Do You Know?: Rule the World.

Chapter 135 Wei Family Third Son, One Triumphant Report

Even before the army set off, Zhao Zhen had already ordered the closure of the border markets and strictly prohibited the trade of salt and cashmere.

In the past, because the taste of Jiezhou salt was inferior to that of Qingbai salt, its price was much higher due to the layers of exploitation by officials.

One is inexpensive and tastes good, while the other is expensive and tastes bad. The choice is obvious.

In order to forcefully promote the salt requisition, the government sometimes even imposed quotas on each household and forced them to purchase salt.

The Western Xia took the opportunity to use blue and white salt to win over the hearts of various ethnic groups on the border.

This action was taken to appease the border residents and stabilize public sentiment.

Emperor Zhao Zhen ordered the reduction or exemption of taxes, the distribution of grain and silk, and the transport of salt from Jiezhou to the border for sale at low prices.

At Shen Shiqi's recommendation, the Duke of Qi temporarily took charge of the salt administration in the Northwest.

The Duke of Qi knew that this matter was of great importance and dared not overstep his bounds in the slightest. If there were any problems with the salt administration, the entire Qi family would be in deep trouble, and it would even implicate the Shen family, not to mention Qi Heng's career.

When Qi Heng first got married, he was quite indifferent to Shen Hezhen.

As time went on, he gradually discovered that this daughter of Grand Secretary Shen was not just beautiful; she was intelligent, reasonable, and considerate of the overall situation.

She handled the situation with ease, despite Princess Pingning's deliberate attempts to make things difficult for her.

Gradually, she let go of her obsession, after all, Qi Heng had always liked intelligent women.

Grand Secretary Shen also held Qi Heng in high regard, and would personally guide his writing when he had the time.

Half a month later, the royal army had arrived in the Northwest, inside the office of the Qin Feng Road Pacification Commissioner.

Zhao Han sat upright at the table, with Zhang Fu, Gu Tingye, Yu Sixian, Zheng Xiao, and others present.

After the Northwest Frontier Army recovered the prefectures of He, Tao, Min, Dang, and Die from the Tibetans, Emperor Zhao Zhen ordered that the area be named Xihe Road.

Together with Yongxingjun Road, Fuyan Road, Huanqing Road, Jingyuan Road, and Qinfeng Road, it is known as the Northwest Six Roads.

"In just one year, Xihe Road has achieved such a remarkable state, thanks in no small part to Lord Yu!" Zhao Han picked up his cup, a faint smile on his face.

Yu Sixian quickly cupped his hands in greeting: "This is my duty."

"Speaking of which, I have discovered two promising talents in the Northwest Army this time, who may be of great use in the future."

"Oh?" Zhao Han raised an eyebrow, looking at him with great interest.

Upon seeing this, Yu Sixian waved his hand and called out loudly to the outside of the hall, "Hurry up and come in to pay your respects to His Highness."

As soon as he finished speaking, two soldiers in armor, with rugged appearances, strode forward with steady steps.

"This humble general, Xu Pingyuan, greets Your Highness!"

"This humble general, Wei Ling, greets Your Highness!"

After observing the two of them for a moment, Zhao Han said gently, "Not bad, indeed you have extraordinary bearing. Lord Yu has keen insight!"

"Speaking of which, these two people have some connection with His Highness's in-laws."

Yu Sixian smiled slightly and, seeing Zhao Han's puzzled expression, explained, "This Xu Pingyuan is a descendant of the Marquis of Jinling Yongyi."

"Marquis Yongyi?!" Zhang Fu exclaimed in surprise, putting down his cup and staring intently at Xu Pingyuan.

In his youth, the military general he admired most was the Marquis of Yongyi, who was renowned throughout the land for his military exploits and was bestowed with the hereditary title of the Great Emperor. He was arguably the number one military general of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Even now, despite his high position, he still feels far inferior to the former glory of Marquis Yongyi.

Unfortunately, Marquis Yongyi had no sons, and no capable people had emerged from his clan in recent years.

The family's household gradually fell into disuse, and they only managed to live a secluded life in a corner of Nanjing.

