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

The capital city of the Great Xia Dynasty awakens in the morning light.

The city walls stood tall, and the gate towers were majestic. On Zhuque Avenue, carriages and horses thronged, and pedestrians thronged. Shop signs swayed in the breeze, and vendors' cries rose and fell. The air was filled with the complex aromas of breakfast, spices, and horse manure.

Xiao Chen rode on his snow-covered horse, slowly making his way along the cobblestone street. Behind him were twenty Cold Abyss Guards, dressed in black armor and with Cold Abyss swords at their waists, silent as mountains. Further behind were the Northern Yan envoy Tuoba Hong and the grassland envoy Aguda, each with ten guards, dressed in fine clothes and exuding an extraordinary air.

This special team has attracted countless eyes.

"Look, that's Prince Jingbei!"

"So young? He looks like a child..."

"A child? Have you ever seen a child leading troops into the capital? I heard he kills without blinking an eye in the northern border, and even the Prince of Yong can't do anything about him."

"Shh, keep your voice down, are you out of your mind?"

A chorus of voices rose up, but Xiao Chen seemed oblivious. He surveyed the city, both familiar and strange—he had visited many times in his past life, but that was the capital of another time and space. This, however, was the real, vibrant capital of the Great Xia Dynasty, teeming with intrigue and danger.

"Your Highness, where are we going?" Zhao Tie asked in a low voice. He was the captain of the Twenty Cold Abyss Guards and the person in charge of escorting them to the capital this time.

"Let's go to the post station first, and wait for the palace to summon us." Xiao Chen said.

According to custom, when a prince enters the capital, he must first wait at the post station until summoned by the emperor before entering the palace. But Xiao Chen knew he wouldn't have to wait long. Prince Yong wouldn't give him time to prepare.

Sure enough, people from the palace arrived as soon as they arrived at the post station.

He was a young eunuch, fair-skinned and beardless, with a high-pitched voice: "His Majesty has decreed that Prince Zhenbei, Xiao Chen, be summoned to the palace for an audience immediately."

Enter the palace immediately.

They didn't even give them a moment to catch their breath.

"Your subject receives the decree." Xiao Chen dismounted, straightened his clothes, and said to Zhao Tie, "You all wait at the post station. Do not leave without my order."

"Your Highness..." Zhao Tie said worriedly.

"Don't worry." Xiao Chen patted his shoulder, mounted his horse, and followed the eunuch toward the palace.

The imperial palace was located directly north of the capital, covering a thousand acres, with its halls and pavilions stretching out in a magnificent, golden splendor. Xiao Chen dismounted before the palace gates and walked into the palace. After walking along the long imperial road and passing through numerous palace gates, he finally arrived at the Taiji Hall.

Before the palace, civil and military officials were already lined up and waiting. Upon seeing Xiao Chen, all eyes turned to him. Curiosity, scrutiny, hostility—a complex mix of emotions swirled in the air.

Prince Yong, Xiao Jing, stood at the front of the civil officials' line, looking at Xiao Chen with a cold glint in his eyes.

Xiao Chen, without glancing to the side, walked to the imperial throne, knelt down, and bowed: "Your subject Xiao Chen pays respects to Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty!"

On the dragon throne, Xiao Yan looked at his son, whom he hadn't seen for half a year, his feelings complex. In those six months, the boy had grown taller and stronger. His face had lost its childishness, replaced by the weariness of life. His eyes were sharp, his demeanor composed; he didn't seem like a sixteen-year-old at all.

"Rise," Xiao Yan said.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Xiao Chen stood up and stood with his hands at his sides.

"Seventh Prince," Xiao Yan said slowly, "you've done well in the Northern Frontier. I've heard that the people of Hanyuan are living in peace and prosperity, the army is strong and well-equipped, and they've even formed an alliance with Northern Yan and the grasslands?"

"Yes," Xiao Chen replied frankly. "The northern border is bitterly cold, and the people suffer greatly. After I took office, I reclaimed wasteland for farming, mined for iron, trained soldiers, and built cities. Now, Hanyuan has 10,000 people and 6,000 soldiers. With cities and grain, it is enough to protect itself. As for forming an alliance with Northern Yan and the grasslands, it was only out of necessity. Northern Yan has troops stationed on the border, and the grasslands are constantly raiding. If I had not formed an alliance to protect myself, Hanyuan would have ceased to exist long ago."

"An alliance for self-preservation?" Prince Yong, Xiao Jing, sneered. "More like an alliance to rebel! Father, the Seventh Prince has been privately manufacturing weapons in the Northern Border, instigating border conflicts, and colluding with foreign enemies. Now he's leading troops into the capital. His intentions are despicable!"

Xiao Chen looked at Xiao Jing, his expression calm: "Fourth Brother, you are mistaken. Everything I did in the Northern Border was for the protection of the border and the safety of the people. Privately manufacturing weapons? The Northern Border is bitterly cold, and the court does not issue weapons. If I do not manufacture them myself, how can I defend against the grasslands? Provoking border conflicts? It was Prince Yong's men who attacked Han Yuan first; I was acting in self-defense. Colluding with foreign enemies? Northern Yan and the grasslands are foreign enemies, but they can also become friends. As for leading troops into the capital..."

He paused, then scanned the assembled officials: "I am leading a guard, a personal detachment, not an army. And there are only twenty men; how can this be considered leading troops? But Fourth Brother, what is your intention in deploying thirty thousand troops at Dingbei Pass?"

"You!" Xiao Jing's expression changed.

"Enough!" Xiao Yan slammed his hand on the dragon throne. "What kind of decorum is this, with all this noise and commotion in the court!"

