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On the day Guo Wei was buried, the sky was overcast, as if it were also bidding farewell to the founding emperor.

The coffin departed from the palace, passed through the entire city of Bianliang, and was transported to the imperial mausoleum outside the city.

People along the way knelt on the ground, their cries shaking the heavens.

Those old soldiers who followed Guo Wei in raising an army in Yedu back then, some of them with white hair, were kneeling by the roadside with canes, tears streaming down their faces.

Guo Rong, dressed in white mourning clothes, supported the coffin as he walked step by step.

Behind him followed civil and military officials, and behind them were the King of Qin and the army.

The soldiers of the National Defense Force, dressed in brand-new uniforms, marched in unison with solemn expressions.

They didn't cry; they simply escorted the old man who had personally created their army to his final journey.

The coffin was placed in the mausoleum, the earth was sealed, and a monument was erected.

Guo Rong knelt before the new grave and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Father, rest in peace."

Behind him, officials knelt and prostrated themselves, chanting "The late emperor!"

Su Ning knelt to the side and behind her brother, gazing at the new grave, remaining motionless for a long time.

He recalled that five years ago, when he had just climbed out of the well and was brought to his father by Feng Dao, his father held him and cried all night.

At that time, my father said, "Heaven has eyes, my Guo family will still have descendants."

Now my father is gone, buried in this cold earth.

Su Ning closed his eyes and kowtowed deeply to the new grave.

After the ceremony, they returned to the city.

Next came the matter of the new emperor's ascension to the throne.

The rule is to decline three times and refuse three times.

The first time, all the officials submitted a memorial urging Guo Rong to ascend the throne, but he declined, saying, "The late emperor has just passed away, and I cannot bear to do so now."

The second time, the officials submitted another memorial, and Guo Rong declined again, saying, "I am of little virtue and talent, and am not fit to take on such a great responsibility."

The third time, all the officials submitted their petitions, and Guo Rong finally "reluctantly" accepted.

This process takes another half a month.

The eighth day of the fourth month of the first year of Xiande was an auspicious day.

Guo Rong officially ascended the throne in Chongyuan Hall, received the congratulations of all the officials, and set the reign title as Xiande.

Guo Wei was honored as Emperor Taizu of Zhou, with the posthumous title "Holy, Divine, Respectful, Civil, Martial, and Filial Emperor" and the temple name Taizu.

The first imperial edict was issued immediately after the coronation ceremony.

"Your Excellency: I, by virtue of my own merit, have succeeded to the throne and continue the great legacy. I am deeply apprehensive about the heavy trust placed in me by the late Emperor Taizu, and I am filled with trepidation day and night, as if I were treading on thin ice. You, my younger brother, Prince Xin of Qin, are exceptionally talented and resolute, loyal and filial, and have served Emperor Taizu with outstanding merits. Therefore, I hereby bestow upon you the imperial decree and appoint you to the position of the first worthy successor..."

The eunuch's high-pitched voice echoed in the hall as he proclaimed the imperial edict.

"He specially appointed Qin Wang Xin as Crown Prince, Deputy Privy Councilor, Grand Marshal of the Armed Forces, and Commander of the National Defense Army."

"All troops and soldiers under heaven shall be under the command of the King of Qin."

"All military supervisors are selected and appointed by the General Political Department of the National Defense Army, and reported to me and the Prince of Qin for joint appointment."

"So be it."

All the civil and military officials in the palace looked toward the King of Qin, who stood at the front of the procession.

He was dressed in a purple prince's ceremonial robe, with a jade belt around his waist, and stood at the front of the ranks of military officers, his face calm.

After the eunuch finished reading the imperial edict, he held the roll of bright yellow silk brocade in both hands and walked up to him.

"Your Highness, receive the decree."

Su Ning knelt down and accepted the imperial edict with both hands.

"Your subject accepts the imperial decree and expresses gratitude."

His voice was loud and clear, reaching everyone's ears perfectly.

As he rose, his gaze met that of Guo Rong on the throne.

The two brothers looked at each other for a moment, then looked away.

After the court assembly concluded, the officials filed out of the Chongyuan Hall.

As soon as Su Ning stepped out of the palace gate, he was surrounded by a group of people.

"Congratulations, Your Highness! Congratulations, Your Highness!"

"Crown Prince, Grand Marshal of the Armed Forces of the Realm, this is an honor rarely seen in history!"

"Your Highness is a young and talented man, a true blessing to the Great Zhou!"

Suning responded to each question calmly and patiently.

Having finally managed to escape from the crowd, Zhao Pu was already waiting outside the palace gate.

"Your Highness, shall we return to camp?"

"Back to camp."

Even now, Suning still feels safest in the military camp, where he eats communal meals with the soldiers and doesn't have to worry about being poisoned.

