Chapter 64 Awaiting Your Swift Return

Chapter 64: Awaiting Your Swift Return

Upon learning it was a letter from Qin Xiao, Baili Hong could no longer remain seated.

He slid off his chair with a kick of his small legs and scurried over to Chu Jiubian. "Sir, I want to see too," the child said, standing on tiptoe and pushing against Chu Jiubian's knees, attempting to climb into his lap.

Chu Jiubian gently scooped him up and settled him on his knee.

Baili Hong's eyes sparkled as he gazed at the envelope. "Sir, what did Uncle say?"

"Let me see," Chu Jiubian unfolded the letter.

The familiar handwriting immediately met his gaze—flourishing and forceful, each stroke deeply etched into the paper, possessing a unique character.

"One month since leaving the capital, already arrived in the Northwest..."

The letter adopted a matter-of-fact tone, briefly recounting the journey. It also mentioned that upon reaching the Northwest, Moba Zanpu had reneged on his agreement, intending to massacre the city that very day, but was thwarted by Prince Dingbei.

It was said that among the people of Shaanxi and Gansu, tales of Prince Dingbei's heroic deeds were spreading, overshadowing his previous "incompetent" reputation from being captured.

Though the tone appeared official, Chu Jiubian discerned Qin Xiao's sarcasm in the line, "Prince Dingbei may be in the enemy camp, but his name echoes throughout Great Ning."

It seemed the situation was not as rumors suggested.

The collusion between Prince Dingbei and Moba Zanpu was an undeniable fact. Any talk of "taking a knife for the people" or fearless bravery was likely a performance orchestrated by the vassal prince himself.

He had set his own stage, drawing both the Great Ning court and the Western Regions' Sai kingdom into his drama, even implicating Qin Xiao, Moba Zanpu, and the people of Shaanxi and Gansu.

Not only had he successfully lured Qin Xiao there, but he had also elevated his own reputation.

Truly masterful tactics.

Chu Jiubian's eyes darkened slightly; he had indeed paid little attention to Prince Dingbei, Baili Yu, before.

Baili Yu was the youngest prince during Emperor Cheng's reign, twenty-five years old, the same age as Qin Xiao.

During the succession struggle in Emperor Yingzong's era, Prince Dingbei was still young, and his maternal family's influence was not particularly strong. He was hastily granted a fief and sent away, thus avoiding involvement in factional politics.

Throughout Emperor Yingzong's eight-year reign, he remained inconspicuous, even less noticeable than the distant Southern Frontier King.

But now, it seemed he was neither simple nor content.

On the contrary, this man possessed strategic acumen, daring, and a willingness to take risks—a formidable opponent.

These vassal princes had hidden their true natures well, but with the court now in turmoil, they were beginning to stir.

Chu Jiubian lowered his gaze and continued reading the letter.

"Envoys were dispatched for negotiations at night. The army will rest for three days before engaging in battle. Wish me luck."

Qin Xiao had never intended serious negotiations, so sending envoys was merely a formality; battle was inevitable.

Yet, reading Qin Xiao's words, Chu Jiubian couldn't help but smile.

However, the smile soon faded, and his brow furrowed slightly.

It had taken four days for the letter to reach him, meaning that, if all went as planned, Qin Xiao had already engaged in battle with the Sai kingdom's army yesterday.

He wondered about the situation and whether Qin Xiao had been injured.

Probably not.

If Qin Xiao were injured on the first day, it would be difficult for him to "decisively defeat the Sai kingdom" as in the original story, so he must still be safe for now.

Chu Jiubian composed himself and continued reading.

The letter was nearing its end, with only two lines remaining.

"Please inform His Majesty that I am well and will endeavor to return to the capital before the New Year."

Before Chu Jiubian could relay the message, the child had already read the words and joyfully hugged Chu Jiubian’s arm. "Sir, Uncle said he'll be back before the New Year!"

"Yes," Chu Jiubian replied with a smile.

Baili Hong then wriggled out of Chu Jiubian’s lap and cheerfully declared, "Sir, I'm going back to my arithmetic now!"

He wanted to study diligently so that when his uncle returned, he would see an even more capable version of himself!

"Go ahead," Chu Jiubian said.

The child returned to his seat and sat upright, diligently working on the math problems Chu Jiubian had given him. He showed no impatience, but rather a strong sense of determination.

Chu Jiubian withdrew his gaze and looked at the last line of the letter.

"I somewhat miss the jasmine in the courtyard. I wonder if it's still well?"

