Chapter 47 Jiang Congyan finally arrived at the Xianbei King’s court…

Chapter 47: Jiang Congyan finally arrived at the Xianbei King's court...

Noble Consort Zhao collapsed to the ground, unable to understand why the Emperor of Liang had suddenly erupted in such fury, showing her no respect at all. In the past, no matter how angry he was, he had never gone this far.

She just wanted to plead for her brother, but before she could even open her mouth, the Emperor was gone.

...

The lively Bathing Buddha Festival ended, and as dusk fell, Chang'an City once again grew quiet.

Lishui Courtyard, the Pavilion.

In the dim night, a nimble figure flashed by and leaped through the window, almost like an illusion.

The shadow landed as softly as a cat, silent in the still night. He looked at the figure sitting on the ground and said, "Master, the task is done. No traces will remain."

The figure, upon hearing the report, slowly lifted his face from the shadows. In the faint glow of a single candle, only part of his face was visible, but his eyes were chillingly deep.

"I understand. Go," he said quietly.

The man disappeared from the pavilion as quietly as he had come.

Zhao Shi, Zhao Zhen, and Noble Consort Zhao—they had all plotted against Chang Shengnu. He had waited so long to act to ensure a precise strike, sending them into an abyss from which they could never escape.

He had long known of the collusion between Zhao Shi and Zhao Zhen. Though siblings, they rarely met openly, let alone engage in such disgraceful acts unnoticed. Only by going to worship Buddha could they avoid suspicion. Pinglin Temple, located within the city and nearby, became their ideal choice.

Jiang Huai sat alone in the dark, staring unblinking at the faint oil lamp before him. After a long moment, he waved his sleeve, snuffing out the only light and plunging the pavilion into darkness.

He lay back on the ground, eyes open, staring into the pitch-black surroundings, letting the night envelop him.

—

Noble Consort Zhao still refused to give up. Over the next two days, she sent people to invite the Emperor and even went herself to apologize, but he never summoned her again.

News in the palace spread fast. Within days, word that Noble Consort Zhao had repeatedly failed to see the Emperor spread throughout both palaces. Everyone guessed she had fallen out of favor because of Zhao Zhen, and soon, people treated her with superficial respect while secretly undermining her. Empress Wang, especially, came to mock her in person.

"I'd heard the Zhao family was strict, but I never expected this," Empress Wang said, laughing so hard her aged face seemed to grow younger.

Noble Consort Zhao was furious, wishing she could pounce on Empress Wang and tear her mouth off, but her attendants held her back.

Furious, she harshly punished the servants in Jiuhua Palace, but it was useless.

Later, she thought of the Fifth Princess. The Emperor still cared for her, so she forced the Fifth Princess to plead for her.

Unfortunately, the Fifth Princess, having learned of her uncle's misdeeds, held a strong prejudice against him, feeling that he had brought shame to the Zhao family and her mother. She was also naturally spoiled and naive, unable to flatter or ingratiate herself. Thus, when she met with the Emperor, she barely managed to say a few words before being dismissed.

Noble Consort Zhao scolded her for being useless, and the Fifth Princess felt deeply wronged. These days, she had been feeling down.

No, not just recently. Ever since Tuo Baxiao had come to Chang'an, she had not had a single happy day. Even after he left, she didn't feel much relief. Now, with this incident, she couldn't understand how, in just a month or two, her life had become so different from before.

Back then, she had been carefree every day, doted on by her mother and the Emperor, able to do as she pleased. But now, there was an inexplicable heaviness surrounding her, making it impossible for her to feel happy.

Two days later, the Emperor's secret guards reported the findings of their investigation.

The matter was simple: it had been instigated by the Lady of the Marquis of Anping, who had long been at odds with the Zhao family. Her maid happened to witness Zhao Zhen entering the courtyard where Zhao Shi was resting and, after secretly observing, finally found an opportunity to expose the scandal. The only questionable detail was that the maid Zhao Shi had assigned to keep watch suddenly had a stomachache and went to the latrine, preventing her from warning the two lovers in time, leading to their capture.

