Chapter 735: The Northern Prince's Curtain Falls

The news that Prince Zhenbei was critically ill left the Emperor helpless.

But this letter of state made him furious.

The new sovereign had inherited the throne beneath the prestige of his imperial father, and he was sensitive about it. He desperately wanted to break free of his father's shadow and, one day, surpass him.

Yes, his father did not appear in his dreams.

But somehow, Imperial Father was everywhere.

And this letter of state had forced him to taste humiliation.

Zheng Fan, looking at the matter as an outsider, glanced over the letter and honestly did not think it was anything worth getting worked up over.

One could only say that the Emperor of Great Yan was simply too proud in his bones.

Or perhaps... in certain ways, Ji Old Sixth truly resembled the late Emperor far too much.

Zheng Fan smiled, placed the letter back on the imperial desk, and silently returned to his chair below.

Ji Chengjue looked at him.

"Say something."

"There's nothing to say." Marquis Zheng shrugged.

"Nothing to say?" The Emperor found that unbelievable.

"If they want it, let them take it. The Royal Court has been destroyed, but the Barbarian people haven't. Even if they've become a plate of loose sand, every one of those major Barbarian tribes is still enough to make anyone who tries swallowing them crack a few teeth. For the next few decades, they probably won't have the ability to unite and advance eastward against Great Yan. But whoever genuinely wants to send a great army deep into the desert and occupy it will still lose a whole row of teeth. That delegation is only trying to gain an advantage with its mouth."

"Zheng Fan, they are challenging Our authority!"

"And then?" Zheng Fan asked.

"You..."

"Aiyo, Your Majesty. Chengjue. Sixth."

Zheng Fan waved one hand at the Emperor.

"We destroyed the Royal Court. Broke its spine. We didn't actually occupy its lands, register its households, and turn its people into Great Yan subjects. What, you've already decided the entire desert is Great Yan territory? I know, I know. Someday the desert will inevitably belong to Great Yan. I understand that. I understand why you're angry too. Fine. Fine. But how should I put it? Keep a normal heart. A little while ago, you were the one telling me we should move steadily, one step at a time. First straighten out our own household. Then unify Qian and Chu, unify all Xia. After that, if we're idle and have nothing better to do, what's wrong with this Marquis Pingxi personally leading an army west? You said it yourself. Judging from the timing, this delegation probably intended to attend the Royal Court's Grand Assembly. Now that the Royal Court is gone, their chief envoy may only have submitted this letter to make a name for himself, polish his official reputation, and go home boasting about it so he can get promoted and grow rich. He says half the governing rights belong to them, and suddenly half really belongs to them? When their army actually marches deep into the desert, then Your Majesty can start worrying."

At the end of the day, different positions created different instincts and different reactions to information.

Zheng Fan's interpretation was actually correct.

The Emperor knew that too.

Unfortunately, becoming Emperor made a man prone to letting emotion surge to his head.

Ji Chengjue lifted his teacup, poured a little water into his palm, and lightly patted his forehead.

"For the sake of the future, Prince Zhenbei Residence will still have to be supported."

Zheng Fan laughed when he heard that.

"So Your Majesty originally intended to dismantle it completely?"

The Emperor did not conceal anything.

He answered directly:

"Extend the commandery-and-county system and reclaim administrative authority. Station the remaining Garrison Commanders separately and sever their personal bonds. Open trade on a large scale, then win over and divide the desert tribes now that there is no Royal Court. As for Prince Zhenbei Residence, leave it its honor and preserve the signboard."

In other words, he intended to turn the century-old Marquis Zhenbei Residence into another Prince Cheng Residence.

Clearly, back in the roast-duck shop, Ji Old Sixth had not merely been talking when he spoke of cutting down regional military powers.

"I say, is it really appropriate for Your Majesty to tell me all this so frankly?"

You were discussing how best to roast a chicken in front of a duck.

I am a regional military lord too.

"Only speaking from the heart," the Emperor said indifferently. "Once the west is dismantled, the court will have more strength to free up and support you."

"I'm deeply moved."

"What are you afraid of? Never mind whether we can unify all Xia in our lifetime. Even if we do, the lands of Qian and Chu may nominally belong to Xia states, but the hearts of their people will not submit quickly. We'll still need you, perhaps even your descendants, to help Us and Our descendants hold those lands. It's far too early to kill the chicken for the eggs. Wouldn't it be better to leave that problem for our descendants to slowly grind away?"

