The autumn wind is chilly, the dense shade is like a curtain, and hundreds of dragons coil around the cliffside. The mountains and ridges are layered, providing much cover.
A blond, blue-eyed man carrying a large knife walked up to the boy at the edge of the cliff and spoke in a gruff voice.
"Young Master, is this woman trustworthy?"
Helian Ye looked down at the bee-like path below the cliff, his voice cold, "The battle of Youzhou is inevitable."
"That slave went to the military camp that very night to inform General Soru."
The high priest behind him said, "Young Master, you are leading a million iron cavalry to the Central Plains. If you fail to conquer Beiyou and return empty-handed, it will be difficult to explain to the King. Please be careful, Young Master."
"The Great Wizard is absolutely right. With the Central Plains in turmoil and the north wind blowing south, if the young master can seize Beiyou in one fell swoop, the unification of the Central Plains will be just around the corner."
“That Yan Beimo has repeatedly been an enemy of our Western Regions. In the Battle of Yueguan back then, he slaughtered the people of our Western Regions. Thirty-six kingdoms fought each other. To this day, the resentment is still hard to quell. This time, we must kill him without leaving a single piece of armor.”
A general stepped forward and respectfully greeted them.
"Our military camp, located 800 li away from Youzhou, has probably already been known to Yan Beimo. He has set up an earthquake to ambush us when we attack the city. Young Master, you can turn the tables and test the military tactics of the Central Plains people."
Helian Ye, with his deep and cold eyes, raised his hand to interrupt the conversation of the people behind him and gave an order.
"Send scouts to investigate again."
"yes."
The world is in turmoil, and it is a time of many troubles. The kings of the north are vying for supremacy, and the small countries in various places have been suffering from war for many years. At this time, the Western Regions suddenly led their troops south to attack the Northern You, and war is about to break out.
The kings had long coveted Beiyou, this coveted prize, so why would they give it up so easily?
Upon receiving the letter from Yan Beimo, Prince Su, who was stationed in the south, immediately dispatched troops westward to attack Beiyou, disregarding the imperial edict in the capital.
The kings of the north were all eager to make a move because of this battle, and within a few days, troops from all over the country gathered in Youzhou.
Kyoto, Imperial Study.
Shen Yan looked at the battle reports sent from various places, his expression deep and serious.
Below stood two rows of court officials, all arguing fiercely over the war in the north.
"If Youzhou is captured by the Western Regions, and they unite with the kings of the North, they will inevitably march south to attack the Central Plains. The capital will be in grave danger. Your Majesty should send troops to conquer the Western Regions and demonstrate the might of our great nation."
"The Marquis of Yan is a pillar of our Great Jin. His journey to Beiyou is a blessing for our Great Jin. For thousands of years, aristocratic families have ruled the world together with the royal family. We are one. If Your Majesty is to send troops, you must seek the opinions of the aristocratic families."
Most of the people in the court today are from aristocratic families. After Shen Yan ascended the throne, he made great use of people from poor families and recruited many talented people, which is how he managed to gain a place in the court.
He heard the words below and a shadow crossed his eyes.
"alright."
The Imperial Study fell into complete silence.
Shen Yan flipped through the files in his hand and asked expressionlessly, "Have the refugees in the Chaodong area been properly settled?"
An adult specifically in charge of disaster relief stepped forward.
"The disaster relief grain has been distributed, and reports from various places have been sent to the capital by express courier."
"How many cities have been recaptured?"
Minister Ye stepped forward and spoke, “General Wei Wu marched north and has recovered all thirteen capitals in the east, but Prince An, who is guarding the north, refuses to relinquish his power.”
Shen Yan pressed his thin lips together, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
"I believe that the local situation is complicated, and Prince An has been entrenched in the east of the capital for decades. It is not advisable to confront him by force."
Shen Yan threw down the memorial in his hand, his obsidian-like eyes gleaming with a cold light.
"Weapons, supplies, provisions, and money are all readily available, why not?"
Although his voice was cold, there was a hint of anger in it.
The adults lowered their heads, exchanged glances, and dared not utter a sound.
The new emperor is not like the old one; he is extremely ruthless.
Upon assuming power, he dared to confront powerful families, support officials from humble backgrounds, and even under immense pressure, reduce taxes for farmers, recover the eastern border, and expand the territory.
After the corrupt Grand Secretary Xiao of the previous dynasty was executed along with his entire family, the Empress, who was also from the Xiao family, suddenly fell seriously ill. Who knows if His Majesty had any involvement in this?
