Chapter 1704: The Troubled Crown Prince

Inside the Eastern Palace, in the Yuehua Courtyard, Crown Prince Liu Yang lay quietly on a soft chair, enjoying a medicinal bath. The basin was nearly knee-deep, and a faint medicinal scent hung in the air—not unpleasant, yet enough to make one drowsy.

Xiao Chuo crouched before him, personally attending to him, kneading and pressing with the same precise measure that characterized her very nature, ensuring the Crown Prince felt not the slightest discomfort.

Liu Yang was clearly exhausted, his face etched with fatigue, and imperceptibly, a few fine wrinkles had appeared upon it. In a daze, he heard Xiao Chuo's gentle call: "Your Highness!"

He opened his eyes to face Xiao Chuo's tender expression: "The water has gone cold—shall I add some hot water?"

Liu Yang glanced outward. The winter night was still, and the palace grounds carried a heavier, more somber air. Within the room, the candlelight was dim, casting a soft glow over the two of them and lending a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere.

"What hour is it?" Liu Yang asked softly.

"It has already entered the hour of You," Xiao Chuo replied.

"Enough, I'll soak no longer!" Liu Yang rubbed his still-aching eyes, set both feet on the rim of the basin, and gave the order.

"Yes!" Xiao Chuo immediately fetched a towel, took up Liu Yang's feet, and wiped them with great care.

Ordinarily, tasks like wiping his feet were things Liu Yang never delegated to others, but lately his exhaustion had become unbearable, and he could not help but indulge in a little laziness, letting himself be attended to.

Once everything was tidied up, Liu Yang drew Xiao Chuo to sit beside him. Gazing at this face—not one of breathtaking beauty, yet one that pleased him—he asked, "I hear your father came by today."

"Yes!" At the question, Xiao Chuo nodded.

"Since he was already in the palace, why did he not come to see me?" Liu Yang said.

Xiao Chuo lowered her head and said softly, "Your Highness is busy with state affairs; I did not wish to disturb you."

"Now that's being a bit distant!" Liu Yang smiled.

In truth, Liu Yang had always been quite satisfied with the Xiao clan's quiet, law-abiding conduct. By comparison, Consort Zhao's side, though born of a distinguished family with excellent upbringing, could not help but be too deeply entangled with the outer court, inevitably giving rise to trouble.

And Xiao Siwen had been promoted again—he now held the post of Commissioner of Frontier Affairs, heading the Court of Frontier Affairs. Though it ranked quite low among the various ministries and bureaus of the court, it was still a department with real power. Most importantly, this meant their Xiao clan was further integrating into the Great Han court—though, of course, it also drew some targeted hostility. However, just as Xiao Chuo conducted herself in the Eastern Palace, Xiao Siwen likewise maintained a consistently low profile at court.

"Your Highness has grown much thinner lately. You must take care of your health and not overexert yourself!" After a few idle exchanges, seeing fatigue well up on Liu Yang's face again with a weary look about him, Xiao Chuo said with concern.

Liu Yang leaned back on the soft chair, eyes closed, raised a hand to tap his forehead, and sighed: "With state affairs as they are, how could I have any leisure? This year, the fields in the prefectures of the Central Plains have suffered poor harvests, tax revenues have fallen sharply, and grain prices have risen everywhere. Had the official granaries not released grain to stabilize prices, there would surely have been more turmoil.

The harvest in the northwest has been equally poor, and from the government down to the common folk, troubles have come one after another, with unrest repeatedly stirring. Over in Yulin Circuit, Wang Shen has been ineffective in suppressing the bandits. The rebel Li's strength is weak, yet he rises again every time he is put down—simply impossible to eradicate at the root.

The Tangut are even more restless, their hearts turning away—truly worrying. I find myself unable to eat or sleep in peace."

Liu Yang poured out these troubles like bitter water, and Xiao Chuo listened silently, her brow slightly furrowed. After pondering a moment, she asked, "Is that Li Jiqian truly so hard to deal with?"

Liu Yang did not open his eyes, only shaking his head: "It's not that this man is hard to fight—it's the situation that dictates it. The rebels are few and weak; if they were to face the official army head-on, annihilation would be their only end.

