Royal Gold Medal County Magistrate

Li Yuanzhao stood frozen in place, trembling.

Anger! Shaking! Cold!

I haven't even said anything yet, and now I'm being rejected outright?

Could you show me half the patience you show Old Fang? What do you mean by telling me to get lost?

Am I adopted?

Emperor Jing slightly raised his eyes and said blandly, "Why haven't you left yet? I have serious matters to attend to and don't have time to chat with you."

Li Yuanzhao forced a grim smile and pushed the petition forward: "Please read it first, Father."

"I won't read it. Do you think I don't know what you're thinking? It's nothing more than some fanciful battle strategies of your own. There's nothing to see," Emperor Jing said, putting down his chopsticks and focusing intently on the memorials again.

Li Yuanzhao grew anxious: "No, Father, please read it first."

Emperor Jing waved his hand impatiently: "Alright, alright, I'll read it, but don't bother me about it after I'm done."

With that, he picked up the petition. As soon as the contents met his eyes, Emperor Jing paused.

Then, his expression gradually became strange.

Li Yuanzhao seized the opportunity and said: "Father, this is the petition I collected from the Embroidered Uniform Guard yesterday. Every member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard is loyal and patriotic. Hearing that the Jin Kingdom has invaded and captured Old Fang, everyone is filled with righteous indignation."

"With Old Fang gone, they all listen to me. In that case, I have no choice but to take on this important task and lead them to the front lines. Father, you mustn't disappoint the hearts of those below."

After reading it, Emperor Jing gently placed the petition on the table and raised his eyes to say: "You're not afraid of trouble, stirring up so much in one day."

"If I don't agree, were you planning to unite the Embroidered Uniform Guard in the palace and tie me up?"

"No, no way," Li Yuanzhao chuckled. "Father, will you agree or not? As long as you're willing to let me go, I guarantee I'll follow all orders!"

Emperor Jing remained silent, lost in thought.

Li Yuanzhao pressed his advantage: "Father, you were already fighting valiantly on the battlefield at my age. Why won't you let me go?"

"As the Crown Prince, I should lead by example and personally engage in battle. Only then will I live up to the name of Crown Prince. Just as Old Fang once told me, flowers in a greenhouse will never grow strong. Sooner or later, I will have to deal with these matters. Now is the perfect opportunity."

"Think about it, cannons against cavalry are almost a guaranteed win. I'll just be observing the battlefield, at most providing some support. It definitely won't affect the overall situation, don't you think, Father?"

Emperor Jing closed his eyes and remained silent.

Li Yuanzhao waited anxiously for a response.

"If you were to lead the army in this battle, how would you deploy your troops?"

Li Yuanzhao's heart leaped with joy, and his eyes darted around as he said: "The Utu claim to have eight hundred thousand soldiers, half of whom must be logistics. I'll directly lead five hundred thousand troops and, impersonating Father, falsely claim a personal imperial campaign to lure the Utu into a decisive battle."

"Have the vanguard deliberately lose a battle to lure the Utu to pursue, then launch a powerful cannon attack on the cavalry. Their horses aren't familiar with the sound of cannons and will inevitably be startled. Once the cannonballs are exhausted, the heavy cavalry should also be too weak to fight. Our army's morale will be high, and we can launch a full-scale attack, pursuing the enemy."

"Additionally, set up a hot air balloon team. After losing the battle, the Utu will inevitably retreat to the fortified Gao Pass. At this time, their forces will be gathered below Gao Pass, leaving them no time to adjust. As long as the hot air balloons drop explosives and fire oil, we can annihilate a large portion of the enemy forces."

Li Yuanzhao spoke with a confident air, shaking his head.

"If this battle is successful, the rest will be much easier. The Utu don't know the details and will definitely fear the power of the firearms,不敢集结大部队。 Retreating outside the pass to wage guerrilla warfare, they will be unable to form a large army. We can just take our time to defeat them one by one, achieving a permanent solution."

