CHAPTER 446: CHAPTER 446: BORDER (PART 1)

On the spring day of the third year of Tahe, after enduring drought, locust plague, and epidemic, the common people finally caught a breath and energetically bought grain seeds, reclaimed farmland, and began spring plowing.

Unfortunately, heaven did not let the court have peace, nor did it allow the young Emperor Taihe on the Dragon Throne any tranquility. On the fourth day of the third month, the court received an urgent report from the border army.

"Rouran cavalry has invaded the border!"

"The border army suffered a major defeat, lost Peng City, and retreated to Si State."

"Peng City was burned, money and grain were plundered, able-bodied men were abducted, and the elderly, weak, and children were slaughtered!"

The few words on the report carried a strong scent of blood, directly assaulting one’s senses.

The face of Emperor Taihe turned pale, his body swayed, and his vision suddenly darkened.

Beside him, Zheng Chen’s expression changed as he quickly stepped forward to support the Emperor Taihe: "Your Majesty, please contain your anger! Take care of the imperial body!"

Wang Jin and others were full of concern as they gathered around.

Emperor Taihe closed his eyes, and after a long time, reluctantly opened them again, his eyes reddened, his voice trembling uncontrollably: "Peng City was massacred by Rouran! Tens of thousands of common people were either killed or abducted to become slaves. How can you ask me to contain my anger, how can I take care of myself!"

"Zuo Feng is utterly guilty! Guilty!"

The angry shout of Emperor Taihe echoed in the hall.

Wang Jin’s heart suddenly sank. Zuo Feng was precisely the formal name of the Left General. Everyone knew that Prime Minister Wang’s control over the court was due to support from civil servants like Minister Zhang, Minister Dai, and Minister Zhou, and secondly, the Left General who commanded a hundred thousand border troops was Prime Minister Wang’s man.

Da Liang claimed four hundred thousand troops, with the border army accounting for a quarter. Every year, the military expenses allocated to the border army constituted nearly twenty percent of national treasury revenue.

All these years, the Left General indeed worked hard, firmly holding the border and keeping Rouran and other foreign cavalry at bay. Therefore, even though the Left General was somewhat arrogant and greedy, his achievements alone endowed him with untouchable stability.

Who could have anticipated the Left General would suffer such a major defeat. Peng City was massacred, and Emperor Taihe was furious beyond measure. Once the news spread, who knows how many would take the opportunity to impeach the Left General, and of course, those in Prime Minister Wang’s faction could not stand idly by... Witnessing the chaos looming over the court. Meanwhile, he, the secretary, was once again caught between the Emperor and his father, torn between loyalty and filial piety, a man belonging nowhere.

Indeed, Zheng Chen’s angry voice rang out: "Your Majesty, the court allocates vast military expenses to the border army every year, treating them with extreme generosity. Yet Zuo Feng is so incapable that he suffered a major defeat, losing Peng City! He must be severely punished! I request Your Majesty issue a decree, immediately summoning Zuo Feng back to the capital to answer for his crimes!"

Wang Jin was taken aback, blurting out in opposition: "That is not advisable!"

"Your Majesty, although the Rouran cavalry has retreated, it is uncertain when they may attack again. Summoning the main general back to the court at such a time would undermine military morale, wouldn’t it? It would provide a great opportunity for Rouran to launch another campaign. For the stability of the border, I earnestly ask Your Majesty to calm down and consider thrice!"

"Wang She Ren, what a silver tongue you have!" Zheng Chen coldly mocked, "Zuo Feng has already retreated to Si State, what stability is there at the border to speak of! According to Wang She Ren’s words, should the massacre of Peng City just pass by unnoticed? Should a military general as incompetent and foolish as Zuo Feng continue to command the border army and lose even more of Da Liang’s territory?"

Wang Jin forcefully responded: "The Left General has made a significant mistake and naturally must be severely punished. Your Majesty, my suggestion is to wait until the military situation is stable before summoning back the Left General..."

