Chapter 64 – Outwitted by Ran Qinggu

Chapter 64 - Outwitted by Ran Qinggu

"It was expected that the Third Prince wouldn't submit," King Cheng consoled him. "There's no need for you to worry so much."

Ran Qinggu nodded. "Your Highness, since the Third Prince is unwilling to submit, our assault on the capital must not be delayed. The Emperor and the Second Prince have already gathered various lords and princes to come after us. Meanwhile, the Northern Barbarians are involved with the Third Prince. Their grasslands have been trampled upon by Da Su's cavalry countless times. Now that Da Su is in turmoil, if the Northern Barbarians don't take advantage of this opportunity to exact their revenge, they won't rest. During my time in the northern city with the Heir, we didn't just try to persuade the Third Prince to submit. We also inspected the situation at the northern border. The ice on the Beiyang River hasn't melted yet."

The Beiyang River was a major river that marked the border between Da Su and the Southern territories of the Northern Barbarians. To its south lay Da Su's northern city, while to its north were the most prosperous pastures of the Northern Barbarians.

The river was incredibly wide, comparable to the Sishui River, the longest and largest river in Da Su.

Due to the mountainous terrain in the north, with its undulating landscape, the river's current was exceptionally swift, making it virtually impossible to cross during the ice melting season.

Last year, an unusually heavy snowfall led to the formation of thick ice on the Beiyang River. Even now, as spring arrived, there were no signs of the ice thawing. However, the ice became increasingly fragile due to the extended daylight hours in spring, making it unsuitable for crossing, let alone for the Northern Barbarians' armored cavalry.

Unable to cross the Beiyang River, the Northern Barbarians couldn't support the Third Prince.

If they started the war now, it would only involve internal factions within Da Su. A battle between King Cheng and the Imperial Army was inevitable. Regardless of whom the Third Prince supported, his troops were not a significant threat.

However, if the war dragged on, once the ice on the Beiyang River melted, the Northern Barbarians would undoubtedly take advantage of Da Su's internal strife.

Even if they didn't assist the Third Prince in ascending the throne, they would seize the opportunity to capture cities, plunder border towns, and loot resources. In the end, it would be the common people in the border towns who would suffer the most.

Therefore, they should aim for a quick victory, directly attacking the capital and ending the conflict before the ice on the Beiyang River melted. Once the situation was stabilized, the Northern Barbarians wouldn't dare to act recklessly.

King Cheng nodded in agreement. "You've thought this through."

Shang Rongyu pointed at the map with small flags. "Furthermore, on our way back, we went to Luozhou to inspect the situation. Luozhou is connected to Ji Zhou, and the terrain is relatively open, making it suitable for military operations. Moreover...it's time for Brother's identity to be revealed to the public. Therefore, capturing Luozhou first would be best. This revelation will surely deal a heavy blow to Uncle Emperor."

King Cheng frowned. "Going to Luozhou would require taking a long detour. In warfare, momentum is crucial. The longer the campaign drags on, the more the armored troops will suffer."

Shang Rongyu shook his head. "Father, do you know who the commander of Luozhou is?"

King Cheng looked puzzled. "Who is it?"

Shang Rongque replied, "Wang An."

King Cheng was surprised. "Wang An?"

During the Chengyuan era, Wang An was the top general of Da Su.

He was the most trusted general of the late emperor and had created legends in Da Su's military history. Before Shang Rongyu's astonishing feat of slaughtering thirty thousand surrendered Northern Barbarian soldiers at the age of twelve, Wang An had already achieved the remarkable accomplishment of conquering twelve Tujue cities and slaying forty thousand enemy soldiers at the age of eighteen.

He had led Da Su's cavalry to defeat the combined forces of the Tujue, Northern Barbarians, and Western Savages. At that time, he only had twenty thousand troops under his command, with depleted supplies and worn-out armor, while the enemy had a force of one hundred thousand.

No one knew how he managed to win, nor did anyone know how he could lead twenty thousand soldiers to survive for over two months on a battlefield where supplies had run out. Some said they survived by eating the flesh of the dead, while others claimed they cooked and ate women and children from the grasslands.

Later, when the country enjoyed peace and the wars ceased, he served as the Grand Marshal of Da Su's army in the capital.

