Chapter 303: Edict of Vengeance

The news of the founding of a state at the far end of the western border's light curtain, and Zhao Kuangyin's ascension to the throne, spread like the cold wind of the twelfth lunar month, swiftly sweeping across Bian Liang, and then spreading at an astonishing speed to all prefectures and counties of Great Chen.

In the streets and alleys, teahouses and taverns, everyone was discussing this earth-shattering event.

「Have you heard? A rift has opened in the western sky, and from it another Zhongyuan has emerged! 」

「Not only that! Inside there is someone called Zhao Kuangyin, who has become emperor, with the state name Song! 」

「Zhao Kuangyin? But back then in Chan Prefecture……」

「Exactly this person! Now he has climbed aboard the sinister Iron Crow Army, and actually stirred up such a commotion! 」

「This is a showdown with Great Chen! 」

The common folk discussed it loudly, their astonishment and uncertainty mixed with indignation.

After great difficulty in this chaotic age, they had finally awaited an emperor who could bring stable days; seeing their lives improve day by day, how could they tolerate anyone destroying it?

This sentiment likewise permeated the imperial court.

For several consecutive days, the atmosphere inside the Hall of Purple Majesty was unusually solemn.

Memorials flew to the emperor's desk like snowflakes, with advocates of war, advocates of stability, and those proposing to send envoys to investigate the truth all present, and the debate never ceased.

However, before the Great Chen court could devise a foolproof plan, another impact from the far end of the light curtain descended upon them.

That day, the urgent sound of horse hooves once again shattered the morning tranquility of Bian Liang.

An urgent military report from Tao Prefecture in the western border was sent at the utmost speed to the imperial city, arriving directly at the Hall of Martial Virtue.

Chen Wen was in discussion with Zhang Cheng, Wang Ru, Qian Gui, and several other core ministers about concrete plans to deal with the Song matter.

A eunuch hurried in, holding a sealed letter marked with a special black symbol indicating a 'transcription of important enemy state documents'.

「Your Majesty, an eight-hundred-li urgent report from the western border! The Tao Prefecture Directorate reports that the Song state… has issued… has issued a punitive edict! 」

The hall fell silent in an instant.

Zhang Cheng frowned tightly, Wang Ru's face was covered with a cold frost, and Qian Gui's eyes flashed with a hint of sternness.

Chen Wen's expression unchanged, he reached out to take the wax-sealed urgent report and opened it cleanly.

His gaze calmly swept over the text above.

This was not a formal diplomatic letter, but rather the content of an edict publicly issued by the other side, transcribed at great risk by a Great Chen spy hidden in Song territory and sent back.

The wording of the edict carried a deliberately crafted tone of lofty passion and indignation.

It opened by bitterly denouncing the 'false Chen' for usurping Zhongyuan, misappropriating the divine implements, causing the heavenly way to be covered in dust and the moral order to be lost.

Immediately, the edict went to great lengths to portray the 'humiliation' suffered by Zhao Kuangyin himself—from being imprisoned in Chan Prefecture to his elder brother (referring to Zhao Kuangji, a fictional figure with no historical basis, set as Zhao Kuangyin's brother who died a tragic death at the hands of Chen Wen's forces) meeting a miserable end at the hands of the Chen army, the text brimming with deep-seated hatred.

He cast himself as a tragic hero who bore humiliation with resolve and swore vengeance.

And he depicted Chen Wen and Great Chen as treacherous, faithless, cruel, and inhumane rebels and villains.

The core of the edict lies in the final proclamation that declares to the world:

「I, having received the Mandate of Heaven, succeeded the orthodox line, established the state of Great Song, inaugurated the era of Jianlong;

The false Chen occupies Zhongyuan, acts against reason, provoking the wrath of both men and gods;

I, together with that Chen Wenzhong, moreover have grievances of imprisonment and humiliation, and the blood feud of killing my brother, making coexistence impossible;

Now, I respond to the heavenly mandate above and follow the people's will below, hereby swearing:

For the rest of my life, I will expend all the resources of Great Song and exhaust the grain supplies of the nine provinces;

I swear to crush the false Chen, capture and kill the traitor Chen Wenzhong;

To restore the ancient lands of Zhongyuan and revive the moral order of Huaxia;

If this grudge is not avenged, I am unworthy to be a ruler;

If this hatred is not erased, the fate of Great Song cannot be endured;

All my subjects of Great Song must unite in heart and strength, face the national calamity together, wipe away this extraordinary shame, and avenge this blood feud!

The transcribed text of the edict was gently placed upon the imperial desk, emitting a faint sound.

Chen Wen lifted his gaze and looked toward the several ministers.

「Please, have a look. 」

Zhang Cheng took it first, skimmed it quickly, and his face grew ever more grave.

「Your Majesty, this edict… is utterly vicious! 」

「It not only smears our army's righteous deeds of northern expedition and pacifying rebellion as usurpation and occupation; 」

「Furthermore, it elevates Zhao Kuangyin's personal grudge to the so‑called 'national enmity' level, using it to stir the populace within his realm and boost morale! 」

「This… this is a matter of life‑and‑death struggle with our dynasty! 」

Wang Ru took the edict, her delicate brows knitting tightly.

