In the side hall of Western Yong Palace, Wen Yanran opened the [War Sandbox] for a closer look.
The [War Sandbox] could not display the enemy’s forces, but it clearly showed the positions of her own troops.
Wen Yanran noticed that Shi Zhuhe’s troops had been divided into two parts. The vanguard quickly occupied a fortified manor, while the rear guard advanced slowly, making their way to rendezvous with the others.
On her desk was also spread out a physical map – the system naturally had a map function, but it did not provide annotation services. Thus, Wen Yanran could only have the Central Secretariat draft several simplified maps for her, making it convenient to mark them up at any time.
Wen Yanran’s gaze shifted away from the [War Sandbox] as she picked up a brush and drew a red circle around a city in the east named Lujia.
Despite having gained considerable authority merely a year into her reign with the aid of the system and spoilers, Wen Yanran was well aware of her limitations, both in handling administrative affairs and in deploying troops. This time, the commanders leading the army were all young individuals like Chen Ming, among whom only Ren Feihong had relatively ample experience. Others, such as Shi Zhuhe, were explicitly stated in the comment section to be inexperienced in warfare. Although Wen Yanran had some conjectures about the situation in the east, she still found herself needing to deliberate carefully.
According to the hints provided in the guide, in most storyline branches, the eastern region did not fully rebel from the outset. However, once the rebel forces initiated large-scale actions, their momentum became as difficult to contain as a rolling snowball. Therefore, when Wen Yanran dispatched Ren Feihong and Chen Ming, she instructed them to capture cities in the early stages while doing their utmost to avoid inciting major unrest.
Due to Wen Yanran’s preference for tranquility, only a dozen or so palace attendants served inside the hall. While the Emperor attended to state affairs, they all stood in solemn silence, quiet as though they were not there at all. As the sun gradually shifted westward, one attendant approached softly to report, “Your Majesty, it is now the hour of Shen (3-5PM).”
As a former corporate drudge accustomed to overtime work, Wen Yanran tended to lose track of time while engrossed in her duties. After her transmigration, she had instructed her close attendants to periodically remind her of the current hour.
Cai Qu smiled and said, “Your Majesty, Jingyuan has delivered ten deer today.”
Jingyuan is one of the royal gardens, and it was also where the Iron Cavalry Camp trained previously. This palace garden boasts fertile land and abundant produce, where many animals such as deer and geese are raised, all now domesticated to the point of being suitable for consumption. During the reign of Emperor Li, there were instances where hundreds of deer were slaughtered in a single day, even when it was neither a festival nor a banquet occasion. After Wen Yanran ascended to the throne, the Imperial Household Department – which had repeatedly faced setbacks in its attempts to curry favor with the Emperor – consciously shifted its spending standards toward frugality and thrift. The slaughter of various livestock was now carried out strictly according to need, lest it incur the Emperor’s reprimand.
As for this, Wen Yanran had no particular feelings – even if she had studied the strategy guide meticulously before her transmigration, she would not have bothered to memorize details such as “how much livestock a typical tyrannical ruler slaughters per meal under normal circumstances.”
Wen Yanran said, “Since there is fresh venison, grant some to Grand Tutor Yuan and Censor-in-Chief Song, as well as to Qiyan Palace and Tianfu Palace. However, although Tianfu Palace does not prohibit meat, the State Preceptor has always consumed little, so prepare it as a soup before sending it over. Also, include Marquis Luding. Though Minister Lu is away on an external appointment, send some to her residence as well. The Dongs have members serving as commandery adminstrators in the border regions, so do not overlook them…” As she spoke, her gaze remained fixed on the map, and out of habit, she called out, “Ah-Yi?”
Chi Yi understood that the Emperor was asking if there was anything to add, and stepped forward to reply, “With the cold weather, the Imperial Guards stationed in Jianping could also be rewarded.”
Wen Yanran gave a slight nod, then looked up at Chi Yi and smiled, “Also, do not forget the Imperial Household.” She added, “The personnel of the previous dynasty’s inner court are numerous, and I cannot remember them all. It falls to you, Ah-Yi, to assist me in ensuring everything is properly arranged.”
At that moment, a palace attendant entered to announce, “The Director of the Imperial Household Department and the Minister of Revenue, Lu Yuanguang, request an audience.”
Wen Yanran gave a slight smile, set down her brush, and leaned back against the armrest. “Truly, speak of someone and they appear.”
Both the Imperial Household Department and the Ministry of Revenue held financial responsibilities – the former managing the Emperor’s private treasury, the latter the state treasury. Hou Suo and Lu Yuanguang had come together today to report to the Emperor on this year’s cloth production.
Currently, the cotton topping method was still in the promotion stage, and significant results would take another two years. However, with the recent addition of tax revenue from the Western region, both the Ministry of Revenue and the Imperial Household Department now had considerable financial leeway.
