As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 416 War without smoke

Yueyang City, Qianyuan Imperial Palace.

With the recapture of the three passes, the mountain that had been weighing on Qian Yuan's mind seemed to have been suddenly removed.

Whether they were ministers in the imperial court or ordinary people in the countryside, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

When a sense of crisis is lost, the prevailing atmosphere is often changed unintentionally.

"Your Majesty, all three passes have been recaptured."

"Our dynasty has gone through one major battle after another. Shouldn't we stop and take a break?"

"Your Majesty, you should summon General Ling and Lord Ming back to reward them, and send someone to discuss with the Northern Lie people how to allow them to recuperate and thrive."

"Your Majesty, with successive campaigns in the south and north, our national treasury is nearly empty, and our finances are insufficient..."

……

In the imperial court, ministers came forward one by one to offer their advice.

Recently, there have been many calls for a ceasefire.

These people are not all spineless, incompetent, or mediocre; some of them are quite talented.

The country has been restored, the three passes have been recaptured, and Qian Yuan can return to its former state.

During this period, the entire nation was engaged in military preparations, burning countless amounts of money and supplies in the ongoing war, which had already exceeded the country's capacity.

Many people believe that this is enough.

It's time to stop and rest.

Everyone has worked hard to build their businesses, so it's time to settle down, receive dividends, and provide for their descendants. It's time to enjoy life.

There will always be people who oppose war, and there will always be people who are content with the status quo.

Not everyone dreams of unifying the world.

On the high dragon throne, the monarch frowned slightly.

Times are changing, nations are changing, ministers are changing, and so are rulers.

As the country gradually stabilized, new classes and new interests emerged, and the officials gradually lost their loyalty and determination to unite in times of crisis.

Under these circumstances, Xiao Xinyue also needs to make changes.

She punished some officials who made underhanded moves, conveying her attitude to all officials. She became more authoritative, more ruthless, and her mind became increasingly unpredictable.

She disliked the ministers' remarks, but never explicitly rejected them.

Although news of victory has arrived, there are now less than good signs.

Xiao Xinyue's goal was not just the three passes in the northern border.

Many ministers failed to see that their seemingly virtuous, diligent, and benevolent king was actually ambitious and eager to achieve great things.

The road ahead will not be easy.

The power unleashed to defend one's homeland and protect oneself is different from the power unleashed to fight for the ambition of invasion and the great cause of unifying the world.

The army continued its northward march, thus changing the balance of power.

While Mingchen and Lingyu were fighting a real war against the enemy on the front lines, Xiao Xinyue was also waging a war without gunpowder in the imperial court and on the sidelines of the nation's affairs.

How to mobilize the nation's resources, how to rally the people, how to raise a banner, and how to rationally allocate resources—these are all things that test the abilities of the monarch and the government… These things are even more important than fighting on the front lines.

"Lord Lu, you are mistaken."

Since Xiao Xinyue did not express her opinion, the court became the arena for debate among the ministers.

Yun Zheng, representing the radical faction, stepped forward and said to the other side, "Lord Lu, have you forgotten the half of Lizhou that was ceded to Beilie by the previous dynasty? That's outside the Three Passes, and it's also our Qian Yuan territory. How can we not take it back?"

"Furthermore, since our dynasty has a fierce general like General Ling, and since we still have battle-hardened soldiers, and since we can still fight, why not continue northward? The Northern Lie have bullied our dynasty for twenty years because it was weak. Why don't we continue northward, defeat them, frighten them, and make them never dare to provoke us again..."

"What, retreating now? Are you trying to make the Northern Lie people laugh at our Southern Dynasty for being cowardly and spineless?!"

Yun Zheng is a very clever person!

He knew that Xiao Xinyue was not the gentle and peaceful monarch that many people saw, nor was he a monarch who could only maintain the status quo.

He knew what Xiao Xinyue was thinking, and he also knew what Mingchen was thinking.

He knew that the unpredictable emperor on the throne harbored great ambitions.

Whether it's Beilie or Qianyuan, the general trend of the world is unification.

At this point, it's crucial to determine the right direction and absolutely not to lose heart.

He joined Qian Yuan with the ambition of making a name for himself in history. If Xiao Xinyue had stayed here, she would have been nothing more than a ruler who turned the tide and restored the dynasty! As history goes by, even emperors are just simple names. The legendary Mingchen of this world will gradually fade away, let alone him, a subject.

It is true that Xiao Xinyue was a wise ruler. He lived a very frugal life, did not engage in any image-building projects or praise, and did not waste any money.

