Isolated town in northern border region

The news of the liberation of the northern frontier was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, its ripples spreading from north to south and sweeping across the entire Great Chu.

The largest teahouse in the capital was packed.

The storyteller has changed his story to a new one, titled "Prince Ning Guards the Northern Frontier".

He stood on the stage, struck the gavel, and the entire hall fell silent.

"It is said that the Northern Barbarian Khan Temur led 100,000 cavalry southward, capturing four prefectures in succession, and the Great Chu border army fled at the mere sight of him."

"With the last remaining city in the northern frontier, Cangwu, about to fall, the city's garrison numbered only two thousand, and its provisions were only enough for three days..."

"Just then, Prince Ning, Xiao Lie, arrived!"

Someone in the audience couldn't help but ask.

"Is that the deposed crown prince?"

The storyteller glared at him.

"What deposed crown prince! He was the late emperor's legitimate son, the true heir to the Great Chu imperial line! Now he is a hero who has restored the northern frontier!"

The room was filled with laughter, but there was an indescribable warmth in the laughter.

Some people slammed their fists on the table and cheered, while others urged the teacher to speak quickly.

The storyteller cleared his throat and vividly recounted the bloody battle of Cangwu City...

Ice spikes were used to break through enemy lines, feigned defeats were used to lure the enemy, and street battles took place in the city, resulting in piles of corpses.

When the storyteller mentioned that Xiao Lie personally planted the Great Chu army flag on the city wall, he suddenly paused.

"Gentlemen, do you know what's written on that flag?"

"What character?"

"Those who offend our Great Chu will be killed without mercy!"

The room was completely silent.

Then, someone suddenly stood up, picked up the wine bowl in front of him, and raised it high towards the north.

"Respect Prince Ning! Respect Great Chu!"

"Respect Prince Ning!!"

"Respect to the Great Chu!!!"

…………

The atmosphere during the morning court session was more oppressive than ever before.

The Vice Minister of War had just finished reporting the latest battle report from the northern frontier.

Yunzhou, Shuozhou, and Daizhou were successively liberated, and the Northern Barbarians retreated in full force. Xiao Lie led his troops to sweep across the northern border.

The civil and military officials in the hall exchanged glances, then secretly observed the expression on the face of the Chu Emperor on the dragon throne.

Lu Qingshan was the first to step forward.

He stood in the center of the hall, clad in full armor and with a sword at his waist, like an iron tower.

"Your Majesty, Prince Ning's recovery of the five northern prefectures is a great achievement for the nation and will benefit future generations."

"I believe that he should be welcomed back to the capital with the honors due to a prince, and be given additional titles and rewards to recognize his merits."

The Chu Emperor's expression changed slightly, but Lu Qingshan's words were reasonable, and he could not find a reason to object.

"Approved. Prince Ning, Xiao Lie, is granted 10,000 taels of gold and 5,000 bolts of silk, and is further appointed as the Pacification Commissioner of the Northern Frontier, overseeing all military and political affairs in the Northern Frontier."

He paused.

"As for returning to the capital... the northern frontier has been pacified, and Prince Ning still needs to remain in command. We will discuss it again after the situation stabilizes."

Lu Qingshan did not step down.

"Your Majesty, I remember that Your Majesty swore an oath before the late Emperor's spirit that you would pass the throne to Prince Ning when he came of age."

"I believe that Prince Ning, with his literary and military talents, will surely bring prosperity to our great Chu!"

A military officer is a military officer; he speaks without any sense of propriety, and the entire hall fell silent in an instant.

The Chu Emperor's fingers tightened slightly on the armrest.

"Minister Lu, are you questioning my decision?"

"Your subject dares not."

Lu Qingshan raised his head and looked directly into the eyes of the Chu Emperor.

"Your Majesty, I am merely offering a reminder!"

He turned and returned to his ranks, the clanging of armor echoing clearly in the empty hall.

The Chu Emperor sat on the dragon throne, expressionless, but his hands, hidden in his sleeves, were clenched into fists.

After the court session ended, the Chu Emperor sat alone on the dragon throne, gazing at the empty hall.

"Brother," he said softly, "you have given birth to a fine son."

