Battle was now unavoidable. Cheng Yaojin was like a fierce tiger descending the mountain, Zhangsun Shunde like a dragon wreaking havoc in the seas—both were formidable generals, and now in the heat of anger. From the sound of their fists and feet whistling through the air, both men were striking with deadly force.
Du Ruhui was a civil official. He sighed and withdrew. Yun Ye was about to go up to help when Niu Jinda dragged him aside. “When the old generation brawls, what are you going up there for? With your frame, what if someone kills you with one punch?”
Old Niu spoke reasonably. Cheng Yaojin’s single punch broke a staff as thick as an arm. Zhangsun Shunde’s move “Divine Dragon Tail Whip” knocked off the head of a sculpture on the wooden railing with one kick. These old generals had never let their martial skills lapse. According to Old Cheng’s saying, this was their capital for settling down and establishing their livelihood.
The old generals who surged out habitually began placing bets. They thought both men had drunk too much, completely unaware this was a true conflict of interests. Although Zhangsun Shunde was brave—he had been the first to attack Chang’an and personally captured the Previous Sui’s chief general Qu Tutong—he still wasn’t Cheng Yaojin’s match. Someone caught him off guard with a kick that sent him flying, directly smashing the flower gate of Wanmin Palace to pieces. Li Er was so angry he smashed his wine cup. Only then did Duan Hong insert himself between the two to end the brawl.
“What is it about this time?” Li Er roared in the side hall. It was too shameful—countless envoys in Wanmin Palace had personally witnessed two dukes of the Great Tang dynasty fighting.
Li Er had never cared about military generals brawling, never taking it seriously. In his view, military generals resolving problems through fighting was much easier for him than scheming. Sometimes he even wanted to resolve problems this way.
Before Old Cheng and Zhangsun Shunde could answer, he roared again at the fully armored Yun Ye, “I’m not dead yet! Why are you wearing armor at such a fine celebration? And you’re wearing a sword too! Tell me, who are you planning to eliminate?”
Yun Ye said nothing and had Duan Hong show the Emperor the three surrender memorials in his hand. Li Er glanced at the memorials—he’d seen these things long ago. Expressionlessly, he said, “Is there a problem?”
“This subject sees a problem in these three surrender memorials. Gao Shan Yang Zi is preparing to launch a surprise attack on the Lingnan Navy.”
Li Er frowned and carefully looked through the surrender memorials again, not seeing anything wrong. Yun Ye specifically stepped forward to turn to the page with Gao Shan Yang Zi’s recommender and asked the Emperor to look again.
“Minister Lu is sharing the nation’s worries. What’s the problem?” After Li Er asked this question, he ordered everyone else to leave the side hall. He knew there must be dealings here—some words couldn’t be said in public.
Zhangsun Shunde glanced at Yun Ye and left the side hall. Old Niu also pulled the stiff-necked Old Cheng out. Du Ruhui had long since left. Liu Hongji wanted to speak to the Emperor, but seeing the Emperor ignore him, he could only follow out as well. In a moment, only Li Er, Yun Ye, and Duan Hong remained in the side hall.
Before Yun Ye could speak, Li Er spoke first in a somber tone. “This Emperor has really become old. My daughter unclearly gave birth to two children for you. My generals publicly brawl for others to laugh at. My son nearly rebelled. Even concubines in the rear palace dare to be coveted by someone. Yun Ye, tell me—is this Emperor too easy to talk to?”
Hearing the Emperor’s words, Yun Ye felt a large flock of crows screaming as they flew past his eyes. You’re unhappy about these trivial matters? If I hadn’t appeared, who knows how many unclear grandchildren your daughter would have given you by now. The generals would no longer be brawling but fighting to the death. Your son would have rebelled eight times already—didn’t he just nearly rebel? Xu Hui’s matter was just a small misunderstanding. If the historical process were stricter, your concubine would already be lying in your son’s bed.
“Explain clearly. You must explain clearly. Otherwise, I won’t let this go lightly this time. Ever since the Goguryeo people surrendered, you’ve been acting strange. You even dared to be late to the grand ceremony outside Vermilion Bird Gate. Heh, the Empress has spoiled you into quite something. Stand up and speak—who permitted you to sit on the floor!” Li Er saw Yun Ye remove his helmet and sit on the floor, and his anger rose again.
“Gao Shan Yang Zi and Lu Chengqing formed an alliance long ago—one plunders, one fences stolen goods. And the fence isn’t just one person. I’ve always wondered, Gao Shan Yang Zi has been under the Lingnan Navy’s tight blockade—where did she get blueprints for the new warships? The more we blockade, the stronger she becomes.”
“Last time when fighting us at the strait, they actually knew clearly that Qing Que was in the fleet and attacked the Qing Que more enthusiastically than attacking my flagship, the Princess. When Qing Que boarded the ship, only a few people in the Lingnan Navy knew. Then there was the memorial I specifically submitted to Your Majesty. The people who could see that memorial must not be many. Lu Chengqing happens to be one of them.”
“Wanting to make a fortune—this subject believes this is a good thing. It’s also a way to maintain ambition. But you absolutely cannot exchange the dynasty’s interests to make a fortune. This bottom line—this subject has never dared touch, and I believe most of the dynasty’s nobility hold the same view as this subject.”
“The Goguryeo surrender—this subject indeed felt uncomfortable. I always thought heroes like Yuan Gae Suwen should at least fight to the death, finally being trampled into meat paste by warhorses would be dying a worthy death. How could he be led around the streets like a dog by us?”
