Chapter 903: Central Plains Chaos

The Spring Snow Tower by the Guangling River was packed with distinguished guests tonight. Prince Zhao Yi of Guangling hosted a grand banquet, inviting esteemed guests. All those who entered the tower were not only wealthy but also exceptionally influential. Among them were Lu Baijie, the newly appointed Military Commissioner of Guangling Circuit; Wang Xionggui, the Strategic Envoy, a former subordinate of Zhang Lu; and Song Li, who had been promoted from General of Hengjiang to General Zhennan, also serving as Deputy Military Commissioner of a circuit. Song Li could be considered an old acquaintance of the Spring Snow Tower and was once Zhao Yi's lucky general. It was Song Li who successfully fended off Kou Jianghuai's elusive attacks, thereby delaying the war until Wu Zhongxuan's army began its northern expedition. The Liyang Ministry of War had held a highly exclusive military merits review, where Song Li was ranked as the fifth greatest contributor.

Besides these three individuals, now considered Beijing-aligned, the governors and generals from the three local prefectures of Guangling Circuit were also present. The six high-ranking officials, compared to the grim and turbulent past two years, now beamed with confidence, their demeanor and conversations exuding the elegance of high-ranking noble officials.

Unfortunately, Chen Zhibao, the Prince of Shu, who was rumored to attend, did not appear for reasons unknown. However, Prince Zhao Zhu of Yan Chi arrived uninvited, which was a pleasant addition. If this young prince was a flower, then in Chen Zhibao's absence, Prince Zhao Xun of Jing'an was undoubtedly the grand finale, a luxurious brocade. When Zhao Xun's carriage stopped below the Spring Snow Tower, Zhao Yi, also a great vassal prince of Liyang, personally descended to greet him.

As the host of Spring Snow Tower, Zhao Yi, after all guests had taken their seats, raised his invaluable luminous cup high and declared with a laugh, "A literary master of the Great Feng Dynasty once proclaimed that there are four things he wished to remain intact throughout his life: green mountains, old friends, treasured books, and famous flowers. I, who enjoy feigning elegance, wish to add one more: that Spring Snow remains unharmed. Hence, this tower is named Spring Snow. Tonight, with so many esteemed individuals gathered, Spring Snow Tower is truly illuminated. I drink this cup in its entirety!"

Lu Baijie, the Tangxi Sword Immortal, and Wang Xionggui, the former Minister of Revenue, as the leading civil and military officials of the circuit, took their respective seats of honor. After a toast to Guangling Circuit, both picked up their wine cups. However, while Wang Xionggui drained his cup following Zhao Yi, Lu Baijie merely took a sip before quickly setting his down. He glanced at Prince Zhao Biao, who was seated next to Zhao Yi, and the Military Commissioner frowned.

Following the self-immolation of the young empress of Western Chu on the battlefield of Xileibi, and with the surrender of civil and military officials in the Western Chu capital, once renamed Dingding City, the Guangling war officially entered its concluding phase. His Majesty the Emperor explicitly commanded that the imperial army must not harass the people of Guangling Circuit, strictly forbidding any unauthorized killings for personal vendetta. Upon discovery, the Military Commissioner's residence and the Strategic Envoy's residence in Guangling Circuit were authorized to execute offenders on the spot without needing approval from the Ministry of War or Ministry of Justice.

However, not killing people did not mean that those rebellious Western Chu officials could truly escape punishment. Apart from those who had the foresight to curry favor with certain leading generals of the Liyang court early on, or individuals powerful enough to secure protection from high-ranking Taian City officials, most other officials who had resolutely chosen to serve the Western Chu Jiang imperial family met unfortunate fates. Consequently, two great jokes circulated in Guangling Circuit. One was "spending money to avert disaster," where gold, silver, antiques, and calligraphies were delivered by the cartload to certain generals' residences. The second was "pawning" women, offering them to the new elite of Guangling Circuit. Among these, the newly appointed General Zhennan Song Li and Prince Zhao Biao of Guangling were the most unrestrained. While Song Li's impact was relatively limited, as he only chose a few young, beautiful women with widespread reputations to keep as mistresses, Zhao Biao truly had no reservations. Whether it was young women in their prime or married women, he calculated his demands based on their family status: three women from each of the top ten powerful families of the new Western Chu dynasty, and one to two from each of the subsequent forty-odd aristocratic families. If anyone refused, Zhao Biao dared not kill them openly, but he had cruel methods to deal with them, plenty of ways to make families who resisted dishonor wish they were dead.

