Chapter 326

Cui Wangshu did not want her clan to know what she had done, so she deliberately concealed many things.

Because the Cui clan trusted Cui Wangshu greatly, they did not notice anything unusual for the time being.

Instead, Fu Ruyan's status within the clan gradually rose; although it was not enough to reach the core of the Fu clan, she was allowed to attend general meetings and was no longer as transparent as before.

Even though many people had their eyes on this business, Fu Ruyan held onto it tightly, and they could not easily pressure her, which gave her enough room to develop.

Western Liang was still maneuvering with the Southern Barbarians and had not yet launched an attack on Da Qian. The scholar-gentry were also harboring different thoughts, but none of them showed it.

For a time, it actually presented a feeling of "peaceful years," but only the sharp-minded sensed that this was more like the calm before a storm.

In the blink of an eye, it was deep winter. The cold wind in the Northern Frontier was biting, but fortunately, Jiang Jinshi had made sufficient preparations, so he would not let the people of the Northern Frontier suffer the misery of that severe cold.

Just after the Spring Festival, the first Grand Morning Assembly began in the Zichen Hall of the imperial palace in Jingcheng.

And what made the civil and military officials feel a sense of dread was that an urgent report from Western Liang had arrived.

Minister of War Chen Jiru held an urgent military report and stepped out with a heavy expression.

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister, fellow colleagues... An eight-hundred-li urgent report! The King of Western Liang... has completely pacified the rebellion of the Southern Barbarians and incorporated over thirty thousand of their troops! His vanguard army has already reassembled at the border, and it is feared they will march east again in a few days!"

"Ah? This... this..."

The court was in an instant uproar. The officials who had just been drowsy were immediately awakened, whispering to one another with expressions of terror.

The rebellion of the Southern Barbarians holding back the steps of Western Liang was a lucky assumption tacitly held by the entire court, and now this luck had been ruthlessly shattered!

"Silence!" Si Gui gave a low shout, suppressing the noise.

His expression did not change, but his hands inside his sleeves were clenched tight.

Chen Jiru continued: "According to the report, the King of Western Liang used thunderous means to suppress the Southern Barbarians this time, not by mere slaughter, but by combining suppression with pacification, promoting barbarian leaders, and promising them great profits, quickly consolidating his power.

His forces are feared to have already exceeded three hundred thousand, and their morale is high! The border garrison commanders have sent three urgent reports in succession, requesting the imperial court to quickly send reinforcements and provide additional grain and equipment!"

The army of the King of Western Liang was already fierce enough before, having captured several cities of Da Qian in succession, and now it was an army that had just experienced actual combat and had high morale!

The atmosphere in the hall became tense, and everyone was discussing it in low voices.

Just then, a voice that surprised everyone rang out. The Emperor, Wei Xi Yuan, actually took the initiative to say:

"Regarding the matter of Western Liang, you beloved ministers can discuss it. I, however, suddenly remembered... the Northern Frontier, I vaguely heard someone mention last winter that the livelihood of the people in the Northern Frontier is difficult. Has anyone been sent to pacify and investigate?"

This Emperor, who had always been indifferent to state affairs and only indulged in the lap of luxury, had actually taken the initiative to mention the Northern Frontier, which most people had temporarily forgotten!

Moreover, he used words like "pacify and investigate," which seemed to carry a certain... concern?

The entire court of civil and military officials, including Si Gui, were stunned for a moment, their gazes cast in unison toward the throne.

Had the Emperor... changed his nature? Or was there another implication?

Si Gui felt uneasy in his heart; the Emperor would never care about the Northern Frontier without reason, especially at a time when the pressure from Western Liang was so immense.

Behind this, who was pulling the strings?

He did not have time to think, as the voice of Censor-in-Chief Yan Chonggu followed immediately after the Emperor:

"Your Majesty is wise, showing compassion for the suffering of the people in the Northern Frontier; this old subject admires you!"

