Chapter 93 Year...
The snow stopped early the next morning, and the sun, though just peeking out, remained cold and pale. Because no good news had arrived from Xuanfu, the atmosphere in the capital had been heavy and gloomy for many days.
The Crown Prince is leaving the capital today, accompanied by Ren Lu, the Vice Minister of War, and his two thousand troops from the capital garrison. The Emperor's intention is for the Crown Prince to accompany the army into battle, while the arrangements for the military camp are left entirely to Ren Lu and the other military officers.
Before leaving, Yan Chao went to the Emperor's bedroom in the Qianqing Palace.
She was clad in armor, obscuring her expression, except for her exceptionally deep, cold eyes. Outside the West Warm Pavilion, Yan Chao removed his sword, handed it to a guard beside him, and then knelt down to bow to the emperor inside the hall.
Knowing that the emperor probably did not want to see him, he simply went through the motions of politeness as a farewell.
Before she could finish speaking, Lan Huaien suddenly lifted the curtain and bowed to her, saying, "Your Highness, His Majesty has summoned you in."
Yan Chao was slightly taken aback, her brow furrowing slightly before she silently rose. At this point, she didn't want to hear any more useless words from the emperor, only adding to her displeasure.
Only after entering the hall did I see Yan Fei there.
He was sitting obediently beside the emperor. When Yan Chao entered, he stood up, bowed, and called out "Sixth Uncle," then looked at her curiously. He had only seen Yan Chao in her riding and archery attire during hunting trips before, but it was nothing compared to the awe-inspiring military uniform she was in now.
The emperor's gaze also fell on Yan Chao. Watching her bow and pay her respects properly, he was quite moved and beckoned to her, saying, "Your Highness, rise. Come closer so I can take a look at you."
Yan Chao should express his gratitude, calm himself, and respectfully stepped forward with his eyes lowered.
As they drew closer, the emperor suddenly grabbed her arm and began to stroke her armor, scrutinizing her from head to toe. Finally, looking at her young, composed yet thin face, he sighed inwardly.
"Your archery and horsemanship were taught by Han Yu, which I was initially very confident in. However, I feared that you had neglected your skills for over a year... This expedition will be a good opportunity for you to gain experience. You should know that the best men of Great Qi are those who are both literate and martial, especially since you are the Crown Prince and must set a good example. There is no room for negligence in governing the country and defending against enemies. The battlefield is not like the hunting ground; swords have no eyes, and the lives of soldiers are decided in an instant. The victory or defeat of the army is related to the survival of the nation and the safety of the people. Crown Prince, you have already experienced the turmoil of the court, and you should also see the battles on the battlefield. I do not want my son, the Crown Prince of Great Qi, to be weak, mediocre, narrow-minded, and short-sighted."
Yan Chao respectfully replied, "Your subject will follow Your Majesty's teachings. Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will do my utmost to kill the enemy and protect our territory, even at the cost of my life."
“Wrong,” the emperor shook his head, his tone heavy. “I sent you to broaden your horizons, not to throw your life away.”
Before Yan Chao could speak, the emperor continued, "I know you are resentful and dissatisfied with the Imperial Observatory's words this time. But I am the Son of Heaven, and I am responsible for the fate of the country. I have too many things to consider and cannot disregard the overall situation. The theory of celestial phenomena cannot be completely believed, but it cannot be completely disregarded either."
Yan Chao bowed and took a step back, replying, "Your Majesty, I dare not harbor resentment. However, I am troubled by the dilemma of Your Majesty's health and the court, and I fear I might fail in my duty of loyalty and filial piety..."
The Emperor nodded: "You wrote it all down in your letter. This is the best solution for both sides. Since you understand this, there is no need for me to say anything more."
Yan Fei stood quietly to the side, looking up several times, but unable to get a word in edgewise. Finally, when an opening appeared, he quietly moved to the emperor's side, tucked the blanket around him, and hesitated before speaking softly, "Grandfather, I would like to take my leave now."
