Chapter 133 Under the guise of familial affection, his heart belongs to you, and his imperial sister is no exception…
Of the four great aristocratic families, two fell in an instant.
Half a month passed, and the bustling scene in Jian'an remained unchanged. The blood on the execution ground that day had become nothing more than fodder for gossip, with people spewing contempt for the powerful and wealthy, who, in the eyes of the common folk, deserved to die.
It is worth mentioning that Zhao Yunfu's move won the hearts of many people and gave the common people, who were already full of complaints about the dynasty, a lot of confidence.
The land reform significantly changed people's perception of the court. Some said that honest officials had emerged from the government, and others joked that now kings and nobles were no longer born with special privileges. The court would no longer be dominated by the aristocracy, and Jian'an would no longer be ruled by the aristocracy. It would be the turn of commoners to rise to power.
Currently, only the Wang and Chen families still hold important positions in the court. Wang Chang remains the head of the civil service, and Chen Boxia remains the head of the Ministry of Justice. Their protégés and former subordinates are mostly in their original positions and have not been affected by this upheaval.
Whether Zhao Yunfu intentionally left a spark to prepare for future changes or not, the Wang and Chen families were not greatly affected.
However, the flame was soon struck by frost.
The tens of thousands of troops they sent to the northern frontier battlefield all perished on the battlefield.
According to Yan Yue's battle report, Wang's forces fell into the trap set by the Xiutu people at Xiamen Pass, with 30,000 men perishing. It is said that the reason Wang's forces fell so easily was because their vanguard officer underestimated the enemy and advanced recklessly; that vanguard officer was none other than Wang Juanyou. Although he was well-versed in Sun Tzu's *Art of War*, he failed to even conduct the most basic scouting reconnaissance. Yan Yue's military reports, while adhering to official procedures and granting him considerable autonomy, ultimately failed due to the soldiers' recklessness and poor command.
The Chen family's forces suffered a crushing defeat in the battle against the Xiutu cavalry. Of their 20,000 men, only 5,000 escaped with the support of the Northern Cliff Army, suffering heavy casualties. The Gao family's entire army was wiped out, leaving not a single survivor.
In this battle, not only did these three families suffer heavy casualties, but among their members, only Wang Juanyou of the Wang family returned with serious injuries. He was rescued by his personal guards at great risk and carried back to Jian'an, where he was already on the verge of death and had not yet regained consciousness.
Chen Youmei, a member of the Chen family, was killed in action, leaving only one grandson in his clan, who also lost an arm.
When the news reached Jian'an, the entire court was stunned, except for Zhao Yunfu, who sat on the dragon throne, whose expression remained unchanged.
No one dared to say that this was a trap set by Yan Yue. They went to the battlefield voluntarily, and the battles they participated in were commanded by their own people. Yan Yue handed over the entire right flank to them and did not interfere.
But even so, they achieved this result.
The young men from various ethnic groups, skilled in empty talk but lacking any real combat experience, tragically proved what "armchair strategist" meant, thus costing themselves their lives.
With the direct line of the family severely damaged, Wang Chang stopped attending court after receiving the battle report, claiming illness and staying at home. Although Chen Boxia continued to attend court, he was much thinner than before.
Even a powerful aristocratic family like Waja doesn't always resort to ruthless and bloody methods; the gradual, insidious approach is also quite common.
The remaining private soldiers could no longer be used as leverage in terms of force. Seeing that their masters' future was bleak, the retainers kept in the Wang and Chen mansions began to find excuses to leave and seek other places.
Most fatally, the clan school can no longer find a single young member capable of upholding its reputation.
The inheritance has suffered a terrible break at this moment.
Having lost the protection of its private army and the support of its direct lineage, the once mighty power could foresee its slow but irreversible decline.
The misfortunes befell the Wang and Chen families meant they had lost the hard power to intervene in local affairs and threaten imperial authority. The deaths and injuries of their direct descendants, on the other hand, signaled that they would be left with no one to rely on in the court struggles of the coming decades.
When a tree falls, the monkeys scatter; when a wall collapses, everyone pushes it down. Even though Wang Chang and Chen Boxia still hold high positions, they are nothing more than water without a source and a tree without roots.
