Wei Tianze frowned, still unable to believe it. "Mother didn't miscalculate the date?"
“The date may be wrong, but your appearance—” Madam Chu looked up, her gaze seemingly piercing through him and landing on another man, with a kind of bewildered tenderness, “Your eyebrows and eyes are five-tenths like your father’s when he was young. Fortunately, he left back then, and twenty years have passed. No one in this palace remembers his appearance, otherwise I would really be afraid of arousing suspicion in others.”
"Then...he's still alive?"
Chu's expression stiffened slightly, and after a moment she shook her head. "A few years ago, there was a war in the south. I heard from your maternal grandfather that he was killed by the mutinous soldiers."
Wei Tianze certainly remembered that war.
War raged across several provinces, and the imperial army was at a loss. Finally, Prince Rui, Xu Chaozong, asked Fu Yu to intervene and quell the unrest. Fu Yu also took the opportunity to make a name for himself and plant more spies for the Fu family. At that time, he had just been suspected by Fu Yu and was left in Yongning. When Fu Deqing was pursuing the Tatars, he led men to rescue him.
If it weren't for Madam Chu revealing the truth today, he probably would never have known what had happened back then.
The lights burned quietly, and Wei Tianze stood like a stone statue, his expression shifting.
After a long silence, he said, "I understand what Mother said. It's late, Mother should rest early." With that, he turned and walked out, but as he reached the door, he heard Chu Shi say behind him, "Don't blame me for what happened back then."
Turning around, I saw her standing alone by the table, her figure thin and her expression somewhat forlorn.
How could I blame her? What happened back then was Wei Jian's own doing—heartless, cruel, and cruel in ruining a marriage without knowing how to cherish what he had. All that followed is even less to blame Chu Shi. Wei Tianze paused briefly, then turned back to Chu Shi's side. "Wei Jian isn't my biological father, and I'm very fortunate. If I have the chance in the future, I will go south to find my father's remains. I was born of my mother after ten months of pregnancy; we are connected by blood, and I can distinguish right from wrong. How could I blame my mother?"
He understood her predicament, and Chu's worries vanished.
He was relieved and told him to be more careful in the future.
...
Without the ties of blood, the heavy burden on Wei Tianze's shoulders vanished.
Wei Jian was ruthless and Wei Changgong was unjust, so he had no scruples about his actions. When Wei Changgong shot another arrow, Wei Tianze retaliated without hesitation, resulting in Wei Changgong's serious injury and death. Wei Tianze could dodge the same plot and assassination, but he did not have the ability. He shot himself in the foot, brought disaster upon himself, and lost his life.
With his years of experience in Yongning, he handled the matter flawlessly, leaving no room for doubt.
When Wei Jian learned the truth, he was heartbroken and furious. Although he had suspicions, he had no concrete evidence.
Ultimately, there was no affection between father and son; their relationship was one of estrangement, fear, and scheming. Wei Tianze didn't care about adding this one more incident.
After Wei Changgong's death, the struggle for the throne suddenly became clear.
With Jiang Shao's support in Jianchang maintaining the alliance between the two places, Wei Tianze's position in Suizhou was already higher than others. In the past year or so, through his planning and arrangements, he won the praise of several veteran generals with his battlefield skills and also won over many supporters with his strategic thinking. He was not only incomparable to people like Wei Congxiu, but even Wei Jian was somewhat wary of him.
After a period of stalemate, Wei Jian's Eastern Palace finally fell into the hands of Wei Tianze.
Holding immense power and riding high on his success, Wei Tianze shone brightly as he traveled through Suizhou. Yet, occasionally, in the quiet of the night, alone in his study before the vast map of the land, he felt a sense of bewilderment. In his early years in Qizhou, guided by the generals of the Fu family, he had progressed steadily and resolutely, full of youthful vigor. After learning of Wei Jian's schemes, though he struggled with resentment, he gradually resigned himself to his fate for the sake of his mother and blood ties. When his actions faltered, he knew in his heart that the path he was on led back to Wei Jian's command; there was no other way.
But what about now? Where does the road beneath his feet lead?
