Chapter 153 Founding Emperor, You Are Also…

Chapter 153: Founding Emperor, even you must be troubled by today’s...

The news brought by the Xiongnu scouts weighed heavily on Jiang Congyan’s mind. She knew Wudati Hou would act this year, but they came sooner than expected.

She consoled herself that her grandfather and the others were surely reinforcing defenses. As long as they held the cities firmly, Liangzhou would hold for now. But as for Liang State...

Tuo Baxiao still sat securely on the Xianbei King's throne, a looming threat to Wudati Hou. He wouldn’t dare send the entire Xiongnu army out. If Liang State learned from last year’s mistakes and put up even a modest fight, the worst-case was a stalemate.

After their journey to Helan Mountain, the couple returned to the royal court.

When A Fei saw her lady after a month apart, she noticed her hands and face were tanned, her skin roughened, and her eyes tired and drawn. Her heart ached.

"My lady, you’ve suffered so much. You’ve gotten thinner again. You’ll need a good period of rest to regain your vitality."

Jiang Congyan smiled faintly. "It’s fine. It wasn’t so terrible."

The ride had been grueling, but Tuo Baxiao had deliberately slowed the pace for her. Otherwise, the hardship would have been even greater.

The trip hadn’t been for nothing. She had seen the conditions firsthand, uncovering many issues that now weighed on her mind.

By mid-March, preparations for the Spring Assembly were underway throughout the royal court. Colorful banners waved in the breeze, brightening the early spring scenery with vibrant life.

Indeed, the Xianbei were flourishing. Everything was moving in a positive direction—resources were abundant, harvests had grown, and herders could earn extra through work, making winters less harsh.

This year’s Spring Assembly followed much the same routine as last year’s, though with some novel additions, particularly exquisite clothing and jewelry that noblewomen loved, splurging on them.

As usual, Jiang Congyan and Tuo Baxiao received officials from various tribes, asking about their progress and planning the year ahead.

On the twentieth of March, after Tuo Baxiao officially opened the Spring Assembly, the Grand Shaman climbed the altar to perform a divination before all the clanspeople.

The crowd waited eagerly, hoping for an auspicious sign.

Instead, they watched as the Grand Shaman suddenly coughed up blood, her feathered robes crumpling as she fell.

The crowd exploded into panic—

"Grand Shaman!"

"What happened?"

"What’s going on?"

"An ill omen—this must be an ill omen!"

Everyone pushed toward the altar. He Zhou and the royal guards struggled to avert a stampede.

Fortunately, the Grand Shaman soon regained consciousness. On her knees, she stared wide-eyed at the sky, murmuring prayers.

After a long silence, she kowtowed to Tuo Baxiao. "My King, I am powerless. I cannot alter Xianbei’s fate."

Those standing close enough to hear her words felt a chill of foreboding.

Tuo Baxiao’s expression darkened. "Speak."

The Grand Shaman said, "At the start of the year, I performed a divination. The Heavenly Deity warned that the entire land would face a terrible cold wave this year. Just now, I pleaded for the Heavenly Deity’s mercy to shield Xianbei from this disaster. But the Heavenly Deity called it inevitable."

What? A great cold wave?

The crowd was stunned. Recalling the Grand Shaman’s violent reaction—coughing blood—they saw the price of defying fate.

"It's already remarkable to catch a glimpse of Heaven's secrets, Grand Shaman. Do not blame yourself. I shall make early preparations," said Tuoba Baxiao.

The spring sun cast vast golden rays across the land, radiant as it was, yet everyone felt a piercing cold.

The festivities of the Spring Assembly were dampened by the news of the impending cold wave. Worry hung heavy on the crowd, dampening their spirits for celebration. Once the ceremony concluded, they sought out Tuoba Baxiao.

"Will there truly be a great cold wave this year?"

Tuoba Baxiao replied, "The Grand Shaman's divinations have always been accurate."

Thus, the main focus of this year's Spring Assembly became how to confront the extreme cold that would arrive in a few months.

Jiang Congyan took part in the talks.

Someone asked, "I heard the royal court possesses special fuel—just a small piece can burn for a long time."

Jiang Congyan nodded. "Indeed, such fuel exists. However, it has only recently been mined in Pingcheng. The distance is great, and the roads uneven, requiring heavy labor to transport it to the Xianbei. The quantity is extremely limited."

