Chapter 44 Standoff.
The blood letter incident had far-reaching implications, including the case of General Song's adopted son.
However, this does not include Xie Yu, the Empress Dowager's younger brother. Xie Yu saw through the impending doom of the Han Dynasty before the Empress Dowager and had advised her on it several times. Therefore, the Empress Dowager not only dared not collude with him, but also guarded against him discovering what she had done.
Three days later, Emperor Chengtai abdicated in favor of General Song, citing serious illness.
Song Pingkou obtained the position of Crown Prince, but the position of Crown Princess went to a concubine.
The woman who could become Song Pingkou's concubine was a noblewoman from a well-known family in Zhuozhou, so it was not an insult to her.
Fearing that Lingyi would be unhappy, Song Pingkou explained to her, "You are a noblewoman from the previous dynasty. The young emperor has just abdicated to your father, and you are being made the Crown Princess. I'm afraid some old ministers who still dream of the old dynasty might use this to stir up trouble. But don't worry, when I ascend the throne, I will definitely give you the title of Imperial Noble Consort. The Empress will just be a figurehead, and you will be in charge of the harem!"
Lingyi smiled considerately and said, "My husband's words are enough. What use are those empty titles to me? I just want to take good care of my pregnancy and have our family together after the baby is born. The rest doesn't worry me."
Since General Song ascended the throne, Song Pingkou's backyard has been stirring with restless thoughts.
As the wife and the most favored, she was so understanding that Song Pingkou loved her even more.
With Song Pingkou's help, Emperor Chengtai not only saved his life but was also granted the title of Marquis of Xiaoyao.
On the day that Xiaoyao Hou and his mother, Lady Xie, moved to the Hou Mansion, Lingyi came to visit them.
Madam Xie launched into a tirade against her, accusing her of being greedy for wealth and ungrateful, of being a promiscuous woman who had remarried a traitor and was utterly despicable, lacking any semblance of a princess's integrity! It was remarkable that someone of her privileged background could utter such vicious insults.
Lingyi was not offended and smiled slightly: "Sister-in-law, you have such integrity, why do you still need to rely on the Song family child in my womb to save your life? Now the wealth and glory of this Marquis's mansion comes from me, and you would certainly not be ashamed to enjoy it. I heard that there is a nunnery in the suburbs, which is set up specifically for noble ladies and widows who have made mistakes. Not only is the life there austere, but they are also not allowed to see outsiders. Why not send you there, so that living here will not corrupt your integrity?"
Madam Xie's face flushed red with anger: "You...you treated me like this, how will you face the Crown Prince after you die!"
Lingyi's face darkened. "If you weren't so incredibly foolish, how could the Crown Prince's bloodline have almost perished? Remember this: I spared your life only because you are the mother of the Marquis of Xiaoyao. If you cannot behave yourself and continue to indulge in your pipe dreams, I will be the first to not let you go, without anyone else having to lift a finger!"
Xie couldn't help but complain to Xie Yu, who came to visit, about Lingyi's heartlessness, and her complaints were filled with vicious curses and insults.
Xie Yu felt a headache coming on, and also realized that he couldn't change his sister's stubbornness.
In just a few years, he almost forgot how gentle and kind his sister had once been.
“Sister…” he sighed softly, “When you were still a young lady, you had your grandfather protecting you; after you married, you had the late Crown Prince protecting you; even here, I still protect you; and then came Lingyi, ten years younger than you, yet she still protects you… That’s why you’re so fearless. Everyone is moving forward, but you stubbornly remain in your past dreams. When you cursed Lingyi, did you ever think about why she risked her life to come all this way? Of all the princesses and princes, only she still cares about you and your child. The late Crown Prince’s favor is limited; it will be used up once it’s gone. She is about to have her own child and must plan for her child.” He paused, then said coldly, “Just like me, I must also plan for my child. No one will protect you without hesitation anymore. For the sake of Marquis Xiaoyao, and for your own sake, take care of yourself from now on!”
He once wholeheartedly assisted his sister's child to ascend the throne. Now that Miss Song has given birth to a son for him and the Sixteenth Princess is pregnant again, the most important people in his heart are his wife and children, no longer his sister and nephew.
He could neither bear to die with his sister's wrecked ship.
As I emerged from the Xiaoyao Marquis's residence, a flowering branch stretched out from within the wall, its blossoms shimmering brilliantly amidst the rising clouds.