The Lady of the Marquis of Anping was clever and had been advised by Wang Gui. She had indeed deliberately exposed the scandal. Zhao Zhen had brought shame to the court, and she naturally wouldn't admit to targeting the Zhao family to avoid being implicated. She had instructed her maid to insist, if questioned, that it was a coincidence—they had thought they were catching a thief and had no prior knowledge of Zhao Zhen and Zhao Shi's affair. This way, she could absolve herself of any blame.

At this point in the investigation, there was no connection to Jiang Huai whatsoever. Neither the Lady of the Marquis of Anping nor the Princess Consort of Liuyang Commandery had ever been in contact with him.

However, the Emperor of Liang kept recalling Zhao Zhen's words that day, always searching for traces of Jiang Huai in his words, and Zhao Shi's maid was the focus of his suspicion. Zhao Shi was in the residence of the King of Chu, and it would be too easy to target her maid.

Unfortunately, despite repeated investigations, no evidence was found. The Emperor of Liang simply waved his hand to dismiss the officials, the twelve tassels of his crown casting a shadow over his brow.

A few days later, Wang Gui, seeing that the Emperor of Liang had not yet dealt with Zhao Zhen, gathered a few people to inquire about the situation.

The Emperor of Liang said, "I have ordered an investigation, and it has been clarified that Zhao Zhen's incident was deliberately caused by Xiongnu spies, intending to damage the dignity of our great Liang during the Bathing Buddha Festival. It was not his original intention. However, it is also Zhao Zhen's own lack of caution that gave others an opportunity. Considering his past contributions to the country, I will strip him of his title as Minister of Finance and demote him to the position of Water Conservancy Officer. As for his sister, the Princess of Chu..."

The Emperor of Liang pondered for a while. He actually wanted to send the Princess of Chu back to the residence of the King of Chu to humiliate Jiang Huai, but doing so would damage his own authority, making it seem that he was not lenient enough towards the King of Chu. Therefore, he said, "The King of Chu has also suffered grievances, so let the Princess of Chu be sent to a nunnery twenty miles outside the city to repent."

Upon hearing this, Wang Gui twitched, barely keeping his expression in check.

What kind of Xiongnu spies? What kind of scheme? It all sounded so absurd to him.

Zhao Zhen had been quite lucid at the time and did not seem to have been schemed against. He clearly had an illicit relationship with Zhao Shi.

But then he also realized that the emperor was now determined to protect Zhao Zhen. From Minister of Finance to Water Conservancy Officer, it seemed like a demotion, but the Water Conservancy Officer was in charge of salt and iron, a highly lucrative position that ordinary officials could not even dream of. Now it was being given to Zhao Zhen as a punishment, which was truly laughable.

He had no idea what kind of charm Zhao Zhen had used on the emperor to make him protect him like this.

He was very dissatisfied but dared not show it, so he could only swallow his frustration and take his leave.

Only after exiting the audience hall and walking through the palace corridors did he suddenly understand.

The Zhao family was originally just a second-rate aristocratic clan. Over a decade ago, when Noble Consort Zhao rose to prominence and the Emperor of Liang favored her, Zhao Zhen was promoted.

Most of the important ministers in the court were scholars. Besides serving the country, they also paid great attention to family interests, sometimes even uniting to oppose the emperor's decrees. Naturally, the emperor was unwilling to let power fall into the hands of others, so he supported Zhao Zhen. However, as Zhao Zhen's power grew, he sometimes did not fully obey the emperor's orders.

Now it seemed that the emperor still needed a loyal dog, especially since Zhao Zhen was now disgraced and could only rely on the emperor, unable to defy his commands anymore.

Although Wang Gui was still angry after figuring this out, he knew that the Zhao family could never regain their former influence.

Zhao Zhen was merely demoted, and the Emperor of Liang found an excuse to transfer him out of Chang'an to downplay the incident, while Zhao Shi was taken to a nunnery twenty miles outside the city to spend the rest of her life.

