Go north, go north
Before daybreak, the surface of the river was filled with thick, impenetrable cold fog.
The cold and damp air mixed together and penetrated into the bone marrow, but the dock was bustling with activity.
Countless large and small ships were moored beside the pier, looming in the gray fog. Human figures swayed in the light of dancing torches, carrying boxes of supplies from the shore into the cabins with their shoulders and hands.
The dull thud of the iron hook sinking into the river, the sound of heavy sacks hitting the ground, the creaking of the planks under pressure, and the short calls of commands were intertwined together.
Su Qingfan, wrapped in a thick dark blue cloak, stood at the bow of the boat.
She held a thick account book in her hand, and with the help of the wind lantern hanging on the mast, her fingertips quickly ran across the lines of ink. Her other hand habitually fiddled with the small ivory abacus at her waist, making a very slight crackling sound.
"The rice grain has been verified to be correct, and the Jia warehouse is full."
"The medicinal materials are bundled tightly, and the warehouse is two-thirds full."
"Thirty thousand bundles of arrows have been put into the bottom hold of the T-shaped warehouse. Be careful! Put them down with care!"
"Tung oil and saltpeter are stored separately, away from open flames, and the Wu-zi warehouse is under the supervision of a dedicated person!"
Several capable managers around her shuttled back and forth, reporting in a low voice. Su Qingfan just nodded slightly, her eyes never leaving the supplies that carried the lifeline of the front line.
At the end of the pier, a tall and thin figure walked slowly through the busy crowd.
Shen Qingyan was wearing a dark-colored casual suit and a cloak of the same color. He walked steadily, but there was an indelible solemnity between his brows. He boarded the "Mingyuan" and walked to Su Qingfan.
The river breeze brought a damp and cold chill, blowing the clothes of the two people.
"Are they all installed?"
Shen Qingyan's eyes swept over the last batch of supply trucks at the dock.
Su Qingfan closed the account book and lightly pressed his fingertips on the cold ivory abacus beads.
"The last three hundred vehicles are being loaded onto the ship. The fleet will depart on time at the end of the Yin hour."
She turned to Shen Qingyan. Under the light, her eyes were unusually calm. "Is the treasury empty?"
Shen Qingyan closed his eyes slightly, then opened them again, looking into the unknown darkness deep in the river, as if he could penetrate the thick fog and see the lone army heading north by land.
"Empty." He uttered two words.
"Everything that can be gathered from all over Minnesota is here."
He turned sideways, his gaze landing on Su Qingfan's face, his expression more serious than ever before: "Your Highness, the road ahead is uncertain and dangerous. The court cannot be relied upon. The subsequent supply of food, fodder, weapons, and medicine is entirely up to you, Qingfan."
The river wind sobbed, blowing away the tail end of Shen Qingyan's words, but it placed the heavy responsibility on Su Qingfan's shoulders.
Su Qingfan did not answer immediately.
She looked at the laborers shouting their commands at the dock, and at the neatly stacked grain bags and medicine boxes deep in the cabin...
These are the blood, tears and hard work of the people of Mingzhou.
Nothing comes easy.
"Don't worry, sir. As long as Su is here, Mingzhou's ship is here. As long as the ship is here, your highness's lifeline is here."
Shen Qingyan looked at her deeply, without any unnecessary courtesy, just nodded heavily, everything was said without words.
He raised his hand and bowed: "Take care."
"Take care, sir." Su Qingfan returned the greeting.
Shen Qingyan turned around, and his figure quickly disappeared in the thick fog and busy crowd on the pier.
At the end of the Yin hour, the last cart of supplies was hoisted onto the ship's hold by a heavy iron hook. The thick cable was untied and thrown into the water. The dull sound of the horn penetrated the river fog and echoed across the broad river.
"Weigh anchor!"
"Raise the sail!"
The huge sails were slowly raised, blocking the biting north wind. The fleet slowly left the dock like an awakened beast. The hulls broke through the inky river water, leaving behind surging white trails, and sailed upstream towards the equally unknown north.
When the boat reached the middle of the river, the fog dissipated slightly.
Su Qingfan stood at the highest point of the ship's tower. She glanced at the sailors, guards, accountants standing solemnly on the deck, as well as the guys guarding the supplies deep in the cabin.
Her voice was not loud, but it was clearly heard throughout the main ship:
"Everyone."
The deck fell silent in an instant, and everyone's eyes were focused on her.
"What's on this ship isn't gold, silver, jewels, or silk."
Su Qingfan's eyes slowly swept across each face. "It's food, it's medicine, it's arrows, it's swords and guns. It's what Your Highness and the three thousand brothers rely on to fight for their lives on the front lines."
"It is the blood and sweat of millions of Mingzhou people, who dug it out from between their teeth and fingers. It is their life."
"Whoever dares to be greedy and waste a single cent."
Su Qingfan's hand was on a sharkskin sheathed dagger hanging from his waist. The hilt was ice-cold.
"I, Su Qingfan, will be executed on the spot!"
