Chapter 878 You Are Afraid

"He cried?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Heh."

Ji Chengjue put down the memorial in his hand and smiled.

Wei Zhonghe also smiled along with him.

"Your Majesty, this humble servant does not understand why you have to torment him like this?"

In fact, the news of the fall of Shangjing reached them early in the morning, transmitted by the Secret Intelligence Department, much faster than the military reports.

Military reports had to be submitted level by level, and verified at each stage.

Moreover, the Prince of Pingxi, who was fighting on the front lines, probably didn't have the mind to send someone to Yanjing early to report this earth-shattering victory.

After all, Zheng Xiaowei was no longer the country bumpkin he used to be. The victory was assured, so there was no point in rushing to report it. It would be embarrassing.

Besides, the Prince of Pingxi himself was still fleeing for his life at the time, so he wouldn't have had the mind for it.

The Secret Intelligence Department's information was first-hand, but not necessarily accurate. After all, emperors had done it themselves when they were princes to spread self-serving information under the guise of the Secret Intelligence Department.

And this news was so… exaggerated.

But this exaggerated news, coupled with the identity of the person involved,

The Emperor,

Was immediately convinced after reading it.

Zheng Fan,

Had really broken through Shangjing!

So, when the Emperor went to see Nian Yao, he actually knew about the victory, but he suppressed his emotions and didn't reveal them.

Facing Wei Zhonghe's question,

The Emperor smiled and said,

"When you have something happy, sharing it with someone makes you even happier. But it's even more fun when you pretend you don't know while sharing.

After thinking about it, when I need such a person, it seems he's the only one."

"Your Majesty, the cabinet is asking whether the news of Shangjing's fall should be announced inside and outside the capital, to share the joy with the people."

"We don't know yet if that Zheng fellow will return safely, so let's suppress the news for now."

"This humble servant understands."

"If anything happens to that Zheng fellow, even if Shangjing is breached ten more times, I will feel like I've lost out."

"Your Majesty, rest assured, Prince Pingxi has his own divine protection. This humble servant believes that the Prince will definitely turn misfortune into good fortune."

"I also think he won't die. It seems there's no one in this world who can kill him."

Wei Zhonghe shut his mouth because the Emperor's words included himself.

The implication might be that even the Emperor couldn't do it.

Regardless of whether the Emperor really thought so, as a close servant, he couldn't respond to that.

"It's a pity. If my Great Yan had the strength right now, cooperating with the fall of Shangjing and the chaos in the Qian, we could send a large army, conscript laborers, and start another national war.

The entire area north of the Qian River could be swallowed by my Great Yan!

Alas,

What a pity."

The Emperor was very annoyed because the country really had no surplus grain.

When his father was in power, he had uprooted all the thorns in the country early on to prepare for war. The eradication of the aristocratic clans was a prime example.

After he succeeded to the throne, he had been living a life of frugality, but Qian and Chu were still restless.

The Emperor wanted to slaughter a fat sheep, but unfortunately, his father's teeth were too good and hadn't left him any targets to cut open.

"Your Majesty, the flowery land of the Qian Kingdom will surely be the territory of our Great Yan in the future. It's just letting the Qian people hold onto it for a few more years for us."

"That's what I think too. Now, we're just waiting for the news of that Zheng fellow's safe return. As long as he returns safely and is placed in Jindong, the Chu Kingdom won't dare to cause trouble.

The Qian people, after this ordeal, will feel like they've been cut."

Wei Zhonghe immediately shrunk his body in cooperation.

"Heh, after Qian and Chu have calmed down, I can let the people recuperate for a few years.

But, Wei Zhonghe, do you think Nian Yao was really just joking to make me happy, or did he really guess it?"

"In response to Your Majesty, although Nian Yao was captured by Prince Pingxi, he did fight against two of our Great Yan's former princes. This humble servant thinks it's fifty-fifty."

"Hmm."

The Emperor nodded.

"Is Your Majesty really planning to use him?"

"I can still continue to use Li Liangshen, so why not Nian Yao?"

"Your Majesty, that's not what this humble servant meant. What this humble servant wants to say is that since Nian Yao entered the palace, this humble servant has been sending people to force him to take medicine and break his meridians every few days.

If Your Majesty wants to use him, to really let him become that chief manager, Nian Yao's martial arts foundation is still quite good. This humble servant still…"

"Does that even need to be asked? In this regard, you should learn from that Zheng fellow."

"This humble servant understands."

"Hmm."

"Your Majesty."

Outside, someone reported.