The emperor gently grasped his small hand and said, "Your sixth uncle is merely taking his leave; Fei'er, there's no need to avoid suspicion. Keep him here; I have something to say to you later."
Yan Fei blinked, replied "Yes," and then looked at Yan Chao.
"This is the Crown Prince's first time on the battlefield, so you must be cautious in everything you do. The generals leading the troops are very familiar with the military situation and terrain of the northern border, and they have rich combat experience. You should ask them for advice and not be arrogant or act recklessly. I have already instructed Ren Lu to take good care of you along the way. Once you reach the front line and are on the battlefield, you will have to take good care of yourself."
"Yes." Yan Chao kowtowed to the emperor, expressed his determination, and added at the end: "Father is unwell, and it is already unfilial of me to be unable to serve at his bedside. Now that I am leaving the capital, I only hope that Father will take good care of his health."
The emperor nodded, looking somewhat tired, and remained silent for a long while, watching her figure.
"Go then."
"Your subject takes his leave." Yan Chao's face remained expressionless as he rose and left the hall.
Yan Fei followed her out and hurriedly called out to her, "Sixth Uncle."
Yan Chao paused, turned around, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Yan Fei took something out of his pocket and presented it to her like a treasure. He said very solemnly, "Sixth Uncle, this amulet is something my aunt and I asked for when we went to Juehui Temple a few days ago. I hope you can wear it and it will protect you and ensure your safe return."
The child's face was flushed, and through the cloud of steam he exhaled, his bright eyes were full of sincerity. Yan Chao couldn't bear to refuse his kindness, so he reached out and took the gift, smiling gently, "Thank you, Fei'er."
"Uncle, could you teach me riding and archery this time you're back?" He rubbed his hands together, looking at her with a hint of anticipation.
Yan Chao put the amulet into his pocket and nodded with a smile, "Okay." Just as he was about to turn around, he added, "It's windy outside, Fei'er, go inside quickly." Children are weak and playful, and they are bound to catch a cold in winter.
Yan Fei felt that her sixth uncle was particularly kind today, so she boldly rested her chin on her hands, playfully stuck out her tongue at her, and then, as if feeling guilty, quickly turned around and ran into the hall.
.
Many people came to see him off. The officials of the Eastern Palace who were somewhat close to the Crown Prince pushed forward without regard for etiquette. When they saw the Crown Prince, they only said the same few words over and over again. The Crown Prince was not annoyed and did not reprimand them. He mostly remained silent, occasionally responding to show that he had listened.
The emperor's decree confining the crown prince to the Eastern Palace had truly broken the hearts of some officials. Now, in addition to sympathizing with the crown prince, people felt an even stronger sense of loyalty.
Yan Chao was able to remain calm because he understood from the beginning the principle that "a loss may turn out to be a blessing in disguise."
Under the pretext of reporting matters to the Crown Prince, Liang Lu followed him all the way to the palace gate before reluctantly stopping.
Yan Chao was talking with several officials, so Liang Lu had to stop. He turned around and called Liang Li and Chi Rong over, and carefully explained to them the usual trivial matters that the Crown Prince was used to.
Liang Li listened respectfully, and finally said with a smile, "Godfather has said this four or five times already. Don't worry, we remember it clearly. We will definitely serve Your Highness well and will never let Your Highness and Godfather down." Chi Rong also nodded in agreement.
Liang Lu clenched his fists, looking at the Crown Prince in full military attire on horseback, his brow furrowed with worry. This was the first time the Crown Prince had been so far away from him, and with no end in sight, he was truly at ease.
It was getting late, and the army was about to set off. Ren Lu and several officers had already counted the number of soldiers, and only after everything was in order did they announce the departure.
Yan Chao and Ren Lu rode side by side. After passing through Anding Gate, they entered the northern suburbs of the capital. Looking eastward, in the hazy distance, the Golden Terrace could be vaguely seen standing majestically, its desolate appearance against the backdrop of snow.