Liu Zhiyuan's eldest son, Liu Chengxun, was the most suitable successor to the Later Han Dynasty. Unfortunately, he was fine one day, but suddenly died the next.

Then the throne of the Later Han Dynasty fell into the hands of that incompetent Liu Chengyou; otherwise, the Later Han Dynasty might not have perished after only two generations.

Therefore, there must be many people who want to kill him now. Guo Wei and Guo Rong understand this, so they have always turned a blind eye to Su Ning's behavior of staying in the military camp.

As the carriage drove through the streets of Bianliang, Zhao Pu reported in a low voice from inside:
"Your Highness, the reactions from all sides have been investigated since the imperial edict was issued today."

"explain."

"Among the civil officials, Wei Renpu, Li Gu, and others all felt it was only natural. Some people privately discussed that with the title of Crown Prince settled, the court would be stable from now on."

"As for the military officers... Han Tong, Li Chongjin, and others haven't made any moves. But some former members of the Palace Guard are privately complaining that His Highness has taken away their military power, and their future will be difficult."

Suning nodded.

"Let them complain. As long as they don't cause trouble, just let them be."

"Yes."

Has Zhao Kuangyin made any unusual moves?

"Huh? Quite honest."

"Find an excuse to wipe out the Zhao family, so as to deter a bunch of scoundrels."

"promise."

The carriage continued forward, exiting the city gate and heading towards the military camp outside the city.

In the distance, the flags of the National Defense Forces fluttered in the wind.

Looking at the flag, Su Ning suddenly asked, "Zhao Pu, how long do you think I can remain the Crown Prince?"

Zhao Pu was taken aback.

"Your Highness..."

"It was just a casual question," Su Ning said. "Don't take it seriously."

He closed his eyes, leaned against the car wall, and stopped talking.

The carriage rumbled forward and entered the military camp.

On the parade ground, Sun Wu's cursing was still full of energy, and the new recruits were running and sweating profusely.

After getting out of the car, Suning did not return to the duty room, but went straight to the playground.

Sun Wu saw him, paused for a moment, then shouted at the top of his lungs:

"Stop! His Highness the King of Qin has arrived!"

More than two hundred people stopped in their tracks, turned to face Suning, and stood at attention.

Su Ning stood in front of them, his gaze sweeping over their young faces.

Some have been with him for three years, while others have only been here for less than six months.

Some came from Hebei, some from Henan, and some from Huaibei.

But they all share a common name...

National Defense Forces.

“Today, I received an imperial edict,” Su Ning said, his voice low but each word clear.

"Crown Prince".

"Deputy Privy Councilor".

"Grand Marshal of the Armed Forces of the Realm".

"Commander of the National Defense Forces"

The audience was silent.

"These titles, to put it bluntly, all mean the same thing..."

"From now on, the Great Zhou will only have one army, and that is the National Defense Army."

"They are not my private soldiers, nor are they anyone else's private soldiers."

"They are soldiers of the Great Zhou."

"They are the soldiers of all the people under heaven."

He paused, then asked, "Did you remember?"

The more than two hundred people in the audience shouted in unison, "We've got it!"

Suning nodded.

He didn't say anything more and turned to leave.

Behind them, Sun Wu's cursing rang out again, "What are you all standing there for? Keep running! Twenty laps, no food until you finish!"

Suning did not turn back.

He walked to his duty room, pushed open the door, and sat down at his desk.

A thick stack of documents was piled on the table; they were all secret reports sent back from various places by Minglitang.

He picked up the top one and unfolded it.

It was sent from the Khitan, saying that Emperor Yelü Jing of Liao has been drunk again recently and hasn't attended court for a month.

After reading it, he put it down and picked up another copy.

It was sent from Jinling City of the Southern Tang Dynasty, saying that Emperor Li Jing was seriously ill and his sons had begun to secretly compete for power.

After reading it, he put it down and picked up the third one.

It was sent from Chengdu in Western Shu, saying that Meng Chang has recently become obsessed with writing lyrics and spends all his time with a group of literati, leaving all the affairs of state to the prime minister.

He read through them one by one, his expression remaining calm and composed.

Outside the window, the sun was gradually setting, and the bugle call to end morning exercises came from the playground.

Zhao Pu came in to refill the tea once, then quietly left.

Suning has never shown any signs of recovery.

He only put down his pen and let out a soft sigh of relief after reading through the thick stack of secret reports on the table.

He stood up, walked to the window, and opened it.

Outside the window, night had fallen, and the lights of thousands of homes in Bianliang City twinkled in the distance.

He stood there, gazing at the lights, and suddenly remembered the words his father had said before he died…

"Yi-ge'er, I'm going to see your mother and brothers."

Father passed away. My eldest brother became emperor.

He became the Crown Prince.

Everything is proceeding step by step according to the arrangements made by my father before his death.

