Wish You All the Best - Chapter 37

Chapter 37

In the fourth year of the Yongxi reign, at the turn of late spring and the beginning of summer, the Yongxi Emperor summoned the Heir-Apparent of the Prince of Yunzhong to the capital for ancestral rites. The Prince of Yunzhong refused to comply and murdered the imperial envoy within his fiefdom. When the news reached the capital, the Emperor was gripped by rage. He stripped Xiao Lie of his royal title on charges of treason and ordered the governors of the Sichuan and Guizhou provinces to mobilize their troops. They were to enter Yunnan in two prongs to apprehend the rebel. In response, Xiao Lie issued a proclamation to the world under his own name from Wuding.

The proclamation stated that his late eldest imperial brother, the Emperor Tianxi, had entrusted the young Emperor to the two princes out of trust. The two princes should have upheld this trust and assisted the young Emperor; however, the young Emperor met with misfortune before even three years had passed since his ascension. The circumstances were treacherous and shrouded in mystery. Xiao Lie claimed he had remembered his late father’s instructions, spending years guarding the borders and pacifying the people in his fiefdom, never once stepping out of line. It was only because he remained loyal to the young Emperor and was intolerable to the two princes that he had brought this charge upon himself today. He had intended to endure the humiliation for the greater good, but those around him urged him that, for the sake of the late, unjustly martyred young Emperor, he could not allow the wolves and tigers to rampage unchecked. After deep reflection, he was forced to act. His original intent was never rebellion; beyond self-preservation, it was to safeguard the faint hope of restoring the young Emperor’s legitimate lineage. He hoped the world would understand and stand with him to uphold justice and purge the treacherous sycophants.

Xiao Lie’s proclamation stirred deep emotions, its impassioned language rousing the hearts of all who read it. Once the manifesto was released, it spread far and wide, with the common people discussing it in every street, alley, and teahouse.

At the end of the fifth lunar month, the Imperial Army and the Wuding Army met in their first major engagement, marking the prelude to this war between imperial brothers. As the fighting began, the imperial forces exerted all their strength to encircle the rebels, pressing forward with overwhelming force. Though Xiao Lie’s troops were fewer than the imperial forces, he did not lack talented generals. Initially, there were victories and losses on both sides, but soon after, the Wuding Army suffered repeated setbacks, and their situation became precarious. The most dangerous moment—and the turning point of the campaign—came in the eleventh lunar month of that year at Huian, on the border of Yunnan and Guizhou, where they faced Liu Jiushao, who had been appointed the Great General for Pacifying the West.

Over these years, following the ascension of the Prince of Shun’an, with the decline and disappearance of veteran generals like Dong Chengmao, Liu Jiushao had become the most capable fierce general under the Prince of Shun’an due to his distinguished merits. Previously, Xiao Lie’s army had ventured out of Yunnan and occupied several cities in Sichuan and Guizhou, only to be forced into a continuous retreat by Liu. This time, leading the charge himself, Liu had pressed all the way to Huian.

If Huian were to fall, the Wuding Army would lose its final stronghold outside of Yunnan. The battle was a matter of life and death, so Xiao Lie treated it with the utmost importance, taking his son, the heir Xiao Yintang, to the front lines to oversee the army.

The Battle of Huian dragged on intermittently for half a month. Xiao Lie exhausted every effort, and Liu Jiushao’s side suffered comparable casualties. However, Liu was skilled in military discipline, his subordinates followed orders with unwavering obedience, and reinforcements had arrived. Xiao Lie eventually found himself surrounded. At this critical juncture, a surprise force utilized the terrain to strike from the flank, tearing through Liu Jiushao’s army with lightning speed. They rapidly severed the military communication lines, throwing the Liu army into chaos. Xiao Lie immediately launched a counterattack, snatched victory from the jaws of defeat at the final moment, captured Liu Jiushao alive, and took countless prisoners.

The leader of this surprise force was Pei You'an. Previously, he had not participated in direct combat, remaining in Yunnan to oversee logistics and coordination. In this hour of peril, he not only saved Xiao Lie from disaster but also became the foremost hero in rescuing the Wuding Army from its deathbed.