When Zhao Shi heard that she would spend the rest of her life in the nunnery while Zhao Zhen was merely going into exile, an unprecedented hatred surged in her chest.

Why!

Why was Zhao Zhen the one who had lost all morality, while she was the one forced into it, yet she had to end her life in this austere nunnery, while he remained unaffected.

The world is so unfair to women! So unfair!

Zhao Shi clenched her fists tightly to keep from screaming. If she ever met Zhao Zhen again, she would definitely scratch his face and see how he could continue as an official with a ruined appearance!

Everyone thought that the matter of Zhao Zhen was over, but they did not expect that Noble Consort Zhao would fall out of favor, not just for a few days, but completely. She was not demoted and remained a noble consort, but the Emperor of Liang never called for her again, though this was a later matter.

The aftermath of an illicit affair, with Zhao Zhen, the main culprit, only being demoted and receiving a slap on the wrist, while Noble Consort Zhao was despised by the emperor. Those with sharp insight might have guessed the reason, but could only sigh.

Alas, the emperor was deeply disturbed, and Noble Consort Zhao would never regain favor!

——

Time flew by, and it was already May.

Just after the Dragon Boat Festival, the court received an urgent report that the Yellow River had suddenly flooded during the Dragon Boat Festival, breaching the embankments and submerging the fertile fields of Henan and Henei counties, leaving the people without homes.

At this time, the wheat that had been planted was not yet ripe, and it was all destroyed. The people would have no food for the winter, and if the court did not take measures to provide disaster relief, hundreds of thousands of refugees would be created. If someone with ulterior motives incited a rebellion, the combination of internal strife and external threats would lead to unimaginable consequences. The Emperor of Liang quickly summoned his ministers to discuss the matter of disaster relief.

"Your Majesty, I believe the urgent task is to send people to provide disaster relief and distribute food to calm the victims. Otherwise, extreme poverty will cause unrest, which is a real disaster," said Minister of Works Cui Wang.

"The Minister of Works is right," the crowd echoed.

Emperor Liang sat behind his desk, glancing at them. "Relief is indeed necessary, but do any of you have suggestions for how to proceed?"

The officials were stumped. There was no other reason—over the years, the imperial treasury had been struggling, with tax revenues increasingly insufficient.

"Perhaps we could allocate some funds and grain from the treasury?"

"No!" someone quickly objected. "The treasury is already empty and can hardly sustain itself. We still need to allocate military supplies for the Liangzhou and Hebei regions in the second half of the year. If provisions run short, it will surely endanger the border. Then our great Liang would truly be teetering on the brink of collapse."

"But if we don't provide relief, what will the disaster victims do when they have no means of survival? What if they rebel?" Grand Marshal Gao countered.

"What if we collect the autumn taxes early?"

"That won't work either. We've already collected taxes up to the year after next. If we continue to forcibly collect, it will also drive the people to rebellion."

"If nothing works, what are we supposed to do?" someone grew impatient.

...

Emperor Liang listened to the discussions among his ministers for a long time, but no viable plan was put forward, and his face darkened with growing displeasure.

Suddenly, amidst the chaotic noise, one voice stood out particularly loud.

"Your Majesty, I have a strategy," said a minister in his late thirties or early forties, with a goat beard, wearing a two-tiered Xianxian crown and a black-collared red robe. His age seemed quite young among the group of fifty or sixty-year-old officials, and his demeanor was full of ambition.

All eyes in the hall were fixed on him.

This person was Sima Wei, formerly an official under Zhao Zhen, who had been promoted after Zhao Zhen's demotion. Being new to his position and young, he was eager to seize this chance to prove himself.

"My dear minister, what good strategy do you have? Please speak," said Emperor Liang.

Sima Wei stepped forward, bowed, and then said, "I believe that disaster relief should not depend solely on the court but also tap into local resources."

"Hmm?"

