Chapter 909: Noble Lords and Rolling Yellow Sand (Part 1)

Today, the Yangshen Hall in Tai’an City hosted its largest small court assembly since its inauguration.

Familiar faces filled the room, holding the reins of power in the capital: Minister of the Secretariat Qi Yanglong; Vice Minister of the Secretariat Zhao Youling; Left Grand Master of Remonstrance Huan Wen; Left Regular Cavalier Attendant Chen Wang; Minister of Personnel Yin Maochun; Minister of War and concurrently Grand General for Suppressing the South Wu Chongxuan; Grand Academician of Wuying Hall Wen Shouren; Grand Academician of Dongyuan Pavilion Yan Jiexu; Prince of Changshan Zhao Yang; Duke of Yan Gao Shizhi; Marquis of Huaiyang Song Daoning; Vice Minister of War Tang Tieshuang; and Vice Minister of Rites Jin Lanting, among others.

Conversely, some faces were relatively new: Hong Lingxu, the former Qingzhou General who had been transferred to the capital with the title of General for Pacifying the South; Cai Nan, the current Military Commissioner of Lianghuai Circuit; Han Lin, the current Commissioner of Military Affairs; along with Lu Shengxiang and Xu Gong, who were jointly responsible for northern border defense in Jizhou.

It was a brilliant gathering of civil and military officials.

After the assembly, the young Liyang Emperor Zhao Zhuan changed into casual clothes. Made by the Jiangnan Weaving Bureau, the fabric was expertly woven, intricate and fine. Although it lacked the solemn grandeur of his court robes, it possessed a unique charm from Jiangnan.

The Central Plains was in turmoil. Prince Yan’e Zhao Bing had risen in rebellion, leading over a hundred thousand elite troops from his southern domain. They swept through four prefectures like a broken bamboo, encountering almost no resistance as they crossed the Guangling River northward. They now faced the Liyang court across the river in the former Western Chu capital. The incident at Chunxuelou further scuttled the court’s meticulous plans for consolidating control over Guangling Circuit. Not only did the two nominal civil and military leaders of Guangling Circuit become prisoners, but more importantly, a large number of Liyang meritorious generals and surrendered Western Chu姜 clan officials were also captured. This directly led to Zhao Bing taking full control of Guangling Circuit almost without a fight. The excellent situation painstakingly established by renowned generals like Wu Chongxuan, Lu Shengxiang, and Yan Zhenchun was all for naught. Guangling Circuit descended back into chaos, and it could be said that almost overnight, Prince Yan’e Zhao Bing came to control half the empire.

Yet, whether during the morning court at Wuying Hall or the current small assembly at Yangshen Hall, the young Emperor showed none of the exasperation that Liyang officials expected. Instead, he appeared composed, even revealing a hint of eagerness despite his efforts to conceal it. Clearly, the martial blood of the Zhao imperial lineage still flowed in this young scholarly emperor. At this moment, Emperor Zhao held in his hand a proclamation from the rebel side. Its content was treasonous, enumerating various misdeeds since his ascension as the new Liyang ruler: nepotism, unfair rewards and punishments, appointing sycophants, and suppressing the Zhao imperial clan itself, totaling ten major crimes. The young Emperor gently put down the proclamation, looked up, and smiled slightly, “Is it true that this document is the work of the Song clan’s eldest grandson?”

The "Northern Xu, Southern Song" referred to Song Yushu, a scion of the Song clan in the south, whose literary talent was so exceptional that even officials in Tai’an City had heard of him.

Tantang Weng, who had personally praised Song Yushu in the past, glanced at the plaque inscribed "Upright and Harmonious" in Yangshen Hall, then chuckled, “This lad, fallen into the hands of a boor like Zhao Bing, can only write such virulent essays. What a pity for such an unpolished gem! If he were serving in our Liyang Hanlin Academy or one of the newly established six academies, he would surely write works that would be admired for generations. He could serve the country and its people in this dynasty and secure a firm place in the literary world, never to be so disgraced, reduced to a mere political hack.”

The young Emperor nodded, “It is somewhat regrettable. Not long ago, I even promised Assistant Supervisor Yan that I would certainly introduce him to this ‘Jade Tree of the Song Family’ born among the literati of Jiangnan. It seems that will have to be delayed for a while.”

