Gao Yin’s memorial had already reached Jiankang long ago.

In his memorial, he stated that Li Mu currently posed no actual threat to the court and requested permission to return with his troops.

He explained that for the court, the greatest danger now came not from Chang’an, but from the Xianbei forces still occupying Qingzhou and the situation in the southwest.

Qingzhou had always been the base camp from which northern regimes attempted to confront Guangling, known as the northern gateway to Jiankang. This was so during Northern Xia, and remained so now under Northern Yan. Murong Ti had cultivated a elite force of trusted troops loyal to him in Qingzhou, watching like tigers. Though he had lost most of the Central Plains territory south of the Yellow River due to Li Mu’s desperate counterattack in the previous Luoyang campaign, Qingzhou remained in his hands, and the threat to the court had not been completely resolved.

Besides northern Qingzhou, the southwest was also a key area requiring the court’s vigilance. That region was already beyond effective control, with mixed barbarian tribes and multiple self-established barbarian regimes having appeared previously. There had also been Xu Mi’s rebellion, which had only been suppressed in recent years through Li Mu’s authority. Now that Li Mu was absent, the situation might become chaotic again, and he requested the court to pay serious attention to prevention.

Looking at the current overall situation, rather than continuing to keep him stationed here with idle military force, it would be better to withdraw troops early.

This was a very long memorial, detailed and penetrating. His urgent feelings leaped from the pages.

But he had not received the swift response he hoped for. The debate in the court sparked by his memorial had continued for many days.

Officials led by Liu Hui had not changed their minds because of Gao Yin’s memorial. They still insisted that Li Mu had openly betrayed Dayu with shocking conduct, making him the court’s greatest treasonous minister. They demanded the immediate issuance of a public proclamation allowing anyone to execute him, and ordered Gao Yin to immediately carry out the court’s previous orders to control Chang’an and capture Li Mu.

Compared to Liu Hui’s faction, Feng Wei’s attitude was much more moderate. He agreed with Gao Yin’s memorial, saying Li Mu was not the court’s greatest current threat. Based on his understanding of Li Mu, the reason for stationing troops without returning should involve numerous misunderstandings. He hoped the court would temporarily suspend condemnation and pressure on Chang’an, even volunteering to personally go to Chang’an to persuade Li Mu face-to-face to confess his crimes to the court and return to court service.

Though Gao Yongrong certainly needed people like Liu Hui to rally support and win hearts, she was clear in her mind that capable people like Feng Wei were incomparable to Liu Hui’s ilk. She had always relied heavily on Feng Wei.

In this debate, she initially never took a position.

From deep in her heart, she was more inclined toward Liu Hui’s arguments.

Before Gao Yin’s report arrived, news about the Luoyang campaign – how Li Mu had turned the tide against overwhelming odds – had already reached the Southern Dynasty. The so-called “when white tigers appear, sages emerge” and news of people desperately pursuing him at Kanglong Pass had sparked heated discussion among the populace.

The more the people were stirred up, the more it became a nightmare for Gao Yongrong.

No ruler could tolerate such a situation.

Li Mu was a mountain weighing down before her. Until it was removed, she could never rest easy. If there were a way to eliminate Li Mu without shaking Dayu, she would act without hesitation.

The reason she had hesitated to act was that she also knew Gao Yin’s concerns were not without merit.

But her hesitation didn’t last long.

Due to a secret memorial that Gao Yin subsequently sent to her, she finally made up her mind.

In the secret memorial sent to her, Gao Yin honestly described his meeting with Luoshen.

He again emphasized that he would stake his head as guarantee that Chang’an was absolutely not the primary target the court needed to guard against. What needed guarding against was Rong Kang – his power must be limited.

He stressed that this was not merely a reminder from Chang’an, but also his own hidden concern.

Rong Kang had originally been just a regional governor who rose through Xu Mi’s rebellion. In recent years, he had been unusually active in court affairs, continuously expanding his influence. Combined with his previous record of encroaching on surrounding areas in Ba region, Rong Kang was definitely not someone content with his station. Given the current delicate court situation, if his power wasn’t limited soon, compared to Li Mu, he was more likely to become Dayu’s mortal enemy.

Over these years, Rong Kang’s official position had been continuously promoted. After Li Mu took Luoshen away and broke with the court, Gao Yongrong had promoted him to General Pacifying the West and Governor of Jingzhou, ordering him to lead troops to attack Yi Cheng. After returning without success, he stationed troops in Jingzhou and submitted a letter of self-reproach to the court, awaiting punishment.

What Gao Yin hadn’t expected was that this heartfelt private letter to Gao Yongrong not only failed to achieve its purpose but made the current Empress Dowager even more suspicious and even fearful.

What she feared most had finally happened.

