Chapter 1112

Hu Xiaotian nodded; Zhuge Guanqi's grasp of the situation was very accurate.

Zhuge Guanqi said: "If Da Yong, at this time, opened its borders and accepted Dakang refugees, what situation would arise?"

Hu Xiaotian thought for a moment and said: "It would cause a steady stream of Dakang's people to enter Da Yong's territory, and Da Yong's burden would double."

Zhuge Guanqi said: "The state takes the people as its foundation. With Dakang's people gone, it now seems the burden has lessened, but it has all been shifted onto Da Yong. If this continues, Dakang will become a rootless tree, a waterless source. Da Yong's current national strength can easily bear tens of millions of Dakang's people. By virtue, we can influence these people, letting them willingly become Da Yong's subjects, and they will inevitably influence their own families. If Dakang soldiers' families have all fled to Da Yong, would they still have the will to fight Da Yong? Once war breaks out, what would the situation be? Sir, do you think they would take up arms to face their own kin?"

Hu Xiaotian secretly drew a breath of cold air; fortunately Zhuge Guanqi did not choose to serve Da Yong, for if he were employed by Da Yong, Dakang would likely perish soon.

Zhuge Guanqi said: "After this battle, Xue Daohong may spare no effort to retake East Luo Storage, but the opposing forces within Da Yong's court are not to be underestimated; perhaps he will not succeed as he wishes."

Hu Xiaotian said: "Are we just going to wait like this?"

Zhuge Guanqi said: "Da Yong is vast and rich in resources, with talent abounding. After two military defeats, perhaps they will calm down and reconsider how to deal with the Sir, not ruling out the possibility that they will send envoys to seek peace."

Hu Xiaotian said: "What if Xue Daohong insists on resolving this through war?"

Zhuge Guanqi narrowed his eyes, his gaze deep and distant: "If he suffers another defeat, his standing among the court officials will surely plummet; Xue Shengkang, while alive, never suffered such a crushing defeat, and perhaps even the throne will be endangered. I think he is eighty to ninety percent unwilling to take the risk. Those who block his troop deployment are not us, but himself!"

Xue Daohong stared at the latest battle report with a pallid face, his lips trembling from anger; the military envoy knelt before him, not daring to raise his head, despite that. One could also imagine the Emperor's fury at this moment.

Xue Daohong suppressed his anger and said: "Has Chang Fanqi rebelled?"

The military envoy said: "Indeed, he is a Dakang traitor who had long colluded with Hu Xiaotian; not only did he hand over East Luo Storage to Hu Xiaotian, but he also kidnapped General Qin, forcing the main army to retreat."

Xue Daohong threw that battle report onto the desk, painfully covering his forehead. A nearby eunuch asked anxiously: "Emperor, shall we summon the imperial physician..."

Xue Daohong squeezed out a cold word from between his teeth: "Get lost!"

The palace eunuchs and maidservants, hearing the Emperor say that, fled in fright.

Xue Daohong kicked the long case before him over with a fierce stomp, gnashing his teeth: "Hu Xiaotian! I will have you torn to ten thousand pieces to quell the hatred in my heart!"

Prince Yan Xue Shengjing was then accompanying Empress Dowager Jiang in the Cien Garden to view the snow. The heavy snow had just cleared; a red sun rose slowly from the east, dyeing the entire exquisitely carved garden with a layer of gorgeous crimson. Empress Dowager Jiang, wearing a brown fur coat, sat in the sunlight, smiling as she enjoyed the snow scene, her kind and benevolent face showing deep contentment. Since the Emperor's death, Empress Dowager Jiang's mood had never been this cheerful.

Xue Shengjing said: "Mother Empress, is this hand warmer still warm?"

Empress Dowager Jiang's well-kept hands emerged from her sleeves, holding a platinum warmer. This warmer was personally crafted by the artisan sorcerer Zong Yuan commissioned by Xue Shengjing; even without mentioning its superb craftsmanship, the platinum and gemstones used to make it alone are worth a fortune.

Empress Dowager Jiang smiled: "Shengjing, your filial devotion touches me; my heart feels warmer than your hands."

Xue Shengjing beamed: "As long as Mother Empress likes it, that's good!"

Empress Dowager Jiang said: "You don't need to cling to me all day, child. Xue Daohong has just ascended the throne; his entourage needs help. As his uncle, you should share his burdens." She had thought that after Xue Daohong's accession, Xue Shengjing, as his uncle, would devote more attention to state affairs, but Xue Shengjing remained unchanged, still indifferent to politics, spending his days in frivolous pursuits, which deeply disappointed her.

Xue Shengjing laughed: "Mother Empress, you know my nature; I have never been interested in court affairs. I enjoy seeking curiosities and treasures, I revel in feasting and revelry, but governing the realm is completely beyond me. Asking me to help him is like trying to make a duck perch on a shelf."

Empress Dowager Jiang couldn't help but laugh at his words: "You, with your innate laziness, this world belongs to our Xue family; as a Xue clansman, how can you stand aside? If your imperial elder brother were still alive..." Saying this, her eye sockets reddened.

Xue Shengjing comforted: "Mother Empress, please don't be hurt; I will try to help more from now on."

