mtlumby2d Chapter 383: Breaking Through the Realm
Chapter 383: Breaking Through the Realm
After Ake left, Chen Futu personally wrote a letter to Zhao Xier, telling her not to worry about the Shi Kingdom and the Hu people, but to protect herself and be sure to be on guard to prevent being ambushed.
In the following days, the royal court returned to peace, and good news also came from Taizhen South: Tianyang Academy had raised enough food, and even the money and grain that Ake had secretly seized from the forces associated with the ancient palace had arrived, totaling 13 million coins and 300,000 shi of grain, which were escorted by people sent by Chujiang.
The families of Xu Guangshou and Su Yun arrived in Dalong City one after another, bringing with them 100,000 to 200,000 shi of grain to the Northern Frontier. Including the loot and the rewards from Tianyang Academy, the total amount was nearly two million shi, which temporarily solved the problem of insufficient reserves in the Northern Frontier.
The replenishment of the granaries in the northern frontier meant that the local people were facing food shortages, and grain prices soared. Even those with money found it difficult to buy food. Coupled with the urgent situation in the western regions, the imperial court became anxious and issued orders to requisition grain and scramble for food from the people, which aroused public resentment and led more and more people to join the ranks of rebel kings and vassal kings.
The forces of the Great Qian Dynasty are now divided into four groups: the imperial court, rebel kings, vassal kings, and the invading external coalition. Once the Western Regions advance deep into the country, who knows what the outcome will be.
Zhuge Liang arranged for people to spread the news to the Central Plains in advance, saying that the barbarians from the Western Regions were knocking on the border. The people were terrified and migrated north in droves.
Ironically, the Northern Frontier King, who was criticized as a traitor, became the only paradise in this chaotic world.
"Report——"
"The Western Regions Allied Forces reached Minzhou Guard, where 20,000 Daqian defenders were annihilated, and the local rebel king fled for his life."
"Report! Baoning Prefecture has fallen."
"Report! Yacheng has been massacred; the death toll has reached 50,000!"
……
Battle reports poured into the royal court like snowflakes.
Holding the battle report, Chen Futu felt a surge of frustration welling up inside him.
Is the Great Qian Dynasty really that useless? They've been driven all the way to their own territory. The rebel king is also useless; he'll crumble at the slightest touch.
Unfortunately, the battleground was deep within the Great Qian territory, and the royal court couldn't get through at all.
The Western Regions Allied Forces deliberately avoided several Daqian Garrison cities near the Northern Frontier, fearing that the Northern Frontier would move south to attack them. Therefore, they chose an extremely cunning route for their advance. If the Northern Frontier were to send troops to fight, they would have to make a long-distance raid and cross the territories of rebel kings and vassal kings, making it impossible for them to reach them.
"Your Majesty, a secret letter has arrived from the capital."
The Imperial Guards brought Liang Xuan'er a secret letter, which read: "I have longed for Your Majesty for a long time. I wonder when Your Majesty will take control of the Central Plains? Now the Western Regions are in dire straits, the court is in chaos and there is no solution. Moreover, some treacherous officials are falsely advocating for the relocation of the capital. I wish to stay in the capital to pursue my ambitions. I wonder what Your Majesty thinks?"
"What a fine Liang Xuan'er."
Chen Futu never expected her to be so bold as to harbor rebellious intentions at this moment.
Generally, when external forces invade, if a country is unable to resist, it will inevitably have to move its capital. If the new emperor flees, she might actually succeed in persuading the powerful families and nobles she has won over to stay in the capital. However, as the capital is the final destination of the Western Regions allied forces, what can she use to resist? It might just be another Jingkang Incident.
After much deliberation, Chen Futu replied with a letter, which he ordered the Imperial Guards to deliver overnight.
The capital city is now desolate. Many wealthy families have moved away with their families, and those who cannot sell their property have to be abandoned. Ordinary people cannot escape and can only wait anxiously for their fate.
