At the end of April, Qi Zhong led his army back to the capital.
Because Shen Mingjiang failed to return to the capital to report, rumors about the Shen family's defection to the enemy grew stronger in the court. Seeing the growing momentum, Emperor Cheng'an finally issued an edict ordering the garrison troops in the northwest to search for Shen Mingjiang and bring the traitorous general to justice.
When the news came out, Xue Shen knew that this matter was too big to be kept secret sooner or later, so he dared not hide it from Shen Youying any longer: "My father-in-law has already left the Northwest and gone to the area bordering Western Xia. That area is not part of the Great Wei territory, and because the land is barren, few people from Western Xia go there. My men lost track of my father-in-law halfway there, so I suppose he deliberately left him behind."
Shen Youying gripped his hand tightly and took a deep breath to calm her racing heart: "Father is not a man who acts recklessly; there must be a reason for what he did."
Xue Shen said, "I think so too. Zhao Zhao, you don't need to worry too much. My people are hiding in the northwest border area to provide support. When we return to the capital in the future... there will always be a way."
Shen Youying nodded, her face still pale despite her calm demeanor.
She thought for a moment and then summoned Danzhu to deliver a message to the Shen family: "Tell Mother and Second Brother not to worry. They should stay in the mansion for the time being and not go anywhere, especially not to ask for help from others."
After Danzhu went to deliver the message, she finally relaxed from her exhaustion and said, "I want to go to Xiangguo Temple in a couple of days to offer incense to my mother."
I hope that my mother, who is watching over us from heaven, will bless my father and elder brother so that they may return home on ordinary days.
However, the incense sticks failed to reach the young oriole.
The next day, an urgent message arrived from the border: the King of the Northern Rong had personally led his troops to attack the border three days earlier. They marched straight in, and by the time the scouts delivered the message by fast horse, Taiyuan City had already fallen. The Northern Rong army then marched south with unstoppable momentum, heading straight for the capital!
Emperor Cheng'an was furious and denounced the Northern Rong King for his betrayal and taunts the border generals for their incompetence.
"We had previously driven the Northern Rong people back five hundred li, so why were they so easily defeated this time?!"
Finally, a military officer who opposed the peace talks could no longer tolerate it and stepped forward to argue: "After the peace talks with the Northern Rong, His Majesty, to demonstrate the magnanimity of our great nation and the sincerity of the peace talks, has already transferred some of the border troops. Afterwards, the eunuch Qi Zhong went to the border to deliver the imperial edict, and acted arrogantly and domineeringly in the army, causing widespread resentment. The border troops who fought bravely to kill the enemy not only did not receive rewards, but were instead reprimanded for annihilating the remnants of the Northern Rong who had slaughtered civilians. In addition, the news of General Shen's defection has spread, which has greatly damaged morale. The border troops are now without a leader and are a disorganized mess. How can they possibly resist the Northern Rong who have long planned this?"
These words were practically an insult directed at Emperor Cheng'an, who was immediately enraged and stood up, rebuking him: "Are you accusing me of wrongdoing?"
The military officer immediately knelt down, took off his official hat and placed it aside, straightening his back: "Your Majesty, I dare not say that this is a case of 'the ice is three feet thick' not formed in a day,' and I hope that Your Majesty will not completely chill the hearts of the soldiers."
With someone taking the lead, other long-resentful generals immediately followed suit, removing their hats and kneeling down, begging Emperor Cheng'an not to discourage the soldiers.
These military officers had long been suppressed in the court. Even Shen Mingjiang, a veteran general who had served three dynasties and had a distinguished military record, was repeatedly attacked and reinstated twice. Not to mention other ordinary military officers.
Emperor Cheng'an was so angry that he clutched his chest and gasped for breath when he saw that half of the officials were kneeling in court. He pointed at the generals with a trembling finger, unable to speak for a long time before finally saying, "So, you're threatening me at this crucial moment?"
"Does the court have no one else to rely on if you bunch of good-for-nothings are no longer here?!"
His gaze swept over the standing court officials, and he asked, "Who is willing to go and fight against the Northern Rong?"