The emperor no longer needed to intervene personally; he only needed to wait for time to pass, and the two large trees, whose interiors had been hollowed out, would slowly decay on their own.
The complete downfall of the aristocratic clans may not necessarily be a good thing for Zhao Yunfu.
After the morning court session, the foreseeable pressure of the future situation made Zhao Yunfu unable to stay in the East Pavilion with peace of mind.
He went to Chuntang Garden, hoping to dispel the heaviness in his heart with the beautiful autumn scenery.
The garden did not have the desolation of autumn; instead, it was a scene of elegant and beautiful writing.
Golden chrysanthemums bloom in clusters, their vibrant red leaves even more dazzling than the evening clouds, while the air is filled with the sweet fragrance of osmanthus. At the height of the sun, the light and shadow on the cobblestone path ripple in the breeze, creating a scene as lifelike as a shadow puppet show.
The vibrant life in the garden evoked entirely different emotions in Zhao Yunfu.
This vibrant life, however, could not dispel the gloom in his heart.
Now, the aristocratic families no longer have the power to manipulate events, and Yan Yue's absolute dominance has been established and is unstoppable. An unprecedented sense of urgency gripped him. The chessboard of checks and balances had been shattered, the aristocratic families were now toothless tigers, and Yang Du's faction of censors had not deep roots. Who could still challenge Yan Yue, who held almost all military power?
Duan Tingxian's Xuan Ce Army? With only a small force, how could they possibly contend with Yan Yue's 300,000-strong army? The Beiya Army's record far surpasses that of the Xuan Ce Army. Who could possibly defeat them?
Following behind Zhao Yunfu, Attendant Feng took in all his worries.
After the other attendants were silently dismissed to a suitable distance, Feng Changshi cautiously voiced his thoughts: "Your Majesty, in this old servant's opinion, Commander Yan has only ever committed acts of insubordination over the years. Sometimes he is just a bit stubborn and arrogant. Your Majesty may... ease your mind and not worry so much."
Zhao Yunfu walked slowly, his fingers moving slowly as he passed the glass prayer beads in his hand one by one.
The garden was quiet, with only the faint, clear sound of beads clinking together, one after another.
"The large army he commands cannot be controlled by imperial edicts or military tallies."
After a long silence, the emperor's voice finally broke through the stillness: "The Northern Cliff Army is an army he built up single-handedly. The privileges granted to him by the late emperor allowed him to live without the court's provisions. In addition, he was adept at sustaining the army through warfare, and his men were completely obedient to him. The soldiers of the Northern Frontier only knew him, not me. This means that he has an appeal among the lower-ranking soldiers that I cannot match. His current power is not a gift from me, but something he earned through hard-fought battles amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and it carries a natural legitimacy."
This is what makes Yan Yue different from other military generals. The Beiye region as a whole implements a conscription system, but Yan Yue's army, under the influence of the gentry clans, adopted a combination of the Fubing system and the conscription system.
Northern Xinjiang was his stronghold; calling him the Grand Commander was less accurate than calling him the local emperor of Northern Xinjiang.
"With the aristocratic clans fallen, there is no one left in the court who can check and balance them. It was I... who personally cleared away all obstacles for them." At this point, Zhao Yunfu sighed with self-mockery, "This game of checks and balances, in the end, became a deadly trap that I set for myself."
Feng Changshi: "Your Majesty, this old servant dares to speak frankly. Governor Yan's current position is less due to the war and more due to the Emperor's boundless grace. He was promoted by the late Emperor without regard to precedent, entering the Hanlin Academy from the military, which is a rare favor in this dynasty. Moreover, he is ultimately Your Majesty's teacher, and this title of 'Imperial Tutor' is the greatest constraint and dignity, which is evident to all under heaven."
In an era where class and birth were important, military households originally had no opportunity to study and had meager incomes.
