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

The festive atmosphere of the newlyweds had not yet completely dissipated, but deep within the Jingbei Prince's Mansion, the Nuanyu Pavilion was completely quiet.

Outside the window, the heavy snow of the northern land in December was falling softly, turning Zhenbei Town into a pure silver-white world and isolating it from the noise of the outside world.

Inside the pavilion, the underfloor heating was burning brightly, providing warmth that dispelled all the chill.

The gilded bronze crane incense burner exudes wisps of ambergris, which blend with the ink of the official documents piled on the desk and the fragrance of freshly brewed pre-rain Longjing tea, creating a unique and calming aroma.

Xiao Chen, draped in a black mink cloak, sat in a wide armchair covered with a white tiger skin. In front of him was a huge map of the Central Plains, covered with dense markings in vermilion and ink.

He toyed with a warm, smooth jade pendant in his hand, but his gaze was fixed on the swirling snow outside the window, deep and unfathomable.

Murong Xue sat on the soft couch opposite him, having removed her elaborate royal crown and robes, wearing only a moon-white brocade jacket and skirt, with a short silver fox fur vest over it. Her black hair was loosely tied into a bun, with a simple jade hairpin inserted at an angle.

She held a book in her hands, but didn't read much of it. Her gaze kept drifting to the figure deep in thought behind the desk, or perhaps to the unsettling map.

The red candles burned brightly, occasionally popping out a tiny spark that stood out clearly in the silence.

"Xue," Xiao Chen suddenly spoke, his voice unusually deep in the quiet warm pavilion, "you've seen the news from the capital, haven't you?"

Murong Xue put down her book and nodded slightly.

After their wedding, Xiao Chen did not confine her to the inner courtyard, but instead granted her considerable authority, including the right to read some non-core military and political briefings.

She had also reviewed the summaries of the secret reports that Night Owl sent from Shenjing.

"I've seen it. His Majesty is critically ill, the princes are vying for the throne, and the central government is on the verge of collapse."

"How do you think this mess will end?"

Xiao Chen turned his head, his gaze falling on her face with a look of inquiry and a hint of scrutiny.

Murong Xue met his gaze, pondered for a moment, and said, "In my opinion, there are only three possibilities."

Firstly, with the support of civil officials and some powerful figures in the inner court, the crown prince barely ascended the throne, but the King of Qin and the King of Jin would certainly not accept it. They might either bring troops from other regions into the capital to purge the emperor's inner circle, or they might seize power in their own territories, leading to the collapse of the empire.

Secondly, if the King of Qin or the King of Jin seizes the throne by force, another will likely follow suit, leading to endless war. Thirdly…

She paused, her voice growing colder, "When the princes fought each other, both sides were severely injured. The maternal relatives, powerful ministers, and even eunuchs seized the opportunity to depose and install emperors, or to establish a young emperor and use the emperor to command the princes."

Regardless of the outcome, the central authority of the Great Xia Dynasty will be completely destroyed after this calamity, and powerful local warlords will inevitably harbor rebellious intentions.

The world... is in chaos; it's only a matter of time, and the degree of chaos.

A hint of admiration flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes.

Murong Xue's analysis coincided with, and was even more incisive and insightful than, that of his strategists Han Lie and Zhou Tong, which went straight to the heart of the matter.

Having experienced the pain of national subjugation and witnessed the most brutal power struggles in the deep palace, this former dynasty princess possessed an extraordinary political acumen and ability to judge situations.

"Go on," he said, leaning forward slightly, showing interest in listening.

Encouraged, Murong Xue continued, "The Crown Prince seems to have the rightful title, but he is weak-willed, indecisive, and has no strong support."

What they relied on was nothing more than the status of the eldest son and a number of upright civil officials. However, while these civil officials were good at idle talk, they were powerless in this chaotic world and were nothing more than pedantic scholars.

