Chapter 547
Chapter 547
The grand army left the capital and entered the Tianxi Province.
After leaving Lang Prefecture and heading northwest, they entered the defensive territory of the Zhong Clan.
Zhong Yao, Grand Marshal of Yue, Grand Protector-General of the West, and Marquis of Zhenxi, personally came out several hundred li to greet them, leading an army of eight thousand to escort the king.
“Brother Zhong, it has been over a decade since we last met, has it not?”
the king said slowly. Seated inside the carriage, Zhong Yao leaned forward slightly as a sign of respect and replied.
“I am ashamed to hear you say so, Your Majesty.”
As a titan of Yue's military, his failure to visit the capital and pay respects to the monarch for over a decade was a clear breach of etiquette.
However, Ning Yuanxian had tolerated this behavior, making a concession for the sake of the state's interests.
Zhong Yao had previously supported Ning Yuanwu. He preferred a majestic sovereign like him.
Ning Yuanxian, on the other hand, appeared mild-mannered but seemed to harbor hidden schemes.
Despite this, in recent years, while Zhong Yao had not been on good personal terms with the king, he had always flawlessly executed the royal edicts.
“After the border battle concludes, if the situation in the south changes and the grand army of Chu attacks, can you hold them back?”
To Ning Yuanxian's question, Zhong Yao replied.
“This subject will do everything in his power.”
Ning Yuanxian nodded.
“Sasa was injured in the capital this time due to my lack of care. I must apologize to you.”
“This subject dare not receive an apology from the monarch.”
Silence then fell between them.
It is said that with someone you cannot connect with, even half a sentence feels like too much. Since neither man liked the other, being together was an ordeal.
Zhong Yao was likely criticizing the king in his heart.
‘The purpose of this border battle is clearly to cede benefits to Chu, so why has Your Majesty come all this way? Your presence forces me to travel a great distance to escort you, disrupting my military duties, does it not?’
Zhong Yao had reason to look down on the king.
In recent years, the king had dispatched his confidant, Zheng Tuo, to check and supervise Zhong Yao.
And the result? Zheng Tuo had betrayed the king.
This incident was akin to Ning Yuanxian spitting in his own face and waiting for it to dry.
“That is enough. We are tired.”
Ning Yuanxian waved his hand in dismissal. Zhong Yao rose and said.
“This subject takes his leave!”
Zhong Yao then exited the king's carriage and returned to his own army.
From that day on, Zhong Yao diligently carried out his duty of protecting the king, but he never again sought a private audience.
Ning Yuanxian looked at Lü Jun and smiled.
“Bian Wu is arrogant, and so is Zhong Yao. But Bian Wu's arrogance stems from his self-centeredness, his lack of consideration for others, and his poor eloquence. Zhong Yao's arrogance, however, seems genuine but is not true arrogance.”
Lü Jun smiled faintly, indicating his agreement with the king's words.
Zhong Yao's arrogance stemmed primarily from his pride.
When facing the king, his words and actions were neither servile nor haughty, but when dealing with his peers, he always had to be above them.
A truly arrogant person would disdain currying favor with anyone.
Shen Lang, for example, only ever tried to please those he cared about, like his wife or his mother-in-law.
He made little effort to ingratiate himself with the king.
If Zhong Yao were truly arrogant, why would he have sought to form a marital alliance with the royal family of the Great Yan Dynasty?
That alone revealed him to be someone who inwardly ranked people by their status.
* * *
After marching for more than ten days, the grand army finally arrived at the border between Chu and Yue.
Since the date of the battle had been set four months prior, the encampments and towering viewing platforms for both sides were already constructed.
The banners of both nations lined the border hunting grounds.
Ning Yuanxian's retinue consisted of several dozen officials, a hundred eunuchs, a hundred court ladies, and Zhong Yao's escort army, totaling over ten thousand people.
As if to display a more humble posture, Ning Yuanxian arrived three days before the battle.
The King of Chu, seemingly brimming with the pride of a victor, did not arrive until after Ning Yuanxian was already at the border.
On the second day after Ning Yuanxian's arrival, envoys from various nations began to appear one by one.
Delegations from the states of Wu, New Qian, Liang, and Jin, each several hundred strong, arrived at the site.
Following them, the delegation from the Great Yan Dynasty arrived, led by Prince Yan of the Great Yan Dynasty.
The delegation from the Great Yan Dynasty was not only to be a spectator for this border battle but also to act as witness and judge.
Prince Yan of the Great Yan Dynasty and Ning Yuanxian were related by the marriage of their children, making them, in a way, quite close.
The two met and spoke for two hours, but their conversation had nothing to do with the battle.
In Prince Yan's view, the State of Yue was certain to lose this battle, so there was no need to discuss it.
They were discussing Gong Jun.
“The Empire has taken a rather ambiguous stance on Gong Jun, but it seems he has quite a few supporters.”
Prince Yan said. Ning Yuanxian asked.
“Gong Jun seems to be entangled with the Great Calamity Temple, and isn't His Majesty the Emperor greatly opposed to the temple?”
“However, many believe that after Gong Jun unifies the southern tribes, he will declare himself a great king, a vassal to the Great Yan Dynasty. At that time, the territory of our Great Yan Dynasty will expand by several thousand more li.”
Ning Yuanxian sneered inwardly. The Great Yan Dynasty likely hoped that no true hegemon would emerge in the south; the more fragmented it was, the better for them. Gong Jun was a destabilizing force, which perfectly suited the Empire's interests.
