readytorunbook Chapter 748: Liu Bei's Strong Will for the Country
Chapter 748: Liu Bei's Strong Will for the Country
Liu Bei's voice echoed through the hall, resoundingly so. His words stirred the hearts of the previously silent officials, many nodding secretly, feeling that Liu Bei's words made sense. Wang Jie's face flushed red at Liu Bei's sudden rebuke, and he was speechless for a moment. But he quickly recovered, a sinister glint in his eyes, and retorted, "Uncle Liu, don't make excuses for the Queen! The evidence is irrefutable. Ma Chao openly caused trouble in the hall. How could he do this if he didn't have an affair with the Queen? Don't be biased!"
Wang Jie's words infuriated Liu Bei even more. He took a step forward, pointed his finger at Wang Jie, and was about to open his mouth to retort when he heard the emperor cough heavily. The emperor's gaze swept coldly over Liu Bei and Wang Jie, and he slowly said, "Enough! How can you quarrel like this in the great hall!" As the emperor's words fell, the hall fell into a dead silence again. No one dared to utter a word, quietly awaiting the emperor's verdict.
A chilling glint flickered in the emperor's eyes, a look that betrayed a distorted grasping for power and a revelation of the pleasures of violence. He raised his chin slightly, scanning the hall, his voice icy yet undeniably commanding: "Empress Lu Wan has acted improperly and lacked moral integrity, causing chaos at court and bringing bloodshed. I have resolved to depose her from the throne immediately!"
As soon as these words were spoken, a slight commotion erupted in the hall. Officials exchanged glances, some surprised, others secretly relieved, their eyes flickering with mixed emotions. Liu Bei's heart tightened, his fists clenched, his face awash with anxiety and anger, but he suppressed his anger, knowing full well that the emperor's authority could not be challenged at this moment.
Lu Wan, deposed as empress, swayed slightly, but her face showed no trace of sadness. She slowly closed her eyes, as if accepting her fate, or perhaps silently praying. After a moment, she opened them, a look of resolve in her eyes. She gently pushed aside Liu Bei, who was protecting her, bowed slightly, and addressed the emperor, saying, "Your Majesty has made this decision, and I have nothing to say. I only hope that Your Majesty can restore peace to the world."
The emperor snorted coldly and waved his hand, as if to drive away an insignificant ant. "Drag her away and keep her under guard. Don't let her cause any more trouble." Several guards stepped forward, carried Lu Wan, and led her out. Lu Wan didn't struggle, but as she was being led away, she turned back and gave Liu Bei a deep look. The complex emotions contained in that look pierced Liu Bei's heart.
When Liu Bei saw that the guards were about to take Lu Wan away, he was extremely anxious. He took a step forward without hesitation and shouted, "Your Majesty, wait a minute!" His voice was filled with a hint of urgency and sincerity, and it echoed in the hall.
The emperor frowned slightly and looked at Liu Bei unhappily, his eyes revealing a hint of impatience: "Liu Bei, do you have anything else to say?"
Liu Bei took a deep breath, gathered his composure, and said, "Your Majesty, I dare to offer this advice. If Your Majesty does not consider Lu Wan's past affection, please also consider that Lu Wan's father, Lu Zhi, once risked his life for the court and the country, devoting himself to the country and making great contributions. Now that Lu Wan's title of Empress has been abolished as a warning to others, I, as Lu Wan's senior, grew up with her and know her well. I hope Your Majesty will show some mercy and hand Lu Wan over to my supervision. I will teach her strictly and prevent her from causing any more trouble."
Liu Bei spoke earnestly, his eyes filled with anticipation. He knew this was his only chance to save Lu Wan, and now he could only pin his hopes on the emperor remembering their old friendship.
After hearing Liu Bei's earnest advice, the emperor, instead of reflecting on Lu Zhi's past contributions to the court, quickly pondered his options. The current situation at court was complex, with various forces swirling undercurrents. He now relied on Liu Bei's power to consolidate his rule and maintain balance. Ma Chao's life hung in the balance, a situation already fraught with difficulty. If Lu Wan clashed with Liu Bei again, the situation would only become more difficult. This would be a stark contrast to his previous agreement with Liu Bei to spare Ma Chao's life and would also affect his control over Liu Bei.
Seeing the emperor's hesitation to respond, Liu Bei's eyes revealed an undeniable determination. He straightened his back, unafraid of the emperor's scrutiny, and showed he would not give up until the emperor agreed. The emperor saw Liu Bei's stubborn attitude and secretly groaned, knowing that if the stalemate continued, Liu Bei would surely be dissatisfied and might even completely turn to the opposite side.
After weighing the pros and cons again and again, the emperor forced a seemingly magnanimous smile on his face and said, "What the emperor said makes sense. For your sake, I will hand Lu Wan over to your supervision. But you must restrain her and don't let her do anything that will damage the dignity of the royal family." After hearing this, Liu Bei's tense nerves finally relaxed a little, and he hurriedly knelt down to thank him: "Your Majesty is magnanimous. I will do my best to live up to your trust." The emperor waved his hand, motioning Liu Bei to stand up, and a trace of imperceptible forbearance flashed in his eyes.
