In the Imperial City, the duty room of the Cabinet was in chaos at this moment.
Some people were packing their things in a hurry, some were running out, and some looked like they wanted to take something with them. These low-ranking officials who used to serve the Cabinet all began to make plans for themselves.
They were not the only ones. Even some of the Brocade Guards who were in charge of guarding the cabinet joined the group that flew off in the face of disaster. They had knives in their hands, so they could snatch better things. They just had to push and kick those minor officials, and they would be able to snatch better things.
There were no higher-ranking officials in the entire office area, and no one who could be in charge. That was why it was so chaotic, but it didn't mean that there was really no one in charge.
In fact, before the rumbling of the cannons and the fierce battle cries sounded, the Cabinet hadn't fallen into chaos. It was only after that, because no one organized it, that the people below became chaotic and flew off in the face of disaster.
In fact, in the Cabinet duty room, Shen Yicheng and Luo Sigong were both there, and even Xiao Daheng was there.
The three of them sat together in silence. Shen Yicheng was writing something, while Luo Sigong and Xiao Daheng sat paralyzed in their chairs, their eyes empty.
It looked like they had given up on their final struggle.
Of course, they basically didn't even have the chance to struggle.
Shen Yicheng also seemed to have given up on struggling.
"Why don't you go find your own way out? What's the point of staying here with this old man who has one foot in the grave? I can't protect you now. Xia Qing, aren't you going to prepare to surrender? Luo Sigong, don't you want to live? "
Shen Yicheng didn't look up and quickly wrote something.
"Now that things have come to this, Grand Secretary, do you think I still have a way out? There's no way Xiao Ruxun doesn't know that I'm a capable general under the Grand Secretary. I definitely have no way out, and surrender won't be accepted. The winner is king, and the loser is a bandit. Grand Secretary, I'm already a bandit. How can I still live? "
"Then what about Luo Sigong? Why don't you go and beg for life? "
Luo Sigong laughed bitterly three times. His voice was so unpleasant that it sounded like the sound of a dying man struggling on his deathbed.
"Hehehe … Grand Secretary, I, Luo Sigong, have already committed treason twice. The first time was to hide it from His Majesty, and the second time was to help the Grand Secretary make His Majesty abdicate. If I do it a third time, I won't even have the chance to start over in my next life.
I am the Commander of the Imperial Bodyguard. I should be the Prime Minister's greatest enemy, the last line of defense to protect His Majesty. However, I have become the Prime Minister's right-hand man and am at his beck and call in order to depose His Majesty. How can a disloyal and unjust person like me live? "
Luo Sigong seemed to have accepted his fate and did not intend to struggle anymore.
"Why can't those who are disloyal and unjust live on? All the civil and military officials in the imperial court support us, or are they fence-sitters, but which one of them isn't a disloyal and unjust person? How many disloyal and unjust people are there in the world? It's just that we are the ones who stand out. Once we fail, we are destined to die. "
Shen Yicheng slowly put down the brush in his hand and blew on the ink that had yet to dry on the paper. "Hsiao Jixin didn't send anyone to talk. He doesn't plan on talking at all. He only wants to kill me. He has the advantage, and he won't give me any chance to live. The city will soon be breached, and we will all die without a burial place.
Thinking back to half a year ago, would we have thought of today? A year ago, this old man didn't think of what happened half a year ago, but it happened, and this old man can't control it. I'm sorry, I have to ask you to accompany me in death. "
Luo Sigong shook his head and said, "I joined the Grand Secretary because I wanted to live. Perhaps I should have thought of this long ago."
Boss Xiao also shook his head.
"Don't say that, Grand Secretary. Back then, we decided to start the mutiny together. In that kind of situation, if we didn't start the mutiny, we could only wait for Hsiao Jixin and the Retired Emperor to grow stronger and then use another method to kill us all. They would still achieve their goal, and this method is more suitable for Hsiao Jixin."
Shen Yicheng nodded silently.
"Hsiao Jixin is good at using troops, but I am not. It's not impossible for Hsiao Jixin to defeat me. It's just that after this battle, I'm afraid Hsiao Jixin will hold great power and settle all the civil and military officials."
"He won't be able to do it."
Boss Xiao shook his head. "In the end, we are doing it for ourselves, but if Hsiao Jixin wants to go against all the civil and military officials in the world, who will support him? The power of the civil and military officials in the world gathered together is enough to overthrow anyone. It's impossible for a general like Hsiao Jixin to go against all the civil and military officials in the world.
The fact that he can enter the Grand Canal through Jiangnan to launch a northern expedition is enough to prove that he has reached an agreement with the civil and military officials in Jiangnan. That's why the civil and military officials support Hsiao Jixin's northern expedition. They must have gotten more than what they can get from us. Everything we have now must have been promised by Hsiao Jixin. Hsiao Jixin defeated us by relying on Jiangnan. It's just a matter of changing the imperial court. The other things won't change. "
"Maybe so!"
Shen Yicheng grinned. "Do you know what Hsiao Jixin is most looking forward to now, at this moment?"
Boss Xiao and Luo Sigong shook their heads.
"What he's most looking forward to is me killing the Retired Emperor in desperation before I die."
Boss Xiao and Luo Sigong widened their eyes.
"Could it be that he …"
"A change of dynasty?"
The two looked at Shen Yicheng in confusion.
Shen Yicheng grinned and said, "The army under Xiao Ruxun is now supported by himself and has nothing to do with the imperial court. Now the generals are all Xiao Ruxun's subordinates, relying on Xiao Ruxun's name to launch a northern expedition. Do you think they want to save the Retired Emperor more or let Hsiao Jixin be the Emperor more?"
Xiao Daheng was shocked. "Xiao Jixin doesn't want to talk to us. Could it be that he has already become the Emperor?"
Shen Yicheng was still grinning.
"I don't know. How would this old man know? But it's possible. It's just that Hsiao Jixin can't overcome the barrier of righteousness. The reason he raised the army is to launch a northern expedition to suppress the rebels and me, not to simply rebel and establish independence. He doesn't have that righteousness, and those people in Jiangnan will not recognize him unless he sells the whole Jiangnan to the gentry.
But even if it's not like this, even if he doesn't become the Emperor, he must want me to kill the Retired Emperor so that he can put the crime on my head and then do what he wants to do. I don't believe that he can be so loyal that he can resist not becoming the Emperor when the throne is at his fingertips.
But I won't do that. I will protect the Retired Emperor well and take advantage of this opportunity to restore the Retired Emperor to the throne. I will let him issue an imperial edict to stop Xiao Ruxun from attacking the city. Even if I die, I won't let Hsiao Jixin live an easy life. Even if I die, I will let them suspect me and force Xiao Ruxun to rebel! "
He still wants to continue to struggle?
He hasn't given up?
Shen Yicheng held the piece of paper that he had just written on. "This imperial edict has been written. Commander Luo, immediately go to Yuxi Palace and bring the Retired Emperor here. Ask him to restore the throne! Then let him issue an imperial edict. I want to see what Xiao Ruxun can do! "
Is this the legendary struggle before death?
Can't play military affairs, so they use politics to do it?
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