Dongfang Zhan's voice was calm, yet every word he spoke made sense. The ministers lowered their heads slightly, their gazes becoming deep. Giving military power to the emperor was simply a matter of changing the management of the border soldiers. They suffered no loss, nor did the emperor. Only Prince An, who had lost his military power, would be uncomfortable.
"The Azure Flame Calamity is imminent. We cannot risk the safety of the entire Azure Flame for our own selfish reasons!" Dongfang Zhan addressed the ministers, but his words were directed at Dongfang Heng, a strange smile playing on his lips.
Most of the ministers of Qingyan are old and stubborn. They hold high positions but are afraid of death. He only needs to list out the advantages and disadvantages one by one, and they will take the initiative to force Dongfang Heng to hand over military power.
A quick glance revealed that the ministers were indeed looking at Dongfang Heng with a different gaze. The command of 400,000 troops was roughly half the strength of Qingyan. Controlling these troops was equivalent to holding half of Qingyan's territory. No one would easily hand them over.
Dongfang Heng is the God of War of Azure Flame, with extraordinary abilities. Normally, they would not dare to offend him, but now, with the Azure Flame Calamity about to arrive, they can no longer turn a blind eye for the sake of Azure Flame's safety.
The ministers exchanged quick glances, and after a moment, Prime Minister Li stepped forward, looked at Dongfang Heng, and coughed lightly a few times: "Anjun..."
Dongfang Heng's slender figure suddenly moved, instantly appearing before the emperor. His obsidian-like eyes were as calm and still as an ancient well. He took out a round token from his sleeve and handed it to the emperor: "This is the military tally of the 400,000-strong army of Subei. Please take it back, Your Majesty."
The ministers were taken aback, then lowered their heads, feeling a chill run down their spines. They realized that Prince An had no intention of forcibly keeping the military tally; they had been judging a gentleman by their own petty standards.
Prime Minister Li stood alone in the center, like a crane among chickens, quite out of place. His mouth was slightly open, and the coercive words he had prepared were lingering on his lips. He couldn't say them, nor could he remain silent. His righteous demeanor gradually turned into extreme embarrassment.
The circular military tally gleamed brightly in Dongfang Heng's white jade hand. Dongfang Zhan's deep eyes shone with intense anticipation. After the emperor accepted the tally, he would find a way to persuade the emperor to give him the tally and command the 400,000-strong army. In that case, no one in Qingyan would be able to contend with him.
The emperor stared intently at the circular military tally, but did not reach out to take it. He had lived in the capital for a long time, yet he was well aware of the important matters concerning Qingyan.
Qingyan and Subei are sworn enemies. The people of Subei are fierce and powerful, but they have remained inactive because they are wary of Dongfang Heng. If Dongfang Heng's military seal is taken back and Qingyan's border general is replaced, then the Subei army will have no more scruples and may attack Qingyan all the way. In that case, they will have prevented the natural disaster but created a serious one, which is not what he wants to see.
"Your Majesty, please take back the military tally." Dongfang Heng presented the military tally, and seeing that the emperor seemed reluctant to accept it, he reminded him in a deep voice.
The ministers were also puzzled. Why didn't the Emperor accept the military tally offered by Prince An?
Under everyone's watchful eyes, the emperor slowly raised his hand, not to accept the military tally, but to push it toward Dongfang Heng: "The Prince of Huai speaks politely. The Prince of An is surnamed Dongfang and is my nephew. The military tally is the same whether it is in your hands or in mine."
Dongfang Zhan was startled, and the smile on his lips vanished instantly. What happened? His father actually refused the military tally for 400,000 troops? That's more than half of Qingyan's military strength.
The ministers were all puzzled. Although Prince An had the blood of the Eastern royal family flowing through his veins, he was not the emperor's son after all. The requirements for natural disasters were extremely strict, and Prince An was simply not suitable to take the military seal.
“People are different, and their abilities are different. As the God of War of the Azure Flame, Prince An can unleash the full power of 400,000 troops. If someone else were to lead them, no matter how capable they are, they would not be able to match Prince An. You ministers may not have seen the strength of the Subei people, but you should have heard of it. Apart from Prince An, who else can subdue them?”
The emperor's voice was neither too loud nor too soft, enough for the ministers to hear clearly. They frowned in thought, then nodded repeatedly. The Azure Flame War God was most skilled in military campaigns; when it came to leading troops, no one could compare to him.
During his three years at the border, he trained his soldiers to be strong and healthy, and protected the Qingyan territory with impenetrable defenses. Although the Qingyan princes were capable, they had never commanded so many soldiers before and were no match for Dongfang Heng. It was the perfect opportunity to entrust him with an army of 400,000. Military authority and power should be given to the capable.
"Father, you are the Emperor of Qingyan, personally commanding an army of 400,000. Even Subei will have something to fear." Dongfang Zhan flattered the emperor, who would dare say that the prestige of a monarch is inferior to that of a prince.
"Qingyan has many national affairs to attend to, and I am already overwhelmed with them. Where would I find the time to lead the border troops?" The emperor shook his head, his smile quite helpless. "Prince An is very familiar with Subei, and he is the most suitable person to command the 400,000 troops."