He stared at it for a long while before finally putting the letter away. Turning to Qin Zhaoyang, he said, "The battle in the Northwest has likely begun. Keep a close watch for any news."

Qin Zhaoyang respectfully acknowledged the order.

"Begin preparing the vassal princes' mansions as well. For the banquet and New Year's arrangements, please coordinate with Eunuch Hong to oversee the details," Chu Jiubian added.

Qin Zhaoyang bowed. "I will obey your command."

The New Year was approaching.

In the first year of the new emperor’s reign, all seven vassal princes were required to come to the capital to pay respects, likely bringing their families and retinues.

With so many people, it was impossible to accommodate them all in the palace.

Fortunately, when these vassal princes were enfeoffed, the court had granted them estates in the capital. Now, they only needed to be tidied and prepared, avoiding the need for new construction.

Moreover, these mansions were maintained by servants left to "look after the property," so they weren’t neglected and would require less effort to restore.

However, the palace banquet for the New Year involved many intricate details. Thankfully, the Ministry of Rites officials were coordinating, otherwise Chu Jiubian’s staff would be stretched even thinner.

The Ministry of Personnel was also swamped with more and more memorials.

This year’s official evaluations, along with requests for transfers, had led to a flurry of activity, resulting in stacks of paperwork. Chu Jiubian had to work well into the night every day to review them.

Often, when his back ached from bending over late at night, he couldn’t help but think of Qin Xiao.

If Qin Xiao were here, he could share half the workload, making things much easier.

But for now, Qin Xiao wasn't returning soon.

Chu Jiubian unrolled a fresh sheet of paper, dipped his brush in ink, and began writing a reply to Qin Xiao.

His letter was rather straightforward.

He first recounted the recent noteworthy developments at the royal court.

First, the population census records of the people in Hexi Prefecture had been fully sorted out. Grand Coordinator Han Yuandao used his authority to suppress local forces, preventing the local gentry families and various factions from seizing the people's land again.

However, the Four Great Families in the court seemed to have guessed their intentions regarding land and tax reforms and had begun making quiet maneuvers.

Second, the head of the Xiao family, Xiao Yao, had recently resumed public appearances.

Though somewhat thinner than before, his spirits appeared steady. Chu Jiubian observed that he had likely managed to suppress his addiction to Datura.

Yet, although Minister of Personnel Xiao Huaiguan appeared more spirited, he had also started to lose weight. His already aged face now had sunken cheeks.

Chu Jiubian tactfully suggested to Qin Xiao that this old man was likely living on borrowed time.

The Xiao family had previously possessed large quantities of Datura. After the court banned it, Xiao Yao ordered all family members to steer clear of the substance.

But with Xiao Huaiguan’s condition, Chu Jiubian knew at a glance what was happening.

Undoubtedly, the remaining Datura in the Xiao family had been consumed by that old fox Xiao Huaiguan.

Chu Jiubian even understood why he did it—the old man, already well along in years and nearing the end of his life, likely sought to live more freely, even if it meant indulging in poison.

Third, there was the Wang family.

Chu Jiubian felt that since he sent Vice Minister of Revenue Wang Pengyi to deliver military pay, Minister Wang Zhiyuan seemed different.

He no longer involved himself deeply in court affairs, only occasionally speaking up, and surprisingly, his stance often aligned with Chu Jiubian and Baili Hong.

In the letter, Chu Jiubian informed Qin Xiao: "The Wang family may be considering a strategic retreat, depending on the outcome of the northwestern campaign."

If there was anyone in the court who understood the situation best, it would be Minister Wang.

The Wang family had served as officials and ministers since the previous dynasty. When Great Ning overthrew the former regime, most high-ranking officials and nobles were stripped of their privileges—except the Wang family, who had secretly struck a deal with the founding emperor of Great Ning, preserving their wealth and influence.

This ability to read the political winds had clearly been passed down to Wang Zhiyuan.

But there was another crucial reason Chu Jiubian could not disclose to Qin Xiao.

He had obtained some inside information from Wang Qichen: the Wang family was currently torn by severe internal power struggles. Wang Qichen had been laying the groundwork for the launch of "Yaotai Blue Paper," which would soon be released.

Once that happened, the Wang family’s monopoly on papermaking technology would be broken. If the main branch of the family could not devise a strategy to reverse their fading fortunes, they would soon be overshadowed by Wang Qichen’s faction.

