Do You Know?: Rule the World.

Chapter 180 Half-hidden Face, First Battle a Success
After Zhao Pan'er and Song Yinzhang bowed and took their leave at the palace, they walked towards the palace gate led by a palace attendant.

The aroma of tea still lingers in the air inside the Funing Hall.

Tea art, also known as water painting, was highly regarded by literati and scholars in the Great Zhou Dynasty. It was considered one of the four elegant pursuits, along with flower arranging, incense burning, and painting.

Qingyun stood to the side, bowed and said, "Her tea skills are outstanding, her manners are impeccable, and she is also a stunning beauty. This Miss Zhao is truly extraordinary."

"But there is one thing I don't understand: why does Your Majesty want to take a share of the profits from teahouses, a common business in the marketplace?"

Zhao Han glanced at him casually, "Tea houses and restaurants are gathering places for all sorts of people, and have always been well-informed."

"With Zhao Pan'er's abilities, if I give her a little help, she might become the second most famous place after Fanlou."

Many noble and official families in Bianjing were already extremely wealthy, so naturally they had to find other ways to get them to contribute to the national treasury.

Qingyun nodded as if she understood, then chuckled and said, "This servant was originally speculating that His Majesty wanted Miss Zhao to enter the palace."

"This matter is not urgent. Let her open the teahouse first."

Upon hearing this, Qingyun's eyes darted around, and she immediately replied, "This servant understands."

The phrase "no rush" implies that Zhao Pan'er will become a concubine sooner or later.

From now on, we must not only send people to protect her safety, but also prevent others from offending her at will.

Meanwhile, on the flat bluestone road.

Song Yinzhang glanced around and whispered, "Sister Pan'er, with the Emperor being able to open a teahouse with you, it will surely become a sensation throughout the capital very soon!"

"If I were a tea drinker, I would also like to taste what tea that has been approved by officials tastes like."

Zhao Pan'er frowned, slowed her pace, and said solemnly, "This matter must not be publicized."

"The emperor, being the supreme ruler, cannot compete with the people for profit. Moreover, there is a clear distinction between scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. If someone with ulterior motives were to use this to their advantage, we could all lose our heads."

"We should also tell Third Sister that the teahouse is ours and has nothing to do with the government."

Song Yinzhang always listened to her words and nodded obediently.

As we approached the palace gate, a group of people dressed in dark, narrow-sleeved robes walked towards us.

His eyes were sharp as an eagle's, exuding a chilling aura that kept strangers at bay, as he brushed past them.

Zhao Pan'er glanced at the token hanging from the waist of the leader out of the corner of her eye, and her expression immediately changed, her breathing becoming somewhat heavy.

"Sister Pan'er, what's wrong?" Song Yinzhang noticed her change, turned his head to look at the departing group, and asked with a face full of curiosity.

Zhao Pan'er pursed her lips and gently exhaled a breath of stale air. "Back then, it was the Imperial City Guards who broke into my house in the middle of the night and took my father away."

"The next news I received about my father was that he had committed suicide out of fear of punishment."

"Even if I die, I will never forget the Imperial City Guard's token."

Song Yinzhang frowned slightly, not knowing how to comfort Zhao Pan'er for a moment, and simply reached out and squeezed her arm.

“Let’s go. My father was framed by a villain. He will be exonerated one day.” Zhao Pan’er smiled and took Song Yinzhang’s hand.

As dusk settled, Qingyun led his trusted confidants to Zhao Pan'er's residence.

The small courtyard, though small, is fully equipped. Bamboo curtains sway gently under the eaves, and tea sets are neatly arranged in the main hall, exuding elegance everywhere.

"There is a two-story building in a prime location in Tea Soup Alley, overlooking the street and alley, with a bustling flow of customers. From today onwards, this shop will belong to Miss Zhao."

Seeing the surprise on Zhao Pan'er's and the others' faces, he added with a smile, "Not only that, the Emperor also personally named the teahouse 'Half-Covered Face'."

