Chapter 58 He was never a gentleman...
Upon entering the Xuan Room, the charcoal trays had already been removed as spring warmed up.
The main hall was deep and still cold.
As Xiao Xun walked toward the imperial desk, he asked, "Has any news come back from the Grand Master of the Palace?"
The Minister of the Imperial Secretariat soon brought over a memorial from Gongsun Zhao, delivered by express courier from Yan, a distance of eight hundred li.
After receiving Xiao Xun's order that day, Gongsun Zhao immediately rode from Huaiyang to Yan, traveling day and night, covered in dust and grime.
It was eight days later when they arrived at Ji, the capital of the Yan Kingdom.
From Chen County, the capital of Huaiyang State, to Ji City, the capital of Yan State, one must pass through the eastern foothills of Taihang Mountains, cross the Yellow River and the Zhang River, a journey of approximately two thousand li.
It is similar to the route from Jicheng in the Yan State to Fushi County in Shangjun, passing through the eastern foothills of the Taihang Mountains, crossing the Yellow River and the Fen River.
Two months ago, the King of Yan ordered the Commandant of Yan to lead an army of 5,000 cavalry to Fushi in Shangjun. It was said that "hearing that Qu Qingchuan was plotting a rebellion, and fearing that Qu Yang might harbor rebellious intentions that would be detrimental to the emperor, the army marched day and night to suppress the rebels."
Among them, a vanguard elite force of more than ten people arrived at Fushi in just seven days.
They were almost indistinguishable from the Hu cavalry of Changshui Xuanqu who had set off from Chang'an.
Just as the Hu soldiers of Changshui Xuanqu were about to capture Fushi, the five thousand cavalry of Yan were only a hundred li away from Shangjun.
The Grand Master of the Imperial Stud, traveling a thousand miles alone on horseback, day and night, still needed eight days, while the vanguard of more than ten men led by the Commandant of Yan only took seven days.
The 5,000-strong army also marched a thousand miles, arriving a decade later than their vanguard.
The horses in Yan were mostly Xiongnu horses, which had short legs and were good at running, but were not good at sudden attacks and could not possibly travel 300 li a day.
Moreover, at that time, the land was frozen solid, and the roads were difficult and arduous.
There is only one possibility.
The Prince of Yan prepared his army from the very beginning of Qu Qingchuan's rebellion.
The Yan army's cavalry were not in Jicheng, or even within the territory of Yan. They had probably already reached the foothills of the Taihang Mountains, waiting for an opportunity to strike.
The eastern foothills of the Taihang Mountains are mostly located in Taiyuan Prefecture, with rugged terrain that has always been a natural barrier.
At that time, the Xiongnu invaded because of Yanmen and Dingxiang. Taiyuan Commandery was the first to be hit and was busy conscripting soldiers and training troops.
Meanwhile, General Zhao Yan, the Commander of the Imperial Guard, led 20,000 troops of the Northern Army, passing through Shangjun.
It is not impossible that the Yan cavalry could take advantage of the situation and disperse to camp in the valleys and deep ravines of Taiyuan.
However, from the time the Xiongnu army advanced eastward, Zhao Yan led a large northern army to Yanmen Dingxiang, and then Qu Qingchuan officially raised an army in the name of "Xiao Yu, the son of the former crown prince", it took nearly a month. The number of 5,000 cavalrymen was not small.
Since the Yan army needed to remain unknown and wait for an opportunity to act, it was impossible for them to bring enough provisions.
It was winter, and the only way from Yan to Shangjun was through the northern regions, where even at the foot of the Taihang Mountains, water and grass were scarce.
Five thousand warhorses require nearly two hundred thousand catties of hay and concentrated feed every day.
As for the five thousand cavalry, it wasn't mentioned in the memorial. Xiao Xun suddenly remembered Qu Yang's words: ten able-bodied men who joined the army needed three bushels of rice every day.
Therefore, five thousand cavalrymen would need at least 1,300 bushels of rice per day.
If no one in Taiyuan Commandery was there to support the Yan army, how could the Yan army, which finally appeared at the Fushi battlefield in Shang Commandery and then on the outskirts of Chang'an, still be so strong and well-equipped?
Who has the capability to provide such a large-scale supply of food and provisions?
Seven days.
