Chapter 128

Chapter 128

As the war in the Southern Frontier erupted, it was not only the bowstrings on the battlefield that were taut.

With the border in crisis, the first silent ripple spread to grain and fodder supplies.

The court's logistical focus tilted inevitably from the moment the military report arrived. The Ministry of Revenue's abacus, the Ministry of War's documents, and even the urgent dispatches piled on the desks of governors in neighboring provinces were thrown into chaos overnight. The funds and grain originally allocated to stabilize grain prices and pacify the people in Jiangxi now had a more urgent destination.

The front lines.

The atmosphere within the Chao mansion solidified completely after the arrival of a thin letter from home that afternoon. Chao Yunping unfolded the paper, stained with dust, sweat, and grime. One look, and his fingertips went cold.

"Brother?" Chao Cheyun, still unaware of the frontline situation, came running upon hearing that a letter had arrived from their father.

But as soon as he entered, he saw his elder brother's troubled expression.

"What's wrong? Is Father ill?"

Chao Yunping did not move, only raised his head to look at his younger brother.

Chao Cheyun's heart trembled. He stepped forward and snatched the military report. His eyes scanned it, and the blood drained instantly from his face.

"Father..."

A short, choked breath escaped his throat.

The next moment, he turned to leave.

"Stop!" Chao Yunping's hand shot out, grabbing his brother's wrist.

"Where are you going?"

"To the Southern Frontier!" Chao Cheyun did not look back, his voice hard as stone.

"Nonsense!" Chao Yunping tightened his grip, jerking his brother to a halt. "Do you have any idea how chaotic the front is right now? You're a civilian with no military rank or orders. Going there alone—are you looking to cause trouble or to save someone?!"

Older by a few years, he bore the weight of the household and countless eyes upon him. He forced himself to suppress the rising panic and anger.

But these words only stoked the raging fire in Chao Cheyun's anxious heart.

This was the first time in years his elder brother had seen him so furious.

"That's my father!" Chao Cheyun twisted his head around, eyes bloodshot, shaking off his brother's hand. "He's lying there, between life and death! He's my own father! And you want me to wait here doing nothing?!"

"He's my father too!" Chao Yunping's voice rose. Was he not frantic as well? But he could not let his brother leap into the fire, nor could he allow the family to fall into further chaos now.

"I want to grow wings and fly there too! But we cannot afford to fall apart! Yun, you've always been smarter and more resourceful than me. Calm down."

He pressed his hands firmly onto his brother's shoulders, forcing him to meet his gaze. "Father has faced more life-and-death crises than either of us. The report says he has been rescued and is receiving treatment—that means there's still hope. If you charge off rashly now, and something happens to you on the way... what then? What would Father do? What would I do? What would this family do?"

Chao Cheyun panted heavily, staring at his brother, jaw clenched. But the reckless urge to act was finally checked by the pain in his elder brother's eyes.

"Then what do we do now—"

"Wait. We wait for instructions." Chao Yunping cut him off. "The border war will not go unnoticed by the court. The Nan family surely already knows. And the Marquis will not stand by."

Chao Cheyun's rapid breaths tugged at his chest. He gazed at his brother, for the first time exposing his fear without concealment. That helpless, anchorless panic confirmed his position as the younger brother.

"An elder brother is like a father"—that was never just empty words.

"I'm sorry... Brother... I..." His voice turned hoarse, the earlier fury gone, replaced only by a heavy, sinking dread. "I'm scared... I'm afraid Father might—"

"Our father is Chao Xiaochen." Chao Yunping caught his brother's emotion. "One arrow won't kill him. One defeat won't break his banner."

He paused, took a deep breath. "What we need to do now is keep this household stable, wait for more certain news, and think about what we can do—not add to the chaos."

Chao Cheyun was silent for a long time. Finally, with all the strength he had left, he gave an extremely slow nod.

"About this," Chao Yunping said, softening his voice as he looked at his brother, "our third sister cannot know. Not a single word. She's still young. Don't frighten her."

Chao Cheyun agreed. Chao Qingci had been sheltered and cherished by her father and brothers since childhood. She could not bear the news of their father's severe injury.

The two brothers were left wordless. One stared at the floor, the other at his brother. Dust floated gently in the columns of light. The noonday sun was blindingly white, pinning their shadows to the ground in short, dark patches.