「He has completely bound his personal grudge with state affairs, thereby leaving Zhao Kuangyin and Great Song no room for compromise; 」

「Either he will crush our dynasty, or he will perish and his state will fall; 」

「This is cutting off his own retreat, and also forcing his subjects to follow him down a dark path to the end. 」

Qian Gui added coldly:

「Moreover, once this edict is issued, those lurking within our realm who perhaps still harbor fantasies about the former lord or the so‑called orthodox line will likely stir restlessly; 」

「This also serves to signal to the remnants of the Iron Crow Army and to all forces hostile to our dynasty their 'resolve'. 」

Chen Wen listened quietly to the ministers' analysis, his gaze once again falling upon the transcribed edict.

Zhao Kuangyin's hatred, through these cold words, came rushing at him.

He could understand this hatred.

The imprisonment in Chan Prefecture, his brother's death, plus the Iron Crow Army's fanning the flames from behind, would be enough to burn anyone's reason to ashes.

But what chilled him even more was the hidden, icy will behind this edict, belonging to the master of the Iron Crow Army.

Skillfully guiding, amplifying, and binding an emperor's personal hatred onto the so‑called 'state fortune' and 'Mandate of Heaven'.

This is undoubtedly the most effective means of controlling people's hearts and driving a nation toward madness.

Zhao Kuangyin, once an opponent, is now like a dagger finely honed and filled with venom of hatred, firmly gripped by an invisible great hand, its blade pointing straight at the heart of Great Chen.

"Until death, no rest……?"

Chen Wen softly repeated the word, a hint of a cold arc curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Exactly as I wish."

He rose to his feet and walked to the huge map hanging on the palace wall.

His gaze first swept over the territory representing Great Chen, then crossed the dotted line marking the western light curtain, and fell upon the vast region colored differently but labeled "Song."

Two Zhongyuans, two emperors, a collision destined by hatred and behind-the-scenes manipulation to be unavoidable.

"He, Zhao Kuangyin, seeks revenge, to restore his 'orthodoxy.'"

Chen Wen's voice rang out in the hall, calm yet containing strength.

"I, too, must protect my people and defend the order I have built together with my ministers."

"This light curtain separates not only two worlds, but two paths."

"He follows his 'script,' while I walk my 'Great Dao.'"

"Who is strong, who weak, who right, who wrong—this is not a matter of words; it must ultimately be decided… on the battlefield!"

He turned his body, his sharp gaze sweeping over several senior officials.

"Convey my decree."

"Issue this Song emperor's edict to all circuits, prefectures, and counties!"

"No need to conceal; let all the world's subjects see what kind of visage the 'Great Song' beyond the curtain presents, and how resolute its emperor is!"

"Order the Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy to immediately draft a proclamation, refuting their absurd words, declaring the legitimacy of our Great Chen's founding, and exposing the truth of the Iron Crow Army's manipulation!"

"Order the Ministry of War and the Military Council to accelerate the integration of the new army, allocate grain and supplies, and put the western and northern frontier garrisons into first‑level war readiness!"

"Order the Ministry of Works to run all military workshops at full capacity, prioritizing the distribution of the new weapons developed under Zhao Lao nian's charge!"

"Order the Jing'an Bureau," Chen Wen looked at Qian Gui, his tone grim, "to monitor every stir within the realm; anyone daring to respond to this edict, or to secretly communicate with the Iron Crow Army and the Song state—shall be killed without pardon!"

Order after order, clear and decisive.

They did not let the enemy's mad proclamation throw their ranks into disarray; instead, they used it as an opportunity to further unite internally and accelerate war preparations.

"We receive your order!"

Zhang Cheng, Wang Ru, and Qian Gui bowed solemnly, their eyes blazing with fierce fighting spirit.

They knew that from this moment on, Great Chen and that mirror-image Song had completely torn apart.

The days ahead will know no peace.

"But what of it?"

In this chaotic age, this realm of ten thousand li was forged from blood and fire.

Having followed His Majesty from Jiao Tu Zhen all the way to Bian Liang's imperial city to establish a great dynasty, what fear have they of another prolonged showdown with that mirror‑image nemesis?

Chen Wen waved his hand, dismissing the officials, and stood alone before the map.

Outside the hall the sun blazed fiercely, yet inside it seemed shrouded in an intangible haze by that western invisible boundary.

Zhao Kuangyin's vengeful edict was like a challenge, formally opening the curtain on a prolonged struggle between two empires and two destinies.

He could feel that the Fortune Momentum within him also sensed the intense hostility from this "same‑origin yet different‑quality" existence, slowly circulating and quickening, exuding a heavier, more mighty aura.

"A blade driven by hatred may be sharp……"

Chen Wen stared at the region marked "Song" on the map, his gaze seeming to pierce through time and space.

"But what I hold in my hand…… is the hearts of the myriad people, the righteous fortune of the state!"

"Let me see whether your script, manipulated by hidden hands, is formidable, or this reality forged by my blood and sweat…… is harder!"

The clouds of war, because of this single hate‑filled edict from beyond the light curtain, began to swiftly gather over the Zhongyuan sky.