“Your Majesty, isn’t it too reckless to let Yun Ye go on this expedition like this?” As soon as Li Er returned to the inner palace and sat down, Empress Zhangsun hurried over. She could still intervene in matters concerning Yun Ye.
Li Er patted the table with satisfaction, saying: “So what if it’s reckless? Yun Ye himself is willing and eager to accomplish things. Why shouldn’t I give him some support? He just turned twenty-seven this year, only twenty-eight in nominal age. Whether in civil governance or military achievements, he has already distinguished himself. Most gratifying is that he still lacks ambition. Such ministers are rare indeed.”
“In my hands, he cannot fly beyond my palm. In the future, under Chengqian’s command, he cannot escape the bonds of loyalty and affection. He’s shrewd yet not pedantic, and has sufficient authority over officials from the Academy system. What an excellent candidate for prime minister! When he returns, I’ll send him to the provinces for two years of tempering. He’s forbidden from going to Yuezhou, but what do you think about the Beiting Protectorate?”
“Guo Xiaoce serves as the Grand Protector of Anxi, and Yun Ye will serve as the Protector of Beiting. This way, having him supervise the westward migration of the Turks, Tuyuhun, Xueyantuo, Huihe, and the Nine Surnames of Zhaowu puts my mind most at ease. Those renowned ministers and veteran generals have all grown old, lost their drive for advancement, and are timid and hesitant, afraid to act freely, always worried that I might become suspicious. Yun Ye won’t be like that. He knows what to do and how to do it. Only if he goes will the Great Tang truly have no external enemies, and we can truly rest easy.”
“During this period, I’ve continuously suppressed him precisely to make him explode. Guanyin Bi, do you really think I don’t know about Lu Chengqing’s background? I haven’t even spared Yun Ye’s background—how could Lu Chengqing be an exception?”
“The Five Li Commandants of the Lingnan Navy have long received my secret orders to closely monitor Lu Chengqing. As long as that woman dares to attack the Lingnan Navy, they can counterattack without needing Lu Chengqing’s command.”
“I’m still quite moved. Today at the Wanmin Palace, this young man spoke words that warmed one’s heart, so sincere and earnest. He’s making preparations for the Great Tang’s future! Do you understand? Just with that one statement—’Store more now, and even if our descendants are all spendthrifts, they can squander for two more years’—this statement alone is enough for me to give him complete trust.”
“As for whether that woman will attack the Lingnan Navy, it’s fundamentally unimportant to me. One who doesn’t plan for the whole situation cannot plan for a single region. This young man has foresight and vision; he just lacks the courage to shoulder great responsibility. I will temper it into him bit by bit.”
“The South Seas are a source of wealth, while Beiting is a place of life and death. Even if his military strategy is still insufficient, pairing him with veteran generals like Cheng Yaojin and Niu Jinda will certainly prevent any mishaps.”
Empress Zhangsun looked at Li Er with furrowed brows and said: “You’re tormenting him like this just to make him go to Beiting?”
“Exactly, to go to Beiting. This kid is as slippery as a loach. As long as I show any anxiety about Beiting, he immediately hides far away. This time, I unconditionally agreed to let him go to the South Seas. So next time, shouldn’t he also unconditionally accept a post at the Beiting Protectorate? Ha ha ha!”
Whenever Li Er successfully schemed against Yun Ye, he would be delighted for quite a while. Empress Zhangsun looked at the childish Li Er and shook her head, not knowing what to say. Before she could speak, Li Er laughed heartily again and said: “Guanyin Bi, you don’t need to worry that Yun Ye and Xu Hui will create any scandal. Ha ha, he just wants to knock Xu Hui silly with one blow, ha ha, no other intentions.”
On this point, Empress Zhangsun also laughed heartily. Duan Hong joyfully reported: “Your Majesty, Liu Hongji and Zhangsun Shunde request an audience. They are currently waiting outside the Liangyi Hall.”
In an instant, Li Er put away his smile and pointed outside the hall, saying to Empress Zhangsun: “Look, such clever people. I merely dispatched Yun Ye south, and they’ve come to beg forgiveness. Yun Ye spoke correctly—they’ve gone mad grabbing money. Now, besides grabbing money and keeping women, what else can they do? For the sake of money, they don’t even care about life and death.”
Empress Zhangsun sighed and said: “What else can you do? They’re all meritorious old ministers. Although they love grabbing money, they still don’t dare to betray Your Majesty. This clan uncle of mine needs a good talking-to from me.”
“If I didn’t value old relationships, just the charge of leaking military secrets would be enough to leave them without burial grounds. Duan Hong, summon them in. Let’s hear what they have to say…”
Yun Ye rushed back to the Yun family estate with two hundred personal guards at top speed. He only had one night to handle family affairs. Early the next morning, he would immediately enter the Qinling Mountains, reach Hanzhong, then follow the Han River down to reach the Yangtze River’s edge and rendezvous with the Dadi, heading straight for the South Seas.
Old Qian personally climbed onto the roof and planted a great halberd with red tassels atop the main hall of the Yun residence. Immediately, the deep assembly drum began to sound boom-boom-boom, the drumbeats instantly resounding throughout the Yun family estate. It was the moment when red sunset clouds filled the sky.
The Yun family estate immediately erupted into activity. Men returning home with plows on their backs, upon hearing the drumbeats, immediately threw their plows to the ground and ran home with all their might.
Shopkeepers in the marketplace haggling with others, upon hearing the drumbeats, pushed away customers and hurried into the back courtyard. Before long, an imposing, fully armed militiaman appeared in the shop.
