"Please, Imperial Father-in-law, speak your mind," Hua Zhengchun said, his voice weary and listless.
"Your Majesty," Ye Batian began, his tone righteous and filled with indignation, "the Xiongnu Empire has never abandoned its desire to destroy us. They dare to repeatedly invade our ally, the Zhao State. It is truly an affront to both heaven and man. I implore Your Majesty to dispatch an elite force under my command so that I may swear to sweep away the Xiongnu and capture the Xiongnu Empire’s Heavenly Khan, bringing him to our Great Qin Empire to atone for his crimes!"
Inwardly, Ye Batian thought, *By winning over the ministers who favor aiding the Zhao State against the Xiongnu, I have effectively cornered the Emperor. I know full well the royal house would never grant me command of the military, but by doing this, I ensure that all the citizens of the Great Qin Empire will view the royal family as cowardly and unjust. Of course, if I settle for the second-best option—forcing the royal house to send the Prince of Shicheng to the Zhao battlefield to die—then they cannot blame me, Ye Batian, for being ruthless.*
Chapter 19