Chapter 555: Gao Ying

The third day of the third month.

Jinyang Palace.

Chongde Hall.

In the gilt bronze incense burner, the lingering smoke of burnt agarwood curled upward, yet it could not disperse the iron‑like chill that lingered in the hall.

Outside the hall, the early spring wind was brisk, whipping sand from the outskirts of Jinyang City against the windows, while inside the hall it was so quiet one could hear the faint rustle of the Dragon Robe's hem brushing silk brocade.

Emperor Gao Ying of Qi, clad in an ochre‑golden coiled‑dragon robe, stood upon the vermilion steps; his normally handsome, upright face now bore bulging veins from fury, and thunderous anger surged in his eyes.

The ink‑stained document in his hand was clenched until its corners crumpled, then he hurled it down the steps; with a "thwack," it slammed onto the golden‑brick floor, splattering ink like drops of blood.

"Shuo Prefecture! Heng Prefecture! Northern Yan Prefecture!" Gao Ying's voice rolled like thunder, each syllable clenched with teeth, "Rebellions erupt one after another!"

"Xian Prefecture is the most outrageous; even its administrative seat, Shicheng, fell to the mob, and the inspector fled the city!"

"What's even more infuriating is that along the borders of these prefectures, a small detachment of Zhou State cavalry has been roaming and looting!"

He slammed the imperial desk hard; the jade tablet that held the papers sprang up and rolled to the floor with a crisp clatter. "Explain to me today exactly what's going on!"

Below the steps stood several ministers, all senior military figures and the emperor's confidants, dressed in Purple Robes embroidered with various patterns and jade sashes at their waists; now they bowed their heads, eyes cast down, daring not to breathe a word.

Cui Yishu glanced at the document on the ground, saw it was merely an urgent report from a local official, stepped forward, clasped his fists, and bowed, "Your Majesty, calm your anger!"

As he straightened, a hint of nonchalance appeared on his face, and in a gentle tone he said, "These uprisings are nothing more than a case of scabies…"

"In recent months prices have surged, the people lack clothing and food; it's only natural for crowds to stir up trouble now."

"If Your Majesty sends envoys to pacify them and reallocates some Provisions for relief, the unrest will naturally subside."

"As for the Zhou State cavalry, they're likely just border raiders; after looting some goods they'll withdraw, nothing to fear!"

The only element worth noting here is the Zhou Army…

But if they truly break through, Jinyang is so close that we would have already received word!

"Indeed, Your Majesty!" Lou Xu, standing nearby, quickly echoed, "Lord Cui's words are absolutely correct!"

"These rioters are a disordered mob, unarmed and without organization, they cannot become a serious threat…"

"The garrisons of each prefecture can suppress them, and Zhou State may not dare to truly expose its face; Your Majesty need not anger over such a trivial matter and damage the Dragon Body!"

"Scabies?"

"Cannot become a serious threat?"

Gao Ying heard this, his fury turning to a cold laugh, the laughter filled with chill.

He slowly descended the vermilion steps, his Dragon Boots striking the golden bricks, each step feeling as if treading on the hearts of all present.

When he reached Cui Yishu and Lou Xu, he halted, narrowed his eyes, and his sharp gaze swept over their faces like a blade, "If rebellions flare up across Great Qi, that would be a grave internal threat!"

In themselves, these matters are indeed not worrisome…

But the fear is that pulling one hair could move the whole body!

Do not forget the Henan region, where Hou Wanjing is stirring restlessly!

Duan Xiang stepped forward, brows knit, and in a deep voice said, "Your Majesty, you are absolutely right!"

He bowed and performed a salute, his tone heavy as iron: "I believe this matter must not be neglected or taken lightly!"

Gao Ying inhaled deeply, the raging fury in his chest gradually settled, and the sharp lines of his brow lost some of their wrath, gaining a steadier composure.

He raised a hand to rub his brow, his gaze sweeping over the still‑bowing Cui Yishu and Lou Xu, finally resting on the silent Hu Lu Cang standing at the steps.

Hu Lu Cang continued to hold a respectful posture; the tiger pattern embroidered on his Purple Robe flickered faintly in the hall's dim light.

His resolute face was like carved stone, showing no hint of panic.

"Lord Hu Lu," Gao Ying's voice had lost its earlier fury, now deep as he spoke, "You have long served in the army, are well‑versed in border affairs; in your view, how should this be handled?"

