Chapter 715
Chapter 715
Faced with such a convoluted situation, everyone eagerly awaited the emperor's decree. The emperor's word would decide the fates of many. It was also a new signal—a sign of whether the Great Yan Dynasty's strategic stance toward the vassal states of the world would completely change now that its internal reforms were complete.
But before His Majesty the Emperor had made any statement, King Ning Yuanxian of Yue publicly declared his position. He asserted his conviction that the death of the King of Chu had nothing to do with Ning Qi or Shen Lang and ordered the Third Prince, Ning Qi, to return to the capital immediately. Not only that, but Ning Yuanxian also wrote a personal letter to the new King of Chu, telling him to take responsibility and release the Third Prince Ning Qi unconditionally. Ning Yuanxian's declaration was like pouring oil on a fire. It was tantamount to pressuring the Great Yan Dynasty, telling them not to drag the State of Yue into the dirty business of the King of Chu's assassination. The King of Yue’s statement only served to ignite the already complex situation into a more furious blaze.
***
Two days later, His Majesty, the supreme Emperor of the Great Yan Dynasty, finally responded. He sent secret decrees to two separate imperial envoys—officials dispatched to represent the emperor in handling grave matters. One envoy rode toward Shen Lang in the capital of Chu, while the other headed for Ning Qi.
***
Lately, the people of the State of Yue had heard so much sensational news that they had started to become hardened to it. The former crown prince's surrender had led to the annihilation of an army of over two hundred thousand, the fall of Tiannan Province, and the endangerment of Tianbei Province. Several commanderies in Tianxi Province had been lost, creating a scene that resembled the fall of a nation. Even the most optimistic person could not help but fall into despair. Everyone in the capital partied madly as if facing their final days, waiting drunk for the moment the country would fall.
But unexpectedly, about a month ago, the situation suddenly reversed. Prince Gong and the King of Wu withdrew their forces. Hearing this news, the people of the capital couldn't bring themselves to rejoice. These were diplomatic victories, not decisive ones won by defeating the enemy in battle. Moreover, the King of Chu's army of over three hundred thousand still besieged Zhenxi City in Tianxi Province. If Tianxi Province fell, the State of Yue would still find it hard to escape its doom. Then, more bizarre news arrived. Ning Zheng and Shen Lang had led an army of ten thousand across the Great Snow Mountains, marching thousands of miles to raid the capital of Chu, and had taken it in less than a day. Everyone who heard the news naturally thought it was absurd.
‘Is that even possible? There's a limit to boasting. Are they daydreaming? Since the dawn of history, no army has ever been able to cross that thousand-mile stretch of the Great Snow Mountains. Besides, the capital of Chu is one of the most fortified cities in the world; even an army of two hundred thousand wouldn't dare to attack it. And wouldn't the King of Chu have at least tens of thousands of defenders?’
Then, as more and more preposterous news arrived, they were met with immense shock. Ning Zheng and Shen Lang had burned the Chu royal palace, taken the Queen of Chu and her consorts captive, and, with only a few thousand troops, repelled seventy to eighty thousand of Chu's reinforcements. In any case, news that was even more bizarre—the kind you couldn't write in a novel, the kind of boast you couldn't even make up—reached the capital.
But no matter how astonishing, it was all true. Increasingly specific and detailed reports came in, and evidence that it was all true trickled out, one piece at a time. Eventually, truly solid proof emerged: the King of Chu had vomited blood and fainted upon hearing the nightmarish news. Soon after, King Ning Yuanxian officially announced this to the world, celebrating the epic victory achieved by Ning Zheng and Shen Lang. Following this, the Secretariat and the Privy Council issued official bulletins in a highly formal tone to all armies and cities in the State of Yue.
Only then could the people of Yue believe the astonishing news of victory, and soon, the entire country was in an uproar. It was an unprecedented victory, an unprecedented miracle. To capture an enemy's capital with only ten thousand men—no description of this great victory would be an exaggeration. After this victory, King Ning Yuanxian personally led his officials to the royal tombs of Yue to perform rites, offering thanks to the ancestors of the Ning royal family for their protection, which had allowed Ning Zheng to achieve such an epic victory. Not only did all civil and military officials attend this ceremony, but thousands of commoners also observed. Afterward, Ning Yuanxian issued a great amnesty, ordered that food and meat be sent to all elderly people over sixty in the capital, and celebrated with the people for days on end.
As the monarch, Ning Yuanxian had to use every means possible to exalt this victory to the extreme. Thanks to these efforts, even though Ning Zheng and Shen Lang were far away in the capital of Chu, the State of Yue, from south to north, was submerged in a sea of joy. The gloomy atmosphere of impending doom that had pervaded the country just a short while ago was completely dispelled. Ning Zheng's reputation among the people skyrocketed in an instant, turning him into a hero who had single-handedly saved the State of Yue from a perilous situation and turned the tide. The infamy he had once borne vanished in a flash, and he was praised by all.
