Chapter 535: An Inevitable Clash Approaches
Rong Ce, stationed in Liangzhou, sent a clear letter to Xiao Changqing: the Northwest King had been ambushed in Liangzhou and was severely injured. No matter what, Rong Ce had to investigate the cause. As he delved deeper, he unexpectedly discovered traces of Jiachen Crown Prince.
Initially, he only intended to uncover the crown prince’s whereabouts but inadvertently found that Jiachen Crown Prince seemed to have dealings with Geng Liangcheng. This earth-shattering secret was something Rong Ce had no concrete evidence for, yet he knew it was of grave importance—especially now, with Shen Yueshan critically injured, it could not be taken lightly. If the Northwest were to change its commander, it would inevitably affect Liangzhou, which bordered the region.
Lacking evidence and constrained by urgency, Rong Ce dared not report directly to Your Majesty, fearing he might be mistaken and become a target of criticism. Instead, he privately wrote to Xiao Changqing, subtly hinting to his nephew in hopes that he would inform the emperor.
When Youning Emperor read Rong Ce’s private letter to Xiao Changqing, his expression darkened immediately.
If… if Xiao Juesong and Geng Liangcheng were colluding, Xiao Juesong would have ample reason to target Shen Yueshan!
He already harbored hatred for Shen Yueshan, so seeking revenge was natural. If, in avenging himself, he could also use another to become the shadow ruler of the Northwest and amass power there, it would become a dire threat to Youning Emperor.
No matter how authoritarian Shen Yueshan might be, at least he had no rebellious intentions and genuinely protected the Northwest. But if the Northwest fell into Xiao Juesong’s hands, he would spare no effort to exploit the Tibetans, the Turks, and even stir conflicts in places like Liangzhou, shaking the very foundations of the empire.
At this moment, Youning Emperor could no longer proceed with cautious probing. Whether this was a trap or not, he had to err on the side of caution!
“Order Rong Ce to visit the Northwest King’s residence on my behalf,” Youning Emperor commanded immediately.
Since Rong Ce had already detected signs of collusion between Geng Liangcheng and Xiao Juesong, he should understand the emperor’s intent upon receiving the order: to secure control over the Northwest before Shen Yueshan drew his last breath.
“Your Majesty, the Turks have also heard of the Northwest King’s critical condition. Their internal strife has temporarily ceased, and they seem to be growing restless,” Xiao Changqing added, presenting another letter from Rong Ce.
In the letter, Rong Ce expressed deep unease, hoping his nephew would devise a plan in advance to help stabilize the situation. Under these circumstances, how could Youning Emperor dare to reassign Rong Ce? Doing so would deliberately leave a gap for the Turks to exploit.
Shen Yueshan had been the Turks’ nightmare for many years. Upon hearing of his critical state, the royal court set aside internal conflicts, intending first to ensure Shen Yueshan’s demise. This was entirely in character for the Turks.
Earlier, to verify that Shen Yueshan’s critical condition was not fabricated, Xiao Changfeng had summoned every doctor in the city. Such significant news was impossible to suppress, and it was inevitable that the Turks would learn of it. In this matter, Xiao Changfeng was not at fault.
The truth of Shen Yueshan’s condition was of utmost importance, and one or two individuals were insufficient for verification. Even if the situation had escalated to this point, Youning Emperor would not blame Xiao Changfeng.
If Rong Ce could not be reassigned, then others around the Northwest could not be moved either. Rong Ce was privy to the situation and could simply visit on the emperor’s behalf. Others, unaware of the circumstances, would need to be briefed on the severity of the matter if assigned.The Northwest region was a complex web of interests. Once something became known to one person, it was no longer a secret. Though this matter remained unconfirmed—merely Rong Ce's speculation—the Youning Emperor had no choice but to treat it as credible and take it seriously. Yet this did not mean he was entirely convinced no unexpected developments could occur.
If unforeseen circumstances arose and the affair became widely known, the one who would ultimately face an irreparable predicament was His Majesty himself.
"You may withdraw. We have our own considerations," the Youning Emperor dismissed Xiao Changqing.
"Your son takes his leave." Xiao Changqing retreated respectfully.