The King of Qin was cunning and ruthless, adept at concealing his true intentions. He cultivated relationships with court officials and allied with border towns, and his ambitions were grand. However, he was also harsh and ungrateful, making it difficult for him to win people's hearts. Moreover, he was too calculating in his actions and was prone to missing opportunities.

The Prince of Jin was tyrannical and relied on his military achievements and noble status. He appeared powerful but was actually reckless and lacked strategy. He was nothing more than a brute and was unlikely to achieve anything great.

Her slender fingers unconsciously traced the wooden grain of the small table on the couch, her tone carrying a hint of cold sarcasm: "None of these three, no matter who comes to power, will be able to consolidate the court and quell the ambitions of all sides in a short period of time."

Moreover, the floods in the south have not yet subsided, and refugees are everywhere. If someone were to raise their arms and call for action, it would instantly become a prairie fire.

At that time, the heart of the Central Plains will likely become a battlefield, with kings, powerful vassals, refugee armies, and foreign tribes attacking each other, with no peace ever coming.

The Great Xia dynasty, with its three-hundred-year reign, its fate... seems truly sealed.

Silence reigned in the warm chamber, with only the flickering candlelight illuminating the solemn faces of the two men.

Murong Xue's analysis paints a dark and bloody picture of a chaotic world.

"Then, in your opinion, how should I, Han Yuan, conduct myself? How can I secure a place in this chaotic world, and even..." Xiao Chen didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning in his eyes was self-evident.

Murong Xue raised her eyes and looked directly at Xiao Chen. Her clear, cold eyes shone brightly in the candlelight, showing no sign of fear: "Your Highness commands the northern border with tens of thousands of armored soldiers. The people are loyal to you, the treasury is full, and you have the support of the East Sea and the Western Liang. You are already in an invincible position. At present, the court is in turmoil and unable to look north. This is a golden opportunity. I believe that we should implement two strategies, one urgent and one temporary."

"Oh? What is urgent, and what is slow?"

"The urgent strategy Your Highness is currently pursuing is to seize this opportunity to fully strengthen the army, stockpile provisions, stabilize internal affairs, and forge alliances with foreign powers. These are fundamental and must not be lost. At the same time, regarding the chaos in the Central Plains, we should observe the situation calmly and perhaps even..."

She paused, then lowered her voice, "We can secretly fan the flames, making the chaos even worse and the fighting even fiercer, thus buying more time for my Han Yuan."

Xiao Chen raised the corners of his mouth slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, signaling her to continue.

"A gradual approach," Murong Xue's gaze sharpened, "is to lay the groundwork in advance, to prepare for a future southward advance, and even to conquer the world."

The chaos of war in the Central Plains, though devastating, also provided an opportunity for heroes to rise.

If Your Highness wishes to achieve great things, you cannot simply remain stationed in the northern border region.

At that time, when all forces were exhausted and the people were starving, if Your Highness could intervene with swift and decisive action, it might achieve twice the result with half the effort. However…”

"But what?"

"However, the Central Plains are vast, with numerous cities and deeply entrenched powers. Even if Your Highness has well-trained troops and ample supplies, if you insist on a direct assault, even if you achieve victory, it will be a protracted and costly campaign, and you will also find it difficult to win back the hearts of the people."

Murong Xue leaned forward slightly, the candlelight casting interplay of light and shadow on her beautiful profile. Her voice was clear and calm, "In chaotic times, two things can often achieve great results with minimal effort, or even be the decisive factor. One is intelligence, and the other is surprise attacks."

A glint flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes, and he unconsciously sat up straight: "Explain in detail."

"Those who possess intelligence know themselves and their enemy, and they will never be defeated. Your Highness already has Night Owl, who infiltrates enemy territory to investigate secrets and transmit messages; this is a powerful tool."

However, the Night Owl's strengths lie in stealth, reconnaissance, and communication; it may be capable of assassination, but these are not its specialties.

And the surprise attack,

Murong Xue emphasized, "It is the power to accomplish extraordinary things with minimal cost and to influence the entire situation."

