Chapter 353: Your Majesty Truly Dotes on the Prime Minister!
Lin Beifan had a puzzled look on his face, “My lords, what are you all here for?”
The various generals bowed and solemnly said, “Greetings, Prime Minister! Prime Minister, on your upcoming campaign to conquer the rebellious state of Darro, the journey is long and perilous. We are willing to protect and assist you every step of the way. Please allow us to accompany you.”
Lin Beifan’s expression darkened even more, “Why do I need so many people? I have made preparations for my journey to Darro, and I don’t require your assistance. Return to your duties, each of you!”
“Prime Minister, you can’t say it like that!”
An elderly general with a serious expression said, “Traveling to Darro alone to command a military campaign is a tremendous responsibility. There may be times when you are fatigued and make mistakes. Leading troops in battle is no trivial matter. Although I may not have a remarkable record in battle, I have years of experience and can assist you, reducing your burden, Prime Minister!”
A young general stepped forward with determination, “Prime Minister, your safety is paramount to the state. I may not be suitable for commanding battles, but I am unparalleled in ensuring your safety. I will not let a single hair on your head be harmed. If anything were to happen to you, Prime Minister, I would have to step over my own dead body first!”
“Prime Minister!” Another general spoke up, “I possess a unique skill – I can determine positions by sound alone. I can sense enemy movements within a radius of several dozen miles through ground vibrations, their numbers, and more. This expedition into unfamiliar territory is fraught with danger. With my assistance, Prime Minister, you can proceed with greater ease and higher chances of success!”
“Prime Minister…”
All the generals expressed their abilities and pledged to serve Lin Beifan, offering to protect him from all sides. They made it clear that anyone wishing to harm Lin Beifan would have to go through their dead bodies.
Guo Shaoshuai was deeply moved, tears welling up in his eyes, “It turns out that you are all loyal and righteous individuals, valiant and heroic! With heroes like you in Great Wu, what need have we to worry?”
“Get lost!” Lin Beifan said irritably, “What schemes are you all plotting? Don’t think I don’t know! I really don’t need so many people. Go back to your posts! Otherwise, I will report to Her Majesty and charge you with dereliction of duty!”
Just then, a sharp voice rang out, “The Emperor has arrived!”
Everyone turned to see the Empress approaching, gracefully and exceptionally beautiful, radiating charm that outshone all others.
“Greetings, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor, long live, long live!”
Everyone congratulated in unison.
“Please, my dear subjects, there’s no need for formalities!” The Empress smiled and extended her hand.
Lin Beifan raised his head and asked curiously, “Your Majesty, why have you come?”
“Sir Lin!” The Empress approached with a joyful smile, “For your distant expedition to Darro, a long and perilous journey, I couldn’t rest easy. That’s why I came here to send you off personally. I wish you a safe journey and a triumphant return!”
Lin Beifan blinked, “I never saw you send me off when I went to defeat the Three Rebel Kings before. Is it really necessary for a mere Darro state to have you come all this way?”
He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something felt odd about the situation.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Lin Beifan said gratefully.
At this moment, the Empress noticed the generals standing nearby and was somewhat surprised, “You… why are you all gathered here? Are you here to bid farewell to Prime Minister Lin?”
“Your Majesty, they are not here to bid farewell!” Lin Beifan seized the opportunity to complain, “They all want to join my team and accompany me to Darro to achieve merit. They are suspected of dereliction of duty, and as military officers, they should be punished!”
The generals looked apprehensive.
“Your Majesty, Darro broke our alliance, and I am deeply angered. So, I want to contribute to the court!” one of the generals explained.
“Your Majesty, Prime Minister is embarking on a perilous journey this time, and we are genuinely concerned about his safety, which is vital to the state. We fear that something might happen to him, so we volunteered to accompany and protect him!” another general added.
“Fearing Your Majesty’s disapproval, we had no choice but to act first and report later!”
“Your Majesty, our intentions are all driven by patriotism!”
“We acknowledge our wrongdoing, Your Majesty, please forgive us!”
“I see!” The Empress became angry, “This is where you went wrong!”
Lin Beifan nodded in agreement, “Yes, very wrong!”
The Empress continued angrily, “As serving military officers in the current court, you have responsibilities and significant duties. How can you just abandon your posts? At the very least… you should have reported to the council!”
Lin Beifan nodded again, “Exactly, how can you abandon your posts without reporting to Her Majesty?”
The Empress was visibly upset, “By doing this, you clearly don’t regard me highly at all! Am I such a petty and unreasonable person? If you had truthfully reported to me, would I have refused?”
Lin Beifan chimed in, “Exactly! If you had reported truthfully to Your Majesty, would she have refused? Hmm?”
