Chapter 1344: Duke of Danyang Commandery

Upon returning to the city, there were no other entertainments; after all, Wang Yan had traveled all the way on light cavalry at a gallop, covered in dust and wind, and surely needed proper rest. Moreover, they had to wait for the other army columns to return so everyone could celebrate together.

Nevertheless, Wang Yan still accompanied Yang Guang first to the Eastern Palace; although there were no activities, Yang Guang had long ordered many fine dishes prepared, and the two ate together at a large round table.

Undoubtedly, this was influenced by Wang Yan, since it was indeed more convenient than separate dining and showed greater closeness; thus, in the current upper society of Great Sui, both methods coexisted, depending mainly on whom one dined with, the nature of the relationship, the number of people, the specific occasion, and so forth.

Yang Guang poured wine for Wang Yan, his dog-like face brimming with smiles, radiant as a chrysanthemum: "Xu Ziyan, you fought this battle splendidly. I tell you in advance: your reward has been decided—you are to be elevated in rank to Duke of Danyang Commandery."

"Actually, I wished to ennoble you directly as Duke of Wu, but Father Emperor said you are my man; he fears that once I ascend the throne, you, Prince Wang Yan, will have rendered such meritorious service that there will be no higher title left to confer. Truly, this father of mine—between you and me, is all this really necessary?"

Wang Yan took a sip of wine, his face plainly inscribed with two words: loyalty.

He said, "Your Highness, let alone ennobling me as Duke of Danyang Commandery—even without any ennoblement, I would harbor no resentment whatsoever. My words outside the city were my genuine thoughts; in such a great battle, I alone could never have prevailed. Thanks entirely to Your Highness's support, trust, and esteem, a humble foot soldier like myself has attained today's wealth and honor; furthermore, with Princess Qionghua bestowed upon me in marriage, I have already received the utmost glory and extreme riches—why demand anything more?"

"Now I have children playing around my knees, a virtuous wife, and filial sons; I only wish to enjoy life properly. As for any rewards or titles, I care not; already I have been ennobled while still mounted, destroyed the Tujue, and secured my name in history—is that not enough? Why seek more?"

"I only ask to assist Your Highness in ascending the throne, thereby neither betraying your trust and esteem nor failing our bond of friendship. If I am needed, I shall don armor and take the field; if not, I shall remain here in Daxing City as a wealthy idler, living comfortably and carefree for several decades—would that not be splendid, Your Highness?"

Gazing at Wang Yan's loyal face and hearing his sincere words, Yang Guang was momentarily stunned.

He had long known Wang Yan to be thus, yet now, seeing it again, Yang Guang felt the radiance emanating from Wang Yan was somewhat blinding.

He laughed heartily, poured more wine for Wang Yan, and said, "What nonsense is this? A wealthy idler? Carefree for several decades? You dream wildly! With the Tujue gone, there remains the Western Regions, Goguryeo, and the vast lands beyond the seas; with abilities such as yours, do you think I will let you idle in enjoyment in Daxing? I myself still wish to enjoy life!"

"In any case, I shall follow only Your Highness's lead."

"That flattery is poorly crafted; listen to it yourself—does it sound good?" Yang Guang scolded playfully, raised his cup, drank with Wang Yan, and asked about various matters on the battlefield.

People here could not possibly know every detail of events; they understood only the general outline. They had all read the battle reports, but no matter how detailed those reports were, how could they compare to the clarity possessed by Wang Yan, the Regional Commander?

At the same time, Yang Guang also needed to ascertain which individuals were usable; now that the war had ended, those great clans were beginning to display their various tricks, leaving Yang Guang with a heap of troublesome affairs.

After chatting thus for a while, Yang Guang shifted the topic and asked, "Xu Ziyan, have you had any contact with the Prince of Han?"

"No contact," Wang Yan replied, shaking his head. "The Prince of Han was tasked with coordinating all armies, yet he did not go to the front lines, remaining instead in Taiyuan. When I departed, I went directly to Yanmen; military affairs were urgent and brooked no delay. On my return journey, although the Prince of Han extended an invitation, I did not go."

