In the Yangli Kingdom, there were two extraordinary men. One was Xu Xiao, who, even after being enfeoffed as a king of different surname, was still respectfully called “Great General” by his subordinates. The other was Gu Jiantang. Although he had never been enfeoffed as a king, during his more than ten years as Minister of War, most military officers still privately addressed him as “Great General.” Now, as the sole Grand Pillar of the State in Yangli with the highest rank, he was still addressed as “Great General” in the borderlands of Liang. After the Spring and Autumn Wars, in terms of merit, Gu Jiantang was slightly inferior to Xu Xiao, but being younger, he was more favored by both the old aristocracy and the new elite of the Yangli Kingdom. When Xu Xiao, the undisputed top military figure in Yangli, left the capital to take control of the entire northern military and political affairs, Gu Jiantang’s power and reputation soared. Even the most obtuse officials in the capital knew that it was only a matter of time before Gu Jiantang, still in his prime and not yet labeled an aged minister, became the pillar of three dynasties. Do not forget that Gu Jiantang was also an expert in the martial arts rankings. With his robust physique and abundant energy, he could easily serve another twenty or thirty years. Therefore, the usual jealousy and resentment faced by border generals simply did not apply to him.
With Gu Jiantang’s consolidation and reorganization of the eastern front, and after twenty years of immense military expenditure, the eastern front of Liang was hailed as impregnable. Every soldier in the Liang border army followed Gu Jiantang’s leadership. Especially before Gu Jiantang resigned as Minister of War, the imperial court in Tai’an City occasionally questioned the bottomless pit of military expenditures in Liang. However, after Gu Jiantang left the capital and headed north, although the Gu Mansion gradually disintegrated without a central figure, the imperial court’s support for the eastern front of Liang became increasingly strong. The rewards for military achievements on the border, which had previously been delayed or reduced whenever possible, now flowed smoothly and fully. With such a commander-in-chief, the Liang border army’s morale was rejuvenated, and a rare unity of purpose was forged. There were even whispers circulating that General Gu might rise even further. Since Xu Xiao was a general, so was he; since Xu Xiao became a Grand Pillar of the State, so had he. Then, if Xu Xiao could be a king of different surname, why not Gu Jiantang? Who in the realm did not know that the imperial court was always suspicious of Beiliang, yet always trusted General Gu!
The eastern front’s morale was high, especially after the Northern Barbarians brazenly divided their forces and marched toward the border. Almost every officer in Liang had visited the general’s tent to request battle. Since the Northern Barbarians had clearly decided to attack Beiliang first, how could they dare challenge them with only two or three hundred thousand troops? Was that enough to even be a snack for the eastern border army? However, whether they were Gu Jiantang’s loyal subordinates from the Spring and Autumn Wars or those who had steadily risen through the ranks in Liang, none could convince the general to agree. Eventually, many officers were even driven out of the tent by the increasingly impatient general.
As winter approached, the cold wind in Liang was piercing and bone-chilling. On the official road leading to a fortress, a man rode at the head of the column, wearing a slightly old but valuable fox fur. Underneath the fur was armor that had been worn for many years yet remained bright and new. Behind him were two hundred elite light cavalry who were skilled in archery and horsemanship. The man was no longer young, with frost in his temples, but he showed no sign of weariness or aging. On the contrary, his iron-blooded demeanor, full of sharp edges, was still clearly visible. It was hard to imagine that this man, nearly fifty years old and a capital official for over a decade, had not lost a single ounce of his sharpness in the bureaucracy. Quite the opposite, those more than ten years of waiting were like sharpening a knife every day for ten years. The longer it was sharpened, the sharper the knife became.
One must know the significance of the old fur he wore. When the Zhao family established their rule over the realm, the late emperor of Yangli rewarded his officials according to their merits. Countless officials and generals were promoted and granted mansions, but only three were bestowed with a fox fur by the emperor’s own hand. Among the civil officials, the only one to receive this honor was Zhang Julu, the youngest Prime Minister in Yangli history, known for his blue eyes. Among the generals who had fought for the Zhao family with swords and spears, only Xu Xiao and him!
After giving the famous young man the symbolic knife Nan Hua, he now wore only the most common border army sword. Yet no one would deny that he was the greatest swordsman of the age. Unlike the top swordsmen of the martial world who each had their moment of glory, even the most revered masters of the sword in the realm seemed to fall far short of this man. No wonder the martial rankings claimed that half the realm’s swordsmanship belonged to him alone.
