When Xiao Rong returned to his residence, Gao Xunzhi and Yu Shaoxie were still waiting there.

Xiao Rong couldn’t help but ask them: “Don’t you two have any official duties to take care of?”

 

They replied in unison: “We already handled them this morning.”

 

Xiao Rong was speechless.

 

Oh right, he had slept through the morning.

 

Feeling a bit guilty, Xiao Rong sat down, calmly picking at the bayberries on the plate with his fingers.

 

By May, seasonal fruits had already started to appear. Vendors selling them could be heard in every corner, but since the fruit industry wasn’t developed yet, most fruits were grown by aristocratic families on their own estates. The common people ate what farmers picked early in the morning from the mountains—fresh, with a sweet taste.

 

Of course: “sweet” was a more polite way to put it. For Xiao Rong, who was used to the overly sweet fruits from greenhouses, the fruits of this time didn’t have much flavor.

 

Still, it was better to have something than nothing. When he was in Yanmen County, even if he craved fruit, he couldn’t get any. Now, the food on the table was already considered quite abundant.

 

The fruits were either too sour or lacked flavor, and those that were slightly sweet were rare and hard to come by. In these times, grain was the real lifeline. Even though Xiao Rong wanted to develop fruit farming, it wasn’t the right time.

 

Xiao Rong’s action of playing with his food was a bit improper for a scholar, but Gao Xunzhi, having lived so long, didn’t mind, and while Yu Shaoxie glanced at Xiao Rong’s hand, he quickly excused it in his mind. Xiao Rong was an extraordinary man, after all, such geniuses couldn’t be judged by ordinary standards.

 

…

 

Gao Xunzhi then asked Xiao Rong how things had gone, particularly about his meeting with Huang Yanjiong. Xiao Rong gave a concise summary, and he noticed Gao Xunzhi’s eyes began to glaze over.

 

Xiao Rong asked: “What’s wrong?”

 

In his mind, Gao Xunzhi should’ve shown some confusion, but this reaction was unexpected. 

 

Yu Shaoxie, also feeling conflicted, saw that Xiao Rong was starting to suspect something. Nervously, he jumped in: “Xiao Rong, are you planning to use a chain strategy?”

 

Gao Xunzhi snapped out of it, realizing his lapse in composure and lowering his head slightly to hide it.

 

Xiao Rong gave Gao Xunzhi a strange look before replying: “The goal is to lure Huang Yanjiong into a military move, an added benefit to wear down his forces and remove him from Ningzhou for a while. No place is truly impenetrable. Since he recently took control of Ningzhou, as soon as he leaves, problems will arise in his rear, big or small. That disorder will benefit us.”

 

“As for my real purpose in meeting him, it’s to obtain a significant favor from the Huang family. With it, we will have leverage when meeting Sun Renluan and the Emperor, allowing us to speak with confidence. Chancellor, the Xianbei aren’t just the enemy of all Central Plains people, they are a buffer between us and the Southern Yong dynasty. Once the Xianbei are gone, peace between the North and South will collapse, and war will be inevitable.”

 

“I know the King isn’t afraid of war, but Southern Yong is seen as the legitimate ruler. Fighting them will label us as rebels, and this will turn the common people, scholars, nobles, and clans against the Northern Army. If we can avoid this conflict, we should.”

 

Gao Xunzhi was silent, but Yu Shaoxie, intrigued, asked what the significance of the Huang family’s favor was.

 

Xiao Rong smiled: “To make the Huang family appear in the sights of the Imperial Uncle and the Emperor, replacing the Xianbei as the next buffer between the North and South. Although the Huang family has been of service to the King, Huang Yanjiong is incompatible with him, and this is something Sun Renluan is aware of. The situation in Southern Yong is not much better than ours, with countless enemies behind them. Keep in mind, Huang Yanjiong’s territory is Southern Yong’s land. Compared to the King, who is far away on the other side of the Han River, Huang Yanjiong poses a more immediate threat to the Southern Yong court.”

 

Yu Shaoxie nodded in realization: “And because of Huang Yanjiong’s special status, the King won’t help him, so the Southern Yong court can rest easy for a while.”

 

Xiao Rong snapped his fingers and smiled: “Exactly! I know if the King wants to achieve great things, he’ll inevitably clash with the Southern Yong court. But how we do this makes a difference. The court can be an enemy, but the Emperor cannot. At this point, we’ll use other forces to make sure Southern Yong doesn’t see us as a thorn in their side. And when the Southern Yong court is embroiled in conflicts, whether internal or external, tensions will run high. When people become jittery, they make many mistakes, and when they make mistakes, that’s when our opportunity arises.”

 

Yu Shaoxie blinked and asked Xiao Rong: “Are you suggesting we act like a bystander waiting for the right moment, and when the time is ripe, we step in as protectors of the Emperor?”

