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

The change of rulers of Youzhou and the appearance of the Hanyuan Navy in the Bohai Sea... This series of earth-shattering news was like pouring a ladle of ice water into a pot of boiling oil. Instead of calming the boiling oil, it triggered an even more violent and dangerous explosion.

"Traitorous traitor! Traitorous traitor!" Inside the Zichen Palace, Zhao Chong could no longer maintain his usual composure and ruthlessness. He slammed his withered hand heavily on the imperial desk, causing the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone to jump around.

"Xiao Chen! You brat! How dare you do this! How dare you!!"

He roared hoarsely, his voice echoing in the empty hall, carrying a sharp, desperate tone.

"He has arbitrarily attacked prefectures and cities, privately built a navy, and stationed troops at sea. His wolfish ambitions are blatantly obvious! Does he still have any respect for his sovereign and father? Does he still respect the laws of the court? Does he still have even a shred of loyalty to his country?"

Below the imperial steps, Crown Prince Xiao Jue, Prince Qin Xiao Rui, and Prince Jin Xiao Ming, unusually, did not attack each other, but their faces were ashen and their eyes flickered uncertainly.

Xiao Chen's capture of Youzhou and the establishment of his navy not only threatened Zhao Chong, but also each and every one of them.

This means that Xiao Chen is no longer content with remaining in the north; his reach has truly extended to the Central Plains, to the very center of the chessboard upon which they depend for survival and struggle.

Unlike Zhao Chong's outburst of rage, the three princes felt a complex and indescribable mix of shock and apprehension.

It was a sense of shame and indignation that bordered on humiliation. Here, in the capital, in the Zichen Palace, which symbolized the center of power in the world, they fought to the death for a puppet emperor, for that pitiful, nominal legitimacy, sabotaging each other and using every trick in the book, yet none of them could defeat the other, and could only watch helplessly as the world fell apart.

Xiao Chen, their cousin/nephew whom they considered a "northern barbarian" and someone who "gained power by chance," quietly and diligently developed his power, swallowing up Youzhou in one fell swoop and even building a navy! What gave him the right? What qualifications did he have? Shouldn't he have been like those local warlords, wallowing in the mud of the south, fighting to the death with those military governors and bandits? How could he be so decisive and efficient, so...unconventional?

In particular, Xiao Chen's actions were tantamount to silently mocking how ridiculous and pale all their schemes, calculations, and "righteousness" were.

"Lord Zhao," King Xiao Rui of Qin took a deep breath, suppressing the complex emotions in his heart, and said in a deep voice, "Xiao Chen's actions are tantamount to rebellion and must not be tolerated! Otherwise, where will the dignity of the court be? The regional warlords will surely follow suit, and the country will cease to exist!"

Prince Xiao Ming of Jin immediately echoed, "Indeed! An imperial edict must be issued immediately, proclaiming to the world that he is a traitor and ordering the entire nation to punish him! Youzhou is the territory of the imperial court; how can we allow him to arbitrarily occupy it? The navy is a vital national asset; how can we allow him to privately transfer power to it?"

Crown Prince Xiao Jue also realized what was happening and exclaimed, "Yes! Yes! Issue an edict to punish them! Even the spirit of our father in heaven would not tolerate such rebellious traitors! Lord Zhao, you are the regent, please issue the edict quickly!"

At this moment, the three kings stood on the same side, a rare occurrence.

They needed this edict of punitive expedition not only for the sake of "the imperial authority," but also for their own sake.

They need a "righteous" justification to deal with the real threat posed by Xiao Chen, and also to find a legal basis for their future actions.

At the same time, they also harbored a dark thought: it would be best to make Xiao Chen and Zhao Chong, or rather, to make Xiao Chen and the "court" fight to the death, so that they could reap the benefits.

Looking at the three princes who seemed to share a common hatred for the enemy, Zhao Chong felt a chill and a sense of irony in his heart.

How could he not know that these three people each had their own ulterior motives? But at this moment, he had no other choice.

Xiao Chen's seizure of Youzhou and the establishment of his navy not only shattered the balance he was trying to maintain, but also dealt a fatal blow to his personal authority.

If he doesn't react to this, then Zhao Chong, as the "Regent," will truly become a laughingstock, and his complete downfall will not be far off.

"Good!" Zhao Chong stood up abruptly, his body swaying slightly from the sudden movement, but he forced himself to stand firm, his old eyes fixed on the still bewildered and ignorant young emperor Xiao Yan on the throne, who had even shrank back in fright from the earlier slamming of the table. His voice was hoarse and resolute:

"Your Majesty! The traitor Xiao Chen is a wolf in sheep's clothing, who has seized our land and secretly trained a navy. His actions deserve to be punished, and his heart deserves to be destroyed! Your Majesty, I implore you to immediately issue an edict to the whole world, stripping him of his princely title and official position, and condemning him as a traitor to the nation! Order all loyal and righteous men of the land to rise up in condemnation, to uphold the law and maintain order!"

