The Empress Dowager Wang spoke with a touch of melancholy, having thought he might have some lingering affection for Consort Yao, given their many years of favor. She hadn't expected him to be so indifferent.
To order her death so readily once her usefulness had ended, truly showed a heart of stone.
Empress Dowager Wang had always been kind to Xiao Che. Whatever grievances she had with Consort Yao or the Emperor, they had nothing to do with him.
The dragon gives birth to nine sons, each different. Though raised by that man, he was not like him.
The Emperor believed he could fathom all human hearts, but in the end, he would likely lose them all.
On the eve of the New Year, the court finally received news of a great victory at Yumenguan. The King of Tubo had personally led the charge, only to fall on the battlefield.
With the King of Tubo dead, the Tubo army scattered like sand. Our forces pursued them, driving them back a hundred li beyond the border between the two peoples.
Though our army suffered considerable losses this time, Tubo's were far greater. Almost every household had male casualties, and they would not dare to cause trouble in the Central Plains for at least twenty years.
Sister Lingyi, in this campaign to avenge herself against the Emperor and the King of Tubo, the common people of both nations paid a heavy price. It truly fits the saying: when the state prospers, the people suffer; when the state perishes, the people suffer.
Once Tubo is pacified, the threat from the Uyghurs will naturally be resolved. They were merely taking advantage of the chaos and were not a significant force.
The most dangerous situation now is the naval battle in the southeast. Great Wei lacks experience in naval warfare. I wonder when news of victory will arrive from that front, and how my brother Jiayan is faring.
Fuzhou
Xie Jiayan was stripped of his official title by the Emperor. The world no longer knew Xie Hanlin, only Mr. Yan.
Now, Mr. Yan served as a strategist under Lu Jingxing, and it was precisely with his assistance that the tide of the battle turned.
Lu Jingxing had suffered many setbacks due to his unfamiliarity with naval tactics. Fortunately, he was not an obstinate man. Though he faced difficulties, he did not suffer excessive troop losses.
Nor did he abandon Xie Jiayan because the Emperor had dismissed him. He asked no questions about why Xie Jiayan was dismissed or why he adopted the alias Mr. Yan.
He knew Lady Yu Liu somewhat through Gu Youyou. Setting aside other matters, the person she fancied would not be ordinary.
Moreover, Lu Jingxing kept Xie Jiayan for his own selfish reasons. With Xie Jiayan present, it would be easier for him to ascertain Gu Youyou's whereabouts.
After this great victory, Lu Jingxing specifically bought wine to thank Xie Jiayan: "Jingxing has come to thank the strategist. You are truly a Zhuge Liang of our time."
Besides Lu Jingxing, only his deputy knew Xie Jiayan's true identity. Although Xie Jiayan did not deliberately ask him to keep it a secret, Lu Jingxing always addressed him as Mr. Yan.
"Your praise is too much, General. This victory is entirely due to your bravery," Xie Jiayan said humbly.
Lu Jingxing was young and not skilled in naval warfare. To have led his soldiers to safety after several engagements was already remarkable.
With a few more encounters, Lu Jingxing would surely discover the enemy's weaknesses. However, time was of the essence. Great Wei could not afford to delay; any further delay would destabilize the morale of the army.
"Sir, you are accomplished in both civil and military arts. Jingxing admires you. Come, this cup is for you, sir."
It was a pity that he had somehow offended the Emperor, forcing him to conceal his name and serve as a subordinate strategist. It was truly a waste.
If there were an opportunity upon their triumphant return to the capital, he would intercede for him before the Emperor. Such talent should not be buried like this.
Xie Jiayan smiled and accepted the toast. Both men were focused on the war. After a few cups of wine, they resumed discussing strategic deployment.
Xie Jiayan pointed to the map: "The enemy soldiers are more adept at naval warfare, which is where our army falls short. Even if our army had supernatural abilities, it would be difficult to display them if the enemy refused to engage us head-on."
"You speak the truth, sir." These Japanese pirates were slippery and extremely difficult to deal with.
"The enemy is experienced, and we cannot force an attack, causing our soldiers to be lost. We must achieve victory through surprise. General, look here. This is the enemy formation I drew during our engagement."
Lu Jingxing studied it for a moment and blurted out, "We could use a fire attack!"
Then he shook his head, "No, no. It is winter now, and the northwest wind is blowing at sea. A fire attack would not reach the Japanese pirates and would instead endanger our own army."
"The weather is unpredictable; it may not be the northwest wind every day," Xie Jiayan said with a smile.
"Can you change the wind, sir?"
"Naturally, I cannot. However, I have observed the stars. The weather will change in a couple of days, which might help the General achieve a great victory and end the campaign," Xie Jiayan said.
Heaven, earth, and man—all are indispensable. Now, they seemed to have all three.
Lu Jingxing was overjoyed. He stood up and bowed to Xie Jiayan: "Sir, you are truly a master. Please accept Jingxing's bow."
Lu Jingxing was anxious about the war. After a few more drinks, he left in a hurry. Although the fire attack strategy had been decided, time was pressing, and he needed to make arrangements early. He would celebrate with the entire army after defeating the Japanese pirates.