Chapter 717: Envoy from Southern Han, Victory Feast

It was the height of the dog days of summer, and the Central Plains had welcomed its most sweltering days. Heaven and earth were like a furnace, the scorching sun mercilessly baking the land. The official road to Kaifeng was broad and flat, with little undulation. Elsewhere in the Great Han, roads might still be crude or even dilapidated, but those around the capital were well-maintained, connecting all directions.

The straight road lay quietly across the plains, flanked by vast wheat fields with thriving crops. Because of the intense heat, one could clearly see heat waves shimmering as far as the eye could reach.

A convoy moved slowly along the official road. Judging by its ceremonial standards, it was of high rank, heavily guarded, with many vehicles—yet it was not an official party of the Great Han. These travelers were an envoy delegation from the Liu clan of Lingnan.

A rider galloped up from the south, wiped the sweat from his brow, and reported to a guard officer. Upon hearing the report, the officer wheeled his horse around and addressed a magnificent carriage in the middle: "Reporting to the eunuch! I have made inquiries—we have already passed the borders of Weishi County. Follow this road another thirty-odd li, and we shall reach Kaifeng!"

The carriage curtain was lifted, and a face powdered with makeup peered out. Glancing up at the sky—perhaps fearing the harsh sun would harm her complexion—she quickly withdrew back inside and replied, "Speed up! We must reach the Eastern Capital today!"

"Eunuch, we have already traveled forty li without rest. The guards are extremely hungry and exhausted. Should we pause for a while before continuing?" the officer requested.

Soon, an obviously impatient response came from within the carriage: "Only thirty li left, and you still want to rest? If you're thirsty, drink water. You're all on horseback or in carts—how can you call that tiring? I am on His Majesty's decree to visit the Northern Han to discuss matters of state, and we are about to arrive in Kaifeng. How dare you sluggards waste my time! If anything goes wrong, can you bear the responsibility?"

Scolded thus, the officer's face turned ugly, and he muttered a sullen "Yes."

In his heart, he cursed endlessly: *You castrated cur, easy for you to say. You ride in a carriage with shade, while we suffer under the blazing sun. If not for your dawdling and dilly-dallying all the way, we wouldn't have wasted so much time. *

Of course, no matter how fierce his resentment, he could only swallow it. Looking up at the vicious sun, nearly blinded by its glare, he spurred forward and shouted loudly: "Speed up! Once we reach Kaifeng, we'll rest well!"

Chen Yanshou, the envoy heading north, was either completely oblivious to the guards' resentment or simply didn't care. Inside the carriage, though spared the summer's scorching, it was still stuffy and hot. He had prudently prepared half a bucket of cold water beforehand and would splash it on his face from time to time—enough to ward off the heat.

After washing his face, he took out a mirror and groomed himself, especially tending to his fragile beard. After all, being a eunuch, to avoid being looked down upon, he had specially sought out a skilled craftsman before departing to fit him with a thick, dense beard—though maintaining it was a great hassle.

Chen Yanshou was a palace attendant in the Southern Han court. His journey north was made on the recommendation of Lin Yanyu, the Director of the Ganquan Palace and Overseer of Palace Affairs, to visit the Central Plains and seek peace.

The problem stemmed from the Battle of Guiyang Mountain Pass over a month ago, where the Southern Han army had been routed disastrously, with a casualty ratio of one to five. Had it not been for constraints from above, the Han army might already have entered Lingnan and reclaimed the former territories of the Ma Chu.

Having felt for the first time since the founding of their state the might of the Central Plains' elite troops—which seemed even more formidable than rumored—Liu Sheng, the ruler of the Southern Han, could no longer sit still and hastily dispatched envoys to mend relations.

In fact, as early as three years ago, when the Northern Han attacked the Southern Tang and seized all the lands north of the Yangtze, Liu Sheng had already been gripped by fear. The Southern Han had been established in Guang and Jiao for decades, and though far from the Central Plains' strife, how could it be completely indifferent to developments in the north?

The Huainan region had been contested between the Central Plains and Jianghuai since the time of Zhu Liang. From Yang Wu to the Southern Tang, it had remained in their possession. Yet decades later, it was suddenly seized by the Central Plains in one stroke. The Southern Tang, despite commanding a vast army, had almost no power to fight back and surrendered its territory within half a year. Such a situation was hardly a good omen for the southern states. Though they had been divided and warring for decades, the ideal of "great unification" was too deeply ingrained in people's hearts. Even as far away as Lingnan, one could feel those three characters hanging over one's head.

Three years ago, after Liu Chengyou first took Huainan, Liu Sheng of the Southern Han had intended to send envoys with tribute to mend relations, but was blocked by Hunan. After all, he had sent troops to seize the Ma Chu's Lingnan territories, creating considerable friction with the Hunan powers at the time. It was only after Zhou Xingfeng rose to power that tensions eased somewhat.

In the past, though he knew the Northern Han was powerful, it was merely a fixed impression based entirely on hearsay, imagination, and speculation. But now, in the blink of an eye, the Great Han's military might had reached Lingnan, arrayed just beyond his borders. Liu Sheng was thoroughly panicked and hastily sent men bearing heavy gifts northward.