Thanks to the command of Mingchen, Lingyu, and a group of high-quality generals of the new dynasty, as well as technological development, the bravery of the soldiers, and other factors, the casualty rate of Qian Yuan's wars has been extremely low. The Blood-Clad Army and some messy separatist forces were wiped out, and some prisoners were captured. To this day, the number of soldiers in the new dynasty has not decreased, but has instead increased.

However, ever since Qian Yuan set out into the southwest, he has been waging wars, recovering lost territories, and building cities... He has been spending resources, money, and grain all the time.

No matter how prosperous the Southwest is, or how fertile the soil is, Xiao Xinyue's accumulated wealth over the years cannot withstand such squandering.

Currently, the country's financial situation is not very good.

They have soldiers, but no money or food.

Otherwise, there wouldn't always be loyal ministers who speak out and request a ceasefire.

If Xiao Xinyue insists on war at this time, she will easily be branded as a warmonger if the war is lost. The east is still in the process of rebuilding, which is not conducive to Xiao Xinyue's rule.

But war is impossible to stop.

The money and food needed for war must be squeezed out, even if it means being forced to.

The emperor must retain the final right of interpretation.

So now, it's his turn to step forward and convey Xiao Xinyue's attitude.

"Lord Yun, how can matters of state be handled with impulsive emotions?"

"Our national treasury is currently insufficient, and various regions have been devastated by war, all requiring funds and provisions for reconstruction?"

"With insufficient funds and supplies, how can we insist on launching a northern expedition?"

"A new dynasty should prioritize stability at its inception. If a single misstep leads to the loss of all previous achievements, it will be too late for regrets!"

Yun Zheng raised his eyebrows: "If there's not enough money, we can reform monetary policy, raise taxes, or if there's not enough grain, we can increase grain production, make the people suffer, and have the army cultivate the land... There's always a solution to the problem. What do you mean by retreating and not understanding?"

"The Northern Fierce King is a fierce and ruthless ruler, and his army is valiant. The irrigation canal is already completed. Are we going to let the Northern Fierce gather their forces to march south and breach our borders in one fell swoop?!"

Some of the things she said were too radical for Xiao Xinyue to say, so his position was just right.

However, we must not yield to conservative forces. We should raise our pace to give Xiao Xinyue room to back down and smooth things over.

"The new dynasty has just been established, and the people are already suffering from chaos and poverty. How can we increase taxes and levy grain levies at this time? Wouldn't that damage Your Majesty's reputation for virtue? What if public resentment boils over and another peasant uprising breaks out?"

The two sides in the court argued endlessly, but Xiao Xinyue sat on the throne with a calm expression and remained silent.

"Report!"

"Your Majesty, an urgent report from the northern border."

"The Northern Emperor has assembled an army of 400,000, intending to personally lead an expedition south to attack my Qian Yuan."

Just then, the messenger made an urgent report.

As soon as the words were spoken, the court fell silent.

The Northern Emperor personally led the expedition, bringing with him 400,000 men!
How terrifying! The Northern Emperor is too ruthless.

Recalling Mingchen and Lingyu would only allow them to advance unimpeded and cause the country's demise.

Xiao Xinyue had been waiting for this moment. She slammed her hand on the throne and looked down at the assembled officials: "Gentlemen, it is not that I do not wish for peace and for the people to live in peace. It is simply that the Northern Lie are going too far."

"At this critical juncture for the nation's survival, this is not the time for peace. Gentlemen... we cannot retreat in this battle!"

At this point, Xiao Xinyue seized the perfect opportunity to express her stance.

At the same time, it also shattered the ingrained notions of some officials who were complacent and content with mediocrity.

An old man kept saying, "But Your Majesty, our dynasty's treasury..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Xinyue interrupted him: "Lord Qi, Lord Yun just said that solutions can be found by people. What is the meaning of retreating without resolving the issue?"

"Do you want me to grovel and cede territory to the Northern Emperor to make peace?"

She looked down upon her ministers, her royal majesty so overwhelming that no one dared to meet her gaze.

Xiao Xinyue has always delegated a lot of power, allowing ministers to express their opinions and views in court.

He was also good at accepting the suggestions of his ministers.

He was too gentle and virtuous, which caused him to lose some of his authority and allow his ministers to overstep their bounds.

Now, people seem to remember that this monarch was a restorer of the country who was a traitor, and she was never lacking in heroism and ruthlessness.

"Gentlemen, I do not believe that our nation, with its gathering of outstanding talents, cannot come up with a way to save the country."

There are so many officials in the court; they're not here to just sit around doing nothing.

Stop relying on Mingchen for everything while you guys sit back and criticize him, thinking you're all getting away with it.

