Nine Nights Owl Song

The tenth day of the tenth month in the eighteenth year of Yong'an.

Luoyang, Imperial Study.

Before the clamor of victory had even subsided, undercurrents were already stirring in the imperial court.

The 40,000 elite troops in the northern border were recruited and integrated by Xiao Yan and Su Jiuge. The soldiers only recognized them, not the Ministry of War.

The Crown Prince subtly suggested in court that military power should not be held by outsiders for long and should be transferred to the Ministry of War as soon as possible.

The second prince's retainers were also spreading rumors that the sixth prince was a powerful and disloyal man, deliberately trying to smear Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan said nothing.

He went to court as usual every day, kept his head down and looked at his toes as usual, and never argued with anyone as usual.

After court, he would return to his residence to brew tea, seemingly indifferent to everything.

Su Jiuge knew he wasn't indifferent; he was waiting.

On October 12th, Xiao Yan went to the palace to pay his respects.

Emperor Yong'an was reviewing memorials in his study when he saw him enter. He put down his vermilion brush and leaned back in his chair.

After not seeing him for many days, the son's face showed signs of wind and sand; the winds of the North had made his skin much rougher.

"Well done with the affairs in the North," Emperor Yong'an said calmly. Xiao Yan knelt down.

"Father, I have a request."

Emperor Yong'an looked at him.

"explain."

"Your subject requests that the military power in the northern border be returned to the imperial court."

Emperor Yong'an's eyebrows twitched slightly.

He was somewhat surprised to hear the words "return military power" coming from Xiao Yan's mouth.

Despite the Crown Prince's antics in court for so many days and the Second Prince's retainers' numerous sabotage efforts behind his back, he remained completely silent.

Now I'm kneeling here telling him I want to hand over military power, I don't want anything, I don't want anything at all.

"Have you thought it through?" Emperor Yong'an asked.

"Your Majesty has made up your mind. The soldiers in the northern border are soldiers of the Great Liang, not your private army. Once the war is over, military power should be returned to the court. Keeping them is useless to me and will only arouse suspicion."

Emperor Yong'an remained silent for a long time.

He looked at Xiao Yan's face, whose expression was so calm that it didn't seem like that of a young man in his twenties.

He understood this person less and less.

"When did you learn to say such things?" Emperor Yong'an's tone softened considerably.

Xiao Yan raised his head and looked at his father.

"Military power is a hot potato. Holding it will only burn you, and handing it over will only burn someone else. It's better to let someone else burn than to burn yourself. If the Crown Prince wants military power, just give it to him. If the Second Prince wants military power, just give it to him too. Whoever wants it, give it to them. Anyway, neither of them can get it."

Emperor Yong'an was taken aback.

Xiao Yan smiled.

"What Su Jiuge said is not what your son said."

Emperor Yong'an also smiled.

He smiled, then his smile faded as he looked at his son.

"Sixth Brother, you've changed."

Xiao Yan looked at his father, the Emperor.

"Your subject has not changed."

Emperor Yong'an shook his head.

"You used to ask for nothing, and you wouldn't take anything I gave you. Now you've learned to ask. You asked for her, you asked for the Northern Frontier, you asked for military power. This is the first time you've asked me for anything."

Xiao Yan remained silent.

Emperor Yong'an looked at him.

"You've learned to ask for things, and you've also learned to ask for them. You know when to ask for something and when to ask for something. That's the skill of an emperor."

The imperial study fell silent.

Emperor Yong'an drafted an edict: the 40,000 elite troops in the northern border were to be placed under the command of the Ministry of War; the sixth prince, Xiao Yan, was appointed as the Pacification Commissioner of the Northern Border, responsible for military and political affairs in the north; the appointment and removal of generals in the northern border required the consent of the sixth prince, Xiao Yan. He then affixed the imperial seal.

He put down his pen and looked at Xiao Yan.

"You don't want military power; you want the power to govern the North."

Xiao Yan kowtowed.

"Your son thanks Your Majesty for your grace."

