Rise of a Lonely City: From Exiled Prince to Ruler of the Nine Provinces

The news of the disastrous defeat at Longquan Pass and Murong Chui's narrow escape was like a blizzard sweeping across the grasslands, carrying a biting chill and endless fear. It spread throughout the Northern Yan royal court at top speed, shattering the last shred of unrealistic illusions held by the Northern Yan rulers and ministers.

"Sixty thousand troops... completely wiped out?"

"One day... Zhenbeiguan, no, Longquanguan, was lost?"

"With the Thunder God's assistance, can the Heavenly Thunder shatter the city walls of Hanyuan?"

"The Helian tribe... that old dog Helian Chang actually kidnapped his own nephew to surrender, and even ceded territory and offered up his son?!"

Rumors, reports of defeat, and fantastical descriptions of the thunderous explosion fermented and boiled within and outside the royal court, eventually turning into a surging undercurrent that completely upended the already precarious Northern Yan court due to its defeat.

"A disgrace! An utter disgrace!"

At the court assembly, the political enemies who had long been dissatisfied with Murong Chui and his supporters, including the eldest prince Murong Huang, finally had the perfect opportunity to launch their attack.

The faction led by the Left Wise King Murong Han used strong language, directly targeting Murong Chui and the pro-war faction behind him.

"Murong Chui was greedy for merit and acted rashly, underestimating the enemy and waging war recklessly, resulting in the loss of troops and the disgrace of the country, and the loss of our Northern Yan's century-old stronghold. This is an unforgivable crime! His supporters behind the scenes misled the Khan and recklessly provoked border conflicts, causing great damage to the country's strength and losing its prestige. They are also to blame! I beg the Khan to severely punish the war criminals to appease the people and secure the border!" Murong Han's beard and hair stood on end, and his voice shook the palace.

The generals and nobles who supported the eldest prince were naturally unwilling to back down and fought back fiercely, attributing the defeat to "Han Yuan's cunning," "unfavorable timing," and "the incompetence of the Helian tribe and other vassals," and even implying that Murong Han and others had "ulterior motives" and "undermined the foundation of the country."

The two sides argued heatedly in the court, their faces flushed, and they almost drew their swords against each other.

The eldest prince, Murong Huang, whose prestige had already plummeted due to the defeat, was overwhelmed and exhausted by the fierce accusations.

The elderly Khan of Northern Yan, Murong Hui, was already frail and weak. The news of his disastrous southern expedition and the loss of the strategic pass was like the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Overwhelmed by rage, the old Khan, who had ruled Northern Yan for nearly thirty years, coughed up blood and fainted in front of all the civil and military officials during a court assembly.

The royal court was thrown into chaos.

The imperial physicians rushed to his aid, but Murong Hui was already old, and this sudden illness came on fiercely. In just three days, he passed away in his palace amidst a gloomy atmosphere.

He didn't even leave a clear will before his death.

The Khan died suddenly, and before the national mourning could begin, an even greater storm was already brewing.

The loss of the old Khan, who had the greatest backer, instantly ignited the already sharp conflict over the succession to the throne.

According to the tradition of Northern Yan, and the wishes of the eldest prince Murong Huang's faction, it was natural for the succession to be "father to son," with Murong Huang, as the eldest son, ascending the throne.

However, Murong Huang had just experienced a political disaster due to a disastrous defeat in his southern campaign, and his prestige had been completely destroyed. His biggest supporter, Murong Chui, had fled back in a sorry state and was in dire need of protection.

The opposition, led by the Left Wise King Murong Han and the Chancellor Yuwen Hu, resolutely opposed Murong Huang's succession, believing that he was unworthy of the position and incompetent, and was the culprit who led the country into its predicament.

The two sides engaged in open and covert struggles both inside and outside the royal court, resulting in constant conflicts.

The eldest prince once mobilized his loyal royal guards in an attempt to forcibly control the situation.

Murong Han, not to be outdone, contacted some tribal leaders and generals who were dissatisfied with the status quo.

