Chapter 1247: Upheaval in Liao

Han Qingxiong, son of the late Marquis of Wuning, Han Lingkun, inherited his father's title. In those years, he had committed a crime of killing someone in a fit of rage, which caused an uproar in Luoyang and made a sensation for a time.

Killing a man warrants death, regardless of rank. At the time, in order to preserve a line of descent for Han Lingkun, and also to show face to Zhao Kuangyin who pleaded for mercy, Emperor Liu decreed that before Han Qingxiong was executed, he should be allowed to leave a seed.

Thus, Han Qingxiong was able to die a romantic ghost. Before his death, he actively worked at procreation in prison. After some effort, both women sent into the prison to collect his seed became pregnant, and then it was a matter of waiting to "draw the winning lot."

That winter, Han Qingxiong was taken to the execution ground and put to death. His posthumous children were born one after another after Emperor Liu's tour of inspection last year. The first to be born was a girl, but fortunately luck was good—the second was a boy.

According to Emperor Liu's original decree, this son could inherit the Han family's title and property. Now that the request had been made, Emperor Liu naturally would not go back on his word, nor did he have any intention of placing obstacles.

This had been a gamble from the start. Han Qingxiong had bet correctly, preserving Han Lingkun's line of descent, and Emperor Liu accepted this outcome.

As Emperor Liu's will was conveyed, the field headquarters busily prepared for the imperial carriage to set out. However, his western tour encountered obstruction once again. This time, it was no longer due to internal reasons, and the retinue at the field headquarters dared not object either.

At the temporary imperial residence, Emperor Liu was visiting Consort Guo Ning. Thanks to the hard work of winter, Consort Ning had become pregnant. Li Chongju, Commissioner of the Wude Office, came hurriedly to see him. When he heard the purpose of the visit, the knife Emperor Liu was using to peel a pear paused, and he asked: "Trouble in Liao? What kind of trouble?"

Li Chongju glanced at Consort Ning. Seeing this, Consort Guo Ning tactfully rose and said in a gentle voice: "If Your Majesty wishes to discuss affairs of state, your concubine shall withdraw!"

"No need!" Her reaction made Emperor Liu want to be more magnanimous. He gestured for her to sit down, cut the peeled pear into segments, and personally fed them to Consort Ning, while signaling to Li Chongju: "Speak freely!"

Upon the order, Li Chongju no longer concealed anything. With a grave expression, he said: "The trouble should have occurred in late winter of last year. The Liao sovereign led all his officials to offer sacrifices to heaven, and that day held a banquet, drinking wine through the night. However, the very next day, the Liao sovereign's field headquarters suddenly went under martial law and was sealed off, and he hastily returned to the capital, Linhuang Prefecture.

"Afterward, the entire city of Linhuang was placed under martial law, with entry and exit prohibited. The prefectural administrator of Linhuang sensed that this matter was unusual and dared not be negligent. He immediately activated secret agents to gather information.

"It was learned that not only was Linhuang Prefecture under martial law, but the roads of communication with the outside were also strictly sealed off, and the Liao imperial palace was even more heavily guarded. All military forces inside and outside the Liao capital, including the palace tents and the imperial guards, were fully equipped and armed, with an unprecedentedly grave atmosphere.

"At the same time, a large number of messengers were dispatched from Linhuang Prefecture to various parts of Liao... These signs are extremely unusual, so upon receiving this intelligence, your servant immediately came to report!"

"More than unusual! Something major must have happened in Liao!" Hearing this, Emperor Liu's expression also turned grave. With a pensive look, he asked: "Is this information reliable?"

"Your servant's agents dared not be careless or negligent. It was only after repeated probing, at the cost of many secret agents, that confirmation was obtained! And the news was relayed through multiple locations via secret channels before it was transmitted back to our country!" Li Chongju vouched for his subordinates with a solemn attitude.

At these words, Emperor Liu sank back into thought. With his instincts, he naturally sensed the peculiarity of this matter, but what Li Chongju had reported was all surface-level information without solid confirmation. What exactly had happened in Liao remained unknown.

But precisely because of this, it was all the more concerning. One must know that the spies planted by the Wude Office and the Military Intelligence Office within Liao had been operating for nearly twenty years, and in the past they had uncovered many secrets and transmitted a great deal of valuable information. But this time, being unable to grasp any substance at all showed how serious the matter was and how unusual the situation.

"Shouze, you have headed the Wude Office for many years, seen all kinds of intelligence, and are especially skilled at analysis. Tell me, what do you think lies behind these unusual movements in the Liao capital? What exactly has happened?" Emperor Liu finally moved, continuing to feed pear flesh to Consort Ning, and even wiped at her rosy lips.

