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

Chapter 540 Let him see enough

In early June, with the surrender of the entire city of Nanjing, the execution and beheading of the traitor Yuan Tiangang, and the capture of Xu Wen's third son Xu Zhixun, the fate of the world had been settled, requiring no further explanation.

As for the Jiangnan region, except for a small corner of Fujian, it was almost entirely unified. Only a few scattered remnants of the enemy were still putting up a stubborn resistance, and they were no longer a major concern. In Huainan, before the surrender of Nanjing, Xu Zhixun's troops in Luzhou (Hefei) and Xu Zhigao's troops in Yangzhou were still holding out in Huaidong, fighting like cornered beasts.

However, before Xu Wen retreated from Poyang, he secretly ordered his adopted son Xu Zhigao to carry out the plan of burning the city in Yangzhou, and then secretly took the Yangzhou treasury south to meet Xu Wen and escape by sea.

Upon learning of the defeat at Wuchang, Xu Zhigao knew there was no room for maneuver and immediately began to prepare for retreat. However, Xu Zhigao was usually an honest and taciturn man, so much so that Xu Wen trusted him more than his own son. Yet, at this critical juncture, he turned the tables on Xu Wen.

It turned out that just before Xu Zhigao was about to set fire to the city and kidnap the Prince of Wu, Zhao Congyi, a commander of the Jiangnan Imperial Guard who had been lying in wait in Yangzhou, joined forces with Zhu Jin, Zhang Xuanling who had been protecting the Prince of Wu, and the remnants of the Bad People who had been lying in wait in the city. The four sides joined forces and launched a sudden attack at night.

Having been lying in wait for some time, once the various factions launched their attack, it was simply beyond the resistance of Xu Zhigao and the remaining Xu clan forces in Yangzhou. In fact, as soon as Zhao Congyi, Zhu Jin, and others made their move, they instantly captured most of Xu Wen's clan and confidants left in Yangzhou, and even his sons Xu Zhihui and Xu Zhijian were all taken into custody. The Xu clan assassins responsible for burning the city were also almost entirely wiped out.

The city of Yangzhou changed hands with remarkable ease.

However, from beginning to end, Xu Zhigao himself was never seen in Yangzhou or elsewhere.

Only after interrogating the prisoners did they learn that when Xu Wen sent a messenger, Xu Zhigao outwardly agreed to the plan to burn the city, but in reality, he had already prepared a decoy to deceive and monitor them. Several days earlier, he himself had taken the Yangzhou treasury, books, and his trusted subordinates and left the city in several groups.

Even more astonishingly, he didn't even use any of the escape routes Xu Wen had suggested, but instead went the opposite way, heading north. At this moment, he may have already secretly boarded a ship elsewhere and disappeared into the vast sea.

Therefore, despite the information provided by Xu Zhixun, who was captured in Nanjing, about the Xu family's voyage, Zhu Jin and Zhao Congyi sent fast ships to track them down, but to no avail.

As it was confirmed that no ships heading south from the north were found along the coast of Zhejiang and Jiangsu, the Sanzen-in, based on previous intelligence analysis, deduced that Xu Zhigao was exceptionally cunning and knew that the South Seas were also within the sight of the Tang Dynasty. He believed that only by relying on the vastness of the East China Sea and the unpredictability of its waves could he escape to Japan and have a glimmer of hope.

Therefore, Xu Zhixun's leaked original route did not work, because he did not expect his brother to change his plans at the last minute, which led to the failure of the pursuit.

Upon hearing this news in Jinling, Xiao Yan instructed Hou Qing to summon the man, whom he had met once in Hanzhong, to Jinling. He then remarked indifferently, "The sea frontier stretches for thousands of miles, and it cannot be pacified in a day. If this man can truly cross the sea to reach Japan amidst uncertain sea conditions and with giant sharks blocking his way, I am quite curious to see just how capable he is." After saying this, he ceased to inquire about the matter.

After the change of flags in Yangzhou, the Black Cloud Longsword Army, which had been trapped in Luzhou, also defected decisively on the front lines under the planning of the Bad People. Together with Wang Zongkan's and Shi Hongzhao's troops who were advancing from Wankou, they attacked the remnants of the Yellow Head Army in the city from both inside and outside.

Seeing that he was besieged both internally and externally and had no hope of breaking out, Xu Wen's eldest son, Xu Zhixun, knew that the Northern Dynasty would never forgive him. After killing all the wives, concubines, and children who accompanied him in the army, he committed suicide in grief and indignation. The remaining troops, leaderless, had no choice but to open the city gates and surrender.

