They traveled at a leisurely pace, and by the time they returned to the palace, two days had already passed.

 

Gao Xunzhi, upon hearing of their return, immediately came out to greet them. With the unique appearance of a Buddhist monk, including his conspicuous shaved head, Gao Xunzhi recognized him instantly.

 

Gao Xunzhi was exceedingly enthusiastic, bowing and expressing concern, which made Xiao Rong, watching from the side, feel a bit displeased.

 

Old man, have you already forgotten your old friends now that you see the new ones smiling?

 

….

The monk was accustomed to such warm receptions, so he thanked Gao Xunzhi politely, then went off to find a place to settle down.

 

However, as soon as he left, the joyful smile on Gao Xunzhi’s face vanished. He sighed deeply and turned to Xiao Rong, saying, “You, you! Even knowing that you’re not in good health, why must you personally take care of everything? Look at you, you’ve lost weight! Fortunately, I had the kitchen prepare your favorite red date chicken soup in advance, and the whole pot is reserved for you—no one else is allowed to touch it.”

 

Xiao Rong: “…”

…

I was wrong. You should go back to caring about the new people.

 

By now, he was almost sick of the sight of chicken soup, but despite protesting, Xiao Rong still found himself forced to drink a bowl. After finally returning to his room, Xiao Rong stretched and was just about to rest when he noticed Ah Shu, who had been following him closely, pouting.

 

Xiao Rong: “…”

 

One problem after another.

 

He hesitated for a moment, then smiled. “Ah Shu, what’s with the face? You could hang a wine jug on those lips.”

 

Ah Shu pursed his lips shyly, then finally asked, “Why didn’t you take me with you, my Lord? I could have taken care of you.”

 

Xiao Rong replied, “The trip only took a few days, and besides, it was a rushed journey. Bringing another person along would have been inconvenient.”

 

Ah Shu’s eyes immediately reddened. “Does my Lord think I’m useless?”

 

Xiao Rong: “…No.”

 

Ah Shu didn’t believe him and just hung his head in disappointment.

 

Teenagers are really difficult to deal with.

 

After a moment of silence, Xiao Rong beckoned Ah Shu over. “Ah Shu, I have an important task for you.”

 

The mention of work immediately got Ah Shu’s attention. He quickly wiped his eyes and moved closer.

 

Xiao Rong said, “In a while, I’ll report to the King and ask him to send some soldiers with you to Xinan County. You’ll bring my grandmother and Xiao Yi to Chenliu and make sure they’re settled in properly. You’re careful and capable, so I’m sure you can arrange everything well.”

 

Xiao Rong thought Ah Shu would be thrilled by this, and indeed, Ah Shu’s eyes brightened momentarily. However, just as quickly, the light faded, and he frowned, asking, “If I go to fetch the Old Madam and Young Master, who will take care of you?”

 

Xiao Rong hadn’t expected this to be Ah Shu’s main concern and couldn’t help but laugh. “In the palace, I’m hardly lacking for people to take care of me. Besides, I don’t really need anyone’s help. I understand what you mean—you’re worried I’ll get sick again and no one will notice. Don’t worry, I’ll have a guard stay with me.”

 

Though still somewhat uneasy, Ah Shu nodded slightly. Ever since Xiao Rong was kidnapped by Li Xiuheng, palace security had been tightened, and Chancellor Gao was very attentive to Xiao Rong’s well-being. Ah Shu believed they wouldn’t let anything happen to him.

 

Ah Shu then asked, “When will you depart, my Lord?”

 

Xiao Rong thought for a moment. “Soon. In as little as ten days, or as much as twenty. I’ll definitely leave with the King and the others. Since we’ll be carrying supplies, the journey won’t be quick, so you don’t need to rush.”

 

Ah Shu took note of this and was about to start packing, but Xiao Rong stopped him. “Wait, there’s one more thing I need you to do.”

 

Ah Shu turned back, looking at him in confusion.

 

…

After arranging things with Ah Shu, Xiao Rong lay down and slept for a while. When he woke up, he drank a cup of hot tea, then put on an outer robe and went outside.

 

The world in April was in full bloom, and although the peach blossoms were fading, the weather was still warm. Even the occasional breeze carried warmth, and people who had endured the cold winter were eager to stand in the sunlight and enjoy the rare warmth. Yet for Xiao Rong, this weather was just barely comfortable.

