Chapter 643: A Great Wind Rises, the Clouds Fly High

Tong Mo turned and cupped his hands toward Shang Jianxiong. “So long as Nanzhou’s army leaves Nanzhou, even if it wins the war, it will inevitably suffer heavy losses. Afterward, would it really be difficult to destroy that army? Cutting off its supplies would be simplicity itself!”

Shang Jianxiong nodded repeatedly. “The Grand Minister of Works speaks with the seasoned prudence of one planning for the state.”

Tong Mo continued, “The question now is not whether to grant the Grand General for Suppressing the Rebellion military authority. The question is whether that temporary authority will be enough to coax Nanzhou into sending troops. If the other side insists on using the Grand Marshal’s authority as its excuse and refuses to move without it, everything becomes useless. At that point, we can only find every possible way to force the five regional lords to fight with their lives. If even that fails...” He stopped there.

Shang Jianxiong had been waiting for what came next. Seeing him pause, he hurriedly asked, “Then what?”

Tong Mo seemed to require considerable resolve before he finally said it. “If even that fails, ask Zhao for aid. Invite Zhao to send troops to help us!”

The earlier discussion had all concerned Shang Yongzhong’s own position, so he had remained silent. Now that the matter no longer touched his office, he finally spoke. “Zhao sits beside us with hidden designs, reaping the benefits without lifting a hand. Why would it lightly send troops for Great Yan?”

“Naturally it won’t. But we can negotiate!” Tong Mo said. “First send someone to contact His Majesty’s aunt, Empress Dowager Shang, and ask her to speak for us. If that still fails, cede Nanzhou to Zhao as the price for sending troops.”

To ordinary people, such words would unquestionably sound like selling out the state. To the men present, however, it was a desperate amputation made to preserve life.

Several gazes flickered. They had already grasped the vicious purpose beneath Tong Mo’s proposal. If Nanzhou refused to send troops, then simply give Nanzhou to Zhao in exchange for Zhao entering the war.

As Emperor, Shang Jianxiong hesitated at the thought of ceding territory. The words did not come easily to him.

Shang Yongzhong said uncertainly, “Nanzhou is a thorny piece of meat. Even if we cede it to Zhao, Zhao may not be able to swallow it smoothly. On that basis alone, I’m afraid Zhao still won’t agree easily.”

Tong Mo gritted his teeth again. “Then cede Dingzhou as well. If that is not enough, cede another province. Keep ceding territory until Zhao agrees to send troops!”

Shang Jianxiong remained silent.

After a silence of his own, Gao Jiancheng said slowly, “If we truly do that, I fear the hat of treacherous ministers of Great Yan will sit on our heads for the rest of our lives.”

Tong Mo turned to him. “Do you think I wish to see things reach that point? At least this way Great Yan can still survive. A mutilated Great Yan is better than a destroyed Great Yan! So long as Yan remains, there will still be a chance to recover what was lost. Otherwise, both the land and the state will be gone!”

The subject was heavy. But once life and death were at stake, what could matter more than survival? If things truly reached that point, they would have no choice but to cling to life however they could.

Shang Jianxiong’s silence meant he did not oppose the plan. In effect, the matter was settled. First they would test Nanzhou with the temporary authority of Grand General for Suppressing the Rebellion and see whether that could make it send troops. If there was truly no other way, then they would have to amputate a limb to save the body exactly as Tong Mo proposed.

Gao Jiancheng sighed helplessly inside.

Sure enough, his unfortunate prediction had come true: better to give it to foreign thieves than to a household slave. They would rather cede Yan’s territory to outsiders than hand Shang Chaozong the military authority of the Grand Marshal.

He could understand Tong Mo’s attitude as well. First there was Shang Jianxiong. Then there was Tong Mo’s own history.

Years ago, Tong Mo and Prince Ning had fallen into bitter conflict, and the feud seemed to have begun over that woman in Jinzhou. Many men had coveted her beauty, Tong Mo among them. He had tried to seize her for himself. According to the stories, he had already gotten the woman into his hands and stripped off his clothes. Just as he was about to have his way with her, Prince Ning returned from campaign, heard what was happening, and rushed over with his men.

Prince Ning beat Tong Mo viciously.

Tong Mo lost all face, and afterward the woman apparently ended up with Prince Ning.

Having a woman snatched from him made Tong Mo the butt of jokes throughout the capital. It became one of the greatest humiliations of his life.

Later, Prince Ning repeatedly attacked Tong Mo’s character and blocked his rise, and more incidents followed. How could Tong Mo possibly dare let Prince Ning’s son regain control over Yan’s armies now?

