Although Emperor Li had tormented the courtiers of Jianping to no end, he garnered praise from Wang You. Since she became the inspector of Tai Province, every year when submitting memorials extolling the Emperor’s virtues, her wording has been exceptionally sincere. However, what goes around comes around – when Tao Jia came to Tai Province for the second time, he also brought a new emperor for the Western Tribes.
Since the Emperor had already settled on a plan of playing cat and mouse, Zhong Zhiwei and Tao Jia were in no hurry to launch an immediate offensive. Instead, they met from time to time to exchange thoughts on the current state of the war.
Zhong Zhiwei was young, exceptionally brave, and had repeatedly distinguished herself in battle. Deeply trusted by the Emperor, she could easily have become prideful. However, in her early years, she faced discrimination in the imperial guards due to her borderland heritage. By the time the Emperor promoted her to her side, her character had been honed to remarkable steadiness. No matter how cunning or resourceful the enemy proved, she remained unshakable.
Before this, Fu he Fang, following Ren Feihong’s strategy, attempted to sow discord between Generals Zhong and Tao. Using the name of Wang You, they sent a letter that primarily praised Zhong Zhiwei’s contributions to the war. It then expressed some confusion – Tao Jia had repeatedly fought and lost, while Zhong Zhiwei’s single battle had secured the overall situation. Yet in Wu’an, the main credit was being attributed to Tao Jia, which seemed like a slight against the true meritorious official. Perhaps, the letter suggested, this was because Zhong Zhiwei’s borderland heritage was being used to suppress her.
Upon seeing the letter, Zhong Zhiwei merely sneered twice. She mustered some troops in an attempt to follow the letter’s trail and catch the Western Tribes by the tail. However, as the plan had been personally arranged by Ren Feihong, the cleanup was flawless, and Zhong Zhiwei ultimately only managed to capture a few minor figures who had been bribed by the Western Tribes.
After all, she was a character capable of leaving her mark in comment sections. Not only was she formidable in martial prowess, but her overall qualities were equally outstanding. Zhong Zhiwei naturally understood that a key reason why Jianping’s strategy had succeeded so thoroughly was that the commander of the vanguard was Tao Jia.
Both the central court and the Western Tribes were well aware of the depth of Tao Jia’s obsession with wiping away his past shame. Precisely because of this, even someone as seasoned as Wang You never suspected that Tao Jia’s defeats were merely feigned. Moreover, at the time, the ordinary soldiers in the vanguard were unaware of the Emperor’s strategy. The morale of the troops was bound to suffer due to the apparent setbacks on the surface. That Tao Jia was able to maintain the formation and discipline of his forces under such circumstances was an extremely rare and remarkable feat.
Therefore, in terms of credit for pacifying the Western Tribes, aside from the Emperor herself, Tao Jia deserved the foremost recognition. As for herself, Zhong Zhiwei believed that with such a brilliant sovereign as the Emperor and the elite Iron Cavalry Battalion assigned to accompany her, anyone in her position would have achieved victory. Thus, she naturally felt she should not claim undue credit.
Tao Jia and Zhong Zhiwei had known each other for many years; he had even taught her some military strategy and tactics, fostering a certain mutual camaraderie. Upon learning her thoughts, he offered an additional piece of guidance. “Her Majesty’s decision likely also carries the intention of continuing to place great trust in you.”
Upon hearing this, Zhong Zhiwei paused briefly, then suddenly understood. She cupped her hands in respectful acknowledgment. “Thank you for the guidance.”
She now had two pacification campaigns under her belt – one in the palace and another at the Northern Park – and had led the Iron Cavalry Battalion to repel the Western army. If she were credited as the foremost contributor in this battle instead of Tao Jia, her power and influence would become excessively prominent. Tao Jia, on the other hand, was advanced in years and had a long record of distinguished service. He was perfectly positioned to serve as the head of the military for a couple of years before gracefully stepping down, allowing younger successors to be gradually groomed.
