Half a Spoiler Chapter 59

After spending some time at Tianfu in the afternoon, Wen Yanran returned directly to Western Yong.

By this time, Cui Xinjing had already arrived. Upon understanding the Emperor’s intention, she immediately picked up a brush to draft a document, completing it in no time at all – Wen Yanran thought that these young people from noble families, if nothing else, at least possessed exceptional mental fortitude. Even in the presence of top leadership, their thoughts flowed as freely as a spring, composing essays on the spot without the slightest hesitation…

Wen Yanran casually pulled a scroll from the shelf by the table and opened it. While her gaze appeared to rest on the pages, she was actually focused on the game panel displaying the map of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Compared to other regions, the terrain in the west was the most complex, with numerous mountains and forests and a relatively sparse population. Only the area of Tai Province was relatively densely populated – this place could be considered the political center of the western part of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

The western provinces and commanderies were mostly separated by natural mountains and rivers. Starting from Tai Province and traveling eastward along the official road, one would arrive at Dan Province. After crossing Shangxing Pass, the territory of Jianzhou could be reached.

Relying on the advantage of terrain for defense was beneficial, but given the current strength of the imperial court, it could only maintain control over Shangxing Pass at most.

Wen Yanran had heard from Yuan Yanshi that the current governor of Tai Province was Wang You. Although she held authority over an entire region, she did not come from an aristocratic family. Her ancestors were originally a prominent local clan in Tai Province. Logically, the highest position she could achieve in officialdom would have been as a commandery deputy of a commandery. However, during the turbulent reign of Emperor Li, when rebellions among the Western Tribes broke out repeatedly, Wang You decisively gathered her local community to organize for self-defense.

Unexpectedly, she displayed a natural talent for military affairs, not only protecting the county where her family resided but also gradually attracting followers from other regions due to her growing reputation. From there, she rose rapidly, transforming from a local clan leader into a regional chief. When the rebellions gradually subsided, she immediately led her followers to surrender to the imperial court and was appointed General of the West Pacification.

Since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty, military officials had always been subject to strict control. However, due to Wang You’s unique circumstances, she could not be transferred elsewhere. Moreover, during the later years of Emperor Li’s reign, the Western Tribes began to stir once again. To stabilize the region swiftly, the imperial court even broke the rule that local officials should not govern their own areas and formally appointed Wang You as the Inspector of Tai Province. Of course, the official explanation was that Wang You’s ancestral home was actually in the eastern part of Dan Province, and she was only temporarily residing in Tai Province, so she was not considered a local.

The Wang family rose to prominence during the mid-reign of Emperor Li. As the current head of the family, Wang You is now younger than Yuan Yanshi, though not by much. Having experienced frequent wars in her youth and suffered an arrow wound, she often suffers from bone aches on overcast or rainy days. Moreover, her two daughters and one son are not particularly outstanding, and she only manages to maintain control of the situation by relying on her past prestige.

Beneath Wang You, there are three major forces in the western region, led by the Li, Lao, and Fuhe clans. Except for the Li clan, the other two are local indigenous families. Even the Li clan has intermarried extensively with locals, establishing deep-rooted influence that is difficult to shake.

Both the Li and Lao clans have been formally granted military titles by the imperial court. Among them, the Fuhe clan retains the strongest local indigenous traditions, which is why they were only awarded the position of Forest Protection Commandant. However, because their leader is not as greedy as other clan heads and even displays a restrained and disciplined demeanor, the Fuhe clan enjoys a relatively favorable reputation in the region.

Wen Yanran recalled the spoilers mentioned in the comment section: regardless of the player’s chosen starting point or side quests, the western region was destined to rebel – only the reasons and timing differed.

She had summoned the likes of Attendant Song and others to inquire, but the situation in the west was genuinely complex and tangled, with any faction potentially raising the banner of rebellion. The central court found it difficult to draw any effective conclusions.

Once rebellion erupted in the west, the imperial court would inevitably mobilize large forces to suppress it. Local troops in Jianzhou were tasked with defending the capital and could not easily be deployed far afield, so the army used for suppression would have to be conscripted from other regions – an excellent opportunity for local officials to legally and legitimately grasp military power.

It was precisely for this reason that the northern clans secretly continued to funnel supplies westward, hoping to induce them to rebel sooner.

