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

Zhao Chong's hasty farce of deposing and installing emperors in Chang'an was like a boulder thrown into a stagnant pond, stirring up ripples on the already chaotic chessboard of the world that were more complex and far-reaching than the fall of the capital itself.

On one side was the Hanyuan Army, which occupied the heart of the empire and used the banners of "pacifying the rebellion" and "pacifying the people"; on the other side was the pseudo-court that retreated to the old capital of Guanzhong and used the banner of "continuing the orthodoxy of the Great Liang". For a time, the land of China was in a strange situation where two capitals stood in opposition and two suns hung in the sky.

The news spread like wildfire across the country.

Whether it was the secluded mansions of powerful families, the taverns and teahouses of ordinary people, the military headquarters of southern warlords, or the thatched huts of reclusive hermits in the mountains, everyone was talking, speculating, and weighing the options.

"Have you heard? The Duke of Zhao in Chang'an deposed the original young emperor and installed the former crown prince as emperor, even changing the reign title to 'Zhongxing'!"

"Bah! What revival? It's clearly a death throes! Kidnapping the emperor and fleeing west was already treasonous, and now they're deposing and installing emperors—they're just like Wang Mang and Dong Zhuo! A false dynasty, an absolute false dynasty!"

"That's not quite right... After all, the newly enthroned emperor is a legitimate descendant of the emperor, a member of the late emperor's bloodline. The Prince of Jingbei... in the end, is a prince who raised an army. This 'purging of the court of corrupt officials,' well, after purging the treacherous ministers, what's next..."

"What's next? Are we going to return the throne to that infant who's been used as a puppet by Zhao Chong? Or to that deposed and terrified man? Would Zhao Chong agree to that? The Prince of Jingbei went to such lengths to conquer Shenjing, losing so many soldiers, just to replace Zhao Chong with a new emperor?"

"Shh! Quiet down! How can you say such things carelessly? Be careful what you say!"

"Sigh, this world... all this fighting and fighting, in the end it's always the common people who suffer. Who cares who the real emperor is? Whoever can feed everyone is the good emperor!"

"That's right. When the Prince of Jingbei's troops entered the capital, I heard they didn't loot anything and even opened the granaries to distribute grain. When Zhao Chong fled, he burned everything he could..."

Discussions on the streets and alleys often reflect the most basic public sentiment.

Especially in Shenjing and its surrounding areas, Zhao Chong's pseudo-dynasty's "legitimacy" banner failed to gain much recognition.

His misdeeds of abandoning the city and burning down the government treasury were preceded by his actions of installing a young emperor and declaring himself a powerful minister. In the hearts of the people, he had long been the embodiment of a traitor to the country.

In contrast, Prince Jingbei, Xiao Chen, entered the capital without bloodshed, enforced strict military discipline, provided disaster relief, and restored order. The difference in their methods is stark.

Despite lingering doubts about Xiao Chen's future intentions, at least for now, ordinary people are more willing to accept a "strongman" who can bring order and food, rather than a "legitimate" figure who only knows how to run away and cause trouble.

However, the situation is much more complex in higher-level political maneuvering.

The establishment of the puppet regime in Chang'an was like a shot in the arm, and also like a mirror that revealed the true intentions of all the forces in the world.

For many former officials, elders, and local forces who still harbored loyalty to the Great Liang Dynasty, the emergence of the puppet court in Chang'an undoubtedly provided them with a spiritual anchor and a basis for action.

No matter how incompetent Zhao Chong was, or how young and ignorant the "Restoration Emperor" was, as long as the banner of "Great Liang" still flew over Chang'an, and as long as the bloodline of the Xiao imperial family continued in name, their loyalty to the "court" and their opposition to the "traitor" Xiao Chen were legally justified.

As a result, some local officials and powerful figures who were originally observing or even leaning towards Xiao Chen began to adopt ambiguous attitudes. Some secretly contacted Chang'an, while others began to secretly accumulate power, attempting to seek more benefits in the future changes.

For the most powerful warlords in the south—the King of Wu, the King of Chu, and the King of Shu—the emergence of the pseudo-court in Chang'an was a golden opportunity to disrupt the existing order.

The Palace of the Prince of Wu, Jinling.

Inside the ornately decorated pavilion, wisps of smoke rise from the incense burner.

King Xiao Jue of Wu, a middle-aged man of about forty years old with a refined appearance but deep eyes, was playing with a warm and smooth jade pendant while listening to the report from his trusted advisor.

"...Zhao Chong sent a secret envoy with earnest words, claiming that he was willing to appoint the Prince as the Grand Marshal of the Armed Forces of the Realm, to command all the southern garrisons, and to jointly punish the traitor Xiao Chen. After the matter is accomplished, he is willing to divide the land along the Yangtze River, and even... he might go further." The strategist whispered.

