The princess regretted it.

Chapter 280 Prelude to the Palace Banquet

As the lights began to light up, important officials from the imperial court began to arrive at the palace. The arrangements for the celebration banquet were complete. Guided by the eunuchs, the officials took their seats in an orderly manner, occasionally exchanging a few low words or nodding in agreement.

Minister Lin did not enter the palace alone today. Prime Minister Mu gave him a message in advance. He brought Lin Qian into the palace early, and Lin Qian was directly taken in and settled by Jin An.

When he received this message from Prime Minister Mu, he already understood what was going on, so he was in a particularly good mood today. The joy seemed to overflow from the bottom of his heart and was written all over his face. When he greeted his colleagues along the way, his smile was particularly bright.

Others observing this scene weren't surprised. After all, Minister Lin had made significant contributions to this grain procurement effort. The timely delivery of grain and fodder was undoubtedly a key factor in Mu En and the Zhenbei Army's resounding victory, and Minister Lin's contribution was invaluable. Speaking of grain transportation, everyone naturally thought of the Wu family father and son, responsible for the shipment. A minister curiously searched the hall for them, but upon looking around, they saw no sign of them.

Looking at General Zhenbei, Mu En, and some other generals, who had also not appeared, he understood the reason. According to past practice, they should be summoned by the Emperor at this moment. After all, they had just returned from the border, and many border affairs and situations must be reported to the Emperor first. The Emperor will reward according to merit, and will naturally not tolerate those who make mistakes, and will definitely punish them clearly.

Their guess was indeed correct. The atmosphere in the Imperial Study was so solemn it seemed frozen. The Emperor sat high on the throne, clad in his dragon robes, his majesty evident. On either side stood Prime Minister Mu, the Duke of Protector of the State, and General Zhenbei, Mu En. His lieutenants, on his left and right, and in the center stood Wu Anshuo and his son.

The Wu father and son had already washed and rested, their previous appearance completely gone. Wu Anshuo wore a dark robe, his hair neatly combed, but his complexion remained as pale as paper, and his figure was thin. He was currently sitting in a wheelchair personally gifted by the emperor. He had been carried into the palace, and the inquiring glances from the palace maids and eunuchs along the way made him feel as if his dignity was being repeatedly crushed. He felt extremely aggrieved.

At this time, he was tearfully describing the details of how the grain and fodder were suddenly robbed by bandits during transportation.

Wu Changfeng was kneeling beside him, his heart filled with grief and regret. He didn't know if his leg injury could be healed. If it couldn't be healed, he would have no chance of returning to the government.

The emperor, seated on the throne, listened to the tearful stories of Wu Changfeng and Wu Anshuo, his face darkening, like the night sky before a storm, terrifyingly gloomy. He was seething with rage. He had known about this matter for a long time and had already made some private arrangements. But this blatant defiance of imperial authority, no matter how many times he heard it, was like a sharp blade piercing his heart, irritating him beyond measure.

The emperor suppressed his anger. After listening to Wu Anshuo's story, he raised his eyes slightly and asked Mu Xiang with a cold gaze, "What do you think about this matter?"

Prime Minister Mu understood and walked steadily to the center of the hall. He bowed and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, after listening to what Lord Wu said, I think these bandits did not act on impulse. Various signs show that they clearly had a careful plan and did it deliberately. What puzzles me even more is that these are food supplies shipped to the army. How could ordinary bandits have such courage to dare to touch the emperor's head? If they are not bandits, then who are they? Or who ordered them? Moreover, how did they know the departure time and route of the grain transport team so accurately? This batch of military supplies is huge. If they really succeed in robbing it, how will they deal with so much food? Behind all this, there must be a shocking conspiracy that is unknown to the public. If it is not thoroughly investigated, there will be endless troubles and endanger the foundation of our dynasty." After speaking, Prime Minister Mu raised his head slightly and looked at the emperor.

"According to the Prime Minister, it's indeed suspicious." The Emperor, after hearing Prime Minister Mu's words, nodded slightly and spoke solemnly. His eyes swept across everyone's faces, as if weighing something. Then he spoke again, "How should this matter be investigated? Who should be the right person to investigate?" The deep voice echoed in the oppressively quiet imperial study.

Prime Minister Mu seemed to have planned it in advance. He bowed and answered without hesitation: "Your Majesty, I think this matter should not be publicized. It must be investigated secretly. If we make a big fuss, it will easily alert the snakes and let those behind the scenes be on guard. It will be extremely difficult to catch them then. As for the outside world, we might as well announce that it was done by bandits. Only in this way can we stabilize the situation and avoid causing panic in the court and among the people." He spoke sincerely and with a firm tone. Every word he said was loud and clear, and it was obvious that he had thought it over carefully.

The Emperor nodded again, approving of Prime Minister Mu's proposal. Then, his gaze slowly turned to Mu En, his eyes revealing a hint of expectation and trust, and he asked, "General Mu, I'll leave this matter to you! You've been on the battlefield for a long time, are well versed in strategy, and have just returned from the border. You're quite familiar with the grain transport route and the surrounding conditions. I'm most relieved to have you handle this. Furthermore, this concerns the safety of our dynasty's grain and fodder, our military prestige, and our national destiny. If necessary, we can act at our discretion. We must root out the hidden hand behind this and restore peace to our dynasty." With that, the Emperor sat up slightly, the golden dragon on his robe seeming to gleam in this solemn atmosphere, displaying the full majesty of the royal family, as he awaited Mu En's response.

When Mu En heard this, his heart trembled. He immediately knelt on one knee, saluted with his fists, and said in a loud voice: "I will obey your order! Your Majesty, rest assured, I will do my best to live up to your grace and fulfill my mission. Even if I have to dig three feet into the ground, I will bring those who dare to rebel to justice, uphold the law, and ensure the stability of our dynasty." His voice was sonorous and powerful, echoing in the imperial study, as if carrying a thousand pounds of force, making people full of confidence in his investigation of the case.

After this matter was properly arranged, the atmosphere in the imperial study became even more solemn. Everyone knew that a secret war without the smoke of gunpowder had begun, and the outcome of this battle would be directly related to the stability of the court and the rise and fall of the country.

At this oppressive moment, the emperor's words broke the heaviness. He raised his eyes slightly and cast his gaze at Wu Anshuo and his son. His tone was calm but revealed unquestionable majesty: "Marquis Jin Wu, you and your son have made great contributions in protecting the grain this time. Is there anything you would like to ask for?"