Fu Shanhe

Chapter 505 The Decline of Imperial Power
"The city is broken!"

Upon hearing this devastating news, the Yu soldiers who were originally preparing to rush to the city gate to provide reinforcements all turned around and ran away.

"No retreat!"

"No retreat!"

"Get back here, you son of a bitch!"

……

With morale low, no matter how hard the generals try, it will all be in vain.

The already chaotic capital city descended into further disorder as news of its fall spread.

The capital city had many gates, so the rebels did not besiege the city in order to reduce the resistance within.

In the darkness of night, the city gates slowly opened one by one.

Countless powerful families who stood on the opposite side of Liaodong Town rushed out of the city immediately.

The palace was now brightly lit.

"Empress Dowager, the rebels have breached the city! Quickly, take His Majesty and we must evacuate!"

The Marquis of Zhendong urged in a panic.

The cabinet had already expressed its intention to evacuate several days prior.

Unfortunately, before the evacuation plan could be finalized, the rebels stormed into the city.

In their haste, they could only leave with the emperor and empress dowager, and also had to deal with the retired emperor.

The Liaodong Rebellion proved that when the emperor was young, the living retired emperor was the biggest destabilizing factor.

Today, the Liaodong garrison can rebel under the banner of Emperor Yongning; tomorrow, other troops can follow suit.

If they were shameless enough, the Northern barbarians could even launch an attack under the banner of Emperor Yongning.

Judging from the speed at which the Beijing garrison collapsed, it's clear that clinging to a powerful figure can be quite effective.

Especially for those whose stance is not so firm, using the banner of Emperor Yongning makes them feel at ease to side with the rebels.

Afterwards, they could comfort themselves by saying that they were following Emperor Yongning to restore order, not surrendering to the rebels, and that they were still "loyal subjects" of the Great Yu Dynasty.

"My lord, could you please leave tomorrow?"

"It's so dark outside; I'm afraid my son won't be able to handle it once we leave the palace."

The Empress Dowager said with a troubled expression.

The cabinet members wanted to take her and her child away, but her own father sent someone to tell her not to leave the capital.

The emperor who sits in the palace is the true emperor.

Once a royal figure slunk away from the palace, it also means that the imperial power has been challenged.

Based on historical experience, young emperors who fled the capital in haste were almost always destined to become puppets.

Even if one remains in the capital, the emperor is still the emperor.

Even the most audacious ruler in Liaodong would not dare to openly murder his lord.

As the only son of Emperor Yongning, even if Emperor Yongning were to be restored to the throne, it would be impossible for him and his mother to harm them.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, she chose to stall for time.

"Your Majesty, there is no time left."

If we don't evacuate now, the rebels will storm the palace!
You've probably heard about the style of Liaodong Town.

Historically, when regional military governors rebel, what happens next...?

Jiang Shuhan hurriedly tried to persuade him.

At this critical moment, wasting time here is practically suicidal.

If it weren't for their status, they would have ordered the people to be forcibly taken away long ago.

"This……"

"What will happen to the Emperor Emeritus and all the concubines after I and the Emperor are gone?"

The Empress Dowager's question left everyone speechless.

Some things can be done quietly, but should never be spoken of.

Neither abandoning the concubines in the palace nor sending Emperor Yongning to his death could be done openly.

According to the original plan, the attack on Emperor Yongning would only be carried out after the troops had withdrawn from the capital.

Then they can pin the blame on the Liaodong rebels and cut off the Shi family's "righteous cause."

If a regicide occurs, all forces in the land will surely rise up to punish the traitor immediately.

Before long, the rebels in Liaodong Town will be wiped out by a joint effort of various forces.

At that time, whether the imperial court returns north to the capital or goes south to Yingtian Prefecture, it will be able to get a relatively good start.

Just as everyone was caught in a dilemma, the shouts of battle outside were already getting closer.

"You lot, immediately escort the Empress Dowager and His Majesty into the carriage!"

Realizing the situation was dire, the Marquis of Zhendong immediately pointed at several palace maids and gave an order.

Influenced by Confucian culture, Dayu had strict regulations regarding the distinction between men and women.

The sages Cheng Yi and Zhu Xi once said, "Starving to death is a small matter, but losing one's integrity is a great matter."

If any of them dared to drag the Empress Dowager away, they'd be finished if word got out.

Even if it could be kept secret, the young emperor was still watching from the sidelines.

People feel that the Empress Dowager has been humiliated. They may not be able to hold it against her now, but they will definitely settle scores with her later.

……

"Third Uncle, Sixth Uncle, His Majesty has left. What do we do now?"

Li Siqi asked with a frustrated look.

After finally managing to assemble their forces, they fought a desperate battle against the rebels in the palace, only to have the emperor flee first.