Why seven days?
The Hu troops from Changshui Xuanqu broke camp in Chang'an and arrived at Fushi in Shangjun. It was a distance of 600 li, and with 2,000 cavalry, it would take at least seven days.
Xiao Xun closed his eyes and thought carefully. Seven days before the Yan army arrived in Shangjun, it was almost exactly when the rumor that Xiao Xun was "running away in a panic with disheveled hair and bare feet" reached Yan.
It seems that the Prince of Yan, like many others in the court, was convinced that the Hu troops of Changshui Xuanqu must have originated from Quyang.
However, it is impossible for Qu Yang to issue a death order when he sends troops, whether to capture Qu Qingchuan or to lend him a hand.
Qu Qingchuan, after all, is Qu Yang's only son.
Therefore, it is highly likely that "Xiao Yu" in Qu Qingchuan's hands will eventually be used by Qu Yang.
Among the Yan King's army, the first dozen or so elite soldiers took advantage of the fact that the Hu soldiers of Changshui Xuanqu were attacking the city. They marched straight into Qu Qingchuan's enemy camp, perhaps under the pretense of "Qu Qingchuan borrowing troops to provide support and discuss how to deploy the subsequent army."
The person who was killed was not Qu Qingchuan, but Xiao Yu, Qu Qingchuan's puppet.
Qu Qingchuan plotted a rebellion, but in order to win over the soldiers and the people in the shortest possible time, he could not raise an army to establish himself as emperor. Instead, he installed a member of the Xiao family as emperor.
Therefore, they dug deep into the ground and found a "Xiao Yu" who had no foundation, no support, was deeply pitied, and desperately longed to regain power and wealth.
But what if Xiao Yu dies?
It is said that Qu Yang of Chang'an has already imposed martial law on the city. The emperor has been a puppet in his hands since childhood, without any military power. All the officials are appointed by Qu Yang, and the army is all from the Qu family.
The emperor was so frightened by the incident that he attempted to escape but was captured and brought back. He was already "insane and mentally unstable".
Needless to say, everyone knows that Xiao Xun and Qu Yang have been irreconcilable enemies ever since Xiao Xun executed Qu Yan.
Once a puppet on a string develops its own mind, it is absolutely impossible for it to be continued to be pampered and placed in a high position.
White silk, poison, dagger—each of these can be made perfectly clean.
There are far too many such stories in history books.
The Weiyang Palace was now completely sealed off, and not a single word could be heard.
The officials dismissed the court. The people were filled with apprehension.
The Grand Astrologer, bearing the prophecy of "Mars guarding the heart," fled in panic to avoid war and protect himself. In his haste, he stumbled into the Feng River in winter.
The emperor was critically ill and his life was hanging by a thread.
It's even possible that the mountain has collapsed, but the news of the death has been kept secret.
Therefore, Xiao Yue's army was originally headed for Chang'an, not Shangjun.
Most of the cavalry heading to Chang'an "happened" to be halfway there when they heard that the Hu troops at Changshui Xuanqu had won a great victory and captured Qu Qingchuan alive.
Qu Qingchuan's remaining troops were already divided, and once they learned of Qu Yang's stance, they immediately abandoned Qu Qingchuan and surrendered without a fight.
Therefore, the King of Yan personally led the Yan army to Chang'an, and pleaded guilty to the Grand Marshal and the Emperor on the grounds that he had "gone without permission to send troops to support the court."
The King of Yan did indeed make a show of apologizing.
The five thousand Yan cavalrymen stopped twenty miles outside Chang'an City.
The King of Yan, along with the Commandant of Yan and a dozen or so personal guards, rode into Chang'an with "Xiao Yu".
After fourteen years away from Chang'an, the city I hadn't visited, I arrived at Weiyang Palace. Along the way, dark clouds hung heavy, the forests were cold and the streams were still, the scenery was majestic and awe-inspiring, and the walls stood tall and imposing.
It resembles a magnificent yet somber coffin.
Qu Yang seemed genuinely committed to capturing traitors and rebels, disregarding the bond between father and son, all for the sake of his reputation for loyalty and righteousness.
So, Xiao Yue arriving with Xiao Yu's head should be exactly what Qu Yang wanted.
