Chapter 82
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Ming Yu’s eyes sparkled, and he tilted his head as he thought for a moment. He furrowed his brows and said, “I haven’t thought about it. Fate is unpredictable.” He had never considered this question before, but now it seemed a bit challenging.
According to his own thoughts, he could never accept an arranged marriage blindly. He couldn’t imagine having a stranger suddenly enter his life. The idea of two people living together without knowing each other was terrifying to him.
For a successful marriage, not only personalities and temperaments should match, but many other aspects should align as well. If they didn’t, he would rather give it up than settle for less.
As for his own identity, it destined that his lifelong decisions were not trivial matters. He didn’t want his life to be controlled by others. He had come to this remote borderland to find freedom and independence. In the future, he didn’t want to be manipulated by anyone. So, he needed to find a way to ensure that his father, the emperor, wouldn’t interfere in his personal matters.
Thinking about his father, the emperor, made Ming Yu’s head ache. His current situation would sooner or later be known to his father. If his father blamed him for this, how would he appease him?
With these troublesome thoughts in mind, Ming Yu shook his head, not wanting to dwell on these matters. He changed the topic and said, “Let’s go, we need to see what preparations we should make.”
Their journey to the north required thorough preparations. The area was sparsely populated, there might be wild animals on the way. There were definitely risks involved.
Watching Ming Yu’s retreating figure, Xie Yixiu had a complex expression on his face. This was how it was. He would just watch from afar.
The news of Wang Ye’s disappearance couldn’t be hidden for long. It had to be reported to the court. Great General Wei, who had already lost his hair, decided to go all out. He rushed to report the situation to the court and anxiously awaited the results.
In the imperial palace, when the emperor saw the report, he almost fainted. The palace servants were in a frenzy, they quickly summoned the imperial physician to stabilize the emperor’s condition.
Upon hearing that the emperor had suddenly lost consciousness and called for the imperial physician, rumors began to spread outside the palace. Imperial concubines, princes and princesses all rushed to inquire and visit.
In the end, the emperor didn’t allow anyone to see him, and let them scatter about. He only let the Crown Prince Ming Ye inside.
Imperial Concubine Hui was infuriated and left in a huff, shaking her sleeve.
However, rumors about the emperor’s sudden fainting spread like wildfire in the palace within half a day.
“I heard that His Majesty fainted because the barbarians from the border launched a massive attack on Shi Chongguan, that it’s on the brink of falling. Liangcheng is in imminent danger, so His Majesty’s anxiety led to his collapse.”
“Where did you get that information? I heard it was because the Third Prince was jealous and got into a dispute, which angered the emperor and caused him to faint.”
“You’re making things up. How can baseless rumors like this spread?”
“Why is it baseless? We all know about the Third Prince’s affairs. Everyone in the capital knew about the jealousy between him and the Crown Prince over a man back in the day.”
“Keep quiet! If this gets to the Imperial Concubine Hui’s ears, you might as well say goodbye to your life!”
“Enough, both of you. I’ve heard that the emperor fainted because of some foolish prince. It seems that he’s in trouble in the borderlands…”
Upon hearing this news, a crowd of people gathered around, eagerly asking for information about something they didn’t know, “Is it true? Where did you hear this news? Tell us more!”
“Yes, quickly say what happened. Some people were already saying that this prince was a bit foolish when he left the capital for the borderlands. Nobody wanted to get involved with that, but look at what’s happened now! Stirring up trouble like this, and it’s only been a short while, tsk tsk…”
“So, you’re saying this prince has sacrificed his life for nothing? Unbelievable! No wonder the emperor, who was perfectly fine, suddenly fainted.”
While these rumors were spreading outside, in the Deyu Palace, the Crown Prince was carefully feeding the emperor a bowl of soup medicine, spoonful by spoonful. Once the emperor had finished, the palace attendants took away the remnants. The emperor waved them off, leaving only the chief eunuch by his side.