Hu Lu Cang, hearing this, stepped forward, clasped his fists, bowed, his eyes sharp as a hawk, scanning the hall before fixing on Gao Ying's face, and with a decisive, resonant tone declared, "Your Majesty, we must swiftly dispatch troops to eradicate them!"

He paused, then continued, "If we delay further, the rebels' numbers will swell; should they collude with Zhou State cavalry or other prefectures respond, it will spread like wildfire, hard to contain!"

"Only a swift blade can cut the tangled chaos—dispatch an elite force to suppress them, snuff out any chance of further expansion, and we can stabilize the Northern Region's situation!"

Gao Ying heard this, nodded slowly, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes, "I share the same intention!"

"Indulging treachery only breeds a tiger as a menace!"

"In this chaotic state, only thunderous measures can steady the people's hearts and intimidate foreign foes!"

He turned, his gaze sharp as lightning, and shouted loudly, "Lou Xu!"

Lou Xu hurried forward a step, bowed and clasped his fists, his voice urgent, "I am here!"

"Immediately muster twenty thousand troops, depart within three days to quell the unrest!" Gao Ying ordered in a deep voice.

"I obey!" Lou Xu felt a chill in his heart, dared not slacken, and bowed heavily to accept the command.

Gao Ying then turned to Duan Xiang, his tone slightly softer yet still solemn: "Lord Duan, once the turmoil is settled, you will oversee the pacification and aftermath in the northern prefectures."

He paused, then gave detailed orders: "On one hand, rigorously investigate the administration of each prefecture, punish corruption and neglect of the people, and hold the Xian Prefecture inspector accountable for abandoning the city…"

"On the other hand, open granaries to distribute Provisions, aid the common folk, properly settle the displaced, and restore local order."

"Make sure the people feel the Court's benevolence and authority, eliminating any chance of another rebellion!"

Duan Xiang bowed to receive the command, his voice steady, "I will follow your decree! I shall not disappoint Your Majesty's trust!"

Gao Ying watched the two accept the orders, then glanced at Cui Yishu and Ku Di Gan standing nearby, and in a deep voice said, "Cui Yishu, go to the granaries to allocate Provisions, coordinate with Ku Di Gan's overall logistics, and ensure the supply for the anti‑rebellion army and the northern prefectures without error!"

With all matters arranged, Gao Ying turned, stepped toward the imperial throne atop the vermilion steps.

His Dragon Robe brushed the floor, leaving a trail of faint sounds; he reached the throne but did not sit, merely waved his hand, his voice tinged with fatigue yet still authoritative, "Enough! All matters are settled, each of you go prepare yourselves!"

"Ensure each fulfills their duty, quell the unrest swiftly, and solidify our Great Qi realm!"

"We retire!" the assembled below bowed in unison.

Then, they exited the hall one after another.

The Zhuqi Daimen of Chongde Hall slowly closed behind them, sealing off the hall's lingering chill.

The March wind in Jinyang remained biting, swirling sand across the palace walls, fluttering the edges of everyone's Purple Robes with a rustling sound.

Hu Lu Di Cao had just stepped onto the white jade bridge before the palace gate when a rapid footfall sounded behind him, followed by a deep shout: "Brother Hu, hold your step!"

Hu Lu Di Cao halted, turned, and saw Ku Di Gan briskly approaching, a flash of surprise in his eyes as he murmured, "Brother Ku?"

He then asked, "Is something the matter?"

Ku Di Gan quickened to his side, walking shoulder to shoulder along the palace corridor, his gaze scanning the Bodyguard passing by. Lowering his voice, his brows slightly furrowed, he said, "Brother Hu, we have known each other for years; regarding today's affairs in the hall, I have harbored a doubt and am unsure whether I should speak…."

"Brother, go ahead and speak." Hu Lu Di Cao nodded, vaguely sensing his intent.

Ku Di Gan's voice was deep, each word thoughtful, "Brother Hu, do you think this northern unrest is linked to the recent price surge and the riots in Jinyang, Yecheng and other key locations?"

Hu Lu Di Cao heard this, his brows slightly raised, his gaze turning to the northern horizon, his tone heavy: "Brother Ku, so you've also sensed something amiss?"

"Exactly!" Ku Di Gan nodded emphatically, his eyes fixed on the grayish sky beyond the hall, the long wind lifting his hair, his expression growing even more solemn, "I constantly feel an invisible hand pulling the strings behind all this!"

He paused, a clear worry in his tone: "And the Zhou State seems to be plotting something!"

