Li Wang, too, had his selfish motives. Giving up his fief was a decision made after considerable thought. In his view, a fief was a root of trouble. No superior would tolerate its existence. His family simply wished for a peaceful life, free from constant worry and entanglement in such disputes.
Huangfu Xingchen hesitated for a moment before nodding. The deal was incredibly profitable; he would regain control of Li Wang's territory without shedding a single drop of blood. His hesitation stemmed not from a lack of trust in Li Wang, but from a guarded attitude towards the King of Wei, who was about to be released.
King Li understood his concerns and proactively suggested, "I know Your Majesty is wary of him. You can imprison him in his own manor, as long as you allow me to visit him frequently."
Huangfu Xingchen nodded. "It shall be as you say."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I have brought my entire family with me on this visit. Tomorrow, I will hand over my military authority. From now on, I will be a leisured prince in the capital, never to leave." King Li said with genuine sincerity.
King Li kept his word. The next day, he surrendered his military authority, and Huangfu Xingchen confined the King of Wei to his manor.
Upon learning of these events, the other vassal kings sighed, acknowledging that the tide had turned. Their comprehensive strength was far inferior to that of the imperial court.
King Zhao and King Liang soon relinquished their military powers as well. King Liang did so out of a detachment from fame and fortune; for him, as long as his family was together, their location was irrelevant. King Zhao, on the other hand, was simply intimidated by Huangfu Xingchen, having lived as his neighbor for so many years, and felt he was no match for him.
He had originally thought the matter would be resolved quickly, but he never expected the problem to ultimately arise with the King of Jin.
At first, he hadn't paid much attention to the King of Jin. After all, he had remained obscure for so many years, never causing trouble. When he received news that the King of Jin was about to depart for the capital, he didn't give it much thought.
Yet, it was precisely this kind of person who dealt him a severe blow. As he passed through the first city, the commanding officer, acting on orders from above, opened the city gates for him. At the moment the gates swung open, an army suddenly emerged from an unknown location. By the time they tried to close the gates, it was already too late.
The King of Jin's army was exceptionally fierce. Despite the commanding officer's strenuous efforts to resist, they could not halt the rebels' advance. In the end, they sacrificed their lives there, and the city became the King of Jin's territory.
When the news arrived, the entire court was in an uproar. Huangfu Xingchen thought of the commander stationed there, a loyal confidant who had served him for many years. To lose him just as victory was within reach sent a pang of pain through his heart.
He decided to lead the campaign himself and announced to all the civil and military officials that while he was away, all matters would be handled by Wu Caiwei. Upon his return, he would marry her.
Although Wu Caiwei was reluctant, she understood this was a rare opportunity for him to solidify his reputation. After all, in the eyes of the world, Huangfu Xingchen's ascension to the throne had an element of opportunism.
This was a chance for him to prove his capabilities. However, the battlefield was unforgiving, and despite knowing his formidable martial arts skills, she could not help but worry.
Huangfu Xingchen saw the furrow in her brow and understood her thoughts. He smiled and comforted her, "You know my martial arts prowess. You only need to prepare some medicine for stopping bleeding and treating bruises. When I return, I will give you a grand and magnificent wedding, making you the happiest woman in the world."
"We're old partners, why bother with such formalities? As long as you are safe and sound, that is all that matters. I await your triumphant return." Wu Caiwei said with full confidence.
Huangfu Xingchen held her tightly in his arms. Once this ordeal was over, they could be together forever, never to be separated again.
On the day of his departure, Wu Caiwei stood on the city walls, personally seeing him off.
Huangfu Xingchen marched his troops at a rapid pace. Half a month later, he reached Gucheng, which was already the third city the King of Jin had attacked.
Indeed, the dog that barks doesn't bite. For so many years, he had quietly trained such a fearsome army.
Huangfu Xingchen felt fortunate to have his cheat, otherwise, the situation would have been difficult to resolve. More than half of the army he brought with him had received the cultivation techniques he had taught them. Victory was certain, but the extent of casualties was immeasurable.
Upon hearing of the Emperor's arrival, the King of Jin was ecstatic. He saw this as a golden opportunity. If he could assassinate the Emperor or slay him on the battlefield, the entire realm would be his.
The next morning, before Huangfu Xingchen had even woken, he heard a commotion outside. Listening closely, he realized it was all insults directed at him.
"The Emperor is too cowardly. He dares not show his face to us. Don't wet your pants from fear."
"Little Emperor, come out and meet your grandfathers! Engage us in a proper battle, or you are no man..."
...
From the sound, it was clear that one person was shouting slogans, and a large group of people were echoing his words in unison, otherwise, the sound wouldn't have carried so far.
Huangfu Xingchen smiled indifferently. Another person might not have tolerated such a challenge to his authority, but for him, even if someone spoke the harshest words to his face, he could take it without taking it to heart.
The King of Jin stood at the front of his formation, staring at the empty city walls, bitterly resenting the Emperor's patience.
After shouting all morning with no movement from the city, Li Xian, somewhat nervously, approached the King of Jin and asked cautiously, "My Lord, should we continue shouting?"
The King of Jin hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, "Have someone else take over. I refuse to believe he is so thick-skinned that he is completely unfazed by this."
His assumption was not entirely wrong. It wasn't that Huangfu Xingchen couldn't bear it, but rather that the commanders of Gucheng felt their Emperor lacked spirit. How could he remain indifferent when they were being insulted right at their doorstep?
"If we charge out, won't we fall right into their trap?" Huangfu Xingchen asked, sitting in the commander's tent and observing the agitated expressions of the military officers.
"Your Majesty, you have the magnanimity to endure, but I do not. I would rather die than allow you to be slandered like this. Listen to what they are saying, as if I, your subordinate, am afraid of them." Wang Wu, of humble origin, had never endured such indignity since becoming a general. He immediately wanted to charge out and engage them in battle, to let them witness his might.
"Then you may engage them in single combat. Probe their strengths, but be sure not to lose your life. If the situation turns unfavorable, flee immediately." Huangfu Xingchen believed the King of Jin was not one to fight unprepared battles. Since he was provoking them repeatedly, he must have a contingency plan, or his generals must be exceptionally skilled in martial arts.
"How can Your Majesty look down on me? You tell me to flee before we've even fought." Wang Wu was incensed. He had never encountered an opponent in the army before.