While the imperial censors were still making veiled accusations in the court, the imposter princess was taken to the execution ground and beheaded as a warning to others.
The murder at the gate of the imperial prison could not be suppressed at all. The news of the eldest princess finding a scapegoat spread like wildfire, and many people clamored to verify the identity of the victim. Prince Duan, who was in charge of the execution, was in a real predicament and struggled to protect the last shred of dignity of the royal family.
After the court session, Emperor Xiu handed over the nearly completed road repair work to two junior supervisors under his command, and then told Wei's father that he needed to go out and avoid the limelight.
Wei's parents did not object.
Last time, he only refused to marry the eldest princess, which made the emperor give him a hard time for a while. Now, he has indirectly forced the eldest princess to her death. If he continues to stay in Zhaodu, his fate is uncertain.
"Your heart is unpredictable, Father, be careful."
"I've eaten more salt than you've eaten rice, do you think I need you to teach me?"
Di Xiu then looked at Wei's mother: "I don't know when I will return home. Mother, could you please take a look for my younger brother first? Rules are rigid, but people are flexible. The Wei family cannot be without an heir."
Wei Ziren immediately suppressed his sadness at parting, glared at him angrily, and then flattered his mother, "Mother, I want to play for another two years. There is an order of seniority, so it should be my eldest brother who gets married first. He is the most handsome man in Zhaodu, and he is also known for his talent and virtue. I'm sure there will be people willing to marry him if we propose today and get married tomorrow."
Mother Wei slapped his arm and scolded, "Shut up! You're getting more and more absurd. Dalang, you should go now and be careful."
Di Xiu patted Wei Ziren on the shoulder one last time and said solemnly, "Take good care of your father and mother, and take care of my future sister-in-law and nephews and nieces."
"..."
After saying goodbye to his family, Di Xiu packed his things and set off while it was still light.
He brought no one with him, only a horse and a bundle. He seemed to have no specific direction or goal, just traveling around enjoying the scenery. Occasionally, he would intervene in injustices, and when passing by the riverbank, he would also check on the maintenance of the dikes.
A month later, news that Wei Zixiao had been forced to jump off a cliff by bandits and that his fate was unknown reached Zhaodu. The emperor led the way in expressing his grief, and Wei's father immediately turned red in the eyes, beat his chest and stamped his feet, and cried out, "My son Heming!" which brought tears to the eyes of all who heard it.
Wei's father cried all the way home. Some people saw him covering his face as he got off the carriage, and liquid dripped along the way. Within half an hour, servants from the Wei family began to go out to buy various items needed for the funeral.
Now let's talk about Wei's father.
Upon entering the backyard, he removed his official robes with the help of Wei's mother. He then took the damp cloth she handed him and wiped his red eyes, tears streaming down his face as he gritted his teeth: "That little brat... this ginger juice is stinging my eyes."
Wei's mother glanced at the door and glared at him: "If you're so capable, then speak louder."
Father Wei snorted, threw the handkerchief into the basin of water, and whispered, "He used this opportunity to feign death, which will also appease the Emperor's hatred towards my Wei family. The Wei family is unlikely to suffer any misfortune in the short term. Madam, go and prepare for the funeral."
He spoke lightly, but worry was still evident in his eyes. The letter sent by Xuanji Pavilion said everything was fine, but without seeing it with his own eyes, how could he know if it was just to appease them?
"What about Ziren..."
"Don't tell him, he should grow up too."
Mother Wei sighed softly, then suddenly wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her official robe, followed by a heart-wrenching wail that startled Father Wei.
"My son, my dear crane, how could you let your mother, an old woman, bury her son? Ah—, my poor, unfortunate son..."
When Wei's father understood, he and his wife embraced and wept bitterly. When Wei Ziren returned and saw this scene, he was filled with fear and couldn't help but cry as well.
When the emperor heard that the Wei family still had white banners hanging, he hypocritically ordered the eldest prince to come with Prince Duan to offer condolences and comfort. Wei's mother had pale makeup on her face and looked weak, as if she could only stand up with the support of her youngest son.
When Su Wanrou saw the mourning hall, she cried so hard she almost fainted. Wei's mother felt sorry for her but couldn't tell her the truth, so she held her and silently shed tears.
...
Di Xiu had already changed his identity and joined the Yan family army under the name He Ming.
As for whether the emperor would become suspicious? Most likely not.
Wei Zixiao was a famous scholar, but his horsemanship and archery skills were mediocre, let alone his ability to fight on the battlefield.
It wasn't the time for conscription, so joining the Yan family army would be a convenient option if one didn't want to wait a few more months. However, becoming a personal guard directly drew a lot of dissatisfaction. But once Emperor Xiu revealed his true form, this dissatisfaction gradually disappeared.
Wars usually occur in the autumn. Yanling, in order to return to the border, had the Xuanji Pavilion sabotage things. Dongqing Kingdom had already made peace, and he would not allow the peace treaty between the two countries to break down over such a trivial matter. This time, it was a small country called Wandan on the border.
Yanling delegated power to Dixiu, allowing him to take down Wandan.
Emperor Xiu: "..."
001: "You have such a big heart."
Neither the original Wei Zixiao nor the current Di Xiu had ever read any military books. Yan Ling's actions were seen by everyone as treating the battlefield as a joke.
Those soldiers and generals followed Yanling's lead and acknowledged Di Xiu's military strength, but that did not mean they were willing to obey his command.
Di Xiu knew this was Yan Ling's test, and also an opportunity for him to quickly seize the initiative. He just didn't know if Yan Ling had discovered his intentions, or if, as Yan Ling said, he was simply appreciating talent.
He sized up the young man in front of him, and the young man allowed him to sized him up.
"You trust me that much?"
Since you didn't refuse, I'll assume you can complete the task.
As Di Xiu left the tent, Yan Ling's voice came from behind him: "Just say you need my help, don't be shy."
He waved his hand and went to find the strategist, who was easier to reason with than the military generals.
Information is scarce in this world. Even in small countries like Wandan, there are very few records. Imperial cultivators are practically in the dark and have almost no understanding of it.
He first humbly inquired about the national conditions and military situation of that small country, then learned about the terrain and the enemy general's military tendencies, discussed and devised countermeasures with his strategist, and then went to muster his troops.
Yanling gave him the authority to command 10,000 troops, but he ultimately chose only 1,000 elite soldiers. He divided them into two groups, with the main force creating the illusion of a large-scale attack and setting up an ambush to draw the enemy's attention. He then led the remaining men to sneak in from the mountain path for a surprise attack, forming a pincer movement.
They set off at noon, and by evening news of their victory had arrived, reporting that they had captured the border city of Wandan Kingdom and taken its general prisoner.
This small kingdom of Wandan has only five cities and a population of less than 200,000. It is located in a corner on the border between Tiansheng and Dongqing, and can be considered to be surviving in the cracks.
After capturing the first city and ruthlessly slaughtering the soldiers who refused to surrender, Emperor Xiu ordered the people to be pacified.
Along with Yanling's order, four thousand soldiers arrived. Having achieved a minor victory in the initial battle, and with the previous thousand men having witnessed the strength of this parachuted young general firsthand, Emperor Xiu found it much easier to command these men from then on.
He led his men and captured four cities in the next seven days, directly incorporating this small country into the territory of Tiansheng.
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