Now even Gao Yin had been swayed by Chang’an! Not only was he not carrying out her orders, but he was actually helping Chang’an clear its name.

Could the Gao clan she had originally relied upon still be dependable in the future?

When trust begins to crack, paranoia and suspicion become like a venomous snake spitting poison, coiled in dark corners, using blind and arrogant venom to infect hearts until completely blinding one’s eyes.

Looking across the realm, besides that Rong Kang who was being slandered and alienated by Chang’an, she had no second person she could rely on for self-protection.

In Gao Yongrong’s eyes, Rong Kang was originally a brute who wholeheartedly admired the aristocracy and wanted to gain aristocratic recognition.

Though Li Mu was born humble, he was at least from the minor gentry.

But this Rong Kang wasn’t even minor gentry – he was fundamentally a barbarian from beyond civilization.

Such a person actually dared covet her cousin Luoshen, even expressing more than once in her presence that if he could bring down Li Mu someday, he hoped the Empress Dowager could grant him marriage to Luoshen.

Gao Yongrong despised him from the bottom of her heart, but had never explicitly refused his delusions to his face.

She needed this barbarian to obey her completely. And Rong Kang had been submissive to her all these years. Apart from that so-called “auspicious omen” that later pierced her heart and his failure to capture Yi Cheng, his other performances had satisfied Gao Yongrong greatly.

Now, Chang’an’s reminder through Gao Yin’s mouth to beware of Rong Kang naturally had ulterior motives. Nine times out of ten, it was merely alienation.

That night, Gao Yongrong stood in her son’s sleeping quarters, gazing at his slumbering face, tormented by fear that she and her son would soon become isolated and helpless, unable to sleep all night.

After dawn, she no longer hesitated and issued two imperial edicts.

The first was directed to Gao Yin, ordering him to continue stationing troops in place, closely monitoring Chang’an’s movements and blocking Li Mu’s southern route. Without court orders, he was not permitted to withdraw troops on his own.

The second elevated Rong Kang to Duke and concurrent Governor of Jiangzhou, ordering him to deploy troops to Jiangzhou, ready to receive court dispatch at any time to defend the lower reaches and respond to any possible attacks on Jiankang.

These two edicts again caused tremendous upheaval in the court.

Feng Wei strongly opposed from the beginning.

Though the Empress Dowager seemed not to have followed Liu Hui’s faction’s advocacy to openly declare Li Mu a rebel, leaving room for future maneuvering, such arrangements, especially bringing Rong Kang into Jiangzhou, seemed to Feng Wei like leaving Jiankang’s gates wide open – very dangerous.

Jiankang only had over ten thousand garrison troops. Guangling, known as Jiankang’s gateway, had also had its main forces transferred to guard against Li Mu, leaving only partial garrison troops.

Though the distance from Jiangzhou to Jiankang wasn’t close, without sufficient Guangling Army guarding the gateway, bringing Rong Kang into Jiangzhou was tantamount to placing Jiankang under his protection.

If Rong Kang proved untrustworthy, Jiankang would be in grave danger.

But this time, Gao Yongrong’s attitude was very firm, ordering Rong Kang to immediately assume his post in Jiangzhou.

Rong Kang’s reaction also greatly satisfied Gao Yongrong.

After receiving the court appointment, he was deeply grateful. Not only did he send a letter of gratitude by urgent courier, but to express his loyalty to the court, he also proposed sending his eldest son to Jiankang as a hostage.

Gao Yongrong not only completely dispelled her doubts because of this, but even Feng Wei, upon learning of Rong Kang’s decision, finally softened his attitude and no longer opposed as firmly as before.

After all, if the Guangling Army couldn’t return in time, having Rong Kang station troops in Jiangzhou would naturally be beneficial for Jiankang – like adding an extra layer of protection – provided he was truly loyal to the court.

…

In late autumn of that year, north and south of the great river, above and below the Yellow River, in the vast darkness, everyone followed their chosen paths.

Li Mu and Luoshen parted once again as he embarked on his northern expedition, advancing toward the ambitious goals he had set as a youth. Murong Ti sharpened his weapons and rallied allies, assembling at Yanmen Pass, swearing to personally slay his enemy and wash away previous shame. Gao Yin, despite his passionate blood, was bound as if by ropes, unable to move an inch, only able to station troops in place and futilely send more memorials to the court, hoping to persuade those in power to allow him to return to where he belonged. Meanwhile, Rong Kang led his army straight to Jiangzhou without obstruction.

Regardless of how storms were rising again in the north, at least in the Southern Dynasty, everything seemed under Gao Yongrong’s control.

Just as the court waited expectantly for Rong Kang to fulfill his promise and send his eldest son to Jiankang as hostage, the situation went awry.

