After what seemed like an instant and also like countless eons, just when Eunuch Gao thought that he would never get an answer, a noble and dignified voice finally resounded through the hall.
"The southwest … it is still not the time!"
"Your Holiness!"
Eunuch Gao's heart trembled at the Holy Emperor's voice, and he couldn't help but give a long sigh.
"Is it still because of that child …"
These words were earth-shattering. If any of the ministers of the court were present, they would assuredly be stunned. The southwest was already on the verge of collapse, but the Holy Emperor had still not made his stance known. The will of the heavens was hard to fathom, and the Imperial Court was filled with all sorts of conjectures. But no one had expected that all this was related to a single youth.
The hall was quiet, not a sound to be heard. Behind the layers of golden curtains, that figure as lofty as the sea, as lofty as the stars in the sky, was motionless. No one knew what this lofty Holy Emperor of the Tang Dynasty was thinking. Even Gao Lishi was the same.
Although he was familiar with many things, he did not understand all of them.
"All things are predestined by fate! Whether it is or not, we will soon know … "
Behind the curtains, the Holy Emperor did not directly answer. But his words were clearly an admission.
"But Your Holiness, can five thousand soldiers really change the fate of the southwest? Gelofeng and Dalun Ruozan are colluding with each other, and that's an army of more than five hundred thousand soldiers! "
Eunuch Gao's head was pressed to the ground, his voice pained.
In his decades of service to His Holiness, Gao Lishi had never imagined that he would doubt the Holy Emperor. But the southwest involved more than one hundred thousand generals and nearly one million commoners! If he were to place all his hopes on a single youth, on an action that overestimated his own abilities, wasn't that no more than child's play?
The hall was quiet, not a single sound could be heard.
Gao Lishi was terrified, cold sweat pouring down his back, and even his palms were sweating. This was the first time he had doubted the Holy Emperor, but as the Chief Eunuch of the Inner Court and a retainer of the Emperor, there were some words that he had to say.
"In this world, nothing is impossible. Have you forgotten how I ascended to the Great Pole? "
"Ah!"
Gao Lishi's heart shook violently, and he suddenly raised his head.
Of course, he knew how the Holy Emperor had ascended to the throne. At first, no one thought highly of the Holy Emperor. In fact, at the very beginning, no one even cared about him among the princes. But in the end, the Holy Emperor relied on his great talent and bold vision to create this glorious and powerful Tang dynasty, becoming an emperor admired by millions.
Gao Lishi had never imagined that the Holy Emperor would have such a high evaluation of that child, even comparing him to himself.
"Whether or not We have misjudged him will naturally become clear once the southwest is decided. Everything happens for a reason. Yuan Yi, you only need to know that there is a reason why I chose him. That was enough. Now - stand down! "
In the last sentence, the supreme being behind the veil called out Gao Lishi's secular name in one sentence.
Everyone knew that Eunuch Gao of the Inner Court was Gao Lishi, but not many people knew that this Eunuch Gao's secular surname was not Gao, but Feng. Yuan Yi was his real name.
The Emperor would never lightly call out his secular name, but if he did, it would mean that this conversation was over.
"Yes, Your Majesty! Your servant will take his leave! "
Gao Lishi didn't dare to argue and obediently withdrew.
After leaving the great hall, Gao Lishi stood in front of the long corridor of jade steps. As he gazed at the row upon row of splendid golden walls and the Imperial Palace, his heart rose and fell. Even though he had already seen the Emperor and received an answer, the doubts in Gao Lishi's heart had not lessened. On the contrary, they had only intensified.
"The southwest, the southwest … alas, His Majesty's thoughts are becoming more and more difficult to fathom. Wang Yan, I hope that your youngest son will not disappoint His Majesty! "
As this thought flashed through his mind, Gao Lishi quickly descended the jade steps and left Taiji Palace.
He had more important things to do.
… …
At the same time, as Gao Lishi was leaving Taiji Palace, no one knew that an even greater matter had taken place.
Flapflap!
The flapping of wings came from the southwest. In the setting sun, no one noticed that two carrier pigeons had flown over the southwest corner of the city, flying over the row upon row of roofs and into the Imperial Palace.
[Welcome to my WeChat account and Weibo. You can search for Huangfu Qi. There are many things that can't be found in novels.]