"This year, we have suffered from floods. Given Your Majesty's benevolence, taxes will undoubtedly be waived. Henan and Henei are key regions for grain taxation. Thus, this year's tax revenue will be less than last year's. The treasury is already strained, and in the second half of the year, there are still many expenditures such as officials' salaries, imperial tombs, and military supplies. It would be unwise to allocate the nation's wealth solely to two prefectures. Therefore, we must leverage the resources of local and surrounding wealthy households."

"How to leverage their resources?"

"It is common for tenant farmers to rent land from landlords. Why not reverse this practice?"

"This..." some people had already understood his meaning.

Sima Wei continued, "Wealthy households surely have stored grain. Why not have them step forward to lease the land from the disaster victims, either for two or three years? The land would still be cultivated by the disaster victims, but the produce during these three years would go to the wealthy households. Once the borrowed grain is repaid, the land would be returned to its rightful owners."

"In this way, the court would not need to expend vast sums of money to solve the immediate flood crisis, nor would we need to fear unrest among the disaster victims!"

...

Huan Residence.

Huan Jun returned from duty very early today and waited in the front hall for his grandfather to return.

After more than an hour, Huan Yu's carriage finally arrived at the doorstep, and Huan Jun hurried to greet him.

"Grandfather."

Huan Yu glanced at him, knowing why he was waiting for him. "Let's head to the study."

They then made their way to the study together.

"Grandfather, how did the disaster relief talks go?" Huan Jun eagerly asked.

Huan Yu shot him a sideways glance, casually picked up his favorite white porcelain teacup, took a sip, and slowly moistened his throat before saying, "You're already twenty and have been in the court for years, so why are you still so impulsive?"

Huan Jun took a deep breath, lowered his head. "Grandfather is right to reprimand me."

But in his heart, he did not agree. The disaster relief effort concerned the lives of hundreds of thousands—how could he not be worried?

Seeing him admit his mistake, Huan Yu nodded and then slowly began to talk about the outcome of the morning's discussion with the Emperor of Liang.

When Huan Jun heard that the emperor had actually agreed to Sima Wei's disaster relief strategy, deciding to use the power of local wealthy families to provide disaster relief, he clenched his fists, his entire body trembling.

The emperor actually agreed to such a strategy!

On the surface, renting the victims' land for relief sounds good, but once those wealthy families take over the land, can it ever be reclaimed? If they claim the victims owe them grain and can't repay it, they'll keep the land—who will stand up for the victims?

Huan Jun could already see it: after this disaster, the land in Henan and Henei counties would fall entirely under the control of the aristocratic clans.

And the court officials, coming from aristocratic families themselves, would naturally benefit the most from this strategy—why would they oppose it?

Huan Jun's heart sank into an icy abyss, a chill creeping up his spine.

The aristocratic clans have truly infiltrated every corner of Liang State.

In recent years, the aristocratic clans have pushed through tax and rent reductions, letting them hold vast lands tax-free. Coupled with frequent natural disasters, the national treasury has been drained, leaving no grain for disaster relief—only worsening the aristocratic clans' grip on Liang.

Liang is trapped in a vicious cycle. No one can save it unless the aristocratic clans are uprooted—but who can do that now? No one!

How can one man stand against ten thousand?

At this moment, Huan Jun deeply understood why the princess wanted him to go to Huainan.

After the conversation ended that day, he went back and reviewed many past records from various departments, and also looked at the astronomy, water conservancy, and climate of the previous two dynasties. It confirmed the princess's words: the weather is cooling, and we're entering an ice age.

Then, using the Huan family's influence, he reviewed the household and land records. Nearly half of which belonged to aristocratic families, not counting the hidden lands and tenant farmers they kept off the books. These lands enjoyed privileges and didn't have to pay taxes, forcing the court to exploit the already suffering people.

Seeing the court's discourse entirely controlled by the aristocratic clans, Huan Jun thought, even without the barbarians, Liang was doomed.

"Does Grandfather also think this strategy is very good?" Huan Jun suddenly raised his head and asked.

