"Your Majesty, good news! Good news!"
Inside the Imperial Study in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the Empress was being fed porridge by Wan Chun when a eunuch rushed in, carrying a battle report in both hands. He knelt on the ground, his face full of excitement.
The Empress ordered Wan Chun to take the porridge away, and the eunuch in charge of the emperor presented the battle report to the Empress.
The Empress saw that it was delivered to the Ministry of War by Ma Yuxiang, the military commander of Longmen Pass, via an urgent 800-li delivery. The Ministry of War then immediately sent it directly to the palace.
The battle report stated that Qin Chuan, with 30,000 men, annihilated 100,000 Xiongnu cavalry, captured over 90,000 Xiongnu people from the Xiongnu royal court, rescued over 20,000 Han slaves, and seized over 270,000 head of livestock, including horses, camels, cattle, and sheep, as well as countless amounts of gold and silver treasures…
In addition, Tuqi Chanyu was captured alive and sent back to the capital in a prison cell.
"Great! That's wonderful!"
The Empress held the battle report in both hands, her face beaming with joy. "He did it! He actually did it!"
Although the eunuchs and palace maids didn't know what had happened, seeing the Empress so happy, they all knelt down: "Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty!"
The Empress's eyes and brows were full of smiles as she murmured, "...30,000 men annihilating 100,000 Xiongnu cavalry—even the founding emperor couldn't have achieved such a feat. It's truly unprecedented and unparalleled throughout history. Qin Chuan, you have indeed not disappointed me..."
She thought to herself, "Qin Chuan, you truly are the one I have chosen..."
...
The news that Qin Chuan led 30,000 men to annihilate 100,000 Xiongnu cavalrymen quickly spread throughout the court and the country.
Throughout the streets and alleys of the capital, in taverns, teahouses, brothels, and other places, the news of this nationally shocking victory was being spread everywhere, and people were discussing it and praising it.
"Good! After being bullied by the Xiongnu for over a hundred years, this battle has finally shown the might of our Great Gan!"
"I heard that the Imperial Advisor only led 30,000 troops into battle. Wow, that's an unparalleled achievement!"
"That's right! In the past, we always suffered losses when we fought against the Xiongnu. I never expected that we would win such a great victory this time!"
"The Imperial Advisor is truly a god descended to earth, possessing extraordinary abilities. It is a great blessing for our Great Gan to have such a person as the Imperial Advisor!"
Nursery rhymes circulated in the streets and alleys, which went like this: "The spring breeze blows, the war drums beat, the Huns are defeated, the soldiers defend the border, the national advisor's fame spreads far and wide, the heroes live on forever..."
The spring imperial examinations were approaching, and when the students who had come to the capital to take the exams met each other, the first thing they did was to clasp their hands in greeting and congratulate each other.
"Great joy! Great joy! The Imperial Advisor's expedition has swept away the gloom of the past century and wiped away the shame of our Great Qian Dynasty for a hundred years. He is truly worthy of the Heavens and has accomplished such a great feat!"
"The Imperial Preceptor is our role model! Do you all still remember the four lines of Zhang Zai that the Imperial Preceptor once spoke?"
"Brother, are you referring to those four lines the Imperial Preceptor said in that county office?"
"Oh? Which four lines? Tell me about them."
"To establish a destiny for the people, to establish a moral compass for heaven and earth, to continue the lost learning of the past sages, and to usher in an era of peace for all generations!"
"Wow, that's amazing! We'll probably never be able to reach that level in our lifetime!"
"Alas... there is another saying of the Imperial Preceptor: Though I cannot go there, my heart yearns for it!"
"Yes, truly admirable! I only remember the Imperial Preceptor's poem 'Man Jiang Hong,' with its lines 'With lofty ambitions, I'll feast on the flesh of the barbarians when hungry, and laughingly drink their blood when thirsty.' I thought it was just scholarly idealism, but I never imagined that the Imperial Preceptor would actually live up to it..."
The students chatted, discussing Qin Chuan's poems and achievements, their eyes filled with longing, hoping that one day they could become like him, even if their accomplishments were only one-tenth of his.
As for the civil officials in the court, some were happy while others were sad.
Some congratulated him, praising his achievement as unprecedented and unparalleled, calling Qin Chuan a great war god of his generation!
Some, having previously served in Qin Chuan, were filled with anxiety and feared retaliation...
...
The Right Chancellor's Residence.
Yi Jong-min and the civil officials who had come to the gathering sat solemnly on chairs in the back hall.
"Prime Minister, I really didn't expect this! The Grand Preceptor actually annihilated 100,000 Xiongnu with only 30,000 men... This is just too outrageous!"
"Who recommended him to His Majesty in the first place?"
"It was all thanks to Zhang Chaozong's strong recommendation, along with Zhang Jiucheng, Chen Liang, and the others..."
"Right Chancellor, once he returns to court, he's sure to punish us. What do you think we should do?"
The civil officials who had once served in Qin Chuan were all sweating profusely in the back hall where several charcoal stoves were placed.
Lee Jong-min's round face was deathly pale.
He never expected that Qin Chuan would not only defeat the Xiongnu, but also capture Tuqi Chanyu alive.
As for the letter he sent to Tuqi Chanyu, he didn't know if it had reached Qin Chuan, let alone if it had even fallen into Qin Chuan's hands...
Although he was deeply worried, he was a calm and experienced man. He stroked his mustache and pretended to be calm and composed, saying, "Colleagues, I believe that our dynasty has its own laws. Your criticisms of the Imperial Preceptor are all in accordance with the law, so there is nothing to worry about. Moreover, His Majesty cannot dismiss all of you, more than a hundred of you. There is no need to worry about that."
"What the Right Chancellor says is absolutely right. Thinking back, if it weren't for the Right Chancellor holding this court up all these years, how would Qin Chuan have had the opportunity to make his mark? The Right Chancellor is truly the one who has contributed greatly..."
Li Zongmin outwardly listened silently to these flattering words, but inwardly he felt very uncomfortable. He casually replied with a few words and sent the civil officials away.
"Jingxiu, have those two men we sent to the Xiongnu returned yet?"
Li Zongmin summoned Li Jingxiu, the steward of his residence, and asked anxiously.
"Master, he hasn't returned yet..."
"Why aren't you back yet..."
Li Zongmin seemed to have no strength left and slumped into the armchair.
"Sir, sir, are you feeling unwell? Should we call a doctor?"
Li Zongmin waved his hand, "No need."
After saying that, he put his hand on his forehead, looking like he had a headache.
"Sir, do you have a headache?"
"I'm fine, you can go now..."
"Yes, sir."
After Li Jingxiu withdrew, Li Zongmin sighed and muttered to himself, "This time it seems... I'm... finished..."
He had just finished muttering when he saw Li Jingxiu walk into the back hall again.
"What's wrong?"
Li Jingxiu said, "Master, there are several people outside requesting an audience. I asked them to identify themselves, but they didn't say who they were. They asked me to give you this note..."
Li Zongmin gestured for Li Jingxiu to bring the note over.
The note read: "The Crimson Moon Society will help you kill Qin Chuan."
Li Zongmin was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat. He stuffed the note into his mouth and swallowed it, waving his hands frantically and shouting, "Get them away! Get them as far away as possible!"
"Yes, sir."
Li Jingxiu walked out of the Right Prime Minister's residence and gave a look to the gatekeeper.
Immediately, the two guards drove away a woman dressed in white, wearing a veil and a bamboo hat, as well as two pale-faced, beardless men.
"Get out of here! You have no status whatsoever, yet you want to see our Prime Minister!"
Get as far away from me as possible!
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