Chapter 252

Chapter 252

Fan Mansion.

Pan Yuerou accompanied her mother-in-law to the living room to entertain guests.

After some casual conversation, Lady Lu glanced at her daughter-in-law and said to Madam Fan, "Yinniang, why don’t you let the two of them go to the garden to enjoy the flowers while we old sisters have a chat?"

Since Lu Gong was from the elder generation of the Fan family, the two ladies were a generation apart. Therefore, Lady Lu could directly call Madam Fan by her maiden name.

Madam Fan looked hesitant.

Seeing this, Lady Lu smiled, stood up, and waved to Pan Yuerou. "Come, Yuerou, let’s take a walk."

Pan Yuerou remained seated and said with a sense of guilt, "My mother-in-law has been coughing recently. I’d better stay here. If her cough worsens, I can help pat her back."

Madam Fan, catching her daughter-in-law’s signal, pretended to cough a couple of times and said, "Yuerou is right. It’s better for her to stay. Anyway, it’s just us four ladies here, and none of us are outsiders. Auntie, feel free to speak your mind."

Lady Lu smiled and gestured for her daughter-in-law to sit back down. She glanced at Pan Yuerou and said to Madam Fan, "Alright, I’ll be honest then. Yinniang, do you know that the Emperor is critically ill, and Fan Zhao is in charge of his diet and medicine?"

Madam Fan replied, "I know. Ah, both the late emperor and empress are gone. The Wang clan, with their venomous hearts, has been executed. The remaining two consorts are from the families of old ministers and may not be reliable. My Zhao’er and the Emperor are as close as brothers. Is there any issue with this arrangement?"

Lady Lu said, "Fan Zhao is indeed the best choice to protect the Emperor, but I’ve heard that he has been giving the Emperor large doses of sedatives. All medicines have side effects, and long-term use of sedatives can be particularly harmful to the body. The Emperor’s condition will only worsen. Of course, Fan Zhao is a general; he may not understand medicine. My suggestion is that you persuade Fan Zhao to hand this responsibility over to Prime Minister Wei. Prime Minister Wei, being an old servant of the late emperor, is someone we can trust, don’t you agree?"

Both families were aware that the Xianqing Emperor was frightened into illness by Fan Zhao. If Fan Zhao truly wanted the Emperor to recover, he should distance himself from the Emperor for a while, remove the guards he had stationed around him to calm the Emperor’s emotions, instead of continuously administering strong medicine.

Madam Fan said, "I will talk to Zhao’er, but this child has always been stubborn. I’m afraid he won’t listen even if I say too much."

Lady Lu replied, "No matter how stubborn he is, he’s still a filial child. If you remind him a few more times, he will definitely listen. Also, since the Wang clan’s nine clans have been executed, shouldn’t Fan Zhao open all eight city gates? With only two gates open and such strict inspections, it’s inconvenient for merchants and people to come and go, causing unnecessary panic and gossip, which isn’t good for Fan Zhao’s reputation."

Madam Fan said, "The Emperor is critically ill, and Zhao’er is afraid that someone might take the opportunity to cause trouble. Once the Emperor recovers, everything will return to normal."

These were empty words, and Lady Lu continued, "We, the families raised by the late emperor, are the most loyal to him in the entire world. If you can really persuade Fan Zhao, we can rest easy once the Emperor recovers. But if Fan Zhao doesn’t listen and continues to administer strong medicine to the Emperor, should the Emperor suffer any mishap, even if Fan Zhao controls the capital, he will not escape the infamy of having harmed the Emperor and betrayed the late emperor..."

Just as Madam Fan turned pale, Pan Yuerou interrupted with a delicate voice, "Why would you say that, Madam? The Emperor is weak, and after being frightened by Empress Wang, he developed a violent illness. The prescriptions are all given by the imperial physicians. The Marquis doesn’t understand medicine, so he can only follow the medical advice. Even if Prime Minister Wei were to take over, he would still have to listen to the imperial physicians. How can you say that the Marquis is administering strong medicine to the Emperor?"

