Chapter 1180 - 858: Secretary
Shen Wuzheng glanced at her without saying a word, then lowered his eyes, but there seemed to be a deeper layer of worry in his gaze.
Shang Ruyi’s heart became heavier by a few beats.
When she first learned that Shang Shoufei was appointed as the Crown Prince’s Right Gatekeeper, she was extremely angry. This so-called "brother" who had bullied her in the past, shamelessly climbed upward using her as a stepping stone, yet now stood on the opposite side of her. Later, he even directly acted during the hawthorn cake incident. She almost didn’t want to think about this person these days because whenever she thought of him, it felt as disgusting as swallowing a fly.
But what made her even angrier was that Yu Wenye had previously told her that Shang Shoufei being appointed as the Right Gatekeeper made him a military general, granting him the right to command troops.
Once future conflicts arise, he would be able to lead troops into battle!
This has always been the thing that made Shang Ruyi feel like a bone stuck in her throat. When she first heard Yu Wenye inform her of this, she had once remarked—if he were to lead troops, then in the Dasheng Dynasty’s tens of thousands of years, he would be the biggest joke during that time!
But unexpectedly, the current situation development might really lead to this.
As Shang Shoufei, the Right Gatekeeper, didn’t continue his duty of guarding the Eastern Palace after the Crown Prince moved into the Crown Prince Mansion, there can only be one reason: he has another purpose. And when thinking about yesterday at the banquet, where Yu Wencheng was brimming with confidence.
Shang Ruyi gritted her teeth and said, "It truly became a joke."
Suddenly hearing that, Shen Wuzheng was also a little surprised, widening his eyes to look at her, and then Shang Ruyi angrily recounted the previous events to him. Shen Wuzheng listened in silence, and after a long pause, he sighed deeply and said, "This is also something that cannot be helped if His Majesty truly wants him involved."
Shang Ruyi furrowed her brow, gritting her teeth, and said in a low voice, "Too muddle-headed..."
This was something she’d only say in front of Shen Wuzheng and in such a low voice, as it was quite audacious, yet Shen Wuzheng, hearing it, did not show much emotion, only flatly saying, "His Majesty has aged."
Shang Ruyi raised her head to look at him—what Shen Wuzheng meant was that the reason Yu Wenquan might do this is because with age, many things became difficult for him to manage, so he could only entrust them to his sons. Since Yu Wenqian had been appointed as Crown Prince, it was unlikely he could easily return to the battlefield as before, and Yu Wenye was involved in the death of Duke Shenwu. Even if not severely punished, Yu Wenquan must mete out some form of punishment to him, leaving only Yu Wencheng.
She gave a bitter smile and said, "His Majesty’s age isn’t that advanced, is it?"
Shen Wuzheng shook his head and said, "Military generals, especially those who have fought for years and suffered many wounds, are prone to lingering ailments. On top of that, His Majesty has been burning the midnight oil year after year, hardly taking any rest. What do you reckon his health is like?"
At this point, Shang Ruyi frowned again.
She was not familiar with Yu Wenquan’s health because an emperor would never allow others to understand his physical condition; anyone daring to inquire would face immediate retribution. However, she thought of her father, the former General of Cavalry, Shang Ruohong.
He passed away in his prime.
The cause of his death was the old injuries from early years and the lack of good care and recovery, leading to the resurgence of old ailments and ultimately dying young.
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi’s gaze dimmed, and Shen Wuzheng continued, "His Majesty is wise. He may not fully know his enemy, but he certainly knows himself. If he arranges it this way, there’s only one possibility: he has intentions of giving up the Eastern advance."
Shang Ruyi’s eyes widened suddenly: "You mean—"
Shen Wuzheng said, "This matter has internal and external causes. For an elder, the departure of peers is a severe blow, especially since Duke Shenwu was not an ordinary courtier to His Majesty. It’s not surprising that His Majesty should have second thoughts during such a time."
"..."
"Externally, Liang Shide occupies Luoyang, gathers strength from Wanggang Village, and colludes with the Turkic forces. His strength is inherently formidable. Recently, they examined Jiang Chong’en; although the Luoyang City Defense Map he presented wasn’t entirely genuine, some information could still be extracted. Liang Shide accepted Wang Shaoqiu’s remnants. After years of strengthening in the Eastern Capital, his power has multiplied several times. Taking down the Eastern Capital will be very difficult."
"But that doesn’t mean we can’t win."
Shen Wuzheng took a deep breath and said, "Ruyi, do you know how many forces across the land are watching the Western and Eastern capitals now?"
Hearing this, Shang Ruyi’s heart skipped a beat: "Do you mean that someone is waiting for us to fight?"
Shen Wuzheng said, "Nowadays, the world is divided among various powers, but we and Liang Shide are the two strongest. If we truly engage in a fight to the end, it will likely result in mutual destruction."
"..."
"In this case, what will those smaller forces around do?"
Shang Ruyi frowned, "They will swarm in and devour both our sides."
"Correct,"
Shen Wuzheng nodded and said, "Therefore, previously His Majesty had Shen Tu Tai lead troops to capture the Song and Xu States. Liang Shide wanted Jiang Chong’en to devise a plan to ambush His Majesty, which shows both sides are trying different methods."