Xu Pingyuan bowed respectfully and said, "In reply to Lord Zhang, my grandfather is the heir of the Marquis of Yongyi."

Zhang Fu nodded. Although he was still young at the time, he had heard about the Marquis of Yongyi's adopted son.

"Your Highness, I think this young man has the air of a son of a military family."

Zhao Han chuckled and said, "Xu Pingyuan, if you can still achieve merit in battle this time..."

"I will take you back to the capital to pay your respects to your great-aunt."

Upon hearing this, Xu Pingyuan's eyes flashed with barely suppressed excitement. He clasped his hands and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, although I am not talented, I have studied military books and practiced martial arts diligently since childhood. I only hope that one day I can restore my family's honor and live up to the glory of my ancestors!"

"Your subject will exert all his strength, even unto death!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Han immediately showed a satisfied look.

Yu Sixian then spoke up, "Your Highness, Wei Ling's elder sister is a concubine in the Sheng family."

"Your Highness, when my father was seriously ill and in dire need of money, my elder sister had no choice but to sell herself into the Sheng family as a concubine."

As he spoke, Wei Ling felt a pang of sadness.

When his eldest sister, Wei Shuyi, sold herself into servitude, his second sister was only eight or nine years old, and he was only five.

My father was originally a scholar who passed the imperial examination and worked as a village school teacher in Yangzhou. Although our family was poor, we had no problem having enough to eat.

Unexpectedly, the father suddenly fell seriously ill, and the family's money quickly became scarce, leaving them with no choice but to resort to this desperate measure.

Thanks to the money Wei Shuyi earned from selling himself into servitude, the Wei family barely managed to get through the crisis.

Aunt Wei was originally just as well-educated, gentle, and quiet as Wei Shuyi.

However, in order to help her mother support the family and make a living, she had no choice but to abandon her studies and became strong-willed.

"If it weren't for Your Highness's timely rescue seven years ago, I'm afraid my elder sister would have died along with her unborn child!"

Having said that, Wei Ling lifted his robe, knelt down, and kowtowed heavily.

After learning from Aunt Wei that Wei Shuyi was mistreated in the Sheng family and was even plotted against during childbirth, nearly losing her life along with her unborn child, he resolutely decided to join the army.

He knew he wasn't cut out for studying; only by joining the army could he achieve something and one day help his elder sister escape the Sheng family.

If the Sheng family disagrees, he doesn't mind losing face and taking the matter to the authorities!
Concubines could not sever their ties through divorce; they could only regain their freedom by obtaining a letter of release and dismissal from the head of the household.

If a concubine is mistreated to the point of endangering her life, justice can be served through the government, but this is extremely difficult.

It would be impossible for this to happen without the influence of one's maternal family.

“These are all old stories, no need to mention them again. Speaking of which, you haven’t met Brother Liu before, have you?”

Zhao Han raised her hand to help him up, though she was somewhat surprised, she did not show it on her face.

He knew that Wei Shuyi had a younger brother, but he really didn't expect that this person would appear in the Northwest Frontier Army.

Moreover, judging from his bitter and resentful appearance, Wei Ling's father-in-law will probably start to feel uneasy after returning to the capital.

Wei Ling sighed softly and nodded, saying, "Let alone Brother Liu, I haven't even seen Ming'er many times."

"Judging by her age, she must be quite a beautiful young woman by now."

Zhao Han smiled slightly and said, "Yes, the Sixth Miss is not only graceful and beautiful, but also exceptionally intelligent and has outstanding manners."

Upon hearing this, Wei Ling lowered his eyes and secretly vowed that this expedition was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and he would fight bravely, make military achievements, and go to Bianjing in glory to reunite with his elder sister.

Wei Shuyi didn't know much about Wei Ling's affairs, only hearing snippets of information from her aunt.

The main reason is that over the years, Wei Ling has felt guilty towards his elder sister and has been eager to stand before her with dignity after he has achieved success.

About an hour after an incense stick has burned, Yu Sixian took out a geomantic map and slowly unfolded it on the table.

"Your Highness, I believe that this campaign against Western Xia should be swift and decisive to prevent the Liao Kingdom from interfering."