She couldn't help but glance back silently. Behind her was the Andingmen Arrow Tower, and behind the high city walls, the imperial city stood majestically. And so close to her was a vast army of cavalry, their banners fluttering, their momentum like a rainbow.
A sudden gust of wind swept through her chest, instantly bringing a sense of openness and freedom, as if she had escaped the confinement of the Forbidden City. Her muscles and bones relaxed, and her heart felt expansive.
She tightened the reins in her hand, her thoughts drifting back. Turning her head, she saw Ren Lu looking at her. Meeting his piercing eyes, she said, "This morning I saw a report from the front lines saying that the Tatars have diverted a portion of their troops to Longmen, attempting to encircle the northern border of Xuanfu. I wonder if the defenses around Longmen are strong?"
Ren Lu replied, "Your Highness mentioned Longmen a few days ago, so the Longmen Guards were already prepared. There are troops stationed along the Great Wall north of Yanshan and Nanhe. If enemy troops are discovered at Songshubao and Dushibao, they will be blocked with all their might. Even if they reach Longmen, their forces will be scattered and vulnerable. The current situation is tense, mainly concentrated in Wanquan Commandery. Our army has fought several fierce battles with the Mongol Tartars, and the outcome is uncertain, resulting in a stalemate."
Yan Chao nodded almost imperceptibly, frowned and pondered carefully, then asked after a moment of silence, "Approximately how long will it take to get to Xuanfu Town?"
“In urgent situations, cavalry can travel 150 li in a day and night. However, it is currently the dead of winter, and with many other factors hindering their movement, it will take at least three days and at most five or six days.”
Yan Chao nodded, remaining silent and focusing solely on riding her horse. A cold wind whistled past her side; she took a deep breath, gripped the whip tightly, and her eyes hardened.
Arriving at the border at dusk, Ren Lu met with the garrison commander and the imperial inspector, carrying the imperial edict. They were all old acquaintances and aware of the tense situation, so they wouldn't make things difficult for each other privately.
As for the Crown Prince's sudden arrival, since he had left the capital in a low-key manner, only a few key generals came to pay their respects. She had no intention of making a fuss, and after a brief audience, she left the pass with Ren Lu and the others.
Before the army even reached Huailai, news came from the front that the enemy had withdrawn its troops from attacking Longmen. At the same time, the Yanghe and Gaoshan areas of Datong Prefecture were attacked, and the enemy's offensive was fierce, with their aim at Datong Town.
Datong and Xuanfu were both important border towns. With Xuanfu under attack, Datong could not afford not to take precautions. However, since some of its troops had already been deployed to Xuanfu, it would be necessary to mobilize troops from other areas. Winter marches and battles are already difficult, and this would only increase our army's losses.
Ren Lu flung his riding whip, his face grim: "What a clever feint! Attacking Datong is an attempt to cut off reinforcements from the west, and attacking two important towns at the same time is hardly an insult to our Great Qi!"
The accompanying generals were used to Ren Lu's loud and boisterous manner and seemed to have long been accustomed to it, continuing to say whatever they wanted.
"Behind Datong is Taiyuan in Shanxi, and further back is the entire Central Plains region. There are troops in the east and west that can provide support. Zijing Pass is still far away... The most important thing right now is to defend Xuanfu first so that Datong can be free from worries about its rear."
"Has the Liaodong army arrived?"
"The number of troops reached 20,000. The Governor-General of Liaodong and the Governor of Liaodong have always been at odds, and in the end, they only agreed to send 20,000 troops. The journey was long and arduous, with snow and wind, and many people were lost."
What about Yansui?
"Ten thousand cavalrymen only arrived yesterday. The two sides of Datong dare not move easily now. The troops in Xuanfu should be enough, but there has been no news of victory. Instead, they have suffered repeated defeats. It's strange..."
"That traitor Qin Zi has been by Dou Pingge's side for many years. He probably knows exactly how the generals usually use their troops. How could we not win? Besides, the Qi army is not as good at withstanding the cold as the Mongol army in winter..."
A moment of silence fell over everyone.
