Wen Yanran thought to herself, the realm of the Great Zhou was so vast that countless unforeseen events were bound to happen.
“Summon Ah-Qu in.”
Cai Qu had been serving in the outer hall and came to pay her respects only when she heard the Emperor’s summons.
Wen Yanran said, “The weather has turned cold recently. Are the charcoal and winter garments to be bestowed during the festival ready?”
In recent years, the Emperor had largely ceased to concern herself with such trivial matters, entrusting them entirely to the Imperial Household Department. Today’s sudden inquiry naturally made Cai Qu tread with utmost caution as she reported the details one by one. “Since the onset of winter, officials of the third rank and above have been granted one thousand catties of charcoal and fifty winter garments; those of the fifth rank and above, six hundred catties of charcoal and thirty winter garments; those of the ninth rank and above, two hundred catties of charcoal and ten winter garments; the rest have received fifty catties each and two winter garments.”
Wen Yanran nodded slightly and further instructed, “Many senior ministers in the court are advanced in years; they should be given additional allowances.”
Cai Qu stepped forward and bowed. “Your Majesty’s concern for your subjects is deeply appreciated by all the ministers in the court.”
In truth, matters such as providing extra benefits to elderly officials were hardly overlooked by the officials of the Imperial Household. Nevertheless, when the Emperor brought it up, they still received the command with due reverence and gratitude for Her Majesty’s profound kindness.
Wen Yanran said, “During the morning court session today, I noticed the Grand Tutor cough once. He also looked rather unwell. Have the imperial physicians visit him regularly over the next few days to take his pulse.”
Since ascending the throne, the Emperor had always shown exceptional respect to Yuan Yanshi, so such words of concern were nothing out of the ordinary. No one in the Western Yong Palace found it surprising.
Cai Qu, with even greater meticulousness, reported the intelligence gathered by the City Bureau. “The Grand Tutor has been returning home earlier than usual these days, and his meetings with students and younger generations have also decreased. The Imperial Medical Institute has already sent physicians to examine him several times.” She then presented the prescribed formulas.
This was not because Yuan Yanshi’s health had deteriorated excessively; rather, it was simply a matter of the medical limitations of the era. For those of advanced age, minor ailments were all too common.
Wen Yanran reviewed the prescription carefully before dismissing Cai Qu.
In truth, when she had first learned of the great victory at the front camp, she couldn’t help but feel a trace of suspicion, doubting whether the information in the comment section was entirely reliable. Yet, from the moment she had transmigrated until now, the people and events she encountered were largely consistent with what other players had described. Thus, she decided to put it to the test.
The most convenient test subject was, of course, Yuan Yanshi.
It was now the fifth year of the Zhaoming era, and Yuan Yanshi remained as loyal and devoted as he had been when she first ascended the throne. For him to be hiding his true intentions seemed rather implausible. Given his physical condition, he would likely be requesting retirement in a couple of years. Just how long could he keep up the act? It would hardly make sense for him to be consistently diligent and disciplined during his most powerful years, only to reveal his long-concealed true colors after stepping down.
If Wen Yanran could see the detailed data collected by the system in the background, she would know that under normal circumstances, Yuan Yanshi would have taken advantage of his role as regent to steadily consolidate power. It was just that in this playthrough, she had never given him the opportunity.
Since Grand Tutor Yuan’s loyalty was plainly evident, and the other characters had not exhibited any traits that deviated significantly from what the comments had described, Wen Yanran decided to temporarily set aside her suspicions and wait for the detailed battle report from the front camp to arrive in the capital.
Ten days later, Shi Zhuhe’s report finally reached Jianping. The Emperor, deeply concerned about the war situation at the front camp, summoned the messenger to the Western Yong Palace without delay.
Before opening the memorial, Wen Yanran instructed one of her attendants to light a stick of calming incense.
Shi Zhuhe’s memorial was highly detailed. It began with a clear statement that the success achieved had nothing to do with him personally but was entirely due to the Emperor’s wise leadership and the effective groundwork laid by Song Nanlou, the previous commanding general of the front camp.
“…”
Wen Yanran took a deep breath in silence.
Her decision to light the calming incense had indeed been prescient; otherwise, she would have thrown the memorial across the room after reading just the first sentence.
“According to General Shi, the losses at the front camp were minimal?”
The messenger from the front camp had been granted a seat. Upon hearing the Emperor’s inquiry, she rose and respectfully replied, “After the earthquake, the surrounding city defenses were rebuilt. The enemy launched repeated attacks, but all proved fruitless.”
She keenly sensed that the Emperor had not been swept away by the good news she had brought. Instead, she had maintained a guarded demeanor throughout, with even a trace of barely perceptible solemnity in her expression.