From then on, the atmosphere in the imperial court became increasingly delicate.

The Chu emperor had been on the throne for more than seven years. To put it nicely, he was a ruler who maintained the status quo; to put it bluntly, he accomplished nothing.

The late emperor expanded the territory, but he couldn't hold onto it.

The late emperor tried to reform the bureaucracy, but he couldn't manage it.

He cannot touch the high-ranking officials from humble backgrounds who were promoted by the late emperor.

For seven years, he has been competing with these people, and neither of them has won.

But now, Xiao Lie has appeared.

He was as capable of fighting as the late emperor, and it is said that he loved the people like his own children. He not only distributed land to the people, but also provided them with food, lodging and wages for their work.

In the eyes of ordinary people, he was simply the perfect ruler.

Inside the Prime Minister's residence, Prime Minister Yue Yanqing sat in a grand chair, holding a teacup in his hand, a faint smile playing on his lips.

He was personally promoted by the late emperor. He came from a humble background and climbed the ranks step by step through his own abilities.

But ever since the late emperor passed away and Emperor Xiao Mu of Chu ascended the throne, those powerful families and clans have been constantly scheming in the court.

Nowadays, there are fewer and fewer people capable of getting things done in the entire Six Ministries, and more and more people forming cliques and factions.

"The northern border has been liberated."

Yue Yanqing put down his teacup and looked at Lu Qingshan, the Marquis of Wuwei, who was sitting opposite him.

"Three thousand remnant soldiers, half a year, five provinces!"

"What you couldn't do back then, a sixteen-year-old has done."

Lu Qingshan glared at Yue Yanqing and picked up his teacup.

He was one of the most capable generals under the late emperor, and fought countless battles alongside him.

When the late emperor passed away, he led his army back to the capital, only to watch helplessly as Xiao Mu ascended the throne and the northern frontier fell step by step.

"He's not a child."

Lu Qingshan's voice was hoarse.

"He is the late emperor's only son, and should rightfully be the ruler of our Great Chu!"

"What a pity, Your Highness has concealed your talents too well. Even we two failed to see through you after all these years in Kyoto."

"If Your Highness had shown your talent sooner, how could we have allowed the late Emperor's only son to suffer such bullying?"

The two exchanged a glance, and both saw the same message in each other's eyes—

it's time!

Lu Qingshan was a military general, and he was decisive and efficient in his work.

He directly petitioned the imperial court, strongly advocating for sending troops to sweep across the northern frontier and completely resolve the threat from the grasslands.

The memorial was written with great passion and fervor, from the late emperor's last wishes to the people of the northern frontier, from the prestige of the Great Chu Kingdom to its lasting achievements. It was a lengthy and eloquent piece of three thousand words, each word sharp as a knife.

Yue Yanqing seconded the motion in the court.

His perspective is more practical.

He said that unless the threat to the grasslands is eliminated, there will never be peace in northern Xinjiang.

Although Prince Ning has recovered five prefectures, the northern barbarians are still strong and will surely return in time.

Sending troops now would solve the problem once and for all.

Moreover, Prince Ning is familiar with the terrain and customs of the northern frontier. If the court appoints Prince Ning as the commander-in-chief, it will surely achieve twice the result with half the effort.

Yue Yanqing's words were flawless, and every sentence could withstand scrutiny.

But the Chu emperor understood the implied meaning.

Give Xiao Lie military power? And then what?

Surprisingly, even though the eldest prince Xiao Yu led the opposition, the Chu emperor did not refuse.

On the day Lu Qingshan left the capital, the Chu Emperor personally saw him off outside the city.

"Take care, old general."

The Chu Emperor held Lu Qingshan's hand, his face full of concern.

"The northern frontier is bitterly cold, and the old general is getting on in years. If you feel unwell, please do not push yourself."

Lu Qingshan cupped his hands in a respectful gesture.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, this old general can still hold on."

The Emperor of Chu watched the army depart into the distance, and the smile on his face gradually faded.

Three days later, the devastating news arrived.

On his way north with his army, Marquis Lu Qingshan of Wuwei arrived at Liangzhou Post Station, which was 300 li from the capital. That night, he suddenly fell ill and died!

