Yang Gong and Li Mubai exchanged glances, the latter saying,
“To be frank, this matter had troubled me for quite a while. I’d always had the sense that the Yunzhou rebel army shouldn’t have only performed like this. But judging by the current situation, taking Qingzhou within a month is impossible, unless Wei Yuan came back to life.”
“What are your views, everyone?”
The battlefield was like a chessboard, but far more unpredictable than a game of chess. As great scholars of Cloud Deer Academy, Li Mubai and Yang Gong were by no means novices, and with matters of such gravity, they did not mind troubling themselves with overthinking.
Upon hearing this, all the officials began offering their speculations:
“With the situation as it is now, it is extremely difficult for the rebel forces of Yunzhou to take Qingzhou by storm. Could it be… hmm, in fact they have another main force, and have split off in a feint, intending to seize targets elsewhere? As for Qingzhou, it might merely serve to pin down our main imperial force.”
“But that would be meaningless, scattering and capturing counties one by one? They’d be left isolated and unsupported, a doomed army to be picked off piecemeal by the Great Feng. As Silver Gong Xu wrote in his treatise on warfare: the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory.”
“This is nothing but a raid, and just for the sake of surprise alone.”
“Duke Yang, I do not find it strange at all. It is neither that we have overestimated the Yunzhou rebels, nor that they are incompetent, but rather, this is Heaven’s will. Think about it, everyone, if it weren’t for Silver Gong Xu bringing in the shaman clans’ elite, easing the pressure on Qingzhou and allowing us to catch our breath, redeploying and revitalising the situation, the second defensive line would already have collapsed entirely…
“If not for Silver Gong Xu’s alliance with the southern Yao, keeping the allied armies of the Western Regions and the Warrior Monks at bay, the court right now would be fighting hard on two fronts, unable to reinforce Qingzhou, and the war would long since have broken out in the very heartlands.
“So it is not that the Yunzhou rebels are incompetent. Rather, every road and every scheme they try is countered and undone by the strategies Silver Gong Xu carries out beyond the battlefield itself.”
After this round of in-depth analysis, even Yang Gong and Li Mubai both admitted that this was the most reasonable explanation.
For neither great scholar could conceive of any other plausible possibility.
After the meeting, Li Mubai finished his tea, and, turning to the advisor who’d earlier suggested “eating people” as a solution to the flying beast army’s rations, gave a cupped-fist salute and said,
“Brother Lingzhan, may I have a word?”
The goateed advisor stood up and left with Li Mubai.
Once outside the main hall, walking within the offices of the Provincial Commissioner, Li Mubai suddenly said,
“There is something I must trouble Brother Lingzhan with.”
The advisor replied with a salute, “Please speak openly, Brother Chunjing.”
Li Mubai nodded and said,
“I would like you to write a letter to Songshan County, and tell Xu Cijiu that in extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken. But do not use Duke Yang’s name.”
The advisor understood and replied in a low voice,
“I understand.”
…
Capital city, Hall of Cultivation.
On that quiet afternoon, Emperor Yongxing woke on the dragon bed, feeling refreshed, he had not slept so soundly in a long time.
The first thing he did after waking was summon Chief Eunuch Zhao Xuanzhen and instruct him,
“I remember that the spring sacrifice is in a month.”
“Inform the High Court, it must be conducted with great ceremony. We will pay our respects in earnest to our ancestors and to Heaven and Earth.”
After the spring sacrifice, the earth would return to spring.
The devastating winter catastrophe that had nearly brought the Great Feng to its knees was finally spent, like an exhausted crossbow.
As the season of renewal approached, firstly, the cold would cease to threaten the common people, and secondly, even if food was still scarce, one could always forage enough to get by in the hills and fields.
A few days prior, at a meeting in the royal study, the court officials, after painstaking analysis of the situation in Qingzhou, had all agreed: the Yunzhou rebels would not be able to take Qingzhou before the spring sacrifice.
And given the disparity in underlying strength between the two sides, the rebels’ momentum would only decline the longer the fighting dragged on, eventually burning itself out.
Recently, the tense and oppressive mood in the capital had melted away like thawing ice, replaced by a pervasive sense of relief.
The cabinet even issued three notices in a row to boost the morale of the people.
Just as Zhao Xuanzhen was about to depart and relay the message, Emperor Yongxing waved a hand and added,
“No, summon the officials straight to the imperial study for a meeting.”
A trace of a smile touched his lips, “We will continue our discussions on the Qingzhou front.”
…
Fengqi Palace. Huaiqing, accompanied by two of her personal maids, entered this cold, tranquil palace, a place countless palace women dreamed of.
Fire burned bright in the brazier, drapes hung low, and the stunningly beautiful Empress Dowager sat at her desk eating her own pastries, reading quietly.
“Mother Empress.”
Huaiqing offered a bow, her manner reserved and cool.
The Empress Dowager nodded slightly, not much warmer than her daughter, and said,
“Some days ago, His Majesty arranged a marriage for Lin’an and Silver Gong Xu.
“It occurred to us that we had long neglected your marriage and your sisters’. When the late emperor was alive, it was no matter that you all remained unmarried, but now, with a new monarch on the throne and your status accordingly elevated, it is no longer appropriate.
“We summoned you today to ask: is there anyone you are fond of?”
Huaiqing gave a slight smile, one could not tell if it was mocking or dismissive, and said lightly,
“You need not trouble yourself over daughter’s marriage. Should I meet a suitable gentleman, I will, of course, marry him.”
The Empress Dowager did not press the matter, simply nodding.
“You may go.”
Huaiqing curtsied and left with her maids.
The palace walls stood thick, locking away the dreams of those within.
Partway along her return, Huaiqing paused and looked up at the azure sky.
