Chapter 0056 True Love

Chapter 0056 True Love

In the city of Jinling.

This time, Xiao Rong didn't even bring Zhang Biezhi with him to the palace, which resulted in unanimous opposition from everyone.

Xiao Rong initially wanted to ignore them, but their voices were too loud. Even the usually silent guards spoke up to stop him. For some reason, they had suddenly become very concerned about his personal safety.

Xiao Rong had no idea that these people had finally received news from their comrades outside. The King was furious after receiving the first letter and seemed intent on making an example by executing a few people. Even though they were Qu Yunmie's personal soldiers, they didn't want to die at the hands of their own king.

Xiao Rong was annoyed by their persistence and decided to take two people with him. After all, once they reached the palace, they would be stopped outside, as the palace guards wouldn't let them in.

It was enough for them to follow him. The others were satisfied with this arrangement. Zhang Biezhi, after a good night's sleep, had finally regained his energy and his incessant chatter resumed.

"Yesterday you were mocked so harshly, yet today you still want to go see them. In my opinion, there's nothing worth staying in Jinling for. It's crowded and infested with pests!"

"The Northern Pacification Army is more than enough to attack the Xianbei. Why do we need to involve these useless people? Besides, do they even show any willingness to send troops? You're likely to return empty-handed again today."

Xiao Rong: "…"

He slammed his teacup onto the table, creating a loud noise without breaking it.

Zhang Biezhi jumped in surprise and saw Xiao Rong looking at him with an unhappy expression. "In terms of rank, age, and position under the King, when did it become your place to lecture me?"

Zhang Biezhi: "…"

His words had come out spontaneously, and only now did he realize the implications. His expression turned somewhat guilty. "I wasn't lecturing you; I was just saying..."

After a pause, he added softly, "You told me to act like before."

Xiao Rong: "That was for outsiders. Do you really think your previous demeanor was appealing?"

Zhang Biezhi: "…………"

He lowered his head in frustration, remaining silent.

Seeing his sudden quietness, Xiao Rong felt a slight change in his heart. He hadn't expected Zhang Biezhi to have such thin skin. After a moment of silence, he spoke up. "Even if I go to the palace, you can't idle around today. Go explore the main city, visit places like tea houses, gambling dens, and pleasure gardens where many people gather. Observe the lives of the residents and compare them to those in Chenliu. Report your findings to me by evening."

Xiao Rong simply wanted to keep Zhang Biezhi occupied so he wouldn't get bored and cause trouble. Zhang Biezhi was surprised to receive such a detailed task.

In the past, he was usually assigned tasks like guarding prisoners or transporting captives—tasks that weren't particularly important. Even delivering supplies was beyond his scope. Captives could be lost, but supplies were valuable.

Although Zhang Biezhi was overly clumsy, he had a hidden strength: he always completed any task given to him, regardless of its difficulty. Of course, he might not succeed with tasks beyond his capabilities, but he would certainly try his best.

During the trip to New Peace, despite his reluctance, he never delayed and always protected Xiao Yi and the others, facing danger head-on every time.

Jian Qiao knew about this trait, but Zhang Biezhi's reputation was so poor that whenever Jian Qiao tried to give him important tasks, Qu Yunmie would object. This led to Zhang Biezhi having no military achievements.

Skills were important, but character was equally crucial. Jian Qiao's concern wasn't about protecting Xiao Rong's safety but rather about preventing him from provoking Xiao Rong into cursing him, leaving him unable to return.

Considering how mysterious Xiao Rong was in the eyes of some people...

After arranging Zhang Biezhi's task and secretly sending Ah Shu to follow him, Xiao Rong confidently headed to the palace.

In Jinling, court sessions were held every five days, but these sessions were mostly formalities. Important decisions were made during the Eight Ministers' meetings, which took place when the young emperor was absent, under Sun Renluan's leadership.

The Eight Ministers' meeting, as the name suggests, involved the Grand Marshal, Grand General, Chancellor, Minister of Works, Tutor, Chancellor of State, Keeper of the Seal, and Commander-in-Chief. Although nominally eight people, who attended depended entirely on Sun Renluan's approval. If he approved, anyone could join; if not, even Yang Zangyi would be excluded.

