The fiercest soldier of the border army

The world has changed!

The firelight in the bronze basin inside the hall was still flickering, but the Crown Prince and Li Qing'an had already left.

Tang Shun remained standing in the same spot, his boot toes pointing towards the seam between the blue bricks, without moving an inch.

The messenger arrived in a hurry, and the young eunuch knelt down, his voice trembling. The moment he held the urgent letter with sealing wax in his hand, the prince's face changed.

This was neither a typical delay in issuing a decree, nor an emergency at the border, but something that could cause the crown prince to lose his composure instantly and utter the words "the world is in chaos"...

Something big must have happened in the capital.

He remained expressionless, his gaze sweeping over the empty seat in the main room.

At the same time, I pondered in my mind.

Of the nine border towns of the Great Qian Dynasty, Beiting was one of them.

Beiting comprises five prefectures and two passes, with Tingzhou serving as the central hub. Lingzhou borders the Xiongnu to the north, Hedong Xuanzhou to the east, and Datong to the west. Its strategic location makes it a hotly contested area for military strategists.

He silently made his plans.

The Beiting Military Governor's Office had a total of 28,000 soldiers under its command, of which 8,000 were the military governor's personal guards, and the rest were stationed in various prefectures.

Lingzhou originally had a garrison of 5,000, but due to the southward invasion of the Xiongnu, the entire army was wiped out, and the city of Lingzhou fell, becoming almost a ruin.

Whenever a governor changes positions, the military governor's office inevitably reclaims power, separating military and political affairs. Now, the governors of Datong and Luzhou in Beiting have already lost their military power.

If the military governor doesn't relinquish power, then the governor's position is merely a figurehead.

Just as Tang Shun had figured this out, footsteps approached from afar.

The curtain was lifted, and Li Qing'an returned.

His face was as dark as a storm cloud.

He glanced at Tang Shun and waved his hand, saying, "No need for formalities."

His voice was low and hoarse, unlike his usual authoritative tone; it sounded as if it were being forced out of his throat.

"Tang Shun, I won't hide it from you."

He stood in the hall, his hands resting on the table. "Your Majesty has passed away."

Li Qingan said slowly, "It was at midnight the night before last."

"Your Highness must return to Chang'an immediately to take charge of the overall situation. In a moment, I will take Vice-President Liu and Sima to muster three thousand elite troops and accompany Your Highness back to the capital."

"We can't go to the banquet, but I'll have Li Yatui and Yingchu accompany you."

The "Deputy Commander Liu" that Li Qing'an mentioned was the Deputy Military Governor.

Sima was the military commander, one of the important officials of the Northern Court.

Tang Shun's heart skipped a beat, but his face remained expressionless.

The Emperor has passed away!

Although he was in a remote border region, he understood that the Crown Prince had been the heir apparent for many years, was knowledgeable in military and political affairs, and had deep roots in the court. In order to retain power, the Emperor deliberately supported the Third Prince to counterbalance him.

Now that the emperor has suddenly passed away, and the crown prince Zhao Lang is far away in Beiting, something terrible is likely to happen!

Tang Shun cupped his hands in greeting, his voice steady, "Your subordinate understands."

Li Qing'an nodded and said, "Your appointment as governor will arrive soon. Tonight was supposed to be a celebration banquet prepared for you by His Highness, but now we can't celebrate."

"But it's not a bad thing for you to go. It's good to get to know these colleagues. You'll have to work together sometime in the future."

"Yes," Tang Shun replied, digging a line into his palm with his fingernail.

The emperor is dead.

The crown prince returned to the capital overnight.

Three thousand soldiers from Beiting accompanied the emperor into the capital.

At times like these, the worst thing is for someone to take advantage of the chaos to make a move.

Assassins, rebels, spies from enemy countries—any of them could emerge.

This winter is probably going to be tough!

Li Qingan glanced at him, as if he wanted to say something, but ultimately remained silent.

He turned and left, his steps heavy, his back conveying an indescribable tension.

Tang Shun stood there and watched him leave.

Once this chaotic situation arises, anyone could become a pawn in someone else's game, or the one to be eliminated.

About half an hour later, laughter came from outside the porch.

"Lord Tang, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting!" A scholar with a square face lifted the thick curtain and entered, smiling, with Li Yingchu, who was also smiling, by his side.

The visitor was none other than Li Changlin, an official from the Jiedushi's office.

Li Changlin wore a dark blue official robe and had a wooden plaque at his waist.

