Ever since ascending the throne, the Sovereign has grown increasingly forceful in her actions. After Shi Zhuhe twice declined his appointments in writing, the court at Jianping seemed somewhat displeased. The Emperor once again dispatched envoys to the front camp, this time accompanied by a sizable military escort, as if determined to settle the matter decisively.
Perhaps out of concern for provoking the Sovereign’s anger, Shi Zhuhe’s stance finally softened. He cited the cold weather and expressed a hope to delay his departure until the arrival of spring.
No one outside truly believed Shi Zhuhe could resist the Emperor’s authority indefinitely. However, as early winter had already set in, and given that the handover of military duties and the reorganization of troops required considerable time, his request to postpone his departure until the following year was not entirely unreasonable.
For the time being, Jianping did not send further envoys to the front camp, appearing neither to approve nor disapprove. Yet, upon learning of these developments, the eastern region grew increasingly uneasy.
In a private residence within Hengping County, the seat of Pandong Commandery in the east, a steady stream of scholars and literati had been seen coming and going in recent days.
In the rear courtyard of the private residence, a tall and handsome scholar was kneeling behind a wooden desk. His name was Dian Wue, one of Tian Dongyang’s most capable disciples. Back then, at the residence of the Marquis of Dong, he had witnessed his teacher being beheaded by a single stroke of the sword wielded by the commander of the imperial guards. After that, he fled back to the southern lands and later, before Wen Jinming set out for Jianping, returned to the eastern region with the rest of his teacher’s disciples.
Tian Dongyang had traveled across the land, and the number of people who believed in him was countless. During the reign of the late Emperor Li, the world was in turmoil and the people suffered greatly. From powerful aristocratic families down to ordinary commoners, many had grown disillusioned with Jianping. When the court could no longer be relied upon, people turned elsewhere in search of something to believe in. Even if Tian Dongyang himself was merely a charlatan who relied on deception and mysticism, he gradually amassed a vast following. He was skilled with words, and after meeting him, some officials even abandoned their posts to follow him, serving Tian Dongyang with the respect due to a master.
As his personal influence grew, Tian Dongyang’s ambitions swelled in tandem. Before making contact with Wen Jinming, he had already gathered a force of followers in the eastern commanderies who obeyed his commands. Though he himself was now dead, his followers had not yet completely scattered. Figures like Dian Wue, who had long enjoyed Tian Dongyang’s trust, were now single-mindedly focused on revenge after their teacher’s death, yearning to storm Jianping and reduce the Wen ancestral temples to ashes.
In the rear courtyard of the private residence, a trusted advisor to Dian Wue was analyzing the situation. “The tyrannical sovereign has always acted with sharpness and force. Her temperament was evident when she personally went to Wu’an to oversee the battle. Now that she is aware of the unrest in the east, it is entirely possible she might come here in person.”
Upon hearing this, another person sneered coldly. “We originally thought the same, but word has come from Jianping that the tyrannical sovereign shows no intention of leaving the capital. Instead, she has been transferring troops and commanders from the front camp.”
The earlier advisor shook his head. “The tyrannical sovereign has only just returned from Tai Province. Even if she intends to launch an eastern campaign, those stubborn old ministers would never agree. If, as I advised, you all had waited a few more months before taking action, we could have forced her to personally come to the right camp.”
An advisor nearby seemed ready to argue further, but Dian Wue cut in, “We are all loyal followers of Great Master Xuanyang. Why bicker over such trivial matters?” He continued, “Circumstances are ever-changing. Since the tyrannical sovereign refuses to come herself, we shall simply take the head of that young Shi whelp. This will also serve to undermine the Emperor’s prestige.”
For Dian Wue and his followers, the ideal scenario would naturally be to lure Wen Yanran herself into the front camp. The next best option would be to draw in the elite troops loyal to the court and wipe them out in one fell swoop. Whether or not the Emperor personally led the campaign, they stood to gain either way.
Dian Wue added, “However, I have heard that the Shi whelp remains in the northern territories, claiming he will not set out until spring arrives.”
The advisors fell into a brief silence before someone muttered in a low voice, “That young fool is utterly spineless!”
Another person added bitterly, “It’s not that Shi Zhuhe lacks courage. He has just clashed with the powerful clans of the north and naturally is reluctant to abandon the credit he gained from suppressing the bandits.”
Though Dian Wue had his own thoughts, he first sought counsel from his advisors. “In that case, what should we do now?”
They had already mobilized their forces in the eastern region, sharpening their blades in readiness. Beyond the strain on logistics, morale was also a critical factor. If they truly waited until the warmth of spring, when travel and movement between regions increased, it would be difficult to prevent information from leaking out. Should Jianping detect anything amiss, their strategy of lying in wait would be rendered useless.
The previous advisor suggested, “If all Shi Zhuhe desires is credit, why not offer him some? Let us lure him east with the promise of achievements.”
