Cui Xingzhou had carefully considered his decision to transfer to the Northern Sea for a long time. However, the main reason wasn’t the Shi family’s marginalization or the emperor’s suspicion.
Having spent so much time in the capital, Cui Xingzhou had become well-acquainted with the intricacies of court life. Although he could engage in scheming, he was thoroughly disgusted by it at his core.
The current emperor excelled at the art of checks and balances, and Cui Xingzhou was merely a pawn in his hand. After defeating Prince Sui and wearing down the Gong family, the Prince of Huaiyang visited his military camp. He discovered that the once-disciplined Zhenzhou soldiers, hardened by rigorous training, had gradually changed in the luxurious capital. There was secret gambling in the barracks, and some even ventured out to visit brothels.
Complacency is a soldier’s greatest enemy. If this continued, the Zhenzhou troops would no longer be the elite force that had conquered the Yangshan bandits and pacified the Northwest.
Cui Xingzhou stood atop the city wall, gazing towards the Northern Sea for a long time. He decided to leave the court struggles to the Shi family and the Yangshan old guard while he would once again take up the commander’s seal and campaign in the Northern Sea.
When Cui Xingzhou calmly accepted the seal, the entire court was shocked. Even Liu Yu hadn’t been very hopeful when he proposed this suggestion. He hadn’t expected Cui Xingzhou to go personally, merely hoping to allocate some troops to support the Northern Sea. This would have both addressed the urgent situation there and weakened Cui Xingzhou’s military power, killing two birds with one stone.
However, Cui Xingzhou went all in, taking all his troops to the Northern Sea.
That day in court, the once-failed top scholar presented a lengthy petition requesting to lead the campaign. The petition detailed the situation in the Northern Sea and the sufferings of the local people. He and his troops were willing to sacrifice everything, vowing not to return until the Japanese pirates were annihilated.
Cui Xingzhou’s deep, magnetic voice read each word with a do-or-die determination. The listeners were moved to tears, their hearts burning with passionate fire.
Liu Yu’s face darkened as he listened, but since someone had voluntarily taken on this hot potato, he couldn’t say much. After long consideration, he finally granted the Prince of Huaiyang’s request.
After the court session, Liu Yu kept Cui Xingzhou behind. The two had a rare, calm, and frank discussion in the imperial study for an hour.
Cui Xingzhou set aside his previous arrogance and candidly analyzed the current political situation with Liu Yu.
He told Liu Yu, “For a clear and upright government, one should encourage open discourse and nurture talent. It shouldn’t be a web of factions where officials must carefully weigh every word for fear of making enemies. While the Northern Sea crisis is dire, the smoldering fires under the court’s fallen leaves cannot be underestimated. These buried lines stretch for thousands of miles, and once a wind catches them, they could ignite into an ocean of flames.”
Liu Yu understood that Cui Xingzhou was referring to the current struggle between the Shi family and the Yangshan old guard. Officials were forced to take sides, and daily petitions were either about trivial matters or fierce battles over who should manage a water canal project, with no resolution in sight.
The two factions’ rare point of agreement lately had been sending the Prince of Huaiyang to suppress the Japanese pirates in the Northern Sea.
Hearing Cui Xingzhou speak so frankly about this, Liu Yu felt a sense of empathy. He sighed deeply, “Your words sound easy, but implementation is extremely difficult. Otherwise, why would you decide to retreat to the Northern Sea?”
Cui Xingzhou bowed respectfully and said, “Your Majesty appears easygoing but is truly strategic. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have overcome so many obstacles, defeated the Empress Dowager, and returned to power. But now that Your Majesty sits securely on the golden throne, you should understand the difference between ruling a country and conquering a city. With the upcoming imperial examinations, I hope Your Majesty will select more fearless and upright scholars. They will be Your Majesty’s right-hand men, helping to maintain the integrity of the court and the nation. As for me, a mere warrior, I’m of no use in court. I’d rather go to the frontier to eliminate threats for Your Majesty, allowing you to focus on governing Great Yan without distraction.”
Liu Yu understood that Cui Xingzhou was advising him to select upright scholars and discard the stubborn old ministers from the Shi family and the old guard who rested on their laurels.
This was a common tactic used by founding emperors throughout history. Ministers who had fought alongside the emperor to establish the dynasty should understand when to retire gracefully.
However, Liu Yu never expected such pertinent advice to come from Cui Xingzhou.
He sighed slowly, then suddenly said, “Only today do I understand why she chose you alone. You are an upright and noble man. In this aspect, I… am not your equal. If we had met earlier, perhaps we could have become sworn brothers…”
At this point, Liu Yu felt a twinge of regret. If he and Cui Xingzhou had become close friends earlier, perhaps he wouldn’t have felt comfortable competing with him for Miantang…
Cui Xingzhou quickly knelt and said, “Your Majesty overpraises me. I only hope that if I don’t die on the battlefield when I return to report victory, Your Majesty will have resolved all hidden dangers and provided a bright future for the people.”
For a moment, the emperor and his subject had a rare moment of candor and harmony.
However, when Cui Xingzhou returned and briefly explained the situation to Miantang, she thought for a moment and said with lingering fear, “…Fortunately, you didn’t become close friends with His Majesty, otherwise you and I might never have…”
Cui Xingzhou picked her up nonchalantly and asked, “Why is that?”
“Because then it would have been a case of coveting a friend’s wife!” Miantang blinked.
