The Road to Glory

Chapter 133: Court Assembly

Qi Simiao stood stunned for a long moment before saying, "Your Majesty jests."

The daylight had grown bright, and the candlelight in the hall had dimmed. Wen Yu's shadow cast a long, slanting line on the palace floor tiles—thin yet exuding a cold, sharp firmness: "Does my lord believe I am jesting?"

Qi Simiao remained silent.

Wen Yu's tone was icy: "What state Liang is currently in, my lord should know better than anyone. Dou Jianliang defected to Pei Song, slaughtered the Wei army, and blocked and killed countless soldiers of our Great Liang. The people of Liang now harbor grievances against your Chen Kingdom and myself. The Liang Camp is also in a state of unrest. If Dou Jianliang's betrayal was not orchestrated by your Chen Kingdom, and if you still intend to send troops to Liang to attack the traitor, how can you not give an explanation to the officials and people of Liang?"

Qi Simiao replied, "We in Chen were truly unaware of Dou Jianliang's defection to Pei Song and will certainly send troops to punish this traitor. However, what Your Majesty the Queen proposes is something I cannot comply with. After today's court assembly, we will announce Dou Jianliang's treason to the world and then escort his family to Liang to force his surrender. As for the losses suffered by your esteemed Liang, our Chen Kingdom will compensate in full through other means."

Wen Yu sneered: "After Dou Jianliang slaughtered the Wei army, your Chen Kingdom dispatched troops to Liang with the intention of seizing our Great Liang's sovereignty—this claim has already been spread throughout Liang by certain parties. Until this rumor is quelled, my reputation in Liang will be utterly ruined. Whether my subordinates will remain loyal is uncertain, but if your Chen army enters Liang again, they will undoubtedly be seen as thieves seeking to steal the nation!"

Qi Simiao understood Wen Yu's points perfectly well but still said, "Rumors cease with the wise."

Wen Yu's eyes, tinged with a faint red, held a smile that was both beautiful and fragile, like thin ice cracking on a lake's surface. Upon closer inspection, however, they were filled with nothing but coldness: "For the sake of this 'ceasing with the wise,' how many Chen soldiers' lives does Lord Qi intend to sacrifice on the battlefield? And how much wealth will you expend to sustain this prolonged war?"

Qi Simiao remained silent.

Wen Yu continued: "Chen's national treasury has been depleted for years. Do you truly believe that the mess of accounts piled up in the Ministry of Revenue can be cleared merely by investigating the corrupt eunuchs? Or does Lord Qi plan to rely on the silver the Jiang Family coughed up to save themselves—using it to fund the army sent to Liang while also maintaining the people's livelihood?"

As she spoke, the sarcasm in Wen Yu's tone grew heavier: "Although I have not been in Chen for long, I have some understanding of the people's welfare here. Your Chen Kingdom has reached its current state by imposing heavy corvée labor and taxes, yet the common people below are already suffering immensely. The army's rapid expansion in just a few years is thanks to your policy of exempting families from corvée and taxes if they enlist. But the funds and grain required for warfare—what the Jiang Family embezzled is merely a drop in the bucket. If the war in Liang drags on indefinitely, will the military provisions allocated later be scraped from the people's very scalps? As a pillar of the state, how can you not know that tyranny and heavy corvée and taxes inevitably lead to internal strife? Once internal strife erupts, can you guarantee that Western Mausoleum and the surrounding small states, which have long coveted Southern Chen, will not join forces to attack it?"

Wen Yu's words were truly incisive—each sentence struck directly at the vital weaknesses of the Southern Chen court.After a long silence, Qi Simiao let out a heavy sigh and said, "How could this old minister be unaware of what Your Highness has said? However, our Chen State has retreated beyond the passes for over a hundred years, yet still preserves its royal lineage. To have the southern Chen's sovereignty end in this old minister's hands—I dare not bear the guilt of such a traitor. Even in the afterlife, I would have no face to meet the former kings of the Chen lineage..."

Wen Yu responded, "Since ancient times, the foundation of a ruler lies in benevolence, and the foundation of a state lies in its people. Those who disregard the people will inevitably be disregarded by them. I believe that after experiencing the calamity of retreating beyond the passes, the Chen State should have understood the importance of the people. Yet now, it seems you would rather have Chen State endure such a disaster again than prioritize the welfare of its millions of subjects. May I ask, if the old calamity recurs, can the current Chen State, like in the past, secure a chance for the royal family to recuperate and survive?"

Wen Yu dared to question him so boldly because she had already discerned the true state of Southern Chen.

