No one answered Yu Shaoxie, and the entire room fell silent.

His attempt failed from the start. In the end, Gao Xunzhi left just as quickly as he arrived.

After stepping out, he covered half his face. A man in his fifties, reduced to acting as a matchmaker, and was still unsuccessful. Ah, how utterly shameful! He has truly disgraced himself!

……

By comparison, Xiao Rong remained far more composed. From the day he realized Qu Yunmie’s feelings toward him, Xiao Rong understood that he couldn’t possibly be the only one who knew. Qu Yunmie’s mind was like a straight road with no turns at all. Xiao Rong only hoped few people would notice it, so he would not become even more emotionally unsettled.

In truth, Gao Xunzhi’s suggestion wasn’t unreasonable. In the past, Xiao Rong often dragged Qu Yunmie around the main city. Although those outings always had a purpose, in a sense, they could still be considered traveling together.

It should have been something that naturally fell into place, something mutually understood without being spoken. Now that Yu Shaoxie had exposed a hint of it, everything became awkward.

……

Yu Shaoxie himself did not realize what he had done. He merely noticed something suspicious. With his way of thinking, even if he sensed something was off, he wouldn’t dare guess in that direction.

Xiao Rong kept a calm expression. He poured Yu Shaoxie a cup of tea and said, “His Highness urgently summoned me because there has been unrest in Southern Yong recently. Someone has been stirring up trouble among the common people. If handled improperly, it may even affect the peace north of the Han River. I have already sent many people to patrol the city, but at present, refugees arrive daily from the south. The number is too great to investigate thoroughly. Some have suggested temporarily closing the docks, but others disagree.”

Once the conversation turned to official matters, Yu Shaoxie immediately shifted his attention. He sat down and asked, “Was it Song Shuo’s proposal, and did the Buddha Son oppose it?”

Xiao Rong held his teacup and could not help but laugh. “Brother Yu truly understands the situation.”

Yu Shaoxie: “…”

The options were few to begin with, and each person’s personality was so distinct that it was difficult not to guess correctly. Among them, the Buddha’s Son was the embodiment of compassion, always thinking of all living beings. Others were more hesitant, since the people mattered, but so did the Northern Army.

Song Shuo, however, was the most aggressive among them. At times, he was even bolder than Xiao Rong. Things Xiao Rong did not dare to attempt, Song Shuo would try without hesitation. He had a broad strategic view, but whether due to his personality or the influence of the northern frontier, his principle had become: what should be killed must be killed, what should be abandoned must be abandoned. He believed that short-term pain was better than prolonged suffering.

Song Shuo remained a scholar, but his methods were… somewhat more ruthless.

Song Shuo was radical, the Buddha’s Son sought stability, and Yu Shaoxie stood in the middle. Each of them had different personalities, yet one could not be said to be superior to the other, because each had flaws. This was what a court should look like: not everyone speaking the same words, and not one person’s influence overwhelming all others. Only balanced competition and opposing viewpoints could make a dynasty better.

Looking through historical records, every celebrated era shared one trait: talented individuals emerging in clusters. Each life story was so vivid that one could not look away, whether it was circumstances that created heroes, or heroes that shaped circumstances, depended on interpretation. At the very least, one thing was universally acknowledged: heroes and circumstances must arise together to create a dynamic and fascinating era.

……

Yu Shaoxie was still speaking about his own views. He did not agree with Song Shuo’s suggestion. Closing the docks was too heartless. Wasn’t that the same as openly telling the people in the south to fend for themselves? Even if closing the docks was for self-preservation, the common people would not understand or sympathize with them.

Moreover, even if the docks were closed, did that mean others could not get through? Those who wanted to cross would always find a way. This measure might stop refugees, but it wouldn’t necessarily stop those with ulterior motives.

However, they couldn’t leave everything wide open and do nothing either. After some consideration, Yu Shaoxie suggested they might as well send people to build a refugee camp along the riverbank, to gather and supervise the refugees, distribute porridge daily, but not allow them to enter the city.

After Yu Shaoxie finished speaking, Xiao Rong still didn’t respond, because he was distracted. Yu Shaoxie called him again, and only then did he slowly blink and come back to himself.

“Mm… distributing porridge probably will not work. There are too many people. Every day, several thousand or even tens of thousands pour in. Gao Xunzhi has already sent people to supervise them, but they can only prevent them from causing trouble. As for the rest, everyone truly has no capacity,” Xiao Rong said.