"Half-covered face..." Zhao Pan'er murmured, repeating these three words.

A moment later, she smiled brightly, her eyes crinkling, "Like a pipa player half-concealing her face, it's both poetic and pretentious, truly a wonderful name."

“Yes, we were just discussing whether to continue using the name Qiantang Tea House,” Sun San Niang chimed in.

Although she didn't know many words, it was very clear which was better between Zhao's Tea House and Ban Zhe Mian.

Zhao Pan'er's eyes flickered slightly, and she bowed gracefully to Qingyun, her face showing gratitude. "I hope that when you return to the palace, you will convey my thanks to the Emperor. I will certainly work diligently and live up to the Emperor's expectations."

"Miss Zhao, there's no need for such formalities. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, you can simply send someone to deliver a message to me."

"The Emperor holds Miss Zhao in very high regard," Qingyun said with a meaningful smile, but Zhao Pan'er didn't think much of it.

After he left, Song Yinzhang smiled broadly. Over the past few days, she had gained a good understanding of the layout of Bianjing City.

“Sister Pan’er, there are teahouses all over Chatang Lane, and every inch of land is precious. Even if we put all our savings together, we still can’t buy a shop.”

Sun Sanniang raised her hand and patted her full chest. "I never dared to dream of such a thing. If I told anyone in Qiantang, I guarantee no one would believe me!"

However, Zhao Pan'er was not as happy as they were. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her slender, fair fingers gently caressed the edge of the teacup.

"Since it is a place where teahouses gather, each one either relies on its long-established reputation to maintain its prestige or attracts customers with its exceptionally valuable teas."

“Our Banmian is a new shop. If we want to stand out, we must come up with some methods that others don’t have.”

After saying that, she looked up at Song Yinzhang.

After a moment's thought, he said, "Yinzhang, you are now the Pipa Instructor. Countless people in Bianjing City want to hear you play the pipa."

"The teahouse is newly opened, and you will have to put in a lot of effort to attract customers. I reckon that the name 'Half-Covered Face' for the teahouse is meant to convey that idea."

Song Yinzhang nodded solemnly, "Don't worry, Sister Pan'er, I'll come over if there's nothing else at the music academy."

“Alright, San Niang and I will also need to think about some different tea drinks and snacks in the next few days. They should have the characteristics of Jiangnan, but also suit the tastes of most people in the capital.”

After saying that, Zhao Pan'er raised her hand and touched her chin, planning to go with Sun San Niang to check out other teahouses the next day, and of course, Fanlou could not be missed.

-

In the fifth year of Hongwu's reign, in the tenth month, on the southwestern border, at Zhennan Pass, which was the last gateway between the Great Zhou and Jiaozhi.

The flags fluttered in the autumn wind, and the miasma was no longer as fierce as before.

Inside the central command tent, Wei Ling, clad in armor, frowned and slammed his teacup down on the table.

"It seems that Kochi has truly become a coward!"

"Our army has been pressing on the border for more than half a month, but they have neither come out of the city to fight nor sent envoys to negotiate. It seems that they want to wear down our supplies first."

Zheng Xiao narrowed his eyes slightly and echoed, "Yes, before we came, they secretly raided border villages several times. But when we got serious, they were so scared that they didn't even dare to stick their heads out!"

Gu Tingye sat upright at the table, ignoring their conversation, his gaze fixed on the geomantic map laid out on the table.

After a long silence, he said in a deep voice, "This time, our Yongzhou troops will travel south, passing through Yongpingzhai and Pingxiang."

"If we can capture Zhennan Pass and Qiuwen in one fell swoop, and advance south to Lang Son, once we control this place, we can go straight for the Fu Liang River."

The Phu Liang River is strategically located and is the most crucial waterway in Ko Chi. It leads directly to Thang Long by water, leaving Ko Chi with no chance of retaliation.