 

Recently, Xiao Rong had been spending a lot of time around Qu Yunmie. Everyone who needed to recognize him now did, and he could come and go without being questioned—unless the King was in a meeting. Otherwise, he could enter whenever he pleased.

 

As he passed the impassive guards, Xiao Rong thought that when they got to Chenliu, they would have to change this rule. How could those who sought to conquer the Central Plains live in such a makeshift setup?

 

As soon as Xiao Rong entered, he heard Qu Yunmie’s slightly angry voice—he was scolding someone.

 

Xiao Rong paused, listening for a moment, and realized that Qu Yunmie was reprimanding Jian Qiao about a leak of information.

 

“Why is it that every major or minor event in the army spreads across the land so quickly? Are you a general or a messenger? No, even a messenger can’t compete with you! Now the warning Xiao Rong gave has already reached Shanshan!”

 

Jian Qiao felt wronged. “My King, it wasn’t me—”

 

Qu Yunmie interrupted, “If not you, then who? Didn’t Xiao Rong hand the letter directly to you?”

 

Jian Qiao: “…”

 

“He did, but I didn’t say anything! I only told Chancellor Gao, General Yuan, General Gongsun, General Wang… um… and my wife and her brother. They’re all trustworthy, they wouldn’t spread the news!”

 

Qu Yunmie looked at Jian Qiao’s wide-eyed, eager-to-prove-his-innocence expression and suddenly doubted himself.

 

With this intelligence, why had he made him the Right Army Commander?

 

Xiao Rong also felt a bit exasperated. The first few people Jian Qiao mentioned were reliable colleagues, but the last two….

 

Actually, Xiao Rong understood. In Jian Qiao’s mind, military intelligence was top secret, something he would never leak. Xiao Rong’s mysterious abilities weren’t a secret—he had openly flaunted them in Pingyang City. Telling others didn’t seem like a big deal to him.

 

Xiao Rong had a similar thought. He didn’t mind if others knew about his matters, but he was bothered that people were already spreading the news before he had a chance to express his own stance.

 

At the root of it, it was because his status wasn’t high enough, so those beneath him didn’t know or didn’t take him seriously.

 

Thinking this way, Xiao Rong decided not to intervene. He listened as Qu Yunmie scolded Jian Qiao with one sentence after another, making the dignified general feel utterly humiliated. Jian Qiao might not fully understand the seriousness of unintentionally leaking information, but he definitely understood how angry Qu Yunmie was.

 

When Jian Qiao was about to leave, Xiao Rong quickly found a place to hide. Being someone who valued face, he knew all too well how to protect others’ dignity.

 

…

After Jian Qiao walked away, Xiao Rong slowly walked inside. Qu Yunmie, who had his back turned to him, tensed up at first, then relaxed.

 

He tensed because someone had entered, but relaxed because he recognized the footsteps as Xiao Rong’s.

 

Qu Yunmie turned around. After speaking too much while scolding Jian Qiao, he now felt too lazy to talk, so he just looked at Xiao Rong in silence.

 

Xiao Rong really felt that Qu Yunmie was easy to understand. He didn’t need to speak, and Xiao Rong could tell what he meant just by looking at his face.

 

Xiao Rong chuckled and said, “This matter may not necessarily have been leaked by General Jian. Apart from General Jian’s wife and brother-in-law, the others are all trusted by Your Majesty, and those two didn’t have the opportunity to come into contact with people from Shanshan. In my opinion, this can’t be blamed on him.”

 

Qu Yunmie frowned and said, “Madam Zhang might not have had contact, but Zhang Biezhi might have.”

 

Xiao Rong was puzzled. “Zhang Biezhi?”

 

Qu Yunmie noticed the strange tone in which he said the name and nodded. “Yes, do you know him?”

 

Xiao Rong quickly waved his hands. “No, no, I’ve never met him.”

 

He did remember the name however. In the list of people who betrayed Qu Yunmie, Zhang Biezhi ranked among the top. Although this man had some talent in military tactics and had a brief period of glory later, he was like a low-budget version of Qu Yunmie. Since the real Qu Yunmie was eventually defeated, this lesser version naturally didn’t have a good end either

Xiao Rong was shocked that this person was actually Jian Qiao’s brother-in-law. Historically, Zhang Biezhi died due to internal strife, and Jian Qiao had no connection with him from beginning to end. Who would have thought that the two were actually relatives?

