Chapter 84 A Complete Upheaval: The Spark of Change, Once Ignited...

In the northern military tent, Zhao Xin opened the battle report on the table and studied it carefully.

Since she took command of the Northern Army with the Emperor's decree, the people she had secretly planted within it have come in very handy.

Detailed lists were presented to her, instantly exposing the corrupt generals and their cronies who held positions without performing their duties, received salaries without working, and fabricated military achievements.

She showed no mercy and acted swiftly and decisively in accordance with the law, imprisoning those who deserved it and dismissing those who deserved it, which immediately brought a clean atmosphere to the military.

This move naturally touched upon many deeply entrenched interests. Behind those "good-for-nothings" who were dealt with were many powerful families from the capital or the provinces.

Discontented voices could be heard, and some even tried to plead with her to spare the discarded waste.

But Zhao Xin held the imperial edict personally bestowed by his father, and his attitude was undeniably firm: "My father has ordered me to take full command of the military affairs of the northern border. All matters shall be decided by me. If any of you have any questions, you may submit a letter to my father."

Everyone knows that the emperor doesn't really want to get involved in these matters anymore, and the actual power has long since been secretly held by the princess.

If they were to actually submit a petition, the emperor would likely side with the princess.

With the emperor's authority at the forefront, even if those people hated him to the core, they dared not openly defy him and could only swallow their anger.

Once the war with the northern barbarians officially began, Zhao Xin's military prowess, after its reorganization, became apparent.

The Dayin army won three consecutive battles, defeating the enemy and greatly boosting morale.

Now is the best opportunity to press our advantage and expand our gains. If we can make the most of this momentum, we may even be able to force the foreign tribes to submit and pay tribute.

Ke Zhaoxin put down the battle report, his fingertips lightly tapping the numbers on the paper indicating the amount of grain and fodder, his brows furrowing slightly.

Based on current information, the army's remaining food supplies will not last much longer.

Just then, a gust of wind suddenly swept into the command tent. She looked up and saw the tent flap being gently lifted, and Su Lin walked in.

Zhao Xin had already given the order that Su Lin could enter and leave the commander's tent without being notified.

Seeing the other person's solemn expression, Zhao Xin's heart tightened slightly. She suppressed her emotions and asked gently, "What's wrong?"

Su Lin first bowed to her before reporting in a low voice, "Your Highness, a new batch of grain supplies has arrived from the rear."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xin's eyes lit up, but then Su Lin continued, "However, after counting and checking, the actual amount received differs greatly from the amount reported by various localities."

"Moreover," she paused, her voice even lower, "the quality of this batch of grain is worrying. Most of it is old grain, and much of it is even moldy and rotten. I'm afraid less than two or three out of ten of it is usable."

Zhao Xin's expression changed drastically, and he abruptly stood up: "Take me there."

----

At the camp site, which was temporarily used as a granary, trucks carrying grain were unloading their cargo, and sacks were piled up like mountains on the ground.

Zhao Xin walked straight forward, ignoring the dust and dirt, and casually tore open a burlap sack, grabbing a handful of grain from it.

Inside the sack, the outermost layer of grains was still plump and golden, but when she casually brushed it aside, what was revealed underneath were dull, shriveled, and even moldy old millet.

Zhao Xin's expression instantly turned serious.

She looked at Su Lin, who seemed to have known all along: "Almost all of this batch of grain has this problem."

Sure enough, after inspecting several carts, she found that the situation was similar, with hardly any usable grain to be found.

Zhao Xin put down the grains in her hand, her fingertips slightly cold.

She had anticipated that there might be embezzlement and delays in grain collection in various places, but she never expected that they would dare to be so blatant in substituting inferior goods for superior ones and old goods for new ones!

This is military rations that are crucial to the lives of soldiers on the front lines and the outcome of the war!

Such actions are no different from colluding with the enemy.

It's like hollowing out the very foundation of the Great Yin Dynasty from within!

She and Su Lin exchanged a glance, neither of them showing any emotion, and silently returned to the commander's tent.

When only the two of them remained in the tent, Su Lin finally spoke: "Your Highness, we cannot let this matter go unchecked. If the supply lines continue to be like this, even if our army has a winning advantage, it will be difficult to sustain, and we may even be dragged down."

Zhao Xin nodded, fully aware of the implications.

"What are your thoughts, A-Lin?"

She has always relied on Su Lin's strategies.

Su Lin pondered for a moment, then looked up at Zhao Xin: "Does Your Highness still remember the Medical Canon that helped you gain more of His Majesty's trust?"

Zhao Xin certainly remembered.

It was that detailed and practical medical book, and the successful quelling of the epidemic in Luzhou that it demonstrated her abilities to her father, adding to her chances of taking command of the military later on.

“The people who were in charge of epidemic prevention and compiling medical classics in Luzhou at that time all came from Luxi Village,” Su Lin said slowly. “The women there each had their own strengths. Some were proficient in medicine, while others studied agriculture and promoted education. Each had their own duties.”

Zhao Xin had heard these things from Su Lin before.

However, she also had many capable women under her command, many of whom, like Su Lin, disguised themselves as men and infiltrated various places, waiting for her command to come out and provide support.

Although Luxi Village was peculiar, it wasn't something that would draw her special attention.

Su Lin looked at the tent flap and changed the subject: "Does Your Highness know about the 'Literacy Book' that is now widely circulated among the people and has even reached the Northern Army, where many soldiers are eager to read it?"

Zhao Xin nodded.

She herself had read through that practical booklet and was deeply moved by its intention to enlighten the people.

“A few months ago, His Highness issued an edict to promote women’s education, but in reality, many places paid lip service to it and it was difficult to implement. It was this ‘Literacy Book’ that quietly circulated among the people, enabling countless women to learn to read and write, understand principles and purify their minds, and not be easily deceived.”