 

Xiao Rong nodded in affirmation.

 

Yu Shaoxie couldn’t help but laugh. Though he had abandoned the Southern Yong court the moment he chose to join the Northern Army, abandoning the court didn’t mean abandoning the royal family. Deep down, Yu Shaoxie still hoped that the He family could rise again and stabilize the precarious situation. If that were to happen, he would be overjoyed to return to Southern Yong, or perhaps even to the Changan he missed dearly.

 

Most scholars shared Yu Shaoxie’s thoughts. They believed the world was full of treacherous ministers and villains, and it was this group of people who had caused such chaos in the court. Their anger was always directed at the ministers, never at the one sitting on the throne.

 

Of course, the young Emperor was indeed innocent. He was too young and had done nothing. However, these thoughts weren’t formed just in recent years. Even when the foolish Emperor Guangjia was still alive, they thought the same way.

 

If people want to find an excuse, they can find any excuse. No matter how terrible someone is, they can easily be forgiven. For example, they could argue that Emperor Guangjia wasn’t born of the Empress but of a concubine who died early, and the people who raised him didn’t teach him properly. Or they could say the nation was too unstable, and if it weren’t for the deceitful ministers who corrupted the court, how could Emperor Guangjia be so unaware of the people’s suffering?

 

In short, all the faults belonged to others, and the Emperor bore no blame.

 

This is the brainwashing effect of imperial power on people.

 

Xiao Rong understood this but didn’t blame them. The era was like this, and the education they received shaped their worldview as they grew up. Their views became fixed, and Xiao Rong didn’t have the time or energy to correct each one. Besides, correcting them might not be a good thing. Ideas that are too advanced could bring about a destructive blow to an era.

 

Thus, to accommodate their thinking and to make things easier, protecting the young Emperor and treating the former royal family kindly was necessary. Xiao Rong had the Northern Army raise the banner of supporting the legitimate ruler, something they had never done before, all in preparation for this step.

 

But he seemed to realize that Gao Xunzhi might not fully accept this.

 

Yu Shaoxie, excited, asked Xiao Rong several more questions. He was inspired and even wanted to write an article to influence public opinion. Naturally, Xiao Rong smiled and encouraged him. Yu Shaoxie left in high spirits, while Gao Xunzhi remained seated.

 

In the end, Yu Shaoxie was still a young scholar, and his stance wasn’t firm, especially since he came from Southern Yong. But Gao Xunzhi was different. When he joined the Northern Army, Southern Yong didn’t even exist as a concept. Qu Yunmie hated both the Xianbei and the court because of his past experiences, and no matter what Qu Yunmie went through, Gao Xunzhi went through it all with him—and even more deeply. After all, Qu Yunmie was just a child at the time and didn’t understand many things, but Gao Xunzhi was already an adult. He had experienced every emotion fully and painfully.

 

Xiao Rong sat quietly, not speaking, and neither did Gao Xunzhi.

 

But Gao Xunzhi wasn’t blaming him; he was just thinking about how to phrase things so Xiao Rong wouldn’t feel discouraged.

 

Gao Xunzhi was truly a kind elder. Even someone as rebellious as Yu Shaoxie behaved respectfully in front of him. Before Xiao Rong appeared, Gao Xunzhi was the only one who could persuade Qu Yunmie with a few words.

 

For some reason, Xiao Rong suddenly felt a bit guilty. Although he didn’t care about many things, that didn’t mean he didn’t know what was happening. In fact, he knew that by making decisions for the entire Northern Army without consulting the old veterans, some would be displeased. He knew, but he still acted willfully and ignored them because they were few in number.

 

Gao Xunzhi always considered Xiao Rong’s feelings, but Xiao Rong rarely thought about his. In general, Xiao Rong didn’t care about such things because he had always been that way. He didn’t just ignore Gao Xunzhi, he ignored everyone.

 

But only Gao Xunzhi could make him feel guilty. After all, Xiao Rong wasn’t heartless, and he knew Gao Xunzhi’s kindness toward him.

 

So, one of them felt guilty while the other pondered how to speak. Finally, the silence was broken.

 

Gao Xunzhi said: “Rong, about supporting the Emperor…”

 

Before he could finish, Xiao Rong couldn’t hold back anymore. He took a deep breath and said loudly: “We’ll support the Emperor only when they’re fighting to the death! If Sun Renluan can use the Emperor to control the lords, the King can too! At that point, we’ll hide the young Emperor and, after shattering the court, find a way to force or persuade him to write an edict of abdication! Everything I’m doing is for the King and the Northern Army. I’m not doing it for that brat from the He family!”

 

Gao Xunzhi was speechless.

 

He stared blankly at Xiao Rong, who, now that he had said everything in one breath, felt much lighter. Xiao Rong pressed his lips together, but his gaze remained defiant as he stared back at Gao Xunzhi.