After listening to their report, Wen Yanran nodded. “This year is another snowy one, and unrest continues across various regions. We must expedite the production of winter clothing.”
Hou Suo bowed deeply and took the initiative to say, “The matter of winter clothing can be entirely undertaken by the Imperial Household Department.”
From a long-term perspective, having an inner court institution meddle in the authority of the outer court was a favorable development for achieving her goal of being an tyrannical ruler. Wen Yanran gave an indifferent nod. “Then I leave this matter to you.”
Hou Suo breathed an inward sigh of relief. As someone who had served since Emperor Li’s time, he had initially been utterly uncertain about how to win the new emperor’s favor. Though he later realized he ought to do something commendable, his expertise did not quite align, and he struggled to find his footing. Only after the cotton affair did he begin to understand, and today he proposed this idea – mobilizing the palace attendants of the inner court to sew winter garments for the frontline troops. Surely, this counted as a deed that could attest to the Emperor’s virtue, did it not?
Shi Zhuhe had no idea that the Emperor had long been fully aware of their movements through the [War Sandbox]. After capturing the Feng clan’s manor, he dispatched a messenger to Jianping and remained stationed there to reorganize his troops.
His journey to the east, ostensibly for an official appointment, was in reality a covert operation to suppress rebellion. Both sides were prepared, yet each believed itself to be operating from the shadows, necessitating even greater caution in their actions. After Shi Zhuhe, Chen Ming, and others rendezvoused with him, they led another contingent and set up camp three li away from the manor.
The soldiers accompanying Shi Zhuhe and his group, though individually robust in skill, were limited in overall numbers – deliberately so, to avoid alerting the enemy. In total, there were only around two thousand, comprising one thousand cavalry and one thousand infantry. As they marched, they carefully controlled the number of cooking stoves left along the way, so that even if scouts investigated, they would mistakenly estimate Shi Zhuhe’s forces to be only about half their actual size.
Shi Zhuhe stationed most of his elite forces inside the manor. Using the excuse that snow might fall in a few days, potentially affecting road travel, he unapologetically settled in place. Each day, he organized his troops under the pretense of hunting, diligently surveying the surrounding geography.
Of course, he had conducted prior investigations before choosing this location, especially since the Emperor had specially sent him an astonishingly detailed map, as if drawn from firsthand observation. However, merging theory with practice inevitably required time. Shi Zhuhe led his subordinates on patrols precisely to ensure they became thoroughly familiar with the roads here.
This place was called Shanyu Slope, its position rather cleverly chosen. The road narrowed at the front and widened toward the rear, yet the narrowest point was not so constricted that the head and tail of a column could not support each other. Overall, it remained a relatively safe main route. If Shi Zhuhe led his troops forward, they could enter Yining County in the east; if they retreated, they could smoothly return to the front camp’s location.
After reuniting with Shi Zhuhe, Ren Feihong had originally stayed with Chen Ming inside the manor, managing their troops. Early this morning, however, under the cover of dim light, she quietly slipped over to the military camp.
Shi Zhuhe was not surprised by her visit – both were individuals with foresight, and they well understood that if the eastern forces intended to plot something, they would likely make a move within these few days.
Sure enough, on the second day of Ren Feihong’s stay at the camp, a personal guard came to report that someone claiming to be an old acquaintance of General Shi sought an audience.
Though the Shi family had declined, it remained a major clan with centuries of standing. Having some connections within the court and beyond was not unusual. Shi Zhuhe smiled lightly. “Since we have nothing to do at the moment, let the person in.” After saying this, he gave a slight nod toward Ren Feihong, who discreetly moved behind a screen to observe from the shadows.
The visitor was a young man wearing a mourning band on his head. As soon as he saw Shi Zhuhe, he prostrated himself and wailed, choking back sobs as he said, “The Gan clan of Lankang County thanks the general for avenging our clan!”
Shi Zhuhe remained seated on the folding chair, motionless, merely instructing his attendants to help the visitor rise. He himself wore a thoughtful expression. “You are…”
The young man clasped his hands in salute. “My aunt once served as an official in the northern regions and was killed by a prominent local family under the pretense of being attacked by roving bandits.”
In this era, people often lived in extended clans. Many who were raised by their aunts or uncles would directly refer to them as parents, so it was not unusual for the visitor to be wearing mourning for his aunt. Introducing himself as Gan Wei, he said, “The Gan clan is profoundly grateful for the great kindness shown by the general. We scholars base our lives on propriety and righteousness, and we cannot fail to repay a debt of gratitude.” Lowering his voice, he continued, “I have come today because there is a crucial matter I must convey – General, you are already in grave danger, yet remain unaware of it.”
Upon hearing this, Shi Zhuhe finally adjusted his posture, adopting a slightly more earnest expression. “I have capable and robust soldiers under my command. Even if there is danger, there is no need for fear.” He added, “Moreover, though the local customs may not be entirely pure, the common people are neither reckless nor fond of conflict. How could this truly be considered a perilous place?”
