Chapter 114. Luo Fu, with a very stable mindset.
These past few days, Xiao Lin had been assisting the generals at the front lines in stabilizing morale. Upon receiving the emperor's decree to withdraw the troops, Xiao Lin left the army ahead of time and hurried back to Yicheng.
Emperor Xianping was still staying at the city gate camp. Although the underground passage had long been blocked by Zhou soldiers and several sections inside and outside the city had been destroyed, the prefectural governor's office had been destroyed in the fire caused by Yin soldiers that night. Emperor Xianping's condition relapsed twice, and he could only continue to rest in his room.
"I am about to withdraw my troops. Is there any discussion in the army?" Emperor Xianping asked calmly.
All the humiliation, choices, and struggles occurred before the decision to withdraw the troops was made. After the imperial decree was issued, Xiao Yu, whom the emperor least wanted to face, was transferred away, and Emperor Xianping calmed down instead.
Xiao Lin replied almost immediately: "I returned in a hurry and only overheard a few words from the soldiers on the way out of the camp expressing their concern for Your Majesty's health. Please rest assured, Your Majesty. Once the army returns to Yicheng and sees Your Majesty safe and sound, the soldiers will be at ease."
Emperor Xianping hummed in agreement. After inquiring about the retreat plan devised by the three generals, he casually mentioned his arrangements for Xiao Yu. The reason was exactly what he had told Xiao Yu: although Xiao Yu's official rank had been lowered, it was because he had placed high hopes on him to pacify the people of Liaozhou, rather than simply being demoted.
After listening, Xiao Lin laughed and said, "Your Majesty is wise. My brother is used to a life of luxury at home, and he is afraid of the cold and heat. But when he goes to the countryside, he is not afraid of anything and it is easy for him to get along with the people. If we keep him in Jizhou, he may be able to influence a group of people in Liaoxi, especially since Your Majesty's benevolence has recently spread throughout Liaoxi."
Emperor Xianping was initially pleased that Xiao Lin had not shown any dissatisfaction due to Xiao Yu's demotion, and then he was invigorated by Xiao Lin's praise of his benevolence. Indeed, although this northern expedition was abandoned halfway and failed to achieve his great cause, he left the benevolence of the Great Zhou emperor in the Liaoxi region. No matter how loyal the people in this area were to the Yin state, they could not deny the magnanimity of this Great Zhou emperor.
Xiao Yu said that it would be difficult to win over the hearts of the people of Liaozhou, so he would proceed step by step in a gradual manner. In time, he would be able to win the trust of all the people of Liaozhou.
"Go and rest. You've had a hard time these past few days," Emperor Xianping said to his minister with concern.
Xiao Lin bowed and took his leave. As soon as he stepped out of the outer gate guarded by two rows of Imperial Guards, he saw Chen Ruliang walking towards him from the opposite side.
Xiao Lin smiled at Chen Ruliang from afar.
Chen Ruliang: "..."
As they drew closer, Chen Ruliang said regretfully, "About Lord Xiao..."
Xiao Lin looked puzzled: "What's wrong with him?"
Chen Ruliang glanced at Emperor Xianping's bedroom and lowered his voice, saying, "The Emperor appointed Lord Xiao as the new Prefect of Jizhou. Is Commander Xiao unaware of this?"
Xiao Lin: "I know, the Emperor just told me. So what?"
When Chen Ruliang met the face of this man who looked even more like a treacherous minister than himself, he knew he couldn't get any useful information out of Xiao Lin, so he gave a perfunctory smile, bowed, and moved away.
Xiao Lin glanced at him strangely a couple more times before leaving. Back in his barracks, Xiao Lin closed the door and sat silently on the simple wooden stool in the room, his face devoid of any smile.
Looking back on the past six months, the younger brother first tried to dissuade the Emperor from personally leading the expedition, but the Emperor insisted on coming. Then, the younger brother advised the Emperor not to stay overnight in Yicheng, but the Emperor insisted on staying there, resulting in a series of dangers for himself and the loss of half of the Imperial Guards. Later, Li Wei told me that Xiao Yu strongly urged the Emperor to withdraw the troops, and even argued with Chen Ruliang about it in front of the Emperor, but the Emperor still wouldn't listen. However, after only four or five days, the Emperor was forced by circumstances to issue an order to withdraw the troops.
It's like the younger brother repeatedly trying to pull the emperor away from several large pits, but the emperor always manages to shake off his brother and fall headfirst into them.
