flstandardbreds Chapter 147 Court
Chapter 147 Court
Liu Shan stood on the Imperial Guard's training ground, his eyes sharp as he surveyed the soldiers before him.
Although he had taken over the daily training of the Imperial Guards as deputy commander, he knew in his heart that he had not truly won over the hearts of these soldiers.
Most of the Imperial Guard soldiers were from aristocratic families, pampered and undisciplined, lazy in training, and did not take him, an "outsider," seriously at all.
Liu Shan took a deep breath and secretly made plans in his mind.
He knew that to truly control the Imperial Guard, the Empress's appointment alone was not enough; he had to win the soldiers' hearts and minds.
The only way to win over these proud and arrogant scions of noble families is to let strength speak for itself.
"Assemble!" Liu Shan commanded, his voice booming like thunder across the training ground.
The soldiers lazily gathered around, their faces showing disdain.
Although they dared not openly disobey orders, their eyes were filled with contempt.
Liu Shan saw this and sneered inwardly.
He knew that he had to show these people his strength today, otherwise the Imperial Guard would never truly be at his disposal.
“I know you don’t respect me,” Liu Shan said, looking around at everyone. “You think I’m just a lowly scholar, and what right do I have to manage you scions of noble families?”
Upon hearing this, the soldiers wore mocking smiles, clearly indicating that Liu Shan had hit the nail on the head.
Liu Shan remained unperturbed and continued, "Today, I'm giving you a chance. You can all come at me together. If you can defeat me, I will immediately resign from my position as deputy commander and never interfere with you again. But if you lose, from this day forward, you must obey my orders without any disloyalty!"
These words immediately caused an uproar among the soldiers.
Although they were lazy, they were, after all, imperial guards and had received some training. They considered themselves to be exceptionally skilled, and many of them came from the martial arts world and possessed unique skills. Upon hearing this, they all showed eager expressions.
Now Liu Shan actually wants to challenge all of them by himself, which is a blatant humiliation.
“Commander Liu, you’d better not regret this!” A burly soldier stepped forward, a disdainful smile on his face. “We’re not pushovers.”
Liu Shan smiled slightly and said calmly, "Come on, let me see what you're capable of."
Before he could finish speaking, the burly soldier had already rushed forward, his fist whistling as it struck Liu Shan's face.
Liu Shan neither dodged nor evaded; he simply raised his right hand slightly, his inner strength surging, instantly blocking the opponent's fist.
The soldier felt as if his fist had hit an iron plate, the shock making his arm numb. Before he could react, Liu Shan had already kicked him, sending him flying several feet away, where he crashed heavily to the ground.
"Attack together!" Liu Shan shouted coldly, his eyes like knives.
Upon seeing this, the soldiers were enraged and rushed forward.
Liu Shan stood still, his body as straight as a pine tree, his inner strength flowing within him, like an unshakeable mountain.
His hands moved like lightning, each move carrying a sharp gust of wind, making it impossible for the soldiers to get close.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" With a series of muffled thuds, soldiers were knocked to the ground one after another by Liu Shan.
Their punches and kicks struck Liu Shan as if hitting an iron plate, causing no harm whatsoever.
Every move Liu Shan made carried the force of thunder, instantly crushing his opponent.
In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the training ground was already filled with Imperial Guard soldiers lying on the ground.
They were either clutching their chests or hugging their arms, their faces filled with pain and shock.
Liu Shan stood in the center of the arena, his breathing steady, as if the battle had not exhausted him at all.
"Is there anyone else who disagrees?" Liu Shan looked around, his voice cold and stern.
The soldiers looked at each other, and none of them dared to step forward.
They finally realized that the seemingly weak deputy commander in front of them was actually a top-level expert who was hiding his true strength.
He is invincible in one-on-one combat, and he is also invincible in one-on-one combat against a
"From this day forward, the Imperial Guards must obey my orders without any disloyalty!" Liu Shan's voice was like thunder, making everyone's hearts tremble.
The soldiers lowered their heads and replied in unison, "Yes, sir!"
Liu Shan nodded in satisfaction, secretly relieved.
He knew that he had finally won over the Imperial Guard.
Although these soldiers may still harbor resentment, at least outwardly, they no longer dare to disobey their orders.
News of Liu Shan's successful subjugation of the Imperial Guards quickly spread throughout the imperial court.
Empress Chu Lan was overjoyed upon learning of this and immediately summoned Liu Shan, preparing to promote him to commander of the Imperial Guard.
However, her decision was met with strong opposition from Prime Minister Wen Hangqing and Minister of Personnel Fang Mingzhe.
“Your Majesty, although Liu Shan is exceptionally capable, he has risen from a mere scholar to the fourth-rank deputy commander of the Imperial Guard in just over a year, which violates ancestral rules.”
Wen Hangqing stood in the court, his tone firm, "If we were to promote him to the rank of second-grade Imperial Guard Commander, it would likely cause controversy in the court and among the people."
Fang Mingzhe echoed, "Your Majesty, what the Prime Minister said is absolutely right. Although Liu Shan has made contributions, his promotion is too rapid and may not be convincing to the people. If he is forcibly promoted, we can only resign."
Upon seeing this, the civil and military officials in the court echoed the sentiment, stating that if the Empress insisted on promoting Liu Shan, they would also resign.
Chu Lan sat on the dragon throne, his brows furrowed.
She knew that Wen Hangqing and Fang Mingzhe's opposition was not without reason.
Liu Shan's promotion was indeed too rapid; if he were to be promoted forcibly, it would likely cause dissatisfaction among both the court and the public.
But she knew in her heart that Liu Shan was the general she trusted most, and only he could truly control the Imperial Guard and ensure her safety.
"My esteemed ministers," Chu Lan began slowly, his tone tinged with a hint of helplessness, "Liu Shan's abilities are evident to all. Under his leadership, the Imperial Guards have been completely transformed. I believe that promoting him to the position of Commander of the Imperial Guards is entirely appropriate."
Wen Hangqing shook his head, his tone resolute: "Your Majesty, ancestral rules cannot be violated. If Your Majesty insists on promoting Liu Shan, we can only resign."
Chu Lan felt a surge of irritation. She knew that if she forcibly promoted Liu Shan, it would likely cause turmoil in the court.
But she was unwilling to give up Liu Shan, her capable assistant.
After much deliberation, she finally made her decision.
“In that case,” Chu Lan said slowly, “I will not promote Liu Shan to the position of Commander of the Imperial Guards for the time being. However, the position of Commander of the Imperial Guards will remain vacant for the time being, and Liu Shan will continue to serve as the Deputy Commander, acting as the Commander.”
Wen Hangqing and Fang Mingzhe exchanged a glance, understanding the Empress's ulterior motives.
Although she temporarily gave up on promoting Liu Shan, she resolutely left the position of commander of the Imperial Guard vacant, clearly paving the way for Liu Shan.
However, they also knew that the Empress had already made concessions, and if they pressed her further, it would likely provoke an even greater backlash.