After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

Zhang Yanzang was fifty-five years old.

When Ning Changling's old illness relapsed and he was in great pain, he returned to Beijing from Beiercheng while ill. In fact, Beiercheng was entrusted to the other party.

After all, Shangguan Xie was only in his early thirties at the time, and his talent was far inferior to his father's, and even less than his son's.

At that time, Zhang Mingzhong, who was the governor of Jiangbei, was the person Shangguan Xie relied on most.

Luan Zongyuan nodded and said, "With the ability of Marquis Mingzhong, there should be no problem in defending Sichuan. Sichuan also has natural defenses to rely on. The difficulty is that Nian Gengyao went to Huguang."

The efforts of Hubei and Hunan to raise grain for the Northern Expedition had exhausted their resources, which, while not exactly provoking widespread public resentment, certainly caused "unrest among the people."

Gu Xichuan was also impeached by petitions from various prefectures in Huguang.

Although the Northern Expedition failed, these provisions became the lifeline for the Great Liang.

They would not pursue the Grand Tutor's faults.

After all, in principle, the other party could have already returned to the capital and taken up a high-ranking official position such as Minister of Personnel.

Yet he still risks his reputation to guard Huguang for His Majesty, truly deserving the title of "loyal to the king, disregarding his own safety."

In a time of social unrest, if Nian Gengyao's army were to arrive, it would be truly uncertain whether Huguang could be defended.

At the end of this small court assembly, the ministers still couldn't come up with a good solution.

Gao Congzhe suggested, "Why not order the Prince of Gui to go north and lead the armies of Yunnan and Guizhou to garrison Huguang?"

A little over a month ago, the imperial court ordered Prince Gui to go north to defend the emperor. Prince Gui sent a message saying that he had dispatched 5,000 troops from Yunnan to Nanjing.

However, Prince Gui still commands a considerable number of troops. If Prince Gui and Grand Tutor Gu were to jointly guard Huguang, relying on the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, they would indeed be able to fight against Nian Gengyao.

The Prime Minister Qin, whose face was etched with wrinkles like birch bark, slowly shook his head, his tone calm yet resolute:

"The Gui King's army can only come to Nanjing. Even if more troops are sent to defend the king, they can only come to Nanjing. They are not allowed to go anywhere else, nor are they allowed to stay anywhere else."

Qin Yuanzhang's old eyes had turned somewhat gray.

But the light in his eyes was even brighter than when he was young, and the resolute tone in his voice carried an unyielding air.

Therefore, the court temporarily decided on a strategy... If Nian Gengyao went to Sichuan, Guizhou would provide assistance; if Nian Gengyao went to Huguang, the garrison troops from Guizhou and Jiangxi would provide assistance together. If necessary, Gu Xichuan would be allowed to recruit soldiers and supplies on his own, and act expediently.

The strategy has been decided.

The pressure that Nian Gengyao brought to the court was no less than the pressure of the Northern Dynasty allying with the Rakshasa and launching a joint attack on Jiangnan.

Even though the imperial court managed to defend Jiangnan this time.

But if Sichuan or Huguang were lost, then the Great Liang would truly be... doomed...

We can't afford to lose even one place...

Zhu Cuiwei remained calm as she gently stroked her slightly protruding belly.

"Why wasn't it born sooner?"

She thought with a hint of helplessness and pain in her eyes:

"If you had been born earlier... I would have entrusted you to my uncle in Fuzhou... and gone to guard the city in peace... at worst..."

For some unknown reason, a relieved yet bittersweet smile appeared on her face.

"That means you went with your father..."

…………

The sky gradually darkened.

The palace maid's shadow came and went several times, and the lamp oil in Qianqing Palace was refilled after it ran out.

It wasn't until the palace rang the midnight gong that this continued.

Zhang Qi, who was serving nearby, gave a wink to Chunyu, the head palace maid.

Chunyu nodded slightly and leaned closer to say:

"Your Majesty," she said, tilting her head and looking at the Empress who was still reviewing memorials, her eyes filled with concern, "it's time to rest."