Although the Yan army arrived late due to the long journey, its vanguard soldiers made the greatest contribution in killing the traitors and greatly helped Qu Yang.
The person who slaughtered the entire family of the former crown prince was Qu Yang.
Therefore, it was Qu Yang who rose rapidly through the ranks and gained the late emperor's deep trust.
If a sinner who had been dead for fifteen years was resurrected at his command, wouldn't that be a slap in his face?
If Xiao Yu were truly established as the monarch, and if he were to grow some power like Xiao Xun, the first person he would target would be Qu Yang.
In Xiao Yue's view, Qu Qingchuan's move was utterly foolish.
When this story is attributed to Qu Qingchuan, a notorious playboy, it strangely makes perfect sense.
The emperor's days are numbered, and he has no heir. If Qu Yang were to establish a new emperor, who would be more suitable than Xiao Yue?
Qu Yang probably wouldn't dare say it's "inappropriate".
Xiao Yue had already investigated the troops in Chang'an. The troops in the capital region and the Northern Army in Chang'an had not yet returned from Shuofang, Dingxiang, Yanmen and other places.
The fearsome Hu soldiers of Changshui Xuanqu were still in Shangjun, treating the wounded, clearing the battlefield, and counting prisoners of war.
It would take at least ten days to half a month for them to break camp and leave.
The city of Chang'an was almost empty, with only less than two thousand soldiers and patrolling guards remaining.
Meanwhile, the Southern Army, the Imperial Guards, and the Tiger Warriors probably stayed close to Weiyang Palace, surrounding the palace and the emperor completely.
Shangjun, with Xiao Yu's head, is Xiao Yue's sole objective.
His and his five thousand iron cavalry were headed for Chang'an.
And in the land of Yan, countless vast armies, scattered across valleys and borders, gazed longingly at Chang'an.
Xiao Xun and Xiao Yue had very little interaction.
They were two years apart in age, and Xiao Yue had not seen Xiao Xun since he inherited the title of Prince of Yan at the age of six and went to Jicheng to take up his post, until two months ago.
He closed his eyes and carefully considered Xiao Yue's appearance.
Prince Yan, Xiao Yue, who used to be a little boy with chubby legs, calling Xiao Yu and Xiao Xun "elder brother" and "uncle" repeatedly, has grown up.
When he delivered the wooden box containing "Xiao Yu's" head to the front hall of Weiyang Palace, his eyes were like those of a northern eagle, fixed on the throne and the imperial screen in the hall.
He was so close to there.
But he could only stop at the foot of the white marble steps, watching the curtains in the main hall being rolled up heavily.
The one who came out was not the Grand Marshal or the General, but the uncle he had once called. He was clear-headed, wearing a crown and a black robe, and was very dignified. Then, slowly, he bowed down to Xiao Xun.
Was there resentment in his eyes as he lowered them just in time?
The case of the assassination attempt by the singing girl, along with the previous case of the peasant uprising, was ostensibly concluded by the Minister of the Imperial Household, who personally tried the case. The case resulted in the imprisonment of Cui Heng, the Chancellor of Huaiyang, and the confinement of the Prince of Huaiyang and his heir to their residence. The case was reported to the court for further action, thus temporarily bringing the matter to a close.
Because it was mid-spring, a time of renewal and the authorities were not handling criminal cases or imprisonment, no decrees of beheading, demotion, or stripping of titles had been issued from the court.
However, since the imperial envoys entered Huaiyang, the Imperial Guards first took over the city gates, and then the Minister of the Imperial Household and the Vice Minister of the Imperial Stud took charge of all matters related to the resettlement of the disaster-stricken people. The money and grain were all provided by Huaiyang, but the imperial court gained the good reputation for nothing.
Today, even the people, filled with gratitude, have changed the verses they sing to "Heaven protects you, and your rule is secure," and "The common people are all grateful for your virtue."
Immediately afterwards, the Prince of Huaiyang and his heir were implicated in the assassination incident at the banquet, unable to defend themselves, and were confined to their residence.
The guards in the Prince's mansion were replaced under the instructions of the Minister of Ceremonies, and it is unknown how many spies of the court were planted among them.
It is said that whenever the Prince of Huaiyang and his heir emerged from the residence of the imperial envoys, they were always drenched in sweat and trembling with fear.