The Emperor suddenly thought of something.

And actually laughed.

The smile on Marquis Zheng's face vanished.

The Imperial Study fell silent.

A long while later, the Emperor asked:

"You're not going to ask what We were laughing about?"

"Are you trying to force this minister into rebellion?"

Once I get home this time... to hell with cultivation.

To hell with advancing grades.

For the next two years...

I'm figuring out how to get a child born first!

I spent my whole life without father or mother. How did I end up more desperate for children than people with three generations living under one roof?

"Enough, enough. If you truly can't manage that, then adopt a son later. Coordinate with Us beforehand and it won't be difficult to arrange."

"You've got balls."

The Emperor held up three fingers.

"Three."

Then he added:

"Sisi is in good health. She says she wants more."

"..." Zheng Fan.

"And that Princess of yours is rather frail, isn't she? Can she compare with Our Empress?"

"..." Zheng Fan.

Zheng Fan knew perfectly well that the problem had nothing to do with whether the Princess or butcher's daughter was physically strong or weak.

The fundamental issue lay with himself.

And with Siniang.

But watching the Emperor show off like this... really made a man want to punch him.

"Sixth. Let's leave a little dignity for the Imperial Study, all right?"

"Fine."

The Emperor nodded, then sighed again.

"Now, for the sake of the future, we can only continue supporting Prince Zhenbei Residence so it does not fall."

That was something an Emperor had to consider.

The Barbarian people had effectively been castrated.

But that could trigger a chain reaction.

With the Barbarian buffer and barrier gone, might states from the West one day attempt to advance eastward?

At present, the difficulty would be enormous.

But an Emperor had to prepare for even the smallest possibility.

They could not castrate the Barbarian people and, in the same stroke, castrate Prince Zhenbei Residence too, only to discover years later that a western army had crossed the desert, reached Beifeng Commandery, and found nothing but open country ahead.

"Treat it as preserving a little dignity," Zheng Fan said. "And buying people's hearts."

"Mm. Fine. We've troubled you. If leaving the palace were not so inconvenient for Us now, We had originally intended to visit you at your residence."

"It's fine. I'm leaving the day after tomorrow anyway. I wouldn't mind seeing more of you before I go."

"After spring begins, I'll send Chuanye to you."

"Mm."

Zheng Fan agreed.

That had already been settled between them.

The Emperor sighed.

"Too many children at home are troublesome too."

"Fuck off."

...

Beifeng Commandery.

Prince Zhenbei Residence.

After Li Liangting returned from the desert, his entire body collapsed.

The side effects from driving silver needles into his acupoints had already begun to appear, and his body had no ability whatsoever to withstand them.

Of course... this had been expected from the beginning.

So these days, everyone in Prince Zhenbei Residence had already prepared themselves for Prince Zhenbei's departure.

His family accompanied him every day to bask in the sun, watch the sunset, and feel the wind.

The commanders in the army came in groups to pay their respects to their Prince.

Everything proceeded in an orderly fashion.

At a moment like this, the foundation of a century-old military house finally revealed itself completely.

The word "foundation" was rarely truly tested when oil boiled and flowers bloomed.

It mattered in the valley.

Only in the valley did one truly need it.

The transfer of power.

The soothing of military commanders.

Political promises.

One matter after another, one arrangement after another, all could be accepted calmly.

That... was foundation.

These days, Li Fei remained almost constantly beside his father, meeting different people and participating in different arrangements.

The night skies of Beifeng Commandery had always been clear.

Tonight... the moon was full.

On one of the towers inside Prince Zhenbei Residence, Li Liangting lay beneath a quilt.

Li Fei sat beside him, peeling a frozen pear.

On the floor below... the Princess Consort, the Commandery Princess, and a group of matrons born into household-servant families were cutting white cloth and sewing the garments needed for the funeral.

There was no need to avoid the dying man.

When servants carried him upstairs earlier, Li Liangting had seen them working and remarked:

"Troubling my wife again. Sure enough, nothing makes a woman look prettier than mourning white."

The Princess Consort had cursed him:

"You shameless old bastard. Hurry up and die!"

He was about to die.

His household was busy preparing his funeral.

This was not a curse.

It was reassurance.

When people were young, they might have found a sight like this unlucky.

