Three Years, Returning (1)

Afterwards, the candidate for the Head Minister of Works was born through the court officials’ recommendation.

Perhaps there were some confusion in between, but things very quickly returned onto the right track. Just, Sir Ruan began slowly letting go of his power again.

Jing Wan took it all in, but didn’t say anything. Ruan Rui Zhong was an absolute loyal official, and also a capable official. For Qi Yuan, he was also a meritorious official. Her own husband, because of ‘personal grudges’, wanting to have him squeezed to death, truly was a bit ruthless. At this age of his, he indeed should peacefully enjoy his later years. However, his sons all failed to live up to expectations, especially those that got ruined by his second wife. Among his grandsons, there were still some that were usable, but it was obvious, after he retires, letting his grandson crawl onto a third rank or higher position wasn’t realistic.

Just as Luo Pei Shan had stated, if a family clan really declines, then that is just its fate. Solely relying on other people’s favors to maintain won’t work.

Jing Wan right now was very busy, not having the energy to contemplate those pointless matters.

In any case, Ruan Rui Zhong’s matter, no matter what, still need to wait for a period of time.

Getting up from the imperial desk, Jing Wan massaged her nape, stretching her muscles. Once again, it was gradually entering summer. Speaking of which, in Le Cheng Emperor’s early years, it was practically going to the imperial summer residence every year. In the years after she entered the capital, they’d only gone the first year. That place was indeed more comfortable than the capital, but as the empress, it’s impossible for her to lack charcoal in winter, and further impossible to lack ice in the summer. Even if she somewhat hated the summer heat, it wasn’t really that unbearable. Besides, sometimes when busy, she would completely forget, so where did she have the mind to bother with these.

At present, her husband was on Southern Qi’s land, seemingly increasingly vigorous, deeply penetrating Southern Qi’s interior.

Even if going against Li Hong Yuan, Southern Qi had deployed even more troops, but it not only didn’t have any effect, it instead was just sending Qi Yuan ‘fodder’ again and again, letting Qi Yuan’s momentum grow increasingly vigorous. And Li Hong Yuan’s reputation as the ‘god of war’ also gradually spread, to the extent that when the people of Southern Qi hear his name, never mind attempting to kill him, it was instead cowering a little on their own first. With one side rising, and the other side declining, at present, Qi Yuan already occupied a fourth of Southern Qi’s territory.

No matter how big their ambitions were, under this kind of circumstance, the power wielders of Southern Qi also couldn’t bear anymore. Having no other choice, they handed over a letter seeking peace with Qi Yuan.

Just, seeking peace with the living Enma that is determined to devour Southern Qi, how much odds can there be? The peace letter on his side already entered the brazier, never mind reaching Qi Yuan’s imperial court.

At the time, when Southern Qi wanted to deal with Li Hong Yuan, using that kind of method, truthfully speaking, it was also because they completely didn’t understand him. If they understood, then they probably wouldn’t have used that kind of stupid method. And certain people in Southern Qi perhaps also didn’t have him taken too seriously. Even if greatly exaggerating his abilities, certain people probably still won’t believe.

But now, they will have to pay the price for their hubris, regardless whether it’s the current emperor of Southern Qi, or those ambitious people eyeing the throne.

Some regretted provoking this kind of demon, while some regretted that they didn’t do everything they can to kill him back then, instead doing that kind of meaningless thing.

And the people on both sides all used this bit to attack and criticize the other side. Despite the country facing such a dilemma, they still won’t forget to suppress the other side, scrambling for power and profit.

Southern Qi’s national power was rich and powerful, even exceeding Qi Yuan. However, their interior problems, in this moment, also completely erupted.

After the peace letter got sent out, for a very long time, there wasn’t the slightest news, and Qi Yuan’s army was still incessantly advancing. Finally, they were worried, having no other choice but to look for a way to resolve the dilemma. Southern Qi’s interior reached a temporary ‘consolidation’.

TN: All

Thinking back and forth, sure enough, they can only seek help from the other countries, stirring up Qi Yuan’s borders. Only in this way can Southern Qi have the chance the breathe, and afterwards, ruthlessly strike back, not only taking back the lost territories, but also need to have Qi Yuan ruthlessly chopped up.

In this way, things once again silently matched with the situation in Li Hong Yuan’s past life not long after ascending the throne.

However, right now, there were also differences. At the time, perhaps it was facing enemies on all sides, but at present, very few dared to stroke the tiger’s whiskers. Didn’t one see Southern Qi get devoured little by little? For countries like theirs, the one with the biggest territory among them was also nothing more than just a fraction of Qi Yuan’s. The rest were mostly all just pebble-sized land, so how could they dare do something like ‘the ant trying to shake the tree’? It was hating that they can’t disappear from Yuan Qi Emperor’s line of sight. How could they dare to voluntarily invade? In fact, some countries already started making certain preparations———–After Qi Yuan conquer Southern Qi, if they still want to continue expanding their territory, then they will voluntarily have their land offered up.

