Chapter 680: The Footsteps of War Draw Near

Under the blazing sun, Chongzheng Hall presented a scene of open and upright grandeur. Outside the hall, Li Yun, dressed in a proper military court robe, paced back and forth, his gaze repeatedly darting through the doors and windows toward the interior, his expression carrying a hint of anxiety.

He had been waiting in the corridor for more than half a shichen, yet still had not received word of an imperial summons. His mood could not help but sink.

Last year, when he had come to the capital with the various Army Commanders to offer birthday congratulations, he had encountered He Fujin's death from illness. He had originally thought it an opportunity for a leap forward in his career, but unexpectedly, not only did things not go his way, he even lost his post as Army Commander. In the end, he was granted the honorary title of Qingche Duwei and took up residence in the Eastern Capital.

At the time, because the expansion of the Eastern Capital had damaged his residence, he had even made a fuss at the Kaifeng government office. Liu Chengyou then instructed Murong Yanchao to allocate him a plot of land and issue money and grain for him to build a new residence. Now, living in the new house, the longer time went on, the more tasteless it felt, and he even grew increasingly uneasy day by day.

Reminded by his son Li Shoujie, Li Yun did engage in some reflection and understood where the problem lay, but it was too late for regret. Up until now, upon hearing that the court intended to march south into Jinghu, he could finally no longer sit still.

After all, a full year of idle living had noticeably improved his temperament; his skill at nurturing his qi had grown. Although he had waited a long time, he could still maintain his patience.

"Commandant Li, His Majesty has returned. Enter the hall for an audience!" Finally, the ceremonial usher came out of the hall to announce.

These words were like heavenly music to Li Yun's ears. His worries eased somewhat, and he politely thanked the usher, then straightened his robes and hat, and solemnly entered the hall for his audience.

The Emperor was not someone one could see just by wanting to, but Liu Chengyou had not deliberately kept him waiting. Before returning to Chongzheng Hall, he had taken a bath and changed into a dragon robe. The bright yellow color, with golden dragons coiling around him, made him appear sacred and majestic, adding a bit more handsomeness. Compared to money, power was better at enhancing one's looks.

"Minister Li, it has been a long time. Is life in the Eastern Capital comfortable?" Watching Li Yun complete his audience rites properly, Liu Chengyou smiled slightly.

Upon the question, Li Yun replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, the Eastern Capital's prosperity is the greatest under heaven. Residing there, I feel every day the splendor of Kaifeng, the strength of the Great Han, and the wisdom of Your Majesty..."

"Enough. Such flattering words do not sound like they come from the mouth of General Li. You are not used to saying them, and I am not used to hearing them!" Waving his hand, Liu Chengyou looked straight at him, smiling: "Speak frankly, what business do you have with me?"

Hearing Liu Chengyou say this, the stiff smile on Li Yun's face relaxed somewhat. He cupped his hands and replied, "Your Majesty, I have been idle in the capital for a full year now."

"Oh?" Liu Chengyou responded simply, saying, "It seems Minister Li has grown restless from too much stillness?"

Upon hearing this, Li Yun immediately cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, although my days in the Eastern Capital have been leisurely, I have spent thirty years in military service and am more accustomed to the army. Recently I heard that the court intends to send troops into Hunan, with troops and horses being mobilized frequently. I hope I can fight the enemy for Your Majesty!"

Liu Chengyou had anticipated the purpose of his visit, so it was hardly surprising. Observing the look of expectation on his face, he said with a smile, "You have the ambition to render meritorious service for the state, and I am deeply gratified. However, you are after all over fifty years old..."

Hearing that the Emperor intended to refuse, using his age as an excuse, Li Yun immediately grew anxious and hastily declared, "Though I am advanced in years, I can still eat my fill of meat and wield a sword in combat. In my daily life at the residence, I have not neglected horse and bow. I beg Your Majesty to grant my wish!"

In fact, using age as an excuse was indeed hard to justify. Within the Great Han at present, among the generals both inside and outside the court, there were still many veteran commanders in their fifties and sixties. The trend toward younger officers was mainly in the imperial army and the key frontier forces.

His scrutinizing gaze fell upon Li Yun. To be honest, had Li Yun not come to see him of his own accord this time, Liu Chengyou would have nearly forgotten him entirely. Last year, he had been extremely dissatisfied with this man's arrogance and self-conceit, and had even inwardly resolved to cast him into the cold palace forever.

As for Li Yun as a man, he naturally possessed talent for commanding troops, but for the Great Han as it stood now, he was by no means indispensable. There were plenty of others who could serve the same function. However, the arrogance in this man's character, that swaggering martial-man dominance, was something Liu Chengyou could not stand. Especially the longer he reigned as Emperor, the more displeased he became.

But judging from his current behavior, Li Yun had clearly changed somewhat. So, should he give him a chance?

Noting the eager hope on Li Yun's face, that look of expectation mingled with grievance appearing on this fifty-year-old warrior, was still somewhat moving.