Everyone in the room understood that the "Assistant Supervisor Yan" the Emperor referred to was none other than Yan Chiji, the rising star of the Hanlin Academy. The Hanlin Academy had recently established six new offices within the Ministry of Personnel, with junior and senior imperial clerks serving in shifts. This was to prevent these most distinguished officials, who were seen as potential future Grand Chancellors, from engaging in mere idle talk. Yan Chiji was temporarily overseeing the affairs of the six offices. Although he held no formal ministerial title, his path to advancement was clear, showing signs of gaining a later advantage compared to Li Jifu, Gao Tingshu, and Wu Congxian—the three top scholars of the imperial examinations who had already entered the Six Ministries. The young Emperor’s casual remark also revealed much that was worth pondering. Beyond the obvious display of affection for his brother-in-law, Yan Chiji, the fate of the Song family in Guangling Circuit seemed to have been settled at that moment. Since it was merely "delayed for a while," it meant that the Song family, which had first defected to the remnants of the Jiang clan of Western Chu and then aligned with the rebellious Prince Yan’e, would still escape calamity after the rebellion was suppressed, thanks to Song Yushu, this talented young man favored by the Emperor. Their path to advancement in the Liyang officialdom would not be blocked. It was likely that after today’s small court assembly, the Song family, thousands of miles away, would soon hear this imperial thunderclap and likely feel a great sense of relief.

The young Emperor turned his gaze to Tang Tieshuang, the Vice Minister of War, who stood further back, and gently asked, “Vice Minister Tang, when will Grand Marshal Gu depart from Liaodong for the capital? Does the Ministry of War have precise information?”

Tang Tieshuang, with a hint of trepidation, cautiously replied, “Your Majesty, your humble servant only knows that the Grand Marshal reported urgent border matters in Liangliao. Northern Mang’s Eastern Front Commander Wang Sui has been making significant moves recently, seemingly preparing for a major military action. The Grand Marshal stated he must make proper arrangements before he can depart.”

The young Emperor hummed in acknowledgment and reassured him, “Instruct Gao Tingshu of the Ministry of War to draft a message, informing the Grand Marshal not to rush southward. Liangliao border affairs have always been our dynasty’s top priority; we must not jeopardize the greater good for a minor concern.”

Tang Tieshuang solemnly accepted the command, his heart growing heavier. The more genial the Emperor was, the more uneasy this Vice Minister of War, branded clearly as a member of the Gu Faction, felt.

A saying circulated in Tai’an officialdom: “After Gu Jiantang, the Ministry of War has no good fortune.” It referred to the fact that almost none of the prominent figures who led the Ministry of War after Gu Jiantang had smooth careers. Minister Lu Baijie was first horizontally transferred to Guangling Circuit, then captured by Prince Yan’e at Chunxuelou. Vice Minister Xu Gong was “assigned” to Liaodong, ostensibly to patrol the northern passes for the Emperor, but in reality, he was undoubtedly pushed out of the capital’s official circles, especially the court’s core. Lu Shengxiang, who served as Vice Minister while concurrently leading the southern expedition, achieved few military merits throughout the entire campaign. Had he not “taken unauthorized action” later to finally see some combat, he might have become a laughingstock nationwide. As for Chen Zhibao, who served between the two ministers Gu Jiantang and Lu Baijie, he was enfeoffed as a king in Western Shu, initially enjoying unparalleled favor, but inexplicably ended up rebelling with Zhao Bing in the Southern Domain—a far from good outcome.

Living in the capital is difficult, serving as an official in the capital is difficult; truly, this is no lie.

Tang Tieshuang glanced, intentionally or unintentionally, at Cai Nan, who stood slightly ahead of him, a mix of emotions in his heart. The last time former subordinates of Grand General Gu, like Wei Dong and Dong Gong Huang, came to the capital, their meeting ended on a sour note. This time, Cai Nan, upon arriving in the capital, had no intention of visiting Tang Tieshuang, staying secluded at the Lianghuai Circuit’s guesthouse in the capital.

