Chapter 657
Chapter 657
After the messenger who delivered the news departed, the entire Tiannan Province was plunged into a sea of joy. With the Spring Festival just a few days away, a boisterous, premature celebration erupted. Countless firecrackers exploded, and singing halls and pleasure houses reopened their doors, with the courtesans offering discounts to join in the festivities.
To celebrate the great victory in this war for the nation's destiny and to honor the achievements of His Highness the Crown Prince, the Hall of a Hundred Flowers slashed its prices by twenty percent, while the Apricot Blossom Courtyard offered a forty-percent discount. Soon, every pleasure house was packed to the brim as countless scholars and sons of nobles poured inside.
"Let's drink, let's drink! Let's sing and write poetry! What a joyous day this is!"
In an instant, no fewer than a thousand poems, songs, and odes were composed in Tiannan Province. All of them praised the victory in the war against the Southern Scourge Nation, and all of them lauded the merits of the Crown Prince. In the verses they crafted, Crown Prince Ning Yi was depicted as less of a man and more of a god.
Men of letters loved to exaggerate like this. It couldn't be helped. Without exaggeration, they couldn't flaunt their talents. Those engaged in cultural pursuits would never rest until they made a grand splash with their words. Why else would they cast such bait or write such sensational headlines? Of course, they had already prepared these pieces in advance, and they were paid for every single one. As soon as the news of victory arrived, these essays and poems burst forth, spreading throughout the realm in an instant.
Heh heh heh, do you think they would only extol the Crown Prince with words? They had auspicious omens prepared and countless other grand tricks up their sleeves yet to be revealed.
"The Crown Prince represents the interests of the world's scholars. If he achieves three points of merit, we will praise it as twelve. If we cannot elevate him to be the greatest monarch the State of Yue has seen in three hundred years, then we will have failed."
***
Subsequently, more soldiers carrying the news of victory entered the borders of the State of Yue, and soon, this incredible triumph spread to every corner of the land. Everywhere they passed, the common people erupted in cheers. The messengers were exceedingly clever. Knowing that the soldiers on the routes ahead had already enjoyed all sorts of preferential treatment, they chose different paths to announce the news.
"I, too, will receive a hero's welcome!"
Thus, in every place these soldiers passed, countless scholars stirred in unison, becoming a veritable catalyst for the excitement. Finally, the messengers converged on a single route and entered the capital. The first messenger to report the victory was the first to arrive. Befitting a rider carrying an urgent message covering eight hundred li a day, his speed was immense. When he reached the capital, Crown Prince Ning Yi's main army of two hundred thousand had just received the nightmarish news of Sicheng's fall. The messenger had pushed himself so hard he was on the verge of death. He was nearly dozing off on his horse, yet at the same time, he was extremely excited. He was about to become a rich man.
"I must hold on. I will be the first to see His Majesty and report this incredible victory. The Spring Festival is in a few days, and I will make sure this is a good year."
That's right. He wanted to have a good Spring Festival. If he delivered this news of victory before the festival, he would receive a massive reward. Wouldn't that make for a prosperous year? A few hundred meters from the capital, he coughed to clear his throat and then shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Victory! A great victory! His Highness the Crown Prince engaged King Gou in a decisive battle and won a complete victory! We took eighty thousand enemy heads, and King Gou's grand army has been all but annihilated!"
The original report was "nearly annihilated," but he decided on his own to drop the "nearly." This way, it sounded like King Gou's army was completely destroyed, and saying "all but annihilated" sounded, at a glance, just like "annihilated." The saying "whatever you do, do it with all your heart" must have referred to people like him.
"A great victory! A complete victory! Eighty thousand heads taken, King Gou's grand army all but annihilated!"
The soldier shouted ceaselessly. The one guarding the capital's Xuanwu Gate this time was Chiliarch Nan Yi. Hearing the news of victory, he couldn't help but be astonished.
"Th-this quickly? The war is over in less than a month? They say speed is paramount in commanding troops, and indeed, the war ended swiftly. But if His Highness the Crown Prince has won a complete victory, doesn't that mean His Highness Ning Zheng has no hope left?"
"Open the gates, open the gates!"
The messenger continued to shout, not even glancing back as he sped away. He galloped down the center of Xuanwu Avenue, heading for the royal palace.
"A great victory! The Crown Prince has won a great victory! Eighty thousand heads taken, King Gou's grand army all but annihilated!"
In an instant, the capital once again erupted. About two months ago, there had been a smaller stir over a great victory and the defeat of King Gou's army, but this time, with eighty thousand heads taken and King Gou's forces nearly wiped out, it was a truly explosive triumph. The common people who heard the news were incredibly excited, and the entire populace of the capital surged into the streets again, running wildly after the messenger.
"His Highness the Crown Prince is mighty! His Highness the Crown Prince is mighty! The State of Yue is completely victorious! The State of Yue is completely victorious! Long live His Highness the Crown Prince!"
Damn, you're going a bit too far.
"Damn that traitor, damn Shen Lang!"
The chants cursing Shen Lang had become a rhythmic accompaniment to incite the crowd. In any case, the people of the capital were in an uproar!
***
It was truly a coincidence. When the messenger bearing the news of victory entered the palace, the morning court session was in progress. The soldier dashed into the great hall and kowtowed, his head hitting the floor.
"Your Majesty, congratulations! It is a great victory! We have won a complete victory on the southern front! We took eighty thousand heads, and King Gou's grand army is on the verge of annihilation!"
Before the king, he spoke with perfect clarity. Then, he held up the memorial. It was a report of victory jointly written by Nangong Ao and Zhu Lin. After reading it, King Ning Yuanxian sneered inwardly.