"There's no way to make a fool of yourself!"

Sixth Uncle Li Xi couldn't help but curse angrily.

The opportunity to make a name for oneself in history was right before our eyes, but it slipped away right under our noses.

The Liaodong army's strongest asset was its cavalry, but their combat effectiveness would be greatly reduced once they entered a city.

Despite the overwhelming force of the rebels, a large number of Yu soldiers still remained in the capital, and each household had many servants to protect their homes.

As long as they can withstand the rebel army's advance in the palace, the loyal and righteous men of the city will rise up in response.

The garrison troops stationed outside the capital to quell the rebellion will also take the opportunity to return.

If we're lucky, we might be able to drive the rebels out of the city in one fell swoop.

Even if the plan fails, it can still leave a significant mark on history.

With the emperor's escape, everything was lost.

"We've already come all this way, we can't just slink away like this!"
His Majesty has left the palace, but the Emperor Emeritus remains in the palace.

Or shall we go and protect the retired emperor?

As soon as Li Siyuan made his suggestion, he was slapped in the face.

"idiot!"

"Even if I die on my sickbed, I won't go to protect that tyrant!"

Perhaps feeling it wasn't enough, while cursing, Third Uncle Li Heng added another kick.

The Liaodong rebels were fighting under the banner of restoring Emperor Yongning to the throne.

Their presence at this moment to guard the retired emperor signifies that the Zhenyuan Marquis's residence is siding with the rebels.

Even if they fought to the death with Liaodong Town later, in the eyes of the world, it was just an internal strife over the unequal distribution of spoils.

He only wanted to be remembered in history, not to be infamous for all time.

"The plan has failed, let's go back!"
These soldiers were all taken in as retainers, to observe how the situation would develop.

Li Xi said in a low voice.

The hope of turning the tide has vanished, but the fight against the rebels has only just begun.

Whatever decisive battles may follow, they will require the support of strength.

"Sixth Uncle, can the clan afford to support so many people all at once?"

Li Siyuan asked in a low voice.

The food shortage in the capital has been going on for quite some time.

Over the past year, Shuntian Prefecture suffered near-total crop failure, and even aristocratic families were struggling.

"Don't worry, you won't go hungry. Don't forget who the top grain merchant in the capital is!"

Li Xi feigned composure as he spoke. This statement was entirely meant to comfort him.

It was precisely because the Marquis of Hanshui was the largest grain wholesaler in the capital that the Li clan did not hoard grain on a large scale.

Anyway, if someone goes hungry, it won't affect our own people, so there's absolutely no need to buy food when prices are at their peak.

With this in mind, the days of only spending and not earning continued for more than a year, and the Li clan's grain reserves were also about to run out.

Under normal circumstances, taking in thousands of servants at once would certainly be unsustainable.

However, the situation is now special. With the evacuation plan underway, many members of the clan have already gone south.

In addition, the family fortune left by the Marquis of Zhenyuan's mansion will be temporarily managed by the clan.

It's still feasible to store grain for one or two months.

The capital fell so quickly because of food shortages.

Liaodong Town seemed to have gotten a bargain, but in reality, it inherited a mess.

If a food source cannot be found soon, the current favorable situation will quickly vanish.

Now is the time to test patience. Whoever reveals a weakness first will be put on the defensive in the ensuing game.

"Sixth Uncle, since there is no battle to defend the palace, the Shi family should not take action against us in the short term."

Why not take this opportunity to contact various factions in the capital and find a chance to give them a severe beating!

Seeing that his cousin had run into a snag, Li Siqi made a suggestion with some trepidation.

The confidence that the Shi family would not dare to attack them was also based on historical experience.

Although the Li clan was not a powerful aristocratic family, its military strength was in no way inferior to that of powerful aristocratic families.

Aside from having a slightly weaker influence among civil officials, he had numerous protégés and former subordinates throughout the military.

Among the troops that went out to suppress the rebels a few days ago, there was a battalion that his family had run for generations.

The clan decided to break out, relying on the fact that there were people outside the city to meet them.

The cabinet dared to break through the siege with the emperor, and their greatest reliance was the large army of the Beijing garrison outside.

Although these men could not defeat the Liaodong garrison, they were able to cover the rear for the imperial court and slow down the rebel army's advance.

"Don't waste your time. We dare to take a gamble because the Annam Protectorate has developed, and many of our clansmen are developing there."

Those clansmen under the age of forty all broke through the encirclement, leaving behind only a bunch of old guys.

Even if we were all wiped out, it wouldn't change the fact that my Li family is one of the most prestigious and powerful families in the world.

With arrangements made for the younger generation, they can naturally be loyal to the court.

Other noble families didn't have this kind of confidence!

Li Xi shook his head and said.

In the clan era, everyone was taught from childhood that family interests were above all else.

