La vida perfecta en la dinastía Song

Capítulo 26

The seventh prince has a gloomy personality. Since his ascension to the throne, all the civil and military officials have been trembling with fear, trying to guess the emperor's intentions. Today, seeing him smiling in the court for the first time, they couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

The Grand Eunuch Zhao had already read out the imperial edict, promoting Meng Yuanjing to Commander-in-Chief of the Southeast, replacing the retired general Xu Heng to suppress the Japanese pirates in the southeast. Zhu Yu appointed him Commander of the Capital Garrison, in charge of the overall defense of the capital.

Peng Dong unfortunately died young, and his family was honored with posthumous honors. Sun Jia took over Peng Dong's position and commanded troops in Phoenix City. Lu Ling and other generals were also rewarded.

The eunuch Zhao continued reading in his high-pitched voice: "...General Fenghuang City has led the Phoenix Army to achieve great military exploits over the years, yet he never takes credit for himself. He is truly a pillar of the nation. Now, he is hereby granted the title of Grand Marshal of the Armed Forces of the Realm, commanding all the troops of the six northern provinces, and is bestowed with a marshal's mansion in the capital..."

The ministers looked at each other in bewilderment. Before the Seventh Prince ascended the throne, he himself was the Grand Marshal of the Army. This position was only passed down to powerful and influential families, except for close relatives of the royal family. Now, however, it was being given to a young man in his early twenties.

Prime Minister Zhu gave a signal, and several military officers were about to step forward to offer their advice when the emperor waved them off. Eunuch Zhao immediately picked up another memorial and began to read it slowly. It detailed Junyu's numerous victories in the dozens of battles, large and small, along the northern border in recent years. These included three major campaign battles, suggesting the emperor had made thorough preparations to silence any dissent.

Junyu looked up and met Meng Yuanjing's gaze. Meng Yuanjing nodded at her happily. Junyu smiled back, but inwardly she was groaning. There was nothing she could do but take it one step at a time.

Due to the rampant presence of Japanese pirates in Fujian and the urgent situation on the southeastern front, Meng Yuanjing was ordered to return to the front before dawn the next day. The two only had a brief meeting and did not even have time to exchange words before parting ways again.

That evening, Junyu, Sun Jia, and Lu Ling entered the so-called "Grand Marshal's Mansion" for the first time. Although the eldest mansion was heavily guarded and filled with servants, there were no familiar faces among the many.

The steward brought out many invitations, all from princes and ministers in the capital, including several marriage proposals. Junyu didn't even look at them, but only selected some to give to Sun Jia, asking Sun Jia and Lu Ling to handle the reception on his behalf.

With these arrangements made, the moon was already high in the sky. Sun Jia and Lu Ling went to rest, and Jun Yu pondered for a while before preparing to rest as the steward suddenly announced that Wang Jun had come to visit. After the Seventh Prince ascended the throne, Wang Jun had become a bodyguard in the imperial guard.

Junyu went out to greet them and saw that Wang Jun was accompanied by a lightly dressed person, who was none other than the current emperor.

When Junyu saw that he had come in disguise, he did not make a fuss. The three of them sat down in the hall, and the emperor said, "I issued the decree to appoint you without your consent this time, because I was afraid that you would refuse. I hope you will understand."

Junyu smiled. It was an appointment made by the court. What did it matter whether she understood it or not? What surprised her was that the Seventh Prince, who had already ascended the throne, was still willing to humble himself and visit the emperor with such respect. This showed that he not only had some ulterior motives, but also a major one.

As expected, the emperor spoke up: "Since I ascended the throne, the internal and external troubles have not eased at all. Now, most of the officials in the court are protégés of Prime Minister Zhu. Whenever I take personal control of the government, I am always obstructed in every way and my affairs are thwarted. Moreover, half of the military generals have been won over by him. They only ask the court for money and supplies, but they have suffered repeated defeats and achieved nothing. If there were more talents like Prince Jun and General Meng, I would not have to worry every night and lose my appetite."

