funbook-pk Chapter 1054 Both of you, please calm down.
Chapter 1054 Both of you, please calm down.
"You..." King Jiuyan trembled with rage, pointing at Zhou Zhengqing, unable to utter a word for a moment.
He had served in the military for many years and held a high position of power. He had never been so openly contradicted before.
What alarmed him even more was that the other party's attitude didn't reveal recklessness, but rather a deliberate and forceful approach, targeting him from all angles—his background, the power he wielded, and the influence of his subordinates.
This is a carefully calculated stance, a negotiating posture based on strength.
The fire crackled in the fireplace, casting flickering light and shadow on their faces.
The air in the restaurant felt compressed to its limit, as if it might explode at any moment.
Just then, Jingren, who had been watching from the sidelines and leisurely sipping his sake, gently put down his sake cup.
The white porcelain cup made a soft, just-right sound as it touched the rosewood tabletop—not loud, but enough to break the tense silence.
"Ahem, Uncle Wang, Lord Tuoren, please calm down." Prince Jingren wore a warm smile, seemingly oblivious to the almost explosive eye contact between the two.
He picked up the wine pot, first refilled the half-empty cup of King Jiuyan, then poured some into Zhou Zhengqing's empty cup, and finally added some for himself.
"We're all family, all working for the interests of the empire, why be so confrontational?" His gaze swept across their faces, his tone as relaxed as if he were mediating a minor dispute at a tea party.
Jingren turned to Prince Jiuyan, leaning slightly forward as a sign of respect: "Your Highness has come by imperial decree to stabilize the situation in Central China. This is a heavy responsibility entrusted to you by His Majesty."
I also know that Uncle Wang is extremely loyal and eager to serve the empire. His tone was sincere, and his posture was very humble.
Then he turned to Zhou Zhengqing, his smile unchanged: "Tuoren's actions in Nanjing were also aimed at rectifying military discipline and eliminating hidden dangers. His intentions are commendable."
I heard that after the military police entered the city, they executed a number of soldiers who had violated discipline, which did deter many people, and the large-scale violence in the city was somewhat contained.
Isn't this exactly the "order" that Uncle Wang wanted to see?
These words, seemingly intended to smooth things over, actually subtly redefined the meaning of "order."
Zhou Zhengqing's "suppression" is interpreted as a means of establishing order, while the "purge" that King Jiuyan wanted might actually disrupt this order.
Prince Jingren picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and continued, "Uncle, what do you think? Maintaining daily security and order in Nanjing is, after all, the duty of the military police."
Tuoren has been operating here for some time and is most familiar with the situation in the city. His subordinates have also adapted to the operation here.
Taking over completely and replacing the personnel rashly could easily lead to chaos, giving hidden resistance elements an opportunity to exploit the situation.
He paused, looked at King Jiuyan, his smile gentle, but his words were sharp: "How about letting the military police continue to handle the specific affairs within the city? Uncle, on the other hand, can oversee the overall situation and control the situation. Wouldn't it be better if the internal and external affairs were clearly separated, with each person fulfilling their duties?"
King Kyūhiko's face was ashen, and his chest heaved.
He stared intently at Zhou Zhengqing, then glanced at Jing Ren, who had a "I'm doing this for your own good" expression on his face.
He knew he had been outmaneuvered.
Jingren's words both gave him a way out and blocked his path to forcibly take over.
If he insists on taking full control and "purging" the prince, it would be disregarding the overall situation, showing no respect for the emperor's younger brother and the prince of even higher status, and making him appear petty and short-sighted.
Prince Jiuyan's gaze swept between Zhou Zhengqing and Jingren. The two of them really had a tacit understanding!
Those two despicable scoundrels who colluded in evil deeds!!!
Outside the window, a cold wind blew by, and the bare sycamore tree in the yard made a wailing sound.
A faint barking of dogs drifted from afar, exceptionally clear in the still night. Nanjing was not yet asleep; or rather, the city was unable to sleep.
King Kyohiko took a few deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down.
His years of experience in political and military struggles had taught him that anger could not solve problems.
I slowly sat back in the chair, my back still straight, but my tense muscles had relaxed a bit.
"Alright." He finally spoke, his voice low and suppressed, barely containing his anger: "Since Jingren says so, then... the security and order in Nanjing can remain the responsibility of the military police for the time being."
He emphasized the word "temporarily," as if he wanted to preserve his last shred of dignity and the possibility of the future through this concession.
He picked up his wine cup and drank it all in one gulp. The spiciness of the sake seemed to have restored some of Prince Yasuhiko's composure.
"However!" He changed his tone abruptly, his gaze piercing Zhou Zhengqing like a knife: "The reorganization of the Central China Expeditionary Army and the operation to suppress the resistance forces outside the city must be under my full command! Your military police must not interfere or obstruct it for any reason!"
And we must never allow such an incident—insubordination and fratricide—to ever happen again!
When the topic of insubordination came up, King Kyohiko paused noticeably, as a thought suddenly popped into his mind.
Takasaki Takuto and his bastard father Takasaki Gentoku are truly family!
He was implicated in the rebellion plotted by Takasaki Motonori, which resulted in him being removed from the imperial roster. Now he has to deal with Takasaki Takuto's insubordination and instigation of civil war among several divisions!
What debt did I owe this father and son in my past life?!
But as he said, military command is his bottom line, and it is the core power he must obtain on this trip.
Only by controlling the army can he truly gain a foothold in Central China and have the leverage to discuss other matters.
While maintaining order within the city is important, in times of war, force of arms is the only true measure of power.
Controlling the army is tantamount to controlling the lifeline of the entire Central China region.
. . . .
Zhou Zhengqing remained silent for a moment, then walked back to his seat. However, he did not sit down immediately but stood beside the chair, gently tapping the back of the rosewood chair with his fingers.
The firelight from the fireplace danced on his face, casting his ever-changing expression.
He knew this was the best outcome he could achieve at the moment.
By maintaining actual control over Nanjing, they secured their base of support, intelligence, and the source of supplies, as well as the lives of the people within the city.
More importantly, controlling Nanjing means controlling the gateway to the outside world and the transportation hub.
As for the military operations outside the city... he never intended to intervene directly. The military police's duty was to maintain order and discipline in the occupied territories; the operations of the field troops were not within their jurisdiction.
Sending King Kyohiko to command the troops to suppress the resistance would actually distract him and reduce the direct threat to his control over the city.
The Emperor and the military will not allow him to continue interfering in military operations.
The civil war in Nanjing led by Zhou Zhengqing really terrified and gave the leaders at headquarters a real headache!