One can be loyal to one's country, but one cannot sacrifice the lineage of one's clan.

……

"What? The little emperor has run away?"

"What are you standing there for? Send men after them right now!"

Upon hearing the devastating news, Shi Jingfeng immediately gave the order.

Lacking political support, Liaodong Garrison needed to control the emperor if it wanted to achieve anything.

Once the young emperor is brought to the south, the southeastern provinces can legitimately declare independence and establish the Southern Yu Minor Court.

The north was plagued by natural disasters and man-made calamities, making it unable to provide sufficient strategic materials for its large army and lacking the foundation for a kingdom or hegemony.

Without the financial and logistical support from the South, collapse was inevitable.

In the end, all their efforts will have benefited the northern barbarians.

"Brother, I've already sent people to chase after them."

The court officials were cowardly; they retreated with the emperor's personal guards, and the procession stretched like a long dragon, unable to go very far.

Those guys were ruthless; they actually arranged for someone to attack the retired emperor after the evacuation, trying to pin the blame on us.

Fortunately, the person in charge of the operation was stopped by our people just as he was about to take action.

"Why not go to the palace first, pay your respects to the retired emperor, and solidify the imperial edict?"

Shi Jinglin said calmly.

In chaotic times, the larger the group fleeing for their lives, the more attention they attract.

They could disregard the officials fleeing the court, but the young emperor himself had to stay.

"Oh!"

"We originally thought that only we could be traitors and rebels, but we never expected that those guys who called themselves loyal ministers could also commit regicide."

It seems everyone is the same; there are no loyal ministers, everyone is just after political interests!

"Let's go see the Emperor Emeritus and let him know about the evil deeds of those treacherous officials."

Shi Jingfeng laughed heartily.

The public pressure that Guang Shijia had to bear for being labeled a traitor and rebel was simply too great.

If the world is full of treacherous officials and rebels, they won't stand out so much among them.

Unfortunately, the retired emperor was useful to the Shi family, and this time he had to help clean up the mess to prevent the regicide from actually happening.

……

"The emperor is in poor health and cannot withstand the rigors of a long journey. Let's stop and rest for a while!"

The Empress Dowager, holding the pale-faced young emperor, lifted the carriage curtain and gave instructions to the officials outside.

"Your Majesty, the rebels are hot on our heels, we can't stop now!"

Let's be patient for now. If we go a little further, the reinforcements should arrive soon.

Then we can go to Tongzhou, take a boat to Shandong, and temporarily avoid the rebels' advance.

The Marquis of Zhendong explained, looking exhausted.

His long-term pampered lifestyle made such extended horseback riding a form of stress for him.

But there was no other way; the nobles wouldn't do the job of riding horses to accompany the emperor, and they couldn't just leave it to the civil officials!

If that were to happen, the three civil officials in the cabinet would be bedridden before they even reached Tongzhou.

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

A whistling rain of arrows blocked the front of the column.

"Send the order: the entire army shall charge forward and carve a bloody path for His Majesty!"

Looking at the enemy army appearing ahead, the Marquis of Zhendong gave the order in near despair.

A formidable enemy lies ahead, while pursuers are closing in from behind.

Taking a detour was impossible; no matter how fast the convoy was, it couldn't outrun the enemy cavalry.

Staying where you are is tantamount to waiting to die; if you want to leave alive, you have no choice but to risk your life.

In the blink of an eye, the two forces were locked in a fierce battle.

The sounds of fighting mingled with shouts of killing and screams of agony, creating a tragic elegy for the battlefield.

Time passed second by second, and fewer and fewer Yu soldiers were left to fight, and it seemed that the situation was about to turn against them.

Forcing himself to muster his courage, he lifted the carriage curtain, only to be met with the sight of the Prime Minister's head rolling off the carriage.

The horrific scene before her eyes terrified the Empress Dowager so much that she vomited on the spot.

The young emperor inside the carriage was also trembling with fear.

The fact that the Grand Secretary was killed so openly and brazenly was completely beyond their expectations.

Fortunately, everyone still had reverence for imperial power, and both sides deliberately avoided the chariots; otherwise, they too would have been hard-pressed to escape.

……

"Please return to the palace, Your Majesty and Empress Dowager!"

"Please return to the palace, Your Majesty and Empress Dowager!"

A unified voice rang out, announcing the end of the great battle.

As they were talking, a general stepped forward, lifted the curtain, and brazenly began to check their identities.

Terrified by this overstepping of boundaries, the Empress Dowager and the young emperor burst into tears, too afraid to utter a word of reprimand.

"Get started!"

Shi Jinghai gave the order with a disdainful look.

The last shred of awe he had for the Great Yu Dynasty vanished completely after meeting the emperor.

(End of this chapter)