Once outside the palace, Xiao Changqing mounted his horse and gazed at the clear, boundless sky, revealing a smile as radiant as the blazing sun. Then, he couldn't help but sigh softly: "What a splendid play. It's a pity I won't have the chance to witness it firsthand."
Xiao Huayong had instructed him to use Rong Ce's name to expose the secret dealings between the Jiachen Crown Prince and Geng Liangcheng, while also cautioning him to prevent the Emperor from transferring Rong Ce to the Northwest. From this, Xiao Changqing could roughly deduce that Xiao Huayong intended to teach the Emperor a lesson.
Without even thinking, it was clear that whoever the Emperor dispatched this time would surely not return alive. The only question was whom the Emperor would send.
If it were the Invincible Army...
That would be even more ideal.
Unfortunately, the Youning Emperor disappointed Xiao Changqing. He did not deploy the Invincible Army. Last year, during the summer retreat to the temporary palace, the Invincible Army had suffered hundreds of casualties, which had put the Emperor on high alert. The Invincible Army had already been exposed to the scrutiny of many. Although they were perceived as Xiao Juesong's pawns, another exposure would be impossible to explain away. Moreover, the Emperor was deeply dissatisfied with the Invincible Army's heavy losses and had implemented a new training regimen—one involving real blades and life-or-death combat.
To Xiao Changqing's surprise, the very next day, the Youning Emperor, citing the shocking news of the Northwest King's critical condition and the helplessness of physicians, dispatched Minister of War Pei Zhan to personally escort imperial physicians to convey the Emperor's regards.
On the surface, this appeared to be the Emperor bestowing supreme honor upon a subject, but beneath lay turbulent undercurrents.
"Pei Zhan..." Xiao Changqing couldn't help but laugh—a rare smile since Gu Qingzhi's passing. "This is getting more and more intriguing."
Pei Zhan was Jing Wang's man, and he was a battle-hardened veteran. If anything were to happen to him on the journey to the Northwest, Jing Wang would not be an easy opponent to deal with.
The Emperor was half-convinced yet skeptical about the matter. However, he could not stand idly by and watch Xiao Juesong potentially seize the Northwest, using it as a shield to continuously expand his power until he became a genuine contender for half the empire. Thus, the Emperor was forced to send someone.
Yet he still feared this might be a trap. If it wasn't Xiao Juesong's doing, then it must be Shen Yueshan staging an elaborate performance. Shen Yueshan had always held some respect for Pei Zhan and would surely not resort to killing him.
Meanwhile, Xiao Huayong, who was adorning Shen Xihe's hair with a flower, had already informed her that the military commander being sent was Pei Zhan. Even before he sought out Sang Yin, he had sent word to Xiao Changqing. Thus, the letter Xiao Changqing presented to the Youning Emperor—purportedly from Rong Ce—had arrived two days earlier than Geng Liangcheng's meeting with "Xiao Juesong."
The matter was urgent, and Pei Zhan would undoubtedly travel at top speed. Four or five days had already passed; arriving in the Northwest in another two days would not be considered slow.
"Your Highness, will you take action against General Pei?" Shen Xihe asked, watching Xiao Huayong's reflection in the mirror.Xiao Huayong smiled faintly as he held two gold hairpins against Shen Xihe's hair: "Pei Zhan belongs to Your Majesty. I won't alter my plans because of him. Your Majesty sent him precisely because he knew Father-in-law would go easy on him. This indicates Your Majesty suspects everything was orchestrated by Father-in-law. If I were to truly show leniency toward him, it would only confirm Your Majesty's suspicions.
Although Father-in-law isn't afraid of incurring another layer of Your Majesty's distrust, I don't need him to shoulder the blame on my behalf."
"If General Pei suffers losses in the northwest, Prince Jing will not let this rest," Shen Xihe said softly.
"Eighth Brother and I were bound to clash sooner or later." Xiao Huayong inserted a Gold-Inlaid Jade Hairpin into Shen Xihe's dark tresses, his fingertips brushing past the dangling pearls.
Ten thousand words, update completed. Good night.
(End of Chapter)
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