In the Han palace, at Wansui Hall, a grand imperial banquet was held. Liu Chengyou, along with the court's senior ministers, hosted a reception to welcome and honor the generals returning from the southern campaign.

With the court's policies taking effect, the situation in Jinghu gradually stabilized. After the summer harvest, the grain shortage eased. The southern expeditionary army also withdrew from Hunan in succession, handing military and civil affairs over to the circuit authorities.

By the end of the sixth month, though the various armies under the Jinghu Command had not yet completed their reorganization, all imperial army units of the Eastern Capital except the Husheng Army and a portion of the cavalry had already withdrawn north. The last batch, the Longqi Army, had also retreated to Liyang.

On the Hunan side, military affairs were in the hands of Du Hanhui, Li Yun, Pan Mei, Cao Bin, and others—more than enough to hold the region. As for the southern campaign commanders—Murong Yanzhao, Guo Wei, Han Tong, Sun Li, Zhang Xun, Shi Yanchao, and others, including the surrendered Jingnan generals Liang Tingsi and Wei Lin—all were ordered north and personally received by the Son of Heaven of the Han.

As for Hunan, there were also a number of surrendered officers, whose military quality was far superior to Jingnan's—after all, they had fought their way up through battles. However, not a single one was fortunate enough to come to the capital. This was also a form of differential treatment compared to the Jingnan generals, a consequence of having resisted the court by force.

The atmosphere in the hall was lively, for this was a triumphant return to court, a victory celebration personally hosted by the Son of Heaven. Han Tong took the lead, his spirits high with drink, his voice booming, his face beaming like a blooming flower. This time he had truly saved face—demoted three years ago, he now returned to the capital with glory, his back straight and his head held high. At the Battle of Yuezhou, he had smashed the rebel main force and taken Zhou Xingfeng's life—this was solid, real military merit.

Zhang Xun was visiting the Eastern Capital for the first time since the founding of the state. Previously, he had always served as a general in the provinces, suppressing bandits and maintaining order. This time, coming to the capital and being personally toasted by the Son of Heaven, he was somewhat carried away, drinking until his face was flushed red. His mood was exceptionally good—rumors were already circulating that, based on his exploits at Yuezhou, when the court deliberated merits for the southern campaign, purely on military achievement, he would surely rank in the top three.

The only somewhat awkward one was Sun Li. He had taken the Xiaodi Army south for a tour, but hadn't managed to fight a single battle himself. Not only that, his body had grown a full circle rounder. Liu Chengyou even teased him, saying that Jiangling's feng shui nourished people well, which made him blush with embarrassment. After all, when counting up, this campaign's merits didn't fall to him, but when it came to living the good life, no one could compare.

"This southern campaign has been a complete victory—Jinghu taken in full, laying a solid foundation for the unification of the realm. You have labored hard and rendered great service. I offer this cup of wine to thank you once more!" Holding his wine cup, standing alongside Murong Yanzhao, he spoke to him in a cordial tone befitting friends.

Murong Yanzhao held his cup with both hands and replied with great humility: "This is all due to Your Majesty's wise planning, the Bureau of Military Affairs' proper coordination, the united support of the courtiers, and the brave service of the soldiers. I dare not claim any credit!"

With one sentence, he minimized his own contributions to the utmost. At this, Liu Chengyou's smile grew even broader and seemed more sincere, repeatedly praising Murong Yanzhao for his modesty and open-mindedness.

It was often said that soldiers should not meddle in politics, that they should remain pure and simple—but that only applied to junior and mid-level officers. Once one reached a certain position, if one still understood nothing of politics, one could hardly last long.

Someone like Murong Yanzhao, already Commander of the Palace Command, had now added the achievement of "extinguishing a state" to his name. His prestige could be said to be at its zenith. Under such circumstances, to still maintain a clear head, tread carefully, and avoid taboo—that was truly rare.

Even so, Liu Chengyou could not help but consider how to arrange Murong Yanzhao afterward—whether to keep him in the position of Palace Commander, and if removed, who should succeed him? Zhao Kuangyin? Han Tong?

With somewhat complicated feelings, Liu Chengyou turned, face bearing a smile, and walked toward the man on the left who was even harder to arrange: "Duke Guo, three years have passed, and you remain as distinguished as ever!"

Facing the Son of Heaven's heartwarming smile, Guo Wei's aged face was full of humility and deference. He clasped his hands and replied: "Your Majesty is the one radiating brilliance, inspiring admiration in all. I am already aged and decrepit, old age approaching—the hair at my temples has already turned white!"

His gaze sweeping over, Liu Chengyou noticed that Guo Wei's temples were indeed a patch of gray-white, tinged with the air of decline. His smile grew even warmer. He gestured for the rising Guo Wei to sit back down, clinked cups with him, and gently patted his back: "Duke Guo is a pillar minister of the state. There is still much I rely upon you for. Your handling of transport and supply this time, ensuring the army never lacked provisions, is clear proof. Now that the old ministers are dwindling, Duke Guo must take good care of his health..."

"Thank you for Your Majesty's concern!"

"..."