Above the royal court, war clouds gathered, and a bloody internal strife seemed imminent.

At this critical moment, Chancellor Yuwen Hu demonstrated his shrewd political skills.

On the one hand, he secretly contacted a group of neutral nobles and generals who were dissatisfied with Murong Huang but did not want to see the country completely divided. On the other hand, he secretly sent people to contact Murong Huang's confidants and explain the advantages and disadvantages.

"Your Highness," said Yuwen Hu's messenger, "Given the current situation, forcibly ascending the throne would be illegitimate and lack legitimacy. Moreover, with internal and external troubles looming, even if you were to take the throne, how long could you hold onto it? It would be better to take a step back for now, choose a young ruler, and have the prime minister and senior members of the royal family jointly assist in governing."

Although you are not the Khan, you can still hold some military power and accumulate strength for the future.

If they insist on fighting, it will only be a stalemate between the snipe and the clam, allowing Xiao Chen in the south to reap the benefits! At that time, the country will cease to exist, let alone the throne.

At the same time, Yuwen Hu also put pressure on Murong Han's faction, implying that if internal strife really broke out, Han Yuan would be the first to benefit, and everyone would be doomed.

Finally, after a series of intense behind-the-scenes deals and compromises, a solution that was barely acceptable to all parties was reached.

Murong Wuwei, the sixteen-year-old son of the old Khan, whose mother was of low birth and who had been almost forgotten in the previous struggles, was hastily put on the throne.

The government was jointly governed by Chancellor Yuwen Hu, Left Wise King Murong Han, and a highly respected elder of the imperial clan.

The eldest prince, Murong Huang, was stripped of most of his military power, but retained the honorary title of Left Wise King and some of his followers, which can be considered a temporary measure of appeasement.

This hasty and chaotic power transition, while avoiding the worst civil war, left the Northern Yan royal power unprecedentedly weak.

The new Khan was young and lacked prestige; the regents Yuwen Hu and Murong Han distrusted each other and hindered one another; the eldest prince Murong Huang and his cronies harbored resentment and lay in wait; and the formidable enemy Han Yuan was lurking in the newly acquired Dingbei Pass, sharpening his sword.

The newly widowed Northern Yan urgently needs stability, especially stability from the south.

Therefore, seeking peace became the only seemingly feasible option that Yuwen Hu, the regent, had to make in order to consolidate his power and gain a respite.

He needed time to consolidate internal affairs and digest the turmoil caused by the change of the throne and the death of the old Khan. He also needed to stabilize the southern front and prevent Han Yuan from taking advantage of the weakness of Northern Yan and the infighting among its inhabitants to launch a large-scale northern expedition.

"Xiao Chen is a man who can train troops, is skilled in strategy, and possesses unpredictable and deadly weapons. He is not someone to be trifled with. In the current situation, our Great Yan has no chance of winning against him. The only option is to temporarily avoid his sharp edge, feign compliance, and buy time through peace negotiations."

Yuwen Hu said this to his confidants in a secret room.

He knew full well that this peace treaty would not be easy and would even require a considerable price to pay, but compared to national subjugation and annihilation, some humiliation and loss were bearable.

After careful consideration, Yuwen Hu selected the person to be sent as an envoy to Hanyuan—Tufa Yuan, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites.

This man comes from the Tufa tribe and has a decent relationship with the royal Murong clan. He is over fifty years old, mature and prudent, and fluent in the language and culture of Southern Xia. He has handled border trade and negotiations with various southern powers on many occasions. He is tactful yet principled, making him the most suitable envoy at present.

"My lord, this journey south carries a heavy burden."

