Feng Linche said coldly, "Drag him out!"
Just then, Bai Sheng, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly raised her head. Staring intently at Feng Linche, she shouted, "Your Majesty! Back then, the Crown Prince thoroughly investigated this case and concluded that it was the work of foreign spies aiming to sow discord between the monarch and his ministers in our Great Zhou.
Your Majesty, you were discerning enough to see through this scheme back then. How could you now fall into the enemy's trap just because of a few letters!
If something happens to my father, and if there is another conflict on the border of Great Zhou, it will be the people of Great Zhou who will suffer the most. The ones who will benefit the most are still those foreign spies plotting in the shadows, Your Majesty!"
"So what?" Feng Linche suddenly leaned forward, a strange smile on his face. Looking at her gently, he said, "Did I initiate the order to punish your general father with fifty strokes of the rod?"
Seeing that smile, a chill suddenly ran down Bai Sheng's back. She slowly shook her head.
"Since I didn't, what are you doing now, lecturing me and telling me not to fall into the enemy's trap and cause discord between the monarch and his ministers? Hmm?" There was nothing but coldness in Feng Linche's eyes. "Didn't I just calmly console your father? And who was I doing it for when I took Bai Di out of the prison? Your father made a big scene in the Wenrui Hall, stepping on my dignity. Instead of admonishing your father, you come to lecture me?"
"Father didn't do it on purpose. He has only known how to fight on the battlefield all his life. Whenever there's an issue, he resorts to violence. He's just straightforward like this. He didn't mean to disrespect Your Majesty..." Bai Sheng forced herself to stay calm.
Feng Linche sneered coldly, "He didn't do it on purpose? Hah! He knows exactly what he's doing! If you can understand this principle, how could he not? He knows that Great Zhou can't do without him, and I dare not do anything to him. So he dares to use the punishment of fifty strokes of the rod to blackmail me and try to lead me by the nose?"
Saying this, Feng Linche looked up at the Qianniu Guards who had stopped dragging Bai Yizhang out because of Bai Sheng's words. He shouted sternly, "Who told you to stop? Drag him out and beat him!"
Bai Yizhang's eyes widened to the extreme, staring fixedly at Feng Linche, almost bleeding.
He never expected that Feng Linche would suddenly turn against him and really beat him severely!
He regretted it and was about to plead for mercy when he suddenly saw Bai Sheng frowning and gently shaking her head at him.
Don't plead for mercy. Never plead for mercy.
Feng Linche was currently extremely angry. If he pleaded for mercy, it would only make Feng Linche more firmly believe that his request for the punishment of fifty strokes of the rod was really an act of arrogance and blackmail, rather than a sincere admission of guilt.
He closed his eyes and said miserably, "This old official thanks Your Majesty! This old official is old and may not be able to withstand these fifty strokes..."
Feng Linche remained unmoved and said coldly, "The general has been fighting on the battlefield all year round and has a strong constitution. You can rest assured. Even if I can't hold on, you can!"
Bai Yizhang was completely desperate, but still shouted, "Your Majesty, this old official is not afraid of death. There's nothing in this world that this old official is attached to. The only things this old official can't let go of are Your Majesty and Great Zhou... I only beg Your Majesty not to be angry because of this old official's matter. I only hope that the border of Great Zhou will be peaceful and there will be no war..."
Feng Linche closed his eyes, wishing he could cover his ears.
He didn't want to hear these words that seemed kind but were actually full of curses at all.
It wasn't until Bai Yizhang's voice gradually faded away and could no longer be heard that he gradually relaxed his frown.
Bai Sheng saw this and felt heart - broken. She knew that Bai Yizhang was in great danger this time, but Feng Linche had been completely enraged by them and couldn't be persuaded.
Thinking of this, she wiped away her tears and stepped forward to console Mrs. Zhao. "Mother, father has a strong constitution and will surely be able to withstand these fifty strokes. Don't be too sad!"
After saying that, she looked up at Feng Linche. There was a deep hatred hidden in her eyes. However, this hatred flashed by. Except for Bai Zheng and Feng Linyuan who had been staring at her, no one else noticed. Everyone only saw her plead again.
"Your Majesty, there are still doubts about the letters in Di'er's room. Father is old. If he has to go to the Dali Temple after suffering these fifty strokes, he will surely not be able to bear it. Please, for the sake of father's many years of military achievements and for the sake of the ancestors of the Bai family, let father go back to the General's Mansion to recuperate!"
Obviously, at this time, no one thought of Bai Di anymore and pleaded for mercy for her.
Feng Linche glared at them coldly but didn't say a word.
Both Mrs. Zhao and Bai Sheng were stained with a lot of Bai Di's blood. After all the commotion, these two once - glamorous ladies of the General's Mansion now looked extremely disheveled.
Seeing this, Feng Linche finally said slowly, "The eldest miss is right. I will investigate this matter thoroughly. As for General Bai, let him go back to the mansion after the punishment.
It's obvious that his body can no longer withstand leading troops to fight. I don't want my ministers to be unable to recuperate from their illness and still have to worry about the safety of the border and manage the 400,000 troops, leaving a bad reputation of being harsh on my ministers."
Saying this, he turned his head and said to the eunuch beside him, "You go and send the general back to the mansion later. Remember to bring back the military amulet."
"Your Majesty!" Bai Sheng's face completely changed.
Feng Linche was taking back Bai Yizhang's military power!
That couldn't be allowed! What kind of General's Mansion would it be if there were no troops under its command?
She quickly said, "Your Majesty, even if father needs to recuperate and can no longer lead troops into battle for the time being, but our Bai family still has my elder brother!
My elder brother has been fighting on the battlefield with father since he was a child. Now he can stand on his own and has the ability to lead troops. Even if father can't do it, elder brother can take his place...
Moreover, the soldiers in father's military camp have been under father's and elder brother's command for a long time and are familiar with elder brother. If a new general is suddenly appointed, they may not be able to adapt for a while..."
"Are you saying that these 400,000 troops now no longer belong to me but are the private army of your Bai family?" Feng Linche said. His voice was extremely cold, with a bone - chilling chill. "I can't even replace the person leading them?"
"I didn't mean that, Your Highness!" Bai Sheng felt extremely angry in her heart but had to suppress this anger. She loudly pleaded her innocence, kowtowed, and then continued to argue with Feng Linche.
"I just don't want our Great Zhou to fall into the enemy's scheme, where the monarch and his ministers fight each other like snipe and clam, only to let other countries reap the benefits!
I grew up in the military camp with father since I was a child and know a little about leading troops and fighting. If a general has developed years of understanding with his soldiers and is suddenly removed and replaced, it will make the military morale unstable and the soldiers panicked. This is a big taboo before a battle..."
"Do I need you to teach me how to lead troops and fight?!"