The sharp and piercing whistles and shouts of the Japanese pirates outside the general's tent became smaller and smaller, and the chaos they caused gradually subsided.
Inside the general's tent, there was a small red clay stove and a charcoal-fired purple clay teapot. The tea leaves in the pot were rolling up and down, and the rich tea aroma was wafting in the air.
Zhao Wenhua sat in the main seat, Hu Zongxian and Zhu Pingan sat on both sides below, and the atmosphere in the tent was somewhat solemn.
The source is Zhao Wenhua.
He had no time to celebrate his escape, and now had to face an imminent dilemma - how to end it.
"Meilin, Zihou, you are all my own people, and you are all smart people, so I won't beat around the bush with you. This sea sacrifice was supposed to go smoothly and beautifully, and everyone could share the credit, get promoted and make money, and everyone was happy. Who knew that this would go wrong in the end? The damn Japanese pirates attacked the sacrifice site at night, killing people and setting fires in various camps. Although the final results have not been counted yet, it is obvious that the losses must be huge."
"Although Yu Dayou, Tang Kekuan and others betrayed the trust, neglected their duties, and failed to supervise, allowing the Japanese pirates to easily sneak into the festival site and attack at night, they cannot escape the blame, but as the imperial envoy of the sea sacrifice, I am also in charge of all matters of the sea sacrifice, and I also have an unshirkable leadership responsibility. Now that the incident has happened, how can I report to the emperor and how can I help me out? Do you have any good ideas?"
Zhao Wenhua took a sip of tea with a savory taste, then put the cup aside, leaned forward and spoke to Hu Zongxian and Zhu Pingan.
"My Lord, the sea sacrifice ceremony was completed smoothly and beautifully during the day. The Japanese pirates' night attack occurred after the sea sacrifice, which does not affect your report. These are two different matters. My Lord can report the Japanese pirates' night attack separately. I think that what happened after the sea sacrifice has nothing to do with you, the chief priest."
As soon as Zhao Wenhua finished speaking, Hu Zongxian spoke first, suggesting that Zhao Wenhua should report the sea sacrifice and the Japanese pirates' night attack as two separate matters.
He was clever and split the events that happened on the same day artificially. In this way, he could report normally that the sea sacrifice was successfully completed, and Zhao Wenhua would get all the credit he deserved. As for the night attack by Japanese pirates, that was another matter and happened after the sea sacrifice, so it was not Zhao Wenhua's responsibility. The subtext was to let Yu Dayou and others take the blame.
After hearing this, Zhao Wenhua narrowed his eyes and thought for a moment, then shook his head, "Not right. Although the Japanese pirates' night attack occurred after the sea sacrifice ceremony was completed, it was on the same day after all, which was actually the end of the sea sacrifice ceremony. It has not yet ended, and it cannot be hidden from those who have ulterior motives. Li Mo's group in the court, as well as some self-righteous people, are secretly staring at my adoptive father and me. If they report this matter to the emperor, things will be difficult to handle, and I will be punished more severely."
Zhao Wenhua knew very well that although the Yan Party was powerful in the court and more than half of the officials in the world were members of the Yan Party, and his adoptive father could shake the court with just a stomp of his feet, he could not cover the sky with one hand. For example, there were some non-partisan but upright people in Li Mo's party who openly or secretly opposed the Yan Party. Although their power was far less than that of the Yan Party, their existence could not be ignored. The memorials impeaching his adoptive father and other members that appeared in the court from time to time were clear proof of this.
When he had originally proposed the sea sacrifice, some upright people like Li Mo had strongly opposed it. Now they must be staring at the sea sacrifice with wide eyes.
This little trick can't be hidden from them.
If they were to expose this, things would become even more difficult to deal with, and it would be almost impossible to escape.
"In that case..." Hu Zongxian pondered for a while, then said to Zhao Wenhua meaningfully, "In fact, as long as someone takes responsibility for the Japanese pirates' night attack, you will naturally be free of responsibility."
"Although Yu Dayou and Tang Kekuan are to blame for their betrayal of trust and negligence in their duties, their shoulders are too small to bear such a heavy responsibility." Zhao Wenhua knocked on the armrest of the chair, looked at Hu Zongxian, then at Zhu Pingan, and said slowly.
Zhao Wenhua had no burden at all about putting the blame on Yu Dayou and Tang Kekuan, but these two were just generals leading troops, and their lackeys were like their own, so they could not bear such a big blame.
"If their shoulders are too small to bear it, who can bear it..." Hu Zongxian said, and looked at Zhao Wenhua, and then they looked in the same direction at the same time, which was the location of Zhang Jing's tent.
A smell of conspiracy spread in the commander's tent.
Oh my god, they want to put the blame on Governor Zhang Jing, Zhu Ping'an immediately realized it.
After all, among all the people present, except Zhao Wenhua, the only one who could take the blame was Zhang Jing.
Zhu Pingan couldn't help but feel a surge of blood boiling. You guys are too shameless! It was you who took out the imperial edict and used the name of the emperor to subdue Zhang Jing and seize the power of the sea sacrifice. Zhao Wenhua presided over all matters of the sea sacrifice. As a result, when the incident happened, you put the blame on Zhang Jing?!
While Zhu Ping'an was getting excited, Zhao Wenhua and Hu Zongxian had already started looking for problems with Zhang Jing.
"When I first arrived with the mission of the Sea Sacrifice, he complained about it and tried to do it hastily and perfunctorily. He also wanted to use the money for other purposes. After I showed him the imperial edict and clearly opposed it, he walked away in anger. I have already reported this to His Majesty. Before the Sea Sacrifice started yesterday, he repeatedly tried to stop me on the format, scale, and process of the Sea Sacrifice. It was only when Merlin brought out the imperial edict that he gave up out of anger and walked away in anger. Everyone present saw it. After that, he passively cooperated with the Sea Sacrifice. He spent most of the day saying that he was too busy. As the governor-general of Jiangnan, he was lazy and passive in performing his duties. He should bear the unshirkable responsibility for the Japanese pirates' night attack on the sacrifice site."
Zhao Wenhua slapped the armrest of the chair and righteously put the blame for the Japanese pirates' night attack on Zhang Jing.
"Sir, I believe that Governor Zhang, as the Governor-General of Jiangnan, is responsible for suppressing the Japanese pirates and protecting the territory. However, after he took office as the Governor-General, he has kept his troops idle for several months and has failed to send a single soldier to suppress the Japanese pirates, causing the Japanese pirates in Jiangnan to become more and more rampant. How could Governor Zhang stay out of the disaster of the Japanese pirates' night attack on the sacrificial ceremony tonight?" Hu Zongxian started from Zhang Jing's responsibilities and added.
After listening to Hu Zongxian's words, Zhao Wenhua's mind was opened again. He looked at Hu Zongxian with appreciation and nodded vigorously. "Yes, that's right. The Japanese pirates can be so arrogant because he did not move his troops and indulged them! After I came to Jiangnan, I urged him to send troops to suppress the Japanese pirates, but he prevaricated with various reasons, such as the wolf soldiers and other foreign soldiers have not stopped, the old generals are unruly, the local troops are not able to fight, etc., and refused to send troops to suppress the Japanese pirates. It is because he did not perform his duties as governor and indulged the Japanese pirates in Jiangnan that the Japanese pirates in Jiangnan have become more and more daring and lawless, and even the disaster of the night attack on the bear farm occurred! Tonight's disaster, he is not only not able to stay out of it, he has failed the trust of the emperor, failed the trust of thousands of people, and failed the trust of this official. He bears an unshirkable responsibility!"