Generally speaking, when someone requests an audience, a small eunuch would report it, but some people's identities are special, and they can report themselves.

"Come in."

The one who walked in was a red-robed eunuch, and he knelt before the Emperor's desk.

"What is it?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, this humble servant recently observed the stars at night and received a response from the furnace tripod. Finally, by connecting it with the Pixiu under the tripod, I have confirmed one thing."

"That should be the job of the Imperial Observatory." The Emperor said.

At this time, the Eunuch Wei beside him said, "Your Majesty, when Grandfather was around, he used to supervise the Imperial Observatory."

Wei Zhonghe meant that although Grandfather was long gone, as Grandfather's successor, this red-robed eunuch was qualified to manage the affairs of the Imperial Observatory.

"Oh." The Emperor nodded, reached out to pick up the teacup in front of him, and blew on it. "What is it?"

The red-robed eunuch sighed slightly in his heart. The current Emperor and the previous Emperor were very similar in temperament.

They were both dismissive of celestial and ghostly matters.

Sometimes, it was purely to cope with things.

But there was no choice. He couldn't hide this matter.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Black Dragon Star Formation is shining brightly again."

"Black Dragon Star Formation?" Ji Chengjue frowned slightly. As a member of the Ji family, he knew what this was.

Back then, the three lords opened the borders, and with the collapse of Great Xia, they became three lords establishing their own kingdoms.

According to the tradition of Zhuxia, establishing a kingdom should "uphold the will of Heaven and Earth," which meant the so-called Son of Heaven.

At the same time, when establishing a kingdom, they would lead celestial phenomena into the national urn.

To put it bluntly, it meant selecting a string of stars in the starry sky and announcing that this was their star formation.

The Yan Kingdom's star formation was a dragon shape, called the Black Dragon Star Formation.

"Your Majesty, the Black Dragon Star Formation has been dimming since the Western Expedition of Prince Jingnan and the death of Prince Zhenbei, but just the night before yesterday, the star formation suddenly shone brightly.

This is a sign of a fierce weapon being wielded again, indicating slaughter."

"Oh, I see."

The Emperor's response was simple.

The red-robed eunuch then said, "Your Majesty, a fierce weapon being wielded again, the one who dominates the slaughter, this humble servant believes that in the current Great Yan, only…"

"You want to say, Prince Pingxi?"

"This humble servant…"

"You, this servant, what else are you going to say? Are you trying to say that it is not good for me that a fierce weapon is wielded by a subject?

I haven't even asked yet, and you're already reminding me?"

"This humble servant dares not, this humble servant dares not!"

"No, you dare very much. I'm just wondering if he, Zheng Fan, offended you at some point, making you so eager to badmouth him?

Before I could even ask, you were already reminding me?"

"Your Majesty, this humble servant is only fulfilling his duty and dares not hide anything. This humble servant is acting out of loyalty to Your Majesty and has no selfish intentions!

Furthermore, this humble servant has no grudges against Prince Pingxi. In fact, this humble servant even considers the people under Prince Pingxi as confidants in the way of wine."

"Heh heh."

The Emperor laughed twice, but the laughter carried a hint of mockery.

"Let me ask you, when the Black Dragon Star Formation last shone brightly, did the Yan Kingdom collapse?"

"Your Majesty… This humble servant…"

"Answer."

"It did not."

"Good. Since Prince Jingnan, Prince Zhenbei, and the late Emperor did not commit any acts of rebellion, on what basis do you conclude that he, Prince Pingxi, will be detrimental to me after lighting up this Black Dragon Star Formation?

I feel that I am far inferior to the late Emperor, and I have always been humbly introspective, but I don't need you, a servant, to point at my nose and say that I am far inferior to the late Emperor. Therefore, I cannot suppress the situation that the late Emperor could suppress, I cannot suppress the people that the late Emperor could suppress, and I cannot accomplish the things that the late Emperor could accomplish!"

"Bang!"

The teacup was heavily smashed onto the ground by the Emperor.

The red-robed eunuch's forehead was pressed against the green bricks of the imperial study, and Wei Zhonghe on the side immediately knelt down as well.

The eunuchs waiting at the gate of the imperial study immediately knelt down, and the maids and eunuchs in the imperial garden outside also knelt down.

When the Emperor was angry, no one dared to stand.

"Your Majesty, please calm down. This humble servant… This humble servant really…"

The Emperor said sternly:

"At the court meeting tomorrow, I want to see the director of the Imperial Observatory personally present a star chart memorial, stating that the bright Black Dragon Star Formation signifies the re-establishment of my Great Yan's military god, and that our military fortunes have not diminished.