"That's right. The Emperor said that the period from October to February of the following year is when the miasma is at its weakest. We can't waste that time."

As Wei Ling spoke, he rubbed his hands together, eager to lead his troops into battle against Jiaozhi immediately.

Upon learning that Wei Shuyi had been poisoned, he was so angry that he didn't sleep for several nights. He had already decided that if he could achieve military merit this time, he would have Sheng Hong write a letter to release Wei Shuyi.

Once her identity is cleared, she can be granted an imperial title based on her military merits, allowing her to live a life of dignity and self-respect.

It was not uncommon for officials and wealthy families in Bianjing to write letters of release for their concubines. There were even cases where, after the death of the principal wife, the concubine was released, her status was cleared, and she was then married as a second wife. However, the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty stipulated that concubines could not be promoted to principal wives.

If such a practice were to become public, officials would certainly be severely impeached by the censors, and even those without official positions would inevitably face punishment from the Kaifeng Prefecture.

As for Brother Liu, Wei Ling had also considered it very clearly.

After all, he was surnamed Sheng, and like Minglan, he was registered under Wang Ruofu's name. As long as he was around, no one in the Sheng family would dare to bully him.

He will certainly take his future career very seriously.

When the Sheng family divides its property in the future, Wei Shuyi will be able to reunite with Liu Ge'er and his mother.

Gu Tingye took a deep breath and turned to look at Pei Hu and Zheng Xiao.

"Setting out as soon as possible will reduce the consumption of food and supplies, and also avoid the risks brought by miasma. What do you two think?"

Zheng Xiao clasped his hands in greeting and said, "The soldiers of the Xiaoji Camp and Shenji Camp have been itching to break camp tomorrow. Nobody wants to let Jiaozhi drag this out."

"In that case, let's give them a surprise tonight!" Gu Tingye said, slamming his hand on the table.

"I will obey your orders!"

Zheng Xiao, Wei Ling, Shi Tou, and the others responded in unison, their expressions solemn, looking determined to win.

As night fell, right at midnight, a cold wind blew through the valley, the moonlight was obscured by clouds, and the only sound was the soft rustling of withered leaves.

Wei Ling and Zheng Xiao led three thousand Shenji Battalion soldiers and an elite force on a quiet march along a mountain path.

Inside the Jiaozhi camp guarding the pass, candlelight flickered, and Nong Zongdan's face was solemn, his eyes dark and swollen.

As a military general, to subdue the enemy without fighting is the greatest insult, but with a large army pressing in and the Zhou army possessing powerful weapons, how could he not be worried?

Since they began guarding this place, he hasn't had a single good night's sleep, and neither have the soldiers under his command.

As dawn approached and the sky was about to break, a pale gray tinge appeared in the east.

Nong Zongdan removed his armor and lay down on the couch, preparing to sleep for half an hour. Outside the tent, several soldiers on night duty were also dozing off against tree trunks.

Just as he was starting to feel sleepy, a rapid sound of hooves approached, accompanied by the terrified shouts of soldiers.

"Oh no! Oh no! Zhou Jun has attacked!"

"Get up and prepare to fight! Quickly!"

"Enemy attack! Enemy attack!"

"..."

In an instant, chaos erupted within the camp, with shouts, the clash of weapons, and the neighing of warhorses and elephants all mingling together.

Nong Zongdan suddenly sprang up from the bed, grabbed the headboard, and was about to go outside the tent when he saw a dense barrage of rockets shooting straight toward the camp.

Several soldiers, unable to dodge in time, rolled to the ground clutching their severed limbs, letting out horrifying screams.

"Quickly grab your shields and block! Guard the camp gate!"

"quick!"

"Put out the fire! Don't let the grain pile catch fire!"

"..."

Looking at the chaos before him, Nong Zongdan thought to himself that things were not good. The firearms of the Zhou Dynasty were indeed not to be underestimated!
Before long, a deafening battle cry suddenly came from outside the camp gate.

