Chapter 158: Winning Over the Army's Loyalty (Part 1)

Jiang Jiang Mingyu had already arrived at the city defense camp, where he saw soldiers gathered in groups, discussing matters fervently with agitated expressions. He knew they had all heard the news that he intended to rebel; his heart felt somewhat uneasy, wondering whether they would follow him.

He said nothing more and directly ordered everyone to form ranks. Moments later, a neat square formation had taken shape, with thousands of troops standing majestic and imposing in the cold wind.

He cleared his throat and asked in a loud voice, "Everyone, since I, Jiang Mou, arrived here, have I treated you with cold indifference?"

Immediately, a chorus of voices rose from the formation: "My lord cares for us brothers the most!"

"Without my lord, where would we be today?"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu nodded in satisfaction and asked again, "If someone seeks to harm me, what are your thoughts?"

Immediately, a burly soldier roared in anger, "Who is so brazen as to dare harm my lord? Speak quickly who it is, and we will immediately chop him to pieces!" Everyone else also roared, declaring they would tolerate no such thing.

Jiang Jiang Mingyu laughed heartily and said with deep meaning, "This person is actually quite famous; his name is Hou Fei."

The soldiers were stunned and retorted, "Hou Fei? What kind of demon is this? Bring him here so I can cut him down!" Everyone else was equally bewildered, discussing the matter endlessly.

The soldiers urgently pressed, "My lord, speak quickly! What divine being is this? We must seek justice for you!"

Jiang Jiang Mingyu understood, smiled, cleared his throat, and slowly began to speak:

"Everyone, in fact, this Hou Fei is the Prince of Qi who seized the imperial throne and forged the edict. He murdered the monarch to usurp the throne and now calls himself the Son of Heaven."

What?

The Son of Heaven?

Is this true or false?

The fifty thousand people on the entire drill ground seemed struck by a massive stone, their eyes wide open. Their gazes fixed on Jiang Jiang Mingyu as if searching for answers, and even the air seemed to freeze.

Not only them, but even Li Goudan and Wu Xiao'er were so frightened they shivered all over, as if doused with ice water, the chill penetrating straight to their bones. Their heartbeats were particularly distinct in the silence, as if beating against everyone's eardrums.

These people with limited knowledge simply could not imagine how their lord, who loved the people like his own children, had become the object of the Son of Heaven's attention. Their minds were filled with doubt and confusion.

As for the big-bearded man who had just shouted to chop Hou Fei to death, his entire body trembled violently as if stricken with typhoid. His face was as pale as paper, his hands gripping the sword hilt tightly, the sword tip carving a deep trench in the ground.

Seeing everyone silent, as if they had lost the ability to speak, Li Goudan, having come to his senses, suddenly asked in a loud, rough voice; his voice echoed in the air, causing a low reverberation.

"My lord, what exactly is going on? Why does the Son of Heaven seek to put you to death?" His voice carried incredulity and anger, as if questioning the injustice of the entire world.

This was the very sentence Jiang Jiang Mingyu had been waiting for. He took out a notice he had hidden in his robe and declared loudly, "Everyone, look at this; these are the charges Hou Fei has assigned to this official." His voice was calm and firm, like an ice blade in winter, piercing the silence in the field.

"He claims that during my tenure in Shangmu, I disregarded the lives of the common people, accepted bribes, recruited soldiers privately, and plotted treason." His voice echoed around the ears of the fifty thousand people; every word was like a sharp sword, stabbing straight into their hearts.

"Not only that, but he also claims I secretly communicated with the people of Xi Xia, making me a traitor selling out the Great Feng state." His voice carried a sense of helplessness and sorrow, as if recounting endless suffering and an unresistible fate.

"At the end of the notice is Hou Fei's judgment against me: to be escorted to Jingcheng and cut into a thousand pieces." His voice in that final sentence carried a sense of resolve, as if he had already prepared for any possible outcome.

Speaking thus, he pointed at the bright red seal on the notice. "This is Hou Fei's jade imperial seal, genuine and without deception." His voice in that final sentence carried a tone of provocation, as if declaring war on the entire world.

This notice was originally posted on the street when Tang Cheng'an and the other two entered the provincial capital city. Hou Fei's purpose was to have a legitimate reason to escort Jiang Jiang Mingyu and Wang Zhe to Jingcheng to be punished.

And when Li Ru left the provincial capital, Jiang Jiang Mingyu, knowing he would need it sooner or later, simply tore off a copy.

As expected, it was truly put to use today.