vstars Chapter 469 The general died in battle
Chapter 469 The general died in battle
There is fighting on the border.
But it's not a crisis.
Although Mu Yunji returned, he only brought three thousand soldiers with him.
Even so, some gossipy censors still impeached him, saying that his return to the capital without imperial decree was a serious crime.
Just like a company, the government needs different voices. You can't fire someone just because they disagree with you a few times.
In the imperial court, he was innocent.
Even if the empress dowager or the emperor were impeached, they would still be innocent.
This is the duty of the censor.
Mu Yunji was not angry. He stood there calmly and did not offer any explanation.
Because the censor was right, he did indeed return to the capital without an imperial edict.
In that situation, requesting permission from the emperor would have exposed their plan.
If the enemy is on guard, how can we lure them out?
At this point, when he was impeached, I didn't think the censor had any bad intentions; I just felt that he wasn't very bright.
Or perhaps they're just too clever for their own good and have ulterior motives.
But so what.
The court was filled with civil and military officials, many of whom were scions of powerful families. Their relationships were complex and intertwined, and many of them disliked him. Not everyone was on the same page as the emperor.
If the water is clear, there will be no fish.
He wouldn't do something like using his power to eliminate dissidents.
Fortunately, he only brought three thousand elite soldiers with him on his return to the capital. If he had brought more, these people would have suspected him of rebellion.
However, this is not something he should worry about; someone will find a solution for him.
Mu Yunji looked at the person in the Golden Palace.
The new emperor is kind-hearted but physically weak and cannot bear to see bloodshed. Too much bloodshed could easily kill him.
It's impossible to kill someone like Princess Yuqing did.
Although he was physically weak, he was a shrewd and perceptive man, and he had plenty of ways to fool these stubborn old folks.
The new emperor didn't really want to be emperor; he was just going through the motions. He didn't conquer this country, and he couldn't hold onto it.
Neither my physical condition nor my energy allows it.
But he was still very dedicated and insisted on attending court every day, just like a monk ringing the bell for a day.
He still had to read the impeachment memorials from the censors.
After looking at it for a while, he coughed a few times and then said seriously, "Lord Mu is naturally returning to the capital by imperial decree, but it is not the late emperor's decree, but the Empress Dowager's. Do you think there is a problem?"
Wearing a dragon robe and sitting on the golden throne, even the new emperor, whose spirits were somewhat weak, was still present.
It was also very dignified.
Although there was no precedent for an empress dowager to issue an edict ordering frontline generals to return to the capital, who would dare say there was a problem?
Unless they're tired of living.
This censor didn't dare to argue.
He opened his mouth, then stammered, "No, of course there's no problem. It was my oversight."
After saying that, he didn't dare to say another word.
The troublemaking has come to an end, but some people have started to think about establishing an heir apparent.
Watching the new emperor speak, he would gasp for breath or cough a few times, as if he might suddenly collapse and never get up again.
Then it will be another bloody battle.
After all the fighting, they had to choose sides again. Having just escaped death, they were afraid of gambling with their lives.
It would be best to establish a crown prince as soon as possible.
"My ministers, tell me, who should be made crown prince?"
Judging from the new emperor's expression, he was not angry, nor did he seem to be testing them; he even allowed them to express their opinions.
Upon hearing this, the ministers began to speak freely.
Some supported making the young prince Fu Yu the heir, while others supported making Prince Jing the heir.
The new emperor watched them argue quietly until both sides were too exhausted to continue and the argument ended.
He finally spoke: "Have you argued enough?"
The new emperor rose, supported by his eunuchs, and walked unsteadily down from the golden throne towards his ministers.
He walked around in front of the assembled officials, scrutinizing each one: "My lords, there's no need to rush into establishing an heir. Establishing an heir is a minor matter; there's a much bigger issue at hand..."
Civil and military officials looked at each other in bewilderment.
The new emperor's path is already unsteady; is there anything more important than establishing an heir apparent?
Establishing a successor is imminent.
"I have decided to abdicate the throne in favor of my younger brother, Prince Jing. What do you all think?"
The court remained completely silent.
But inwardly, I was applauding.
Most people would be happy with that; who wouldn't want a healthy and strong monarch, or a prosperous and peaceful era?
This is something that a sickly monarch and a mere child cannot provide.
They were all legitimate sons of the emperor, so of course they chose Prince Jing.
This is a wise choice.
Even some conservative old ministers began to hesitate.
But the new emperor did not give them a chance to think. He immediately issued an edict of abdication, abdicating in favor of Prince Jing, and put Prince Jing on the throne. After issuing the edict, he rode away in a sedan chair.
After walking a short distance, the eunuch looked up and saw that his master was no longer coughing or wheezing.
The weakness she had shown earlier was gone.
The eunuch's eyes widened: "...Your Majesty, where are we going?"