Men who had just been grabbed by the ear and scolded by their wives, upon hearing the drumbeats, slapped their wives aside with one hand, pulled out a large chest from under the bed, and bellowed for their wives to quickly help them don their armor.
Men who had just been drinking and telling dirty jokes with a large group of drinking buddies immediately chased away their friends at the first sound, ordering their sons to help them put on their armor.
Old soldiers in the brewery heard the drumbeats and felt their blood surge. This was the assembly drum—there could be no delay! Only halfway through donning his armor did one remember he had already retired. With reddened eyes, he summoned his eldest son and began fitting his armor onto his son instead…
White-bearded old men gazed at the great halberd atop the Yun family roof with distant expressions. How long had it been since they’d heard the assembly drum? The family head was going on campaign—but would it be to the northern desert or the South Seas?
Women who had just been beaten by their men and were wailing loudly immediately wiped away their tears, scrambled up from the ground, and helped their men fasten their armor. This was no time to cry. They wiped their eyes dry—sending off campaigners with tears was very unlucky…
Outside the Yun residence, the sound of hoofbeats came in an endless stream, and a long horn call also sounded simultaneously. When the horn ceased, any soldier who failed to arrive would receive twenty strokes; during campaign marches, any soldier who failed to arrive would be executed!
The Lantian County government office was now at Yushan. Upon hearing the drumbeats, the county magistrate shrieked like a startled old donkey, hoarsely shouting for servants to quickly prepare the court session. By the time he reached the public court, the deputy magistrate, registrar, and county captain had all rushed over together, listening to the drumbeats and horn calls coming from afar, once again confirming they hadn’t misheard—the Great General was going on campaign.
“Provisions, armor, carts, pack horses, civilian laborers—everything must be ready overnight. I don’t need to tell you what the penalty is for delaying military affairs. In our county, only Marquis Yun could possibly be appointed as Grand Commander. I will go to the military camp to receive orders. You go make preparations. Everything must be ready before dawn, without error.”
The drumbeats carried far into the mountains. Students in the Academy who were fighting over food immediately stopped their scramble. Students listening intently to the drumbeats threw down their bowls and surged out of the Academy like madmen, preparing to volunteer at the Yun residence to see if there was any chance to visit a battlefield. If they didn’t go now, war would become mere legend in the future.
Lai Chuanfeng, who had just rushed home from Mingzhou, laughed so hard his mouth nearly split, pounding his chest and howling like a wolf. The Great General was going on campaign! This trip home hadn’t been in vain. That dog Lu Chengqing didn’t want him, but now the Great General was going to war—he was destined to earn titles and honors for his wife and children!
Yun Ye sat in the main hall with closed eyes, resting his spirit. On the table burned a thick time-incense stick. Old Grandmother, Xinyue, Na Rimu, and Lingdang all stood together at the back hall entrance wearing their official attire, while several children curiously poked their heads in to look at their father sitting silently in the chair. Yun Shou’s eyes were filled with blazing light.
Lai Chuanfeng arrived first. After performing a grand salute, he stood to one side, winking at Liu Jinbao across from him. The Lantian County Magistrate reported to Yun Ye on the status of material preparations. The Chang’an Zhechong Commander, who had ridden hastily over, stepped forward to inspect the tiger tally and official documents, as well as the Emperor’s decree, then reported to Yun Ye on the military strength status of the Chang’an Zhechong garrison.
“You need not mobilize. This expedition involves naval warfare at sea. I will deploy the Dongting Lake Navy. For the Chang’an garrison troops, those from the Yun family estate will suffice. You may withdraw.”
The drumbeats ceased, the horn fell silent, and the time-incense on the table burned down to its last ember. Yun Ye left the main hall and came to the mansion gate, where an officer was loudly reporting the headcount.
Yun Ye did not punish those who arrived late or failed to arrive. After all, his orders had been issued rather hastily—he couldn’t blame them. Looking at the five hundred-plus men before the mansion gate, Yun Ye raised his voice and shouted loudly: “His Majesty commands: Campaign to the South Seas!”
In the garden, Wu She, who was drinking tea, looked at Liu Fang, whose expression was as calm as an ancient well, and said: “This campaign to the South Seas—you’re not going?”
Liu Fang listened to the mountain-and-sea roar of voices outside, irritably flicked his ear, and said: “I’m old. Can’t handle being tossed about at sea anymore. A mere High Mountain Yangtze doesn’t require this old man to take action. Since Yun Ye didn’t notify us two old men, it means he doesn’t need us to take action. Being old, staying home and enjoying comfort is better.”
Wu She nodded, collecting the chess pieces from the board one by one back into their jar, preparing to start a new game.
After arranging all expedition matters, Yun Ye removed his armor. Yun Shou tightly grasped his father’s hand—he desperately wanted to go see the battlefield. Xinyue beat him away with a feather duster, then choked up as she said to Yun Ye: “You’re going on campaign. I pray for your triumphant return.”
“Stop pretending. If you want to cry, cry loudly. What’s the point of choking up? Your act isn’t even convincing.”
“I’m just following proper etiquette. Husband, on this campaign, do you really plan to eliminate High Mountain Yangtze?”
Yun Ye looked at Xinyue with surprise and said: “Naturally. I plan to bring back her head. I know what you want to say—blocking someone’s path to wealth is like killing their parents. Let those people resent me if they want. The real trouble would be if the Lingnan fleet suffered damage. Besides, in warfare, one must use full strength even when hunting a rabbit. Holding back would be sowing the seeds of disaster.”