roccoschili Chapter 389 Zhang Fan Confesses!
Chapter 389 Zhang Fan Confesses!
The messenger wore a victorious smile.
Zong Yu also breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Zhang Fan was going to compromise.
But Zhang Fan suddenly stopped.
He looked at the messenger, and the calmness on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a mocking expression.
"But you've miscalculated something!"
Zhang Fan pointed a finger at the envoy's nose, "The iron of Great Qin is used to forge swords and blades to cut off the heads of you Xiongnu. The grain of Great Qin is used to feed warhorses and trample your royal tents!"
Zhang Fan's voice suddenly rose, "Trade our knives for our lives? Has your Touman Chanyu been kicked in the head by a donkey on the grasslands?"
The envoy's smile froze on his face, his expression instantly turning crimson: "You...you dare insult the Chanyu!"
"What's wrong with scolding him?"
Zhang Fan interrupted him without hesitation, "Don't think I don't know what you're up to. You want iron because you don't even have the technology to forge arrowheads!"
You want grain because your cattle and sheep will starve to death during the winter. As for wanting Mi Yueyao…”
Zhang Fan sneered, "She's just a maid in my household. But even if she's a dog of the Great Qin, you won't be able to take a single hair of her without my permission!"
"Arrogant!" the envoy roared, placing his hand on the sword at his waist.
The imperial guards inside the palace immediately drew their halberds and aimed them at the envoy.
Zhang Fan didn't back down an inch, and said, word by word, "Put away your ridiculous deal. Go back and tell Touman Chanyu to wash his neck and wait!"
The Qin army does not need your charity of a year of peace!
We'll use iron and blood to get them ourselves from the grasslands!
After speaking, Zhang Fan turned to face Ying Zheng and bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty, the Xiongnu envoy is arrogant and disrespectful. He spread rumors in the main hall and attempted to sow discord among our troops!"
Your Majesty, I humbly request that you issue an order to have him beaten and driven out of Xianyang!
Inside the main hall, Wang Ben and the other military officers were filled with fervor and shouted in unison, "We second that! Throw him out with clubs!"
Zong Yu stood in the queue, his face ashen.
He looked at Zhang Fan's straight back, filled with resentment.
Upon hearing Zhang Fan's words, the smug look on the envoy's face vanished without a trace.
Anger and fear surged into my heart at the same time!
The envoy suddenly turned his head and looked at Ying Zheng, who was sitting high on the throne.
In his view, the Qin Dynasty had just been established and everything was in need of rebuilding.
As an emperor, Ying Zheng should have weighed the pros and cons.
Trading a mere 100,000 shi of grain and 30,000 jin of pig iron, plus an insignificant woman from the state of Chu, for peace on the border is a deal any ruler would agree to.
Zhang Fan's arrogant words were merely the impulsive words of a subject.
"The Emperor of Qin!"
The envoy shouted, making a last-ditch effort, "Are you going to allow your subject to ruin the peace between our two nations? I have come with the sincerity of Touman Chanyu!"
Inside the main hall, all the court officials looked at Ying Zheng.
Military generals like Wang Ben were filled with anticipation, while civil officials like Zong Yu were secretly speculating.
Ying Zheng sat on his throne, his crown obscuring half his face, looking down at the Xiongnu envoy with a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth.
"Granted."
Two simple words were uttered by Ying Zheng.
The sound wasn't loud, but it resonated clearly throughout the hall.
The messenger stood there, stunned, thinking he had misheard.
"Take it down."
Li Gonggong, who was standing next to Ying Zheng, immediately shouted at the top of his lungs.
As soon as he finished speaking, the imperial guards in the hall strode forward without hesitation.
Two burly armored soldiers, one on each side, gripped the messenger's arms tightly and twisted them backward with force.
"How dare you! I am the envoy of the Chanyu! In times of war, envoys are not to be killed!" The envoy struggled and roared.
The armored soldier ignored his shouts, raised his halberd, and slammed it heavily into the back of the messenger's knee.
The messenger's legs buckled, and he knelt on the floor.
Immediately afterwards, several armored soldiers stepped forward with batons and began to strike the messenger on the back and thighs.
A dull thud resounded, and the messenger's roar turned into a wail.
The armored soldiers dragged the messenger by the arms, striking him as they dragged him out of the hall.
The wails echoed down the long white jade steps until they disappeared outside the palace gates.
Upon hearing Ying Zheng's decision and witnessing the horrific scene of the envoy being beaten with sticks, everyone in the hall was utterly shocked.
The courtiers lowered their heads and began to whisper among themselves.
"Insane... utterly insane! Even in times of war, envoys are not to be killed. How can they so humiliatingly send away an envoy carrying a letter of state?"
"Just to protect a Chu maid in his household? Zhang Fan actually dared to openly provoke Touman Chanyu; he's treating state affairs like a child's game!"
"Shh, be quiet! Didn't you see how much His Majesty tolerates him overstepping his bounds? His Majesty practically obeys Zhang Fan's every word!"
"It's all over now. All avenues for peace talks have been blocked. The Xiongnu, having suffered such a humiliating defeat, will surely retaliate fiercely. Countless more soldiers and civilians on the borders of our Great Qin will die..."
Zong Yu stood at the front of the civil officials' line, his eyes wide open.
His hands, gripping the scepter, were so strong that his knuckles turned white.
He couldn't believe it.
How can national affairs be treated so lightly?
Because of Zhang Fan's arrogant words, His Majesty actually had the envoy carrying the imperial letter beaten and driven out of Xianyang.
This was tantamount to directly destroying all diplomatic room for maneuver and declaring war on the Xiongnu.
Zong Yu's heart sank to the bottom.
But he knew he couldn't let this opportunity slip by.
Zhang Fan overstepped his bounds in the imperial court and openly provoked the enemy's envoy, which provided him with a ready-made handle against him.
"His Majesty!"
Zong Yu suddenly stepped out of the queue, walked to the center of the hall, and knelt down deeply. "Zhang Fan is arrogant and rude, and disregards the laws of the court! Although the Xiongnu envoy has offended us with his words, the relations between our two countries should be discussed in a long-term manner."
To protect a maid in his household, Zhang Fan risked angering the envoy and severing the path to peace talks.
This action disregards the safety of hundreds of thousands of people on the Qin border and treats matters of national importance as a joke!
Zong Yu's voice echoed throughout the hall, his words fierce and piercing.
"I impeach Zhang Fan for prioritizing personal matters over public duty and acting impulsively!"
If the Xiongnu launch an attack prematurely, causing widespread suffering on the border, Zhang Fan will be held accountable even if he is executed!
"Your Majesty, please punish Zhang Fan to appease the people!"
As Zong Yu impeached him, the civil officials who had been whispering immediately fell silent.
Several civil officials were also preparing to step out of the queue and echo Zong Yu's remarks.
Wang Ben and other military officers were about to speak up in rebuttal.
On the throne, Ying Zheng's smile faded, and his brows furrowed slightly.
Zhang Fan created the bearing carriage and the steam train, which are the foundation of the future of the Qin Dynasty.
He was about to speak to reject Zong Yu's memorial and protect Zhang Fan.
Just then, Zhang Fan, who had been standing still, turned around and spoke calmly.
"Since Lord Zong believes I am guilty, I have nothing to say."
Zhang Fan's voice was flat, showing no sign of fear.
Ying Zheng looked at Zhang Fan, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.
Zhang Fan raised his hands and bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty! I know that I have behaved improperly before the palace today, angering the Xiongnu and causing them to sever peace talks! Lord Zong is absolutely right. If the Xiongnu send troops, I will indeed bear the responsibility!"