A dust-covered cavalry unit joined the official road from a western trail. Two young officers, who looked alike, rode behind the man. One slightly furrowed his brow, while the younger one smiled knowingly. Throughout Liang, only those two, the girl and the madman, would dare to block the road like this. They had no choice but to do so, for one was their father’s most beloved daughter, and the other was a half-son, half-son-in-law figure. These two border officers were not like the capital’s aristocratic youths who came to Liang merely to gain experience. Their current ranks and military authority were earned through battlefield achievements, climbing from the dead and dying. Gu Donghai and Gu Xishan were the most aristocratic scions of the Yangli Kingdom, without equal. However, both young men had started as ordinary soldiers. Even after they were promoted to Commanders through their merits, their immediate superiors still did not know their true identities. It was only after they became officers commanding their own units and entered the upper echelons of the Liang border army that their true identities as the sons of the Minister of War were finally recognized by those familiar with the capital’s official hierarchy.
A young man and woman from the cavalry naturally rode alongside Gu Donghai and Gu Xishan without any awkwardness.
Gu Xishan bluntly said to the young man, “Yuan the Madman, you came empty-handed? You’re not even following the rules? Don’t you fear that I, your future brother-in-law, might not follow the rules either?”
The young swordsman, called Yuan the Madman, grinned, revealing a row of snow-white teeth. He tilted his chin toward the woman beside him, “What rules? Your sister almost burned down the Yan Fortress in Jizhou this time! Gu Xishan, is your family in the vinegar business? With such a huge vinegar jar, her antics have made the whole of Liang smell of vinegar.”
The woman smiled without speaking.
Gu Xishan laughed heartily, “Be content, Yuan. If anyone else dared to do that, wouldn’t their manhood be cut off and served with wine? Not only the women of Yan Fortress, but even princesses and duchesses would get a slap or two from her. This time, she merely gave them the cold shoulder in Yan Fortress. You should be thanking your lucky stars!”
The young swordsman, whose waist carried the legendary Nan Hua sword, was about to speak, but his eyes caught the tall man’s back ahead, and he decided against it.
No matter how reckless and bold he was, he dared not speak ill of his future bride in front of her father.
Gu Xishan glared and asked, “Yuan Tingshan, you really came empty-handed?!”
The young man, who now controlled most of northern Jizhou, laughed, “I just cut off more than six hundred Northern Barbarian heads. Want them? I can have someone bring them to you later.”
Gu Xishan, somewhat envious, asked in a low voice, “Yuan Tingshan, how about I come with you to Jizhou? We haven’t had a battle here in years. Your side seems to be doing great business. I can even work as a Commander under you.”
Yuan Tingshan, now a hotshot in both Liang and Jizhou, sneered, “Commander? Forget it. How about being a stable boy?”
Gu Xishan cursed under his breath.
Gu Donghai smiled, taking it in stride. Toward Yuan Tingshan, who was already a certainty as his brother-in-law, he had always been amiable and never put on the airs of a famous general’s son or shown the slightest disdain for the lowly martial world. On the contrary, it was he who personally arranged Yuan Tingshan’s marriage to the Yan Fortress, otherwise, no matter how powerful the Yan Fortress was in Jizhou, they would not dare to challenge the Gu family. Although their father had never verbally acknowledged Yuan Tingshan as his adopted son or son-in-law, the fact that he had taken Yuan Tingshan with him on two trips to the capital was enough to speak volumes to both the capital and Liang.
Suddenly, Gu Jiantang called out to Yuan Tingshan.
The latter quickly rode up.
The three siblings instinctively slowed their horses.
Gu Jiantang said in a flat tone, “You submitted a memorial to Tai’an City.”
Yuan Tingshan pressed his lips tightly, offering no explanation.
Gu Jiantang’s voice remained emotionless, “After Donghu marries you, she is no longer a Gu.”
Yuan Tingshan felt as if struck by lightning, but he still refused to bow his head, saying firmly, “General, rest assured, I can support her!”
A faint sneer seemed to appear on Gu Jiantang’s lips. Yuan Tingshan pulled the reins, bringing his horse to an abrupt halt.
Except for Gu Beihu, who had decided to follow her husband wherever he went and also stopped, the confused Gu Donghai and Gu Xishan continued to follow Gu Jiantang toward the fortress.
She carefully asked, “What happened? Did you offend my father?”
Yuan Tingshan grimaced, clearly troubled.
His cavalry also tactfully stopped by the roadside.
