Are You Telling Me What to Do?

Although nothing had happened the previous night, when Wang Yu woke the next morning, he could still feel the faint tickle of hair against the tip of his nose, smell the subtle fragrance of lilies, and see those eyes that seemed to speak on their own. *She's far too good at flirting!* Had he not been so worldly and well-informed through every possible medium in his previous life, he feared he would either have ended up hooked like a fish on her line or reduced to a fawning simp by now. Just as Wang Yu sighed with emotion, a maidservant knocked gently on the door. "Your Highness, Steward Zhao has arrived." "Come in," Wang Yu answered, getting out of bed. *** "The three generals and Commandant Zhao have already arrived. We shall first hold the memorial ceremony for the late prince, and then grant them an audience," Zhao Yingjie explained while walking Wang Yu through the day's schedule. By this time, Wang Yu had changed into solemn, stately princely ceremonial robes. Escorted by Zhao Yingjie, he arrived at the manor's main hall. Zhao Zheng had passed away three months earlier and was already interred, but because Wang Yu had not yet returned, the official memorial ceremony had been postponed. Only now, with Wang Yu back, could the rites finally be performed. This ceremony signified the changing of the guard in the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor, passing from the era of Zhao Zheng into the era of Zhao... Wang Yu. Pennants fluttered, drums and bells chimed, incense smoke coiled toward the sky, and funeral orations were read to honor the departed soul. The ceremony lasted for more than half a day. In truth, Zhao Rong oversaw every aspect of it, leaving Wang Yu with little to do personally. Yet he remained the undisputed core of the proceedings, for this memorial rite also served as the formal ceremony by which he assumed command of the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor. Li Yunxiu and Qianqian were also present in formal, muted attire, flanking him on the left and right as the manor's two newly instated mistresses. *** "Greetings, Your Highness!" "Please rise, generals!" Wang Yu observed the four men before him, and the four men observed him in turn. One was an elder with beard and hair turned entirely white, unable to hide the arrogance in his eyes. This was Zhao Siqi, a veteran general who had followed Zhao Ling in founding the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor all those years ago. Another was a burly giant nearly two meters tall, with a waistline two and a half times that of Wang Yu. This was Peng Hu, a fiend of slaughter forged on the battlefield. The third was a middle-aged man of average build, composed demeanor, and deep, searching eyes, seemingly observing others at all times. This was the manor's most famed strategist, Lu Yunzhou. The last was a solid, powerfully built man with dark skin and a quiet, taciturn air. This was Zhao Defang, the commandant who led the three thousand Iron Eagle Cavalry. Among them, Zhao Siqi and Zhao Defang both belonged to the Zhao clan proper, making them distant clan relatives of Zhao Yu. "Your Highness was confined in the capital for ten whole years. You have truly suffered," Lu Yunzhou spoke first. "The old emperor lacks self-awareness. Does he truly believe he has the martial prowess of the dynasty's founding Taizu? His northern expeditions failed, his southern campaigns miscarried, and the whole realm has been destabilized. Who's to say we won't get a chance to sit in the Golden Throne Hall ourselves?" Peng Hu grinned broadly. "Silence! Is that something you should say out loud?" Zhao Siqi barked a reprimand before turning his gaze to Wang Yu. "The world is unstable today, and the emperor sent us a female first-rank scholar. He clearly intends to use our Prince of Zhenxi's Manor as cannon fodder. "In my view, we should put this woman to death immediately to snuff out the emperor's schemes and soothe the worries of the world. That way, we kill two birds with one stone, reap the benefits while others fight, and retain the strategic freedom to hold the Northwest if we retreat, or vie for the Central Plains if we advance. That is the proper course!" The reception hall fell deathly quiet in an instant. Neither the three generals nor Zhao Defang uttered a word. Zhao Rong, the only other person present, remained silent as well. He was the chief steward of the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor, but when it came to major military and political matters, it was not his place to intervene. Wang Yu cast his gaze over the assembly, watching their reactions. While he did not know whether this had been planned in advance, it was unmistakably clear that Zhao Siqi was attempting to show him who was in charge right from the start. *Thump! Thump! Thump!