Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 428 Turmoil (Part 1)

For the past six months or so, Prime Minister Pang has indeed been extremely worried.

Pei Qinghe led his army in a bloody and bitter battle in Liaoxi City. In Yan County, he used his pen as a weapon to compete with Situ Xi for the peak of public opinion, and the intensity of the struggle was no less than that of the swords on the battlefield.

Prime Minister Pang, who originally had some gray hair, now has half-gray hair and deep wrinkles on his forehead, looking much older than he has ever imagined.

Pei Qinghe sincerely praised him, which made Prime Minister Pang's brows relax. He smiled and said, "General, you have truly worked hard, defeating the Xiongnu barbarians and boosting the morale of the nation. What this old minister has done is merely his duty and is nothing special."

Pei Qinghe said solemnly, "I have seen all of Prime Minister Pang's hard work and contributions. When it comes to rewarding merits after the war, Prime Minister Pang will definitely be the first to receive a share."

He then smiled at Minister Qin and said, "Minister Qin, you've worked hard preparing for the coronation ceremony while also assisting Prime Minister Pang in dealing with Situ Xi and King Qiao."

At that moment, Minister Qin suddenly remembered Emperor Jian'an, who had died tragically on the city wall.

Xie Li, that mediocre, weak, and incompetent man who disregarded the lives of his subjects, was not worthy of being compared to Pei Qinghe, who was wise, powerful, and compassionate towards his subjects.

A wise bird chooses its tree to perch on. For a subject, what is the greatest hope in life nothing more than to encounter a wise ruler?
Suppressing his surging emotions, Minister Qin solemnly bowed and replied, "Your humble servant eagerly awaits the General's early return. May you ascend the throne soon, establish a just and righteous cause, and thus ensure that the northern lands have a ruler and the people's hearts are with you. The people of the south are also anxiously awaiting the General's early recovery of the lost territories."

Minister Qin knows how to speak.

Pei Qinghe raised an eyebrow and smiled, his eyes revealing strong confidence and ambition: "First, we will deal with external threats, then we will pacify the internal situation. Minister Qin, rest assured, one day the world will be unified and the people will live in peace."

Qin Shilang's heart was stirred, and he bowed in agreement.

The other civil officials also spoke up. Some praised General Pei's military prowess, others marveled at his bravery in slaying the Xiongnu commander, and still others showered him with flattery. Prefect Tang, of low rank, waited a long time before it was his turn to speak. He eagerly asked, "Now that the general has returned, why not set an auspicious day for his coronation?"

All the ministers agreed.

Amidst the expectant gazes of the assembled civil officials, Pei Qinghe slowly opened his mouth and said, "How about we set it for New Year's Day?"

If we count the days, it's only two more months.

“Excellent! New Year’s Day is the beginning of the year and a time of renewal for all things.” Prime Minister Pang was the first to agree: “In my opinion, this is an extremely auspicious day.”

Minister Qin quickly chimed in, "I second that."

All the ministers seconded the motion.

Pei Qinghe smiled and said, "Okay, it's settled then."

……

Pei Qinghe declined the ministers' suggestion to go to Yan County and instead stayed in Pei Family Village. As soon as the news of recruiting new soldiers was released, the young men and women of Pei Family Village flocked to sign up in droves.

People from all the counties and villages in Yan County also came to sign up.

The Pei family army has its own set of procedures for recruiting new soldiers. Upon entering Pei family village, the first thing they do is still to read and memorize military regulations, and the rules for marching and drills are also taught at the same time.

Within Yan County, Prime Minister Pang, Vice Minister Qin, and other civil officials were also extremely busy. Prime Minister Pang had already written the proclamation announcing General Pei's ascension to the throne, revising it meticulously time and again, pouring his heart and soul into every word. Finally, on the first day of the twelfth lunar month, copies were made and distributed.

Given the speed of dissemination at that time, at least the civil and military officials, prominent families, and wealthy households in the north would be able to see it. The speed in the south would be much slower, and it would be at least next spring before it spread throughout the country.

As usual, Prime Minister Pang wrote many letters to relatives and friends, urging them to create public opinion and make sure that General Pei's ascension to the throne was legitimate.

The matter of legitimacy and righteousness is never trivial. Pei Qinghe, who has rightfully earned his empire, deserves to sit on the dragon throne with dignity and honor.

Minister Qin was also very busy. A woman ascending the throne was unprecedented; whether anyone else would follow suit was unknown. In short, there was no precedent, meaning there was no precedent to follow. Minister Qin had to rack his brains to consider everything.

How should the name of the new dynasty be chosen?
Should the ceremony for the coronation be changed?
Shouldn't the emperor's dragon robe also be more exquisite and magnificent?
In addition, should the regulations for the dragon throne be adjusted one or two times?
Furthermore, how should the imperial palace be prepared? How should the Golden Throne Hall and council chambers for holding court be set up? How should the harem be structured? And how should the position of the Grand Steward be arranged when the emperor's son-in-law marries into the family?

One trivial matter after another piled up, keeping Minister Qin so busy that he was dizzy.

Prefect Tang was also very busy.

Yan Commandery was designated as the capital of the new dynasty, and Prefect Tang was its first official prefect. He was overseen by a group of senior civil officials, requiring him to consider every matter carefully. Previously, Prefect Tang had been unsuccessful in his official career, remaining in Yan Commandery for ten years without moving, detached from the political center. Now, suddenly, he had become a prefect before the emperor, situated at the heart of politics. The honor and prestige were natural, and the heavy responsibilities he bore were inevitable.

Upon receiving the news, the military generals from the north flocked to Yan County. The heavy responsibility of settling them in and receiving them naturally fell on Prefect Tang.

Prefect Tang was initially full of confidence. But after only a few days, he began to be overwhelmed with problems.

Years of chaos had made the military generals increasingly arrogant. They dared not be presumptuous before Pei Qinghe, and they had to restrain themselves before veteran officials like Prime Minister Pang and Vice Minister Qin. They were wary of each other and secretly conspired against one another. But they were far less courteous to Prefect Tang; each one was more difficult to serve than the last.

"Your Excellency!" A staff officer rushed over, sweating profusely. "One of General Song's soldiers accidentally bumped into a merchant while riding his horse in the city. The constables arrested the soldier, and now General Song's eldest son, Song Dalang, has arrived with his men, insisting on taking him back. What should we do?"

Who is General Song?

The commander of the Pingyang Army! A renowned general in the north! Two years ago, he was betrothed to the Pei family by marriage. After that, he sent troops to support the Pei family army twice, fighting against the Xiongnu barbarians and the Bohai Army.

Pei Feng, the eldest son of the Pei family, is the future son-in-law of General Song. This Song Dalang is Pei Feng's future brother-in-law. When they meet General Pei, they can be considered equals.

Now how to do?
Prefect Tang couldn't help but wipe his forehead with his sleeve and whispered, "I'll go see this young General Song."

Upon meeting, Song Dalang wasn't as arrogant as expected; he spoke quite politely. However, his attitude was clear: he wouldn't leave until Magistrate Tang released him.

Prefect Tang had no choice but to stall for time, first calming Song Dalang with words while sending someone to find Prime Minister Pang.

Song Dalang sat calmly, drinking tea, waiting for Prefect Tang to release the man.

In this day and age, a military general with tens of thousands of elite troops has the power to act with impunity. Even if Prime Minister Pang were to come, he wouldn't be afraid in the slightest.

Half an hour later, someone came in.

Song Dalang glanced at him casually, then spat out a mouthful of tea and hurriedly stood up: "General Pei!"

(End of this chapter)