Looking at the clusters of flowers, Xie Yu suddenly recalled the kiss he had stolen when he was teaching the seventeenth princess to paint in the palace years ago.
The Imperial Garden at that time was also a riot of flowers.
At that time, he thought his sister would be the empress, and that his future was brighter than that of a flower garden.
Just like back then, he thought that Lingyi would be by his side for the rest of his life.
Only now do I truly understand the meaning of how unpredictable life is and how fickle fate can be.
.
The new emperor's first year on the throne coincided with his sixtieth birthday, and the palace was filled with celebrations.
Since Lingyi was not qualified to attend, she had some peace and quiet and was sewing baby clothes for her unborn child in the East Palace.
Song Pingkou suddenly arrived reeking of alcohol, which surprised Lingyi: "Why did the banquet end so early?"
Song Pingkou said, "Father Emperor drank too much and is not feeling well, so he went to rest early. There was nothing interesting for me there except listening to a bunch of flatterers from below. I was thinking of you, so I came back."
Lingyi felt a chill. General Song had suffered from many serious illnesses from his injuries, so the real power in the army over the years had been Song Pingkou and his adopted sons. Now, in the first year of his reign, he couldn't even afford a banquet for the New Year?
She suggested with a smile, "Why doesn't the Crown Prince serve the Emperor in the palace?"
Song Pingkou didn't seem to care much, saying, "Father's old ailment is nothing to worry about; he'll be fine after a couple of days of rest."
Seeing that Lingyi was still pondering, he smiled and put his arm around her, saying, "It's your fault for keeping mentioning Father Emperor, which made me forget what I was going to tell you." A smug look appeared on his face as he boasted, "At the banquet just now, I specially asked Father Emperor for a favor, to make you the Crown Princess. From now on, even in the palace, you'll be half a mistress, let's see who dares to give you a hard time!"
Only then did Lingyi realize that he not only knew about the cold treatment she had received in the palace a few days ago, but also remembered it in his heart, and took this opportunity to ask for a higher rank for her.
If she were virtuous, she should advise him now that she is, after all, a princess of the previous dynasty, and should avoid any appearance of impropriety.
But she cupped his face in her hands, her expression filled with emotion and her eyes brimming with admiration. She stood on tiptoe and gently kissed the corner of his lips. "Your Highness treats me so well, I am truly delighted!"
Song Pingkou pulled her close, not letting her leave, and deepened the kiss.
When his hand slipped under her clothes, Lingyi, panting, pushed him away, "Your Highness, no..."
Song Pingkou withdrew his hand in frustration, only wishing that the child would come out too slowly. Why wasn't it ten days instead of ten months of pregnancy?
Lingyi advised, "Today is New Year's Eve, and according to custom you should go to the Crown Princess's palace."
Song Pingkou retorted angrily, "If she used to have some charm and vivacity, now that she's the Crown Princess, she puts on airs even more than I do, just like her father and brothers in court. It's truly disgusting. Even if I can't do anything today, I'm going to stay here anyway. I'm the Crown Prince, and I set the rules. I want to see which bed I sleep in tonight, and whether anyone will dare to gossip!"
Zhuozhou is not only different from Jizhou in its harsh cold, but also does not have the distinct seasons of the capital.
Even at the end of the year, the people here only wear light clothing.
Lingyi glanced at his menacing "ready to strike" demeanor and said, "I am really not comfortable here. Why don't you go to one of the other sisters' palaces?"
Song Pingkou was displeased. "Are you trying to push me to other people's places like this? Did you just lie to me with all those sweet words you said in the past?"
Lingyi sighed helplessly, her voice filled with resentment: "I also wish I were lying to you, so that I wouldn't feel so heartbroken... But you are the Crown Prince, not just my husband. You need many children and blessings for the court to be more stable. If only I, a former princess, am pregnant, those ministers will think too much, and might even impeach me for seducing the Crown Prince."
These words stirred up some very unpleasant memories of Song Pingkou's court. "Those civil officials, they're always making a racket! They stir up trouble even when there's nothing to do, as if they can't show their abilities if they don't impeach people every day!"
Despite his complaints, he went to the Crown Princess's residence despite his reluctance.
After seeing Song Pingkou off at the palace gate, Lingyi breathed a sigh of relief.
She genuinely hoped that more women in the Eastern Palace would become pregnant, so that she wouldn't attract too much attention.
