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

In the sixth year of Xuanji, in autumn, the first frost fell.

The Guanzhong Plain has just enjoyed a rare bumper harvest.

Under the clear autumn sunlight, the palace walls of Chang'an New City reflected the unique, warm, pale gold of the rammed earth.

On Zhuque Avenue, carts and horses transporting timber and stone still come and go in an endless stream, but the pace is no longer as hurried as at the beginning of the year.

The newly relocated residents in the city also showed a greater sense of peace and security on their faces.

After initial local setbacks, the implementation of the Equal Field System has begun to show results in the capital region. Newly harvested millet fills the granaries, and the ink of the imperial edict to "rest and recuperate for the people" is still wet. The benefits of tax reduction have brought more vitality to the countryside.

Everything seems to be moving slowly but steadily toward “gathering and accumulating”.

However, the peace of the empire was never confined to the fields.

September 27th, late at night.

The rapid sound of horses' hooves shattered the silence of the official road outside Chang'an.

One rider, two riders, three riders... dusty and covered in red feathers representing the highest level of military urgency, the couriers rushed through the still under-construction Mingde Gate like black arrows shot from the night.

Horseshoes struck the cobblestones, sending up blinding sparks that startled the drowsy soldiers and watchmen inside and outside the city gates.

"Urgent dispatch! Military intelligence from the clouds!"

"Yanmen Pass is in grave danger! The Northern Barbarians have invaded!"

A hoarse roar, rough and harsh like the wind and sand of the frontier, echoed through the empty streets, instantly tearing a bloody gash into the peaceful autumn night.

The courier galloped straight for the imperial city. At Chengtian Gate, the exhausted courier tumbled from his horse and was helped up by imperial guards who had been waiting for him. His hands trembled as he pulled several military reports, soaked with sweat and stained with dark red blood, from his oilcloth bag. He hissed, "Quickly...quickly present these to His Majesty! Three fortresses have been lost in Yunzhong! Outside Yanmen Pass, the land is ablaze with war!"

The news spread like a thunderclap through the deep palace halls, and then, even faster, throughout all the government offices in Chang'an where the lights were still on.

The following day, a grand court assembly was held in the Xuanzheng Hall.

The atmosphere inside the hall was as heavy as iron.

The civil and military officials who used to argue endlessly about the details of the capital relocation, tax regulations, and the rules of the academies were now holding their breath and bowing their heads.

Xiao Chen, sitting on the dragon throne, had a somber expression, his knuckles turning slightly white as he held several border reports in his hand.

The newly appointed Minister of War, a seasoned general known for his steadiness, stepped forward to report, his voice carrying a heavy echo:

"Your Majesty, the newly appointed Great Chanyu of the Northern Barbarians is named Ashina Duoji. He is no more than thirty years old, cunning as a fox, and exceptionally brave."

Last year, his father, the old Chanyu, passed away. His sons fought for the throne. This son used ruthless methods to eliminate his brothers, subdue the various tribes, and unify the southern and northern deserts. He called himself "Chanyu of the Heaven-Established Ligutu".

This autumn, the horses are fat, and disregarding last year's breach of the alliance, they brazenly tore up the peace treaty, gathering no fewer than 80,000 archers, and dividing their forces into two routes.

He paused, his tone growing increasingly somber: "About 30,000 cavalrymen took a detour through Yinshan and launched a surprise attack on Yunzhong County."

General Liu Wu underestimated the enemy and advanced recklessly, only to be ambushed and killed. His 3,000 elite border troops were wiped out, resulting in the loss of three outer fortresses. The Di cavalry had penetrated deep into the heart of Yunzhong, plundering villages and granaries, and their advance was aimed directly at the county seat.

Another force of about 50,000 men, led by Duji himself, launched a fierce attack on Yanmen Pass.

Guo Wei, the garrison commander of Yanmen, held his ground fiercely, but the enemy's forces were overwhelming. Many of the beacon towers outside the pass had already fallen, and the fortress had suffered heavy casualties after days of bloody fighting. Arrows and logs were almost exhausted, and pleas for reinforcements were being sent three times a day… The northern gateway was on the verge of collapse!

"Bang!"

A muffled thud was the sound of Xiao Chen slamming the border report heavily onto the imperial desk.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials in the hall. His gaze was not intense, but cold and sharp, as if carrying the frost of the frontier.