Yang Guang laughed heartily: "This younger brother of mine—always full of schemes, yet timid in courage."

"He cannot compare to Your Highness by far; previously, when breaking the Chen, Your Highness likewise coordinated all armies, yet you always marched alongside the main force, never lingering anywhere in comfort. I hear that this Prince of Han harbors considerable resentment regarding Your Highness being named Crown Prince?"

"We are all one family, all sons of Father Emperor and Mother Empress; it is normal for there to be resentment. Not to mention the Prince of Han—now that I have become Crown Prince, these dear younger brothers are all displeased, haha..."

Yang Guang's laughter turned sinister and chilling, one unable to tell how long he had been nursing this grudge.

Being his brother was truly difficult; any good brother he had, he managed to get killed.

Wang Yan pledged loyalty and demonstrated his fidelity: "Your Highness, leave this matter to the Yuwen family; let them devise ways to frame and slander, so that these princely lords may remain somewhat settled, causing no trouble and not disrupting the overall situation or harming the national fortune of our Great Sui."

"You truly have not forgotten the Yuwen family; you, young fellow, hold grudges far too tenaciously."

"Your Highness, while I do hold grudges, I remember kindness even more. In all the world, only Your Highness has treated me well. This time, to avoid causing Your Highness any trouble, I did not execute many scions from those powerful aristocratic households."

"Yes, yes, yes, I know you are loyal. Come, come, let us drink to victory!"

Yang Guang, amused, drank wine with Wang Yan, speaking all sorts of nonsense.

After finishing this meal, Wang Yan finally departed the Eastern Palace and returned to his own home.

Naturally, upon arriving home, there was another round of lively celebration; after a thorough wash and grooming, he teased and played with his children, whom he had not seen for over half a year and who now seemed somewhat unfamiliar, and then the whole family once again ate and drank together in high spirits.

"Husband, did Imperial Brother mention what rewards or what position he intends to appoint you to?" Qionghua asked curiously.

Beside her, Xiao Mei remained silent, placing food in the children's bowls, yet her beautiful eyes also turned to look.

"Elevation to Duke of Danyang Commandery. As for the specific office, it has likely not yet been decided; otherwise, His Highness would certainly have told me. You also know that our family is not easily accommodated by others; with every radish needing its own hole, arrangements are surely difficult."

Wang Yan spoke with considerable self-awareness, yet smiled with complete indifference.

His situation was indeed difficult to handle: he did not hail from a powerful aristocratic clan, yet he had achieved the Da Gong of destroying a nation, commanded prestige within the military, and thus assigning him a position was truly problematic.

If there were no war, they certainly could not place him within the troops, especially not among the forces garrisoning Daxing; Wang Yan's military capabilities were too formidable. Even though the Daxing garrison troops were constantly rotated, his superior ability and high prestige would inevitably make him overwhelmingly dominant within the military.

Assigning him some administrative post would mean snatching rice from others' mouths; a low position would not match Wang Yan's status, while a high one would surely provoke fierce opposition from others.

Yet leaving him unassigned was impossible, given Wang Yan's arduous service and great merit; so many eyes were watching, especially those of humble-born scholars. If someone as formidable as Wang Yan had nowhere to work, how would they perceive their own prospects?

It also involved the question of the Emperor's magnanimity; if the Emperor failed to assign Wang Yan a suitable post matching his status, how would others view the Emperor? The four characters 'stingy and ungracious' would surely be unavoidable.

"Those great families are truly detestable," Qionghua said, highly displeased; married to a chicken, follow the chicken; married to a dog, follow the dog—in this regard, she and Wang Yan were united on the same front.

Wang Yan smiled and waved his hand: "Do not speak such complaining words before the children; excessive lamentation risks breaking one's intestines, while one should always view things with a broad and long-term perspective."

"Oh my, Husband has composed poetry!" Xiao Mei exclaimed, widening her eyes in surprise, and immediately began praising, "Husband is truly amazing."

"Is this not because you two taught me well? Having read many books, my mind has become agile; thus, moved by the moment, I managed to squeeze out these two lines, haha..."