One day, the two of them even broke down in tears as soon as they stepped out of the house, unable to speak.
Both men had bruises on their foreheads and dark circles under their eyes. It is said that they were injured after being reprimanded by the people in the house and then hit with a jade disc.
What's more, the heir apparent, Xiao Jin, was incompetent and ignored the order to stay at home. After the assassination attempt by the singing girl, he secretly went to the Music Bureau for pleasure, where he was discovered by the Minister of the Imperial Household who was investigating the case there.
The crown prince originally intended to win people over by secretly offering bribes, making jokes, and turning a big problem into a small one, and a small problem into nothing.
Unexpectedly, the Minister of the Imperial Household Department was an upright and incorruptible man. He resolutely pulled open his sleeves, his brows furrowed in anger, and he almost drew his sword, causing the dignified heir to beg for mercy repeatedly.
It is said that the repeated cries of "Oh dear!" were extremely pitiful and lingering, causing the musicians in the music bureau to cover their faces with their sleeves, unable to bear to listen.
If the Prince of Yan truly had spies or informants planted in the court, then he would surely know that Xiao Xun had taken the late emperor's Dingbang Bow to Huaiyang.
The confinement and reprimand were naturally orders personally issued by Xiao Xun.
The fact that the Grand Master of Ceremonies dared to draw his sword against the Crown Prince was probably due to Xiao Xun's instruction.
Whether you know or not, it doesn't matter.
In the eyes of the King of Yan, the current situation is enough to make the King of Huaiyang and the Kingdom of Huaiyang tremble with fear.
The imperial court and the emperor are simply going too far!
If this is tolerable, what is intolerable?
Of course, the Prince of Huaiyang was never a gentleman.
He always stayed away from the court and did not want to get involved in trouble. Even though he was on good terms with the former Crown Prince Xiao Heng, he fled to his fiefdom of Huaiyang at the beginning of the Crown Prince's rebellion.
After that, he became even more addicted to wine, women, and beautiful women, closing his eyes to everything and becoming like a quail.
Even Qu Qingchuan's rebellion under the banner of "Xiao Yu" could not sway him in the slightest.
Huaiyang was a land of wealth and comfort. The King of Huaiyang neglected all affairs and only cared about enjoying himself.
Only when the imperial court considers "abolishing the state and establishing a prefecture" will it strike at the heart of the Prince of Huaiyang.
You must understand that the Prince of Huaiyang only had one son, whom he cherished dearly. Having built such a large estate, he could not possibly stand by and watch the court lose the country.
Only in this way can the King of Huaiyang and the King of Yan be persuaded to join forces and raise an army.
With Xiao Xun and the imperial envoy gone, it's likely that the envoy from the Yan Kingdom will secretly arrive in Huaiyang.
Looking at all the kingdoms and vassal states in the court, only Huaiyang Kingdom is capable of allying with Yan Kingdom to resist the court and has a chance of winning.
The exact number of troops in Huaiyang Kingdom is unknown.
But the quality of an army is more important than its quantity.
During the Jiaping era, Huaiyang Kingdom mobilized its troops once, and in just over a month, it swiftly and decisively eradicated the deep-rooted problem of mountain bandits.
Although the Kingdom of Yuzhang was also wealthy.
However, the Prince of Yuzhang was old and had many descendants.
The sons were busy serving their father, hoping that when the Prince of Yuzhang died, they would be granted an extra acre of land.
They're either busy fighting amongst themselves; losing one half-brother or one legitimate brother means gaining a piece of territory.
On Xiao Xun's desk, there were reports from the Yuzhang Kingdom from time to time.
Sometimes it was the sixth, seventh, or eighth son of the Prince of Yuzhang who accused the second, third, or fourth son of adultery with his father's servant.
Sometimes it was the eleventh, twelfth, or thirteenth son of the Prince of Yuzhang who exposed the fourteenth, fifteenth, or sixteenth son for street fighting, accidentally injuring several innocent civilians.
His fourteenth, fifteenth, or sixteenth sons submitted another memorial to the court, claiming that the eleventh, twelfth, or thirteenth sons of the Prince of Yuzhang had colluded with bandits and outlaws, intending to murder their half-brother, but failed.