Prime Minister Zhu had secretly assisted the Third Prince. After the Emperor ascended the throne, he naturally wanted to remove this thorn in his side, but his power was not yet secure, so he dared not act rashly. Junyu pondered to himself, wondering what kind of monstrous waves the bloody power struggle under the throne would unleash. Although the Emperor was now vigorously supporting his own forces to secure his throne, at least he had made some progress in the border wars, which was better than Prime Minister Zhu's absolute power. So he nodded and said, "Junyu will do his best for the northern border. Your Majesty, please rest assured."

The emperor was overjoyed to see that although she answered with ease, her attitude had changed somewhat from last time. Wang Jun was also pleased and followed the emperor in disguise again.

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Chapter 74: Emperor vs. Mysterious Cult Leader (4)

That night, spring rain and wind blew, and when I woke up in the morning, it was still chilly and light rain was falling.

Junyu walked out of the Marshal's Mansion. To the left of the gate was a long alley, lined with rows of willow trees whose branches drooped low, their green leaves lush and vibrant. She had only taken a few steps when she suddenly saw two figures in tall red hats flash by and disappear at the end of the alley.

Since returning from Sichuan, she had meticulously gathered information about that major sect because of Tuosang. She was particularly intrigued by the appearance of several red-robed monks in the "Emei Vanguard" and "Scout Red Army" during their clash. Meanwhile, Dongfang Jiong's intelligence network had also been actively gathering information in this area. Unfortunately, both sects operated with great secrecy, and the distance between them meant they hadn't obtained much useful intelligence. They only knew that the conflict between the Red and Yellow Sects had intensified recently. In particular, the leader of the Red Sect had secretly reached some agreements with the Hu King.

Tuosang destroyed the Buddha's tooth in a secret chamber in Sichuan. Although Junyu did not know what significance the Buddha's tooth had for them, he was worried about Tuosang's situation because he thought about how both religions had mobilized a lot of manpower, especially the hateful look in Danba Shangren's eyes. Even though he knew that Tuosang was "Bokdo".

At this moment, a light drizzle was still falling, and Junyu turned around and walked back along the long willow-lined alley.

A person was standing under a huge willow tree, his clothes slightly damp, and it was unclear how long he had been standing there.

The man turned around, and it was Zhu Yu.

Junyu was pleased to see the only acquaintance he knew in the capital and asked, "Zhu Yu, why don't you go in?"

Zhu Yu looked around, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "Since this is my first time visiting your mansion, I should give you a gift."

Junyu took the scrolls, which turned out to be two scrolls. She unfolded the first one, which was the portrait of her father that the Demon of Love had collected. Back in Hanjing Garden, when the Demon of Love was killed by Danba Shangren, she was in a semi-conscious state. When she regained consciousness, in the chaos, her father's portrait had already disappeared. She originally thought that she might never see it again in this life. Now that she saw it, she was overjoyed.

She then unfolded the second picture, a meticulously detailed painting that she had never seen before. The woman in the painting had delicate features and bright eyes, and it was none other than her mother, Lan Xisi.

Just as she was about to thank him, Zhu Yu turned around and left without saying goodbye.

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Chapter 75: Bokdor's Love Poems (1)

During the few days in the capital, Sun Jia and Lu Ling were the ones who handled the social engagements. They seemed to be quite adept at it, which saved Junyu a lot of trouble. However, he felt that everyone was just talking and there was nothing important going on, so he decided to find a way to return to Phoenix City as soon as possible.

That evening, she came to the garden of the Marshal's Mansion. This garden had changed hands countless times. Although it was full of spring colors, it was unfamiliar to her. She felt an indescribable sense of unease, far less than the wildflowers covering the hillsides of Phoenix Village.

Junyu slowly walked out of the gate, and a person was striding towards her; it was Wang Jun.

Upon seeing her, Wang Jun immediately clasped his hands in a respectful greeting: "I have been preoccupied with various matters these past few days and have not had a moment to spare. It is only today that I have the opportunity to visit you. I hope I have not disturbed you, Brother Jun."

"Brother Wang, you're too kind. Please."

After the two sat down, they chatted about their recent lives. Wang Jun asked, "Brother Jun, how are you settling into the capital?"