Xiao Rong paused and asked curiously, “May I ask, Your Majesty, what position does Zhang Biezhi currently hold?”

Qu Yunmie looked at him even more strangely. He didn’t know him but he asked so much?

Still, he answered. “He’s serving as a deputy general under Jian Qiao.”

Xiao Rong murmured an “Oh” and decided to keep an eye on the man, though he didn’t intend to pay too much attention to him. After all, this position could be significant or insignificant, depending on whether his superior trusted him. Even if Jian Qiao trusted him, Zhang Biezhi couldn’t command enough loyalty to split the Northern Army.

Shifting his focus away from Zhang Biezhi, Xiao Rong brought up the issue of the leaked information again. “Your Majesty shouldn’t just reprimand General Jian. You should issue a military order so that everyone in the army understands the consequences. If someone repeats this mistake, they should be severely punished to set an example.”

Qu Yunmie thought about it and agreed. Although he believed Jian Qiao was the main culprit, those who spread the information couldn’t be let off either.

Then he suddenly turned to Xiao Rong and asked, “Did you come to see me just for this matter?”

Xiao Rong smiled. “Not at all. I came here to ask for a favor from Your Majesty.”

Qu Yunmie was intrigued. “What favor?”

Xiao Rong said, “Your Majesty might not know, but my grandmother is elderly and has dementia. My younger brother is taking care of her alone at home. He can manage their daily life, but traveling would be difficult. I’d like to have Ah Shu go back and bring them to Chenliu, but I fear they might encounter bandits on the way, so—”

Before Xiao Rong could finish, Qu Yunmie interrupted, “I understand. I’ll have Jian Qiao take some men to bring them here.”

Xiao Rong: “…”

You’re sending a general to escort an old lady?!

Xiao Rong waved his hand in surprise and said, “No, no! How could we trouble General Jian with such a grand gesture? This is not in accordance with the rules!”

Qu Yunmie didn’t understand. After all, it was Jian Qiao who had brought Xiao Rong here in the first place. This was Xiao Rong’s grandmother, a person Xiao Rong himself had to show great respect to, so why couldn’t Jian Qiao fetch her?

Regardless, after seeing Xiao Rong’s strong reluctance, Qu Yunmie paused and then changed his mind, saying, “Alright, let Zhang Biezhi go.”

Xiao Rong: “…”

I’m afraid he might sell the old lady halfway there.

In the end, Zhang Biezhi was still chosen because Qu Yunmie had run out of patience. He had some respect for Jian Qiao and was willing to spare him some trouble, but Zhang Biezhi didn’t get that luxury.

Xiao Rong just felt uneasy in his heart. He actually knew that as long as nothing happened, Zhang Biezhi wouldn’t betray them, especially since he had no personal grudge against Xiao Rong. There was no way he would harm Xiao Rong’s grandmother.

The next day, Zhang Biezhi, having no idea how he got assigned this task by the King, set off with twenty light cavalrymen and a servant named A Shu, all of them looking bewildered.

…

Through this event, Xiao Rong realized another problem: Qu Yunmie was too unconcerned with formalities. He didn’t care about his own, nor did he care about those of his subordinates.

Earlier, he had acted unreasonably toward Yuan Baifu, and now he was using Jian Qiao as a guard. Xiao Rong didn’t see Gongsun Yuan and Wang Xinyong often, so he didn’t know how Qu Yunmie treated them, but he guessed it wasn’t much different. Qu Yunmie lacked the airs of a general or a prince. If he could personally chase enemies for miles, he thought others could also personally handle such tasks.

Little did he know, not everyone retained their original intentions. Some people worked hard to climb up just to enjoy the privileges of the upper class.

Xiao Rong watched with increasing anxiety, fearing that if things continued like this, even those without rebellious thoughts would be forced to rebel.

However, this kind of suggestion about Qu Yunmie’s personality couldn’t be easily brought up, otherwise, it might backfire.

Xiao Rong shook his head and turned to the council hall.

The Buddhist monk had arrived, and the vanguard for the relocation was about to set off. Gao Xunzhi had gathered everyone to discuss some internal matters.

By the time Xiao Rong arrived, most people were already there. Even the monk had somehow secured a seat and was smiling while talking with the advisors.

Xiao Rong: “…”

As usual, he sat down next to Gao Xunzhi. When the monk saw him, he even bowed slightly.