As she spoke, Chunyu's gaze fell on His Majesty's stomach.

Only for the sake of the children could His Majesty bear to put aside these unfinished memorials.

Wearing a large, altered crimson dragon robe, with only a single sandalwood hairpin in her hair, Zhu Cuiwei put down her pen and stood up.

Qiu Mu waited outside with a group of palace maids and eunuchs.

Upon seeing Her Majesty the Empress emerge, he quickly shuffled ahead, carrying a lantern, to lead the way to the East Warm Pavilion.

A waning moon hung in the sky.

Under the moonlight, their cool shadows slowly made their way to the East Warm Pavilion amidst the chirping of insects.

Chunyu and Qiumu helped His Majesty undress and assisted him to sleep.

Bright yellow bedding was placed on the bed.

Chunyu gently lifted the covers and tucked the blankets over His Majesty.

His Majesty hummed in agreement, lay down on the pillow, and closed his eyes peacefully.

The young woman slept peacefully, but His Majesty was no longer using the jade or silk pillows he had before, nor the medicinal or fragrant pillows that could soothe the mind.

Instead, it was a few of the old man's old clothes.

Chunyu filled the lamp with oil, and the dim yellow light illuminated the room.

Your Majesty must have a light to sleep now; if the room is dark, Your Majesty will feel uneasy.

She paid close attention to the lamp oil every night.

Make sure the lamp oil can burn until dawn the next day.

After doing all this, Chunyu and Qiumu quietly went to sleep on the bed in the outer room.

…………

As the first rays of dawn shone upon Nanjing.

The thick fog over the Qinhuai River was so dense it wouldn't dissipate.

The people of Nanjing did not relax in the slightest as dawn broke.

Instead, one could only feel the dark clouds overhead gathering more and more, growing thicker and thicker, with the thunder within them increasing day by day. Although it had not yet struck, the rumbling sounds still made one tremble with fear.

The thunder sounded like the rapid hoofbeats of horses on the street.

Whether it's a street sweeper, a dung-carrying laborer, a newspaper vendor, or even a constable patrolling the streets with a knife, they all belong to this group.

Every time I saw the sound of galloping hooves, my eyes would instinctively turn towards them, and when I saw messengers riding horses with brocade banners, I would always feel an involuntary sense of anticipation.

The news that came... could it be that the Northern Dynasty has withdrawn its troops?

People's tense nerves were tormented by the sound of hooves and their anticipation.

Everyone hopes that when they wake up, life will return to its usual routine.

But, unfortunately.

From the moment the Northern Dynasty issued its proclamation, neither side's life could ever return to what it was before.

At the hour of Mao (5-7 AM),

After having breakfast, Zhu Cuiwei arrived at the Qianqing Palace.

The daily morning assembly has been cancelled.

She now only stays in the Qianqing Palace, reviewing memorials sent by the Grand Secretariat.

Sometimes he would summon some of his ministers for questioning.

The news that arrived today is based on extensive investigations conducted over the past few days in the two cities of Jiangbei.

This concerns the teachings of Heavenly Principles.

Meanwhile, news also came from the Embroidered Uniform Guard in Huguang.

It is said that someone sent a letter from Beijing, but due to obstacles along the way, they had to pass it on from one person to another, from one place to another, taking a detour to Huguang (Hubei and Hunan), and crossing the river under cover of night to bring the letter over.

However, the recipient must deliver the document in person to Yan Yuqing, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, or to Her Majesty the Empress; otherwise, they would rather break the letter. The Embroidered Uniform Guard has already escorted this person to Nanjing, and he will arrive in ten days.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Cuiwei held some intelligence personally delivered by Yan Yuqing.

Although Wang Bing, the chief eunuch of the Imperial Censorate, had not committed any wrongdoing, he had, for more than a month, inexplicably harboring the idea of ​​redeeming himself through merit, exposed all the secrets of the Imperial Censorate, went to Jiangbei to gather information, and brought back a lot of intelligence to report to the Empress.

"The Heavenly Principle Sect...a new leader?"

Zhu Cuiwei's heart skipped a beat.

"Ning Jiexiao?"