The court officials, upon hearing that the Emperor had resumed the matter of alchemy, were naturally somewhat apprehensive. However, since Wen Yanran ascended the throne, her actions had often been unexpected. Those who had once opposed her, such as the Marquis of Quanling, had long since been defeated and perished. Considering also the stance of the Tai Province inspector and others, they decided to hold their tongues for the time being and adopt a wait-and-see approach.
The Emperor, true to form, did not disappoint the officials. After spending a few days in Jingyuan with the alchemists, she waited for Tao Jia to relinquish his military authority and return to the capital. She then issued an edict appointing him as the Minister of War. Afterward, she returned to Yao Palace, where she prepared to receive him.
Following the Western War, the Tao clan had already become immensely influential. After the eastern campaign was concluded, their position grew even more pivotal. Yet, the more prominent they became, the more lowkey and cautious Tao Jia grew.
After holding court at Jingyuan today, the Emperor indeed issued an edict commending Tao Jia’s contributions. Afterward, she kept him at Yao Palace for a meal.
At midday in summer, the heat was at its most intense. Dishes like soups, which exuded steaming warmth, were fewer in number, replaced instead by meats in sauce, cold dishes of blanched vegetables mixed with mashed garlic, and similar fare. The palace attendants, concerned about the strong odors of the food, specially prepared baba – that is, mint – as well as clove and other aromatic herbs, for them to hold in their mouths.
Yao Palace was naturally cooler than the city to begin with, and with ice placed throughout the halls, the temperature was bearable. After the ruler and her minister finished their meal, Wen Yanran remarked with a smile, “You’re indeed very healthy, General.”
In those times, a person’s appetite was also a key indicator of their health.
Tao Jia clasped his hands and said, “I have not seen Your Majesty’s countenance for several months. To be granted an audience today naturally refreshes my spirit and clears my mind.”
Wen Yanran smiled. “As the new Minister of War, General, you may now reside within the Imperial City for a long while.”
The Imperial City was a large complex of buildings that included the palace grounds. Tao Jia had been sidelined for many years, holding only a low, nominal rank, which had rarely allowed him to come here.
Tao Jia demurred, “I am already decrepit…”
Wen Yanran laughed. “Though there are many capable officials at court, if not you, my lord, who else could possibly bear the responsibility of the Ministry of War?”
To Tao Jia’s ears, the Emperor’s words carried not only praise but also a subtle undertone of inquiry, as if she were sounding him out, seeking his opinion on who would be best suited for the next Minister of War.
Tao Jia’s first thought naturally fell upon Song Nanlou of the Jianzhou Song clan. This man was impeccable in both personal capability and family prestige. However, the Song family was already so powerful; promoting him further might easily arouse the emperor’s suspicion. His next thought was to recommend Shi Zhuhe. He was highly capable and also came from a scholar-official family, yet aside from himself, his clan members were all undistinguished. But during the campaign to pacify the eastern rebellion, Shi Zhuhe had served as Tao Jia’s deputy general. The connection between them was too deep, so he set aside this idea as well. Xiao Xichi of Qingyi embodied the style of a renowned minister and able general, but her unfortunate flaw was her indigenous origin. Wen Xun of the southern lands was also a good choice, being a close member of the imperial clan.
Though many thoughts raced through Tao Jia’s mind, it did not delay his response. “Naturally, it would be General Zhong.”
Zhong Zhiwei was a military officer personally promoted by the Emperor, step by step. She had always resided in the sovereign’s thoughts, enjoying a bright future. If the Emperor intended to entrust her with heavy responsibilities, he might as well go along with it and offer a timely suggestion.
Upon hearing this, the smile on the Emperor’s face indeed deepened by three parts. She nodded and said, “General Zhong is naturally outstanding. But as capable as she is, one person cannot hold multiple posts concurrently. Here in the capital, I must still rely on you, old general, to trouble yourself on my behalf.”