Not only among the common people but also in the minds of many scholars, a thought began to sprout: perhaps it would be alright if His Highness Ning Zheng inherited the throne. It wasn't just a few scholars; even ordinary officials gradually came to hold this view. Of course, the high-ranking civil and military officials of the Yue court still supported Ning Qi, bound as they were by mutual interests. But many lower-ranking officials, who had no connection to the Zhu or Zhong clans, could act according to their own conscience. While profit can blind a person's eyes and heart, not everyone was qualified to share in those profits. For many mid- and low-level officials, it made little difference whether Ning Zheng or Ning Qi ascended the throne. Thus, everything proceeded just as Shen Lang had anticipated. The victory from the expedition to the Chu capital had a stunning effect on Ning Zheng's struggle for the throne.
***
No words could describe how deliriously happy King Ning Yuanxian was when he received the victory report. He was more excited than anyone, finding the news utterly unbelievable. Of course, his heart ached for their hardship. To think that Shen Lang and Ning Zheng had truly accomplished an unprecedented miracle.
So, after receiving the report, Ning Yuanxian did everything in his power to publicize the victory, performing rites for the ancestors and celebrating with the people. He even sent cavalry to spread the news of this victory to every corner of the State of Yue. All of this was to lay the groundwork for exalting Ning Zheng and placing him on the throne. Of course, in the court, with the exception of a few, the attitude of most civil and military officials toward Ning Zheng remained cold. However, in the face of this great victory, no official dared to pour cold water on the celebrations.
***
After the news of Ning Zheng and Shen Lang's victory had spread throughout the State of Yue, another astonishing dispatch quickly followed. The King of Chu had died suddenly, the Third Prince Ning Qi had captured the Crown Prince of Chu, and the Crown Prince had subsequently ascended the throne and signed a truce with Prince Ning Qi. The dispatch also reported that the Third Prince Ning Qi, under suspicion of assassinating the King of Chu, had entered the Chu military camp alone to await investigation.
In an instant, the State of Yue was in an uproar once more. In their eyes, this was another great victory. The King of Chu was dead. While the sudden death of the King of Chu was not a particularly honorable event in the eyes of the court, the common people cared little. From their perspective, it didn't matter whether the King of Chu was struck down by an arrow on the battlefield or assassinated; their great enemy was dead, and that was all that mattered. They could only conclude that the Third Prince Ning Qi had done something amazing. After praising Ning Zheng, the people now praised Ning Qi, and some praised both of them together.
However, in response to this great victory, the court of Yue remained silent, unlike they had with Ning Zheng. Neither the Secretariat nor the Privy Council praised Ning Qi's achievement. This was because the matter was too serious. To assassinate the King of Chu, when the Great Yan Dynasty had set the rules, was a grave crime. Until the nature of this incident was defined, all high-ranking officials were unable to declare their stance, no matter how impressively Ning Qi had performed in this battle, and no matter how much they all supported him.
***
After receiving a full, detailed report regarding Zhenxi City, Ning Yuanxian was once again shocked and even saw Ning Qi in a new light. He had previously been greatly disappointed in his son. That son had made a secret pact with the Great Yan Dynasty, colluded with the Hidden Yuan Society, and privately negotiated with Prince Gong, offering to cede the entire Tiannan Province and six commanderies of Tianbei Province. He had always thought Ning Qi lacked a strong character, possessing only political cunning. But who would have thought that in this war, Ning Qi's passionate side would be revealed in its entirety?
Could Ning Qi's performance be described as merely outstanding? It was nothing short of a miracle. Ning Yuanxian could well imagine how desperate he must have felt when the King of Chu fell before he could even draw his bow. Yet, when the Crown Prince of Chu charged at him, Ning Qi did not flinch, instead charging alone against the Crown Prince's thousands of cavalry. What a brave and magnificent display!
When the King of Chu was assassinated, the Crown Prince of Chu's performance was perfect, and the indignant Chu army was in a situation where victory was all but assured. That was the most dangerous moment on the battlefield of Zhenxi City, a moment when the entire situation could have collapsed at any time. If Zhenxi City fell, the entire Tianxi Province would fall, and the new King of Chu would march straight to the capital of Yue. To avenge his father, the new king would have a righteous cause to attack Tianyue City, burn the Yue royal palace, and force Ning Yuanxian to his death.
In that situation, Ning Qi did everything in his power to turn the tide and captured the Crown Prince of Chu. He saved Zhenxi City, saved Tianxi Province, and even saved the State of Yue. Every time Ning Yuanxian reread that dispatch, his blood boiled with heat. What virtue did he possess to have two such outstanding sons?
And so, his thoughts became a little complicated. The idea that it might be alright for Ning Qi to ascend the throne began to surface. Comparing their individual abilities alone, Ning Qi was more outstanding than Ning Zheng. Moreover, there were no obstacles to Ning Qi's ascension; both the Zhu and Zhong clans would applaud and cheer. In contrast, Ning Zheng's ascension would cause a great storm and could even lead to a crisis. But if Ning Qi took the throne, wouldn't the State of Yue fall into the hands of the Great Yan Dynasty? Wouldn't the Zhu Clan come to dominate the court?