Chapter 104: Changes in Northern Yan.

**Chapter 104: Upheaval in Northern Yan**

A palace attendant ushered Song Xu into the hall, served him tea and refreshments, then bade him wait respectfully.

Song Xu softly thanked her, without glancing around, merely casting a brief glance at the desk before him with his peripheral vision.

In the upper right corner of the desk stood a slender-necked vase holding several branches of red plum blossoms, giving off a subtle, sweet scent.

After about the time it takes to sip half a cup of tea, there was a sudden stir outside, followed by the sound of the main doors opening and closing.

Song Xu rose to his feet, preparing to bow, when a child of about two or three years old, swaddled in thick layers, emerged from behind the screen.

The child's rosy cheeks were flushed from running, and his eyes—black, bright, and clear—instantly endeared him to others.

Song Xu hesitated momentarily in surprise before quickly bowing, his voice unconsciously softening: "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Ji Xianshan nodded with rehearsed solemnity. "At ease."

He pointed behind Song Xu, who turned and saw the slender-necked vase.

"Does Your Majesty wish to take the vase down?" Song Xu picked up the vase and crouched before Ji Xianshan.

Ji Xianshan lifted his little cloak, revealing a slightly wilted plum blossom. Its petals bore a faint layer of moisture, likely from snow when it was picked.

Placing the blossom in the vase, Ji Xianshan asked, "Which official are you?"

Before Song Xu could answer, Huo Ling’s voice suddenly came from the hall entrance: "He isn’t an official."

Huo Ling walked slowly into the hall, scooped up Ji Xianshan, and gestured for Song Xu to take a seat at the lower end.

Ji Xianshan gestured proudly to the plum blossoms in the vase. "Mother Empress, look, I picked these. Not Aunt Wu Mo."

Huo Ling smiled and stroked Ji Xianshan’s cheek. "No wonder your cheeks are so chilly. Mother Empress needs to discuss some matters with Lord Song. Would you rather stay here or go play hide-and-seek with Xiao Fuzi and the others?"

Ji Xianshan frowned slightly, hesitant. "If he’s not an official, can I talk?"

Every time Mother Empress spoke with officials, it took ages, and he had to sit quietly beside her without moving or interrupting.

Huo Ling replied, "No, you may not."

Ji Xianshan said, "Then I’ll go play hide-and-seek."

Huo Ling put him down and had Xiao Fuzi lead him out.

Song Xu sat quietly, gaze downcast, but listening to the exchange between this imperial mother and son, he felt a twinge of nostalgia and sorrow.

Huo Ling had summoned Song Xu not to recruit him.

In the hierarchy of heaven, earth, sovereign, family, and mentor, Wen Shengan was Song Xu’s teacher. Even if their paths differed, Song Xu could not easily betray Wen Shengan.

Thus, Huo Ling had summoned Song Xu simply because she wished to meet him.

And Song Xu, true to his identity as Wen Shengan’s disciple, answered Huo Ling’s questions with poised composure.

Huo Ling said, "The Empress Dowager learned from Ding Jinghuan that you traveled with a merchant caravan to Great Mu last year. Which of its cities did you visit?"

Song Xu answered truthfully, "I went to Great Mu’s secondary capital, Yanjing, and its main capital, Shangjing, staying a month in each."

Huo Ling glanced at him. "You traveled farther than I anticipated."

Song Xu replied modestly, "Just good luck. The merchant caravan I joined happened to be heading to Shangjing for business."

Huo Ling asked, "Weren’t you worried about trouble in a foreign land?"

Song Xu answered, "In recent years, although border conflicts between Great Yan and Great Mu have continued, the trade between our people can’t be stopped completely. These caravans travel back and forth all the time. Unless you’re really unlucky, there’s not much danger."

"Besides, Great Mu is our biggest threat. It's rare to get a chance to see their capital with my own eyes—I really didn't want to miss it."

Seeing that Huo Ling didn’t interrupt, Song Xu went on to share some of what he had seen in Yanjing and Shangjing, along with his take on Great Mu.

Song Xu wasn’t rushing to become an official, but that didn’t mean he was aloof or proud.

As a commoner who had caught the eye of the Empress Dowager Regent and even earned the honor of being summoned by her—wouldn’t that be wasting this chance if he didn’t make the most of it?

Huo Ling suddenly asked, "What do you think of Great Mu’s Emperor Yongqing?"

Song Xu said, "That Yongqing Emperor is brutal but effective. Outside the capital, he carried out bloody crackdowns on the ethnic minorities living within Great Mu’s borders. Inside, he crushed anyone who opposed him."

After a pause, Song Xu ventured to ask, "Your Grace—is that concern over the situation in Yanbei?"

Huo Ling smoothed her sleeve and replied calmly, "When the late Emperor died and the new Emperor took the throne, the Qiang Rong were quick to send envoys to the capital, bringing condolences for the late Emperor and congratulations on the new Emperor’s ascension. But Great Mu has been silent."

The day after Emperor Jingyuan died, Wen Shengan came to warn Huo Ling about Great Mu.

Huo Ling immediately sent word to Yanbei, ordering them to increase vigilance.

The sudden death of the former emperor, a young ruler on the throne, followed by Prince Duan and Duke Liu’s rebellion—the chaos at the end of Jingyuan Year 26 was quickly suppressed by Huo Ling’s decisive actions. But to wolves and vultures, it left Great Yan at its weakest.

This was the final challenge Ji Xianshan had to face before taking full power.

And now, that moment had come.

In early November, Great Mu gathered 200,000 troops at Yanjing and marched toward Yanbei.

An Hongyu, the Yanbei commander, was ambushed and seriously wounded. Captain Fang Jianbai, covering An Hongyu’s escape, died in battle.

An urgent battlefield dispatch reached the capital, setting the court abuzz.

Huo Ling immediately summoned the Three Grand Councilors, with Minister of War Li Hansong and Commander of Xingtang Pass Huo Shiming also attending.

The Grand Councilors kept arguing. Huo Ling’s gaze swept past them until it landed on the red-eyed Huo Shiming. She called directly on him.

"General Huo."

"Your servant is here."

"According to court rules, your command of the Yanyu Army should only officially end after returning to Yanxi and handing over to Commander Sun. However, given the sudden change in Yanbei, I order you to round up your troops at once and lead the Swallow Feather Army to reinforce Yanbei without delay."