Quelling the Rebellion

The early spring rain was heavy and cold. After a day of rain, the entire palace was filled with a chill. Eunuch He draped a red and golden silk ball over Emperor Hong and said, "It is the hour of You and it is almost night. Your Majesty, please take care of yourself and don't let the cold air invade and hurt you." He also ordered the eunuch to light the stove in the palace.

Zhong Yujing lowered her eyes in thought. The Hong Emperor had chosen today to lure her into a trap. Initially, she objected, having already predicted rain, which was extremely detrimental to warfare. But the Hong Emperor insisted, "Prime Minister Jing, rest assured. The General of the Household has made all the necessary arrangements. When the Qiang and Rong invade the city, we will have the people remain indoors, and we will have soldiers secretly protect them. The Qiang will be unaware of my ascension, and the city will be empty and unguarded. This will cause the Rong to relax their guard and underestimate the enemy. The General of the Household will then lead the Imperial Guards to station themselves in the palace. Once the Qiang and Rong enter, we will capture them in one fell swoop."

Emperor Hong was calm and composed, with bright eyes. Yu Jing discovered that he had great trust in the General of the Central Army.

Shangguan Yichen, the General of the Imperial Guards, was the son of King Yao. Yu Jing had heard from her uncle while still at home that he was his father's son, having followed him into battle at the age of ten. King Yao was a valiant warrior, and the son, like his father, was a wise and courageous son, having achieved remarkable military success in just fifteen years. Of all his brothers, Emperor Wu had the closest relationship with King Yao. King Yao was loyal and virtuous, his military and literary skills rivaling Zhuge Liang's, and his intelligence and strategizing rivaling Xiao He's. He was known as the Wise King Yao, and the son was also known as both the Little King Yao and the Little Wise King.

But even so, war is a major matter, no small matter. This move is, after all, a risky one. If we win, we can defeat the Qiang and Rong tribes in one fell swoop, and they will never attack us again. But if we fail, once the war breaks out... how will we accommodate the tens of thousands of people in the city?

While he was thinking, the palace gate was suddenly pushed open, and a large army rushed in from the rain curtain with a cold wind. Blood and rain mixed together and slowly flowed down along the lines on the soldiers' armor, dyeing their way red.

Like a group of war gods fighting their way back from hell, though exhausted, they couldn't hide their joy of victory. And the man they surrounded, his silver-grey armor still gleaming in the rainy morning, his black boots unstained by blood. Only the dripping raindrops from his high-knotted wet hair bore witness to his past as he led soldiers through bloody battles. Zhong Yujing looked up and saw the man standing in the center of the now-open palace gate. The morning light reflected behind him, and in the backlight, Yujing couldn't see his face for a moment. All she could hear was his resolute voice, "Your Majesty! The Qiang and Rong rebels have been completely repelled, and their leader, Anuda, has been captured. He is in the palace, awaiting your Majesty's decision at any moment!"

Zhong Yujing looked at Emperor Hong beside him. The haze that had been in his eyes for many days finally faded. He tried his best to control his trembling voice and said in a loud voice, "The General and all the soldiers are brave! We are blessed to have you!"

The morale of the soldiers was further boosted, and they shouted in unison: "God bless Daqi! Great fortune and everlasting prosperity!"

All the officials also held hands and looked at each other, their joy beyond words. The white-haired censor fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. "May the late emperor bless you! May our ancestors protect us, so that we can survive this disaster and our country will prosper!"

Amidst the cheers, Emperor Hong hurried towards the General of the Household. The tears he had been suppressing finally burst out at this moment. He sobbed like a child who had been wronged, "Brother..."

The General of the Central Army bowed and saluted. "Your Majesty, protecting the peace of Great Qi is the mission of our officers and men. Please rest assured, I will live up to the late emperor's trust and protect your majesty and the peace of the Qi Kingdom forever."

"Brother, please stand up quickly." Emperor Hong helped the General of the Central Army to his feet, looked up into his eyes, and said emotionally, "Brother, you are like a stabilizing force. With you here, I and the tens of thousands of people behind me can sleep peacefully. I knew from the beginning that Daqi would not lose!"

Zhong Yujing, who was standing behind Emperor Hong, finally got a clear look at the General of the Household at this moment. His thick black eyebrows were like ink-splashed peaks, his eyes were deep and unfathomable like the endless sea, the corners of his lips were cold, his nose was like a snow-capped peak, and he exuded an elusive aura, yet also a firm and resounding voice.

Zhong Yujing observed silently, but she didn't expect that the man's eyes would meet hers. The moment his eyes met hers, the corners of his lips lifted slightly, and his dark eyes lit up, adding a bit of high-spirited meaning.