Empress Dowager Jiang turned aside, discreetly wiping her tears, and sighed: "Everyone has their own aspirations; as a mother, how could I not know your thoughts? Never mind, if you don't want to manage, then don't—but Xue Daohong is still young, and I worry he cannot control these officials."

Xue Shengjing laughed: "Mother Empress, there's no need to worry; Da Yong's court is full of loyal ministers and capable generals. I see that they are all wholeheartedly loyal to Da Yong, fully devoted to assisting the Emperor."

Empress Dowager Jiang shook her head: "I agree that they are loyal to Da Yong, but I doubt they all wholeheartedly serve the Emperor. Take the Dong family, for instance—they surely harbor resentment."

Xue Shengjing said: "Mother Empress, court affairs should be left to the Emperor himself to handle; I think we need not worry. If you feel bored, Mother Empress, I could come keep you company every day."

Empress Dowager Jiang glanced at him and spat: "Good-for-nothing, look at you—you don't even resemble a member of the imperial clan!"

Xue Shengjing chuckled: "Only the worthless know to stay by Mother Empress's side; if I were talented, busy with state affairs, Mother Empress wouldn't know how often she'd see me in a year." That remark struck another sore spot in Empress Dowager Jiang's heart; thinking of Xue Shengkang, she felt a surge of sorrow and couldn't help but redden her eyes.

At that moment, Princess Xue Lingjun arrived; seeing the Empress Dowager's expression, she couldn't help but chide: "Older brother, you've made Mother Empress angry again."

Xue Shengjing hurriedly protested: "Heaven and earth, Conscience, when have I ever provoked Mother Empress's anger? Mother Empress, please help me explain!"

Empress Dowager Jiang burst into a smile through tears: "You two are no longer children, yet you argue as soon as you meet. What's going on today? Did the sun rise in the west? Did you two siblings agree to come see me?"

Xue Lingjun said: "Mother Empress, I came specially to see you; I just made you a fur coat—try it on to see if it fits."

Empress Dowager Jiang smiled: "How rare that you are filial!" But as she spoke, she noticed Xue Lingjun secretly giving Xue Shengjing a glance. Though advanced in years, her thoughts remained meticulous, her attention to detail keen; her face instantly darkened, and she said coldly: "You little minx, what exactly are you here for today? Surely you didn't come just to see me?"

Xue Lingjun stuck out her tongue slightly, realizing the Empress Dowager had seen through her ruse, and apologetically said: "Mother Empress, I didn't hide it—I came to speak with Older Brother about something."

Empress Dowager Jiang said: "What important matter could it be that you must keep from me? Speak! I also want to hear."

Xue Lingjun glanced helplessly at Xue Shengjing; Xue Shengjing said: "Younger sister, since Mother Empress wants to hear, go ahead and speak."

Xue Lingjun sighed: "It's like this: the Emperor summoned us over, saying he had encountered some matters."

What matters?

Xue Lingjun said: "Da Yong's southwestern stronghold, East Luo Storage, has been seized by Hu Xiaotian!"

Empress Dowager Jiang gasped in shock: "What? East Luo Storage? How could East Luo Storage be lost? Hu Xiaotian? Isn't he the Hu Xiaotian who treats my illness? When did he become so formidable?"

Xue Shengjing said: "Mother Empress, don't involve yourself in court affairs."

"How could we not care? East Luo Storage is one of Da Yong's seven major granaries, supposedly impregnable—how could it suddenly be taken? What's the matter with this Daohong? Just after his accession, so many things have happened; can he not even defend a single East Luo Storage?" Empress Dowager Jiang was visibly angry.

Xue Shengjing said: "Mother Empress, please don't panic; since it has already happened, getting worked up is useless. We still don't know the situation—better for me, as a subject, to go to the palace now to clarify the facts, find out exactly what occurred, and then report back to you."

Xue Lingjun said: "Indeed, Mother Empress, all the land north of the Yong River is under Da Yong's rule; even if East Luo Storage is lost, retrieving it would be easy—please don't worry."

Empress Dowager Jiang, anxious, slapped the armrest of her chair: "Hurry up, you two useless children; state affairs are your family matters—if you don't help Daohong, who will?"

After Xue Shengjing and his sister departed, Empress Dowager Jiang's anger subsided, and she instantly calmed, telling the nearby little eunuch: "Go! Summon Eunuch Dong!"

Not long after, Eunuch Dong hurried to Empress Dowager Jiang's side and said respectfully: "Empress Dowager, I don't know what orders you have for this servant."

Empress Dowager Jiang extended her left hand, and with Eunuch Dong's support she rose, walking toward the front viewing pavilion, her eyes fixed on the red sun rising in the eastern sky: "Just what is going on with East Luo Storage?"

Eunuch Dong said: "Your Empress Dowager, it is said that the commander of East Luo Storage, Chang Fanqi, rebelled, kidnapped Qin Yangming, and defected to Hu Xiaotian."

Empress Dowager Jiang furrowed her brows: "Just what supernatural ability does Hu Xiaotian possess? He has defeated Da Yong's armies twice—there must be something fishy. Go investigate; find out whose fault this is!"

Yes!

Xue Shengjing and Xue Lingjun sat together in the splendid carriage; Xue Shengjing yawned lazily and said: "You can go yourself—why must you insist I come along?" (To be continued~^~)