"Wrong, summon the Emperor Emeritus to fetch Yu'er."
……
King Jing sat blankly on the dragon throne, receiving the homage of his ministers.
"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"
The dragon throne feels a bit too hot for my bottom.
too fast!
He had imagined that one day this position would fall into his lap.
Judging from my brother's condition, it will be three to five years from now.
I didn't expect it to be less than half a month.
He actually had no desire to be emperor, nor was he power-hungry, but it seemed that his mother and the empress dowager had reached some kind of agreement.
He suggested that the emperor appoint him as crown prince.
To avoid unnecessary conflict, he acquiesced.
Deep down, he longed to stay with Xue'er and the child, continuing to be his carefree prince.
Everyone says it's good to be an emperor, because you have supreme power.
But they didn't realize that it's lonely at the top. Just like Xiao Miaomiao said, being an emperor is a high-risk profession, and one that also leads to a short lifespan.
Come to think of it, once you become emperor, you're stuck in the palace for life, with endless memorials to read and countless political affairs to handle. You're working day and night like a hawk, and you also have to shoulder the heavy responsibility of continuing the family line, marrying countless concubines, and having countless children. Your body just can't take it.
Under such double pressure, it's no wonder they die young.
Of course, you don't have to follow the rules.
If you become a tyrant, you can do whatever you want.
But being a tyrannical ruler invites hatred, and leads to a shorter life; they are either assassinated or poisoned. Historically, no tyrannical ruler has had a good ending.
They were either imprisoned, hanged or burned, or their corpses were mutilated, and their relatives were also implicated.
I shudder just thinking about it.
An emperor who is good at it will die young, and an emperor who is bad at it will also die young.
King Jing felt a pang of sadness, but in order to let his elder brother live a few more years, to let his children grow up safely under his protection, for the sake of his loved ones, for the sake of the people of Liang, and for the sake of his long-hidden ambition, he had to make a decision.
He asked himself.
No prince of the Great Liang Dynasty understood the suffering of the people better than him, and no one had endured more hardship than him.
If he doesn't go to hell, who will?
The crowd knelt for a long time without any movement, then looked up.
Their new emperor is in a daze, looking worried.
Did they displease the emperor?
The court officials who had previously advocated for making Fu Yu the crown prince are now filled with regret and their hearts are pounding with anxiety.
Who would have thought that the retired emperor would abdicate so readily?
They would be so happy to shrink themselves down that they would want to disappear into a crack in the ground.
That way, Emperor Jing wouldn't be able to see it.
They knelt on the ground, bending even lower.
They then shouted "Long live the Emperor!" in unison.
This year.
The Emperor of Liang died, and a new emperor ascended the throne.
Less than half a month later, a new emperor was appointed.
Emperor Jing ascended the throne.
To quell internal strife, eliminate treacherous officials, and cleanse the court of corruption.
But the fighting on the frontier continued, and it was all the remnants of the northern barbarians.
Jiang Zifeng admired the Northern Barbarians for this; even when they were reduced to a single soldier, they would still fight, preferring death to surrender.
Perhaps the only way is to defeat them, annihilate the Northern Barbarians, and force them to submit to the Great Liang.
Only then will there be a day of peace.
That's how war is; it's either you die or I live.
Perhaps a peaceful solution can be found with some peace-loving countries.
However, when dealing with some belligerent peoples, peace talks are useless; it's like casting pearls before swine.
The only way to stop the fighting is to defeat them, subdue them, and use their own methods against them.
Perhaps there is still a possibility of peace.
Jiang Zifeng silently harbored a grand ambition.
This is the final battle. Even if we can't defeat the Northern Barbarians, we must at least make them dare not invade our borders for the next three to five years.
The closer it got to the end, the more passionate and spirited the soldiers of Daliang became.
They haven't been home for many years.
Generals die in a hundred battles, brave soldiers return after ten years. [1]
If they win this battle and survive, they can return home in triumph.
They will use every skill they have learned in their lives, even if it means sacrificing themselves, to win this battle.
The night before the great battle.
Outside the tent.
The roaring campfire illuminated the entire night sky.
The soldiers surrounded several literate colleagues, asking them to help write letters home.
As long as we live, these are our family letters.
If I die in battle, this will be my last letter.
Although the words "will" are considered unlucky, everyone wanted to say a few words before setting off.
Many joined the army at fifteen, only to return home at sixty, some even buried far from home, never to return.
I lost contact with my family.
Regardless of whether their families receive the message or whether they are alive or not, it is ultimately the driving force that keeps them going.
Most people would end with a sentence like, "If we win this battle, I can return home in triumph."
This sentence represents their grand ambition and their deepest aspirations.
Regardless of the outcome.
Even those who die will receive a very generous compensation from the general.
Sometimes they didn't know whether it was better to live or to die in battle.
If I'm alive, I can go back to my hometown to see my family, get married, and have a healthy baby.
