After the Meal!
The chambers of Zhao Feng's wives and concubines were destined to be anything but peaceful tonight.
After such a long separation, Zhao Feng naturally had to make it up to them properly.
The Next Day!
The Imperial Court Hall!
As the time for the court session approached, many ministers were already waiting outside the hall.
"Have you heard?"
"Zhao Feng has returned."
"He returned yesterday, it seems. He entered the palace for an audience and then went back home."
"At such a young age, he already holds the rank of Supreme General, and now he's about to be granted the title of Martial Lord. Sigh… only twenty-three years old, and already far ahead of us."
"After today, Zhao Feng will undoubtedly be the foremost among military officials."
"He doesn't even need the title of Martial Lord. Just by his rank alone, he already stands above all other generals. Despite his youth, his battle achievements far surpass those of any other Supreme General."
…
Ministers gathered in small groups, discussing amongst themselves. The most mentioned name, of course, was Zhao Feng.
News of Zhao Feng's return had already spread throughout Xianyang.
Even when he entered the city, he caused quite a stir. Many commoners, upon hearing of his return, came out to welcome him spontaneously. This scene had already been evident back in Shacheng County.
Zhao Feng had become a hero to all of Great Qin.
At that moment!
A grand six-horse carriage rolled into the palace square.
Many ministers turned their gazes towards it.
"Zhao Feng has arrived."
A minister's voice rang out.
Many others also turned to look.
On the carriage
Zhao Feng had already changed into his official Qin military robes, with a sword hanging at his waist.
Stepping down from the carriage, he strode steadily toward the Imperial Court Hall.
Meanwhile, his driver Zhang Ming, and a few personal guards remained in place, awaiting further orders.
"Wait for my signal. When the time comes, bring everything into the hall," Zhao Feng instructed in a deep voice.
"Yes, sir!" Zhang Ming immediately acknowledged.
Afterward
Zhao Feng ascended the steps.
He remained composed despite the many gazes fixed upon him.
As he reached the top
Several ministers quickly approached.
"Congratulations, Supreme General, on your triumphant return."
"I have heard of your daring raid into the Northern Frontier against the barbarians. Truly admirable!"
"To lead an army of ten thousand deep into enemy territory General Zhao, you are truly extraordinary."
"I am in awe…"
One by one, the ministers offered their congratulations.
In response, Zhao Feng smiled and clasped his hands in salute. "You flatter me, my lords. As a soldier of Great Qin, I must fight on the battlefield."
His words were courteous, but he remained composed.
At that moment!
A familiar figure walked over.
"You sure have a knack for surviving," said Han Fei with a smirk.
Hearing this
Many ministers' expressions shifted.
Had such words come from anyone else, they would have been outright mockery.
But those familiar with the court knew well.
Whenever Zhao Feng was targeted, Han Fei was always the first to step forward and defend him. Their close relationship was well known.
"If that's the case, I'll make sure to take you to the grasslands next time," Zhao Feng replied, feigning irritation.
"I am a civil official, not a warrior."
"Battles like that are best left to you."
"You owe me a drink at the Wine Immortal Pavilion after court today."
"I was worried sick hearing about your lone charge into the steppe," Han Fei grumbled.
As he spoke, he lightly punched Zhao Feng in the chest.
Of course, it was just a playful gesture though even if he had used all his strength, Zhao Feng would have barely felt it.
"Hahaha."
"Don't worry."
"The drinks are on me today."
Zhao Feng laughed heartily.
"Welcoming Prime Minister Wang."
"Welcoming Chancellor Kuai."
At that moment!
A chorus of respectful greetings echoed.
Wang Wan and Kuai Zhuang walked in with heads held high.
Upon spotting Zhao Feng, they both furrowed their brows slightly.
"What a pity."
"If it weren't for Wang Wan's obstruction, you would have been promoted to State Guard Commander last time after slaying the King of Donghu," Han Fei sighed.
"Compared to that, being granted the title of Martial Lord is even better."
"Besides, the position of State Guard Commander will be mine sooner or later," Zhao Feng said with a faint smile.
"That is true."
"Having reached the peak of the twenty-rank system and now bestowed the title of Martial Lord"
"In the military, no one can surpass you anymore."
"Your promotion to State Guard Commander is merely a matter of time," Han Fei agreed with a chuckle.