It was precisely because of that feud that Tong Mo had stood opposite Prince Ning. And it was precisely for that reason that the present Emperor had drawn Tong Mo close and used him against Prince Ning, until Tong Mo ultimately rose to the very summit of officialdom.

After the three senior ministers left the Imperial Study, Shang Jianxiong sighed as he watched their backs recede and shook his head. “The Grand Minister of the Masses lost his composure somewhat today.”

Tian Yu approached and smiled lightly. “There was bound to be a little private feeling involved. His son did die at the hands of Niu Youdao’s people after going to assassinate Niu Youdao. Niu Youdao, meanwhile, holds Nanzhou firmly in his hands. If Nanzhou gained military authority, who knows what would become of the Gao clan?”

Shang Jianxiong said, “Men are men. Who has no private motives at all? So long as private motives do not harm the state, and so long as they stand on the same side as affairs of state, it is no great flaw. The Grand Minister of the Masses still has a loyal heart devoted to the realm.”

There was clear satisfaction in his eyes when he spoke of Gao Jiancheng.

So long as the ministers around him remained tightly united at his side, he felt there was nothing to fear.

Tian Yu bowed. “Your Majesty is correct.”

Outside the hall, Gao Jiancheng strode away.

Tong Mo deliberately slowed his steps. Shang Yongzhong glanced at him and slowed as well.

Only after Gao Jiancheng had gone some distance did Tong Mo say lazily, “The Grand Minister of the Masses was somewhat unlike himself today.”

Shang Yongzhong chuckled.

Gao Jiancheng had just fought to preserve his office. What was wrong with him being unlike himself? If he remained this way forever, so much the better.

Shang Yongzhong replied with a harmless line. “Understandable enough. His son died at the other side’s hands. Some agitation is inevitable.”

Tong Mo gave him a sidelong look and sneered. “Is that really all? I think something about him is not quite normal. I think he deliberately acted that way to win His Majesty’s favor. Do not let him blind you.”

That warning had been the whole reason Tong Mo slowed down.

Shang Yongzhong understood.

Tong Mo feared Shang Yongzhong might feel grateful for Gao Jiancheng’s support and repay the favor by moving toward Gao Jiancheng’s side.

He immediately bowed slightly. “Grand Minister of Works, rest assured. Shang honors His Majesty above all and follows the Grand Minister of Works’ lead. I will not be deceived by flattering words.”

Tong Mo smiled faintly.

Only then did he resume his normal pace and depart.

...

The palace’s decision quickly reached Maolu Villa.

At a time like this, when it came to affairs in Nanzhou, Maolu Villa seemed to be the only place capable of making the final decision.

Shang Chaozong could not decide such matters himself. Dachan Mountain did not dare play at this level and had chosen to feign death on the sidelines for fear of drawing trouble.

As a result, whenever the three major sects had something to discuss, they now communicated directly with Maolu Villa.

Long Xiu naturally came to find Niu Youdao the moment he received the message.

After hearing the imperial court’s response, Niu Youdao was somewhat surprised. He had expected the court to reject his demand so that he could lower his conditions afterward. Instead, they had directly offered the concession he wanted, sparing him the trouble of circling back and forth.

Even so, he did not agree too readily. He sighed. “It seems the imperial court still lacks sincerity.”

Long Xiu had originally assumed Niu Youdao must have arranged some other means to make the court accept the Grand Marshal demand. Who would have thought it amounted to nothing more than this?

Long Xiu felt he had overestimated the bastard and wasted time here for nothing.

Even Gong Lince and Meng Xuan had begun complaining about him. Their meaning was simple: did this sort of thing really need to be asked of the imperial court? Of course the court would refuse. It had been completely unnecessary.

“The Grand Marshal’s military authority is no child’s game,” Long Xiu said. “It isn’t that the imperial court lacks sincerity. The question is whether you have any sincerity.”

“For suppressing a rebellion, the military authority of the Grand General for Suppressing the Rebellion is entirely sufficient. The court has measured the matter appropriately. If you still aren’t satisfied, that can only mean you harbor other intentions.”

As he spoke, Long Xiu glanced at the flower-robed man standing not far away.

If the elite strength of the three major sects had not already been concentrated around the border armies, leaving them unable to spare sufficient force to deal with this side, Long Xiu would never have been this polite.

Because of the intercepted grain, he had even developed killing intent toward Niu Youdao earlier.

But plans could never keep pace with change.

