Chapter 373: Da Qian is in Imminent Danger

It can be said that Yan Chonggu analyzed everything thoroughly. All his family property was pressed on Beijiang, so he naturally hoped that Beijiang could win.

Hearing this, Xiao Chunqiu stood up and bowed to Yan Chonggu with a scholar's salute.

"Since this is the case, Yan Gong should rest for a while, and we won't disturb you anymore!"

Yan Chonggu knew that the two must be going to report to Jiang Jinshi, so he didn't exchange too many pleasantries, "Two gentlemen, go slowly!"

After Xiao Chunqiu and Feng Chunsheng left, Yan Chonggu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It was not simple for him to escape from the capital. The arrangements along the way must have been indispensable. Now that he had arrived in Beijiang safely, his heart could be considered calm.

Moreover, he had also heard about the situation of the Yan Clan disciples in Beijiang. Jiang Jinshi did not put

If there are those with ability, they can also be assigned some official posts; first, see how their own strength is.

In other words, Jiang Jinshi truly did what he said: there was no oppression or exclusion, and at the same time, there was no special treatment.

The Yan Family's transition from their initial discomfort in Beijiang to their current state of being like a fish in water is inseparable from Jiang Jinshi's system.

Since that is the case, he, Yan Chonggu, still possesses some ability; perhaps he can still radiate some residual heat under Jiang Jinshi.

He does not seek to scheme for the family, only hoping that by helping Jiang Jinshi, he can gain the other party's favor, so that in the future, if the family disciples are not promising, they might be dealt with leniently out of consideration for this friendship.

As for whether Beijiang can occupy a place in this world, Yan Chonggu only wants to say: once the move is made, there is no regret!

Several days later, under the careful recuperation provided by the imperial physicians, Wei Xi Yuan was finally able to barely rise, and supported by eunuchs, he sat upon the long-absent dragon chair.

Yet the hall was empty and desolate; the scene of civil and military officials filling the court in the past had become a memory.

Scattered about stood fewer than twenty people, mostly elderly officials or those of low rank with nowhere else to go.

Lu Wenchang did not arrive, claiming to be "bedridden," and merely submitted a memorial of illness.

Key positions such as the Minister of War and the Minister of Revenue were conspicuously vacant.

Wei Xi Yuan's gaze slowly swept over the few people below, a dull pain in his chest, which he endured to keep from coughing out.

He opened his mouth, his voice hoarse and weak: "My... my ministers... *cough cough*... how is... the situation?"

A white-haired old censor, his official robes washed until they were faded white, tremblingly stepped out of line, his old tears streaming down: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! You have finally awakened! Now the rebel Western Liang has occupied the entire southeast, and their military force points directly at Tongguan!

The Imperial Court...

The Imperial Court only has a corner of Guanzhong left; the three hundred thousand soldiers at Tongguan lack food and pay, and the seventeen thousand Forbidden Guards in the capital are also in a state of panic!

Lu Wenchang claims illness and does not appear, and officials of all departments have fled! Your Majesty, if you do not make a decision now, the nation is in imminent danger!"

Upon hearing this, Wei Xi Yuan's body almost failed to remain steady again; only after a long while did he speak: "Food... food and pay... is Lu Wenchang not... not already arranging it?"

Another middle-aged official, who was a military man recently promoted to temporarily act as the Vice Minister of War, said indignantly upon hearing this:

"Your Majesty, please discern! Since Lu Wenchang took charge of the Ministry of Revenue, under the pretext of arranging capital defense and training new troops, he has almost scraped the national treasury and the money and grain sent from various regions clean!

The Tongguan army has been owed pay for months, and grain supplies are cut off! Now that Western Liang is pressing on the border, if there is no food or pay, the morale of the army will surely collapse!

I request that Your Majesty immediately issue an edict to strictly investigate Lu Wenchang, recover the money and grain he embezzled and intercepted, rush them to Tongguan, and distribute the owed pay to the Forbidden Guards in the capital to stabilize military morale; only then will there be a glimmer of hope!"

In fact, this strategy was correct, but everyone in their hearts also understood that Lu Wenchang had likely covered his tracks long ago for doing these things, and the probability of recovering the grain and supplies was extremely slim!