When the news reached the capital, it caused an uproar in the court and among the people.

Although Lu Qingshan is over sixty years old, he is in good health, gets up early every day to practice his sword, and has a bigger appetite than young people!

How could he have suddenly died?

Upon hearing the news in his residence, Yue Yanqing dropped his teacup and shattered it on the ground.

He remained silent for a long time, then closed his eyes.

"The Great Chu is in grave danger!"

On the night Lu Qingshan died suddenly, his army was taken over.

The people who took over were a few unknown young generals.

They all came from prominent families, and behind them stood powerful clans that had been suppressed by the late emperor for over a decade and whose paths to advancement had been blocked for over a decade by Yue Yanqing and others.

The next day, the army changed direction and, under the pretext of "investigating spies from the northern barbarians," marched back to the capital.

Marquis Wuwei was poisoned to death by a spy from the Northern Barbarians!

This is the official statement released by the imperial court.

As for evidence? Not needed!

Who has any objections? Who dares to have any objections?

On the day the army entered the city, Yue Yanqing took out the formal attire that was only worn for sacrificial rites to Heaven and national mourning.

When the door was kicked open, Yue Yanqing, dressed in a prime minister's robe, was sitting in a chair with his eyes lowered.

There was a glass of leftover wine in front of him.

The young general leading the team looked at the glass of wine, sneered, and waved for it to be taken away.

Yue Yanqing committed suicide by poison out of fear of punishment. His crimes were "colluding with the enemy and betraying the country, and poisoning Marquis Wuwei".

On the same day, more than a dozen officials from humble backgrounds who had been promoted by the late emperor were arrested and imprisoned.

Three days!

From the return of the army to Beijing to the end of the purge, it only took three days!

When Yue Yanqing's house was raided, it was found to contain tens of thousands of books, but very little gold and silver.

Lu Qingshan was stripped of his title of Marquis of Wuwei, and his family property was confiscated.

In the imperial court, scions of powerful families emerged like mushrooms after rain, occupying almost all key positions from the Six Ministries to local governments.

Emperor Xiao Mu of Chu sat on the dragon throne, looking at the newly renovated court, and finally revealed a long-lost smile.

"All of you, rise."

"The Marquis of Wuwei sacrificed himself for his country; his loyalty and valor are known throughout heaven and earth!"

"The northern barbarians are going too far!"

"Is the eldest prince, Xiao Yu, appointed as the commander-in-chief of the army? Assemble all generals and set out immediately!"

"Join forces with Prince Ning, Xiao Lie, and pacify the northern barbarians!"

After the court session ended, in the Imperial Study.

The eldest prince, Xiao Yu, eagerly snatched the teapot from his personal eunuch.

"Father, I will take Xiao Lie's head on this journey."

The Chu Emperor shook his head.

"You can't kill him."

Xiao Yu was taken aback.

"Kill him, and your hands will be stained with blood, and you won't be able to wash them clean."

The Chu Emperor's voice was very soft, as if he were talking about a trivial matter.

"Let him fight the Northern Barbarians."

"He lost the battle and died at the hands of the Northern Barbarians; it has nothing to do with you."

"If you win, you will take over the northern frontier in the name of the imperial court and send him back to the capital to receive his reward!"

"Without soldiers, supplies, and territory, what trouble can Xiao Lie possibly cause?"

The Chu Emperor paused.

"Remember—you're going to provide support."

"Make sure you put on the right show and give them enough face. As for the substance..."

He looked into Xiao Yu's eyes.

"Once Xiao Lie finishes fighting the Northern Barbarians, the substance will naturally follow."

Xiao Yu suddenly realized what was happening and bowed deeply.

"Father is wise."

………………

Meanwhile, at the Northern Frontier Prefecture.

Xiao Lie turned around and looked at Qian Wanli.

"Manager Qian, how are the preparations for the trade fair going?"

Qian Wanli was taken aback.

"It's almost done!"

"The specific time hasn't been finalized yet."

"it is good."

Xiao Lie nodded.

"Send people to keep an eye on the court's movements and calculate the timing carefully."

"We'll start whenever the imperial officials arrive!"