Who could have imagined that the five regional lords would prove useless even after joining forces? Before Long Xiu had a chance to act against Niu Youdao, he had instead been forced to come asking him for help.

At a time like this, killing Niu Youdao and throwing Nanzhou into chaos would only make it even less likely that Nanzhou would send troops to suppress the rebellion.

Niu Youdao said, “Palace Master, I’m not trying to haggle. Put yourself in my position. I only want to ask one question: what does Nanzhou gain by sending troops?”

Long Xiu raised an eyebrow. “What benefit do you want?”

He was already somewhat irritated.

Niu Youdao said, “Palace Master has personally come this far. If I still refused to send troops, I would be failing to appreciate the situation and would have no face to meet Palace Master again.”

“I only want one reason that will make sending troops easier to accept. Once the matter is done, I want nothing else from the imperial court, and I do not expect it to give us anything.”

“I ask only that the court give the soldiers of Nanzhou an explanation, and give Commandery Prince Yongping an explanation as well. Let His Highness recover a little of what he lost.”

Long Xiu was curious. “What did he lose?”

“The title held by Prince Ning was that of a hereditary Prince and could pass to his descendants. Commandery Prince Yongping himself was originally a Prince before being demoted to Commandery Prince. How about restoring him to full princely rank?”

That was all?

To Long Xiu, this was no difficult matter. It was only an empty title.

He agreed on the spot. “Fine. This Palace Master will guarantee it personally. So long as Nanzhou sends troops to suppress the rebellion, then whether the campaign succeeds or fails, I guarantee Shang Chaozong will recover his princely rank!”

Niu Youdao immediately cupped his hands, every word sounding heartfelt. “With Palace Master standing as guarantor, Niu Youdao naturally believes it. Have the imperial court issue the edict. The day the edict arrives will be the day Nanzhou’s army marches out to suppress the rebellion!”

Now that was the proper attitude.

Long Xiu smiled.

Having settled matters here, Long Xiu departed as well. He hurried back to the capital so the imperial court could issue the edict without delay.

The matter could not be dragged out any longer.

...

Shang Shuqing was accompanying Meng Shanming.

After Meng Shanming arrived here, the only person with whom he had a truly close personal relationship was Shang Shuqing, so naturally she was the one who stayed with him.

After seeing Long Xiu off, Niu Youdao came over and told Meng Shanming the terms that had been settled. There was no need to avoid speaking in front of Shang Shuqing.

When she learned that this could help her elder brother regain the full princely rank he had lost, Shang Shuqing seemed to remember something. Her eyes unexpectedly reddened.

Meng Shanming was visibly moved as well.

After explaining the details, Niu Youdao said, “The matter is settled. I’ve done what I can. What follows depends on His Highness and Marshal Meng.”

Seated in his wheelchair, Meng Shanming cupped his hands and bowed. “This old man thanks Master Dao on behalf of Great Yan, and thanks Master Dao on behalf of His Highness. Meng Shanming will not fail the trust Master Dao has placed in me. I will devote myself to the utmost until death!”

Shang Shuqing likewise performed a proper half-curtsy toward Niu Youdao.

Niu Youdao waved a hand, signaling there was no need for such ceremony.

“I’ll arrange for Marshal Meng to return now and wait for the imperial edict. Once you are back, Marshal Meng may remind the Prince of something.”

“The Princess Consort was once a heroine of the battlefield herself. It is time to let her come out and breathe. Better to die on the battlefield than be stifled to death at home.”

“The Prince does not lack women. Why can he not make room for one Feng Ruonan? Such coldness and disregard for old bonds would chill anyone’s heart.”

“Years ago, I cheated the Princess Consort out of money. I still haven’t paid her back, and I still owe her that favor. I hope the Prince will treat the Princess Consort well.”

He had never said it this plainly before.

This time, he openly spoke on Feng Ruonan’s behalf.

Tears immediately welled in Shang Shuqing’s eyes, and she lifted a sleeve to wipe them away. Guan Fangyi also pressed her lips together.

Neither woman had expected Niu Youdao to still remember such a matter at a time like this.

The words struck directly at something soft in both of them.

Meng Shanming cupped his fists. “Master Dao, rest assured. This old man will urge His Highness the moment I return. If he refuses, I will not let the matter drop either. So long as this old man lives, I will never again allow anyone to make things difficult for the Princess Consort so easily!”

Niu Youdao rested both hands on his planted sword and nodded.

“A great wind rises, the clouds fly high. Fair winds on your journey, Marshal Meng!”

[End of Chapter 643]