In the twelfth month of the 240th year of the Dali era, the Zhou Empire was destined for turmoil.
Though rebellion and treason had occurred in every dynasty, it was exceedingly rare for an Empress to flee the palace with the Crown Prince and ally with princes commanding heavy forces in the west and north. Before the corruption scandal of the Northwest Frontier Army could settle, the Northern Garrison Army's actions in Cangzhou were already confirmed. In no time, both the Northwest Frontier Army and the Northern Garrison Army became thorns in the Emperor's side. The west and north were vital gateways to Great Zhou—one facing the Western Rong tribes, the other the Qiang barbarians. Now, not only did external threats persist, but two of his elite forces had turned into wolves at the door. What troubled the Emperor even more was the inability to find a commander to lead troops westward.
For the Northwest Frontier Army corruption case, the Emperor had dispatched Yu Wenxian, the Left Vice Minister of Revenue, westward, assisted by Lin Xugui, the Left Vice Minister of War. Of the two, only Lin Xugui had military command experience. When the Northwest Frontier Army showed no signs of rebellion, Lin Xugui, bearing the Emperor's decree, could temporarily control them. But now, with Yan Chi openly rebelling and the army long commanded by Yan Lin, though no battle reports had arrived, officials in Lin'an believed it was only a matter of time before the Northwest Frontier Army rose with Yan Chi.
The Northern Garrison Army in the north could not be taken lightly, nor the Northwest Frontier Army in the west underestimated. The Emperor intended to send Yue Qiong north and Duke Peng Huaichu of Wei west. Unexpectedly, Duke Peng bluntly memorialized that he was no match for the Northwest Frontier Army and might not achieve victory if sent west. Before troops even mobilized, the commander had admitted defeat. Furious yet aware that Duke Peng was not the best choice for the western campaign, the Emperor considered sending Yue Qiong instead. But Yan Chi's princess consort was Yue Qiong's adopted daughter...
With the western commander undecided in court, the Emperor first appointed Yue Qiong as commander of the northern expedition and Duke Peng as deputy commander. Originally intending to assign Prince Cheng Yan Qi as an army consultant, the lack of a western commander led to his appointment as deputy commander for the western campaign instead. The Emperor also recalled Ge Yang, the Minister of War who was en route north, planning to put him in charge of the western expedition.
At that time, Ge Yang had already reached Fengzhou and would soon arrive in Cangzhou via Chongzhou. But the Emperor's sudden change of mind forced Ge Yang to turn back, causing significant delays. Fortunately, Ge Yang had assessed the garrisons and civilian morale in northern cities, gaining some valuable insights. By the time he returned to the capital, the northern expedition army had been assembled—combining garrisons from Jinzhou and Yingzhou, totaling nearly 100,000 troops ready for deployment. The western expedition force, however, remained unorganized.
In desperation, the Emperor hastily mobilized garrisons from Luozhou, Chuzhou, Yuzhou, Yunzhou, Yuanzhou, and other regions, barely scraping together 80,000 men. Yet military supplies and provisions were severely lacking. The thought of the six months' rations previously sent to the Northwest Frontier Army made the Emperor regret his decisions bitterly. Bright lamps burned nightly in Chongzheng Hall as the six ministries and their directors exhausted themselves addressing the crisis. Not until turmoil erupted in both northwest regions did court officials realize the imperial treasury was already depleted—not only was the western expedition in jeopardy, but even provisions for the northern campaign were precarious...
By the time news of Ge Yang's appointment as commander of the western expedition reached Yan Chi, his forces had already passed through Chuzhou and entered Yuanzhou.
The region was not unfamiliar to Qin Guan and her companion. Exactly one year earlier, Qin Guan's party had been trapped in Cloud Mist Mountain when Yan Chi descended like a divine savior to rescue her.
That evening, Yan Chi's group arrived in Yuanzhou city, taking shelter in a civilian residence.Traveling along the way, Yan Chi had made thorough arrangements, and the journey was not particularly rushed. After more than ten days on the road, Qin Guan sometimes even forgot they were fleeing. In Luozhou, there were still garrison troops conducting strict inspections, while in Chuzhou, numerous wanted posters of the two were displayed. However, upon reaching Yuanzhou territory, the tension noticeably eased.
After dinner, Yan Chi summoned Bai Feng and Fan Xin for a discussion. Qin Guan initially intended to excuse herself, but Yan Chi asked her to stay.
This had become the routine over the past few days. Whether it was news of the Northwest Frontier Army or updates from the imperial court, whatever Yan Chi knew, Qin Guan would also know. Once she was fully informed, the unease in her heart would dissipate. If there was anything she didn’t understand, she would ask Yan Chi privately, and he would patiently explain it to her.
"The court must assume we are rushing westward in a panic. To reach the Northwest Frontier, passing through Yuzhou and Dingzhou is the fastest route. By taking Yuanzhou, we are actually making a detour. Just now, when I went out to scout around, I noticed that the Yuanzhou government office was quite calm. However, I heard that the Yuanzhou garrison received a message from the capital two days ago—they are to reorganize their troops and march north. They can likely muster over ten thousand soldiers. It seems the capital is mobilizing forces to deal with us."
