Frontier Army Warrior

Chapter 784: The Power Seizure Begins

"There are eight acropolises in Kyoto. We can draw troops from Kancheng and Xuncheng. These two cities are far away from the rebels and separated by Kyoto. There's no need to station too many troops there."

"However, with the commander-in-chief away, redeploying troops is a big deal. Unless there are any unusual circumstances, it's best not to act rashly."

Ma Buxuan sneered: "With the commander-in-chief away, if the rebels attack the city, will we remain inactive?"

Hu Jincai smiled and said, "I'm talking about the absence of any abnormalities."

"You won't obey the prince's orders?"

Ma Buxuan shook the paper in his hand.

Hu Jincai smacked his lips.

"I have to obey the prince's orders, but I also have to obey the commander's orders. This puts me in a difficult position. I think we should send someone to the Shanglin Mansion to ask the commander for instructions. What do you think?"

"Haha, going to the Shanglin Mansion for instructions? Do you think I'm stupid? Commander Lin has already gone to Zhenxi. Who are you going to Shanglin to find?"

Hu Jincai was bewildered. "Deputy Commander Ma, who told you that? The Commander has been in Shanglin City the whole time. How could he go to Zhenxi?"

Ma Buxuan shook his head: "Don't act in front of me. Now everyone in the whole capital city knows that Commander Lin went to Zhenxi."

Hu Jincai waved his hand and said, "Don't listen to rumors. If the commander goes to Zhenxi, he will naturally send a message to us."

"Alright, alright, alright. Even if he's still in Shanglin Mansion, we have to obey the prince's orders. The commander-in-chief also has to obey the prince's orders. There's no need for you to ask for instructions."

"I am the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards and must obey the commander's orders. Prince Rui's orders must also pass through the commander before they can be passed to us. This is the official procedure."

Ma Buxuan was so angry that he slammed the paper in his hand on the table.

"If the emperor's decree arrives, will you, Deputy Commander Hu Jincai, obey it?"

Hu Jincai bowed and said, "Of course I must obey the emperor's decree."

Ma Buxuan chuckled and said, "Well, I will go to the palace to ask for the imperial edict. You just wait."

After saying that, he strode out the door.

Unexpectedly, just as he reached the door, he heard Hu Jincai shouting loudly.

"Deputy Commander Ma, remember to ask the Emperor to issue an imperial decree to the Commander. You cannot overstep your authority. This is the official procedure."

Ma Buxuan staggered and almost tripped over the threshold.

Damn it, Lin Feng left, and now Hu Jincai comes. They are both cunning foxes, slippery and tough, making him sad.

Ma Buxuan walked out of the command center, wondering how to seize control of the Imperial Guards.

A soldier came running towards him and immediately knelt on one leg when he saw him.

"Report, Deputy Commander, an imperial edict from the palace has arrived outside the city."

Ma Buxuan was stunned and waved his hand quickly.

"Open the city and wait for this deputy commander to go and welcome you."

Hu Jincai also received the news. He didn't dare to sit in the house waiting for the imperial edict like Lin Feng did. He immediately led a group of his men out of the command center.

A queue had been formed in front of the command department, with everyone standing on both sides, waiting for the imperial edict to arrive.

The one who came to deliver the imperial eunuch, Han Su, was accompanied by a dozen guards and two young eunuchs.

Surrounded by the crowd, he came to the large courtyard of the command center.

Some soldiers had already set up an incense table and other things, and asked Han Su to stand in the middle.

Everyone else knelt in the yard, waiting for Han Su to read the imperial edict.

Without Lin Feng, Han Su finally felt the respect he deserved, and a group of generals knelt in front of him.

"Cough cough..."

He coughed twice, then unfolded the imperial edict in his hand and read it aloud.

