Love Lock

Chapter 250 Beat yourself

The winter sun has lost its warmth and instead turned into a gentle warmth.

Under the warm sun, the bountiful harvest of grain in various counties of Cangzhou was gradually stored in granaries by farmers and laborers.

Although these grains were mostly coarse grains such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and pumpkins, they were the foundation of the Cangzhou people's livelihood and the first bountiful harvest they had ever achieved on this barren and impoverished land.

When the King of Jingzhou exchanged for the Drunken Immortal Wine, he also took back a lot of fine grains, which were transported to Cangzhou in batches by the Jingzhou Big Character Team. They are now stored in the granaries of various counties in Cangzhou.

The freshest wines sold on the market now are all made from finished wines that Tao Qing and his group purchased, distilled, and then sold. They do not use any of the grains that the King of Jingzhou purchased.

After finishing the harvest in the fields, the soldiers from Beiguan who participated in the military agricultural system took off their farm clothes, put on their armor again, and returned to their barracks in neat rows. Their swords and spears gleamed coldly in the warm early winter sun.

In the direction of the Yinshan coal mine, the last convoy of three-wheeled vehicles was kicking up dust as it headed towards the Turkic steppe.

These three-wheeled motorcycle convoys, which run on fuel, temporarily stopped transporting coal from the mine and set off three times in a row from Yong'an City, trying to deliver the winter supplies donated by Han Lei in the name of "Jinxiufang" to the Turkic royal court before the heavy snow blocked the mountain passes.

The tire tracks left by the convoy are deeply imprinted on the grassland, like an invisible bond that temporarily maintains the peace of the border.

On one hand, the imperial court sent troops to suppress them, and on the other hand, the Turks were eyeing them covetously. Cangzhou was now besieged on both sides. With these supplies, the Turks would at least be much more subdued until next spring.

As for how relations with the Turks will develop in the future, that will depend on the success or failure of this battle with the imperial army.

It is said that to repel external aggression, one must first pacify internal strife.

The situation in Cangzhou is now reversed—to quell internal strife, one must first secure external stability!
After temporarily stabilizing the Turkic side, Zhao Zun transferred half of the soldiers from Yong'an City and Ling'an City in Beiguan, leaving only the other half to guard Beiguan, with Pingchuan serving as the garrison commander of Beiguan.

The soldiers drawn from Yong'an City were sent to Fufeng County to guard the Qulin River. To prevent any unusual movements by the Xuzhou army, the commanders were Hua Tianyou and Ma Zi.

Although Zhao Zun anticipated that Song Yuanqing would side with him, he had to be prepared for any eventuality.

He sent Lao Meng with a squad of soldiers led by Hei Yazi to Xuzhou to rescue Song Yuanqing, and he also had another purpose: to show Song Yuanqing his true colors.

Zhao Zun wanted to show Song Yuanqing the new and powerful soldiers of the Cangzhou army, so that he would understand his own strength and that he should not act rashly.

All the soldiers drawn from Ling'an City were led by Scarface to Qingshui County to join forces with the Jingzhou deserters taken in by Qingshui County to fight against the imperial army. This army was personally commanded by Zhao Zun.

There were 100,000 troops stationed at Beiguan, plus more than 20,000 deserters from Jingzhou, totaling less than 130,000.

With an army of 130,000 facing three battlefields, it would be a lie to say that Zhao Zun was not under pressure. However, with modern firearms as the final weapon and Han Lei's assistance, he had enough confidence.

Because the soldiers of the imperial army are all civilians of Dajing, and these people may all become Zhao Zun's people in the future.

In other words, his people.

As for the civil war among his subjects, he already had a perfect strategy in mind; all that remained was to see how it would be implemented...

The northern sky was overcast and hung low. On the city walls of Yong'an and Ling'an, banners fluttered in the cold wind.

Pingchuan stood on the city wall of Yong'an City, looking at the somewhat empty military camp after the withdrawal, his brows furrowed.

Although the garrison at Beiguan that he took over was reduced by half, every soldier had a determined flame burning in their eyes.

The guns in the bastion's gun ports were polished to a gleaming shine, ready to fire at any moment.