After Liu Jiushao was captured, Xiao Lie, out of an admiration for his talent, sent men to persuade him to defect. Liu not only refused but loudly cursed Xiao Lie. Xiao Lie’s generals were furious and demanded Liu’s execution to boost morale and intimidate other imperial generals who were still acting as accomplices to tyranny. Only the heir, Xiao Yintang, knowing his father’s desperate thirst for talent, suggested sparing his life. He proposed spreading rumors that Liu had surrendered. Once this news reached the court, the Emperor would inevitably vent his fury on Liu’s family. Once his family was killed, Liu’s path of retreat would be severed; then, by offering him high office and a lucrative salary, Liu would have no choice but to turn to Xiao Lie.

Xiao Lie hesitated and privately consulted Pei You'an.

Pei You'an told him that the Prince of Shun’an had long enjoyed a reputation as a "Virtuous Prince," and the reason he currently commanded the support of so many court officials was that he had staged his uprising in the name of the young Emperor, seizing the initiative of legitimacy. Knowing his own stance was flawed, the Prince of Shun’an, to win hearts, had been generous with favors toward the noble families and capable men in the capital. For instance, the Zhou family—the maternal family of the Prince Consort Zhou—had been rewarded by the Prince of Shun’an after submitting a memorial denouncing the Prince's rebellion. Or take the Pei family: his uncle, Pei Quan, had memorialized the court to have his own name removed from the ancestral register, and Pei Xiuzhi had requested to lead troops to suppress the rebellion, demonstrating the Pei family's absolute loyalty. The Prince of Shun’an, far from blaming them, had even issued the long-delayed edict granting Pei Xiuzhi his father’s title, Duke of Weiguo, to lead the imperial troops.

Pei You'an continued, saying that at the very beginning of the Wuding uprising, he had noted Liu Jiushao and predicted he would eventually become a formidable rival. This man had risen to prominence during the years the Prince of Shun’an reigned, so he was naturally loyal. Furthermore, he possessed a rigid and unyielding character. The heir’s scheme, while cutting off his retreat, was highly likely to backfire, driving Liu to become an irreconcilable enemy of the Prince. His subordinates held him in high esteem and would surely continue to oppose the Prince with all their might, leading to endless future trouble. It would be better for the Prince to meet Liu personally—not to demand his surrender, but to explain his own grievances and demonstrate that he had no intent to harm the loyal ministers of the Great Wei. He should let him go and wait for the outcome.

Xiao Lie adopted Pei You'an’s advice and courteously released Liu Jiushao. Liu returned to the capital alone to beg for the Emperor’s mercy. The Yongxi Emperor ordered him to atone for his crimes through future service, but having been defeated, captured, and treated with such great respect by Xiao Lie, Liu was too ashamed to take the field again. He used injuries as an excuse to decline. This provoked the Yongxi Emperor’s suspicion and dissatisfaction, and under the charge of colluding with rebels and shaking military morale, he was thrown into the Dali Temple. Not one of the dozens of members of his household was spared.

Liu Jiushao had risen from the ranks of lower-level officers, and after becoming a general through merit, he had gained deep loyalty from the army during his years guarding the northern borders. When the news of his imprisonment spread, his subordinates were deeply dissatisfied and morale plummeted. They fought half-heartedly against the Wuding Army. It was precisely by seizing this opportunity that the tide of war turned. Starting at the end of that year, Xiao Lie conquered Sichuan and Guizhou in one go, stabilized his rear, and marched his grand army toward the capital.

The Yongxi Emperor finally realized the peril. He released Liu Jiushao, who had been imprisoned for nearly half a year, and used his family’s lives as leverage to command him to defend against the rebel army. By that time, Liu’s mother had already died in prison. Xiao Lie, sparing no cost, risked exposing the crucial intelligence assets he had secretly planted in the capital to rescue Liu Jiushao’s wife and children. Bringing them to the front lines, Liu Jiushao wept upon his armor, knelt before Xiao Lie, and led his troops in defection. From then on, the Wuding Army was unstoppable. By the early summer of the following year, the capital was breached. While fleeing toward Yangzhou, the Yongxi Emperor was pursued and cornered by Xiao Yintang, eventually being forced by his own nephew to burn the palace and commit suicide.

On this day, exactly one year had passed since Xiao Lie’s uprising.

In the capital, the streets were swept and cleaned, and the city gates were flung wide open. The civil and military officials, along with the great noble clans—save for those few who had failed to escape and were accused of being partisans of the Prince of Shun’an—totaled nearly a thousand people. They formed a grand procession, kneeling in prostration on both sides of the road outside the city gates to welcome Xiao Lie into the capital.

