Sign a Lu Fengxian at the beginning

Chapter 253 How does it feel to support your troops and respect yourself?

Ministry of War Shangshu Mansion.

The Marquis of Donghuang came suddenly and went away suddenly.

It can be said that when the Marquis of Donghuang came to the Minister's Mansion of the Ministry of War, he didn't even get hot on his backside and left in a hurry.

Watching the retreating figure of Marquis Donghuang, Li Yuan, Minister of War, shook his head helplessly.

How could Li Yuan not hear the purpose behind Donghuang Hou’s words just now?

It's a pity that Donghuang Hou still doesn't understand that the current court is different from before.

The previous one is of no use now.

The only way out is to gain His Majesty's trust.

If Your Majesty really wants to deal with Donghuang Hou, it will be useless even if all the civil and military officials plead for mercy.

Maybe, this will be counterproductive.

Let His Majesty see your loyalty to the Great Zhou, which is much more useful than visiting courtiers like them.

I hope Donghuang Hou can understand this truth!

Li Yuan thought secretly in his heart.

…

Royal Palace.

The Hall of Nourishing Heart.

Zhou Chen already knew about Donghuang Hou as soon as he entered Luoyang.

As the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Luoyang is also the central divine capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty. What kind of news in Luoyang can be hidden from Zhou Chen, the emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty!

What Zhou Chen didn't expect was that after returning to Luoyang, the Marquis of Donghuang didn't go to the palace to meet the Holy Spirit. Instead, he went to visit the Minister of War first.

Zhou Chen could naturally guess some of Donghuang Hou's intentions.

However, when Zhou Chen found out, he just sneered in his heart and didn't care.

Just after Zhou Chen had finished his meal, a chamberlain guard came in and reported: "Your Majesty, the Marquis of Donghuang has returned to Luoyang and is now seeking an audience outside the palace."

"oh!"

A trace of surprise flashed across Zhou Chen's face.

Didn’t the Marquis of Donghuang go to the Minister of War’s Mansion?

So you came to the palace again?

"The Huanghou Hou of Xuandong comes in."

Marquis Donghuang came into the palace so quickly, he must have been reminded by the Minister of War!

Zhou Chen thought to himself and said to the house guard.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The house guard and factory guard bowed and retreated.

moment.

Marquis Donghuang walked into the Hall of Cultivation of the Heart with a dusty look on his face, with a faint hint of worry and nervousness on his face.

"Your Majesty, Song Li, has met with you."

After Donghuang Hou entered the Yangxin Hall, he immediately knelt down and saluted Zhou Chen who was sitting on the dragon throne.

"When I returned to Luoyang, I did not immediately go to the palace to meet the saint. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Donghuang Hou bowed his head to the ground and said in apology.

After being reminded by the Minister of War, Donghuang Hou also reacted and realized that he was confused and made a mistake.

Therefore, Donghuang Hou had to apologize first.

The Marquis of Donghuang knew that this was Luoyang, the center of Zhou Dynasty, and nothing could be hidden from the emperor on the dragon throne.

If you want to pretend that you have never been to the Minister of War and hide the person on the dragon throne, you will undoubtedly be ruining your life.

It is better to apologize first, so that you can make progress by retreating.

It has to be said that no one who can hold a high position, sit at the border and command an army is simple.

Donghuang Hou is no exception.

This initiative to plead guilty and use retreat to advance is just the right thing to do.

After all, if you don’t hit the smiling person with your hand, wouldn’t it be strange to apologize to the sinner first?

Even if the emperor Zhou Chen was dissatisfied, considering that Donghuang Hou took the initiative to plead guilty, he should not go into further details.

If Zhou Chen digs deeper, it will appear that Zhou Chen, the emperor, is a bit narrow-minded.

However, the emperor Zhou Chen was different from other emperors.

"Hou Donghuang, how long has it been since you returned to the court to report?"

Zhou Chen glanced at Donghuanghou who was kneeling on the ground, and asked lightly, without any intention of letting Donghuanghou get up.

When the Marquis of Donghuang heard this, his heart skipped a beat, "Reporting to Your Majesty, I...I haven't returned to the court to report for several years."

Dong Huanghou's hesitant voice became much quieter at the end.

Obviously.

Marquis Donghuang already understood Zhou Chen's intention in asking this question.

This is because Zhou Chen is dissatisfied that he, the Marquis of Donghuang, has not returned to the court to report in recent years.

For a moment, Dong Huanghou felt a little panicked.

"If I remember correctly, I only met you, Marquis Donghuang, twice when I was the prince."

"Since I ascended the throne, you, the Marquis of Donghuang, have not returned to the court to report once."

"Even when I ascended the throne, you, the Marquis of Donghuang, did not return to the court. You only sent a general back to the court."

"Why, if I don't issue an order to summon you back to the court to report, do you, the Marquis of Donghuang, plan to stay in Donghuang instead of returning to the court for the rest of your life?"

Zhou Chen calmly looked at Donghuang Hou who was kneeling on the ground.

Although Zhou Chen's eyes were calm, Dong Huanghou felt as if he was being stared directly at by two sharp swords, making all the hairs on his body stand on end.

