236 Sweet Words (1/2)
Old Marshal Qiu yelled, ”Tie Zheng! Watch your words! It is a heinous crime to link to such an influential general; how can you simply spout such atrocities? Whatevidence do you have to support this?”
However, he was making surreptitious eye signals even as he berated the man.
Tie Zheng was huffing and puffing, his veins popping up on his skin from his agitation. When he finally calmed down, his jaw was clenched tight as he glared at Yang Botao; as long as he had a chance, he would pounce on the man to bite him!
”Your Majesty… this aged official… is late…” Panting could be heard by the council court entrance as an old man whose hair and beard was all white was helped into the hall as he coughed until he hunched over.
It was the Empire of Yutang’s military Grand Commandant, Fang Qingtian.
The pillar who had held Yutang for so many years was now past his prime, needing someone to support his steps. The peppering of scars on his face that was seasoned with age spots was s memento from the wars he partook back in the years, a relic of the old general’s valiance.
The person who supported Fang Qingtian into the court was the old Grand Commandant’s assistant, his trophy disciple – Fu Baoguo, the sole authority who supervised Board of War.
”Move a chair over here!” The emperor ordered.
When Fang Qingtian was finally seated, he was still trying to catch his breath and said rather uneasily, ”This old official… is ashamed. This official is unable to take a bow yet Your Majesty has to bestow this official a seat, this official is utterly ashamed.”
The emperor was moved, and replied, ”Today’s matter is far too serious. There is no way but to trouble Old Grand Commandant to make this trip. I should be the one worrying instead; my dear minister, do not blame yourself.”
”May I ask Your Majesty why are we gathered here today?” Fang Qingtian asked.
His Majesty heaved a deep sigh. The officials knew that this was the start of today’s proceedings; each of them held their breath in anticipation of the event’s development.
Tie Zheng was the only one who was still glaring at Yang Botao; Yang Botao initially returned his glare only to turn his head away afterward.
”Sigh… Too many things have happened recently, especially since the case of the Nine Supremes’ ambush… It’s a heavy blow towards Yutang’s national destiny…” As soon as the emperor spoke, he dove straight into the heaviest of topics.
The change of expression was apparent in Yang Botao’s face as signs of slight panic emerged. He did not expect that the emperor would pinpoint this incident in such a straightforward manner.
”Before this… I’ve thought that the internal purge prior has already cleared most of the traitors what with so many things that have happened. Now, it looks like I’ve been too optimistic seeing that more complications have cropped up right under my nose…”
His Majesty looked at Yang Botao as he spoke, ”Last night, Yutang’s marshal of the northern troop, Yang Botao, was the target of an assassination attempt. The killer has claimed in public that it was for the Nine Supremes’ revenge. This is not to be taken lightly.”
The entire council court was silent, the absence of noise like the stillness of death.
The old Grand Commandant with his wrinkled face and droopy eyes raised them slowly to glance at Yang Botao. It seemed an ordinary and unintentional gesture, but Yang Botao broke out in cold sweat.
Despite his old age, the Grand Commandant was still as lion-hearted, his valiance still as mesmerizing as it was all those years ago.
”Explain yourself, Yang Botao,” Fang Qingtian asked faintly.
His eyes shut slowly, looking like a log that seemed to be rotting; not a glimmer of life could be seen in his mannerisms.
Those who knew him well knew that the old Grand Commandant was using his carefully curated skill – Ingenious Volition.
This unique skill of the old Grand Commandant rarely failed. The enchanting part of this arcane cantrip was that it could hear the slightest turmoil within the speaker’s emotions. In other words, any lies would show themselves before the old Grand Commandant’s Ingenious Volition.
Yang Botao stood in front with his face still stained with blood as he spoke in a saddened, raspy voice, ”Last night, there was an assassination attempt in my residence and the assassin trumpeted the title of the Nine Supremes, but those who were there knew well that it was but a confusion created to form a falsehood… This official wished for Your Majesty to redress the balance by coming to the assembly today so as to get rid of this accusation! Who knows…”
Yang Botao said self-depreciatingly, ”I was beaten up by Marshal Tie Zheng right at the beginning of the assembly. Our colleagues even used the name of mediation to hinder my counterattacks to allow Tie Zheng to continue his violence.”
”When the old Grand Commandant got here, Your Majesty’s first agenda was to ask me, Yang Botao, to explain myself!”
”First, I survived an assassination attempt before I was walloped, then I was isolated and now I’m asked to fend for myself!”
”I, Yang Botao, have enlisted in the army since I was young and have always been on the frontlines.I’ve gone through over seven hundred wars and got to where I am with the merits I’ve accumulated. Your Majesty is merciful that Yang Botao could only worry about not being able to requite the majestic mercy…”
”I, Yang Botao, fought hard at the northern battlefield, death becoming an insignificant possibility. I can’t build merits to the nation, unable to expand our lands, but I’ve ensured that not an inch of land was lost to the enemy’s conquests…”
”To this day and this moment, the wounds I bear are copious, the physical and mental exhaustion all-consuming.”