Chapter 42: A Direct Confrontation

Watching the Empress Dowager sweep away in a fit of rage, Ning Chen frowned slightly and followed her out of the Golden Throne Hall with quick strides.

Left behind, the ministers were still buzzing with discussion about the words Ning Chen had spoken in court that day. Little did they know, those words would soon spread throughout the entire capital—even before Ning Chen had returned to the Hall of Mental Cultivation for long.

Ning Chen understood perfectly well why the Empress Dowager had suddenly adjourned the court, and he understood even better why she was so furious. It was because he had stopped pretending. Today, he was no longer the ignorant, capricious, and easily manipulated puppet he had always acted as before her.

She was likely too preoccupied to even consider the matter of the Great Jin; instead, she was surely agonizing over why he had suddenly changed. She might even be suspecting that there was some greater conspiracy behind it all.

However, Ning Chen was not worried about that. Just as he had thought before the court session, he had successfully pushed Cao Dahai into the position of Commander of the Imperial Guard, which was equivalent to having those thirty thousand guards under his own command. He no longer needed to be as timid and submissive as he once was.

What concerned him more at this moment was how the Empress Dowager would handle the invasion by the Great Jin. He was certain that his speech in court had persuaded the vast majority of the officials. Yes, most of them were indeed her people, but the invasion by the Great Jin was not merely a matter of court politics or factional strife. It concerned the survival of the Great Ning Dynasty, the lives of the common people, and, more importantly, their own safety and interests. As long as they were not fools, they would understand that only by preserving the state could they continue to enjoy their vested interests.

This was why he had taken the risk of earning the Empress Dowager’s suspicion and hatred to stand up and speak. It was a calculated ploy—a strategy presented in the open. By convincing the ministers, they would naturally pressure the Empress Dowager to support the war to protect their own interests. Even if the Empress Dowager were unwilling to fight, and even if Zhao Siwen and his cronies opposed it, she would have to tread carefully to preserve her reputation as a "virtuous empress." If she were not utterly insane, she would choose to fight.

Once she chose to fight, it meant she had adopted his strategy. When the war began, his role in initiating this strategy would win him more supporters. War was a unique time, and as a former mercenary leader in his previous life, he would have far more room to maneuver. Toppling the Empress Dowager would become all the easier.

If, however, she insisted on ignoring his strategy and chose to bow down to the Great Jin, ceding territory and paying tribute, she would surely face the scorn of the people. The image of the "virtuous empress" she had so painstakingly cultivated would collapse in an instant. Those forces lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike, would certainly not miss such an opportunity.

Not long after returning to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Xiao Anzi rushed in to report, "Your Majesty, reports from my men indicate that the Empress Dowager has summoned Prime Minister Song Guozhong, Minister of Revenue Zhao Siwen, and Minister of War Chen Boli for a private audience."

Ning Chen frowned, an ominous premonition surfacing in his heart. "Prime Minister Song Guozhong?" He cursed under his breath, "Damn it, I forgot about that old, expressionless stone-face, Song Guozhong!"

Recalling how Song Guozhong always sat in court with his eyes half-closed, saying nothing, yet always intervening at critical moments to shift the tide of events, Ning Chen grew increasingly anxious. What would be the outcome? What would the Empress Dowager decide?

Finally, the decision came. That afternoon, the Empress Dowager issued an imperial edict using Ning Chen’s personal seal, written in a tone that mimicked his own. The edict explicitly stated that while the Empress Dowager opposed bowing down to the enemy, the young Emperor Ning Chen, out of a desire to spare the people from the ravages of war, had decided to send Prime Minister Song Guozhong as an envoy to the Great Jin to sue for peace.

The entire edict was framed as a decision made by the nine-year-old boy, Ning Chen. The Empress Dowager, meanwhile, was cast as a stoic and heroic figure, forced to bow to the misguided wishes of her beloved son.

