The Crown Prince Chases His Wife
Chapter 144: Seeking Death
In the early sixth month, an urgent military dispatch was sent to the capital at top speed.
The war in the northern borders had begun!
The five-year peace between the Great Xia and the Turks had finally been broken, and the entire court was in shock!
Many officials were anxious and uneasy about the upcoming war.
Although the Turks had been harassing and invading Great Xia and Northern Liang for many years, this time, it was Great Xia and Northern Liang who had taken the initiative to declare war on the Turks. This followed the previous incident involving the Western Rong’s integration, where Great Xia had been condemned by neighboring countries with formal diplomatic protests. The southern Xinjiang even sent large forces to the border of Great Xia.
This war, even with Northern Liang and Great Xia joining forces to attack the Turks, was unpredictable. It was uncertain whether the outcome would be victory or defeat.
If Great Xia and Northern Liang won, there was nothing more to say; but if they lost, they might have to cede land and pay compensation.
At the same time, another shocking and worrying piece of news was brought back.
Taizi Feng Zhan personally led a team of small cavalry as the vanguard and charged deep into the heart of the Turkish lands!
The news of Taizi Feng Zhan personally leading troops into the heart of the Turks sparked completely opposing opinions within the court.
One faction highly praised the Taizi’s actions, while another faction was skeptical and even questioned his decision.
Some officials argued that the safety of the Taizi was of utmost importance, and the Taizi should not risk his life unnecessarily. A small misstep could destabilize the political situation.
This concern was not an exaggeration. On the third day after the war in the northern borders had begun, a military report returned to the capital stating that the joint forces of Great Xia and Northern Liang were pushing the Turks back steadily, and the situation seemed relatively favorable. However, another piece of news shook the court.
After Taizi Feng Zhan led his troops into the heart of the Turkish lands, he did not return to camp and lost contact.
The entire court was in turmoil, as the thought of something happening to the Taizi raised fears of a political crisis.
————–
In recent days, Emperor Hui had been consuming various kinds of medicinal pills. Initially, he appeared rejuvenated, with a rosy complexion and full of energy, almost as if he had regained ten years of youth. However, in recent times, Emperor Hui began feeling increasingly weak and had started asking others to refine new pills for him.
Of course, these pills were first tested by palace servants to ensure their safety before Emperor Hui consumed them.
Then, on the third night after the war in the northern borders began, after taking a newly refined pill served to him by Imperial Concubine Ning, Emperor Hui suddenly began bleeding from all seven orifices while bathing and died instantly.
The chief eunuch, Li Fuquan, in a state of shock, immediately sent word to the Empress in Kunning Palace.
That night, a shocking piece of news spread throughout the capital and quickly reached all the provinces of Great Xia.
The Emperor has passed away!
The imperial city and the entire capital were immediately draped in mourning attire. The Empress, dressed in simple mourning robes, temporarily took control of the situation from the Phoenix Throne.
Since the war in the northern borders was still ongoing, and to prevent the morale of the army from being destabilized, the Empress had initially intended to keep the news under wraps. However, due to the confusion last night, the news from the palace had already spread, and it was no longer possible to conceal it.
The Empress ordered the Ministry of Rites to prepare the funeral rites for the Emperor and to issue the announcement of his death to all provinces.
She also ordered the various princes to mourn the Emperor in their respective territories. The princes and nobles were not allowed to leave their lands without permission, and only emissaries were permitted to come to the capital.
The Empress summoned the commanders of the Southern and Northern Yamen Imperial Guards, Lu Chen and Xie Changyuan, and issued the following orders, “Commander the Northern Yamen Imperial Guard to strictly guard the gates of the Imperial City. During the mourning period, no unnecessary people should be allowed to enter or leave the Imperial City.”
“From now on, a curfew will be imposed in the capital. The Southern Yamen Imperial Guard will increase patrols day and night, and strictly control and inspect all those entering and leaving the city.”
Both Xie Changyuan and Lu Chen, with solemn expressions, clasped their hands in salute and accepted the orders.
Both understood the purpose behind the Empress’s commands.
With the sudden death of the Emperor, the Taizi missing and out of contact, the war in the northern borders still ongoing, unrest in the southern frontier, and the potential for rebellious actions from the recently enfeoffed princes, Great Xia was truly facing threats both internal and external.
