Outside the tent, a crowd had already gathered.
They all wore expressions of anger, with so clenching their fists tightly and looking displeased!
This imperial decree ca too suddenly, and many were unprepared, unable to accept it.
General Cao has been stationed in this impoverished land of Xinan for so many years for the safety of Dazhou. Even if he has no rits, he has at least worked hard. Why should his military power be taken away?
Even if the niece did sothing wrong, it has nothing to do with the General, right?
"Great General, you have worked hard and achieved great things. No matter what, the Emperor shouldn’t take away your military power. It’s too harsh!"
A little leader said angrily, even using the word harsh!
"Yes, once our military power is taken away, the consequences will be very serious. We will all be disbanded or reorganized. I don’t want to go to another army..."
A soldier muttered, eyes full of fear.
The life of a pawn is hard to guarantee, like ants, no one cares about their life or death. In a familiar environnt, they at least have their comrades to rely on. Once they leave, it’s a road of no return!
So so were panicked, looking at Cao Yin with pleading eyes.
These were his subordinates, comrades who fought enemy on the battlefield together. Cao Yin looked at their sunburned faces, his heart stirred.
He looked at these soldiers and then at several officers, asking, "Do you all feel very dissatisfied with this decree?"
"General, we..."
One officer’s face turned pale as his thoughts were exposed, lowering his head without speaking.
Cao Yin glanced at the crowd and said, "Actually, I, for this seizure of power, feel displeased as well!
Think about how my Cao Family has defended the border for so many years, working diligently to maintain the peace of Dazhou’s borders! How many good n of my Cao Family have died on the battlefield, have I ever complained, hmm?"
Yue’er made a mistake, punish her then, but to implicate in this, the Emperor’s action indeed chills one’s heart!"
"Yes, Great General, we can’t just hand over the military power!"
"Right, we can’t hand it over!"
Long-term living in Xinan, the local customs are fierce, and there are many fierce soldiers here. No one wants to live under others’ shade. Once Cao Yin is dismissed, they’ll suffer, with the new commander surely purging them.
"Why not establish yourself as king?"
Soone in the crowd suddenly proposed a very bold idea, which got imdiately kicked by Cao Yin upon hearing it!
"Get lost, you damn scoundrel, I haven’t finished talking!" he cursed angrily, "Nonsense about establishing oneself as king, this General is a minister of Dazhou, lives as a Dazhou person, and dies as a Dazhou spirit!"
Cao Yin’s sharp gaze scanned around, commanding respect without anger: "The Emperor and I beca sworn brothers years ago, and no matter what, he wouldn’t treat so heartlessly! There must be so misunderstanding here, or perhaps, there are villains in the court sowing discord between us and the Emperor!"
Everyone felt this made a lot of sense after hearing it.
How could the Emperor and General Cao, with such old friendship, just take away military power without reason?
"We in Xinan don’t know much about the situation in the Capital City. Since this is the case, why not go to the Capital City and see what has happened? If there truly are villainous people, then we should clear the court!"
Cao Yin spoke assertively, his voice particularly loud, imdiately resonating with the soldiers!
"Right, go to the Capital City! See which lowly person is causing the trouble!"
"Let’s go!"
For a mont, the crowd was stirred up.
Cao Yin nodded, waving his hand: "Alright, since brothers are willing to follow , Cao, let us when be ready to march towards Shengjing City to clear the court and eliminate traitors!"
"Right, clear the court, eliminate traitors!"
"Clear the court, eliminate traitors!"
"..."
Countless soldiers echoed, their montum reaching the sky!
Cao Yin was very clever, not directly rebelling but going under the pretense of "clearing the court"! This way he wouldn’t be held accountable in the future, truly an old cunning fox.
"Old Fool Cao, don’t you ss around!"
In the drill ground, Cao Yin had already prepared the troops. General Luo, Luo Xie, received the news and hurried over.
Besides Cao Yin in Xinan, there was also the Luo Family, which was the Emperor’s way of balancing power.
Cao Yin looked at Luo Xie, indifferently saying: "I, Cao, and the Emperor are as close as brothers. Even if Yue’er makes a mistake, it shouldn’t lead to my military power being seized. There must be so misunderstanding, and I need to go to Shengjing City to see for myself. Perhaps the Emperor is in danger now!"
Though Luo Xie and Cao Yin didn’t quite get along, he also didn’t want him to make mistakes. He frowned and said, "Old Fool Cao, you may not know, but your niece’s husband... he tried to fra the Seventeenth Prince, whom the Emperor had just found with great difficulty, causing the furious Emperor to throw him in the Death Prison, while your niece wanted to lead an army to storm the Imperial Palace to rescue him..."
He glanced at Cao Yin’s expressionless face, shaking his head and advised, "The Emperor was truly angry this ti. Don’t cause any more trouble, or you won’t have a good ending if you offend the Emperor."
"Thank you for your kind intention, Brother Luo, but I still must enter the Capital City to seek clarity from the Emperor. Even if it ans death, I must die understandingly!"
"You..."
Luo Xie couldn’t help rolling his eyes. This Old Fool Cao usually wasn’t so straightforward, was he?
However, in the light of fairness, Cao Yin did put his heart into Qi Yun, and being treated like this, naturally, he felt so resentnt.
But still, the principle of emperor and minister, father and son persists – if the Emperor demands a minister’s death, the minister has no choice. It’s a tiless rule, so what exactly does Cao Yin want?
"Old Fool!" Luo Xie took a deep breath and said, "Since the Luo Family was placed in Xinan to balance with you, today you aim to take troops to Shengjing City, you must get through first!"
Cao Yin squinted. He was on orders from the Emperor to go to Shengjing City to provide support, but what about Luo Xie?
With him blocking the way, he can’t really go through tramping over his body, could he?
Cao Yin always had a hot temper, and seeing the other party entangle like this, he imdiately got annoyed and cursed: "Old Thief Luo, aren’t you tired? There’s likely treachery around the Emperor. If these people were to control the court, things would beco serious!
Hey, we’ve been rivals for long, not seeing each other eye to eye, but in terms of temperant, who doesn’t understand whom? Do you think I would rebel or not have a clue?"
These words were cutting, and Luo Xie hesitated for a mont, "I know your character, but..."
"Don’t forget, when the Emperor faced assassination, who stood up? Could a person like Xiao Mu slaughter villagers? Let alone harm the Seventeenth Prince! There’s sothing fishy here!"
ntioning Li Qingmu, Cao Yin’s wrinkled face quivered slightly. That child... should be alright, right?
Now, he not only wanted to rescue the Emperor, but he also wanted to see if Xiao Mu was truly executed and displayed to the public!
Luo Xie, having been stationed in Xinan for so many years, was indeed loyal. Being told this by Cao Yin, he indeed started to find things odd.
"I shall follow you! I’ll keep an eye on you at all tis to prevent any regretful actions!"
Cao Yin couldn’t help but feel touched — Old Luo had been convinced by him, also feeling that the Emperor was in danger?
"Great!" Cao Yin spoke loudly, "Then by the cause of clearing the court, let’s head straight to the Capital City!"
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