The Road to Glory

Chapter 132: "Support This Princess as Sovereign"...

The failed northern expedition by the three allied forces of the Southern Border caused significant turmoil deep within the Central Plains.

Simultaneously, news spread from the Northern Border of Wei Qishan's military defeat—no one had anticipated that the barbarians beyond the frontier would launch their attack on the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun earlier this year. At that time, Wei Qishan was locked in a fierce struggle with the main forces Pei Song had left behind in the Northern Border, and being stabbed in the back caught him completely off guard.

When news broke that his troops in the Southern Border had been trapped and slaughtered by Chen Jun's army, the common people across the land were outraged. While condemning Southern Chen, they couldn't help but direct their anger toward Wen Yu as well.

A nursery rhyme even began circulating among the populace: "Marry a princess, invite jackals, through the door they swarm, autumn grain they take."

Ask any three-year-old child about Princess Han Yang, and the answer would be: "The princess married off to the southern barbarians. The southern barbarians sent troops to Liang territory claiming to help the princess seek revenge, but they're actually here to seize our land and remaining grain!"

In just under half a month, the Liang army had become, in the people's eyes, accomplices helping Southern Chen. Public condemnation of Liang Camp even surpassed that directed at Dou Jianliang, who had defected to Pei Song. Even rogues passing by Liang Camp's recruitment stations would self-righteously spit in contempt.

Worse still, the scholars who had previously unanimously condemned Pei Song and supported Liang Camp now turned their fury against Liang Camp after learning of the Wei army's massacre. Some even declared that Liang's alliance with Chen and the subsequent entry of Chen troops into Liang territory was no different from inviting northern barbarians into the Central Plains—an act of stealing the nation!

Those who had been waiting on the sidelines, intending to pledge allegiance to a faction once the situation became clearer, naturally shifted with the wind, hastily joining the criticism against Wen Yu and Liang Camp while vigorously promoting Wei Qishan.

A carriage with thick brocade curtains embroidered with intricate floral patterns stood in a corner of the bustling market. A bony-knuckled hand parted the curtain slightly, revealing through the gap a crowded storytelling stall ahead. The storyteller, sporting a small beard, was speaking with flying spittle: "Back when Liang and Chen formed their alliance, I said it was an empty promise! Since Princess Han Yang isn't a man, how can she talk about revenge and restoring Great Liang?"

Someone in the crowd retorted, "You can't say that. If Chen Jun succeeds in defeating Pei Song, and Princess Han Yang's descendants inherit the throne, wouldn't the empire still be in the hands of Wen descendants?"

The storyteller smirked disdainfully and countered, "Since they're Wen descendants, tell me: would Princess Han Yang's children bear the surname Wen or Chen?"

This left the previous objector momentarily speechless.

The storyteller struck his gavel, scanned the audience, and continued with a pained expression: "After Southern Chen occupies the Central Plains, will they use their own Chen dynasty name or our Great Liang's dynasty name?"

The surrounding commoners buzzed with discussion.

The storyteller went even further: "In my opinion, those ministers in Liang Camp are old fools. Even though Pei Song has slaughtered the entire Wen clan, just like when they made Changlian Wang the crown prince before, they could have consulted the Wen genealogy. By tracing upward, they could surely find a male descendant from a collateral branch or distant relative to inherit Great Liang's throne. Why pledge loyalty to a married woman?"

Some nodded in approval, while others shook their heads and argued, "If they produced a male heir to inherit the throne, Southern Chen probably wouldn't send troops to attack Pei Song after Princess Han Yang married there, right? It's obvious—who would do such thankless work just to help a brother-in-law gain power?"The storyteller chuckled, "It seems you also agree with my claim that Han Yang assisted Southern Chen in stealing the throne?"

Flicking his sleeve with a mocking tone, he added, "One should marry a woman like Wen Hanyang—not only is she the renowned top beauty of Great Liang, but she also brings a kingdom as her dowry!"

This provoked uproarious laughter from the onlookers.