"I am guilty."

Marquis Donghuang hurriedly apologized, and his heart sank.

Zhou Chen ignored Donghuang Hou's plea and continued, "I am in charge of hundreds of thousands of Donghuang troops and are far away from the court. If it were me, I would not want to return to the court."

"There is so much freedom in Donghuang. No one can suppress you, Marquis Donghuang."

"How does it feel to support your troops and respect yourself, Lord Donghuang?"

Zhou Chen's words seemed to be said inadvertently, and his voice was still so calm.

However, when Dong Huanghou heard this, his face suddenly turned pale.

Respecting one's own troops has been a taboo for emperors since ancient times.

But now, the emperor has spoken out such a big taboo and placed it on Donghuang Hou.

How could Hou Donghuang not panic?

You know, for any emperor, the most intolerable thing is for the generals below to support their troops and respect themselves...

"Your Majesty, I am guilty."

Marquis Donghuang knocked his head directly to the ground, his voice trembling a little.

From Donghuang Hou's point of view, if he was deemed by the emperor to support his troops and respect himself, then there would only be one outcome for him.

That is ‘death’!

Let him be honored as the Marquis of Donghuang, with a high and powerful position.

Let him guard the border for Zhou Dynasty.

The emperor only needs one word to make everything disappear and make him beyond redemption...

But apart from pleading guilty, Donghuang Hou didn't know how to defend himself.

Let’s not talk about anything else, let’s just say that if the court is going to do something this time, he, the Marquis of Donghuang, will not be able to escape the suspicion of being self-respecting by supporting his troops.

As a marquis who guards the border and is in charge of hundreds of thousands of troops, he has not returned to the court to report for several years.

Even when the new emperor ascended the throne, Donghuang Hou did not come back. This is indeed something that no emperor can tolerate or accept.

What other explanation can there be for this besides supporting the troops with self-respect?

Donghuanghou bowed his head to the ground, feeling panic inside.

In the Eastern Barren, the Marquis of the Eastern Barren is the most powerful feudal official, and his words are true.

But in this Yangxin Hall, Donghuanghou was as humble as an ant.

Donghuang Hou knew very well that the current court was no longer the same as before.

If the emperor wanted to deal with him, the Marquis of Donghuang, it would be easier than trampling an ant to death.

Zhou Chen put his right hand on the armrest of the dragon chair, looked at the Donghuanghou who was trembling uneasily on the ground, and said slowly: "Donghuanghou has been in charge of Donghuang for many years, guarding the territory for me, the Great Zhou Dynasty, protecting the environment and the people, why?

Is there any sin?"

As soon as Zhou Chen finished speaking, Donghuang Hou seemed to have grasped a life-saving straw and said loudly: "Your Majesty, I dare not take credit. As the Donghuang Hou of the Great Zhou Dynasty, it is my duty to guard Donghuang and protect the environment and the people.

."

After saying this, the Marquis of Donghuang still did not dare to raise his head. He bowed his head to the ground and gritted his teeth and said, "But I have not returned to court for several years to report. I am guilty and I hope your Majesty will punish you."

"Punishment?"

"If I punish a meritorious minister, won't it chill the hearts of the border officers and soldiers and the generals of the Great Zhou Dynasty?"

"Come here, the Marquis of Donghuang has guarded the border for me during the Great Zhou Dynasty and protected the territory and the people. He has done a great job with his hard work. I want to give Marquis Donghuang a glass of wine."

As soon as Zhou Chen said these words, the house guard immediately brought a pot of wine, poured a glass, and placed it in front of Donghuang Hou.

Donghuang Hou looked at the filled wine glass in front of him, his face as white as paper.

This glass of wine may be the palace wine.

But it could also be a poisonous drink.

There was no trace of blood on Dong Huanghou's face.

Although the emperor said that he, the Marquis of Donghuang, guarded the border for the Zhou Dynasty and had great achievements in his hard work, he wanted to give him the Marquis of Donghuang a glass of wine.

But no matter how Donghuang Hou listened, he felt that the emperor was speaking sarcastically.

This glass of wine is probably a glass of poisonous wine given by the emperor.

Zhou Chen sat on the dragon throne, saw Donghuanghou's reaction in his eyes, and said calmly: "Donghuanghou, this is the wine I specially prepared for you. I can't bear to part with the others."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness."

There was a hint of bitterness in Dong Huanghou's heart.

He knew that returning to the DPRK this time was inherently a disaster.

But Dong Huanghou still has great expectations.

Because he, the Marquis of Donghuang, had just led his army to annihilate the foreign tribe of Dongyi. At this juncture, it was unlikely that the emperor would take action against him, the Marquis of Donghuang.

But now it seems that he, the Marquis of Donghuang, thinks things too idealistically.

Donghuang Hou took a deep breath, raised his glass, and drank it down without hesitation.

Regardless of whether this glass of wine was poisonous or not, Marquis Donghuang had no choice.

If he dared not drink this glass of wine, he probably wouldn't even be able to keep his body intact.

The wine entered his throat, but Dong Huanghou could not feel any taste of the wine, and his mind went blank.