For example, a sudden attack could be launched against an enemy leader's gathering, leaving them leaderless; a massive supply of provisions could be burned, causing the enemy to collapse without a fight; internal strife could erupt at strategic passes, leaving the city gates wide open; even rumors could be spread to sow discord between the enemy's ruler, ministers, and generals… Such tasks are beyond the capabilities of ordinary troops and require elite soldiers specializing in these roles.

She looked at Xiao Chen with burning eyes: "In the past, the Yan Kingdom... also had a Shadow Guard, with no more than three hundred men. They were all elite assassins, skilled in assassination, infiltration, and sabotage. They once took the head of an enemy general amidst a vast army, and once burned down three enemy granaries in one night. Their achievements were outstanding."

Unfortunately, it later declined due to internal strife.

"I believe that if Your Highness possessed a similar, but more elite, stronger, and more strategic force—capable not only of sabotage but also of carrying out more complex missions—it would be of great use in the future chaos!"

"Good!" Xiao Chen exclaimed softly, his eyes revealing undisguised admiration, even a hint of excitement.

Murong Xue's words struck a chord with him.

He had long envisioned building a special forces unit that transcended the limitations of this era, but he was unable to fully implement it due to constraints of energy, resources, and the need for a more professional approach.

Unexpectedly, Murong Xue and he had the same idea, and she even provided a reference case such as the "shadow guards" of the previous dynasty.

"Xue'er's words resonate deeply with me."

Xiao Chen no longer concealed his intentions and said frankly, "To be honest, I've had this idea for a long time. Night Owl is in charge of intelligence infiltration, and he is like my eyes and ears."

However, another sharp blade is indeed needed, specializing in unconventional warfare such as decapitation, raids, infiltration, protection, and counter-terrorism, to pierce the enemy's heart and sever their bones at critical moments, or to protect us in perilous situations.

"Counter-terrorism?" Murong Xue was slightly taken aback, somewhat puzzled by this new term.

"It is to deal with sudden terrorist incidents, such as the assassination of important figures, the attack on key locations, and the malicious instigation of military and public opinion."

Xiao Chen gave a brief explanation, then said, "I intend to name this unit the Xuanjia Guard."

"Black Armor Guards..."

Murong Xue repeated it softly, a glint of something special in her eyes, "Xuan means black with a hint of red, deep and unfathomable, and also corresponds to the water element of the north. Jia means armor, a protective weapon, and also a weapon. Xuanjia Guard, a good name, just right."

Xiao Chen walked up to her and extended his hand.

Murong Xue hesitated for a moment before placing her hand in his palm.

Xiao Chen held her slightly cool hand, feeling the slight trembling of her fingertips. His tone was more solemn and sincere than ever before: "Establishing the Xuanjia Guard is not something that can be done in a day. It requires a lot of effort. Selection, training, equipment, and tactics all need to be done from scratch, far exceeding the ordinary army."

I am preoccupied with both political and military affairs, and I fear it will be difficult for me to handle everything personally.

"Xue'er, since you have such insight and know the past affairs of the Shadow Guards of the previous dynasty, would you be willing to help me to build this army?"

Murong Xue's heart skipped a beat, and she looked up at Xiao Chen.

His gaze was deep and unwavering, filled with trust and expectation.

The significance of forming such a unit, directly under his command, that would carry out the most confidential and dangerous missions, is of paramount importance.

This was not merely entrusting her with internal affairs or certain sinecure duties; it was truly handing over his sharpest claws and a portion of his power to her.

Inside the warm room, red candles burned quietly, while outside the window, wind and snow howled.

Looking at their clasped hands and then at the heavy trust in his eyes, the flame that had been dormant in her heart since the fall of the Yan Kingdom seemed to be rekindled.

That was not only the responsibility of a princess, but also the opportunity for Murong Xue, a woman of talent and ambition, to participate in creating and influencing the course of history.

She didn't pull her hand away; instead, she squeezed it back slightly.

The voice was clear and cold, yet carried an unprecedented firmness:

"I am willing to forge this blade with Your Highness."