Under these circumstances, Wang Zhiyuan—a senior clansman whose standing within the family outranked even that of the family head, Wang Huanzhi—had remained silent. He did not even restrict his own grandson, Wang Pengyi, from associating with Wang Qichen. This silence itself indicated a leaning.

If Wang Qichen eventually secured the position of family head, the Wang family would effectively fall under Chu Jiubian’s control.

The solid alliance and adversarial relationships among the Four Great Families would thus be dismantled from within.

Finally, there was the matter of the imperial examinations. The first round, the local academy examinations, had concluded.

Chu Jiubian had modeled the examination system on later conventions: starting with county exams, followed by provincial exams, then the Metropolitan Examination, and finally the palace exams—four rounds in total.

The county exams were held in the candidates’ home counties, testing basic knowledge. Those with a solid foundation could pass.

The provincial exams required candidates to travel to their prefectural seat. The questions here were more challenging, weeding out those ill-prepared or inflexible.

Since this was the first time the examinations were held, Chu Jiubian did not set quotas. Any candidate scoring 85% or higher in each round could advance.

The third round was the Metropolitan Examination, held at the prefectural level. The scope and difficulty of the questions increased, and Chu Jiubian included some debate topics.

Aside from candidates in classics scholarship, those in subjects like mathematics and textiles were not evaluated on literary elegance. As long as their moral compass was sound, or even somewhat rigid but teachable, Chu Jiubian allowed them to pass.

Candidates who passed the Metropolitan Examination earned a place in the National University.

These scholars would then come to the capital to participate in the final palace examination.

Baili Hong served as the chief examiner for the palace exams, with all civil and military officials acting as deputy examiners.

The final exam used the same set of questions for all candidates—ten questions in total.

These questions were not about professional skills but focused on why they sought to serve as officials, how to improve people’s livelihoods, how to benefit the populace, and how they planned to perform their duties in the future.

Chu Jiubian and Baili Hong drafted these questions together, with two of them originating from the young ruler’s own questions.

The purpose of these palace exam questions was not only to select the most outstanding talents who aligned with Chu Jiubian’s governance philosophy but also to give these scholars public exposure.

In front of all officials, the candidates’ answers—whether good or bad—would carry influence.

After the palace exams, Chu Jiubian intended to have the questions and answers recorded and disseminated.

These would be rendered in plain language and spread by public storytellers or in crowded public gathering spots like inns and taverns, eventually reaching various markets.

This would ensure the people knew that those governing them were Baili Hong, Chu Jiubian, and Qin Xiao.

And in the future, those who would continue to serve them and improve their lives would be the scholars chosen from common households through the National University.

Unlike the noble families, National University scholars naturally had a closer connection with the common people.

Once their reputation spread, the people’s loyalty would shift toward the National University. This would make it more convincing when these scholars later entered the court.

Those who secure the people’s allegiance win the empire.

Chu Jiubian understood this principle well, as did others in the court.

But these nobles, steeped in arrogance, did not genuinely care about the people’s needs. They merely used their "good reputation" to use the common people as pawns.

When they needed the people to serve as their shock troops—as during the previous drought in the south—officials could easily incite them to become weapons against Qin Xiao and Baili Hong.

Yet to these nobles, the people were like ants, disorganized and vulnerable.

A mere Prefecture Deputy could lead soldiers and throw them into raging rivers.

Or, as with the recent invasion by the Sai barbarians.

The people of the Gansu region became negotiable assets, placed in danger by Prince Dingbei without their knowledge.

But he also needed their support to burnish his reputation and gain acceptance among more people.

Thus, he dragged so many into his schemes, exploiting their admiration and resentment under the guise of "single-handedly facing the blades," fearless and unyielding.

To him, and to those nobles, the people were merely tools.

So they would never consider "promoting public literacy." On the contrary, they would exert utmost oppression, considering it acceptable as long as the people could scrape by.

If the people became slightly wealthier, they would start pursuing other things and begin pondering broader ideas.

They would become less controllable, no longer mere tools to be manipulated.

This would not be good news for the powerful and privileged.

Even in later generations, ordinary people remained trapped in information cocoons, seeing and hearing only what certain individuals wanted them to perceive.

However, there would always be those who pondered, those who sought ways to transcend their social class.

Society would inevitably progress, and that was a positive development.

Chu Jiubian was never naive enough to expect every commoner to become accomplished. He simply wanted everyone to live a better life, to have the opportunity to think, grow, and understand why they were born and for what they might die.