"Oh, by the way."
"Do you need any more talented officials under your command?" Zhao Feng suddenly asked.
"I do! Desperately so." Han Fei immediately grinned.
He knew Zhao Feng had high standards if he recommended someone, they would surely be exceptional.
Even the once-unknown County Magistrate Yan Bing, whom Han Fei had appointed on Zhao Feng's recommendation, had proven himself to be an outstanding governor.
"Good."
"We'll discuss this in detail at the Wine Immortal Pavilion later," Zhao Feng said with a smile.
At that moment!
"General Zhao, congratulations."
"A magnificent achievement, shaking the world."
A deep voice rang out it was Meng Wu.
Following him was Huan Yi.
"Congratulations indeed."
"Your northern campaign against the barbarians has truly displayed the might of Great Qin."
"Glorious, truly glorious," Huan Yi praised, giving Zhao Feng a thumbs-up.
"Hearing such praise from two great generals is truly an honor," Zhao Feng replied with a smile. He remained humble, despite his superior rank.
"This is no mere praise any general would envy such achievements," Huan Yi chuckled.
"In the past, we used to compare you to Meng Tian and Wang Ben. But now, it's clear"
"We can't match you at all."
"You're a born commander."
Meng Wu sighed in admiration.
Comparisons had once been drawn between Zhao Feng and other rising stars, such as Meng Tian and Wang Ben.
But now that Zhao Feng had risen to Supreme General, the comparisons were meaningless.
Even his elders had to admit they were outclassed.
"Two esteemed generals flatter me too much," Zhao Feng replied modestly.
"What's this?"
"Are my son-in-law's achievements making you two feel inferior?"
Wang Jian's hearty laughter echoed through the air.
Meng Wu and Huan Yi immediately turned to look at him.
Wang Jian strode over with a smug expression on his face.
"You old bastard, you just got lucky," Meng Wu said grumpily.
"Indeed," Huan Yi added, his tone full of dissatisfaction. "Aside from luck being on your side, there's nothing special about it."
"Hahaha!"
"This is just heaven's favor upon me," Wang Jian laughed heartily.
"In the future, you will envy me even more."
For him, being able to outshine Meng Wu and Huan Yi both top-ranking generals was already a great pleasure. Now, with Zhao Feng as his son-in-law, he had completely surpassed them, making him even more delighted.
Moreover, Wang Jian could already imagine the expressions of shock on everyone's faces in court when Zhao Feng's true identity was finally revealed. Meng Wu and Huan Yi would be even more stunned and envious.
"This old bastard is completely over the moon now," Huan Yi muttered irritably.
"Forget it, I'm not going to bother with him anymore," Meng Wu huffed before turning away.
Huan Yi also shot Wang Jian a glare, full of disdain, before walking off.
"Hahaha!"
Wang Jian continued to laugh triumphantly.
Watching his father-in-law's smug demeanor, Zhao Feng simply smiled without saying anything.
"You old geezer, what are you staring at?"
At that moment, Wang Jian seemed to sense a malicious gaze directed at him. He immediately turned to glare at Wang Wan, muttering curses under his breath.
Only Zhao Feng, who was standing beside him, could hear his words.
"Father-in-law," Zhao Feng suddenly said in a lowered voice, "I guarantee you'll be in for a spectacle in court today."
"Are you serious?"
Wang Jian was taken aback and looked at him with surprise.
Yesterday, at Zhao Feng's residence, Zhao Feng had mentioned that he was going to bring down Wang Wan. At the time, Wang Jian thought he was joking. But now, it seemed Zhao Feng was dead serious.
"You'll see soon enough," Zhao Feng replied with a faint smile, offering no further details.
"You little brat, always keeping me in suspense," Wang Jian muttered, clearly intrigued but also frustrated.
After being glared at by Wang Jian, Wang Wan finally withdrew his gaze.
"Prime Minister Wang,"
"Now that Zhao Feng has returned, Wang Jian seems even more arrogant," Kui Zhuang said coldly.
"Let him be smug,"
"The world will soon be unified. When that happens, these military generals will no longer have any use. The Qin court will still be ruled by us, the civil officials."
"For now, let them bask in their moment of glory," Wang Wan sneered.
Kui Zhuang nodded in agreement and remained silent.
"The Crown Prince is here!"
A minister suddenly announced.
