Chapter 274.2: Hello Chang'an
Chapter 274.2: A Game of Soldiers and Pieces
Not long after the morning court session, the Holy Emperor summoned her senior ministers to the Ganlu Hall for a private council.
The combined forces stationed in Luoyang and Bianzhou alone were insufficient to repel Xu Zhengye’s rebellious army.
As for the surrounding prefectures near Luoyang—she did not dare place her trust in them either.
Thus, she needed to dispatch additional reinforcements to Luoyang.
“...Luoyang is not like any other place—there must not be the slightest mishap. If we are to send reinforcements, we must send only the finest of troops,” said Prime Minister Ma Xingzhou. “Your Majesty, there are still seventy thousand elite soldiers within the capital who can be mobilized.”
Everyone present knew exactly which troops he was referring to.
They were Da Sheng’s most elite army—founded by the late Crown Prince—known as the Xuanzhe Army.
The Xuanzhe Command currently commanded a total of one hundred and fifty thousand men. Earlier, when Commander Cui Jing had departed for the northern frontier, he had taken eighty thousand with him, leaving seventy thousand still stationed in the capital’s Xuanzhe Camp.
At this, an official hesitated and spoke up, “Lord Ma… these seventy thousand soldiers of the Xuanzhe Army bear the vital duty of guarding the capital’s heartlands—how can they be easily moved?”
Indeed, while the capital was not defended by these seventy thousand alone, their presence formed an unshakable wall of protection, ensuring true stability within the imperial city.
In ordinary times, such cautious restraint might not have been necessary—but now, uprisings were breaking out across the realm.
Ma Xingzhou understood this as well. Yet he merely sighed. “The most urgent task now is to hold Luoyang.”
A few ministers echoed the sigh.
There was no perfect plan—every choice came with its gains and losses. And the final decision could only rest upon the emperor’s will.
The Holy Emperor fell into deep contemplation. She summoned the officials of the Ministry of War and several military officers to reexamine every detail of the situation and reassess the capital’s security.
In the end, she made her decision.
“Convey my command—order the seventy thousand soldiers of the Xuanzhe Army to march and defend Luoyang. The Xuanzhe Command must begin preparations for deployment at once!”
No matter what, she could not allow Luoyang to fall.
If the city were to be seized by Xu Zhengye today, imperial authority would be lost. And once imperial authority crumbled, the realm would change hands in an instant.
The Holy Emperor ordered Yu Zeng to personally deliver the imperial decree to the Xuanzhe Command.
Yu Zeng obeyed and immediately departed from the Ganlu Hall.
Leaving the Inner Palace, he entered his sedan chair with a retinue of palace attendants hurrying alongside.
Inside the sedan, Yu Zeng held the sacred decree in his hands. His long phoenix-like eyes lowered, concealing the expression within them.
As they passed by the Secretariat and moved toward the Six Ministries, Grand Tutor Zhu was just emerging from the Ministry of Rites, accompanied by several officials and Imperial Guards carrying blades.
The first session of the Spring Imperial Examination would begin tomorrow. They were personally escorting the sealed test papers to the examination hall—roads had been cleared, and no one was permitted near.
The solemn atmosphere did not stop Grand Tutor Zhu from voicing his discontent. Glancing toward the hastening eunuchs, he muttered, “Running about in such a rush… how unbecoming.”
The other officials dared not respond—each stared straight ahead, as if fearing their own breath might betray them.
They knew better than to speak carelessly; even a single misplaced word could be twisted into a charge of “leaking examination secrets,” a crime punishable by death.
Grand Tutor Zhu, elderly as he was, sat within his sedan under imperial exemption. With a sigh of satisfaction, he lifted the cup of health tea prepared for him and took a leisurely sip.
He had, of course, already heard of Xu Zhengye’s change of route toward Luoyang—but the old tutor remained utterly unruffled.
After all, his student was still there. What was there to worry about?
From what he had quietly observed in recent days, Grand Tutor Zhu suspected that the Holy Emperor herself might have already guessed something about that student of his.
If she knew, yet still acted in such haste—did it not mean she did not trust her?
He let out a soft, mocking laugh, setting the teacup down with a quiet clack.
“People… the higher they stand, the more they fear. And the more they fear, the less they see clearly.”
His voice sank into a sigh that was half mockery, half lament. “Pitiful. Truly pitiful.”
But the most pitiful of all—was still that unlucky student of his.
When that student first appeared before him, she had been no more than a small pawn.
A foolish little pawn who thought she had fooled the one upon the Dragon Throne—believing herself to be the deceiver, not the deceived.
The old tutor chuckled bitterly.
“None of them are any good,” he muttered, setting the cup down hard upon the small pearwood table beside him.
From the start, that was why he had paid her particular attention—curious to see what kind of fool she would grow into.
But later, he realized—she was not a fool at all.
The little pawn had grown into a large one.
“This time,” he murmured inwardly, “let her be clever enough not to be played again.”
Otherwise, he thought grimly, she would shame her teacher.
—
After the Holy Emperor decreed the Xuanzhe Army’s deployment, discussion turned to the question of who would lead the troops.
This choice was crucial. Even the sharpest blade, when placed in the wrong hands, became no better than a broken one.
Furthermore—
An official spoke up cautiously, “The Xuanzhe Army has always been… set apart from others. If the commander is not chosen wisely, it may arouse resistance among the ranks.”
Realizing how his words might sound, he quickly bowed and fell silent.
Wei Shuyi frowned slightly.
Was that man implying that the Xuanzhe Army was difficult to command?
He spoke, his tone calm yet firm. “The Xuanzhe Army follows the will of the late Crown Prince and remains loyal to the Da Sheng Dynasty. Its discipline is strict, and it is precisely this proud and unyielding spirit that has kept it undefeated and steadfast in defending our borders.”
“If an army were filled only with those who echo others’ words, then under a commander like Li Yi, it would easily become a blade in a rebel’s hand,” Wei Shuyi continued. “I daresay—if Li Yi had once commanded the Xuanzhe Army, not one of its soldiers would have been deceived by him.”
The official immediately nodded. “Indeed, Lord Wei speaks truly.”
Wei Shuyi gave a faint smile. “However, Lord Fang’s concern is not without merit. To make full use of the Xuanzhe Army’s strength, we must appoint a commander who truly deserves such a fine blade.”
Then he turned toward the Holy Emperor and bowed.
“Your Majesty, in such a time of crisis, none could be more fitting than Grand General Cui to command the expedition. Only thus can we ensure victory beyond doubt.”