That position may belong to anyone in the future, but it will never be inherited by her children.
It would be best if the Crown Princess gave birth to a legitimate son as soon as possible to settle things, so as to avoid any turmoil in the palace that might involve her and her child.
Song Pingkou went to the Crown Princess's place, and Lingyi thought that many people would have a good night's sleep like she did.
Unexpectedly, in the middle of the night, urgent military intelligence was sent to the palace, waking even the new emperor who had finally fallen asleep.
Prince Qin Lie of the Xian Dynasty led an army of 100,000, intending to cross the Yangtze River and march south; war was imminent.
The new emperor sent three of his adopted sons to fight. The Jizhou army was not good at naval warfare, but the Song family army was unparalleled in naval warfare. With the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, Qin Lie's myth of repeated victories came to an end, and the two armies were locked in a stalemate.
"Qin Lie of Jizhou is nothing special. It seems that what people said before was just an exaggeration. I only regret that I cannot go to the battlefield in person, otherwise I would have already taken his head by now!"
Song Pingkou looked at Lingyi and said this.
Ling Yi remained expressionless and poured him a cup of wine. "Qin Lie is merely the Prince of Duan of the pseudo-dynasty. You are the Crown Prince, a man of noble status. How can it be worth it for you to personally take such a risk?"
Song Pingkou and Qin Lie were of similar age and were both sons of generals stationed on the border, so it was inevitable that they would compare themselves to each other.
For more than a decade before, Song Pingkou had never taken him seriously and didn't even remember his name.
When the young lord of the Jizhou army died in battle, Qin Lie emerged out of nowhere. The young general, bearing the blood debt, took on the responsibility of leading the Jizhou army. He won many battles and was known as the God of War in Jizhou.
Tragic yet legendary, it is widely circulated among the people, and even General Song couldn't help but sigh, "Qin Shiyan lost a good son, but an even more outstanding one emerged. How lucky he is!"
Song Pingkou was extremely arrogant, and naturally he was not convinced.
He would naturally not say this to outsiders, lest he appear petty, but how could he possibly hold back in front of Lingyi?
He was eager to know what Lingyi, Qin Lie's ex-wife, was thinking.
He was very satisfied with Lingyi's answer. Qin Lie, even in the puppet dynasty, was suppressed by his elder brother. He was nothing more than a knife in someone else's hands, a tool for others. How could he be worth risking his life for?
After venting his pent-up anger, he laughed loudly and made a promise to Lingyi: "Once the capital is recovered, I will definitely bring that child back and let you raise him outside the palace so that you will no longer suffer the pain of separation from your child."
Lingyi was moved and rose to bow, saying, "Thank you, Your Highness!"
Song Pingkou quickly helped her up, saying, "Be careful not to hurt the child."
Lingyi held Song Pingkou's hand and slowly got up, giving him a bright smile.
She appeared confident to Song Pingkou, but secretly sought out Xie Yu to discuss matters.
"To cross the river rashly and be met with a crushing defeat—is Qin Lie really such a reckless person?" Ling Yi said worriedly, "I fear he may still have a backup plan, so we must be even more careful."
"I think so too. The court is full of flattery and praise, as if we can cross the river and take the capital at any time. I can't get involved in military affairs, so I'm really powerless to do so." Xie Yu was also helpless. The Song family had always used him while keeping a close eye on him. Although he had been much more relaxed in political affairs in the past two years, he still had no say in military affairs.
Even regarding government affairs, Ling Yi was not at ease. "Jizhou treats all other prefectures and counties equally. It has widely accepted refugees, reclaimed and cultivated wasteland, allowing the people to live and work in peace and contentment. They are very supportive of Jizhou. In the long-term standoff, the Xian Dynasty has no worries about either the people's hearts or the food supply. On our side, the Emperor's adopted sons only know how to fight for power and seize territory. In the struggle for power, the will of the people is paramount. How can we compete with the Xian Dynasty under such circumstances?"
Xie Yu said, "Now is the time when we need people, so we have no choice but to do this. In the future, we will definitely take back power to the court."
“In the future…” Lingyi sighed, “If my brother, the Crown Prince, had not perished at Yuling Pass back then, even if you had only three to five years, the world would have been at peace long ago. How could we have two dynasties ruling across the river today? I’m afraid we don’t have that much time this time either.”