This is a blessing from Heaven for Great Yan, and Heaven's will is with Yan!"

After saying these words,

The Emperor's eyes coldly fell on the red-robed eunuch.

The red-robed eunuch immediately said:

"This humble servant… obeys the decree!"

…

The harem, Peach Garden.

When the new Emperor first ascended the throne, the Empress lived in the main palace of the harem, which was actually behind the imperial study. After the Emperor finished dealing with official business in the imperial study, he could come out and walk north, passing through two courtyard gates, and arrive at the Empress's bedroom.

However, later on, the Empress moved to a more remote palace garden, cleared a piece of land to grow some vegetables, and turned a side hall into a silkworm house, which contained silk-spinning equipment.

Some silkworms were raised in the silkworm house, but the Empress would not personally do these things. Keeping them was merely to declare to the outside world that the Empress was personally teaching the women of Great Yan to work diligently at home.

But the vegetable garden was carefully managed by the Empress.

As soon as the Emperor came in, he saw the Empress squatting there washing cucumbers.

The Empress was not wearing formal attire, but rather dressed as a peasant woman.

In fact, the peasant woman's attire was also quite beautiful. The clothes were not dirty or torn, the person was not dirty and was very plump, and the posture appeared very enchanting when squatting.

When the Emperor saw it, he swallowed subconsciously.

The Empress had already given birth to two sons for him, but the Emperor's interest in the Empress had not diminished.

The servants in the palace who should have retreated had already retreated, and those who remained were discerning members of his own faction.

The Emperor stepped forward and hugged the Empress.

The Empress had actually heard the footsteps a long time ago. She turned her head to look and handed a freshly washed cucumber to the Emperor.

Ji Chengjue opened his mouth and took a bite. The cucumbers grown at home were crisp and refreshing, and they tasted very different.

"Is it delicious, Your Majesty?"

"It's delicious, but you've planted a bit too many."

"It's hot, so they can be used for cold dishes at every meal, and they can also be pickled. This concubine even thinks I planted too few."

The Emperor was helpless. Actually, if that Zheng fellow hadn't told him a dirty joke about cucumbers back then, he wouldn't have thought too much about it.

But the problem was, once you had that thought in your mind, when you looked at such a large field of cucumbers, you always wondered if he had been neglecting someone recently due to being too busy with state affairs.

"Has Your Majesty had his meal?"

"I have, is there any iced drink?"

"The imperial physician said that Your Majesty is burdened with state affairs and has a lot of liver fire, so you should drink herbal tea instead."

"Alright."

The Empress personally brought the herbal tea, and the Emperor drank it all in one gulp.

"Have you heard about the matters outside?" The Emperor asked.

"Outside? What matters?" The Empress shook her head. "This concubine hasn't planted any spies in the front court. There are only this concubine and my younger sister in the harem, so there's no need to arrange more people to do anything."

What the Empress said was the truth.

The Great Yan had two princes, both of whom were born to her, and one of them was the eldest son, who was also the Crown Prince.

For the rest of her life, all she needed to do was do nothing.

Once a month, she would advise His Majesty to be frugal, have the court historians record it, and then have Wei Zhonghe send someone to report it to the cabinet.

Then, once a month, she would advise His Majesty to hold imperial selections, have the court historians record it, and then have Wei Zhonghe send someone to report it to the cabinet.

In between, if the Emperor wanted to let someone off lightly, he would arrange for the Empress to step forward and advise him to be merciful, and then the Emperor would use the opportunity to back down.

Therefore, although she had not been an Empress for long, the Empress's reputation for being virtuous was praised throughout the court and the countryside.

After handling her persona in front of the people of the outer court, the Empress could wholeheartedly stay in her own palace and play her own games.

"In the south, Zheng Fan has broken into the Qian Kingdom's capital."

"Really?" Seeing that the Emperor was not joking, the Empress immediately knelt down. "This concubine congratulates Your Majesty!"

"Get up, get up. Why are we, husband and wife, acting like this?"

"No, this concubine doesn't think I can show my excitement if I don't do this. That Zheng Fan is really good at fighting. Wasn't he said to be fighting in Liang Prefecture? How did he get to Shangjing?"

"That's just how he recklessly does things, but he has the ability to succeed in being reckless. But, now that the news has been transmitted, we don't know when that Zheng fellow will be able to return safely."

"Your Majesty, wasn't Shangjing broken through?"