At this point in life... it only made one feel settled.

"My son."

"Father."

"Has the Roman delegation been dealt with?"

"Yes, Father. Everything has been handled. Elder Sister helped finish the matter."

"Good."

Li Liangting nodded.

For a time, father and son said nothing.

Li Fei only brought the frozen pear to his father's lips from time to time, letting him suck the juice.

Cold food like this was hardly good for a man in Li Liangting's condition.

But at this point... one ate whatever one wanted.

A few days earlier, when his father had just returned from campaign and learned the Chancellor was dead, he had even drained an enormous bowl of wine.

The Roman delegation was real.

And they really had failed to reach the Royal Court in time.

But the delay had not been their fault.

The Golden Tent Grand Assembly itself had only possessed a vague starting date.

The reason was simple.

The desert was enormous. Chiefs and nobles of the major tribes could not arrive at the Royal Court on a perfectly fixed schedule. Run into a sandstorm and being delayed was entirely natural.

So the Grand Assembly had always been intended to begin once most of the important people had arrived.

From that perspective, the Roman delegation had not actually been late.

The problem was that once news of the Emperor of Yan's death reached the Royal Court... the entire Royal Court became far too excited.

The Emperor of Yan had never once ordered a state campaign against the desert during his reign.

But anyone who had a neighboring state produce an Emperor that terrifying would inevitably spend every day with unease in his heart.

And so... because of this "wonderful news," the Golden Tent Grand Assembly was brought forward.

Everyone already knew the result.

Even in death, the Emperor of Great Yan had not forgotten his old neighbor.

Afraid that he might be lonely on the road below, he sent two Princes ahead of him to take the Royal Court along.

From that perspective, the Royal Court's joy upon learning of the Yan Emperor's death had not actually been wrong.

They had merely chosen the wrong way to celebrate.

The Roman delegation, several hundred people strong, thus arrived too late.

They came from the west.

And after the Young Barbarian Prince Zhidu fled the Royal Court... he also fled west.

Then... the Roman delegation received one wonderful surprise.

The Barbarian Royal Court had been destroyed, but the delegation had received the Royal Court's direct-line heir.

The chief envoy had already begun imagining how he might use Zhidu's identity to cultivate a new Royal Court from the west.

Then... the Roman delegation received an even greater surprise.

A white-haired Yan general leading eight hundred cavalry appeared before them while pursuing the Young Barbarian Prince.

They failed to witness the splendor of the Royal Court's great gathering.

Instead... they met the Great Yan Prince of Jingnan who had brought that splendor to an end.

The outcome... needed no explanation.

More than half the Roman delegation were killed or wounded.

When Zhidu saw that, he fled again.

The Prince of Jingnan continued pursuing him.

Several days later, as the Yan army that had destroyed the Royal Court spread outward to sweep the battlefield, they found the surviving members of the Roman delegation.

The survivors were bound and taken back.

"My son, why do you think your father had the men from that delegation send this letter of state to His Majesty?"

"Father wished to preserve the Li family's military authority and keep the Li family standing."

"Ah."

Li Liangting sighed.

"Father, did your son answer incorrectly?"

"I heard you have a teacher. An old Confucian."

"Yes."

"He may possess learning, but his view of the larger board cannot possibly be very high."

"Yes. The old scholar himself used to say the same thing."

"Your father has never tried to cling to life. Earlier, I even sent you into the Royal Court in advance. Why did your mother keep cursing me as an old beast? Because I was deliberately digging out the roots of my own Marquis residence. Do you understand?"

Li Fei shook his head.

"For the good of Great Yan."

"This son understands now."

The reasoning itself was not difficult.

What made it difficult for outsiders to believe... was that a man with this rank, this status, this degree of authority... could still possess emotions that pure.

"Your father is about to leave. You're still a little green. Of course, with your elder sister beside you, you'll slowly mature too. In the end, you'll become a proper man of the Li family. Your father has never doubted that. But it will be tiring. Over a century of this Marquis residence, generation after generation of Li men have actually lived very tiring lives. Wouldn't it be better to become a wealthy hereditary noble and enjoy the title forever?"

"It would be quite good, Father," Li Fei said.

