Jinpa's mountain call was finished, the other officials awoke as if from a dream and quickly knelt down to pay their respects, shouting: "We, your humble servants, greet Your Majesty the Empress with...Chapter 831: I Have Something to Say

Su Zhen Ting frowned and said, "Bring me the map."

Su Ping turned her head and looked, there were only three people in the study.

Whether counting from top to bottom or bottom to top, this menial work seems like something only I can do.

Then Su Ping north honestly took out a military map.

This map, though not as detailed as the one in Li Chen's study hall, still includes all the necessary elements.

The map spread out, Su Zhenting looked at the surroundings of Beijing, and couldn't help but take a deep breath.

“The capital city belongs to Shuntian Prefecture, located in the northern Zhili region. Below it is Southern Zhili, and the north and south Zhili regions together constitute the Jing-Ji region. If we view the Jing-Ji region as a single unit, the entire region is surrounded by three major provinces: Xishan, Dongshan, and Nanhe. This leaves no room for retreat.”

Li Chen said calmly: "The only good news now is that Xishan Province, after a great calamity, sent Zhao Shanhe there earlier last year to straighten out the civil and military affairs. Now Xishan Province is considered safe. So, the right side is worry-free, but it's only worry-free. It's impossible for Xishan to provide support."

Thus, the two major provinces of Nanyue River in the middle and Dongshan on the left, especially Dongshan Province, were Zhao Xuanji's foundation. His ancestral home was Dongshan, where his influence and prestige were extremely high in that generation. From a small county magistrate to the provincial governor above, everyone in Dongshan was loyal to Zhao Xuanji.

He slapped the map hard, right on the region representing Dongshan Province. “Here,” Li Chen said, “is a country within a country, the heart of the Qin Empire. From top to bottom, all know Zhao Xuanji, but none know of the Li royal family.”

China.

No matter the time, for Li Chen to speak as a prince in such a manner indicates that the situation has deteriorated to an intolerable level. The court must take swift and decisive action to rectify the local government, and if necessary, even go so far as to bloodbath the entire officialdom from top to bottom.

But the problem now is...

It's not that the imperial court is going to move against them, but they are cooperating with Zhao Xuanji to create a rebellion against the court.

Even someone with their toes could figure out that if Zhao Xuanji made a move, the Eastern Mountain Province would definitely side with him.

Once the imperial court is in turmoil, how many high-ranking officials in various regions will stand up and support the court They are all just sitting on the sidelines, watching the tigers fight, waiting for the winning side to support.

Li Chen's eyes flashed as he said in a deep voice, "While neutrality is preferable, their not joining the opposing side is good news. We can gradually rectify things later. What we fear most now are Dongshan and Henan. If they join Zhao Xuanji's side, his power will instantly swell to a point where he could rival any prince."

Su Zhen's brows furrowed as he said, "Nang He Province, being the heartland of our nation and the birthplace of our Han people, has a flourishing literary culture and abundant grain production. As for Dong Shan Province, situated by the sea, they haven't been significantly affected by recent natural disasters. However, their rugged local customs and their tendency to produce capable warriors make them a formidable challenge. This combination of cultural refinement and martial prowess is indeed a serious concern."

Su Pingbei wasn't politically astute, but he understood military matters well.

Following their conversation, he understood the current situation in the Jing'i region, or even the capital city itself. Facing a pincer attack from Nanhe and Dongshan, Xishan was almost negligible, barely able to keep up but offering no real help. Under these circumstances, the capital's predicament was truly dire.

Taking a deep breath, Su Pingbei thought about solutions in his mind, but for a moment, he had no clue whatsoever.

At this time, Su Zhen-ting spoke: "Your Highness, I have something to say."ith incredible speed, instinctively ducking down and gripping his horse's belly with all his might. Though his posture was awkward, he managed to narrowly avoid the arrow.Guzailyo, seeing his attack f...