As the others breathed a sigh of relief, some sheepishly scratched their heads and quickly apologized, "This general was reckless."
"It's nothing. It's good to speak up when you have doubts. Only by uniting can we defeat the enemy," the Grand Commander said dismissively, waving his hand.
When the eldest son of the An Ding Marquis Manor arrived at the gates of Xuzhou Prefecture, travel-worn and weary, he felt a knot of anxiety in his heart.
To his surprise, the expected difficulties did not materialize. Instead, they were politely ushered into a reception hall, offered a cup of tea, and then discreetly left alone.
He couldn't help but sharpen his senses, wondering what game they were playing. After about fifteen minutes, he heard footsteps approaching. He quickly stood up, and the man rumored to wear a mask appeared before him.
Ye Xingli glanced at his retinue and calmly said, "I wish to speak with the eldest son alone."
Without a word, he quickly dismissed his attendants. When only the two of them remained in the room, just as the eldest son was about to speak, the other slowly removed his mask, revealing a familiar face. The eldest son's eyes widened, his mouth slightly agape in astonishment.
Ye Xingli then put the mask back on in front of him. At this point, the eldest son understood everything.
"You have quite the audacity," he managed to utter after a long silence, feeling as though his mind had been shaken and needed time to recover.
"We cannot hide forever. The Heavenly Dynasty is gradually declining, and even without us, there would be others. We do not wish to leave our fate in the hands of others, so we might as well be the leaders ourselves." Facing him, Ye Xingli held nothing back. After all, if his identity were exposed, the An Ding Marquis Manor would also suffer consequences. Knowing his identity, the other not only wouldn't reveal it but would also try his best to conceal it for them.
"I assume the strategist is Cai Wei. What are your plans next?" After the initial shock, he regained his composure. As the other said, why leave one's fate to others? The chaos was imminent, and the An Ding Marquis Manor's future was uncertain. They had already carved out a territory and established a foothold in the Heavenly Dynasty. With proper management, they might truly ascend the throne.
What he needed to do was lend them a hand. If they prospered, the An Ding Marquis Manor would certainly fare well.
"Our speed in taking over the prefectures was too fast; our foundation is unstable. Our next plan is to recuperate, focus on developing the economy, and consolidate control over these three prefectures. I wonder what the Emperor's intentions were in sending you here."
Seeing Ye Xingli's candor, the eldest son also unhesitatingly revealed the two options provided by the Emperor.
"Then we will choose the second option: shared rule. Of course, if we were to make some demands now, the Emperor would likely agree. Ask him to transport twenty thousand dan of grain here." This was Ye Xingli's plan all along. Twenty thousand dan was neither too much nor too little. Although the Emperor would be furious, given the current situation, he would eventually comply after some deliberation.
The eldest son nodded. He had previously thought that if he could return, he would tell the Emperor everything that had happened here. Now, it seemed he would have to do more to mediate for them.
"We've discussed most of the matters. Come, I'll show you around for a few days. It's a pity Cai Wei is in Yizhou, otherwise, she'd be overjoyed to see you." With that, he led the way out, heading towards the largest restaurant in Xuzhou, so they could savor the local delicacies.
The eldest son spent ten days here before returning, lest the Emperor grow impatient.
When the Emperor heard their demands, he was so enraged that he smashed his teacup. He had broken countless teacups recently, and those around him found him increasingly difficult to serve. The position near the Emperor, once a coveted post, was now one everyone avoided, fearing that one day his wrath would lead to their heads rolling.
However, anger aside, after a moment of hesitation, he ultimately handed the matter over to the Ministry of Revenue, instructing them to expedite the grain shipment.
Two years passed in the blink of an eye. During these two years, the outside world grew increasingly chaotic. Only the Grand Commander's territory remained relatively peaceful, attracting many refugees. After two years of governance, people's lives had become increasingly prosperous. Their newly established factories required a large workforce, and the military constantly recruited soldiers. Everyone who arrived was accepted, and thus the north became increasingly prosperous.
The Emperor's hair had turned noticeably grayer. Over the past two years, various princes had exerted their power, vying for territory. The court lost city after city, and the Emperor watched helplessly as the territory under his rule shrank.
"Grand Commander, should we not send troops? If we wait any longer, the territories will all be taken," several generals, unable to wait any longer, came to find Ye Xingli, looking at him anxiously. They had been training and preparing for two years, eager to achieve something.
"If you hadn't come to me, I would have sought you out. The reason for making you wait so long is that we have developed some new weapons, which have recently entered mass production and can be used on the battlefield to reduce losses. Are you all ready to fight for this empire with me?" Ye Xingli looked at them with anticipation.
"We are ready," they replied in unison, their hearts suddenly surging with excitement. They had waited so many years; it had finally arrived. It was said that the capital was the wealthiest place in the land, and they had never been there in their lives. This time, they would march to the capital and depose the Emperor. Sud an Novel Network.
When the Emperor received the news, he felt a sense of despair. Although he knew the Grand Commander would not remain confined to those three prefectures forever, he hadn't expected it to be so soon. When they had discussed shared rule, he had planned to eliminate the other princes within a few years and then concentrate on attacking him. However, two years had passed, and reality had deviated greatly from his expectations.
Everyone in the court was in a state of panic, knowing that the Heavenly Dynasty was doomed. The progress of the various princes was very slow, and it would take several more years at least. The Grand Commander's entry into the fray introduced many variables. They would never forget the glory of the逍遥 King; it was said that his soldiers were all trained by him, and each was a formidable warrior, far superior to the court's troops.
The An Ding Marquis paced his study, anxious. His family had once been the backbone of the court. Knowing the Emperor's suspicion, to avoid being suspected, he had his sons pursue scholarly careers and relinquish their military power. If the capital were to fall, his family would surely not fare well.
"Father is so anxious he can't eat or sleep, yet my brother is so carefree every day. One would think he wasn't part of the An Ding Marquis Manor." Ever since his wife had revealed the relationship between his elder sister-in-law and the fifth young madam of the Ye family, fully exposing his ambition, he had been deliberately working against his elder brother. Although the current tense situation in the court made him worried about the An Ding Marquis Manor's future and unwilling to bother with his brother, he couldn't stand seeing him unconcerned about everything.