 

Gao Xunzhi was silent.

 

He could see that no matter what the situation, Xiao Rong would never admit defeat. Even when he lacked confidence, he would act as if he had plenty and never back down.

 

In fact, Xiao Rong’s personality worried Gao Xunzhi. After all, the King was quite similar. But as the saying goes: “salt water can firm up tofu,” meaning every strong person has someone stronger who can humble them. Two stubborn people fighting would result in one losing, and the more stubborn one would win.

 

…

 

Gao Xunzhi couldn’t help but laugh heartily several times: “I have no intention of doubting Rong’s heart. I can see your intentions very clearly.”

 

Xiao Rong remained silent.

 

Gao Xunzhi didn’t finish his sentence. He told Xiao Rong to rest well and then left on his own.

As he walked back, Gao Xunzhi sighed with his hands behind his back.

 

…

 

The Court, the Emperor.

 

His father was a rebel. As his father’s son, Gao Xunzhi was naturally not as loyal to the He family as others were. Later, after drifting around and enduring endless hardships, he finally found a place where he could settle.

 

A disaster struck twenty-three years ago, and then another one ten years ago. His memories were filled with red, and these nightmares were ones they walked out of on their own two feet. The court never helped them, not even a little, and as for the so-called Emperor, he couldn’t even hear their cries.

 

And even if he could, what use would it be? Could a group of lowly commoners like them ever catch the attention of the one who held supreme power?

 

That’s why he really didn’t want the Northern Army to have anything to do with supporting the court. The very thought of such a scenario made him sick.

 

But he also knew that Xiao Rong had his reasons for doing so. Xiao Rong had told Qu Yunmie not to be the Grand General anymore but to truly take up the responsibilities of the King of North. Qu Yunmie agreed, and when Gao Xunzhi heard this, he was very relieved, thinking the boy he had watched grow up had finally matured. Yet, it wasn’t until now that he realized that he, an old man with one foot in the grave, had made the same mistake.

 

He was the Chancellor of North, the Chancellor managing an entire state. So why was his focus still on the Northern Army? The blood and tears of the past belonged to the people of the past. What had the common people done wrong? What wrong had the newly joined soldiers done? Why should they be dragged into endless warfare, losing their lives because of his short-sightedness?

 

So, Xiao Rong was right. This battle should be avoided if it can be, reducing casualties and saving the King from carrying too much infamy. Compared to these, his own discomfort was insignificant.

 

Gao Xunzhi sighed deeply. No wonder Xiao Rong never called him “Mr. Gao” and always addressed him as “Chancellor Gao.” It was a reminder to him. Unfortunately, it took him all these time to realize Xiao Rong’s intentions.

 

Xiao Rong: “…You’re overthinking things.”

 

On the other side, after returning to his residence, Huang Yanjiong closed the door and discussed things with Zhou Liang for nearly two hours. By the time they were done, the afternoon sun had already hidden behind the clouds. He came out with Zhou Liang, chatting and laughing. When he saw the Northern Army standing not far away, he ignored them, wearing a mask of inscrutable calm, making it impossible for anyone to figure out what he was planning.

 

When he arrived, he was in a hurry, but now he was in no rush to leave. He took Zhou Liang on a stroll around Chenliu City, and when Xiao Rong received the news, he didn’t send anyone to stop them, letting them do as they pleased.

 

After all, there was nothing in the city, so strolling around was a waste of time.

 

Xiao Rong thought things through, but he had so much on his mind these days. With Ah Shu busy taking care of the old lady, no one was around to remind him of all the little details, leading him to forget about the volunteers outside.

 

….

 

The soldiers sent out thought: “After being in the army for a long time, you really encounter all kinds of jobs.”

 

Look at this — what is this even? They were soldiers, so why were they doing hard labor for people for free? And on top of that, the people didn’t even appreciate them. The moment they showed up, everyone scattered in fear as if they were a disaster or wild beasts.

 

Yesterday was the first day, and it was even more exaggerated then. One squad found a few homes far from the river and planned to dig a well for one household. But as soon as they went in with their shovels, the elderly head of the household charged at them with an axe, yelling wildly, as if ready to die together with them.

 

This left the well-digging soldiers feeling frustrated. Unfortunately, these soldiers were all selected for being mild-mannered, unlike their hot-tempered colleagues who might have drawn their blades at the slightest provocation. All they did was snatch the axe from the old man, look displeased, and continue digging the well.

 

When they finished and left, they even threw the axe back. The family of six stood together, all stunned. At first, they huddled tightly with no gaps between them, but as their shock grew, they instinctively spread out.

 

After a long pause, the son asked the old man: “Father, were they really just here to dig a well?”