“Your Majesty just said your prestige was offended. In this subject’s view, this is precisely the reason Your Majesty can become an emperor for the ages. You don’t value minor details but value your subjects’ ability and loyalty. That’s why this subject’s uncles and brothers dare to be unrestrained before Your Majesty. When they have troubles, the first thing they think of is to confide in Your Majesty. They believe Your Majesty will absolutely give them justice.”
“As for what you said about someone coveting a consort—this is a huge injustice. What this subject hates most is women being too clever. When chatting with the Crown Prince before, our unanimous wish was that after marrying women home, we should quickly knock them silly with a club—that way we could live harmoniously and beautifully for a lifetime. So the cleverer women are, the more annoying they are, just like that damned Gao Shan Yang Zi.”
“This woman is a madwoman, a madwoman with heroic ambitions. On land, she’s not worth the Great Tang’s horse hooves trampling, but on the ocean she becomes a calamity. She doesn’t care about money, doesn’t care about temporary gains and losses—single-mindedly wanting to become King of the Oceans. Your Majesty, you may not have a true understanding of the ocean. In the vast seas, islands are everywhere. On the South Seas alone, islands densely number no fewer than twenty thousand. Together they’re not much smaller than the entire Central Plains.”
“Some islands have spices, like the ones this subject discovered. Some islands have copper—entire islands practically lying on copper plates. Some islands have tin—just grab a handful of tin ore and throw it in an iron pot to smelt it. Still other islands are full of gemstones. Even the most ordinary islands can grow grain. With volcanic ash as fertilizer, harvesting three times a year is absolutely no problem.”
“Everyone wants to possess such treasured land, which is why this subject pushed the Great Tang’s maritime border forward to the strait, no less than five thousand li from the Great Tang mainland. What we can’t use now is actually left for our descendants to develop. The Great Tang’s population keeps growing. Since the beginning of Zhenguan, the population has already doubled. Look—can the equal-field system in Guanzhong still continue?”
“Without the equal-field system, our militia system becomes water without a source, a tree without roots. Throughout all dynasties, the collapse of dynasties has had direct relationships with land. This is like what my grandmother said: save more now, and even if descendants aren’t ambitious and are all spendthrifts, they can squander for a few more years.”
“So this subject doesn’t just ordinarily value the South Seas—every movement there constantly tugs at this subject’s heart. The South Seas are treasured land, the greatest source of wealth we’re leaving for our descendants.”
“Letting Gao Shan Yang Zi into the inland seas is letting in a hungry wolf. The court up and down all underestimate the South Seas, always thinking losing them doesn’t matter much. But this subject doesn’t see it that way. Losing the South Seas would absolutely be our mistake. Descendants will definitely resent us, making us restless even in our graves.”
“Your Majesty, wealth comes from the seas, and danger also comes from the seas. Once we have a powerful enemy at sea, tens of thousands of li of maritime territory will all become borders. We’ll need to guard against threats from the sea at all times and places.”
“I request Your Majesty issue an edict: permit this subject to deploy the Great Emperor, permit this subject to re-equip the Great Emperor, permit this subject to proceed down the Yangtze River to exterminate Gao Shan Yang Zi and return with her head. This is why this subject donned armor today.”
“Your Majesty, Marquis Lantian Yun Ye awaits orders to march forth. I request my Emperor’s decree!”
Yun Ye knelt on one knee requesting to march forth. Li Er’s gaze flickered without saying a word. The entire palace was silent as death. After a long while, Li Er’s voice finally rang out in the great hall.
“For many years, I have always hoped such a Yun Ye would appear before me. You’ve finally stopped evading the responsibilities you should bear. Whether to kill Gao Shan Yang Zi or not—I don’t care. Even if Lu Chengqing sells out the dynasty—I don’t care. Even if the Lingnan Navy is destroyed—I don’t care. Because I know these are all temporary. The Great Tang can withstand these losses. Boy, this is nothing serious—a few maggots can’t destroy the Great Tang’s realm.”
“I’m very happy today, even happier than hearing the Goguryeo surrender. A Yun Ye who finally knows his responsibilities and wholeheartedly takes them on is truly the Great Tang’s good news. Go. Whether Gao Shan Yang Zi has rebellious intentions or not is no longer important. Since she dares enter the Great Tang’s land of wealth, then eliminate her. You’re right—anyone with hostile intentions cannot enter the South Seas.”
“The matter of Lu Chengqing will be investigated by the Directorate of Waterways. Heh, the Great Emperor only makes me feel at ease when it’s in your hands.” Having said this, Li Er ordered Duan Hong to summon Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, and all the officials from the Eastern and Western Offices. When everyone had arrived, Li Er slowly walked before the kneeling Yun Ye, placed his hand on Yun Ye’s shoulder, and said:
“Marquis Lantian Yun Ye, I appoint you as Commander-in-Chief of the South Seas Campaign, to command the Lingnan Navy in the South Seas expedition, wielding the Great Emperor to pacify the disloyal. Any who dare obstruct—execute without mercy!”
Amid the uncertain expressions of Liu Hongji and Zhangsun Shunde, amid the hand-clapping laughter of Cheng Yaojin and Niu Jinda, Yun Ye loudly shouted “Acknowledged!” He hurriedly left the side hall and, looking at Yuan Gae Suwen standing outside the great hall, said: “The South Seas cannot tolerate foreign races laying hands on them. Yuan Gae Suwen, I will bring back your empress’s head.”