Chapter 387 She's very likely pregnant.
Zhao Xuan issued three imperial edicts in quick succession, sending them to Dingzhou by express courier, ordering his soldiers to continue recovering the lost territory.
However, memorials from the north requesting the court to allocate military funds piled up in Lin'an.
The military pay and provisions will cost at least a million taels of silver. The national treasury doesn't have much money left, and taking out a million taels will soon deplete it.
This money should be kept for emergencies, and Zhao Xuan wanted his ministers to donate.
The officials in Jiangnan were incredibly wealthy, owning countless shops, farmlands, and houses. If each of them contributed a little, they could raise enough funds for the army.
But the ministers refused to contribute a single penny, and instead cried in court, each claiming to be poorer than the last, displaying their patched official robes.
They had no military pay, no provisions, and couldn't rob the people.
The soldiers no longer wanted to fight.
Unable to manage the ministers in the imperial court, Zhao Xuan could only return to the inner palace and persuade his concubines to convince their fathers and brothers to contribute money to buy grain.
The imperial harem.
Su Wan'er hugged the spittoon and vomited, "Ugh ugh ugh..."
The palace maid said, "Your Highness, shall I go and fetch the imperial physician for you?"
"No need, I'll feel better after I throw up."
She seems to be pregnant, but she dares not call the imperial physician, because if she does, she won't be able to hide it anymore.
A few days ago, Zhao Xuan suddenly went crazy for some reason.
They come to her every night, and the women in the harem, led by Yun Jiaoyue, deliberately target her.
Even Liu Yiyi, who was closest to her, distanced herself from her.
If those people knew she was pregnant, they wouldn't have spared her child.
If you are really pregnant, wait until your belly gets big enough to hide it before you tell anyone.
"Ugh..."
Just as he was vomiting, Zhao Xuan's voice came from behind him.
"Why are you vomiting like this? Have someone fetch the imperial physician to take a look."
Su Wan'er was vomiting so badly that she didn't even realize he had arrived. Hearing his voice, she turned around in a panic, "Your Highness, when did you arrive? I didn't even know!"
"Just arrived."
"I think I ate something bad." Su Wan'er took the handkerchief handed to her by the maid and wiped the filth from the corner of her lips. She noticed that Zhao Xuan seemed to be in a bad mood.
He's in a bad mood, why is he looking for her?
"Your Majesty, have you come here on business?"
Several new concubines were added to the harem; they were young and beautiful, and she liked them all.
Zhao Xuan hasn't come to see her for almost half a month. Could it be that he wants to... be with her?
She might really be pregnant and can't serve the emperor.
"emperor……"
Zhao Xuan was trying to figure out how to bring it up. He felt ashamed to admit that he wanted a woman to make money.
"Wan'er, the soldiers in the north are being pressed for their pay."
"Your Majesty, the harem is not allowed to interfere in politics. I don't understand what you're saying to me..."
He used to consult with Yun Jiaoyue about these things, so why did he come to her?
You've gone to the wrong place.
Zhao Xuan pulled her to sit down and then said, "The war in the north is ongoing, and the military pay has not been issued for several months. The petitions urging the court to allocate military pay have piled up like mountains."
"The empress dowager is not allowed to interfere in politics, and I do not understand." Even if Su Wan'er was stupid, she could tell that he wanted money from the Su family.
"Then I will be frank. I need money. As a royal merchant family, shouldn't the Su family share my burden?"
“It is the Su family’s duty to share the Emperor’s burdens, but when you first ascended the throne, the Su family had already donated most of its wealth, leaving very little. Even if we emptied our coffers, we still couldn’t raise enough funds to pay the military expenses of hundreds of thousands of people.”
The Su family's wealth, accumulated over generations, has been divided in half. What more could he want?
Are you suggesting that the Su family should donate all their money?
In that case, the Su family not only did not benefit, but also went bankrupt.
If that's the case, she'll become a sinner against the Su family.
It's better not to be Consort Su; let whoever wants to be her take the role.
“Wan’er, your Su family has been in business for generations, so your wealth must be worth far more than just a million taels.”
What was Su Wan'er still saying?
Should we lie to him and say that his family has no money left, not a single penny, so he won't worry about it, and then in a fit of anger he'll ransack the Su family's property?
That won't work.
Su Wan'er couldn't refuse, and said in a low voice, "Such a big matter is beyond my ability as a woman to make. I need to discuss it with my father. Since returning to Lin'an, I have never been back to the Su family to visit my relatives. I humbly request Your Majesty to grant me permission to return to the Su family to visit my relatives."
She wanted to go back to her parents' home and see the place where she grew up.
Then discuss with her father whether there is any way to avoid paying the money.
Hearing her compromise, Zhao Xuan was pleased and waved his hand, "I grant your permission."