"Your Majesty, I believe Zuo Feng is entirely unfit to command the border army any longer! Please appoint another military general to take over the border army!" Zheng Chen interrupted Wang Jin with a deep voice.

Jiang Yi immediately opened his mouth to recommend General Fan: "General Fan is skilled in commanding troops, brave and invincible, capable of significant use."

Li Boyuan also voiced in agreement: "I also think we can send General Fan."

Wang Jin felt his heart sinking straight down.

The factions within the court were evident, and even among the housekeepers beside Emperor Taihe, there were differences in faction. He had always been in opposition to Zheng Chen, and for more than two years, Zheng Chen and Jiang Yi had been moving closely and striving to draw in Li Boyuan. Li Boyuan had remained neutral, but with this defeat of the Left General, an unassailable responsibility, Li Boyuan, the neutral party, leaned towards Zheng Chen.

Three against one, there was no need to think more about who would suffer a loss.

In fact, Emperor Taihe, burning with anger, could not hear Wang Jin’s advice, and with a complexion as dark as iron, he ordered: "Summon Prime Minister Wang and Duke An into the hall immediately to discuss countermeasures."

...

That day, all the high-ranking ministers of third rank and above were summoned to the palace. A war of words waged until the evening, yet no resolution was reached.

Exhausted, angry, and powerless, Emperor Taihe walked with heavy steps to Jingyang Palace.

As expected, Grand Empress Dowager Zheng harshly scolded Prime Minister Wang, insisting on immediately summoning Zuo Feng back to the capital to answer for his crimes.

Having been furious most of the day, Emperor Taihe had already passed his period of peak anger and regained some calmness: "I want nothing more than to immediately summon Zuo Feng back, to settle the blood debt of Peng City with him, to tear him to pieces. However, Prime Minister Wang and the others have good points. Even if we’re to hold him accountable, we have to wait until the border army’s situation is stable. Otherwise, if military morale wavers and the Rouran cavalry takes advantage of it, then the Northern States will be endangered."

Grand Empress Dowager Zheng retorted angrily: "Replacing the one in charge of the border army, isn’t it just better than Zuo Feng? General Fan, General Bao, General Liu, General Song, who wouldn’t suffice?"

"All Prime Minister Wang cares about is his private interest, just wanting Zuo Feng to cling on without returning. After waiting a while and winning a battle or two, it would count as atonement for the crime, allowing him to continue commanding the border army. Such private interest calculation, even an old lady like me can guess through, can’t Your Majesty see it?"

Soft-hearted easily influenced, after listening to Prime Minister Wang and others for half a day, Emperor Taihe’s intent had wavered. Now hearing what Grand Empress Dowager Zheng said, his determination wavered once more.

Upon leaving Jingyang Palace, Emperor Taihe went to see his mother, Empress Dowager Li.

Empress Dowager Li had always been at odds with Grand Empress Dowager Zheng, yet being unable to contend with the matriarch, she always found herself suppressed. However, Grand Empress Dowager Zheng’s controlling style in every affair, Empress Dowager Li had fully adopted, saying right off the bat: "Be it Prime Minister Wang or Duke An, they are ministers, you are the sovereign. How to dispose of Zuo Feng, it’s your decision as the Emperor that counts."

"Whether you want to hold off for a while or immediately summon Zuo Feng, in any case, I am on your side."

Empress Dowager Li’s strategy was also very simple. In all things, at all times, she sided with her son, and over time, her son would come to know the only one who genuinely cared for him was his very own mother.

Utterly exhausted, Emperor Taihe, in no mood to receive his mother’s goodwill, sighed heavily and said: "For such major matters of the court, my decision alone does not suffice. It always requires approval from Grand Empress Dowager and Prime Minister Wang as well."

This is the tragedy of a young emperor, whose own supporters are too young, too lacking in experience; private counsel is feasible, but when faced with major court affairs, even he, the Son of Heaven, cannot make commands that must be carried out.