Lu Baijie raised his wine cup, then set it down again, looking around with a complex expression. The true heroes who quelled the Guangling conflict—Marshal Lu Shengxiang, General Wu Zhongxuan, Prince Chen Zhibao of Shu, Vice Minister of War Xu Gong, Prince Zhao Ying of Huainan, Yan Zhenchun, and Yang Shenxing—were either absent or deceased. Lu Baijie offered a bitter smile. What was he doing sitting here? Merely constrained by his title as Military Commissioner of Guangling Circuit.

Song Li, who had risen swiftly through the Liyang court, was actually seated beside Lu Baijie. Perhaps knowing that he was not on the same path as the incorruptible Tangxi Sword Immortal, this youngest permanent general of the Liyang Dynasty did not show excessive enthusiasm. Instead, he engaged in pleasant conversation with an old acquaintance, the General of Jizhou, seated next to him, careful not to let his newfound success go to his head. Soon, a slightly tipsy Song Li looked up at the ornate ceiling beams of Spring Snow Tower, twirling his wine cup and a faint smile playing on his lips. Returning to this familiar place, he mused, "I once depended on others here; now, it's hard to say who depends on whom."

To command a hundred thousand armored troops while awake, and to recline on a beauty's lap when drunk—such is the life of a true man.

Inside Spring Snow Tower, cups clinked, and songs and dances filled the air, signifying an era of peace. It was as if peace in the tower meant peace throughout the world.

Lu Baijie looked across at Wang Xionggui, the Strategic Envoy, who was seated far opposite. This distinguished and upright civil official, soon to make a comeback and return to the capital's central government, was raising his cup to toast the Prince of Guangling and his son. Holding his cup with both hands, his wide sleeves hanging low, and adorned with a tall cap and broad belt, he cut a truly elegant and unrestrained figure. Lu Baijie then looked at some individuals seated further back. These were formerly high-ranking officials of the Jiang imperial family in the Western Chu court, who once held jade tablets and wore scarlet and purple robes. Although they appeared slightly more submissive here, their joy at being granted a reprieve was hard to conceal, giving them an air of 'carpe diem'—that one must fully enjoy life when things go well.

Lu Baijie looked down at his wine cup and, for no apparent reason, recalled a young face. The first time that young man visited him, the Tangxi Sword Immortal, who had not yet entered officialdom, had asked: "Sir, will you sell me a few pounds of benevolence and morality?" He suddenly raised his cup and drained it in one gulp. The hall was filled with richly dressed guests. All of them felt satisfied and accomplished.

Prince Zhao Zhu of Yan Chi, being a late and uninvited guest, could have sat next to Prince Zhao Xun of Jing'an, but he wasn't particular. He declined the arrangements made by Spring Snow Tower and casually found an open spot further back. To his left was Qi Shence, a scion of a noble family who had once studied at Shangyin Academy. He had a handsome, refined face and excellent looks, spoke little but was not arrogant, making him very likable. To his right was a burly man named Zhou Daliang, a former subordinate of Lu Shengxiang. This time, he did not follow his patron to Jizhou for an appointment but remained in Guangling Circuit as Deputy General of Yazhou due to his military achievements. He ate even more ravenously than Zhao Zhu, making him even more endearing. Qi Shence and Zhou Daliang did not deliberately try to ingratiate themselves with the Prince. Instead, the military officers seated next to them frequently approached with eager toasts. Zhao Zhu did not get annoyed; if someone toasted him, he would return the toast. In doing so, he also familiarized the two sycophants with Qi Shence and Zhou Daliang. Moreover, Zhao Zhu seemed to possess an innate ability to make people feel at ease. For a time, the five of them were drinking, urging each other to drink, and artfully avoiding drinks, each displaying their own tricks, without regard for official rank. It was truly enjoyable, a unique and pleasant scene compared to the intricate and superficial interactions at other tables.

