The news came back three days later.
Early in the morning, before the sky had even brightened, someone knocked on the door of Shu Changyu’s residence. When the steward opened the door sleepily, he saw a spy rush in hurriedly. Without even bothering to greet him, the man headed straight for Shu Changyu’s residence.
At that time, Shu Changyu had just gotten up and was about to have breakfast. The spy hurriedly announced himself before rushing straight inside.
Shu Changyu had arranged spies like this in places such as Zhaojing. Whenever there was any news, they would send carrier pigeons to him, allowing him to keep abreast of developments in the capital even while he was in Huzhou. But this time, the spy had personally returned. It was obvious that there must be some urgent matter important enough to make him race back on horseback.
“Lord Shu…” The spy was still gasping for breath. “The north… the north is in chaos!”
Upon hearing this, Shu Changyu frowned and put down his chopsticks. He raised a hand and had Kong Qing carry the sleepy-eyed Shu Xunzhi out.
“Where is it in chaos?” he asked with a frown. “Zhaojing?”
“Shandong!” the spy said. “The disaster victims in Shandong were originally heading north, but halfway there, His Majesty learned of this matter. He insisted that the turbid qi of those disaster victims might harm the Great Qi’s dragon vein, and issued a strict order, sending people to drive those disaster victims back to Shandong!”
Shu Changyu frowned.
In his previous life, although Emperor Qian Ning had been somewhat muddleheaded, he had not displayed the face of such a harsh and tyrannical ruler. Shandong was currently so drought-stricken that not even a blade of grass could grow. If the disaster victims remained there, they could only starve to death. Normally, whenever there was a disaster somewhere, it was perfectly natural for the local people to scatter and flee elsewhere. How could there be any reason to drive people back to the disaster-stricken area?
“What happened afterward?” Shu Changyu asked in a deep voice.
“Afterward, those disaster victims in Shandong were incited by a local junior military officer named Zhuo Renyue and formed a rebel army! Once Zhuo Renyue took the lead, the disaster victims responded one after another. They now have more than a hundred thousand followers and are burning, killing, and looting in the surrounding provinces!” At this point, the spy swallowed and said, “The scholars from Huzhou who traveled north along the river… their lives are now uncertain as well!”
Shu Changyu froze.
Traveling by water was very fast. According to the timing, Fang Yuqian was probably just about to reach Shandong.
Moreover, these disaster victims were extremely numerous, and every one of them was already at the end of their rope. Once they rebelled, they needed food, so they had no choice but to rob the surrounding areas. Although the people in the surrounding regions had enjoyed favorable weather and good harvests, life was not easy for them either. If these people robbed without distinguishing between rich and poor, that entire region would probably descend into chaos, leaving misery and devastation everywhere.
Before Shu Changyu could even ask anything else, he heard the spy say again, “This group has been burning, killing, and looting all the way here. They have already captured four Great Qi cities and are heading toward Huzhou!”
Shu Changyu frowned. “If he intends to rebel, why is he coming to Huzhou?”
The spy said, “Now, rumors are spreading throughout the rebel army that you, my lord… are a star from the heavens descended into the mortal world. If the dynasty is to be changed, you are the only one worthy of taking the throne. This time, Zhuo Renyue is coming specifically for you. He wants to… establish you as the new emperor and divide the realm with Great Qi along the river.”
Shu Changyu immediately stood up. He no longer paid any attention to the breakfast on the table and turned to leave.
“Go to the Huzhou prefectural office immediately. Invite the Huzhou city defense general and the Huzhou prefect to the government office.”
Great Qi had always placed greater emphasis on civil officials than military officers. Apart from the troops stationed at the borders to resist foreign enemies, the defenses in the various prefectures and commanderies were extremely weak. The founding emperor of Great Qi had made such arrangements because he feared that excessive local military power would lead to internal rebellion. But now, it was not the local army that was rebelling—it was the common people of an entire region. Thus, the weak local forces in each area were even less capable of handling the situation.
When Shu Changyu had governed the river, he had requisitioned the Huzhou city defense army. He remembered that there were only thirty thousand in total, and they were not trained diligently in ordinary times. They merely stood guard and arrested local thugs and bandits. This was precisely why these people had been able to capture four cities in succession as easily as if there were no one there.
Those disaster victims had nowhere left to go, and every one of them was unafraid of death. Their leader was a junior military officer, so he also understood military tactics. They looted along the way, saving themselves the trouble of transporting provisions. Instead, the disaster victims who followed the rebel army now had food to eat. Every one of them was probably exceptionally fierce.
The more Shu Changyu thought about it, the tighter his brows drew.
