The Bad Guys: Everyone, let’s revive the Tang Dynasty together!

Chapter 510 The storm is coming
In the first month of the second year of the Guangqi reign of the Southern Tang Dynasty, the chill did not diminish with the arrival of the New Year; on the contrary, it became even more biting.

The snow in Yangzhou was swept to both sides of the street, gleaming coldly in the thin winter sunlight.

Snowmelt meandered through the cracks in the bluestone slabs, only to freeze into thin ice in the next cold snap, making a soft cracking sound when stepped on. The festive joy that should have filled the streets and alleys was replaced by an inexplicable sense of oppression, and even the laughter of children was much less frequent.

At the tea stall at the alley entrance, the fire was burning brightly, but several old tea drinkers sat around it, whispering and looking solemn.

"Have you heard? The one in the north... has officially ascended the throne." A thin, long-faced old man lowered his voice, his fingers subtly tracing the outline of the character "Tang" on the rough tabletop.

The man across from me, wrapped in a thick cotton-padded coat, spat out a mouthful of tea dregs and snorted, "How could I not have heard? The commotion in Bianliang could probably be heard even beyond the Great Wall. The reign title is 'Hongwu,' what a grand ambition... bestowing titles on meritorious officials and building tall buildings, tsk."

“More than that,” another merchant interjected, sounding worried. “When I returned from Huainan before the New Year, the Northern Army had significantly more warships, and they were patrolling more frequently. Judging from their posture, it didn’t seem like they were just putting on a show. I’m afraid we won’t have a peaceful New Year.”

"Sigh, when will this fighting ever end? It's us ordinary folks who suffer the most..."

Similar rumors circulated throughout Yangzhou, causing widespread panic, soaring prices, long queues forming in front of grain stores, and worry etched on everyone's face.

On the streets, the number of armored soldiers patrolling with halberds was nearly double that of usual, creating a particularly tense atmosphere. The checks at the city gates were also exceptionally strict, and the faces of the people entering and leaving showed a mixture of bewilderment and impatience. The guards were very vigilant, carefully scrutinizing every passerby.

Because the government deliberately blocked news about imperial edicts from the Central Plains, a heavy atmosphere of impending doom hung over the hearts of every Southern Tang citizen, making it hard to breathe.

The palace held court assemblies for several consecutive days, and the atmosphere grew more and more somber each day.

News of Xiao Yan's ascension to the throne and Ding Nan's stern reprimand in Shuofang continued to be presented. It was said that after struggling for several days, Han Xun and Li Renfu had each taken all their families to Bianjing. The officials circulated these reports, looking at each other in bewilderment, but no one dared to speak first.

The hall remained silent for a long time before whispers broke out, quickly subsiding again. Several officials standing in the back row unconsciously rubbed their hands together, whether due to insufficient charcoal or some other reason, it was unclear.

Xu Wen glanced sideways at the expressionless Li Xingyun, then raised his eyes and exchanged a look with Zhang Hao opposite him. They both saw the fear and ruthlessness deep in each other's eyes.

The court session ended hastily. The officials bowed and withdrew hastily, none daring to utter a single word.

Xu Wen and Zhang Hao had previously been vying for power, but recently their relationship had become closer. After leaving the palace, the two rode away in separate carriages. Xu Wen then tacitly moved to a secluded residence, where several servants led him into a heavily guarded warm pavilion.

Zhang Hao was already waiting in the main seat, his face grim.

“I have been paying close attention, and there is news from the palace that the Longquan sword His Majesty is holding now is probably a fake…” Xu Wen did not sit down, but simply rolled up his sleeves and got straight to the point, “The Longquan sword is probably no longer in Yangzhou. Our Majesty… certainly knows how to find a way out for himself.”

Zhang Hao slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups clatter: "You traitor! Without us, what kind of emperor is he? We should have kept a tighter grip on him long ago!"

"It's too late to talk about this now."

Xu Wen paced back and forth, his voice low and deep.

