Chapter 268: Great Feng's Tyrant, Loyalists in Peril

In Chongzhengdian, the atmosphere was as heavy as lead.

Fei Hou, the Emperor of Great Feng, sat on the dragon throne, his face gloomy, his gaze sharp as a blade, sweeping across the civil and military officials filling the hall.

Behind him hung a massive tapestry of a dragon robe, embroidered with nine golden dragons, imposing and majestic. Before him stood a crowd of trembling officials, each bowing their heads, daring not to look up, fearing to bring disaster upon themselves.

Fei Hou, this self-proclaimed Emperor of Great Feng, kicked the dragon table over, scattering the memorials, imperial brush, imperial seal, and other objects across the floor. He glared sideways at the eunuch and demanded: "You say Jiang Jiang Mingyu has come to attack me?"

These past few days, Fei Hou had been immersed in the joy of eliminating Jiang Jiang Mingyu, skipping court for three days to indulge in pleasure. Had it not been for the eunuch rushing him out in a panic, he would still be doing who knows what. He had originally thought Jiang Jiang Mingyu was already dead at Fang Hang's hands; he never expected this arch-enemy to have a backup plan, leading over one hundred thousand men to the very gates of Jingcheng.

Hearing the eunuch briefly summarize the situation, Fei Hou grew even more furious, roaring: "You beast, Fang Hang! I will flay you alive! Once Jiang Jiang Mingyu is dead, I will ensure your ashes are utterly scattered!"

His heart was filled with anger and fear; Jiang Jiang Mingyu's army had already breached the border passes and was driving straight toward Jingcheng, yet none of his subordinates could stop him.

His trusted minister, Ruan Chen, had led three hundred thousand elite troops on campaign last year, only for the entire army to be wiped out, with Ruan Chen himself dying on the battlefield.

His trusted general, leading two hundred thousand iron cavalry, had launched an offensive this spring, only to be utterly crushed by Jiang Jiang Mingyu, with merely a few thousand escaping back.

His Great Feng dynasty, established for over twenty years, had always prided itself on its formidable military and stable politics, yet now it was being driven back step by step by a rebellious youth, teetering on the brink of collapse.

In his heart, besides anger and fear, there was a thread of unwillingness and confusion. He could not understand why Jiang Jiang Mingyu could be so powerful, why he could gain the support of so many, why he could advance triumphantly, unstoppable in his path.

He could not understand why he himself had become so weak, why he had lost the support of so many, why he had declined into decadence step by terrifying step.

He could not understand whether the cause of all this was his own fault, whether he had done something that heaven and earth could not tolerate, that scattered the people's hearts, that angered the gods.

He could not understand whether he could still salvage all this, whether he could still protect his Jiangshan, whether he could still protect his own life. He could not think it through; he could only vent his anger and fear.

The eunuch hurriedly advised: "Your Majesty, Jiang Jiang Mingyu has already breached Taojiang; his great army is about to reach the gates of Jingcheng. We must devise a countermeasure immediately, or the Great Feng Jiangshan will be destroyed."

Fei Hou finally came to his senses, nodding: "Yes, first drive back Jiang Jiang Mingyu; if he enters the city, I am finished." He scanned the ministers and shouted: "Who dares to face Jiang Jiang Mingyu? Is there any strategy to defeat the enemy?"

An official with a white beard stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, Jiang Jiang Mingyu is unstoppable; engaging him head-on now is unwise. Holding our ground is the superior strategy."

"Jingcheng has one hundred fifty thousand troops, and food supplies can last a year. Jiang Jiang Mingyu has come from afar; his military resources must be insufficient. As long as we hold firm and exhaust him, he will naturally retreat. At that time, Your Majesty can sortie and pursue, surely achieving a great victory."

This man was Grand Tutor Ceng Ce, also his teacher, who had once taught him to read and write, taught him etiquette and laws, taught him statecraft and governance.

Ceng Ce was his strategist and also his conscience, once offering him plans, correcting his mistakes, and advising him. Yet, Ceng Ce was also his thorn in the eye, his heart's flesh, and the source of his troubles.

Because Ceng Ce dared to speak plainly, dared to oppose, dared to criticize. Because Ceng Ce was unwilling to agree, unwilling to obey, unwilling to flatter.

Because Ceng Ce insisted on principles, insisted on justice, insisted on conscience. Ceng Ce had once advised him not to trust treacherous sycophants, not to kill innocents indiscriminately, not to indulge in pleasure.