In the minds of many senior officials, precisely because the Emperor was unwilling to “burn the bridge after crossing the river,” she arranged for Zhong Zhiwei to ascend steadily and securely. Had she harbored suspicion, she might have instead employed a strategy of “killing with praise” (undermining someone by excessive praise).
Seeing that Zhong Zhiwei understood the situation clearly, Tao Jia said nothing more and instead began discussing the Western conflict with her.
Zhong Zhiwei modestly replied, “I am newly arrived at the frontline and not yet fully acquainted with all matters. However, since Her Majesty intends to employ a counterintrigue, the key likely lies with the Li and Lao families.”
Tao Jia sensed the deep respect and trust for the Emperor in her words. Recalling his own experiences from youth, he felt a mix of joy and wistfulness.
In the city of Wu’an, a fine drizzle fell.
This season offered few clear days in the Dan and Tai regions, so the palace attendants had no choice but to light fires indoors to dry bedding and clothing. For a time, they missed Jianping’s climate very much.
Wang Youyin also joined them, drying her outer robe by the fire for a while. Feeling it was mostly dry, she put it on and went out to see if there were any documents that needed to be delivered to the palace that day.
Hailing from Yuan Yanshi’s household, as a scholar-official from a prominent family, Wang Youyin had a natural preference for stable conditions. Initially, she too felt that the Emperor was somewhat overly assertive and sharp-edged. Now, however, she understood: the Emperor’s presence in Wu’an was not a reckless move. On the contrary, for the overall situation of the empire, it was the most prudent and likely to succeed approach. Others might think the Emperor enjoyed taking risks, but that was because they lacked the ability to perceive the brilliance of Her Majesty’s grand strategy.
After arriving in Dan Province, Wang Youyin heard many complaints about life there, but these had gradually lessened. After all, if even the Sovereign did not complain about the current hardships, how could those serving as ministers fear enduring some difficulty?
Though Wang Youyin was considered a close attendant of the Emperor, she did not truly understand Wen Yanran’s perspective. It wasn’t that Wen Yanran thought Jianping was good and Wu’an was bad; rather, she felt the living conditions in both places were somewhat lacking…
Wang Youyin moved nimbly, organizing the documents neatly before delivering them to the back office.
Falling blossoms in the rain lent the courtyard a sense of detached and elegant seclusion, as if isolated from the world.
No matter what happened beyond its walls, the Emperor’s residence exuded a tranquil calm that steadied the mind. It seemed that as long as Wen Yanran was here, all the ministers had a solid and reliable support.
Wang Youyin noticed that when she arrived, the emperor was standing by the window, watching the rain.
She had once thought the Emperor did so out of inner worry, to dispel melancholy. Now she knew she had been mistaken: Her Majesty was clearly at ease, utterly confident of victory.
Wang Youyin’s thoughts reflected the shared sentiment of many close attendants. However, including Chi Yi, Zhang Luo, and others, their speculations were actually quite far from the truth. As someone who came from another world, Wen Yanran knew well that after a period of reading or writing at a desk, one needed to look into the distance to prevent nearsightedness.
The administrative procedures in Wu’an were not as complicated as in Jianping, and Wen Yanran was not fond of excessive formalities. While on an imperial tour, official protocols were generally simplified. Seeing Chi Yi present, Wang Youyin handed the wooden box containing the documents to her, and it was this Middle Attendant who presented it to the Emperor.
The box contained updates from the front lines. Though the Western army had already been routed, the Emperor showed no sign of relaxation, remaining particularly solemn. Regardless of the intelligence received, she always inquired personally, attending to every detail herself and reviewing documents late into the night every day.
While admiring this, Wang Youyin recalled hearing a senior official complain after drinking a few cups – if only the previous emperor had possessed even one-tenth of Her Majesty’s character, how could the world have come to this?
It was all because the previous emperor had been too indulgent, leading to the current emperor having to work so diligently.
She did not know that Wen Yanran’s recent diligence had a great deal to do with the Emperor Li.
Too many officials compared her to the previous emperor, and these murmurs had also reached the back office.
Accustomed to “crossing the river by feeling for loyal officials,” Wen Yanran also did not forget to draw work experience from her predecessors and reflect on the past. She believed that a major reason the previous emperor became a tyrant was his penchant for meddling in fields he did not understand.