With the change of control of Luzhou, Chuzhou, Hezhou and other places surrendered one after another. Wang Zongkan's troops marched north to besiege Haozhou, and Shouzhou, an important town on the Huai River, became an isolated city.

When the garrison commander of Shouzhou learned that Luzhou had fallen and the defenses of Huaixi had been completely lost, after much hesitation, he could only send an envoy to He Gui's army to present a letter of surrender in order to save the lives of the people in the city and his own family.

After receiving He Gui's personal promise, the commander of Shouzhou looked around blankly from the city wall. With Zhang Hao dead, Xu Wen fleeing, and the fake Li surrendering, he didn't know which direction to kowtow and apologize to. So he could only laugh at himself, draw his sword and commit suicide to preserve his loyalty and righteousness.

Subsequently, the garrison of Shouzhou surrendered the city.

With the surrender of Shouzhou, Haozhou, Sizhou, and Chuzhou in the lower reaches of the Huai River had almost no will to resist. Except for a few remnants who still tried to escape by sea, but were all intercepted and captured by Zhu Youwen, who had already sailed south and was guarding the mouth of the Huai River, the rest of the prefectures and counties were pacified by proclamation.

At this point, the area south of the Huai River and north of the Yangtze River was entirely incorporated into the territory of the Tang Dynasty.

With all the battlefields settled, Zhang Xuanling escaped danger in Yangzhou and learned of the whereabouts of Xu Huan, Lu Linxuan, and the others. He then learned that Xiao Yan had pacified Jinling, not only pardoning Li Xingyun and the fake Li, but also promoting Zhang Zifan to the Imperial Academy to select scholars based on their talents.

Zhang Xuanling was deeply moved, knowing that this was an intention to preserve and promote Xu Huan. Therefore, he was not in a hurry to find Xu Huan, but immediately wrote a letter to Zhang Zifan, instructing him not to come and reunite with him, and suggesting that he could take the initiative to volunteer to the court, use his old friendship with King Ma Xisheng of Chu, set off south immediately, and do his best to serve the emperor, etc.

Upon receiving the letter, Zhang Zifan dared not delay and immediately submitted a memorial to Xiao Yan requesting permission to proceed, which was granted.

...

During the subsequent pacification of Huainan, the Empress, accompanied by Ji Ruxue, surrendered officials, and other concubines, arrived in Jinling from Hangzhou. Li Maozhen, along with Jinling officials such as Guo Chongtao, Li Cunli, and Qian Liu, went out of the city to welcome her.

The following day, Xiao Yan personally led his concubines and officials to the outskirts of the city to offer sacrifices.

It turned out that with the fall of Jinling and the pacification of Jiangnan, the unification of the world was imminent. On the night of the fire in the main hall of the Jinling palace, Xiao Yan ordered people to scatter paper money to mourn the fallen soldiers and civilians. However, on the advice of the Empress, he also thought that such behavior was too hasty. Therefore, he ordered people to set up an incense table and altar in the suburbs of Jinling for a grand sacrifice to appease the army and the people.

Outside Jinling City, at the southern foot of Zhongshan Mountain, a high altar was built, and banners stood solemnly.

Xiao Yan personally placed three sticks of incense into the bronze cauldron, the wisps of smoke rising straight into the clear sky. He accepted the sacrificial text presented by the eunuch, and personally read it aloud:
"I have been ordained by Heaven to rule the four seas, yet weapons are instruments of misfortune, and even sages use them only as a last resort... From the strife between the Liang and Jin dynasties to the rebellion in Jiangnan, war has raged, and the people have suffered terribly... Now that the false dynasty has been quelled and the world is about to be unified, I think of the soldiers who sacrificed their lives on the battlefield and the common people who perished under the arrows, my heart is filled with sorrow, and my soul is burning with grief..."

As he read on, his voice gradually lowered, and finally, he grabbed a handful of paper money and threw it into the air, where it fluttered like snowflakes.

"O soul, return to your former home... Though the body is dead, the spirit lives on; your soul will become a heroic ghost..."