Qionghua asked with a smile, "Husband, this line possesses great spirit; what about the rest of the poem?"

Xiao Mei burst out laughing, lightly patting Wang Yan: "Did the Princess not hear Husband say? Moved by the moment, he managed to squeeze out only these two lines."

Wang Yan nodded very honestly: "Just these two lines; achieving even this was not easy. I still must cultivate my character, nurture my nature, and read many more books."

"Nevertheless, these two lines of Husband's are indeed excellently written, sufficient to be handed down through the ages. Did you compose them while on the battlefield?" Xiao Mei asked curiously.

"Yes. Temporary success or failure, honor or disgrace, gain or loss—none of these truly matter; one's vision must be far-reaching. Do not think that because we fought swiftly, the battlefield was not fraught with peril everywhere; it was not always smooth sailing, but so what? In the end, it was still our Great Sui that achieved victory, and the Tujue have been erased from the rolls."

"Therefore, let us all complain less; the past cannot be undone, yet life must go on. I pursue neither high office nor heavy power, nor do I desire great achievements. As long as our entire large family lives safely and peacefully in wealth and comfort, I shall be content."

These words of Wang Yan were still meant for Yang Yang Jian and Yang Guang to hear, demonstrating his harmlessness and showcasing his loyalty; he was precisely this consistent inside and out, utterly devoted.

After dinner, Wang Yan naturally first shared intimacy with Qionghua; after such exertion, it was not until the next morning that he finally had an opportunity to speak privately with Xiao Mei, who had risen early.

"How have the arrangements proceeded?" Wang Yan asked.

"We have already taken in several hundred wounded soldiers; including their families, there are nearly two thousand people. Fortunately, over these years we have purchased no small amount of land, so we have managed to settle them all. This battle was fought on too grand a scale, involving all sorts of people—even Tujue among them. Husband, do you think these Tujue can be tamed?"

"They are all human beings; whoever looks down on them, whoever allows them to live good lives—can they not understand such a simple matter? Everything we do is open and aboveboard; we have not asked anyone to perform any shady deeds. Employing them amounts merely to gathering crowds to kill; it is no secret, nothing significant. The main point is to show the Tujue how I treat them."

Xiao Mei covered her mouth and laughed affectedly: "Husband has done nothing but kill them."

"Alas, when two nations are at war, how can authority be established without killing? Now we govern in reality; several decades hence, we shall all be one family, all our subjects."

"Whether we shall live several decades remains unknown. However, hearing from the merchant caravans, Husband indeed won great popularity over there, making people both delighted and afraid."

"It is 'both afraid and delighted'; the order is important."

Wang Yan raised his eyebrows at her, then proceeded to discuss commercial affairs and land with Xiao Mei; these were the foundations for rebellion. How much capital they possessed, how much money, grain, and weapons they had stockpiled—Xiao Mei knew the exact figures even better than Wang Yan himself. These matters were all managed by Xiao Mei, naturally carried out according to Wang Yan's instructions.

In summary, they were a pair of a dog-man and a dog-woman secretly gearing up for rebellion, the male making the decisions while the female controlled the entire operation.

There were no secrets in any of these matters; if one wished to investigate, everything could be uncovered. Thus, everything about the old Wang family was crystal clear: they owned numerous grain shops supplying fine grain to the imperial household and wealthy families; they held salt licenses and supplied fine salt to the imperial household and wealthy families; and their other businesses in sugar, oil, and so forth were all legitimate ventures vital to the people's livelihood.

As for weapons and military equipment, this was a taboo subject, but both Yang Yang Jian and Yang Guang understood it clearly; after all, overseas exploration was conducted solely by the Wang family, and how could they explore without military gear?

This was something everyone knew clearly.

No one wished to spend extra money; everyone hoped to reap ready-made benefits, so naturally, they had to grant Wang Yan certain conveniences, and no one used these matters to make trouble.