On the night of Emperor Hui’s death, after receiving the Empress’s orders, the Northern Yamen Imperial Guard immediately took control of all individuals who had come into contact with the Emperor. However, they discovered that Imperial Concubine Ning, who had been attending to the Emperor’s medication that night, had already left the palace amidst the chaos and was nowhere to be found.
Imperial Concubine Ning’s actions were suspicious, and the fact that she had been able to leave the palace so smoothly seemed to suggest that the Emperor’s sudden death might not have been a natural one, but rather a planned assassination by poison.
———–
As the saying goes, what one fears the most often comes first.”
Upon hearing the news of the Emperor’s death, Liang Wang, Feng Yi, immediately declared in Jingzhou that he suspected the Emperor’s passing was suspicious and that he must have been murdered by treacherous forces. He called upon various nobles to raise armies and march to the capital to “clear the court of corrupt officials.”
However, aside from his concubine Lin Miao’s father, Lin Hui, the governor of Yangzhou, no one responded to Liang Wang’s call.
Everyone understood that Liang Wang’s claim to “clear the court” was merely a façade and his real aim was to seize the imperial throne. His righteous-sounding declaration was just a cover for his power struggle.
Of course, Empress Dowager Xiao from Yizhou once again made her presence felt.
Empress Dowager Xiao issued a statement to all the provinces of Great Xia, expressing her deep sorrow and regret over the Emperor’s sudden death. Although she was unable to take action from Yizhou, she declared that she and the people of Yizhou absolutely supported Liang Wang in going to the capital to uncover the truth.
After Liang Wang Feng Yi arrived in Jingzhou, he began recruiting soldiers under the pretext of assisting the Count of Pingnan in defending the southern borders, greatly expanding his own power.
The funds for Liang Wang’s army came from his wife, the second daughter of the Left Prime Minister Mansion, Wang Jingyan, whose adoptive father, the wealthy merchant Yu Shenghai from Yangzhou, provided the money.
With his hastily assembled army of 200,000 soldiers and the 50,000 troops commanded by the Prefecture of Yangzhou, Lin Hui, Liang Wang amassed a total force of 250,000 soldiers and set out toward the capital in grand fashion.
———–
Liang Wang’s actions sent shockwaves throughout Great Xia, shaking the empire three times over.
Great Xia was on the brink of chaos!
Grain prices skyrocketed, and wealthy families began moving their entire households into the mountains to avoid the turmoil.
In the capital, the Empress was furious at Liang Wang’s rebellious actions. She immediately issued a formal decree to condemn him, demanding that both Liang Wang and the Prefecture of Yangzhou return to their territories with their forces.
However, once the arrow is shot, it cannot be recalled. This rebellion, disguised under “clearing the court of corrupt officials,” had now begun in earnest.
Who could have known that among those Liang Wang intended to “clear out,” the Empress herself might be at the top of the list?
This upheaval left the Count of Pingnan in Lingnan cursing in frustration.
On the second day after Liang Wang left Jingzhou with his army, the Southern Xinjiang declared war on Great Xia.
The Count of Pingnan’s forces had already been partially moved by his son, Gu Junyan, to defend Yizhou. With the Southern Xinjiang’s fierce attack, the Count’s forces were struggling to hold their ground. They could only buy time, trying to keep Southern Xinjiang’s army within the borders of Lingnan, but the enemy continued to push forward, inching closer to the southern border of Great Xia.
It seemed that Southern Xinjiang was taking this opportunity to carve out a piece of Great Xia for itself.
———–
In the Jin Wang Mansion in Yuzhou, Jin Wang Feng Xian sat silently for an entire night after receiving a letter from Liang Wang’s envoy.
The following morning, Jin Wangfei, Xie Qing, personally made a bowl of plain porridge and brought it to her husband’s study.
As Xie Qing entered the room with the tray, she noticed her husband, Prince Feng Xian, sitting at his desk with dark circles under his eyes. She closed the door gently behind her and walked over to the desk, placing the porridge down quietly. She then glanced at the letter on the desk that had already been folded, making its contents unreadable.
The news of Prince Liang raising an army and heading to the capital had caused a huge stir in Great Xia, and Xie Qing was certainly aware of it. She had also learned last night that Prince Liang had sent a letter to the Jin Wang Mansion in Yuzhou.
Xie Qing could roughly guess what the letter contained. It would most likely persuade her husband to join forces and march to the capital.
