PDLP Chapter 212 The arrow is on the string
Chapter 212 The arrow is on the string
The letter sent by the Prince of Yan clearly outlined his plan.
If the emperor stays in the palace, he will burn down the capital.
Thousands of kilograms of tung oil have already been poured at various city gates in the capital. It is currently the dry autumn season, and if the fire spreads, the consequences will be unimaginable.
The emperor held the letter in his hand, his eyes unreadable.
Upon seeing the emperor's expression, the empress knew that something had happened.
She hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, perhaps we should wait a little longer. Jing Han may have already returned to the capital."
According to the established plan, Xie Jinghan will lead his troops back to the capital today to wipe out the forces of Prince Xin, Prince Yan, and the Second Prince.
But the emperor said, "The Prince of Yan has been in Qingzhou for over twenty years; his heart has long been twisted. Since he dares to say such things, he will surely do as he says and set fire to the capital."
"No matter what..." the emperor paused, "I cannot see the people of the capital perish in the fire, nor can I watch the foundation laid by our ancestors be destroyed."
The emperor's face was grim as he stared coldly at the letter in his hand.
He hadn't seen the Prince of Yan for twenty-five years, but the handwriting on this letter reminded him of that unruly young man from back then.
The Empress looked worried: "Your Majesty, are you really going to put yourself in danger?"
The Prince of Yan sent this challenge letter, clearly intending to threaten the emperor and force him to appear in public.
Otherwise, the tens of thousands of soldiers of the Prince of Yan would not be enough to break through the Imperial Guard and rush into the palace. Therefore, as long as the emperor stayed in the palace, he could wait for the nearby troops to arrive.
However, the Prince of Yan was unwilling to give the emperor time. He wanted to use the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in the capital to threaten the emperor and force him to show his face.
Once the emperor shows his face... I'm afraid it will be thousands upon thousands of arrows.
The Empress thought for a moment, then firmly grasped the Emperor's hand: "Your Majesty! You mustn't act impulsively!"
"Jing Han will be back soon," the Empress urged anxiously. "Once he returns, all the crises can be resolved. Why should you risk your life? If you show yourself, it will greatly affect Jing Han's plans!"
"Why not wait a little longer?" The Empress steadied herself and tried to make her tone calm. "Wait a little longer until Jing Han sends a message back... If you still don't hear from Jing Han after two more hours, it won't be too late for you to go out."
“Although the Prince of Yan is determined to take revenge, he has waited for twenty-five years. Surely he can’t wait even two more hours?” the Empress advised in a low voice. “We can send a letter first to appease him for the time being.”
The Empress tried her best to persuade the Emperor, and finally saw that his attitude softened.
Her tense nerves immediately relaxed, and she continued, "Your Majesty, please write a letter first. We can't let the Prince of Yan control us with just one letter."
Hearing the Empress's words, the Emperor rubbed his temples and said, "You're right, I didn't think things through."
"Your Majesty, you are worried about the people, so it's inevitable that you might act impulsively," the Empress said softly. "I don't stand at your level, so naturally I don't have your concern for the people of the world."
As she earnestly persuaded the emperor, the atmosphere in the Taiji Hall gradually became less tense.
……
Outside the city, however, the King of Yan was not so calm.
The army had already surrounded the capital, but there was no movement from above the city walls. The Prince of Yan was getting impatient when an arrow was shot in front of the army.
There was a letter on the tip of the arrow.
Upon seeing the letter, the Prince of Yan's eyes lit up: "Quickly send this letter over!"
He waited for this letter for a full half day, wanting to see what choice the emperor would make between his own life and the lives of the people of the capital.
The advisor beside the Prince of Yan frowned, sensing something was wrong: "Your Highness, why don't we take action first? Once the fire in the capital gets bigger, the Emperor will naturally appear."
As the Prince of Yan opened the letter, he listened to his advisors' analysis.
Upon hearing his advisor's words, he refused without hesitation: "Once the fire starts, I will have no room for negotiation with him."
The fire was out of control, and once it started, the emperor's mercy would probably vanish along with the flames—since the situation was beyond saving, it was better to stay inside the palace.
Upon hearing this, the staff member paused.
However, he had a gut feeling that something was wrong, but he couldn't come up with a reason that could convince the Prince of Yan.
At this moment, the King of Yan opened the letter.
Upon reading the contents of the letter, the Prince of Yan's expression instantly turned cold.
He crumpled the letter in his hand, gritting his teeth as he said, "When did he become so afraid of death? He was willing to sacrifice his own life for the people of a city! How come after being emperor for decades, he's suddenly become so cowardly?"
The aide, with his sharp eyes, caught a glimpse of the letter's contents. He rolled his eyes and whispered, "Perhaps his indulgence in pleasure over the years has worn down his will."
Upon hearing this, the Prince of Yan gave a cold laugh.
He suppressed his anger and said to his staff, "Now have people pour tung oil all over the city gates."
At this point, the Prince of Yan narrowed his eyes: "I simply don't believe he can hold back from showing up!"
He had fought with the emperor for many years and understood the emperor's temperament.
The emperor is by no means a coward who fears death. The reason he is not showing up now must be because his threat is not strong enough. The emperor probably does not believe that he could do such a heinous thing.
In reality, he was already a madman, and it wouldn't be surprising if he caused any trouble.
At the King of Yan's command, his advisors nodded hastily.
"My subordinates will do it now."
The tung oil was already prepared. It would only take half an hour to pour it under each city gate. Even if one carried the tung oil and walked around the city wall of the capital, it would only take a day.
With this in mind, the staff member was full of confidence.
Looking at the Prince of Yan again, he also seemed confident of victory.
……
However, the expressions of these people in the Prince Xin's mansion were not so relaxed.
Prince Xin waited in his residence for a long time, but did not receive a signal from Prince Yan outside the city to make a move.
He cursed, "That useless Prince Yan! The opportunity was presented to him, and he still couldn't seize it!"
"Perhaps it's from the Emperor's side..."
"Never mind that." Prince Xin interrupted the reminder from the person beside him. "Now that the Prince of Yan's army is at the city gates, there is no turning back. He has no other choice but to rebel and force the emperor to abdicate."
If the Prince of Yan gives up now, he will only face death, and the emperor will not let him go.
On the contrary, if he fights back, there might still be a sliver of hope for survival.
The King of Yan understood his situation better than he did; he would never give up his rebellion.
Thinking of this, Prince Xin steadied himself and said in a deep voice, "Immediately lead the troops to the secret passage."
"The secret passage has a complex and intricate layout, so be sure to follow the map carefully." He added in a low voice, "Now is a critical moment, so we absolutely cannot afford to make any mistakes."