The late emperor trusted him deeply and often summoned him to the palace. He even made the Crown Prince his disciple, teaching him military strategies and various martial arts. At that time, Qing Yi was the Crown Prince's study companion and had the good fortune to receive his guidance. Shang Qianxian, being protected by the Crown Prince, also had the privilege of receiving his education.

However, later on, the former Crown Prince was implicated in a rebellion plot and was assassinated in Ye City. After the emperor fell seriously ill and passed away, the imperial decree was issued, allowing Shang Qianxian to ascend the throne.

After Shang Qianxian took the throne, there was a significant transformation in the court.

But Shang Qianzhen never imagined that the once-undefeated legend would end up as the commander of Luozhou.

Ran Qinggu furrowed his brows and said calmly, "Speaking of which, this Wang An is also the grandmaster of both Brother and me."

He had taught the Crown Prince and Qing Yi, so it wasn't an exaggeration to call him their grandmaster.

Shang Qianzhen nodded.

He suddenly understood the intentions of Ran Qinggu and Shang Rongyu.

Despite his fall from grace, Wang An had once been a teacher to the emperor.

Although Shang Rongque usually went to great lengths to disguise himself, there was no denying that he bore a striking resemblance to the young Crown Prince.

That was why King Cheng rarely placed him in front of the emperor but instead brought him to the military camp to toughen him up.

As long as he was sufficiently hardened, a man would become rugged enough that others would find it difficult to recognize him.

Moreover, he forbade Shang Rongque from having any romantic relationships, fearing that some women might approach him with ulterior motives. He eliminated all potential risks.

Poor Shang Rongyu, already twenty-seven years old, watched as his younger brothers found beautiful partners one after another, while he remained single.

With the deep bond between Wang An and the former Crown Prince as master and student for over a decade, he would undoubtedly recognize Shang Rongque.

Once he acknowledged Shang Rongque, who would dare to question his identity as the son of the former Crown Prince? With this identity, wouldn't it be within reach to directly attack the imperial palace?

Furthermore, Wang An was a legendary figure. Although his era had passed, his achievements still resonated, and there were still people who admired and were willing to follow him. These individuals could be valuable assets.

King Cheng looked at Ran Qinggu with profound admiration. "At your age, you possess such foresight, far surpassing Marquis Dingbei."

Ran Qinggu smiled. "Thank you, Your Highness, for your kind words."

King Cheng shook his head. "It's not an exaggeration. At the age of eighteen, Marquis Dingbei was merely following his grandfather around the military camp, rolling around in the dirt. His greatest achievement was getting into a fight with me during a polo match. He won that fight, but when he returned, he was beaten up by his grandfather."

As he spoke these words, his face carried a hint of youthful arrogance and schadenfreude.

Shang Rongyu chuckled. "In that case, I'm much better than you. I'm truly surpassing the blue by several hundred times. I've never lost a fight yet."

King Cheng nearly kicked him. "That's because others let you win out of respect for me being your father."

Shang Rongyu retorted, "Enough with the excuses. Last year, when you played polo and drank with those old stubborn men, they clearly let you win even though you couldn't beat them. Why? Because they respected you as my father."

King Cheng snapped, "Get lost!"

Ran Qinggu smiled and asked, "Brother, how much longer will it take to establish a fully operational Falcon Army?"