* Seated before the table, Wang Yu tapped on its surface without an ounce of expression, looking at Zhao Siqi with indifferent eyes. "Are you telling me what to do?" "I would not dare!" Zhao Siqi cupped his hands with a solemn face. "I speak only for the sake of the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor. I do not wish to see our manor turned into a blade in the emperor's hands!" Wang Yu's eyes narrowed slightly, and he raised a single finger. "First, Li Yunxiu is currently my betrothed princess consort, a fact known to all under heaven. If I kill her, I am murdering my own wife. If my reputation is stained, the reputation of the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor is stained. "Second, the realm is merely unsettled at present, not thrown into total chaos. Killing Li Yunxiu means an open break with the emperor. If the emperor chooses to make an example of the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor, how do you expect to hold the Northwest once our reputation is tarnished and we have lost the hearts of the people? "Third, Li Yunxiu took first place in the palace examination, out-debating every minister at court, and her governing talents are second to none. She possesses the ability to command armies in the field and direct policy in the court. Killing her would only crush the desire of talents across the realm to pledge allegiance to us, destroying the manor's very foundation. How then would you vie for the Central Plains? "Fourth, keeping Li Yunxiu and maintaining an appearance of compliance with the court allows us to put the emperor's mind at ease, grants Li Yunxiu free rein to display her talents, and bolsters the strength of the Northwest. That is what truly achieves both ends. "Fifth." Wang Yu opened his entire right hand. "Keeping Li Yunxiu means that if an imperial decree benefits us, we can execute it; if it works against us, we can simply ignore it. That is what it truly means to hold the initiative in both advance and retreat. "Must I list a sixth, a seventh, and an eighth?" Wang Yu fixed his gaze on Zhao Siqi. Zhao Siqi's face flushed crimson, his beard trembling, unable to utter a single word for the moment. "Old General Zhao fought side by side with my grandfather back in the day, waging fierce battles across the Northwest for decades. Your contributions are truly great, and your toil undeniable. Yet this proposal of yours falls shockingly short of your reputation, to the point of utter bewilderment." A smile played at the corners of Wang Yu's lips, yet his voice was cold as ice. "I can only assume that Old General Zhao is growing advanced in years and his mind can no longer keep up. It couldn't possibly be that you are deliberately trying to harm me and bring ruin to the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor, could it?" Zhao Siqi recoiled in fright. "Most certainly not!" "That is good to hear. It seems Old General Zhao truly is just getting old." Wang Yu wore a half-smile. "I, too, find it hard to believe that after decades of unwavering loyalty, Old General Zhao would tarnish his own integrity in his twilight years." Zhao Siqi could not help breathing a sigh of relief, but then Wang Yu continued, "However, since Old General Zhao is advanced in years, it is high time you enjoyed the pleasures of family life. I cannot bear to see you continue enduring hardships in military camp. "In that case, please reside in the manor for now. Once the Xionglue Army has been reorganized, we shall arrange for you to return to your ancestral home and enjoy your remaining years." Wang Yu gave the table one final tap with his index finger, saying coldly, "I have spoken. Who agrees? Who objects?" The reception hall became so quiet that one could have heard a pin drop. Zhao Siqi was both shocked and enraged, staring at Wang Yu in disbelief. Peng Hu grinned, a clear look of gloating surfacing at the corner of his mouth. Lu Yunzhou glanced at Wang Yu, then looked away, keeping his eyes on his nose and his nose aligned with his heart, utterly silent. Zhao Defang had not said a single word from beginning to end. He merely shifted his steps in silence, planting himself squarely in front of the reception hall's doorway. Zhao Rong glanced at Zhao Defang, took half a step closer to Wang Yu, and fixed his eyes intently on Zhao Siqi's hands. Zhao Siqi's face turned purple, his beard and hair bristling. "Decades ago, I followed the old prince into battle, sweeping across the Northwest and riding roughshod over the desert! In hundreds of battles over the years, I was always at the vanguard..." "Which is precisely why I believe Old General Zhao had no genuine intention to harm me," Wang Yu cut him off indifferently. Zhao Siqi choked on his words. He looked at Zhao Rong standing beside Wang Yu, then glanced at Zhao Defang blocking his path of retreat. The breath went out of him completely, and he looked as though he had aged ten years in an instant. "I obey the Prince's command!" Zhao Siqi bowed his head and lowered his hands, his voice rasping. Wang Yu said to Zhao Rong, "Old General Zhao has fought in hundreds of battles over the decades, leading from the front with great toil and merit. Go to the manor's inner vault yourself and select several fine items