The following day, the gathered officials entreated Xiao Lie to ascend the throne. Xiao Lie declined, claiming his initial uprising was an act of last resort, that he had no intention of donning the imperial robes, and that since the young Emperor’s fate remained unknown, until clear news was received, the throne in the palace still belonged to him.

The officials were all moved, shedding tears of grief. Driven by the Nine Ministers, led by Duke of Jingguo Chen Tingjie, Minister of Personnel He Gongpu, Minister of Rites Zhang Shiyong, and Zhou Xing, the father of the Prince Consort, the officials submitted a petition from all the people. They cited the Book of Rites, which said, "When the Great Way is followed, the world is for all." They argued that while the fate of the young Emperor could be slowly investigated, the nation could not go a single day without a monarch, and the people could not go a day without a father. They wept and pleaded for Xiao Lie to ascend the throne and restore the Great Wei court. Xiao Lie declined again, but seeing no other path, he finally yielded. The entire court celebrated, and every household in the capital, whether rich or poor, hung colorful lanterns. Zhang Shiyong and Zhou Xing, working through the night, produced the ceremonial protocols for the new Emperor’s ascension within days.

Among the three royal brothers, Xiao Lie was the most capable and had been the favorite of the late Emperor during his youth. However, because he was the third son and his birth mother was of low standing, the late Emperor, out of various considerations, had sent him to the remote borderlands. He had endured and waited for many years. Now, past middle age, he finally sat on that chair in the Hall of Golden Throne—the same chair he had seen his father, his two imperial brothers, and his nephew sit upon in his youth. The burdens of purging the treacherous, pacifying the people, and determining rewards and punishments were myriad. For several days, he worked from dawn until night, and not wishing to return to the rear palace, he slept in the back hall of the office he had temporarily set up. As he received the ceremonial protocols, he flipped through them a few times, tossed them aside, and fell into deep silence.

Zhang Shiyong, gauging the mood, thought the Emperor found the proposed date too late. He quickly explained, "Your Majesty, the Imperial Observatory has circled two days this month: the 18th and the 26th. Both happen to be days when the Azure Dragon and Jade Hall align with the Purple Tenuity; they are exceptionally auspicious days. The 26th is a bit late, so we chose the 18th for your celebration. What does Your Majesty think?"

Xiao Lie was slightly distracted, as if lost in thought. Zhang Shiyong and Zhou Xing waited breathlessly. After a moment, he said, "Change it to the 26th."

The investiture ceremonies for the Empress and the Crown Prince would only follow after the ascension ceremony.

Zhou Xing was stunned and quickly advised, "Your Majesty, today is the 9th; there are nine days until the 18th. Although there is much to do, we ensure everything can be prepared by then. Your early ascension is our hope and the fortune of the people."

Xiao Lie replied, "Just change it to the 26th. A few days late will not matter."

Though Zhang Shiyong and Zhou Xing were perplexed, they realized the new Emperor did not seem to be in a rush to hold the ascension ceremony. They had no choice but to agree and withdraw.

Once the others had left, Xiao Lie turned to a eunuch approaching fifty beside him and asked, "Has Pei You'an’s letter arrived today? Did it say when he would reach the capital?"

This eunuch, Li Yuangui, had served Xiao Lie since he was a youth. There were some things even the Prince Consort Zhou might not know, but Li Yuangui understood them perfectly.

When Xiao Lie had ordered the ascension ceremony postponed to the 26th, Zhang Shiyong and Zhou Xing were confused, but he had guessed the reason.

Two months ago, while the Wuding Army was marching toward the capital, rumors ran rampant in the southwestern region of Ü-Tsang. It was said that the Prince of Yunzhong had long been dissatisfied with the local Dharma King’s support for the Yongxi Emperor. If he took the throne, he would surely send Han officials to take over the region and reclaim the hereditary lands of the Eight Princes. The Eight Princes were stirring.

Ü-Tsang was adjacent to Yunnan and the entire population consisted of devotees; if rebellion broke out, the consequences would be unimaginable. Upon hearing the news, Xiao Lie immediately dispatched Pei You'an to Ü-Tsang to dispel the rumors. Now, more than two months had passed, and the capital had changed hands. Pei You'an had only sent word half a month ago that the crisis was resolved and he would soon set out on his return.

In Li Yuangui’s estimation, the Emperor had postponed the date in order to wait for Pei You'an’s return before holding the ascension ceremony.

As expected, as soon as the ministers left, the Emperor asked about this.

Li Yuangui bowed and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, this servant remembers your instructions well. Any letter from Lord Pei is presented immediately. There was none yesterday, and none today..."

