novelhk Chapter 1009 Taking precautions and preparing in advance!
Chapter 1009 Taking precautions and preparing in advance!
In order to stabilize the court and prevent it from becoming paralyzed due to the prolonged absence of key figures, or even being exploited by those with ulterior motives, Xiao He, Cao Can, and Li Zhao, the general in charge of the Xianyang garrison, had to make a difficult decision after an emergency meeting: Xiao He, Cao Can, and Li Zhao would return to Xianyang first to barely maintain the operation of the court and appease the people, while the important task of commanding the rescue would be entrusted to Han Xin, who was the most resolute and decisive and knowledgeable in military affairs.
They all knew perfectly well that news of the King's misfortune had likely already begun circulating in certain circles. Gao Yao's prolonged absence, coupled with the unusually frequent troop and artisan movements, was bound to arouse suspicion. But this was an unavoidable dilemma: without a major operation, an effective rescue was impossible; and if a major operation was launched, the secret would be difficult to keep.
Xiao He rushed back to Xianyang almost without stopping, not even having time to return to his residence or change out of his official robes, before being summoned directly to the inner palace. Inside the Xuan Shi Hall, the atmosphere was heavy. Queen Lü Zhi sat on her phoenix throne, her face striving to remain calm, but her tightly furrowed brows and slightly reddened eyes betrayed her inner anxiety and unease. The palace servants standing in the hall held their breath, daring not to utter the slightest sound.
"Your subject Xiao He greets Your Majesty!" Xiao He stepped forward quickly, bowed, and his voice was hoarse from days of travel and toil.
“Prime Minister Xiao,” Lü Zhi’s voice rang out, trembling slightly, a mixture of worry and displeasure at her minister’s concealment of the situation, “no need for formalities. Tell me quickly, what has happened to the King? There have been many rumors circulating these past few days, quite a commotion. What is the truth? Where is the King now?”
Faced with Empress Lü's barrage of questions, Xiao He sighed inwardly, knowing he could no longer hide the truth. He steeled himself and chose to reveal part of the truth, since the stability of the court depended on the cooperation of Empress Lü.
“Reporting to Your Majesty,” Xiao He’s voice was low and heavy, “His Majesty… while exploring an ancient site at Mount Li, His Majesty unfortunately encountered a collapse of the underground palace and is now… trapped inside. We are doing our best to rescue him.”
"what?!"
Despite her premonition of something ominous, when the Prime Minister confirmed it to her own ears, Empress Lü was still struck dumb. She abruptly stood up from her throne, her eyes widening in disbelief and horror. Tears, which she could no longer hold back, streamed down her pale cheeks like broken pearls.
Although her relationship with Gao Yao had been fraught with twists and turns, including subtle power struggles, Gao Yao ultimately did not mistreat her, still granting her the honor of queen and a certain status. The bond between husband and wife, and the memories of sharing hardships, overshadowed everything else at this moment. Thinking of Gao Yao's predicament, his fate uncertain, Lü Zhi felt a pang of heartache, and her forced composure crumbled instantly.
"Your Majesty! Please accept my condolences and take care of your health!" Xiao He hurriedly comforted her upon seeing her distress, though he knew his words were futile. "His Majesty is blessed with great fortune. He has faced many perilous situations in the past and always managed to escape unscathed. He will surely overcome this danger once again! I have ordered men to dig day and night in shifts, doing everything possible to open a passage and rescue His Majesty. General Han Xin is currently on-site personally supervising the work. Please, Your Majesty, have no worries!"
"Reassure me? How can I be at ease!" Lü Zhi's voice was choked with sobs. She gripped the armrest of the phoenix throne, her body swaying slightly. "Your Majesty... how long has Your Majesty been trapped? Tell me the truth!"
“This…” Xiao He’s throat bobbed, and he uttered a number with difficulty, “…it has been more than ten days…”
"Ten days...more than..." Lü Zhi murmured, repeating this despairing time. She felt a sudden dizziness, her vision blurred, and she staggered. If she hadn't grabbed the handrail in time, she would have collapsed to the ground. Ten days! In a completely enclosed, collapsed underground space, there was no food, no water... An ordinary person without water could only survive for three days at most. Ten days had passed; how faint was the hope of survival! This realization was like a cold dagger, piercing her last shred of hope.
Xiao He was well aware of the slim chances of survival. He had witnessed firsthand the arduousness of the rescue. The underground palace had a complex structure, and the collapse covered a vast area. It was caused by the triggering of pre-set mechanisms within, resulting in a violent explosion that caused a large section of the tomb passage to collapse. The rescuers dared not use any rough methods that might cause tremors. Even the battering rams and flaming stones used by the army for breaching city walls were strictly prohibited, let alone the powerful gunpowder. Even in the "future era," which Xiao He could not imagine, explosives would never be used lightly in the face of such a collapse, for fear of triggering a chain reaction and causing a secondary collapse, which would completely extinguish any hope of survival.
The current rescue efforts rely entirely on manpower. Craftsmen and soldiers are using the most primitive tools—copper shovels, wooden spades, and baskets—to clear away the rubble and earth bit by bit. Every inch forward requires extreme caution, with constant vigilance against loose rocks and soil overhead. At the same time, manpower must be organized to reinforce and support potentially unstable sections that have already been cleared using timber and stone. The progress is frustratingly slow.
According to Han Xin and the most experienced craftsmen, at the current pace, it would take at least another month and a half to safely reopen the passage to the core palace! And this is assuming no further collapses occur during subsequent excavations. If they are unlucky and encounter new collapses, the time could even double, reaching as long as three months!
This was precisely the fundamental reason why Xiao He, Cao Can, and others had to return to the court ahead of schedule to take charge. The mobilization of troops, the sealing of mountains, and the conscription of artisans were too drastic, and Gao Yao's continued refusal to appear meant the truth could not be concealed forever. The court could not afford to be in chaos, and the newly unified empire could not afford to be in disarray either.
Despite her dizziness and grief, Lü Zhi took a few deep breaths and forcefully wiped away her tears with the corner of her sleeve. She knew this was not the time to vent her sorrow. Xiao He was right; the court needed stability.
"Hoo..." She exhaled a long breath, sat up straight again, and although her voice was still hoarse, it carried a hint of the resoluteness of a queen, "Xiao He, what are your thoughts on the current situation? How should the court respond?"
Seeing that Lü Zhi quickly regained her composure, Xiao He felt a little calmer and immediately gave a clear and logical reply: "The most urgent task is to conceal the news as much as possible. To the outside world, we should continue to claim that His Majesty is handling important matters at the Lishan camp, and that all government affairs are proceeding as usual, in accordance with the strategies set by His Majesty before leaving the capital, in order to stabilize people's hearts and confuse potential villains."
He paused, his tone becoming more serious, even tinged with a hint of reluctance, but he still asked the most sensitive question concerning the very foundation of the nation, "Furthermore... if I may be so bold as to ask Your Majesty, has Your Majesty ever shown any particular expectation or fondness for any prince?"