Someone I am fond of… She echoed the phrase silently in her heart.
Back at the Dexin Courtyard, Huaiqing suddenly found herself uninterested in reading. She intended to take a nap when, all at once, she felt a lurch in her heart. Keeping her expression calm, she dismissed her maids and took out the Earth Book fragment.
【TWO: I saw the public notice in town today. It said the war in Qingzhou was going well and the rebels were at their last gasp. This made me furious. These Running Dog officials are deceiving the commoners.】
Huaiqing, in poor spirits, was nearly made to laugh.
Heaven Sect’s Holy Son and Holy Maiden were selected for their cultivation talent, but in terms of intelligence… “passable” was sufficient.
【FOUR: It’s not exactly deceiving the people, the court has always painted things rosy since time immemorial. In another month it’ll be the spring festival, the land will thaw, and the winter calamity will end. The hardest days for the court are over.
【The rebels are still bogged down in Qingzhou. The longer this drags on, the less hope they have of winning. Even though the court is beset by problems from within and without, its foundations are stronger than Yunzhou’s.】
【SEVEN: Was all our drilling for nothing, then?】
As expected, fellow disciples think alike… Huaiqing quietly read on, not joining the conversation.
【FOUR: What do you mean, Brother Li? The rebels of Yunzhou have been preparing for twenty years, they are no easy foe. When I say they will have no hope after the spring festival, I do not mean they’ll be defeated immediately.
If we prepare our forces and arrive at Qingzhou before spring, perhaps we can be the last straw to break them. To be honest, if it weren’t for Xu Ningyan’s skilful manoeuvring, resolving the shaman clans and the Western Regions’ threats in turn, Qingzhou would have fallen already.】
Ah, best not let Brother Yang see that… Li Lingsu added by Earth Book:
【The Sitianjian’s Junior Sister Caiwei and Brother Yang are both at my camp, Brother Yang also plans to gather refugees and compete for dominance in the Central Plains, to make a name for himself.】
【TWO: It’s just to outdo Xu Qi’an right?】
【FOUR: It’s just to compete with Ningyan right?】
【SIX: It’s targeting Sir Xu right?】
Li Miaozhen, Chu Yuanzhen, and Master Hengyuan all sent messages in succession.
Li Lingsu nearly covered his face in embarrassment. He had wanted to complain about Yang Qianhuan, but then changed his mind and wrote,
【Brother Yang is a truly pure-hearted man. However, he and Junior Sister Caiwei were exiled by the Jianzheng.】
He related the reason why Yang Qianhuan and Chu Caiwei had been exiled, and concluded,
【Those two disciples of the Sitianjian really leave people at a loss for words.】
The other members of the Heaven and Earth Society, who had just been feeling a bit emotional, couldn’t help but silently retort:
Your Heaven Sect juniors are hardly any better themselves.
【TWO: Not a single disciple of the Jianzheng is normal.】
On seeing this, the Heaven and Earth Society members sighed again.
At this moment, Daoist Jinlian joined the conversation:
【Everyone, this poor Daoist has come out of seclusion.】
There was a moment of quiet in the Heaven and Earth Society, and then things exploded.
【TWO: Ah, Daoist Jinlian, you’ve finally emerged! You have no idea, the world outside has changed a thousand times, so much has happened!】
Indeed, there have been so many events, it feels as if I’ve been in seclusion for ten or twenty years… Daoist Jinlian sighed in reply:
【This poor Daoist has already heard much from my disciples. There is no sun or moon in the mountains, a thousand years may pass in the mortal world.】
【FOUR: Daoist, what you know is just what the world already knows, but in our Heaven and Earth Society, there are secret tidings you’ve yet to hear.】
Chu Yuanzhen sent a message.
Daoist Jinlian was intrigued. He knew Xu Qi’an had reached beyond-mortal, had taken part in many great events, and would have learned countless secrets at the top level.
And knowing Xu Ningyan’s character, he was almost certain to show off within the society… or rather, to share all the news.
Daoist Jinlian at once sent a message:
【NINE: What inside news is there?】
Chu Yuanzhen replied: 【FOUR: I’ll tell you what I can share. As for what Xu Ningyan revealed in secret, once he consents, we’ll let you know.】
Zhuangyuan Chu recounted all that had happened since Jinlian went into seclusion: Wei Yuan’s heroic death, the joint effort to kill Yuanjing, the journeys through the jianghu, the slaying of the Warrior Monk in Jianzhou, all in detail.
He left out, however, the connection between Xu Qi’an and Xu Pingfeng, and didn’t mention the secrets of the Buddha.
【NINE: Wei Yuan died a noble death. As for Zhende, I truly regret the affair, it was not this humble Daoist’s desire. It was the fault of Heilian. You must all help me root him out.】
Daoist Jinlian, amid his complicated feelings, didn’t forget to pass the blame.
The current predicament of the Great Feng, half the blame lay on Daoist Jinlian, the other half on Xu Pingfeng.
If not for Jinlian’s evil thoughts tainting Zhende back then, the calamities that followed would never have happened.
None of the Heaven and Earth Society pursued the matter, the affair was far from honourable, its karma too heavy. It was a pain Jinlian could never erase.
Seeing that no one pressed further, Jinlian breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
Lina sent a message then:
【FIVE: Daoist Jinlian, what did you do wrong?】
Daoist Jinlian: “……”
Why, Daoist Jinlian, did you ever let Lina join the Heaven and Earth Society… the others grumbled inwardly.
【NINE: It’s a long story. I’ll tell you all the details face to face one day.】
That was the only way he could deflect it.
【NINE: There’s something I feel everyone should be wary of, regarding the Qingzhou campaign.】
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