His voice echoed in the hall, carrying an almost fanatical obsession.

He wanted to use this last vestige of "imperial power" to label Xiao Chen a "traitor," even if the label was useless and the edict was just a piece of waste paper, he still had to issue it!

He wanted the whole world to know that Xiao Chen was a "traitor" and a "national traitor"!

He, Zhao Chong, is the true "loyal minister" and the "court"!

The young emperor Xiao Jie was frightened by Zhao Chong's ferocious expression and shrill voice. His little mouth trembled, and he looked like he was about to cry.

Zhao Chong ignored the emperor's fuss, took a few steps forward, and almost forcibly grabbed the young emperor's chubby hand, dipped it in the vermilion ink that had been prepared on the imperial desk, and then pressed it firmly onto a blank edict that had been prepared and was just waiting to be stamped.

"His Majesty has affixed his seal! This is an edict to punish the traitor! The rebel Xiao Chen deserves to be executed by everyone!" Zhao Chong raised the edict, which was rolled up and stamped with the bright red imperial seal, as if holding up a flag that was about to break, and announced in a sharp voice.

The Crown Prince, the King of Qin, and the King of Jin watched this scene with flickering eyes and different thoughts.

Soon, this edict issued in the name of the "Emperor" to punish the traitor Xiao Chen was copied countless times and sent to the world by messengers on horseback.

The imperial edict went to great lengths to fabricate a story, portraying Xiao Chen as an utterly wicked and heinous villain: "His disloyal intentions have long been evident. He colluded with the Northern Barbarians, arbitrarily provoked border conflicts, slaughtered vassal states, overstepped the bounds of propriety, and privately amassed weapons. Now, he has brazenly attacked and occupied Youzhou, a key town of the imperial court, and has privately built a navy, eyeing the capital. His heart deserves to be punished, and his actions deserve to be destroyed. He is truly a traitor unlike any other in the three hundred years of our dynasty!"

The imperial edict called upon "loyal ministers and righteous men of the world, governors and prefects, heroes and heroines" to "raise the banner of righteousness together, serve the king, punish the traitor Xiao Chen, cleanse the court of corrupt officials, and secure the country," and promised them high-ranking official positions, generous salaries, and fiefdoms.

However, this "edict to quell the rebellion," which in the past would have stirred up a huge storm and made any minister restless, was like a stone thrown into a turbulent sea in this era of upheaval and the loss of imperial power. Apart from creating a few insignificant ripples, it was quickly submerged in endless chaos and clamor.

In the south, the King of Wu and the King of Chu were fighting tooth and nail for control of the rich lands of Jianghuai. They scoffed at the imperial edict from the northern "court" and even privately mocked Zhao Chong for "putting on airs even when he's about to die."

The King of Shu was blocked at Jiange, caught in a dilemma, unable to advance or retreat, and preoccupied with his own survival.

The Prince of Dai was enjoying himself immensely, burning, killing, and looting in Hebei, and paid no heed to the "Imperial Edict to Punish the Rebellion".

The Prince of Gui, who lived as a local tyrant in Lingnan, turned a blind eye to this.

As for the various military governors, warlords, and bandits, they treated the imperial edict as nothing more than toilet paper or a joke.

The only ones who might react to this edict were those local forces that still harbored some loyalty to the emperor or had old grudges against Xiao Chen.

But their reactions were mostly limited to verbal "indignation" and "condemnation." What actual action did they take? Sending troops north to attack the powerful Prince Jingbei?

What a joke! Didn't you see that even the King of Qin, the King of Jin, and the Crown Prince in the capital were just shouting, and not a single soldier left the city?

"To rebel?"

A minor southern warlord glanced at the imperial edict in his hand, scoffed, and tossed it into the brazier. "That old man Zhao Chong is practically a 'concubine' himself, what's the point of clearing things up! Xiao Chen a traitor? I think there are plenty of traitors in this world! If he's so capable, let Zhao Chong send his troops to punish him himself!"

"Raise the banner of righteousness together?"

Another powerful figure, who controlled a prefecture and county, stroked his chin and said, "Who's going to provide the food? Who's going to pay the wages? You think I'm stupid? You expect me to fight the Northern Wolf Cavalry with nothing but empty promises?"

The imperial edict became a joke, and the authority of the "court" that issued it was also completely ridiculed.

Zhao Chong's final attempt to use the emperor to command the feudal lords not only failed to intimidate Xiao Chen or unite the people, but also exposed the incompetence and weakness of the "court" to the world.

When the news reached Shenjing, Zhao Chong was so angry that he vomited blood and fell seriously ill.