Yuwen Hu summoned the bald-headed Yuan to his residence, dismissed his attendants, and said solemnly, "The letter of state is here. Your words must be humble, referring to yourself as a junior and addressing Xiao Chen as His Highness the Prince of Jingbei. The gifts you bring must be generous; do not be stingy with jewels, fine horses, and furs. Furthermore…"

He lowered his voice and took out a sealed dossier from his sleeve. "This is part of the evidence that Murong Chui mobilized troops without authorization, secretly colluded with the rebels in Southern Xia, embezzled military funds, and shifted blame. Act according to the situation. If Xiao Chen's attitude is firm, you can release this evidence at the right time, placing all the blame for this invasion on Murong Chui's ambition and arbitrariness, implying that our new ruler of Northern Yan and the court were completely unaware of this and were deeply saddened by it. We are willing to severely punish the guilty generals to atone for our sins."

The bald man received the official letter and the dossier with both hands, feeling as if they weighed a ton.

He understood that this was to sacrifice Murong Chui, and even the entire line of the eldest prince, as a peace offering.

He understood that this trip was not simply about presenting a letter of credence, but about facing a powerful vassal king who had just decisively defeated his own army and expanded his territory, and about engaging in negotiations that were destined to be unequal.

"This humble official... understands. I will do my utmost to quell the wrath of the Prince of Jingbei and buy our Great Yan a chance to breathe." The bald-haired Yuan bowed deeply, his voice strained.

Several days later, a procession carrying the banners of the Northern Yan envoys, escorted by hundreds of elite cavalry, left the Northern Yan royal court, which was still shrouded in an atmosphere of grief and unease, and headed south towards the land that had just experienced the ravages of war and was now flying black banners.

The head of the delegation, Tuoba Yuan, sat in the carriage with a furrowed brow, repeatedly stroking the heavy letter of state in his hands.

He knew that his trip was to seek peace, or even to beg for peace. National dignity and honor seemed so pale and powerless in the face of this existential crisis.

The caravan passed through the dilapidated beacon towers on the border of Northern Yan, crossed the desolate wilderness that had become sparsely populated, and gradually approached the grasslands that originally belonged to the Helian tribe but were now marked by the banners of Han Yuan. Tuoba Yuan lifted the carriage curtain and looked out.

He saw that the pastures that once flew the wolf head flag of the Helian tribe now had the sun, moon and stars flag of Hanyuan.

Some simple but well-planned fortified villages are under construction, and their style is clearly that of Han Chinese areas.

The fortress is surrounded by newly reclaimed fields. Although they are still in their infancy, the furrows and ditches are straight, indicating that they have been carefully cultivated.

In the fields, people dressed in mixed clothing were working, while soldiers in Hanyuan military uniforms and holding weapons were supervising and patrolling nearby.

Further away, neat rows of soldiers could be vaguely seen practicing, with commands faintly carried on the wind.

Bald Yuan's heart sank little by little.

This is not a temporary occupation; it is clearly taking root! The Helian tribe is truly finished, and in a way that is almost "integrated," being digested and absorbed by Han Yuan.

When the team finally arrived at Dingbei Pass, the shock in Tuofa Yuan's heart reached its peak.

The once familiar Longquan Pass now bears a different flag. Although the walls show signs of recent repairs, they appear even more imposing and awe-inspiring.

Below the pass, the well-dressed and gleaming soldiers of Hanyuan patrolled back and forth, their eyes sharp.

The caravans and laborers coming and going were orderly, a stark contrast to the tense and anxious atmosphere within the Northern Yan territory.

What alarmed him even more was that some kind of drill was taking place in the open space in front of the pass, and the soldiers' equipment and morale were far better than he had imagined.

"Halt! Show your official documents!" The Han Yuan officer guarding the gate spoke in a loud and clear voice, neither humble nor arrogant.

Tuoba Yuan took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady: "Tuoba Yuan, the envoy of the Northern Yan Kingdom and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, has come on the orders of my lord to pay homage to His Highness Prince Jingbei, to present our credentials, and to discuss matters of friendship between our two countries."

He swallowed back the words "seek peace" with difficulty and replaced them with "friendly matters".

He knew that the real test had only just begun.

Bald Yuan stared at the black royal flag fluttering high, his heart turning cold.

The sky over Northern Yan has truly changed.

The will of that young prince in the south will, to a large extent, determine the future of this drastically changed grassland.