After writing all this in a rambling manner, Chu Jiubian looked up and realized he had unintentionally filled an entire page with his thoughts. He was momentarily taken aback.

The confidential letter would be kept secure. If any unforeseen incident occurred, the messenger would destroy the letter first, so Chu Jiubian had no concerns about outsiders seeing its contents.

He was just surprised.

When Qin Xiao was with him, he hadn’t realized how much he actually communicated to the other. Only after writing it down did he discover how much they usually discussed.

Remembering that Qin Xiao had also written only one page, Chu Jiubian decided not to add more. He simply wrote in conclusion: "His Majesty is well. However, government matters keep me swamped. Even in my dreams, I am reviewing memorials. I hope you return swiftly to share some of the burden."

After a moment’s thought, he added one final line: "The jasmine in the courtyard is in full bloom."

It was already mid-October, and the jasmine in the courtyard was showing signs of decline.

Qin Xiao received the reply on the evening of October 15.

The sunset painted the sky red, while raindrops mixed with light snowfall fell to the ground, melting into water and blending with the dust to form mud.

His long boots slogged through the mud.

Qin Xiao’s face still carried traces of remaining aggression, with blood splattered across his jaw. His dark armor gleamed coldly under the fading light.

He strode to the entrance of the tent, handed his spear to a guard, and lifted the flap to step inside.

Just as he reached the washbasin to clean his hands, a shadow guard silently appeared a few steps away, holding up a confidential letter. "Sir, a reply from the capital."

Qin Xiao turned sharply, took two steps toward him, but then paused. He turned back, washed his hands thoroughly, and only then approached to take the letter.

The shadow guard vanished without a trace.

Qin Xiao sat on one of the two stone stools in the tent, not even bothering to pour himself a cup of water before unfolding the letter.

The young man’s handwriting was vigorous and powerful, each stroke precise and flowing.

The ferocity on Qin Xiao’s face gradually softened as his eyes scanned the letter.

The wording alternated between concise, scholarly language and plain, straightforward talk—a style unmistakably Chu Jiubian’s.

When he read, "That old fool Xiao Huaiguan is on his last legs," Qin Xiao let out a low chuckle.

Seeing "His Majesty is well" reassured him, though he felt something was still missing.

His gaze lingered on the final line, unable to look away.

It read: "The jasmine in the courtyard is in full bloom."

At this time, the jasmine in the garden would have likely faded.

But Qin Xiao was not thinking of jasmine, and Chu Jiubian was not merely speaking of flowers.

After a long moment, Qin Xiao placed the letter on the table and neatly tore it in half.

The first half, which detailed affairs in the capital, he burned to ashes.

The second half contained only the last two lines.

Qin Xiao stood up, carefully placed this half into a small box by his pillow, and concealed it beneath.

Once he rose again, he did not rest further but strode directly out of the tent.

The people in the capital were waiting for him to return and review memorials. He needed to pick up the pace.

In the main tent of the Sai Kingdom’s commander, a subordinate rushed in to report: "Commander! Prince Ning is attacking again!"

"He just retreated not long ago. How is he back already?!" Moba Zanpu was so enraged that he hurled his wine cup down.

Fortunately, it was made of bronze and and remained intact.

He glared at Baili Yu, who sat calmly in the subordinate’s seat, and snarled, "I have already lost five generals. You never mentioned Prince Ning was this formidable!"

Baili Yu’s eyes darkened slightly as he replied coolly, "Commander should understand that there are no gains without cost in this world."

Earlier, tempted by the prospect of seizing Gansu, Moba Zanpu had eagerly collaborated with Baili Yu. Now, with Prince Ning launching an attack, he was growing frantic.

By now, Moba Zanpu knew all too well that he had been manipulated by Prince Dingbei and these Central Plains people.

He had been used as a blade to resist Qin Xiao.

But Moba Zanpu was now caught between a rock and a hard place.

If he retreated now, not only would he lose Gansu, but his troops' spirit would break, severely impacting his rule in the Sai Kingdom.

If he did not retreat, he would have to face Qin Xiao in real battle.

His 130,000 soldiers against Great Ning’s 110,000—it was unclear who would prevail.

But this was Great Ning’s territory. Qin Xiao had logistical support from the capital, ample provisions, and the environment of the Central Plains favored Great Ning’s military operations.

At the moment, Moba Zanpu’s only advantage seemed to be the terrain, which was easy to defend but hard to attack.