Indeed, only an emperor as prudent as this could have reversed the decline of the Great Zhou in just a few short years.
After listening for a while, Wen Yanran came to a rough understanding: due to the earthquake, many cities had been in urgent need of repair. While this had caused considerable economic losses, it had also led to a comprehensive overhaul of their defensive capabilities. If the original earthwork walls could be rated a mere twenty or thirty points in terms of defense, they now exceeded seventy.
…So why didn’t the Guide to Becoming a Tyrant system have any capability to regulate natural phenomena? If the earthquake hadn’t happened and everything had gone smoothly, would things have still come to this point?
The messenger continued, “At that time, the pretender Yan’s forces falsely claimed to be seeking passage through the pass. General Shi adhered strictly to the regulations and did not allow them entry.
“Moreover, General Shi, having previously received Your Majesty’s orders to lure the enemy and seize Lankang by deception, was especially cautious upon encountering Yan’s troops…”
Wen Yanran: “…”
What the messenger meant was that Shi Zhuhe, having once followed her instructions to use acting skills to capture Lankang, was immediately on guard when he saw someone else trying to pull off a similar deception.
That was absurd.
Yet it made perfect sense.
After all, humans were capable of learning. Thinking that she was the one who had given Shi Zhuhe in this playthrough the relevant experience, Wen Yanran couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt.
“When General Song was in command, he selected talented individuals and appointed them to key positions within the army. Captain Xue Jingzhang first cut down the elite troops of the Wuliu tribe, then led her men in pursuit of the pretender Yan’s forces, repeatedly distinguishing herself in battle…”
In this era, if a subordinate achieved merit, the superior who had originally promoted him could also claim a share of the credit.
Before dispatching the messenger, General Shi had earnestly instructed her to appropriately emphasize the contributions of the local officers and soldiers at the front camp. Back when the Emperor had been presented with a slew of impeachment memorials, although she had not condemned Song Nanlou, she had ultimately reassigned him from his original post. Thus, it was necessary to highlight his achievements, proving that his performance had not been lacking, but rather that many in the northern region had harbored ill intentions and deliberately targeted him.
Wen Yanran fully grasped the implication behind the messenger’s words – and even added her own personal interpretation.
According to the subtext of his message, Shi Zhuhe’s success was due to the fact that Song Nanlou had not only made tactical preparations in advance but had also, over his years in command, promoted a number of outstanding individuals. Those individuals had then played a crucial role in the campaign against the Yan faction.
…That also sounded perfectly reasonable!
Shi Zhuhe and Song Nanlou seemed to have a good relationship, and Shi Zhuhe himself likely had a rather gentle and easygoing temperament. Coupled with his lack of military talent, it would have been all too easy for a strong-willed subordinate to seize power from him.
The messenger continued, “The Yan faction was able to be utterly defeated in a single battle…”
Hearing this, Wen Yanran interrupted him and confirmed, “The Yan faction has been completely wiped out?”
The Yan family had entrenched themselves in Dingyi Commandery for generations, their roots deep and their influence widespread. Even if they had suffered a defeat, how could they be so easily eradicated? If that were the case, wouldn’t her plan to be a tyrannical ruler be greatly affected?
The messenger’s tone was resolute, leaving no room for doubt in the listener’s mind. “The entire Yan clan has been annihilated in a single battle.” A look of admiration appeared in her eyes. “This achievement is entirely due to Your Majesty’s profound foresight, bringing peace to the whole of Dingyi Commandery.”
Wen Yanran: “…”
She was not in the mood to hear such words right now.
Wen Yanran adjusted her sitting posture and looked impassively at the messenger in the hall, preparing to hear how she would attribute the annihilation of the Yan clan to her.
As it turned out, the messenger did have a reason to offer.
“Back then, Your Majesty appointed Dong Fu as the Commandery Administrator of Dingyi Commandery…”
Dong Fu was a member of the Dong clan. Thanks to their status as relatives of the imperial consort, they had been granted a marquisate, allowing members of the clan to hold official positions. By this generation, they could barely be considered an aristocratic family, though they still lacked deep-rooted prestige. The current Marquis of Dong had even been deceived by Xuanyangzi, attempting to recommend the latter for a position at court.
After Yan Xiaolou executed Xuanyangzi, the Dong clan was struck with great fear and immediately submitted a memorial confessing their guilt. Although Wen Yanran did not strip them of their marquisate, she reassigned Dong Fu – who had originally been set to transfer to the Central Plains due to his outstanding performance evaluation – back to Dingyi Commandery.