Yan Chonggu bowed and said, "Before the new year, this old subject had petitioned to send an envoy to pacify the region, first to comfort the people, and second to investigate the truth and prevent trouble before it happens. It was just that the situation in Western Liang was urgent at the time, so it was temporarily shelved.

Now that Your Majesty asks, it is the right time to bring this matter up again. Only when the Northern Frontier is stable can the imperial court have no worries behind it and fully deal with the Western Front!"

Yan Chonggu's words were flawless.

They echoed the Emperor while putting forward "preventing trouble before it happens" and "no worries behind," which appeared particularly persuasive under the heavy pressure of Western Liang.

Si Gui's eyes suddenly sharpened as he looked at Yan Chonggu. This old fox, he was really waiting here!

That understated proposal before the new year had actually been laying the groundwork here! He immediately judged that the Emperor's sudden mention of the Northern Frontier was likely related to the secret operations of this old thing!

What exactly had the Yan Family seen in the Northern Frontier? And what did they want to obtain?

"Old Yan's words are not without reason." Si Gui spoke slowly; he must not let this matter be easily facilitated.

"However, the King of Western Liang is ambitious, and his army is pressing on our borders. The energy and money of the imperial court should be poured into the Western Front to ensure that Tongguan is absolutely secure. Even if the Northern Frontier is in distress, it is but a minor matter; how can it be compared to a heart-and-gut disease? To be distracted by the Northern Frontier at this time is likely not a good strategy."

He had to suppress this matter! No matter what Yan Chonggu and the Emperor were plotting, he must not let any side issues arise at this moment!

"The Prime Minister is wrong!"

The one who spoke to refute him was not Yan Chonggu, but a Hanlin Academician known for his integrity and outspokenness.

"It is precisely because the Western Front is in danger that the rear needs to be even more stable! If the Northern Frontier falls into chaos and forms a pincer movement with Western Liang, wouldn't the imperial court be attacked from both sides? To send an envoy, how much would it cost? Yet it could comfort the hearts of the people in the Northern Frontier, show the grace of the imperial court, and eliminate a potential great disaster. This is a strategy of using the small to gain the large and consolidating the foundation!"

"Academician Wang's words are very true!"

Another official stepped out to echo, "The situation in the Northern Frontier is unclear. How much control does the imperial court have over the Northern Frontier? How do the hearts of the people lean? If there is indeed an ambitious person taking advantage of the court's focus on the west to grow powerful in the Northern Frontier, it will be too late to regret it then! Sending an envoy to investigate is exactly the right time!"

"This subject seconds the motion!"

"I also... this subject also seconds the motion!"

To Si Gui's surprise, there were quite a few officials who stood up to support sending an envoy to the Northern Frontier!

There were pure-stream officials, officials with close ties to the Yan Family, and even several mid-level officials from the Six Ministries who were usually neutral and only cared about practical matters.

They might not all have been bought by Yan Chonggu, but the reason of "stabilizing the rear and preventing trouble before it happens" indeed moved many people under the current heavy pressure of Western Liang.

After all... no one wanted to see a situation of being attacked from both sides.

Si Gui realized that he might have underestimated the court officials' fear of an "unstable rear," and also underestimated Yan Chonggu's ability to secretly connect and create public opinion.

The Emperor's sudden question today was likely the result of Yan Chonggu's operations, intended to push the matter by leveraging the situation!

Seeing more and more people seconding the motion, and even several officials who usually followed Si Gui's lead now showing hesitation, Si Gui knew that it was no longer possible to force it down; doing so would only make him appear tyrannical and arbitrary, disregarding the overall situation.

His brain turned rapidly, still weighing the pros and cons.

Yan Chonggu wanted to send someone to the Northern Frontier, nothing more than to contact, win over, or even control that master of the Northern Frontier.

If he opposed it blindly, it would only push the potential power of the Northern Frontier toward the Yan Family, and might even force Jiang Jinshi to completely lean toward the Yan Family, or... declare independence?