"By the providence of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims: General Zhao Shuo of the Imperial Guards has distinguished himself in the fight against the rebels, achieving remarkable military exploits. Following a recommendation from the Ministry of War, he is promoted to General of Chariots and Cavalry, commanding 20,000 Imperial Guards. Imperial Guard soldier Zhao Gui, known for his diligence and hard work, and his willingness to learn from his mistakes, is promoted to the rank of Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Guards, commanding 10,000 Imperial Guards. This is decreed."

After Han Su finished reading the imperial edict, he closed it and held it in his hand.

"Mr. Deputy Commander, please accept the order."

He deliberately did not mention his surname because he did not want Hu Jincai to come forward to receive the imperial edict.

The one kneeling in front of the incense table was Ma Buxuan. Hu Jincai was half a body behind him because of his rank as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War.

So, Ma Buxuan bowed his head, stood up, bent down, stretched out his hands, and took the imperial edict from Han Su's hand.

Hu Jincai knelt on the ground without moving. He was thinking that several bigwigs in the court had started to seize power while Lin Feng was away.

First it was Ju Chaoyue and Wei Ming, and now Zhao Shuo and Zhao Gui have appeared. They were all direct generals of the former Kyoto Imperial Guards.

Although Zhao Shuo has always followed Lin Feng, his father is King Rui. At the critical moment, as Lin Feng said, blood will inevitably be thicker than water.

After seeing off Han Su and others, Ma Buxuan held the imperial edict and came to Hu Jincai.

"Deputy Commander Hu, look, the imperial edict has arrived. There's nothing much to say about it."

Hu Jincai shook his head: "Well, with the imperial decree, who dares to say anything else? Deputy Commander Ma is joking with me."

"Very good. Deputy Commander Hu will be asked to deploy the troops so that the two marquises can take up their posts immediately."

Hu Jincai nodded and said, "No need to reassign them. The two marquises are already entitled to this rank. They can command whichever battalion they like."

Ma Buxuan was stunned: "You have to tell this to the current generals, otherwise how will they hand over the power?"

Hu Jincai smiled and said, "It's the same if Deputy Commander Ma goes and says it."

"Of course it's different. The current leaders are all your generals in Zhenxi. How could they listen to me, Ma?"

Hu Jincai pointed at the imperial edict in Ma Buxuan's hand.

"Deputy Commander Ma, you have the imperial edict in your hand. Who dares not to obey?"

"That order must be passed according to procedure, otherwise how could they carry out military orders beyond their authority?"

Hu Jincai clapped his hands and said, "That's right, Deputy Commander Ma is indeed a big shot in the Ministry of War. He is naturally well aware of the military rules."

Ma Buxuan looked at him puzzledly.

"What do you want to say?"

Hu Jincai spread his hands and said, "Procedure."

Ma Buxuan understood instantly and his face turned pale.

"The imperial edict is still here. Deputy Commander Hu, do you dare to disobey it?"

"Look, why are you in such a hurry? It was you, Deputy Commander Ma, who received the imperial edict, so you should be the one to pass it on. Since you asked Hu to give the order, you have to follow the procedure."

Ma Buxuan raised his hand and pointed at Hu Jincai, his lips trembling slightly.

"You...you...wait, I'll go and pass on the order, and see who dares to disobey."

After saying that, he turned around and strode out of the command center door.

His guards hurriedly followed, rushed out of the gate, mounted their horses and headed towards Cannes.

Zhao Shuo and Zhao Gui were both stationed in Gencheng.

Zhao Shuo's current position is assigned by Lin Feng to the First Battalion of the Air Force, which has 1,500 people.

Zhao Gui served as an ordinary soldier in Zhao Shuo's camp.

Of course, no one in the Imperial Guards dared to treat him as an ordinary soldier, and he did not officially hold any position.

Ma Buxuan's first step was to announce the imperial edict to the two marquises, and then let them choose which camp to lead.

Zhao Shuo had been following Lin Feng for a long time, so he was very familiar with the Imperial Guards and naturally knew which camp to take over first.

When Ma Buxuan spread the imperial edict on the table and showed it to the two marquises.

Zhao Shuo was stunned and didn't recover for a long time.