Lin'an Never Night

Chapter 901 Drunkenly Seizing Power Over the World

Imperial palace?

Is that a place where a subject can live?

Moreover, "moving the carriage"?
Isn't the term "移驾" (yí jià) a bit presumptuous?

How could a palace guard make such a basic mistake?
Yang Yuan's heart skipped a beat.

He wasn't sure whether this was Wang Liushou's own initiative or a collective probe by the officials of Jiankang.

There's really no way to judge this kind of thing.

Wasn't the one who petitioned the court to grant Qin Hui the Nine Bestowments just a madman?

If this is Wang Liushou's own cleverness, the officials in Jiankang will have their own interpretations of whether he refuses or not.

However, if it is a joint test by the officials of Jiankang, his refusal or not may convey a wrong interpretation to them.

Yang Yuan remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was quickly calculating how to respond appropriately.

However, before he could come up with a proper plan, Xin Qiji slammed his nearly two-meter-long, versatile dagger, suitable for both foot and horse combat, onto the ground and began to speak in a loud and gruff voice.

"The wind is strong at the dock. Since accommodations have been arranged, let's escort the Prime Minister to his lodgings and rest as soon as possible."

Xin Qiji's tall stature, slightly chubby face, honest expression, and Shandong accent truly gave him the impression of a naive and unrefined burly man.

Only Yang Yuan knew that this man was a remarkable person who could wield the Green Dragon Crescent Blade and embroider silk handkerchiefs and bibs. He appeared rough but was meticulous, a man capable of both martial prowess and literary skill.

He was absolutely certain that he understood the meaning of moving to the imperial palace for lodging; he was simply feigning ignorance.

Upon hearing this from Yang Yuan's personal general, Wang Ruiqi, the judge in charge of the imperial palace, and Wen Xuanchen, the military commissioner along the river in Jiankang, immediately flanked Yang Yuan on either side, respectfully saying, "Prime Minister, please!"

The officials then rode horses and sat in sedan chairs, making their way to the Jiankang Palace in a grand procession.

At the very front, the Imperial Guards led their troops to clear the way, creating a grand spectacle.

Their actions and demeanor were just like those of an emperor on an imperial tour.

Many officials began to speculate about Yang Yuan's tacit approval of staying at the imperial palace.

Yang Yuan was actually a little worried.

He worried that some hothead might suddenly appear and publicly denounce him as a treacherous ambitious man who disrespected his sovereign.

That would be very awkward.

Xin Qiji, with his meticulous attention to detail, naturally thought of it as well.

He carried a knife and, with the Shandong soldiers who had already received his instructions, stood guard around the prime minister's carriage.

If someone were to rush over at this moment, even if they wanted to cheer enthusiastically and welcome Prime Minister Yang's arrival, they would probably be chopped up before they could even finish a sentence.

Xin Qiji was proud to be a Han Chinese, but that did not mean he was loyal to the Zhao Song imperial family.

He grew up in Jinan Prefecture and never received any imperial favor from the Song Dynasty, so he had no affection for the Zhao family.

Used by the Song Dynasty court, he fled to various parts of Shandong and cursed the emperor as a dog countless times.

He was, of course, only loyal to Yang Yuan.

Therefore, regardless of whether the suggestion to stay at the temporary palace today came from the personal idea of ​​the governor of Jiankang or the officials of Jiankang, he pretended to be a rough man and agreed on behalf of Yang Yuan.

If you don't send a clear signal, how can those who want to support you choose sides?

Fortunately, no one like that appeared along the way.

The Song Dynasty was open-minded, but its imperial authority was strict, though it was not as good as the Han and Tang Dynasties, nor as good as the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

Furthermore, among the emperors after Zhao Gou, only Zhao Yuan's reign was short-lived.

The other emperors were truly worse than the last, making them impossible to love and respect.

As a secondary capital, Jiankang naturally had an imperial palace.

However, apart from Zhao Gou staying here for a short time after he moved south, no emperor has ever come here since.

This imperial palace was located on the banks of the Qinhuai River, adjacent to the Jiankang Prefectural School (Confucius Temple), which was the most prosperous area in Jiankang.

This temporary palace was actually the Southern Tang imperial palace, where Li Yu, the last emperor of the Southern Tang dynasty, and his two empresses, Da Zhou and Xiao Zhou, once lived.

The Southern Tang imperial palace was damaged in the war, but not severely. So, after some repairs, it became a temporary palace for the Song Dynasty.

This is in line with the architectural regulations for the emperor.

After entering the palace, Yang Yuan ordered all the civil and military officials to disperse, leaving only Zhang Xiaoxiang, Wen Xuanchen, and Wang Ruiqi, who were the top three leaders of the secondary capital.

Yang Yuan didn't hold a grand welcoming banquet; he started discussing the war situation as soon as he settled in.

