vstars Chapter 1818 Queen Mother's Support
Chapter 1818 Queen Mother's Support
Inside the Golden Palace, the voices of advice and remonstration surged like a tide, almost drowning the young emperor on the throne.
The civil officials burst into tears and begged bitterly on the grounds of the stability of the country and the foundation of the country.
Although the military generals advocated war, they were also firmly opposed to the emperor taking risks in person and vowed to lead the army to fight to the death for the country.
Even Huo Guang and Prime Minister Tang Yimin joined in the dissuasion, and the atmosphere in the hall became extremely solemn.
Although Liu Xiu was determined, he seemed unable to suppress the almost unanimous opposition for the time being.
At this moment of stalemate, when the air was almost frozen—
A cold, calm, yet undeniably majestic female voice, like the tapping of jade, came clearly from the entrance of the hall, instantly drowning out all the noise:
"Your Majesty's decision to lead the army in person is for the continuation of the Han dynasty, not for any selfish ambition."
Everyone was stunned and looked in the direction of the voice.
At the palace gate, against the sunlight coming in from outside, a slender but tall figure slowly walked in.
The visitor was dressed in plain white palace clothes, without any makeup, her hair was tied up high, and she only wore a simple white jade phoenix hairpin. Her face was pale with a hint of illness, but it could not hide the graceful demeanor and cold majesty that was deep in her bones.
Her eyes were as calm as water as she slowly swept over the astonished and confused ministers in the hall.
After seeing the face of the visitor clearly, all the ministers, whether they were kneeling or standing, all changed their expressions and bowed. Many even knelt directly, their voices filled with surprise and awe:
"Your Highness...pays homage to the Empress Dowager!"
The visitor was not the biological mother of the current emperor Liu Xiu (the Queen Mother of the East), but the legitimate wife of the previous emperor Liu Che, who was already honored as the Queen Mother of the West - Dugu Jia!
No one expected that the Empress Dowager Cixi, who had lived in seclusion and had almost no interest in worldly affairs since the death of the previous emperor, would suddenly appear in the Golden Palace at this moment when the country was in crisis and the court disputes were the most intense!
Under the gazes of countless shocked, puzzled, and inquiring people, Dugu Jia walked steadily through the silent hall and came straight to the imperial steps.
She first nodded slightly to Liu Xiu who was sitting on the dragon throne, her movements elegant and maintaining the demeanor of an elder and the mother of the country.
A hint of surprise flashed across Liu Xiu's eyes, but he immediately stood up and bowed slightly in return: "Why is the Queen Mother here?"
Dugu Jia did not answer the emperor immediately, but slowly turned around and faced the ministers who were still bowing or kneeling below.
Her gaze was calm yet penetrating, her voice still cold, yet filled with a sense of righteousness and power, echoing clearly in every corner of the hall:
"My ministers, please stand."
After the ministers stood up anxiously, Dugu Jia continued. Her voice was low, but strangely, it attracted everyone's attention. "I, even from the harem, have heard the tragic news from the front. My heart is broken. The Protector of the Country died bravely for his country, and the army has been overthrown. This is truly a crisis unprecedented in the hundreds of years since the founding of the Han Dynasty."
She paused briefly, her gaze sweeping across the faces of the civil officials who had just vehemently opposed the expedition. Her tone gradually grew sharper, "I know that you all oppose Your Majesty's personal expedition because you worry about His Majesty's safety and the shattering of the nation's foundations. This sentiment is also a sign of loyalty to the emperor and the country. I understand."
"but!"
She suddenly changed the subject, her voice rising a few notches, with a cold determination:
"Have you ever considered whether the Han Dynasty can withstand another defeat? Can it afford the loss of another major army?"
Her eyes grew heavy. "The treasury is empty, our elite soldiers and generals have been decimated, and the soldiers in every county are in a state of panic."
"If we send another general to fight, victory would certainly be gratifying, but what if we lose again? Then, our army's morale will completely collapse, and the Chu army will march directly towards Chang'an!"
"What will we have left to resist then? Do we really have to wait until the Chu army is at the gates and we are all prisoners before we regret not fighting hard today?"
These words, like an ice-cold knife, cut open the bloody reality, leaving many civil officials who advocated stability pale and speechless.
Dugu Jia's voice rang out again, carrying a sense of reminiscence and immense solemnity: "The late emperor didn't die of old age; he died in battle, in the service of his king! He fulfilled his responsibilities as the Emperor of the Han Dynasty with his own blood!"
Her gaze became incomparably sharp as she scanned the entire room. Every word she spoke was like a hammer, hammering down on everyone's hearts, especially those of the military commanders. "Since the founding of the Han Dynasty, we have conquered the Xiongnu in the north and pacified the Yue people in the south. We have weathered many storms and yet our nation has endured. What has this been able to do?"
"It's not about living in a corner and trying to survive! It's about the blood and backbone of the emperors and soldiers of all generations!"
She took a deep breath, and with all her strength, uttered a declaration that would be recorded in history, shocking everyone: "The Son of Heaven guards the national border! The King dies for the country! — This is the innate destiny of my Liu royal family, and it is also the backbone of my great Han Dynasty!"
"Now the country is about to be breached and the country is in danger. The Emperor wishes to follow the example of his ancestors and personally go to the front lines to live and die with the soldiers, boosting the morale of the nation and fighting the enemy to the death!"
"This is an act that demonstrates the unyielding spirit of the Han people. What's wrong with it? Why is it wrong?!"
"Do you all want me, the Emperor of the Han Dynasty, to become a cowardly ruler hiding in the deep palace, watching the country fall?"
She almost shouted the last sentence, with the awe-inspiring righteousness and unquestionable majesty of a mother of the country!
silence!
Deathly silence!
The Empress Dowager Cixi Dugu Jia's resounding and righteous words were like a huge bell, making everyone's ears buzz!
Especially these ten words "The Son of Heaven guards the national gate, the king dies for the country", with a tragic and noble power, severely impacting everyone's heart!
Those civil officials who had originally strongly opposed it now looked at each other with burning faces, unable to utter any words of dissuasion.
Because any dissuasion seems so pale and cowardly in the face of such a righteous cause!
The generals who originally advocated war became so excited that their blood boiled after hearing this!
Huo Guang's eyes were filled with tears. He suddenly knelt on the ground and roared, "The Queen Mother is wise! I am willing to follow Your Majesty until death and fight to the bitter end!"
Some officials who had been neutral and wavering were now also moved by the empress dowager's words and momentum. The balance of their hearts completely tilted, and they all came forward to express their opinions: "The empress dowager is absolutely right! We, the officials, are so foolish that we almost ruined the country! Your Majesty personally leading the army is a move to boost national prestige. I second your proposal!"
"I second the motion! May Your Majesty personally lead the army and restore the Han Dynasty's glory!"
"I second the proposal!"
In the blink of an eye, the situation in the court completely reversed!
The outcry of support overwhelmed everything.
Dugu Jia's words completely ignited the fire in the hearts of the Han officials!
They believe that as long as they unite as one, they can turn the tide!