The emperor’s face showed clear signs of anxiety, and he sighed, saying, “How can these barbarians be so audacious? They’ve dared to openly kidnap someone in Liangcheng. Tell me, what was the purpose of sending guards to protect Old Fourteen?”
“Father, please don’t be too upset. Fourteenth brother will be safe,” the Crown Prince tried to console him.
“Safe? You call this safe?” The emperor’s anger flared again, he gasped as he continued, “None of them are reliable! I have tens of thousands of troops stationed in the borderlands, yet those people come and go as they please. Ha! This Wei Wujie is utterly useless!”
The Crown Prince also felt anxious about his fourteenth brother being abducted, but he couldn’t show it in front of his father. He needed to reassure the emperor.
“These barbarians are cunning; nobody could have anticipated such a vile method from them. We still rely on the Wei family for the stability of the borderlands. Father, have faith that fourteenth brother is blessed with good fortune, then he will return safely.”
“You tell me, how can i be at ease like this!”
“Father, don’t you trust anyone, including General Xie Yixiu? He’s personally appointed by you as a war general, he can take enemy lives like taking things from a bag. With General Xie Yixiu by Fourteenth Brother’s side, he will surely bring Fourteenth Brother back safely,” Ming Ye said. He had already understood the situation from the reports, knowing that General Xie had fled with Fourteenth Brother, this gave them hope.
That was indeed a valid point, and the Emperor felt somewhat reassured. He nodded, “If they can escape safely, that would be good. Otherwise, if there’s any harm to Old Fourteenth, I will make the barbarians pay in blood!”
No need to say more; it’s clear to everyone what the barbarians intend to do with Ming Yu. If they capture him and use him as leverage against the Great Yan Emperor, it’s likely to cause chaos in the court.
Indeed, the Great Yan Emperor had managed to suppress dissenting voices within the court and maintain a firm stance through his personal efforts in the past. However, if the barbarians were to use Ming Yu as a means of leverage, the Emperor would face a difficult decision.
Right now, they could only hope for General Xie Yixiu to bring back Ming Yu without a scratch.
“Crown Prince draft me the imperial decree. Send another one thousand elite guards from the Jingwei Imperial Guards to the border immediately to protect Duan Wang,” the Emperor decided directly. With this additional force, they hoped to rescue Duan Wang as soon as possible.
Ming Ye was greatly surprised. When the Emperor mentioned the Jingwei Imperial Guards, these were not just ordinary guards; they were the Emperor’s personal protectors, meticulously selected from thousands, each capable of handling great responsibilities. The Emperor was actually sending a thousand of them to accompany Ming Yu to the border, which seemed incredibly unconventional.
“Th-this, Your Majesty, these are the elite Imperial Guards, your trusted protectors. Is it appropriate to send them to the border to protect Duan Wang? If news of this spreads, the entire court will be in an uproar,” Ming Ye expressed his concerns openly. He could understand the Emperor’s current state of mind, but this decision seemed to risk undermining the established norms.
How can a border Wang Ye have the Emperor’s personal guards? Doesn’t this go against all norms and appear treacherous and rebellious?
“Hmph! I am well aware of the consequences. According to tradition, a prince should be accompanied by a retinue of only three hundred guards. Initially, those officials complained that the Old Fourteenth’s five hundred guards were excessive and violated the rules. But look at how complicated the situation has become in the border region. How can five hundred men be enough? Adding another thousand is still quite conservative. If they want to complain, let them come to me. What do I have to fear?”
Ming Ye sighed inwardly; he knew that when the emperor became obstinate, there was no reasoning with him. He could only draft the decree as commanded.
In any case, if the sky were to fall, there’s someone to bear the brunt, Imperial Father was already drawing attention to himself.