After years of hiding and a single betrayal, his relationship with the Fu family was severed. After Wei Jian declared himself emperor, the situation became even more complicated. He and Wei Jian were only superficially on good terms, and it was impossible for him to lead the Wei family's generals to join Fu Yu's forces. Now, he could only rely on the Wei family's ship to move forward and try his best to seize military power.
From the depths of winter to the dawn of spring, Wei Tianze operated his business in Suizhou. Father and son relied on each other yet remained wary of one another, their fortunes fluctuating.
Meanwhile, in the capital city, thousands of miles away, after clearing the court and settling the border defenses and other matters, Fu Yu also turned his attention to the west.
When he first ascended the throne, the court was still unstable, and some generals, seeing Wei Jian establish himself, were also eager to rebel. Wei Jian was deeply entrenched and had the advantage of terrain and mountains; a hasty western expedition would deplete military strength and could also cause trouble in the rear. Now that the threat from the rear has been eliminated, and there is no room for others to sleep soundly beside one's bed, it is time to take advantage of the fact that the Wei family has not yet gained power and make a move to pacify the western frontier.
Chapter 129 The End (Part 2)
In March, Beijing is at the height of spring.
Magnolias have faded, peach blossoms have all fallen, but roses and crabapples are gradually blooming. In the grass beside the palace path, unnamed wildflowers are budding in the wind, full of vitality under the spring sunshine. Gazing at the moonlit vermilion palace walls and majestic halls, a tiny dark shadow floats in the distance—a kite flown by children outside the palace, its string cut, swaying in the wind.
You Tong stood under a crabapple tree, gazing up at the clear blue sky, and slowly took a walk.
The construction of this palace required countless manpower, and it has stood for over a hundred years, remaining as solemn as ever.
The palace corridors remain exactly as I remember them from my childhood. The three main halls of the outer court, the Fengyang Central Palace, and even the Penglai Hall and Hanliang Hall on the shore of Taiye Lake have remained unchanged in their layout, except for occasional renovations. The people who lived there have come and gone, and now, after a complete transformation, the residence that once belonged to the Xu family is now named after the Fu family.
However, compared to the numerous harems of previous emperors, the palace is now much smaller.
On the day Zheng Biao captured the capital, the palace was looted. Many palace maids and eunuchs were either killed or escaped in the chaos. After Xu Chaozong issued his edict of self-reproach, the Noble Consort Ling and Xu Chaozong's concubines were spared and sent to temples and Taoist monasteries to practice Buddhism. Some were also released to vacate the palace.
Now, Fu Yu only has You Tong by his side. Although the Six Bureaus of the Harem are still there, he no longer needs so many people to serve him.
With fewer people, the palace appeared empty, and many of the servants who attended to the emperor and empress moved to the vicinity of Fengyang Palace, leaving other places idle.
This suited You Tong perfectly. Although her status limited her from the beginning of her reign as empress, preventing her from traveling freely as before, she could still roam the inner palace at will. From the palaces and pavilions around Taiye Pond to Shanglin Garden, West Garden, and South Garden, without the disturbance of idle people, the entire area became her domain. She could order people to prepare her carriage wherever she wanted to go, and she never felt bored.
The weather was warm after lunch that day, so she took a nap and then went out to admire the flowers as usual.
Since being diagnosed with pregnancy last October, the baby in my womb is now six months old. My lower abdomen is slightly protruding, and my newly tailored palace dress hangs loosely, its hem fluttering in the wind.
Being pregnant and watching the little one grow slowly in your womb is naturally a joyful experience.
The only thing that bothered her was her ever-growing appetite.
Not long after finishing her lunch, she found herself feeling faintly hungry again after her walk.
Their steps, which were originally heading towards Shanglin Garden, gradually changed direction. After about two incense sticks' worth of time, they arrived at the small kitchen not far from Fengyang Palace.
—With the Fu family ascending the throne, the imperial fetus in her womb naturally took precedence over food. Since arriving in the capital, Du Shuangxi had personally cared for You Tong's diet for the past few months. The palace was spacious, making it easy to set up a kitchen. The complete set of kitchenware from the imperial kitchen was moved over, and a large team prepared and cooked the ingredients, with a full range of sauces and spices. Du Shuangxi was already an expert in this craft, and with the best kitchen in the world, cooking became even more effortless, causing You Tong's appetite to grow increasingly discerning.
