Moreover, the Emperor was still young and didn’t necessarily have only the Empress. There would be plenty of candidates for the throne in the future—the Empress’s words were perhaps too absolute.
His dissatisfaction could barely be suppressed anymore, but constrained by the distinction between ranks, he dared not speak frankly. Upon reaching Yecheng, the Empress settled into the Governor’s Residence. When the Emperor went to arrange contact with General Gu Chaonan’s forces, he actually said to him, “Vice General Zhang, I will take the others to deploy troops outside the city. You stay in the city to protect the Empress and Imperial Prince.”
“Your Majesty, the city’s defenses are already stringent. There’s no need for this general to remain, is there?” Vice General Zhang frowned.
The Emperor smiled, “With you here, I am more at ease.”
Vice General Zhang stood beside the Empress with an iron-dark face, watching the tenderness on the Emperor’s face, remaining sullenly silent.
“I must go make arrangements with the army, which may take some time. I trouble the Empress to wait for me,” Gu Chaobei said from horseback, smiling as he looked at Shen Guiyan. “I’ll return in a few days, so Yan’er need not miss me too much.”
Shen Guiyan looked around—with so many people present, he really had the nerve to say such things.
“Your Majesty, take care on your journey. If military affairs are urgent, there’s no need to rush back,” she said. “This consort and the Imperial Prince will wait in the city.”
Yecheng was the first wall of defense behind the border, easy to defend and difficult to attack. The Emperor’s choice of this location showed he had already considered what to do if Gu Chaonan turned traitor.
Gu Chaonan commanded one hundred thousand troops. When they were originally deployed, they were divided into nine routes, five of which were from General Lian’s Southern Camp. Even if Gu Chaonan wanted to rebel, he could only mobilize forty to fifty thousand soldiers—Yecheng could definitely hold.
And if he didn’t rebel, the Emperor’s purpose in personally leading this campaign was to reclaim all military authority. After defeating the foreign barbarians and returning to the capital, the military tally would never again be handed to Gu Chaonan.
Whatever thoughts Gu Chaonan and Xu Mengdie harbored didn’t matter. Once military power was reclaimed, no matter how they schemed, they couldn’t overturn heaven.
So the Emperor departed full of confidence.
Shen Guiyan looked up at him, pressed her lips together, and took out a blue lotus sachet from her sleeve, handing it to Gu Chaobei.
“Didn’t I leave this by my pillow? Why did you bring it?” the Emperor muttered, reaching out to accept it and tying it at his waist.
This was embroidered long ago when Yan’er first married him. He had thought that with the chaos of battle and blades having no eyes, it would be unfortunate to lose it, so he hadn’t brought it. Yet she had taken it out.
“Consider this a talisman for safety. May Your Majesty remain well,” Shen Guiyan smiled. “Depart quickly—the generals and soldiers are waiting.”
“Mm.” Gu Chaobei chuckled softly, “When I return, I’ll accompany you to see Yecheng’s peach blossoms.”
“All right.”
After their reluctant parting, the Emperor turned his head, his expression no longer holding a trace of tenderness. His long sword pointed to the sky as he commanded in all directions, “Exit the city.”
All the generals and soldiers obeyed. The long procession wound its way out. The Emperor walked at the very front, and when about to disappear at the street corner, he turned his head once more.
But the street was too far—even his features could no longer be seen clearly.
Shen Guiyan’s heart sank slightly. She didn’t know why, but she felt that once Gu Chaobei left, it would be a very long time before she saw him again.
She was probably overthinking. He was just outside the city. Even if the garrison was ten li from the city, a visit would only require a carriage ride back and forth.
Turning around, Shen Guiyan looked at Vice General Zhang, “This consort wishes to take the Imperial Prince and walk around the city.”
Vice General Zhang said expressionlessly, “If Your Majesty wishes to go, this general shall naturally accompany you.”
He had achieved numerous military merits and earned his position as vice general through his own abilities. Now the Emperor wasn’t taking him to the military camp, but instead had him serve as bodyguard to the Empress and Imperial Prince.
A waste of talent. The Emperor’s decision was about to extinguish all his passionate fervor.
No matter how noble the Empress was, she was still a woman. What could a woman do in this unfamiliar place? Vice General Zhang followed the whole way, only to see the Empress take the Imperial Prince to several renowned medical clinics, probably trying to treat his legs, but returning disappointed each time. After sending the Imperial Prince back to the Governor’s Residence, she came out again herself, wandering the streets in plain clothes.
“Does Yecheng have granaries?” the Empress casually asked.
Vice General Zhang pressed his lips together and answered, “To the east is the granary, which can store ten thousand shi of grain—the largest warehouse in this area.”
Shen Guiyan’s eyes brightened, “Shall we go take a look?”
Vice General Zhang raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself—could this Empress actually be concerned about military provisions?
After walking over, Vice General Zhang discovered he had misunderstood. The Empress looked at those straw or bamboo-woven granaries and said with a smile, “The trees near this place grow so well. Why not cut them down to build a watchtower? That way, the granary guards could see every corner of the entire granary from the watchtower at night.”
A woman’s shallow insight! Vice General Zhang snorted coldly, “The trees near the granary are decades or even centuries old. To fell them would require enormous manpower and resources. Moreover, the granary’s surroundings are secure—there’s no need to build a watchtower. It would truly be a waste of people’s labor and wealth.”
Shen Guiyan shook her head, “Does the general not think that if someone set fire from the forest over there, and the east wind blew it over, it could burn down the entire granary?”