Huan Yu looked into his grandson's eyes, momentarily unable to answer.

This grandson of his was the smartest among the dozen or so sons of the Huan family, and also the most stubborn. He was clearly from an aristocratic family; the family had given him food and clothing, taught him both civil and military skills, yet he sympathized with those unrelated commoners.

Such a character, if placed in the court of Taizu or under Crown Prince Zhaowen, might achieve the status of a famous minister, but in today's court...

Huan Yu shook his head. "Seventh son, you must understand—some things are beyond our control."

He wanted to advise this grandson, hoping he could be smarter, not attempt to shake a big tree with the body of a mayfly.

"Grandfather, the books often mention the word 'country,' showing that there is a country before there is a family. If the country does not exist, we are like eggs in a toppled nest—where can we stand? If we continue to let it go, Liang will one day be destroyed by our own hands." Huan Jun's words pierced the heart.

Seeing him like this, Huan Yu could only sigh. "How could I not understand, but... the trend is unstoppable. Why must you go against the current?"

"Grandfather, my resolve is firm, even if it kills me, with no turning back!"

With these words, he stood up, bowed respectfully, and then turned to leave the study.

Huan Yu watched his determined figure retreat, closed his eyes, and sat silently for a long time.

Apart from disaster relief efforts, Huan Jun later learned that the court also intended to cut military expenses in Liangzhou, citing the same reason—the treasury is empty. They also argued that with the alliance between Liang and the Xianbei, the barbarians would not dare to invade for a while, so reducing military expenses wouldn't be a hindrance.

What a joke—the treasury is empty.

Liang boasts vast fertile lands, with millions of acres of grain planted each year, yet they can't collect taxes. How ridiculous.

All his hesitation disappeared, and Huan Jun realized that he ultimately had only one path to take.

——

"You're willing to marry?" Old Man Huan Yu stared at his grandson in shock.

"Yes," Huan Jun bowed respectfully.

The old man hesitated, "You wouldn't still want to marry a girl from the Lu family, would you? I won't allow it!"

"Not her."

"Then who?"

The grandfather and grandson were cooling off in a waterside pavilion. Huan Jun knelt across from his grandfather and slowly raised his head, "Grandfather, I'm willing to marry a noblewoman, but I have a condition."

Huan Yu lowered his eyes and pondered for a while, as if pondering the sudden proposal, for his grandson's marriage had been delayed for too long.

"Go on."

Huan Jun said, "I want the family's merchant fleet."

Huan Yu's eyes flickered.

The family's merchant fleet that Huan Jun spoke of wasn't just the manpower of the Huan family, but a network of families and local magnates who relied on the Huan family.

Within Liang, there were many wealthy merchants who, although not in official positions, were incredibly wealthy and influential, trading massive amounts of goods such as cloth, grain, wine, tea, and even private salt across the country.

Such enormous profits naturally attracted trouble, so these wealthy merchants attached themselves to the aristocratic clans, seeking their protection, and split the profits 30-70, with the merchants taking 30% and the clans 70%.

To gain greater wealth, the aristocratic clans issued various local decrees or special commercial permits, letting them monopolize local trade, thereby further squeezing the common folk and accumulating vast amounts of grain and money.

As a local aristocratic clan, the Huan family naturally had many such forces. For Huan Jun to ask for this was a privilege reserved for the heir.

"What exactly are you planning to do?" Huan Yu asked gravely.

Huan Jun replied, "Grandfather, I wish to go to Huainan."

Huan Yu's eyes went wide.

...

In the end, Huan Yu agreed.

He knew that his grandson, intelligent from a young age, was someone capable of great deeds. Although he did not understand why he had made such a choice in such a short time, one sentence convinced him—

"I was born and raised in the Huan family, educated by my elders. I would not do anything to destroy the Huan family. I am saving the country, and also saving myself!"

Later, he asked Huan Jun again who the chosen marriage candidate was.

He said, the Emperor's Sixth Princess.