Yan Yue, however, came from a wealthy military family. His father did not want him to continue in the military and hoped he would become a censor. Therefore, he was well-versed in literature from a young age and was known locally for his talent. Once, the late emperor, traveling incognito, recognized his great talent and exceptionally recruited him directly from a commoner to serve as the Crown Prince's tutor, entering the Eastern Palace to serve the then Crown Prince Zhao Yunfu. This position was a subordinate official of the Eastern Palace, allowing him to be constantly by the Crown Prince Zhao Yunfu's side.
Seven years later, he was transferred by the late emperor to serve in the Censorate. When Zhao Yunfu was acting as regent, in order to commend Yan Yue for his many years of teaching, the court bestowed upon him the title of "Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince".
However, Yan Yue's heart was always set on clearing the world and helping Bei Ye unify the country. But after his father passed away from illness, he mentioned this to the late emperor several times, but the late emperor did not agree.
However, after learning of his true ambitions, Zhao Yunfu earnestly advised the late emperor to grant him permission to join the military and expand the country's territory.
To everyone else, it seemed perfectly normal for a student to speak up for their teacher. Only he knew that this was merely a bargaining chip he was offering Yan Yue to secure Yan Yue's assistance.
Therefore, after the late emperor granted his request, Yan Yue resolutely gave up his important position and started from the bottom as a military officer. With his outstanding literary and military talents, he repeatedly made great achievements on the battlefield and eventually grew into the powerful Governor Yan, who was famous throughout the northern frontier.
This move was unexpected even by the late emperor; it opened a completely new door of destiny for Beiye.
At first, the late emperor only regarded him as a casual move, but he did not expect Yan Yue's military talent to be so amazing that his actions were dazzling and impressive.
At that time, the aristocratic clans were arrogant and domineering in the court. The late emperor was well-versed in the art of checks and balances, so he went with the flow and used Yan Yue, this sharp sword, with great skill.
To help him break the monopoly of military power held by the aristocracy at the time, the late emperor did not hesitate to grant him extraordinary authority. He first granted him special permission in Beiye to change the original conscription system into a system of half conscription and half recruitment.
This move not only benefited from the solid foundation of the Fubing system (a system combining military service and agriculture) but also from the advantage of the professional elite of the conscripted army, enabling Yan Yue to build a powerful armed force.
Later, as his struggles with the royal family and the aristocratic clans escalated, he was tacitly allowed and even encouraged to use harsh methods to suppress local powerful families, confiscating all their wealth for military use, thereby generously rewarding soldiers and boosting morale. Finally, he was even granted the exceptional privilege of retaining a small portion of the local tax revenue for military purposes.
At that time, military power in the court was controlled by a few powerful aristocratic families. These families, fearing for their own lives and accustomed to strategizing from the rear, shifted all the risks of casualties onto the lower-ranking soldiers. However, when it came time to reward merit, they relied on their power to claim all the spoils for themselves.
This long-standing problem of monopolizing credit and shifting risks downwards led to widespread discontent and low morale within the military. Yan Yue, upon assuming his post, recognized this critical issue. Therefore, he insisted on rewarding merit, ensuring that even the lowest-ranking soldiers received their due rewards and promotions for any achievement or merit.
This move instantly won over the demoralized army and gave Yan Yue a breakthrough in seizing military power from the aristocratic families, allowing him to eventually drive all the aristocratic sons and soldiers out of the army and seize absolute power.
In Zhao Yunfu's view, this approach had sown the biggest hidden danger for the future of Beiye. Such a military giant made him feel an unprecedented sense of crisis.
All this bitter fruit stemmed from the late emperor's attempt to alleviate the immediate needs of the "gentry," which inadvertently brought about the long-term anxieties of the "powerful ministers." It was for this reason that Zhao Yun, upon ascending the throne, abolished the civil service examinations and military examinations open to commoners. Besides stabilizing the gentry, another reason was that he knew either of these two forces was dangerous to retain. Yan Yue held considerable military power, so he could only first strengthen the gentry's influence in the court.
But what he feared most came to pass. The aristocratic families were now reaping what they had sown, leaving him with such a mess. How could he not be worried and troubled?