“One route can go north from Xizhou, through Lezhou, and west along the Huangshui River Valley to capture Ganzhou and Liangzhou. If my estimate is correct, the Western Xia Right Wing Army deployed here numbers about 50,000 men, scattered in various places.”

"If our army can concentrate 20,000 elite troops for a surprise attack, and then unite with the Tibetan tribes to contain their flanks, we can take Gansu and Liangzhou in less than two months."

During this period, under the coercion and enticement of Yu Sixian and Yu Longke, Mu Zheng led his troops to surrender to the imperial court. Zhao Han had already sent someone to inform Mu Zheng that once they won this battle, he would be granted the surname Zhao and would replace Dong Zhan in leading the affairs of Qingtang.

The various Tibetan tribes have always been scattered and posed no threat to the Great Zhou. The only major enemies at present are the Western Xia and the Liao Dynasty.

If we want to govern this place well, we not only need to appoint a person of prestige, but also establish a Tibetan school here to educate the children.

Zhao Han stared intently at the geomantic map, pointed towards the Hengshan area, and said, "The main force should set off from Qingzhou. If we can break through Hengshan Fortress, we can directly attack Xingqing Prefecture."

Zheng Jun has deployed a top-tier force to conduct large-scale drills and repairs of the city walls along the Hedong Road in order to intimidate the Liao Kingdom.

The Liao Kingdom has not been very peaceful these days.

Yelü Chongyuan, the Imperial Uncle and Grand Marshal of the Army, is plotting to seize the throne.

Yelü Hongji's father, Yelü Zongzhenzong, once promised in a drunken stupor that he would pass the throne to his younger brother, Chongyuan, but in the end, he passed it on to his own son.

Yelü Chongyuan's son, Nielugu, was also ambitious and constantly encouraged Yelü Zhenzong to launch a coup and seize the throne.

Now, the father and son are waiting for the right opportunity.

Meanwhile, in Xingqing Prefecture, the capital of Western Xia.

All the civil and military officials gathered here. Li Liangzuo, who was already of marriageable age, sat on the throne with an unprecedentedly solemn expression.

Now that the entire Meizang clan has been wiped out, he has completely seized control of the government.

"Ever since the Zhou Dynasty sent troops to Tibet, I have been filled with unease. Now, things have gotten even worse; they're practically coming to our doorstep!"

The ministers in the hall stood with their hands at their sides, none daring to speak easily.

A moment later, a civil official cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince of Zhou must have a foolproof plan for this campaign."

"Our treasury is empty and our food and supplies are in dire need. In my humble opinion, it would be better to take a delaying tactic and send envoys to the Zhou Dynasty to negotiate peace."

Upon hearing this, many ministers echoed his sentiments.

"Shortly after the Zhou Dynasty banned the use of salt, the prices of grain and cloth in our dynasty have been soaring, and the people are already complaining bitterly."

"Yes, in recent years, herders have been raising goats on a large scale to trade cashmere with Zhou Dynasty merchants, neglecting farming, and the grasslands are degrading day by day. If we do not negotiate peace, our dynasty will be in danger!"

Manme, a military general who once helped Li Liangzuo eliminate the Mozang clan, now holds real power.

He was frowning and staring intently at the ministers in the court who advocated peace.

"The Zhou Dynasty is coming with overwhelming force and has no intention of negotiating peace. We might as well fight them!"

"The Zhou Dynasty has been buying up cashmere on a massive scale, waiting for this day. You are all to blame for our dynasty's current predicament!"

A civil official sneered, "General Manmei speaks righteously, but have you never profited a single penny from cashmere?"

"If I remember correctly..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Liangzuo slammed his hand on the table. The ministers exchanged glances and immediately fell silent.

"At a time of national crisis, instead of sharing the burden of the country, you are attacking each other. What kind of behavior is this!"

Manmei took a deep breath and shouted, "Your Majesty, I command you to fight!"

After weighing the options in his mind, Li Liangzuo looked intently at Manmei, "Two hundred thousand troops!"

"I order you to engage the Zhou army; there must be no mistake!"

"I obey!"

After the officials left, only Li Liangzuo and Manmei remained.