"Yunzhong and Yanmen are the key to the northern frontier. Last year, the court made an oath with them, opened the gates for trade, and bestowed upon them cloth, tea, and salt in exchange for their warhorse hides. I still remember that their envoy swore an oath to the heavens before the palace, saying that they would forever be a protective barrier and would not invade each other."

Xiao Chen's voice was not loud, but every word was clear and resonated in everyone's heart: "Now that autumn is here and the horses are fat, you have betrayed our promises, destroyed our border fortresses, slaughtered our people, and robbed our provisions. What are your thoughts, my lords?"

After a brief silence, a buzz of discussion arose. Soon, two voices emerged.

Some military officers, especially veterans who had experienced the wars that led to the founding of the nation, bristled with rage.

"Your Majesty! The barbarians are fickle and utterly beastly! We should send a large army beyond the border to strike them down, annihilating them and demonstrating the might of Heaven!"

"Liu Wu deserves to die for underestimating the enemy, while Guo Wei deserves to be saved for his valiant fight! Your Majesty, I implore you to quickly dispatch the elite Imperial Guards northward to defeat the enemy in front of us, recover the lost territory, and lift the siege of Yanmen!"

"Exactly! Our Great Xia Dynasty has only been established for a short time. If we show weakness to such border incursions, the barbarians from all sides will surely become contemptuous, and the border troubles will never end!"

The voices advocating for war were passionate and stirring.

However, another group of civil officials, especially those from the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works, as well as some prudent veteran officials, looked worried.

The newly appointed Minister of Revenue, Zheng Huaijin, stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, the generals are commendable for their loyalty and bravery. However, the affairs of the state must be considered in the overall context. Last year was a year of great disaster, and we are only now recovering. Although the national treasury has improved slightly due to salt, iron, and commercial taxes, the relocation of the capital, the construction of official roads, and the establishment of the Great Xia Academy all require funds."

The north is bitterly cold, and winter is fast approaching. A large army on a long expedition, transporting provisions and supplies, will cost far more than ten thousand taels of silver. Moreover, the Di cavalry are swift as the wind; they attack and flee into the desert. If our army continues its arduous expedition deep into barren lands, I fear… I fear we will repeat the mistakes of the previous dynasty, our army exhausted and weary, becoming easy prey for them!

An elderly Hanlin scholar with white hair also said tremblingly, "Your Majesty, weapons are instruments of death, and even sages use them only as a last resort. Now that the country is at peace, it is better to remain still than to take action. Perhaps we could send an eloquent envoy to rebuke them for breaking their alliance, then offer them gold and silk to persuade them to withdraw their troops and rebuild the border markets. Once our national strength is abundant, our troops are well-trained, and our provisions are plentiful, we can then plan our next move. This is the wise and experienced view of governing the country."

"absurd!"

Wang Dashan angrily retorted, "If gold and silk could fill the bellies of wolves, why did the previous dynasty perish at the hands of foreign tribes? If we offer them gold and silk today, their greed will only intensify tomorrow! Only swords and spears can teach these barbarians that our Great Xia is not to be trifled with!"

"General! The national treasury is empty, and the people's strength has not yet recovered. How can we rashly wage war? If the war drags on and domestic unrest occurs, whose fault will it be?"

In the imperial court, the two factions, advocating war and peace, were locked in a stalemate, and their voices grew louder.

Those who advocate peace are not cowards, but rather deeply aware of the nation's difficulties and unwilling to take risks; those who advocate war are not warmongers, but rather deeply aware that without peace on the borders, the nation will never have a peaceful day.

Xiao Chen listened quietly, his gaze sweeping over the faces that were filled with excitement, worry, indignation, or calculation.

He saw the strain on the national treasury, the exhaustion of the people, the immense scale of the capital relocation project, the sporadic rebellions in the south that had not yet been fully quelled, and the factional infighting in the court... All of these were realities, obstacles.

But he also saw the burning beacon fires on the border, the fields trampled by iron hooves, the soldiers lying in pools of blood, and the desperate eyes of the captured people.

He saw the burning ambition in the eyes of the young Chanyu named Ashina Duoji—it was not just plunder, it was a test, a challenge, a desire to take a big bite out of him, Xiao Chen, and the Great Xia Dynasty when they needed to catch their breath the most, and even a desire to recreate the "glory" of his ancestors who went south to herd horses.