The hand holding the carriage curtain halfway up withdrew, and the curtain fell, completely obscuring the interior.

A man in martial attire returned to the carriage through the bustling market. As he took the driver’s seat, he reported to the person inside, "Master, as you instructed, all rumors unfavorable to Liang Camp have been spread. However, it appears Wei Camp is also fueling the flames."

A faint "Mm" was the only response from within the carriage.

Pei Shiwu tilted his head slightly to glance behind and said, "Although this plan undermines Liang Camp, allowing Wei Qishan to capitalize on it and win public support may not be in our best interest."

As the carriage wheels rolled forward, the hanging curtain swayed gently. Light streaming through the gaps fell on the thin, closed eyelids of the occupant inside. Like a serpent disturbed by sunlight deep in its cave, Pei Song opened his eyes, his tone laced with sarcasm: "Wei Qishan is severely wounded, his forces have lost tens of thousands, and the entire Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun will face barbarian raids throughout the harsh winter. He’s at the end of his rope—what harm is there in letting him claim some reputation?"

Pei Shiwu replied, "I’ve also received word that Liang Camp is investigating whether this year’s early barbarian attacks on the Sixteen Prefectures from beyond the Northern Border are connected to you."

The mockery at the corner of Pei Song’s lips deepened. "Let them investigate."

Pei Shiwu hesitated, "Master, though we’ve kept it discreet, increasing the grain transport troops to Jinzhou from ten thousand to thirty thousand—and withdrawing twenty thousand soldiers early from the Northern Border battlefield—cannot be concealed. Liang Camp is bound to make an issue of it."

Pei Song sneered, "Who would believe the ravings of cornered rats?"

As the carriage passed through a market district, the sound of curses against Liang Camp could be heard even through the curtain. Pei Song pushed the curtain aside slightly and saw a crowded tavern where a storyteller’s tale mirrored the one from the earlier marketplace.

But the crowd here was visibly outraged. Some even loudly condemned Wen Yu for "a hen crowing at dawn," declaring that never in history had a princess restored a dynasty. They argued that if she had any integrity, she should take her own life to earn a chaste name in the annals. Marrying into Southern Chen to borrow troops against Pei Song, they claimed, was merely a pretext for her own ambition and would force commoners to endure the ravages of war.

Pei Song listened quietly, a scornful smile playing on his lips, before letting the curtain fall again.

Pingzhou.

Li Xun stared at the report on public sentiment, utterly exasperated. Pacing angrily behind his long desk, he finally burst out, "Their intentions are vile! Absolutely vile! It was Pei Song and Dou Jianliang who colluded to harm Wei Qishan and our Great Liang—how have all the faults been shifted onto Liang Camp?"Chen Wei said, "Lord Li and General Yuchi acted with great righteousness, sacrificing themselves to halt Pei Song's southward advance. At Wayaobao, with only two thousand troops, they dealt a heavy blow to Pei Song, causing him to lose over ten thousand soldiers. How could Pei Song swallow such an insult? Unable to seize the three provinces and one commandery in the short term, he resorts to these despicable tactics to sow discord and destabilize our Liang Camp."

Li Xun replied, "Do you think I am unaware of all this?"

He jabbed his left chest forcefully: "It pains me here! Lord Li and the veteran General Yuchi fell at Wayaobao, and their bodies are still in Pei Song's hands. Although Commander Fan has been cleansed of the poison, he cannot return to the front lines anytime soon. And as for the Princess..."

At this painful thought, Li Xun's eyes reddened again: "Why did the Princess go to Southern Chen for a marriage alliance? Those heartless wretches, how dare they spread such slander about her..."

Although Great Liang had preserved its military strength and successfully disrupted Pei Song's plan to conquer the Southern Border in one stroke, the loss of two key ministers, Li Yao and Yuchi Ba, dealt a blow nearly as severe as that suffered by the Wei army in the Northern Border.

As Changlian Wang's trusted aide, Chen Wei felt the deepest anguish over the false accusations against Wen Yu. For a moment, he remained silent, and the officials below naturally bowed their heads in quiet solemnity.