Lin Beifan seemed a bit bewildered.
He blinked, sensing that something was amiss.
The generals, however, became elated. One elderly general cautiously asked, “Your Majesty, does this mean that as long as we report truthfully, you will agree?”
The Empress smiled, “Of course! Your intentions are all noble, for Prime Minister, for me, for Great Wu. I am an enlightened ruler, why wouldn’t I agree?”
The generals were overjoyed.
It was the senior general who spoke first, “Your Majesty, Prime Minister Lin is heading to Darro to command the campaign, and it’s a significant matter. I have years of experience in leading troops in battle, and I can assist Prime Minister in reducing his pressure.”
The Empress generously agreed, “I approve!”
…
The young general, resolute in his principles, said, “Your Majesty, Prime Minister’s safety is crucial for the state. I have a unique ability to protect people, and I’m willing to accompany Prime Minister. Anyone trying to harm Prime Minister would have to step over my dead body!”
The Empress exclaimed, “Good! This journey needs individuals like you to ensure Prime Minister’s safety. I approve!”
Another general added, “Your Majesty, I have the ability to locate by sound. I can sense enemy movements within a radius of several dozen miles through ground vibrations, making it easier for Prime Minister to command the battle!”
The Empress applauded, “That ability is excellent. I approve!”
…
In this way, the generals who were initially rejected by Lin Beifan all joined his team with the Empress’s approval. They were all overjoyed, as if they had already achieved success.
“Your Majesty, how can this be?” Lin Beifan complained, “Clearly, they just want to gain military merits in Darro. Please, Your Majesty, see through their intentions!”
The Empress shook her head, with a slightly reproachful tone, “My dear, this is where you’re wrong.”
Lin Beifan was puzzled, “I’m wrong?”
“Yes, you are wrong! Do you think building merit and achieving success are that easy? Many generals and soldiers have served for decades without ever experiencing a battle. Without battle experience, how can they gain military merits? Understand them a little better! Over the years, they have worked hard, even if they haven’t achieved merits. But due to circumstances, they haven’t been promoted, which has been very challenging for them. So, why not let them earn some merits now?”
The generals were deeply moved and unanimously expressed their gratitude, “Your Majesty, you are wise!”
Lin Beifan sighed, “But with them leaving, who will take care of affairs in the capital? Who will handle things? The country can’t be without a leader even for a day.”
The Empress smiled, “At this point, Great Wu has ended its internal conflicts, and its reputation has spread far and wide. The people can rest and recuperate, and the world is at peace. At such a time, it’s not a problem for the military to have a few less generals.”
“The most significant issue now is the Darro matter. My dear, you are traveling so far to Darro, and I’m very worried. However, with their assistance, I feel more at ease.”
The generals all nodded in agreement, “Your Majesty speaks the truth!”
The Empress continued with a stern tone, “Listen to me carefully, all of you! The most important thing on this journey is to ensure Prime Minister Lin’s safety. You must bring him back safely, not even a hair should be harmed. Do you understand?”
“We obey Your Majesty’s command!” They all replied in unison, their expressions filled with envy.
The Empress truly favored Prime Minister Lin, even more than her own son. It seemed that they would have to flatter him a bit more on the way to earn Prime Minister’s favor.
“My dear, leave early and return soon. I need you!” the Empress reminded.
“Yes, Your Majesty!” Lin Beifan sighed, perhaps this was the sweet burden of happiness.
Next, Lin Beifan bid farewell to the Empress, then boarded the luxurious ship bound for Darro with the rest of the team. There were a total of five ships, with the largest one reserved for Lin Beifan and his companions. The other four ships provided protection, carrying accompanying generals and necessary personnel.
Some soldiers would travel along the riverbank to provide further support. Judging solely from their appearance, one wouldn’t think they were going off to war but rather on a leisurely excursion.
At that moment, news about Lin Beifan’s upcoming military campaign to Darro quickly spread throughout the world and reached Darro as well. The Darro royal family and officials were on high alert.
“Great Wu is finally making a move!”
“This time, they sent Prime Minister Lin Beifan! Despite his youth, he is particularly skilled in warfare. He has won ten battles this year, often against superior forces, achieving remarkable victories. This visit may not bode well for us!”
“Why be afraid? Does Great Wu think that Darro is easy to bully?”
“I heard that Lin Beifan is arrogant and dismissive of Darro. He hasn’t even counted his troops or prepared supplies; he’s coming leisurely as if on a vacation!”
“That’s absurd! How can he look down on us like this? We must give him a lesson!”
“In any case, we need to be prepared for battle!”
The news of Lin Beifan leading troops to Darro had caused quite a stir.