Yang Yuan told the three of them to have some tea and rest first, then went to take a bath and changed into a loose Taoist robe without fastening the belt.

His hair was tied up high with only a white jade hairpin, and he wore wooden clogs, looking quite elegant and graceful, like someone from the Wei and Jin dynasties. Then he went to see the three of them.

Although there were only four people, they prepared dozens of exquisite and delicious dishes.

However, each item is only eaten in a few bites and then it's gone, so there's no need to worry about wasting food.

There was only one maidservant serving by his side, who was about sixteen or seventeen years old.

This girl had a beautiful face, with her hair styled in a fairy bun, her eyebrows curved like crescent moons, her eyes alluring, her nose delicate and exquisite, as if carved from ivory, and her red lips slightly upturned. She resembled a lady in a painting, but with a more vibrant and lively charm than the ladies in paintings.

Even Yang Yuan, who had seen countless beauties, couldn't help but be captivated by the sight.

Jinling truly lives up to its name; what a beautiful and graceful woman she is.

Wang Liushou said with a smile, "The Prime Minister needs to discuss important military matters, so it's not appropriate to have too many people serving him. This woman is absolutely trustworthy."

Yang Yuan glanced at the girl, who was holding a crane-neck wine pot and standing obediently to the side, and nodded.

Throughout their journey, Yang Yuan and Xin Qiji repeatedly discussed the situation with the Jin dynasty.

Yang Yuan's vision was naturally not limited to just one corner of the war zone; he considered the overall situation.

The more decisively and cleanly the Song Dynasty fought its war against the Jin Dynasty, the more advantageous it became, and the easier it was to resolve the situation in Western Xia.

If the stalemate continues for a long time, or even if a major defeat is suffered, it's hard to say how those traitorous generals in Western Xia, who were just intimidated by him, will react.

Moreover, Yang Yuan also considered Xinjin.

When facing the Jin Dynasty, the new Jin Dynasty was always an ally of the Song Dynasty.

However, in recent years, the once unbreakable staunch allies have gradually begun to break free from the control of the Song Dynasty and become less obedient.

If Yang Yuan's side fights too hard against the Jin Kingdom and suffers heavy losses, then it may end up benefiting the new Jin Kingdom.

Therefore, if we can take advantage of Wanyan Liang's personal expedition and capture him, we can avoid paying a heavy price.

Yang Yuan explained his strategic vision, and Zhang Xiaoxiang, Wen Xuanchen, and Wang Ruiqi knew which direction to take to propose their ideas.

When Wen Xuanchen was in Lizhou East Road, he was always kept in check by the Guo family.

When they moved to Lizhou Central Road, they were again suppressed by the cold weather.

Wen Xuanchen was actually a little frustrated when Yang Yuan transferred him to the Jiangdong battlefield this time.

Because he didn't think he had a chance to make a great contribution.

Because there was the Huaixi Army in front of him, would Shao Hongyuan allow the Jin army to break through his defenses and reach the walls of Jiankang?

However, upon hearing Yang Yuan's intention to "close the door and beat the dog," and realizing that if he actually did so, he could then unleash his full potential, Wen Xuanchen immediately became excited and began to speak eloquently, continuously explaining his strategic plans.

Zhang Xiaoxiang and Wang Ruiqi were not mediocre people. In terms of tactics, they were certainly far inferior to him, the commander of the Western Army. However, when analyzing problems from a strategic perspective, they had a lot of room to make a difference.

With their occasional suggestions, a relatively complete military plan gradually took shape.

At first, the four of them only drank lightly and focused their energy on discussing military affairs.

As the plan gradually took shape, the next step was to gather more generals, especially those from Shao Hongyuan's Huaixi unit, to discuss and refine it further. At this point, no further details could be made, and the four men were getting quite drunk.

The young girl stood gracefully to one side the whole time.

However, she has a keen eye; once she notices someone's glass is empty, she always manages to refill it promptly.

Moreover, there will be absolutely no actions that will disturb your speech or listening during the process.

Yang Yuan simply raised her hand and gently wiped the side of her neck. When she looked up again, a clean, wrung-out towel was already being handed to her with both hands.

Looking up, one sees a pair of beautiful eyes, as clear as a spring, gentle and pleasing.

Yang Yuan couldn't help but secretly admire it upon seeing it.

He had also attended palace banquets in Lin'an, and thus had been served by palace maids and eunuchs.

Frankly speaking, even in the imperial palace of Lin'an, it was rare to find a palace maid as beautiful and knowledgeable as her.

The Jiankang Palace was merely a reserve palace that the emperor might never visit, so it was quite remarkable that it had such maids.

The young maid seemed to understand what they were saying, standing quietly to the side, her bright and clear eyes occasionally flashing with captivating charm.

When the four had finished their conversation and the Qinhuai River was filled with the poetic imagery of lanterns and oars, the other three tactfully got up to take their leave.