Shang Rongque furrowed his brows. "It's a bit long, another half a month." Ran Qinggu nodded. "It's enough." King Cheng: "During this half a month, you should go back and rest well. After half a month, we will march to Luozhou. Remember, not a single detail about Rongque's identity and the Falcon Army must be leaked. This is military intelligence." Ran Qinggu, Shang Rong, and Shang Rongque said in unison, "Yes." On March 22nd, King Cheng had a just cause for war, under the name of purging traitors and supporting the rightful ruler, he led his army to Luozhou. That day, Wang An lined up his troops outside Luozhou, setting up the Ten-Zhang Dragon Formation, its grandeur shook the heavens and earth, and all of Da Su was watching this battle. Some said that King Cheng was finished, Wang An might be old, but his fighting spirit remained, legends were still legends after all. Although King Cheng had won many battles over the years, he could never compare to Wang An. Others said that Wang An's legend would finally end, although he was once invincible, he was now old and frail, and he hadn't fought a war in three or four decades. Facing a fierce tiger like King Cheng, he would surely lose terribly. The entire court was watching, even Emperor Xianyuan, who was on his deathbed, sat up with shock, looking at the distant sky, his eyes shining brightly. Because of his suspicions towards the Wang family, after ascending to the throne, he openly promoted and secretly demoted Wang An, sending him to the small city of Luozhou to serve as a garrison commander. Luozhou was located in the central part of Da Su, surrounded by hills, with rivers winding around it. It couldn't grow mulberry or hemp, nor could it benefit from waterways, there were no mines or jade resources, nor any rare species. To put it bluntly, it had inconvenient transportation, scarce produce, and a difficult life for the people. Now that the country was in trouble, Wang An was willing to defend Luozhou without holding grudges. This was something he never expected. After this matter, whether Wang An wins or loses, he must repay Wang An the glory he owes him. He waited for several days, during which his illness improved somewhat, his appearance became more radiant, and he could even eat a few more mouthfuls of food. But he didn't expect to receive such news. When he heard the news, he was so angry that he spat out a mouthful of blood and immediately lost consciousness. The news wasn't that Wang An had lost, but that Shang Rongque was the late Crown Prince's orphan. When he saw the late Crown Princess give birth to a stillborn baby, he felt something was off. That baby was covered in blood, its skin red. But Shang Qianzhen cited the bad luck of two lives dying in one body as a reason to hastily bury the baby and the Crown Princess. He didn't have time to take a closer look, only glancing briefly. He never imagined that behind this matter, there was actually a hidden truth. He previously felt that Shang Rongque looked a bit like the late Crown Prince, but Shang Qianzhen told him that he looked like the late emperor. After taking a closer look, it was indeed true, Shang Rongque's facial features were more similar to the late emperor, the late Crown Prince wasn't as thin as him. Shang Qianzhen also told him that Rongyu's profile resembled the late emperor, just not as angular as his older brother. He kept these words in mind, but he never expected that this was Shang Qianzhen brainwashing him. In fact, everything was an attempt to cover up the truth. Shang Rongque truly resembled the late Crown Prince, and the late Crown Prince closely resembled the late emperor. Shang Qianzhen desperately tried to conceal all of this, it was his own carelessness that caused him to focus entirely on Shang Rongyu, overlooking the eldest son who grew up in the military camp with King Cheng. The Second Prince was caught off guard when he heard this news, even the entire court was shocked. They rarely saw the eldest son of the Wang family, that eldest son named Shang Rongque had always been with King Cheng in the military camp, occasionally appearing once or twice at banquets, completely a rough man. His face was often sunburnt to the point of peeling, or injured from training the troops. Therefore, every time he attended a banquet, he would apply thick yellow medicine, or perhaps appear with a bruised and swollen face. Occasionally, when they saw his true face, he was indeed a handsome young man, but because of Shang Rongyu's brilliance, few people remembered him. King Cheng's move was indeed clever. The Second Prince clenched his teeth, he didn't know if Wang An had rebellious intentions and deliberately acknowledged Shang Rongque as the late Crown Prince's orphan. But now, Shang Rongque's identity as the late Crown Prince's orphan spread faster than a wanted notice, instantly spreading throughout the prosperous cities of Da Su with heavy traffic, then passing down level by level. And he was forced to deal with King Cheng's army, leaving him no time to stop the spread of this rumor. Even Wang An himself didn't expect that his cry of "Your Highness" on the battlefield would rewrite the history of Da Su. He originally planned a grand formation with overwhelming momentum, wanting to capture King Cheng and the Heir of King Cheng personally. In his eyes, regardless of whether Shang Qianxian's throne was legitimate or not, Shang Qianzhen's rebellion and defiance of authority made him undoubtedly a traitor. He was loyal to Da Su, those who disturbed the peace of Da Su would surely die. So he summoned the courage he had accumulated over three or four decades as a general, infantry lined up, drums and gongs resounded, but the moment King Cheng arrived in Luozhou, a familiar face suddenly appeared among his leading troops. It was the face of the late Crown Prince, the entire facial structure seemed to be cut from the late Crown Prince's face and reassembled. Except that face was more weathered, darker, and the eyes sharper. If one had to say who he resembled, it was more like the late emperor. And next to this person, he saw familiar features again. The white-clothed youth beside him looked very much like the wife of Marquis Dingbei. There was no way he could be mistaken, in terms of辈fen, the wife of Marquis Dingbei called him a distant uncle. He hurriedly sounded the retreat, dismounted his horse, and walked to the front of King Cheng's army. He wanted to ask King Cheng for an explanation. King Cheng was open-minded, he told him in detail how he protected the late Crown Prince's orphan in the Eastern Palace until Ran Qinggu entered the Wang family. He even showed Wang An the token left by the late Crown Princess for Shang Rongque. It was the blood letter written by the late Crown Princess, each word was filled with tears and blood, but that handwriting was definitely the late Crown Princess's, because the Crown Prince had more than once mocked the late Crown Princess's ugly handwriting in front of him. Wang An shed tears, crying out, "Your Highness." His subordinates were surprised. Wang An shouted to his subordinates, "This is the late Crown Prince's orphan, he was saved by King Cheng through a trick."