“Your Majesty worries too much,” Vice General Zhang said. “Setting aside that no one lives in this forest so there would be no fire, even if there were fire, there’s a water channel beside the granary that could quickly extinguish it.”
This person seems quite displeased with me? Shen Guiyan touched her face, feeling that his expression held some disdain—probably thinking a woman’s words weren’t worth considering?
On the journey, she had noticed Vice General Zhang never showed her a pleasant face. She had thought perhaps she was reading too much into it, that his features might naturally look that way.
Now after spending time together, she realized she hadn’t been overthinking—he truly didn’t regard her well.
Shen Guiyan wasn’t curious about the reason, because she and this general weren’t acquainted. If kind words wouldn’t do, she still had the dignity of an Empress.
“This consort dislikes this forest and particularly wishes to build a watchtower here,” she said coldly, looking at Vice General Zhang. “General, go issue the order.”
Vice General Zhang felt slightly angry and looked at her, “How can Your Majesty issue edicts at will?”
Shen Guiyan looked at him, “Must this consort’s edicts go through someone’s approval?”
She was the Empress, not the former Consort Yan—her words carried weight. No matter how dissatisfied Vice General Zhang felt, he still had to comply.
The Governor of Yecheng received the decree and ordered the people to fell the trees. The citizens voiced considerable complaints, and even some elderly people came out to block them, “The century-old sacred trees are Yecheng’s vital essence—they cannot be cut!”
Many citizens blocked the way. Vice General Zhang made no effort to calm the public anger; instead, he seemed to fan the flames. Turning to Shen Guiyan, he said, “Your Majesty, it’s not that this general is unwilling to act, but the city’s people all refuse.”
Shen Guiyan said, “Then have the government provide the labor. Of the felled trees, aside from those for building the watchtower, send the rest to help the people build houses.”
Vice General Zhang frowned.
The Governor of Yecheng said with great distress, “What is the Empress thinking? Although there are heavy troops guarding outside and Yecheng currently has nothing urgent to do, we cannot waste energy on useless tasks.”
The Governor’s words struck a chord in Vice General Zhang’s heart, so the next day he didn’t report to the Empress’s side.
Shen Guiyan didn’t mind. Without Vice General Zhang, there was still Xu Zhuangzhou.
She only discovered upon reaching Yecheng that Xu Zhuangzhou was also there. When she asked why, he only said he was curious about border conditions and had come to observe. Shen Guiyan didn’t know if Gu Chaobei was aware, but since Xu Zhuangzhou carried a recommendation letter from Grand Tutor Zhou, Shen Guiyan simply allowed him to remain at her side.
Vice General Zhang might have gone on strike, but the tree-felling proceeded according to her instructions.
Yecheng bordered water and had abundant grain, enough to supply provisions for the three armies. As long as matters went smoothly on Gu Chaobei’s end, in a few months they could safely return to the capital.
However, unexpectedly, news of defeat came from Gu Chaonan’s side.
In the military camp, Gu Chaobei looked at the battle report, his lips curled in mockery, “One hundred thousand troops, plus border soldiers, actually defeated?”
Vice General Liu clasped his hands, “Reportedly, General Lian hasn’t yet joined forces with General Gu, and the barbarians have iron cannons with fierce firepower. Defeat is within reason.”
Within reason? Gu Chaonan was a man victorious in a hundred battles. To be defeated in such a short time…
“It seems General Gu should rest well,” the Emperor said. “Vice General Liu, go deliver my edict—request that General Gu lead his elite troops back to Yecheng.”
“Yes!” Vice General Liu went to carry out the command.
Gu Chaobei looked back at the military camp and smiled, “To receive General Gu, we should prepare fine wine and delicacies.”
Everyone understood—the Emperor was preparing a Hongmen Feast for Gu Chaonan to reclaim the military authority from his hands. Gu Chaonan was Prime Minister Gu’s son. The Emperor, mindful of the Prime Minister’s dignity, personally came to receive military power from Gu Chaonan’s hands, then lead him to continue resisting the barbarians together. This way it wouldn’t seem like a demotion but rather a natural progression, and no one would think the Emperor harbored misgivings about Gu Chaonan.
The plan seemed flawless, but Gu Chaonan had no intention of coming.
Elite troops were indeed sent back, but they came to relay: “General Gu is unwell and cannot ride. He can only recuperate at the border. He begs Your Majesty’s forgiveness.”
Clearly trying to avoid him. After hesitating a moment, Gu Chaobei said, “Since the border has been defeated, then I shall lead the reinforcements forward to provide support.”
“Your Majesty, what of Yecheng?”
The Emperor said, “Leave it to Vice General Zhang. The Empress will also oversee—there’s no need to worry.”
Unfortunately, military affairs require speed. He didn’t even have time to return to Yecheng once and had to depart immediately, lest he give Gu Chaonan more time to prepare.
Xu Mengdie wanted to use the barbarians’ iron cannons; the barbarians even more wanted them to open a path so they could first eliminate the Heavenly Dynasty’s Emperor. So after the “defeat” here, when Gu Chaobei rushed toward the border, he encountered the barbarians’ iron cannon battalion halfway.
The cannon fire was tremendously powerful—human flesh simply couldn’t withstand it. But the Emperor still ordered, “No retreat! Advance!”
Corpses piled up. The enemy had forty iron cannons with incomparable power, but after a short while they became useless. Why? Because these iron cannons were just as the barbarian envoy had said when presenting tribute.
They could only fire one cannonball at a time, and they were cumbersome and difficult to transport. The barbarians lacked military strength and relied entirely on the cannons to directly frighten enemy forces into retreat.