According to reports, after Rong Kang’s army reached Jiangzhou, instead of stationing there as the deployment orders indicated, they continued eastward downstream along the great river.

Gao Yongrong initially didn’t believe it, until several days later when she received urgent reports from governors along the route, she finally realized the problem.

The reports stated that Rong Kang, using the excuse of escorting his eldest son to the capital as hostage, led his great army to continue eastward, unstoppable. With the pitiful local military forces of various commanderies, there was no way to stop him. All they could do was immediately report to the court, hoping for court intervention.

Gao Yongrong immediately dispatched Liu Hui to stop Rong Kang’s behavior, ordering him to return to Jiangzhou with his army, allowing only his son to enter the capital.

Liu Hui was not only highly positioned in the court but also a renowned scholar among Jiankang’s aristocracy, famous for his cleverness and eloquence. When Rong Kang had entered the capital several times before, he had flattered Liu Hui considerably and seemed quite respectful. For such a situation, sending him to resolve it was most appropriate.

But Liu Hui’s performance completely disappointed and frightened Gao Yongrong and court officials.

When Liu Hui met Rong Kang, Rong Kang’s great army had already reached Shicheng, adjacent to Danyang Commandery, advancing as if through uninhabited territory.

According to the Yellow Gate Attendant who accompanied Liu Hui and later escaped back, at the beginning of their meeting, Liu Hui was arrogant and commanding while Rong Kang appeared humble. But when Liu Hui conveyed the court’s order for him to immediately turn his troops around and return to Jiangzhou, Rong Kang immediately changed his demeanor, saying he was only following the Empress Dowager’s orders to personally escort his son to Jiankang as hostage and refused to return. Liu Hui felt insulted and became very angry, cursing Rong Kang as a barbarian who spoke a foreign tongue and had no integrity. Rong Kang flew into a rage and immediately detained Liu Hui and all his subordinates. This attendant happened to be feeling unwell at the time and had stayed in camp rather than accompanying them. Hearing the bad news, he removed his official robes and exchanged clothes with roadside commoners, disguising himself as a ragged traveler, thus narrowly avoiding capture and escaping back to Jiankang.

The entire court was completely shocked by this news.

Rong Kang’s intentions were now crystal clear.

Feng Wei was filled with painful regret, ruing that he had initially relaxed his vigilance and failed to persist in opposition to the end, leading to inviting a wolf into the house and causing today’s disaster.

Gao Yongrong was even more distraught, nearly fainting from shock.

She never imagined that this local commander she had personally cultivated over the years, who appeared loyal and reliable on the surface, harbored such cunning and vicious treachery.

If his army reached Jiankang, with Jiankang’s meager forces, there would be no way to resist.

Then they would be meat on the chopping block.

She finally remembered her cousin’s earlier warning conveyed through Gao Yin, and also thought of Gao Yin’s army still stationed near Chang’an.

Overnight, her mouth developed fever blisters, she fell ill, yet refused to show any weakness before court ministers.

At that day’s court session, she forced herself to be alert, standing with her son at the entrance to the great hall. When she heard the low complaints from court officials, for the first time in her life, she deeply felt what it meant to be surrounded by enemies.

She urgently sent people across the river to Guangling, requesting immediate reinforcement from Gao Yin’s troops stationed there to stop Rong Kang.

Simultaneously, she sent a message to Gao Yin at top speed, ordering him to return immediately.

After the messengers departed, Gao Yongrong and the ministers began anxious waiting. News that Rong Kang’s army would soon enter the capital quickly spread throughout the city.

All those who had experienced Xu Mi’s rebellion several years ago unanimously felt in their hearts a fear and despair that the old nightmare was about to return.

That time, endangered Jiankang had Gao clan head Gao Qiao step forward in crisis, leading soldiers in desperate battle until Li Mu arrived to save the imperial city and its people.

This time, when the same nightmare descended again, who would be their savior?

There would be no more salvation, and no hope could be seen.

Within just a few days, news from north of the river spread through the city like plague, carrying despair and fear.

At this critical juncture, the thirty thousand Northern Yan troops stationed in Qingzhou launched an attack on Guangling, which had fewer than ten thousand garrison troops. Gao Yun, who had quietly returned south earlier in shame, had rushed to Guangling and was leading those fewer than ten thousand men to block the Xianbei’s southern advance. The army was trapped in bitter fighting, and he himself was probably in danger, completely unable to return to protect Jiankang.

Even if the main Guangling Army force far away in Chang’an could receive the news on time, distant water couldn’t quench immediate thirst.

Moreover, even the messages were intercepted en route.

Early in the month, as wealthy families in Jiankang city began fleeing with their valuables during the night while more people lived in panic, Rong Kang’s great army reached outside Jiankang city with virtually no meaningful resistance.