After a long while, Li Xun composed himself and said, "Our immediate task is to find a way to restore the Princess's reputation. We cannot allow those treacherous scoundrels to continue defaming her."

After some hushed discussion among the officials below, one censor hesitantly suggested, "Currently, apart from the three provinces and one commandery under our jurisdiction, the common people elsewhere are loudly condemning the Princess. Perhaps we could trace up the Wen family lineage to find a distant relative's descendant, or select a suitable youth from elsewhere. As long as we publicly declare him to be of Wen bloodline to preserve Great Liang's sovereignty, the external rumors would naturally be disproven..."

Before he could finish, Li Xun snatched a bamboo scroll and hurled it at him, summoning guards from outside: "Guards! Drag this traitorous fool out!"

Chen Wei stared at the censor, his face ashen with fury.

The censor, terrified, dropped to his knees, pleading for mercy and defending himself: "Your subordinate is utterly loyal to the Princess and Great Liang! It is only because rumors spread that the Princess aided Southern Chen in stealing the throne that I proposed this delaying tactic to resolve the crisis. My intention was solely for the benefit of Great Liang!"

Li Xun pointed at the censor, so enraged he was momentarily speechless. Regaining his composure, he abandoned all ministerial dignity and roared: "You brainless imbecile! Others dig a pit, and you actually jump right in? The truth behind Dou Jianliang's betrayal remains unclear, and Southern Chen has yet to provide an explanation. This is precisely when the Princess should demand answers from them. By producing a so-called Wen descendant now, what position would that put the Princess in? Or are you eager to hand Southern Chen a weapon against us?"

The censor attempted to defend himself further, but Li Xun gave him no chance, berating him mercilessly: "Preserve Great Liang's sovereignty with some random boy?"Li Xun was truly enraged beyond measure. He laughed coldly and asked, "With Her Highness's talent and courage, does she need to find some young man you speak of to inherit the throne? Have you fed your brains to dogs and forgotten why the princess originally married into Southern Chen? If Great Liang had sufficient military strength to confront Pei Song, would we have needed to form a marriage alliance with Southern Chen? And if Southern Chen weren't lured by the prospect of returning to the Central Plains, would they have made such concessions during the alliance negotiations?"

The censoring official gritted his teeth and said, "Everything you say makes sense, my lord. But there's one point the common folk got right - even if the princess uses Chen's troops to eliminate Pei Song and eventually unifies both nations through her descendants, will the throne belong to Great Chen or Great Liang? Will the emperor's surname be Chen or Wen?"

Before Li Xun could respond, Chen Wei directly challenged: "Then according to you, if the princess hadn't gone to Southern Chen for the marriage alliance, and we had all died by Pei Song's blade, after he and Wei Qishan determined supremacy, would the throne still be called Liang? Or would the emperor's surname be Wen?"

The censoring official was stumped, his face flushing red as he remained silent. After stammering for a while, he continued through gritted teeth: "That would mean Great Liang had been defeated - completely incomparable to our current situation. But now, while we bear the title of Liang officials, we're actually helping the Chen ruler conquer the realm. When Bandit Pei mocks us for assisting Southern Chen in stealing the country, we have no retort. These Liang officials... it's better not to be one at all!"

Having said this, he stiffened his neck, adopting a posture ready to die: "I've said all I have to say today. Whether you execute me or cut me to pieces, I'm at your mercy!"

Li Xun directly shouted outside: "Guards!"

Zhou Sui, who had been standing among the officials below, promptly stepped forward and bowed: "My lord, please calm your anger. Allow this humble official to debate with Minister Gou for a moment."

Li Xun made no sound, only snorted angrily and sharply waved his sleeve, granting permission.

Zhou Sui bowed again to the censoring official, completing the formalities of courtesy. The censoring official remained with his neck stiffened, maintaining an aloof posture.

Zhou Sui asked: "May I ask, my lord, why weren't there such criticisms of the princess among the people when she first went to Chen territory?"