Liu Chengyou was not a soft-hearted man, but after consideration, he still decided to give him a chance: "Enough. The General's sincerity is plain to see—how could I deny your wish!"

With that, Liu Chengyou picked up his brush and wrote a note, affixed his seal, and had Zhang Dejun hand it to him, instructing: "Go to the Bureau of Military Affairs and find Guo Rong. Let him make the arrangements!"

"I thank Your Majesty. I will surely serve to the death in repayment!" Holding that note, light as a wild goose feather, with both hands, Li Yun felt as though he bore a weight of a thousand jun. He prostrated himself in thanks.

With Li Yun's seniority, as long as he was placed in the southern expedition army, his military post could hardly be low—at the very least, he could command a regiment.

And after this affair with Li Yun, Liu Chengyou's attention once again turned southward, focusing on the Jinghu matter. Since the news of Cao Yin, Defense Commissioner of Lizhou, dying of illness had spread north, over the past two days, the various departments of the court had been cooperating fully, accelerating their war preparations.

The Xiaodi Army had already set out southward, and the designated commander-in-chief, Murong Yanzhao, had already gone south ahead of time toward Xiangyang.

As troop movements within the Great Han grew increasingly urgent, no longer even concealed, the clouds of war began to gather over Jinghu. From Jiangling to Liyang, from Wuling to Changsha, even the common folk could feel the tension permeating the air.

When the wind rises, the storm is coming. In such an atmosphere, Zhou Xingfeng, at the very center of the storm, was not in Changsha managing the overall situation, but had quietly gone south to Hengzhou.

Just as the Han court's intelligence had detected, in order to cope with the pressure from the central court to the north, Zhou Xingfeng had made thorough preparations during this period, responding actively.

Zhou Xingfeng felt helpless and aggrieved. Although he had some ambition, roughly unifying the Hunan region, his goal was only to become a "King of Wuping," and he considered himself quite submissive to the Great Han court. But the Son of Heaven of Han intended to pacify and unify all under heaven, and his thinking was destined to run counter to that. Those who wished to stand in the way would inevitably be removed.

In fact, when they heard that the court intended to take Hunan, most of Hunan's civil and military officials were filled with fear and anxiety. At the first council meeting, half of his subordinates directly advised Zhou Xingfeng to submit to the court, relinquish power, and go to the capital to preserve their wealth, honor, and safety.

But Zhou Xingfeng had always been a man of bandit nature, and with his fierce temperament, surrendering without a fight was simply not in his character. Moreover, for him, having finally risen to prominence, eliminated his enemies, and occupied Hunan, he had not yet enjoyed two years of stable life before the Northern Han pressed him so hard, seeking to seize his foundation. How could he willingly accept that?

That very day, Zhou Xingfeng ordered the arrest of the dozen or so civil and military officials who advocated surrender. Later, the more he thought about it, the angrier he grew. The Northern Han's intention to march south was only a rumor, and already these subordinates were urging surrender. Once the Han army truly marched south, what then?

Therefore, before a single night had passed, Zhou Xingfeng ordered all of them executed, to demonstrate his determination to resist the Han and barely "unify" the thinking of his civil and military officials. As for the actual state of Hunan's military and political affairs, even someone as tough as Zhou Xingfeng probably dared not be optimistic.

In fact, Zhou Xingfeng knew his own hardships well. Hunan had been in chaos for too long, with enormous losses in population and wealth. By now, the total population of Hunan did not exceed 90,000 households, of which fewer than 70,000 were under his rule. With such a population, maintaining an army of nearly 30,000 was already militarism to the point of exhausting the state.

Over the past two years, Zhou Xingfeng had implemented a series of measures in Hunan, such as exempting taxes, reducing military forces, implementing military farming, and encouraging reclamation. But last year's famine wiped out all his efforts.

To win over the people's hearts, he opened the state granaries wide to relieve the starving, and recruited able-bodied men into the army to keep them alive. He gained the people's support, but the granaries were emptied. Now, with the Northern Han's pressure growing daily and rumors spreading throughout his territory, he was not given the chance to digest the fruits of that political victory.

Pitting a devastated Hunan against a powerful Central Plains—just thinking about it was enough to make one despair.

Up to now, what frustrated Zhou Xingfeng most was the attitude of Jingnan. He sent envoys to establish contact, but the answers he received were ambiguous and hesitant. This made Zhou Xingfeng curse endlessly—Lady Gao's clan did not even understand the principle that when the lips are gone, the teeth feel cold!

In Zhou Xingfeng's view, if the two sides could unite, there might still be a chance to resist the Northern Han. If the Gao clan sat by and watched the outcome, they would surely be swept away along with him.

However, whether his envoy's eloquence was too poor or Jingnan was too foolish, they remained unmoved. This result filled Zhou Xingfeng with great indignation.

But no matter how difficult things got, Zhou Xingfeng had no intention of sitting around waiting for death. This time, Zhou Xingfeng personally came south to Hengzhou, intending to take the first step in his resistance against the Northern Han.