His seventeenth, eighteenth, and ninth sons even submitted a memorial questioning whether their twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth brothers were born of their father and were not of royal blood—although they each resembled their eldest brother, the second and third sons, especially in their eyebrows and eyes.
Even more remarkably, the twenty-first, twenty-second, thirty-third, and twenty-fourth sons of the Prince of Yuzhang, with righteous indignation, exposed that the gold presented to the court by the Prince of Yuzhang's heir was impure, short in weight, and filled with silver and tin.
Xiao Xun and the Grand Marshal and General were furious, believing that the King of Yuzhang and his son disrespected heaven and earth, their ancestors, and the court. They simply stripped the land of twelve counties in Yuzhang, including three salt mines, two iron mines, and one copper mountain.
The Prince of Yuzhang, in his palace, glared and beard bristled, angrily rebuking his twentieth to twenty-fifth sons, who collapsed to the ground, their lives cut short by five years.
Turning around, the 20th and 25th young masters jointly submitted a petition, pleading with the court to make a decision and crying out that they had been wronged.
As a result, the Chancellor, the Commandant, and the Palace Attendant of Yuzhang were also very troubled.
Every day he worked from dawn till dusk, busy in the government office analyzing the current situation.
For example, today the second young master presented the Prince of Yuzhang with a beautiful concubine, who won his favor and is showing signs of a possible comeback.
The fact that the Third Young Master will be assigned to the lucrative task of managing the river tomorrow must mean he has won the favor of the Prince of Yuzhang.
The day after tomorrow, the birth mother of the fifteenth prince heard that he had been favored for seven days and seven nights, surpassing the record of five days and five nights set by the birth mother of the twenty-first prince, showing signs of becoming the emperor's favorite.
The next day, the young concubine of the Prince of Yuzhang, who was sixteen years old, gave birth to a baby boy.
Logically speaking, there's nothing wrong with having a son.
After all, this young master had twenty-seven older brothers, twenty of whom were already over thirty.
Two of them have already died of natural causes.
However, with the late emperor's precious son as an example, that young prince was born after sixteen months, two months longer than Yao.
It is said that when it was born, the room was filled with fragrance and the sky was bathed in rosy light. Who would dare to underestimate it?
Then they remembered that five years ago, when the twenty-sixth prince was born, they heard that from his eyebrows, eyes, and hair to the lines on his palm, he was exactly the same as the Prince of Yuzhang. How strange, how strange!
This was also written in the memorial and presented to Xiao Xun's desk.
Xiao Xun laughed so hard he spat out his tea, even spitting out the words "Please grant me a name, Your Majesty" in the process.
He thought he'd probably have thinning hair and a wrinkled face. So he chose the single name "Zhou".
In the kingdom of Yuzhang, there were generals and ministers, all of whom were like this; no one had the time or inclination to reorganize the military or train the soldiers.
Therefore, despite the hot and humid climate, the abundance of mountains and forests, the vast rivers and lakes, and the large number of bandits and outlaws, no one had bothered to deal with it.
Although there were many soldiers in the country, they were all listless, just like the trees growing in the wetlands.
They toiled under the scorching sun every day, working themselves to the bone, trying every possible way to collect taxes from the mountains, rivers, ponds, and lakes, to support the many people in the royal palace who outnumbered the branches and leaves of trees in summer.
Xiao Xun rubbed his temples, and after reading Gongsun Zhao's memorial, he picked up a vermilion brush and wrote a few words. He then ordered a messenger to send the memorial urgently to the Grand Master of the Palace. After that, he got up and burned the silk scroll of the memorial over a candle.
The firelight reflected off my eyelashes.
The name "Yan State" was reduced to ashes in an instant.
"Summon the Chancellor, Grand Commandant, and Minister of Ceremonies to the White Tiger Hall for a meeting."
After a moment, I looked around and saw another unopened letter on the table.
It came from Huaiyang Kingdom.
It was delivered by two Imperial Guards officers from Cuiwei Mountain.
He left the two men behind under the pretext of protecting Lin Yuan and preventing bandits and outlaws.
He glanced at the text, and a slight smile crept onto his lips.
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Author's note: Yuzhang Kingdom, a lively and bustling family.
This chapter will briefly introduce the plot; in the next chapter, the female lead and her brother will return to Chang'an!
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