The several previous campaigns of suppression have already proven this point. For the government, roving bandits are the most troublesome, and the rebel Li is precisely now persisting in roving-bandit tactics—striking east, darting west, appearing and vanishing without warning, leaving Wang Shen run ragged.

And Yulin's terrain gives him ample room to roam freely. In fact, after this year of continuous unrest, the court has long since seen things clearly: Li Jiqian is not worth worrying about—the troublesome ones are still those Tangut."

"Since you've identified the root of the problem, why not apply the remedy accordingly?" Xiao Chuo asked, puzzled.

"How have we not? We've already ordered the prefectural governments of Yulin to tighten restrictions on the Tangut tribes within their borders, cutting off their contact with the rebel Li—yet the effect has been minimal.

To wipe out the rebel bandits and keep the region under control, Yulin's garrison has been increased to thirty thousand men, but with both suppression and stability maintenance to handle, it's still insufficient. The Tangut in Yulin number several hundred thousand." Liu Yang said with a headache.

After hearing this, Xiao Chuo could not help recalling the time she had discussed this matter with Liu Yang before. Clearly, the situation had not improved—if anything, it was trending toward deterioration.

Xiao Chuo remained cautious, reluctant to offer opinions on such political matters lightly, but seeing Liu Yang in such a troubled state, her mind could not help but stir with ideas.

After hesitating a moment, Xiao Chuo said softly, "Since Your Highness has long since seen clearly that the chaos in Yulin stems from the Tangut, why not approach it from that angle..."

Liu Yang finally opened his eyes and studied her. His gaze was very calm, but it made Xiao Chuo's heart tremble slightly. She lowered her head and said, "Your Highness, forgive me—I spoke out of turn!"

Liu Yang waved a hand, then went limp again. After a long silence, he finally spoke in a low voice: "I understand what you're pointing at. Father has already made his stance on the Tangut clear before. Perhaps I am being soft-hearted like a woman, but the northwest as it stands now—merely maintaining the current situation is already a stretch; it's truly hard for me to steel my resolve. Lately, Father's patience has been wearing thinner and thinner."

Liu Yang did not finish his sentence, but with Xiao Chuo's intelligence, she naturally grasped the implication. Her eyes flickered a few times. She was certain that for a formidable sovereign like Emperor Liu, in a fit of rage, a hundred thousand corpses and rivers of blood were no exaggeration at all. And the Tangut of Yulin numbered nowhere near a million.

After thinking it over, Xiao Chuo spoke again: "Even if it doesn't come to that, the current ineffective suppression in Yulin and the stalled progress both prove that the present strategy against the bandits has problems—perhaps corresponding adjustments could be made!"

Hearing Xiao Chuo say this, Liu Yang seemed lost in thought. He raised a finger and said, "On this matter, the Hall of State Affairs, the Bureau of Military Affairs, and even Yulin Circuit have all had their debates. Meng Xuanzhe, the Commander of the Xiazhou troops, submitted a memorial earlier that took Wang Shen's suppression strategy to task on several points. There's friction between the generals as well! As I see it, any adjustment will likely have to begin with personnel changes!"

At these words, Xiao Chuo seemed about to speak but held back. Liu Yang naturally noticed and smiled, saying, "Since we've come this far, and it's just the two of us here, say whatever you wish—no need to hold back!"

Even with Liu Yang's attitude, Xiao Chuo remained somewhat reserved, though the corners of her mouth still curved up slightly. With pointed meaning, she said, "The Duke of Yan is of distinguished birth, has led troops for years, and has long been stationed in Yulin. Even with a complicated situation, he shouldn't have been pushed to such a pass by a mere Li Jiqian!"

"Wang Shen, ah!" Liu Yang's gaze grew somewhat distant as he said slowly, "This past year, he's had an equal share of praise and criticism—plenty of censure! Not long ago, someone even mentioned that before Duke Wang of Yan passed away, he left behind a final instruction that Wang Shen must not be given great responsibility, comparing him to Ma Su. Father's patience has run out not only with the situation in Yulin—but with Wang Shen as well."