Unfortunately, there are many dietary restrictions during pregnancy, so I have to stick to the dishes I'm used to to avoid any problems.
Even so, Du Shuangxi can still come up with many creative ideas—
The steaming hot golden milk pastries had just come out of the steamer, their aroma wafting out with the heat and reaching our noses on the breeze. A palace maid brought them out; the six golden milk pastries were shaped like flower petals of various colors, each with a unique design. The outside was soft and flaky, while the inside was filled with a carefully prepared filling, mixed with tender jasmine and osmanthus petals. They were sprinkled with fine powder, making them exquisite and adorable.
You Tong picked one that was piled up in the shape of a rose. It was fragrant and crispy when she ate it, and it suited her taste very well.
Next to it is a bowl of ham and bamboo shoot soup. The crisp bamboo shoots paired with the tender red ham are a common dish, but the flavor is rich and delicious, making one's mouth water.
You Tong ate heartily, thinking of Fu Yu's hard work in government affairs, so she asked someone to serve him more and personally delivered it to him to help him relax.
...
In the Linde Hall, Fu Yu has indeed been working quite hard lately.
Conquering the world is difficult, but maintaining it is even more challenging. With the country and its people in hand, what followed was a mess left behind by the Xu family—the people's hearts were scattered, the administration was chaotic, the military defenses were weak, and although Fu Deming had tried to manage things in the capital, many deep-seated problems remained.
During these months, You Tong was resting in the harem while he was pregnant, so he was cleaning up the mess in the imperial court.
Fortunately, the Fu family had a large army and many generals, and the northern border of Qizhou was stable. To the west, Xu Kui deterred Wei Jian and blocked several raids from Suizhou, allowing him to free up his hands and concentrate on managing the affairs of the court.
On the towering bookshelf against the wall, a map of the country hangs high, marked with many symbols.
Moving east and south from the capital, the initial sparse markings have now become densely packed, with troops deployed according to the terrain and mountains of each prefecture, sufficient for defense. After a complete scan, only a few scattered marks remain in the west, representing the territories of Jiang Shao and Wei Jian.
Fu Yu stood with his hands behind his back in front of the map, his brows furrowed slightly.
Du He, who had been promoted to Vice Minister of War, stood beside him, flipping through a pile of documents on the table beside him, referring to the maps as he reported to him. Finally, he put away the documents, the edges of which were worn from being flipped through so many times, and a relaxed smile appeared on his face. "The rear is secure, Your Majesty need not worry any longer. As for Jiang Shao, General He has already made arrangements, and I have also sent men there. I am ninety percent confident. After that, only Suizhou remains."
"What about Suizhou? What's the situation there?"
“Wei Jian is still not giving up his treacherous intentions and refuses to submit. However—” Du He pulled out a list from the table and presented it with both hands, “Wei Tianze is vying for power with him and has won over some people in the past six months. Even without Jiang Shao’s assistance, he is no less capable than Wei Jian. Wei Jian is unaware of these things.”
"Oh?" Fu Yu raised an eyebrow. "He kept it a secret very well?"
"Wei Tianze... after all, was handpicked by the general. Besides military strategy and warfare, he is also adept at managing informants and intelligence. With his status as the crown prince, he is always accurate in striking at the heart of the matter. He has been back in Suizhou for a year and a half. Even if his time is limited and his reach cannot extend too far, he has already woven a net in Suizhou. In this regard, from the capital to Suizhou, there are probably few people who can compare to him. However, I did not expect him to scheme against Wei Jian in this way."
After a moment of silence, Fu Yu flipped through the roster, his brow furrowing slightly.
He was well aware of Wei Tianze's abilities.
His military strategy and tactics were outstanding, and he was even better than Du He at gathering intelligence. If it weren't for the mystery surrounding Wei Tianze's origins, which prevented the Fu family from fully trusting him, he would have been the one transferred to the Two Books Pavilion. And now, like Du He, he should have been the one appointed as a vice minister at a young age and regarded as a trusted confidant.
It's just a pity...
Memories flashed through his mind. Fu Yu pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Understood. Continue gathering information."
Du He obeyed the order, and seeing that he had no further instructions, he bowed and took his leave.