Emperor Yong'an waved his hand, dismissing him.

Xiao Yan stood up, took the imperial edict, and walked to the door, where Emperor Yong'an called him back.

"Sixth Prince, I didn't make a mistake in choosing Su Jiuge as your wife." Xiao Yan turned around and looked at his father.

"It was my own choice."

Emperor Yong'an laughed, as if he had heard something interesting.

"You chose it, that's your choice. Get out."

When the news reached the Crown Prince's ears, he was having a meal in the Eastern Palace. He slammed his chopsticks on the table.

"Forty thousand elite troops in the northern border are under the command of the Ministry of War. The appointment and removal of their generals require Emperor Xiao Yan's approval. What does Father mean by this?"

The chief of staff carefully observed his expression.

"Your Highness, His Majesty is... giving the Ministry of War face while also giving the Sixth Prince substance. Military power nominally belongs to the court, but in reality it is still in the hands of the Sixth Prince."

The prince clenched his fist.

When the news reached the Second Prince's ears, he listened to his chief of staff's report, remained silent for a long time, and then said something that surprised his chief of staff.

"I used to hate Su Jiuge. Now I admire her. She can fight, she can kill, she can get the Sixth Prince to ask the Emperor for things and the Emperor will give them to her willingly. This battle in the Northern Border was not fought by the Sixth Prince, it was fought by her. The military power was nominally given to the Sixth Prince, but in reality it was given to her. The Sixth Prince was just a knife in her hand."

The chief of staff didn't dare to respond.

The second prince looked out the window.

"I used to want to kill her. Now I don't. Since I can't kill her, I might as well admire her."

In October, the pomegranate trees at Prince Zhao's residence were already bearing fruit.

While Shen was making osmanthus cakes in the kitchen, Su Jiuge sat on the veranda, lost in thought.

Xiao Yan returned from the palace with an imperial edict in his hand.

Su Jiuge didn't even glance at it.

"You've handed over military power?" Xiao Yan sat down next to her.

"I've handed it over. My father appointed me as the Pacification Commissioner of the Northern Border, responsible for military and political affairs in the north. The appointment and removal of generals must be approved by me."

Su Jiuge nodded.

Those were things she and Xiao Yan had discussed on the city wall of Yanzhou—they couldn't hold military power in their own hands, but the northern border couldn't be out of control.

He relinquished military power in exchange for the title of pacification commissioner; the military power was nominal, but the pacification commissioner's position was real.

Don't be superficial, be substantial.

"Xiao Yan," Su Jiuge suddenly spoke.

"Um."

"You've learned how to ask for it."

Xiao Yan looked at her.

"You used to say I didn't fight or compete, that I didn't want anything. Now you're teaching me to want, and I've learned." Su Jiuge looked at him and said something she herself hadn't expected.

"You've done a good job."

Xiao Yan was stunned. Su Jiuge's face was expressionless, but the corners of his mouth curved up.

In the evening, Su Jiuge returned to the Marquis of Dingyuan's residence for dinner.

Madam Shen prepared a table full of dishes, and Su Chengzhi poured her a glass of wine.

"Brother, this is a toast to you." Su Jiuge raised his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp.

Su Chengen smiled and said to drink slowly, while Su Chengxun said to Sister Jiuge, "You're amazing."

Su Wan'er picked up a piece of pork rib for her.

The old drunkard sat in the corner, holding his gourd and watching her.

Su Jiuge picked up her wine glass, walked over to the old drunkard, and squatted down. "Old drunkard, I'd like to toast you."

The old drunkard's eyes turned red.

He picked up the gourd and took a big gulp.

Su Jiuge drank the wine in her cup in one gulp.

October 12th, the eighteenth year of Yong'an.

Xiao Yan relinquished his military power in exchange for control of the northern border.

The Crown Prince didn't understand it, but the Second Prince did.

The night is gentle, the sandstorms of the North have long since passed, and the osmanthus blossoms in Los Angeles are in full bloom.

The war is over, but life goes on.

The knife is still in my hand, and the person is still beside me.