But Suning knew that this was just the beginning.

The Khitans were eyeing them covetously, the Southern Tang was stirring with ambition, and Liu Chong was still alive in the Northern Han, whose former generals, whom he had reorganized, were not necessarily convinced.

He still has a lot to do.

Su Ning closed the window and turned back to his desk.

On the table lay an unfinished charter concerning the next phase of the expansion of the National Defense Forces.

He sat down and picked up his pen again.

The pen tip landed on the paper, leaving an even ink mark.

The night outside the window was dark, while inside, the candlelight flickered dimly.

He hunched over his desk and continued writing the charter until very, very late.

……

In May of the first year of Xiande, just one month after Guo Rong ascended the throne, he began to feel restless.

After the morning court session that day, he summoned Su Ning to the imperial study alone.

"Your Highness, I have something I would like to discuss with you."

Su Ning stood at the lower end, looking at the young but already showing signs of fatigue behind the imperial desk.

Guo Rongcai had only been emperor for a month when the frown lines appeared between his eyebrows.

"Your Majesty, please speak."

Guo Rong was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "I want to attack the Northern Han."

Suning's brow twitched slightly.

"Attack the Northern Han?"

“Yes.” Guo Rong stood up, walked to the map hanging on the wall, and pointed to the location of Taiyuan. “That old scoundrel Liu Chong, relying on the power of the Khitans, has been harassing the border every year. When Father Emperor was alive, he tolerated him several times because he was a member of the Liu clan. I can’t tolerate it anymore.”

He turned around and looked intently at Su Ning.

"Your Majesty, I also need a great victory."

"I have just ascended the throne. Although the old ministers may not say it, they may not be convinced in their hearts. The regional military governors are all watching and seeing if this new emperor can really hold onto the throne."

"If I don't demonstrate my power, how can I sit securely on this throne?"

Suning remained silent and did not speak.

He simply walked up to the map and quietly looked at the area marked "Northern Han".

After a long silence, he finally spoke, "Your Majesty wishes to attack the Northern Han, I understand."

"But I have something to say, but I don't know whether I should say it or not."

Guo Rong frowned. "Speak."

"We are attacking the Northern Han, not Liu Chong."

Suning pointed to the winding curve next to Taiyuan City.

"Instead, we're fighting the Khitans."

"The Northern Han has survived to this day thanks to the Khitan. On the day Liu Chong proclaimed himself emperor, he sent envoys to Shangjing, proclaiming himself emperor and paying annual tribute of gold and silver. What do the Khitan want? They want unrest on the borders of the Great Zhou, and they want us to be unable to deal with them."

"If Your Majesty attacks the Northern Han, the Khitan will surely come to your aid. At that time, the Great Zhou will not be facing Liu Chong's tens of thousands of remnants, but the Khitan's iron cavalry."

Guo Rong's expression changed.

"I know the Khitans are difficult to defeat, but..."

“It’s not that it’s hard to beat,” Su Ning interrupted him, “it’s that we can’t beat it.”

These words were so blunt that Guo Rong's face immediately darkened.

"Third brother, what do you mean by that?"

Su Ning turned around and looked at him.

“Your Majesty, the main force of the National Defense Army is now 30,000 men, whom I have trained for five years. They train once a day, their pay is paid on time, and the supervising officer oversees every centurion. But they are only infantry, and even though I have gone to great lengths to buy warhorses, we only have a small number of cavalry.”

"What are the Khitans? They are iron cavalry. They come and go like the wind, and can travel three hundred li in a day and night. The most elite cavalry of the Great Zhou is only three thousand, and they all bought their horses from the Khitans. If a real battle breaks out, the infantry cannot catch up with the cavalry, and the cavalry cannot defeat the iron cavalry."

"This isn't a question of whether we can win or not. It's a question of whether we can catch up with them, escape from them, or defend against them."

The Imperial Study was so quiet that one could hear the water clock dripping.

Guo Rong stood there, his face ashen.

He knew that Su Ning was telling the truth.

But the truth is often the hardest to hear.

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Guo Rong's voice was a little hoarse. "Just endure it like this? Let those old ministers watch me ascend the throne for one, two, three years, and not dare to fight a single battle?"

Suning remained silent for a moment.

"Your Majesty, it's not that we dare not fight."

"It's about changing our playing style."

He walked back to the map and pointed south.

"Attack the Southern Tang."

Guo Rong was stunned.

"Southern Tang?"

“Yes,” Su Ning said. “The Li family of Southern Tang usurped the title of emperor and controlled the Jianghuai region. In terms of strength, they were stronger than Northern Han. In terms of threat, they were farther away than Northern Han. But there was one advantage…”

He pointed to the densely packed cities on the north bank of the Yangtze River.

"Southern Tang has no reinforcements."