Midway through the banquet, seven swordswomen from Spring Snow Tower entered, each bearing a sword. Dressed in colorful attire, their figures were graceful, their waists slender, akin to three-foot swords capable of severing a hero's head. The sword dance was dazzling and magnificent, thrilling and mesmerizing. When the seven graceful swordswomen leaped simultaneously, at varying heights, it was as if a rainbow had been hung within the tower. After a renowned upright scholar loudly acclaimed them, the entire hall erupted in cheers.

Just as the seven swordswomen were about to complete their performance and withdraw, a strikingly handsome and gender-ambiguous stranger appeared at the entrance of the main hall. Prince Zhao Yi of Guangling, who seemed to be expecting this person at the door, underwent a drastic change in expression. The luminous cup in his hand nearly slipped to the ground. This mountain-like vassal prince of Guangling Circuit stared with wide, incredulous eyes. Zhao Zhu followed everyone's gaze, shivered, and his face became distressed. He looked like a mouse seeing a cat, wishing he could hide under the table. The seven meticulously trained swordswomen of Spring Snow Tower had their path blocked, unable to advance or retreat, looking utterly helpless.

The disruptive stranger, carrying a pot of wine, simply sat on the threshold. Beside him, five exceptionally beautiful women, dressed in snow-white robes, entered. In terms of both appearance and demeanor, they surpassed the seven princely swordswomen, who had already been striking. Each of the five white-clad women carried a saber, arrayed in a line before their master. Old Southern Tang had a famous saber, the "Grand Peace of Heroic Splendor." The standard sabers of Liyang's Two Liaos Border Army and the Xu family's fourth-generation sabers in Beiliang had both drawn inspiration from it.

General Zhennan Song Li's eyes lit up. He quickly recognized their identities: they were the personal maidservants of Nalan Youci, known as the "Second Prince of Southern Jiang," and their names were eerily unique: Dongyue, Xishu, Fengdu, Sanshi, and Chenglv. The five white-clad women simultaneously glided forward a dozen steps with ethereal grace, uttered a soft cry, and simultaneously drew their sabers, slashing forward. Just five sabers managed to create the magnificent aura of thousands of armored cavalry breaking through enemy lines. This sent the seven swordswomen of Spring Snow Tower fleeing backward in fright.

Most of the distinguished guests, who had been lavishly invited to Spring Snow Tower, also turned pale, unsure of what act this was. Was it Prince Zhao Yi of Guangling's ingenious way of livening up the party? Or had someone dared to cause trouble at Spring Snow Tower? The crowd only heard the exceptionally handsome scholar, still seated on the threshold, shaking a wine pot with one hand and patting his knee with the other, singing loudly: "Please look closely at the people before you, year after year, a portion buried in green grass. In the grass, how many graves lie, half of them unattended each year!"

At this, everyone understood. These newcomers were clearly at odds with the princely manor; otherwise, if this were Spring Snow Tower's arrangement, such words alone would be terribly inauspicious. Prince Zhao Yi of Guangling gnashed his teeth, Lu Baijie remained composed, Wang Xionggui was full of doubt, Song Li wore an amused smile, and Zhao Zhu was torn between laughter and tears.

The corpulent Zhao Yi slowly rose, forcing a smile, and tentatively asked, "Mr. Nalan, may I ask if your presence at Spring Snow Tower is for a matter of discussion?" Wang Xionggui, the Strategic Envoy who was soon to resign and return triumphantly to the capital, became furious upon hearing that address. Feigning ignorance, he demanded, "Who is outside the hall?!" Nalan Youci, with his divine demeanor, stopped singing, and with an intoxicating smile, pointed to himself, "Me?" Then he leisurely stood up. He had already been drinking upon entering the tower, and had in fact consumed most of a pot of wine before sitting on the threshold of Spring Snow Tower's top floor. His face flushed crimson, making him even more radiant. This Spring and Autumn strategist, whose name was known throughout the Liyang court but whose person rarely seen, burst out laughing and declared, "I, Nalan Youci, am merely a scholar!"