The young Emperor turned his head and smiled at Sima Puhua, the Minister of Rites. In Xiangfu Year 3, the Ministry of Rites was elevated within the Ministry of Personnel to be on par with the Ministries of Personnel and War, surpassing the Ministries of Justice, Revenue, and Works. Sima Puhua naturally enjoyed many of the advantages that former ministers like Lu Daolin and Yuan Guo had benefited from. The current Emperor being called a “literary emperor” was not without reason; while he might not despise military officials, his emphasis on civil officials was evident, with the relocation of the Hanlin Academy and the elevation of the Ministry of Rites serving as clear proof. The young Emperor looked at this high-ranking official of the Ministry of Rites and earnestly said, “The imperial examinations will be held next spring. The Ministry of Rites bears an undeniable responsibility. Have the chief and deputy examiners been decided? This spring’s examination will be significantly expanded, with an unprecedented number of scholars. Minister Sima must provide a detailed plan as soon as possible. Besides my personal review, the Ministry of Rites should also submit the plan to veterans like Tantang Weng and Minister Yin, who have overseen many spring examinations.”

Sima Puhua, probably the least prestigious among all Liyang Ministers of Rites, responded with extreme deference, “Your Majesty, the triennial imperial examination concerns the continuity of our dynasty’s literary heritage. Though your humble servant has been in the Ministry of Rites for many years, I have no experience in overseeing the spring examinations. Furthermore, in terms of experience, I am far less familiar with the examination process than Tantang Weng and Minister Yin. In terms of scholarship, I cannot compare to Grand Chancellor Qi or Grand Academician Wen. And in terms of ability, I fall short of brilliant young talents like Junior Guardian Chen and Assistant Supervisor Yan. Your Majesty, your humble servant does not know how to select the chief and deputy examiners with my colleagues in the Ministry of Rites. It is not that Liyang lacks talent, but rather it is like a grand pearl curtain hanging at a small house’s entrance, so dazzling and overwhelming that one knows not how to choose! Therefore, your humble servant dares to implore Your Majesty to personally appoint the examiners for the spring examination!”

Listening to the heartfelt words of the Minister of Rites behind him, Tantang Weng couldn’t help but turn and give a thumbs-up.

This flattery, in one stroke, praised quite a few people.

Sima Puhua, facing Tantang Weng’s gesture, smiled with a hint of simple sincerity, his eyes genuine and irreproachable.

The young Emperor adjusted his sleeves and smiled slightly, “Regarding the selection of examiners for the spring examination, I will not add unnecessary details; it will still be decided by your Ministry of Rites. If it proves truly troublesome, Minister Sima, you may consult more with Grand Chancellor Qi and Tantang Weng upon your return. However, in my opinion, while the chief examiner for this examination needs to be of high moral standing and prestige, the individuals specifically responsible for grading the papers could be appointed exceptionally, without strict adherence to seniority. The Ministry of Rites, the Hanlin Academy, and the Imperial Academy can each select a few young people for these roles.”

Sima Puhua, his face filled with sincere admiration, quickly bowed and said, “Your Majesty is truly wise!”

The young Emperor shifted his gaze, finally finding Hong Lingxu, who seemed slightly out of place in this small court assembly. After all, he was an official who had just arrived in the capital from the provinces, and Hong Lingxu himself was one of the leaders of the Qing Faction. The Qing Faction had experienced many ups and downs during the Yonghui reign, especially after Grand Marshal Lu Feichi chose to marry into the Xu family of Beiliang, leading to the entire Lu clan relocating to the northwest, which caused great anxiety among all Qingzhou officials in the capital. Fortunately, not long ago, “Old Vice Minister” Wen Taiyi was promoted to Commissioner of Military Affairs for Jing’an Circuit, which somewhat calmed spirits. Nevertheless, Hong Lingxu, making his first appearance in the capital, struggled to adapt to the formidable and intricate officialdom here, and his somewhat dejected appearance was understandable. The young Emperor’s voice grew even softer as he slowly asked, “General Hong, has your residence in Tai’an City been fully renovated?”

Hong Lingxu, who had initially thought he was merely a ceremonial figure, was pleasantly surprised and replied, “Reporting to Your Majesty, the residence arranged by the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue’s officials is excellent; your humble servant did not need to make any changes at all. My family members who accompanied me to the capital have all praised it profusely. Your Majesty’s grace is boundless; your humble servant is immensely grateful!”

