EWRN - Chapter 60
Chapter 60: War Is Coming
The three men walked onto the street with complex feelings. Just as they emerged from the alley, they saw a large wanted poster pasted at its entrance, with a crowd gathered around it.
Posing as dashing young masters just passing by, the three of them squeezed into the crowd to take a look. Now, they finally understood what the man in black had meant when he said, "You'll know once you go outside and see for yourselves."
On the poster pasted to the wall was, to their shock, a portrait of the three of them from before they had changed their clothes!
"Hey, have you heard? When the Northern Kingdom invaded, the general in charge of our Muxiu City—the one in the middle—deserted his post!" a man in green robes chattered to the young man beside him.
"I wouldn't know about that. My family only survived by hiding in the cellar that day!" the young man said indignantly. "It was truly perilous!"
"Pah! It's all that useless defending general's fault! If it weren't for him, we wouldn't have suffered this disaster!" The man in green spat.
"Exactly! My cousin was killed! My poor cousin!" another man nearby said, tears starting to fall as he spoke.
Seeing this, the people around him immediately began to comfort him.
The three vice generals' faces turned terribly grim. They silently withdrew from the crowd and exchanged a look, their eyes filled with anger and helplessness.
The streets were desolate. Many houses on either side had been destroyed by the Northern Kingdom's cruel hand, and the pitch-black scorch marks from the flames were still visible on many buildings.
The people's expressions were cold, a trace of sorrow hanging between their brows. How were they to survive the coming winter!
Gazing at the bleak scene before them, the three felt a pang of sorrow. It was as if their hearts were being squeezed, a raw pain spreading through them.
As they walked, they found that in the whole of the great Muxiu City, only one tavern remained open. Many commoners whose grain stores had been plundered had no choice but to spend a few copper coins on a small dish there just to get by.
The tavern itself was also heavily damaged, with many of its tables and chairs broken, yet the main hall on the ground floor was still crowded with people.
Vice General Zhang and the other two chose a table near the side and sat down. After quite a while, a waiter finally came over to serve them.
"Three young masters, what can I get for you?" The waiter looked as if he had been beaten, his face a patchwork of bruises.
"Just some wine and a few small dishes will do," Vice General Zhang replied.
"Little brother, what happened to your injuries?" Vice General Qiu was very curious and couldn't help but ask.
"Honored guest, these injuries were all inflicted by those damned Northern Kingdom bastards. Luckily, I was quick-witted and played dead. I'm also fortunate those animals didn't test if I was faking with a blade, or my life would have been over." The waiter said this with a look of lingering fear on his face.
After speaking, the waiter noted their order and left, leaving the three men to stare at each other across the table.
The tavern was now a motley crew of people, and the clamor was loud enough to tear the roof off.
The three men drank the tea the waiter had poured, concentrating and listening intently to the conversations around them.
"I don't know what's gotten into the Northern Kingdom this time. They haven't attacked our border cities in decades, and then this month they suddenly launch a sneak attack. It really caught everyone off guard!" a man's voice drifted over.
"Isn't that the truth," another voice chimed in.
"I heard that the Yan Clan used to be in power in the Northern Kingdom. Then the Yan emperor passed away, and while his children were fighting amongst themselves, the Wu Clan stepped in and seized the throne!"
"I heard that too. The Wu Clan is rumored to be a ruthless and brutish lot. It's not surprising they'd do something like launch a sneak attack on the Great Yuan Kingdom's border."
"Damn it all. Logically speaking, the Great Yuan Kingdom's border defenses have never had problems before. How did several cities fall one after another this time?"
"Something's fishy. I heard from my second aunt's third son's wife that the generals of several cities committed treason and defected, giving the defense maps to the Northern Kingdom's Wu Clan. That's how they got their chance!"
"But that doesn't make sense. They were doing just fine as generals. Why would they collude with the enemy? Their positions in the army weren't low."
"Are you stupid? The Wu Clan must have promised them some benefits, like promotions, titles, or a hefty reward."
"You're the stupid one. The Northern Kingdom is poor in resources; you could call it a poor country. It's not wealthy. Where would they get that much money to bribe the generals of our Great Yuan Kingdom?"
"There must be a conspiracy!"
...
Those two gentlemen had no idea how close they were to the truth, and continued to chatter on.
Defense maps?
Vice General Zhang was shocked. When he had first been transferred to Muxiu City, he had asked his subordinates for the defense maps. At the time, the maps showed no major flaws. Logically, they should have been able to withstand an invasion from the Northern Kingdom. Because he was busy with the handover of duties, he hadn't had time to inspect the city's defenses, thinking it would be fine to check in a couple of days. Who would have thought that in just one day, something so major would happen!
No, something was definitely wrong. If the defense maps had shown flaws in troop deployment, with his years of experience defending border cities, he would have spotted it at a glance. So it wasn't his fault—it must have been the maps!
The three men looked at each other, seeing the shock in one another's eyes.
Just then, the waiter brought the wine and dishes to their table. With heavy hearts, the three began to eat.
A new voice came from another table.
"There was definitely a problem with Muxiu City's defenses. I can't speak for the other cities that fell, but here in Muxiu City, my cousin is in the army."
"I heard many of the defending soldiers died the night the city fell. Is your cousin alright?" This voice sounded a little anxious.
"My cousin's not doing well. His leg was severely injured; it's probably crippled. He's been bedridden for the past two days. I've visited him twice, and you can see the bone through the wound."
"Hiss—" The other person sucked in a sharp breath, clearly frightened.