"..."
"But all warfare must make one’s survival the top priority. Otherwise, it would end up like Xue Xian in Fufeng."
Shang Ruyi furrowed her brow even tighter and said, "So, both sides must aim to subdue the other with minimal sacrifice, or it could jeopardize their very survival."
"Indeed."
"But how could that be possible?"
Liang Shide is no fool, especially with the astute Xiao Yuansui by his side, and now the cunning and deceitful Wang Shaoqiu. To take down his influence in the Eastern Capital with minimal sacrifice seems like mere wishful thinking.
Unless the Heavenly God descended to earth!
Shen Wuzheng said, "So this time, even if Your Majesty truly sends King Qi and Shang Shoufei to lead the troops on an expedition, although it’s still a deployment, the approach won’t be as swift and forceful."
"... "
"As long as they can’t capture the Eastern Capital, perhaps he will truly abandon the plan to march eastward."
Shang Ruyi’s heart sank, not only because the death of Duke Shenwu would have such a profound effect on Yu Wenquan, but more unsettling was the realization that Yu Wenye had once said his only leverage against the Crown Prince was military achievements. But if Yu Wenquan gave up on the eastern march and ceased military actions, Yu Wenye’s abilities would be shelved, leaving him as merely a Prince Qin displayed on a pedestal.
And given the circumstances, the Crown Prince would never let him off!
Unexpectedly, Duke Shenwu’s death had such a significant impact on Yu Wenquan and the entire state of affairs, and Shen Wuzheng also sighed deeply, saying, "In this matter, Prince Qin indeed lacked foresight."
"... "
"This flaw must be corrected in the future, otherwise—"
Upon mentioning this, a trace of a bitter smile appeared on Shang Ruyi’s face. Reflecting now, Empress Dowager Jiang’s words after the Dayan Temple fire, though simple, were worth their weight in gold. She had seen through both Yu Wenye and the entire situation thoroughly, yet unfortunately, she couldn’t really persuade Yu Wenye back then.
As a result, now contending with the Crown Prince, they were clearly at a disadvantage.
Speaking of which, the Crown Prince...
All they spoke of were Yu Wenquan’s arrangements, but what about Yu Wenqian? What role did he play in this matter?
Previously, their concern was Yu Wenqian’s reprisal—his power grab and harm. Even if the Emperor truly appointed Shang Shoufei to the expedition, what relation did Shang Shoufei have with Yu Wenye? He was merely an older brother, fundamentally adversarial, and if he truly proved utterly useless and died on the battlefield, not only wouldn’t he shed a tear, but perhaps he would even revel with a drink or two.
Thinking of this, Shang Ruyi’s expression grew more serious, saying, "But all this has nothing to do with the Crown Prince. If he intended to seize power or harm, shouldn’t he start with Shang Shoufei?"
Upon this mention, Shen Wuzheng’s eyes dimmed once more.
But before he could say anything, a sudden heavy footstep echoed from outside, and turning his head, he saw Yu Wenhuai had returned.
The two immediately rose, not yet having time to salute when Yu Wenhuai had already tossed his outer garment to Chang Wan, who followed him in. Nodding to Shen Wuzheng, he said, "No need for formalities, sit."
With that, he directly walked over and squeezed in beside Shang Ruyi to sit.
Shang Ruyi couldn’t help but furrow her brow slightly, and as she turned to complain, she saw Yu Wenhuai’s frown, as if shrouded in a heavy storm, and swallowed her words immediately.
He had learned of Shang Shoufei’s affairs last night, so what trouble had arisen now?
Sitting down, Yu Wenhuai didn’t speak immediately, but rather, wiping the sweat from his forehead, he casually picked up the teacup by Shang Ruyi and took a sip.
Shen Wuzheng lowered his eyelashes quietly, not speaking.
Yu Wenhuai must have returned hurriedly from the military camp, and his urgency was palpable. After a sip of tea to steady his breath, he looked towards Shen Wuzheng and, without inquiring what they were discussing earlier, said directly, "Just now, Father Emperor’s decree has reached the Ministry of War."
The decree delivered to the Ministry of War implies the command for the Eastern Capital campaign!
Shang Ruyi immediately asked, "How is it?"
Yu Wenhuai said, "He appointed King Qi as the Marching Commander of Henan Road, and both Shen Tu Tai and Shang Shoufei as Vice Commanders of Henan Road and Captain of Zhaowu, all granted authority to act as seen fit."
Exchanging a deep glance, Shang Ruyi and Shen Wuzheng didn’t speak.
Indeed, this aligned precisely with their speculations. Even if Yu Wenquan harbored thoughts of retreat, he wasn’t foolish enough to hand the entire eastern campaign to Yu Wencheng and Shang Shoufei; thus, he added Shen Tu Tai.
Yet, this still wouldn’t suffice.
And at this moment, Shang Ruyi noticed Shen Wuzheng and Yu Wenhuai exchanging a glance, a barely perceptible shadow flitting across their eyes.
She asked immediately, "What is it?"
"..."
Yu Wenhuai looked at her, fell silent for a moment, then said, "The Crown Prince still recommends Fu Ming as the secretary, joining the march to Luoyang."