The censoring official sneered: "Who knew then that Chen Country would harbor such wolfish ambitions and stab the Wei army in the back?"

"Since you know the crux lies in Chen army's betrayal, how could you still fall into Pei Song's trap?" Zhou Sui spoke earnestly: "While it's truly heartbreaking that Wei Qishan was betrayed by villains and defeated on both northern and southern fronts simultaneously, it was Chen army who backstabbed the Wei forces, not our Liang army. Yet now all parties are condemning our Liang Camp, while Pei Song and Dou Jianliang have been exonerated. Could this happen without someone stirring the waters behind the scenes?"

"Just as Lord Chen said, Pei Song only suffered a major defeat at the Battle of Wayaobao, where Lord Ling and General Yuchi with two thousand troops crushed his morale. That's why he's using such venomous schemes to disrupt the unity in our Liang Camp. This is precisely the time to unite against external threats and overcome difficulties together - how can we engage in internal strife?"

The censoring official ignored Zhou Sui's arguments, stubbornly insisting: "Just tell me, was what I said earlier reasonable or not? What kind of Liang officials are we, helping Chen Country conquer the realm?"

Zhou Sui responded: "The First Emperor unified the six states to establish Qin, Emperor Gaozu founded Han after the Chu-Han Contention. May I ask you, my lord - if someone now called you a descendant of Qin people or Han people, would you acknowledge it?"

The censoring official proudly declared: "My ancestors were from the Gou aristocratic family of Zhuojun, prominent during Qin times and remaining influential through the Han dynasty without decline. We still have ancestral temples and genealogy records that can be verified - why wouldn't I acknowledge it?"Zhou Sui continued, "Before the Southern Chen relocated beyond the passes to evade internal strife, the Chen Dynasty they established had ruled the Central Plains for over a century. Logically speaking, even if your clan never produced officials serving the Chen Kingdom, they were still its subjects, were they not?"

The censoring official’s expression shifted, and he snapped, "What do you mean by that?"

Then, with a cold laugh, he added, "I see your intention now. You’re merely trying to force me into becoming a turncoat like you, serving two masters!"

Li Xun and Chen Wei grew visibly upset upon hearing this and were about to retort when Zhou Sui raised a hand to stop them.

Zhou Sui was typically even-tempered, having lost his composure only twice before: once when Madam Zhou passed away, and again when Pei Song schemed to massacre his entire Zhou Family. Now, facing the censoring official’s obstinacy, he remained outwardly calm, though his tone turned noticeably colder. "What I wish to convey is this: Southern Chen shares the same roots as our Great Liang, no different from the Northern Border’s Wei Qishan. Bandit Pei’s portrayal of the princess’s marriage alliance with Southern Chen as colluding with foreign tribes to usurp the throne is utterly malicious! If common folk are deceived by such lies, it reflects our failure to enlighten them. But if officials of Great Liang hold the same view, that is their own failing."

The censoring official attempted to argue, "But Southern Chen—"

Zhou Sui cut him off sternly, "Today, the Liang territory is divided among three powers. Adding Southern Chen to the mix does not introduce ethnic conflict—only a struggle for power. We follow the princess not out of blind loyalty to the name 'Great Liang,' but because we pledge allegiance to a wise ruler capable of rescuing the crumbling state and delivering the people from suffering. Let me ask you, sir: if the late Shaojing Emperor were the one upholding Great Liang today, would you still be so devoted?"

The official blurted out, "Of course! One who enjoys the ruler’s stipend shares the ruler’s worries—"

Zhou Sui interrupted him again, "You know well that officials who receive the ruler’s emoluments are bound to be loyal to the ruler. Dynasties rise and fall; ministers may die for loyalty’s sake, but they cannot demand the same of the common people. As the ancient saying goes, 'The people are the most important, the state less so, and the ruler the least.' The princess always prioritizes the people’s welfare. Before departing for Southern Chen, she exhaustively secured three provinces and one prefecture in the Southern Border and facilitated an alliance among the forces of Liang, Chen, and Wei to jointly campaign against Pei Song—all to minimize war and casualties, sparing the people from displacement. Since implementing benevolent governance, the three provinces and one prefecture have taken in countless refugees. How can you, sir, for personal ambition, engage in court disputes and publicly condemn the princess without feeling shame?"

