all able members of the Kang Clan have gone there, and now at home, everyone from old to young, except two useless civil officials, has gone to Xi Fang.

He feels uneasy inside.

"They have been besieged for half a year; the acting general's letter says that unless it is before spring opens, the Three Kingdoms Allied Army cannot do anything."

Emperor Ning sighed, "But this spring is coming soon!"

Kang Mengxian nodded, saying, "If we calculate the time, there should be some movement."

"Report!"

"Speak." Xi Lang rubbed his head, looking at the messenger who brought the report; this messenger was from the Royal City, and now his face was full of panic.

Xi Lang's eyes narrowed; he had long shed the pretended elegance, for he is essentially a fighting maniac, and the nickname 'Mad General' is not just idle talk.

"The Royal City has been occupied."

As soon as the messenger spoke, everyone in the big tent stood up.

"What are you saying?" The wizard seized the messenger's clothes, his large hand tightening and shaking, "Say it again!"

"The Royal City has been occupied, the royal family captured, and the Great King ordered rescue." The messenger covered the wizard's hand, then looked at him with a face full of terror.

The wizard looked at this person, saying, "Which country's spy are you? In the place of the Three Kingdoms Allied Army, we cannot tolerate your insolence!"

"Big… person…" the messenger hadn't yet managed to say the details when the wizard crushed his neck; his head, as if losing support, went limp and flopped to one side.

Xi Lang looked at the wizard, then at the already-dead messenger, and the corner of his mouth curled into a meaningful smile.

How interesting!

Things are getting more and more interesting.

"General, the Royal City has fallen; how should we arrange things?"

Everyone, who previously harbored various thoughts, now turned their gazes toward Xi Lang.

Xi Lang gave a cold smile, saying, "How to arrange things? Shouldn't this be a question for all the esteemed officials?"

He is a general brought here against his will; at this moment, he cannot make decisions.

Let him bear a lifetime of infamy?

Although he doesn't care, that doesn't mean we can let them arrange things for him.

He raised his head, looking at the ice layer on the city tower that was beginning to melt, and his eyes narrowed slightly.

The wizard let out a cold snort, bringing with him a gloomy aura.

"Just a random person can disturb the army's morale?"

"The Royal City fallen? Our hundred-thousand-strong army guards the frontier; how could a large force enter the Royal City?" The wizard's voice was icy; beneath his black robe, his eyes like poisonous snakes scanned everyone.

A person of the Great Prince, looking at the wizard's appearance, said, "What if they crossed over from the Southern Man or Northern Rong?"

"This person is clearly from the Royal City; why is the wizard so eager to destroy the corpse and erase traces—what is he afraid of?"

That person's aggressive demeanor made the wizard's chill even stronger.

Just then, as the wizard extended his hand, that person stepped forward and said, "Is the wizard intending to kill everyone who comes to rescue the Royal City?"

"What exactly is the wizard's intention?"

That person had an air of righteousness, his eyes like a sharp sword, giving a feeling of advancing straight forward.

The wizard's hand, which had just been extended, withdrew; he adjusted the cuff of his black robe—skin that should have been fair turned black as ink, one hand withered as if all blood had been drained from it.

Everyone who saw it had their pupils contract slightly.

"Obviously it is a scheme, a scheme to make us withdraw troops; the officials here are disturbing the army's morale—what exactly is their motive?" The wizard's voice was icy; those outside did not know what expression lay beneath his black robe.

Xi Lang said nothing; although he was the commander of an army, he now seemed like an outsider to the scheme.

The wizard glanced at Xi Lang and asked, "What does the Great General think?"

Xi Lang waved his hand, saying, "As this general, I cannot decide; you make the decision yourselves."

Before, each old lady would issue an order only after three rounds of discussion; now they want me to stand in front?

That is actually a good scheme.

"The Great General is the commander-in-chief; troop deployment naturally rests with the Great General." The official who had just argued with the wizard now bowed respectfully to Xi Lang.

"The Great General can naturally see that the messenger's words are true; the Royal City has fallen, and our Xi Fang has lost its foundation, with the people displaced—would the Great General be willing to hear the wails all over the ground?" That official spoke with sincere feeling.

Alas…

Xi Lang didn't bother to respond; he simply poured a mouthful of liquor into his mouth, lifted his head to stare at the city wall, and furrowed his brow deeply.

Who exactly is in command?

They stubbornly delayed the defense of the city by three months; looking at that ice wall, like a natural ice city, they held onto the somewhat damaged towers.

Chiang Fengsheng?

Compared to the disappointing royal city, he'd rather know who exactly is his opponent.

"You're joking, sir—when can I, as general, make the decision?" When Xi Lang turned his head, his eyes carried a mocking look.

He wasn't just looking at the speaker; he scanned the whole circle.

Everyone whose gaze he swept over lowered their heads, feeling guilty.

Their arrival was just to watch Xi Lang and the other side's people.

Who could have imagined…