When Xie Yu mentioned the late Crown Prince, who was the culmination of his and his grandfather's efforts, he felt as if he had a mouthful of blood stuck in his throat. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "The army in the world is concentrated in Zhuozhou, which accounts for 30%. Even if things go badly, retreating to Zhuozhou will allow us to hold out for several years. The Crown Princess is pregnant, so you must not worry too much."
Lingyi also knew that her worries were useless. If it had nothing to do with Qin Lie, Song Pingkou might have listened to her words. But now she couldn't say a word more, or she would get herself into trouble.
Filled with worry and helplessness, she said, "That's true. Everything still needs the Prime Minister's planning and arrangements. Also, my sixteenth sister can't stand the heat and humidity here, and she's pregnant. She has a rash on her body that can't be treated with medicine, so I'll have to trouble my brother-in-law to take good care of her."
Xie Yu bowed and replied.
Despite Lingyi’s efforts to calm herself down, bad news kept coming in one after another.
To win over his adopted son, the emperor imposed no restrictions whatsoever. Whoever conquered territory was not only heavily rewarded but also allowed to plunder at will.
Previously, this reward order did indeed motivate them to expand their territory and conquer one prefecture after another.
But now, facing Qin Lie, who had been utterly defeated and could only cower by the river, and seeing that his so-called 100,000-strong army was actually only half its original size, one of his adopted sons, eager to make a name for himself, led 30,000 men across the river at night to launch a surprise attack. They were caught red-handed by Qin Lie, and none of them returned.
Of these 30,000 troops, not all perished; many surrendered.
Within a few days, the surrendered soldiers began to train the generals of the Xian Dynasty in naval warfare, leaving no one out, from generals to soldiers.
Scouts reported that a group of surrendered soldiers had been captured, and Qin Lie's army was finally revealed to be a force of 200,000.
It's not hard to imagine that once they finish their training, it will be the day they launch their campaign to cross the river.
The new emperor was already in poor health, and upon hearing this news, especially since his adopted son, whom he valued highly, had not only become a surrendered general but was also helping Qin Lie train troops, he was so angry that he vomited blood and fainted on the spot.
Lingyi is not unusual. He only promised his adopted sons benefits. How could he expect them to remain loyal when faced with life and death?
Song Pingkou was furious. He took his knife to his sworn brother's house and slaughtered his entire family, sparing neither the elderly nor children.
Ling Yi grew increasingly desperate. Song Pingkou was a man who displayed the demeanor of a great general when things were going smoothly, but he lost his mind once he encountered difficulties. This act of venting his anger not only chilled the hearts of those military generals, but also meant that even if his adopted son had only pretended to be a snake before, he would probably now give him everything he knew.
Upon hearing this news, the new emperor's illness worsened, rendering him unable to attend court and govern. In desperation, he hastily abdicated in favor of Song Pingkou.
After Song Pingkou ascended the throne, he conferred the title of Empress upon the Crown Princess and the title of Virtuous Consort upon the Crown Princess Consort.
In April, Lingyi gave birth to the emperor's eldest son. In July, she was promoted from Consort Xian to Imperial Noble Consort.
On the day of the investiture, Song Pingkou came to Lingyi Palace, still angry. "When I ascended the throne, I wanted to make you an Imperial Noble Consort, but the court officials all opposed it. Now that you have given birth to the eldest prince, they still have a lot to say when I bring it up again! I might as well let them be the emperor!"
Lingyi smiled gently and said, "I have said before that I do not care about those empty titles. It is enough that Your Majesty has me in your heart and Lin'er is by your side."
Emperor Song Pingkou was exhausted from his reign, far less carefree and exhilarating than when he was a general. With a large army pressing in from the outside, the court in turmoil, and the harem rife with intrigue, he sighed, "Only in your palace can I find a moment of peace."
He stayed in Lingyi's palace for a meal and got drunk. Lingyi ordered someone to put him on a bed, and she used a damp towel to wash his face. Suddenly, he grabbed her hand and asked, "What will you do if the Northern army crosses the river?"
Lingyi said softly, "I have entrusted my life to my husband, and I will naturally follow him through life and death."
After saying that, she smiled again, "Your Majesty is a man of great talent and ambition, and is destined by Heaven. It is only natural that our army will cross the river and march north to unify the world!"
Song Pingkou didn't speak, and closed his eyes to sleep.
Lingyi's heart sank. Could the situation have deteriorated to this extent?
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