"And as for the Emperor being bedridden, the Marquis, being the Commander of the Imperial Guard, defending the capital is his duty. If he let the enemies in, that would truly be a failure of the late emperor’s trust."

Lady Lu listened patiently and then said to Madam Fan, "What Fan Zhao is doing, you and I know, and heaven and earth know. Even the spirits of the late emperor and empress are watching from beyond the grave..."

Pan Yuerou was unable to finish her sentence when Lady Lu’s daughter-in-law suddenly left her seat, strode over, and slapped Pan Yuerou across the face. "You’re so ill-mannered! When elders are speaking, what right do you, a younger generation, have to interrupt?"

Pan Yuerou, incredulous, covered her face and was stunned for a long moment before looking at her mother-in-law with tearful, wounded eyes.

Madam Fan clutched her handkerchief tightly.

Lady Lu forced a smile and said, "So, as your auntie, I have to watch my words because of the younger generation now?"

Madam Fan replied, "Auntie, please don’t say that. Yuerou doesn’t understand the rules, but what you said was also too hurtful. As for Zhao’er’s loyalty, do you really not know? Things have come to this point, and..."

As she spoke, tears fell from Madam Fan’s eyes. Her son was indeed acting against the late emperor, but if her son didn’t control the Emperor, once the Emperor recovered, he would kill her entire family. At that time, what would the Lu family do? Go to their graves to offer incense and shed tears?

Lady Lu understood. Since the Fan family, mother and son, were of one mind, there was no need to continue persuading them.

As for Fan Zhao’s loyalty, while he was indeed loyal to the late emperor, his loyalty to the current emperor was a joke. How could anyone trust the loyalty of a courtier who was disrespectful to his emperor?

Before leaving, Lady Lu finally said, "There is still time to pull back from the brink. With Fan Zhao’s merits toward the late emperor and Great Yu, Gong’er, Prime Minister Wei, and Feng Ji will surely be able to persuade the Emperor to give Fan Zhao a way out. If something happens to the Emperor, Fan Zhao will face certain ruin."

A charge of regicide alone would make it impossible for Fan Zhao to live in peace in the world.

After the Lu family's mother-in-law and daughter-in-law left, Madam Fan sank into her chair.

Pan Yuerou knelt beside her and held her mother-in-law's hand. "Mother, don't believe her words. Neither Prime Minister Wei nor Marquis Lu Gong could convince the Emperor to stop favoring the Wang family. After this incident, what power do they have to dissuade the Emperor from his desire to kill the Marquis? The only reason they haven't acted yet is because the Marquis is still too powerful, and they're afraid of him."

Madam Fan was in tears. "But if the Emperor really dies, Zhao'er will become a murderer..."

Pan Yuerou said, "No, the murderer is the Wang family. The Marquis is a hero who saved the Emperor. The people of the world will only praise the Marquis for his loyalty to the late emperor and his son!"

——

In the evening, when Lu Gong returned home and heard what his mother had to say, he worriedly said, "It seems this path is also blocked."

Madam Lu sighed. "Is the Emperor's illness really that serious?"

Mentioning this made Lu Gong even more distressed. "He can't eat anything at all. He survives by having soup fed to him while sleeping. He's almost skin and bones now."

That was the late emperor's son, reduced to such a state. It was all his fault.

In the inner room, only the mother and son were present. Madam Lu quietly asked, "Do you think the Emperor can hold on until Xiao Zhen and Qi Heng return with their armies to the capital?"

Lu Gong closed his eyes and calculated, then shook his head. "Unless Fan Zhao wants the Emperor to live."

Madam Lu sighed. "He's been heartbroken by the Emperor. I can understand his hatred, but his stubbornness will cause chaos in the world."

The late emperor was the only one who could control the various border generals of Great Yu. With the late emperor gone and his son succeeding him, the generals continued to be loyal to the Xianqing Emperor, in line with the way of loyalty. But if something happened to the Xianqing Emperor and he left no heir, who would be the next emperor? Who could command respect and has the potential to be a wise ruler?

Fan Zhao?

