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But before the incident in southern Xinjiang could occur, Luoyang was already in chaos.
The cause may have been that the Prince of Qi disregarded the more than a dozen imperial edicts issued by the court and launched a rebellion, instead engaging in fierce fighting with the Southwest Army in the area bordering Yangzhou and Cangwu.
Or perhaps the ongoing wars in the Northwest were becoming increasingly stalemate and difficult due to food and fodder supply problems, leading to a surge of local uprisings.
People in the court were in a state of panic and began to submit memorials to His Majesty requesting the appointment of a crown prince.
The emperor, whose health had just begun to improve, vomited blood in the early morning due to this series of events.
By the time the imperial physician arrived, the emperor was already panting heavily, his complexion turning from sallow to ashen; it was clear to anyone with eyes that he was at his last gasp.
At 7:15 PM that day, the sound of bells resounded throughout the palace and beyond, echoing throughout Luoyang.
White banners were hung in the palace as Emperor Yuande, who had reigned for less than forty years, passed away.
In such a chaotic dynasty, regardless of whether the emperor was incompetent or not, his existence meant that the dynasty would never fall.
Emperor Yuande was considered a diligent and benevolent ruler who loved his people in his early years, but like most emperors, he eventually succumbed to the temptations of sensual pleasures in his later years.
When an emperor dies, the entire dynasty loses its core leader. This might be less of a problem during times of peace and prosperity.
However, such a chaotic world undoubtedly gave many people the opportunity to rebel.
When the second prince appeared with the imperial edict of succession, some people had already expected it, but many more were resentful. The old emperor had many children, not just one prince.
As for how the second prince, who was previously disliked by the emperor, managed to persuade the emperor to change his mind and select him to oversee the country, that may have become a secret that the emperor took to the imperial mausoleum.
After the Second Prince swiftly killed his two brothers, Luoyang fell silent.
Whether it's a temporary calm or not, the second prince's succession to the throne is a foregone conclusion.
Faced with numerous requests from ministers, he declined repeatedly, and finally had to postpone the enthronement ceremony for three months later.
The country seemed to have returned to normal, but only the arrogant were immersed in the joy of victory.
With the people in various prefectures restless, the imperial court and the local prefectures and counties were no longer of one mind.
"Soon, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the world will once again be torn apart."
White moves first, advancing with unstoppable momentum. Black follows closely behind, relentlessly attacking from behind.
"The back-and-forth of black and white pieces is just like the world. On the surface, it may appear calm and undisturbed, but the battle within has already begun."
The eldest princess snorted coldly, "You see things clearly, and you're quite bold. Since you've already left, why come back?" She placed a piece on the board, her sharp eyes fixed on the woman opposite her, and said, "How do you know I won't send you to the imperial prison?"
“Ling naturally trusts the princess.”
Song Ling smiled slightly and said, "Otherwise, wouldn't the princess have already stabbed me with her sword when I arrived? Why would I need to trouble the Imperial Prison?"
"To be honest, how is Su Zhengze?" the Princess asked seemingly casually. "Is he still alive?"
Song Ling naturally saw through the concern hidden beneath her cold words, took out a letter and placed it on the chessboard, saying slowly, "She's doing just fine."
She forced Su Duan to write the letter, and Song Ling still vividly remembers the look of shock on his face at that time.
The eldest princess did not immediately dismantle it, but asked her, "According to what you just said, my second brother is not up to the task. But you should know that among Father Emperor's sons, he is the only one with some courage. Although he is not as good as the late Crown Prince in terms of temperament, he is much better in terms of methods."
After all, what emperor isn't cold-blooded and ruthless?
Before the second prince even ascended to the throne, he had already killed two of his own brothers and imprisoned several disobedient relatives.
The efficiency and ruthlessness of their actions shocked even the eldest princess.
This second brother used to put on a gentle and polite demeanor, which fooled everyone.
But he kept it so well hidden that one wonders if his deceased father knew about it.
After all, outsiders might not know, but she certainly knew a bit about it.
The reason why the Emperor was more lenient with the Second Prince was simply because his behavior was somewhat similar to that of the late First Prince, the former Crown Prince.
Many times, even the eldest princess couldn't stand it anymore, wondering if all emperors were so divided.
It was the Emperor who initially feared the late Empress's maternal family, and it was the Emperor who personally executed their entire clan, caused the Empress's death, and then deposed and imprisoned the Crown Prince.
Later, when the crown prince died, he would constantly talk about his good son and sigh every day.
Why bother?
Perhaps what those in positions of power cannot avoid most is suspicion and apprehension.
The eldest princess gave a sarcastic smile, "No matter who sits in that position, they can't touch me. Why should I cooperate with you?"
"Princess, you are intelligent. You have managed to get to where you are today by virtue of your wisdom and ability. You have made the emperor, who is full of suspicion, allow you, the only woman, to enter the court. Can't you see that the fate of the Later Jin Dynasty is over?"
The eldest princess smiled indifferently: "So what?"
If you can live, then live; if you can't, then you just die.
"The princess's brothers are not very magnanimous. To put it bluntly and somewhat offensively, the second prince or any of the princes do not even have half the magnanimity of the late emperor."
After all, Emperor Yuande was only senile in his later years; in his youth, he was a good emperor who embraced all ideas and actively accepted advice.
"They will not, and cannot, allow the eldest princess to step into the court as before, either by issuing a decree of marriage or by reclaiming the opportunity that the princess has fought for for many years. Is the princess's charm to be extinguished in the inner quarters?"
