Zhou Shen and Zhou Che, after dispatching guards, received a hawk message from Su Rong requesting for military aid to Dawei within two days. Their faces changed dramatically, and they immediately set up camp, leading two hundred thousand troops into Nanchu and rushing to the battlefield.
A few days later, Yan Huisheng, the Crown Prince of Daliang, also received a letter from Su Rong. His expression darkened and he hastily entered the palace with the letter.
Inside the Imperial Palace, the Emperor’s injury had healed, but he had not resumed attending court. Instead, he still allowed the Crown Prince to act as Regent.
The court officials gradually understood that the Emperor was gradually ceding power to the Crown Prince, and if this continues, it was clear that the Emperor was preparing to abdicate the throne.
When a veteran minister tested the Emperor, the Emperor did not shy away and said directly: "I was mistaken before. I have worked for most of my life and now that the Crown Prince has grown up, I should rest."
The veteran minister nodded repeatedly, "The Crown Prince is extraordinarily talented, and with Your Majesty gradually letting go and relying on the Crown Prince, it is feasible to take a little rest."
"Not a little rest, I am preparing to abdicate," said the Emperor.
The veteran minister was shocked and immediately said: "Your Majesty, you are still in the prime of life, it’s not necessary... to be so early..."
With a sigh, the Emperor said, "I couldn’t figure it out before, and now I realize that having the Crown Prince is a blessing for Daliang and for me."
If he had realized this earlier, maybe his two sons Yan Li and Yan Lin would not have had to die. Their brothers would not have had to fight until they were bloody. They would not have had to drain the national power of Daliang, which still can’t catch up with Dawei now.
It was his fault.
The veteran minister was unsure if he should continue to persuade. After all, it’s beneficial for the Emperor to abdicate early and for the Crown Prince to ascend the throne. The Emperor couldn’t do as much as the Crown Prince, but if he abdicated early to become Emperor Emeritus, and the new ruler of Daliang ascended the throne early, a smooth transition of the old and new, stabilizing the political situation, and eliminating disputes, would be good.
Although now, with the death of the eldest and second princes, the younger princes dare not have any ideas, but it is difficult to guarantee that as time goes by and their ages grow, they will not rise up with improper thoughts.
The Emperor knows that most court officials highly anticipate the Crown Prince’s ascension to the throne. Now he has no hesitation about the Crown Prince. He said: "Let the Ministry of Rites prepare in advance! No later than next spring, I will abdicate, and the Crown Prince will ascend the throne."
The veteran minister nodded, "Since Your Majesty has decided, we naturally have no objection."
After the Emperor released this news, the wind direction of the Imperial Court changed once again, and court officials respected the Crown Prince even more. The fourth prince, Yan Shen, and other younger princes, behaved as usual, showing no dissatisfaction. Especially Yan Shen, who had already been loyal to the Eastern Palace, has now begun to attend court and take over duties, doing his best. Yan Huisheng, the Crown Prince, didn’t just give him a sinecure, but relied heavily on this younger brother.
Yan Huisheng himself mentioned it once in front of the Emperor, saying that he was not in a hurry and asked his father not to abdicate so early. But the Emperor denied him, saying that he wanted to rest. He had recovered from his injury, but was no longer capable, unwilling to let the political situation become chaotic again and let the younger princes grow up with ambition. He thought it would be better for him to take over early and make a smooth transition, stabilize the government sooner, and start to govern.
Seeing the Emperor really had changed his mind now, Yan Huisheng stopped refusing and complied with the Emperor’s actions, letting the Ministry of Rites begin preparations.
After the Emperor was idle, he realized the advantages of being idle. He and the Empress had once been a young couple, but the power had made them drift apart. Now, thinking back, he spent time in the Empress’s Fengyi Palace quite often.
The Empress had long been disheartened by the Emperor, but considering the fact that the Emperor had not really wanted to depose the Crown Prince even though he had been confused for many years, and now that the Emperor had turned back and wanted to rekindle their old relationship, although she didn’t think highly of it, she wouldn’t push him away. Being able to get along harmoniously with the Emperor in the palace in their old age, she considered herself a lucky Empress.
So, one day, when Yan Huisheng came into the palace and heard that the Emperor was in the Empress’s Fengyi Palace, he hurriedly came to look for him.
The Emperor and the Empress were having dinner. Someone reported that the Crown Prince was here. The Emperor was stunned and looked at the time. He said, "It’s late, the Crown Prince must have something important."
A few days ago, the news of Dawei’s attack on the border had been reported, and the old Duke has gone to the border. Judging by the timing, he should have just arrived at the border. He wondered if Dawei was launching another attack.
Yan Huisheng entered the Fengyi Palace, paid his respects to his parents, "Father, Mother."
The Empress stood up, "Crown Prince, have you taken dinner? Why not have some first, then talk to your father?"
Yan Huisheng shook his head, "Mother, there is an urgent matter. Your son needs to discuss it with Father first."
The Empress nodded, understanding. From the Fengyi Palace to the Imperial Study Room was not close. She waved her hand to let the palace maids and eunuchs retreat and planned to go out and leave room for father and son to talk.
Yan Huisheng stretched out his hand to stop her, "Mother, you don’t have to leave, continue your dinner!"
After he finished speaking, he helped the Empress to sit down and then sat down next to her. To the Emperor, he said, "Father, I just received a hawk message from Xiaoqi. The Crown Prince of Dawei, Yuan Zhao, personally led eight hundred thousand troops and invaded Nanchu aggressively. Su Rong has less than five hundred thousand troops. She has sent a message and has called the two hundred thousand troops stationed in Nanchu to go there."
"What?" The Emperor was shocked, "Does Dawei actually want to attack Nanchu?"
Yan Huisheng nodded, "Eight hundred thousand troops, it’s clear that Dawei was prepared and we don’t know how long they have been preparing. We also don’t know if Su Rong can hold on, after all, Xingze sent a message a few days ago after Dawei’s sneak attack. He found after investigation that Dawei’s weapons have been improved. The crossbows and arrows are more powerful and have a longer range than those currently used in Daliang’s army. On the battlefield, equal troops, but slightly better weapons, play a key role, let alone such a disparity in military strength. Nanchu is in danger."
The Emperor’s face suddenly turned ugly, "Nanchu can’t fall, otherwise Daliang is in danger."
"Yes, so after receiving the news, your son came immediately to discuss with you, Father. I thought on the way, the Crown Prince of Dawei brought eight hundred thousand troops to attack Nanchu, then how many troops are still in Dawei? If we let the old Duke lead the troops and wage war against Dawei directly? Can we draw fire from the siege? Or can we seize a few cities from Dawei?"
The Emperor’s face turned stern upon hearing this, "Su Rong took away three hundred thousand troops, and Zhou Shen and Zhou Che added two hundred thousand to assist Nanchu, this suddenly lost five hundred thousand troops..."
"But Father, don’t forget that we confiscated forty-five thousand troops just because of Zhang Ping’s rebellion." Yan Huisheng said, "We Daliang country, the original reserve troops are five hundred thousand. Now in Dawei, if my calculation is correct, there are at most four hundred thousand. Even if our weapons are slightly inferior, we also have the power to fight."
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