Even if Southern Chen did not send troops to help her attack Pei Song, within ten years, Western Mausoleum would inevitably launch an assault on Southern Chen.

It could be said that a significant reason Southern Chen sought to return to the Central Plains was to save itself.

Initially, when Empress Dowager Jiang sought Wen Yu's hand for King Chen, she won the support of many veteran ministers in the royal court because this marriage alliance would grant Southern Chen the protection of the then-powerful Liang State, deterring Western Mausoleum from acting rashly.

Now that Liang State had fractured into fragments, Western Mausoleum naturally grew restless, repeatedly inciting neighboring small states and tribes to harass Southern Chen, testing its current strength.

How could the veteran ministers of the royal court not know that corvée labor and taxes were nearly breaking the backs of the common people? Yet, surrounded by external threats, they had no choice but to exhaust the state's resources by continuously expanding the military, even at the cost of undermining livelihoods and internal governance.

Western Mausoleum had delayed launching an attack on Southern Chen because they understood that even if they won, they would pay a heavy price.

Thus, they waited, biding their time until Southern Chen could no longer sustain itself and collapsed from within.

The only variable was whether Southern Chen would assist Wen Yu in sending troops to attack Pei Song in Liang State.

If Southern Chen emerged victorious and moved back within the passes, Western Mausoleum would then have to face the colossal entity of the Central Plains if they wished to encroach upon Southern Chen further.

This was the scenario Western Mausoleum least desired and the gamble Southern Chen was staking everything on.

In the past, they managed to stabilize after retreating beyond the passes because the previous dynasty lacked the strength to continue fighting, leading to a cessation of hostilities.

But if they were to collapse under the weight of their own military and civil administration now, Western Mausoleum and the surrounding small states and tribes, who had been watching and waiting, would show them no mercy.

As a senior minister of Southern Chen, Qi Simiao was all too aware of these realities. Having served as the Grand Imperial Secretary for over a decade, he was renowned as the "Iron Mouth," yet now he was left speechless.

Wen Yu gazed calmly at the elderly man and delivered her final blow: "In your position, you should clearly see the trajectory of the Chen royal court over the next decade. Will you gamble on Southern Chen's lucky survival when the great calamity strikes, or will you strive for the Chen bloodline to reclaim its place as the ruler of all under heaven? Consider carefully and give me your answer."

Her meaning was evident: her descendants would also carry half the bloodline of the Chen royal family.

By supporting her as sovereign, the one who would inherit the throne in the future would still be a descendant of the Chen royal house, albeit without the name of Chen State.

After saying this, Wen Yu put her hood back on and prepared to leave the side hall.As she was about to step out of the hall, the aged voice of Qi Simiao came from behind: "This old minister may agree to Your Majesty's proposal, but when the day comes that you reclaim the lost territories of the Central Plains, the dynastic title must be redrafted."

Wen Yu lowered her gaze slightly, understanding the implication in Qi Simiao's words.

Their Southern Chen could abandon their own dynastic title, but when the realm was stabilized, they could no longer use the Great Liang's title either. A new dynastic title must be established to inaugurate a new dynasty.

Thus, this act of submission by Southern Chen would not be too humiliating.

In that fleeting moment, the entire history of Great Liang flashed before Wen Yu's eyes—the foolish emperor who wrongfully executed loyal subjects, the ailing court and suffering populace, her father and brothers struggling to support the collapsing state, and the son of Qin Yi, who after years of biding his time under treacherous officials, raised arms in rebellion and set Luodu ablaze...

Half of Wen Yu's face was bathed in the morning light, the other half concealed in shadow. In the end, she only replied with a single word: "Agreed."

As she lifted her foot to step out of the hall, Qi Simiao turned and bowed with clasped hands: "Farewell, Princess."

He addressed her as Princess, no longer as Queen, clearly acknowledging Wen Yu's identity.

Wen Yu's steps did not falter. Only after leaving the front hall did she pause in the rustling autumn wind, gazing for a while at the gray horizon where the sun had yet to rise.

Zhao Bai said: "The Princess will soon return to Great Liang to avenge the Prince, Princess Consort, Heir, Grand Heir, and Lord Ling."

Wen Yu softly murmured in acknowledgment.

Qi Simiao ultimately conceded not only because of the loss of Dou Jianliang's twenty thousand troops and Southern Chen's own predicament, but more importantly because the Liang Camp's forces remained intact.

—That was what Li Yao and Yuchi Ba had preserved at all costs.

They had paved all her escape routes.

Even if Southern Chen refused to submit and attempted to control her by force, they would not dare to truly harm her due to the deterrence of the Liang Camp's military might.

