Chapter 38: Deploying troops will cause major chaos.

The turmoil in Shangyong City continues to spread.

After Xie Yuan was enfeoffed, the virtuous concubine was promoted to the rank of Noble Consort and took charge of the affairs of the six palaces.

Expelling the son and promoting the mother is nothing more than slapping someone and then giving them a sweet treat; it's all for the sake of appeasement and checks and balances.

When the imperial decree to launch the campaign in the Southern Continent was issued, Chen Liangyu was given only 50,000 troops. This number was far from sufficient for the mission of fighting deep in other countries.

Emperor Xuanyuan issued another edict granting her the authority to command troops in the southern border region.

At the same time, an imperial edict was issued ordering Gao Guan to succeed Chen Liangyu as the Grand General of the Twelve Guards.

Gao Guan held the position of General of the Golden Guard, and according to common sense, he could not concurrently hold other positions in the Sixteen Guards.

Chen Liangyu quickly understood why Emperor Xuanyuan had assigned her to quell the rebellion in Nanzhou.

This means she's being stripped of her command over the palace troops.

Once she returns from quelling the rebellion in the Southern Continent and surrenders her military command, she will no longer have a single soldier under her command. Like an eagle with clipped wings, unable to move, she can only obediently marry Xie Yu and become one of the many useless concubines in the harem.

However, shortly afterward, Emperor Xuanyuan handed over command of the Twelve Guards and the Yongdu Garrison to Chen Yuanqing, the Marquis of Xuanping, who had been retired for a long time.

Chen Liangyu had a bad feeling about this troop deployment; she always felt that if she left, Yongdu would be in big trouble.

And it's the kind that's uncontrollable.

Chen Yuanqing entered the palace upon receiving the imperial edict. Emperor Xuanyuan was resting on his dragon bed, with Xie Wenjun and several concubines attending to him.

Zhai Ji, the hostage prince of Beiyong, also stayed by Emperor Xuanyuan's bedside almost all day long. Whenever Emperor Xuanyuan put something in his mouth, he would be the first to test it for poison.

After dismissing everyone in the hall, Eunuch Sun announced this decree, which surprised Chen Yuanqing.

Emperor Xuanyuan thought Chen Yuanqing was going to decline, and said dejectedly, "Brother..."

Chen Yuanqing was all too familiar with that expression.

When he was a child, he worried about being scolded by the late emperor for not finishing his studies; when he was a teenager, he had no choice but to take up a long sword and fight his own brothers to the death during the Rebellion of the Five Princes. He always had this expression.

Even an emperor who holds the power of life and death over all people in the world, when he is afraid, still habitually calls out "elder brother".

Chen Yuanqing's soft heart was a habitual trait; when Xie Lin showed fear in front of him, he would give in to him in everything.

Even though his body is no longer as strong as it used to be, able to shield him from all attacks with the courage of ten thousand men, if it can give him even a little peace of mind, then he is willing to lead troops again, don armor and go into battle when he is in danger, and fight for him one last time.

Chen Yuanqing requested an additional imperial decree from Emperor Xuanyuan to expedite Chen Luan's transfer to a post outside the capital.

After passing the imperial examination, Chen Luan served as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy for less than a year. According to custom, a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest rank) who was granted an official position was required to serve in Yongdu for a full year before being transferred to a local post. Based on his merits and performance in the local area, it was decided how many years he would serve before being transferred back to Yongdu.

After arranging things for Chen Luan, he dispatched soldiers to escort Yan Nian and her daughter back to the northern border, so they could return to Chen Linjun's side.

Something really bad is about to happen!

Chen Liangyu was uneasy and wanted to ask what was going on, but Yan Baizhang gave her a metal letter tube first. Inside was a piece of silk paper with a complex route map drawn on it. The places marked at the nodes were all shops in the market, such as horse shops, cloth shops, snack and fruit shops, and a few farmhouses.

This is not a map of Yongdu. Those scattered stars are more like points of interest throughout the entire Dalu region.

“Memorize these locations,” Yan Baizhang said. “If you don’t hear from Yongdu for a long time after you go to Nanzhou, and your message can’t reach Yongdu and your elder brother, then use the flying gnats to make contact.”

"Flying Fly" is a civilian intelligence network established by Jiang Bojin, one of He Niangong's four disciples and known as the Flying Fly Arrow. During the Rebellion of the Five Princes, he served as a strategist under the command of Prince Fengde and repeatedly offered Prince Fengde plans to intercept and kill Xie Lin and Chen Yuanqing, but all of them were thwarted by Yan Baizhang, Lin Jianshu and Chen Yuanqing.

King Fengde suffered repeated defeats and suspected that he was a spy planted by Xie Lin, so he cut off both of his arms.