The eulogy, written in the style of Chu Ci (Songs of Chu), moved not only the surrendered soldiers and officials from Chu and the Jianghuai region, but also many imperial guards from the north. As the emperor himself presided over the ceremony and recited the eulogy in a solemn voice, their eyes welled with tears, and they felt a deep resonance with the sentiment. After the eulogy was finished, Xiao Yan faced north and bowed deeply three times. The thousands of officials and soldiers below the platform also bowed in silent mourning.

After the ceremony, an imperial eunuch stepped forward to read the imperial edict, which conferred upon Wang Yanzhang, the Duke of Lu, the title of Grand Commandant, bestowed upon him a red-inked imperial edict and an iron certificate, and appointed him as the supreme military commander of Hunan Province, responsible for pacifying the remaining bandits, suppressing and pacifying mountain bandits, training surrendered troops, and preparing for the conquest of Fujian.

He bestowed the title of Duke of Wei and Minister of Works upon Li Maozhen, appointing him as Minister of Works and stationing him in Hangzhou to oversee military affairs in Zhejiang and Jiangsu. He reorganized the surrendered troops of Wuyue and Southern Tang, and, with the help of naval commanders such as Shi Hongzhao and Wang Xiancheng, began to build a navy capable of long-distance voyages, putting the expansion into Yizhou, Ryukyu and even the more distant Southeast Asia on the agenda.

Chi Li, the Duke of Qian, was granted the title of General Who Guards the South, stationed in Panyu, overseeing military affairs in Lingnan, preparing for the conquest of Fujian, and planning trade and exploration routes with Southeast Asian countries.

In addition, military officers of various ranks, including Yu Zhong, Shi Hongzhao, Wang Zongkan, He Gui, and Wang Xiancheng, were promoted or awarded titles, gold, silk, and land according to their merits in battle. The imperial edict listed all the rewards, and the army was greatly rewarded. From the ranks below the platform, excited cheers and thunderous shouts of gratitude erupted continuously.

Meanwhile, there were also some changes within the Embroidered Uniform Guard: Duan Chengtian was promoted to Deputy Commander, Wen Tao was appointed as the Jiangnan Garrison Commander, and Shangguan Yunque was appointed as the Director of the Records Office.

Zhao Congyi was promoted to Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but transferred to the north to oversee affairs in the northern deserts. He was granted a gold fish-shaped pouch, and Wen Tao was appointed to assist him in managing affairs in Jiangnan. This edict was the first time outsiders had sensed any hint about the future of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Wen Tao had previously been a relatively unknown figure both inside and outside the Embroidered Uniform Guard, so why did the emperor directly appoint him to assist in managing affairs in Jiangnan?
But before anyone could figure out exactly what had caught the Emperor's eye, leading to Wen Tao's higher status within the Embroidered Uniform Guard than his predecessor Shangguan Yunque, and even his meteoric rise to become one of the Embroidered Uniform Guard's top figures, news broke that the Three Thousand Academy had been appointed as the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Vice Commander and Assistant in the Northern Garrison Command; Shi Yao had been appointed as the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Chief of Executions; Jing Xinmo had been appointed as the Embroidered Uniform Guard's Chief of Investigations; and the rest of the Bad People had all joined the Embroidered Uniform Guard to atone for their crimes and seek redemption.

As a result, some newly appointed officials in Jiangnan gasped in shock. Everyone knew that the Embroidered Uniform Guard was already powerful and omnipresent. If they were to take over all the Bad People now, wouldn't the emperor's eyes and ears be everywhere in the world?

At the end of the edict, Xiao Yan formally issued a decree to retain the imperial clan status of Li Xingyun and the fake Li. The fake Li was given the name "Li Yi," and was to be registered in the Imperial Clan Court along with Li Xingyun, enjoying the stipend of imperial clan members. Past offenses would not be investigated for the time being, and their future conduct as subjects would be assessed before a final decision was made.

...

After the ceremony, the carriage returned to the city.

Xiao Yan and the Empress rode together in a rather spacious imperial carriage, slowly making their way along the official road leading into Jinling City. On both sides of the carriage, the Imperial Guards stood guard, their banners and ceremonial guards solemn and imposing.

Through the slightly swaying gauze curtain, the Empress gazed at the still lifeless fields and the occasional traces of war outside, and said softly, "Jiangnan has just been pacified, and everything needs to be rebuilt. Today, Jiulang held a memorial service, bestowed titles, and executed criminals, demonstrating both kindness and severity. He has set a precedent, and you have truly worked hard."