The Marquis of Donghuang is waiting.

Waiting for the moment when the poison comes out.

Waiting for the moment of cramping in the abdomen.

However, after drinking the wine, Dong Huanghou did not feel any cramping in his abdomen.

This made Dong Huanghou couldn't help but think, could this poisonous wine be chronic?

After a while.

Only then did Donghuang Hou react.

He's not dead.

This is not poisonous wine.

The poisonous wine given by the emperor cannot be chronic.

If the emperor gave him poisonous wine, he would die immediately from the poison the moment he drank it.

Just when Donghuanghou figured this out, Zhou Chen's plain voice sounded in Donghuanghou's ears: "This is my reward for leading the army to annihilate Dongyi."

"You, the Marquis of Donghuang, led the army to wipe out the Dongyi for the Zhou Dynasty. You deserve the credit."

"But you, the Marquis of Donghuang, have the title of Marquis and are in charge of the power of the Donghuang Army. It can be said that you are already in a high and powerful position."

"Whether it's power, rank, or gold and silver, you, the Marquis of Donghuang, should have everything you need."

"So, after much thought, I think it's appropriate to reward you with a glass of royal wine."

"Donghuang Hou, you shouldn't think that I'm stingy, right?"

Zhou Chen looked at Donghuang Hou and said calmly.

When the Marquis of Donghuang heard this, he almost cried with joy.

Originally, Donghuang Hou was ready to die, but unexpectedly, it would take a turn for the worse in the end.

This gave Marquis Donghuang a feeling of surviving a disaster.

The Marquis of Donghuang immediately bowed his head and said, "I don't dare."

"I would like to thank your Majesty for the reward."

The Marquis of Donghuang is not stupid.

Although the emperor said it nicely, Hou Donghuang knew that he had really left the gate of hell.

This was the emperor's warning to him.

It was also the emperor's beating against him, the Marquis of Donghuang.

The emperor just wants to tell him, the Marquis of Donghuang, that everything you have is given by the emperor. The emperor can give you everything, and he can also take back everything he gives you.

Even your life.

"Marquis Donghuang, I hope you will remember the glass of wine I rewarded you with, and don't let me down."

"In the future, if you disappoint me, I will not give you a glass of wine like this."

Zhou Chen looked at Donghuang Hou who was bowing his head on the ground and said.

This is how Zhou Chen beat Donghuang Hou.

He wanted Marquis Donghuang to understand that a king is a king and a minister is a minister.

No matter how powerful you are, in the eyes of the emperor, as long as you have a decree, you can disappear into thin air and everything can be reduced to nothing.

"I understand."

"Your Majesty, don't worry. I will definitely serve the Great Zhou until my death."

Marquis Donghuang immediately expressed his loyalty and said.

Donghuang Hou understands Zhou Chen’s meaning very well.

The emperor can let things go in the past.

But in the future, if he, the Marquis of Donghuang, does anything extraordinary, the reward may really be a glass of poisonous wine.

"Get up!"

Zhou Chen glanced at Donghuang Hou indifferently.

The Marquis of Donghuang is different from the Marquis of Zhenbei and the Marquis of Xiliang.

Although the Marquis of Donghuang did not return to the court to report, he did not dare to directly resist the decree or collude with foreign tribes like the Marquis of Zhenbei and Xiliang.

Moreover, Donghuang Hou previously guarded Dongyan Pass to resist the attack of the Dongyi army.

Then, Donghuang Hou led an army to destroy Dongyi, and also actively cooperated with the imperial household department to measure and count the land.

These are the reasons why Dong Huanghou is still alive today.

If the Marquis of Donghuang hadn't resisted the imperial edict and colluded with other tribes like the Marquis of Zhenbei and Xiliang, there would have been these life-saving straws.

Zhou Chen had already captured Donghuanghou.

It is impossible to keep Donghuang Hou until now.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Marquis Donghuang stood up carefully.

Even now, Dong Huanghou's face is still a little pale, with beads of sweat on his forehead.

Just now, the emperor Zhou Chen's glass of wine frightened the Marquis of Donghuang.

Even now, Marquis Donghuang still has lingering fears.

It's not that Donghuang Hou is timid, but when faced with the coming of death, no one can deal with it calmly without panic and fear.

Even a marquis like Donghuang Hou is no exception.

However, fortunately it was a false alarm.

Donghuanghou knew that from now on, he, Donghuanghou, had passed the test.

You don’t have to worry about anything anymore.

The fate of returning to Luoyang this time is unpredictable, so the word misfortune has been removed.

It is a blessing to be safe and sound.

"Tell me about Donghuang!"

After Donghuanghou stood up, Zhou Chen glanced at Donghuanghou and said.

Upon hearing this, the Marquis of Donghuang immediately bowed and said, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Immediately, the Marquis of Donghuang began to report everything about Donghuang to Zhou Chen bit by bit.

Donghuang Hou knew that now was the time for him to gain the emperor's trust.

Therefore, whether it was the people's livelihood or the affairs of the Donghuang Army, Donghuang Hou reported everything in detail.

(End of chapter)