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

The 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month is the Little New Year.

Smoke rose from chimneys in Hanyuan City as every household prepared for the New Year.

Even though we're poor, we still need to have some festive spirit.

The city lord's mansion also distributed some grain, meat, and cloth so that the people could have a decent New Year.

But Xiao Chen didn't have time for the New Year.

Zhou Zheng returned to the capital, leaving behind the words: "Your Highness, rest assured, I will report the truth as instructed. However, Prince Yong's power is great, so Your Highness still needs to be careful."

Xiao Chen knew that this was all Zhou Zheng could do.

Matters of the imperial court cannot be changed by one or two upright officials.

Prince Yong would not give up because of a single memorial; he would only become more resentful and anxious.

"Your Highness," Zhao Tie rushed in, his face grave, "something has happened."

"explain."

"Our informant at Dingbei Pass reported that Prince Yong has sent someone again. This time it's not an imperial envoy, but a 'military governor' named Gao Qiu, Gao Shun's cousin. He brought five hundred imperial guards, supposedly to 'assist in defense.' But as soon as he arrived at Dingbei Pass, he took over the city's defenses and sidelined Gao Shun."

Gao Qiu, Gao Shun's cousin, was a confidant of Prince Yong.

This means that Prince Yong is getting impatient and is about to take direct action.

"Furthermore," Zhao Tie lowered his voice, "Gao Qiu is recruiting soldiers at Dingbei Pass, claiming it's to 'suppress bandits.' But the direction of this suppression is our side. Moreover, he's sent many spies to operate around Hanyuan, as if they're trying to find out our strength."

Spy.

Xiao Chen's eyes turned cold.

Prince Yong was conducting reconnaissance before taking action.

"Where are our spies?"

"They've all been withdrawn."

Zhao Tie said, "As the prince instructed, we shouldn't confront them head-on. But that would put us in a very passive position. They're trying to figure out our strength, but we don't know what they're up to."

indeed.

Asymmetric intelligence is a major taboo in military strategy.

"Zhao Tie," Xiao Chen pondered for a moment, "I want you to form an organization specifically responsible for intelligence. Name it 'Night Owl'."

"Night owl?"

"Yes, owls at night have bright eyes and sharp ears, and they come and go silently."

Xiao Chen said, "Select the most clever, the most loyal, and the most capable from the army."

The first batch of twelve will be personally trained by you. Training will include: infiltration, reconnaissance, assassination, and messenger delivery. Once trained, deploy them to Dingbei Pass, the grasslands, Northern Yan, and the capital. I need to know all their movements and all their information.

Zhao Tie's eyes lit up.

"Your Highness, is this...is this going to work?"

"It can be done."

Xiao Chen was very certain, "We have money, people, and channels now. Coal mines, iron mines, salt caravans, and merchant caravans are all cover."

Have Night Owl's men disguise themselves as merchants, craftsmen, and refugees to infiltrate the area.

They lie in wait, gather intelligence, and pass on messages. They remain inactive most of the time, but strike a fatal blow when the time is right.

"Yes, sir! I'll take care of it right away!"

Zhao Tie went there full of enthusiasm.

Xiao Chen sat alone in the courtroom, writing and drawing on paper.

The owl was his eyes and his ears.

With the night owl, he was no longer blind or deaf.

But having only owls isn't enough; you also need an inside man.

"Your Highness," Murong Xue walked in, "there's news from the grasslands."

"explain."

"Batu has officially succeeded to the throne and become the new chieftain of the Canglang tribe."

Murong Xue said, "He killed several of Harbala's confidants to stabilize the situation. Now he is purging dissidents and consolidating his power. He sent someone with gifts to thank the prince for his help and said he would personally visit Hanyuan."

Batu's rise to power is a good thing.

But power transitions always bring turmoil.

The Canglang tribe is internally unstable and is unable to move south in the short term.

This gave Han Yuan a chance to catch his breath.

"Tell him there's no need for a visit. Just focus on governing the tribe, managing your men, and making sure they don't provoke me. Also, the first batch of ironware can be delivered now."

"Yes."

Murong Xue withdrew, and Xiao Chen continued to think.

Prince Yong, Gao Qiu, pacified the northern pass.

Northern Yan, Left Wise King, White Deer Plain.

Grassland, Batu, Canglang tribe.

Keep a close eye on all three lines.

"Your Highness," Zhang Meng rushed in, his face somewhat uneasy, "This humble general...this humble general has something to report."

"explain."

"This humble general...this humble general previously wrote a letter to the capital."