He had done this before, leaving Yang Zangyi, a Minister of Works, excluded from meetings for two months, which deeply angered him.

Zhang Biezhi, unfamiliar with Jinling's bureaucracy, thought yesterday's debate represented Southern Yong's stance. In reality, yesterday was just a prelude; today was the real event.

Xiao Rong arrived not too early, but the Eight Ministers' meeting was still ongoing. He waited outside, refusing to let the eunuchs announce his arrival. Once the meeting ended, he expressed his desire to meet the Grand Marshal privately.

Most of the palace staff were likely loyal to the Grand Marshal. Without much ado, one of them quickly left and returned shortly, informing Xiao Rong that the Grand Marshal wished to see him.

Xiao Rong followed the eunuch through the palace, far from yesterday's hall, until they finally reached their destination.

If historical records hadn't mentioned that Sun Renluan preferred solitude and lived in a remote part of the palace, Xiao Rong might have suspected the eunuch was leading him to his death.

Despite its remoteness, the place was fully equipped and luxuriously decorated. Xiao Rong felt as if he had entered another world. Many items here would be considered priceless treasures even in modern times, reminiscent of the bronze artifacts he had seen in an exhibition after finishing elementary school.

Bronze artifacts, dating back over two thousand years, remained timeless even by modern standards. If ancient bronze artifacts had such enduring appeal, how much more so would modern-style items?

If Xiao Rong were more artistic, he might have stared at these items in awe, feeling his life had been enriched. However, he had little artistic sensibility and merely glanced around the room, thinking, "Truly wealthy."

If only this wealth could belong to the Northern Pacification Army...

After bowing to Sun Renluan, Xiao Rong sat opposite him.

Before Sun Renluan could speak, Xiao Rong took the initiative to sit down, which caused a subtle change in Sun Renluan's expression.

From a distance yesterday, Xiao Rong had only gotten a general impression. Today, sitting face-to-face, he realized Sun Renluan was quite handsome.

At over forty, he didn't look his age. While other men's beards aged them, Sun Renluan's enhanced his charm, making him a distinguished and attractive older gentleman.

It made sense; the Sun family had produced several empresses, ensuring no ugly offspring through generations of genetic refinement.

Recollecting himself, Xiao Rong smiled. "Thank you, Grand Marshal, for taking the time to meet me amidst your busy schedule. Yesterday, my words caused a commotion in the court. I hope you can forgive my indiscretion."

Sun Renluan: "No problem. What brings you here today?"

Xiao Rong: "It's still about yesterday's matter. The formation of the coalition is inevitable. When the barbarians united to invade and ravage the Central Plains, turning it into a living hell, we must retaliate in kind. To be frank, the King's invitation has already received responses."

Sun Renluan asked, "Oh? How many?"

Xiao Rong smiled lightly. "The number doesn't matter. Attacking the Xianbei is a shared wish, a righteous cause. Anyone with ambition would not disregard this invitation."

Sun Renluan tugged at the corner of his mouth but said nothing.

This tactic of provocation wouldn't work on him. He had the young emperor's backing, and a mere word like "righteousness" couldn't pressure him.

Seeing his expression, Xiao Rong realized that his words were ineffective. He pursed his lips and continued, "Naturally, for other ambitious individuals, we invite them to join us in this grand endeavor. However, for the Grand Marshal, we request that the court dispatch reinforcements."

Sun Renluan's gaze toward Xiao Rong changed. Asking the court to send troops and requesting reinforcements from the court were different in just one word, but the implications were vastly different.

The former treated the court as a partner, while the latter treated the court as a superior.

The Northern Pacification King had been independent for so many years. He had never sent supplies to Jinling and never mentioned being a subject of His Majesty. Although he hadn't raised a banner against the Yong Dynasty, everyone tacitly acknowledged that he and the lands north of the Huai River were no longer part of the dynasty.

However, hearing Xiao Rong's current suggestion, was he proposing to use the court's troops in exchange for the Northern Pacification King's renewed allegiance to the court?

He felt it was unlikely. Who would be foolish enough to do such a thing?

Sure enough, when he asked this question indirectly, Xiao Rong answered with more tactful wording.