As they exited the Linde Palace, You Tong approached slowly, surrounded by palace maids. The beauty, nearing twenty, had become even more graceful and charming after becoming pregnant. Her brows and eyes were serene and exquisite, and her palace attire was precious and well-fitting. Although not in her most formal attire, her noble and elegant demeanor still commanded respect. They quickly bowed and greeted, "Your humble servant greets Your Majesty the Empress."
“Minister Du.” You Tong nodded, walked past him, and arrived at the palace gate.
The window was open, and Fu Yu originally wanted to get some fresh air. Hearing this noise, he looked outside and a smile immediately appeared on his face.
When You Tong went inside, he had already strolled out of the inner room of the main house, which was piled with cluttered desks. He met her at the door, put his arm around her shoulder, and walked slowly inside. "You came all this way, aren't you afraid of getting sunburned?"
"It's so warm outside, how can we waste the spring sunshine?"
You Tong raised her hand, and the little palace maid behind her came forward and presented the food box with both hands.
Fu Yu casually accepted it, glancing at the maid with a slight glance. The maid understood and respectfully withdrew, closing the palace door behind her.
A gentle breeze carried the fragrance of a blooming Bauhinia tree in the southwest corner of the Linde Hall. Since no incense was burned in the hall, the faint scent could be discerned. However, the fragrance was quickly masked when the food box was opened, releasing the aroma of fresh bamboo shoot and ham soup—the typical smell of everyday cooking.
You Tong served him a bowl, and Fu Yu tasted it and said it was delicious.
After finishing the bowl of soup and eating the two pieces of golden milk pastry, the frustration he had felt about politics was completely swept away.
Perhaps influenced by You Tong, Fu Yu, who used to be averse to food, is now often tempted by delicious food.
Amidst his busy schedule, her visit provided him with a rare moment of leisure where he could legitimately slack off. The couple sat and chatted, and because You Tong hadn't been sleeping well since becoming pregnant, Fu Yu massaged her scalp. Afterward, You Tong massaged his temples to help him relax and unwind.
When the matter was brought up, Fu Yu didn't need to hide anything from him and briefly mentioned the situation in Suizhou.
In Suizhou, it's nothing more than Wei Jian and Wei Tianze, who have established a small court. Wei Jian is alright, a greedy and arrogant old scoundrel who fell from grace during the loyalist campaign, and now the difference in their power is clear. The most troublesome one is Wei Tianze, that capable general who came from Yongning's camp—more than ten years of espionage, with the old general of the Fu family imparting all his knowledge to him, teaching him a wealth of skills, and also letting Wei Tianze know the Fu family's strengths and weaknesses.
Having such a person on the enemy's side is really not easy to deal with.
Fu Yu closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair, letting You Tong's soft fingertips gently massage his temples. As his fatigue subsided, the myriad thoughts in his mind gradually began to clear. He suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the prominent map not far away. Gradually, his expression became solemn and calm.
You Tong seemed to notice, and paused slightly in her movements.
Fu Yu raised his hand, grasped her fingertips, and turned his head, his eyes already resolute.
"I plan to personally lead the army against Wei Jian."
"A personal campaign?" You Tong was slightly taken aback, her face showing surprise. Although the situation was much more stable than last year, after all, the new dynasty had just been established. If the emperor were to leave the capital so easily, and something went wrong, that would truly be...
Her heart pounded slightly as she asked, "Is it truly necessary to lead the army personally?"
"Wei Jian is not to be feared, but Suizhou is easy to defend and difficult to attack, even more difficult to conquer than Jingzhou. If we use ordinary tactics, even if we have some chance of winning, we will have to expend a lot of troops. The world is not yet at peace, and troops are insufficient in various places, so we should not suffer losses. Moreover, a large army needs food and supplies when it is mobilized. The national treasury has been emptied by the Xu family, and in the end, it is the people who suffer."
This is indeed a problem.
Although the Fu family possessed numerous valiant generals and enjoyed considerable wealth when they were stationed in Yongning, after gaining control of the country, the number of troops available for campaigning decreased due to the weakness of other government forces and their redeployment to several key locations. Such battles should be fought swiftly and decisively; prolonged campaigns would exhaust the people and resources, and could easily lead to unrest in the rear.
You Tong hesitated for a moment, "Or should we ask Father for help?"
"It may not be suitable."
Why?