Chapter 260: Loss of Color

Jinling.

News of the fall of Jincheng was delivered to the Imperial Palace via an eight-hundred-li emergency dispatch.

Upon learning that Captain Cui Yan of the Imperial Guard had defected, causing the fall of Jincheng, Zhao Heng threw the brush in his hand to the ground in a rage.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. It is a fact that Jincheng has been seized by Xiliang; do not ruin your health over this." Liang Cheng picked up the brush and carefully put it back.

Zhao Heng's face was livid. "The Northern Di just sued for peace, and I thought I could have a few days of stability. Now this—Yanguan didn't fall, but Jincheng did. They are truly a bunch of good-for-nothings."

"Yanzhou has His Highness Yan Wang to hold the fort, but Jincheng has no one reliable." Liang Cheng sighed.

Liang Cheng's words reminded Zhao Heng of something.

During the Battle of Yanguan, Xiao Yuanshan fled the battlefield, and the Xiao Family is still making excuses, claiming they cannot find him, making it impossible to arrest him.

This time, the commander who lost Jincheng was a member of the Wang Family.

When it comes down to it, the current Imperial Guard of the Great Song has been riddled with decay by the Shizu Army.

In the past, the Imperial Clan was weak, and he could only turn a blind eye.

But now, Yan Wang has greatly bolstered imperial power.

He felt it was necessary to reorganize the Imperial Guard.

Furthermore, between the Battle of Yanguan and this fall of Jincheng, he had lost nearly 150,000 Imperial Guards.

Therefore, taking advantage of this need to replenish troops, he wanted to build a brand-new Imperial Guard.

And the commanders would be selected from the Mo Family and the Yang Family.

As for equipment, he would give Yan Wang another military supply list.

Armor, Artillery—he wanted it all.

Once such a brand-new Imperial Guard was built, imperial power would be even more secure.

But that was a separate matter.

For now, he still needed to resolve the situation in Jinzhou.

The territory of the Great Song was occupied by Xiliang; as Emperor, he could not ignore it.

After all, the civil and military officials of the court could still tolerate losing to the Northern Di.

But losing to Xiliang, that ungrateful wolf that betrayed the Great Song, was absolutely unacceptable.

Otherwise, the historians' pens would not leave him a good reputation in the history books.

The ancestors of the Zhao would also curse him from the heavens.

Just as he was hesitating over what to do, a eunuch came to report that Dou Wei had arrived.

Zhao Heng frowned; he feared that the entire court already knew of such a major event.

"Your Majesty, Jincheng has fallen; this is a disgrace to the Great Song." Dou Wei entered in a panic, performed the rites, and let out a sorrowful cry.

Upon hearing this, Zhao Heng's face looked even more lackluster.

Jincheng was guarded by the Imperial Guard; the greatest responsibility, of course, lay with him as the Emperor.

Recalling the glory Yan Wang had brought him recently and comparing it to his current predicament, he felt a surge of stifled frustration.

"Then what does the Prime Minister think should be done now?" Zhao Heng asked.

Dou Wei said, "Jinzhou has been territory of the Central Plains since ancient times, inherited through successive dynasties. Back then, to appease Xiliang, the Great Song merely placed Jinzhou under the jurisdiction of the Xiliang King at the time. Who would have thought they would actually betray the Great Song and even declare Jinzhou their own territory? It is simply abominable."

He paused and said, "Therefore, your subject believes that under no circumstances can we allow Xiliang to occupy the territory of the Great Song. We must send troops to retake Jinzhou."

Zhao Heng nodded, suddenly eyeing Dou Wei with interest. "The Prime Minister has always advocated for peace; why are you so firm on war this time?"

Dou Wei's expression stiffened.

He said, "Your Majesty, the Northern Di are strong and their horses are sturdy; they are not something the Great Song can resist, so naturally, we must make peace. But the petty Xiliang are like ants trying to swallow an elephant. If we allow them to continue like this, the Great Song will only become a laughingstock in the eyes of the surrounding nations."

Zhao Heng deeply agreed.

Losing to a northern hegemon like the Northern Di was understandable.

But if they yielded to Xiliang, the Great Song would lose all face.

He looked toward the Great Song Map of Mountains and Rivers hanging in the study.

His gaze lingered on Jinzhou for a moment, then stayed on Yanzhou and Qinzhou for a while.