“Xiao Yan has made it clear that he will not give us a way out. If he wants to become the emperor with absolute authority, he must eradicate all the roots of regional separatism. His next step will definitely be a southern expedition, and he will not be easily fooled like Qian Liu did when he paid tribute to Zhu Wen. But even if you and I surrender, we will have to hand over our military power and land. And people like us, if we are separated from power and the army, are like fish on a chopping board, and our death is not far away.”

He paused, then finally sat down, scoffing, "And Li Xingyun is a hot potato right now. If used poorly, he might turn on us. If a large army from the north really presses in, he might just use our heads as a stepping stone to his brother's place."

"Then let's strike first!" Zhang Hao's eyes flashed with a fierce light. "We'll get him completely under our control! And keep an eye on the King of Wu and that girl from Shangrao too! To prevent any unforeseen complications."

Xu Wen narrowed his eyes, no longer caring about alerting the enemy, and slowly nodded: "Immediately send more trusted men to 'protect' the Wu Prince's mansion. As for Li Xingyun..." He sneered, "Let's sound him out a bit more. If he's sensible, we'll keep him for now. If he's up to no good... we can make plans early."

After their secret meeting, the two made their decision in just a few words.

Soon after, a troop of elite armored soldiers, under the pretext of "the New Year is approaching, and there is a risk of spies, so we need to strengthen security," marched to the Wu King's residence and openly set up camp, completely surrounding the mansion. Those inside were allowed to enter but not leave.

Inside the imperial study of the Yangzhou palace, two palace servants carefully tended to the fire in the stove, occasionally exchanging a few words with low laughter, appearing much more relaxed than the common people outside the palace.

Their ease stemmed from two reasons: firstly, the fact that they were unaware of the outside world's turmoil while deep within the palace; and secondly, the fact that their master appeared remarkably calm, thus avoiding any sense of restraint or caution.

Li Xingyun stood alone by the window.

Outside the window, withered branches swayed, and the sky was a murky, leaden gray. He held a secret report in his hand about Zhang Hao's dispatch of troops to garrison the Wu King's residence, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force he exerted.

Princess Shangrao was nearing full term of pregnancy, and she was always most concerned about her father, the King. As the emperor of Yangzhou, he knew what Zhang Hao was thinking, but he couldn't interfere. If things went wrong, the other party might resort to a desperate measure. So he could only keep it from Shangrao and not let such matters bother her.

So what kind of emperor is he?
"Your Majesty," Zhang Zifan's voice rang out from the doorway.

Li Xingyun glanced back at him, then gently placed the secret report on the desk: "You've arrived."

Zhang Zifan walked slowly closer, his gaze sweeping over the secret report, his expression grave: "I just received the news as well. Xu Wen and Zhang Hao must have noticed something."

"They just reinforced their troops to 'protect' the Wu King's residence." Li Xingyun's voice was devoid of emotion as he gazed out the window.

Zhang Zifan remained silent for a moment, then walked to Li Xingyun's side. Together they looked out at the oppressive sky. After a long silence, he suddenly said, "Has Your Majesty ever considered why the one in Bianliang who obtained the Longquan Sword kept it a secret?"

Li Xingyun looked up at him: "What do you mean?"

"Based on the rumors surrounding that person and the intelligence I've gathered, if he truly disdained His Majesty's gift of the sword, he could have made it public to intimidate others," Zhang Zifan analyzed. "But he didn't. What does that mean?"

Li Xingyun remained silent, gesturing for him to continue.

"This suggests that he may have accepted this 'gift,' and may even have some approval of His Majesty because of it. This means that if the situation changes in the future, there may be room for maneuver."

Li Xingyun's lips curled into a self-deprecating smile: "Yu Di? Zifan, his approval is based on absolute strength and control. He doesn't need to use that to attack me, because he has enough power to crush everything here at any time. He doesn't say it, perhaps because he feels it's not worth the trouble."

"even so,"

Zhang Zifan turned to Li Xingyun, his eyes sharpening. "This also means that the possibility of negotiation still exists. But the prerequisite is that we must have the qualifications to sit at the negotiating table. Your Majesty, look at the likes of Xu Wen and Zhang Hao. What have they been trying to do lately? Expand the army, increase taxes, and levy exorbitant taxes. They want to squeeze the last drop of blood from Jiangnan to fill the chasm of their lust for power, gambling on that one in ten thousand chance. Even if they win by chance, Jiangnan will be reduced to ashes; if they lose, they may be able to flee with their wealth, but what about Your Majesty, Princess Shangrao, the Wu royal family, and these millions of people? How will you face them?"

