bookcurios Chapter 109: The Wind Rises in the Northern Frontier
Chapter 109: The Wind Rises in the Northern Frontier
"Reporting, Your Highness—"
The guards rushed into the military camp, "Your Highness, the Hu people have sent an envoy to Longguan to see you."
"Come, let's meet the grassland envoy."
Chen Futu led his men back to the royal court. Not long after, several foreign envoys arrived. They wore soft armor with bushy hair, walked with an arrogant air, and their disdainful gaze enraged Guan Yu and the others.
Dian Wei glared with his tiger-like eyes; if Chen Futu hadn't been there, he would have torn the other man to pieces.
Chen Futu frowned and asked, "Who comes here?"
"The brave warrior of the grasslands, Guili, has come to deliver the Great Khan's decree."
One of the men raised his head high, took out a royal decree with one hand, and looked down on all the generals present.
Chen Futu sneered, "How dare you, a tiny country like yours, act so presumptuously?"
"Your Highness, the Great Khan, considering your youth and inability to safeguard your father's legacy, has bestowed this favor upon you. If your younger sister marries into the grasslands and forms an alliance with the Third Prince Tuomu, the Northern Frontier will be secure, and both sides can work together to conquer the world."
Guili's words silenced the royal court.
Guan Yu suddenly opened his phoenix eyes, and Ma Chao, Dian Wei, Huo Qubing and others all glared at him angrily.
Chen Futu gestured to his guards to bring the letter to him to read.
"I was deeply saddened to hear of the misfortune that befell the Crown Prince. Considering your young age, I have arranged this marriage for you. I hope you will think it over carefully and not follow in your father's footsteps..."
The letter from the Khan of the Hu people was full of contempt. He praised his third son, Tuomu, to the skies and said that Chen Yuling's marriage to Tuomu was a bargain for the northern frontier.
After the letter was read, the guards withdrew.
Chen Futu looked at Guili Shi and asked, "You want to form a marriage alliance with me?"
"The Khan said that if we offer up the pearl of the northern frontier, the people will be safe and sound; otherwise, he will trample the city and leave no one alive."
"What a fine example of 'leaving no one alive!' Guards, take him out and behead him!"
Chen Futu shouted loudly, and immediately the Tiger Guards rushed into the hall to arrest the person.
Guili exclaimed in horror, "In times of war, envoys are not to be killed!"
"You barbarian scoundrels, how dare you speak so arrogantly! You dare to covet the pearl of my northern frontier, how utterly laughable!"
"Your Highness, do you wish to test the sharpness of my Khan's sword?" Guili Shi cursed through gritted teeth.
"My sword is not bad at all!"
Chen Futu drew his sword with a clang, descended from the palace, and with one stroke chopped off Guili's head, kicking the head out of the royal court gate.
The generals were overjoyed at the sight, and Qin Liangyu, in particular, looked at Chen Futu with a tenderness in her eyes.
She hated the northern barbarians. The Ming Dynasty was destroyed by the Jurchen Tartars in the north, so she was determined to fight them to the death, whether they were northern barbarians or barbarian horses. The prince's statement today was exactly what she wanted.
Next, Chen Futu ordered his Tiger Guards to kill another messenger, leaving only one man who trembled like a leaf and dared not utter a word.
Chen Futu asked Liu Bowen to write a document, instructing the messenger to bring back the two severed heads to the grasslands.
In the letter, Chen Futu insulted the Khan of the grasslands to the extreme, and threatened that on the day he trampled the Northern Plains royal court, he would put the Khan's pearl in a cage and hang it in the Dragon City for the people to admire.
After the envoy left in haste, the newspaper published an article about Chen Futu killing the grassland envoy and announced that the army had left Longcheng, stationed itself in Tianyun, and was awaiting the decisive battle.
The newspaper was published, causing an uproar in Longcheng.
The Crown Prince is incredibly audacious. He first made enemies with the Great Qian Dynasty, then clashed with the Western Regions, and now he's at odds with the grasslands.
Chen Futu ignored the gossip and ordered his personal guards and generals to lead their troops out of the city. Banners were waving and people flocked to watch.
After the army set off, Chen Futu returned to the inner palace to meet the old lady, and Liu Longyue happened to be there as well.
The old lady looked worried and asked, "My son, are you sure?"
"Mother, you can rest assured that they are just barbarians."
"I've heard that the Khan wants to arrange a marriage between his third son and Ling'er?"
"There is such a thing."
“In the past, when Emperor Wu of the Great Qian Dynasty pacified the world, he could not avoid marriage alliances with the north. If things cannot be done, you should consider the well-being of the people in the northern frontier.”