In the quiet palace, Liang Xuan'er was no longer the noble woman she once was, nor was she the empress; she was merely a concubine.
She sat alone in front of her dressing table, stroking her beautiful face. Beside the mirror was a Desert Eagle, a gift from Chen Futu. She had thought of shooting the new emperor many times, but considering their marital bond, she ultimately couldn't bring herself to do it.
Just as she was feeling sorry for herself, a sharp dart pierced the window frame in front of her, with a letter hanging on it. She couldn't help but feel happy and quickly opened the letter.
In his letter, Chen Futu wrote only a few words: “Do whatever you want, I support you. However, if you make a choice, you must bear the corresponding consequences. I will send people to assist you in secret. I hope you will take care.”
"Humph, man."
Liang Xuan'er put down the letter and returned to her dressing table, continuing to stare at her face. "This is my chance, I can't miss it. If men can rule the world, why can't I, Liang Xuan'er, do the same?"
There was a great deal of arguing in the imperial court of the Great Qian Dynasty.
The courtiers were naive, hoping that the new emperor would issue an edict summoning all the regional princes and rebel kings to come to his aid, claiming that they should unite against a common enemy.
These words amused the new emperor, who thought it would be better to move the capital instead.
At this moment, he actually hoped that Chen Futu would go south, because only the Northern Frontier could stop the Western Regions coalition. Unfortunately, when he sent people to inquire, the Northern Frontier remained calm and did not take any action except to deploy troops along the border.
In the end, a court meeting turned into a detailed plan for moving the capital. The officials breathed a sigh of relief, but the new emperor was not happy at all.
"Report! Your Majesty! Something terrible has happened! The vassal king of Ningzhou has been defeated, and Ningzhou Prefecture has fallen into the hands of the Western Regions allied forces. The princess and the county princess have been taken to brothels by those barbarians."
"What did you say!"
The new emperor was so shocked by the news that he almost couldn't catch his breath.
Even if a vassal king rebels, he is still of royal blood; how dare those barbarians?
"Your Majesty, please do not be angry. The vassal kings betrayed the Great Qian Dynasty, and they have brought this calamity upon themselves. Why should you ruin your health by getting angry?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, it's not worth it."
"Have you all forgotten the humiliation of Jingkang?" the new emperor roared at his ministers, his eyes red with rage.
There is no such thing as the Jingkang Incident in this world; that was a historical story told by Chen Futu at the Northern Frontier Literary Gathering.
The officials dared not speak, but in their hearts they despised the new emperor for having the audacity to say such things. Everyone had heard the story told by the King of the Northern Frontier, especially the story of Yue Fei's murder at Fengbo Pavilion. In reality, wasn't that the tragic death of Emperor Chengzong at Shanhai Pavilion? Wasn't it this new emperor who did it?
Now that Sun Chengzong is dead, they regret not being able to stop the Western Regions coalition. Why didn't they do this sooner?
Even if the humiliation of Jingkang were to be repeated in the Great Qian Dynasty one day, and the imperial princess were to be abducted, she would deserve it!
The officials dared not speak their minds, and each of them appeared trembling with fear.
Seeing this, the new emperor had a splitting headache and finally slumped dejectedly onto the dragon throne, saying, "You may all go."
"We, your humble servants, take our leave—"
With a shout, all the officials fled, not even one of them staying to comfort the emperor. Qing was waiting to go home, pack his valuables, and head to the new capital, fearing that if he was too slow, the Western Regions allied forces would catch up with him.
Thinking of this, the new emperor shouted angrily, "How utterly alone I am!"
Upon hearing this, the eunuchs and guards outside the palace closed their eyes and shook their heads repeatedly.
If only I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have done it in the first place.
A once prosperous country began its rapid decline after dealing with the Prince of Zhenbei, and there was no turning back.
If Chen Futu were still a man of the Great Qian Dynasty, he alone could sweep across the world and restore peace to the world. Why would he be afraid of those barbarians from beyond the borders?