Let alone the emperor, anyone with a shred of decency would feel ashamed in front of their brother after all this.
Those who are less powerful than their younger brother feel ashamed and embarrassed. They can either apologize to their brother or avoid him. However, Emperor Xianping, as the supreme ruler, cannot bow down to his brother. Emperor Xianping attends court nine times a month. As long as his brother is an official in the capital, Emperor Xianping cannot avoid him. Thus, Xiao Lin quickly understood Emperor Xianping's intention to keep his brother in Jizhou to avoid him.
As a subject, Xiao Lin could not blame or complain about the emperor, but as an elder brother, Xiao Lin felt sorry for his upright younger brother who was loyal to the emperor, the country, the people, and the soldiers.
What's the point of all this hard work and worry? Just to be demoted to a less desirable place and have difficulty seeing family?
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Because Emperor Xianping was injured, the army's retreat was slower than the normal march it took to arrive. In addition, the summer rains made it difficult for the emperor and his more than 280,000-strong land army to return to Jizhou's capital, Jicheng, in mid-June.
In this Northern Expedition, because the capital of Yin was not ultimately besieged, the Great Zhou only lost a number of troops in a few small-scale battles along the way eastward and when crossing the Liao River. Including the 2,500 Imperial Guard soldiers, the total number of casualties was nearly 20,000.
As the emperor approached, the governor of Ji Province led a group of officials out of the city to greet him. Xiao Yu, who had returned early to coordinate the transport of grain laborers from Ji Province, also stood behind Governor Du. The official robes of the third-rank chief clerk were also dark purple, but the embroidered table in front of him differed from those of higher-ranking officials.
After more than a month of recuperation in the carriage, Emperor Xianping's chest wound had healed, but his vitality was greatly depleted. He also contracted several minor illnesses during the march, especially feeling chest tightness and shortness of breath on rainy days. Emperor Xianping, who was dignified and majestic when he set out on the expedition and looked like he was in his prime, now appeared in front of the officials of Jizhou looking haggard and thin, as if he had aged ten years.
After making a brief appearance and instructing the kneeling civil officials outside to dispense with formalities, Emperor Xianping once again disappeared into his imperial carriage.
The imperial entourage only stayed in Jicheng for two nights. During this time, the cavalry and infantry of the Northern Expeditionary Army that originally belonged to the Jizhou Army, Jinzhou Army, and Qingzhou Army either retreated back to the Jizhou camp or withdrew on their own along the east and west routes they had come from.
On his first day, Xiao Lin diligently served in front of the emperor, seemingly forgetting that there was a new chief administrator of Jizhou in the city, his younger brother.
It wasn't until the eve of the emperor's departure, and that night when it wasn't his turn to be on night duty, that Xiao Lin went to his younger brother's official residence.
Seeing Qingchuan retreat and stand guard outside the door, Xiao Lin looked his younger brother up and down, then scoffed, "Feeling wronged?"
Xiao Yu shook his head, not feeling aggrieved.
No one is perfect. Throughout history, no dynasty has ever had a truly virtuous and flawless monarch, including those universally recognized as wise rulers. Emperor Xianping merely avoided seeing him because his hasty northern expedition was futile and he suffered a loss of face. He didn't beat or scold him, didn't demote him to a remote and impoverished place, or even behead him. What grievance did Xiao Yu have? Leaving aside distant examples, compared to the three upright officials of the previous emperor's reign who died for advising against the northern expedition, Xiao Yu should be grateful for his good fortune.
Xiao Lin: "If you're not upset, why are you making such a sour face?"
Xiao Yu lowered his head and said after a long while, "I'm going to make you two worry again."
And what about his wife and children who were surely hoping for his return? They must have been heartbroken to find that his two brothers and two nephews had all gone back but he was the only one missing?
Xiao Lin gritted his teeth. More than ten years ago, his younger brother was imprisoned for making outrageous remarks. When he was released, he had lost a lot of weight but was still able to smile. Xiao Lin didn't feel much heartache for him. But now he couldn't bear to see his middle-aged brother depressed because he missed home.
After a moment of respite, Xiao Yu roused himself and inquired about the Emperor's health.
Xiao Lin frowned slightly and said, "Perhaps it's because of the bumpy journey that you've been so listless. After we return to the capital, let the imperial physicians take good care of you, and you might be able to fully recover."
Conditions for recuperating on the march are certainly not as good as those in the imperial palace.