Don’t say something like that was cowardly and incompetent, just look at Zhang. In the beginning, when Qi Yuan attacked Zhang, what the reason was, that was known by all.

Voluntarily offering up, avoiding a war, letting the people avoid suffering the chaos of war, in this way, even if becoming the ruler of a fallen country, one day when going down to the nine springs[1], one won’t be completely ashamed to face the ancestors. Besides, integrating into Qi Yuan wasn’t without benefits. For small countries like theirs, it was generally having little land and few people. Little land meant that there won’t be a lot of production, and few people meant that there won’t be enough labor and military power. Every year, they would also have to pay tribute. Especially for those small countries that resided at the lowest level, it wasn’t just paying tribute to the big countries, but also to the neighboring countries that were stronger than oneself. Every year, just for the sake of those tributes, it was needing to exhaust all their power and resources. And even so, it still may not necessarily be enough to let those ‘upper countries’ be satisfied. If not careful, letting those countries think that they weren’t ‘sincere enough’, then that was just disaster befalling on their heads. Every time, it was all trembling with fear. But, if they were to become a part of Qi Yuan, then this kind of situation will end. On the contrary, they will even receive the benefits of being a citizen of Qi Yuan.

A former ruler of a country, perhaps getting conferred into a marquis, and although no longer having power in hand, but living in Qi Yuan’s capital, one’s days perhaps might even be better than in the past.

Because of these various matters, in a few days, when Jing Wan received emergency report of trouble at the borders, it was just at the borders bordering Former Wei.

And Former Wei’s excuse was also quite interesting, saying that Qi Yuan conspired against their Former Wei’s di princess.

Speaking of which, in the beginning, they’d already started guarding against Former Wei. The borders have He Zhen Wei, this experienced old general, overseeing, and the valiant generals under his banner also weren’t few.

If Former Wei were to go all out in advancing south, then perhaps they can become an enormous threat to Qi Yuan. However, if Former Wei really had this courage, then they would’ve long made the move.

One must know, the big and small countries near the north of Former Wei similarly weren’t few. These outer tribes similarly were dauntless, and moreover, they’d long bore grudges against Former Wei. Just, unfortunately, Former Wei was strong, so normally, they at most could only harass the borders. If they were to catch the opportunity, they absolutely will ruthlessly tear down a piece of flesh from Former Wei.

Towards this bit, Former Wei was also very well aware of. That’s why, when fighting with Qi Yuan, their military power was also limited.

Besides, Li Hong Yuan had long made arrangements. At present, Former Wei still had endless internal disorder, all sides fighting for power, and it wasn’t like Qi Yuan previously, where there was a living Enma that occupied the absolute advantage. The various political factions of Former Wei were all equal in power. In this way, naturally no one was willing to yield in the slightest.

As the saying goes, when there’s a large disparity in power, a fight won’t break out that easily, but when equal in power, then the aftermath brought about by it will be exceptionally disastrous.

Having long predicted this, Jing Wan methodically began arranging the various matters. The rations and supplies for He Zhen Wei and them were also long prepared, ready to fight at any time.

When Southern Qi received news that Former Wei had already dispatched an army, Li Hong Yuan didn’t withdraw troops in the slightest. In fact, he didn’t even have any intention of reducing his troops. For a time, Southern Qi was both frightened and angry.

Since the strategy didn’t work, and it was useless to seek peace, then can only continue fighting. However, at this time, no one was able to relax again. Some high officials and nobles already secretly began contemplating their own escape route, and this so called escape route naturally won’t be fleeing to another country. The nearby lands, which one can compare with Southern Qi? They wanted wealth, glory, and honor, and not escape to the wilderness to live out days of hardship. And Li Hong Yuan, along the way, has ‘burned, killed, and plundered’. Those that were wealthy, especially those large influential families, not a single one ended up well. Perhaps their lives were spared, but falling into the mud from the high clouds, for those that were used to just extending their hand for clothes and opening their mouth for food, when having nothing, how many can still live?

Then, there was just one path left.

Not long after, Li Hong Yuan just received news. In Southern Qi, there were those that were willing to secretly surrender, opening the gates and leading the way for Qi Yuan’s army, just for the sake of preserving their clan’s wealth and honor.

Towards those that were willing to sell out the country for wealth and honor, there naturally were people under Li Hong Yuan that very much looked down on this kind of thing.

However, Li Hong Yuan was actually quite indifferent towards this kind of people. He had the intention of devouring Southern Qi, but if able to return early, then it naturally can’t be better. Don’t look at how it wasn’t obvious on the surface. In his heart, there was nevertheless overflowing dark currents. For everyday he can’t return, it all won’t be able to quell. As time goes on, Southern Qi afraid will just suffer even more from these dark currents. In the end, it was nothing more than just deeply missing his wife. Speaking of which, it seemingly wasn’t that hard to understand either.

Since there were those that were offering themselves up to be used, then Li Hong Yuan naturally didn’t have any reason to refuse.

[1] Referring to the underworld