Chapter 271: Urgent Edict
Military supplies corruption, a scourge upon the nation, has left countless border soldiers lacking food and clothing, perishing in the snowfields.
Li Zhao must now harbor an intense hatred for the officials involved in this case.
“Using the Crown Prince’s hand is the best way,” Jinshu said with a frown, then added with some worry, “But the Crown Prince is stubborn. If he knows the Young Lady is using him as a tool, he might hold all his old and new grudges against you… and tear us to shreds…”
Xue Sui picked up her teacup, the rising steam blurring her overly calm face.
“He won’t. Li Zhao understands the Imperial Court well and is adept at making choices. Moreover, after the battle at Chishui Pass, he narrowly escaped death, fighting his way back to Shangjing from a mountain of corpses. His schemes are deeper, his edge sharper, and he must have had a great awakening… If there’s an opportunity to uproot the Duke of Zheng’s Mansion, he won’t let it pass and will even welcome it.”
A faint, cold curve touched the corner of her lips.
“Besides, whatever he needs, I will place it before him. Even if he’s displeased, he’ll have to accept my good intentions…”
Jinshu’s throat moved slightly; she felt something was amiss.
“If he understands this plan, he will feel deeply hurt. After all, the Crown Prince was once so infatuated with you…”
“That was in the past. From now on, he will only be ashamed to mention the days he was controlled by the Gu, manipulated by the Love Silk Gu…”
Jinshu’s eyelids twitched, and she couldn’t help but shiver. Looking at the hideous old scar on Xue Sui’s wrist, she suddenly felt the chill in the monastic room was more intense than the north wind outside.
“The mountain air is damp; Young Lady, you must take care of yourself.”
“It’s nothing,” Xue Sui gently blew away the foam on the tea, her voice barely audible.
The tea entered her throat, warm and slightly astringent.
She suppressed a familiar tickle in her throat.
After falling ill in the Ministry of Justice Prison, her body had been weakened. The mountain chill invading her made it difficult to bear.
“Keep a close eye on Guo Zhaohuai,” she pushed the teacup towards the center of the desk, coughing lightly with suppressed effort. “A cornered beast will fight. If he senses anything, he’ll lash out desperately. Be cautious in all your actions and don’t let any wind leak out.”
“This maid understands.”
“There’s one more thing…”
“Young Lady, please instruct,” Jinshu asked.
“Guo Zhaohuai, I want him for myself. I will deal with him personally.”
Jinshu responded, then frowned, “With Crown Prince’s temperament, his actions will be swift and decisive, eradicating all threats. Young Lady… why soil your hands?”
“For satisfaction,” Xue Sui’s eyes reflected the flickering candlelight, calm to the point of cruelty.
The blood debt from ten years ago, she would collect it, piece by piece, with her own hands.
A sharp glint flashed in Jinshu’s eyes, her face pale yet resolute.
“This maid understands. I will arrange for the schedule and send Fourth Young Master Guo a grand gift. I guarantee he’ll think his luck has turned and he’ll make a comeback.”
Guo Zhaoxuan relied on his family background to act arrogantly, yet he was brainless. He was insignificant compared to Guo Zhaohuai and held an awkward position in the Duke of Zheng’s Mansion.
With a little manipulation, this good-for-nothing young master would likely walk right into a trap.
Xue Sui slowly turned her head, her gaze falling on the Yun Jin brocade purple kasaya placed on the incense altar.
“This title of Miaozhen is both a shackle and a talisman. From now on, when noble ladies from the capital come to worship Buddha, do not refuse their visits. Especially… those noble ladies and madams who were once close to Princess Ping Le.”
Jinshu understood immediately, “This maid obeys.”
Xue Sui paused, her fingertips tapping lightly on the desk.
The sound of a wooden fish came from the main hall, overlapping with her tapping, sounding exceptionally ethereal.
“Old debts and new debts, all must be settled.”
–
In June, the land of the Western Frontier, under the midday sun, baked into a scorched yellow.
Wind and sand, carrying heat, swept past the tent, making a corner of the map rustle.
Li Zhao sat on a tiger skin chair, his dark armor still on.
Bloodstains and dust were faintly visible on his shoulder plates. His face, after months of battle, had become sharper and more defined. His brow bones and jawline seemed chiseled by a knife, his lines becoming more rugged—
Compared to the young man in bright clothes and spirited horse who rushed from Shangjing to Chishui Pass, the current Crown Prince had a deep, cold pool settled in his eyes. His entire demeanor was more composed and sharp, his every movement exuding the aura of a seasoned warrior.
Lai Fu entered with a bowl of hot porridge. Seeing his master’s noticeably thinner profile, he couldn’t help but say, “Your Highness, you haven’t eaten properly for three days. Please eat something first. This old servant has prepared hot water for you to wash up afterward and rest comfortably…”
“The remnants of the enemy are not yet cleared; how can I dare to take off my armor?”
Li Zhao didn’t even lift his head. His fingertip traced the location of Black Wind Pass on the map, his gaze deep. He then looked up at Yu Qianshan beside him.
“General Yu, where have Ashina’s remnants retreated to?”
“Reporting to Your Highness, scouts have reported that Ashina is leading his remnants westward, gathering some defeated soldiers and supplies. They should be in the area of Liusha Marsh. General Lu has already taken the vanguard camp and light cavalry to pursue them. There will be a fierce battle within ten days.”