Wei Ling led his elite troops to break through the fence, and the Shenji Battalion soldiers formed a neat formation and quickly started up the Tiger Cannon.

"Ignite!" came the command.

"Boom—" A deafening roar followed as shells whistled into the camp.

The Jiaozhi soldiers were already in a state of panic, and seeing the Tiger Cannon's incredible power, they were terrified and turned deathly pale.

-

In the fifth year of the Hongwu reign, at the end of October, news of the great victory in the first battle reached Bianjing.

Inside the Chui Gong Hall, Zhao Han, dressed in a scarlet casual robe, solemnly said, "Lord Gu's overall planning was excellent, and Generals Wei Ling and Zheng Xiao took the lead in a night raid on the enemy camp, breaking through their lines and seizing the pass."

"Among them, Wei Ling killed the enemy general Nong Zongdan amidst the chaos of battle, a truly great achievement!"

Upon hearing this, Sheng Hong couldn't help but take a deep breath.

He secretly thought that with such achievements, Wei Ling would at least be granted the title of Earl upon his triumphant return, and might even be granted the title of Marquis.

Then he began to worry about Wei Shuyi's poisoning. Although it had nothing to do with the Sheng family, Wei Ling cared about his elder sister and might take his anger out on others.

Several other courtiers exchanged glances and silently remarked that the emperor above the throne was only thirty years old.

With the pacification of Western Xia, reforms and elimination of abuses, and the rectification of officialdom, the pacification of Jiaozhi is just around the corner.

Such skill and magnanimity are truly beyond the reach of ordinary people.

An official in a scarlet robe, holding a tablet, stepped forward and said, "General Wei is brave and skillful, which is also due to His Majesty's ability to recognize and utilize talent!"

"The Shenji Battalion and the Xiaoji Battalion were able to be invincible and unstoppable because the Emperor personally took charge and overcame all opposition back then!"

Another official chimed in, “Lord Li is absolutely right. Today’s great victory is not only due to the bravery of our soldiers, but also closely related to the wisdom and prowess of Your Majesty.”

"I second the proposal!"

"..."

Faced with the flattery from the ministers in the hall, Zhao Han only smiled slightly and waved his hand, saying, "Governing a country is like governing a family; it requires the unity of the ruler and his ministers. All the achievements are due to the efforts of each minister in fulfilling their duties."

"We have won the first battle against Jiaozhi, but we still need to be cautious in the subsequent battles. It will not be too late to celebrate when the army returns in triumph."

The ministers responded in unison, "Your Majesty, we obey!"

A hint of satisfaction flashed across the faces of Han Zhang and several other veteran ministers. They were neither arrogant nor impatient, possessing both benevolence and virtue, truly the qualities of a wise ruler.

After the court session, Sheng Changbai, busy with official duties, went straight to the Ministry of Personnel.

Sheng Hong then returned to the Duke of Wei's mansion in a carriage.

Inside Shou'an Hall, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood. Old Madam Sheng, with a smile on her face, leaned against a cushion and reclined on a soft couch.

She was over seventy years old at this time. Compared to before, her hair at her temples had turned whiter and her eyes were slightly cloudy, but she was still kind and serene.

Hai Chaoyun and Changfeng's wife, Liu Yufu, were holding their child and chatting with the old lady to keep her company, their laughter filling the air.

Wang Ruofu sat in a round-backed chair on one side, occasionally chiming in with a few words.

Ever since Wang Ruoyu was imprisoned, the relationship between Old Madam Wang and her daughter has become somewhat strained.

She was also aware that she had been raised by her uncle and aunt since she was a child, and only returned to the Wang family when she was over 10 years old. She married Sheng Hong just one year after she came of age.

The time he spent with Old Mrs. Wang was only three or four years at most, which couldn't compare to Wang Ruoyu's.

(End of this chapter)