Gan Wei lowered his voice further. “The danger does not lie here, but to the east.” He continued, “General, you may not be aware that near Lujia City, the administrative seat of Yining County, a large number of mountain bandits have gathered. Those villains fear the general’s ability to suppress banditry and have plotted to harm you. If you follow Shanyu Slope toward the right camp, you will inevitably stop for supplies at Lujia City. That is when they plan to ambush and assassinate you.”
Shi Zhuhe looked at Gan Wei. “Lujia City?” He pondered briefly, then said, “As I recall, the Gan clan is also a prominent family in Lujia City.”
Indeed, over a decade ago, the Gan clan had produced officials qualified to stand in the imperial court, making it a third-tier scholarly clan. However, compared to the centuries-old Shi family, it was hardly remarkable.
Gan Wei paused, revealing a hint of being seen through. He lowered his head and said, “I dare not conceal it from you, General. The Gan clan has indeed been repeatedly harassed by mountain bandits. If you could lead troops to eradicate them, my clan would surely remember your great virtue with gratitude.”
Shi Zhuhe wore an expression of skepticism. “No matter how formidable those bandits are, could they truly leave local prominent clans like yours helpless?”
Gan Wei gave a bitter smile. “Besides the Gan clan, there are also the Ge and Gong families in the city. To be frank with you, General, the leader of those bandits is surnamed Ge and is a cousin of the current head of the Ge family. They reportedly had some discord in their early years, publicly split the family, and then that Ge scoundrel took his followers to the mountains, turning to a life of banditry.”
Shi Zhuhe remained silent for a moment before asking, “How many bandits are there in this area?”
Gan Wei replied, “Approximately over thirty thousand.”
Upon hearing this, Shi Zhuhe immediately changed expression and flicked his sleeve dismissively. “I have only seven to eight hundred soldiers with me. If I follow your suggestion and confront thirty thousand bandits, wouldn’t that be like sending a sheep into the tiger’s mouth?” He sneered, “You claim to repay kindness, yet your actions are no different from seeking revenge. Do you still dare say you base your life on propriety and righteousness?”
Seeing his anger, Gan Wei quickly smiled apologetically. “The troops under your command are elite forces, each worth a hundred men. These mere mountain bandits are no match at all.” He added, “In truth, the prominent clans in the city suffer greatly from the bandits’ harassment. If you are willing to dispatch troops, we will naturally contribute our own private soldiers and provisions.” Then he said, “Moreover, you are on good terms with General Song. You could ask him to lend you a contingent of troops.”
Lujia City was close to the northern border. Previously, Wen Xun had led cavalry out for training and happened to encounter the “roving bandits” from the north, then coincidentally suppressed them. Shi Zhuhe could naturally replicate this operation by asking Song Nanlou to use the pretext of leading troops to the border area for training, then coincidentally encountering the mountain bandits from the east.
Shi Zhuhe neither agreed nor disagreed, merely instructing his personal guard to take Gan Wei away for accommodation.
After the man had left, Ren Feihong stepped out from behind the screen, clasping her hands in salute. “Congratulations, General. The tempting bait has arrived.”
Shi Zhuhe shook his head. “They have more troops and occupy a favorable terrain. If it truly comes to a battle, victory is still uncertain.”
Ren Feihong smiled. “Originally, with us planning deliberately against their lack of awareness, we naturally had a sixty percent chance of success. Now that you, General, can speak such words, it shows caution – adding another percent to our odds.” She continued analyzing, “The east has gone to great lengths to lure people into this trap. The thousand troops you brought likely still do not satisfy them. Now they intend to use your hand to coax Generals Song and the others into taking the bait.”
In the thinking of those in the east, Shi Zhuhe was eager to achieve merit. If he felt there was a high likelihood of annihilating the mountain bandits here but lacked sufficient troops to do so immediately, he would naturally seek reinforcements. Under such circumstances, Song Nanlou’s elite forces stationed at the front camp would be Shi Zhuhe’s most probable choice.
Shi Zhuhe nodded. “I share the same thought as you. However, this person’s intentions can be further tested.”
Ren Feihong pondered for a moment and said, “I was previously summoned to the palace to accompany Her Majesty in games. Coincidentally, I have a stratagem that can be applied here.”
At that time, Wen Yanran had claimed she was summoning people for leisure and entertainment, and Ren Feihong had prepared to accompany the Emperor in passing the time. Unexpectedly, the new emperor’s style differed entirely from that of the previous one – the ostensible reason was relaxation, but in reality, it was a sand-table simulation using the eastern region as a blueprint.
Ren Feihong naturally assumed this was the emperor’s method of maintaining secrecy, hence the lack of public fanfare. However, she was unaware that for Wen Yanran, the initial intention had genuinely been to play a game when she opened Monarch’s Conquest…