Zhao Yunfu didn't respond to Feng Changshi's words. He knew perfectly well that the late emperor, in his later years, was aware of the potential harm that such delegating power to Yan Yue could bring. Therefore, the late emperor had bestowed the title of Lady Dezhen upon Yan Yue's wife, and later upon his father and mother, in an attempt to appease him. Subsequently, he even brought Yan Yue's entire family to live in Jian'an. With the passing of his father, and his wife's eventual death from hemoptysis, the court lost all its leverage over Yan Yue.
The imperial court later attempted to arrange a marriage for him to continue his lineage, but he resolutely refused, citing a blood oath he had made at his deceased wife's grave.
He pleaded before the late emperor, saying that his life belonged to the country, but his heart belonged only to his wife. He vowed to never betray the emperor's grace, his soldiers, or his wife, and was willing to have his bloodline severed, never to remarry, only to reunite with his wife in the afterlife after his death. If he broke this vow, he was willing to be abandoned by both gods and men.
This practice was extremely rare in its time, and even the late emperor, faced with such a solemn vow of friendship, could not force the issue further.
In the end, although the late emperor also cultivated the Imperial Horse Administration, a close minister who stayed by the emperor's side, the people of the Imperial Horse Administration could still restrain the aristocratic families, but they were far from being able to compete with Yan Yue.
With this thought in mind, Zhao Yunfu was deeply troubled. Without his wife and children to entangle him, he would have one less bargaining chip to threaten Yan Yue.
But fortunately... he remembered again the only person in the world who was related to Yan Yue as father and son.
A burst of playful laughter came from nearby, and he followed the sound.
Yu Nie, Hua Shu, and Hua Ruo were playing with the young crown prince in the courtyard, chasing a kite.
The young prince was thin and frail. Due to his illness a few days ago, his small face was still pale, but it turned slightly red as he ran.
Upon seeing him, the laughter abruptly stopped.
The four people immediately stopped and knelt down to pay their respects:
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
"Greetings, Father Emperor."
Zhao Yunfu raised his hand, his gaze sweeping over the crowd and landing on the Crown Prince: "Get up, all of you."
He walked up to the Crown Prince, his voice carrying the imposing authority of a stern father: "Have you finished reading your books for today? Have you memorized the essays assigned by the Grand Tutor?"
The young prince shrank back fearfully and replied softly, "Father, not yet. It was Grandmother who said that the weather was nice today and that I should come out... to play for a while."
Seeing this, Yu Nie quickly smoothed things over: "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has been reading for two hours and is a little tired, so we accompanied him to do some light exercise."
Zhao Huashu echoed softly, "Yes, Your Majesty, Yuanrui is very diligent. Taking a short rest is also good for his health."
Of the group, only Zhao Huaruo stood a little further away and said in a distant tone, "Yuanrui hasn't been playing for long, why is Your Majesty so harsh?"
Even though the three of them spoke up for the young prince, Zhao Yunfu ignored them completely.
He turned to the eunuchs attending the Crown Prince and instructed them: "Send the Crown Prince back to the Eastern Palace and tell the Grand Tutor that the Crown Prince must catch up on all the lessons he missed while he was ill, without any delay." There was no room for negotiation in his words.
The eunuchs quickly bowed and agreed, then coaxed and persuaded the young prince to leave.
The young crown prince dared not say another word. The light in his eyes suddenly went out. He lowered his head and silently followed the people in his palace.
Yu Nie stood to the side, her gaze secretly following that small, lonely figure surrounded by palace servants.
With each step he took, Zhao Yuanrui's thin shoulders seemed to hunch over a little more.
She remembered that the history books said, "Crown Prince Yuanrui died at the age of eight."
At that moment, the words on the book transformed into living, breathing human lives. A bittersweet feeling, tinged with pity, welled up in her chest.
She wasn't familiar with Zhao Yunrui before, and thought that after they overthrew Zhao Yunfu, they would need to choose a suitable prince to take the throne.
After getting to know him, she felt that Zhao Yuanrui was soft-hearted and that she might support him to take the throne after they had pulled Zhao Yunfu off the throne.
However, Zhao Yuanrui's lifespan forced her to abandon this idea and choose someone else.
As she was thinking, a eunuch came to report to Zhao Yunfu: "Your Majesty, Supervisor Gu has important matters to discuss with you."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Huashu and Zhao Huaruo, with great tact, bowed and took their leave.