"My father sent me to pick you up," Li Yingchu said with her smile unchanged. "He said that all the officials from the military governor's office are waiting for you in the side hall."

Li Changlin also bowed slightly: "Please, Lord Tang, take a step."

Tang Shun snapped out of his reverie and gathered his thoughts.

He nodded, straightened his clothes, and said in a low voice, "Please lead the way."

The three of them walked out of the main hall, a cold wind hitting their faces.

Tang Shun walked in the middle, Li Yingchu on the left, and Li Changlin on the right.

Footsteps echoed rhythmically on the stone steps.

There were noticeably more patrols in the mansion, with a squad of soldiers standing guard with spears every ten steps, their eyes alert.

Li Changlin seemed to be a very outgoing person, and said with a smile as they walked, "Lord Tang, you've had a tough journey, but you've finally made it through."

"The matter of the refugees in Wenchi was handled brilliantly; the military commander praised it highly."

Li Changlin walked ahead, saying as he went, "I've long heard that a formidable man has emerged in Beiting, capable of both governing the people with his literary skills and quelling chaos with his martial prowess. Meeting him today, I find his reputation far surpasses what I've heard."

Tang Shun glanced at him and smiled, "I'm new here, so please take good care of me, Brother Li."

Li Changlin walked on the right and had not spoken until now, when he said in a low voice, "Lord Tang is so young yet he has already reached the rank of fourth grade, making him a prominent figure among the powerful and influential people of Beiting."

"Congratulations in advance."

"But..." He paused, lowering his voice slightly, "There's fish at the banquet, but it has many bones, so Lord Tang should eat it slowly and carefully."

Tang Shun raised an eyebrow slightly.

How could he not understand the implied meaning?

Li Changlin is showing goodwill.

Tang Shun remained expressionless, but asked in surprise, "Oh? Did Lord Li instruct me?"

"I dare not presume to teach you." Li Changlin cupped his hands, then solemnly whispered:

"The clerk Lei Song has a past relationship with Wang Jinda. Now that His Highness and the military governor have both left, there is no one to oversee things in the mansion. Some things may not be done according to the rules."

"He is in charge of money, food and supplies. If he intends to make things difficult for you, Lord Tang, you must be careful."

"Furthermore, most of the shogunate's staff are scholars, and they don't get along well with us military officers."

Tang Shun paused slightly before continuing on his way.

"I appreciate Brother Li's kind intentions," he said.

The group passed through three gates and entered the main courtyard.

The east wing of the main hall of the military governor's mansion was brightly lit, with the heavy wooden doors wide open, and warm light spilling far into the distance.

The interior furnishings were simple yet dignified, with dark brown painted beams and pillars, smooth polished bluestone floor, and several maps hanging on the walls.

The brushstrokes are bold and the lines are straight, clearly the work of Li Qing'an. It is easy to see that this person does not value extravagance but rather practicality.

Several people were already seated in the hall, all dressed in the everyday clothes of civil officials, with blue robes and belts, and turbans on their heads, their expressions casual.

Upon seeing the three enter, they all looked up.

Li Changlin stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "My lords, this is Tang Shun, who has been ordered to take charge of the military and political affairs of Lingzhou."

"His Highness and the Commander are busy with official duties and unable to attend the meeting. Please make your own arrangements."

After saying that, Li Changlin turned to introduce Tang Shun, "Lord Tang, this is Judge Zhou, the military governor's judge."

"This is Secretary Han."

"This is Lord Lei, the envoy."

Tang Shun bowed respectfully to everyone in turn.

The military governor nodded, and the chief secretary bowed slightly.

When it was Lei Song's turn to be ordered around, Lei Song remained motionless.

Tang Shun bowed as usual, his movements were standard, neither humble nor arrogant.

Lei Song snorted coldly and slammed the teacup he was holding onto the table with a loud "smack".

"It's alright that a lowly soldier in the army could rise to a higher rank through luck."

His voice was not loud, but every word was clear: "Now you actually want to sit and drink with us? Bringing the methods of fighting and killing from the military to the military governor's office—what kind of decorum is this?"

With that, Lei Song sneered, "Lord Tang, may I ask if you understand poetry, prose, policy essays, and the fundamental principles of classical texts?"

"Otherwise, we, the group of classmates, would probably have nothing to say."

Tang Shun lowered his hands, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared.

This person didn't even wait for him to sit down before starting to make things difficult for him.