His final fate is unknown; some say he was hacked to death, while others say he was driven out and forced to become a beggar.

In short, no one saw him again after that, and gradually everyone assumed he was dead.

His "flying horsefly" was collected by Yan Baizhang and continued to be used.

Chen Liangyu suddenly remembered something and said to Yan Baizhang and Chen Yuanqing, "Father, Uncle Yan, Uncle Lin gave the Yin-Yang Three Scrolls to Zhai Ji before his death. If chaos breaks out in Yongdu, he will definitely take advantage of the chaos to cause trouble and escape. Now that he is guarding His Majesty's side, it is not easy to make a move. We must find an opportunity to kill him without leaving any evidence. We must not let him return to Beiyong alive!"

Although the Yin-Yang Three Scrolls have been circulating among the people, and may have already been obtained by the Northern Yong, military strategy is most averse to empty talk on paper.

But Zhai Ji was not just a talker; he had a great understanding of leading troops in battle. Even in his early twenties, he was able to trap Yan Baizhang in his battle formation and shoot him through the calf.

If he were to return to Beiyong after mastering the three volumes of Yin and Yang, it would be no different from releasing a tiger back into the mountains.

He will be a thorny problem for Da-Lin.

Emperor Xuanyuan's health deteriorated further.

After being ill for more than a month without improvement, he moved to a sleeping quarters behind Chongzheng Hall to recuperate. He then re-inscribed the hall plaque and renamed it Changsheng Hall.

The intention is for him to live as long as the pine and the tall tree, and to live forever without end.

The plaque inscribed with the wish for longevity failed to grant him health; instead, he fell ill and died. Despite taking medicine and tonics daily, his health deteriorated month by month.

As dusk fell that day, Xie Wenjun served Emperor Xuanyuan his medicine, wiped the residue from the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief, and then took his leave.

Emperor Xuanyuan called her: "Jiang Ning..."

"Your subject is here."

Her manners were impeccable, and there was nothing wrong with them, but Emperor Xuanyuan remained silent for a long time after watching her.

Since he fell ill, Xie Wenjun has taken care of him whenever she has free time, being extremely attentive and considerate in everything she does, but he always feels that something is missing.

It was only after that bow that he realized it lacked warmth.

Blood ties and family affection should be the closest and most intimate, so why are they so distant?

"You are my only daughter, why are you so distant from me?"

Xie Wenjun immediately knelt down and said, "Father is the sovereign, with majestic majesty. Your son respects Father."

Emperor Xuanyuan was filled with disappointment.

Respect? What he longs for now is not that respect for his sovereign and father.

When a person is most vulnerable, especially when ill, they yearn for the warmth and affection of family. But it seems that fate has been unkind to him, unwilling to grant even such a small wish.

"I..." Emperor Xuanyuan hesitated, "Enough, go back to the Eastern Palace. You've had a hard time these past few days."

Just as Xie Wenjun was about to get up, Emperor Xuan Yuan suddenly asked again, "If I were to fall asleep tonight and never wake up, who do you think is more capable of succeeding to the throne?"

Xie Wenjun said, "Your subject does not understand these things."

Emperor Xuanyuan gave her a meaningful look. “It’s best if you don’t understand. You’ve always been all alone all these years. It’s because I, as your father, haven’t cared for you enough. Go back to the Eastern Palace. Tell the Crown Prince to select a few companions to come to the palace and keep you company.”

Feeling that wasn't enough, he summoned Eunuch Wei, who was waiting outside the Hall of Longevity, and instructed him, "Wei Qi, take good care of the princess. I trust you."

"Your servant obeys." His voice was already damaged, hoarse and unpleasant.

Eunuch Wei was hunched over, his body stooped, making it impossible to see his face or discern his expression. However, he seemed very nervous, with slight unease in his hands and feet.

Perhaps this unease can also be interpreted as excitement?

"Thank you, Your Majesty. I take my leave now."

Xie Wenjun got up and left the Hall of Longevity, returning to the East Palace and heading towards the Hall of Cleansing. Rong Jun was also walking this way, his steps somewhat hurried.

Several stacks of memorials were piled up on the table in front of Xie Yu.

Rong Jun said, "Your Highness, the secret letter from Yifeng Pavilion." He paused, then added, "His Majesty is already aware of it as well."

On the surface, Yifeng Pavilion is just a royal brothel, but in reality, it is a secret agency in the palace that gathers information on the movements and secrets of ministers and the common people. Beneath the veneer of romance lies a secret prison. No one of ordinary status can enter this prison; only members of the royal family who have plotted treason have the privilege of experiencing the tortures within.

The Yifeng Pavilion has a complex network of people who are not loyal to any one person. Among them are people from the Emperor, people from the Eastern Palace, people from Xie Xuan, and even people from Xie Yuan.