And as long as she could escape back to the Liang Camp, she would have the capital to plan everything anew.

Master, is this what you promised back then—to scheme for Yu?

The beating flesh in her left chest felt heavy and suffocating with pain. Wen Yu's throat tightened, and before her eyes could redden again, she closed them and took a few steadying breaths before saying: "Return to the palace to change attire and attend the court assembly."

The governance of Chen was currently controlled by the Empress Dowager and the Jiang Family. The King of Chen paid no attention to state affairs, and the Empress Dowager's daily rule from behind the curtain had become the norm.

With Dou Jianliang's rebellion creating such a major disaster, Wen Yu, as the "creditor," had gained the qualification to participate in this court assembly.

The dragon throne stood empty, a row of pearl curtains hanging before it, blocking the view of the ministers below.

The gilded phoenix throne where the Empress Dowager sat to rule from behind the curtain was placed behind and to the left of the dragon throne, while Wen Yu's seat was positioned behind and to the right. Beyond this distinction of left denoting superiority and right inferiority, her phoenix throne was also placed one step lower than the Empress Dowager's to demonstrate protocol.

Since the Mid-Autumn banquet, the King of Chen had not attended a single morning court session, consistently claiming illness. The true reason was well known among the ministers, who daily offered routine words wishing the King a swift recovery.

But with the emperor absent and both the Queen and Empress Dowager ruling from behind the curtain simultaneously, the atmosphere remained profoundly delicate.

The ministers followed protocol, holding their hu tablets and loudly proclaiming "Long live the emperor" in homage. After Empress Dowager Jiang, speaking on behalf of the ailing King of Chen, said "Rise, my beloved ministers," a young eunuch holding a whisk immediately shrilled: "Those with matters to report, step forward; if none, the court is dismissed."Wen Yu glanced at the young eunuch. Ever since Eunuch Li had claimed illness and taken leave on the night of the Mid-Autumn palace banquet, and King Chen had suffered such a humiliating defeat, his figure had seemingly vanished from both King Chen’s and Empress Dowager Jiang’s sides. Those now in attendance were all unfamiliar faces.

“Your subject has a matter to report.”

“Your subject also has an urgent matter to report!”

Below, the court officials, who had been arguing since yesterday’s morning court session until this morning without reaching any conclusion, competed to step forward with their ceremonial tablets, launching a new round of accusations:

“Dou Jianliang was recommended by the Ministry of War and appointed by Chancellor Jiang. Since he has defected to Bandit Pei, neither the Ministry of War nor Chancellor Jiang can escape responsibility!”

“Preposterous! The Ministry of War appoints officials based on merit, and Chancellor Jiang employs people with impartiality. How dare you slander them so recklessly!”

In an instant, the court descended into chaos once more. Officials pointed fingers and hurled accusations at one another, their arguments escalating to the point where it seemed a physical altercation might break out in the hall.

“Enough! Such clamor in the imperial court is utterly unbefitting!”

As the ministers’ quarrels grew increasingly heated, Empress Dowager Jiang’s stern voice cut through the noise, forcing even those who had rolled up their sleeves halfway to return to their positions properly.

Though Empress Dowager Jiang’s expression remained composed, the fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes seemed deeper than before, a clear indication of the strain she had endured lately.

Suppressing her exhaustion and irritation, she said, “You receive your salaries to share the burdens of this Dowager and the King—to discuss how to suppress the traitor Dou Jianliang and provide an explanation to the Queen and Great Liang. It is not for you to engage in factional strife here!”

Seeing the Empress Dowager’s anger, the court officials dared not continue their uproar.

Only then did Chancellor Jiang, who had remained silent until now, step forward and say, “Allowing Dou Jianliang to lead troops to Liang territory was indeed my error in judgment. Having caused such a disaster, I am fully aware of my failure in personnel selection. For this responsibility, I am willing to bear the consequences alone. However, for other unfounded accusations, I am deeply troubled and beg Your Majesty to discern the truth.”

Empress Dowager Jiang initially intended to respond directly, but after a glance at Wen Yu beside her, she hesitated. Before she could speak, Wen Yu interjected coldly, “May I ask how the Chancellor plans to bear this responsibility?”

Her voice, icy and clear, echoed through the hall like shards of ice struck by jade in the depths of winter.

The entire court instinctively held its breath, a chill creeping inexplicably into their ears.