"Absurd!"

A civil official spoke up in opposition, "Tongguan is indeed important, but the capital is the foundation of the world! If all the remaining food and pay are transported to Tongguan, how will the seventeen thousand Forbidden Guards in the capital be maintained?

If the Western Liang rebels bypass Tongguan, or if Tongguan is lost, and the rebel troops strike directly at the capital, would we not be sitting ducks waiting for death?

The top priority is to concentrate all strength to hold the capital! Tongguan... Tongguan can only be ordered to have the defending generals find their own way, or... or 'solicit donations' from the populace."

"Find their own way? Solicit donations?"

That acting Vice Minister of War was so angry his face turned red, "With three hundred thousand mouths at Tongguan, how can they find their own way? Solicit donations from the Guanzhong people? Guanzhong is already devastated; the people can barely save themselves, how could they have surplus grain to support a great army? This is cutting oneself off from the army and the people, forcing Tongguan to surrender to the enemy!"

"Then what would you have us do? Do you want His Majesty and the full court of civil and military officials to guard the capital on empty stomachs?" the civil official retorted.

"Enough... stop arguing..."

Wei Xi Yuan waved his hand weakly, feeling as if his head were splitting; the scene before him was swaying.

Now the national treasury is empty, the food and pay are gone, and both Tongguan and the capital are waiting for rice to put in the pot.

And the Western Liang army is right outside the pass.

Just then, an attendant scrambled into the great hall, threw himself to the ground, his voice filled with sobbing:

"Your... Your Majesty! It is bad! We just received a six-hundred-li emergency dispatch from Tongguan!

A camp riot has broken out in the army; soldiers engaged in armed conflict over grabbing food, and it has spread to several camps! The generals cannot suppress it and request that the Imperial Court immediately send an imperial envoy and transport grain and supplies to quell the mutinous troops! Otherwise... otherwise Tongguan may face a great disaster!"

"What?!"

Everyone in the hall, whether they were for war or for defense, had ugly expressions upon hearing this.

A camp riot! One of the most terrifying nightmares for an army, had actually occurred at Tongguan with its three hundred thousand troops! This showed that military morale had already collapsed to the extreme!

"Food... food..."

Wei Xi Yuan's vision went black, and he almost fainted again; he gripped the armrests of the dragon chair tightly and roared with his last bit of strength:

"Pass... pass my edict! Open... open the inner palace treasury! And... all the imperial manors and official granaries in the capital! Scrape... scrape together all money and grain! First... first transport it to Tongguan! Stabilize the army! As for the capital... the capital will find another way!"

He knew this was drinking poison to quench thirst.

The meager savings in the inner treasury and imperial manors were but a drop in the bucket for three hundred thousand soldiers and seventeen thousand Forbidden Guards.

Once the capital ran out of food, it would fall without being attacked.

But at this moment, what other way did he have?

If Tongguan were lost, the Western Liang cavalry could reach the capital in a day, and it would be a dead end all the same!

"Your Majesty is wise!" The acting Vice Minister of War hurriedly accepted the edict and left in a rush.

"Your Majesty! The inner treasury is the foundation of the imperial family, and the imperial manors and official granaries also maintain the lifeline of the capital; they must not be moved lightly!" Several civil officials still wanted to remonstrate.

"Get out! All of you, get out!"

Wei Xi Yuan slammed a paperweight from his side down the steps, "The nation is about to be gone! What use is the inner treasury then? Get out! Find a way! Find a way for me to get food! Get money!"

The ministers were silent as cicadas in winter and retreated in a panic.

Wei Xi Yuan sat on the dragon chair for a long time without moving; his heaving chest showed the torment in his heart.

The throne he had obtained with such difficulty was facing a precarious situation.

At the same time, he knew clearly in his heart that the current Da Qian... could not recover!

At this moment, what surfaced in his mind were the teachings of his late father!

"As princes, you must not lose face when abroad!"

"A man should have some spirit; Xiyuan, do not learn from your eldest brother!"

"Foolish! How can the great affairs of the world be child's play?"

Recalling these words, Wei Xi Yuan felt not the slightest tremor, only a mocking expression at the corners of his mouth.

"Father! When in your eyes have you ever had me as a son..."