Junyu shook his head and smiled: "I'm destined to be a busybody, I can't enjoy the glitz and glamour of the capital."

Wang Jun sighed and said, "Although the Emperor has ascended the throne, Prime Minister Zhu controls the government, and the Emperor often has no say in matters large or small. Currently, among the Six Ministries, apart from the Minister of Rites, all are Prime Minister Zhu's protégés and confidants. To be honest, the Emperor has very few people he can trust now..."

With a new emperor ascending the throne and powerful ministers in power, how could the court achieve a balance of power without a brutal struggle of intrigue and deception? This has been the case for thousands of years. Jun Yu grew increasingly bored and remained silent.

Wang Jun continued, "The peasant uprising in Shandong has not yet been completely quelled, and the 'Holy Palace,' a major religious sect in the Western Regions, has encountered some setbacks..."

The so-called great sect of the Western Regions was the sect that Tuosang belonged to. Junyu immediately asked, "What twists and turns?"

"Recently, the conflict between the Holy Palace and the Lahan sect has intensified, and there are also significant internal divisions within the Holy Palace. Last month, someone secretly reported to the capital that the current Bokdo was not abiding by the rules of the monastic order and requested the court to take action..."

Junyu's heart was in turmoil, but he said calmly, "What's going on here?"

Wang Jun shook his head: "Their internal affairs are difficult for outsiders to understand. It's only said that this 'Bokdo' has repeatedly broken the rules, not only losing the Buddha's tooth they've been searching for for generations, but also discovering several love poems in his residence… Each 'Bokdo' has been recognized by the court, so now the informant has come to the capital demanding severe punishment. They seem to be plotting a new leader, and the court fears that mishandling the situation could cause significant division and conflict. Furthermore, the Chijin tribe's Zhenmutier is now active in the Western Regions, his influence expanding westward daily. If the sect splits, it will inevitably give them an opportunity…"

Junyu recalled the letter Tuosang had delivered to her from afar at Phoenix Village last Mid-Autumn Festival, and her heart pounded even harder. "What is the court's intention in handling this?"

"The imperial court naturally wants to maintain stability to the greatest extent possible. Right now, no one seems to have any solutions..." Wang Jun paused for a moment before continuing, "The court has secretly ordered several experts from the 'Thousand Machines Sect' to go in and prepare to secretly execute the woman, first to extinguish Bokdo's hopes, quell public anger, maintain the existing situation, and then make further plans..."

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Chapter 76: Bokdor's Love Poems (2)

How do you know who that woman is?

Wang Jun shook his head: "Besides a few love poems, there is no other evidence. However, it can be inferred that she is a local woman. With the incredible abilities of the 'Thousand Machines Gate' agents and the informant's scheming, it would not be difficult for them to find and secretly kill such a woman."

Junyu said, "This decision is truly wise and saves a lot of effort..."

Wang Jun sighed and shook his head: "Given the current chaotic situation, they probably think that sacrificing a woman is better than causing a huge rift."

Junyu smiled without saying a word.

The two chatted for a while longer, and then Wang Jun suddenly smiled and asked, "May I ask a question: Brother Jun, do you have someone you like now?"

Junyu laughed too: "What, Brother Wang, you want to play matchmaker for me?"

Wang Jun nodded seriously: "The Ninth Princess is of beautiful age and admires your character, Brother Jun. If you are interested, you would truly be a perfect match."

"Haha!" Junyu laughed loudly, "Does His Majesty find it distasteful that Junyu has no father, mother, wife, or children, and that the Marshal's Mansion is too empty?"

This was the first time Wang Jun had heard such blatant sarcasm from Junyu, and his face immediately turned red. In fact, after he and the emperor secretly visited Junyu and returned to the palace that day, the emperor had said, "This Junyu is unlike others. He has no father, no mother, no wife, no children, and no relatives. He is naturally arrogant. If he is unwilling to get involved in this court struggle and be used by me, then there is truly nothing I can do." Therefore, the emperor was eager to marry his half-sister to Junyu as a sign of great favor.