Xiao Rong naturally returned the greeting with a bow, as it’s hard to be rude to someone with a smiling face. Seeing that almost everyone had arrived, Gao Xunzhi started to bring up today’s pressing issues.

In summary, there were three main problems: not enough money, not enough people, and not enough land.

With plans to move the capital, everyone was naturally full of ambition. However, even ambition requires material resources. When they were making plans, everyone was excited, but when Gao Xunzhi did the math later, they realized they had been overly optimistic.

The Northern Defending Army’s assets were almost entirely made up of spoils from victorious battles, which mostly came from the Huns people occupying the north of the Han River and from small, lawless forces that were no better than bandits. Unfortunately, the Huns people were poor, and the small forces were also poor, which left the Northern Defending Army with very little.

The food supplies were absolutely untouchable; they were reserved for the upcoming battle against the Xianbei. Gold and jewels could be converted to cash, but it would be like a drop in the bucket—probably spent within a month of reaching Chenliu. As for taxation, that was a good idea but difficult to implement. The vast area north of the Han River had few wealthy cities, and those cities were managed by their own governors or inspectors who had submitted to the King of the North but were unwilling to pay taxes or tribute.

If taxes were forcibly collected, the governors wouldn’t be harmed, only the common people would suffer.

The advisory group actually leaned toward forced taxation. After all, the King’s reputation was so strong that these governors, fearing for their lives, would not dare to confront him.

Before Xiao Rong could say anything, Yu Shaoxie angrily spoke up, “These governors are incompetent and just occupying their positions. We should replace them with our own people instead of leaving them to continue exploiting the people!”

Someone responded, “That’s easy to say, but even if we replace them, it’s just changing the soup, not the medicine. Moreover, distant water cannot quench a nearby fire. By the time a new governor takes office, the governor’s mansion will be an empty shell, and in the end, we’ll still have to tax the people.”

Gao Xunzhi expressed concern. “Raising taxes during this critical period might lead to a revolt.”

Xiao Rong also agreed, “With the capital relocation underway, our foundation isn’t yet stable. If we make such a big move, it could indeed bring unnecessary trouble.”

Mijing, who had been watching them, suddenly asked, “What does the King think?”

Gao Xunzhi was taken aback. He hadn’t expected Mijing to join their meeting; he thought Mijing had been invited back to build a Buddhist temple. Yet it seemed Mijing rather liked staying in the palace.

“Uh, the King doesn’t like dealing with these trivial matters. He usually leaves them to the scholars to handle.”

The more Gao Xunzhi spoke, the more uneasy he felt. At least now, with Xiao Rong and Yu Shaoxie, there were reliable advisors. A year ago, there wasn’t a single trustworthy person in the council hall, which made Qu Yunmie seem even less like a wise ruler.

Even so, Mijing’s expression changed slightly. Xiao Rong, sitting across from him, quickly said, “Chancellor, such important matters still need the King’s decision. Next time, please invite the King as well.”

Gao Xunzhi: “…”

If I invite him does that mean he’ll come?

However, in front of everyone, he still agreed.

To divert everyone’s attention, Xiao Rong quickly said, “Brother Yu is right. After the Yong Dynasty moved south, the officials north of the Han River were of mixed quality. Most were supported by noble families or were once leaders of forces that won victories. Now that the situation has stabilized, they’ve taken off their armor and put on long robes, pretending that they’ve always owned this land. These governors do need to be replaced, but not now.”

Yu Shaoxie frowned and asked, “Then what about the taxation?”

Xiao Rong blinked and asked Gao Xunzhi, “Chancellor, are we short on food or money?”

Gao Xunzhi replied, “Both.”

Xiao Rong: “…”

Gao Xunzhi added, “But we’re more short on money.”

They weren’t actually that desperate, but the King was determined to fight the Xianbei. To ensure victory, others had to tighten their belts.

Xiao Rong had guards collect vermiculite, made activated carbon himself, and then asked blacksmiths to make a bunch of iron powder, eventually producing a crude version of a warming pad. With these, they didn’t have to rush into battle against the Xianbei. Even if it was delayed a bit, knowing Qu Yunmie’s temperament, it couldn’t be delayed until the next year.

Whether it was coal balls or other salable novelties, they couldn’t make a profit quickly enough. Even if they had a few more months, they wouldn’t make enough to support an army.

Realizing this, everyone fell silent.