He also understood the complexity of the situation in the borderlands, where people could be abducted right under one’s nose. The danger was apparent, and the thought of enemy assassins was too dreadful to contemplate
Regarding his father’s decision to send the Jingwei Imperial Guards, he secretly agreed. Having these one thousand elite guards would provide more reassurance about the safety of the Fourteenth Prince. Therefore, he only offered a brief word of advice before agreeing to carry out the Emperor’s order.
He had previously been unaware of why Ming Yu was so determined to go to Liangzhou, but now he had some insight into Ming Yu’s mindset. Ming Yu’s plans were far-reaching, and he could organize a caravan in such a short time and maximize its impact.
Ming Yu followed his plan step by step, now he began to believe in what Ming Yu had said. Creating a Silk Road, establishing a bustling trade city, and transforming the once barren region Liangzhou into a city that could rival any in the south – all of these things Ming Yu could accomplish. It was clear to Ming Ye that only Ming Yu had the ability to make this happen.
He had never understood where Ming Yu’s groundbreaking ideas had come from. Ming Yu had always been a quiet and reserved person, spending most of his time lost in thought. Perhaps he had been contemplating these fantastical and seemingly impossible ideas all along? Ming Ye knew that Ming Yu’s way of thinking was different from anyone else’s, which was why people often mistook him for a fool.
When Ming Yu wrote to him about his plans, Ming Ye had initially thought they’re absurd. However, as time went on, he went from disbelief to doubt and finally to complete trust in Ming Yu’s abilities. It was as if Ming Yu had cast a spell on him, convincing him that only Ming Yu could achieve all of this.
When that time came, the two brothers, working together, would undoubtedly usher in an era of unprecedented prosperity for the Great Yan, surpassing all that had come before. It would be an unparalleled glory in the history of the Great Yan, with no equals in the past or future. This was the promise that Ming Yu had made to him, and he eagerly looked forward to it.
As the imperial decree was issued, it indeed stirred up a storm in the court and beyond. Everyone knew of the Emperor’s favor towards the Fourteenth Prince.
When the Fourteenth Prince had initially requested his own territory, the Emperor’s attitude was clear. He had initially granted him a significant region in the capital’s vicinity, and when that was declined, he had bestowed Liangzhou upon him, as the Prince had requested. Later, despite the traditional protocol dictating a guard of three hundred, the Emperor had insisted on a guard of five hundred. Furthermore, the equipment and provisions provided to the Fourteenth Prince were far more generous than those given to any previous princes. This had caused a stir in the capital, with people discussing how different the Emperor’s love for his sons was compared to the past. Today’s Emperor was indeed different; his affection for his youngest son was deep and evident.
“Your Majesty, this is absolutely not advisable. Such an action goes against the established traditions. How can the elite guards of the Emperor be sent to protect a prince?” The Minister of Rites was the first to speak out against it. When there was a breach of protocol, it was his duty to step forward and correct it.
The Emperor looked at him coldly, “As for the situation in the borderlands, everyone is well aware of it. Now that the Fourteenth Prince is in danger, who among you will go to rescue him? Minister Xu, how about you?”
Minister Xu’s face paled. How could this be allowed to happen? Everyone knew the Emperor’s temperament. When a decision was made, he acted swiftly. While he had become more restrained in recent years, it was well remembered how he had swiftly dealt with half the courtiers during a past incident. Who would dare to provoke him?
“I, I believe that in this situation, the borderland garrison also bears some responsibility for the safety of the Fourteenth Prince…” Minister Xu muttered a sentence and quickly withdrew his objection, retreating into the ranks of courtiers. If the Emperor suddenly decided that he should go to the borderlands, he wouldn’t be able to decline, then it would jeopardize his own career. Why risk his position for the sake of a foolish prince?
“Some are just here to watch the show, isn’t this obvious? Our top priority now is to rescue Duan Wang, not to shift blame,” someone commented. Minister Xu, currently aligning himself with the Third Prince, obviously didn’t wish for the success of the Crown Prince’s faction. It was unclear who was manipulating him to step forward at this moment.
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