Xie Qing, born the illegitimate daughter of a noble family with an awkward status, had been married off to the Emperor’s son as a concubine and later promoted to the legitimate wife of Jin Wang. She had no further ambitions. She had no desire to see her husband, Jin Wang, engaged in a battle for the throne.
At this point, Xie Qing only wanted to live out the rest of her life peacefully as the Wangfei of Jin Wang, without any further complications.
She had spent the entire night pondering her words, and after going over them in her mind once more, she gently spoke to Feng Xian, “Your Highness, please allow me to offer a bold piece of advice.”
“Liang Wang’s march to the capital is purportedly to ‘clear the court of corrupt officials,’ but in reality, he seeks to seize the throne.”
“Taizi’s disappearance is troubling, but there has been no definitive news confirming that he is dead. From what I have observed in the capital, both the Taizi and the Taizifei have considerable influence. If the Taizi returns safely, the capital will surely be engulfed in bloodshed and turmoil.”
“I believe that, in times of chaos, the best course of action is to protect oneself. If there is no absolute certainty, we must not act rashly.”
After finishing these words, Xie Qing furrowed her brows and looked at Feng Xian, waiting for him to make the final decision, a decision that would determine their fate.
Feng Xian raised his eyes and glanced at Xie Qing with an indifferent expression.
In the past, he had little impression of Xie Qing, the illegitimate daughter of the Marquis of Yongding Mansion. But since she had married into the Jin Wang Mansion, he had come to regard her with new respect.
Xie Qing conducted herself with grace and composure, not at all like the awkward, petty nature one might expect from an illegitimate child. She managed the household affairs with great efficiency, and Feng Xian had overheard more than once that his servants, including his trusted aides, spoke highly of her in private.
Today, Xie Qing’s insight into the situation made Feng Xian reflect deeply.
He couldn’t help but sigh, thinking to himself that although Xie Qing was an illegitimate daughter, she had been raised by the rules of the legitimate daughters of the Marquis of Yongding Mansion. Only now did he realize that marrying her might not have been such a disadvantage for him after all.
What Xie Qing had said was exactly what Feng Xian had been considering, but his worries went far beyond that.
The princely territories, including the offices of the provincial prefectures, could muster only a few thousand soldiers, while Liang Wang had no hesitation in mobilizing an army of supposedly 200,000 to march on the capital.
Liang Wang’s disregard for the Southern Xinjiang invasion and his determined march to the capital made it easy to deduce that, when Liang Wang volunteered to go to Jingzhou to quell the disturbances in the southern border, he had already been preparing for an uprising there.
Jingzhou and Yangzhou were neighboring regions. The “chance encounter” between Lin Miao, the consort of Liang Wang, and the Prince himself in the capital, and their swift mutual affection, were likely part of a long-planned scheme by Liang Wang to win over the Yangzhou Prefecture, Lin Hui.
If Feng Xian were to join forces with Liang Wang and march to the capital, even if they succeeded, it would be Liang Wang who would rise to power. After all, Liang Wang had his own army, and the Duke of Guannei, who was Liang Wang’s maternal uncle, was a powerful figure. With his father-in-law, the Left Prime Minister, backing him, it was clear that the throne would be claimed by Liang Wang, not Feng Xian.
It was becoming clear that Liang Wang’s ambitions were far-reaching and his plans had been carefully laid. If he were to seize the throne, the first person he would likely eliminate would be Feng Xian, who also had a legitimate claim to the throne.
Xie Qing’s words were indeed correct that the Taizi might not necessarily have met with misfortune. If the Taizi were to return to the capital with his forces, anyone facing him would have no guaranteed chance of victory. Moreover, the Taizi had the backing of Qin Yan and the Pingxi Army.
In light of this, Feng Xian realized that it might be better to take a gamble.
His only real choice was to bet on the Taizi, as doing so could still offer a slim chance of survival.
————-
In Xuzhou, in the Marquis of Guannei Mansion’s discussion hall.
The Guannei Marquis handed the letter from Liang Wang to his daughter, Han Shuangling, who sat at the lower end of the table, then furrowed his brow in deep thought.
Han Shuangling quickly scanned the letter, then let out a cold laugh and spoke, “Liang Wang is after the throne.”
“The Pingxi Army, the Shuobei Army, the Count of Pingnan, the Taizi, and the Taizifei are all on the frontlines fighting the enemy. For Liang Wang to raise an army and march toward the capital now, aiming for the throne, he truly has no decency.”