"Zhou State…" Hu Lu Di Cao repeated the words softly, sighing heavily, his voice full of concern, "We must not let our guard down!"

"We must inform Lord Lou about this pacification and be cautious!"

Yuwen Hu is a man of great ambition, likely scheming in secret, brewing an even larger plot…

The sixth day of the third month.

The morning light was faint.

On the plain more than twenty li south of Shicheng, the administrative seat of Xianzhou.

The lingering chill was tinged with warmth by the rising sun.

The wilderness's tall grass turned yellow and stretched for miles, rippling like waves in the morning breeze, perfectly concealing the silhouettes of thousands hidden behind the earthen slope.

These people were dressed as ordinary civilians, yet wore various old armors.

Some wore worn infantry Leather Armor, others patched cavalry scale armor, and some even wore repaired peasant short armor, the armors varying in size.

Yet they clung tightly to their lean but sturdy bodies.

Each person grasped a weapon—swords, spears, axes, halberds—of uneven quality; some were shining farm iron hoes repurposed, others rusted old arms, but all were gripped tightly.

Li Yunye stood atop the highest point of the slope, tall and robust, his brown Leather Armor noticeably short, exposing the solid muscles of his forearms.

The armor's edges were heavily worn, with several patches sewn onto the corners.

In his hand he clenched a long-handled plain sword; though the blade bore a notch, it shone with a cold, sharp gleam.

"Brothers!" Li Yunye's voice rang like a bell, echoing in the morning wind, "Lord Chen Yan repeatedly reminded us before departing that the fate of parents, children, kin and home has never been in others' hands, but held in our own palms!"

He then raised the plain sword, his tone growing more fervent, "We have had enough of the rapacious nobles' exploitation, enough of the Xianbei aristocrats' oppression; countless brothers have seen their kin starve by the roadside, countless farms have been forcibly seized!"

"This hard‑won peace must never be taken away again!"

Zhu Wu, standing at the side, quickly echoed, his voice resonant and strong: "Brother Li is right! Lord Chen Yan is even more right!"

"A true man born between heaven and earth cannot allow his wife and children to endure further wandering and hardship?"

"We must wield our weapons to shelter them, to guard the hard‑won happiness!"

"Those Xianbei nobles and corrupt officials who have drained our blood and stripped our skin must now repay their blood debts; we can no longer endure their oppression!"

"Well said!" someone whispered in the crowd, and the chorus of agreement rose and fell like waves spreading outward.

"Exactly!" Li Yunye nodded heavily, a flash of fierceness in his eyes, thrusting the plain sword high and shouting passionately, "I, a son of the Han, stand tall, how could we still be subjugated by those Xianbei scum!"

"They have seized our land, destroyed our homes, harmed our kin; that debt will be repaid today, principal and interest!"

Those words were like a spark, igniting the fury in everyone's hearts.

The crowd erupted in a thunderous shout: "Take it back! Blood for blood!"

The cry shot straight into the clouds, startling a few sparrows on the distant Field Ridge, which fluttered up and vanished into the sky.

At that moment, a young civilian wielding a Short Spear hurried forward from the front of the ranks, dust on his face, his expression urgent, and upon reaching Li Yunye, reported loudly, "Brother Li! Traces of the Qi army were spotted five li south!"

"They're here!" Zhu Wu's eyes flashed, exhilarated, he clenched his fist and hammered his palm hard, "Finally, they're here!"

The surrounding civilians also boiled with excitement, their tension fading, replaced by exhilaration and resolve.

Someone gripped his weapon tightly, producing a clack.

Someone muttered curses at the Qi army, hatred blazing in his eyes.

Others encouraged each other, their faces showing a steadfastness that welcomed death.

Li Yunye's face broke into a resolute smile, his eyes flashing with anticipation and confidence.

He pointed the plain sword forward and loudly ordered, "Brothers, rally your spirits!"

"Send the orders out, prepare to meet them at once!"

"According to the plan we previously discussed, the left‑wing brothers hold the eastern slope, the right‑wing brothers ambush in the western thicket, and the center brothers join me for a frontal assault!"

"When the Qi army enters the ambush, heed my command; we'll strike from three sides and must wipe out these Xianbei bandits completely!"

The civilians sprang into action, taking their positions according to the established deployment.

Li Yunye looked south again, the sunrise bathing his face, and growled low, "We'll lure them in and strike here; we must annihilate these Xianbei bandits completely!"

"Send these damn dogs to the netherworld!"