Even though he has made outstanding achievements, he is still young at heart, Zhong Yujing thought silently and looked away calmly.

That night, the Zhong family held a family feast to celebrate Yu Jing's first appointment as prime minister. She had helped the Hong Emperor defeat the enemy, and the whole family was delighted. The battle had been a brilliant one, solidifying the Hong Emperor's position and Yu Jing's prestige. Yu Jing's mother took her into her arms, feeling deeply moved: "My Jing'er has truly grown up. I thought you were just a sixteen-year-old girl, relying on your parents for everything, but now you can rule the world alongside the emperor."

My father was also very pleased. He said earnestly, "You fought brilliantly in your first battle, but it's just a good start. You must study hard in the future. You and Emperor Hong are the same age, so you should encourage each other and govern Daqi well."

"A father's teachings are understood by his daughter." With her parents, Yujing is still a child.

After dinner, Xianren called Yujing into the study.

"Today, Minister Sun and Lord Yuan talked to me about you. They were full of praise for you. They said that the current Prime Minister Jing has quite a bit of my style back then and that your future is limitless!" Xianren's eyes showed wrinkles from smiling.

"My niece is where she is today because of your uncle's wise teaching since she was young." Yu Jing lowered her eyes and smiled.

"Uncle, this battle was won beautifully, and one person played an indispensable role."

"You mean... Little Sage King, Yichen?"

Yujing nodded.

Xianren touched his chin and thought for a moment, "Speaking of this child, I have seen him many times when he was young. At that time, King Yao and I had similar personalities. I often visited King Yao's mansion, sometimes discussing politics, but most of the time we just chatted about personal matters. King Yao loved poetry and painting, and I was also good at painting. It was common for us to chat until late at night, so I often stayed at his mansion.

Yichen was a very naughty and unruly child when he was young. One day, King Yao and I were drinking tea in the back garden. He suddenly jumped out from the rockery, with a Hun mask pressed in front of King Yao and me. He scared the teacups in our hands and spilled the tea all over the floor. But he was so happy that he fell to the ground and rolled around.

King Yao was troubled, worried that this child would grow up to be a troublemaker. What should he do? What should he do...

When he was six, Princess Yao returned to Qing Kingdom to visit relatives and took him with her for half a month. Upon his return, he seemed a completely different person, his temperament altered. He became more reserved and less cheerful. He had previously been a troublemaker, but later on, he had developed a hint of a king. A six-year-old child's vision and strategy can sometimes be more mature than an adult, truly astonishing those around him.

Yu Jing was surprised. "Could it be due to the customs and habits of Qing Country? My niece has heard that the people of Qing Country are rough and sturdy, and all the men are resolute, brave and good at fighting."

"Yes, but such a huge change in just half a month is really unbelievable."

"What does Princess Yao say?" Yu Jing asked.

"Prince Yao's wife only said that his aunt and uncle were strict. Seeing that he was naughty, they watched over him and disciplined him every day. The child was at an age when his mind was still unsettled. After some education, perhaps he finally became wise and grew up like this. Because he had changed for the better, Prince Yao was pleased, and no one mentioned the matter again."

"It's really a strange thing," Yu Jing turned her head and recalled the appearance of the man she saw in the court today. He had a cold and murderous look before. She found that she was looking at him, and the way the corners of her lips slightly raised was different from before. She couldn't help but shake her head and chuckled.

As the saying goes, everyone has many sides, including emperors, let alone people like us. Perhaps the General's temperament has never changed, but he just learned to restrain himself in front of others. Few people have seen his true self in private.

As the grass grew and the birds flew, the summer rain fell heavily, and the wild geese flew south, early winter was approaching. Abeile, the eldest son of Anuda, became the new tribal leader. He made a grand pilgrimage south to Linjun, bringing with him thousands of tons of jade, tens of thousands of ounces of gold, and dozens of beautiful women. His submission was sincere, but the most sincere words came from the new leader: "Your Majesty, the Emperor of Daqi, rest assured. My Qiang and Rong tribes wish to establish friendly relations with Daqi. From now on, we will live in peace and harmony, and there will be no more wars."

"Okay!" Emperor Hong patted the armrest of the chair. "I just like the Qiang and Rong people's straightforward and honest character, and their unwavering commitment to their words! From now on, you and I, though thousands of miles apart, will share the same world!"

He then issued an edict, appointing the new leader as the King of Northern Qiang and ordering him to guard the northwestern border. Most importantly, he allowed the King of Northern Qiang to bring his father, Anuda, home immediately.