"Your father thinks so too. The new sovereign resembles the late Emperor very closely, and the late Emperor... was actually an extremely cold man by nature. Of course, your father and Wujing were exceptions. Wujing was too formidable. And your father held Marquis Zhenbei Residence at the height of its power. That was why the three of us... could stand side by side. But you... do not possess that qualification. Perhaps Marquis Pingxi can still get along with the new sovereign the way your father and Wujing once got along with the late Emperor. You cannot. That is why your father thought this way: instead of waiting until the new sovereign stabilizes the situation and comes to cut us down himself, why not obediently offer ourselves up first? Your father's remaining face can still burn a little old favor for you. Isn't that the right logic?"

"Yes."

"But listen carefully to what the people in that delegation said. Why had they come to the Royal Court? They wanted an alliance. And what was the alliance for? To prepare for... an eastern campaign. Perhaps it is still unrealistic now. The desert is huge. There are countless tribes. In the short term, they cannot possibly organize an eastern expedition. But what if? Your father had them submit that letter of state not to preserve the Li family. Your father wanted to remind the new sovereign not to think everything in the west is settled merely because the Royal Court has been destroyed. Maybe that wolf in the west has already decided it is strong enough to try coming east. So before... for the sake of the state, it was good for the Li family to step down. And now... also for the sake of the state, it is good for the Li family not to step down just yet. Do you understand?"

"I understand."

"The Li family has many merchant caravans traveling to the West. His Majesty also had caravans running those routes in earlier years. Listen carefully to their reports. Submit memorials to His Majesty from time to time and explain what you hear. Everyone needs to know what is happening."

"Yes, Father. This son understands."

"If there are things you do not understand, ask your elder sister. Your sister had a poor temper when she was young, but now..."

"Father, Elder Sister and I are still siblings. Father need not worry."

"Mm. You've suffered, my son. You weren't raised beside us, and in the end you're still the one who has to shoulder this burden."

"Father is joking. Your son has practically soared into the heavens in one leap. This is fortune other people would not even dare dream of."

"My son."

"Father, speak."

"More than eight hundred years ago, the Marquis of Yan received the Great Xia Son of Heaven's command to open the frontier and defend all Xia against the Barbarians. Later... the Marquis of Yan proclaimed himself Emperor. And my Li family... was enfeoffed as Marquis too. In truth... the Li family's purpose has always been simple. We obey the Emperor of Yan's command and guard against every enemy that comes from the west. Next... if your father has guessed correctly, the new sovereign will lie dormant for two or three years. Afterward, Great Yan will begin the campaign to unify all Xia. You... must endure the loneliness. Guard this place. Guard the edge of this desert. Guard it well... and that itself will be merit."

"This son understands."

"Manage the household properly. Your father hopes you can live to see the day Great Yan unifies all Xia. Your father also hopes you can live to see the day Great Yan's iron cavalry truly marches west. But more than anything... your father hopes you and your elder sister can live this entire life safely and peacefully."

At that point...

Li Liangting suddenly threw off the quilt and sat upright.

The movement frightened Li Fei.

Li Liangting's eyes had gone red.

He pounded the edge of the bed and shouted:

"Brother Hao and Wujing suffered so much for Great Yan. In the end, I'm the only one who gets to die in a sickbed, with both son and daughter here and my old wife still beside me! Why is my fortune so damned good? With fortune this good... what face do I have to go down there and meet Brother Hao? My son... your father has no face! No face! Why? What am I worse than them at? Why am I the only one who gets to die in bed? Why!"

Li Liangting collapsed heavily back onto the bed.

His eyes half closed.

"Your father owes them. Truly. When we were young, we agreed we'd all spare nothing. In the end... they did it. Your father... didn't."

"My son..."

Li Fei began to cry.

He sensed it.

On the floor below, the women who had heard the shouting from upstairs stopped what they were doing as well.

Clearly... they sensed it too.

"My son, remember your father's words. It doesn't matter whether the people coming from the west are Barbarians. Anyone can come from the west. But if they want to cross Beifeng Commandery... my Li family... my Li family... the Li family..."

Li Liangting clenched Li Fei's hand tightly.

He wanted to speak.

But suddenly... no words would come.

He could only stare wide-eyed at his son.

Li Fei drew a deep breath.

Then said:

"They'll have to step over the corpses of the Li family's sons first."

Prince Zhenbei smiled.

His hand... loosened.

His entire body settled completely into the bed.

The inheritor of a century-old military house.

Great Yan's Prince Zhenbei... was gone.

[End of Chapter 735]