A faint sneer appeared on Xiao Jue's lips: "Go further? What does Zhao Chong, a traitor who can barely protect himself, have to reward me with? Divide the country along the river? He's hiding in Chang'an now, barely able to protect himself, what right does he have to talk about dividing the country along the river? It's nothing but a scheme to drive a wolf into a tiger, trying to provoke me and that bastard Xiao Chen into a fight so he can prolong his own life."

"Your Highness is wise."

The strategist nodded. "However, while Zhao Chong is not a major concern, his support for the false emperor and the raising of the Great Liang banner have given us a legitimate claim. At least morally, we and the false dynasty in Chang'an are both subjects of Great Liang, and it is reasonable for us to help each other. With this claim, we can openly expand our army, stockpile grain, integrate the various states in Jiangnan, and even... put pressure on Xiao Chen to force him to make concessions in the negotiations."

"good."

Xiao Jue put down the jade pendant, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes. "Zhao Chonghe, that false emperor, is nothing but a puppet and a flag. If he's useful, we'll keep him; if he's useless, we'll discard him. The key isn't Chang'an, but ourselves."

Xiao Chen is powerful and at the height of his power; we cannot confront him head-on. However, he has just occupied the capital, his foundation is not yet stable, and he also faces the constraints of the "legitimate" banner of the pseudo-dynasty in Chang'an. This is a great opportunity for us to consolidate our power in Jiangnan and expand our strength.

The order was issued to all prefectures in Jiangnan to increase grain taxes by 30% under the pretext of "responding to the imperial court's call to guard against the northward advance of the rebels." New soldiers were to be recruited and military preparations were to be strengthened.

At the same time, he replied to Zhao Chong, saying that he was loyal to the court, but Jiangnan also needed to be guarded against, so he could not go north to defend the emperor for the time being, but he could provide some money and food to show his support.

As for the title of "Grand Marshal of All Armies"... hehe, it's just an empty title, but I'll accept it for now.

Similar scenarios also played out in the Chu and Shu regions.

The King of Chu used the excuse that "barbarian tribes within his territory are causing trouble and need to be quelled first," while the King of Shu used the excuse that "the roads to Shu are difficult and supplies are insufficient." Both expressed "spiritual support" and "moral solidarity" for the call to "serve the king" in Chang'an. However, when it came to actually sending troops, they made all sorts of excuses and only focused on expanding their own sphere of influence and strengthening their border defenses.

Their plan was shrewd: let Xiao Chen and Zhao Chong fight to the death in the north, preferably until they were both severely injured, while they would sit back and watch the two tigers fight, accumulating strength, and then make a decision when the time was right.

However, beneath this seemingly clear pattern of north-south confrontation and east-west observation, undercurrents still surge.

Some small and medium-sized forces, especially the leaders of the "righteous army" who were nominally in the "Anti-Rebel Alliance" but maintained a distant relationship with Xiao Chen, began to experience subtle changes in their mentality.

The establishment of the puppet regime in Chang'an gave them another option. Should they continue to follow the Prince of Jingbei, who was gaining momentum but had strict rules and whose future rewards were uncertain, or should they turn to the seemingly weak but "legitimate" puppet regime in Chang'an, which might be more willing to offer official positions and promises? Speculative thoughts began to grow in the hearts of these people.

Although they dare not openly betray Xiao Chen in the short term, their tendency to outwardly comply while inwardly resisting, to preserve their strength, and to wait and see has clearly intensified.

Shenjing, the temporary headquarters of the Prince of Jingbei.

Han Lie, Chen Dao, and their core advisors, who had just arrived from the north, gathered together.

The huge map hanging in the hall clearly marked the positions of the various forces.

"Your Highness, the establishment of the puppet dynasty in Chang'an has shaken the world."

Zhao Chong, in the name of the false emperor, lavishly bestowed official titles and made promises. The southern warlords of Wu, Chu, and Shu, though not directly sending troops, all expanded their armies and prepared for war under the pretext of "responding to the court," thus forming a subtle obstacle to our efforts.

Furthermore, several factions within the original "Anti-Rebel Alliance" have become increasingly ambiguous in their attitude, seemingly maintaining secret contact with Chang'an.

The staff member reported intelligence from all sides in a deep voice.

Xiao Chen sat calmly in the main seat, his fingers lightly tapping the back of the chair as he listened to his subordinates' analysis. The farce in Chang'an and the reaction in the south were both within his expectations.

"When two suns hang in the sky, one of them will surely be dark."

Xiao Chen spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but carrying a calm strength, "Zhao Chong's establishment of a false emperor is nothing but a desperate struggle by a cornered beast, only making him a laughingstock. What he relies on is nothing more than the word 'legitimacy' and the strategic advantage of Guanzhong. However, by abandoning the capital and burning the city, he has lost the hearts of the people and destroyed the moral order. Guanzhong is exhausted, the people are impoverished, and its internal structure is not monolithic. The so-called 'legitimacy' is nothing but a mask that can be easily punctured."