When no one answered, Wen Yu pressed on, “Twenty thousand Northern Wei soldiers were massacred at the foot of Mount Majialiang. The commander of our Liang army was struck by a poison arrow and now hangs on the brink of death. His troops were relentlessly pursued, suffering countless casualties. All the cities captured during months of northern campaigns have been lost. Two founding veterans, one of whom was my own mentor, died defending Wayaobao to halt the southward advance of Pei Song’s forces and Dou Jianliang’s rebels… With tens of thousands of lives lost, may I ask what the Chancellor intends to use to bear this responsibility?”

By the final sentence, her voice had risen sharply, her gaze cold and sharp, tinged with a faint, menacing ferocity.

Even with the bead curtain obscuring their view, the court officials were cowed by the aura Wen Yu exuded in that moment. The hall remained shrouded in deathly silence.

Chancellor Jiang stood below, his expression grim. He shot a meaningful glance at Empress Dowager Jiang, who, equally stunned by Wen Yu’s words, finally snapped back to attention and cut in, “This Dowager understands the Queen’s grief at the loss of her mentor. Chancellor Jiang’s error in personnel selection will be severely investigated by this Dowager and the King, with no leniency shown. However, the immediate priority is to determine how many more troops to dispatch to Liang territory, who should lead them, how to quell the rumors within Liang, and what compensations to offer to the Liang Camp and Northern Wei. What does the Queen think?”Wen Yu gave a slight tug at the corner of her lips, though no smile reached her eyes. "Your Majesty is right."

At this point, Empress Dowager Jiang no longer cared whether Wen Yu genuinely agreed with her words or was merely offering a sarcastic platitude. She swept her gaze over the assembled ministers and asked, "Do any of you have suggestions?"

When it came to proposing actual strategies rather than simply assigning blame, the court fell silent. The officials exchanged hushed discussions, but none stepped forward to offer counsel.

Observing the ministers, the Empress Dowager felt genuine weariness. Pressing her throbbing temple—aching from a sleepless night—she sighed, "You all..."

Before she could continue, Qi Simiao, who had been standing silently at the forefront of the civil officials, stepped forward and said, "This old subject has a plan that could quell the public sentiment in Liang, help the Queen regain the people's support in Liang, and restore the morale of both armies."

Though Empress Dowager Jiang had always disliked the old ministers of the royal faction, she knew that in critical times, she had to rely on these veterans. Her expression softened slightly. "Speak, Minister Qi."

Qi Simiao replied, "Confer upon the Queen the title of Regent Princess of our Chen Kingdom, and publicly declare the King as the Consort of Great Liang."

His words sent a shockwave through the hall.

Empress Dowager Jiang rose abruptly, her sleeves flaring in fury. "Preposterous!" she roared, addressing him by his full name in her anger. "Qi Simiao, do you realize what you are saying? How dare you disregard the King and the ancestors of Chen?"

Holding his ceremonial tablet, Qi Simiao bowed respectfully. "This humble subject's proposal is precisely for the sake of Great Chen."

What Wen Yu had previously advised Qi Simiao to say was something every Chen official understood implicitly.

Yet, when Qi Simiao laid bare Chen's dire straits so bluntly in court, the blindly loyal old ministers grew furious and ashamed. Joining forces with the Jiang faction, they condemned him, accusing him of betraying the kingdom.

Those with more flexible minds, however, saw the immense benefits of abandoning the royal title to resolve their predicament, compared to the dead end of exhausting national strength amid internal and external crises. They strongly supported Qi Simiao's proposal, since it only required nominally acknowledging Wen Yu as sovereign without surrendering actual power.

Once Wen Yu bore a royal heir, they would have ample means to install the heir on the throne.

But the outcry from the blindly loyal faction and the Jiang faction was too overwhelming, leaving them hesitant to voice support openly.

Qi Simiao's disciples, understanding his profound intentions, made every effort to defend him. Yet their voices were drowned out by the torrent of criticism.

Wen Yu watched the farce unfold from her seat above. The court session ended with the Empress Dowager, in a fit of rage, hurling a cup that struck Qi Simiao's forehead and storming off after declaring, "We will revisit this matter tomorrow."

As the ministers retreated with varied expressions, Qi Simiao remained kneeling in the grand hall, showing no intention to rise.

When Chancellor Jiang passed by, he sneered, "Minister Qi always prattled about loyalty to the sovereign. Now, as storms gather, you seem more adept than anyone at seeking an escape route."

Qi Simiao offered no further defense, remaining silent.

After his taunt, Chancellor Jiang strode away with his followers in tow.

Qi Simiao's disciples gathered around him, mournfully addressing him as "Teacher." Any words of comfort now felt hollow. As they prepared to kneel beside him, he waved them off. "There is no need for you to kneel with me. Leave."The disciples were naturally unwilling to leave just like that. Sikong Wei, who was close friends with Qi Simiao, understood his old friend's scheme all too well. He sighed and said to the young officials, "All of you, go back. Do not let his heartfelt efforts go to waste."