Yuan Tingshan rubbed his chin and said, “Your father is really something. He’s the one who most wants to crush those two hundred thousand Northern Barbarians, yet he insists on being a stone Buddha. After I submitted that memorial, it was all benefit and no harm to him, yet he still refused! I just can’t figure it out, what’s the point of being a Grand Pillar of the State!”
Gu Beihu was shocked, “Your memorial wasn’t a request for military merit?”
Yuan Tingshan spat sideways, “A few hundred barbarian heads are nothing but a joke for military merit; I’m ashamed to even mention it! I aim for big deals. This time, I’m helping the Zhao emperor kill one man whose head is worth more than two hundred thousand Northern Barbarians!”
Gu Beihu was stunned.
Gu Jiantang looked back south, his eyes complex and shadowed.
※※※
In the warm and spring-like imperial study of Tai’an City, the Zhao emperor personally walked to the center of the room, squatting down to adjust the charcoal in the brazier with tongs. Beside him, Song Tanglu, the head eunuch of the Grand Secretariat, moved with small, silent steps, like a cat, though it was clear that this successor to Han Shengxuan was filled with trepidation. The Zhao emperor held a memorial in his hand, which Song Tanglu knew well—it was sent urgently by Yuan Tingshan, a rising figure in northern Jizhou. As for the contents of the secret memorial, in the past, when Han Shengxuan served as the head eunuch, he could read it first and then decide whether to submit it to the emperor or forward it to the Ministry of War. However, with the establishment of the Court Historians in the palace, even the highly favored Song Tanglu dared not touch this matter.
The Zhao emperor held the secret memorial over the burning charcoal, but hesitated after it caught fire at one corner, then withdrew his hand, tapped the edge of the brazier, and extinguished the flame.
Inside the imperial study, there were four or five young Court Historians, still diligently writing at their desks, seemingly unaware of the strange scene unfolding.
The charcoal light illuminated the pale face of the Zhao emperor.
A eunuch in a bright red Python Robe outside the room softly said, “Your Majesty, Jin Lanting, the Right Sacrificial Wine Official of the National Academy, seeks an audience.”
The Zhao emperor’s arm was suspended in mid-air, lost in thought, seemingly not hearing the voice that was neither too loud nor too soft.
Song Tanglu held his breath and bent down, not daring to speak, but his hand extended behind his back, gently waving to the outside.
The other eunuch, also bowing and lowering his head, could not see the subtle gesture of the head eunuch, but immediately began to retreat.
The Zhao emperor slowly regained his composure and said indifferently, “Granted.”
Song Tanglu softly said, “Your Majesty.”
The Zhao emperor barely made a sound of acknowledgment.
Soon, Song Tanglu silently brought over a small embroidered stool. The Zhao emperor sat in front of the brazier, placing the secret memorial on the front of his yellow imperial robe, precisely over an embroidered dragon pattern, fierce and magnificent.
Jin Lanting, with a beautiful beard, crossed the threshold. As he was about to kneel, the Zhao emperor softly said, “No need.”
The Zhao emperor extended his hand, and Song Tanglu quickly brought another stool. The honored Jin Lanting thanked him and carefully sat down.
The Zhao emperor looked at this scholar from Beiliang. It seemed the gloom in his eyebrows had slightly eased, and he spoke kindly, “Sanlang, you have something to report?”
Jin Lanting’s expression was calm and resolute, as if possessed by a deity, like a man ready to die for his cause. He respectfully said, “Your servant indeed has something to report. It should be submitted as a memorial, but Your servant believes it should be presented directly to Your Majesty!”
Jin Lanting stood up, stepped back a few paces, and then knelt down heavily, bowing prostrate, and slowly said, “Your servant Jin Lanting wishes to impeach Prime Minister Zhang Julu for ten grave offenses!”
Your servant.
Prime Minister.
Inside the imperial study, almost all the Court Historians who were close to the emperor trembled in their hands.
The Zhao emperor remained silent.
※※※
In the East Palace, Prince Zhao Zuan stood alone beneath a golden-threaded nanmu birdcage housing a clumsy parrot that mimicked speech poorly, whistling with a cheerful mood.
He muttered to himself, “The prime minister is the greatest schemer in history, hiding power while wielding it. Let me count the charges.”
“Monopolizing court affairs and acting unilaterally.”
“Privately maintaining border troops and squandering the national treasury.”
“Colluding with the powerful eunuch Han Shengxuan.”
“Fabricating charges against the loyal Han family out of personal grudges.”
“Failing in governance, leading to the restoration of the Western Chu.”
“What else? Seems I can’t think of any more.”
At this, the prince smiled, “Poor our Jin Sanlang.”
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