Seeing their serious expressions, Xiao Rong suddenly asked, “If we could get someone else to pay for our campaign against the Xianbei, our finances wouldn’t be so tight, would they?”

Everyone: “…”

Of course not.

Yet who would be so foolish, so wealthy, and so willing to make such a losing deal?

Xiao Rong smiled at their puzzled faces but didn’t explain much.

He thought that since the Northern Defending Army was still on good terms with Southern Yong for now, after the capital relocation, he would find an opportunity to ally with Southern Yong. Fighting the Xianbei was the responsibility of all Central Plains people. Why should the Northern Defending Army bear all the costs and manpower? Other forces should contribute as well!

Xiao Rong had a good plan, but he had no idea that Southern Yong’s attitude toward them had already changed.

When the news of the King of the North’s planned capital relocation first reached Southern Yong, the entire imperial palace was in panic for a day. They eventually calmed down and sent many spies to gather information, but the more they learned, the more desperate they became. The relocation was real, and the people of Yanmen County had already started packing their belongings.

 

…

 

In the palace, Sun Renluan, who was over forty years old, had just persuaded the frightened young emperor to leave when the eunuch outside informed him that Chancellor Yang had arrived.

Chancellor Yang Zangyi was nearly sixty years old this year. He was the head of the Yang family, which used to be a first-class noble family before the He family took the throne. After the He family ascended to power, the Yang family was demoted to second-class, while the Sun family rose to first-class status due to their contributions in helping the new Emperor ascend and having produced two empresses.

The stubbornness and strength of these noble families were unimaginable to ordinary people, but the founding Emperor of the He family was extraordinarily strong-willed. He was truly formidable, achieving things that no previous emperor had accomplished. The reason why the people considered the Yong dynasty, which had only existed for sixty-five years, as the absolute legitimate rule was because this Emperor was so powerful that he became the only wise ruler in their hearts.

However, this same wise ruler started acting erratically in his old age, nearly ruining the once well-functioning court. The empire he had established almost slipped through his fingers, and after his death, the Yong Dynasty never saw another peaceful year.

Yang Zangyi and Sun Renluan were representatives of the old and new noble families, respectively. Their different backgrounds, statuses, and ideals naturally made them rivals. However, when external threats appeared, they set aside their differences and had a serious discussion.

Both of them had met the King of the North before and knew he wasn’t someone with deep schemes. However, his sudden decision to relocate the capital caught them off guard. While the exact purpose of the relocation was unclear, what concerned them more was how the King of the North suddenly seemed to have become more clever.

The Governor of Jinning was foolish and didn’t understand how to read people’s expressions, but he had gained a bit of a reputation. Sun Renluan suppressed him and secretly sent people to persuade him to defect to the King of the North. Sure enough, as soon as the man arrived, he lost his life after offending the King of the North.

When this news reached Southern Yong, nearly all the scholars denounced the King of the North, making it unlikely that any more scholars would choose to defect to him.

As for Xiao Rong, his reputation was still spreading in the North and had yet to reach the South.

Although Yang and Sun couldn’t figure out the King’s motives, they weren’t as panicked as others. After all, the Xianbei threat still loomed, and as long as the Xianbei remained, Southern Yong would still be safe.

So, while they didn’t plan to take extreme measures, they couldn’t afford to do nothing either. In the end, Yang Zangyi suggested increasing vigilance along the Han River and sending a portion of the troops there, with a clever person in charge to report any developments.

Sun Renluan agreed and issued the orders.

In the Jinling military camp, a young general with a fresh, clean appearance was sitting in his quarters reading a letter. Someone lifted the curtain at the door, and his superior entered to inform him, “Yu Shaocheng, the Grand Marshal has ordered you to lead six thousand troops to guard Huaiyin. The orders have been issued, you are to depart immediately.”

Yu Shaocheng looked up, blinked at his superior, and then smiled happily. “Yes, thank you for the Grand Marshal and the General’s trust!”

His superior was also quite pleased with him. Despite coming from a noble family, this young man had a genuinely good character, unlike other aristocratic sons who were often arrogant. Now, he had finally made a name for himself, having caught the attention of the Imperial Uncle. His future looked promising.

After his superior left, Yu Shaocheng put the letter away and immediately began packing his things.

Six thousand soldiers, how great! With this gift, the King of the North surely wouldn’t mind that he had previously served as a general for Southern Yong.

Hehe, off we go!

 

Edited by: Antiope

 

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