In essence, the Northern Pacification King could not re-pledge allegiance to the court because allegiance meant paying taxes and serving the king. They didn't even have enough for themselves, and Qu Yunmie's personality made it impossible for him to submit to others. However, the Northern Pacification Army was truly desperate, so they were willing to appear to submit to the court. This included having the Northern Pacification Army's banners at the forefront during battles against the Xianbei, alongside banners bearing the character "Yong." Additionally, any future appointments in the lands north of the Huai River would be communicated to Jinling through official documents and tokens issued by the emperor.

Sun Renluan: "…………"

At first, he thought it sounded reasonable. The court wouldn't send too many troops, and even three or four thousand would be generous. With the banners at the front, the credit for the campaign would go to the court, and they could easily make the public believe it was their hard-fought victory.

But as he listened further, he began to sense something amiss.

On the surface, the Northern Pacification King was acknowledging the emperor's legitimacy by using the emperor's tokens. However, the court couldn't control the officials in the lands north of the Huai River; Qu Yunmie still held the real power. More importantly, since these officials were recognized by the emperor, it meant not only did the Northern Pacification King acknowledge the emperor's legitimacy, but the emperor also acknowledged the legitimacy of the Northern Pacification King's rule over a vast territory.

Just like Xiao Rong, who was currently an ambiguous Chenliu Prefect, if he received tokens from Jinling, his position would become legitimate, benefiting him greatly.

Sun Renluan's gaze toward Xiao Rong became wary. This man was setting a trap, and fortunately, he had caught on. Otherwise, he would be doing someone else's bidding.

Yet, even knowing it was a trap, he still dared not outright refuse Xiao Rong.

After all, even a superficial submission could restrain Qu Yunmie, preventing him from immediately turning his attention to Jinling after defeating the Xianbei.

It was a double-edged sword. It depended on how well it was used. If used well, Qu Yunmie would suffer; if not, he himself would suffer.

Setting a trap wasn't difficult; making the opponent see it and hesitate was the true skill.

Sun Renluan looked at Xiao Rong and slowly smiled. "I seem to understand why the Northern Pacification King sent you alone, Xiao Lingyin. You can replace thousands of troops."

Xiao Rong pursed his lips and smiled. "Your praise is unwarranted, Grand Marshal. The King trusts me the most. His wishes are mine, and his heart is mine."

Sun Renluan understood the implication.

Xiao Rong was hinting that he had significant authority, and whatever assurances he gave would be fulfilled.

But negotiations weren't that simple. Sun Renluan remained firm. "All land under heaven belongs to the king, and all subjects within its borders are his servants. The emperor's blessings extend far and wide, always including the Northern Pacification King. To seek the court's troops with this matter shows no sincerity."

Xiao Rong: "……"

He thought Sun Renluan was different from those aristocratic officials, but he was just hiding deeper. In reality, he looked down on the Northern Pacification Army, albeit aware of their strength and thus wary.

But he exposed himself quickly. Give him a bit of color, and he really dares to open a dye shop.

Knowing Sun Renluan had this flaw, he felt relieved. A conceited opponent was better than one who constantly saw him as a formidable rival.

Smiling slightly, Xiao Rong took out a gold ingot from his robe and presented it to Sun Renluan, showing the side engraved with the Huang family crest.

Xiao Rong asked, "Does this show our sincerity?"

Sun Renluan recognized it as a Huang family item but didn't understand Xiao Rong's intention.

Xiao Rong then showed a mocking smile. "Perhaps the Grand Marshal doesn't know, but Huang Yanjiong has been recruiting troops in Jianning for some time. He has over a hundred officers and a total of ten thousand soldiers. With such a large force, claiming self-defense seems dubious." Sun Renluan was stunned.

Xiao Rong didn't look at his eyes, letting him digest the information. Actually, Huang Yanjiong had only six thousand troops, but exaggeration was common. Six thousand seemed small, but ten thousand sounded much more threatening.

Ten thousand troops could invade Jinling, forcing them into a defensive siege. While ten thousand might not capture Jinling, no one wanted another siege battle.

Moreover, there was a larger enemy nearby. Who knew if Qu Yunmie would take advantage of the situation? ……Hmm?

If this were true, why would Xiao Rong tell him?

Sun Renluan probed Xiao Rong's intentions. "Is Xiao Lingyin joking? I don't know about this, and you're far away in the north. How did you find out so easily?"