Upon hearing this, Tao Jia surmised that the Emperor intended for him to temporarily hold the position, allowing the younger generation to accumulate experience before being gradually promoted. He immediately stepped forward and bowed. “Your Majesty has entrusted me with a grave responsibility; how would I dare not to devote myself wholeheartedly?”
Wen Yanran nodded and then inquired about the post-war situation in the eastern territories.
Tao Jia reported, “Major battles are inevitably followed by major pestilence. Fortunately, General Song and others promptly buried the corpses after the fighting and relocated the residents. Even if there are epidemics, they should not be too severe. However, we may see a few more bandits and rogues roaming about over the next couple of years, and we must guard against them diligently.”
Wen Yanran knew that Tao Jia’s assessment was correct. She initially wanted to check the troop dispositions in the eastern territories through the [War Sandbox] interface, only to find –
[System:
Function under maintenance. Temporarily unavailable.]
This wasn’t because the game panel had resolutely decided to give up entirely. Rather, after compiling data from the past two years, it was discovered that the practice of reporting only good news while concealing problems might mislead the player. However, since the shielding mechanisms of Guide to Becoming a Tyrant were difficult to circumvent, the system ultimately decided to proactively disconnect, thereby blocking out the bad news as well.
As the data models predicted, Wen Yanran, deprived of notifications, missed the information about bandits harassing the populace in the east. However, she also missed the news of the Right Camp’s successful lightning suppression of the rebellion. Thus, she once again narrowly missed the opportunity to gauge Shi Zhuhe’s true military prowess.
Some time after Tao Jia arrived in Jianping, Ren Feihong finally returned to the capital. She had never formally accepted a military post, and once the thorny issues during the migration were resolved, she left the convoy midway and returned ahead of schedule.
No sooner had she reached the outskirts of the capital than a eunuch came to greet her and escorted her directly to Yao Palace.
Wen Yanran had already finished holding court and was dressed in a spacious crimson robe – during the Great Zhou dynasty, deep, rich colors were esteemed, and the garments of nobles in the capital were often black or red.
Having not seen the Emperor for several months, Ren Feihong found her somewhat unfamiliar.
The Sovereign was still in her youth, a period of significant physical change. Having been away from the capital for so long, Ren Feihong could clearly see that Wen Yanran had grown taller, and the imperial bearing in her movements grew more pronounced with each passing day.
The Emperor, seated in the place of honor, smiled faintly and said, “Minister Ren, you have labored hard on your journey.” She then granted her a seat.
Ren Feihong was by nature unrestrained and unconventional; even within the deep palace, she spoke and laughed without much inhibition. She inclined her body slightly in thanks and then sat down directly, beginning to discuss the affairs of the eastern region with the Emperor.
Wen Yanran nodded. “The eastern rebels had ample provisions and troops. Were it not for you and the other ministers, who knows how much longer it might have dragged on.”
“That the eastern campaign could be concluded in a single, decisive battle is entirely due to Your Majesty’s profound foresight and strategic planning.”
Ren Feihong was not one for flattery or currying favor. Her saying this now was because it came from the heart.
“Upon my arrival, I heard that Your Majesty intends to practice alchemy.”
Wen Yanran raised an eyebrow slightly and chuckled, “You are quite well-informed, Minister.”
Thanks to the previous generations of Great Zhou emperors, a fondness for alchemy had gradually become a hallmark of a tyrannical ruler. Yet, at this moment, the Emperor did not deny it at all.
Ren Feihong laughed. “I have a wide circle of acquaintances and is also quite skilled in this very art.” She added, “Does Your Majesty not believe me?”
Having mingled in the marketplace since she was very young, she was familiar with no small number of deception techniques and so-called “secret formulas.”
Wen Yanran considered this for a moment, then said, “Given your talents, Minister, this is hardly surprising.”