Yu Qianshan cupped his fists in response. Glancing at the dark circles under Li Zhao’s eyes, he couldn’t help but add, “Our army has achieved consecutive victories since escaping the snow disaster, and morale is high. We have eliminated over fifty thousand enemies in recent months. Ashina’s tribe is nearing its end; Your Highness need not worry.”
Li Zhao nodded slightly.
“You will relay my order to Lu You’an: do not pursue a desperate enemy too deeply, beware of traps. Immediately gather all units, take stock of casualties, and report to me quickly.”
“This subordinate receives the order.”
Just then, hurried hoofbeats suddenly sounded from outside the tent, accompanied by the clanging of armor plates. A scout lifted the curtain and entered swiftly.
“Reporting to Crown Prince—”
He knelt on one knee, hands raised above his head, presenting a copper tube sealed with a wax seal.
“The post station in the Capital Region has sent an urgent dispatch, an eight-hundred-li urgent message. His Majesty has an imperial decree…”
The air in the tent instantly froze.
Li Zhao unbuckled the saber at his waist and casually placed it on the desk. As he stood up, his dark armor made a cold, crisp sound.
“This subject, Li Zhao, receives the decree.”
He took the copper tube, broke the seal, and unrolled the imperial decree written on bright yellow silk.
As his gaze fell upon the line, “The Crown Prince is the heir of the nation and should prioritize his health and well-being,” a barely perceptible coldness curved his lips.
“It is hereby decreed that Crown Prince Zhao shall immediately hand over the military affairs of the Western Frontier to General Who Conquered the West Lu You’an and the Military Governor of Longxi, who shall jointly manage them. He is to depart as soon as possible, return to court to report, and recuperate. By Imperial Order.”
Li Zhao tossed the scroll onto the desk.
Shards of wax seal scattered on the edge of the map.
In the large tent, no one spoke.
This was already the third imperial decree from the court.
Without exception, they were imperial edicts from the Emperor, ordering the Crown Prince to return to the capital.
The war was not yet over, but the predicament had been resolved. The Daliang Army’s might was at its peak, and they were eager to reclaim military power.
To put it bluntly, wasn’t this like discarding the millstone after the donkey had finished grinding grain?
Lai Fu and Yu Qianshan were both Li Zhao’s trusted confidants.
The two exchanged glances, seeing indignation and worry in each other’s eyes.
Li Zhao remained silent.
He walked to the tent opening and lifted the curtain, gazing at the distant Gobi Desert where the smoke of battle was gradually subsiding, standing there for a long time.
The setting sun cast his shadow long, and his dark armor gleamed coldly in the afterglow…
“Your Highness, the imperial will urges your return. What do you think we should do?” Yu Qianshan cautiously followed him out and asked in a low voice.
The mountain wind stirred the grit, hitting his face.
After a long while, Li Zhao finally spoke, “His Majesty fears I might amass troops and rebel.”
His tone was calm, revealing no emotion.
If it were in the capital before, he would have likely slammed the table and denounced his father, the sovereign, for being heartless and ungrateful.
Yu Qianshan looked at the ice shards hidden in his brows. He was both delighted by the Crown Prince’s growth and felt pity for him, enduring the tempering of blood and fire while also facing suspicion from his own father. His heart was filled with mixed emotions.
“General Lu is upright, loyal, and disciplined in his command; he is indeed reliable. That Military Governor of Longxi is Xiao Song’s own son, Xiao Yan, and a disciple of Duke Zheng Guo Pi—if he gets involved, it will surely cause trouble. It’s cleaner for Your Highness to abandon this burden. However, it’s truly disheartening and frustrating that the merits earned by our brothers through bloodshed are so easily snatched away.”
Before Yu Qianshan finished speaking, Li Zhao turned abruptly.
His eyes were calm and direct, sharp as a piercing hawk.
“Relay my command: all camps are to rest in place for three days, prepare meals, check the wounded, and replenish supplies quickly. The reconnaissance cavalry will be divided into three teams to defend along the West River. In three days, I will personally lead the central army to campaign and clear out Ashina’s remnants within a month, then return to court as decreed.”
“This subordinate receives the order!”
Yu Qianshan cupped his fists, about to withdraw, when he heard Li Zhao speak again:
“Wait.”
He walked to the weapon rack, took down his dark iron spear, and with a swing and a flourish, flicked it upwards…
Under the scorching sun, the spear tip drew a red arc.
He paused, then his voice suddenly turned sharp.
“Also, relay to the Military Governor of Longxi, Xiao Yan, that he must guard the West River crossing. If his patrol is lax, do not blame me for impeaching him before the Emperor upon my return to court.”
Yu Qianshan’s spirit lifted, “This subordinate receives the order!”
With that, he strode away.
Lai Fu stood behind the tent, watching Li Zhao’s tired but straight back, and sighed silently.
He knew that this trip back to the capital for His Highness would likely involve another storm.
Fighting on the front lines meant poor food and sleep, taxing the body.
But returning to the capital would tax the mind.
Outside the large tent, the wind and sand continued to blow. A few unknown solitary birds flew across the sky.
The sound of horns from the camp was deep and desolate, mingling with the unextinguished beacon fires in the distance, adding to the heavy atmosphere of an impending storm…
Sisters, get some rest early, as the holiday is about to end…
