The Great Zhou Dynasty founded by the Wen clan has endured for over three hundred years, during which many deeply-rooted and influential aristocratic families have emerged in the regions. These families have maintained their lineage for generations, with the advantage of having solid foundations. However, the downside is that when faced with real crises, they find it almost impossible to abandon their ancestral lands. Once surrounded, they are inevitably trapped.
Though these families possess considerable power, compared to the emperor, they are at an absolute disadvantage in terms of both moral authority and military resources. For families like the Cui clan, choosing to surrender might still offer a slim chance of survival, as many officials at court hail from aristocratic backgrounds and might intercede on their behalf. However, opting for rebellion could well lead to the entire Cui clan being executed and their bodies abandoned in the marketplaces as a public warning.
After handling the posthumous affairs of the Marquis of Quanling, Cui Yi immediately wrote to his family, urging them to send some of the clan’s respected members to the capital. He also requested that a few direct descendants be sent to Jianping to serve as hostages. As long as the entire family remained under the Emperor’s control, their lives in Jianping would not be in immediate danger.
The sudden downfall of figures like the Marquis of Quanling, who had long been regarded as a formidable threat to Jianzhou, sent shockwaves through the ministers who had accompanied the Emperor to the Northern Park. For a time, they were both stirred and apprehensive. Even the young nobles who had originally intended to showcase their martial prowess during the spring hunt began to shift toward a more obedient and diligent demeanor.
It had dawned on them that the Emperor seldom embarked on hunts, but when she did, the number of captives taken would start in the thousands.
Following tradition, those who excelled in the spring hunt would be rewarded with official positions and wealth. In the past, it was not uncommon for children of official families to rise from commoner status directly to the rank of fifth-grade military officer, thereby stepping into the ranks of mid-level officials. However, at this moment, most people no longer paid much attention to such rewards, as compared to the merits earned in quelling the rebellion, the achievements from the spring hunt were relatively limited. Moreover, the positions granted were often honorary titles rather than substantive posts.
While scholars outside the palace were debating matters of reward and recognition, discussions were also taking place within Hengzhu Palace.
Aside from Wen Yanran herself, who had overseen the overall strategy, the four individuals credited with the greatest contributions in suppressing the internal turmoil were Chi Yi, Zhang Luo, Zhong Zhiwei, and Xiao Xichi, who had joined later. Among them, Chi Yi and Zhang Luo were primarily responsible for the deployment and planning, Zhong Zhiwei kept a strict watch over the imperial guards, and Xiao Xichi, wielding a bow and a blade, personally defeated several elite warriors at the Marquis of Quanling’s side, leaving her with no escape route.
The imperial guards who participated in suppressing the rebellion were all rewarded accordingly. Ordinary soldiers received an additional year’s salary, while those with official ranks were promoted by half a grade in terms of treatment. As Chi Yi and Zhang Luo had already been promoted once before, they were now elevated to the rank of Middle Attendants, each receiving a reward of one million in cash. In addition, Wen Yanran innovatively adjusted the official positions of Left and Right Vice Commissioner to the Inner Court to a rank just below the fourth grade.
Zhong Zhiwei retained her position as the commander of the inner guards but was also granted the title of Marquis of Changning – a county under Quanling Commandery, effectively reallocating the reclaimed resources.
As for Xiao Xichi, who had already returned to her hometown on horseback, Wen Yanran bestowed upon her the title of General of Huairen and appointed her to command the troops of the Chongchang Border Camp.
The Great Zhou dynasty established border camps in its outer regions, with Chongchang being a neighboring commandery of Qingyi. In this era, officials were prohibited from serving as the chief administrator of their hometowns, and Qingyi itself did not have a border camp. Wen Yanran therefore granted Xiao Xichi a substantive military position in the adjacent commandery, ensuring that, should any incidents arise, she would have sufficient authority to mobilize troops from two commanderies.
Considering the persistent instability in Qingyi over the years, Wen Yanran dismissed the original Commandery Administrator on the grounds of “incompetence in governance” and appointed Gao Shu, one of her own secretaries, as the new Commandery Administrator of Qingyi.
Gao Shu had served as an Attendant-in-Residence during the reign of Emperor Li – a position that, though not high in rank, was one of the emperor’s most trusted confidants and a key figure in the central administration, often serving as a preparatory role for many important positions in the court. Since her arrival in this era, Wen Yanran had observed those around her with a critical eye and found that while Gao Shu had not demonstrated exceptional brilliance, he had consistently performed his duties diligently, handled affairs with relative clarity, and possessed a temperament that was not harsh or cruel, making him a suitable partner for Xiao Xichi.