He glanced at the gold ingot on the table. "Did Governor Huang personally tell you?"

Xiao Rong sensed the sarcasm but merely smiled ambiguously. "If Governor Huang could tell us his troop numbers, we wouldn't need to gather intelligence daily. You witnessed the events back then, where Huang Yanjiong humiliated the King, leading to their enmity. After the Huang family declined, Huang Yanjiong hated the King deeply. They are mortal enemies, but due to Huang Lujiang's past aid, the King owes the Huang family a great debt, preventing any conflict. The bitterness isn't easy to endure."

Sun Renluan almost forgot about Huang Yanqin. Xiao Rong's reminder brought back memories. He paused and said calmly, "Those were just youthful squabbles, not as serious as you say."

Xiao Rong replied, "Not so. As the saying goes, 'like drinking water, one knows its warmth.' The King and Huang Yanjiong's enmity has only grown stronger. When the King contacted Huang Yanjiong to attack the Xianbei, it was to gauge his stance and estimate his forces. But do you know what Huang Yanjiong did on his first day in Chenliu? He plotted a scheme to force the King to kill his benefactor's son."

In Xiao Rong's narrative, the scene was intense. Qu Yunmie's blade was at Huang Keji's throat, and Huang Yanjiong stood up in agitation. At the critical moment, Huang Keji revealed his identity, shocking Qu Yunmie and making him regret nearly killing Huang Yanqin's son.

Without a storyteller, Xiao Rong's dramatic recounting left Sun Renluan stunned, vividly imagining Huang Yanjiong's malice and Huang Keji's fear.

As for Zhou Liang, Xiao Rong erased him entirely. Zhou Liang had fled, and who knew where he went. He didn't want Sun Renluan to realize he was a talent and recruit him.

Thus, in Xiao Rong's account, the scheme was solely Huang Yanjiong's fault. He was thoroughly corrupt, and now he had ten thousand troops. Think carefully about what to do!

Sun Renluan couldn't agree with Xiao Rong. He opposed his claims, and Xiao Rong's smile returned.

Sun Renluan was almost traumatized by his smile, as it always preceded bad news.

Sure enough, Xiao Rong then told him that Huang Yanjiong didn't want to attack the Xianbei but made a deal with the Northern Pacification Army before leaving. If Qu Yunmie reported his military achievements to the court and had his territory changed from Jianning to Lujiang, he would respond to Qu Yunmie's invitation and write a personal letter freeing Qu Yunmie from the Huang family's moral constraints. ……

Initially, it was Xiao Rong who proposed the terms, but here he twisted it to make it seem like Huang Yanjiong's demand. However, he didn't lie; Huang Yanjiong did agree to future cooperation based on these terms.

But with such a simple twist of logic, Huang Yanjiong became a highly ambitious traitor. His desire to return to Lujiang indicated two things: first, it showed he still harbored resentment over past events, which was why he was so persistent about coming back; second, while he wanted to return to Lujiang, he was also recruiting troops. If he were to bring an army of a hundred thousand to garrison in Lujiang, he could easily breach the walls of Jinling.

Moreover, he had an advantage over Qu Yunmie. Qu Yunmie would have to cross a river to attack, but Huang Yanjiong wouldn't even need to climb a mountain to reach the city gates. He wouldn't have to worry about supply lines either.

This time, Sun Renluan's expression finally turned serious. It wasn't scary for someone to have ideas; what was truly frightening was when they not only had ideas but also voiced them. Such people were either reckless or confident.

Xiao Rong observed his expression and then sighed appropriately. Huang Yanjiong used the Huang family's favor to coerce their king, which indeed put pressure on him. However, their king was a wise man and wouldn't do something as foolish as aiding the enemy. Lujiang was close to Jinling and Chenliu. While Huang Yanjiong hated the court, he hated Qu Yunmie even more, who had once taken his concubine. The mere thought of such an enemy outside made Qu Yunmie lose his appetite. Therefore, he sent Xiao Rong to explain the situation and propose a plan to lure Huang Yanjiong into action, weaken his forces, and eventually deal with him.

As for how to lure him, it was simple. The Grand Marshal just needed to write a letter instructing Huang Yanjiong to follow the Northern Pacification King's orders and join forces to attack the Xianbei. This way, Huang Yanjiong would believe that returning to Lujiang was within reach.