If he dies, he will receive a large pension that will allow his whole family to survive and live a better life.
This is perhaps the tragedy of the poor.
They can't even afford to live.
Cui Sanlang turned the letter he had written home over and over again, looking at it from left to right, afraid of revealing any bad words that would worry his parents.
They were all trivial matters, things like health and well-being.
He had many feelings to share.
The former playboy of Jiangzhou has now become a general capable of shouldering great responsibilities, and he hopes his father can be proud of him.
Instead of wishing they could disappear into the ground just by mentioning him.
He tucked the letter home into his pocket with great satisfaction.
Turning his head, he saw that Jiang Zifeng hadn't touched the pen at all, but was adding firewood.
“Feng-ge’er, why aren’t you writing? Don’t you have anything to say to the princess?”
"I want to come back and write it again; only a letter written when I come back can be called a family letter." He couldn't bear to part with his sister, his mother, and his younger brother Yan, and even more so with Princess Rong'an.
The princess will surely be waiting for him to return so they can get married.
Longing can deepen the feelings between two people, eventually turning into deep affection.
That's his current state.
Going home has become an obsession for these people.
Cui Sanlang looked at Qin Lang on the other side: "Why aren't you writing either?"
The relationship between the three of them is rather interesting.
Feng Ge'er's fiancée is his cousin, Princess Rong'an, while Qin Lang's fiancée is Feng Ge'er's cousin, Lu Zhiyun.
They're all relatives, after all.
Qin Lang looked up at the night sky and said simply, "I'll write it when I get back."
If I could come back.
He could wait until he returned to write a letter home, but he could never write a will for Miss Yun.
He looked at Jiang Zifeng and said, "Brother Feng, there's something I'd like to ask you."
“Brother-in-law, please speak freely.” Jiang Zifeng looked at Qin Lang, and he truly accepted him as his cousin-in-law.
They are not just family, but brothers who would share life and death.
“Brother Feng, in case—and I mean, in case I don’t come back—you should tell Miss Yun… that I’m fickle and promiscuous, that I’ve married and had children on the frontier, and that she should find someone else. Don’t tell my uncle and aunt, though; I’m afraid they’re too old to handle it. Just help me gradually give them my salary and allowances…”
Jiang Zifeng covered his mouth: "What nonsense are you talking about? How can you say such unlucky things before going to war? If you dare to die, I will ask Mother to find Cousin Yun a good marriage and make her forget you completely. Are you really willing to do that?"
Qin Lang pried his hand away, somewhat helplessly: "This is for the best. We must find someone of noble character. Feng-ge'er, you will be the Prince Consort in the future, so you must support her. That way, I can rest assured."
"Qin Lang, tell me, do you regret agreeing to marry into the Lu family? If you don't want to, you can buy a house in the capital and marry my cousin Yun. Why say such discouraging things?" Jiang Zifeng wanted to slap him.
Qin Lang met his gaze without flinching: "I have never regretted marrying into the Lu family."
He knew Yun's personality.
Don't be fooled by her gentle and weak appearance; she's actually quite stubborn.
Furthermore, due to the rumors circulating in the capital, his reputation was damaged, and he was already disheartened. If he were to die in battle, Miss Yun might choose to become a Buddhist nun or refuse to remarry.
I would rather Miss Yun hate him for his betrayal.
Fortunately, he and Miss Yun were not engaged, and outsiders did not know about it. With the Lu family's current prestige and the protection of Feng Ge'er and his sister, it would not be difficult for Miss Yun to find another suitable partner.
Jiang Zifeng couldn't quite understand Qin Lang.
"Even so, you don't need to portray yourself so negatively. Wouldn't that make Cousin Yun misunderstand you and resent you?"
"It's better to resent and hate me than to be a monk with only a lamp and a Buddha!" Qin Lang sighed, lowered his head and moved the firewood, and said nothing more.
The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat oppressive.
All three were silent.
All that could be heard was the crackling of firewood.
Cui Sanlang suddenly stood up, patted his buttocks, took a big gulp of wine, and handed the wine bowl to the two men.
“Why are you all so discouraged? Can’t you think about things in a positive light? Can’t you think about how to beat the Northern Barbarians so badly that they run back to the North and we can return to the capital as soon as possible?”
Jiang Zifeng took the bowl and drank it all in one gulp: "Yes, the battle is imminent, why say anything discouraging? I'll protect you, you'll all be fine, I will definitely be at the forefront."
"May we achieve a resounding victory."
"A resounding victory..."
Qin Lang felt much relieved after speaking his mind.
He is not a pessimistic person.
But he knew all too well the cruelty of war; once war broke out, there would inevitably be casualties.
If it wasn't him, it would have been someone else.
Everyone has parents and siblings.
He only prepared for the worst.
……
[1] From "The Ballad of Mulan"