Ning Chen never imagined she would pull such a move. Not only did she refuse to fight the Great Jin, but she also pinned the shame of seeking peace directly on him. He collapsed onto his bed, sighing heavily, "I miscalculated. I truly miscalculated this time..."

Seeing this, Xiao Anzi asked with great concern, "Your Majesty, what is wrong?"

As he spoke, Ning Chen slammed his fist onto the bed in a fit of rage. "Damn it! Damn it all!"

Xiao Anzi realized what had happened and said indignantly, "Your Majesty, are you angry because that old hag of an Empress Dowager pinned the blame for the surrender on you?"

Ning Chen seemed not to hear him, sighing again, "The Great Ning is finished. It’s finished..."

"Your Majesty, please don't scare your servant. What is really wrong?" Watching the young Emperor, who seemed to have lost his mind, oscillating between heartbreak and fury, Xiao Anzi’s heart was in his throat. He knelt down, nearly in tears, "Your Majesty, it’s all right. Failure is just a failure, at the very least..."

Seeing Xiao Anzi kneeling, Ning Chen regained his composure and sighed, "I am not angry because of her petty tricks."

"Her painstaking efforts to pin the shame of surrender on me will only stall things for a moment. I proposed the war before all the court officials, and with Master Kong there, the truth will eventually come to light. Her ploy will be exposed sooner or later, and it will only cause her reputation as a 'virtuous empress' to collapse even more thoroughly!"

Xiao Anzi sighed with relief. "In that case, Your Majesty, why are you so angry?"

Ning Chen sat up slowly and looked deeply at Xiao Anzi. "What angers me is that she actually chose to bow down to the Great Jin! If I am not mistaken, to raise the funds for the tribute, she will undoubtedly increase the 'sin-redemption silver' and the sale of offices enforced by Zhao Siwen, and she will likely raise taxes on the common people. Because of this, the people of our Great Ning will suffer even more, living lives worse than death."

As he spoke, Ning Chen stood up, gritting his teeth. "The Great Ning is rotten to the core, and it will only rot further. When an army collapses, it is like a mountain falling; when a country falls, it is like the earth crumbling. It all happens in an instant! I don't know if I can hold out until the day I topple the Empress Dowager..."

Ning Chen paused, as if having made a decision. He said in a deep voice, "No, I must accelerate my plans. I must topple the Empress Dowager as soon as possible to buy more time for the future of the Great Ning."

Seeing this, Xiao Anzi seemed to recall something and said with righteous indignation, "That’s right, Your Majesty! You must topple her and take back the reins of government! The Great Ning has been in decline for years, and the lives of the people are becoming harder by the day—this is all the fault of that old hag! If she continues to control the court, the Great Ning will surely perish!"

Xiao Anzi’s eyes flashed with a steely resolve. "Your Majesty, why don't we stage a coup?"

"A coup?" Ning Chen was stunned, then fell into deep thought.

Thinking Ning Chen did not understand, Xiao Anzi quickly explained, "Your Majesty, your performance in court today will surely make the Empress Dowager hold a grudge! She will come for you sooner or later, so it is better to strike first! Under your orchestration, Cao Dahai has successfully become the Commander of the Imperial Guard. We can stage a direct coup, place the Empress Dowager under house arrest, or even dispose of her entirely! We can also force her to hand over the antidote for the poison she gave you. With Cao Dahai, the thirty thousand Imperial Guards, and our men from the Eastern Depot, we will surely succeed!"

He then thought of the young Emperor’s grandfather, Lord Zhou Xianzu, and his expression filled with frustration. "The failure of Lord Zhou’s previous operation was because he did not control the Imperial Guard! But now it is different. With our Eastern Depot, the support of Master Kong, and now the Imperial Guard, we can avenge Lord Zhou and allow you to take power early. We might even be able to rescind the decision to surrender! With your talent, you will surely lead the Great Ning to prosperity."

Ning Chen looked at Xiao Anzi, a flame kindling in his eyes. He murmured to himself, "A coup..."