Chapter 275: The Vanishing Southwest Army

The King took Wing Prefecture, and his subordinates' workload doubled. Wing Prefecture's treasury and granary are bare, but the prefecture's documents remain. Henceforth these fall under You Prefecture's jurisdiction; they must be taken in hand and set straight. Thus, the idlest person in the whole You King's mansion is actually the King.

He was so idle he went to the academy to study.

Professor Xie led the way, and the teachers and students of the Northern Border Academy went to see the newly crowned rebel king.

The King showed no shyness at all, looking straight back.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Mr. Xie?"

"I've heard that Your Highness led troops to drive back the Xianbei forces with great courage, a story praised throughout the city. Seeing you in person, I am deeply moved."

The King looked at the old man's steady composure and could hardly see any excitement. After the students went into the classroom, only the two of them remained outside. The King, being quite informal, asked Xie Yuan: "The Prince of Yu has sent someone to persuade me to return to Chang'an to attend my father emperor's funeral; what do you think, Mr. Xie?"

Xie Yuan said leisurely, "I only take my salary as President of the Imperial Academy; such matters are really not for me to comment on." He does not overstep his bounds.

The King grabbed the Gawu Box hanging from his waist and shoved it into Xie Yuan's hands, saying, "Here, there are still six candies inside—sweet talk buys silence. Now you can speak freely."

Faced with the King's lack of ceremony, Xie Yuan had no counter.

When you speak to the King, don't play games or be indirect; the King has no ladder, but he'll make his own and climb it.

"Your Highness should ask Prime Minister Xue and Grand Tutor Xu; their opinions are more valuable for reference than mine, a mere teacher."

The King nodded. "That's true enough, but they're both very busy now. Prime Minister Xue will only say that for my safety I should stay within the city walls. Grand Tutor Xu will say that if I have free time I should read more. Mr. Xie, you are well‑informed—what do you think I should do now?"

Xie Yuan smiled. "You shouldn't be asking me this, Your Highness; you should ask yourself. Are you ready?"

The King bluntly replied, "No. Before the territorial cession, I never imagined today. But I and You Prefecture are one; as long as I live, I will not let You Prefecture fall." Ten years ago he never thought he would carve out a piece of the Great Jin.

Bai Yang had mentioned it before, but he had never taken it to heart; now it's fine, yet this day came upon him unexpectedly.

"What you have done so far befits the Great Jin; what you will do next should satisfy your conscience—just go with the flow. Your You Prefecture is already fine; if the people of other commanderies could live as they do in You Prefecture, I believe they would be content."

The King thanked him politely and went off to class in high spirits. Although he and Bai Yang had discussed this many times, at midnight, when he dreams back, he still fears he is too small to bear the lives of so many people.

Actually he had no choice, but the child still couldn't help coming over to ask; though he didn't say it aloud, the King still trusted Xie Yuan.

On the way home from school the King said to Wei Shen, "Cousin, actually the order to withdraw You Prefecture's fief has arrived, but Xie Yuan and the others haven't left; they're still teaching normally at the academy, and I'm pleased. They could represent some sensible people, couldn't they?"

Wei Shen kicked out his leg, tapping the King's trembling calf, "You're not at fault; the fault lies with the inept Baili Jin. Why are you feeling guilty?!"

"... It's not just that my father is gone; if I don't go back to see him off on his final journey, I can't sleep at night. Because the old eunuch from the Queen's Palace came to You Prefecture, I dreamed last night of my father calling to me from the steps of the Hall of Containing Splendor."

Wei Shen jumped at hearing this, "If you're not planning to besiege Chang'an right now, you can't return—you know how dangerous it is! Chang'an's garrison numbers over two hundred thousand, and Baili Jin won't let you off!"

"I know!" the King sighed.

The King went back and gave his only remaining relative—his maternal grandfather—a letter, filling an entire page with complaints about Baili Jin, and had Zhetian send it to Changzhou.

Last time I asked my maternal uncle, he still hadn't returned; this time I've been delayed a few days, but he should be back about now.

Who would have thought that this time Zhetian would return especially slowly; when he finally arrived, the King and Wei Shen tore open the letter eagerly, only to find that the reply was from neither the maternal grandfather nor the maternal uncle Wei Peng, but the third maternal uncle.

Cool Prefecture together with Jade Gate Pass had been ceded to the Xiongnu by the court, yet Wei Peng, who was supposed to be supporting them, hasn't come back?

The King glanced at that line and his heart sank.

Marquis Wei Ting led a group to the northwest to search for Wei Peng and the Wei Family Army.

The King had lately thought that Bai Ze's mention of the northwest calamity had already passed safely…