"It was broken through, and its significance is very important. However, my Great Yan currently does not have the ability to send troops to expand the results of the battle. The logistics of the troops entangled with the Qian and Chu allied forces at Nanmenguan are already somewhat unsustainable."

Supplying food from the enemy is not a long-term solution. The army must still be transferred and adjusted according to the needs of the battlefield. It cannot be like bandits, eating here and then running to the next new place to continue eating. Therefore, Nanmenguan still has the task of transporting grain and military supplies to the army. Now, the pressure is increasing.

At Nanwang City, the armies of the First Prince and Li Liangshen were only shouting across the border with the three border armies of the Qian Kingdom, creating some pressure by moving in and out. They did not actually send a large army to start a major war. Without sufficient logistics, the army could not move out.

"However, Zheng Fan has completely suppressed the arrogance of the Qian people for me this time. I can finally free up my hands to properly gather the strength of Great Yan."

"Breaking through Shangjing is a feat that even the First Prince Zhenbei was unable to accomplish back then. How does Your Majesty intend to reward him?"

"How to reward him?

He's already a Prince, how else can he be rewarded?

My sons have already been sent to his side. I can't send him a wife this time, can I?

Oh, that's right, I can send him a wife. That Zheng fellow already has that reputation, and he might really be happy, heh heh."

The Empress opened her mouth and bit the Emperor's shoulder.

"Hiss… that hurts…"

The Empress bit her lip and said, "If Your Majesty is willing to send me, I will go and see who is distressed."

"Heh heh."

The nearby inner eunuchs and palace maids were all indifferent, as if they were sculptures.

The Emperor and Empress met in the common world and had a deep affection. It was nothing for a couple to say some stimulating private words. It was purely to add some interest.

After teasing around for a while,

Empress He hesitated and said,

"Looking at it this way, it seems there is nothing that can be used to reward him?"

Wei Zhonghe, who was on the side, felt his spine tingle when he heard the Empress's words. His heart was like ten thousand horses galloping.

What the Empress meant by these words

Wasn't it that Prince Pingxi had already been rewarded beyond what was possible?

Wei Zhonghe knew that the Empress was not implying this meaning. The Empress was very intelligent and had a very good grasp of how to conduct herself, but it was impossible for a woman who came from a butcher's family to immediately understand the currents and taboos of the court after being an Empress for such a short time.

However, the speaker was unintentional, but the listener?

Eunuch Wei's peripheral vision deliberately swept across the Emperor's face, and he only breathed a sigh of relief when he discovered that the Emperor's expression was normal.

"The senior officials and I have to discuss matters tonight, so I won't be coming back to sleep tonight."

"Mm, this concubine understands."

The Emperor was intimate with the Empress for a while longer before getting up, taking two washed cucumbers, and walking out while munching on them.

Eunuch Wei followed behind, closely behind.

The discussion in the imperial study that night did not last too long. Basically, the Emperor spoke, and the senior officials listened, and then they integrated the process for the court meeting tomorrow.

After everything was done, the senior officials all took their leave.

Under Wei Gonggong’s service, the emperor lay down in the side hall.

This was once the place his father, the late emperor, liked to rest the most.

Ji Chengjue also stayed here on the first night of his succession.

The emperor rested, Wei Gonggong stood at the door, leaning against the pillar, half-closed his eyes.

Inside the hall, Ji Chengjue lay with his eyes open.

After lying for a while,

He sat up again;

"Are you afraid?"

A familiar voice came.

Ji Chengjue raised his head and saw his "father" standing in front of him.

His father bent down, bringing his face very close to his, with the kind of smile that his father was accustomed to, as if everything in front of him could be grasped with mockery.

"Father, weren't you afraid at first?"

"Do you think I am afraid?"

"Should be, a little bit, right?"

"I am the emperor."

"I am too."

"No, you are not, you are not as good as me."

"I am not as good as you?"

"I told you, the emperor should cut off all emotions and desires, have you done it?"

"Does father mean, let me sever my relationship with Zheng Fan?"

"Look, look, look, hahahaha…"

"Father, what are you laughing at? What's so funny?"

"You said to me back then that you would not be a heartless emperor like me, it sounds so funny now."

"Father…"

"Cutting off affection may not really be heartless, but having affection may not necessarily mean loyalty, hahahaha.

I, the emperor who has cut off all emotions and desires, has no fear at all.

And you,

The emperor who claims that he will not learn from me in this regard,

But here you are telling me,

You,

Are,

Afraid,

Now!"