At this moment, everything Tuoba Yilu was doing—wasn’t it all to confirm the rulership and succession rights of the Dai Kingdom?
Originally, Zhao Hanzhang had planned to deal with this matter in a few years. Initially, she had kept Tuoba Liuxiu alive and deliberately maintained good relations with him to prevent unexpected problems in the north when she seized power on her side.
But she hadn’t expected things to go so smoothly. The young emperor had been so cooperative, so she hadn’t wanted to detonate the explosive that was Tuoba Liuxiu.
Moreover, after three years of interaction, she had little affection for Tuoba Yilu, this sworn brother of hers, but through their exchanges, she had developed something of a friendship with Tuoba Liuxiu, this nephew by name.
He was loyal, willing to listen to advice about treating ordinary farmers and herdsmen well, and admired her. Naturally, she didn’t want to use his life to scheme against the Dai Kingdom anymore.
So she had kept suppressing Tuoba Yilu’s official document requesting to appoint Tuoba Biyan as crown prince. She thought that once she ascended the throne, with her as Tuoba Liuxiu’s backing, Tuoba Yilu surely wouldn’t dare scheme to secretly harm Liuxiu again.
And with her advice, Tuoba Liuxiu certainly wouldn’t fight his father to the death anymore.
Even if there were struggles, they would be within certain controlled limits. When the time came for the Dai Kingdom to pass to Tuoba Liuxiu’s hands, it could gradually transition from an independently governed vassal state to one where the vassal prince only had garrison rights but no governing rights.
She had already planned the best transition for the Dai Kingdom, even ensuring the smooth succession of the Tuoba Xianbei clan’s throne. Yet Tuoba Yilu had to force her to destroy the Dai Kingdom.
The meat was already fed to her mouth—did he really expect her to resist the temptation and not take a bite?
This sworn brother of hers either thought her too kind-hearted or too timid.
Based on her understanding of this sworn brother, it was most likely the latter, right?
Zhao Hanzhang returned to her room, planning to sleep on the outer couch without disturbing Fu Tinghan, but Fu Tinghan was awakened by the creaking sound of the door opening.
He was now fully awake and, realizing he was hungry, came out to find food. “Are you hungry? Want to eat something?”
Zhao Hanzhang, who had already lain down on the couch, immediately turned over and got up. “What’s there to eat at this hour?”
The two of them felt their way to the tea room together.
Two baskets hung from the beams of the tea room. Fu Tinghan lowered them and opened them to look. Each basket had two levels. One had deep-fried fish at the bottom—each fish only palm-sized—with several flatbreads on the upper level.
Fu Tinghan took everything out.
Zhao Hanzhang opened the other basket. On top was a plate of pastries, and below were six round eggs.
She also took everything out.
Hot water was warming on the stove. Because both of them loved working overtime and often drank water at night, sometimes staying up late to drink strong tea, the tea room always kept water warming.
Fu Tinghan poked the charcoal in the stove and added a few pieces, letting the fire burn up before putting the eggs in the boiling water kettle. “How many do you want?”
“Two, I suppose.”
“Then why did you take all six out?”
Zhao Hanzhang said, “I thought you were going to make poached eggs…” Then she could eat three, or even more. Who knew he was making hard-boiled eggs?
Fu Tinghan silently said nothing. After boiling them for a while, he took the kettle off and used tongs to hold the flatbreads, starting to roast them on the stove. Soon, the fragrant wheat aroma emerged.
Ting He from the side room, whether hearing the movement or smelling the food’s aroma, came over carrying a lantern.
Zhao Hanzhang heard the footsteps, looked back, and waved at her. Ting He silently withdrew.
Fu Tinghan was concentrating fully on roasting the flatbreads and didn’t notice her movement. He handed her the roasted flatbread, only then having time to ask, “Did something happen somewhere?”
“The Dai Kingdom.” She told him what had happened in the Dai Kingdom, counting on her fingers. “There are still sixteen days until the enthronement ceremony. No, dawn is breaking, so fifteen days left. I wonder if the Dai Kingdom can be stabilized by my enthronement. If not, then the first order of business after enthronement will be to send troops to the Dai Kingdom.”