==

Following that, King Cheng ordered the revelation of Shang Rongque's identity as the late Crown Prince's orphan to spread far and wide. With Imperial Tutor Wang An's surrender without a fight, his kneeling before the army, and his anguished cries for "Your Highness" serving as corroborating evidence, Shang Rongque's identity became as solid as a rock, unshakable.

Afterwards, King Cheng's army advanced like a raging storm, capturing twelve cities in ten days, their vast forces arriving at the northern part of Nan Shan in the capital.

==

Shang Yuzhou suddenly learned about Shang Rongque's identity and King Cheng's successful arrival at the capital while on the march.

Fang Changgong, clutching the paper with the news, crumpled it in rage and threw it into the fire.

He glared at the pale-faced Shang Yuzhou, "We've all been played by Ran Qinggu. There's no way he didn't know about Shang Rongque's identity. Knowing it, he deliberately concealed it. Now, we're being toyed with like clowns in the palm of his hand. He never trusted you and betrayed you long ago; otherwise, we wouldn't have been caught off guard."

Shang Yuzhou's face was cold as the campfire outside illuminated the tent. Facing the light, his expression darkened as he interrupted, "Enough."

Fang Changgong shouted, "Third Prince."

Regardless of Shang Rongque's true identity, his status as the Crown Prince's orphan had become as certain as nails on a board. Entering the capital under the banner of purging traitors and reopening old cases, he would undoubtedly gain the support of many court officials and local administrators.

Shang Yuzhou lowered his eyes, "That day, Qinggu came to see me, probably intending to tell me. But I, out of jealousy towards Shang Rongyu, refused to hear another word from him."

Fang Changgong's gaze was grim, "How do you know that Ran Qinggu only found out about Shang Rongque's identity after reaching Yunzhou?"

Shang Yuzhou suddenly raised his head, "What do you mean?"

Fang Changgong replied, "He stayed in the Marquisate for so long, and Marquis Dingbei was as close as brothers with the late Crown Prince. I don't believe Shang Rongque didn't approach him in the manor. Nor do I believe that, with his intelligence, he failed to discover Shang Rongque's identity. He likely knew all along, which is why he remained in the manor unwilling to leave, Third Prince. He betrayed you long ago. While pretending to help you strategize, he was also plotting for Shang Rongque in the manor, playing two games at once. Truly impressive."

Shang Yuzhou felt as if struck by lightning.

Betrayed long ago?

He didn't believe it. Ran Qinggu wasn't that kind of person.

Fang Changgong sneered, "Third Prince, it's not a big deal. Ran Qinggu betrayed you, but I won't. Let's head to the capital first. Wait until they're both weakened from fighting each other, then strike during the chaos, seize the imperial city, and getting the jade seal is most important."

Shang Yuzhou clenched his teeth firmly, "I will ask for clarity."

He didn't believe that Ran Qinggu had betrayed him long ago.

He wanted Ran Qinggu to admit it himself.

Fang Changgong was taken aback, then nodded understandingly, "Fine. But we must first return to the imperial city and seize the jade seal. If possible, force the Emperor to issue an edict proclaiming you as the next crown prince."

Shang Yuzhou remained silent.

He now had no choice but to follow this path; there were no other options left for him.

==

On the eighteenth day of the fourth month of the twenty-fourth year of Xianyuan, the Battle of Nan Shan erupted completely.

King Cheng's cavalry and the Falcon Army faced off against the imperial army led by Second Prince Shang Zhi. The two armies fought fiercely throughout the night.