Ren Feihong knew that the Emperor had cured Lu Zhongmao. Although she suspected that the alchemists outside might be deceiving the Emperor, a part of her still held onto the belief that this might be a sign of the Emperor’s divine mandate. Her feelings were ambivalent. Upon returning to the capital, she wished to investigate further. If those alchemists truly harbored malicious intentions, she absolutely could not allow Her Majesty to be duped.
The previous emperor had also been fond of alchemy and had squandered vast sums of money on it. Ren Feihong had heard that Emperor Li’s primary ingredients for his elixirs even included jade, gold, and silver. Regrettably, despite wasting incalculable wealth, he ultimately failed to achieve immortality – of course, Ren Feihong had no objection whatsoever to Emperor Li’s lack of longevity. However, she could not allow the current emperor to follow the same disastrous path.
Wen Yanran thought to herself. Based on the content of the side storylines, Ren Feihong herself should belong to a neutral faction. The other party had wide-ranging interests, and her claim of being skilled in alchemy was likely true as well. Seeing Ren Feihong ask about it, she nodded and said, “After September passes, I will take you to Jingyuan for a look.”
Since Ren Feihong had returned with the convoy moving the surrendered troops inland, Wen Yanran naturally also needed to ask her about the situation on that front.
The large-scale migration of populations was a different matter from a few people traveling. Ren Feihong reported, “With Young General Tao overseeing things there, all is well. They should be in position by roughly autumn.” She paused for a moment, then added, “The number of surrendered troops this time is extremely large; I’m afraid it will consume a vast amount of grain.”
Digging the canal was a major project; it would be difficult to achieve results without three to five years of effort. Just the matter of feeding such a massive group of people would be an enormous expenditure.
Wen Yanran smiled. “It’s of no consequence.”
Mobilizing manpower and consuming grain were, naturally, also among the objectives of building the canal.
Upon hearing this, Ren Feihong paused slightly and lowered her gaze, concealing the look of sudden understanding in her eyes.
Southern Coastal, Quanhai City.
Xiao Xichi’s army was currently stationed here.
After the Great Zhou emperor’s diplomatic letter reached Luonan, it indeed caused a tremendous stir. That Grand General Chen tore up the letter on the spot, declaring a complete break with Great Zhou. Xiao Xichi, who had long been prepared, did not hesitate and immediately led her elite cavalry in a surprise attack on Quanhai.
A valiant warrior, she charged at the forefront, cutting down the defending general of Quanhai City beneath her horse. Pitiful as it was, that general – a formidable figure whose martial prowess could be rated as defending five while striving for six – could not even last a single round against Xiao Xichi’s blade.
After Xiao Xichi slew the defending general, the morale of the Quanhai garrison instantly collapsed. Even the fallen army standard lay on the ground with no one to retrieve it, and she swaggered into the city, seizing control.
In truth, border defenses should not normally have been so lax. However, ever since Chen Guda had unilaterally installed a new ruler, opposition to him within the country had grown increasingly louder. Fearing for the stability of his own rule, he could only continuously purge dissenters and had redeployed his elite troops to the vicinity of the capital to protect his own safety.
After occupying this place, Xiao Xichi did not press her advantage and pursue the enemy further. Instead, she deployed her troops here, posing a threat to intimidate Chen Guda, far away in the Luonan capital.
“General, you have won a single battle but hesitate to advance further. I’m afraid this might invite suspicion.”
Xiao Xichi shook her head. “I have my reasons.”
Her skill was formidable, and her subordinates had no choice but to obey. Once, a troublemaker in the army actively provoked her; Xiao Xichi, without the slightest courtesy, drew her blade and executed him on the spot. When word of this reached Jianping, the Emperor, surprisingly, did not inquire or intervene. Instead, she issued an edict praising Xiao Xichi for her strict military discipline.
The reason Xiao Xichi now had the audacity to make her own decisions was also the confidence instilled in her by the Emperor.
Previously, Wen Yanran had sent a private letter, in which she exchanged views with Xiao Xichi on the situation here in Luonan.