Outside the imperial palace, soldiers busied themselves clearing the battlefield of corpses. Chang'an seemed enveloped in a haze of death, the air thick with the pungent smell of blood. The fallen soldiers lay scattered across the battlefield. Among them were Ma Chao's personal guards, who had remained in fighting stances until their death; and generals like Pan Feng and Wu Anguo, now silent as well.
The soldiers gathered the corpses together one by one, their movements hurried but with a certain amount of awe. After finishing their work, the soldiers in charge of the cleanup hurried back to the main hall to report to the emperor. One of them stepped forward and said respectfully but with a hint of nervousness: "Your Majesty, the corpses outside have been cleared. There is one more thing to report. Captains Li Tong and Dian Wei are still breathing, but their injuries are too severe. I am afraid they will not live long." Upon hearing this, everyone in the main hall had different expressions. The emperor frowned slightly.
The emperor frowned slightly, his gaze piercing as he demanded, "What's the matter with Captain Li Tong? I remember him as a palace guard." A general in charge of military briefings hurried forward, knelt on one knee, and nervously replied, "Your Majesty, according to investigation, Li Tong aided Ma Chao in his escape."
Upon hearing this, the emperor's eyes widened with anger, his face full of rage, and he shouted sternly: "What's the point of keeping such a traitor? Capture him immediately and kill him! And kill Dian Wei as well, to uphold military law!" The emperor's voice echoed in the hall with unquestionable majesty, which made everyone present shudder.
When Liu Bei heard this, he thought to himself that something was wrong. He quickly stood up and said with a bow, "Your Majesty, wait a minute! Li Tong and Dian Wei are both rare generals. Although they made a mistake this time, considering that they have made many military achievements for the court in the past, please forgive them. Li Tong may have been confused for a moment, and Dian Wei is seriously injured and on the verge of life and death. Killing him at this time may chill the hearts of the soldiers. If Your Majesty spares their lives, they will be grateful and will go through fire and water for Your Majesty in the future." Liu Bei's words were earnest and his attitude was sincere. The eyes of everyone in the hall were focused on the emperor, waiting for his decision.
The emperor looked at Liu Bei with mixed feelings. As the emperor's uncle, Liu Bei had always supported him, had the empire at heart, and held him in high esteem. But now, regarding Ma Chao, Liu Bei had repeatedly contradicted him. The emperor knew that Liu Bei was deeply dissatisfied with his handling of Ma Chao. If he continued to act in this way, he feared Liu Bei would become completely alienated.
Thinking of this, the emperor heaved a sigh of relief, forced a seemingly magnanimous smile on his face, and said, "My uncle has always been a man of righteousness. Since he is willing to protect them, I can't offend him. I will hand over Li Tong and Dian Wei to my uncle. I hope my uncle can handle them properly and don't let me down." After saying this, an imperceptible helplessness and forbearance flashed in the emperor's eyes, and Liu Bei hurriedly knelt to express his gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace! I will live up to your trust." The atmosphere in the hall was slightly eased by this conversation.
The emperor, a solemn expression on his face, sat upright on his throne. He asked loudly, "How is Ma Chao doing now?" As he finished speaking, a guard hurried in from outside the hall, plopped down on his knees, and breathlessly replied, "Your Majesty, Ma Chao has been shot by three arrows. His life or death is unknown. He has escaped Chang'an. Marquis Wen Lü Bu and General Zhao Yun are pursuing him."
Upon hearing this, the emperor nodded slightly, his expression gradually relaxed, a faint smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he waved his hand and said, "In this case, let's wait for Zilong and Fengxian to come back and report. Ma Chao is seriously injured and can hardly fly away." After that, the emperor leaned back in his chair, his eyes leisurely sweeping over the people in the hall, as if this thrilling change was already under his control and he just needed to wait for good news.
The emperor's face was grave. He neither nodded in agreement nor refuted the officials' overwhelming chorus of "Ma Chao deserves death." Instead, he narrowed his eyes slightly in a noncommittal manner, emanating an elusive aura of authority. He sat quietly on the throne, his slender fingers occasionally tapping the armrests, as if waiting for something.
As time slowly slipped by, darkness gradually enveloped the entire palace, and moonlight, like water, quietly crept up the zenith. Just then, a palace attendant hurried into the hall, kneeling and reporting, "Your Majesty, Zhao Yun and Ma Chao have returned together and are requesting an audience outside the palace." Upon hearing this, the emperor's slightly weary expression instantly brightened. He sat upright and shouted, "Summon them at once!"
Soon, Zhao Yun and Lü Bu entered the hall with steady steps, like towering pines, striding with the gait of a dragon or a tiger. They were clad in silver armor, and the moonlight filtering through the palace door shone off their armor, casting a cool, cool glow. A flicker of hope flashed in the emperor's eyes, but he feigned indifference. He tilted his head slightly and asked casually, "You two have traveled so long, and you must have worked hard. I wonder if you brought back Ma Chao..."