He took a deep breath, his tone growing increasingly solemn: "Right now, the people of Jiangnan are merely trying to exploit His Majesty's conflict with the Central Plains for their own profit. Once things become unfavorable, they will surely abandon their pawns to save their king, resulting in a lose-lose situation."

Li Xingyun remained silent for a long time, then finally turned around and asked, "In your opinion, what should be done?"

"Knife."

Zhang Zifan said decisively, "Brother Li, we must hold the knife in our own hands. Only by truly controlling the power, instead of relying on Xu Wen's compromises to seize power as before, can we take the initiative, especially in military power. Only then can we decide whether to fight or make peace, whether to advance or retreat."

War would provide effective resistance and increase our bargaining power; peace would ensure the safety of the Empress and the imperial family, preventing them from becoming mere tribute to be disposed of at will during a surrender or a fight to the death. Now, Xu and Zhang are thrown into disarray by news from the north and are eager to seize power, which is our opportunity to secretly plan. We should contact former officials of the King of Wu, win over generals in the army who still possess loyalty or are dissatisfied with Xu and Zhang, eliminate traitors, cleanse the court and the countryside, and bring military power in Yangzhou and even the entire Wu kingdom into your hands, Brother Li…”

Silence fell over the study. Li Xingyun's gaze fell on the desk, where, besides an inkstone, lay a tiny silver needle, shimmering with a faint light. He stared at the needle for a long time, as if looking at his former aspirations.

After a long while, he slowly raised his head.

“Brother Zhang, you are right. In chaotic times, a benevolent heart needs an iron fist to protect it. In the past, I always gave in, always thinking that I could achieve the best of both worlds, but I forgot that others would only take advantage of me. Now, there is no way to retreat.”

He reached out, picked up the silver needle, and finally held it tightly.

"It's time to take the knife into my own hands."

The two discussed matters privately until the afternoon before Zhang Zifan finally left the palace.

Li Xingyun sat alone in the imperial study for a while before getting up and walking towards the inner palace.

When he stepped into the bedchamber, his face already wore its usual playful smile, as if the tense atmosphere in the court had never occurred.

Speaking of which, since Lu Linxuan arrived in Yangzhou, Li Xingyun has spent more time with Princess Shangrao, which has brought the couple closer together. When Shangrao is alone with him, she naturally reverts to her somewhat willful temperament.

Princess Shangrao leaned against the soft couch, her pregnant belly quite prominent, covered with a soft brocade quilt. Seeing him enter, a happy, dependent smile involuntarily appeared on her face, and she gestured for the maid who was teaching her needlework to leave.

"Princess, you look quite well today," Li Xingyun said, leaning closer to the soft couch and reaching out to touch Princess Shangrao's belly. "Let me hear if the little one is behaving himself today?"

Princess Shangrao lightly slapped his hand away and glared at him, annoyed. "Don't give me that. Why is the court assembly taking so long today? What's bothering you this time?"

Li Xingyun sat down next to her, took the teacup handed to him by the maid, took a sip, and said, "What could be troubling you? It's just the same old thing, the same old ramblings that never end."

"Those things?" Shangrao raised an eyebrow, then suddenly reached out and pinched his ear. "Li Xingyun, do you think I'm stupid? I've heard everything about that guy from the Central Plains!"

Li Xingyun winced in pain and cried out, "Ouch! Be gentle! Be gentle... Princess, your strength has increased quite a bit..."

Shangrao released his grip, snorted, and turned his face away: "Don't try to fool me. Your ninth brother has now declared himself emperor, and his next step is to attack, right? You think you can hide something this big from me?"

Li Xingyun rubbed his reddened ears and smiled wryly: "I was just afraid you would worry... You're feeling unwell right now, so you shouldn't be overthinking things."