All eyes turned in that direction.
Fusu was seen walking across the palace square.
As soon as he spotted Zhao Feng, his eyes lit up.
He walked directly towards Zhao Feng.
"Fusu is coming for you," Wang Jian whispered.
"Even though you've fallen out with him, you still need to maintain appearances. After all, he is the official Crown Prince," he reminded Zhao Feng.
"Father-in-law, I'm not a reckless person," Zhao Feng chuckled.
"Also, the way you said 'official Crown Prince' sounds a bit odd," he added with amusement.
"Haha, maybe I misspoke," Wang Jian laughed and said no more.
Fusu approached and greeted Zhao Feng with a smile.
"Congratulations to the Grand General on your triumphant return!"
"Many thanks, Crown Prince," Zhao Feng replied with a polite but indifferent smile.
"This time, the Grand General ventured deep into enemy territory, destroyed their royal court, and slew their king,"
"Your achievements have shaken the world,"
"Even I am in awe,"
"However, the slaughter of civilians in the enemy lands... I believe it was excessive,"
"While those who harm our people deserve to die, there are also innocent civilians among them. Killing them all is too cruel."
Fusu initially praised Zhao Feng's victories, but soon, his tone shifted as he criticized the massacre of enemy civilians.
Hearing this, Wang Jian's expression darkened slightly.
Zhao Feng, on the other hand, immediately dropped his smile.
Before Fusu could continue, Zhao Feng interrupted him coldly.
"If the Crown Prince has time..."
"I suggest you visit the northern borders yourself,"
"See for yourself the countless Qin civilians slaughtered by these so-called 'innocent' barbarians,"
"Look at the families who have lost their parents, the parents who have lost their children."
"Instead of sitting here, making empty arguments, speaking nonsense!"
"Your words..."
"I do not agree with them."
With that, Zhao Feng turned away and walked off without hesitation.
Fusu, who was known for his gentle temperament, visibly stiffened, his expression turning sour.
"Crown Prince,"
"Do you know why His Majesty is disappointed in you?"
Wang Jian added before turning away as well.
The entire exchange was witnessed by the gathered ministers.
"What did the Crown Prince say to make Grand General Zhao Feng so angry?"
"Not just General Zhao, even the Crown Prince seemed upset afterward."
"Something must have happened."
"Could it be that the Crown Prince tried to win over General Zhao? Or maybe he was pleading for Chunyu Yue, and was rejected?"
"Highly likely."
"The Wang family and the Zhao family are now bound by marriage. Together, they control half of Qin's military power. Now that they are openly opposing the Crown Prince, this is not good for him. It casts doubt on his future as heir apparent."
"His Majesty will surely take the Wang and Zhao families into account when making his decision."
"I had intended to support the Crown Prince, but now... I'm reconsidering."
"Better to wait and see…"
Seeing Zhao Feng's outright defiance of Fusu, many ministers began to waver.
Especially those who had previously supported or remained neutral toward the Crown Prince were now hesitant. Some were even preparing to abandon their support entirely.
The reality was clear:
Zhao Feng and Wang Jian were simply too powerful.
Their control over the military was an undeniable threat.
"Your Highness,"
"What did you say to Zhao Feng just now? How dare he walk away like that?"
Wang Wan quickly approached, his expression dark and stormy.
"I told him that he was too ruthless in slaughtering enemy civilians and that he should show restraint in the future,"
"In the end… military minds and Confucian scholars will always have different views," Fusu sighed helplessly.
In just a moment,
Fusu let go of his concerns.
The two factions had different teachings Confucianism and military strategy were not the same.
Just as Zhao Feng couldn't persuade him with his reasoning, he couldn't persuade Zhao Feng either.
"Zhao Feng is truly insolent."
"Perhaps your words were unpleasant for him, but you are still the crown prince, and he is merely a subject. How dare he be so rude?"
"In the end, this is what happens when one holds military power and grows arrogant from achievements." Wang Wan said coldly.
"Your Highness, did you see that?"
"This is exactly the problem with military power."
"Today, he dares to act this way towards you. If he one day becomes the Grand Marshal, controlling the entire military of the empire, he might not even respect His Majesty anymore." Kui Zhuang also spoke up, his tone filled with apprehension.
Hearing the two of them echo each other's concerns, Fusu's expression showed a trace of worry.