Given that Qingyi was located far from Jianzhou and was a region inhabited by borderfolks, the position of Commandery Administrator, despite being significantly higher in rank than that of a secretary, was seen by many not as a promotion but rather as a deliberate imposition of hardship. However, Gao Shu himself did not share this view. As someone hailing from a scholarly family who had entered official service, how could he not aspire to achieve merit and distinction? Although Qingyi was impoverished, stabilizing the region would itself be considered an accomplishment.
As a close official, Wen Yanran specially called Gao Shu over to offer a few words of guidance. “General Xiao is a person of deep benevolence and always prioritizes the well-being of the people in her actions. With her capabilities, she is more than capable of guarding half the country in times of peace. As long as you uphold justice and administer rewards and punishments fairly, she will undoubtedly lend you her support.”
Wen Yanran was not deceiving Gao Shu. Xiao Xichi truly cherished her people deeply; otherwise, despite possessing the martial prowess to break through barriers single-handedly, she would not have lingered in Jianping for so many years. It was precisely because of this character of hers that she would not rashly resort to military force out of personal ambition.
However, this assessment was predicated on a state of peace throughout the land. Wen Yanran already knew that the current tranquility of the Great Zhou dynasty would not last long. Once war breaks out on all sides, Xiao Xichi’s original ability to maintain stability would swiftly transform into the reality of establishing a separate regime.
“Your servant accepts this command.”
The hierarchical divide between ruler and subject, combined with the reserved communication style of the era, meant that many officials refrained from expressing their true thoughts in front of the Emperor. Wen Yanran was unaware that, in contrast to her own negative predictions about the future, Gao Shu, due to his daily presence within the palace, held a deep-seated belief that the Emperor would undoubtedly win the hearts of the people and unify the realm.
Gao Shu’s perspective was but a reflection of the inner sentiments of many court officials. The scholars who composed poetry and prose at the Northern Park had initially used descriptions of the spring hunt and its participants to subtly praise the Emperor, but their focus had gradually shifted toward directly extolling Wen Yanran herself.
After reading some of these works, Wen Yanran concluded that her actual image bore little to no resemblance to the descriptions in these literary pieces. However, this did not concern her much. After all, as a tyrannical ruler, it was inevitable to be surrounded by flatterers who specialized in singing praises. The more such accolades accumulated, the closer she believed she was to achieving her goal.
In the final days of the spring hunt, Wen Yanran, who had been peacefully residing in Hengzhu Palace, finally mounted her horse to display the Emperor’s majestic bearing to the officials.
Many cautious ministers worried that the Northern Park might still harbor hidden agents left by the Marquis of Quanling, waiting for an opportunity to assassinate the emperor during the hunt. However, they soon realized that the Emperor had made meticulous arrangements for her own safety – Wen Yanran did not gallop on horseback but merely strolled two leisurely laps on the grassland, escorted jointly by the Outer and Inner Guards.
The imperial guards specifically selected a gentle and tall steed as the Emperor’s mount. However, Wen Yanran felt that she still preferred vehicles lacking their own will and equipped with handbrakes and footbrakes.
“…”
The scholars thought, “Nurturing talents over a thousand days, using them in a single moment.” If the Emperor’s performance on horseback was not imposing enough, they could simply embellish it in their works.
It was only after the spring hunt concluded peacefully and Wen Yanran led the officials back to the court that the handling of the Marquis of Quanling’s rebellion truly began.
As long-standing rivals, the Zheng clan surprisingly took an uncharacteristic stance by speaking up for the Cui clan. They expressed that despite past conflicts, as long as the Cui clan pledged allegiance to Jianping, they were willing to coexist harmoniously under the leadership of the Emperor.
The Zheng clan’s decision was also the result of careful deliberation.
In fact, when Zheng Shengde, the head of the Zheng clan, first learned that the Marquis of Quanling had secretly brought armed soldiers to the Northern Park, his immediate thought was to seize the opportunity to completely eliminate the old rival with whom his family had a blood feud. However, as soon as he considered the new emperor on the throne, his fervent emotions quickly cooled.
The current emperor was different from the previous one. The late emperor had been perpetually immersed in indulgence. Although he retained a ruler’s sensitivity to power, he disliked attending to governance, granting his ministers considerable leeway to act. Yet, if anything displeased the emperor on the throne, one could easily be demoted or imprisoned.