Although he firmly believed that these cold and hard M16 automatic rifles would be enough to drive back the Turks, Pingchuan did not dare to be careless and still ordered the garrison commanders of Yong'an City and Ling'an City to prepare various supplies for defending the cities.

He didn't want things to get out of hand in Beiguan while Zhao Zun was clashing with the imperial army.

Moreover, the northern pass he guarded faced not only the Turks, but also the Ara and Meng Kingdoms.

Therefore, he had to be careful in everything he did.

In a honeycomb briquette factory a few miles from Yong'an City Tower, the furnaces were burning brightly, and the sound of hammers striking echoed everywhere.

Zhang Shiyang, the former Minister of Works, with his sleeves rolled up and his forehead covered in coal dust, was carefully inspecting a newly formed honeycomb briquette stove with several veteran craftsmen from the Ministry of Works.

"Master Zhang, the angle of this vent needs to be adjusted again." Master Li, whose hair was turning gray, gestured with his calloused fingers, "Otherwise, the coal won't burn completely."

Zhang Shiyang nodded and was talking to Master Li when suddenly a rhythmic vibration came from the ground. The ironware in the workshop hummed softly, and the tools hanging on the wall swayed gently.

"What happened?" Zhang Shiyang frowned and put down the iron pliers in his hand.

The tremors grew more pronounced, and in the distance, the sound of synchronized footsteps seemed to echo, like muffled thunder rolling across the earth.

The craftsmen stopped what they were doing and looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Let's go take a look." Zhang Shiyang wiped his hands and walked towards the factory gate first. Dozens of craftsmen followed behind him, their steps hurried but hesitant.

At the factory gate, Gou Sheng, who was in charge of guarding the area, was already standing there with several soldiers, looking around. When Zhang Shiyang and his group came out, Gou Sheng just gave them a cold glance and did not stop them.

On the official road not far away, a dark mass of troops was marching towards Fufeng County, the long line appearing to be at least 20,000 strong.

The armor gleamed coldly in the sunlight, spears stood like a forest, and banners fluttered in the wind. The leading general was none other than Ma Zi, Zhao Zun's trusted personal guard, who rode a chestnut horse with a gloomy expression.

"This...this must be tens of thousands of people, right?" the young craftsman Wang Er muttered softly, his voice trembling.

Master Li gasped: "Judging from this direction, it's heading towards Fufeng County."

Zhang Shiyang's hands clenched unconsciously. He noticed that the soldiers were not only fully armed, but also carrying heavy equipment on their horses. The supply convoys stretched as far as the eye could see, one after another.

"Judging by this, is war about to break out?" someone murmured behind him.

"No way? Who are we going to fight in Fufeng County?"

"Yes, could it be soldiers from the city practicing?"

“That makes sense! We just finished harvesting the crops. If we were to fight the Turks, we should be marching north out of the city. Why are we heading west? To the west, besides Fufeng County, there's only Xuzhou. We can't fight ourselves, can we?”

Beat yourself up?
Zhang Shiyang's heart skipped a beat.

Although he was originally a craftsman in the Ministry of Works, he sided with the Crown Prince when Emperor Jing was still the Crown Prince and strongly supported Emperor Jing's ascension to the throne.

His service to the emperor made him a confidant of Emperor Jing. During the wave of minister replacements by the suspicious emperor, he successfully rose to the position of Minister of Works. After several years in the court, he gained a lot of experience.

Unfortunately, due to the blockade of communication between Cangzhou and the capital, this group of people from the Ministry of Works are still unaware that this Emperor Jing is no longer the same Emperor Jing.

Regardless of which Emperor Jing it was, Zhang Shiyang's experience in the court over the past few years allowed him to notice something amiss faster than the craftsmen.

"No!" Zhang Shiyang's pupils shrank. "It means we're going to fight." And it means we're going to fight ourselves.

Zhang Shiyang glanced at Gou Sheng and a few soldiers guarding them, but he didn't dare to say the last sentence.

Having been trapped here by Zhao Zun for several months, he had witnessed some things.

