Chapter 228 - 176: The Sum Emperor’s Ulterior Motives_i
When the Sum Emperor was involved in the struggle for succession, he also secretly trained a unit of heavy cavalry. He was very clear in his mind about how long it would take to train a heavy cavalry unit to be combat-ready.
Lu Chen had only been in North City for a little over a year. If the heavy armor in North City was given to Lu Chen by others and was not crafted by him, and the heavy cavalry of North City was also set up by him, then it would definitely take several years for the North City heavy cavalry to become battle-worthy.
Simply having soldiers don armor and then considering them heavy cavalry doesn’t necessarily mean they are strong in battle.
In a short period of time, if heavy cavalry are well-trained, they might be stronger than regular infantry, but if the training methods are inappropriate, the heavily armored cavalry might end up being chased around by light cavalry. Thinking that the heavy cavalry of North City might just be a facade, the Sum Emperor’s emotions suddenly became very complex.
He had originally planned to use the heavy cavalry of North City to intimidate those aristocratic families, but he hadn’t expected the heavy cavalry of North City to be destroyed so quickly.
However, on second thought, the destruction of the heavy cavalry in North City was a good thing for him. After all, he had been considering dealing with the issues of the aristocratic families first before handling the affairs of North City.
Lu Chen and North City were both potential threats to him. Even if Lu Chen was truly his own son, he would never allow a prince who could threaten his position to exist during his lifetime.
Moreover, behind Lu Chen was the support of the Mysterious Moon Palace and some mysterious force. Clearly, Lu Chen was a pawn, with someone intending to use him against Great Sum, against him.
At this moment, Situ Ce asked, “Your Majesty, what do you plan to do next?” “Will you send a large army northward, or will North Prince continue to defend the north?”
The Sum Emperor said expressionlessly, “Since Chen has a mysterious force and the help of Mysterious Moon Palace behind him, it shows that those people still see value in using Chen. They won’t just watch Chen disappear. Let Chen continue to guard the North; I really want to see what kind of force is behind Chen.”
Just then, the eunuch who had left earlier came into the pavilion, Your Majesty, Prime Minister and the others have arrived; they are waiting for you in the study room.”
The Sum Emperor didn’t continue the conversation with Situ Ce and headed straight for the study room.
After a while.
Imperial Palace, Imperial Study Room.
Several key ministers of the court had already gathered in the study room, waiting. Everyone glanced at the people in the room and instantly had a rough idea of why the Sum Emperor had summoned them.
In addition to the two Prime Ministers, the Minister of Revenue and the Minister of War were also present, and several generals promoted by the Sum Emperor, including the Assistant Minister of War, were in the study room. Clearly, the Sum Emperor had something military to tell them, and it was likely that there had been some changes in the war between Great Sum and Great Wu.
At this moment, the voice of an eunuch rang at the doorway.
“His Majesty has arrived!”
The people inside the study room immediately stood in two rows, waiting for the arrival of the Sum Emperor.
After the Sum Emperor entered the study room and settled at his desk, all the ministers immediately greeted him, “We greet Your Majesty. Long live, long live, long may you reign!”
The Sum Emperor said indifferently, “Dispense with the formalities.
Right Minister Zhao Wenhan stepped forward first and asked, “Your Majesty, have you summoned us at this time because there’s been a change in the front-line warfare?”
As the Prime Minister held a certain status, they could take the initiative to ask the Sum Emperor questions at such times.
The Sum Emperor answered expressionlessly, “There has indeed been a change in the front-line warfare, but it’s not in the west; it’s in the north.”
Hearing this, the ministers inside the study room were taken aback.
The north?
Wasn’t that North City?
Could it be that North Prince had already led the heavy cavalry of North City to annihilate the advancing army of the North Ere King?
Really? Could that be true?
Was the North Prince that powerful?
Last time, the North Prince had already defeated the Sky Wolf King’s army of three hundred thousand. If he had now annihilated the North Fre King’s army of two hundred thousand, then the North Prince would truly be in a position of power that overshadowed the emperor’s.
As people were lost in their wild guesses, the Sum Emperor handed the report in his hand to the eunuch, “Pass it down for them to see.”
The eunuch immediately took the military report and then handed it to Lin
Gaoyuan.
Seeing the military report written by his own son, Lin Gaoyuan was instantly stunned.
The annihilation of North City’s fifty thousand heavy cavalry?
How could this be possible?!
At that moment, so as not to waste time, the Sum Emperor spoke directly, “News from the North Land reports that the fifty thousand heavy cavalry of North City, in a decisive battle with the large army of the North Fre King at Tianguang City, were ultimately annihilated, leaving only a few thousand wounded. Meanwhile, the army of the North Fre King has retreated to the steppes but continues to send cavalry south from time to time to harass Tianguang City.”
Hearing the words of the Sum Emperor, all the ministers were immediately dumbfounded.
The annihilation of North City’s fifty thousand heavy cavalry?
How could that be possible?
They were heavy cavalry!
Although heavy cavalry lacked the mobility of light cavalry on the steppes and likely couldn’t catch up with light cavalry, they wore heavy armor. It shouldn’t be so easy for them to be wiped out by the army of the Barbarian Tribe.
The first thought in the ministers’ minds was that this news must be false, surely it was deception by the Sum Emperor to divert their attention and to make them forget that North City had fifty thousand heavy cavalry.
Lin Gaoyuan also thought this way, but he felt something was amiss. After all, this was a military report sent back by his son. Even though his son might withhold some information, it was unlikely he would send back a false report.