Dong Fu had already served as Commandery Administrator of Dingyi Commandery for many years and enjoyed considerable support from his subordinate officials. If the Yan clan held the greatest influence in Dingyi Commandery, then Dong Fu could at least be ranked second.
When the Yan clan decided to lead their forces toward the Central Plains, Dong Fu refused to follow them and was placed under house arrest. Later, he was rescued by loyal confidants who seized an opportunity.
As a commandery administrator appointed by the imperial court, Dong Fu held the moral authority of legitimacy. With the main forces of the Yan clan having left the area, he began rallying local powers and ultimately managed to seize the opportunity to turn the tables. Most of the Yan clan’s main forces, defeated by Shi Zhuhe, were either captured or killed. The few who managed to flee back to Dingyi were completely encircled and eliminated by Dong Fu, who had already prepared for their return.
Wen Yanran asked in confusion, “Where did Commandery Administrator Dong get his troops?”
The messenger replied, “The Wuliu tribe sent men to assist him.”
Wen Yanran’s gaze sharpened.
Why would the Wuliu tribe help Dong Fu? Hadn’t they practically written “harboring ulterior motives” and “seeking to declare themselves sovereign” all over their faces?
Recalling the events in the northern region, the messenger grew even more admiring of the Emperor. Speaking with humble reverence, she said, “The Wuliu tribe, awed by Your Majesty’s authority, naturally wished to make amends upon learning that some among them had gone to the Central Plains to cause unrest.”
In fact, this situation was also tied to Wen Yanran’s earlier order to have Wu Geqi executed.
After that young prince’s death, his faction had been ostracized by his own tribesmen. This year, when the tribe faced a shortage of grain, those who had once belonged to Wu Geqi’s faction naturally suffered more from hunger than others. Once these people left, the strain on limited border resources eased, and stability within the Wuliu tribe improved.
The events in Luonan had left a deep psychological scar on the border tribes and had taught them a harsh lesson – this was no longer the era of the late emperor, when vassal states could afford to be negligent toward the Great Zhou without consequence. Back then, even when a powerful minister of Luonan had humbly begged Jianping for an official appointment, it had only enraged the Grand General of the South, who led her troops to behead him and display his head publicly. Chen Guda’s entire clan had been wiped out as well.
The chieftain of the Wuliu tribe, trembling with fear, thought to himself: if they didn’t read the room and send men to assist Dong Fu in redeeming their past mistakes, what if the Sovereign grew enraged and sent troops to annihilate their tribe?
The messenger was filled with profound admiration. When the Emperor had appointed Dong Fu as commandery administrator back then, she had clearly already foreseen instability in the border regions. That was why she had arranged for an aristocratic family from the capital to hold a long-term post there. And her decision to deal with the situation in Luonan had served as a perfect example – making an example of one to warn a hundred – ensuring that the border tribes dared not harbor any disloyal intentions.
She recalled that appointing Dong Fu as Commandery Administrator of Dingyi Commandery had happened as far back as the eleventh year of the Changxing era, while the execution of Wu Geqi – which had led to the division within the Wuliu tribe – took place in the first year of the Zhaoming era, shortly after the Emperor ascended the throne. To have already made arrangements for today’s campaign back then – such foresight was truly astonishing.
Wen Yanran, meanwhile, reopened the memorial. According to the messenger’s account, everything seemed quite reasonable. Perhaps she could shift her perspective – if it wasn’t that Shi Zhuhe was exceptionally capable, could it be that the Yan faction was simply incompetent?
According to the comment section back then, the Yan clan members were said to be formidable fighters. But personal combat prowess did not necessarily translate into strong battlefield command skills. Considering that in certain branching storylines they had even supported Wen Hong, they were likely positioned as subordinate characters, so having some shortcomings was only to be expected.
As for Shi Zhuhe – judging by his past track record, he seemed to be a man of exceptional luck.
Wen Yanran thought to herself: the comment section had summarized Shi Zhuhe’s defining trait as “who cannot fight wars.” If he had managed to leave such a distinctly negative impression on players, it was probably because he had once commanded a certain number of troops and suffered a devastating defeat in some major battle. Yet, for a young man from a declining aristocratic family, rising to a high position could not have been easy.
Taking everything into consideration, “encountering superiors, colleagues, or subordinates who excelled in warfare and luckily riding on their coattails for some credit” was likely Shi Zhuhe’s inherent attribute.
Wen Yanran mused that the character summaries in the comment section, though seemingly just a few words, were actually precise distillations of the storyline. If players merely skimmed over them, it was all too easy to miss certain details – such as Shi Zhuhe’s hidden “blessed by luck” trait, a conclusion that required careful inference to reach.