The next morning, Shang Zhi suffered defeat and retreated with his troops.

The Battle of Nan Shan was the least deadly, quickest concluded, yet largest-scale battle in Da Su's history in terms of participation.

The number of casualties was fewer than those killed when Marquis Dingbei's son, Qinggu, set the mountain forest ablaze.

This battle represented the shift in royal power and the definitive end of the dream of imperial authority.

Outside the capital, south of Nan Shan, dawn approached.

King Cheng's golden armor was stained with blood, reflecting the rising red sun on the horizon.

Shang Rongque wiped the blood from his face, "Second Prince hasn't changed his ways, actually attempting a midnight ambush."

They were stationed outside the city, with Second Prince displaying a truce flag, yet he launched a surprise attack on their camp at night. They were prepared day and night, successfully guarding against this major rat.

In just one night, they had annihilated the majority of Second Prince's main forces.

The battlefield was strewn with corpses, and patrolling soldiers carried severely wounded soldiers back to camp. Wild dogs and mountain birds, attracted by the scent, frolicked amidst the verdant landscape.

King Cheng gazed at the rising sun, lost in thought.

Shang Rongque asked King Cheng, "Father, should we press on to capture the capital in one fell swoop, or return to camp to rest and regroup?"

Before King Cheng could respond, a scout reported, "Your Highness, Second Prince was pursued by our victorious advance, heading north into the Watch Forest. Our warhorses have been fighting all night, and the Falcons can't penetrate the forest. Our troops are currently encamped outside the Watch Forest, awaiting your orders."

"What is that..." a soldier looked toward the direction of the Watch Forest.

King Cheng and Shang Rongque also turned to look.

Smoke billowed from the Watch Forest, instantly enveloping the entire northern region. Birds fluttered out of the forest, and sparks crackled in the sky above...

King Cheng and Shang Rongyu's expressions darkened instantly.

Shang Rongque was speechless, "The Watch Forest is on fire. A fire this large must be man-made."

King Cheng forcefully plunged his blood-dried sword into the mud stained with blood, "We've all been outmaneuvered by Qinggu."

From beginning to end, everyone was on his chessboard, including himself.

To think that after a lifetime of conquests, in his twilight years, he was outwitted by an eighteen-year-old child.

Shang Rongyu leisurely approached with his two dogs, calling out, "Father, all the wounded have been brought back to the tents. Are we returning now?"

King Cheng's face was cold, "Rongyu, did you intentionally hide something from us?"

Shang Rongyu smiled candidly, "Didn't you also hide Qinggu's female identity from me? This time, we three are even!"

The author has something to say: I made some adjustments to the previous chapter. I revised the parts where Qinggu was interrupted three times because yesterday morning, I woke up around five or six to write, rushing to update. The character emotions weren't fully developed, and commenters rightly questioned why Ran couldn't directly shout out Shang Rongque's identity. I realized there were gaps in the explanation, so I made revisions.

I changed the three interruptions to reflect the progression of Qinggu's emotions, adding nearly a thousand words. If you've already purchased it, there won't be any additional charges. If interested, you can go back and check it out.

The three instances unfolded as follows:

Firstly, when Ran sought to negotiate with Shang Yuzhou, he initially believed it was a negotiation and intended to reveal Shang Rongque's identity. However, he was interrupted by the Third Prince, sensing that the latter had no genuine interest in negotiation.

Secondly, he prompted Shang Yuzhou to state his terms, cautiously engaging in negotiations without exposing Shang Rongque's identity. Doubts lingered in his mind regarding Shang Yuzhou's sincerity, leading him to refrain from recklessly disclosing Shang Rongque's status. He also aimed to avoid complications before entering the capital, preventing any manipulation of Shang Rongque's identity.

Thirdly, weapons were drawn, yet Ran did not wish to sever ties with Shang Yuzhou. Instead, he attempted to analyze the situation for him, only to be interrupted by one of Shang Yuzhou's confidants.

These three instances represented a progression of emotions, starting from Qinggu's hopeful negotiation that nearly revealed Shang Rongque's identity, to Ran's exchange of interests with Shang Yuzhou, culminating in his earnest efforts to elucidate the situation for Shang Yuzhou...

I am truly grateful to that adorable little one!

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