 

The old man: “…”

 

The daughter-in-law added: “Father, they didn’t even drink any of our water. It doesn’t seem like they came to rob us.”

 

The old man: “…”

 

His wife also asked: “Are there really soldiers like this in the world? Husband, you rushed out without thinking — did we offend them?”

 

The old man: “…”

 

The young child was too small to understand what had happened, sucking on her finger in silence. But the child’s aunt suddenly spoke: “Father, that soldier who took your axe, wasn’t he really handsome?”

 

The old man: “…………”

 

Finally, he exploded in anger: “What are you all babbling about?! If you hadn’t screamed that the soldiers were here to steal grain and tear down our house, would I have come out?! Go, go, go! Get back inside and close the gate!”

 

After venting his anger, he stomped back toward the house, but after a few steps, he hesitated. After some inner struggle, he angrily called back to his wife: “Bring me a bucket!”

 

“And a rope too!”

 

His wife kindly suggested: “Since our eldest is home, why not have him go up the mountain to cut some wood? We can make a pulley system to make drawing water easier.”

 

The old man furiously turned to his son: “Why aren’t you going yet?!”

 

Son: “…………”

 

Similar dramas played out in several other places. Although people realized the soldiers of the Northern Army were doing good deeds, their fear wasn’t so easy to erase. They still feared the soldiers and worried it might all be a trap, that the Northern Army would show their true colors in a few days.

 

When Huang Yanjiong came out for a stroll, he was initially baffled by the soldiers repairing houses, but when he saw the homeowners tearfully kneeling, begging the soldiers to spare them, he burst out laughing.

 

He turned to Zhou Liang and said: “I don’t know who came up with such a ridiculous idea. They think doing a few small tasks will earn the people’s love. But it’s all in vain, and it’s sure to dishearten the soldiers.”

 

Repairing houses, digging wells, fixing bridges — what kind of work was that? It was the work of servants or laborers. Soldiers followed their generals to war to feast and drink, not to degrade themselves like this.

 

Huang Yanjiong scoffed at such trivial favors. Zhou Liang glanced at him but held back from rolling his eyes.

 

If Huang Yanjiong had been responsible for this, it might indeed have disheartened the soldiers. After all, he only commanded about 60,000 troops, and pulling out 5,000 to 6,000 for such work could easily affect morale.

 

But Qu Yunmie wasn’t like him — he commanded hundreds of thousands of soldiers! In total, there were over 400,000 troops north of the Han River, and he was still openly recruiting, which was much better than Huang Yanjiong’s secretive efforts.

 

So, they could easily pull out troops to win the goodwill of the city’s people.

 

In one or two days, the people might not believe it, but what about ten days, a month, or even two months?

 

No one had ever done this before, which made the Northern Army’s efforts even more precious.

 

This was surely Xiao Rong’s idea. The King of North only had a few close advisors, and if someone else had thought of this, it would have been implemented back at Yanmen Pass.

 

It was a brilliant tactic for winning hearts and minds — no need to distribute porridge or waive taxes. Simply sending idle soldiers to do some work won over the people, spread the Northern Army’s reputation, and strengthened the King of North’s position.

 

Damn, if only Huang Yanjiong had thought of it first! If he tried it now, it would look like a poor imitation. Maybe the common people would still appreciate it, but the intellectuals wouldn’t be as forgiving.

 

The more Zhou Liang thought about it, the angrier and more anxious he became. He couldn’t stand someone outshining him, and now he was eager to leave Chenliu City and find a lord a hundred times better than Qu Yunmie.

 

At least that part was easy. Zhou Liang always believed that even a simple village head knew better how to govern than Qu Yunmie.

 

…

 

Originally, Zhou Liang planned to leave in a few days, but thinking it over, there wasn’t much point in waiting. So, he turned and bowed to Huang Yanjiong, saying he wanted to visit the local archives to gather some information.

 

Huang Yanjiong assumed he was going to scout for him, so he let him go but remained cautious, sending two of his subordinates to follow Zhou Liang.

 

Huang Yanjiong didn’t think Zhou Liang would defect, but he did worry that Zhou might sell him out to Qu Yunmie.

 

Not long after parting ways with Huang Yanjiong, Zhou Liang used a knockout drug on the two men following him.

 

Being a vengeful person himself, Zhou Liang understood just how dangerous grudges could be, so when he acted, he did it decisively. The two men didn’t even open their eyes before losing their lives. Zhou stripped one of their clothes and hurriedly fled the scene.

 

Xiao Rong hadn’t yet decided whether to make a move, nor had he expected Zhou Liang to flee so quickly. At that moment, Xiao Rong was sitting in a lakeside pavilion, meeting with Huang Keji, whom he had summoned.

 

Without wasting any time, he bluntly said to Huang Keji: “Your uncle wants you dead. You must have known that by now, right?”

 

 

Edited by: Antiope

 

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