Dian Wue remained silent for a moment before nodding faintly. Following his advisor’s suggestion, he issued orders to his officers and soldiers.
“Senior Brother Dian.”
As night fell, another of Tian Dongyang’s disciples, named Sun Tianji, hurried in from outside. He offered a half-bow and then reported with some excitement, “The task you assigned earlier has been accomplished. I searched carefully and finally found someone whose appearance bears some resemblance to the Marquis of Quanling.”
Upon hearing this, a trace of genuine delight appeared on Dian Wue’s face, and he praised his junior brother a few times. Although they now possessed troops and provisions, they still suffered from a critical flaw – the lack of a righteous cause or legitimate claim to authority.
The Great Zhou Dynasty had been established for over three hundred years, its foundations deep and not easily shaken. In the past, if Tian Dongyang had not been exposed, he might have been able to rally support under the banner of Great Master Xuanyang. However, he was now dead, and none of his remaining disciples possessed the prestige to command the entire situation. After some deliberation, Dian Wue and his followers ultimately decided to raise their banner in the name of Wen Jinming, the Marquis of Quanling.
Although the Marquis of Quanling had indeed taken her own life in the Northern Park, as disciples of Tian Dongyang, they had clearly learned many of their master’s methods of fabricating things out of thin air. They decided to publicly claim that the Marquis of Quanling had, in fact, escaped under the protection of her guards on that day, and that the body discovered by Jianping was merely that of a minor official close to her. Furthermore, they asserted that the Marquis of Quanling was not a traitor but rather the designated successor of the late Emperor Li. As for how the Nineth Princess, Wen Yanran, ascended the throne, they claimed it was entirely due to Wen Jingmei, Yuan Yanshi, and others deceiving both the court and the people by forging the imperial edict.
In the plans of Dian Wue and his followers, they first intended to lure the court’s elite troops into a trap, weakening Jianping’s military strength. Then, riding on the momentum of their victory, they would raise the banner of the Marquis of Quanling, believing this would inevitably cause significant trouble for Wen Yanran.
Finally, Dian Wue chuckled and added, “Actually, whether this ‘Marquis of Quanling’ truly resembles Wen Jinming doesn’t matter much. It’s not as if the tyrannical sovereign could come here in person to verify it, could she?”
Sun Tianji also laughed. “Who knows? When you, Senior Brother, breach the walls of Jianping, wouldn’t it be the perfect opportunity to let the tyrannical sovereign meet the ‘Marquis of Quanling’ in our hands?”
Jianping.
The Sovereign issued an order summoning the Inner Court Attendant-in-Waiting Ying Jingdong for an audience.
The Ying clan was a prominent family in the eastern region. When the talented youths of the clan reached a certain age, they were naturally sent to the capital to serve for a period, either assigned to external posts or retained for central duties. This was also an important means for the imperial court to maintain control over the localities.
Upon receiving the decree, Ying Jingdong straightened his attire and followed the eunuch toward the Western Yong Palace. At the palace gate, he happened to see a group of servants from the Imperial Household carrying a large water jar, half a person tall, into the palace.
He had heard some rumors – apparently, the Imperial Household was currently studying how to fire ceramics.
Inside the jar were new fish. Even before crossing over, Wen Yanran had been quite skilled at fishkeeping: feeding them once a day, changing the water every other day, and replacing the fish every other two days.
After the fish and the jar had been collectively replaced four times, the eunuchs finally discovered one area where the previous emperor surpassed the current one – Emperor Li had once kept many animals in the imperial gardens and had done so quite successfully. Of course, that might have been because he never personally took care of them…
Ying Jingdong was led by a eunuch to the side hall. Inside, the Sovereign was conversing with the Eleventh Princess and Thirteenth Prince.
“…Naturally, feed should be given in measured amounts. For example, with fewer fish in the tank now, the amount of food should not be excessive.”
Wen Yuansheng glanced at her sister, the Emperor, hesitated, then swallowed her words. Attendants on both sides had reminded her that whenever she had the chance to meet the sovereign, she must never contradict the Emperor – if she was not mistaken, the fish that had been replaced earlier today had reportedly died from overfeeding…
When Ying Jingdong arrived, Wen Yanran had the palace attendants take the young royal siblings away, leaving only him present.
The palace’s heating was always activated earlier than outside, and the Western Yong Palace, being the Emperor’s daily residence, was naturally as warm as spring. Yet standing there, Ying Jingdong felt an inexplicable chill.
After paying his respects, he was granted a seat by the Emperor. A eunuch on the side presented a document on a wooden tray.
Wen Yanran leaned against the armrest and smiled. “Take a look, Minister Ying.”