"What?! Lion City has been breached! "
In the Bureau of Military Personnel's office, a hand as powerful as a pincer, its veins bulging and its fingers bulging, slammed its five palms against a table, shaking it so much that the metal table seemed like it would shatter. This was undoubtedly the most shocking news everyone had received in the last month or so.
All this time, Lion City had been the last and greatest source of comfort for the people of the capital.
Although the Annan Protectorate had been defeated, the impregnable Lion City had sheltered nearly one hundred thousand people from the Annam Protectorate. This was the final barrier of the southwest. As long as the Annam Protectorate remained, the situation in the southwest would not worsen.
There was still a sliver of hope left in everyone's hearts.
But no one had expected that Lion City, upon which they had entrusted all their hopes, would be breached.
"Are you sure there's no mistake? Could it be a false report? Lion City is impregnable. Wasn't it said that it was forged from refined inscription metal? The walls are more than thirty feet tall, so how could they be so easily breached? Moreover, didn't that place have nearly one hundred thousand Annam Protectorate soldiers? "
The voice harshly said, its voice tinged with deep shock. It was clear that it was completely unable to accept this result.
"Milord, this matter has already been confirmed."
"Our people infiltrated the southwest more than a month ago. They personally investigated and learned of this news, and they confirmed it time and time again. Moreover, they even captured an Annam Protectorate soldier who got lost in the rain. This has already been confirmed by his own mouth.
"It's said that Lion City ran out of food long ago. In order to prevent the Mengshe – Ü-Tsang army from trapping them in the city, Protector-General Xianyu and General Wang Yan decided to abandon the city and break out. Now that everyone has left, and without the protection of Lion City, with Dalun Ruozan, Huoshu Huizang, and all the Ouzan cavalry in pursuit, the fate of all the Annam Protectorate soldiers is unknown. Everything is up to the will of the heavens!
"Because of the severity of this matter, the moment we received the news, we immediately rushed over eight hundred li, not daring to delay. On the way, we've already lost twenty-some elite dragon-horses! We've exhausted ten-some elite scouts to death. We've also lost ten-some pigeons and eagles. Milord, please make a decision! "
… …
The scout himself had a pale complexion.
The matter that attracted the most attention in the Tang Dynasty and affected the most people was the Annam Protectorate of the southwest. Although the other protectorates had also been attacked, they were insignificant compared to the Annam Protectorate. Lion City had fallen, and all the Annam Protectorate soldiers were fleeing with all their might, completely under the pursuit of the Ouzan cavalry. Just the thought of this was enough to make all the Tang people pale in shock.
The Annam Protectorate's meager forces were simply incapable of dealing with the five hundred thousand soldiers of the Mengshe – Ü-Tsang army. Everyone knew this long ago. The Annam Protectorate's fate was not going to be good, but when all this was about to become a reality, no one could accept it.
From the moment they heard this news, everyone felt their hearts sink. It was like a massive boulder was pressing down on their chests, making it so that even taking a breath required endless energy.
The Law of Military Affairs Office was deathly still.
All the important officials of the Bureau of Military Personnel had ashen faces, their faces ashen.
"Pa!"
Suddenly, the sound of a porcelain cup shattering could be heard. Everyone subconsciously turned in the direction of the sound. In the direction of the main gate, Zhangchou Jianqiong had just stepped over the threshold, the teacup in his hand crushed into pieces.
Zhangchou Jianqiong's face was ashen and unsightly.
"It's over! The southwest is about to be lost! "
"180,000 elites have been destroyed! How could this be?"
"Reinforcements! Reinforcements! Reinforcements! While there's still a chance, hurry and send reinforcements! "
"It's too late! Even if we send reinforcements, it's already too late. And besides … where will the reinforcements come from? "
"Are we just going to let this go?"
"This is a calamity for the Tang Dynasty!"
"This is a calamity the Central Plains has never seen before!"
… …
The Law of Military Affairs, the Bureau of Personnel, the Bureau of Revenue, the Bureau of Works … the news from the southwest seemed to grow wings, flying inside and out of the palace, spreading to all the departments of the Six Bureaus. Like a tsunami, the incident in Lion City shook the entire Imperial Court. Fear, unease, anxiety … all sorts of emotions filled the capital.
The mood in the capital was grave, and even the markets were much quieter, lacking the usual hustle and bustle.
… …
"How could this be? It can't be, it can't be! "
In the Wang Family Residence, Wang Gen's big uncle slammed his fist on the table, his chest heaving and his face as white as a sheet of paper.
Wang Yan, Wang Fu, Wang Chong!
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