Yu Shaoxie had returned from Shengle and hadn’t passed through the Han River, so he naturally did not know how lively things had already become along the Han River.

Hearing the number “several thousand to tens of thousands,” Yu Shaoxie was shocked. “So many people?! Doesn’t the Southern Yong court do anything?”

Xiao Rong shrugged. “They do nothing. Yiyang now belongs to us, and most of these refugees are pouring in from the Yiyang dock. The gates of Jinling are tightly closed. According to intelligence reports, even Lujiang Commandery is now unmanaged. Huaiyin, Liyang, and Wu Commandery are all heavily garrisoned. Someone has seen tens of thousands of troops entering Liyang—and then never coming out.”

Yu Shaoxie stared blankly. “Tens of thousands of troops?”

It was not surprising that he was shocked. Jinling’s garrison was only a small force. Liyang was a city southwest of Jinling, directly adjacent to it. The Liyang prefect was from the Sun family. After Yiyang was captured, the Northern Border Army no longer needed to cross the river to reach Jinling. Originally, Southern Yong only needed to deploy troops at Huaiyin, but now even Liyang has to be reinforced.

Yu Shaoxie understood that Sun Renluan would send troops to strengthen defenses—but tens of thousands?

Listening to Yu Shaoxie’s tone, Xiao Rong smiled. “Not only tens of thousands. Those troops also came from the west, they were not sent from Jinling. There are rumors outside saying that Sun Renluan summoned elite troops from places like Cangwu. Some even say the young Emperor has received the Mandate of Heaven, and these tens of thousands of elite soldiers were heavenly divine troops sent down from the heaven”

Yu Shaoxie was even more stunned. He blinked blankly, then leaned forward slightly and asked in a low voice, “Can they really summon heavenly divine troops?”

Xiao Rong: “…”

You’ve become superstitious too?!

What’s the point of asking me so seriously? Even if it were true, I wouldn’t be able to tell!

Xiao Rong’s speechless expression was too obvious. Yu Shaoxie immediately understood and awkwardly rubbed his nose.

“So it really is just a groundless rumor. This matter is too absurd, people will naturally speculate wildly. Since the heavenly divine troops are fake,” he said, raising his eyebrows, “then are the tens of thousands of elite soldiers real? Did someone actually see them?”

Xiao Rong shook his head. “The rumors are exaggerated and sound very real, but no one can say where those troops actually came from. On Southern Yong’s territory, the only forces with any remaining troops are the Jianning prefect, the Cangwu prefect, and the King of Dongyang, but I do not think any of them would be so kind as to hand over their troops to Liyang.”

A campaign to “support the Emperor” was something only a fool would do. Smart people would not engage in such a meat-bun-throwing-to-dogs act.

Historically, the Dongyang King, He Tingzhi, once went to support the emperor. However, he moved slowly—extremely slowly. From the moment he learned that Qu Yunmie was attacking Southern Yong, he set out, but it still took him a full two months to arrive. Dongyang was not far from Jinling, even a turtle would have crawled there in that time.

He Tingzhi would develop problems with his judgment and failed to preserve his reputation in his later years. Although he founded a new dynasty, scholars did not think highly of him. Historical records both praised and subtly criticized him, saying that he was determined to save the Yong dynasty. He fell ill as soon as he set out, and those around him had to slow down to care for him. After half a month he improved slightly and hurried on horseback, but because he was too anxious, his old illness flared up again after only an hour in the wind.

Ah, his loyalty truly could move heaven and earth!

……

In short, by the time the young Emperor had already passed his seventh-day mourning period and Qu Yunmie had long since left, He Tingzhi finally arrived in Jinling. His first act was to cry among the ruins. A man in his thirties mourned for the young Emperor, and with his excellent acting, gained the support of the common people and gathered the remaining loyalists of the Yong dynasty, thus beginning his rise.

He Tingzhi’s “loyalty” was ultimately for himself. Xiao Rong once considered “supporting the Emperor” for the same reason. As long as one was not blindly loyal, no one at this point would willingly step into Jinling’s muddy waters. They could not even take care of their own survival—who had the time to care about Jinling’s people?

In truth, if all aristocratic families were united, they could form a force that should not be underestimated. Yet at this critical moment, among dozens of surnames recorded in the aristocratic genealogies, only two were willing to contribute their private troops: the Sun family and the Yang family.

……

The Yu brothers previously lived in the same courtyard as Gao Xunzhi. When Yu Shaoxie returned to his room, Gao Xunzhi immediately heard the movement.