Whenever they arrived in a new region, it was always Fan Xin who went out to gather intelligence. After he finished speaking, Bai Feng added, "General Zhou has encountered some minor troubles, but it’s nothing serious. Although Lin Xie holds the emperor’s token, not every garrison obeys him. The closer we get to the west, the more those troops align with our royal residence. At the very least, many were promoted from the Northern Garrison Army. Given the current tense situation, these people have their own agendas—some are overly eager to please, while others are quietly observing. Moreover, the garrisons in these regions have long been away from warfare and have grown lazy. Suddenly receiving military orders, they are overwhelmed just assembling troops and preparing supplies. There’s no way they can stop General Zhou."
Upon hearing this, Fan Xin laughed heartily. "The old emperor is truly naive. With just Lin Xie and a mere thousand soldiers, he thinks he can capture us? What have those noble youths in the capital ever experienced? Even if there were ten Lin Xies, what could they possibly do?"
Fan Xin’s tone was arrogant. Bai Feng smiled faintly and said, "Lin Xugui in the Northwest Frontier must have also received the news. This Lin Xugui is not an easy opponent."
Fan Xin waved his hand dismissively. "The commander of the western expedition is Ge Yang, and there’s also Prince Cheng—both are nothing more than pretty faces. While it’s true that Lin Xugui is the emperor’s confidant, he’s suppressed by Ge Yang above him. He must be discontent deep down. Just wait and see—even if Lin Xugui had military authority, or if Ge Yang arrived with a large army, they would still be a disorganized mess."
Bai Feng glanced at Yan Chi. "Lin Xugui is still within the Northwest Frontier Army. Leaving him there is a hidden danger."
Only after the two of them had spoken did Yan Chi finally respond. "The emperor will recall him. Right now, the court has no spare capacity to deal with the Northwest Frontier. The northern border is the emperor’s greatest concern."
Fan Xin blinked. "Logically speaking, our Northwest Frontier Army is more formidable than the Northern Garrison Army."
A faint smile touched Yan Chi’s lips. "The emperor has his own considerations. If it weren’t for that, I wouldn’t have taken the route through Jianzhou."
Fan Xin rubbed his hands together and chuckled. "Yes, Your Highness sees further than I do. If the emperor doesn’t plan to confront us immediately, we’ll have more time to strategize. Right now, Master Qi and General Chu are both in the Northwest Frontier. Even if unexpected changes occur, we can act decisively."Yan Chi pondered for a moment. "Chu Fei Sheng knows what to do. Though we bear the name of rebels, we must still have just cause."
Bai Feng and Fan Xin exchanged a glance, sharp glints flashing in their eyes. Fan Xin clenched his fist, his expression showing a hint of indignation. "Once the truth about the Old Prince's death is revealed, the generals of Shuoxi will never again obey any orders from that old emperor!"
A cold smile touched Yan Chi's lips. "That's why we keep Lin Xugui alive for now. He'll be of great use later."
Knowing Yan Chi already had a plan, Fan Xin and Bai Feng dared not say more. After speaking a while longer and seeing how late it had grown, the group dispersed.
After the two left, Qin Guan helped Yan Chi change his clothes while saying, "The Empress knows the Emperor's secrets best. Naturally, the Emperor wouldn't give her any opportunity. However, the Northern Garrison Army isn't easy to deal with either. If the court wants to campaign north while also marching west, everything will surely fall into chaos."
Yan Chi spread his arms, allowing Qin Guan to undo his sash. Though discussing serious matters, his tone had already softened like water. "The Emperor is too greedy. He probably never expected the Empress could truly escape the capital. Having sat securely on the throne for so many years, he thought the capital's defenses were impregnable, failing to see the foundations beneath the city have long been rotten."
"The Emperor wants to capture both the Empress and the Crown Prince while moving against Prince Rui's residence, yet he still miscalculated."
Yan Chi let out a cold laugh. "Perhaps Father's death made him think the royal residence was insignificant. Since he could so easily eliminate what he saw as a great threat, he naturally grew impatient. As for whether his methods were vile and despicable—how would someone like him care?"
Qin Guan's hands paused slightly as she looked up at Yan Chi, her eyes seeming to hold pity. Seeing this, Yan Chi smiled, leaned forward, and swept her up into his arms.
Carrying Qin Guan toward the bed, he said while walking, "Though Father endured many hardships during his years in Shuoxi, all he witnessed were acts of loyalty and courage. That's why he let his guard down. Don't worry—I won't follow in Father's footsteps."
Setting Qin Guan down to sit on the bed, Yan Chi raised his hands to undress her. "Though I've lost Father, having you by my side now is enough to fulfill my wishes."
With her outer robe removed, Qin Guan leaned softly into Yan Chi's embrace. "My wishes are fulfilled too."
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