Chapter 97: Coercion, the Heart of an Emperor

A single sweep of his icy gaze was enough to make more than half the people present lower their heads, too afraid to meet his eyes. The Minister of Revenue, who had been the first to propose that the Prince of Radiance lead the army to war, shuddered so violently that even his legs began to tremble.

Meng Yuanheng was accomplished in both letters and arms, brilliant in every way, and had become famous throughout the world while still young. It was widely said that the young lord of the Prince of Radiance’s manor possessed the mind of a statesman. At ten, he had followed his father onto the battlefield to kill the enemy. At thirteen, he had commanded troops alone and driven back a vast incursion by the Northern Barbarians. In the years that followed, he had fought in countless campaigns. At sixteen, in the battle for Jizhou City, he had even shot and killed the Northern Barbarians’ great general, He Yuanshan, with a single arrow.

Alas, heaven is jealous of genius. Just as he stood at the height of his power and glory, he was struck by a calamity that left his family destroyed, his home in ruins, and both his legs crippled. Seven years ago, when the news spread, all the world sighed over it.

Yet Meng Yuanheng had always been unruly and proud, aloof and extraordinary even before his injury. After his legs were disabled, he became even more moody and willful, doing as he pleased. Even the emperor had to afford him some measure of respect; ordinary people truly dared not provoke him.

“What, does the Prince of Radiance mean to refuse? The Prince of Radiance’s manor has always taken defending the nation, serving the sovereign, and loving the people as its family creed. Surely the prince will not ignore the ancestral teaching?” After a long pause, Meng Tianluo’s dark voice rang through the hall.

Seeing that the eldest prince had backed him up, the frightened Minister of Revenue straightened at once and exchanged a quick glance with Meng Tianluo.

Meng Yuanheng understood perfectly well. He had long known that Meng Tianluo would seize this chance to push him onto the battlefield.

It seemed the Minister of Revenue, Yao Chong, had already become Meng Tianluo’s man.

Lu Hengshan frowned. The eldest prince was indeed too impatient, unable to keep still for even this short while.

Everyone could see that Meng Tianluo had always regarded Meng Yuanheng as a thorn in his side, and had repeatedly schemed to harm him. To say such a thing now was plainly meant to embarrass him.

Because of his respect for the Prince of Radiance’s manor, Lu Hengshan stepped in to smooth things over. “If the Prince of Radiance feels his condition makes campaigning impossible, might he recommend someone else instead...”

“There is no need for such trouble.” Meng Tianluo cut him off with a cold laugh. “I have heard that the Prince of Radiance has been receiving treatment for his legs these past days. After so long, surely the condition of his legs should be much improved by now.”

“If that is so, then it is truly cause for celebration. In that case, the Prince of Radiance is all the more the best choice to lead troops in support of Jinyang Pass,” the Minister of Revenue chimed in, putting on a delighted expression.

“Oh? Then Minister Yao should explain just where exactly I am so excellent.” Meng Yuanheng glanced at him sidelong and asked coldly.

Swept by Meng Yuanheng’s sharp eyes, Yao Chong could not suppress his terror. His face flushed red, his lips trembled for a long while, yet not a single complete sentence came out.

What a useless fool. Meng Tianluo cursed Yao Chong inwardly, then spoke up. “Does the Prince of Radiance still remember He Yuanshan, the Northern Barbarians’ great general whom you shot dead with one arrow seven years ago?”

Meng Yuanheng’s expression did not change. He only lifted his handsome brows slightly, which counted as his reply.

Seeing that he received no response, Meng Tianluo had no choice but to continue on his own. “The Northern Barbarian general now leading the assault on Jinyang Pass is none other than He Yuanshan’s son, He Liancheng.”

At this, everyone was stunned.

“I have heard that He Liancheng is skilled in battle and gifted in military strategy, no less capable than his father. He was made the Northern Barbarians’ Protector-General before he even turned twenty. Since the Northern Barbarians have sent him this time, they must be determined to take Jinyang Pass at any cost. No wonder Licheng fell in a single night,” said Grand Tutor Wen with a worried frown.

The others also looked troubled. The Great Shun Dynasty might be overflowing with civil officials, but outstanding generals were few, and its cavalry even weaker. The Northern Barbarians, by contrast, were a nomadic people who rode horses from dawn to dusk, fierce and rapacious by nature, and had always been a grave threat to Great Shun.

In the past, the Northern Barbarians had feared the power of the Prince of Radiance’s manor and dared not attack lightly. But now the manor had fallen into disarray and was far from what it once was; the prince himself was crippled and frail, living in seclusion and seldom appearing. It was even harder to stand against the Northern Barbarians now.

After a long silence, Yao Chong said, “In this humble official’s view, since He Yuanshan was shot dead by the Prince of Radiance seven years ago, He Liancheng may have come this time to avenge him.”

As he finished, Yao Chong cast a flickering glance toward Meng Yuanheng.

The others heard this and found it somewhat reasonable. In that case, the Prince of Radiance had even less ground for refusing.

He Liancheng was clearly coming for you, so you should be the one to clean up this mess yourself.

As for that feat of shooting He Yuanshan seven years ago, it suddenly seemed less worthy of praise.