His gaze swept across the map and landed on the south: "As for the people of Wu, Chu, and Shu, they each have their own ulterior motives and are indecisive."

They fear our military might and covet the empty reputation of Guanzhong, so they use "serving the emperor" as a pretext to maintain their separatist rule and observe the outcome of the war. These cowards are not worth worrying about. Their reluctance to march north is exactly what I want.

Once I have pacified Guanzhong, swept away the false dynasty, and marched south with the might of a great victory and the momentum of unification, their so-called natural barrier of the Yangtze River and their alliance of feudal lords will be nothing but clay chickens and earthen dogs.

"Your Highness is wise."

Han Lie clasped his hands and said, "However, although the false dynasty is weak, it still has its title. If we let it go unchecked, things may change over time. In particular, the southern princes are using its title to grow stronger, and some people who do not know the times may be misled by it, which will only add more complications."

"Of course we won't let it go unchecked."

A cold glint flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes. "Zhao Chong tries to cling to life with a tattered banner of 'legitimacy,' but I will tear that last fig leaf to shreds!"

He stood up, walked to the map, and pressed his finger heavily on the location of Chang'an: "Issue the order:"

First, in the name of this king and the "Marshal's Office for Punishing Rebels", issue the "Proclamation Against the False Emperor".

The proclamation proclaims to the world Zhao Chong's heinous crimes: kidnapping the emperor, burning down the capital, looting the treasury, abandoning the people to fire and water, and arbitrarily deposing and installing a false emperor, thus disrupting the moral order. The proclamation declares that the false emperor in Chang'an is a puppet installed by the traitor Zhao Chong, an illegal and usurped dynasty, and that all discerning people in the land should unite to condemn and punish him!

"Second, suspend preparations for military action in the south. Concentrate our efforts on stabilizing the capital and the prefectures and counties that have already been secured, restoring the livelihood of the people, and stockpiling provisions."

Meanwhile, under the pretext of annihilating the puppet dynasty and welcoming back the kidnapped emperor, they are preparing for a western expedition! Although Guanzhong is strategically important, the people are disaffected, the soldiers lack the will to fight, and the puppet dynasty is riddled with internal conflicts. Once next spring, when supplies are plentiful, it will be time to sweep through the enemy lines and crush Chang'an!

"Third, closely monitor any disloyal members of the 'Anti-Rebel Alliance.' Anyone who dares to secretly communicate with the puppet regime in Chang'an, if the evidence is conclusive, shall be immediately treated as a traitor and wiped out by troops, as a warning to others! As for those who waver, they can be appeased to some extent, but they must be made to clearly state their position, and within a specified time, contribute troops and supplies to jointly punish the puppet regime. Those who do not contribute will not be allowed to share any credit after the war!"

"Fourth, create widespread public opinion in the capital and the north. Compare in detail the perverse actions and widespread resentment of Zhao Chong's treacherous regime with our army's actions of not harming the people, opening granaries for relief, and restoring order after entering the capital. Let the people of the world clearly see who the traitors are who bring disaster to the country and who is the benevolent army that relieves the people from their suffering!"

The orders were clear and unambiguous, encompassing both a strong external counterattack and military preparations, as well as internal public opinion guidance and integration control.

Xiao Chen's goal was clear: not only to eliminate the Chang'an puppet dynasty as a political symbol militarily, but also to thoroughly denounce and discredit it morally and in terms of public sentiment, to snatch the halo of "legitimacy" from its head, or to directly shatter the value of "legitimacy" itself.

"As for that false emperor Xiao Yu..."

A cold glint appeared in Xiao Chen's eyes. "He's nothing but a pathetic wretch manipulated by treacherous officials. If he repents and surrenders, he might be spared and given a place to live. But if he remains obstinate and willingly becomes Zhao Chong's puppet... then the day the city falls will be the day he is utterly disgraced."

With Xiao Chen's order issued, the standoff between the North and South entered a new phase.

The puppet regime in Chang'an was frantically bestowing official titles and making promises, and seeking aid from all sides, attempting to weave a fragile protective net under the guise of "righteousness."

Meanwhile, the Hanyuan forces in Shenjing were steadily consolidating their gains, accumulating strength, and preparing for a fatal blow against the puppet dynasty in Guanzhong. They intended to use this opportunity to completely establish their undisputed hegemonic position.

The two suns hanging in the sky were ultimately just a fleeting and distorted illusion.

All discerning people in the world have seen clearly that the dark star rising from the north is shining ever brighter, while the flickering lights in Chang'an are nothing more than a last, futile struggle before destruction.

The true decisive battle that will determine the fate of the world will no longer be a struggle between North and South, but a showdown between the two capitals, the capital city of Shenjing, and Chang'an, representing two different orders and two different futures.

The outcome of this duel seemed to have been predetermined in the eyes of discerning people.

Only Zhao Chong in Chang'an, and the child "emperor" on his dragon throne, remained in a self-deceiving dream, awaiting the arrival of the final judgment.