The young Emperor smiled, “Vice Minister Tang put much thought into this matter. General Hong, if you wish to express gratitude, thank him.”

Upon hearing this, Hong Lingxu immediately clasped his hands towards Tang Tieshuang beside him to express his thanks. Tang Tieshuang merely returned the gesture, offering no polite words.

Hong Lingxu had his own profound thoughts. His promotion to the capital as one of the "Pacification" generals, thus gaining real power, was not without envy. This was because the path for Liyang military officials, especially those in the capital, was extremely limited, essentially only two routes: one was to climb within the Ministry of War, which was more theoretical; the other was to start as a commandant or captain in the capital region and rise step by step. The former was relatively simpler and quicker, but the Vice Minister position was a major bottleneck. The latter emphasized steady progress and was slow, but once one became a "Suppressing," "Pacification," or "Garrison" general, their future was almost guaranteed. As long as one persevered until the senior officials reached retirement age, they could steadily advance. Conversely, a current Vice Minister of War might still need to serve as a deputy military commissioner in a province, and then compete for the Minister of War's chair based on their own abilities. Both paths had their merits and demerits. However, a direct promotion from a provincial general to a "Pacification" general like Hong Lingxu was somewhat unconventional but perfectly reasonable. It was reasonable because the court needed to heavily rely on the Qing Faction from the Central Plains heartland to appease the populace, given the situation of thousands of Central Plains scholars heading to Beiliang. This was true for Wen Taiyi, who left the capital, and also for Hong Lingxu, who entered it. Although Hong Lingxu was truly an outsider, he was not optimistic about the prospects of Tang Tieshuang, the Left Vice Minister of War. On one hand, there was the sudden rise of Wu Chongxuan; on the other, Tang Tieshuang’s factional colors were too strong. While Hong Lingxu’s Qing Faction identity could sometimes serve as a balancing force at court, Vice Minister Tang’s direct lineage from Grand General Gu’s faction meant that as long as Grand Marshal Gu Jiantang was alive, Tang Tieshuang would almost certainly be unable to reach the top in the imperial court. The court could tolerate a Grand Marshal overseeing Liangliao’s military and political affairs and a General Tang commanding the Liaodong Iron Cavalry under the same roof outside the passes, but it would absolutely not allow a Minister Tang to act in concert with Grand General Gu, one inside and one outside the capital.

Hong Lingxu would not feel grateful just because Tang Tieshuang had put effort into his residence yet kept it a secret. But the Emperor's seemingly casual, public revelation compelled Hong Lingxu to consider the matter deeply.

The young Emperor picked up the proclamation again, his expression turning grave. He sneered, “Zhao Bing, a noble imperial kinsman of the Zhao clan, chooses to be a traitor and rebel. I can tolerate the rebellion in Guangling Circuit, I can tolerate those civil and military officials who defected to the Western Chu Jiang clan remnants, I can tolerate the people of Guangling Circuit swept up in the war, but I will not tolerate this father and son, Zhao Bing and Zhao Zhu!”

The Liyang Emperor paused, then called out, “Wu Chongxuan!”

Wu Chongxuan, burly and showing no signs of age, gravely responded, “Your humble servant is here!”

The young Emperor, expressionless, commanded, “Minister Wu, please explain the situation in Guangling Circuit to the esteemed officials.”

Wu Chongxuan spoke unhurriedly, “Currently, the rebel Zhao Bing has a total of 110,000 troops garrisoned north of the Guangling River. Within the next six months, at least 40,000 more young Southern Barbarian men will enter the area north of the Guangling River. Rebel Chen Zhibao, in addition to his current 20,000 Shu troops, will also have approximately 30,000 Shu infantry arriving in Guangling Circuit within the next six months. Adding the forces of former General Zhennan Song Li and former Jizhou General Yuan Tingshan, as well as the newly absorbed remnants of the Western Chu rebel army, the rebel forces will reach as many as 260,000 by the end of the spring imperial examinations in Xiangfu Year 4. The court currently has only about 120,000 troops stationed in Guangling Circuit.”