Song Ling lowered her eyes and said, "But what I can promise the princess is much more than what the second prince can."
"Empty talk? Do you think I'm a fool?" The princess crossed her arms behind her head and laughed freely. "But there's one thing I'm quite curious about. If you can make such a promise to me, then whose side is your lord on?"
"The Second Prince... that can't be it. The Fourth Prince, the Sixth Prince? Or the Prince of Qi who has already rebelled, or the Southwest General who is far away in the southern border? Or perhaps the Marquis of Wu'an who is still struggling to fight against the Northern Barbarians?"
Song Ling tossed the chess piece back into the air, then took out a new one, her tone somewhat playful: "Is the princess trying to trick me into revealing something?"
"Your Highness can take your time to consider what to do. But there is one thing I'm sure you'd be happy to help with."
The eldest princess became interested: "Oh? What is it?"
"The Northwest is currently facing a severe shortage of food supplies, and Marquis Wu'an is in dire straits there. Ling has a shipment of food supplies that can be transported to the Northwest free of charge. The Princess is a woman of great righteousness and will surely not refuse."
The imperial court has indeed allocated grain, but in this day and age, from the court to the local level, corrupt officials from top to bottom have eroded the entire dynasty, leaving it in ruins.
Before the grain and fodder could be transported to the Northwest, there were layers of corruption and exploitation, encounters with bandits and robbers along the way, and even organized groups of refugees...
By the time they reached the Northwest, their numbers were no longer sufficient to support the entire army for long.
Marquis Wu'an became famous in a battle when he was young, and his ability to lead troops and fight was beyond question.
However, he couldn't get food in the desolate land, and even the bravest soldiers couldn't exert their strength if they weren't well-fed.
No matter how experienced the general or how perfect the battle plan, it was all in vain.
Upon hearing her words, the princess sat up abruptly, her nonchalant expression turning serious. "How much grain do you have?"
Song Ling smiled slightly: "Enough to sustain the war in the Northwest for two months. What does the princess think?"
“I’ll buy it,” the princess stood up immediately. “Gold, silver, jewels, a mansion, or even people—whatever you want, I can provide.”
Now, amidst famine and war, the government has long been unable to collect grain, and the people are suffering terribly. Yet, the powerful and wealthy in Luoyang continue their decadent lifestyle.
Aside from his wife, the only person Marquis Wu'an could truly trust in Luoyang was the neutral Princess.
After all, they don't have any conflict of interest with each other, at least not for now.
In her study, there was still a letter from the Northwest a few days ago, stating that if the Northwest Army were to run out of food supplies, it would definitely not last a month.
If they suffer a major defeat, the northern barbarians will invade the south and cause widespread suffering, and the Later Jin dynasty will be forever shamed by future generations.
After all, such a situation had already occurred in the previous dynasty, and the disaster recorded in the historical books is still difficult to read today.
What is both hateful and laughable is that the aristocratic families in Luoyang are still immersed in the afterglow of the prosperous era, oblivious to what is happening outside their windows, and completely unaware of the current predicament of the Later Jin Dynasty.
Song Ling shook her head slightly, "I said from the beginning that this batch of grain can be given to Marquis Wu'an free of charge, but the princess must send someone skilled in martial arts and trustworthy to assist in the delivery."
Free? Where in the world is there such a good thing?
The princess frowned, a hint of apprehension in her voice: "What do you want?"
“It’s very simple,” Song Ling stood up, her hands behind her back, looking directly into her eyes without the slightest fear: “Ling, I would like to ask the Princess for an introduction.”
"To meet the Fourth Princess."
The fourth princess, Zhou Zihe, was the wife whom the Marquis of Wu'an knelt before the Imperial Study for several hours before his departure for war, begging the late emperor to grant him a marriage.
The bestowal of a marriage was a form of surveillance and a hindrance, at least in the eyes of the late emperor, who was filled with apprehension and had already gone to pay homage to the founding ancestors.
After all, before the emperor decided to send the fourth princess to marry into the northern frontier, the fourth princess had a marriage contract with the adopted son of the Marquis of Wu'an.
In the end, the person who should have been his daughter-in-law became his wife.
But it was just a marriage agreement after all. One was the Emperor's own daughter, and the other was the Marquis of Wu'an, who held a large army. Neither of them dared to say anything.
On the contrary, the adopted son caused a great deal of trouble after his "mother" entered the family, and only calmed down after being removed from the main family genealogy by the Marquis of Wu'an.
It is said that when Marquis Wu'an was nearly thirty years old, he had no female relatives in his harem, so he thought of choosing an outstanding child from a collateral branch to adopt and raise.
Unexpectedly, the adopted son, with his kind and polite demeanor, managed to deceive Marquis Wu'an and the selection committee.
Marquis Wu'an was, after all, often leading troops in the field, and was fooled by his obedient and polite manners for several years.
The adopted son was already quite old when he was adopted; at the age of ten, his temperament had matured.
After the fourth princess was betrothed, a scene almost broke out where a father and son fought over the same woman. Fortunately, Marquis Wu'an acted swiftly and, upon noticing his unusual thoughts, immediately sent the woman back to a branch of the ancestral land.
When Song Ling overheard his disciples, who were stationed in Luoyang, casually mentioning this interesting story, he became interested in the fourth princess.
She thought that although the emperor had a bunch of princes with very different and messy personalities, the princesses were all intelligent in their own way.
Perhaps, this fourth princess can bring her quite a surprise.
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