Furthermore, regarding the private hoarding of weapons and military equipment, those discovered were said to be discovered, and those undiscovered were said to be undiscovered. These were all prominent families with histories spanning dozens or even hundreds of years; which family did not have some stockpiled reserves? It was merely a matter of quantity. Yet the Wang family's stash was particularly large; he openly maintained over a thousand private soldiers, all engaged in maritime duties—a number sufficient to warrant execution ten times over...

The excitement of returning home lasted two days, after which everyone readjusted to life with the clan head back.

Wang Yan's life returned to stability; each day he read books, played with his children, and wandered throughout Daxing City, observing and experiencing its ever-changing appearance.

The changes in Daxing were quite significant, especially for someone like Wang Yan who had hardly ever stayed there long. Internal peace and stability prevailed; although the common people still struggled to fill their bellies, they at least did not riot. The wealth of prominent families grew, simultaneously driving increased prosperity for a host of their henchmen.

Without speaking of other places, at least within Daxing City itself, the people's spending power was considerable. Grain prices remained stable year-round, an increasing variety of goods emerged, and the populace developed some enthusiasm for consumption, thereby achieving the prosperity of the Sui Dynasty's capital.

Whoever came to look would say that Yang Yang Jian possessed literary achievement and martial virtue, favored by the Heavenly Dao, truly embodying the demeanor of an empire.

Yet ruffians and beggars remained active, and families still lost children. The slave drivers urging on horse-drawn carriages still strutted with arrogance, perhaps even more so...

Wang Yan merely walked through the streets and alleys with his hands behind his back, watching silently...

After passing more than half a month in such tranquility, one day Wang Yan was summoned again; Yang Yang Jian led the procession, accompanied by the entire court of civil and military officials, going out ten li to offer welcome.

They had not been at the location long, and the civil and military ministers had just begun sweating from the heat, when they saw dust rising to fill the sky in the distance. Immediately afterward, rows of infantry clad in armor marched forward in strict formation, with banners fluttering one after another. On both flanks of the infantry, cavalry restrained their horses' pace, advancing slowly.

Silence and oppression prevailed as a sky-filling aura of killing intent surged forward.

But no one present felt afraid; Yang Yang Jian was even delighted, for this was his invincible army. Yang Guang was equally delighted, for in the near future, it would be his as well.

This was not the various regional military commanders arriving to intimidate the Emperor or frighten the hundred officials; rather, it was a triumphant army returning in victory, presenting their finest spirit to be inspected by the Emperor, the court officials, and even a large crowd of common people.

Yes, there were also common people present, buzzing with discussion.

This was the highest-specification welcome; it was only because Wang Yan's troops were not stationed in Daxing. Since he commanded many men, this honor belonged to him, though he himself did not care.

With his hands behind his back, Wang Yan stood within the ranks; following the master of ceremonies' instructions, he bowed when told to bow and shouted cheers when told to cheer—it was merely a formality.

Only two parties were truly happy: one was the Emperor, and the other was the generals being welcomed; perhaps the ordinary soldiers at the rear were also delighted, since they were about to receive reward money.

As for whether they felt honored, that was truly a question...

The ceremony welcoming the triumphant return was quite lengthy; after completing the entire procedure, it was already noon. Everyone then headed back to the city under the sun, and only at this point did people have the leisure to chat in small groups.

Once the ceremony concluded, military authority was relinquished. Thus, Shi Your Majesty, clad entirely in battle armor and burly of build, happily rode his warhorse over to Wang Yan's side.

"Good brother, you are truly fierce! I heard you fought ten thousand with only three thousand? Aiyo, you don't know—I heard that old fellow Yang Su's jaw nearly dropped off!"

Wang Yan smiled modestly: "Elder Brother overpraises me; the count of heads taken and captives seized totals over thirteen thousand..."

Shi Your Majesty paused for a moment, then forcefully punched Wang Yan on the arm and burst into loud laughter.

Wang Yan also looked toward Yang Su, who had turned his head, and laughed together with Shi Your Majesty.

Yang Su glared at the two, withdrew his gaze, and turned to converse with Yang Yang Jian.

Yang Yang Jian acted as though he had heard nothing...

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? (End of Chapter)