In truth, the Xianbei territory held no shortage of coal deposits—regions like Henei, Xilin, and Xing'an had plenty. Perhaps due to insufficient time or geological factors, they had yet to be discovered.

Given enough time, her team would undoubtedly locate them. But time was precisely what they lacked most.

Disheartened but helpless, the crowd fell silent.

Jiang Congyan then proposed grouping nearby herder families together for the winter—not hundreds or thousands, but just a few neighboring households sharing warmth. This would conserve fuel and help them endure the long winter.

Another concern was food.

The cold would inevitably reduce crop yields and livestock. Fortunately, last year's surplus grain still filled the granaries. With luck, they could harvest another batch before the cold wave struck.

With the early spring, she had already instructed them to sow wheat as soon as possible during her inspection tour.

Based on each tribe's population, Jiang Congyan proposed a grain-sharing plan between the central and local authorities—allowing them to "borrow" grain first and repay it later through various means.

"We’re grateful for your generosity, Khatun. At present, this seems the only way."

After a month of hard work, the situation among the tribes was temporarily settled.

By early April, Jiang Congyan received news that in mid-March, Wudati Hou had once again marched on Zhongwei.

This time, he mobilized 150,000 cavalry—a clear show of his ambition.

Jiang Congyan ventured to ask Tuoba Baxiao, "With Wudati Hou marching south, his territory must be vulnerable. Have you considered striking while he’s vulnerable?"

Though Wudati Hou had stationed troops along the Helan Mountain border, these would pose no obstacle if Tuoba Baxiao chose to attack.

Yet Tuoba Baxiao shook his head. "Let’s wait and see how the battle unfolds."

Wudati Hou's assault on Liang State was not entirely unfavorable for him. For now, he could watch the tigers fight from the hill.

Jiang Congyan looked down.

Noticing her downcast expression, Tuoba Baxiao pondered briefly. "Are you worried about Liangzhou?"

He held little fondness for Liangzhou, despite it being her maternal family's home. Yet she fretted over it endlessly, growing anxious at the slightest disturbance. Last year, she had even woken from nightmares in the dead of night, nearly falling ill again.

"The Marquis of Liangzhou is a capable man, having governed Liangzhou for years. Surely he can handle such a situation. There’s no need to overworry," he said awkwardly.

Jiang Congyan pursed her lips, giving him a gentle look and said no more.

Thinking of the fate history recorded for the Zhang family, how could she not worry? Especially since she knew her grandfather’s temperament all too well. No matter how harshly he cursed, his heart still belonged to Liang. If something happened to Liang State, would he stand idly by? The Emperor of Liang, ever scheming, wanted the Zhang family to resist the barbarians yet couldn’t bear to see them achieve merit. He probably wanted nothing more than for the Liangzhou Army and the Huns to wipe each other out.

She also thought of Tuo Baxiao. She could guess his current thoughts.

Ambitious men always thirsted for foreign conquests to carve out legendary legacies. From their closeness, she had naturally noticed the occasional flashes of ambition in Tuo Baxiao. He was a peerless warrior, yet he lay low to grow stronger.

Just as he had refrained from marching south before, he wouldn’t attack the Huns now either.

——

Liang scouts spotted the Huns marching south with a vanguard of over fifty thousand. Qian Zhong, the defending general of Zhongwei, immediately sent an urgent dispatch to Chang’an.

The military report, delivered at top speed, reached the capital, sending shockwaves through the court and stirring panic among the people.

"The Huns are back?"

"And so soon?"

"First, we need to gauge their full numbers, and whether Zhongwei can hold out until reinforcements arrive."

In the throne hall, the Emperor of Liang’s face darkened.

Of course, the Huns’ return was the main worry, but amid his tangled thoughts, he recalled the memorial submitted by the Marquis of Liangzhou last year. The Marquis had warned the court that the Huns were likely to invade again this year, yet due to Sima Wei’s words, he had not dispatched additional troops. Now that the Huns had indeed returned, what would his ministers say?

"Your Majesty, the court must send reinforcements immediately."

Grand Marshal Gao snapped the Emperor of Liang out of his thoughts. He raised his eyes, scanning the ministers kneeling before him, and said gravely, "How many troops do we send, and who leads them?"

"I propose at least a hundred thousand," Grand Marshal Gao said.

The others nodded. At this moment, they couldn’t spare a thought for the strain on the treasury—protecting Liang’s territory was paramount.

Soon, a minister suggested, "We can pull fifty thousand from the Southern and Northern Armies in the capital region, along with thirty thousand each from Longxi and Beidi commanderies, as they are the closest."