Then he threw out a resounding sentence, but no one dared to respond.
Emperor Cheng'an lost his balance and barely managed to stand by holding onto the armrest of the dragon throne. He then asked, "Who is willing to go and fight against the Northern Rong?"
Still, no one answered.
The courtiers of the Northern Rong King had all heard of his bravery; only a veteran like Shen Mingjiang could contend with him. Ordinary military officers might not be his match, let alone these civil officials who only knew how to engage in verbal sparring.
Emperor Cheng'an looked disappointed, his gaze finally settling on the Crown Prince.
The crown prince received his gaze and was about to step forward to request battle when a clear and melodious voice said, "Your subject requests battle."
The entire court turned their attention to him, astonished to discover that the one who had volunteered for battle was none other than the King of Qin.
Xue Shen said calmly, "When I was young, I also fought against the Northern Rong people. Perhaps we can give it a try."
Emperor Cheng'an's eyes darkened, and his expression hesitated.
The advantages and disadvantages of sending Xue Shen to the battlefield are quite obvious.
The advantage was that if he lost, he could be killed by the Northern Rong people, thus eliminating this potential threat. However, Emperor Cheng'an hesitated again, remembering his youthful prowess. Since he dared to request to fight, he must have made preparations. If he didn't die on the battlefield and returned with merit, the calls for his return to the throne would likely be even stronger, making it more difficult to remove him from power.
It would be better to let the Crown Prince go.
Emperor Cheng'an pondered the matter repeatedly and concluded that the safest course of action was for the Crown Prince to go in person.
He had confidence in the Crown Prince's abilities. Although he might not be able to drive the Northern Rong people back five hundred miles like Shen Mingjiang had, as long as he could hold out until reinforcements arrived, the Northern Rong would not be a major threat. After the war ended, this would be the Crown Prince's achievement, and he could then silence those who were clamoring for him to relinquish the throne.
Emperor Cheng'an's expression changed repeatedly before he finally showed a look of relief: "It's good that Prince Qin has such good intentions, but you are my only child, and your leg injury has only just healed. I really can't bear to send you to the battlefield."
He sat back down on the dragon throne, holding onto the armrests, and slowly said, "Since some people say that the soldiers on the border are disheartened, then this time I will send the Crown Prince to the border on my behalf to see whether the soldiers on the border are truly disheartened, or whether some people want to take the opportunity to seize power."
"Your Highness, are you willing to personally lead the expedition against the Northern Rong in my stead?"
Xue Heng knelt down and accepted the order: "Your subject is willing to go."
Emperor Cheng'an nodded in satisfaction: "Then it is settled. The Crown Prince will lead an army of 300,000 to meet the Northern Rong on my behalf."
*
The war was urgent, so the Crown Prince mustered his troops and set off that very day. Emperor Cheng'an led all the civil and military officials to the city gate to see him off.
Xue Shen, as an official of the Ministry of Works, was naturally among them.
He watched as Xue Heng donned his armor, the long sword at his waist gleaming with a sharp silver light, and raised a wine cup to him from afar.
As a young man, Xue Heng once said he wanted to be a general who guarded a region, and now he has fulfilled his wish and is fighting on the battlefield.
Seeing his actions, Xue Heng, who was on horseback, picked up a wine jar and toasted him from afar. Then he smashed the wine jar and led his army to battle.
Only after the army had wound its way far away did everyone return.
The court officials looked grave, whispering amongst themselves about the Crown Prince's chances of winning the battle against the Northern Rong.
Xue Shen was also thinking about this problem.
Upon returning to the Prince's residence, he had a sand table set up in his study to repeatedly simulate the Northern Rong people's advance route. Years earlier, the Northern Rong had planned to march south from Taiyuan, but before Taiyuan could fall, they were repelled by Shen Mingjiang's large army.
This time, they broke the alliance and marched south, choosing Taiyuan once again, and captured the city with lightning speed.
Xue Shen, holding the flags representing both sides, pondered whether the Northern Rong King intended to avenge his previous humiliation or was deliberately misleading him to confuse the issue.
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