A month ago, the imperial edict to behead Anuda had been drafted and placed on the yellow table. When Zhong Yujing came to meet him, Emperor Hong leaned over the table with his head supported by his right hand, his eyebrows lowered, and a furrow between his brows.

The scene of the heated argument between the Minister of Justice and General Wang in the court was still fresh in his mind. The Minister of Justice was a veteran of the previous dynasty, and had always held high prestige within the court. When the Emperor Hong and his nobles and officials discussed the issue of how to deal with Anuda and his Qiang and Rong tribe, they first asked for the Minister of Justice's opinion.

"Your Majesty has personally witnessed that this battle against foreign enemies was fought beautifully and it also reassured the people. Right now is a time when countries are at war and the people are longing for peace and prosperity. The leader of the Qiang and Rong tribes was captured and suffered heavy losses in the battle. His blood and energy are greatly damaged. I think Your Majesty should put Anuda under house arrest. On the one hand, he will not have the opportunity to lead troops to invade again. On the other hand, it will leave the people with a benevolent impression. In this way, we can quell foreign threats and stabilize the people's hearts." Si Tu Tingwei said, stroking his beard.

Most officials nodded in agreement and expressed their approval, but Emperor Hong remained expressionless.

"No!" General Wang, with his tiger beard and round eyes, said in a resounding voice. "Those Qiang and Rong are barbarians from the northwest. They are uncivilized and savage. I once led troops to fight against them and know that they hate evil and are definitely not good people. If we don't kill them, they will definitely come back in the future. Now that we have captured their leader, we must not let him live. We must execute him immediately to prevent future troubles. Your Majesty can also establish your authority in the early days of your reign! As for the people's hearts, only when there are no troubles on the border and the homes are peaceful can the people truly feel at ease. This is the best way to stabilize the people's hearts!"

"What the general said is exactly! We should take advantage of the fact that the morale of the Qiang and Rong people is so low right now and annihilate them in one fell swoop to prevent future troubles. This is the long-term strategy..." Commander Cheng echoed.

The generals were outraged and agreed one after another. Emperor Hong raised his eyebrows.

The indignation of the military commanders ignited the fire of the civil officials' noble character. The Grand Protector clapped his hands and said, "Governing the country and pacifying the world is not the same as fighting for the world. Now is a peaceful and prosperous era. It is not the time to show off one's bravery. Killing people at every turn is not enough. Not to mention the casualties of soldiers in the war. Just the huge consumption of manpower, material resources and financial resources. When will Daqi be able to recover? If our vitality is damaged, what should we do if the covetous Qing Kingdom takes advantage of our misfortune and waits for an opportunity to attack us!" He shook off his wide sleeves, snorted, and turned his back.

"A common man's courage?" a military officer protested, stepping forward. "I'd like to ask, Your Excellency, if it weren't for the common man's courage you're talking about, how could we have the Ten Kingdoms that later stood side by side, and how could we have the Great Qi we know today? Those who plant trees provide shade for those who come after them. Without the common man's courage to charge into battle, how could we have the peace and prosperity we have today? How could Your Excellency, Your Excellency, have the good fortune to govern your family, your country, and bring peace to the world?"

These words were like a stone that caused a thousand ripples, and the court instantly exploded like hot oil dropped into cold water.

In the chaotic scene, Zhao Ge Lao was so angry that he took off his official boots and threw them at Captain Wang. Captain Wang was agile and grabbed Zhao Ge Lao's official boots and threw them back, but it hit Zhao Ge Lao in the face. Zhao Ge Lao was furious and cursed: "You dirty bastard! Today I will let you know how powerful I am!!!" The two men wrestled with each other. Seeing this, several officials rushed to persuade them to stop fighting. The fight turned into a dispute and the fight turned into a group brawl.

Zhong Yujing had been watching coldly. Anuda himself probably hadn't anticipated that his life or death would spark a war between the civil and military officials of the Great Qi Kingdom. The two factions, led by the Minister of Justice and General Wang, were locked in a fierce battle over who would contribute more to the country. The conflict had shifted from literary to physical, almost to the point of violence...

Emperor Hong stroked his forehead, turned around and left, returning to the inner hall.

Zhong Yujing looked at the imperial edict on the yellow table. She had already guessed what Emperor Hong was thinking. The fate of Anuda in the edict was that he would be executed.

Emperor Hong did not want to listen to the opinions of the officials. He just wanted to go through the process of political consultation. However, he did not expect that the opinions of the officials would be so divergent, and he did not expect that the situation would turn into such chaos. Before the fighting started outside, the court was already filled with the smoke of war. If this got out, wouldn't it be a laughing stock?