She reasoned it out well: the previous emperor was ignorant of military affairs, and so was she; the previous emperor was a tyrant, and her goal was also to be a tyrant. As long as the direction was wrong, the more effort invested, the more it would hold things back – the previous strategy’s success was primarily due to the credit of the comment section and the system. If it weren’t for the enthusiastic readers in the comment section hinting that the Western people were united and fraternal, which made her think of a strategy to divide them, and if the system hadn’t updated its map function, facilitating arrangements and deployments, who knew how the war situation would have turned out. Now, with victory seemingly within reach and the overall situation about to be settled, she could appropriately invest a bit more effort, letting the frontline officers and soldiers discover her lack of competence and plant some prejudice in their minds. Then, when the world fell into chaos in the future, they would likely stop obeying her commands.
Wen Yanran had a clear sense of self-awareness: she didn’t need to act; she just had to work diligently as usual. The situation at the front was complex and ever-changing – could she really foresee everything accurately?
Since Dan and Tai provinces were extremely close, the army used fast horses to deliver messages, ensuring that all kinds of information could arrive by evening if sent in the morning. This also made it very convenient for Wen Yanran to issue various arrangements to the front lines.
Zhong Zhiwei and Tao Jia led the main army in a steady advance, while young generals like Tao Jing led light cavalry to roam and clear the surroundings. They successfully captured a city originally under Western Tribes’ control and were about to sweep away the fleeing remnants of the enemy troops. However, upon learning of this, Wen Yanran specifically sent an order instructing them to prioritize stability, not to rush into pursuit, but to first consolidate governance within the city.
“Your Majesty is truly sagacious!”
In Wuchang City, near Tai Province, Tao Jing’s eyes reddened as he couldn’t help but utter a sigh of admiration.
He now held the Emperor in utter awe. Coming from a military family, Tao Jing had thought he wouldn’t be easily deceived, yet he had nearly fallen into a trap.
Previously stationed in Wuchang City were troops of the Fuhe clan of the Western Tribes. Before Ren Feihong went to Chongsui, he had made specific arrangements, ordering the local garrison that if the city was attacked and difficult to defend, they should first conceal part of their forces within the city, then retreat with the cavalry. When the enemy gave chase, the forces left behind in the city could burn all their provisions and supplies, cutting off their retreat. Then, attacking from both inside and outside, they would surely defeat the enemy.
Tao Jing thought, no wonder military strategists always emphasize the importance of favorable timing, geographical advantage, and popular support. Wuchang City is close to Tai Province, and many of its inhabitants are Western people; their hearts are not aligned with Jianping. This was precisely why the enemy’s strategy could have succeeded.
A troop commander said, “Young General, since that’s the case, why don’t we simply…”
Before finishing his sentence, the troop commander subtly made a slashing gesture with his hand.
Seeing this, Tao Jing slowly shook his head. “Her Majesty has ordered us to first consolidate governance.” He added, “While many inhabitants here are of Western origin, most of the officials are of Central Plains descent. The reason the people’s hearts are not attached is largely due to the unfairness of these officials.”
The troop commander hesitated. “So, Young General, your are saying that we should confront those officials?”
Tao Jing replied, “Why shouldn’t we confront them?” He sneered twice. “Not only will I confront them, I will make sure everyone knows that Her Majesty and the previous emperor are two completely different individuals.”
His heart was filled with gratitude. In the past, Tao Jia’s defeat at Tai Province was partly due to his own reasons, but it was also inextricably linked to the previous emperor. There were times when Tao Jia did not wish to send troops but was pressured by the court to act swiftly. On several occasions, he was effectively pushed into a pit by Emperor Li.
While his elder suffered misfortune, he himself was now so fortunate. If the previous emperor was someone who kicked people standing on flat ground into pits, then the current emperor was one who pulled back subordinates who might have stepped into pits. Her Majesty employs bold strategies yet advances step by step with great caution – truly a wise and virtuous sovereign rarely seen throughout the ages.