Fu Tinghan couldn’t quite understand. “Isn’t Tuoba Liuxiu Tuoba Yilu’s biological son? Why must he push Tuoba Liuxiu to a dead end?”
“They’re not normal people. You can’t judge them by normal human ethics,” Zhao Hanzhang sighed. “But behavior that exceeds normal human ethics will inevitably be criticized and spurned, so I must prevent Tuoba Liuxiu from killing his father. Otherwise, he won’t survive either.”
If Tuoba Liuxiu really killed Tuoba Yilu as in history, even though she sympathized with him, she couldn’t not kill him.
Otherwise, morality throughout the realm would collapse even further.
So Tuoba Yilu could die at anyone’s hands, just not at Tuoba Liuxiu’s hands.
“I’ve already sent Yuan Li to the Dai Kingdom. He should be able to persuade Tuoba Liuxiu.”
Historically, Tuoba Liuxiu killed Tuoba Yilu because he had no choice. If he didn’t kill Tuoba Yilu, once his other forces reacted and counterattacked, Tuoba Liuxiu only had the single city of Xinping and couldn’t possibly fight them off.
By killing Tuoba Yilu, he could replace his father.
But now he had Zhao Hanzhang as a second option.
Zhao Hanzhang felt there was enough time. Yuan Li also believed he could make it. Riding fast horses from Luoyang to the Dai Kingdom, changing mounts along the way, he could arrive in three days.
While marching troops from Pingcheng to Xinping City would take a day, and this battle would surely take several days to fight, right?
Yuan Li thought Tuoba Liuxiu should be able to defend the city for several days and wouldn’t be breached so early.
Zhao Hanzhang thought Tuoba Yilu should be able to hold out for several days and wouldn’t be defeated so early.
Who knew this battle would begin suddenly and end quickly.
Tuoba Liuxiu had originally wanted to send troops but was persuaded by his trusted advisors to hold back, then went to seek Wu Sheng for an invitation.
Wu Sheng sent people to contact Beigong Chun, who would relay the message to Luoyang, while also going to gather intelligence on Pingcheng.
This investigation was significant—he heard that great changes had occurred in Pingcheng’s palace, and Tuoba Biyan seemed to have died.
If Wu Sheng could obtain this information, how much more so Tuoba Liuxiu?
Almost as soon as he received the news, he immediately summoned all his generals and told them, “Biyan is dead. Father will certainly not spare me now. He will definitely send troops to attack me. We must prepare in advance.”
So they began digging traps, preparing provisions, gathering troops, and setting ambushes along the route.
What kind of city was Xinping City?
Years ago, Tuoba Yilu had climbed a high place on the outskirts of Pingcheng and, seeing two mountains in the distance with a narrow strip of flat land between them, said this place had strategic terrain and was a military stronghold. So he drew a circle there, named it Xinping City, and had Tuoba Liuxiu garrison it.
Xinping City was located in the middle of that narrow flat land.
From Pingcheng to Xinping City, one needed to cross a river, then pass through two high mountains, with Xinping City between them.
These two mountains limited Xinping City’s development, but at the same time, they gave Xinping City extremely high defensive capabilities. The river and the city entrance were natural checkpoints, and also excellent ambush sites.
Tuoba Yilu, with nowhere to vent his hatred, was completely unwilling to wait.
The next day, he mustered troops and set out for Xinping City. No matter how Weioxiong tried to dissuade him, it was useless. He could only follow.
Jidan was left behind to oversee state affairs. As soon as they left, he began contacting people to prepare to migrate the populace to Bingzhou.
But only two days later, he received news of Tuoba Yilu’s great defeat.
Tuoba Liuxiu had set an ambush. When the enemy’s great army was crossing the river, he struck first, then feigned retreat. When Tuoba Yilu led troops to pursue, he ambushed them again using the two high mountains.
Father and son never even met face-to-face but exchanged blows twice, with Tuoba Yilu suffering great defeats both times. His army was scattered, and he himself was defeated so badly he lost his helmet and armor, fleeing to the countryside.
Tuoba Liuxiu knew that having already struck, he couldn’t let him go. So he sent people everywhere to search.