"Your Majesty—" Zhong Yujing said calmly.

Emperor Hong raised his head, his eyes slightly red and bloodshot, obviously he had been troubled for a long time.

"Those officials may seem loyal, but how many of them are truly planning for me?"

Zhong Yujing pondered for a moment and said, "The situation in the court today is indeed unpredictable. They are also worried about the country..."

"Are you worried about the country?" Emperor Hong snorted coldly, "I'm afraid some people have long-standing grievances and are using this as an excuse to vent their anger!"

The Minister of Justice and General Wang have always been at odds with each other. When discussing politics, you always say east and I insist on west. The Minister of Justice is a veteran, and General Wang has made great military achievements. Both have gangs and groups behind them, and they have been fighting among themselves for a long time. This is a secret known to everyone in the court.

However, there was one person in the court today who remained silent from beginning to end and did not participate.

While Lord Zhao and Minister Wang were engaged in a brawl, the General of the Household, who had remained silent as if staying out of the matter, leisurely walked to a pillar in the corner, spread out the front of his official robe, sat down, crossed his arms over his chest, and closed his eyes to rest.

"What do you think, Prime Minister Jing?" Emperor Hong raised his palm and Eunuch He signaled the little palace maid to give Prime Minister Jing a seat.

Zhong Yujing regained his composure and said slowly, "I have no intention of guessing your Majesty's intentions." Pointing to the imperial edict on the table, "I thought—this edict contains the word 'death'?"

Emperor Hong nodded with relief and sighed, "I know that nothing can be hidden from Prime Minister Jing." Suddenly, he said with melancholy, "You and I are the same age and have similar destinies. I was born into the royal family, and you were born into the Prime Minister's mansion. Due to the same reasons, you and I are in our current positions, doing things that are not suitable for people of our age. Sometimes I really feel tired and wonder why fate has treated me this way, bringing me to this point..."

"Your Majesty, are you tired? Why not let Eunuch He serve Your Majesty and let him rest first, and we can discuss it tomorrow." Zhong Yujing said.

Emperor Hong shook his head and looked at Zhong Yujing: "But every time I see Prime Minister Jing standing beside me in the court, accompanying me, I feel that I, who call myself lonely, am not alone, and I am not lonely." Emperor Hong looked at Zhong Yujing with deep eyes.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness. Although this may be disrespectful, I would like to express my gratitude to Your Majesty as if he were a close friend and I feel the same way as you do." Zhong Yujing bowed and saluted.

"Lord Jing, please stand up."

Zhong Yujing sat back in her chair.

"Yu Jing—from now on, when I'm alone, I'll call you this."

Yu Jing lowered his head and said, "I am your Majesty's subject. Your Majesty may address me as you wish." He raised his head again and said, "Yu Jing is also willing to share your Majesty's worries on behalf of Mo Ni."

"I have a method that does not require any soldiers. It can not only help Your Majesty establish his authority, but also ensure peace on the border and prevent the Qiang and Rong people from attacking us again." Yu Jing said.

"Oh? Tell me quickly."

"I heard that Anuda's eldest son has now succeeded as the new leader of Qiangrong. This eldest son has a gentle personality, unlike his father who is reckless. He and Anuda have a deep father-son relationship. He has sent spies to our Daqi many times to inquire about Anuda's life and death. For him, as long as his father is safe, it is more important than anything else. Why don't we summon him to the palace, confer him a title of king, and order him to guard the border, but the condition is that he must submit to Qi and not invade our territory again. As long as he agrees to the above conditions, we can immediately release his father and restrain him by both soft and hard methods. The Qiangrong tribe suffered heavy losses in this battle and certainly don't want to fight again. So let them go back to recuperate, reproduce and protect their own homes. Everyone will occupy their own side and not invade each other. Wouldn't everyone be happy!" Zhong Yujing said slowly.

Emperor Hong pondered for a moment, then clapped his hands in praise, "Brilliant! Brilliant! This is truly a brilliant strategy!"

"Yu Jing, you've truly relieved my worries for days!" He immediately ordered Eunuch He to grind ink, "I will immediately draft an imperial edict and send envoys to negotiate peace soon."

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for agreeing to my proposal. It's already late today, and since things have come to a head, Your Majesty should rest early after drafting the edict. It's important to take care of your health." Yu Jing bowed, "I will take my leave now."

Yu Jingxing turned the corner and was about to leave the hall when she heard the voice of Emperor Hong coming from behind her...

"Thank goodness for you, Yujing."