Zhang Meng's voice was very low, "It was for my father, and it mentioned some information about Han Yuan. But the letter... was intercepted."

Xiao Chen's eyes narrowed.

"Who took this screenshot?"

"have no idea."

Zhang Meng shook his head. "The letter was entrusted to a caravan, but the caravan encountered bandits on the road and lost the letter. I thought it was nothing, but yesterday, I received a reply from my father saying that he hadn't received the letter and asked if something had happened to me."

The letter was lost, the letter home never arrived, but the reply did.

This means the letter wasn't lost, but intercepted.

"What did the letter say?"

"I told you about the situation in Hanyuan: coal mines, iron mines, the army, and... and Your Highness."

Zhang Meng knelt on one knee, "This humble general deserves to die! This humble general should not have written the letter without authorization, leaking military intelligence! Please punish me, Your Highness!"

Xiao Chen looked at Zhang Meng.

This Imperial Guard captain, the man sent by Prince Yong to monitor him, is now kneeling before him, begging for forgiveness.

Is it genuine or feigned?

"Your father is Zhang Qian, a senior official in the Ministry of War?"

"Yes."

"One of Prince Yong's men?"

"It used to be, but now... it's not anymore."

Zhang Meng gritted his teeth, "My father said that Prince Yong is narrow-minded and intolerant. Following him will only lead to a bad end. He told me... told me to follow the prince closely and not to look back."

Xiao Chen remained silent for a moment.

Did the letter mention any military deployments or weaknesses in the city's defenses?

"No!"

Zhang Meng quickly said, "This humble general only said that the people of Hanyuan live in peace and prosperity and that Your Highness is good at governing the army. I did not mention specific numbers or defense deployments."

"That's good."

Xiao Chen helped him up. "The letter being intercepted is a good thing. It lets Prince Yong know that Han Yuan isn't what he thinks. As for you—"

He paused for a moment: "I won't punish you this time, but this is a one-time exception. From now on, show me your letters first. Say what you can say, and don't mention a single word that you can't."

"Yes! Thank you, Your Highness, for sparing my life!"

Zhang Meng left, expressing his deepest gratitude.

Xiao Chen watched his retreating figure, pondering in his heart.

Zhang Meng's father, Zhang Qian, was a senior official in the Ministry of War and a former subordinate of the Prince of Yong.

But why the defection now?

Did he see through Prince Yong's true colors, or did he have ulterior motives?

Regardless of the type, Zhang Meng is someone you can use, but you need to be wary of him.

"Your Highness," Zhao Tie returned, this time even more urgently, "Night Owl has made a discovery."

"So fast?"

"It's a message sent back by our informants at Dingbei Pass."

Zhao Tie lowered his voice, "Gao Qiu is contacting Northern Yan, wanting to unite with them to attack Han Yuan from both the north and south. The Left Wise King of Northern Yan has agreed, but only if Gao Qiu makes the first move. Gao Qiu has agreed, and the plan is to launch an attack on Han Yuan after the snow melts and the roads are clear in the spring. At the same time, Northern Yan will attack from the north, preventing us from being able to defend both ends."

A pincer attack from the north and south.

Prince Yong is about to strike with deadly force.

"Specific time?"

"In early March, after the snow melts."

Early March, which is still a month and a half from now.

"Furthermore," Zhao Tie continued, "Gao Qiu is trying to contact the grasslands, hoping to ask the Canglang tribe to send troops to contain them from the west. But Batu refused, saying that the tribe was newly established and needed to rest and recuperate. Gao Qiu was very angry and said he would cut off trade with the grasslands."

It's a good thing that Batu didn't agree.

But when Gao Qiu gets desperate, he might do something drastic.

"Your Highness, what should we do?"

"Use their plan against them."

A cold glint flashed in Xiao Chen's eyes. "Didn't he want to attack from both the north and south? Let's let him be caught in the middle. But he'll be the one caught in the middle."

"Your Highness means..."

"Have Night Owl send false information to Gao Qiu, saying that there is internal strife in Han Yuan, the army is in turmoil, and the prince is seriously injured. This will lure him into sending troops ahead of schedule. Once his army enters Black Wind Valley, we will join forces with Northern Yan to trap and defeat him."

"But will Northern Yan join forces with us?"

"meeting."

Xiao Chen was certain, "What the Left Wise King wants is Dingbei Pass, not Hanyuan. He would be more than happy to help us take Dingbei Pass. Moreover, with peace talks imminent, he needs to demonstrate his sincerity."

"Over there on the grasslands..."

