"Your subjects are terrified!"
The military officials lowered their heads, their foreheads nearly touching the icy ground. The chilling wind of the deep winter howled. Although the Golden Throne Hall had no open windows, a cold draft snaked in from somewhere, swirling and pouring into the collars of the generals.
Ji Hong leaned forward slightly, his entire weight seemingly supported by his arms gripping the armrests of the dragon throne. He resembled a coiled tiger, ready to pounce and devour at any moment.
Silence descended, the air growing thick and stagnant. The atmosphere in the hall was like the prelude to a storm, the calm before a tempest. The civil officials also hushed, not daring to draw a deep breath, lest they become collateral damage.
"Enough!"
Ji Jinmo spoke, breaking the silence. "Why is His Majesty still throwing a tantrum? We should be thinking about who to send for reinforcements!"
Ji Jinmo's words were spoken as if chastising a petulant child, not only showing the Emperor no respect but also directly flinging his dignity to the ground and grinding it underfoot.
The civil officials, uncharacteristically, did not add fuel to the fire. The current situation was already a raging inferno. If they, in their obtuseness, were to add more firewood, the oil-filled pot might just explode before them. They, with their frail bodies, could not withstand it. Ji Jinmo would likely emerge unscathed, while they would be the ones to perish in this very hall.
Ji Hong clenched the armrests, the veins on the back of his hands bulging, his prominent blood vessels throbbing as if ready to erupt in rage. His chest heaved rapidly. Just as everyone believed the day's events could not end peacefully, Ji Hong's anger receded like a tide. He leaned back, his upper body almost disappearing into the chair. His unsheathed sword seemed to have returned to its scabbard, its sharpness no longer visible.
He actually smiled. "Imperial Uncle, you are correct!"
However, the atmosphere in the hall did not thaw with Ji Hong's softened attitude. Though Ji Hong smiled, his smile was superficial, the light in his eyes not reaching them. The hidden murderous intent was even more chilling and terrifying than the visible animosity.
Throughout the entire hall, only Ji Jinmo stood with his hands behind his back, utterly unconcerned by the Emperor's wrath.
He even casually followed up, "His Majesty still needs to gain more experience."
Nan Chaoyin turned to face Ji Jinmo and spoke, "Your Highness, the war between our Lin Yuan and Da Li is imminent. The priority is to decide who to send to the border to engage the enemy. Instead of saying these things, perhaps you could offer some useful advice."
Nan Chaoyin's voice was calm, neither subservient nor arrogant. He bowed slightly, yet his back remained straight, displaying the proper demeanor of a scholar among the silent officials who dared not speak.
If Ji Hong had not already known this old scoundrel's nature, he would truly have believed this man to be a loyal official dedicated to the country and its people.
"Does the Prime Minister truly wish to hear this King's words?" Ji Jinmo turned, looking at Nan Chaoyin with a half-smile.
Nan Chaoyin was momentarily taken aback. The dispatch of generals was naturally something the Emperor's divine will must decide, not something for Ji Jinmo to dictate.
Just as Nan Chaoyin was formulating his response and preparing to speak, Ji Hong's voice boomed from above, "I am considering sending General Qin, an old subordinate of Imperial Uncle's, to lead ten thousand Demon Hunters to reinforce the border. What do my esteemed ministers think of this proposal?"
The civil officials immediately understood the Emperor's intentions and exclaimed in unison, "His Majesty is wise!"
"Demon Hunters?"
Ji Jinmo let out a cold laugh and stated bluntly, "The Demon Hunters obey only this King's orders and are dispatched by my command. General Qin is indeed an excellent choice to reinforce the border, but it would be better if he led the Jiyang Army to support them!"
"Imperial Uncle, how can the Jiyang Army compare to your Demon Hunters? Da Li has already slaughtered hundreds of our Lin Yuan soldiers and is now pushing towards Huaicheng. If we do not annihilate the Da Li army at this critical juncture, our Lin Yuan border will never know peace." Ji Hong's expression was grave, as if Ji Jinmo's refusal to deploy the Demon Hunters was jeopardizing the stability of Lin Yuan's border and the safety of its people.