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes as he fixed a murderous gaze on Baili Yu. "Since I must confront Prince Ning directly to seize Gansu, our deal is now useless."

"And you—" He curled his lips into a cold smile. "You have outlived your usefulness."

Since Baili Yu was useless, he might as well be killed. What did it matter how clever he was? He was still in Moba Zanpu’s hands.

"Why the haste?" Baili Yu sipped his tea leisurely. "In warfare, supplies come first."

He looked up at the ruler on the main seat. "My people have discovered that Great Ning’s military supplies are stored at Ganying Relay Station, fifty kilometers away. I ask Commander to hold out for two more days. Once the weather clears, we will burn down Prince Ning’s supplies. Then, the initiative will be in our hands."

His men had long known where the army's supplies were stored. He had assumed that Wang Pengyi, who was escorting the supplies and from the Wang family, would share his goals—or at least delay the delivery for some time.

Unexpectedly, Wang Pengyi had been diligent, purchasing grain along the way and moving swiftly. Now, he had even joined up with Qin Xiao’s main army, securing the rear and ensuring the most basic supply of provisions.

Baili Yu suspected that the Wang family might be leaning toward pledging loyalty to the emperor, but now was not the time to dwell on that.

Since Wang Pengyi had slipped out of his control, the simplest solution was to have someone burn down the supply depot.

However, it had been raining and snowing for the past two days. Starting a major fire would create too much disturbance, and before the flames could take hold, his men would likely be exposed.

That was why he had held back from acting.

Still, as a precaution, he had prepared a contingency plan—such as the strategist Qian Ziming, currently in the Great Ning military camp, along with the six thousand troops from Prince Dingbei’s residence under his command.

When Moba Zanpu heard about the location of the provisions, his expression shifted slightly.

The Sai people revered strength; it was through martial prowess that he had secured the people's allegiance and his position as king.

But he was not merely a mindless warrior; on the contrary, he possessed notable military acumen.

So, in that moment, an idea formed in his mind. He immediately summoned a trusted general, whispered a few words in his ear, and the general left to carry out the order. Then, Moba Zanpu stood and strode out, grabbing his longsword on the way.

Seeing this, Baili Yu knew the king intended to take the field himself and confront Qin Xiao. He felt a surge of satisfaction.

This king’s martial prowess was formidable. No matter how skilled Qin Xiao might be, he couldn’t compare to a seasoned general. This battle promised to be intense.

Unfortunately, he was currently “imprisoned” and unable to show himself; otherwise, he would have liked to watch it unfold.

At the front lines, Qin Xiao sat astride a tall horse at the head of his army, gazing into the distance at the dense formation of the Sai kingdom troops.

An imposing general on horseback rode before the Sai army, shouting something.

Qin Xiao couldn’t understand, but his strategist Qian Ziming translated: “He’s asking why there’s only one general in our Great Ning army—have all the others died?”

Qian Ziming was Baili Yu’s strategist. He was lean and upright, with a faint presence—more like a covert operative akin to Qin Zhaoyang than a typical strategist. Having lived in Gansu for years and traveled to the Western Regions, he naturally understood the foreign language.

Shouting insults before battle seemed to be a customary practice. Qin Xiao couldn't be bothered with such formalities. Upon hearing the translation, he called to a young deputy general behind him: “You go.”

“Yes,” the deputy replied without hesitation and charged out.

The Sai general, seeing this, stopped his taunts and also rushed forward.

After several dozen exchanges, the deputy general’s armor at the shoulder was cut by the long blade, but the enemy general suffered a shoulder injury and retreated hastily back to his lines.

The deputy general didn’t return either; instead, he stood before the Sai army, mocking them and asking if they had no one left to fight.

Another strapping warrior emerged from the opposing side to face the deputy general.

Qian Ziming’s eyes flickered slightly as he scanned the surroundings, and his heart suddenly sank.

Something was wrong. He seemed to have overlooked a crucial detail.

Since last night, he hadn’t seen the brave and seasoned General Cheng Shuo!

Cheng Shuo was Qin Xiao’s most trusted deputy, and just the day before, he had personally cut down four enemy generals—outperforming even Qin Xiao himself!

Such a fierce warrior would never be sent away without good reason; there must be some critical mission underway.

Just then, Qian Ziming spotted a middle-aged man wielding a long blade emerging from the enemy camp—none other than the Sai kingdom's ruler!

In an instant, everything became clear to Qian Ziming, and his heart turned cold.

It’s over, he thought.

The Prince's plan must have failed.