Alas, Prince of Radiance, why must you always leave no room for retreat? If only you had shown a little mercy back then and merely wounded He Yuanshan instead of killing him, perhaps the Northern Barbarians would not have attacked so soon, and they might still have enjoyed three more years of peace.

If Meng Yuanheng knew what these hypocritical pedants were thinking, he might well have flown into a rage and stormed out on the spot. But clearly, his mood was no better.

He Yuanshan must have been connected to the Ghost Fury Gorge incident seven years ago, and since He Liancheng was his son, he must know something of the inside story. Unfortunately, over the past few years, He Liancheng had been studying martial arts on Mount Tianshan, and nothing could be learned from him. Now that he had personally led troops into battle, he must have finished his training and descended the mountain.

At the memory of that scene seven years ago, with flames raging sky-high and screams never ending, Meng Yuanheng still felt waves of piercing pain in his heart.

Since He Liancheng had come knocking at his door, should he not go and meet him?

Still, when had Meng Tianluo’s information become so well-informed? Or was he secretly colluding with the Northern Barbarians?

With a faint, unreadable expression, Meng Yuanheng swept a glance at Meng Tianluo, whose face was full of smug satisfaction. A glint of sharp light flashed in his eyes, though nothing showed on his face.

Just as everyone was harboring their own thoughts, Eunuch Li’s shrill voice rang out: “The imperial decree has arrived.”

Everyone jolted and knelt to receive the decree.

Standing on the dais, Eunuch Li unfurled a roll of bright yellow imperial edict and read aloud to the assembly.

“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: The Northern Barbarians have disregarded the peace treaty, invaded our borders with their armies, seized our cities, and slaughtered our people. This is intolerable. The Prince of Radiance, Meng Yuanheng, is specially ordered to lead fifty thousand troops and depart at once for Jinyang Pass to reinforce it, so as to protect our territory and uphold the might of the realm. Let this be obeyed.”

Shen Qianmo truly could not understand it. Could the glorious Great Shun Dynasty really not find any general to send, that they had to turn their attention to Meng Yuanheng, whose legs were crippled?

Had the old emperor gone mad with sickness?

In the Prince of Radiance’s study, she sat beside Meng Yuanheng and held back the hand that was gripping hers. Even her usually calm face showed a trace of anger.

Yun Yi paced back and forth, seething as he said, “The emperor knows full well that your leg injury has not yet healed, so why insist on sending you to the front lines? You are at the most critical stage of treating the cold poison right now. You should not be traveling long distances, let alone leading troops in battle.”

People say that even a tiger will not eat its cubs, yet the old emperor knew full well that Meng Yuanheng was his own flesh and blood, and still issued such an edict. Did imperial families truly have no kinship at all?

Shen Qianmo looked again at Meng Yuanheng’s cool and composed face, as serene as ever, and could not help feeling heartache for him.

Though she knew he had never acknowledged Emperor Mingde as his father, blood ties could not simply be erased by refusal. This act of Emperor Mingde’s would, to some degree, surely wound him.

No family is more heartless than the imperial house. Last time, during the Qixi banquet at the palace, when she had been slandered as a witch, Meng Yuanheng had defied the imperial decree without hesitation to protect her. Now, perhaps this move by Emperor Mingde was less about anything else and more about testing Meng Yuanheng and the loyalty of the Prince of Radiance’s manor.

“I have heard that He Liancheng studied under the Old Master of the Jade Void Monastery on Tianshan. His martial arts are formidable, and he is also deeply versed in military strategy. His ability to campaign and wage war far surpasses that of his father, He Yuanshan. This time, the Northern Barbarian king has ordered him to lead a hundred thousand troops against Jinyang Pass; clearly, they are determined to take it. Yet the emperor has only granted us fifty thousand men. This battle will not be easy.” Wenren Yuan’s square, upright face was grave with solemnity.

“That fifty thousand is of little use anyway. Uncle Wenren, how many men are currently in the Flying Cloud Cavalry camp?” Meng Yuanheng’s voice remained cool.

“Less than thirty thousand,” Wenren Yuan replied.

“Tell them to make their preparations and set out at dawn tomorrow. Send word to General Lin, who is stationed in Jizhou, and have him transfer another thirty thousand Meng family troops to Jinyang Pass to join forces with the Flying Cloud Cavalry.” Meng Yuanheng gave the order.

“Yes, your subordinate obeys.” Wenren Yuan accepted the command and departed.

Thirty thousand Flying Cloud Cavalry against a Northern Barbarian army of one hundred thousand would have been enough in the past. But this time, with He Liancheng leading the enemy, and since Meng Yuanheng had never crossed blades with him before and did not know his true strength, he had prudently dispatched another force: the Meng family troops from Jizhou, the closest stronghold to Jinyang Pass.

“Are you serious, Ah Heng? Since when have you become so obedient? If you simply claimed illness and refused to get out of bed, no one could force you. What difference would an imperial edict make?” Yun Yi cried out, eyes wide.

“During court this morning, Meng Tianluo and the Minister of Revenue, Yao Chong, set their hearts on pushing this king to Jinyang Pass. I should like to see what scheme Meng Tianluo is truly plotting. As for this He Liancheng... I would also like to meet him.” Meng Yuanheng paid no heed to Yun Yi’s outcry. He only gazed deeply at Shen Qianmo, whose fingers were entwined with his, and said in a cool voice.