“Therefore, it would be wise for the King of Yue to prepare himself. If Gong Jun unifies the southern tribes and petitions His Majesty the Emperor, the Empire might genuinely recognize his state and even enfeoff him as a king. Moreover, the King of Chu will not be satisfied with the outcome of this battle, so the King of Yue…”
He had intended to say that Ning Yuanxian's decision to hold this battle was somewhat unwise, but on second thought, it was not an appropriate thing to say aloud.
He and Ning Yuanxian were related by marriage and were old friends, but ultimately, he was a prince of the Empire, and Ning Yuanxian was the king of Yue.
As Prince Yan bade him farewell, he finally voiced the thought that had been on his mind.
“King of Yue, if you lose this battle, will you exile Ning Zheng and Shen Lang?”
Ning Yuanxian nodded.
“Of course, I will!”
“Exiling them is certainly for the best. Once you have sent them away, do not recall them. Many in the Empire dislike Shen Lang and find him an eyesore.”
“I thank you for your kind concern, Royal Brother.”
Ning Yuanxian said with a smile, but inwardly he scoffed.
‘Who does your Great Yan Dynasty find an eyesore? It's only because Gong Jun's actions currently align with your interests that you tolerate him; otherwise, you would find him an eyesore as well. You always find exceptionally talented individuals offensive and prefer those who obediently follow the rules. You wish for everyone to grovel under the various regulations set by the Great Yan Dynasty, never daring to step out of line.’
* * *
It was not until the day before the border battle that the King of Chu finally arrived, taking his time.
As the victor, he had to display his pride.
Although the Empire's Prince Yan was present, the King of Chu was older and had been on the throne longer, so making the prince wait a little was of no great consequence.
That night, Prince Yan hosted a banquet for the two kings.
Seeing Ning Yuanxian, who had aged so much he was almost unrecognizable, the King of Chu was inwardly delighted.
Furthermore, he noticed that Ning Yuanxian consistently used his left hand and seldom brought out his right.
This was surely because it was difficult for him to move his right hand. People who suffered a stroke often became partially paralyzed.
The moment he noticed this, the King of Chu spoke with an exceedingly concerned expression.
“Brother Yuanxian, we haven't seen each other in years, yet you still look to be in good spirits.”
Ning Yuanxian replied slowly, “Do not jest, Royal Brother. I am more than ten years your junior, yet I appear older than you. The ways of the world are truly unpredictable.”
The King of Chu sighed and said, “We have both grown old, but the world will always produce new talent, will it not? Still, I envy you. Unlike my own unremarkable crown prince, you have so many outstanding sons. Crown Prince, come and greet your two uncles. What are you waiting for?”
The Crown Prince of Chu stepped forward from the group, bowed, and offered his greetings.
“Greetings to Uncle Prince Yan and Uncle King of Yue.”
The King of Chu's words were a barb aimed at the King of Yue.
‘Ning Yuanxian, you once commanded awe in all directions, but now that you have fallen ill, you can't even control your two ambitious sons. The struggle for the throne within Yue is bound to intensify. I shall watch and see how you handle it. You've brought this entirely upon yourself. But we in Chu have no such worries. The Crown Prince's position is unshakable.’
“The Crown Prince of Chu carries himself with such a commanding presence; he must be beloved by all.”
After saying this, Ning Yuanxian did not introduce Ning Zheng.
As if he were an invisible man, Ning Zheng knelt silently to one side.
At that moment, the Crown Prince of Chu asked, “And which of the King of Yue's qilin-like, outstanding sons is this gentleman?”
The Crown Prince asked in a very friendly manner, but this question, too, was ultimately a taunt.
Ning Zheng had rarely shown his face in public, so although he was the King of Yue's son, few people recognized him.
Ning Yuanxian lowered his head and said nothing, still showing no intention of introducing Ning Zheng to anyone.
Ning Zheng stepped forward, bowed, and offered his greetings.
“Greetings to Prince Yan, Your Majesty the King of Chu, and Your Highness the Crown Prince of Chu. I am Ning Zheng.”
Prince Yan nodded in acknowledgment.
The King of Chu acted as if he had heard nothing, and the Crown Prince of Chu simply raised his cup in a token gesture.
After that, Ning Zheng once again became an invisible man.
An hour later, the banquet ended on an unpleasant note.
Throughout the banquet, Ning Yuanxian played the part of a thoroughly lonely man, not uttering a single word from beginning to end.
In contrast, the King of Chu laughed heartily at every opportunity, downing cup after cup of wine, playing the role of the exultant victor to perfection.
* * *
Early the next morning, the three royals performed a sacrifice to the heavens.
Perhaps blessed by the heavens, the weather today was excellent, a perfect day for a battle.
Afterward, Prince Yan once again read aloud the specific terms of the battle.
“The King of Yue will indeed mobilize an army of two thousand, and the King of Chu will indeed mobilize an army of five thousand. Is this correct?”
The two kings nodded.
“The losing side shall make a public apology, cede twenty li of border territory and twenty-three forts, and pay eight hundred thousand taels of gold in compensation. Is this correct?”
The two kings confirmed once again.
The envoys from the various nations already knew the specific details of the battle, but hearing them again, they still found the terms utterly absurd.
Yue's intention to cut off its own flesh was far too obvious.
Furthermore, the envoys had never before seen an army that rode in carriages, wore no armor, carried no weapons, and seemed unwilling even to walk.
It seemed Shen Lang had done a fine job of finding two thousand useless people to serve as sacrificial lambs.