Chao Cheyun slowly walked to a chair and slumped down. The usual sharpness in him faded, revealing the deep worry and lingering fear beneath.

Chao Yunping walked over and sat beside him. His hand rose, hesitated, then came to rest on his brother's tense back, patting it gently.

Deliberate, and carrying the strength of an elder brother.

"Father will be fine," he said softly—whether to comfort his brother or convince himself, it was unclear. "He is Chao Xiaochen."

Chao Cheyun did not look up, only letting out a muffled "Mm" from his throat.

"Don't go to the Nan mansion for now. The Marquis must be busy with the Southern Frontier affairs. No need to trouble him."

"Mm." Chao Cheyun replied with just one syllable again.

"You..." Chao Yunping looked at his brother's still tightly clenched fists and sighed. "Don't worry. Your brother is here."

Chao Cheyun gave another "Mm." He folded the paper, tucked it into his chest, close to his skin.

The courtyard wind rose, stirring up dust. It stung the eyes.

Deep within the imperial palace, the lights blazed bright.

***

Nan Wuxie stood before the imperial steps, dressed in ink-black robes, unmoving, straight as a spear.

He did not perform the full courtly obeisance. Instead, he clasped his fists and bowed slightly.

"Your Majesty. Urgent dispatch from the Southern Frontier. Xiaomi has invaded. Old General Chao is severely wounded. The flames of war have already reached southern Jiangxi. I, your minister, humbly request an immediate order to go south and oversee the troops in repelling the enemy."

Every word fell heavily onto the golden bricks of the empty hall, onto the Imperial Desk, onto the vermilion beams.

Li Sheng sat upon the dragon throne, penning a memorial. Upon hearing this, his brush did not pause, nor did his eyelids lift.

The hall was utterly silent, save for the unhurried scratching of the vermilion brush against paper.

After a long while, the sovereign finally finished that line of characters, set down his brush, and picked up a warm cloth to wipe his hands, his movements elegant and composed.

He raised his eyes and cast a flat gaze upon Nan Wuxie.

"I am already aware of the situation in the Southern Frontier," Li Sheng said, his tone betraying no urgency. "General Chao has been stationed there for years. A minor setback is inevitable. I have already ordered nearby garrisons to reinforce him. Minister Nan, what is the hurry?"

"This is no minor setback." Nan Wuxie lifted his eyes, his gaze cold as iron, meeting the emperor directly. "It is a broken defensive line. A wounded commanding general. The enemy's forces have already encroached upon the beacon fires of southern Jiangxi. If allowed to spread, the heart of Jiangxi will be imperiled. When that happens—"

"When that happens, what?" Li Sheng cut him off, leaning back slightly into the shadows of the dragon throne. "Does Minister Nan distrust the men under General Chao's command? Or do you think I, the Emperor, have misjudged my people?"

That was a tricky question.

Nan Wuxie's eyelids tightened for a moment.

"I don't trust the Xiaomi people's ambitions, nor can I risk a war that spreads like wildfire. Old General Chao is advanced in years, and with this grave injury, it will be difficult for him to oversee the overall situation on the front line again. The southern frontier needs someone familiar with its mountains, rivers, and the enemy's habits to take charge." He paused. "I am the most suitable candidate."

"You, my dear minister, think you're suitable?" Li Sheng repeated lightly, leaning slightly to one side, pressing his fingertip to his temple. "To my knowledge, you have not spent a long time in the southern frontier. I'm afraid you're not well acquainted with the recent situation there either. Why is my dear minister the most suitable? You care for the kingdom's lands, and I am deeply comforted by that. But I think that for this southern campaign, my dear minister may not be as familiar with the situation as the generals under Chao Xiaochen. Moreover, you have never directly led the troops of the Southern Pacification Army. Military orders outweigh all, and even I can't guarantee my decrees would be obeyed. Will they listen to you? If you rush southward now, it may not be a blessing."

Every sentence was sharp, every word carried deep meaning, the reasons were specious—this was clearly a refusal.

Nan Wuxie's chest rose and fell slightly. He knew that the emperor was mocking all the active military officers, and also manipulating him, Nan Wuxie, whose achievements overshadowed his lord.

With the urgent report arriving in the palace, Li Sheng could not have been unaware of how grave the situation was. His calm and refusal were just the emperor's political maneuvering, waiting for Nan Wuxie to offer something or fully submit.