Su Lin's eyes were clear: "And this book also originated from Luxi Village."

Having said that, Zhao Xin already understood Su Lin's intentions.

"Your Highness," Su Lin said softly, "I've considered this. If we need help in a crisis, who should we turn to? Perhaps, given the current situation, only Lu Xi can assist us."

She remained silent for a moment, and only the occasional crackling of the candlelight remained in the tent.

“Ah Lin,” Zhao Xin said softly, not with doubt, but with a hint of confusion, “It’s not that I don’t believe you, nor that I look down on them.”

"But... sometimes I can't figure it out myself."

She walked to the edge of the tent and looked out at the vast northern landscape: "I was born into an imperial family and enjoy honors that ordinary people can only dream of, and I hold the power personally bestowed upon me by my father."

"And you, you rose step by step to the position of a regional official through your talent and learning, and you are also an outstanding woman."

“Even we two, standing in this position, find it difficult to move forward, and many things are beyond our capabilities.” She turned to look at Su Lin. “If we consider the women of a remote village as the key to breaking the deadlock… Lin, it’s not that I don’t believe it, but I just can’t imagine how they can accomplish something that even we find difficult?”

Su Lin met her gaze calmly.

“Your Highness, I once had the same doubts as you, but they always manage to turn the seemingly impossible into reality time and time again.”

"Whether it's the medical classics, the literacy books that stir up the world, or the grain seeds that greatly increase production... in a different era, they would all be things that change the world."

She stepped forward and bowed deeply to Zhao Xin: "Your Highness, I have always believed that destiny does not rest on the shoulders of just one person."

"It may fall on your or my shoulders, or it may fall on millions of seemingly insignificant women."

Zhao Xin's eyes seemed to show a hint of emotion.

In the flickering candlelight, Su Lin's eyes seemed to burn with sparks: "Look at the current state of women's education in the world. Although it has been repeatedly suppressed, it is like a wildfire on the plains. It is extinguished here, but it is burned again there. Because once the flame of desire for change is ignited, it is difficult to completely extinguish it."

"But I want to believe that in the end, God left a glimmer of hope for us... for all the women in the world."

"The key to breaking the deadlock may lie in Luxi."

----

In Luzhou Prefecture, a thousand miles away, Lu Hongguang almost exhausted his family fortune before finally managing to scrape together the amount of grain to report to the imperial court.

Watching the last convoy of grain carts set off in front of the government office and slowly head north, he felt as if all his strength had been drained away.

If it weren't for his son Lu Chengzhou's timely support, he would have almost collapsed to the ground.

Looking at his father's ashen face, Lu Chengzhou whispered words of comfort: "Father, those who achieve great things must make extraordinary sacrifices. What we give up today is for what we gain in the future."

“Once the agricultural treatise reaches the Emperor’s ears, Father’s promotion will be just around the corner. All of this is worthwhile right now.”

These words cleared Lu Hongguang's muddled mind somewhat.

Yes, he sold his ancestral property, begged everywhere, and endured countless cold stares before finally managing to fill this hole. But what was it all for?

Isn't it all for that "Essentials of New Agricultural Methods in Luzhou" that is about to be presented to the Emperor?

If this book is read by the Emperor, and coupled with the timely delivery of provisions to the northern border, it will be a tangible political achievement.

He will surely be able to achieve his wish of being promoted and ennobled. What he has lost today, why worry that he cannot recover it a hundredfold in the future?

He patted his son's hand, forcing himself to cheer up, and said with a smile, "My son is absolutely right. Let's go home and wait for good news."

For the next few days, Lu Hongguang was restless and unable to sit or lie still at home.

He would sometimes flip through the draft of the agricultural book, and sometimes look towards the capital, hoping that an imperial edict of commendation or a transfer order for promotion would arrive with his carriage.

Even in his dreams these days, he's been dreaming about getting promoted and becoming a high-ranking official in the capital.

Unexpectedly, instead of receiving good news, he was met with devastating news that shattered his dreams.

He had just finished breakfast when a message arrived from the capital city via express courier.

His Majesty's old illness suddenly worsened, causing him to vomit blood and fall into a coma. The Imperial Hospital did its best to treat him, but his health had already deteriorated, and his condition was extremely critical, with him on the verge of death!

In an instant, the political landscape of the capital changed dramatically.

The court factions supporting the eldest prince and those supporting the second prince immediately shifted from covert struggle to open conflict, with all sides stirring up trouble and making every effort to secure the upcoming power shift.

Inside and outside the imperial city, people were filled with anxiety, and all attention was focused on the emperor's bedchamber and the residences of the two princes.

After all, this is a crucial event that will determine the future new emperor and the reshuffling of power.

Who would bother with some agricultural book or a meager amount of grain presented by a remote prefecture?

Lu Hongguang's "political achievements," earned at the cost of his family fortune, were as light as dust in the face of this overwhelming power struggle, instantly swept away without a trace.

When his subordinates reported the news to him, Lu Hongguang thought it would be a reward from His Majesty.

After hearing this, he stood up in a daze: "Is His Majesty really... seriously ill?"

The subordinate's voice trembled: "It's true."

"Isn't there even a mention of the agricultural book?" Lu Hongguang asked again, his hands trembling, still unwilling to give up.

"I dared to inquire, and the information I received is that... the agricultural book was presented, but it was discarded, and the grain was directly put into the national treasury and did not reach the northern border," the subordinate replied, clasping his hands in a fist salute.

With a loud crash, Lu Hongguang accidentally knocked the teacup off the table.

His eyes rolled back, and he slumped into the chair, fainting again.

-----------------------

Author's note: Wrapping up...