The disciples were baffled, but having served in the court, they could somewhat grasp the underlying meaning. They realized that kneeling in the main hall might ruin Qi Simiao's grand plan, so they reluctantly departed.

With no one else left in the main hall, Sikong Wei sighed to his old friend, "At our age, why must you ruin a lifetime of reputation?"

Qi Simiao replied, "Sacrificing one person to secure a future for Great Chen is already a half-step concession from heaven—a great bargain indeed."

Just as Wen Yu had said, the state of Chen no longer had the resources to sustain a prolonged war.

Moreover, initially, their allied forces of Liang, Chen, and Wei had joined at the Southern Border of Great Liang, barely managing to suppress Pei Song's troops. Now, Pei Song was gaining momentum, reinforced by Dou Jianliang's rebel army, while their own forces and the Liang army had suffered heavy losses, morale was low, and they had lost the people's support.

If the two sides were to clash under such circumstances, their defeat was inevitable. Acknowledging King Chen as the consort of Great Liang and pledging allegiance to Wen Yu was the best strategy to break this deadlock.

However, if Chen were to abandon its sovereignty and King Chen were to present himself merely as a consort, the world would inevitably mock and ridicule Southern Chen.

Qi Simiao intended to become the "treacherous minister" who "usurped power" and forced King Chen into submission. This way, if the world wished to ridicule, Chen could lay all the blame squarely on his shoulders.

It was because Sikong Wei understood this that he sighed again upon hearing those words.

Although the court session had been filled with condemnation, anyone with a bit of insight could see clearly: with Qi Simiao willingly becoming the scapegoat for all ages, once the interests of the various factions in the court were clearly defined, agreeing to appoint Wen Yu as regent princess would be as easy as pushing a boat downstream.

He wanted to say something, but the words stuck in his throat. In the end, before leaving, he only said, "If Chen can truly be entrusted to the Queen and return to the Central Plains, unifying the two regions may not be an impossible dream."

Qi Simiao remained silent, his long-bearded face etched with wrinkles as deep as if carved by a knife. He gazed at the gold-lacquered dragon throne and the reliefs on the wall ahead, his expression remarkably calm and serene.

His old friend's words further confirmed his thoughts—his choice was not wrong.

For so many years, neither the Empress Dowager nor the Jiang faction had seen the precarious state of the people's livelihood behind the empty treasury. Yet, the princess who had come from Great Liang had seen it.

After an unknown period of silence, footsteps echoed once more in the main hall. Qi Simiao did not turn to look, only hearing the owner of the footsteps instruct, "Tong Que, summon a royal physician for Lord Qi."

It was still that clear, snow-fresh voice, though with less of the chill from the earlier court session.

After the court adjourned, Wen Yu had not hurried back to Zhaohua Palace but had rested in the rear hall for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, waiting until the front hall had emptied before coming over.

She approached Qi Simiao and said, "You have suffered, my lord."

The blood at Qi Simiao's temple had dried, and his frail, aged body remained upright even while kneeling, like a withered yet steadfast ancient pine. He replied, "This old minister did these things not for the princess, but for the sake of Chen. I dare not accept your words of suffering."

Wen Yu, of course, knew that his agreement to support her was for the sake of Chen.But she had initially thought that once Qi Simiao understood the stakes, he would lead the Wang faction officials to defect directly to her side. That way, even if the Empress Dowager and the Jiang faction opposed, given Dou Jianliang's betrayal as a Jiang faction member, the Wang faction ministers could still gain the upper hand in the court assembly.

Who could have imagined he would use such a method to preserve what little remained of Nan Chen's reputation?

For a moment, she even saw a shadow of Li Yao in Qi Simiao—equally stubborn, and equally attempting to prop up the collapsing nation with their aging arms.

Wen Yu's emotions were uncharacteristically complex as she said, "Regardless, Lord Qi deserves my gratitude."

Even if it was the result of a power struggle, if it were any other high-ranking official in the court, they might not have had the courage to agree to her demands and push everything forward with such swift determination.

She wanted to return to Liang, she wanted to execute Pei Song, and she wasn't willing to wait a moment longer.

After leaving the main hall, Wen Yu headed straight back to Zhaohua Palace. Midway through her phoenix carriage journey, she was intercepted by someone from Lingxi Palace: "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager requests your presence at Lingxi Palace for a brief visit."

Wen Yu was not surprised that Empress Dowager Jiang had summoned her. With a slight nod, she replied, "Lead the way."