Huan Yu was genuinely puzzled. He had originally intended to arrange a marriage between his grandson and a daughter of the Cheng family, who had been long-time friends with the Huan family. The Cheng daughter was known for her gentleness and was considered an ideal match for the seventh son.

He had discussed with his son that if the seventh son did not marry this year, they would arrange a marriage for him the following year, regardless of his reluctance.

Huan Yu thought it over and decided, well, it would be the Sixth Princess. He had served the Emperor for many years and had some standing in front of him. The Sixth Princess did not have any particularly notable reputation, just an overlooked princess, and the Emperor was unlikely to refuse.

Using the marriage to negotiate terms, Huan Jun immediately began preparations.

However, he was not in a hurry to leave yet. He was waiting for someone. Before the princess left, she had told him, "General Xie might come looking for you; I hope you can make good use of him."

At that time, Xie Shao was merely a Metropolitan Commander, but in the blink of an eye, he became the deputy commander of the Luben Camp.

Perhaps all of this had been arranged by her when the marriage decree was issued.

If he truly had to take that path, he would indeed need strong military support.

But before Xie Shao returned to the capital, he needed to meet one more person.

——

"Cui Civil Affairs Minister, I apologize for the intrusion; please do not hold it against me," Huan Jun presented his respects.

"Haha, you've already come; should I give you a cold reception? That's no way to treat a guest," Cui Civil Affairs Minister said with a smile, his attitude very amiable.

Huan Jun bowed again, "The Minister is most gracious."

Cui Civil Affairs Minister waved his hand, "Since you're here, why not join me for a game of chess?"

"Please guide me, Minister."

By mid-May, the weather was growing hotter, and many scholars in Chang'an had even left to escape the heat. Many residents of Chang'an had also relocated to water pavilions or bamboo groves to cool off.

The Cui residence also featured a lake, and at that moment, Huan Jun and Cui Civil Affairs Minister were seated in a lakeside pavilion, surrounded by water on all sides, with a gentle breeze blowing.

Each holding a chess piece—Huan Jun with black and Cui Civil Affairs Minister with white—they were testing and competing in this small world.

Cui Civil Affairs Minister, Cui Wang, hailed from the Qinghe Cui family; his father, Cui Xing, had been a minister under Taizu.

Unlike other descendants of Taizu who remained dissatisfied with the new emperor after the passing of Crown Prince Zhaowen and Taizu, the Cui family had swiftly changed their stance following the previous emperor's ascension and had been highly valued in recent years.

Cui Wang was sixty years old and had held the position of Civil Affairs Minister for a decade.

In the ever-shifting political landscape, to remain in the position of Civil Affairs Minister for so long, he undoubtedly possessed exceptional qualities.

Huan Jun had not originally planned to seek out Cui Civil Affairs Minister; it was the princess who suggested it. But unlike the confident control she displayed when mentioning Xie Shao, she seemed somewhat uncertain when discussing Cui Civil Affairs Minister, as if she wasn't sure he would help, only advising him to test the waters.

So Huan Jun came.

For him, as he was about to leave Chang'an for Huainan, having someone in the court secretly assist him would make things much easier.

"Unite all the forces that can be united," she said.

"Cui Civil Affairs Minister, I am of shallow knowledge and truly do not understand the court's recent disaster relief policies. The Minister has long been in the court with deep experience, could you enlighten me?" Huan Jun pointed directly to the most sensitive issue as soon as he spoke.

Cui Civil Affairs Minister's hand holding the chess piece paused, then he calmly placed a piece, as if he didn't mind Huan Jun's impertinence at all.

"Oh, what’s troubling you?"

Huan Jun: "The court has proposed that wealthy households lease the land from disaster victims with grain to help them through this crisis. But what happens after the disaster if the wealthy households refuse to return the land?"

"There are laws of the court in place for that."

"And who ensures these laws are enforced?"

The speed at which Cui Civil Affairs Minister moved his pieces slowed considerably. He stroked his beard and finally raised his sharp, aged eyes to meet Huan Jun’s gaze seriously.