At this point, even cutting off those material supplies would be of little use. After all, while the ambitions of the northern clans might serve as a push, the root cause of the western rebellion lay in the long-standing estrangement between the Western Tribes and the imperial court.

From the founding of the dynasty to the present day, the Western Tribes had never truly integrated into the Great Zhou’s system. Taking the central court as an example, among all its high-ranking ministers, apart from a few members of the Wang clan, there was not a single official from the Li, Lao, or Fuhe clans.

Wen Yanran asked Cui Xinjing, “Minister Cui, do you have any understanding of the situation in the west?”

Cui Xinjing set down her brush, performed a half-bow first, and then replied, “The terrain in the west is complex, the roads are difficult to travel, and interaction with the central plains is limited. I know little about the region, only that its people are martial and combative by nature, with many reckless and lawless individuals. Civilizing influence has been challenging to implement there.”

Upon hearing this, Wen Yanran neither affirmed nor denied the statement, simply instructing Cui Xinjing to present the drafted document. After reviewing it once, she ordered Cui Xinjing to withdraw.

Cui Xinjing complied and departed. At the entrance of Western Yong Palace, she happened to meet Zhong Zhiwei, who had been summoned there.

Wen Yanran summoned Zhong Zhiwei to inquire about the progress of the ceremonial cavalry unit training at Jingyuan.

Initially, she had only planned for a thousand-strong force. However, since Wen Yanran ascended the throne, incidents within the Imperial Guard had occurred one after another, and the newly promoted Central Guard Commander had turned out to be a fraud, necessitating replacement. Consequently, more personnel were selected to undergo training at Jingyuan, expanding the ceremonial cavalry unit to three times its original size.

Zhong Zhiwei knelt and reported, “The three thousand cavalrymen at Jingyuan are now all ready to fight for Your Majesty.”

Three thousand soldiers were indeed enough to form an independent battalion. Wen Yanran knew that Zhong Zhiwei was a straightforward and honest person – if she said they were ready for battle, they undoubtedly were. However, for Wen Yanran, this army also needed to serve the important function of putting on a grand display. As for how to achieve this, morale and discipline were one aspect, their equipment another, and she could also incorporate some of the formation drills from military training parades in the past.

“Since they are my cavalry, logistical support must not be lacking, and their armor and weapons must be regularly inspected to prevent defective items from slipping through.” Wen Yanran paused, intending to describe some of the training routines from her pre-transmigration military drills to Zhong Zhiwei. Worried that her explanation might be unclear, she simply pulled out a sheet of paper and sketched a rough outline of the formation drills.

“…During training, commands should be detailed and precise. When standing at attention, the body should be as steady as a bell, with no unnecessary movement. At ease, they may relax slightly, but remember, the entire unit must move as one, with every action following the command.”

Seeing Zhong Zhiwei’s slightly dazed expression, Wen Yanran added, “I am not well-versed in military affairs. If you find this inappropriate, Captain Zhong, feel free to adapt as you see fit.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Upon hearing this, Zhong Zhiwei initially felt somewhat bewildered, but after a moment, a look of realization dawned on her face.

In her view, the guidance the Emperor had just offered already carried a hint of the principle: “Love them as you would a clever child, respect them as you would a strict teacher, and use them as you would soil and straw.” First, show care for the soldiers to win their hearts, then use discipline to unify the ranks, and finally propose a simple and feasible plan.

In this era, those in the central court had long recognized the importance of military discipline. It was entirely normal for a thousand cavalry to rout enemy forces dozens of times their size, composed of scattered and disorganized troops. Just like the southern prefectures back then, where local strongmen gathered forces numbering in the tens of millions, their private armies as numerous as clouds, yet most surrendered directly. The few stubborn holdouts, lacking integration and command, were also picked off one by one by Song Nanlou and others leading the Imperial Guard’s light cavalry.

Wen Yanran added, “From now on, the three thousand men in Jingyuan will be separated from the Three Guards and form their own independent battalion.”

Zhong Zhiwei replied, “In that case, I request Your Majesty to bestow a name upon them.”

After a brief moment of thought, Wen Yanran responded casually, “Let it be… let it be called the Iron Cavalry Battalion.”

Originally, the cavalry training at Jingyuan was meant to showcase their achievements on the Emperor’s birthday to awe all sides. However, if the new methods proposed today were incorporated, it would likely take some additional time to complete the training. Wen Yanran wasn’t particularly concerned about the time required – as long as she didn’t immediately lose her position, there would always be opportunities in the future to make use of the ceremonial guard.