Yu Nie also took a step back, about to leave together, when he heard Zhao Yunfu's calm voice: "Shunhe, stay."
She felt a chill run down her spine, stopped in her tracks, and could only stand quietly to the side with her head down.
A moment later, Gu Xiangzhi, who had been reinstated due to the lack of his own trusted subordinates, hurried over.
His expression was solemn. He paused slightly when he saw her there.
Zhao Yunfu thought his hesitation was because Yu Nie was present and he didn't know whether he should speak.
Thinking of this, Zhao Yunfu waved his hand: "Just say what you have to say."
Upon hearing this, Gu Xiangzhi bowed and reported: "Your Majesty, according to the secret report from the spies planted by the Imperial Horse Administration in Nan Yin, Nan Yin is mobilizing troops on a large scale and stockpiling grain on the border. All signs indicate that they are about to launch a major northern expedition."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yunfu's eyes sharpened and intensified.
He stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the sky, and remained silent for a moment.
The air seemed to freeze, with only the rustling of the wind through the leaves.
"Is the news true?" His voice was flat, carrying an immense weight.
"Verified by multiple sources, it is undoubtedly true," Gu Xiangzhi replied decisively.
Zhao Yunfu slowly closed his eyes.
Time is running out.
There is a shortage of capable generals in the court, with veterans passing away and new generals yet to emerge. At this moment, the only ones that can be relied upon are Yan Yue's faction in the northern frontier, imperial relative Duan Tingxian, and a few young generals.
Yan Yue himself cannot be moved at present. If he leaves, there will be no one to take over on the northern frontier battlefield. Duan Tingxian is also responsible for monitoring Yan Yue and cannot be transferred at will.
The remaining generals were not capable enough to raise the banner of resisting Xiao Daozun's Northern Expedition.
Therefore, in terms of ability, the best choice would naturally fall to Huan Xun, who had fought his way up from the battlefield and had achieved numerous military exploits.
But how can we ensure that this sharp blade remains loyal to the royal family?
After much deliberation, a chilling thought took shape in Zhao Yunfu's mind.
He opened his eyes and turned his gaze to Yu Nie beside him.
He recalled the reports from his informants who had been planted around Huan Xun.
Since Huan Xun truly loved his younger sister, and a child's status depended on its mother, then her child could finally be put to use.
"Young Master Gu, listen to my orders." He suddenly gave the command.
Gu Xiangzhi and Yu Nie exchanged a glance without making a sound.
The former replied respectfully, "Your humble servant is here."
Zhao Yunfu: "The wedding date for Princess Shunhe and Vice Minister Huan has been moved up. In ten days, it will be their auspicious day. You will work with the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs to handle this matter thoroughly."
This sudden news shocked Yu Nie so much that he was stunned for a long time.
She looked at Zhao Yunfu in disbelief.
Gu Xiangzhi's gaze pierced Zhao Yunfu, his breath catching in his throat. His eyes were filled with shock and doubt, and even more so with a fierce anger that he hadn't had time to conceal.
Then, his head involuntarily turned to one side, and his gaze fell on her.
Seeing that he did not answer immediately, Zhao Yunfu hummed in response, "What is it? Does the Junior Supervisor have any questions?"
As if pulled back to reality by these words, Gu Xiangzhi realized where he was and who he was facing.
He stiffly turned his head, clenched his hands, and his whole body was tense like cold, hard iron.
He forcefully suppressed the words that were about to spill from his mouth, sealing everything back beneath his cold, handsome face, and lowered his head:
"Your subject obeys the decree."
Immediately, Zhao Yunfu waved him away: "Continue to monitor Nan Yin's movements. You may leave now."
Gu Xiangzhi replied in an extremely indifferent tone, "Yes."
As he was about to leave, Zhao Yunfu called him back: "Continue to have people investigate the nursery rhyme until it is found out."
He and she exchanged a brief glance, Yu Nie maintaining a calm expression.
During this time, Zhao Yunfu had been having people investigate the matter of the folk songs, but to no avail. In the end, the task fell to Gu Xiangzhi.