"Don't give me that!" Shangrao turned back to glare at him, her eyes slightly red. "Have you always thought I was just a spoiled princess who doesn't know anything? Let me tell you, I am, after all, the daughter of the King of Wu. I've seen plenty of the intrigues of the court!" She grew angrier as she spoke, her voice rising: "Compared to before the New Year, you've been restless these past few days. Do you think I can't see it? You toss and turn at night, can't sleep, are absent-minded during meals, and even when you're talking to me, you start to drift off again... Li Xingyun, do you think I'm particularly easy to fool?"

Seeing that she was truly angry, Li Xingyun quickly softened his voice and coaxed, "How could I dare... it's just..."

"Just what?" Shangrao persisted, grabbing his collar. "Just that your junior sister went to Yangzhou and kept it from me? Where did you hide her?"

Caught off guard, Li Xingyun was taken aback by her question: "You... how did you know..."

"how could I know?"

Shangrao chuckled, a hint of smugness in her eyes. "I am your wife, and the woman carrying your child. Do you really think this princess is blind and deaf? Besides, I've heard the rumors about your ninth brother. He even dared to take the Empress Dowager of the grasslands as a concubine, and it's even said that he's raising that Empress Dowager's daughter in the palace, intending to take them all..."

Shangrao mimicked the tone of the palace maid as she spoke these words, her face flushed slightly. Then she continued, "He's not even afraid of this kind of thing. If he really wanted to harm your junior sister, he would have done it long ago. Why would he care about reputation? You rushed out that night and rushed back in the middle of the night. After that, you treated me a thousand times better. Zhang Zifan, that jerk, thought he was putting on a great act. Just the two of you, don't think you can fool me."

But after she finished speaking triumphantly, she suddenly let go of his hand, her tone lowered, tinged with grievance: "You don't trust me at all? You'd rather keep her outside the palace than let me see her? Are you afraid I'll eat her alive?"

Li Xingyun looked at her slightly reddened eyes, and his heart softened. He sighed and gently pulled her into his arms: "We are husband and wife, how could I not trust you? It's precisely because I was afraid you would overthink things that I..."

"I won't overthink it!" Shangrao said in a muffled voice in his arms, her tone softening. "Let me see her... I want to see what kind of celestial beauty she is that you miss so much..."

Li Xingyun chuckled and looked down at her: "What's wrong, are you jealous?"

"Who's jealous!" Shangrao playfully punched him in the chest, but not hard. "I'm just... just curious. Besides..."

She raised her head, her eyes becoming serious. "In the current situation, having one more friend is always better than having one more enemy. Since she's someone you value, I should naturally meet her."

Li Xingyun gazed at Shangrao, his heart filled with mixed emotions. He gently embraced her and whispered, "Alright, but she's just my junior sister, really. In a couple of days, I'll arrange for her to meet you, her sister-in-law."

Shangrao didn't see Li Xingyun's serious expression and naturally wouldn't believe what he said. She just hummed contentedly, leaned against him, and unconsciously twisted his belt with her fingers: "Then you can't hide it from me anymore... If you have any difficulties, you have to let me know. I am your wife, and I will stand by you no matter what."

Li Xingyun hugged her tightly, feeling the warmth of her body, his heart growing heavier.

"Okay, I'll keep everything from you from now on."

Just then, the sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall. It was Xu Wen and Zhang Hao leading a group of officials to request an audience.

Li Xingyun's brows furrowed instantly, all his previous warmth vanished, and a layer of frost covered his eyes. He took a deep breath, first instructing the eunuch to arrange for the officials to gather in the side hall, then patted Shangrao's hand: "You should rest well, I'll be right back."

"Hmm." Shangrao's face also showed some worry, but it brightened up in an instant, and she just winked at him.

Inside the side hall, the atmosphere was even more oppressive than the weather outside.

Xu Wen and Zhang Hao stood before a large group of officials, followed by a group of their cronies, all with grim expressions.

Zhang Zifan also led a group of civil and military officials, but the group was smaller and they stood on the other side.

"His Majesty!"