The plan made sense—no one objected. Yet Sima Wei interjected, "The capital region only has eighty thousand troops in total. If we withdraw fifty thousand at once, wouldn’t that leave Chang’an..."

He left it hanging, but the meaning was clear—if the front lines collapsed and Chang’an lacked sufficient defenses, everyone would be in danger.

Cui Civil Affairs Minister glanced at him, a sharp glint in his eyes, but he said nothing. The minister kneeling behind him, Chun Yumin, angrily pointed at Sima Wei. "What do you mean by that?"

Sima Wei replied, "I’m just being cautious. Chang’an is the capital—naturally, it must be prioritized."

"You’ve got your own agenda!"

Sima Wei: "I am only loyal to His Majesty and to Liang..."

"Enough! This is no time for bickering. Focus on the matter at hand," Cui Civil Affairs Minister cut off their argument.

After back-and-forth, the Emperor of Liang finally decided to dispatch thirty thousand from the Northern Army and fifty thousand regional troops to reinforce Zhongwei, with an additional fifty thousand to be levied from Yanzhou later.

Yanzhou was far away. Under such circumstances, the faster and nearer the reinforcements, the better for Zhongwei. Yet the Emperor of Liang had clearly taken Sima Wei’s words to heart.

Cui Civil Affairs Minister said, "Even if the reinforcements depart from Chang’an, it will take half a month to reach Zhongwei. War waits for no one. Your Majesty should send an urgent letter to the Marquis of Liangzhou, requesting him to lead the Liangzhou Army to the rescue first."

Everyone agreed at once.

"Last year, it was the Liangzhou Army’s timely intervention that reclaimed the city," someone blurted out.

He’d spoken quietly, but in the sudden hush, his words rang clear.

All at once, everyone's expressions shifted subtly, their gazes instinctively darting away from the Emperor of Liang.

The air grew tense.

Amid this silence, the crowd heard Sima Wei sneer, "Isn’t it odd that the Xiongnu didn’t attack Liangzhou right at their doorstep but instead went out of their way to attack Zhongwei."

His words clearly insinuated some shady dealings between Liangzhou and the Xiongnu.

Chun Yumin could no longer restrain himself and stood up. "Sima Wei, what’s with the veiled accusations?"

Sima Wei said innocently, "I'm merely stating the facts."

*Why attack Zhongwei instead of Liangzhou? Don’t you have any sense of why?* Chun Yumin thought bitterly.

"Stick to the matter at hand. This is no way to act," Cui Civil Affairs Minister reprimanded Chun Yumin before turning to Sima Wei. "The Xiongnu army likely has multiple divisions. Perhaps they’ve already reached Liangzhou, but the military report hasn’t arrived yet due to the distance. As one of His Majesty’s most trusted advisors, you should choose your words carefully."

With Cui Civil Affairs Minister’s intervention, Sima Wei had to drop the insinuations. He glanced subtly at the Emperor of Liang above.

Aside from reinforcements, leadership was still in question.

"Marquis Zhou is a proven warrior with the men’s loyalty. Why not appoint him as the Grand General?" Chun Yumin suggested.

Marquis Zhou referred to Zhou Ji, son of Zhou Qiong, who had followed the Founding Emperor in rebellion fifty years ago and contributed greatly to Liang State. The Zhou family had long commanded the military, and Zhou Ji himself had fought alongside his father for years. Now leading the Northern Army, he was the most seasoned and respected veteran general. If he took command, no one would question his authority.

Many nodded in agreement.

But Zhao Yong suddenly rose from his seat. "Your Majesty, General Zhou is getting on in years—almost seventy. That might not be wise."

"Though General Zhou is old, he’s still sharp," Chun Yumin countered.

"War is grueling work. How can we subject a man of his age to such hardship? Moreover, swords and arrows don’t discriminate—what if something happens? How could His Majesty bear it? With so many capable generals in Liang, do we really need to drag a seventy-year-old to war?"

Chun Yumin thought he was being deliberately obtuse and his face burned with anger. "General Zhou need only oversee strategy, not personally engage in battle. The Marquis of Liangzhou is also nearly seventy, yet he led the Liangzhou Army to repel the Xiongnu. Age has nothing to do with leading men."

At this, a smirk flickered across Zhao Yong’s lips.

