Chapter 140: Fury

Just as Li Dan was secretly rejoicing, Feng Yewu suddenly changed his expression and sternly questioned him.

"May I ask, General Li, how much time is left before the far northern freezes set in?"

Startled by the abrupt question, Li Dan hesitated and actually began calculating the time in his mind. After pondering for a moment, he replied with lingering doubt.

"There are still more than three months before the freezing period arrives."

"More than three months? Then does General Li mean that you want the people of my northern frontier to remain in dire straits for three full months? And in over three months, is the Tidi tribe truly foolish enough not to send reinforcements and fortify their defenses?"

Feng Yewu lowered her gaze, her tone chillingly frosty.

"This... this..."

Realizing that his stalling tactic had been turned into a mockery by the sovereign, Li Dan was at a loss for words.

The officials, seeing Li Dan get cornered, hurriedly lowered their heads to avoid the confrontation, terrified of being implicated.

"Does General Li take Us for a fool, offering such a perfunctory suggestion that would only delay our military opportunities?"

Feng Yewu straightened her posture slightly, gazed directly at Li Dan, and reprimanded him sharply.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me! Your subject spoke out of sheer foolishness and without careful thought. I beg Your Majesty for mercy!"

Panicked, Li Dan dropped to his knees, kowtowing and pleading for his life.

A flash of disdain crossed the depths of Feng Yewu's eyes. She leaned back slightly against the imperial chair, let out a cold laugh, and slowly spoke.

"Foolishness? If We had truly believed your thoughtless advice, We would have become a perpetual sinner through the ages. When the Tidi tribe subsequently drove straight into our territory, would the Ye Dynasty not have been utterly destroyed?"

Though spoken in a seemingly gentle tone, Feng Yewu's words were laced with sharp blades and daggers, leaving Li Dan drenched in cold sweat and pale with terror.

Feng Yewu waved her hand and said softly.

"Since General Li is so resourceful, you might as well accompany the Minister of War to guard the city for the people of the northern frontier. Trust Us, when the far north freezes over, that shall be the very day the Ye Dynasty dispatches troops to aid them."

As her voice trailed off, two guards hauled the utterly dejected Li Dan out of the grand hall.

For a moment, absolute silence descended upon the imperial court. Feng Yewu's methods were so swift and decisive—deposing two senior military generals right at the start of court—that the hearts of all present leapt into their throats, each fearing they would be the next.

After a brief moment of heavy silence, Feng Yewu's voice rang out once more, causing the civil and military officials to frown deeply.

"Is there truly no one willing to lead troops to repel the enemy? Must We lead the campaign in person?"

Leading the campaign in person—a bitter taste filled everyone's hearts. It seemed Feng Yewu was entirely serious this time; having already disposed of two major generals, she was still pressing the issue. The officials frantically prayed not to be called upon by name next.

Chen Pingwu looked at Feng Yewu as her gaze swept across the court. On any ordinary day, he would likely have stepped forward early.

Yet this incident was by no means as simple as a foreign invasion.

Before attending the court session, the steward of the Prince's Estate had delivered a letter to him. It turned out that by the time they headed toward Langya City, they had already foreseen everything that would happen today. Although the letter did not elaborate, it strictly emphasized that he was under no circumstances to become involved in the upcoming military expedition within the court.

At first, Chen Pingwu had been somewhat puzzled. After all, foreign invasion and leading troops in defense was a rare opportunity to achieve military merit and establish a career; why would the Prince of Changwu forbid him from participating?

Only after arriving at the court did Chen Pingwu understand: among the cities occupied by the Tidi tribe, half of them were located within his own family's fiefdom. Chen Pingwu could not help but smile bitterly in his heart, sighing inwardly.

"Father, given the current situation, let alone my desire to participate, even if I were to speak up myself, neither the officials nor Feng Yewu would ever agree."

After all, commanding the forces to resist the enemy meant leading an army of a million soldiers, the mobilization of which required the imperial tallies and the commander's seal.

Though born a Prince's Heir, he was ultimately the scion of a vassal state. Which monarch would ever permit the relatives of a vassal prince to hold supreme command over the nation's military and political power?

Forget about speaking up; even without opening his mouth, the mere suggestion of his name by someone else would instantly provoke suspicion and wariness from many.

At this moment, Chen Pingwu felt not only depressed, but his brows knitted together involuntarily.

After all, for the Tidi tribe's invasion to capture eleven cities so effortlessly, there had to be hidden reasons behind it.

He could not speak for other regions, but as for the territory of the Prince of Changwu, he knew the defensive strength of virtually every single city like the back of his hand. It was utterly impossible for those cities to have fallen so easily.

"Could it be...?"

A thought flashed through Chen Pingwu's mind, leading him to suspect that the Prince of Changwu was somehow connected to this matter.

With this realization, Chen Pingwu slowly raised his head to look at Feng Yewu, who sat aloft with a cold and detached expression. Although the Prince of Changwu had previously harbored thoughts of rebellion, that had merely been internal turmoil within the Ye Dynasty.

If the shadow of the Prince of Changwu truly lay behind this foreign invasion, would that not make him no different from the Prince of Pingyi?

Furthermore, those of a different race must surely harbor different intentions. The ambitions of the Tidi tribe were vast and ruthless; if they were to renege on their promises later, he and his father would truly go down in history as the eternal sinners of the Ye Dynasty.

At this thought, Chen Pingwu's complexion turned ashen, and his breathing grew ragged.

"Heir? Are you feeling unwell?"

Sensing the gaze from beside her, Feng Yewu looked over and, seeing Chen Pingwu's abnormal expression, asked softly.

In the vast and silent palace where no one else dared to speak, her gentle voice still sounded exceptionally striking.

Hearing this, many officials quietly raised their heads and cast cautious, sidelong glances at Chen Pingwu.

With a turbulent storm raging in his heart, Chen Pingwu was in no mood to appreciate Feng Yewu's concern. He hurriedly lowered his head, bowed in kowtow, and replied.

"Your Majesty, this subject is indeed feeling somewhat unwell and has disturbed Your Majesty. I beg for your forgiveness."

Observing Chen Pingwu's reaction, Feng Yewu silently noted it down in her mind, then feigned nonchalance and offered soft words of comfort.

"The Heir has endured much hardship from the bumpy travels of these past few days. Let us end the court session for today."

As Feng Yewu's words fell, the ministers felt as though they had just received a grand amnesty. For the first time ever, they chanted expressions of gratitude in unison before fleeing the hall in a mad scramble.

Chen Pingwu also bowed respectfully, turned around, and hurried away.

Consumed by anxious agitation, Chen Pingwu wanted nothing more than to return to the Prince's Estate instantly and demand of Yang Guang: just how much did he truly know about the actions of the Prince of Changwu?

Now, every single puzzle piece seemed to have found its answer.

Why Yang Guang had hunted down Wang Jia, even willing to kill him, Chen Pingwu, along the way.

Why his father had kept him entirely in the dark regarding Yang Guang's actions.

Yang Guang's many bizarre movements back in Wuyan County and Langya City—all of it now clicked seamlessly into place.

Right down to the very moment the Prince of Changwu had his steward hand that letter over to him.

"Bang!"

Clenching his jaw with a dark expression, Chen Pingwu rushed at full speed back to the Prince's Estate, kicked the courtyard door wide open, and roared into the empty courtyard.

"Yang Guang! Yang Guang, get out here!"

Filled with boiling rage, Chen Pingwu pushed open room after room, searching for Yang Guang's figure.

"Brother Wu... what is wrong with you?"