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

The atmosphere in the imperial court was so oppressive it was suffocating.

Seven days have passed since the Tongzhou canal transport case broke out.

During these seven days, the undercurrents in the capital reached their peak.

The managers and accountants of the Jiangnan Qian family in Beijing were arrested one by one by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Chen Yan, the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner, was surrounded and arrested by the Imperial Guards while in office. Even the leaders of the canal gangs who had "chatted" with Xiao Chen at the Tongzhou Wharf vanished overnight.

At the eye of the storm, Grand Secretary Han Yu remained unusually calm.

He still went to court on time every day to handle government affairs, as if it had nothing to do with him.

However, his once meticulously combed beard seemed to have turned a few strands white.

On this morning, the bells and drums sounded in unison, and the civil and military officials stood in their respective ranks.

Xiao Chen sat high on the dragon throne, his face indifferent, toying with a warm and smooth jade thumb ring in his hand.

He didn't speak, but simply looked quietly down the steps.

Finally, Han Yu stepped forward.

This veteran of three reigns now walked with a slightly unsteady gait, and the composure he once possessed in controlling the overall situation seemed to have dissipated considerably.

"Your Majesty," Han Yu's voice was somewhat hoarse, yet still composed, "I have a memorial to present."

"Granted."

"Your Majesty, I know my sins are grave." Han Yu's words shocked the entire court. Was he about to confess?

He raised his head, his gaze sorrowful as he looked at Xiao Chen: "The Grand Canal case involves far-reaching issues. As the Grand Secretary, I failed to detect the corruption among my subordinates, causing delays in the grain transport and the distress of the soldiers on the northern frontier. This is my fault. I beg Your Majesty to punish me for dereliction of duty and remove me from my position as Grand Secretary, as a warning to others!"

After saying that, he actually tried to remove the official hat that symbolized power on the spot.

However, his tone shifted, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes: "But Your Majesty! I implore Your Majesty to reconsider! Jiangnan is a vital center of the nation's wealth, and the Qian family is a powerful and influential clan with numerous disciples and associates throughout the court and the countryside. If this case is thoroughly investigated, it will inevitably shake the foundations of Jiangnan, cause unrest among the scholars, and may even incite a popular uprising! I beseech Your Majesty to consider the well-being of the nation, to show leniency beyond the law, and to prioritize the peace and stability of the people!"

This is a complaint, but also a threat.

Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, several senior officials who had been appointed as regents and censors from Jiangnan stepped forward.

"What Prime Minister Han says is absolutely right! If Jiangnan is unstable, the whole country will surely be in chaos!"

"Your Majesty! Although there were delays in the grain transport, the fault lies with the clerks, not with Chancellor Han!"

"In my opinion, at this juncture of the Northern Expedition, it is better to appease than to suppress. I urge Your Majesty to reconsider!"

In an instant, voices of advice, cries of remonstrance, and accusations that the emperor was young, impetuous, and acting too hastily rose and fell. They tried to use the grand rhetoric of "considering the overall situation" and "the fate of the nation" to once again suppress Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen remained silent, simply watching the group of clowns perform. The commotion inside the hall grew increasingly louder, eventually spiraling out of control.

That's enough.

The two words, though small, were like two boulders thrown into boiling oil, instantly silencing all the noise.

Xiao Chen slowly stood up and walked down the steps. His gaze passed over the assembled officials and landed directly on Han Yu's feigned sorrowful old face.

"Minister Han, are you trying to teach me how to govern the country?"

Xiao Chen's voice was calm, yet it carried a chilling undertone.

"I ask you, where were you when the compensation money for the soldiers of the Northern Frontier who shed blood and sacrificed their lives on the front lines was withheld? Where were you when my soldiers were freezing in their cotton-padded coats? Where were you when the Northern barbarian cavalry marched south and I decided to personally lead the expedition? Where were you and your cronies when you petitioned to 'abandon territory and sue for peace'?!"

The last sentence struck like a thunderbolt. Abandoning territory to sue for peace? This is a colossal crime that shakes the very foundation of the nation!

Han Yu's expression changed slightly, but he forced himself to remain calm and said, "Your Majesty! This is slander! We were merely considering the matter at the time and never mentioned 'abandoning the land'!"

"Take it a long time?" Xiao Chen sneered, took out a yellowed letter from his sleeve, and casually threw it at Han Yu's feet.

See for yourself!