"Father, the result of the Heavenly Inquiry is that you must personally take control of the military tally. The military tally is in the hands of Prince An. What if a natural disaster strikes?" Dongfang Zhan's plan to inquire about the heavens was mainly for the military tally in Dongfang Heng's hands. If the emperor does not take the military tally, everything he has done will be in vain.
"This..." The emperor frowned, pondered for a moment, and said in a deep voice, "The military tally will be temporarily placed with Prince An. If a natural disaster really strikes, there will definitely be omens. At that time, I will take it back."
"Your subject obeys the decree." Dongfang Heng clenched his white jade fingers, tucking the circular military tally into his sleeve. His expression was indifferent, his gaze calm, as if he had long expected this to happen.
Dongfang Zhan was taken aback, but then he realized that Dongfang Heng had long held the military tally and knew that the emperor was wary and suspicious of him. The matter of the military tally was a test of his thoughts.
Therefore, faced with his scheme and the suspicions of the officials, he remained silent and, before Prime Minister Li could press him, voluntarily handed over the military tally, thus dispelling the emperor's doubts.
The Subei army was powerful and fierce, and for the time being only Dongfang Heng could repel them. Therefore, the emperor, being a wise ruler, not only did not revoke the military tally, but also placed more trust in him. This is called putting oneself in a desperate situation to survive. He was clever, truly clever.
Dongfang Heng looked at Dongfang Zhan, his deep eyes clear and cold, with a hint of provocation.
A fierce rage ignited in Dongfang Zhan's chest. As expected of the Azure Flame War God, his casual words and actions easily ruined his painstakingly planned scheme. He was indeed a formidable opponent. However, Dongfang Zhan would not easily admit defeat, especially not to Dongfang Heng.
"Issue the order: Qingyan will conduct a thorough investigation throughout the country of men born in the year, month, day, and hour of Yang, report the results immediately, and assign them appropriate positions." The emperor gave the order, his calm tone carrying an indescribable air of authority.
"Yes!" The Minister of Revenue and the Vice Minister of Revenue, knowing the seriousness of the matter, responded respectfully, their tone heavy.
Prime Minister Li stepped forward with a deep gaze: "Your Majesty, my grandson Li Fan was born in a Yang year, Yang month, Yang day, and Yang hour."
"Really? What a coincidence." The emperor turned to look at Prime Minister Li: "I wonder what Li Fan is best at?" There aren't many people born in Qingyan at this special time, and each one has been put to good use.
Prime Minister Li shook his head and sighed, "To my shame, Fan'er is neither good at literature nor martial arts, he has no particular talent..."
The ministers chuckled inwardly. Prime Minister Li was telling the truth; besides being a womanizer, Li Fan really didn't have any other special talents...
“Even if Prime Minister Li’s grandson is completely uneducated, he should at least have some skill…”
The emperor's voice rang in his ears. Dongfang Heng looked at the azure sky, his obsidian-like eyes unfathomable. By using magic to question the heavens, he eliminated his enemies and placed all his most loyal subordinates in various fortresses, silently seizing control of Qingyan's lifeline. Dongfang Zhan was truly clever.
Is he already eager to seize control of the Azure Flame and ascend the throne as emperor?
The night was cool and still, and all was quiet. Dongfang Heng and Dongfang Xun sat on the roof of Fengsong Courtyard, drinking together.
Dongfang Xun had an excellent tolerance for alcohol. He drank half a jar of wine and was not drunk at all. Looking at Dongfang Heng, who was leisurely drinking, he suddenly said, "The Fifth Prince is going to Xiangxi as a commoner. He can't go far in five or six days, can he?" The emperor really had the heart to demote his own son to a commoner.
"With officials escorting him, his speed won't be too slow." Commoners are the lowest class of people in Qingyan, powerless and without any hope of ever turning their lives around. Dongfang Zhan has completely eliminated this newly powerful rival.
"Second brother, Dongfang Zhan is ambitious and yearns for the throne. As can be seen from the matter of the Fifth Prince, he is determined and will not show any mercy to his enemies. He is determined to seize your military power. He will not be discouraged by this failure and will devise a second and a third plan until you hand over your military power."
Born into a royal family, Dongfang Xun grew up amidst intrigue and power struggles. He was exceptionally perceptive and insightful, and he had long since discerned Dongfang Zhan's ambition.
"I know!" Dongfang Heng's jade-like fingers gripped the wine jar, his dark eyes clear and cold.
"So what are you going to do?" Dongfang Zhan is the Prince Zhan, the emperor's most beloved and valued son. He is exceptionally capable and has almost no weaknesses. It will not be easy to bring him down.
“Dongfang Zhan is cautious and extremely difficult to deal with. We can look for weaknesses in the people around him.” Dongfang Heng smiled faintly, a smile that was both subtle and enigmatic.
Dongfang Xun's gaze sharpened: "You mean..."
"Make way, make way, make way now..." A rough roar rang out, interrupting Dongfang Xun's words, sounding particularly abrupt in the quiet night.
Dongfang Xun glanced to the side and saw an exquisite sedan chair swerving wildly on a sparsely populated road. The four strong sedan chair carriers, all burly and muscular, were carrying the sedan chair but they were walking unsteadily, as if they were struggling a lot, and they would occasionally wipe the sweat from their foreheads with their sleeves.