Seeing Li Xingyun take his seat, Zhang Hao was the first to speak, his voice booming: "The Northern Emperor has usurped the throne and changed the era name, his wolfish ambitions are now blatantly obvious! The day he invades the south is probably not far off. With the nation in peril, I implore Your Majesty to immediately issue an edict to increase taxes on the Jianghuai region by 30%, recruit an additional 100,000 new soldiers, and conscript laborers to strengthen city defenses in preparation for any eventuality!"

Upon hearing this suggestion, the ministers behind him echoed it enthusiastically, their voices overwhelming.

Li Xingyun sat down at his desk, his face ashen. He swept his gaze across the assembled officials, finally settling on Zhang Hao's face: "A 30% tax increase? Does Minister Zhang know that the people of Jianghuai are already exhausted, and how much grain remains in the granaries? Is this further tax increase an attempt to force a rebellion?"

Zhang Hao stiffened his neck and sneered: "Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. If the iron cavalry from Jiangbei tramples in, no egg will remain unbroken when the nest is overturned. At that time, how can a few taxes compare?"

"A little tax?"

Li Xingyun's voice suddenly turned cold, accompanied by a sneer, "The 'little bit' that Minister Zhang speaks of is the food and sustenance for millions of people. Although I have not experienced much in state affairs, I still understand the principle that disrupting internal affairs before the war and draining the people's strength is a path to self-destruction. This proposal is absolutely unacceptable."

Seeing the two men so unusually confrontational, Qian Liu's eldest son, Qian Yuanguan, quickly stepped forward, bowed, and tried to smooth things over, saying, "Your Majesty, Minister Zhang, please calm your anger. The affairs of the state are difficult, all for the sake of the nation. The matter of raising taxes can be discussed again; perhaps we should first discuss how to improve the existing military defenses and save expenses..."

Zhang Hao didn't even glance at him, his gaze fixed on Li Xingyun on the throne, his voice rising several decibels: "Your Majesty! This is not the time for bargaining! The Northern army could arrive at any moment. Without sufficient provisions and troops, how can we defend ourselves?"

At this moment, Qian Yuanqiu, the ninth son of Qian Liu, who was standing not far behind Zhang Hao, suddenly spoke up in agreement: "What Minister Zhang says is absolutely right! Your Majesty, hesitation will only lead to chaos. Wu and Yue are willing to take the lead in increasing taxes to fund the army!"

These words caused an uproar in the hall. Qian Yuanguan turned sharply to glare at his ninth brother, his face instantly turning extremely ugly.

Li Xingyun glanced at Qian Yuanqiu but ignored him completely, instead meeting Zhang Hao's gaze with a stern expression.

At this moment, Xu Wen suddenly stepped forward and said in a slightly gentler tone, "Your Majesty cherishes the people's strength, and we, your subjects, feel the same way. However, the Northern Dynasty is powerful, and without extraordinary preparations, it is difficult to resist. Even if taxes are not increased, we urge Your Majesty to issue an edict to boost morale and order all military garrisons to intensify their preparations and defend the borders. Moreover, in times of emergency, swift and decisive measures are necessary. Now that the Prince of Chu is seriously ill and Commander Ma (Ma Xisheng) is unable to attend to the important matter of river defense in Changsha, I believe that it is possible to grant Zhang, the Minister of Works, the authority over river defense. If anyone neglects military affairs or undermines morale, regardless of rank, he can be executed first and reported later."

If it were someone else, this so-called person who was neglecting the morale of the army might have been limited to the front line of the river defense. However, Xu Wen and Zhang Hao are currently seizing power and resisting the Central Plains. I'm afraid that once they open their mouths, this act of acting first and reporting later will make them able to kill anyone except Li Xingyun.

Li Xingyun's anger surged, but his face remained calm: "Boosting morale and improving military preparedness are certainly necessary. However, the power to execute first and report later concerns the laws and regulations of the country. How can it be granted lightly? Is Prime Minister Xu afraid that I cannot control the soldiers in Jiangnan? Or does he not trust that I can stabilize the situation in Jiangnan?"

His question was extremely serious, his gaze piercing Xu Wen. Xu Wen hadn't expected Li Xingyun to be so assertive this time, and he was momentarily speechless. His usually kind and gentle face suddenly turned extremely ugly.