It was a secret letter, and dark brown bloodstains remained on the edge of the paper—blood that Chen Yan, the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner, had spat on before his arrest, after biting his tongue.

Han Yu picked up the letter with trembling hands. After just one glance, he felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He staggered back two steps and almost fell over.

The letter was written in the handwriting of his most trusted student, who was then serving as the Vice Minister of War. It clearly stated: "The Northern Barbarians are powerful, and the capital is difficult to defend. It would be better to cede Yan and Yun, and sue for peace with gold, silver, and beautiful women, thus preserving the vitality of the nation... Does General Han agree?"

At the end of the letter, there was an extremely hastily written character "煜" that read: "One can endure the humiliation for now and plan for the future later."

The proof is like a mountain!

The entire court was deathly silent. Even the officials who had been cheering for Han Yu just moments before were now pale with fear and dared not utter a sound.

"I'll show you something."

Xiao Chen stopped looking at Han Yu and instead looked at Mo Qi. Mo Qi understood and waved in response.

Several guards carried several heavy boxes and strode into the main hall, opening the boxes.

Inside, instead of gold and silver, were mountains of account books, contracts, and secret letters.

"These are account books copied from the canal transport office. The destination of every penny is clearly recorded."

"These are the land deeds and house deeds found in the villa of the Qian family in Jiangnan, as well as a list of the benefits they transferred to officials in the court through the Grand Canal Gang."

"And this," Xiao Chen picked up an account book, casually flipping through it, "Zheng Huaijin of the Ministry of Revenue, detailed account of deductions for the pensions of fallen soldiers. Han Yu, is your share of the money listed here?"

Xiao Chen approached Han Yu step by step, his voice not loud, but every word was like a knife:

"You say that the gentry of Jiangnan are the foundation of the nation?"

"Let me tell you, my empire belongs to millions of people, not to a few aristocratic families!"

"You mean, to appease people by showing mercy outside the law?"

"Let me tell you, without the law of the land, how can the people live in peace?! To embezzle military pay and to collude with the enemy to betray the country—such crimes must be appeased?!"

Xiao Chen turned around abruptly, his gaze sweeping over the silent members of the imperial family, veteran officials, and censors.

"Don't you like to whine and complain? Don't you like to use ancestral laws and the fate of the nation to pressure me?"

He drew his Emperor's Sword, its blade pointing directly at Han Yu's nose.

"Today, I will tell you what law is! What reason is! What my empire is!"

"Han Yu has formed cliques for personal gain, embezzled public funds, and abused his power, delaying military operations and even plotting to abandon territory in exchange for peace! His crimes are numerous and his punishments are too many to list!"

"I hereby strip you of your position as prime minister! You are hereby ordered to retire! You are forbidden from ever setting foot in the capital again! Your accomplices will be tried by the three judicial departments in three days and punished according to the law!"

"No! Your Majesty! This old minister is innocent! This old minister has lived a life of poverty and loyalty!" Han Yu finally broke down, collapsing to the ground, tears streaming down his face, trying to make a final struggle.

"Poor?" Xiao Chen sneered, then said to Mo Qi, "Read the list of his 370,000 taels of silver and 5,000 mu of fertile land to Prime Minister Han."

Mo Qi, expressionless, opened a booklet and began to read aloud in an icy voice. With each stroke of the pen, Han Yu's face grew paler, until finally, he was completely reduced to a limp mess.

Xiao Chen sheathed his sword, turned around, and walked back to the dragon throne. He looked around, and everyone in his sight bowed their heads and held their breath.

"From today onwards, the Cabinet's power to draft proposals is abolished."

"From this day forward, all important military matters and urgent border reports shall be decided by my personal judgment!"

"A separate Grand Council shall be established, reporting directly to me and overseeing all military and political affairs!"

"Anyone who dares to use factionalism, ancestral rules, or the overall situation as a pretext to deceive the emperor and harm the country—"

Xiao Chen's gaze, like a tangible blade, fell upon Han Yu's trembling old head.

"Han Yu is a role model!"

"Court adjourned!"

With Xiao Chen's order, the entire court fell silent. Only Han Yu's desperate sobs echoed in the empty hall as he was dragged away.

The prime minister's twilight had arrived completely at this moment.

The power structure of the Great Xia Dynasty was completely reshaped at this moment.

Xiao Chen sat upright on the dragon throne, looking at the masses prostrate below, his mind clear and lucid.

From this day forward, this vast land will have only one voice.