That's how it is in the imperial court; if you step back a little, others will step forward a little.

Today's court assembly serves two purposes: firstly, Xiao Xinyue wants to express her stance, and secondly, she needs to give her ministers a warning and reclaim some imperial power.

The Northern Emperor has decided to fight to the death.

Xiao Xinyue's military talent is average, and she may never be as brave and valiant as Emperor Qin Lou of the North, nor possess the unique personal charisma to inspire a million soldiers with a single shout on the battlefield. However, she also has her strengths, and there's no need to use her weaknesses to attack the enemy's strengths.

With tensions high at the front, Mingchen and Lingyu faced considerable pressure, and she absolutely could not allow herself to falter behind the scenes.

……

A storm is brewing, and undercurrents are swirling in the imperial court.

In contrast, the desolate North is much more peaceful.

Mingchen's return didn't seem to cause any changes.

The little fox was a bit shy and ran away in a flash. She needed to wait a while before she could play around with Mingchen again.

Lu Tian, ​​however, showed no signs of being a newcomer and followed Ming Chen confidently.

"Hello, Sister Ling, my name is Lu Tian."

She showed none of the reservations Long Lian had previously had. Although she was many times older than Ling Yu, she still simply addressed her as "elder sister".

Ling Yu glanced at Ming Chen; the two understood each other perfectly, and there was no need for further words.

She acted with the dignified grace of a first wife, smiling at the other person with eyes full of peace and tolerance: "Hello, Miss Lu, please forgive any inconvenience caused by the crude manners in the military camp."

They are both people Mingchen likes.

Ling Yu's attitude was completely different from Fu Yao's, which surprised Lu Tian.

He immediately laughed and said, "It's alright, it's alright~"

After a few brief pleasantries, Ling Yu ordered someone to take Lu Tian to find a place to stay and settle down.

Everything returned to calm, leaving only the two of them.

Ling Yu let out a soft breath and hugged Ming Chen, saying, "I missed you."

"I miss you as well."

For an ordinary woman, this beautiful Taoist girl who suddenly appeared and inexplicably called Mingchen "husband" would be a prime target for questioning.

However, during their time alone together, Ling Yu seemed to have no intention of mentioning the other person at all: "How is everything at home? How are Father and Mother? Are they still in good health?"

After her outburst that day, Ling Yu seemed to have changed a lot.

The wooden soldier who only knew how to join the army and kill enemies to avenge himself when he first came down the mountain has become more and more vivid.

Mingchen didn't mention the mess that Chen family had made, but just patted his wife's head: "It's alright~ They all miss you! Xuanxuan keeps asking me why I don't bring you home with me."

Ling Yu leaned against him and smiled, "Next time, let's go home together."

"Hahaha~ Great!"

Both of them were legendary figures, their stories widely told and celebrated.

But the topics they discussed were actually the most ordinary and mundane family matters.

Mingchen asked with some concern, "Have you been having nightmares these past few days?"

"Nightmare?"

Ling Yu was taken aback, then seemed to remember something and smiled: "It's nothing, just a nightmare, don't think too much about it."

She patted the sword at her waist and said rather nonchalantly, "I've already taken someone's life, can't they even complain a little?"

It looks like I'm still having nightmares these days.

Mingchen shook his head: "I absolutely refuse!"

As he spoke, he tied the bell to Ling Yu's sword tassel.

Anyway, the spell on the bell was erased by the old tree.

This bell is now a magic item for calming the mind. Regardless of whether Ling Yucheng succeeds or not in the future, this thing has been given to her.

Ling Yu simply smiled beautifully, watching her busy husband, and said only, "Okay~ okay~"

"Lingling~"

The delicate fragrance of silver bells calmed one's mind.

Mingchen glanced around. Human creativity is immense; in just a few days, the surrounding scenery had already changed completely.

"A lot of people have come from the North now, haven't they?"

"With the internal strife quelled, armies from all over the country have come to support the northern border. The moment you left, the reinforcements arrived. There are now nearly 100,000 troops stationed in the northern border."

Mingchen paused for a moment, then asked, "Well... has anything happened these past few days? Are the generals from all over the country doing well? Are they tired? It's not easy to manage when there are so many people."

Ling Yu shook her head and said, "It's nothing."

As evening approached and the sun set, it painted the sky a hazy, golden hue.

Ling Yu asked Ming Chen, "The Northern Emperor is personally leading an army of 400,000 southwards."

"Mingchen, this war is almost over, isn't it?"

Mingchen lowered his eyes slightly, looking at the distant, dusky sky, and whispered, "It's almost there...almost there..."

"When the war is over..."

(End of this chapter)