Fan Zhao was as stubborn as the Xianqing Emperor. The Xianqing Emperor's mistake was favoring the Wang family. If Fan Zhao took the throne, he would dismiss all the civil and military officials he disliked.

Lu Gong was also thinking along the same lines. After much consideration, he did think of someone who had both military achievements to command respect and the wisdom to govern the country.

"Mother, have you heard any news about Lady Anguo recently?"

Madam Lu was sharp and exclaimed, "Are you thinking of..."

Lu Gong stopped his mother. "I'm just asking casually."

For the past few months, he had been preoccupied with the Xianqing Emperor, the Wang family, and Fan Zhao, and hadn't paid much attention to other matters. These were unrelated to the Xiao family for now, and it was expected that the Xiao family estates were peaceful.

Madam Lu thought for a moment and smiled. "She's remarkably composed, especially given the circumstances. Ever since the Marquis of Xiao left the capital, the women of the Xiao family have rarely gone out. I haven't heard any gossip. She is Lady Anguo, after all. Should I visit the Marquis’s residence and sound her out?"

Lu Gong said, "No, I command 140,000 troops of the Eastern Camp and am helpless against the Imperial Guard. Lady Anguo would also be powerless in this situation. It's better to let her rest and raise her child in peace. If you go, it will only remind Fan Zhao that there is a Lady Anguo in the city."

Madam Lu said, "Alright, but even if I don't go, when the Marquis of Xiao returns with the Southern Camp army, won’t Fan Zhao remember her?"

Lu Gong said worriedly, "We'll have to take it one step at a time."

Until the very end, he couldn’t predict what path Fan Zhao would take.

——

On the Double Ninth Festival in September, in Dunhuang.

Lv Sheng and his 3,000 cavalry were racing toward Dunhuang, with the pursuing troops led by Xiao Zhen and Zhao Liangchen visible a few miles behind, indicated by the rolling smoke.

Days of fleeing had left Lv Sheng's lips cracked. He looked at his equally haggard confidants and said, "Don't worry, I've left 10,000 elite troops and enough food to sustain an army of 50,000 for a year in Dunhuang. Once we're inside the city, Xiao Zhen and Zhao Liangchen won’t be able to touch us. Their supply lines are stretched thin, and the court will likely order their withdrawal within two months. Then we’ll reclaim Liangzhou!"

When Lü Sheng rose in rebellion and proclaimed himself emperor, he had already prepared a way out for himself. Dunhuang was his last stronghold, where he could continue to be a border lord. Only if Dunhuang fell would he flee to the Qiang Kingdom in the west.

His son said, "Father, several counties have already surrendered to the court and turned us away. What about Dunhuang...?"

Lü Sheng laughed heartily, "You forget, I sent Uncle Duan to hold Dunhuang. He is my sworn brother. Even if you were to betray me, he will never betray me."

The men sighed in relief. If they didn’t enter the city to take shelter, even the warhorses would soon be unable to run.

Two hours later, Lü Sheng led his troops to the gates of Dunhuang. Seeing his sworn brother Duan Pu on the wall, Lü Sheng’s face brightened, and he shouted, "Old Duan, open the gates for your brother!"

Duan Pu’s expression was complex, and he did not respond.

At that moment, a figure emerged from behind Duan Pu. The tall and imposing figure had a handsome, unrestrained face and a pair of narrow phoenix eyes that Lü Sheng knew all too well.

Lü Sheng tightened his grip on the reins, furious. "Xiao Zhen!"

Xiao Ye laughed, "You look strong as ever, but your eyes must be failing you. My second brother is chasing you from behind. I just came ahead to share a drink with Uncle Duan."

Lü Sheng raised his whip, pointing at Duan Pu. "Duan Pu, if you’re my brother, kill this brat. Otherwise..."

Xiao Ye interrupted, "Or else what? You old traitor, you were once rewarded for supporting the late emperor. He gave you many chances to redeem yourself, yet you dared to lead your troops toward Chang’an. And because of the late emperor’s victory, you slunk back. Now that the late emperor is gone, you’ve grown bold again, coercing the Liangzhou troops to follow you in rebellion!"