"Eighty thousand heads? What an absurd boast. At most, they killed twenty thousand. The fifty thousand casualties for the State of Yue is likely true. And King Gou's entire army is on the verge of annihilation? Seeing as there's no mention of capturing or killing King Gou, he must have escaped."
From a purely tactical standpoint, this war had been fought rather clumsily. The memorial from Zhu Lin and Nangong Ao first praised King Ning Yuanxian, and then the Crown Prince. As soon as Ning Yuanxian saw it, he knew the praise for him was hastily scribbled; the key part was the praise for the Crown Prince. It claimed the Crown Prince cherished his soldiers as his own children, personally led from the front, poured his heart and soul into his command with unwavering conviction, and maneuvered his forces with divine skill, like Sun Wukong wielding his Golden-Hooped Rod. They were desperate to shower the Crown Prince with every fine idiom they could think of.
In short, the complete victory in this war was entirely due to the Crown Prince's merit, and the entire campaign was under his command. His Highness the Crown Prince had achieved an unprecedented feat, winning a war that could have toppled the nation and bringing decades of peace to the State of Yue.
Ning Yuanxian frowned as he read. The pretentious air of the civil officials was too heavy, too foul, too shameless. But a victory was a victory, and they had finally driven out King Gou's army. Crown Prince Ning Yi had conducted himself quite well on the battlefield. At the very least, after going to the front, he hadn't recklessly interfered with command, hadn't tried to usurp authority, and hadn't disrupted the overall strategy. Tactically, this war was an ugly win, but strategically, it was a brilliant victory.
"Your Majesty, congratulations!"
In the great hall, the officials bowed in unison.
"To have Your Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince in our State of Yue is a blessing for us officials and for the common people."
"It is said that one thinks of family even more during the holidays. With the Spring Festival approaching, whenever I think of His Highness the Crown Prince pouring his heart and soul into his efforts, risking his life in the harsh lands of the Southern Scourge Nation, my heart truly feels as if it's being cut by a knife! We are safe because of His Highness the Crown Prince and the soldiers at the front."
At that moment, the officials of the Crown Prince's faction turned to the south and bowed deeply.
"Your Highness the Crown Prince, you have endured much hardship. Your presence is a great fortune for the State of Yue! We have finally won this war for our nation's destiny, and our State of Yue has found great stability! The grace bestowed by His Highness the Crown Prince is boundless!"
Hundreds of officials beat their chests and stomped their feet, overcome with emotion and excitement. Ning Yuanxian let out a deep sigh.
"Shen Lang, this time your prediction was wrong. Ning Yi did not act rashly, and though the war was won clumsily, it was a victory nonetheless. With this, you have no chance of making a comeback. Ning Zheng has also completely lost his chance at the throne. How lamentable. What a pity!"
But this was undoubtedly good news. The officials of the Crown Prince's faction and the scholars of the realm were desperately hyping up this victory, and Zhu Lin and Nangong Ao didn't even shy away from fabricating military achievements. But could Ning Yuanxian, as the king, expose their fabrications and cause them to lose face? Absolutely not. Because he was the monarch of the State of Yue, he needed this victory more than anything. It was a shame that Shen Lang could no longer return, and Ning Zheng might have no hope left.
Moreover, Ning Yuanxian began to feel wary. In the past, he had used the Third Prince to suppress the Crown Prince's faction, but now that the Crown Prince had achieved victory, they would use this as a pretext to strike back at him. King Ning Yuanxian collected his complicated thoughts and laughed heartily.
"Excellent, excellent! Ning Yi has done quite well. Zhu Lin and Nangong Ao have also done well!"
This victory was like eating a half-cooked meal, but Ning Yuanxian had no choice but to eat it. Furthermore, he would have to announce this victory to the world, exaggerating it into a glorious triumph. This was, firstly, to boost the morale of the people, and secondly, to intimidate the states of Chu and Wu. But just then, the Vice Minister of Rites stepped forward and bowed.
"Your Majesty, I request that you appoint His Highness the Crown Prince as the Duke of Yue."
The Grand Minister of the Imperial Clan, Ning You, also stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, I, too, request that you appoint His Highness the Crown Prince as the Duke of Yue."
Ning Yuanxian's heart trembled. As everyone knew, back when the State of Yue had not yet been established as a kingdom, its ruler was called the Duke of Yue. Ning Yuanxian himself had been invested as the Duke of Yue when he was the Crown Prince. However, he had once promised Shen Lang that he would invest Ning Zheng as the Duke of Yue. Now that the Crown Prince had led them to victory in the war against the Southern Scourge Nation, investing Ning Zheng as the Duke of Yue had become impossible. Yet, not wanting to completely break his promise, Ning Yuanxian had no desire to grant the title to the Crown Prince either, leaving it vacant.
But now, someone had unexpectedly brought it up. Moreover, even the Grand Minister of the Imperial Clan, Ning You, had joined the Crown Prince's faction. It was truly difficult for King Ning Yuanxian to refuse their proposal.
"Crown Prince Ning Yi has achieved military merit in the Southern Scourge Nation. Will Your Majesty not acknowledge it? If you acknowledge it, then you must reward it."
This was the Crown Prince's faction demanding that Ning Yuanxian make a clear statement, to solidify the Crown Prince's position. Being invested as the Duke of Yue would declare to the world that Ning Yi's position as Crown Prince was unshakable. Ning Yuanxian was caught in a dilemma. He didn't want to grant the title, but he found it difficult to refuse outright.