Feng Wei, who personally commanded Jiankang’s defense, was captured, several officers who resisted stubbornly were killed, and in just half a day, Rong Kang’s army broke through the defensive positions set up by a group of garrison troops with no fighting spirit.

Facing invaders pouring in like a tide, Feng Wei could only weep bitterly with no other options.

All city gates were completely blocked, turning Jiankang into a besieged city.

Rong Kang rode his horse, surrounded by armored troops behind him, under the fearful gazes of Jiankang people along the roadside, smugly charging into the city and straight into the imperial palace.

Dayu’s Empress Dowager, along with the emperor, imperial family, aristocracy, and the group of officials behind them who looked like mourners, were intercepted by pursuing Rong Kang soldiers on their escape route.

These formerly high and mighty noble people, who had been pampered with fine food and silk since birth, now looked like refugees, forced to walk on foot, herded back to Jiankang city and the imperial palace by surrounding soldiers wielding weapons like wolves and tigers.

That day, the late autumn sky above Jiankang was crystal blue and clear, with wild geese returning north.

The southern autumn sky rarely showed such northern crispness and clarity.

Rong Kang sat high on the precious throne in Jiankang palace’s great hall, stroking the head of a golden coiled dragon carved on the armrest. Seeing the group of people driven into the hall by soldiers, he rose from the throne and walked toward them, throwing a bloody, swollen, and rotting human head onto the hall’s polished floor, saying: “I merely followed the Empress Dowager’s edict to personally escort my son to the capital as hostage. Unfortunately, the Empress Dowager misunderstood me so deeply and made such arrangements that I had no choice but to give offense.”

The owner of the head on the floor was the General Who Sweeps Away Bandits who had been sent days ago to deliver messages to Gao Yin.

Sounds of retching arose in the hall as many people couldn’t bear to look and covered their faces with sleeves.

Gao Yongrong’s face was deathly pale. She tightly gripped the hand of the terrified young emperor hiding behind her and shouted sternly: “Rong Kang! His Majesty of Dayu is heaven’s chosen! Despite my trust in you, you repay kindness with enmity, committing treasonous acts worse than beasts! Aren’t you afraid of divine punishment?”

Rong Kang didn’t anger but laughed instead. He clapped his hands, and everyone heard footsteps from outside the hall. Turning, they saw Feng Wei, Liu Hui, and those officials who had previously gone with Liu Hui to denounce Rong Kang, all bound and pushed into the hall.

After the soldiers released them, Feng Wei kept his eyes tightly closed, motionless. Liu Hui was ashen-faced, standing there trembling, looking about to faint. The others were equally disheveled. In just ten-odd days, they all seemed like different people, showing no trace of their former wealthy, arrogant appearance.

Rong Kang ordered the bonds removed.

Everyone looked at him with surprise and suspicion, not knowing his true intentions.

Rong Kang walked before Gao Yongrong, stared at the young emperor beside her, knelt down, and said seriously: “Empress Dowager, Your Majesty, as I said, my only purpose in coming was to escort my son to the capital. Everything was a misunderstanding. Now that the misunderstanding is cleared, I humbly request the Empress Dowager and His Majesty to return to your throne, and ministers to take their positions, so I may lead everyone in paying respects to His Majesty.”

The hall was dead silent.

Everyone looked at the iron-armored soldiers standing around holding gleaming, blood-stained weapons, not daring to move.

Gao Yongrong also stood rigidly, firmly protecting the young emperor behind her, motionless.

Rong Kang’s gaze swept across everyone’s faces, gradually turning grim. Suddenly he drew his sword and thrust it into the chest of a minister beside him. Amid that person’s screams, he shouted fiercely: “Are you all deaf? Didn’t you hear my words? If you don’t obey, kill!”

“Kill! Kill! Kill!”

The surrounding soldiers followed with roars, their voices echoing in the hall’s corners.

Everyone trembled with fear.

Some collapsed on the spot, some ran toward their usual positions, and more wandered around the hall like headless flies, pale-faced, pushing and shoving each other for their places, fearing delay would bring death.

After a chaotic commotion like a farce, even Feng Wei, who had kept his eyes closed throughout, was pushed by colleagues fearing guilt by association to the head of the civil officials’ line.

Amid Rong Kang and his soldiers’ unrestrained laughter, the Southern Dynasty’s civil and military officials finally took their positions. Only Gao Yongrong remained, still holding the young emperor’s hand, standing in the hall’s center.

“Empress Dowager, everyone is in position, only waiting for the Empress Dowager and His Majesty.”

Rong Kang approached her with a smile, seemingly respectful.

Gao Yongrong stiffly held her neck straight, staring ahead, dragging her son’s hand step by step up the imperial steps, finally bringing the young emperor to slowly sit on the dragon throne.