The Crown Prince, the King of Qin, and the King of Jin became increasingly alienated, wary of each other, and intensified their own scheming.

Within the capital city, people's hearts were even more unsettled, and a sense of impending doom enveloped everyone.

When this "edict to quell the rebellion," full of bluster and weakness, was delivered by fast horse to the northern border and presented to Xiao Chen's desk, the reaction it elicited was even more direct and even more... disdainful.

Zhenbei City, Jingbei Prince's Mansion.

After reading the ornate but empty edict, Xiao Chen showed no expression and simply handed it to Han Lie, who was standing to the side.

Han Lie glanced at it quickly, then couldn't help shaking his head and chuckling, "Zhao Chong... he's truly run out of ideas. What use is this edict other than bringing shame upon himself?"

Wang Dashan scoffed, his voice booming, "Bah! You old dog! You haven't even cleaned your own mess, yet you have the nerve to call others traitors? Your Highness, should I lead my troops to the capital and arrest this old bastard and the young emperor together, so they can see who the real traitor is?"

Murong Xue's cold eyes swept over the imperial edict, and she said indifferently, "A cornered dog will jump over the wall, only making itself a laughing stock. With this edict, the last fig leaf of the court has been removed."

Xiao Chen stood up, walked to the window, and looked south.

That place was the Central Plains, a land engulfed in war and where people suffered greatly. It was also home to the "court" that existed in name only, yet was still struggling on its deathbed.

"The imperial edict to quell the rebellion..." Xiao Chen repeated in a low voice, a cold and mocking smile slowly curving his lips.

"They're saying I attacked the prefectural capital without authorization?"

He turned around, his gaze calmly sweeping over Han Lie, Wang Dashan, and Murong Xue. "Gao Wang, the governor of Youzhou, colluded with foreign invaders, oppressed the soldiers and civilians, and intended to surrender the city to the enemy. The evidence is irrefutable. Our army raised a righteous army to protect our territory and people and to punish the disloyal. What wrong have we done? Didn't we already issue this proclamation?"

"They say I'm building a private navy to spy on the capital?"

Xiao Chen's tone carried a hint of sarcasm. "On the shores of the Bohai Sea, bandits roam freely, harassing merchants and plundering the people. I built my navy solely to pacify the coastal regions, protect merchants and civilians—this is my duty to defend the land and ensure the people's safety. How can it be considered 'private construction'? As for spying on the capital… that's utter nonsense. If I wanted to march south, why would I need a navy? Are my northern cavalry merely for show?"

He walked back to the desk, picked up the scroll of imperial edict, and casually tossed it into the charcoal brazier beside him.

Flames erupted instantly, licking the bright yellow silk and swiftly turning the ornate words and crimson seals to ashes.

"A mere scrap of paper, yet it barks and howls."

Xiao Chen's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an indifferent and authoritative air, as if he had the world at his feet. "If Zhao Chong wants to curse, let him curse. He wants to use this 'righteous' name to bind me, but little does he know that this robe of 'righteousness' has long been torn to shreds by him and by all these high-ranking officials."

He looked at the leaping flames in the charcoal brazier and said slowly:

"Issue the order: this edict is to be ignored and not commented upon. In Youzhou and the northern border, everything remains the same. Those who need to cultivate land should continue cultivating land, those who need to train troops should continue training troops, and those who need to build ports should continue building ports. Furthermore…"

He paused, a sharp glint in his eyes: "In my name, send a letter to each of the princes and military governors in the south who are still fighting. The content of the letter is simple: I am saddened by the state of the country and I have pity on the people. If you are willing to cease hostilities and discuss national affairs, I, Xiao Chen, am willing to prepare a cup of wine in Zhenbei City and wait for you with an empty seat."

Han Lie's eyes lit up: "Your Highness, is this... an open conspiracy?"

"good."

Xiao Chen stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze seemingly piercing through the wall and seeing into the distance. "Zhao Chong wants to use 'righteousness' to pressure me, to label me a 'traitor' and have the world condemn me. But I'm not going to take that lying down."

I insist on giving them another option by adopting an attitude of "compassion for the common people" and "discussing national affairs together".

"Look at this world. Would you rather listen to the clamor of a powerful minister who has a young emperor hostage and is barely able to protect himself, or sit down and negotiate with a powerful figure who holds a strong army, controls Youzhou, and is eyeing the throne with predatory intent?"

"As for the title of 'traitor to the country'..." Xiao Chen lightly dusted off non-existent dust from his sleeve, as if brushing away some insignificant stain.

"History is written by the victors. And soon they will understand who is truly capable of ending this chaos and bringing a new order to the world. At that time, the label of 'traitor' will naturally be placed back on the head of the person who deserves it."

The flames in the charcoal brazier finally went out, leaving only a pile of ashes and a few wisps of smoke.