Currently, the closest to Jinzhou were Yan Wang and the Ma Family.

Dou Wei observed Zhao Heng's expression and said at this moment, "Your Majesty, Yanzhou is currently free from the threat of the Northern Di and is adjacent to Jinzhou. It is the perfect time to order Yan Wang to send troops to Jinzhou to retake Jincheng, and then order the Prefect of Ma to send troops to assist Yan Wang."

Zhao Heng had been thinking exactly this just now.

Jinzhou had always been Imperial Clan territory. Currently, the 70,000 Imperial Guards at Yanguan needed to defend Yanguan and could not be mobilized.

The Imperial Guards in the Southwest needed to defend against Gaochang and other nations, so they could not be dispatched either.

If he ordered the Shizu Army to head to Jinzhou, these bastards would not only endlessly demand money and grain.

Most importantly, they would shrink back when fighting, but be faster than anyone when it came to seizing benefits.

Letting them go would not necessarily lead to victory, and it would only waste money and grain.

Furthermore, he did not want Jinzhou to be tainted by them.

So, after thinking it over, he still felt Yan Wang was suitable, and he trusted him the most.

Of course, it would also be inappropriate to have only Yanzhou send troops.

Having the Ma Family cooperate would always reduce some pressure on Yan Wang.

Generally speaking, the Ma Family had followed the Imperial Court's orders over these years.

And they were also very close to Jinzhou.

"Let it be done," Zhao Heng said.

This way he would be at ease, and the Imperial Court's expenses would be minimized.

"Your Majesty is wise," Dou Wei said, a faint, imperceptible smile at the corner of his mouth.

The next day.

The officials held the morning court, and Zhao Heng announced his decree.

Just then, a young eunuch suddenly entered the great hall and whispered something into Liang Cheng's ear.

Upon hearing this, Liang Cheng's expression changed drastically, and he said to Zhao Heng, "Your Majesty, the Ma Family has sent word by fast horse that Prefect Ma and his son have died in a sudden accident."

"What!" Zhao Heng exclaimed aloud.

After a long silence, he finally suppressed the shock in his heart.

Facing the officials, he said, "I have just received bad news: Prefect Ma and his son have died at the hands of bandits."

"What, how is this possible?"

"Ma Xuan and his son are dead."

"This is simply unbelievable."

"..."

Upon learning this news, the ministers discussed it in hushed tones.

The Ma Family dominated the northwest of the Great Song, defending against Western Liang year-round.

At this critical juncture, with the death of the father and son, the Ma Family would be left without a leader.

If things went poorly, it was feared that Western Liang would seize the opportunity to invade the south, and by then, the northwest of the Great Song would fall entirely into the hands of Western Liang.

Although Ma Yuan had always been at odds with his elder brother, it was merely a disagreement over court politics.

Yet, he still held deep affection for this elder brother.

Hearing the news, he stood dazed for a long while, then suddenly fainted.

Seeing this, Mi Yan immediately supported Ma Yuan and pinched his philtrum; only then did Ma Yuan slowly wake up and burst into loud wailing.

Zhao Heng sighed slightly, then felt a surge of joy in his heart.

With Ma Xuan and his son dead, could Ma Yuan not inherit the position of Head of the Family?

Compared to Ma Xuan, he felt that Ma Yuan was more loyal to him.

"Censor Ma, now is not the time for grief; you should immediately head to Qinzhou, take charge of the Ma Family, and work with Yan Wang to stabilize the chaotic situation in the northwest of the Great Song," he said.

As his voice fell, an official suddenly stepped out and said, "Your Majesty, Censor Ma cannot inherit the Ma Family. Prefect Ma still has an eldest son currently in Jinling; he should be the next Head of the Family. If the rules are broken, I fear the hearts of the Ma Family will be in turmoil, and the chaotic situation in the northwest will become impossible to manage."

Zhao Heng's face showed displeasure as he looked toward Ma Yuan and asked, "Is this true?"

Ma Yuan nodded, "Your Majesty, my brother indeed has an eldest son named Ma Chong, who has been studying at the Imperial Academy in Jinling."

Zhao Heng's expression was one of great disappointment; he had hoped that the Ma Family, one of the Eight Great Influential Clans, could now lean toward the Imperial Clan.

Listlessly, he said, "Summon Ma Chong to the hall."