Upon hearing this, Gu Xiangzhi replied again, "Yes, Your Majesty, I shall take my leave."
After saying that, he looked at her intently for a moment, then turned and walked away.
After he left, Zhao Yunfu looked at Yu Nie.
The wedding date was suddenly moved up, and she didn't know the real reason why Zhao Yunfu did this, but when she heard that Nan Yin was about to launch a northern expedition, she intuitively felt that there must be a connection between the two.
She asked, "Brother, why did you suddenly move the wedding date forward?"
Zhao Yunfu stared at her for a moment, then continued walking forward.
She followed immediately.
He said in a calm tone: "With the Southern Yin's northern expedition imminent, the court is in dire need of capable men. Huan Xun is a talented general, and he will soon be leading the army for the country."
Yu Nie's heart sank, thinking that the wedding date being moved up was indeed related to this.
Before she could think it through, Zhao Yunfu's next words revealed his true intentions like a cold dagger.
"Now that you have married him, you are a member of the Huan family. Before he goes to war, the most important thing is to ensure the Huan family has many descendants and to stabilize his rear. This is also your duty as a princess of the royal family."
He paused slightly, turning his head to look at her: "He is Yan Yue's adopted son, and he has also made outstanding military achievements. Now he is your consort, your husband. With the bond of blood, even if Huan Xun wields great power in the future, he will share the glory and the ruin of the royal family. The child you give birth to will have the blood of the Zhao family flowing in his veins, and will be the strongest bond to maintain the relationship between the emperor and his subject in the future. Making him feel bound by something and act with restraint is more effective than your imperial brother rewarding him with a thousand gold pieces or granting him ten thousand cities."
"Besides..." He put away his blatant scheming and draped his words in a veneer of feigned familial affection: "He is in love with you, and your sister also likes him very much. Doing this is good for you. Physical beauty will fade with time, but if you and he have a child, as his legal wife, his affection for you will be even stronger."
As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Nie felt a churning in his stomach.
Zhao Yunfu's act of openly pricing affection, offspring, and bloodline made her feel physically nauseous.
She lowered her head, her long eyelashes concealing the disgust and coldness in her eyes.
"Your Majesty's considerations are thorough." She heard her own voice ring out, calm and gentle: "Your Majesty... understands."
Hearing her answer, Zhao Yunfu was very satisfied.
Before long, Feng Changshi, who was following behind him, reminded him: "Your Majesty, it's time to take the elixir."
Recently, a sorcerer whom Zhao Yunfu had previously relied on suggested that he take vermilion pills every day.
The sorcerer told him with absolute certainty that because he possessed the body of a true dragon, he needed to strengthen his foundation and cultivate his vital energy, and temporarily abstain from marital relations in order to ensure the smooth flow of his elixir, maintain his health, and even glimpse the gate to immortality. For this reason, he even put aside all matters concerning his harem, thus allowing Langxi to escape danger.
"Hmm." He responded faintly, his mind already drifting from the present matter to the elusive path to immortality.
He didn't look at Yu Nie again, and waved his hand, indicating that she could leave.
Then, accompanied by Attendant Feng, he turned and walked towards the quiet room.
Watching the figure gradually disappear into the distance, Yu Nie stood up, a chill running down his spine.
She wondered if she should tell Huan Xun about what Zhao Yunfu had entrusted to her.
She had been worried that the longer this matter was delayed, the more it would affect the trust between her and Huan Xun.
But what he said to her that day gave her the courage to be honest now.
Thinking this, she was about to turn and leave the palace when a familiar voice rang out from behind her, stopping her in her tracks: "Princess..."
Suddenly, she turned around and saw Gu Xiangzhi, who should have left, slowly walking out from behind the rugged rockery on one side.
The shadow cast by the artificial hill enveloped most of his body, with only half of his face illuminated by the sunlight. His usually stern features appeared exceptionally lonely at this moment.
He seemed to want to curve his lips into his usual smile, but in the end, he only managed a bitter laugh, looking utterly dejected.
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Author's Note: I originally planned to finish it in 500,000 words, but now I feel like I'll need 600,000, so there are less than 100,000 words left to complete. [Glasses]
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