Just as he walked out the door, he saw Kong Qing standing outside with Shu Xunzhi by the hand. Shu Xunzhi still looked sleepy. When she saw him come out, she called to him in her soft, sweet voice.
Shu Changyu did not even have time to stop walking. He instructed Kong Qing, “Take Miss to eat.”
As he spoke, he grabbed the cloak from a maid beside him, wrapped it around his shoulders, and quickly walked away.
Shu Changyu normally only knew how to keep himself busy with official matters, and he was rather careless when it came to other things. Shu Xunzhi had long since grown accustomed to him being this way. She rubbed her eyes and looked up at Kong Qing.
“Brother Kong Qing, it’s not even light yet. Where is Father going?”
Kong Qing raised his head and saw that amid the star-filled night sky, only the horizon had begun to turn slightly white. Shu Changyu, dressed in a blue cloak, walked quickly through the night, carrying a whole sky full of stars upon his shoulders.
That appearance was as though he were protecting the entire world behind him.
“Father has matters to attend to,” Kong Qing said gently, lowering his voice as he took Shu Xunzhi’s hand. “Come, let’s go eat breakfast.”
——
As soon as the sky began to brighten, the Huzhou city defense general and the Huzhou prefect hurried over one after another.
The city defense general was already over fifty years old. Half his beard had turned white, and when he rushed inside, he was panting heavily.
Shu Changyu did not delay and informed the two men of the matter.
The city defense general had already been unable to catch his breath. Upon hearing the news, his face turned even paler.
“More than a hundred thousand…!” he exclaimed. “And that doesn’t even count those who join afterward. By the time they reach Huzhou, I fear there will be no fewer than two hundred thousand! The Huzhou garrison now numbers only twenty-eight thousand. Even if every one of them is from a military background, if we are to resist…”
At this point, his throat choked up, and he could not finish his words. After remaining silent for a while, he let out a heavy sigh and closed his mouth.
Shu Changyu looked at his aged appearance and felt more and more that this man could not go onto the battlefield. At such an advanced age, despite having come from the military examinations, he had only managed to become the commander guarding a single city. He was truly not someone capable of accomplishing much.
He said to the Huzhou prefect, “Please inform all the people within the city and have them make preparations. Ideally, they should pack their belongings and take the elderly and children in their families south to seek refuge. Those living in the surrounding villages must all enter the city or move south. No one is permitted to remain behind. Once the fighting is over, they can return home. Post notices throughout the city calling for grain. All wealthy farmers and above within the city must donate grain and money. The money collected is to be used to purchase provisions from the people outside the city. When we defend the city, we must have sufficient food.”
The Huzhou prefect agreed to each instruction.
“I will send letters to Yumen Pass and the capital shortly and have my elder brother and His Majesty send troops to reinforce us,” Shu Changyu said. “At the very least, it will take half a month for them to travel back and forth. If we can hold out for this half month, we can wait for the reinforcements and then turn from defense to offense.”
Shu Changyu then turned toward the general.
“Gather all the Huzhou garrison troops, equip them, and stand ready. Guard Huzhou City strictly. Send one of your subordinates to the various prefectures and commanderies in the south to seek reinforcements.”
He paused and said, “Please go personally, General. It must be done quickly. You are familiar with all the generals of the various prefectures and commanderies in the south. It will be much easier to mobilize troops then.”
“But if this subordinate leaves, who will defend Huzhou?” the general asked tremblingly.
Without the slightest hesitation, Shu Changyu looked at him.
“I will defend it.”
The notices were posted throughout the city that very day, and the entire city immediately exploded into an uproar, with everyone discussing the matter.
But the collection of grain and money in Huzhou encountered little resistance. After a brief period of panic, quite a number of people generously opened their purses, some even donating most of the money and grain in their homes. This was also largely thanks to the things Shu Changyu had accomplished in Huzhou over the past few years. He could be said to have saved the region from disaster and suffering, so naturally, the people of Huzhou had remembered his kindness.
At this moment, however, Shu Changyu was arguing fiercely with Lin Hong, a deputy general of the Huzhou garrison.
“The Yellow River itself is a natural barrier, easy to defend and difficult to attack. Based on the current speed at which the Shandong rebels are capturing cities, they will reach the Yellow River within two days at most. We can set an ambush here and attack them when they cross the river. At the very least, we can make them suffer considerable losses.”
Shu Changyu had already made this plan while on his way to the Huzhou prefectural office that morning.
But Lin Hong’s attitude was surprisingly conservative. The moment he heard this, he shook his head repeatedly.
“Lord Shu, under the circumstances, we should defend the city to the death. Huzhou has city walls several zhang high. If we leave the city to fight, I fear there will be no return, and we will only suffer unnecessary losses.”