"Such ambition for someone so young."

Huan Jun said, "I wouldn’t call it ambition, but this matter affects the stability of Liang, so I can’t help but care."

"What are you planning to do?"

Huan Jun hesitated, unsure if he should speak up. At that moment, he couldn’t read Cui Civil Affairs Minister’s intentions. The man was shrewd, appearing gentle but possibly concealing a sharp edge. If he revealed his plans, what if Cui not only disapproved but actively worked against him?

But... he had already crossed this threshold. To retreat and return empty-handed wasn’t his way. Huan Jun steeled his heart and looked up, "Huainan is not like the north." Those who achieve greatness must have the courage to act decisively.

Cui Civil Affairs Minister suddenly fixed his gaze on him, his aged eyes reflecting decades of political wisdom.

Huan Jun’s heart raced, and his palms grew clammy.

But Cui Civil Affairs Minister quickly looked away, resuming his gentle elder demeanor. He didn’t respond, instead placing a piece with a sharp click, quietly encircling Huan Jun.

Huan Jun calmed his mind and focused on the game.

When the game ended, the black pieces were swallowed by the white dragon. He placed the black piece back into the box and bowed to Cui Civil Affairs Minister, "I have lost."

Cui Civil Affairs Minister laughed heartily and tossed his pieces aside, "You say you’ve lost, but I feel like the one who’s been defeated!"

Huan Jun's eyes lit up, and he quickly looked at Cui Civil Affairs Minister, "Sir, you..."

Cui Civil Affairs Minister waved his hand, signaling him to say no more.

"Young man, go ahead and pursue your goals. Let me see how far you can rise."

Huan Jun restrained his excitement, took two steps back, and bowed deeply once more.

——

By late May, Xie Shao returned.

As Jiang Congyan had foreseen, when the court learned of the Lüben Guard’s casualties, they were quick to blame him.

Xie Shao presented the Xiongnu heads and their tokens to the Emperor of Liang and the court, which softened their stance somewhat. However, whether to reward or punish him remained undecided.

It was not until Cui Civil Affairs Minister spoke up: "Your Majesty, the Lüben Guard has long been stationed in Chang'an. For them to defeat the barbarians on their first encounter, take so many heads, and safely deliver the princess to the Xianbei to maintain the alliance between our two nations, it truly demonstrates the bravery of our Liang soldiers and the virtue of Your Majesty."

He continued, "In recent years, many of our central plains people have feared the barbarians. Why not hang the heads brought back by Commander Xie on the city gates, so that the passing people may see and know that our Liang soldiers are even more formidable than the barbarians? This way, our national prestige will be elevated!"

Upon hearing this, everyone agreed it made sense and was quite glorious.

The Emperor of Liang was even more moved.

In recent years, in skirmishes with the surrounding barbarians, Liang had suffered more losses than victories. The barbarians often raided south, leaving the border regions with barely a tenth of their population, forcing them to migrate south. The central plains people, hearing of the barbarians' cruelty from them, feared them even more.

Now, with this rare opportunity, the Emperor of Liang naturally hoped to bring glory to himself.

Without much effort, Cui Civil Affairs Minister's suggestion was accepted.

Since this matter was being touted as beneficial, Xie Shao should be heavily rewarded.

Thus, Xie Shao, recently promoted to deputy commander, was soon appointed as the Piaoyao Commandant, entering the ranks of officials with a salary of one thousand bushels.

Xie Shao was promoted several levels in succession, rising from a humble commoner to this position, a meteoric rise indeed. Yet, his demeanor remained steady, showing no arrogance, which further pleased those around him.

He returned to his modest courtyard, where only a gatekeeper and a long-time servant attended to his daily needs. His family was small; his parents had long passed, and only his uncle and aunt, who raised him as their own, remained in his hometown.