Zhao Xuan placed a hand on her flat belly. "Wan'er, I've been working on you for so long, your belly must be showing signs soon, right? If you give birth to a prince, I will make you a Noble Consort. It's just a pity that you love freedom and don't want to deal with those trivial matters, otherwise I would also like to make you Empress."
Su Wan'er was stunned. After realizing what was happening, she quickly shook her head and said, "Your Majesty is joking. I am not pregnant, and I am not capable enough to bear the responsibilities of the Empress."
"I know, if the Empress is not suitable, then I will bestow upon her the title of Noble Consort. Since you are not feeling well, please rest well. I have some matters to attend to, so I will go ahead and attend to them."
He was going to visit the women in the harem. Among them, Yun Jiaoyue was the poorest, followed by Liu Yiyi. One had her whole family exiled, and the other had been captured by the enemy and enslaved.
Those who remained had some savings, so they persuaded their families to contribute money. Someone stepped forward, and those old fogies in the court still wanted to refuse to contribute a single penny—they were dreaming!
Fighting has broken out again in the north.
The Jing Army marched south from the three border regions to attack Dingzhou, Zhengding Prefecture, and Hejian Prefecture.
Hejian Prefecture fell and was occupied by enemy forces.
However, Dingzhou and Hejian Prefecture are also in dire straits.
The imperial court delayed paying military salaries for several months, causing some soldiers to desert. The remaining soldiers were starving and lacked strength because they were unable to plunder the people. Even their warhorses were skin and bones from hunger.
With the fall of Hejian Prefecture, Lin'an is now much closer.
Zhao Xuan managed to raise over a million taels of silver through various means and sent men to escort it to the border.
No one dared to deliver it.
With the fighting raging to the death in the north, supply convoys are the easiest targets for the enemy. Once attacked, they are powerless to fight back, losing not only their supplies but also their lives. This arduous task is a hot potato that no one wants to take on.
The civil officials used their status as civil officials and their inability to even kill a chicken as an excuse to refuse.
Zhao Xuan glanced around and found that there were only a handful of military officers below, and those few were the commanders of the Imperial Guard's City Division. These people were responsible for protecting the safety of the capital and the palace and could not leave Lin'an.
"If no one is willing to go, then who will go? Do you expect me to personally escort the supplies and then lead the expedition in person before you are satisfied?"
"Your Majesty, I dare not, absolutely not. A country cannot be without a ruler for even a day. If you go to the north, there will be no one in the court to take charge of the overall situation."
"You wouldn't dare, I think that's what you're really thinking." Zhao Xuan looked at their terrified expressions. Were they really afraid just pretending to be? They were just putting on an act for him.
He then sneered, "If a suitable candidate isn't chosen today, you can all stand here and I'll keep you company."
I refuse to believe these old geezers can kneel here for a whole day.
Minister of War Cai Liang proposed, "Your Majesty, I have heard that the fifth young master of the Xiao family studied under Zhou Tong, the former champion of martial arts, and defeated countless fellow disciples under him. Zhou Tong also praised him as a martial arts prodigy and the most suitable candidate."
Zhao Xuan was so angry he laughed. "This kid isn't even fifteen years old yet, you want him to escort grain supplies? Who's going to take responsibility if something goes wrong? Are you going to take the blame?"
Cai Liang added, "I've heard that Prince Xiao went to the battlefield at the age of twelve and became famous in one battle at fifteen or sixteen. Like father, like son. Although Fifth Young Master Xiao is still young and lacks experience, he is only responsible for escorting provisions. The entire route is within the territory of our Great Zhou. Most of the bandits in the north have already been incorporated into the army. If we send more people to escort the military pay and provisions, there will be no problem!"
"I second that proposal!"
"I second that proposal!"
"We second that proposal!"
...
The imperial edict was delivered to the Prince of Zhenbei's residence, but Xiao Xuanwu was not at home.
By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:
The fifth son of the Prince of Zhenbei, he was known for his outstanding talent from a young age and his martial prowess was inherited from his father. Xiao Xuanwu specially appointed him as the Deputy Commissioner for the Transportation of Military Supplies in the Northern Route, in charge of 150,000 shi of grain and 800,000 guan of silver, with a deadline of 30 days to deliver them to Dingzhou.
The prefectures and counties along the route must do their utmost to provide assistance, ensuring that every grain is stored and every penny is deposited into the granaries, in order to bolster the morale of the army. Any delays or deficits will be punished according to military law.
When Yang heard her father-in-law read the contents of the imperial edict, she was completely stunned.
Xiao Xuanwu was still a child under fifteen years old.
“Father-in-law, the child is only fourteen years old. He is still a child and cannot bear such a heavy responsibility. I beg Your Majesty to withdraw the decree.”
The eunuch said, "Princess Consort of Zhenbei, the fifth son has been learning martial arts from a young age and studying under famous teachers. It is said that he has defeated countless fellow disciples. He is a tiger cub from a military family. The court officials strongly recommend him, and the Emperor also praises him highly and places great hopes on him. Such a high position in the court is what many people dream of. The Princess Consort should be happy."