Wang Jun was silent for a moment, then asked, "Brother Jun, what are your plans?"

Junyu said frankly, "I only wish to fight on the battlefield until my dying breath, rather than engage in endless scheming in the imperial court."

Wang Jun remained silent. The two sat quietly for a while before Wang Jun got up to take his leave. When he reached the door, he stopped and said, "I have dragged you into this quagmire and have failed as a friend. Recently, the remnants of the Hu tribe have been active in the Northwest. I am afraid that war will break out again. I will do my best to mediate and help you, Brother Jun, reach the sky that truly belongs to you."

Junyu nodded, and Wang Jun strode away.

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Chapter 77: Young Master Zhu Gets Beaten Up (1)

The Prime Minister's Residence.

Prime Minister Zhu had just seen off a large group of visitors, half of whom were marriage proposals. Ever since Zhu Yu returned victorious from chasing the Red Gold Clan army on the vast grasslands, countless people had come to propose marriage. After being appointed Commander of the Capital Army, matchmakers practically wore down the threshold of the Prime Minister's residence.

Upon seeing his son, Prime Minister Zhu immediately stopped and said with a smile, "Come with me. I have something to tell you."

Zhu Yu followed his father to the study. As soon as he sat down, Prime Minister Zhu took out a portrait. The woman in the painting was smiling and charming, with a beautiful and graceful demeanor.

Prime Minister Zhu said, "This is Princess He'an, the only beloved daughter of the Prince of Heyang. What do you think? You are not young anymore, and it is time for you to get married and have children."

Zhu Yu chuckled with a hint of sarcasm: "What objection would I have? The Prince of Heyang holds considerable military power, so his daughter is naturally an excellent candidate."

Prime Minister Zhu sighed, but before he could speak, there was a knock at the door. He recognized Zhu Gang's voice and immediately said, "Come in."

Zhu Gang was very unhappy to see his elder brother there, but he still greeted him very warmly, and as he nodded, his yellow hair seemed to have become even thinner.

When Prime Minister Zhu saw that his hands were empty, his face suddenly darkened: "Where are the things?"

Zhu Gang shook his head and said loudly, "The steward said only Second Brother entered Eldest Brother's study." Prime Minister Zhu stood up and stared at Zhu Yu: "What about those two paintings?"

"It has been returned to its owner."

With a loud "smack," Zhu Yu received a heavy slap to the face, her cheek immediately swelled up, and blood dripped from the corner of her mouth.

Prime Minister Zhu's eyes seemed to spit fire: "Beast, why did you do this?"

Zhu Yu looked at her father, a mocking smile on her face again: "What else can we do? Keep Lan Xisi's paintings, and you can just find a few people to point out that she only has daughters and no sons? Will that do any good? Will Junyu admit it herself? Will the world laugh at the newly enthroned tyrant who appointed a woman as 'Grand Marshal of the Armed Forces'?"

Prime Minister Zhu's eyes blazed with fury, and he breathed heavily: "That tyrant has outwardly appointed you as the commander of the capital's army, seemingly giving you an important position, but in reality, he has already mobilized the main force to the Five Armies Commandery. For now, he doesn't dare to attack me, so he's using this trick to outwardly win me over, but in fact, he has greatly weakened Tang Zhen's power and concentrated some military power in the hands of Meng Yuanjing, Jun Yu, and others whom he trusts. As soon as the situation stabilizes, I'm afraid he will immediately turn against me..."

World

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Chapter 78: Young Master Zhu Gets Beaten Up (2)

"Junyu has been stationed on the northern border for a long time and has never opposed you..."

"Her appointment as Grand Marshal of the Army is already a major threat to me. In any case, we must eliminate Junyu first, because she has a weakness and will always find a loophole for us to exploit..."

"There is more than one way to defeat Junyu."

"However, this is the simplest and least strenuous method."

“I hate this ‘easy and effortless’ method. If she is really my enemy, I would rather fight her fair and square.”

“There has never been anything fair and square in the court.” Prime Minister Zhu stared at his son for a long time and said, “I want to see how you defeat her fair and square and bring her head to me.”