Tolerance? Appeasement? Peace in exchange for money?

No.

Xiao Chen's fingertips gently tapped the smooth, cold surface of the imperial desk.

He recalled the long river of another time and space, and the ever-expanding greed of the enemy and the gradual erosion of the fighting spirit of the Central Plains dynasty under the brief peace obtained through marriage alliances and tribute.

He recalled the hardships he had endured since ascending the throne, the new policies he had implemented step by step, the hard-won population of over ten million, and the magnificent palace walls outside Chang'an that were still under construction but already imposing.

All of this requires an absolutely safe, or at least stable, external environment to take root, sprout, blossom, and bear fruit.

The Northern Barbarians must be defeated and subdued.

It wasn't just a repulsion, it was a complete defeat.

We must break their spines, so that for at least a generation, they will tremble at the mere mention of the word "Great Xia" and only want to kneel before the dragon flag.

More importantly, he needs this victory.

A brilliant and undisputed victory abroad is needed to further unite the people at home, deter all potential internal opponents and onlookers around the country, and inject a powerful boost of "military prowess" into the nascent empire, both for itself and for this new empire.

As the court debate reached its climax, all eyes were drawn to the throne, awaiting the final decision of the young emperor who had already achieved numerous miracles—

Xiao Chen slowly stood up.

He didn't speak harshly, but his upright posture alone silenced the noisy hall instantly, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

All eyes were on him.

"What you all say is reasonable. How could I not know that the country is facing financial difficulties? How could I not be aware that the people's strength has not yet recovered?"

His voice rang out calmly, yet it carried a metallic quality, piercing the silence and clearly reaching everyone's ears.

"However, how can I allow others to snore beside my bed? How can I protect my home if the fence is not sturdy? Today, the barbarians have knocked on our gates, plundered our Yunzhong region, besieged our Yanmen Pass, and slaughtered our people. If I were to back down and offer them gold and silk, do you think that would satisfy their wolfish hearts?"

His gaze swept over the ministers who advocated peace: "They only think that our Great Xia is cowardly, with an empty treasury, and easily bullied! Today we cede five cities, tomorrow ten, and then we can have a night's rest? When we rise and look around, the Di army is already at our doorstep!"

His words were filled with an undisguised, chilling killing intent.

"As for the long and arduous expedition, which consumes money and provisions..."

Xiao Chen's voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable determination: "The relocation of the capital can be postponed, the palaces can be simplified, and even my own treasury can be used as military funds! But this war is unavoidable, cannot be delayed, and cannot be lost!"

He suddenly flicked his sleeves, his voice echoing throughout the palace:

"The Northern Barbarians, Ashina Duoji, aren't you trying to test my limits? Don't you think my Great Xia is newly established and easy to bully?"

"Very well! I'll let him, and all the wolf cubs on the grasslands who are craning their necks, see clearly—"

"Is my sword still sharp? Can they even breach my borders?"

"Issue my decree!"

"Mobilize the elite troops from the capital garrison and border towns, and prepare for war. The Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Works shall do their utmost to procure provisions and weapons. In three days, I will see a complete strategy for the Northern Expedition right here in the Xuanzheng Hall!"

"This battle will not only lift the siege of Yanmen, but also recover the losses of Yunzhong."

Xiao Chen's gaze seemed to pierce through the majestic palace, cross the vast mountains, and land on the windswept northern grasslands, each word spoken with resounding conviction:

"I will personally lead the army to storm Mount Langjuxu, wipe them out, capture their false Chanyu, and destroy their royal court!"

"This battle is not for defense, but for expansion! Not for repelling the enemy, but for—eliminating future threats forever!"

"I, the Emperor, will once and for all, secure at least fifty years of peace in the northern frontier for my Great Xia!"

Arrogance? Perhaps.

But when all the civil and military officials in the hall looked at the tall, handsome young emperor on the imperial steps, and felt the resolute will and almost boiling fighting spirit in his words, no one dared to utter a word in rebuttal.

A chill, a mixture of shock, excitement, and a faint coldness, crept up everyone's spine.

They knew that His Majesty's mind was made up.

The winds of the northern frontier, carrying the stench of blood, have already reached Chang'an.

His Majesty's response will be more ferocious and violent than the autumn wind—iron and fire.

The smoke of war has risen, and the sword of the empire is about to be drawn.