Ceng Ce had once advised him to respect the people, to cherish his ministers, to restrain himself.

Ceng Ce had once advised him to reform corrupt policies, to open up thought, to keep pace with the times.

But he did not listen, he did not believe, he did not change. He felt Ceng Ce was challenging his authority, questioning his wisdom, undermining his dignity.

He felt Ceng Ce was hindering his development, obstructing his happiness, damaging his interests.

He felt Ceng Ce was making an enemy of him, opposing him, fighting him. He hated Ceng Ce, he feared Ceng Ce, he wanted to eliminate Ceng Ce. He found an opportunity.

Fei Hou wanted to explode in anger, then remembered the table had already been kicked over by himself. He snorted coldly: "Holding firm within the city to be slaughtered at will; where is the face and dignity of Great Feng?"

Ceng Ce did not retreat, stating solemnly: "Your Majesty, this is the superior strategy; please think thrice!" With that, he bowed deeply.

The other ministers also chimed in: "The Grand Tutor speaks the truth; hold firm in Jingcheng, and Jiang Jiang Mingyu will retreat of his own accord!"

But Fei Hou took no offense; he did not believe Jiang Jiang Mingyu was that powerful, he did not believe his own army was that incompetent, he did not believe his Jiangshan was that fragile. He thought Ceng Ce was spreading rumors to confuse the public, sowing discord, and colluding with rebels. He thought Ceng Ce had accepted bribes from Jiang Jiang Mingyu, intended to act as that rebel's inside man, intended to betray him.

Thus, he screamed like a madman, struck a fatal blow, and issued a death order.

"Ceng Ce, you repeatedly spread rumors to confuse the public; you truly deserve death a thousand times over."

"I see you have accepted benefits from Jiang Jiang Mingyu and have already decided to serve as that rebel's inside man."

"When Jiang Jiang Mingyu's army reaches the city walls, you will take the opportunity to open the gates and let Jiang Jiang Mingyu's great army enter, is that not so?"

He sprang to his feet.

"As an official of my Great Feng, you eat from within but betray from without; you are worse than a beast."

"Guards, drag this thing that colludes with rebels out and behead him publicly."

"Let those with treacherous hearts see what the fate of colluding with rebels is. What are you waiting for? Drag him down!"

The guards moved at the command, rushing forward to seize Ceng Ce and drag him out. Ceng Ce offered no resistance, no pleading, no compromise; he only shouted loudly, offering loyal advice, doing so only for Great Feng, for Fei Hou, for their shared ideals.

"Your Majesty, my death is of no consequence; I only pity the beautiful Jiangshan of Great Feng, which is about to fall into the hands of rebels..."

"Your Majesty, I am not a rebel, nor an inside man; I only wish to share your burdens, offer you plans, and serve you..."

"Your Majesty, you are the monarch of Great Feng, the parent of the ten thousand people, the enlightened ruler of the world; you cannot listen to slander, cannot ruin the nation and the people, cannot bring about your own destruction..."

"Your Majesty, you still have time, you still have opportunity, you still have hope; if you only send an envoy to negotiate with Jiang Jiang Mingyu, perhaps you can still preserve the foundation of Great Feng, protect your Jiangshan and state, protect your people..."

"Your Majesty, you must understand: Great Feng is not your private property; you cannot sacrifice the interests of Great Feng for your own selfishness, you cannot cut off the future of Great Feng for momentary pleasure, you cannot invite the destruction of Great Feng for the anger of one man..."

"Your Majesty, you must awaken, you must awaken..."

Ceng Ce's voice gradually faded, gradually disappeared, gradually ceased. His words were like a sharp blade, piercing Fei Hou's heart, piercing Fei Hou's pride, piercing through Fei Hou's dreams, shattering Fei Hou's life.

Fei Hou's face grew even more grim. In his eyes flashed a hint of regret, a hint of pain, a hint of fear, a hint of despair.

He knew Ceng Ce had spoken the truth, he knew Ceng Ce acted for his own good, he knew Ceng Ce was his most loyal minister, he knew Ceng Ce was his closest friend.

He knew he was wrong, he was wrong in an outrageous way, he was wrong in a ridiculous way, he was wrong in a tragic way, he was wrong in a terrifying way.

But he refused to admit it, he refused to change, he refused to yield, he refused to reconcile.

He had already embarked on a road of no return, he had already fallen into a deadly trap, he had already lost everything, he could no longer salvage it.