After discussing the cavalry matter, the sun had begun to set. Wen Yanran asked an attendant for the time – it was already a quarter past the hour of shen (3-5PM).

“Captain Zhong, there’s no need to rush off today. First, change your clothes. I have something to attend to outside and will take you along.”

Wen Yanran planned to go out for a stroll.

In the early years of the Great Zhou’s founding, officials were not pleased to see the emperor wandering outside for no reason. However, if these emperors could be persuaded by mere words, they would not have pushed the realm to the brink of misery. By the time of Emperor Li, as long as the emperor occasionally ventured out in plain clothes, took enough guards, and didn’t stir up too much trouble, officials had learned to turn a blind eye.

Of course, part of Wen Yanran’s confidence in going out came from her personal information panel. The column labeled “Prestige (Central Region)” showed “8520 (profession bonus),” which, on a percentile scale, was already overflowing.

High prestige meant strong control. As long as Wen Yanran moved within the city and had elite guards from the Imperial Guard protecting her, her safety was assured.

Wen Yanran asked, “Captain Zhong, do you know where Court Councillor Tao’s residence is?”

Zhong Zhiwei replied, “It is located in the western part of the city.”

Court Councillor Tao referred to Tao Jia, whose official rank was Court Councillor of the Sixth Grade. This position held no substantive responsibilities – it was merely an honorary title reflecting his official rank and treatment.

He was now over forty years old. In families where early marriages were common, he might already have grandchildren, and in this era, he was fully qualified to be considered among the ranks of the aged.

In the eyes of contemporaries, a person holding a sixth-grade rank without any real authority had clearly reached a dead end in their official career, with no hope of resurgence whatsoever.

What was regrettable was that Tao Jia had not always been in such a dire situation. In his youth, he was renowned for his bravery and had been appointed as a General of the Palace Guard, leading troops to suppress rebellions on multiple occasions and earning illustrious fame. It was only during the rebellion of the Western Tribes back then that Tao Jia suffered a major defeat in Tai Province, losing tens of thousands of troops in a single battle. He was convicted by the court, imprisoned, and though ultimately ransomed with a hefty sum, he never again had the opportunity to lead troops. It was not until the later years of Emperor Li’s reign that, in recognition of his past achievements, he was granted the honorary title of Court Councillor.

Zhong Zhiwei knew Tao Jia. Having completely abandoned any hopes for an official career, he now lived in idleness at home, instructing younger generations. He did not discriminate based on background – anyone who sought his guidance was welcomed. Zhong Zhiwei had visited him a few times in the past.

Apart from Zhong Zhiwei herself, Wen Yanran was accompanied by sixteen elite Imperial Guards. Among them was Chen Ming, a younger cousin of Chen Ying and Chen Zhi.

The court had conscripted members of prominent clans to work on canal construction, though age restrictions were imposed. Grand Tutor Yuan and others initially proposed fifteen years old, while Wen Yanran, wanting to align with modern standards, suggested eighteen. After some back-and-forth, they eventually compromised slightly with the customs of the era, settling on sixteen. Chen Ming happened to be fifteen this year and was thus not selected for canal work. She should have stayed quietly at home, yet she insisted on traveling to Jianping. She wrote a sincere letter, requesting to replace her frail and sickly older cousin. On a whim, Wen Yanran ordered Chen Ming’s skills to be tested and discovered that she was remarkably similar to her cousin Chen Ying – effortlessly wielding a fifteen kilograms long blade, a natural-born talent for military command. After verifying her cousin’s poor health, Wen Yanran assigned her to clerical work and enrolled Chen Ming into the Imperial Guards.

Wen Yanran’s authority grew stronger with each passing day. When she gave the order at the beginning of the shen hour for the Imperial Household to prepare her carriage, the specially reinforced vehicle was already in place by the time she reached the central gate of the palace. Chi Yi assisted the Emperor in boarding the carriage. Zhong Zhiwei and the other Imperial Guards wore concealed armor beneath their cloth robes and rode on horseback alongside.

Though it was called a low-profile inspection tour, the entourage was still sizable. However, thanks to the increasingly lavish customs of the time – where many aristocratic families traveled with retinues and servants comparable in number to a small army – Wen Yanran’s group blended in quite well.

Translator’s Words:

Happy New Year! One more chapter today!