"Have Murong Xue send a message to Batu, telling him that Gao Qiu wants to cut off his trade. Ask him whether he wants to cooperate with Gao Qiu or with me. If he cooperates with me, trade will continue and can even expand. If he cooperates with Gao Qiu, he will get nothing."

"yes!"

"Furthermore," Xiao Chen thought for a moment, "have Night Owl's men spread rumors at Dingbei Pass, saying that Gao Qiu is going to surrender the pass and let Northern Yan into the pass. When Prince Yong hears this, he will definitely investigate. Gao Qiu will be unable to defend himself, and will either be dismissed or driven to desperation. Either way, it will be beneficial to us."

Zhao Tie's eyes lit up.

The prince's move was too ruthless.

"This subordinate will take care of it immediately!"

Zhao Tie left, and Xiao Chen stood alone in front of the map.

Dingbei Pass, Black Wind Valley, White Deer Plain.

These three places will be the next battlefields.

"Your Highness," Murong Xue arrived again, this time with a strange expression, "Northern Yan... People from Northern Yan have come."

"Who?"

"The Left Wise King's envoy has arrived outside the city," Murong Xue said, her voice trembling. "He says... he wants to see you. Now."

Now?

Xiao Chen was taken aback.

"How many people did you bring?"

"Ten of them, all cavalry, flying the banner of Northern Yan."

Murong Xue said, "The soldiers guarding the city dare not let them go and have come to ask the prince for instructions."

"Let them in," Xiao Chen said. "Take them to court; I want to see them myself."

"Yes."

A quarter of an hour later, ten Northern Yan cavalrymen entered the city.

The leader was a middle-aged man, tall, with a stern face and sharp eyes.

He was dressed in the uniform of a Northern Yan officer, with a curved sword at his waist, exuding an imposing aura.

"Tuoba Hong, commander of a thousand men under the command of the Left Wise King of Northern Yan, greets the Prince of Jingbei."

He performed a traditional grassland salute, neither humble nor arrogant.

"General Tuoba, there's no need for such formalities."

Xiao Chen sat behind his desk. "What brings the General sent by the Left Wise King?"

"The Left Wise King asked me to pass on a message to His Highness."

Tuoba Hong looked directly at Xiao Chen. "The location for the peace talks will be changed to Dingbei Pass. The date will be the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. The Left Wise King says that he and Your Highness will swear a blood oath in front of the whole world, forever becoming brothers."

Dingbei Pass? The fifteenth day of the first lunar month?

Xiao Chen sneered inwardly.

The Left Wise King is about to play a big game.

To hold peace talks at Dingbei Pass in front of the entire world is a demonstration of power to the Prince of Yong and to the Great Xia.

Moreover, the Lantern Festival (January 15th) is only twenty days away.

"The Left Wise King has great spirit."

Xiao Chen said calmly, "But Dingbei Pass is not my territory, so I can't make the decision."

"The Left Wise King said that if Your Highness dares not go, the peace talks are null and void."

Tuoba Hong's voice was cold, "The iron cavalry of Northern Yan will arrive in the spring. When that time comes, everything will be destroyed."

Threat.

A naked threat.

But Xiao Chen wasn't afraid.

"Tell the Left Wise King that I'm going."

He said, "On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, at Dingbei Pass, I'll be there."

Tuoba Hong gave Xiao Chen a deep look, then clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Your Highness is truly magnanimous; this humble general admires you. Farewell."

He turned and left, decisively and cleanly.

Murong Xue watched his retreating figure with deep worry: "Your Highness, this is definitely a trap. Dingbei Pass is Gao Qiu's territory. The Left Wise King chose that place to use someone else to do his dirty work."

"I know."

Xiao Chen said, "But he underestimated me, and he also underestimated Prince Yong. Gao Qiu wouldn't dare to make a move at Dingbei Pass, and Prince Yong wouldn't allow him to either. Because—"

He paused, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "Peace talks are a matter of state, a matter of the world. Anyone who dares to disrupt peace talks is an enemy of the world. No matter how much Prince Yong hates me, he wouldn't dare take that risk."

"But what if..."

"There's no 'what if'." Xiao Chen stood up. "Night Owl!"

"Here!" Zhao Tie emerged from the shadows.

"Send men to Dingbei Pass to spread the news that the Left Wise King of Northern Yan intends to negotiate peace with the King of Jingbei at Dingbei Pass and forge a lasting brotherhood. Let everyone in the city know, and let the King of Yong know as well."

"yes!"

"Send someone to the capital again to spread the news. Let the court, His Majesty, and the whole world know."

"yes!"

Zhao Tie accepted the order and left.