After all, when His Majesty overthrew the Southern Dynasty and established the Great Jin Dynasty, besides the support of powerful families, the Xiao family was the greatest contributor.
However, the Xiao family was rampant. As soon as Princess Qingyan was made empress, she began to amass wealth and engage in corruption. His Majesty showed no mercy and directly ordered the extermination of the entire family.
"What do you say, Grand Secretary Yu?"
The Grand Secretary Yu, whose name had been called, stepped forward and respectfully said, "Marquis Yan has reinforced his troops by 30,000 in the east and has been occupying places like Yuehu Pass. If we were to fight, Marquis Yan's side—"
"Are you saying that the imperial court cannot reclaim Chaodong without the consent of the powerful families?"
Everyone was horrified and knelt down.
"Your Majesty, I am filled with trepidation."
Incense smoke curled from the golden beast-shaped incense burner, creating a cloud of white mist.
Shen Yan exuded a cold and gloomy aura. He said nothing more, got up, and walked towards the inner palace.
Little Lezi quickly followed behind.
Since His Majesty ascended the throne, apart from Empress Xiao, who suddenly fell seriously ill, there has only been the woman in Fengqi Palace in the harem.
He was His Majesty's confidant and knew that His Majesty had been forced to appoint Empress Xiao. Now that the Xiao family had fallen, the Empress was probably about to die.
"No need to follow."
Xiao Lezi paused, then hurriedly led his men to retreat respectfully.
After Shen Yan ascended the throne, he drastically reduced fiscal expenditures, and the court and the imperial harem were extremely frugal, but Fengqi Palace was an exception.
Phoenix Palace is the closest palace to the emperor's sleeping quarters. It features carved railings and painted beams, walls painted with pepper, floors paved with gold bricks, and a bronze platform with a gilded roof.
The eaves inside and outside the palace were painted with gold lacquer and glazed tiles, making it magnificent and elaborate. The food, clothing and daily necessities were all in accordance with the standards of the previous dynasty, making it a unique favor bestowed upon the entire court.
Everyone in the palace knows that Princess Anning, the little princess of the fallen Southern Dynasty, lives here.
Phoenix Palace.
On the bed inside the palace, Chu Chang Le, dressed in white, lay quietly. Her hands were chained with gold chains, as if she were trapped in some kind of nightmare. Tears streamed down her pale and thin face.
A palace maid quietly entered and lifted the gauze curtain.
"Princess, His Majesty has arrived---"
"Princess--"
Chu Chang Le did not react; her pale lips moved slightly.
The palace maid paused for a moment, then quietly withdrew from the hall.
Shen Yan stood outside the hall and saw the palace maid come out, and said coldly.
"She still refuses to see me?"
The young palace maid curtsied and said fearfully, "The princess is asleep."
A few days ago, the princess had a fierce argument with His Majesty and refused to see him. They were terrified of being punished.
The aura emanating from him sent chills down one's spine.
The young palace maid's palms trembled with fear. As she watched the person walk past her, she went straight into the hall, her face turning even paler.
Chu Chang Le was trapped in a nightmare.
In her daze, she recalled many complex and chaotic scenes, each one in her dream like a file slowly torturing her heart.
Memories from that time came rushing back like a tidal wave, filling all the ice holes.
She saw with her own eyes the empty, magnificent hall, surrounded by heavily armed soldiers.
The emperor, who had spent his life on the battlefield, had his head cut off by someone's own hands. In despair, the empress dowager drew her sword and committed suicide. The palace was filled with the sounds of war and bloodshed.
"Run away peacefully, don't come back, never come back."
"Royal brother, royal brother--"
"Anning, go with your elder sister, go!"
On the Nine Nether Platform, her beloved elder brother was executed by slow slicing, her only elder sister was imprisoned, her jewels were scattered all over the ground, and her bright red blood stained the high palace walls. She fled for her life like a stray dog.
But then, she saw him.
Her husband.
It was her husband who personally led the troops to massacre the palace and kill the emperor's younger brother. She couldn't believe it and ran all the way to the city wall in her wedding dress.
"Let him go."
Her heart-wrenching screams couldn't save her loved ones.
Her husband lied to her.
She was in so much pain that she broke down and cried.
But that man wouldn't let her go; he imprisoned her and coerced her.
"Your father is weak, incompetent, and extremely conservative. He dares not confront the powerful families, cannot save the people, and cannot change the monopoly of the powerful families."
"The world is already in chaos, with frequent changes of imperial power. Under the shadow of war, no one can escape unscathed. The court is corrupt and incompetent, and the people are displaced. Only by ending the separatist wars can the world be at peace."
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