A moment later, everyone on the deck at the hatchway who heard her words straightened their backs and responded in unison, their voices merging into the river breeze: "Don't worry, Boss, we won't embezzle a single cent."
Under the same sky, in an exquisite courtyard.
The incense in the warm room was curling, isolating the cold from the outside world. Zhou Wenyuan was leaning on a soft couch covered with thick brocade cushions, and someone was reporting in a low voice.
"Princess Mingzhu has personally led a personal guard of three thousand refugees and has taken the land route north to Heshuo."
Zhou Wenyuan's fingers that were playing with the jade pendant suddenly stopped, his narrow eyes narrowed, and a cold light flashed in them.
"Three thousand refugees? How dare she?" His voice was cold, with a hint of unbelievable absurdity, which soon turned into a deeper fear. "Good, very good! Shen Qingyan really wants to be a traitor."
He stood up suddenly and paced twice in the warm room. In his eyes, Ning Lingyi was just a princess who was a bit annoying but had no real power. Even if she made some small moves to gather refugees and form a caravan, they were just minor problems.
But now, she actually dared to lead troops north in the name of princess!
This is no longer a minor incident; it's outright rebellion! Where did she get the courage? Where did she get the soldiers? Where did she get the food?
If she were to gain a foothold in the North, or even stir up trouble, the consequences would be...
Zhou Wenyuan walked quickly to the desk, spread out a secret letter, picked up the pen and dipped it in ink, each word was as sharp as a knife:
"I have sent an urgent message to Your Majesty, traveling eight hundred miles. The Ning family of Mingzhou, ignoring Your Majesty's orders, has secretly amassed three thousand soldiers and troops. They brazenly marched north at 3:00 AM today, intending to seize Heshuo. Their momentum is complete, their intentions are sinister, and I fear they are not simply intended to defend against the enemy. Your Majesty, I, Zhou Wenyuan, humbly beg for Your Majesty's judgment."
He carefully rolled the secret letter into a thin strip, stuffed it into a special wax ball, sealed it tightly with sealing wax, and handed it to the person kneeling on the ground.
"Send it to the capital immediately, without any mistakes!"
"yes!"
Zhou Wenyuan looked at the gloomy sky in the north.
"Ning Lingyi, I hope you go there alive but don't return alive."
The capital, the imperial city, the Purple Palace.
Emperor Guangqi sat high on the dragon throne, the jade beads on his crown tassel swaying slightly, obscuring his gloomy expression.
Below, civil and military officials were divided into two groups, each with their heads bowed and their breath held, as if in a state of shock. Reports had been pouring in for days about the fall of the two towns of Heshuo and the danger to Youzhou, but the court had yet to reach a conclusion.
"Your Majesty," the Minister of Revenue knelt before stepping out of line, "the treasury is truly empty! Last year's floods, this spring's locust plague, taxes are in arrears across the land, and now we have to raise military supplies for the northern border. Even if we squeezed the fat out of our bones, we couldn't raise enough food and wages to support a major war."
"Does the Ministry of War have any troops available?"
It was impossible to tell whether Emperor Guangqi was happy or angry in his voice, but it did lower the temperature in the palace a little.
The Minister of War hurriedly stepped out, his forehead dripping with sweat. "Your Majesty, the elite troops of the capital must be guarding the capital. We dare not move rashly. The troops in the southern border are located in remote areas, so it will take time to mobilize them. As for the nearest prefectures..."
His voice gradually lowered. "There are many vacancies in the troop quota, and most of the equipment is also damaged. I am afraid we can't stand up to the Western Qiang cavalry..."
"Difficult! Difficult! Difficult! It's all difficult!" a voice sounded.
Imperial Censor Zhou Mian stepped out of the ranks and pointed at the officials in the hall, shouting angrily: "The barrier of Hebei has been lost in just over a month! The Western Qiang's iron hooves have trampled our mountains and rivers, slaughtering our people."
"But what are you discussing? Allowing the people of Daliang to wail under the iron hoofs? Allowing our ancestral land to be reduced to filth? Is this the dignity of the glorious Celestial Empire?"
After scolding the ministers, he began to scold Emperor Guangqi.
"Your Majesty, since last year, the commanders of the three towns of Heshuo have been changing hands like a revolving lantern, and delayed food and wages are commonplace! With central government coordination in such disarray, how can the soldiers at the border serve? Your Majesty, are you truly indifferent?"
"Or does Your Majesty intend to follow the example of Shi Jingtang and hand over this vast land to others, thus destroying our Southern Dynasty?"
"Bold!" Emperor Guangqi finally exploded.
His face was ashen, his chest heaving violently, his eyes filled with anger and a hint of panic from having his heart pierced.
"How dare you, a rebellious and treacherous minister, slander the emperor and father and curse the country's destiny! Come!"
The golden-gourd warriors rushed into the hall like wolves and tigers.
"Drag this traitor Zhou Mian out and execute him by crucifixion!"
"Stupid emperor! You can kill me, but can you stop the people from talking nonsense?" Zhou Mian was roughly lifted up and dragged away, still cursing loudly. His voice echoed in the empty hall, but none of the ministers replied.
