As dawn broke, a thunderclap suddenly rang out. Fu Shen, who had been sleeping deeply, felt as if the thunder had struck directly from his ears to his heart, causing him to suddenly open his eyes, his heart inexplicably racing.
April 29th, nightfall in the capital.
The imperial palace was silent as death, with all palaces tightly closed. A few palace maids and eunuchs huddled trembling in the palace wall corners. Only before the Yangxin Hall, lights blazed brightly.
Prince Sun Yunchun, clad in armor, stood with a force composed of the Southern Garrison’s Ten Battalions and the prince’s elite troops, facing off against the Northern Garrison’s forbidden army.
Wei Xushuo, hand on his long knife, glared: “This is a forbidden imperial area. Without an imperial decree, entry is forbidden. Is Your Highness attempting rebellion?”
Sun Yunchun coldly sneered, “A mere guard dog dares to bark before me? Get lost!”
In the firelight, General Wei’s features were hard as iron, yet he was drenched in cold sweat. Prince Sun had entered through the Chengtiamen, first killing the crown prince at the Eastern Palace, then heading for the Yangxin Hall. The Southern Garrison’s Ten Battalions had turned to the prince’s side, and the palace had received no warning. Wei Xushuo learned of this when they entered the Xuanfu Gate, hastily leading the Northern Garrison’s forbidden army to protect the emperor, barely intercepting the prince’s party.
The prince appeared confident. With the Southern Garrison’s defection, the Northern Garrison’s troops alone could not hold out for long. Although Wei Xushuo was not afraid of battle, he could see the prince’s rebellion was almost certain to succeed.
At the same time, the signal representing an enemy attack rose into the sky, bursting into a blood-colored firework in his gradually expanding pupils.
The Northern Yan soldier’s body trembled, eyes gazing skyward, exhaling the final cold breath of an unresolved death from his chest.
In the morning court of the 26th year of Yuantai, on April 30th, Emperor Yuantai’s son Sun Xun ordered a eunuch to publicly read the imperial decree, passing the throne to Prince Sun Yunchun. On the same day, the Zhe tribe’s Wuluo Guard launched a surprise attack on the Northern Yan garrison at Liangkou Pass. Shortly after, a large number of Zhe tribal troops moved south to attack, and the Northern Yan cavalry was urgently mobilized to provide reinforcements, recreating the danger of the Northern Frontier from seven years ago.
In the hundred-plus years since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Sun Yunchun is undoubtedly the most unfortunate emperor in history. On the first day he became emperor, he received an urgent military report from the Northern Frontier. Immediately after, all the neighboring countries exploded. The Zhe tribe’s Wuluo Guard attacked Liangkou Pass, and the allied forces of the Hanhai Kingdom joined forces to attack Ping and Ji provinces.
The Datan tribe, having learned a lesson last year, returned to invade, attacking Tong and Yu regions, directly threatening the Northern Yan western defense line at Yuan Province. The Northern Yan cavalry was constrained on two fronts, and the situation was critical.
On May 3rd, Ji Province was in urgent danger.
On May 5th, Ji Province fell, Ping Province was in urgent danger, and the northwestern Tong and Yu provinces sought help from the Northern Yan army.
On May 12th, Ping Province was captured, the main general (the King of Shu) died in battle, and nearby counties were unable to resist. The enemy was only a thousand li from the capital, and the Tang Province army was instead confronting the capital garrison outside the city to force Sun Yunchun out of the palace.
On May 13th, the Ning Province army defected, and the northwestern defense line was broken.
The Datan and Zhe tribes advanced from the east and west, trapping the Northern Yan cavalry in the middle like an isolated island. The court was in complete chaos, unable to gather supplies or take inventory of battle preparations.
On May 15th, Fu Shen traveled day and night and finally arrived at the camp outside Yan Province. The Northern Yan soldiers guarding the camp almost cried when they saw him.
Fu Shen was exhausted from his journey, without the strength to even support himself. He casually found a tent to sit in and said concisely, “Bring me a cup of water, and tell me which general is in the camp to come and see me.”
As the soldier went to carry out the order, Fu Shen closed his eyes to rest. Dusty and haggard, he could shake off two taels of dirt from his sleeve with a simple brush.
Bohai State has always been well-behaved, and for so many years, they haven’t caused any trouble. Now, joining the Zhe tribe in an uprising, they must be at least ninety percent sure before making a move. The Tang Zhou military governor Yang Xiu had just been captured, yet they hastily abandoned the crown prince and turned to Prince Jin. Do you think they are deliberately putting on a show to fool this big idiot of a prince?
Yu Qiaoting agreed: “That’s right, he is a big idiot.”
Before Fu Shen could curse, he quickly added: “Not just the Tang Zhou military, the Ning Zhou military has directly rebelled. Now the northeastern and northwestern defense lines have been lost, and we’re caught in the middle. The Wuluo Protection Unit seems intent on dragging down the Northern Yan army. As long as we don’t withdraw, the Qilie tribe and Hanhai State can immediately march to the capital.
“
Fu Shen: “Hmm. The Datan tribe is also thinking the same way. After suffering a bloody lesson seven years ago, they dare not directly confront the Northern Yan cavalry. If they only use part of their forces to delay us and bypass the Northern Yan army to attack from other directions, it would be much easier.”
Yu Qiaoting: “We are basically being neutralized by their joint efforts, stuck in a deadlock. If we push in one direction, the other side will immediately counterattack.”
“Everyone knows the Northern Yan army is impenetrable,” Fu Shen murmured, “When I originally returned the military power of Gan and Ning provinces to the court, the Emperor was afraid of lingering connections between old troops and transferred several generals elsewhere. These years, Northern Yan has been stable, but along the long northern border, there are holes everywhere…”
“It was the Emperor who first wanted to isolate Northern Yan. Without him, the Datan and Zhe tribes couldn’t have pulled this off.”
What is called reaping what you sow? This is it.
Emperor Tai was worried about the Northern Yan military’s power, worried about the Fu family growing too strong, worried that after a hundred years, his descendants couldn’t secure the throne. So he dismantled the Northern Yan army, leaving Fu Shen half-disabled.
The result? In conclusion, the consequences were dire.”
The Ning Zhou military defected, foreign tribes launched a massive invasion, and he was kicked off the throne by his own son, paving the way for destruction.
Yu Qiaoting sighed: “Destroying one’s own great wall…”
“When I returned from Kui Zhou, I saw many people fleeing south,” Fu Shen asked: “What’s the situation in the capital now?”
Yu Qiaoting lowered his voice cautiously: “Relocating.”
“I estimate the same,” Fu Shen said, “The capital is too close to the Northern Border. We can’t spare ourselves, and Prince Jin only has the Southern Palace Guard, which isn’t enough. The capital can’t be defended and will be relocated.”
Yu Qiaoting: “And we…?”
“If we block here, they can catch their breath a bit longer,” Fu Shen said, “Let’s see how Prince Jin decides. Prepare to concentrate our troops and break through.”
Yu Qiaoting thought he would fight to the death and said in surprise: “General?”