Both of them shut up.

Xiao Yan looked at Xiao Chen, then at Xiao Jing, feeling irritated.

Neither of these two sons is easy to deal with. The fourth is ruthless, and the seventh is decisive. If the two join forces, the Great Xia Dynasty can prosper. But if they fight each other, it will only bring disaster.

"Seventh Prince," Xiao Yan began, "you have rendered meritorious service in the Northern Frontier, and I hereby bestow upon you the title of Prince Zhenbei, along with a reward of a thousand taels of gold and a hundred bolts of brocade. However, your alliance with Northern Yan and the grasslands was indeed inappropriate. From this day forward, the alliance is dissolved, and you are forbidden from having any further dealings with Northern Yan or the grasslands. Can you manage to do this?"

Dissolve the alliance?

Xiao Chen sneered inwardly.

This is to cut off his escape route.

"Your Majesty," Xiao Chen looked up, "the Northern Yan and the grasslands have allied with me because I can give them what they want: salt, iron, and coal. If the court can provide them, they will naturally be willing to ally with the court. But if the court cannot provide them, and does not allow me to provide them, then the Northern Yan and the grasslands will come to seize them. At that time, war will reignite in the north, and countless lives will be lost. Who will bear the responsibility for that?"

"You..." Xiao Yan was speechless.

"Furthermore," Xiao Chen continued, "my alliance with Northern Yan and the grasslands is not only for self-preservation, but also for checks and balances. If Northern Yan is strong, then we will unite with the grasslands to contain it. If the grasslands are strong, then we will unite with Northern Yan to contain it. By remaining in the middle, I can maintain peace in the north. If the alliance is dissolved, Northern Yan and the grasslands will have no more scruples and will inevitably move south. At that time, how many troops will the court have to send, how much money will it have to spend, and how many people will die to stop them?"

That hits the nail on the head.

Why is the Northern Territory so unsettled? It's because the Northern Yan and the grasslands are both mutually restraining and colluding. If the Cold Abyss could become a third-party force, balancing the two, the Northern Territory could actually achieve peace.

In the imperial court, many people nodded secretly.

"Clever words and a deceitful face!" Xiao Jing roared. "Father, Seventh Prince is just trying to exonerate himself! He clearly wants to carve out a territory in the North and declare himself king!"

"Fourth Brother said I wish to declare myself king," Xiao Chen looked at Xiao Jing, "Then what is Fourth Brother planning to do by deploying 30,000 troops at Dingbei Pass? To purge the court of corrupt officials? Or... to purge the emperor?"

The last two words were not loud, but they were as loud as thunder.

"Purging the emperor's side" refers to removing treacherous officials from the emperor's inner circle.

Qingjun refers to Qingjun himself.

This is a blatant accusation.

"You're spouting nonsense!" Xiao Jing's face flushed red. "Father, the Seventh Prince is framing me! His intentions are despicable!"

"Whether it's a frame-up or not, Fourth Brother knows perfectly well," Xiao Chen said calmly. "Whose soldiers are those at Dingbei Pass? Whose provisions are those? Whose weapons are those? Fourth Brother, wouldn't you like to clarify this in front of the entire court?"

Xiao Jing was speechless.

The soldiers at Dingbei Pass were his private army. His provisions and weapons were also secretly procured. These things could be done, but not spoken of. To speak of them would be tantamount to holding power and plotting rebellion.

"Enough!" Xiao Yan interrupted again, "The court is not the place for you brothers to quarrel! Seventh brother, you have come a long way and have had a hard time. Go back to the post station and rest. Tomorrow, I will host a banquet in the Hall of Supreme Harmony to welcome you. Envoys from Northern Yan and the grasslands will also attend the banquet."

This means the dispute has been temporarily shelved.

"Your Majesty, I thank you." Xiao Chen bowed and left the hall.

Stepping out of the palace gates, the sunlight was blinding.

Xiao Chen took a deep breath, knowing that this was just the beginning.

Tomorrow's banquet will be the real battlefield.

Back at the inn, Zhao Tie and the others were as anxious as ants on a hot pan. They only breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Xiao Chen return safely.

"Your Highness, how is it?"

"Everything's fine for now," Xiao Chen said, "but there's a tough battle tomorrow. Zhao Tie, have you made contact with Night Owl's people in the capital?"

"We've made contact," Zhao Tie said in a low voice. "There are twelve Night Owls in the capital, distributed across various government offices, restaurants, and brothels. Here is the list and their contact information."

Xiao Chen took the list, glanced at it, and memorized it.

"Get them moving," Xiao Chen said. "I need to know every stronghold, every property, and every confidant of Prince Yong in the capital. I also need to know which officials in the capital are Prince Yong's men, which are neutral, and which can be won over."

"yes!"

"Furthermore," Xiao Chen thought for a moment, "have Night Owl spread rumors in the capital. Say that Prince Yong is levying exorbitant taxes and levies in the northern border, disregarding human life, and is also secretly colluding with Northern Yan, plotting treason. As for evidence... Night Owl should be able to get some."

Zhao Tie's eyes lit up: "Your Highness, what is this...?"

"An eye for an eye," Xiao Chen sneered. "He can frame me in court, so I can ruin his reputation in the capital. Let's see who can outmaneuver whom."

"clear!"

Zhao Tie accepted the order and left.

Xiao Chen stood by the window, gazing at the bustling streets of the capital, a cold smile playing on his lips.

Prince Yong, do you think the capital is your territory?

wrong.

From this day forward, the capital city will also be my battlefield.

And the owl will be the first to cry in this city.