To avoid arousing suspicion from others, Xiao Lin did not intend to have dinner with his younger brother and prepared to leave after sitting for a while.
Xiao Yu took out a family letter that he hadn't been able to send at the end of April, which he had recently added a few more pages to, and asked his second brother to take it back to his wife.
With the brothers about to part, Xiao Lin had no time to joke about the thickness of the letter. He put it in his pocket, pondered for a moment, and said, "Loujiang is remote, and it is indeed not easy for you and your sister-in-law to travel over mountains and valleys. However, the road from the capital to Jicheng is smooth, and it will only take about twenty days by carriage. If you would like, I can ask your sister-in-law to come and keep you company. As for the children, Man'er is studying at the Imperial Academy and it would be too much of a hassle. Tuan'er is still too young and may not be able to withstand the journey or the cold here. But don't worry, we will take good care of you and your sister."
Xiao Yu waited until his second brother finished speaking before saying, "No, when I was young I lived alone in Loujiang for two years. At this age, I don't need my wife to take care of me. Let her stay in the capital to take care of the two children. They are still young and can't be separated from their mother."
Xiao Lin: "What if you end up staying in Jizhou for several years this time?"
Xiao Yu: "Let's wait and see. There's really no hope of returning to the capital. I'll ask Madam for her opinion again."
Xiao Lin: "...If I have the chance, I will put in a good word for you before the Emperor."
Xiao Yu: "Please don't. Second brother, just take care of yourself. If you really drag yourself into this for my sake, not only will the elders have to worry more, but your wife and the others will also be filled with fear."
Xiao Lin thought of Chen Ruliang, who was like a venomous snake lurking in the grass, ready to pounce and bite at any moment. While he was by the Emperor's side, Chen Ruliang still had to be somewhat wary of him. If he really left, there would be no one in the imperial court who could make the Emperor think of his younger brother, and the Emperor's hope of graciously recalling his brother to the capital would become even more remote.
Unable to offer his younger brother any assurances, Xiao Lin gripped his brother's shoulder tightly, then took his leave, clutching a thick letter home.
Xiao Yu stood at the door, watching his brother leave with a complex expression.
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In early August, Emperor Xianping's imperial entourage finally returned to the capital. He had issued an edict in advance, ordering the crown prince and officials to go their own way and not to go out of the city to greet the emperor. He also ordered the imperial guards in the city to be on martial law and to prohibit the people from watching the imperial procession. If it had been a triumphant return from a major battle, it would have been a different scene. However, Emperor Xianping's northern expedition had been in vain, and the more officials and people gathered to watch, the more embarrassed he became.
The emperor was in a bad mood, and Xiao Lin and other accompanying officials were not allowed to have messengers smuggle their own family letters. Therefore, the families of the military officers in the capital only knew that the emperor had been injured halfway through the battle and was about to withdraw his troops, and they were unaware of other matters, big and small, happening around the emperor.
As officials and commoners of the Great Zhou, it would be humiliating for the emperor to make such a fuss and only to have his troops go to waste. However, as long as the men of their own army were not injured, the officials and commoners of the capital would feel sorry for him and then move on, without going so far as to curse or hate Emperor Xianping in private.
Luo Fu didn't think too much about it; she was just happy that her husband, brother, and nephews, who had been away from home for more than half a year, were all coming back, just in time for this year's Mid-Autumn Festival.
Unable to go outside the city or to the street to greet the emperor, Luo Fu brought Hong Ge'er and Cheng Jie'er to Wanhetang to wait with her parents-in-law and others.
Finally, the doorman ran over excitedly to say that the family had arrived, and the family immediately helped the elderly and children out.
Distinguishing between close and distant relatives, Luo Fu first craned her neck to search for Xiao Yu's figure after she came out.
She couldn't find him, and neither could Cheng'er, who was being held by her eighteen-year-old third cousin. Anxiously, she asked, "Mother, where's Father?"
At this moment, Luo Fu met Xiao Lin's evasive gaze.
Luo Fu: "..."
My heart suddenly started racing, then pounded for a while before quickly calming down.
Well, judging from Xiao Lin's situation, the worst that could happen to Xiao Yu is that he'll be imprisoned by Emperor Xianping. As long as he doesn't die on the battlefield, that's fine!
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Author's note: Don't panic, everyone. It's time for Fu'er to step up her game. Xiao Yu won't be alone in Jizhou for too long!
100 little red envelopes, see you tomorrow~
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