"This battle concerns the fate of the nation. You must not underestimate the enemy, and if the battle goes against you, do not act recklessly."

"I will immediately write a letter to the Liao Kingdom to request assistance. In any case, our dynasty must not perish at my hands."

Li Liangzuo's expression was solemn, with a hint of helplessness.

He ascended the throne at the age of one, but was like a puppet. Over the years, he had been scheming step by step. He finally managed to deal with Mei Zang E Pang and had just gained real power when the Zhou Dynasty launched a military attack on his border.

Then, he ordered the six guards inside the palace to take turns on duty to be more vigilant and strengthen palace security.

The Imperial Guard consisted of six squads totaling five thousand men, and was renowned alongside the former Iron Falcon Army.

In order to consolidate his rule and intimidate the various tribes, Li Yuanhao ordered each tribe to send their relatives and sons who were skilled in riding and archery to the capital to show their loyalty.

Although nominally attendants, they were actually hostages; therefore, the six guards within the imperial perimeter were originally called the Hostage Army.

However, this army has repeatedly achieved great feats in years of fighting and has gradually gained Li Yuanhao's trust. It has been preserved to this day, and its personnel are still the sons of various nobles.

-

Half a month later, Zhang Fu, Yu Sixian, Zheng Xiao, Xu Pingyuan, and others led two thousand Shenji Battalion soldiers and thirty thousand elite troops from Xizhou.

Zhao Han, Gu Tingye, Pei Hu, and Wei Ling led the Xiaoji Battalion, the Shenji Battalion, and 50,000 elite troops to Qingzhou.

The central army tent was brightly lit with candles.

Zhao Han stood with his hands behind his back, looking calm and composed, quietly waiting for the good news to come back.

Once the Shenji Battalion is deployed, it will surely catch the Western Xia off guard and also intimidate the Liao Kingdom.

Three months later, Zhang Fu successfully captured the cities of Ganzhou and Liangzhou.

The Western Xia general Manmie was killed by the Tiger Cannon of the Divine Machine Battalion, which greatly boosted the morale of the army.

Every few days, Gu Tingye would send someone to report the victory. Wei Ling, concerned for his elder sister, was even more unstoppable and killed several generals of Xixia.

Meanwhile, in Bianjing, inside the Funing Palace.

Holding the victory report, Zhao Zhen's eyes shone brightly, his heart pounding with excitement.

In the nearly forty years since he ascended the throne, he had suffered too many defeats at the hands of the Western Xia.

The Battle of Haoshuichuan, in which more than 10,000 elite troops were wiped out, was a disgrace. On the day the battle report came back, he did not close his eyes all night in the Chuigong Hall. Even now, thinking about it, he still feels heartbroken.

"Okay! Well done!"

"When they return in triumph, I will personally greet them and reward them handsomely!"

"Cough cough cough-"

Empress Cao frowned, holding a bowl of ginseng soup, and said softly, "The imperial physician repeatedly warned Your Majesty not to get too excited."

"While the victory in the Northwest campaign is certainly a good thing, Your Majesty should also take care of your health."

Zhao Zhen accepted the ginseng soup and smiled with relief.

"I know my own body very well. It's rare to have such a joyous occasion, so let me be happy for a while longer."

Upon hearing this, Empress Cao could only nod slightly, walk around to Zhao Zhen's back, and carefully soothe his breathing.

"Somebody come!"

As soon as Zhao Zhen finished speaking, a palace attendant bowed and entered the hall.

"Please invite the Crown Prince and the Princess over. I wish to have lunch with the children today!"

The title of Ling Jie'er was personally decided by Zhao Zhen, and it was Zhao Yang.

Sheng Hong now holds the position of Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, and is therefore very familiar with the war situation in the Northwest.

When he saw Xu Pingyuan's name in the good news, a smile of satisfaction appeared on his face. He planned to tell Old Madam Sheng the good news when he returned home, so that she could share in his joy.

However, when the name Wei Ling appeared before him, Sheng Hong frowned slightly.

He knew that the third son of the Wei family was named Wei Ling, and that he had joined the army a few years ago, but he was not sure if this person was Wei Shuyi's third brother.

(End of this chapter)