"Excessive military power is indeed a potential disaster," Fusu said slowly.
"Your Highness, do not worry."
"We ministers will do everything in our power to restrain Zhao Feng and Wang Jian, ensuring that they do not go too far."
"When the empire is unified, these generals will no longer be needed."
"At that time, we will assist Your Highness in stripping Zhao Feng and the others of their military power. Without military power, they will be insignificant." Wang Wan said in a low voice.
Fusu nodded.
Listening to the two ministers, his heart became increasingly filled with concerns about the military power held by Zhao Feng and the other top generals.
Meanwhile,
A short distance away,
Zhao Feng's lips curled into a cold smile. "After unifying the empire, you plan to strip me of my military power?"
"Wang Wan, you think I'm that easy to deal with?"
"And Fusu"
"As history records, you are nothing but an indecisive prince with no firm stance of your own."
"You let these ministers lead you by the nose without even realizing it."
"If His Majesty truly saw potential in someone like you, that would be a real surprise."
"However"
"Whether you are the crown prince or not, if you try to stand against me, I won't let you off easily."
They thought they were speaking quietly, but Zhao Feng's hearing was extraordinarily sharp.
The slightest movement around him did not escape his notice.
If he unleashed his divine sense, he would be able to perceive everything within a vast radius.
At that moment
The doors of the grand court hall opened.
Zhao Gao's piercing voice rang out, "His Majesty is arriving! All officials, prepare to pay respects!"
As Zhao Gao's voice fell,
The civil and military officials swiftly lined up into two rows, quickly adjusting their attire.
Then, in an orderly manner, they stepped into the grand hall.
As the highest-ranking military noble, Zhao Feng naturally stood at the foremost position among the military officials. His father-in-law, Wang Jian, stood second, followed by Meng Wu in third, and Huan Yi in fourth.
At the entrance of the hall,
Ren Xiao, the commander of the imperial guards, personally conducted the weapon inspections.
Ever since the assassination attempt by the Yan envoy, security measures have become increasingly stringent.
The entire batch of imperial guards responsible for inspections during that incident had been dealt with, as they had nearly allowed the Qin King to be assassinated a crime deserving of death ten thousand times over.
Now, even high-ranking officials had to undergo a thorough inspection before entering the court.
However, as Zhao Feng approached the hall
"General, please proceed."
Ren Xiao immediately stepped aside.
Zhao Feng had been granted the imperial privilege of entering the court with his sword something no one else in the empire possessed.
"You have my thanks," Zhao Feng said with a smile as he strode into the grand hall.
He was the first to enter, taking his rightful position.
Even the royal princes, Fusu and Huhai, had to undergo inspection.
Soon,
One by one, the ministers followed.
After a short while,
Once all officials had entered the court
"His Majesty arrives!"
"All officials, pay respects!"
"Long live His Majesty!"
Zhao Gao's sharp voice resounded through the hall.
"We bow before Your Majesty!"
"May His Majesty reign for ten thousand years, and may the Qin Empire last for eternity!"
All the officials raised their ceremonial tablets high and bowed deeply.
Amidst the resounding voices,
Ying Zheng, dressed in an imperial robe and crowned, emerged from a side hall and stepped onto the throne platform.
He gazed down upon the court with a commanding presence.
With a wave of his hand, he declared, "Rise."
"We thank Your Majesty for your grace," the officials responded in unison.
Then, they returned to their respective positions.
"If there are petitions, present them now. If none, the court is adjourned," Zhao Gao announced loudly.
"Your Majesty,"
"I have a matter to present,"
Zhao Feng stepped forward boldly and spoke in a loud voice.
Seeing that it was Zhao Feng,
Ying Zheng was slightly surprised before smiling, "Zhao Feng, you have just returned. What matter do you wish to raise?"
"Your Majesty, I wish to impeach a high-ranking minister in this court,"
Zhao Feng's voice rang out with stern authority.
As his words fell,
The entire court was in an uproar.
Even Ying Zheng looked at him with astonishment.
"He's starting already?"
"Could this kid have evidence against Wang Wan?" Wang Jian mused internally.
But he remained silent, ready to enjoy the show.
"Who do you wish to impeach?" Ying Zheng asked.
Zhao Feng turned around, his gaze landing firmly on Wang Wan, the head of the civil officials.
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