Zhou Sui’s words, sharp as blades, left the censoring official flushed and speechless. He tried to protest, "But nowadays, the common talk says—"

"Common talk can be manipulated by anyone with an agenda. Who but scholars truly understand the state of the realm? Bandit Pei employs this venomous scheme to incite the people and slander the princess. As an official of Liang, instead of clearing the princess’s name, you join in the condemnation. In my view, you are unworthy of being a Liang official!"

Silence fell over the hall.

Zhou Sui’s refined features were etched with anger. The censoring official opened his mouth but could not utter another word.

Zhou Sui’s gaze swept across everyone present, his voice resolute and clear: "The reason scholars are so easily swayed this time is simply that Wei Qishan’s two military defeats were too devastating. But were the battles at Wayaoburg under Lord Ling and veteran General Yuchi any less tragic? Who mourns or weeps for them?"

Moved by his own words, his eyes reddened. He bowed to Chen Wei and Li Xun and declared, "Bandit Pei has used this vile scheme to tarnish our mistress’s reputation. I humbly request to travel to the thirty-six academies in the Southern Border to engage in scholarly debate and restore our mistress’s good name!"There are fifty-two renowned academies in the Great Liang, with the Southern Border alone accounting for thirty-six of them.

Zhou Sui once studied at the Bailudong Academy, the most prestigious institution in the Southern Border.

Chen Wei and Li Xun exchanged a glance, both aware that the current situation was unfavorable for them. Zhou Sui’s mission was bound to be arduous, but until news arrived from King Chen’s court, there was no better alternative. In the end, they nodded in agreement.

King Chen’s Court.

The embezzlement case uncovered by the murder of a eunuch had yet to be fully resolved when reports from Liang territory once again threw the entire court of Chen into turmoil.

Dou Jianliang had defected to Pei Song, and he was originally a member of the Jiang faction.

The chief ministers did not return to their residences for the entire night, gathering instead in the royal court to discuss how to handle the matter.

According to servants who entered to serve tea, the ministers of the king’s faction and those of the Jiang faction nearly came to blows in the hall.

It was not until daybreak, with just half an hour left before the morning court session, that the ministers were finally dismissed to take a brief rest and have some morning meal.

The leading minister of the king’s faction was Censor-in-Chief Qi Simiao. After a night of heated arguments with the Jiang faction, his mind was still unsettled, and he had little appetite. In a side chamber reserved for his temporary rest, he had just finished wiping his face with a towel when a guard eunuch came to report that a distinguished guest had arrived.

At such a critical moment, Qi Simiao had no desire to receive anyone. But this time, he had no choice. Shortly after the eunuch’s report, a figure cloaked in a dark cape stepped into the hall, silhouetted against the faint morning light and candle shadows.

Recognizing the visitor, Qi Simiao did not dare to be presumptuous. He rose cautiously and bowed with his hands clasped. "This old minister pays his respects to Her Majesty the Queen."

Wen Yu removed the hood of her cape, revealing hair as dark as clouds and a complexion as pale as frost. Only the faint redness in her eyes betrayed any prior emotion; otherwise, nothing else about her gave anything away. When she spoke, her tone was as composed as ever, yet cold as a spring breeze cutting through a courtyard. "Was the previous gift to your satisfaction, Lord Qi?"

Maintaining his bow, Qi Simiao replied, "Your Majesty’s visit at this hour is surely not about the corrupt eunuch’s case."

Wen Yu lifted her gaze, a faint smile flickering across her face, but her eyes were like blades forged from ice, chilling to behold. "Naturally not."

"I am here to ask you to support me as the ruler, with King Chen as the consort of Great Liang."