Cui Xingzhou smiled casually, “If that were the case, I would naturally have taken even better care of you on his behalf. True friendship between gentlemen is open and aboveboard. If it couldn’t tolerate even this, it wouldn’t be worth maintaining.”
Hearing his audacious words, Miantang suddenly remembered that Marquis Zhao who daily hoped for her to become a widow… Well, she’d better pretend she hadn’t said anything. She had forgotten that the friends Cui Xingzhou formed deep bonds were rarely decent people. When it came to women, even brothers could betray each other.
Cui Xingzhou informed the Empress Dowager about his decision to campaign in the Northern Sea last.
When Empress Dowager Chu heard that her son was going to risk his life in such a barbaric place again, she cried her heart out, lamenting her ill-fated life and that she wasn’t destined to be surrounded by children and grandchildren.
Cui Fu knew more than the Empress Dowager. When she learned that her brother had volunteered, she privately tried to persuade Miantang to ask Cui Xingzhou to reconsider. Such a barbaric place could be a one-way trip if they fell ill from the unfamiliar environment.
Moreover, it was reckless for Miantang and little Yi’er to go along! How could a woman and child withstand the heavy miasma there?
Miantang was leading a group of maids in wrapping medicinal herbs on paper. During their time in the Northwest, she had become a self-taught, albeit amateur, doctor. She had recently studied many prescriptions suitable for maintaining health in the two Guangs. This dehumidifying decoction was essential. So in addition to preparing for the journey, Miantang had also prepared many herbs for brewing medicinal soups upon arrival.
Hearing her sister-in-law’s words, Miantang deftly caught little Yi’er who was trying to stuff ginseng into his mouth. She smiled and said, “If I don’t go, you and mother will worry about the Prince’s well-being. Don’t worry, sister. I’ve invited a doctor who used to live in Lingnan to accompany us. As for little Yi’er’s food and water, I’ll be extra careful. Look at Yi’er, he’s not naturally delicate. I’ve been raising him like a country child. When he could crawl, he was crawling around the courtyard in his padded jacket. Being with his parents, even if it’s harder, is better than the family being separated… But sister, have you decided whether to let the Prince throw Li Guangcai’s birth chart back in his face?”
In recent days, the Qingguo Gong mansion had come to make trouble several times, insisting on taking Jiner away. Although they were always sent away by the Prince of Huaiyang’s intervention, Cui Fu had become stressed, developing canker sores.
Seeing how thoroughly Miantang had prepared, Cui Fu had an idea. Hearing Miantang’s question, she slowly said, “I’m thinking… I’ll do the same as you. After agreeing to marry Li Guangcai, I’ll go to Lingnan with you…”
Now it was Miantang’s turn to be shocked: “Sister, that’s not a place where just anyone can live. Have you thought this through?”
Cui Fu smiled, “If you and little Yi’er can go, why can’t Jiner and I? I know the nature of the Qingguo Gong family, they won’t give up until they achieve their goal. Even if I return to Zhenzhou, they’ll come to make trouble. With Xingzhou not there, my mother and I would be troubled daily. Since that’s the case, aren’t they making a fuss about wanting someone? Let them come to Lingnan to get him. Jiner is my life, no one can take him away!”
Having made her decision, Cui Fu heard that Li Guangcai was overjoyed. He once again generously spent money to prepare betrothal gifts, which were first sent to the Prince of Huaiyang’s mansion to pay respects to his future mother-in-law.
Empress Dowager Chu looked Li Guangcai up and down, feeling that in appearance alone, he wasn’t as refined and handsome as her previous son-in-law.
Moreover, the Li family’s wealth was somewhat lacking. Although he had some distant relatives in high positions, his branch of the family had declined. If Li Guangcai himself hadn’t been successful, this family background would only have been enough to marry a rural landlord’s daughter.
Empress Dowager Chu was holding back her anger, determined for her daughter’s second marriage to be grand, to thoroughly shame the Qingguo Gong family. But in the end, her daughter had chosen this penniless orphan.
These types of scholars who entered officialdom through examinations were a dime a dozen in the capital. If the Prince of Huaiyang’s family were to take in such a son-in-law, they should at least choose one with a better appearance!
The more Empress Dowager Chu looked at her new son-in-law, the more displeased she became.
However, this unremarkable young man had somehow bewitched her daughter, who was willing to marry him even if she had to provide the dowry herself.
Her son Xingzhou didn’t seem to object either, even saying that Li Guangcai had great potential and strategy, telling his mother not to judge people so superficially.
Unable to make up her mind, Empress Dowager Chu privately asked Miantang. While checking her mother-in-law’s pulse, Miantang said, “Li Guangcai has admired sister for a long time. He remained unmarried even after she married. This shows he’s not one to settle. Moreover, he has a good temperament and is kind to Jiner, which is worth more than mountains of gold and silver. I’ve seen him discussing poetry and literature with his sister, and they seem very compatible. I can’t even understand half the terms they use. Since he has a good nature, they can converse well, and he truly loves his sister, what’s not to marry? The Qingguo Gong family might have a higher status, and Guo Yi might look decent, but was the miserable life after marriage suitable for a person? Mother, don’t judge people solely by their appearance!”
Empress Dowager Chu glared, “Me, judging by appearance? If our Xingzhou wasn’t good-looking, would you have agreed when he deceived you back then?”