Xiao Ye continued, "Lü Sheng, you’re nothing but a stray dog now. Uncle Duan has seen the light and made the wise choice. He will remain a hero guarding the borders. As for you, I heard you plan to seek refuge in the Qiang Kingdom. You ungrateful traitor, do you think you can face the soldiers who fought to the death for generations, or the border people slaughtered by the Qiang soldiers?"

Lü Sheng spat, "Pah! When I was defending our country, your father hadn’t even consummated his marriage. If the late emperor hadn’t turned against me, how would I have rebelled?"

Xiao Ye replied, "The late emperor distributed land to the common people and paid his soldiers sufficient wages. He was a benevolent and righteous ruler. Look at you, exploiting the people of Liangzhou to fatten yourself. Even this horse of yours is cursed to have you as its rider!"

Lü Sheng wanted to retort, but Duan Pu, glancing at the approaching Xiao and Zhao armies, said to Lü Sheng, "Brother Lü, I must be responsible for the troops in the city and the people of Liangzhou. I can no longer serve you. Today, I will neither let you in nor send troops to kill you. This is how I will honor our brotherhood one last time. You should leave now!"

Bitterly resentful but helpless, Lü Sheng had no choice but to continue fleeing toward the Jade Gate Pass. As long as the commander there had not betrayed him and would let him through, he still had a chance to survive.

On the city wall, Xiao Ye said to Duan Pu, "The Jade Gate Pass has already surrendered. Why did you make him make this futile trip?"

Duan Pu looked up at the sky, closed his eyes, and said, "It doesn’t matter where he runs. I just didn’t want to see him die in front of me."

During the previous emperor’s reign, Imperial Uncle Dou held power, so he supported Lü Sheng in amassing an army.

Later, when the northern regions became part of Great Yu, the people longed for peace and stability. Lü Sheng still wanted to rebel, and despite attempts to dissuade him, Duan Pu reluctantly followed.

Now...

Duan Pu looked west, where the sky was as blue as ever, and the wilderness stretched endlessly.

As a border general, I will never be a traitor.

Lü Sheng ultimately failed to reach the Jade Gate Pass because his 3,000 warhorses could no longer run. Soon, they were surrounded by the troops led by Xiao Zhen and Zhao Liangchen.

Sitting on his horse, Xiao Zhen smiled at Lü Sheng. "General Lü, long time no see."

Lü Sheng hesitated, then dropped the spear. "Forget it, I surrender. Please put in a good word for me before the emperor and spare my life."

Xiao Zhen looked at Zhao Liangchen.

Zhao Liangchen sneered, "Lü Sheng, you committed treason and rebellion, each a capital crime. If you did take your own life, I might still respect you. But this groveling is truly despicable."

Lü Sheng was left speechless.

Xiao Zhen: "Then we should escort Lu Sheng and his son back to the capital for the Emperor to decide their punishment, and execute the others on the spot?"

Zhao Liangchen: "Indeed, we have already provided them with ample opportunities, but they insisted on following Lu Sheng to the bitter end."

Soldiers who would rather defect to the enemy than surrender are nothing but a potential threat, and escorting them back to the capital would be a waste of manpower and resources.

Upon hearing this, the archers immediately raised their bows.

With a single command from Zhao Liangchen, over three thousand rebels lost their lives.

——

On the seventeenth of September, after seven days of urgent six-hundred-mile dispatch, the victory report from Dunhuang finally reached the capital.

In the report, Xiao Zhen mentioned that they would first escort Lu Sheng back to Liangzhou City and wait for the Emperor to appoint a new Liangzhou general before returning after completing their mission.

Wei Qi and Song Lan brought this victory report to the Qianyuan Hall.

The Xianqing Emperor had been heavily medicated for a month and remained unconscious on the imperial bed. These days, the Xianqing Emperor rarely woke up, and even when he did, speaking was a struggle, let alone throwing a tantrum.

Fan Zhao sat by the bedside, using a small spoon to feed the Emperor some ginseng soup. The unconscious Xianqing Emperor instinctively swallowed half of it and spilled the rest.