Xiao Yan was holding the Empress's slender hand and playing with it carefully. When he heard this, he looked up. There was not a trace of hardship on his face. But even so, he still shamelessly said, "It is indeed hard work. Alas, I have worked hard this time. I need Yun Ji to take good care of me."

The Empress smiled gently, giving him a reproachful look, but her eyes were full of doting affection. She let him do as he pleased, and continued:

"Today's bestowal of honors is truly the greatest honor imaginable. Wang Yanzhang oversees the western front, my elder brother manages the southeast, and the Duke of Qian pacifies Lingnan—all wield immense power. And then there are the generals in the army, the entire Embroidered Uniform Guard… Even though Ninth Prince is broad-minded, he still needs to plan ahead to prevent… the trouble of becoming too powerful to control."

Xiao Yan carefully observed the Empress's palm lines without even raising his eyes: "Is Yun Ji worried that I can't control these meritorious officials?"

The Empress shook her head slightly: "I just feel that water overflows when it is full, and the moon wanes when it is full. The principle of balance has always been true."

Xiao Yan then looked up at her, adjusted his posture, and naturally leaned back, comfortably resting his head on the Empress's soft knees.

"Balance is necessary, but we don't need to be overly cautious. This empire was built by our own hands, not through compromise and compromise. Wang Yanzhang is good at fighting, Li Maozhen is good at defending, and Shi Hongzhao is skilled in naval warfare—these are their strengths. Since I can use them, I can naturally control them as well. If one day someone's achievements surpass those of the emperor..."

With his eyes closed, he said indifferently, "Then let him cover it up. I'd like to see what kind of unparalleled achievement he can make."

The Empress was slightly taken aback, then smiled with relief. Yes, after spending so much time with Xiao Yan, she had forgotten that if it came to merit, who in the world could surpass her husband?
So she said no more, but gently combed Xiao Yan's hair with her fingers. After a moment's hesitation, she asked, "Does Ninth Master have any new considerations for the future system of the court?"

Xiao Yan pondered for a moment and said, "The Three Departments and Six Ministries, as well as the Privy Council, are inherited from the previous dynasty. Although they can function, their efficiency needs to be improved, and their powers and responsibilities need to be further clarified. I do have some ideas... For example, we can emulate the Qin and Han dynasties' system of provincial governors, but make it more comprehensive. We can divide the country into several 'provinces,' and send high-ranking officials from the court to govern them and oversee the civil administration of each region. However, each province would only have administrative power, while military power would remain with the Privy Council, and financial power would be vertically managed by the Ministry of Revenue and the local transport commissioners. This separation of powers would create checks and balances, and the boundaries of each province should be deliberately altered to break up the original natural landscape and create a jagged, interlocking pattern. This would prevent the province from becoming too powerful and weak, ensuring smooth implementation of government orders and centralized power."

The Empress pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "If this measure can be implemented, it will indeed be a long-term strategy to stabilize the foundation of the country. However, it involves a wide range of issues and needs to be carried out step by step, with careful consideration of the selection of personnel and the division of regions."

“Naturally, we must proceed step by step.” Xiao Yan nodded. “Right now, the most important thing is to let the people of Jiangnan catch their breath, resume production, conduct a land survey, and suppress powerful clans. Once the situation in Nanjing is stable, we can first try it out in Jiangnan, Huainan, and other places to accumulate experience before extending it to the whole country.”

He was always so confident and composed, so the Empress smiled, but before she could speak, she suddenly remembered something and whispered, "There's another matter, concerning Yuan Tiangang... Although we haven't seen his remains, given his abilities, he might not have truly perished in that fire. Should we secretly order the Embroidered Uniform Guard to investigate him covertly throughout the martial world?"

Xiao Yan was silent for a moment, then shook his head and said, "There's no need for a big fuss. If he's dead, the search will be pointless; if he's still alive..."

He paused, opened his eyes, and gazed at the patterns on the top of the carriage, his eyes deep and unfathomable: "If he still wants to see this world, then let him see it to his heart's content."

Upon hearing this, the Empress knew that his mind was made up, so she said no more and simply placed her hand on the back of his hand.

The imperial carriage slowly entered the gates of Jinling City. The sunlight cast long shadows of the majestic city towers onto the streets that were just beginning to come alive. On both sides, Jinling citizens cautiously stepped out of their homes, filled with a mixture of fear and anticipation, trying to embrace the new dynasty.

The landscape is like a painting, yet so many heroes have vanished like smoke and clouds.

(End of this chapter)