Although the rebellion by the two great vassal kings had already caused unrest in Tai’an City, Wu Chongxuan’s blunt statement of the opposing forces still shocked even central figures like Wen Shouren. Furthermore, older officials were well aware of Prince Yan’e Zhao Bing’s military capabilities; he was once a meritorious martial artist who fought alongside a certain crippled butcher (referring to Xu Xiao). There was also an unspoken understanding: Prince Yan’e Zhao Bing now had Chen Zhibao by his side—a White-Clothed Military Sage commanding all of Western Shu’s forces! Prince of Changshan Zhao Yang, Duke of Yan Gao Shizhi, and Marquis of Huaiyang Song Daoning—these three martial artists who had also experienced the Spring and Autumn War—were all deeply worried. Zhao Yang was even among Liyang’s top ten generals in terms of military achievements during the Spring and Autumn period. The more accomplished he was, the more the old general understood the precariousness of the current situation in Guangling.

Qi Yanglong suddenly spoke softly, “Grand General Gu leading a part of his elite army southward to suppress the rebellion is an inevitable trend, but it does not necessarily mean he must immediately enter battle. The court should be training its troops now. As it stands, military morale is with the rebels, not the court. But fortunately, public support is with our court, not with Zhao Bing and Chen Zhibao. Back then, Xu Xiao was in a better position, yet he still did not rule by splitting the river—he was both unwilling and unable to. Now, it is only twenty years later, not two hundred years later. The ambitious vassal kings Zhao and Chen are merely continuing the already-decided chess game from twenty years ago. As long as…”

At this point, the Grand Chancellor suddenly fell silent.

Tantang Weng continued, “As long as Beiliang’s iron cavalry does not rebel and continues to hold back Northern Mang’s southward advance, allowing Gu Jiantang to free himself to suppress the rebellion in the south, then the two vassal kings Zhao and Chen, after their initial surge, will prove to be ephemeral.”

For some reason, this “as long as” caused a strange feeling among many nobles and high-ranking officials in Yangshen Hall.

“What if” Beiliang was unwilling to fight Northern Mang to the death, and instead abandoned the northwest, retreated a thousand li southward, and then conspired with Prince Yan’e Zhao Bing to seize the Central Plains? How would the imperial court cope?

It was well known that after Wen Taiyi and Ma Zhongxian, the Military Commissioner and Commissioner of Military Affairs, arrived in Jing’an Circuit, the transport of grain by canal to Beiliang had, as expected, proceeded slowly and with many difficulties.

Who would have thought that twenty years of peace and prosperity could be overturned overnight?

The truth was, without realizing it, the very duration of the Liyang dynasty’s rule was once again tied to a person named Xu.

This truth was deeply humiliating to the vast majority of people in Yangshen Hall.

For example, Wen Shouren, one of the twelve Grand Academicians; Yan Jiexu, a member of the imperial family by marriage; and Jin Lanting, the Vice Minister of Rites, among others.

In the countryside of Liyang, there was a crude saying: “If there’s no Butcher Zhang, can’t we still eat pork?”

Now, it truly seemed possible.

Without the help of the Xu butcher to do the killing, their official positions might not be secure.

Grand Academician of Wuying Hall Wen Shouren’s face was pale.

Yan Jiexu, Grand Academician of Dongyuan Pavilion, who had looked down on the Heir Apparent for many years, had a grim expression.

Jin Lanting’s face was ashen.

Cai Nan quietly lowered his head, his expression indistinct.

Commissioner of Military Affairs Han Lin, whose relationship with Cai Nan had improved dramatically after the incident blocking the Snow Dragon Riders, had a complex look in his eyes.

Just then, the young Emperor smiled, “The Xu family has guarded Liyang’s northwest frontier for two generations. In Xiangfu Year 2, the Beiliang border army achieved great merit. The court should naturally reward them. Beiliang generals such as Liu Jinu and Wang Lingbao died on the battlefield. I intend to issue an imperial decree posthumously honoring all Beiliang military officials, including these two, and I also plan to grant King Xu Fengnian of Beiliang the title of Grand Marshal.”

Emperor Zhao squinted, looking at the assembled officials in their yellow and purple robes, who were utterly astonished.