For example, King Zhao Zun of Cangzhou built houses for the people, made honeycomb briquette stoves for them, and his soldiers both cleared land for farming and trained—all these were acts that won over the hearts of the people. Oh, and by the way! And the weapon that killed Cao Xiong with lightning speed that night at the Yinshan coal mine…

All of this meant that even if he were foolish, he would have long ago guessed that Zhao Zun, the King of Cangzhou, wanted to rebel.

Is this large-scale troop mobilization an indication that they are about to engage in direct warfare with the imperial court?
Zhang Shiyang's words were like a stone thrown into calm water. The craftsmen who had been detained by Zhao Zun were in an uproar, and they began to whisper anxiously among themselves.

"It's all over, all over. I just got married, and my wife is still in the capital..."

"My elderly mother has poor eyesight. If a fight breaks out, what will happen if no one takes care of her..."

"Oh dear! Is this the time to worry about that? What we should be most worried about now is whether His Majesty will think we've defected to the enemy?"

Gou Sheng, who was leaning against the wall with his M16 and watching the army march, suddenly turned around and shouted sternly, "Shut up! Go back to work!"

At Gou Sheng's command, the soldiers guarding the prisoners immediately raised their spears, their blades gleaming coldly.

Zhang Shiyang flinched, watching the army recede into the distance, his heart heavy as lead.

As a former Minister of Works, he knew all too well what such a military mobilization meant.

"Lord Zhang, what should we do?" Master Li leaned closer to him and lowered his voice. "Judging from this situation... I want to go back to the capital."

Zhang Shiyang bit her lip and shook her head slightly, signaling him not to say anything more. But their eyes were filled with worry when they looked at each other.

On the official road not far away, the dust raised by a large army blotted out the sky, as if a storm was brewing...

Five days later in Fufeng County, thick smoke billowed from the chimneys of cement plants, and the Qulin River flowed swiftly.

Hua Tianyou and Ma Zi led 25,000 troops to build defensive fortifications on the riverbank. The newly erected watchtowers soared into the clouds, from which they could overlook every move in Xuzhou on the opposite bank at any time.

The soldiers were inspecting their newly issued firearms and ammunition; the bronze bullets gleamed a dark red in the sunlight. Troops transferred from Yong'an City began their shifts for rest.

In the direction of Qingshui County, the Ling'an City army led by Scarface has completed its reorganization with the deserters from Jingzhou.

Dust billowed across the drill ground as newly arrived soldiers received training in operating the M16.

On the mountain road outside Tuomugou, scouts on horseback galloped back and forth, constantly bringing the latest news about the imperial army.

A biting wind whipped up withered leaves, swirling and piling them up beneath the city walls of Qingshui County. Zhao Zun gazed at the overcast sky, knowing a storm was imminent.

The entire Cangzhou was like a fully drawn bow, with 100,000 garrison troops plus more than 20,000 recruited Jingzhou soldiers. Although they had to fight on three fronts, the soldiers in every camp were in high spirits.

A select few elites on each battlefield maintain weapons that are ahead of their time.

This foundation of steel and gunpowder is silently accumulating strength...

Beijing.

Emperor Jing of the new dynasty had a particular fondness for the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven.

For such a momentous event as ascending the throne, the new Emperor Jing wanted to do so in a grand and glorious manner, like other emperors, rather than secretly usurping the throne.

In addition, he prayed to God for protection, hoping for a successful campaign against Cangzhou.

From the day the Imperial Astronomical Bureau submitted its memorial regarding auspicious days, he ordered the Imperial Household Department to work day and night to produce a ceremonial robe with twelve imperial symbols, and he even personally inspected the twelve white jade beads on the crown.

The officials of the Ministry of Rites meticulously checked the ceremony procedures repeatedly, fearing that even the slightest mistake might occur at any stage.

After all, last time an official made a mistake in the placement of sacrificial vessels, he was dismissed and exiled on the spot.

The Ministry of Revenue was already complaining about being poor, but Emperor Xin Jing insisted on holding the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven. The Minister of Revenue knelt outside the Imperial Study all night, holding empty account books.