He had feared others might oppose him, but with Chun Yumin’s words, no one else needed convincing. *Hmph!*

Sure enough, after some debate, the Emperor of Liang finally spoke. "Zhao Qing is right. Zhou Ji is too old—let him retire in peace. Propose someone else suitable."

Chun Yumin stared at the emperor in disbelief but could only lower his eyes in resignation. He fell silent afterward, letting the courtiers argue among themselves.

Amid the clamor, his thoughts inexplicably turned to Huan Jun.

Though a few years older, they had both studied under the great scholar Cui Cheng, sharing similar views upon entering court and forming a close friendship.

When he learned Huan Jun intended to leave Chang'an for a southern post, he had tried to dissuade him. Huan Jun had asked, "What do you think of Sima Wei’s disaster relief proposal?"

He had been unable to answer—it was obvious to anyone with eyes.

Huan Jun continued, "The emperor approved it. The officials approved it."

He had averted his gaze in discomfort.

"There is no room left for me to spread my wings in Chang'an," Huan Jun had said finally.

Now, Chun Yumin understood his feelings. He could do nothing but watch as these courtiers, driven by their own schemes, chipped away at Liang’s strength.

In the end, the Emperor of Liang appointed Marquis Henei He Yang as Grand General, with Zhou Hong (son of Zhou Ji) and Zhao Bian (brother of Zhao Yong) as his lieutenants.

Zhou Hong served as the Colonel of the Northern Army. After Zhou Ji was dismissed, a compromise was reached by appointing his son to lead the Northern Army.

Zhao Yong and Zhao Zhen were cousins. After Zhao Zhen was demoted, Zhao Yong became the sole power in the Zhao clan.

Though the other members of the Zhao family had done nothing wrong, Zhao Zhen’s actions had brought shame upon the entire clan. Zhao Yong curried favor with the emperor and was subsequently rewarded with significant appointments.

The Zhao clan’s status now depended entirely on the emperor’s whims. If they could distinguish themselves in battle, they might rise to even greater heights in the future.

A crisis—both peril and chance.

When appointing the Left and Right Wing Generals, someone mentioned Xie Shao, noting that he had fought the barbarians two years prior and emerged victorious. Moreover, his performance in suppressing the rebellion in Ezhou that year had been commendable, making him a suitable candidate to confront the barbarians. However, Zhao Yong dismissed the suggestion.

"That skirmish was small-scale—nothing like the real fight ahead. As for quelling the rebellion, it was merely a mob of untrained rebels. With imperial troops, failing to crush them would’ve been inexcusable."

Though Xie Shao bore the surname Xie, he had no ties to the Xie clan in court. No one defended him, and his own reputation was insufficient to earn the emperor or the officials’ special regard. Thus, the matter was quietly dropped.

The edict was soon proclaimed.

Upon hearing that the emperor had dismissed him on the grounds of being "too old," Zhou Ji immediately donned his armor and sought an audience with the emperor.

"Your Majesty, I’m not deaf or blind! I can still wield a blade and slay the enemy—I can fight for Liang another ten years!" The moment he was ushered into the Southern Study by the attendant, he dropped to his knees with a clang, his fierce eyes burning with resolve.

The Emperor of Liang rose swiftly and personally helped him up by the arm. "What’s this, my lord? Stand up!"

Zhou Ji remained unmoved.

The emperor released his grip. "If I recall, you’re seventy now. At such an age, to weigh you down with duties—should any misfortune befall you, how could I bear it?"

Zhou Ji’s heart burned with passion. "I’m a soldier! My only wish in life is to defend my homeland and die wrapped in horsehide!"

The emperor’s face hardened at his defiance.

Straightening fully, the emperor stood over the old general, the jade beads of his crown shadowing his eyes. "My dear minister, I can’t take it back now."

Zhou Ji trembled as he gazed up at him.

…

"Father, what did His Majesty say?"

The moment Zhou Ji returned home, Zhou Hong rushed to meet him.

There was no need to ask—his father’s face said it all.

Zhou Ji lifted his head to the sky. The clouds had gathered thickly, leaving only a sliver of sunset in the west, soon to be swallowed as well.

He remained in that posture for a long time, as if recalling his youth when he had followed the Founding Emperor and Crown Prince Zhaowen to achieve countless heroic deeds—until the first raindrop struck his eyelid.

Founding Emperor, do you weep for Liang now?

From his father Zhou Qiong to himself, they had spent their lives on the battlefield, achieving countless feats of valor—only to be cast aside in the end for being "too old."