Xie Shao was not particularly pleased with the promotion. He kept recalling his few conversations with the princess. Each time, he was startled and his thoughts were disturbed, but now he could vividly recall her voice and her delicate, yet cold, face.

Sitting in the courtyard, gazing at the bright moon, he inexplicably pulled the porcelain bottle from his pocket. Inside was some unused medicinal powder, perhaps because he couldn't bring himself to use it all.

Gazing at the white porcelain bottle, he suddenly thought that under the moonlight that night, her skin seemed even fairer than this fine porcelain.

His thoughts wandered, and when he suddenly realized something was amiss and snapped back to reality, his expression changed dramatically. He frowned deeply, his face showing self-reproach and guilt.

He shouldn't be dwelling on these thoughts; it was disrespectful to the princess, and even thinking about it was forbidden.

He tucked the white porcelain bottle back into his pocket. He thought he really ought to go see Huan Jun.

Upon hearing of Xie Shao's return, Huan Jun had planned to visit him at some point, but he hadn't expected Xie Shao to take the initiative to meet him.

He glanced at Xie Shao. As a military officer, Xie Shao stood much taller than the average person, even half a head taller than Huan Jun himself. Beneath his casual attire, his muscles were strong and imposing, yet his demeanor remained humble.

His features were regular, and his demeanor was less rough than that of a typical military officer; one might even call him a scholarly general.

The two met not at their homes but at a tavern in the Golden Market. In addition to strong liquor, the tavern offered many fruit and sweet wines. Since they needed to discuss matters, they only ordered light rice wine.

"General Xie, I have long heard of your great name," Huan Jun said first.

Xie Shao cupped his hands, "I dare not claim any great name; I am but a small figure."

Seeing him so serious, Huan Jun laughed, "What if I said I heard it from the princess!"

Xie Shao's pupils moved, and a crack appeared in his calm expression.

He didn't specify which princess, but he knew Huan Jun was referring to her.

"Before the princess left Chang'an, she mentioned General Xie to me, saying that the general would lend me a hand. Now it seems the princess was indeed prescient," Huan Jun continued.

From his tone, it seemed he was quite familiar with the princess, Xie Shao thought.

"Shao owes his current position entirely to the princess."

Huan Jun noticed that Xie Shao spoke little and was very guarded against him, so he stopped with the pleasantries and said seriously, "Since you are here on the princess's orders, I won't beat around the bush. Next, I plan to go to Huainan and need the general's assistance."

Xie Shao also became serious, "What do you need me to do?"

Huan Jun didn't answer directly but instead asked, "Could the general tell me about the princess's journey?"

Xie Shao was reluctant but couldn't refuse, so he briefly described the events.

Huan Jun keenly sensed something unusual about Xie Shao but didn't think too much of it. He was more surprised by the princess's courage and magnanimity.

She dared to directly confront the subordinates of the Prince of Mobei, and the Prince of Mobei did not blame her but instead fairly protected her. This was completely beyond his expectations.

But then again, the princess was personally chosen by the Prince of Mobei, which suggests he must have some fondness for her. And as for the princess, anyone who has seen her would probably find it hard not to like her. This admiration doesn't have to be romantic; it could simply be for her beauty or a respect for her wisdom and grace.

Even Huan Jun himself, after meeting the princess, came to appreciate her.

Xie Shao noticed the smile gradually appearing on Huan Jun's face; he seemed quite pleased when mentioning the princess.

After listening, Huan Jun said, "Since the general is someone the princess trusts, I won't hide it from you. I am going to Huainan to reform the Land System, and I need the general to assist me."

Xie Shao suddenly widened his eyes; he hadn't expected their boldness to be so great.

The Land System is the backbone of the country.

"General Xie, are you afraid?"

Xie Shao's gaze was firm and sharp, "If you dare to risk your life for the country, then I have nothing to fear!"

Hmph, both of us chosen by the princess, Xie Shao did not believe his courage and determination were any less than Huan Jun's.

——

By late May, after more than two months of grueling travel, Jiang Congyan finally reached the Court of the Xianbei King.