The old lady sighed, her meaning clear: the northern frontier is now surrounded by enemies on all sides, and the marriage proposal from the grasslands shows that they have been prepared for this for a long time. The enemy the northern frontier faces in this battle is not just the grassland barbarians. If all else fails, they can only marry Chen Yuling off to the grasslands, which is better than adding another catastrophe.
Chen Futu's face darkened. "Mother, what are you saying! My Chen family only has generals who died in battle, not cowards who marry into wealth. How dare this lowly fish act so presumptuously in front of me?"
Liu Longyue spoke up: "Two fists can't fight four hands. It's true that the Northern Frontier is full of martial spirit, but with enemies on all sides and internal and external troubles, does the young master really want to compete with the world on his own?"
Chen Futu gazed quietly at Liu Longyue's beautiful face and said, "No ceding of territory, no indemnities, no marriage alliances, no tribute. The emperor guards the nation's gates, and the monarch dies for the state. Though I am not an emperor, I possess the ambition and aspirations of one. To think you can make me kneel is a pipe dream."
After saying this, Chen Futu turned and left.
The two women stared at each other, speechless with astonishment.
The emperor guards the nation's gates; the monarch dies for the state—what a magnificent statement!
In fact, they knew very well that Chen Futu was only one step away from ascending the throne. If this battle could wipe out the troubles in the northern frontier, repel the Hu horses, and capture and kill Zhang Shouren, there would be no obstacle for Chen Futu to ascend the throne and become emperor.
They could even vaguely see an imperial star rising.
Of course, as the princess of Beiwu, Liu Longyue admired Chen Futu's lofty ambitions, but as his opponent, there were some things she also needed to plan. For example, as Chen Futu's ambition to become emperor was gradually exposed, she felt a sense of urgency.
The atmosphere at Tianyun Pass was extremely oppressive.
Zhang Shouren reduced his forces; the garrison at Tianyun Pass now numbered only three thousand, but the main force stationed in Tianyun City reached one hundred and twenty thousand. With his strength, if he didn't want the Hu people to come over, they wouldn't be able to.
"Report! Your Highness, the envoy from the Great Qian Dynasty requests an audience."
When Sun Chengzong, the Prince of Kaiping, arrived in Tianyun City, Zhang Shouren met with him alone.
Sun Chengzong said with a smile, "Your Highness, Tianyun City looks rather desolate."
“Prince of Kaiping, I have no time for idle chatter with you.” Zhang Shouren was in a bad mood.
Liu Bowen's "Letter to Heaven" criticized him as worthless, and now he has become a thorn in the side of scholars all over the world. Having come this far, he has no way out.
"Your Highness, given that Liu Bowen's article has aroused public outrage, the Great Qian Dynasty cannot easily send troops. Therefore, this battle depends on the methods of Your Highness and the Khan of the grasslands. However, Your Highness can rest assured that as long as we break through Longcheng in this battle, I will personally lead the army to cooperate with Your Highness to wipe out the Hu people in one fell swoop and let the entire northern frontier fall into your hands."
Sun Chengzong conveyed the message of the late Emperor Daqian.
Zhang Shouren said disdainfully, "King of Kaiping, do you think I'm a three-year-old child? Do you think I would believe that the emperor would cultivate another major threat? In that case, King of Kaiping would eliminate me and the Hu people together, wouldn't he?"
Upon hearing this, the Prince of Kaiping's expression became visibly unnatural. He said awkwardly, "Your Highness, what are you saying? The biggest threat right now is Chen Futu. As a direct descendant of the Prince of Zhenbei, Chen Futu is extremely hostile to the court. But you are different. You have been appointed by His Majesty as the Prince of Zhenbei's heir, a meritorious official of the country. How could His Majesty possibly abandon you after you have served your purpose?"
"Hmph, it doesn't matter. I will fight this battle. Tell the emperor that as long as he doesn't break his promise, I will guard the northern land forever."
Zhang Shouren made a decision.
Sun Chengzong was overjoyed and had a meal with Zhang Shouren before leaving in a hurry.
After he left, all the generals of Tianyun City gathered.
Someone muttered, "Sun Chengzong is cunning and treacherous. He has stationed troops in the south. I'm afraid that after the big battle, he will wipe us all out."
"Your Highness, the Great Qian Dynasty will never allow a second Prince of Zhenbei to appear; we must be on guard."
If the generals saw things clearly, how could Zhang Shouren not see the big picture?
"Enough said. This battle is inevitable. Let's see who emerges victorious."
Zhang Shouren immediately issued military orders, and the entire Tianyun Legion secretly began operations.
Then news came back: "Your Highness, the army of Longcheng has left the city and is heading towards the important western town!"
"Who is there?"
"All of Chen Futu's fierce generals have come out."
"Alright, this time, I'll settle things with that cheap younger brother."