Yun Zhaoxue asked, "Father-in-law, which other ministers are accompanying us?"
Zhao Xuan shouldn't be so foolish as to let a child carry so many valuables northward.
Not only could Xiao Xuanwu not afford to lose face, but the imperial court could not afford to lose face either.
“Lu Tingzhi, son of the Vice Minister of Rites, was skilled in calculation and was in charge of warehouse management.”
"There is also Yan Ming, a junior official in the Ministry of War. He comes from the northern border army and has made numerous merits. Last year, he made great contributions in suppressing the rebellion of bandits in Jiangnan. He was temporarily transferred to the rear due to injury. He is familiar with the routes in the north and the situation of the bandits."
"Yes, we understand. Thank you, sir."
Yun Zhaoxue gave Lüzhi a look, and Lüzhi took out a bag of silver coins from her sleeve and handed it to her father-in-law.
After receiving the money, the father-in-law saw the worried expressions on the faces of Madam Yang and the other women, and then smiled and reassured them, "There are many bandits and outlaws in the north. Having the Fifth Young Master escort the grain supplies will be enough to keep those bandits and outlaws in check. In addition, Lu Hanlin and Yan Ming are a scholar and a warrior, respectively. With them assisting the Fifth Young Master, the Princess and the County Princess can rest assured. There are also more than 500 soldiers accompanying him, so the grain supplies and military pay will definitely be delivered safely."
Yun Zhaoxue said, "Thank you for your guidance, Father-in-law."
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now."
"Someone, see the father-in-law out."
As soon as her father-in-law left, Madam Yang instructed the guards, "Someone, tell the Fifth Young Master to come back immediately. Tell him I have something urgent to discuss with him."
What does Mother want to do?
“I want to take him to the palace to plead with the Emperor to rescind his decree. If he absolutely must go, then he cannot be appointed as the Transport Commissioner…”
He's just a child, and his subordinates probably won't obey him. If there's even the slightest problem with the supplies, the first person to be held accountable will be the transport commissioner.
The whole family was waiting in the front hall.
After the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, he left the palace to follow his master and learn his craft.
She regretted it; she shouldn't have let her youngest son learn martial arts. If he hadn't, he wouldn't have needed to escort supplies and wouldn't have had to go to the battlefield in the future.
Heartbroken and filled with self-reproach, Yang murmured to herself, "It's my fault, it's all my fault. I should have never let him learn martial arts..."
She tried to get her youngest son to study literature, but Gu Xuanwu was proud of his father and brothers, so he studied literature during the day and secretly practiced martial arts at night.
Later, on the road to exile, she realized that only martial arts could save her life, so she stopped caring about anything else.
Upon returning to Lin'an, he went to study martial arts under a master.
She should have stopped him. She didn't expect him to be successful; she just wanted him to live a good life, be healthy and safe, and live a long and healthy life.
Xie Wanyun comforted her, saying, "Mother, Xiaowu has always admired his father and brothers for fighting on the battlefield and making great achievements. He likes to practice martial arts and is determined to be like them in the future. It's not your fault, so don't blame yourself."
"Yes, Mother, how can a mother bear to make her child give up his or her hobbies and force him or her to learn what he or she doesn't like?"
An hour and a half later, a voice came from the doorway, "Mother, Mother, your son is back..."
Madam Yang got up and walked over there, took her youngest son's arm and led him outside, saying, "Xiao Wu, Xiao Wu is back. Quickly come with your mother to the palace to beg the Emperor to rescind his decree."
Yun Zhaoxue felt the chances were slim, but she understood Yang's feelings; this was the only son she had left.
If anything were to happen to Xiao Xuance on the frontier, there would still be his only son, Xiao Xuanwu.
The emperor's decree has been issued; for him to retract it would be a slap in his own face.
Lady Yang brought Xiao Xuanwu into the palace and successfully met Zhao Xuan. However, he disagreed with retracting his order and persuaded Lady Yang to rest assured that he would send more people to ensure the safety of military pay and provisions.
Xiao Xuanwu said, "Mother, don't worry, I will be very careful and won't make any mistakes."
Now he's taller than his mother, he's grown up and no longer a child. The Emperor has entrusted him with important responsibilities, and he can't refuse, so he'll do his best to fulfill them.
Although he didn't know if he could do it well.
Yun Zhaoxue said, "Mother, Xiaowu is right. Since what's done is done and can't be changed, we should try to do it well. Arrange for more guards to protect Xiaowu secretly, and let Master Liao go with us. He was also born in the border army and knows the terrain of various places well. He led us south for more than three months, and he resolved all kinds of dangers on the way. If the war in the north is not too serious, let Ace send a small team out of the city to meet us."
Safety on the road is not a major concern, but there is a risk of a traitor within the group. Why did those civil officials only recommend a child to escort the grain? Their motives might be the Prince of Zhenbei or Xiao Xuance.
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