Editor: Henyee Translations
The Third Prince pondered the consequences: if he detained the Su brothers now, Su Huai might refuse to withdraw his troops without their support. What if they faced another defeat?
Wouldn’t his imperial authority be undermined?
Ultimately, the Third Prince opted to summon the Su brothers instead. He sternly rebuked them and imposed a fine of fifty thousand taels of silver, warning, "Repeat this offense, and the punishnt will be severe!" Reluctantly, he compromised with Su Huai.
Approval for the ladders and catapults was granted, but they were escorted by trusted aides. Additionally, Su Huai was barred from independently deploying troops to Hangzhou City; he needed prior approval from those he dispatched.
Furthermore, if Su Huai failed this ti, he would forfeit his military authority.
The Su brothers accepted these terms without objection.
They received the siege equipnt and focused on winning the upcoming battle before addressing further concerns upon their return.
The Su family was the Emperor’s sole dependable military force, having secured his territories. Without them, who else could the Emperor rely on?
No matter how forceful his words, how effective could they truly be?
Concerned for their father and unwilling to delay, the Su brothers pressured the Ministry of War the following day to expedite the transportation of ladders and catapults. They arranged for a large ship to be prepared, working tirelessly day and night. Within a day, the first batch began its journey.
Witnessing the Su family’s blatant disrespect without severe repercussions, the Third Prince’s subordinates grew furious and disheartened.
Their actions made a mockery of the court and undermined its authority.
On the night when the Su brothers vociferously demanded the Ministry of War to expedite the transport, many ministers found themselves unable to sleep.
As he pondered his own future, the future of the Imperial Court, and the future of Great Qin, his discomfort and confusion deepened.
The Su family had always been seen as bandits, despite the Emperor bestowing official titles upon them. They lacked decorum, refinent, and were known for their brash, ignorant, and domineering behavior. Yet, they were formidable fighters—the Emperor’s only reliable force.
The Emperor’s leniency towards them stemd from this undeniable fact.
Everyone understood the Emperor’s predicant and the necessity to refrain from discontent.
However, relying on such individuals posed a grave question: what hope and future could the court envision?
In a world where martial prowess held sway, who else could the Emperor turn to? Despite their dissatisfaction with the Su family’s conduct, they begrudgingly acknowledged that in matters of war, no one rivaled them, much less could replace them.
No matter how he considered the situation, there seed to be no way out.
This realization left them deeply saddened and perplexed.
How could they possibly resolve this deadlock?
It appeared insurmountable.
Unless a capable minister adept in military strategy, skilled in combat, and possessing impeccable manners were to join the Emperor. Yet, with the Su family’s dominance, even if such a person existed, could they align with the Emperor?
Many ministers thought of Shao Yunduan.
Though not a warrior himself, Shao Yunduan commanded nurous capable n. Even the Second Prince and the Sun family could not undermine him, and the Su family had suffered significant losses because of him.
If only Shao Yunduan would consider aligning with the Emperor.
But that remained a distant hope. Shao Yunduan had already incurred the wrath of the Su family...
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