"Your Majesty," Nan Wuxie stepped half a pace forward. "Territory shrinks, cities fall, soldiers bleed. For every moment of delay, recovering lost ground becomes that much harder, and the lives that must be sacrificed will double. Chao Xiaochen was once my subordinate; his soldiers will follow my command. And as for the southern frontier, I could sketch every mountain pass and strategic point with my eyes closed."

His voice suddenly dropped, as if he were a one-man army, horses and weapons at his command. "This is not a request for reward, but a plea for battle. I beg Your Majesty to think of the land and its people."

Having spoken to this extent, he had torn away the unspoken veil of polite formalities between sovereign and minister, laying the urgent flames and blood of the border directly before the Imperial Desk.

The faint smile on Li Sheng's face finally faded. He quietly gazed at Nan Wuxie standing below the steps, sizing him up, studying his face.

The air in the hall was oppressively heavy.

After a moment, the emperor sighed softly. There was no discernible true emotion in that sigh; it was more like a shift in demeanor.

"Of course I know Minister Nan's loyalty and valor." His tone softened slightly, as if moved. "Chao Xiaochen is old after all. This grave wound does require a capable general to take over. Since you insist on going..."

He paused, his eyes falling on Nan Wuxie's face, carefully looking him over, as if weighing something, or waiting for something.

Nan Wuxie waited in silence too.

The crux was coming.

"Very well." Li Sheng seemed to have finally made a decision. "I grant your request. My dear minister may hold my imperial edict to command all the forces in the southern frontier, and must stabilize the situation and recover lost territory."

Nan Wuxie's heart relaxed, and he was about to express his gratitude, when he heard Li Sheng's tone shift leisurely, becoming more casual. "But the war situation is urgent. Your journey will surely be fraught with dangers, with the hardships of travel and the dangers of battle."

He suddenly leaned forward, with a concerned tone as if discussing family matters. "I have heard that you have a young daughter in your mansion, quite clever and adorable, is that so?"

Nan Wuxie's blood seemed to freeze in an instant. He jerked his head up, looking at the Emperor on the throne.

But Li Sheng acted as if he hadn't noticed, continuing in the same mild and consultative tone: "A child is still young and cannot endure such bumps and terrors. On the battlefield, how can a young child be involved? How about... leaving her temporarily in the capital? There will be trusted caretakers in the palace to take good care of her, ensuring she is well-fed, well-clothed, happy, and safe. Minister Nan will then be free of worries and can focus on defending the kingdom. What do you think?"

What do you think?

Absurd!

The Li family's hostage-taking tradition runs in the bloodline!

Every word from Li Sheng was light, reasonable, full of the emperor's "consideration" and "grace."

But for the military officer standing below the golden steps, this was nothing but a glistening, cold shackle, silently slipped around the neck.

Leaving a daughter as a hostage—exactly the same as before. Back then, Nan Wuxie's father had left him in the capital as a hostage. And now, it was Nan Wuxie's turn to hand over his young daughter.

Nan Wuxie glared straight at the high steps. His hand hidden in his sleeve instantly clenched into a fist. He met Li Sheng's eyes. At the bottom of the emperor's eyes, there was not a trace of warmth, only the cold control of a superior.

Transaction, negotiation, abyss.

The bloodline of the Nan family was destined to be tied to the battlefield.

In contrast, the emperor's unhurried demeanor now seemed even more ironic.

Losing a few cities, losing some soldiers—compared to completely controlling Nan Wuxie, making this soaring eagle willingly fasten itself to a chain, the latter was far more valuable. There was no need to choose; it didn't even require thought.

A cold fury and a great sense of absurdity rushed straight to Nan Wuxie's head.

He wanted to demand, to roar, to smash this magnificent palace to pieces.

But he could not.

The flames of war burned in the southern frontier, lost territory was expanding, and the people of southern Jiangxi were in the vortex. He needed the imperial authority's approval, and the legitimacy to go south.

He had no time to stalemate, no leverage to upset the negotiation.

Li Sheng did not urge, did not press. He just waited quietly, raising his teacup again, gently blowing the leaves on the surface.

He was enjoying this moment—enjoying the control of holding the other's lifeline, watching him struggle between loyalty and family.

The hall was dead silent.