to bestow upon him." Zhao Rong clasped his hands. "The inner vault happens to contain a suit of golden armor taken from a king of the Western Regions, which Old General Zhao captured with his own hands back then. It would be fitting to return it to the old general as a gift." "Very well," Wang Yu said. Completely disregarding the visibly withered Zhao Siqi, Wang Yu looked toward Zhao Defang, who had remained silent all along. He thought to himself that it was no wonder Zhao Zheng had promoted him to commandant of the Iron Eagle Cavalry—the man was undeniably loyal to the bone. Zhao Siqi might have been loyal to Zhao Ling, and perhaps loyal to Zhao Zheng as well, but when dealing with Zhao Yu of the grandchild generation, he could not resist putting on the airs of an elder. Whether he had simply wanted to test Wang Yu's mettle or intended to use his standing as a clan elder to control him, he had put Wang Yu in a corner, forcing him into a position where he had no choice but to strike back. If Wang Yu had conceded a single step, it would have been the beginning of the end. Since Wang Yu refused to yield, the only one who could back down was Zhao Siqi. Wang Yu had not expected that upon meeting his generals for the first time, when he had still been pondering how to cultivate good relations with them, he would end up stripping the most veteran among them of his power before anything else. What followed became straightforward. Though Peng Hu remained boisterous and Lu Yunzhou showed no unusual reaction, Wang Yu could sense that their respect for him had deepened considerably. It was evident that Zhao Siqi had indeed acted on his own initiative just now, rather than as part of a coordinated plot among them. "Your Highness's foresight is profound. This subordinate is filled with admiration!" Lu Yunzhou said with a smile. "I fear Li Yunxiu will not escape Your Highness's grasp either, thereby adding another powerful asset to the Prince of Zhenxi's Manor. Truly a cause for celebration!" Peng Hu nodded repeatedly. "A cause for celebration!" Only then did the three begin reporting on the affairs of their respective forces. The Iron Eagle Cavalry under Zhao Defang's command was stationed north of Longshan Prefecture, making it convenient both to march north in support of the front line and to replenish fodder at the horse pastures in the northeast. Lu Yunzhou's Chengyuan Army and Peng Hu's Wuben Army were stationed in the southern Fengming Prefecture for rest and reorganization, while also patrolling the northwestern trade routes to guard against raids by the Great Bandits of Mount Qi. Although they could not intercept every raider, they significantly reduced the losses suffered by merchants traveling through the Northwest. Zhao Siqi's Xionglue Army had rotated down from the northern front only this year and was currently stationed south of the provincial capital of Longshan Prefecture, which made it all the more convenient for Wang Yu to consolidate it under his own authority. "Last autumn and winter, the Black Qiang violated the border, fighting several skirmishes with our outriders. Among the enemy ranks were several disciples of Shi Mo, possessing formidable martial arts. They killed dozens of our soldiers. "The White Qiang have abided by the rules and made no incursions, only conducting cross-border trade at the frontier markets, exchanging cattle and sheep for grain, salt, and tea. This has provided our soldiers with plenty of meat to eat." The Qiang people of the northern desert were divided into two branches: the Black Qiang and the White Qiang. The Black Qiang revered black, while the White Qiang favored white. The chieftain of the Black Qiang harbored wild ambitions, yearning to drive into the Central Plains and seize fertile territory. The chieftain of the White Qiang harbored no hostility toward the Central Plains, desiring only border trade to ensure a peaceful livelihood for his clan. The Shi Mo mentioned by Lu Yunzhou was the foremost martial expert of the Black Qiang, renowned as 'White Bones Piled High.' Wielding a pair of unorthodox weapons known as the White Bone Claws, he had once battled Zhao Zheng at the height of his prime for three hundred rounds, falling only slightly short of the mark before withdrawing with ease. Lu Yunzhou analyzed, "Now that the late prince has passed away, it is possible Shi Mo will harbor designs once more, egging on the Black Qiang to violate our borders in hopes of raiding the Central Plains." Peng Hu snorted. "Heavy forces are garrisoned along the border passes. They won't break through!" Lu Yunzhou nodded. "My concern is that they might bypass us to the west, entering the Thirty-Six Kingdoms of the Western Regions. Last year, the Great Bandits of Mount Qi joined forces with horse bandits of the Western Regions to launch a surprise attack on the second most critical stronghold of the Jushi Kingdom, gorging themselves on plunder. "The vulnerability displayed by the Thirty-Six Kingdoms of the Western Regions may well draw the covetous eyes of the Qiang."