Chapter 230: The Inscrutable Ningde Emperor

The slaughter of villages in Yizhou seemed like the overture to the chaos of the fourteenth year of Ningde.

Within two days, Zhu Ti's convoy transporting sea goods was robbed in Bingzhou; fortunately, the convoy had escorts, so the bandits failed to escape completely.

Da Wang wondered why he wasn't coming to Youzhou to raid; instead, he was seized and forced to mine in the deep mountains. Before he could ponder further, another piece of news left him dazed.

"What did you say? I must be dizzy and ringing in the ears from doing my homework; say it again!"

Zhu Ti directly handed the slip in his hand to Da Wang, letting him read it himself.

Da Wang recognized each character, but put together they were so hard to understand?

【The Xianbei occupied Duyeh; the emperor, hearing Cui Shaofu's advice, wished to personally campaign to retake Duyeh, and ordered the Duke of Sukuguo and the Northwest General Cheng to lead troops together in attack.】

Da Wang turned over that piece of cloth again and again, "Is that it? Nothing more? Why can't I understand? How could my father the emperor go on a personal campaign? Does he even know how to fight?!"

What a lousy trick!

Zhu Ti spread his hands and said, "It's stated clearly enough; our people will surely write down what they know, and what's not written means they didn't get the news. Should we just wait for the next report?"

Da Wang found it hard to believe.

He paced back and forth in the sleeping hall, "Did the Grand Minister of Rites of the Cui family put a spell on my father the emperor? Why would he go on a personal campaign? Why does he want to go personally? Duyeh… just let the Duke of Sukuguo go there—he's already there! Why does he need to go himself?"

His father the emperor was never like this before!

How dangerous is war—would his father really go himself? Before, someone said that, and Da Wang would mock them for being blind-hearted.

The Ningde Emperor basically had no martial skills; a fortunate mother had lain back and ascended to the crown prince's position, and a person who had never suffered a hardship in life suddenly went on a personal campaign to fight—this whole affair reeks of eeriness.

As an AI, Zhu Ti's strength lay in big data analysis; she stood quietly for a moment, then suddenly said, "I think I can guess a bit… perhaps the pressure is too great, and he wants to divert attention."

Da Wang: "? … What do you mean?"

Zhu Ti analyzed, "Our convoy's reach is huge, and you know the outside is quite chaotic. To the south, resentment runs loud; your father the emperor's reputation isn't great these days. There's a matter that has spread throughout Jiangnan: it's said that the King of Jiangxia once publicly mocked him at a banquet. I take this as a sign… could it be that the emperor wants to use this campaign to recover some popular support?"

Da Wang listened and fell silent for a while.

Have we really come to this point……

But… but he can't fight at all!

"Whether he can fight or not isn't important; do you still expect him to go onto the battlefield himself? An emperor's personal campaign naturally means supervising the war from the rear, and with the Duke of Sukuguo and the Northwest Army, everyone thinks this is a sure victory. It's no surprise that Cui Shaofu could convince your father; Your Lordship, you should mainly consider why Cui Shaofu is so eager—comparing the two, I find the emperor's personal campaign quite understandable."

Da Wang suddenly realized, "Oh right—why is the Cui clan so eager?"

No, he immediately thought of Bai Ze's prophecy.

Something's changed in the Northwest—could this be it? Could it be that his father transferred Cheng Xu away, causing the Northwest to change?

He then looked at Bai Ze, who gave him an innocent look and said, "I know nothing."

Da Wang put his hands on his hips and said, "I haven't even asked yet!"

Bai Ze swayed his big tail and said, "Whether you ask or not, I don't know."

Da Wang fumed for a couple seconds, then started pacing again: "How many men is Cheng Xu taking to Duyeh? He wouldn't bring too many, would he? Even a trifling Xianbei still uses troops stationed in two places? Xianbei… which Xianbei? Zhao Bao, Zhao Bao! Map, give me a map to look up!" All this, Da Wang's heart is in turmoil!

Da Wang examined the map thoroughly but still couldn't tell which Xianbei group it was; nearby areas could all be possibilities, and the chaotic Xianbei tribes he had only dealt with were the Eastern Xianbei.

He also didn't know what the strength of the Xianbei of Zhancheng was……

The benefits of friendly relations with Shanggu Pass immediately became apparent; the next day, the Marquis of Dongdu sent him a letter saying that the Tufa Xianbei had recently seized Duyeh, urging him to also prepare defenses.

Da Wang blurted out at court: "I really envy the Xianbei—when times are tough they just go out and rob others; I, Da Wang, am just too concerned with face!"

Chancellor: ……

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supplement

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No matter how much Da Wang doubted his father the emperor's decision, it was useless—his word didn't count. What could Da Wang do?

He could only busy himself with the things he had authority over.

Da Wang first informed the entire realm of Duyeh's plight; there was nothing to hide, and Da Wang no longer feared the common folk fleeing.

The world is vast, yet places where ordinary people can hide are few and far between; frankly, the common folk lack the strength to run away.

So what can everyone do? Just keep things in mind, work together in unity to make preparations—once Youzhou grows strong, everyone will be safe.

The notice to the whole of Youzhou had been issued for a day when Zhang Tu came to tell him that the levy of ten thousand new troops was full.

Recruiting those ten thousand was extremely difficult at first, but later Da Wang just took it easy. He could even be picky, rejecting anyone especially frail or young.

Upon hearing this, Da Wang was overjoyed—finally, after all these days, he got some good news.

Starting from the heavy snow at the end of the thirteenth year of Ningde, there simply wasn't any good news, and Da Wang was shocked each day by various bad tidings.

"Transfer the garrison from the Old Prince's Residence back to the West Grand Camp; these ten thousand new troops will temporarily be stationed at the Old Prince's Residence and train there. My armor has already been ordered—have Zhu Ti deliver it tomorrow, and I'll go see them myself tomorrow and issue the orders together!"

Da Wang had already prepared twenty thousand sets of armor in advance, of which ten thousand have been delivered; he has Zhu Ti take them out to give them a wash. As for weapons, they haven't come up yet, so let them train with the old ones for now. His copper mine hasn't begun production either, and Da Wang even wandered over to Yohan Pu's place at night—those ingots are impossible to accumulate.

Bai Yang had just taken away that batch of sea cucumbers, giving him a large deposit; the other dividends would only arise after they were sold, but Da Wang's still-warm deposit was already being sent out again.

As soon as Yohan Pu saw Da Wang walk in the door, he leapt up by pushing off the counter, not even bothering to go around it to exit from the corner—you can imagine how eager he was……

Da Wang: ……Those who come harbor ill intent.

Wanting to keep his money to himself.