"A while back, I heard my cousin say there was a major personnel shuffle up top. A lot of soldiers were sent away, no one knows where. So during that time, the city's defenses were completely inadequate! And just two days after they were sent away, the Northern Kingdom's soldiers launched their sneak attack. How could it be such a coincidence!" This man's voice sounded full of indignation.
Yes, how could it be so coincidental? Vice General Zhang sneered inwardly. Everything was just too perfectly timed.
First, Huo Jinye sent Young General Hou to persuade them. When that failed, he had them transferred to unfamiliar cities, sent away most of the defending soldiers, gave them fake defense maps, and then, the Northern Kingdom attacked.
How clever! How brilliant! Vice General Zhang felt an urge to applaud Huo Jinye. The Second Prince was truly scheming against them at every turn. He figured the Northern Kingdom must have gotten the real, up-to-date defense maps thanks to Huo Jinye as well!
So. Vice General Zhang took a sip of wine. So the real traitors, he thought, were Huo Jinye and Hou Yuwen.
The three men's hearts were heavy. They were no fools. When Huo Jinye failed to bribe them, he tried to have them killed and then slandered their names everywhere. It was truly despicable!
If His Majesty hadn't sent people to save them...
They dared not imagine it. They would have either died in the chaos of war or been executed by Huo Jinye under military law.
They finished their meal quickly and hastily left the tavern. It was a place with all sorts of people, not somewhere to linger.
After the three left, a man at a nearby table squinted. "Did you see those three just now?"
"I saw them. What about it?"
"Don't they look familiar to you?"
"Not really. Your eyes must be playing tricks on you."
...
The three wandered the city for a while, bought some dry rations, and hurried back to the house where they had started. They decided to follow the man in black's arrangements—which was to say, His Majesty's arrangements. Since His Majesty was so prescient as to foresee this step, it meant he had his own channels of information and must have countermeasures in place. They now placed their trust entirely in Huo Jinyu and the man in black. Surely, after going to such great lengths to save them, they would not be harmed!
All they had to do was follow His Majesty's orders.
Three nights later, three figures on horseback left Muxiu City, galloping south. The decision made by Vice General Zhang and his companions had rewritten their destinies.
Two months later.
The Imperial Palace of the Great Yuan Kingdom's capital, Hall of Imperial Governance.
The civil and military officials stood quietly below as Huo Jinyu sat on the Dragon Throne with a grim face.
Some ministers, who disapproved of Huo Jinyu's usual conduct, took the opportunity to petition His Majesty Huo Jinyu to grant Huo Jinye the title of prince, citing the Second Prince's recent actions and military achievements on the border.
Of course, the reason so many people in the imperial court spoke up for Huo Jinye was due in no small part to his secret bribes and the lingering influence of his mother's connections.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, Huo Jinye has endured great hardship defending the nation on the border. He recently achieved great merit, charging into battle and leading the army to repel the enemy several times. If not for his merit, then at least for his toil," an elderly minister stepped forward to report.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, we your subjects also believe that Huo Jinye is no longer young. He has now achieved fame and rendered distinguished service on the northwestern border. It is time to enfeoff him as a prince," a younger minister stepped forward to say this time.
"This subject seconds the motion!"
"This subject seconds the motion!"
"This subject also seconds the motion!"
...
For a moment, the court was filled with a chorus of agreement.
"We know. That's enough," Huo Jinyu said, looking as if she had a headache. She frowned.
"Eunuch Wang, draft the edict. For his service in protecting the nation on the northwestern border, the Second Prince, Huo Jinye, is hereby enfeoffed as Prince Anping." Huo Jinyu leaned back on the Dragon Throne, speaking languidly.
The ministers stared at each other, apparently not having expected Huo Jinyu to handle the enfeoffment of a prince so perfunctorily. There was no fiefdom, no reward—just an empty title.
Never in history had a prince been enfeoffed so carelessly. But thinking of Huo Jinyu's temperament, the ministers all fell silent and said no more. At this moment, they had long forgotten the gentle, courteous, and dashing Crown Prince from just a few months ago, before his ascension.
News of the enfeoffment spread as if it had grown wings, quickly reaching every corner of the Great Yuan Kingdom. On the northwestern border, Huo Jinye was not overjoyed when he heard the news. His dear Imperial Brother, His Majesty Huo Jinyu, had given him nothing but a title, not even bothering with the most basic of rewards. All the silver Huo Jinye had spent bribing officials high and low in the court had been for naught! It was a complete loss!
Still, Huo Jinye thought, his alliance with the Northern Kingdom was truly delightful. In just one short month, it had allowed him to achieve great merit, and in less than three, he was made a prince. Having tasted the sweet rewards of colluding with the Northern Kingdom, Huo Jinye was now unstoppable.
Huo Jinye's appetite grew larger and larger. At the instigation of Chief Steward Lu, he gradually set his sights on the throne beneath Huo Jinyu's backside.
If he could ally with the Northern Kingdom to gain military merit, why couldn't he use their power to seize the throne of the Great Yuan Kingdom?
Listening to Chief Steward Lu's tempting voice, Huo Jinye gave a sinister laugh and said, "If this prince becomes emperor, you will certainly be well rewarded."
Hou Yuwen also promised Huo Jinye that whatever he wanted, he, Hou Yuwen, would find a way to help him achieve it.
Huo Jinye clapped him on the shoulder and said, "You are truly a good brother to this prince." But he never considered that perhaps, Young General Hou didn't just want to be his brother.
War was imminent.
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