Fan Zhao skillfully used a cloth to wipe away the soup from the Emperor's mouth.

Wei Qi spoke in a consultative tone: "Prime Minister Song and I have deliberated on this matter and decided to transfer Yuan Loushan to the position of Liangzhou general and appoint Sun Dian as the Chang'an commander."

Fan Zhao, who had not interfered in political affairs until now, replied, "Sun Dian lacks the necessary seniority. Let Luo Xiao be the Chang'an commander."

Wei Qi: "The three battalions of the imperial guards have always had Luo Xiao as their deputy commander. The late emperor also intended for Luo Xiao to guard the capital city. How can he be stationed elsewhere?"

Fan Zhao: "Chang'an is strategically located south of Hanzhong and serves to defend against the Liang Kingdom to the south and the Qiang Kingdom to the west, while protecting the eastern capital. It must be entrusted to the most loyal general to the Emperor. Or do you trust Sun Dian more than Luo Xiao?"

Wei Qi: "Because we trust Luo Xiao, we need him to guard the important capital city."

Fan Zhao: "We have me, Uncle Lu, as well as Xiao Zhen and Qi Heng in the capital city. That is sufficient."

Wei Qi: "I am the prime minister appointed by the late emperor!"

Fan Zhao smiled: "Then Prime Minister Wei can certainly try to see if this imperial decree can leave the capital."

Wei Qi: "..."

Song Lan persuaded: "Very well, Marquis Fan has a point. It is indeed more prudent to have Luo Xiao guard Chang'an than Sun Dian."

In front of Fan Zhao, he rewrote the imperial decree, which would be announced after the morning court meeting and then sent to Chang'an and Liangzhou.

Back at the Council of State, Wei Qi scolded Song Lan: "Before, you went along with the Emperor, saying we needed to guard against the Wang family. Now that the Wang family has fallen, you're siding with Fan Zhao. Isn't it because you're after the prime minister's power?"

Song Lan: "If you're not greedy, what benefit is there in opposing him? Can you ensure this imperial decree leaves the capital city, or can you save the Emperor?"

Wei Qi: "Don't you see, his reluctance to let Sun Dian guard Chang'an is because he's wary of Xiao Zhen!"

The Emperor's condition is critical, and his passing could occur at any moment. Fan Zhao was clearly preparing to seize power.

Yuan Loushan never got involved in these matters. Feng Ji and Luo Xiao, like Lu Gong, were mindful of the bigger picture. If they couldn't dissuade Fan Zhao through words, they would remain neutral rather than send troops to attack the capital city. With Feng Ji neutral, Zhao Liangchen would not make a rash move, and Qiao Changshun's Liaozhou troops couldn't bypass Jizhou.

On the southern front, the new commander of Qingzhou was a former officer of the Jizhou troops. Xie Jian of Jingzhou and the new water division commander of Hezhou had just submitted their private assets and would also remain neutral out of caution, only supporting Fan Zhao. Pan Yong, who led Hanzhou, and Pan Dai, who led Jiangzhou, would only support Fan Zhao.

The only ones Fan Zhao couldn't control were Xiao Zhen and Qi Heng, but their families are currently in the capital city. Fan Zhao could use their families to coerce the two generals into surrendering their military power.

Song Lan: "No matter who guards Chang'an, Fan Zhao will go after Xiao Zhen. If Fan Zhao wins, he will become the new emperor. It's better to side with Fan Zhao rather than have Sun Dian stir up rebellion in Chang'an, causing chaos in the north. Would Luo Xiao really rebel against him?"

Wei Qi: "With Sun Dian in Chang'an, Fan Zhao would at least think twice before pressuring Xiao Zhen too much."

If anything happens to any member of the Xiao Family, Xiao Zhen and Fan Zhao will become sworn enemies with a blood feud!

Song Lan found it amusing: "Fan Zhao doesn't even respect the emperor. What else would he fear?"

"Prime Minister Wei, wake up! If we corner Fan Zhao, he won’t hesitate to kill us."