However, after the latter two left Yongdu to take up their fiefdoms, Xie Yu had already cleaned up their spies and informants.

Xie Yu opened the letter and read it; his eyes reddened, like an enraged lion.

After Prince Qi, Xie Xuan, abolished the Agricultural and Sericultural Bureau in his fiefdom, the calls for Xie Xuan from various aristocratic families grew louder and louder. The Huang family of Yucheng, the Tan family of Yaocheng, and the Yan family of Lin'an all came to his aid.

Many members of prominent families held official positions in the court. Among these three families, the most powerful and influential were Huang Qiaoqiong, Minister of Rites; Tan Xialing, Minister of Justice; and Yan Tianshu, Director of the Imperial Observatory.

The aristocratic families of today have been weakened and are now just a general term for powerful clans and gentry. Although each aristocratic family still controls a portion of land and population, compared to the powerful clans of the past, they only occupy a small area. Moreover, the aristocratic families are far apart and do not form a system, so they do not pose a threat to the imperial power.

Although it cannot compare to the glory and power of the aristocratic families who once ruled over their territories, controlling the economy, politics, and military of a region, it would still be terrifying if these families and clans united to support someone in seizing the throne.

Because he had gained the support of the local powerful families, by the end of summer this year, a spy from Zhu Dong sent a report that Xie Xuan was winning over other powerful families and secretly recruiting soldiers in their fiefdoms.

Zhang Diancheng had no choice but to personally travel north to inspect the area.

His personal inspection tour was aimed at both deterrence and appeasement.

This morning, a messenger sent by Zhang Diancheng's personal guards on his inspection tour delivered a letter to Yifeng Pavilion: Zhang Xiang was assassinated in Zhongwu City.

The highest-ranking member of the Lin family in Zhongwu City was Lin Zhong, the commander of the Northern Imperial Guards.

Rong Jun said, "Zhang Xiang is unharmed, and the assassins have all been executed."

Xie Yu asked, "Who instructed you?"

"They are suicide soldiers."

Many high-ranking officials and nobles had the habit of keeping assassins to eliminate political enemies when necessary. As the name suggests, assassins were those who, once given a mission by their master, would die regardless of success or failure, and would never reveal their master's identity.

It may not have been Xie Xuan who made the move, but the fact that he attempted to assassinate Zhang Diancheng already shows that some people no longer take the Crown Prince seriously.

"Royal brother," Xie Wenjun called out.

Xie Yu's gaze shifted from the letter to Xie Wenjun.

Xie Wenjun continued, "Your father wants you to select a few princesses to accompany you in the palace."

As she spoke, she picked up a blue brush, dipped it in ink, and circled several places on the map in the Qianqing Hall.

Xie Yu paused for a moment, then said, "I understand."

In the current situation, the gathering of noble ladies from various families to enter the palace is ostensibly to select companions for the princess, but in reality, it is a prelude to the Crown Prince's efforts to win over various families.

Princesses' study companions were generally selected from members of the imperial family and relatives who were well-mannered and knowledgeable, and were rarely chosen from the children of officials from other families.

This is the usual practice, but times have changed, so special cases must be handled in a special way.

Emperor Xuanyuan's meaning was all too clear: at least while he was alive, he wanted to keep the forces of all sides in check and prevent any one side from becoming too powerful and causing immediate infighting within the family.

He only cares about living a peaceful and uneventful life, even if a raging storm erupts after his death.

Apart from the Eastern Prefecture, the places Xie Wenjun circled were all the hometowns of high-ranking officials in the Six Ministries and Nine Temples.

High-ranking officials and aristocratic families sent their daughters to the palace to become companions to the princess, thus securing a connection with Princess Jiangning.

But who doesn't know that Princess Jiangning was raised in the Eastern Palace? By getting close to the princess, one can take advantage of the Crown Prince's influence.

If the Crown Prince successfully ascends the throne as the new emperor, promotion and generous rewards will become secondary. As the saying goes, "When one person attains enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs ascend to heaven." Such an opportunity to become a close minister of the emperor and ensure the prosperity of one's family is something that cannot be sought for many years.

As soon as the news of the Crown Prince selecting a princess to accompany him to study was released, the high-ranking officials themselves couldn't sit still. They all sought ways to get their best-trained daughters to appear in the palace.

The final list of companions selected included Princess Zhang Shu of the Eastern Prefecture, Yan Rou, the second daughter of Yan Tianshu, the Director of the Imperial Observatory, Sheng Yuxuan, the daughter of Sheng Xiuyuan, the Minister of War, Su Lijin, the granddaughter of Su Chasang, the Minister of Revenue, and Heng Yang, the youngest daughter of Lu Pinghou Heng Jinan from the Southern Territory, among more than ten others.

Author's note: Thank you for reading this far!