The Marquis Guannei, Han Shiyan, glanced at his daughter with a hint of helplessness before speaking, “Shuangling, be careful with your words.”
Han Shuangling casually placed the letter aside on the table, leaned back in her chair, and smiled at her father, Han Shiyan, who was seated at the head of the room, “Father, do you really think Liang Wang can succeed?”
“Yet, I have a feeling that the Taizi and Taizifei will safely return to the capital.”
Marquis Guannei, Han Shiyan, continued to frown, his expression far from relaxed.
In the letter from Liang Wang, it was written that he hoped Han Shiyan, as his maternal uncle, would offer full support.
If Liang Wang succeeded, Han Shiyan would become the emperor’s uncle. But if Liang Wang failed, the entire Marquis Guannei Mansion could be charged with treason.
Han Shiyan, clearly troubled by the situation, furrowed his brow and spoke to Han Shuangling, “This matter is of great importance. The Marquis of Guannei Mansion must not choose the wrong side.”
Han Shuangling looked toward her father, her tone calm yet resolute, “Father, you must stay in Xuzhou to guard against the Eastern Yi and Goryeo, you cannot leave.”
After finishing her words, Han Shuangling stood up, bowed to her father, and cupped her hands, “Father, give me ten thousand troops, and allow me to go to the capital.”
Han Shiyan felt a sense of doubt in his heart, “What are you planning to do?”
Han Shuangling looked up and replied calmly, “I will act according to the situation.”
The Marquis Guannei remained silent for a moment before nodding in agreement, “Be cautious.”
That day, Han Shuangling mustered ten thousand soldiers from the Marquis Guannei’s army and immediately set out for the capital.
However, what Han Shuangling did not tell her father, Han Shiyan, was that she had already made her decision that she would support the capital in resisting Liang Wang’s forces.
In truth, no one could predict with certainty who would emerge victorious or defeated in this struggle.
If Liang Wang won, Han Shuangling would take responsibility for her actions and try her best to distance the Marquis Guannei Mansion from the conflict.
But if the Taizi returned and Liang Wang lost, then Han Shuangling would have positioned the Marquis Guannei Mansion on the right side, ensuring that the family would not be implicated by Liang Wang’s defeat.
With a sharp tug on the reins, Han Shuangling’s horse galloped swiftly toward the capital.
The evening breeze of the sixth month was dry and restless, and at this moment, the blood within Han Shuangling’s body felt just as agitated. Though she wasn’t heading to the border to fight the enemy, she was on her way to her own battlefield, one that would determine the survival of the Marquis of Guannei Mansion and, more importantly, the peace and stability of the Great Xia.
———–
Liang Wang, Feng Yi, had a sense of what was happening when he didn’t receive replies from the Marquis Guannei, Ning Wang, and Jin Wang. However, he didn’t anticipate that as his army was about to pass through the critical route of Yuzhou, they would be ambushed by Jin Wang, Feng Xian, who had set up a trap.
Feng Yi’s 200,000-strong army had been hastily raised, and under the ambush of Feng Xian’s forces, they were shattered, barely able to regroup for another offensive. In the end, Feng Yi, together with Lin Hui, the Prefecture of Yangzhou, managed to gather a joint force of 250,000 soldiers, but they suffered heavy losses of nearly 50,000 to 60,000 men in Yuzhou. Of course, they had also exhausted much of Feng Xian’s smaller force of several thousand in the process.
Feng Xian was forced to retreat urgently to Yuzhou City, and due to the delay caused by this ambush, Feng Yi’s army had lost two days of march. He had no intention of wasting any more time, so he chose not to deal with Feng Xian further and continued directly toward the capital with the remaining forces.
Feng Yi could guess why the Marquis Guannei, Ning Wang, and Jin Wang hadn’t taken any action, and why Jin Wang had tried to block him. These cowards were worried that the Taizi might still return safely to the capital?
Ha! As long as he entered the imperial city, with the Emperor dead and the Taizi missing, the political situation of Great Xia in turmoil, he would step forward to claim the throne under the guise of saving the empire in its time of crisis.
Even if the Taizi returned, so what? If the Taizi tried to mobilize the military, it would be him, Feng Zhan, who would be seen as the rebel.
————
But little did Liang Wang know, was he not, in fact, seeking his own death?