"The Khitans will not come to the aid of the Southern Tang. The Northern Han will not come to the aid of the Southern Tang. Western Shu, Jingnan, and Wuyue all wish for the Southern Tang to suffer misfortune so that they can benefit from it."

"If Your Majesty attacks the Southern Tang, you are only attacking one country. If you attack the Northern Han, you are attacking two countries."

Guo Rong stared at the map, his eyes gleaming.

"Is the Southern Tang Dynasty easy to defeat?"

“It won’t be easy,” Su Ning said frankly. “The Southern Tang has a navy, while the Great Zhou’s navy is still in its infancy. The Southern Tang has the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, which makes it difficult for the Great Zhou’s infantry and cavalry to cross. If we really have to fight, we have to be prepared for a three- to five-year battle. So we need to first determine our strategic objectives.”

"But there is one advantage..."

He pointed to the area south of the Huai River on the map.

"The fourteen prefectures north of the Yangtze River in the Southern Tang Dynasty are flat and advantageous for infantry and cavalry. We can take the north of the Yangtze River first, and then plan to conquer the south of the Yangtze River."

"Once the north bank of the Yangtze River is secured, the entire north bank of the Yangtze will fall into the hands of the Great Zhou. At that time, the Great Zhou's navy can be built from scratch, while the Southern Tang's navy, no matter how strong, will only be confined to the south of the Yangtze."

Guo Rong listened intently and unconsciously took a few steps closer.

"Then... what about Jingnan?"

“It’s just a matter of convenience,” Su Ning said. “The Gao family of Jingnan has always been opportunistic. When the Great Zhou army marches south, they will be the first to submit their allegiance. They can gain a piece of territory without losing a single soldier.”

Guo Rong's eyes grew brighter and brighter.

He suddenly realized that for the past month he had been thinking about "how to attack the Northern Han", but had never thought about "why it is necessary to attack the Northern Han".

In the war to establish a dynasty, what we need is a great victory, right?

The Northern Han was capable of fighting, and so was the Southern Tang.

If the Northern Han attacked, the Khitan might come to its aid; if the Southern Tang attacked, they might not.

This is a simple calculation.

"Crown Prince," Guo Rong suddenly asked, "have you been thinking about this for a while now?"

Suning did not deny it.

"The reorganization of the National Defense Forces is not yet complete, the business of Chengxin Trading Company has not yet been launched, and the intelligence network of Minglitang is still being woven. Your Majesty is thinking about more than just this battle."

"What I'm thinking about is how to secure this throne."

Guo Rong looked at him with a complicated expression.

This third brother is always like this...

Silent and unassuming, they always lead the way.

"Alright," Guo Rong finally spoke, "we'll do as you say. Let's attack Southern Tang first."

He paused, then asked, "When will the troops be dispatched?"

Suning said, "Next spring."

"why?"

"Because we need to take Jingnan first this year."

"With the capture of Jingnan, the western gateway of Southern Tang will be wide open. If we send troops next year, we can advance from both the east and the west, leaving Southern Tang unable to defend itself."

Guo Rong nodded.

He didn't ask any more questions.

The imperial study fell silent.

The two brothers stood before the map, gazing at the vast territory.

North of the Yellow River lived the Khitan.

West of the Taihang Mountains lies the Northern Han Dynasty.

South of the Yangtze River were the Southern Tang, Wu-Yue, Jingnan, Chu, and Shu.

This battle is just the beginning.

“Crown Prince,” Guo Rong suddenly spoke, “sometimes I wonder, without you, could I really have secured this throne?”

Su Ning turned her head and looked at him.

"Your Majesty has your own affairs, and your younger brother has his own."

"If everyone performs their duties, the country will be stable."

Guo Rong smiled.

There was a hint of bitterness in that smile, but also a sense of relief.

"Alright. Everyone, do your job."

Three days later, the National Defense Forces began to be mobilized.

The First Division headed towards Xiangzhou, and the Second Division headed towards Jiangling.

The other main forces remained stationed in Kaifeng and defended against the Khitan and Northern Han in the north, since the Khitan would not sit idly by and watch the Great Zhou successfully pacify the south.

Historically, shortly after Guo Rong ascended the throne, the Khitan and Northern Han joined forces to attack the Great Zhou.

It is said that Guo Rong, who had not yet secured his throne, was abandoned by the defeated soldiers of the Great Zhou and was almost captured by the enemy. Therefore, the powerful enemy in the north was the biggest threat.

The branches of Chengxin Trading Company in Nanping began secretly purchasing grain and fodder.

The people of Minglitang infiltrated Jiangling City and kept a close eye on the every move of Gao Baorong, the military governor of Jingnan.

In Bianliang City, everything was as usual.

Only a very few people know that the large net facing south has begun to tighten quietly.

...(End of this chapter)