Whether there was actually a path or not was never mentioned, leaving it up to the Grand Marshal's discretion later.

Compared to sending troops, writing a letter was trivial. After hearing Xiao Rong's words, Sun Renluan was also curious about how many troops Huang Yanjiong could muster. If he could easily gather ten to twenty thousand men...

Although Jianning was far away, it wasn't a place one could be complacent about. The southern bank of the Huai River was naturally protected, making it difficult for invaders from the north. However, the south had its own vulnerability: it was mostly plains and hills, harder to defend than the north. Historically, the north could be divided into several small states, while the south remained a contiguous region. Southern unrest always ended quickly because no one could establish a stronghold there.

Thinking about Huang Yanjiong, Sun Renluan nodded at Xiao Rong. Seeing this nod, Xiao Rong promptly seized the opportunity and stopped mentioning Huang Yanjiong, as if it wasn't his main purpose. Huang Yanjiong was merely a token of sincerity. With the sincerity delivered, Xiao Rong shifted the conversation back to sending troops.

However, this time Sun Renluan wasn't so easily convinced. They engaged in further negotiations, and eventually, Xiao Rong had to leave empty-handed. Realizing he couldn't persuade Sun Renluan, Xiao Rong rose to leave but handed over the secret formula Huang Yanjiong had sent. He explicitly stated that Huang Yanjiong wanted Qu Yunmie to pass it to Sun Renluan and facilitate his relocation to Lujiang.

There was more than just the formula, but Xiao Rong didn't mention it. If Sun Renluan asked, he would say the rest was stored elsewhere and would be sent later. If Sun Renluan didn't ask, it would be extra income.

Sun Renluan had controlled the court for years and had seen countless treasures. He wouldn't focus on Huang Yanjiong's gifts. Even the secret formula barely caught his attention.

Xiao Rong then mentioned that Huang Yanjiong had also sent a beauty-preserving formula for the Empress Dowager. Without asking Sun Renluan what to do, he directly said he planned to visit her, both to deliver the gift and pay respects.

In the early feudal dynasty, the Empress Dowager's power was immense. Many held political control for decades, even after the emperor came of age. Emperors continued to honor them while secretly seizing power.

Empress Dowager Sun didn't fare well because she lacked influence. If she had been able to remove her brother, she wouldn't be a mere figurehead.

Despite being a figurehead, she was still the Empress Dowager, living in luxury and appearing at grand events. Ministers could seek her favor and meet her.

If Xiao Rong had asked Sun Renluan, he would have refused. But by preemptively blocking that path, Sun Renluan couldn't deny him based on propriety.

Besides, his sister cared only about jewels and men, so a visit wouldn't hurt.

After Xiao Rong left, Sun Renluan suddenly remembered something. Xiao Rong was incredibly handsome—would his sister—

Sun Renluan was in his forties, while Empress Dowager Sun was in her twenties. They were siblings, but one was born to the original wife and the other to a subsequent wife. When Sun Shannu was born, Sun Renluan already had a daughter. Their relationship was distant, and they didn't know each other well. Xiao Rong, however, knew exactly what kind of person Sun Shannu was.

She loved wealth and beauty, but above all, she was a hopeless romantic.

At present, her true love was already by her side. No matter how handsome Xiao Rong was, he likely couldn't shake that person's position in her heart.

When Xiao Rong arrived at the Empress Dowager's palace, she sat behind a curtain, stunned by his appearance. She stared at him intently but ultimately decided against acting on her impulses. Xiao Rong wasn't just any nobleman; he belonged to the Northern Pacification King and couldn't become her personal possession. Moreover, doing so would make someone jealous.

With regret, Sun Shannu accepted the gift through her maid and exchanged pleasantries before dismissing him.

What Sun Shannu didn't realize was that the respectful Xiao Rong who left her palace transformed the moment he stepped out.

Before leaving, he clenched his sleeves, creating wrinkles to suggest he had been grabbed. Once outside, he changed from composed to visibly agitated, his face flushed, and he walked quickly, covering his face when others approached, as if trying to avoid recognition.

The patrolling guards glanced at him, then at the palace. Wow—