Although Yu Shaoxie had returned, Gao Xunzhi did not dare to go see Xiao Rong again for the time being. He valued his dignity, and he also had a feeling that going to see Xiao Rong was not as good as going to see Qu Yunmie.

……

After leaving the city gate, Xiao Rong took Yu Shaoxie back to speak with him. Qu Yunmie had tried to follow, but Xiao Rong politely told him to go to the military camp and take a look.

With Yu Shaoxie having returned, Qu Yunmie’s status had clearly dropped. He stood in the military camp, staring at the wooden training post in front of him with a furrowed brow.

In the past, he only thought Yu Shaoxie was dull. Now, he also found him annoying.

He even regretted it. He should not have listened to whatever Xiao Rong said. Xiao Rong told him to bring Yu Shaoxie back, and he brought him back. Xiao Rong told him not to bring Yu Shaocheng back yet, to let him stay in place and cooperate with the new inspector, and he obediently did so as well.

Although they were separated by more than a thousand years, Qu Yunmie suddenly understood something on his own: things that were easily obtained were never cherished. From now on, he should resist Xiao Rong’s requests a little. He needed to let him understand that he would not always listen to him. If Xiao Rong wanted his obedience, he would have to earn it.

……

At that moment, Gao Xunzhi arrived beside him. Seeing Qu Yunmie staring blankly at a wooden post like a fool, Gao Xunzhi paused in confusion.

“What is Your Highness doing?” he asked.

Qu Yunmie slightly paused when he heard Gao Xunzhi’s voice, then changed his stance.

“Nothing,” he said. “Do you have something to say?”

Gao Xunzhi looked around in silence. There were many people nearby, so he spoke more vaguely instead of getting straight to the point.

“Your Highness is burdened with many responsibilities–”

Qu Yunmie interrupted him, “Which ‘Your Highness’ are you referring to?”

Gao Xunzhi: “…”

Right. He had forgotten. Their King was not like others’ kings.

He coughed lightly and smoothly changed his wording.

“Young Rong is burdened with many responsibilities. These days he has been overwhelmed with official matters and has not been eating or sleeping properly. Your Highness should be more considerate of him.”

Qu Yunmie frowned. “Am I not considerate enough? I even called Yu Shaoxie back.”

Gao Xunzhi said, “Official matters are endless. Not to mention Yu Shaoxie, even if ten such as him came back, Rong’s nature would not allow him to relax. At times like this, Your Highness should help him instead. Take him out for a walk, let him relax like other young people.”

For example, boating, viewing flowers, or releasing lanterns.

In any case, those were what people did when he was young. Although it was not spring or summer, they could still admire the snow. Wind, flowers, and moonlight were all fine.

Gao Xunzhi tried his best to hint at him.

Qu Yunmie listened for a long time in confusion. Finally, he suddenly understood.

“I understand,” he said.

Gao Xunzhi finally relaxed and smiled. “It is fine. Even if you only protect him, little Rong will be grateful, but silent companionship can become dull. You can learn slowly.”

Qu Yunmie nodded seriously. He also realized his shortcomings. After Gao Xunzhi left, Qu Yunmie clasped his hands behind his back, thought for a moment, then immediately returned to the King’s Residence.

When he heard that Qu Yunmie wanted to take him out, Xiao Rong paused in surprise. Then he recalled Gao Xunzhi’s words and immediately understood this was probably Gao Xunzhi’s doing. The old man was quite persistent. After failing to persuade him, he went to Qu Yunmie instead.

Gao Xunzhi simply wanted them to go out together and improve their relationship.

To be honest, Xiao Rong had indeed not relaxed for quite some time. He was busy, but not someone who enjoyed being busy. Sometimes he also wanted to put down his brush and go out to breathe some fresh air, but official duties never ended. There were always people coming to find him in the residence.

So when Qu Yunmie took his hand, Xiao Rong did not refuse. Instead, he quietly followed along. He even felt a little anticipation, wondering where Qu Yunmie would take him, and whether something had already been arranged in advance.

Qu Yunmie walked in front and didn’t see the faint smile on Xiao Rong’s face, but when they arrived, he saw Xiao Rong’s expression freeze.

Qu Yunmie had brought him to the military camp.

To the training grounds.

In front of Xiao Rong now stood a very familiar wooden post.

Qu Yunmie pointed at it and said, “Come. I will teach you how to loosen your muscles.”

 

 

Edited by: Antiope

 

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