Shu Changyu frowned. “At present, the enemy is aware of us while we are hidden from them. They do not know that we are prepared. Wouldn’t it be perfect to catch them off guard at this moment?”
Lin Hong, however, firmly shook his head.
“Lord Shu, you cannot have the soldiers of Huzhou follow us to throw their lives away for nothing. Forgive me, but I cannot obey this dangerous move.”
Upon hearing this, Shu Changyu’s brows furrowed even more deeply.
When he had just been arguing with Lin Hong, he had already explained the troop formations, battle arrangements, and sequence of attacks to him clearly, yet Lin Hong simply refused to agree.
At this point, Shu Changyu could not be bothered to waste any more words on him.
“General Lin, first, my official rank is higher than yours. Soldiers must obey orders. Whatever I say, you will do. Second, soldiers are born to protect their homes and defend the nation. If they die resisting the enemy, they have died a worthy death. How can you call that throwing their lives away for nothing? If your timidity causes Huzhou City to fall and the people to suffer, that will truly be our fault.”
Upon hearing this, Lin Hong suddenly stood up.
“Lord Shu, are you really doing this for the people of Huzhou, or for your own reputation?” he sneered. “If you truly want to prevent the people of Huzhou from suffering, then just surrender. They came here for you in the first place, not for Huzhou. Lord Shu, I fear you are simply afraid of earning the reputation of a traitor, which is why you are ordering us to fight with our lives, aren’t you?”
Shu Changyu narrowed his eyes slightly.
Putting aside the fact that the rebel army numbered more than a hundred thousand and could only survive by looting because they needed food, they also needed legitimacy. That was why they had pushed Shu Changyu forward.
Once they obtained Shu Changyu, they would also treat him as a powerless golden signboard, using his reputation as they burned, killed, and looted.
But Shu Changyu could not be bothered to explain any of this to him.
This was a habit he had developed in his previous life. His time needed to be spent on more useful things rather than reasoning with an obstinate stone. If you wanted to curse him, then curse him. Let’s see who was actually the one whose words counted.
He gave a cold laugh.
“We do not need generals who surrender without fighting,” Shu Changyu said. “Men, bind Lin Hong and drag him out. Take him before the garrison troops and execute him publicly. Anyone who retreats, seeks surrender, or refuses to obey orders will meet the same fate as this man.”
The guards on either side stepped forward and seized Lin Hong.
The Huzhou city defense general had always been mild-tempered and was also advanced in age. As a young general in the Huzhou army, Lin Hong had long been accustomed to throwing his weight around. Therefore, when he saw a frail-looking scholar like Shu Changyu, he had not been afraid to challenge him at all.
He had not expected that Shu Changyu would actually order his execution.
“Shu Changyu!!” He struggled frantically. “I am an official appointed by the imperial court! How can you kill me? His Majesty will never spare you!”
But Shu Changyu showed not the slightest trace of panic. Instead, the corners of his lips curled into a faint smile.
“The enemy is upon us. There is no room to worry about that much.”
His voice was light and airy. When those words left his mouth, his voice was like the wind in spring.
Yet when that gentle voice fell upon everyone’s ears, it immediately seemed to freeze into shards of ice.
Author’s Note: Starting today, I’ll be updating 6,000 words daily!
I was too busy for a while recently and didn’t have the time to reply to comments (:*」∠)
Also,
Regarding the matter of the child:
Because this part of the plot was somewhat dry, and I haven’t been in very good condition these past two days, I added a new character. My original intention was for her to be a wingman and a character who would help advance the plot. I didn’t expect that she would cause some little angels to dislike her…
Let me roughly explain my thoughts:
First, this isn’t a story about raising a child. As mentioned earlier in the story, the Chancellor is busy with official business and doesn’t have much time to take care of the child, so the child was basically raised by Kong Qing. Given the current situation, this little girl, who is a little over four years old, doesn’t need the protagonist to take care of her every step of the way.
Also, the Chancellor himself is someone whose career ambitions outweigh his attachment to family. The Chancellor taking her in was not because he likes children, but simply because he showed kindness on the spur of the moment. In the later parts (emphasis on this), the plot will be advanced by the child, but the story will definitely not revolve around the child.
Finally, I simply feel that this girl is only one part of Shu Changyu’s rich life. He has a lover, confidants, colleagues, and an orphan girl he has taken in. There is no conflict between any of these things.
If some little angels really don’t like her, then there’s nothing I can do. I can only say goodbye. After all, I really like this girl and can’t bear to delete her.
The Chancellor has been alone in Huzhou for so long, and he is about to face a tough battle. Before Jing Mu arrives, I hope he can have a little warm cotton-padded jacket to keep him warm. That’s all~