This kid isn't completely ignorant after all?!

Emperor Jing rarely showed a satisfied smile: "You're spouting nonsense, but marching and fighting isn't like practicing martial arts in the training ground, just hitting wooden dummies."

"The enemy is alive and won't follow your plans. The Utu also have hot air balloons. What if they directly launch a fire attack on the Divine Machine Battalion from above? What if light cavalry leads the charge, directly plunging into our formation and catching our army off guard?"

"It's not that easy. The Utu have no reason not to use heavy cavalry. I don't think the situation Father described exists. The light cavalry can be stopped by alternating fire from the musketeers. A fire attack from above also can't be aimed accurately. The Xifeng Plains are not like the Yi Shun's stockades. The fire oil dropped by the hot air balloons won't cause too much damage."

Emperor Jing didn't say much. He stood up and said to Guo Tianyang: "Bring me my spear. I want to test the Crown Prince's martial skills."

Li Yuanzhao was overjoyed!

Directly testing my martial skills indirectly means acknowledging that I can go, right?

I'm young and strong, can't I win against Father once? Let's have a proper fight!

"Come with me, let's find a spacious place. If you want to go to the battlefield, I have to see if you have the qualifications first!" Emperor Jing said, leading the way out of the imperial study.

Li Yuanzhao clenched his fist hard and quickly followed.

Outside the imperial study, there was a sizable open space. Emperor Jing stood with his spear.

Li Yuanzhao took a sword from a guard and smiled: "Father, this spear is heavy and clumsy, only suitable for mounted combat. Are you sure you don't want to change weapons?"

Emperor Jing held the spear and swung it a few times, displaying impressive skill: "Hmph, I'm not old yet. Swords and spears have no eyes. If you get injured, you can forget about going. Let's begin."

After all, he only has this one son. Let him suffer a little and keep him in the capital.

If I don't use this method, I'm afraid he won't let it go. If I leave, he might even sneak to the front lines with people.

Emperor Jing weighed his options in his heart, gripped the spear shaft with both hands, and strode forward.

A wicked smile appeared on Li Yuanzhao's lips, and he quickly retreated, widening the distance between them.

Suddenly, he reached behind his waist and pulled something out.

"Bang!" A stone brick exploded at Emperor Jing's feet, blasting out a dent.

Then, Li Yuanzhao's rampant laughter came from his ear: "Hahahaha! Times have changed, Father!"

Emperor Jing stopped, cold sweat streaming down his face. Seeing Li Yuanzhao holding a short pistol and laughing wildly, his expression turned black.

He cursed: "Beast! I'm testing your martial skills, and you're using a gun?"

This confounded son actually used a firearm against his own father? That thing is far less accurate than a bow and arrow. This beast wants to commit patricide!

Li Yuanzhao said coldly: "All warfare is based on deception!"

The onlookers, including Guo Tianyang, were already in a daze, unsure of what to do.

Emperor Jing trembled with anger, pointing at him and saying: "But you only have three bullets. Even if you could hit something, what use is it against an encirclement?"

Li Yuanzhao turned around with a flourish, lifted his robe, and revealed a special belt around his waist, with a row of short pistols attached.

"Heh heh, I'd like to see how many people want to encircle me!"

Emperor Jing was speechless with anger... He couldn't think of anything to say for a moment.

Suddenly, Li Yuanzhao pointed to a gargoyle on the corner of the imperial study: "Father, look there."

Emperor Jing followed the direction he was pointing, and then a gunshot was heard. The gargoyle's tail exploded with a bang.

"Look there again." Li Yuanzhao pointed to another spot and, predictably, hit it accurately.

In the open space, gunshots began to ring out one after another. The corners of the buildings and tiles that Li Yuanzhao pointed to were shot and shattered one by one.

Emperor Jing's expression gradually changed from initial anger to shock.

Hitting whatever he pointed at, never missing!

This is... a sharpshooter! My son has this skill?

......