After a long pause, someone suddenly spoke up: "If you ask me, with hundreds of thousands of troops in the capital, it wouldn't be difficult to move them north. Wouldn't that be even cheaper than going to Liaodong?"
“Someone had already submitted a memorial, but Chief Minister Yang rejected it. He has always been very conservative and is unwilling to use the capital troops easily.”
"It's come to this..."
"...Don't even mention it! Our army's current defeat is far from a matter of insufficient troops."
...
Ren Lu didn't join in the arguing, but he didn't speak up to stop them either. He turned and went out the door, only to run into Yan Chao. The noise behind him was still going on. He looked slightly embarrassed, coughed lightly, and clasped his hands in greeting to her, saying, "Your Highness."
The two walked side by side, and Yan Chao asked softly, "Vice Minister Ren is also a cabinet minister. Are the other cabinet ministers aware of those issues as well?"
Ren Lu gripped the riding whip in his hand, his brows furrowing. "I understand, yet I don't understand either." He explained in a deep voice, "The Grand Secretary and Grand Secretary Chen are both thoroughly civil officials. There are always things they can't attend to in military affairs, and they may not listen to what military officers say. Although I am in the Grand Secretariat, well, Your Highness knows my temperament. My words carry less weight than those spoken in the army."
Yan Chao paused for a moment. She knew a little about this. Although Ren Lu was not ostracized in the cabinet, there was still a distance between him and others.
Ren Lu, observing her expression, couldn't help but speak out after holding back for so long: "To be frank, when Li Shih-huai was in the cabinet, there was never such an unbalanced situation as today. Although he was a traitor, he never looked down on military generals or military secrets. Just regarding this Tatar invasion, the Grand Secretary made decisions on key matters arbitrarily. If Your Highness hadn't ordered Chao Qian's dismissal that day, the Grand Secretary might not have replaced him. Recently, I've heard rumors circulating that some people are secretly using the words of the late Song Dynasty official Han Qi at Donghua Gate to satirize Grand Secretary Yang..."
After listening, Yan Chao remained noncommittal, and instead asked him calmly, "Does Vice Minister Ren know what he is saying?"
It's no wonder that Ren Lutong and his fellow civil officials had a bad relationship; no one could tolerate his outspokenness. To openly criticize the Grand Secretary in front of her—his bravado, even if genuine, was now completely unconvincing.
Ren Lu abruptly stopped, his burly figure stiffening. His ears burned with embarrassment, realizing his slip of the tongue, and he quickly apologized, "Your Highness, please forgive me. I... I've always been outspoken and impulsive..."
“The Grand Secretary’s dereliction of duty will be investigated and impeached by the censors.” She paused, then added, “Even if I listened to what you said, I might not believe it, and it would damage your reputation if it got out.”
"minister……"
Yan Chao didn't want to continue the topic and interrupted him: "What is your opinion, Vice Minister, on the matter of transferring troops from the capital to the north?"
Ren Lu suppressed his myriad thoughts and quickly responded: "I think it's feasible. But as my general said, the reason for the defeat is not due to the troops."
Yan Chao nodded, turned his head and said quietly, "I still need your guidance on matters on the battlefield, Vice Minister."
.
The journey was fraught with wind and snow, and the further north they went, the more biting the cold became. It was the fifth day before they arrived in Xuanfu City. Xuanfu was a strategic border town, the most important of the nine border towns, and also known as the "First Prefecture West of the Capital." Its terrain was high and steep, and its city defenses were strong, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack.
Governor-General Guo Yuanying personally went out of the city to welcome them. After Ren Lu settled the troops, he and his generals entered the city.
The atmosphere inside the government office was somber, with several officers discussing matters in the front hall.
"The scouts have discovered that the enemy forces outside the city number as many as 30,000. It seems that Huntaiji is going all out to capture Xuanfu this time. When we attacked Wanquan Left and Right Guards, our army adopted a scorched-earth policy to force the Tartars to retreat without success. Now, we don't know where they are getting their food supplies. It has been so long, yet they show no sign of retreating."