In the end, the new Emperor Jing spent his own money, taking only 10,000 taels of silver from his private treasury. Not only did he plunder the gold and silver jewelry of his concubines, but he also summoned Prime Minister Wei to the palace overnight.

Emperor Xin Jing reasoned with him and appealed to his emotions, leaving Prime Minister Wei with no choice but to bleed a little.

The sacrificial ceremony to Heaven, which cost more than 100,000 taels of silver, was still held as scheduled in the southern suburbs of the capital.

When Emperor Xin Jing ascended the altar with the jade tablet in hand, his dark fur coat and crown shimmered with layers of dark gold in the morning light, and the twelve imperial symbols appeared and disappeared with his steps.

The official's loud recitation of the prayer startled the crows on the branches. As the four words "punish the rebels and pacify the people" mingled with the scent of sandalwood and floated up to the ninth heaven, the new Emperor Jing squinted his eyes as he looked towards Cangzhou.

Amidst the booming of the cannons, no one noticed that his knuckles were turning white as he gripped the jade tablet. The inscription "By Mandate of Heaven" on the tablet, along with the ash from the silver coins, was deeply embedded in his flesh.

The cold wind cut like a knife on the faces of everyone participating in the sacrificial ceremony.

"Your Majesty is truly a man of dragon-like bearing and phoenix-like grace," the Empress whispered to Consort Shu beside her, her voice brimming with undisguised pride. "This sacrificial ceremony to Heaven is so grand as to be unprecedented; even during the reign of the late Emperor, there was never such a scale!"

Consort Shu forced a smile, secretly rubbing her fingers together inside her wide sleeves to keep warm.

"Your Majesty is right. His Majesty has only been on the throne for three months. His Majesty is the one destined by Heaven."

The concubines stood behind the Empress, initially holding their heads high and displaying their new status like peacocks spreading their tails.

For the wives and concubines of the King of Xuzhou to suddenly become the most honored imperial concubines in the palace, it was like ascending to heaven in one step.

However, because the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven was complicated and lengthy, these noble and pampered concubines gradually became unable to withstand the biting cold wind and began to show signs of distress.

The concubines' once dignified demeanor began to falter, and their carefully applied makeup could not conceal their weariness.

The rouge on their faces had faded in the cold wind, and the gold foil decorations stood out starkly against their pale complexions.

They forced their backs straight, trying their best to maintain their posture. Yet, they couldn't help but shiver slightly with each gust of cold wind.

The luxurious gowns embroidered with gold thread fluttered in the wind, making their frail figures appear even more pitiful.

Beneath the altar of Heaven, civil and military officials, dressed in court robes, stood in neat rows according to their rank.

Prime Minister Wei stood at the very front, his slightly graying beard fluttering in the wind, and his official robes shivering in the cold air.

"Why is this sacrificial ceremony to Heaven so long?" Minister of War Cao Ge complained in a low voice to the Minister of Revenue beside him. "I'm starving."

The Minister of Revenue lightly stamped his foot. "Lord Cao, please bear with it. The new emperor has ascended the throne, and naturally he must show his piety to Heaven. I heard that His Majesty personally designed this sacrificial ceremony, and even the Ministry of Rites dared not raise any objections."

On the high platform, Emperor Jing was in high spirits, completely unaware of the commotion behind him.

He held the proclamation high with both hands and read it aloud in a loud voice: "Your subject, the Emperor of Great Jing, with a sincere heart, offers this sacrifice to the Supreme God of Heaven... Now there is a rebellion in Cangzhou, who does not submit to the rule of the king. Your subject will raise an army to punish them. I hope that Heaven will protect us, grant us a victorious start, and ensure the eternal stability of our Great Jing empire!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the official in charge of ceremonies quickly lit the proclamation.

The flames flickered in the cold wind, and the ashes of the paper drifted away, symbolizing that the message reached the heavens.

At this solemn and climaxing moment, perhaps Heaven found the cold wind too cold and went home first, failing to receive the new Emperor Jing's devout prayers.

A young eunuch rushed in, his shrill, somewhat effeminate voice shattering the solemnity and tranquility of the sacrificial ceremony.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! Your Majesty!"

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