As Nalan Youci finished speaking, his five maidservants, each with captivating beauty, once again moved forward. They spun once in the air, then landed heavily on the rich carpet, drawing their sabers with an even fiercer aura than before. Nalan Youci walked slowly forward, completely disregarding everyone else, and uttered a single sentence that struck the entire Guangling Circuit's elite like five bolts of thunder.

"My 150,000 armored troops from Southern Jiang have marched north, sweeping aside all opposition, and have already crossed the Guangling River!"

Wang Xionggui's face turned ashen, and he slumped back into his seat. It wasn't just the Strategic Envoy of Guangling Circuit who was utterly distraught; countless wine cups shattered with crisp sounds throughout the tower. Zhao Yi's face was grim, and he remained silent. Song Li narrowed his eyes, beginning to weigh the pros and cons. Zhao Zhu stood frozen on the spot. It was clear that even he, Prince Zhao Zhu of Yan Chi, had been kept in the dark about the Southern Jiang army's unauthorized northern advance.

Lu Baijie gently set down his wine cup, stood up, and asked in a deep voice, "What does Prince Zhao Bing of Yan Chi intend to do?" Nalan Youci seemed stumped by the question. He frowned deeply, pondered for a moment, then suddenly looked up and smiled, "Rebel, of course. Isn't that obvious? What? Does Mr. Tangxi not believe it?" Lu Baijie shook his head, a sarcastic smile playing on his lips.

At that moment, two figures walked in side-by-side. One, an elderly man in a princely python robe, was burly and bore a strong resemblance to Prince Zhao Zhu of Yan Chi, already familiar to those in the tower, about sixty to seventy percent. However, unlike Zhao Zhu's cynicism, this old man exuded an awe-inspiring presence. The old man smiled as he looked at Prince Zhao Yi of Guangling, who was seated at the head table. "Little fatty Yi, how have you been? I've been stuck in the godforsaken Southern Jiang for twenty years, and I've long coveted your Guangling Circuit! But then again, this inheritance in Guangling should have been mine, Zhao Bing's, to begin with. You, Zhao Yi, were only fit to help me guard the estate for twenty years!"

Zhao Yi's face was ashen, and his lips trembled. But compared to this Prince of Southern Jiang, who had not spoken in the Liyang court for over two decades, the other prince beside the old man, also dressed in a python robe, struck even greater fear and despair into the hearts of all the dignitaries in the hall. It was Chen Zhibao, the former Protector-General of Beiliang, now the Prince of Shu!

If it were only Prince Zhao Bing of Yan Chi's Southern Jiang army rebelling, Liyang still had Gu Jiantang's Two Liaos Border Army to send south to quell the rebellion, which would merely be another disaster like the restoration of Western Chu. But with Chen Zhibao assisting Zhao Bing, everyone began to doubt whether the Liyang court, which had shown signs of troubled times since the transition from Yonghui to Xiangfu, could possibly survive this calamity.

At this moment, some people in Spring Snow Tower finally remembered that Northwestern Iron Cavalry and began to ask themselves if, with the deterrence of 300,000 loyal armored riders, this Southern Jiang barbarian Zhao Bing would never have dared to covet the Central Plains, condemned to slowly die of old age in that desolate, pestilence-ridden land? Xu Xiao, the Butcher, was dead. Zhang Julu, the Blue-Eyed Scholar, was dead. When both of them were alive, that was true peace under heaven. The Southern Jiang army dared not take a single step out of Southern Jiang, and even the million-strong Northern Mang army dared not advance half a step south. After both died, the restoration of Western Chu soon followed, then Northern Mang attacked the passes, and then Southern Jiang rebelled.

No one knew why Chen Zhibao, after choosing to betray Beiliang, and having chosen to align with the legitimate Zhao imperial family of Liyang, already enfieffed as a prince, ultimately decided to stake everything on a mere regional vassal prince. Chen Zhibao, expressionless, met the gaze of Lu Baijie, the Military Commissioner of Guangling Circuit, without flinching. Finally, Lu Baijie sighed and slumped back into his seat.

"The Central Plains—how many lives must be lost this time before it ceases?" A cold sneer played on Chen Zhibao's lips. "If people in the Central Plains do not die, how will they remember that some are dying for them? I, Chen Zhibao, am not Xu Fengnian; I have never feared war, much less death."