"With tens of thousands of troops advancing, they naturally have ways to transport supplies. After occupying Wanquan and Liangwei, the enemy set up defenses along the Yanghe River, and our army dares not easily send out troops, so we can only hold the city. This stalemate can't go on forever..."
"Once the cavalry of the two armies clashed, the Mongol army's advantage became apparent. Moreover, they were extremely flexible in their tactics, and with that strategist surnamed Qin, they knew where they could fight and where they couldn't. Right now, our great army is trapped here, which is really frustrating!"
"It's not that we can't fight... we need to stall for two more days and see what's happening in Huai'an. Tiancheng, not far away, is also in grave danger. If only we could find the Tartars' supply depot, we could strike them down from the ground..."
...
Not wanting to disturb them, Yan Chao and Ren Lu listened quietly from the side until the discussion was over before going in to greet everyone.
The emperor had not issued an imperial edict, and Xuanfu was a remote place. They only knew that the court was sending someone, and could roughly guess that it was Ren Lu, but knew nothing else. Upon suddenly seeing the crown prince arrive, they were immediately startled and hurriedly bowed and paid their respects.
Without removing his armor, Yan Chao raised his hand and said, "Please rise, gentlemen, there is no need for such formalities. You are all important generals on the frontier, the pillars of the nation, fighting the enemy and defending the country, and you have made great contributions." He glanced around and continued, "On behalf of the Emperor, I extend my deepest condolences to the officers and soldiers guarding the frontier. You have all worked hard."
"It is our duty to protect the land and ensure the safety of the people."
"I have come here on the Emperor's orders to fight alongside the soldiers, to work together in harmony, and to defend the border against the enemy. However, I have no experience in the military and would appreciate your guidance."
Everyone hurriedly said they dared not. They thought to themselves that the Crown Prince was being extremely humble, yet his words were so forceful that no one dared to underestimate him. The Xuanfu government reported this to the capital, and they were naturally very clear about it. They had already felt ashamed of their lack of victories in recent days, so the Crown Prince did not mention any military achievements, only saying that he had worked hard.
Upon further reflection, they realized they had heard the rumors circulating in the capital recently. They had been worried about the Crown Prince's situation, but these few words reassured them.
After leaving the Governor's Office, the Crown Prince followed the others to the northern gate of Xuanfu.
The towering city walls stand majestically, their outer walls frozen in ice and snow, making the city appear even more impregnable. Soldiers patrol in formation both on and below the walls. As you climb to the top of the walls, the cold wind howls and the banners flutter in the wind.
A general introduced Yan Chao to the recently concluded battle of defending the city.
Soldiers were clearing the battlefield below the city wall. Ladders, arrows, stones, swords, spears, armor, battle clothes, flesh and blood, severed limbs and remains were scattered everywhere. The muddy land had changed color, and the dry, cold air still carried a nauseating smell of blood.
Judging from the tone of the conversation just now, a decisive battle is inevitable. If nothing unexpected happens, it will take place outside this city.
To the north, east, and west, in the already occupied lands, there are people suffering unspeakable hardship and wandering aimlessly, the sound of horses' hooves galloping against the wind on ancient roads; or perhaps in some places, battles are already raging, the sounds of clashing swords and spears, and the chaotic cries of people...
It all stopped abruptly in an instant. When someone opened their eyes, they saw some people fall down, and some people stand up; some people held on and refused to fall, while others never got up again.
Author's Note: ① This chapter was really hard work! Writing the plot was very difficult, and the romance didn't progress at all—not even a single glance... Regarding the war scenes, I tried my best in the descriptions and research, but it's basically serious fabrication. [This story is fictional] (but the maps are definitely based on high-resolution Ming Dynasty maps, as you can tell from the place names). I'd be happy to discuss it with anyone who wants to!
②Lan: During the first five days of separation from Chaochao, I missed her, missed her, missed her... I wonder if she, far away at the border, missed me...
Chao: I feel so good now that I've had my fun. Sorry, I only care about the throne and have no time for you.
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