As soon as Xiao Xichi read it, she knew that the Emperor shared her thoughts.
Chen Guda’s rule was already shaky, and within Luonan there were many supporters of the Fan clan. If a large army were to attack, these people might temporarily unite against the external pressure. However, if Xiao Xichi merely deployed her troops at the border while raising the slogan of slaying the traitor, then, in order to appease the Great Zhou emperor’s wrath, the former ministers loyal to the Fan clan within Luonan would take the initiative to attack Chen Guda themselves.
The Luonan campaign lasted merely two months.
The longer Xiao Xichi held her position without moving, the more anxious and fearful the situation within Luonan became. Chen Guda wanted to resist the external foe, yet he also feared his own strength being depleted. After much procrastination and shirking, he managed to scrape together an army of thirty thousand men and dispatched them towards Quanhai. However, before they even reached their destination, desertions began. The remaining troops were then completely annihilated by Xiao Xichi in a single battle – this outcome was not entirely due to the low combat effectiveness of the Luonan soldiers, but also because several cities surrounding Quanhai, upon learning that Xiao Xichi was acting on the orders of the Great Zhou emperor to suppress the rebellion, directly raised the white flag and surrendered.
In early September, Chen Guda, who had been hiding within the palace, was dragged out by the former ministers loyal to the Fan clan. They hauled him to the ancestral temple, executed him publicly to atone for his crimes to the Emperor, and presented his head to Xiao Xichi’s army.
The envoy’s words were exceedingly humble, yet they were met with a stern reprimand from Xiao Xichi.
Xiao Xichi’s gaze was like lightning. “You received the Emperor’s diplomatic letter three months ago. How is it that you have delayed until now to bring this traitor to justice?”
The Luonan envoy knelt on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly. “It is not that I delayed, but that the traitor Chen acted arbitrarily and despotically, commanding troops to bolster his own power. Although I wished to slay the traitor, I unfortunately lacked the strength to do so.”
Xiao Xichi rebuked him, “It is not to me that you, sir, confess your fault today, but to Her Majesty the Emperor!”
She ordered her men to drive the envoy and his party from the courtyard, then turned to face the northwest and knelt in prostration once more.
Xiao Xichi dispatched someone to deliver Chen Guda’s head to Jianping while simultaneously leading her troops directly into the Luonan capital. After Quanhai City was seized, Chen Guda, driven to desperation, had massacred almost all the descendants of the late Lord Fan. Now, with Wen Yanran having issued a clear edict granting Xiao Xichi full authority to handle Luonan affairs, the latter selected a young man of gentle temperament from among the close collateral branches of the Fan clan to be the new ruler.
After selecting the candidate, she set a nearby date for the enthronement ceremony. However, just as the young man was on the verge of ascending the throne, Xiao Xichi abruptly halted the ceremony.
The Great Zhou’s General of Huairen strode forward, snatched the object from the hands of the keeper of the seal, and declared in a loud voice, “Were it not for the Sovereign’s exceptional talent and benevolent magnanimity, the state of Luonan would have been overthrown by traitors. Before you, sir, ascend the throne, you must once again pay homage to the Sovereign.”
The young man had no choice but to turn and bow repeatedly in the direction of Jianping, and only then did he receive the seal from Xiao Xichi’s hands.
Having asserted her dominance over Luonan’s new ruler, Xiao Xichi carefully observed her surroundings and found that most of the officials and subjects present merely showed awe and reverence. Upon reflection, she understood: during Chen Guda’s hold on power, the Fan clan’s prestige had already been nearly depleted. Furthermore, Luonan had originally been a vassal state of Great Zhou; for a feudal lord to kneel and pay respects to the Sovereign was only right and proper.
Though the Luonan affair was concluded, Xiao Xichi was not completely at ease. She had hurried as much as possible, yet still only managed to pacify the region by September. She wondered if the envoy she had sent to Jianping would arrive in time to present the congratulatory gift on the Emperor’s birthday.
