A Foodie Transmigrated into the Palace Chapter 1528 - 1526: Inescapable Net

Chapter 1526

Zhao Junyao nodded.

"As long as you understand."

"I won’t lecture you anymore."

Some things are useless to preach about; he could only let him experience them himself.

He couldn’t possibly have him walk entirely along the life path he’d planned out. After all, that was his son, not his shadow.

...

With the threat gone and the shackles removed, everything became much easier to arrange.

Zhao Junyao discussed it with his son and decided to wipe out the Southern Ocean Kingdom completely.

In this situation of hostile confrontation, where the weak are prey to the strong...

Showing mercy to the enemy is cruelty to oneself—especially when... the enemy is a bunch of bottomless, uncultured sea bandits.

Zhao Qichen narrowed his eyes coldly, no hint of retreat on his pale face.

"How many in Guangnan City died because of their plague poison and fake medicines? How many years of humiliation have we suffered at their hands?!"

"It’s time they paid it back!"

"Father, I think... trapping them like turtles in a jar sounds pretty good!"

Zhao Junyao nodded.

"You read my mind."

He rose and tucked the quilt around his son, then reminded him.

"You don’t need to worry. Focus on healing. I’ll handle the arrangements."

Zhao Qichen’s injuries were too severe; he’d lost too much blood. To this day he was still bedridden, unable to stand.

But that didn’t stop him from contributing to the country and worrying for the people.

He nodded slightly and rasped.

"Father, call them all into this room."

He couldn’t get down to give orders himself; at least let him listen in!

Zhao Junyao nodded and turned to call Li Deming in.

...

As the end of the twelfth lunar month approached, winter in Guangnan City was still somewhat cold.

Though it wasn’t like the north, where icy winds howled, the air here was heavy with dampness; the chill wind mixed in and slapped against the face, still hard to bear.

Even harder to endure than this cold was that band of bandits from the Southern Ocean Kingdom.

As the saying goes, "One mountain cannot accommodate two tigers."

The Great Chu Dynasty’s garrison was here, and the Southern Ocean Kingdom’s army was also here.

It was as if they were deliberately butting heads.

You want to protect your people? Heh. Then I’ll just make sure they die.

Those bandits took every opportunity to bully the common folk—at night, in remote corners, on deserted streets, anywhere beyond the sight of the Great Chu Dynasty’s troops.

After several days in a row, the people of Guangnan City were completely terrified.

They didn’t even dare go collect porridge from the Imperial Court anymore; all they wanted was to hide in their houses at all times just to stay alive.

New Year’s was almost here.

In past years the streets were ablaze with lanterns and decorations, packed with people, lined with shops, full of laughter and joy—how lively it had been.

But now... the entire city exuded a horrifying desolation and a deathly aura that made one’s blood run cold.

They were too desperate.

They didn’t know how much longer these days would drag on, didn’t know if this city still had a tomorrow.

The common folk shuffled about like walking corpses, living one day at a time. Everyone was numb.

Just when everyone thought this city had no way out and the end was upon them...

The city suddenly became heavily guarded.

At the same time, a number of Great Chu Dynasty soldiers suddenly appeared inside the city.

Never had the common people longed so much as they did now to see soldiers in silver armor.

Never had they felt these suits of armor were so dear and familiar.

Before, they had feared them, held them in awe, not daring to casually approach.

But now, they were excited, eager to spread the word.

Hey, look, our reinforcements are here!

Their instincts told them this would be a final showdown.

This absurd, tragic situation would soon come to an end.

...

In truth, things were not exactly as they imagined.

It was true that it would soon be over; it was also true that they had misunderstood.

These soldiers were brought by the brothers Zhao Qiheng and Zhao Qiye.

They had set out from the Capital City, bringing fifty thousand troops in a forced march, covering a thousand-li journey in less than three days.

No one had actually dispatched them.

It was simply that these two, who never cared about worldly affairs, had only realized half a month earlier that the Capital City had been oddly quiet for far too long.

Their father and mother were both gone, their younger sister had married.

Their Imperial Brother wasn’t there either, and even many Ministers were nowhere to be seen.

Startled, they asked around and finally learned what had happened in Guangnan.

The two brothers discussed it and, without hesitation, mobilized troops and rushed over.

After all, they couldn’t just ignore it if their father and mother were in trouble!

In Guangnan City.

Zhao Junyao and his son had already arranged everything.

Before they could even make a move, word came that these two sons had arrived outside the city with fifty thousand troops.

Zhao Junyao’s face went dark with black lines.

Zhao Qichen was speechless as well. These two unreliable brothers...

Speechless or not, they couldn’t very well stop them from entering.

So that was how the scene the common folk had just witnessed came about.

Row after row of Golden Armored Guards marched in neat formation down the main streets, imposing and overwhelming like crashing mountains and seas.

Although whether these fifty thousand troops came or not would not change the final outcome...

The people didn’t know that. At least for now... they felt very safe and finally had some hope.

Zhao Junyao and Zhao Qichen comforted themselves: they’re still somewhat useful, after all.

...

In Zhao Qichen’s little courtyard.

Zhao Qiheng and Zhao Qiye knelt together before Zhao Junyao to plead guilty.

"Please forgive us, Father. Your sons have come late to your rescue!"

"Imperial Brother, your younger brother is at fault! Please pass judgment on me!"

The two of them knelt properly on the ground, wearing such pious expressions of "I was wrong, please punish me"——

as if the carefree, world-ignoring pair who’d only cared about roaming mountains and rivers earlier weren’t them at all.

Zhao Junyao waved his hand.

"Get up, both of you."

Zhao Qichen didn’t want to hold it against them either.

He was about to reassure them that it was fine, that as long as they were here it was enough and they didn’t need to worry about anything else...

But his father suddenly waved his hand grandly.

"Since you know you came late, then you can take responsibility of your own accord."

"My health isn’t good, and your Imperial Brother is injured. That Suobuno is still in the city, and you two hold military authority under you."

"I’ll leave him to you to deal with."

The main thing was, he’d been playing guerrilla with Suobuno for too long, and he really didn’t feel like playing anymore.

Besides, at his age, he didn’t much want to see those bloody scenes.

Zhao Qichen was a bit stunned.

Zhao Qiheng and Zhao Qiye, on the other hand, were visibly excited.

On their way here, they had already asked around for news and understood the whole story.

They hadn’t dared hope for much—and yet their father had actually entrusted this final crucial step to them.

This was truly more than they could have wished for.

"Many thanks, Father! Many thanks, Imperial Brother. We will not betray your trust!"

Staring at the top of the bed canopy, Zhao Qichen thought blandly,

"Forget it, let them go. I can’t get up anyway. Might as well be a spectator and enjoy the show."

...

Leaving the small courtyard, the two of them headed straight for the drill grounds.

Mobilizing troops and trapping the enemy like turtles in a jar really wasn’t all that difficult.

Especially when dealing with someone like Suobuno, a trapped beast already penned up in the city; he really didn’t have much bite left.

So they didn’t even need to wait, didn’t need to bother with elaborate layouts.

With fifty thousand troops spreading a net of heaven and earth, in less than half a day, the whole of Guangnan City was swept clean.