Yang Yuan was only slightly tipsy, not because he had a high alcohol tolerance, but simply because no one dared to urge him to drink more.

Even so, as soon as he stood up, the girl stepped forward and supported him with her soft, slender hands.

She half-supported Yang Yuan and helped him into the bedroom.

As she gently laid Yang Yuan down on the couch, her robes hung low as she leaned forward slightly.

From that neckline, a hint of milky white cleavage can be seen.

Because the candlelight penetrated through the clothes, the outlines were tinged with an oil painting-like sheen.

Upon seeing this, Yang Yuan felt a bit parched.

He had just made a swallowing motion when the perceptive maidservant brought him a cup of perfectly warm tea to his lips.

After serving Yang Yuan tea and helping him remove his outer garment, the maidservant used a silver covered bowl to extinguish the lamps one by one.

When only two red candles remained, he stopped and stood by the couch.

She pursed her lips and remained silent for a moment, then turned away shyly and gently tugged at the acacia knot on her slender waist.

The silk robe clung to her smooth skin, sliding down silently and naturally.

A beautiful woman under the lamp, who could withstand such a test?

On the golden hook, red silk fell, blurring the view of the bed.

When Yang Yuan woke up in the morning after a night of pleasure, the maid had already changed her clothes and was waiting by his bedside.

What was different from last night, besides her clothes, was her hairstyle.

The maid had already styled her hair in a way that resembled that of a young married woman.

Since last night, she has become a little woman.

Gently helping Yang Yuan get dressed, Yang Yuan glanced at the plum blossoms on the couch and softly hummed, "I haven't asked your name yet?"

The maidservant lowered her head shyly and said, "My surname is Jiang, and my given name is Ning Huan."

"Jiang Ninghuan? Nice name, even better person!"

As Yang Yuan spoke, he took a jade pendant from his leather belt and handed it to her.

"Keep this for now, and tell your family that when I return to Lin'an, you can come with me."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ninghuan suddenly knelt down gracefully and said in a humble voice, "It is my honor to serve the Prime Minister, despite my humble appearance."

I am deeply grateful that the Prime Minister is willing to give me a place to settle down.

However, my father is still in prison. As his daughter, I cannot bear to enjoy wealth and luxury in vain. I beg the Prime Minister for mercy…

Upon hearing this, Yang Yuan knew things were going to get bad!

Could she be the daughter of some corrupt official?
If he were truly a corrupt official who embezzled public funds and abused the people, how could he use his privileges for personal gain?

But, you're obligated to someone who feeds you, and this was right after we ate...

To take advantage of someone and then just walk away is such a scumbag!
Yang Yuan braced himself and asked, "Who is your father, and why was he imprisoned?"

Jiang Ninghuan said sadly, "My father was the Junior Tutor to the deposed Emperor..."

After hearing her explain it once, Yang Yuan understood.

No wonder, in his opinion, even in the Lin'an Imperial Palace, such a well-mannered palace maid was a rare find.

It turns out she wasn't a palace maid at all, but the daughter of an official.

Her father was an official in charge of education and the teacher of the deposed Emperor Zhao Qi.

Although Emperor Zhao Qi abdicated under the pretext of illness and no charges were assigned against him, several former officials of the Eastern Palace who had a teacher-student relationship with him and whose connection was irretrievable suffered misfortune and were imprisoned on arbitrary charges.

Her father was a close friend of Wang Ruiqi, the judge in charge of the Jiankang Palace. Therefore, Jiang Ning Huan asked Wang Ruiqi to create this opportunity for her and Prime Minister Yang.

After all, Yang Yuan already had a notorious reputation for womanizing when she was in Tongchuan.

Those who are interested can easily find out about his quirks.

For Miss Jiang Ninghuan, this is a perfect remedy.

Yang Yuan is now very clear about the ins and outs of this matter.

Upon hearing this, Yang Yuan blushed slightly and coughed lightly, saying, "This matter was definitely not my doing."

Jiang Ninghuan said quietly, "However, if the Prime Minister doesn't agree to pardon my father and release him from prison, no one will dare to make the decision."

Yang Yuan was speechless.

That's how political struggles are: the faction that opposed him fell, while he secured his position.

Therefore, he doesn't need to give orders for many things, or even think of them; someone will naturally do them.

This is probably what it feels like to be in control of the world.

"I see."

Yang Yuan helped her up and gently pinched her smooth cheek: "In a little while, I will send someone back to Lin'an to release your father from prison."

"Well, let the Ministry of Rites appoint an academic official to serve in Lin'an. That way, you and your daughter can see each other more often."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Ninghuan immediately stopped crying and smiled. She leaned in and gave him a soft, sweet kiss, saying shyly, "I am willing to serve the Prime Minister like a beast of burden for the rest of my life."

(End of this chapter)