Ying Jingdong, selected as an Inner Court Attendant-in-Waiting, naturally possessed fundamental competence. His sense of unease grew stronger, but he struggled to maintain his composure. Upon opening the document and scanning it quickly, his expression changed dramatically. He immediately prostrated himself and pleaded, “The Ying clan is guilty. We beg Your Majesty for mercy.”
Wen Yanran spoke slowly, “Attachment to one’s homeland is only human. The Ying clan is a prominent family in the east. Without such connections, they likely would not have been able to establish themselves.”
The contents of the document summarized earlier speculations regarding the situation in the eastern region. Given its confidential nature, Ying Jingdong understood without being told that it must not be leaked. At this moment, he remained quietly prostrated on the ground, feeling as though needles were pricking his back – he himself dared not claim that his clan had absolutely no ties to those rebellious elements. For prominent families, hedging bets on multiple sides was common practice. He believed the Emperor was now observing him closely, and if he revealed even the slightest hint of impropriety, he would certainly not leave the Western Yong Palace alive.
Ying Jingdong kowtowed repeatedly and earnestly pleaded, “If there are those in the east with divided loyalties, I am willing to lead a campaign on Your Majesty’s behalf to suppress them and atone for past faults. Even if my own kin are implicated, I would never dare show the slightest favoritism.”
He understood clearly that the Emperor had summoned him to leverage the Ying clan’s prestige in the east to stabilize the region’s morale. However, if the Ying clan proved useless to Jianping, the Emperor would not hesitate to have him executed on the spot.
It was impossible to tell how much time had passed – perhaps a long while, perhaps only a brief moment – before a voice finally came from above. The Emperor seemed to chuckle softly and spoke unhurriedly, “In that case, I trust you will not disappoint my expectations.” Then she added, “You may rise now, Minister Ying.”
Ying Jingdong kowtowed once more before standing up, feeling as though he was drenched in cold sweat – it was already evening, and the fading sunlight streamed through the window, casting a layer of shifting, blood-like glow over the Emperor’s figure.
Wen Yanran’s gaze swept over him, her lips curling slightly. “Rest assured, Minister Ying. Given your loyalty, I would never leave you unsupported.”
She acted with swift decisiveness. Three days later, she ordered Ren Feihong to accompany Ying Jingdong to Shi Zhuhe’s location to rendezvous with the troops at the front camp. She wasn’t overly concerned about whether Ying Jingdong was truly loyal – as long as he remained under her control, he would naturally follow orders.
Although Jianping did not explicitly urge haste, after a period of silence, they began continuously sending additional soldiers to supplement the forces. Shi Zhuhe, as the commanding general, needed to bring some of his own troops upon assuming his post. The court’s stance was now unmistakable. Faced with this pressure, even the procrastinating Shi Zhuhe had no choice but to begin organizing his troops and march eastward. However, before Dian Wue and his followers could rejoice, they received new intelligence: Shi Zhuhe had indeed set out, but he seemed to find excuses to rest after every few steps. At his current pace, even summer might arrive before he could reach the right camp, let alone spring.
The arrow was already notched on the bowstring, and there was no turning back. Dian Wue and his followers had long regarded Shi Zhuhe and his troops as prey on the chopping block and could not allow such fat meat to slip away. They thus ordered their subordinates to proceed according to the previously devised plan.
Outside Ji’an City, in Lankang Commandery of the Northern Territories.
Winter nights always arrived earlier. In recent days, Shi Zhuhe had marched for only an hour or two each day before stopping. Today, however, he split his troops in two, leading the cavalry himself on a swift advance.
Having previously taken action against the Tang and Jin clans, Shi Zhuhe was well-versed in the affairs of the powerful northern families. Limited by his strength at the time, he had not eradicated all the local magnates who had disguised their private troops as bandits. Now that he was marching eastward with his troops, he selected the fortified manor of the Feng clan, a lawless and powerful family, as his target.
He had learned from Song Nanlou about the Emperor’s campaign in Tai Province and had reflected on it repeatedly since, each time gaining new insights.
The Emperor’s military strategies were unorthodox and unpredictable – warfare is the art of deception, and the Emperor was exceptionally skilled at feints and misdirection. Shi Zhuhe excelled at absorbing and learning from the experiences of others and had now acquired some of Wen Yanran’s habits. His earlier slow marching was meant to deceive the enemy, while his current swift day-and-night advance was intended to deliver a thunderous strike.
Just as others assumed his main force was still far away, Shi Zhuhe had already stationed his troops. Under cover of darkness, he feigned an offensive to probe the defenses of the fortified manor, testing its strengths and weaknesses. Then, concentrating his forces, he struck with a single decisive blow, swiftly capturing the manor. The Feng clan’s leader had not even managed to rise from his bed before his territory changed hands.
Shi Zhuhe concealed part of his troops here. When Chen Ming and others arrived with the rear guard, he entrusted them with defending this location.
He made such arrangements with the aim of preventing the enemy from discerning his true troop strength while also securing his line of retreat.