Zhou Mian's angry curses stopped abruptly outside the hall, leaving behind an even heavier silence that almost suffocated all the officials. They all prostrated themselves on the ground, not daring to move.
In the heart-wrenching silence, Emperor Guangqi, sitting on the dragon throne, slammed the imperial desk and said, "The fall of Heshuo is all my fault?"
"I have been on the throne for only a year! You, as ministers and advisors, receive the emperor's salary, and this is how you share his worries? If it isn't you who is responsible for the fall of this country, then who is?"
The hall was filled with a dead silence. The ministers prostrated themselves on the ground, kowtowed repeatedly, and said, "We are guilty of death! We are incompetent. Please calm your anger, Your Majesty!"
Prime Minister Wang, with his hair and beard all white, slowly raised his head among the kneeling crowd. The last ray of light in his eyes was completely extinguished, leaving only withered ashes.
He stepped out tremblingly, knelt on the golden brick, slowly removed his crown and sash, and held his hands above his head. His voice was tired and calm: "This old minister is foolish and incompetent, and has failed to assist in the administration. This has led to the collapse of state affairs. I cannot escape the blame even if I die. I cannot face the position of Prime Minister any longer. I earnestly request that Your Majesty allow my remains to return home."
Emperor Guangqi looked at the old minister lying on the ground, his eyes calm and composed, with only cold indifference.
Without raising his eyelids, his voice was cold and emotionless: "Yes, Wang Qing is old, it's time for him to take care of himself."
His gaze then swept across Banlie, landing on the Minister of Rites and his trusted confidant, Zhao Deben. "Mr. Zhao, from today on, you will take over as Prime Minister and preside over state affairs. I hope you will live up to my expectations."
"I obey your command! Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace!"
Zhao Deben suppressed his excitement and stepped out to kowtow.
The crown fell to the dust, the new noble ascended the throne, and the silence in the Purple Palace became even deeper.
The court meeting ended hastily, and Emperor Guangqi left in a huff. Prime Minister Wang took one last look at the Purple Palace, sighed, and left.
In the imperial study, Zhou Mian's dying curse was still echoing in his ears, and the three words "the destruction of the world" made his spine chill.
How could this be? Hasn't this been the way things have been for the past hundred years? Lost something today, and taken it back tomorrow. Isn't this common sense?
Why did he happen to be the emperor and the empire would be destroyed?
Xi Qiang deserves to die, but Zhou Mian disobeyed his king and father, so he deserves to die even more!
At this moment, a eunuch presented a sealed wax pill: "Your Majesty, an urgent secret report from Mingzhou, eight hundred miles away!"
Emperor Guangqi's heart skipped a beat. He grabbed the wax ball, crushed it, and pulled out the secret letter inside, which was as thin as a cicada's wing.
He quickly scanned it, filled with horror!
A princess, unknowingly, commanded thousands of troops! She even commanded the financial resources of an entire state, charging straight to the front lines! What was she going to do? Gather the defeated troops? Seize control of her own territory? Or was she scheming something else?
Mingzhu's beautiful face flashed through his mind, now appearing so ferocious and terrifying. He had previously considered her a harmless chess piece that needed to be guarded against, but now, this chess piece had leaped off the board and was about to stir up trouble!
Where did she get the soldiers? How could those refugees really form an army?
Are Shen Qingyan, Su Qingfan and others crazy?
Ning Lingyi had troops, which made him feel more uneasy than the Western Qiang breaking through the pass.
Ning Lingyi must not be allowed to become too powerful. He obtained the throne with the help of the Western Qiang cavalry and the soldiers of Yongzhou. He knew too well how big a threat a prince with inheritance rights and a princess with military power would pose.
If the Western Qiang broke through the pass, they would only lose some land, but if Ning Lingyi broke into the capital, then his throne and everything he had would be over.
A fierce gleam flashed in his eyes, and without hesitation, he grabbed the red pen and issued a secret order to the remaining soldiers of Beishuo:
"Imperial decree: Any officers and soldiers currently standing in the Heshuo garrisons who can capture and kill the traitor Ning Lingyi will be granted the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households and a reward of ten thousand pounds of gold. All his subordinates must be killed without mercy. This is the highest priority! If you encounter such a person, you must execute him on the spot without asking for permission. No mistakes will be made!"
"Send immediately! Six hundred miles express!"
The eunuch retreated tremblingly, holding the secret decree.
Inside the imperial study, the candlelight flickered suddenly, illuminating the figure of Emperor Guangqi sitting alone on the dragon throne, his figure twisted and hideous. The wind and snow from the northern border had not yet arrived, but the murderous intent in the deep palace of the capital was already as sharp as a knife.
He looked towards the north with a sinister look in his eyes.
Ning Lingyi, you'd better die under the sword of the Qiang people.
Otherwise, don't blame me for making sure you die without a burial place!
Under the same sky, two teams, one on land and one on water, are breaking through the cold fog and wind and frost, heading upstream towards the battlefield where blood and fire are intertwined.
This isolated army never expected that there would be more than just enemy blades on this battlefield.
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