Zhang Zifan stepped forward at the opportune moment and said loudly, "Your Majesty, Lord Zhang, Prime Minister Xu, in my humble opinion, the most urgent task at present is not to blindly expand the army and increase taxes, but to 'reorganize' and 'verify.' Reorganization means to reorganize the existing military equipment, eliminate the old and weak, optimize the deployment, and make the existing forces play their maximum role. Verification means to check the treasuries, military supplies and provisions of each prefecture and state, eliminate corruption and embezzlement, and the money and provisions obtained may be sufficient to support the war effort. In this way, we can strengthen the army and consolidate the defenses without harming the people, which is the only long-term solution."

His words were well-reasoned and supported by evidence. They not only refuted Xu Wen and Zhang Hao's radical proposals but also put forward practical alternative strategies, which immediately won the approval of many centrist officials such as Qian Yuanguan.

Zhang Hao's face was ashen as he glared at Zhang Zifan, then glanced at the emperor on the throne, who seemed like a stranger to him all of a sudden. A tense standoff ensued in the side hall.

"This matter will be discussed later!" At this moment, Li Xingyun waved his hand decisively, "Vice Minister Zhang's words are quite insightful. Minister Xu, Minister Zhang, I hereby order you two to conduct a thorough investigation of the grain, provisions, and military equipment situation in Yangzhou's treasury and surrounding military towns, compile a detailed list, and then discuss countermeasures. Court adjourned!"

After saying this, he stood up abruptly, turned and left, leaving a group of dumbfounded officials behind.

Xu Wen and Zhang Hao stood there, watching Li Xingyun's departing figure, their eyes filled with shock and anger. They clearly sensed that the emperor, who had always been passive and always tried to negotiate amicably, was now trying to break free from his constraints.

A strong sense of crisis, mixed with murderous intent, surged and rose within them.

It was night, the moon was dark and the wind was high.

After coaxing Shangrao Anran to sleep, Li Xingyun pondered alone for a long time. Suddenly, he got up and ordered Tianmengxing Li Sixiao, who was stationed at the palace, to summon Shi Yao through the methods of the Bad People.

A biting wind howled through the palace walls, adding to the somber atmosphere. Deep within the palace, the lights in the imperial study remained lit, illuminating Li Xingyun's solitary figure as he wandered about.

In the dead of night, a slender figure, almost blending into the darkness, silently entered the study.

"What brings Your Majesty to summon me so suddenly?" Shi Yao curtsied respectfully.

Li Xingyun stopped and turned to look at her, getting straight to the point: "I need you to pass on a message to Yuan Tiangang."

A hint of surprise flashed in Shi Yao's eyes: "Your Majesty wishes to see the Commander-in-Chief?"

“Yes.” Li Xingyun nodded, his tone resolute. “I have important matters to discuss with him in person.”

A brief silence fell over the study.

Shi Yao did not immediately agree. She hesitated for a moment before slowly speaking: "Your Majesty, please forgive my frankness. The Commander-in-Chief is not in Jiangnan at the moment. I can only try my best to pass on the message, but I cannot guarantee that it will reach the Commander-in-Chief's ears, let alone guarantee that... the Commander-in-Chief will respond to Your Majesty's summons."

After listening, Li Xingyun's face showed little surprise or anger. He remained silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the deep night outside the window, before finally letting out a soft sigh.

“I understand.” His voice was calm. “Do your best and leave the rest to fate. You just need to pass on my message that I want to see him. As for whether Yuan Tiangang is willing to see him, that’s up to fate.”

His calm reaction surprised Shi Yao slightly.

"Yes, Your Majesty." She glanced at Li Xingyun carefully, said no more, bowed, and said, "I will do it immediately."

After speaking, her figure vanished into the shadows like a ghost, disappearing as if she had never existed.

Li Xingyun was left alone in the study. He stood by the window, gazing at the night completely shrouded in snow, clutching the silver needle tightly in his hand. The sensation of the needle pricking his fingertip kept him awake, more so than ever before.

The distant sound of the night watchman's drum pierced the cold night, each beat striking the heart.

The storm is really coming.

(End of this chapter)