Is this the Zhou clan’s fate? Just like Liangzhou.

"Father?" Zhou Hong called out worriedly, fearing his father might despair.

Zhou Ji snapped back to reality and seized his son’s arm with a grip so fierce it nearly crushed bone. "The emperor has appointed you as Left Wing General. No matter what happens, never forget the duty upon your shoulders. You must not let the barbarians breach our borders—or Liang State will be doomed!"

Zhou Hong nodded solemnly. "Rest assured, Father. I will never disgrace the Zhou name. There will be no retreat—only blood on the battlefield and a warrior’s death!"

"Very well!" Zhou Ji could only place his hopes on his son now.

"Father, the rain is getting heavier. Let's go inside."

That night, Zhou Ji did not rest. His study lamp burned well past midnight as he continued briefing Zhou Hong on military affairs.

"He Yang has decent experience in leading troops. He knows his military tactics and shows some insight in major matters, but he is spineless. In battle, hesitation will get you killed—you must rely on your own judgment... Zhao Bian is somewhat slippery and underhanded. Be wary of him, but do not provoke him lightly..."

"Thank you for your guidance, Father. I will remember it all."

With the urgency of the military situation, it was impossible to immediately muster a hundred thousand men. He Yang and Zhou Hong each led twenty thousand as the advance force, moving fast and light to provide reinforcements, while Zhao Bian hurried the remaining forces to catch up.

At the same time, a dispatch rider set off from Chang'an at top speed, heading straight for Liangzhou.

——

Wudati Hou had already reached Zhongwei, just after forcing a river crossing.

Last winter, they had taken advantage of the frozen Yellow River to advance unhindered to the walls of Zhongwei. This year, however, the crossing cost them more blood.

But that was behind them now—they had successfully crossed the Yellow River.

At this moment, inside Wudati Hou's command tent, his commanders were discussing their next battle plan.

As the various Xiongnu forces arrived one after another, some could not help but voice concerns: "What if Tuo Baxiao hits us now?"

Wudati Hou replied, "I have naturally left men to deal with him. Even if he does attack, as long as we loot enough supplies from Liang State, it won’t count as a loss."

Wudati Hou was confident that Tuo Baxiao could not break through the Xiongnu.

Still, this served as a reminder. Over the past few years, apart from attacking the Jie, Tuo Baxiao had rarely started fights beyond his borders. He refused to believe Tuo Baxiao lacked ambition—it could only mean he was secretly plotting something.

In the year Tuo Baxiao ascended the throne, the Xiongnu had far surpassed the Xianbei in strength. But in recent years, the Xianbei had grown increasingly powerful, showing signs of overtaking the Xiongnu.

Wudati Hou sensed an existential threat. That was why he had taken the risk—and fortunately, he had succeeded. He had finally taken the Khaganate for himself.

Come to think of it, according to scouts' reports, the Xianbei had done even better for themselves in the past two years. The blizzard the year before last seemed to have had little impact on them.

And all of this appeared to have started when Tuo Baxiao married that Liang State princess.

Yes, that Liang State princess.

On the day of Tuo Baxiao's assassination attempt, he had only caught a fleeting glimpse of her, yet the impression was burned into his memory—especially the hairpin she had thrust at him.

He had assumed she was just a delicate little thing, but it turned out that aside from her resolve with the hairpin, she was damn competent in other ways as well.

The thought filled him with bitter envy toward Tuo Baxiao. Some Liang princess wife had effortlessly helped him secure his throne.

Had he known she would bring Tuo Baxiao so many advantages, he should have killed her outright that day—or taken her for himself before Tuo Baxiao could marry her, making her his own woman.

After two hours of deliberation with his generals, Wudati Hou concluded that they must hit them harder and capture Zhongwei before Liang State's reinforcements arrived.

"Liang State has so few defenders—it must mean even the heavens are on our side," Wudati Hou declared, firing up his men.

He had expected Liang State to bolster its defenses after last year, making the siege difficult. But instead—ha!—it seemed the heavens themselves were aiding him.

"Exactly! As long as we take the city before their reinforcements arrive, without their shell of protection, Liang State's army will be lambs to the slaughter! Ha!" someone chimed in.

"From now on, we keep attacking in waves—without pause—until the city falls!" Wudati Hou unsheathed his sword.

At the same time, another fast horse traversed the rugged mountains, arriving once more in Liangzhou.

Liangzhou had received yet another desperate call for aid.