At the question, Li Chongju fell silent, and hesitation showed even on his calm face. Most of the time, the intelligence gathered by the Wude Office was analyzed and organized by him and his subordinates before being presented to Emperor Liu. But this time, he had merely compiled a summary of the situation in the capital—clearly, he too was somewhat uncertain.

But since Emperor Liu had directly asked, he could hardly decline to offer his thoughts. Therefore, after pondering for a moment, he clasped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, your servant can only make a rough conjecture based on the known information!"

"What harm is there in conjecturing! Tell me your thoughts!" Emperor Liu turned around and sat up straight.

Li Chongju clasped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, Liao has not shown such unusual signs in nearly ten years! Inside and outside the capital, everything is grave. The last time was during Liao's internal turmoil, and this time it is even more severe and tightly sealed. Your servant believes this is likely another internal upheaval or coup in Liao!"

"Is that so!" Emperor Liu merely nodded lightly.

Seeing this, Li Chongju continued: "However, your servant believes this matter is still hard to predict. Although all the signs point this way, but..."

"If you have any thoughts, state them directly. No need to hem and haw!" Emperor Liu took a breath and said calmly.

"The Liao sovereign has held power for nearly twenty years. The rebellions within his realm have been countless, but none have succeeded—all were suppressed by him. Now, his foundation in Liao is deep, his authority grows daily, and military and political power are firmly in his grasp. He has also remained vigilant against clansmen harboring treacherous intentions. Under these circumstances, if someone could actually succeed in a coup, your servant finds it rather unlikely!"

"How can one guard against thieves for a thousand days? Liao loves its wine and is careless. Perhaps this time they were negligent and someone took advantage of it?" Emperor Liu smiled faintly.

Li Chongju shook his head: "If someone truly rebelled, given the Liao sovereign's foundation and his control over Liao's military and government, the subsequent course of events would never have come to this. Someone would surely have raised the banner of coming to the sovereign's aid and punishing the traitors! Your servant observes the situation in the capital—every move is aimed at seeking stability, sealing off information to stabilize the situation. Your servant does not believe anyone in Liao could control the Liao court so completely in the midst of a coup!"

"Then tell me, what exactly is going on?" Emperor Liu clearly approved of Li Chongju's analysis.

After a moment of deliberation and a deep breath, Li Chongju said: "The situation is unclear, and your servant truly finds it difficult to make a hasty judgment. But what can be confirmed is that a major upheaval has certainly occurred in Liao, and the Great Han must not take it lightly!"

"Indeed!" Emperor Liu stood up, sighed, and said slowly.

"This is already nearly a month old, isn't it?" Emperor Liu suddenly asked.

"The distance is great, transportation is inconvenient, and with Liao's blockade on top of that, roughly so! Further news should arrive in due course!" Li Chongju said.

Pacing a few steps, Emperor Liu suddenly raised his hand: "If it's a matter from a month ago, why should I waste my energy guessing here! If Liao has undergone a great change, who knows what the situation is like by now!"

Emperor Liu's gaze turned toward the northeast, his dark eyes full of turmoil, with an impulse to cast his sight thousands of li away to Linhuang Prefecture. After a long while, Emperor Liu ordered: "Transmit the order—have all the secret agents in Liao mobilize and monitor their every move. I want to know the developments at all times!"

"Yes!" Li Chongju clasped his hands in acknowledgment and hurried away.

"Your Majesty!" Consort Guo Ning walked over to Emperor Liu, who was lost in thought, and called out softly.

Snapping back to attention, looking at Consort Ning, who had also entered her mature years, Emperor Liu smiled bitterly: "Guo Ning, I wanted to make a western tour and see Yumen and Yang Pass with my own eyes—it really isn't easy!"

"Because of the matter in Liao?" Guo Ning asked curiously.

Emperor Liu shook his head and said: "As early as last year, when I was held up by the bitter cold and lingered in Liangzhou, I had a premonition. Now two months have passed, spring has warmed and flowers have bloomed, and I intended to continue westward—and now, trouble has come..."

"Isn't the situation in Liao still uncertain?"

Emperor Liu gnawed around the pear core in his hand and said: "If the Wude Office's information is accurate, then a drastic change has certainly occurred in Liao. If Liao changes, the Great Han must respond accordingly. Can my western tour continue?"

"Pack up. We're preparing to return east!" Emperor Liu sighed.

Over the next day or two, intelligence reports from Liao came one after another. Although there was still no confirmed news, the descriptions of the situation became more detailed and vivid, making it impossible not to take notice.

On the eighteenth day of the first month of the eighth year of Kaibao, Emperor Liu issued an edict for the imperial carriage to set out and return to the capital. He left decisively, left swiftly, without any delay......