He stole a glance at the new Emperor and, seeing his brows slightly furrowed, added, "Your Majesty, do not worry. Perhaps there will be news tomorrow."

Xiao Lie did not reply, continuing to flip through the mountain of memorials before him. Li Yuangui knew he had been at his desk for a long time. He stepped out quietly, just about to call for tea and refreshments to be sent in, when he saw Zhang Fengtong following behind two palace maids, personally carrying an exquisite food box. She approached, and he greeted her, "Young Lady Zhang is here?"

Zhang Fengtong had long since finished her mourning period, but during the entirety of the previous year, war had raged almost every day. Although she often served beside the Prince Consort Zhou, her marriage to Xiao Yintang had naturally been delayed. Yesterday, although she had followed the Prince Consort into the palace, Li Yuangui still addressed her with the title of an unmarried woman.

Still, her marriage date with the heir should be near.

Zhang Fengtong was extremely courteous to Li Yuangui, smiling and calling him "Grandpa Li," then said, "The Prince Consort knows Your Majesty has been working hard these days, so she personally prepared some refreshments and asked me to bring them to you. Is His Majesty inside?"

Li Yuangui asked her to wait a moment and hurried inside. A moment later, he came out and said with a smile, "His Majesty says you may enter."

Zhang Fengtong thanked Li Yuangui, who quickly replied, "I would not dare. That would shorten my life."

Zhang Fengtong laughed. "Grandpa Li, you serve His Majesty diligently, day after day, year after year, doing the things we ought to do. I am young; what does it matter if you accept my thanks?"

Li Yuangui smiled and beamed as he led her inside, standing by the door to wait for any summons.

Zhang Fengtong set down the tea and refreshments, knelt, and kowtowed to Xiao Lie: "Fengtong kowtows to Your Majesty. These refreshments were made by the Prince Consort herself. She instructed me to tell you that while the people are important, Your Majesty must not overwork yourself. Fengtong dares to ask Your Majesty to rest, even for a moment. This is also the filial piety of the heir."

Xiao Lie had always had a good impression of Zhang Fengtong, and pitying her for her misfortune in not yet being able to marry his son, he had always treated her like a daughter. He nodded kindly and told her to rise and speak, but Zhang Fengtong remained kneeling. Xiao Lie said, "Is there something on your mind? If so, just speak."

Zhang Fengtong kowtowed again: "Thank you, Your Majesty. Since you have granted me this, Fengtong will dare to speak. Once, when the heir traveled to Quanzhou, he encountered danger and was trapped in the city. Later, he was rescued by a family named Zhen, which allowed him to escape. Does Your Majesty know of this?"

Xiao Lie tapped his forehead: "Now that you mention it, I recall. I remember Yintang mentioned it to me before. What of it?"

"When I first heard the news, a thought formed in my heart: one day, I must repay the Zhen family for their kindness in saving the heir. Previously, it was inconvenient, but things are different now. I hear the Zhen family has a daughter, a few years younger than I, who is still unmarried. I have an idea: I wish to ask for the Zhen daughter on behalf of the heir and make her his secondary consort. Firstly, this would be a repayment for the Zhen family’s kindness; secondly, I would gain a sister in the future to share my worries and serve the heir together. Thus, I have boldly come before Your Majesty today to request your permission. If I have spoken out of turn, I beg your forgiveness."

Xiao Lie was startled and looked at her: "Is this your own idea, or Yintang’s?"

Zhang Fengtong replied, "I dare not deceive Your Majesty. The heir likely holds some affection for that Zhen daughter, but he only mentioned it once before and said nothing further. This is my own wish. I have come to you today without the heir’s knowledge. I thought that if I could first obtain Your Majesty’s permission, it would not be too late to tell him."

Xiao Lie hesitated and said slowly, "Fengtong, I was thinking of arranging your grand wedding with Yintang in a few days. Your idea is not bad, and I am sure that family in Quanzhou would be willing, but tell me honestly: do you truly desire this? If you are acting against your heart, there is no need. There are plenty of other ways to repay the Zhen family."

Zhang Fengtong kowtowed respectfully again: "I am perfectly willing. The thought of gaining a sister soon to help me manage affairs is something I look forward to immensely."

Xiao Lie smiled and nodded: "Very well. In that case, I approve. Yintang is truly blessed to have a virtuous helpmeet like you, who knows to repay kindness and possesses such a broad and generous heart.”