Both were emperors who controlled the imperial guards, but Emperor Li acted without regard for morality and righteousness, making it difficult to win the hearts of the people. As for the current Sovereign, she seemed to have mastered the art of discerning the finest details to the extreme. Even seasoned officials like Zheng Shengde needed to carefully ponder the Emperor’s intentions.
Zheng Shengde said, “I was initially somewhat puzzled, but now I understand Her Majesty’s intentions.”
Zheng Yinchuan replied, “Please enlighten me, Father.”
Zheng Shengde explained, “Rebellion among the imperial clan is a grave matter in any dynasty, yet Her Majesty delayed returning to the palace, waiting until the spring hunt concluded before setting off back.” He glanced at his son, who still looked confused, and explained further, “By doing so, Her Majesty is conveying to us that this was nothing more than a trivial matter.”
Zheng Yinchuan was bewildered. “How can rebellion possibly be a trivial matter?”
Zheng Shengde sighed with emotion. “Her Majesty quelled it with ease, without even disrupting the spring hunt – does that not make it a trivial matter? What is challenging for others is effortless for the Sovereign.”
Zheng Yinchuan understood. Since it was a trivial matter, if they made too much noise, they might leave a negative impression on the Emperor as being relentless when in power, which would be detrimental to their future prospects. Even if they intended to kick someone when they were down, they would have to wait until the Emperor had secretly decided to eradicate all roots before taking action.
In the end, Zheng Shengde solemnly concluded, “As subjects of the state, the Zheng clan’s foremost duty is to serve the country with loyalty and relieve the monarch of worries. Although we have grievances with the Cui clan, how can we disregard Her Majesty’s decree for personal reasons?”
“…I humbly follow your command, Father.”
Zheng Yinchuan bowed deeply. However, as he recalled the Emperor’s heroic deeds -executing the Seventh Prince before the throne, breaking into Marquis Dong’s residence to capture Xuanyangzi, and ambushing the Marquis of Quanling at the Northern Park – he faintly felt that his father’s decision to remain compliant likely stemmed from the same reason as his own…
Yet the Marquis of Quanling was also a formidable figure. She had spared no effort to protect her subordinates before her death, and in gratitude for her benevolence, the Cui clan and others would help safeguard her descendants.
Inside Taiqi Palace.
Since it was her first time handling a rebellion among the imperial clan, Wen Yanran initially wanted to navigate by observing the actions of loyal ministers but failed to do so – whether it was Grand Tutor Yuan, Attendant Song, or Wen Jingmei, when asked by the Emperor, their responses were all, “We defer to Your Majesty’s judgment.”
After a moment of silence, she inquired about the attitudes of the two potential treacherous officials, Chi Yi and Zhang Luo.
Their replies were not to defer to the Emperor’s judgment but rather to assure that they would strive in whatever direction the Emperor commanded.
“…”
Unable to rely on either loyal or treacherous ministers, Wen Yanran realized that, under normal circumstances, this was an event where either severe punishment or leniency could be justified.
Unable to delegate the task to others, Wen Yanran first decided on the handling of Wen Jingming.
Drawing from precedents of how the Great Zhou had dealt with rebellious nobles in the past, Wen Yanran issued an edict stripping the Marquis of Quanling’s lineage of its noble title, ordering their burial with the rites of commoners, and exiling their descendants and relatives to the borderlands. Since Gao Shu was soon to depart for Qingyi, it was convenient for him to escort these individuals along the way.
As for the Cui clan and others, before Wen Yanran issued a formal edict, she received a request from Cui Yi for an audience with the Emperor.
Since the Emperor had not yet taken action against them and had specifically brought them from the Northern Park to Jianping, Chi Yi, who had been paying close attention to the matter, came personally to report on it. “Chu Fu has remained mostly silent, while Cui Yi has shown signs of submitting. Does Your Majesty wish to summon him?”
Chu Fu was the name of the Chu family advisor.
Wen Yanran smiled, “Indeed, he is a talented individual from the Cui clan. Since he wishes to come, summon him to wait temporarily at Tianfu Palace.”
Chi Yi and Zhang Luo naturally had no objections. The Emperor’s word was final; after all, meeting those bearing guilt in Taiqi Palace would be procedurally cumbersome. It seemed only logical to treat the State Preceptor’s residence as an outer court for such purposes. As for Wen Jingmei himself, he should be accustomed to it by now…
Translator’s Words:
One more chapter to come! Merry Christmas everyone!
