Chapter 192 The Little Prince Becomes King

Chapter 192 The Little Prince Becomes King

Zhao Zhendong personally visited the inn where Shen Nanzi was staying that very night, only to find that she had already led three thousand soldiers to the next city.

He was left with only a letter, the gist of which was:

Fang Shuo's military pay will be transported from Tayun Pass, with 10% of the military rations left to supply the border troops.

Fang Shuo will send military funds to Yunhan in succession. This is not because she is betraying the country, but because she is exchanging benefits with King Fang Shuo.

They were reassured to accept it.

The letter concluded with: "We are all subjects of the Han Dynasty. As long as Xie Chengze has food, he will never let the soldiers go hungry."

Zhao Zhendong's lips were trembling, and there was guilt in his eyes. Princess Jing did not force him and even took the initiative to leave some for the army to prevent the border troops from going hungry.

This is much better than the Xue family, who wanted him dead.

With such a princess raising him, how could the young prince not be of good character?

With such a master, why should he worry about being purged in the future?

…

Shen Nanzi led three thousand soldiers on a night march and arrived at the second city before dawn.

This area is still a border region and sparsely populated.

The city walls were very dilapidated, built of rammed earth, and looked extremely fragile.

The words 'Mengcheng' are written on the city wall.

Shen Nanzi had been here twice. It was a very small city with only five hundred soldiers guarding it.

Mainly responsible for maintaining public order in Mengcheng.

Shen Nanzi ordered three thousand soldiers to stand by on the spot.

She then changed into a suit of armor, put on a helmet, mounted a white horse, and, accompanied by her lieutenant, rode to the city gate.

Soon, the soldiers of Mengcheng noticed something amiss and stood on the city wall, shouting, "Is this General Zhao's border troops?"

Shen Nanzi, mounted on her horse, said, "Please have your county magistrate come out for a chat."

Upon seeing a woman, the soldier couldn't help but mock, "When did General Zhao's army first have a female general? Quickly state your name."

Shen Nanzi looked at the young soldier and said, "In the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, have your county magistrate come to see me immediately, or my three thousand cavalry will immediately surround and annihilate your Mengcheng."

Upon hearing the word "three thousand cavalry," the guards burst into laughter: "Nonsense! Three thousand cavalry? Do you even know how many cavalry there are in Yunhan?"

Shen Nanzi didn't waste words with the soldiers guarding the city, and directly asked the deputy general behind her to light an incense stick.

When the soldiers guarding the city saw the incense burning, they took a closer look and realized that although their clothing was similar in color to that of the border troops, there were still significant differences.

Knowing that something bad had happened—that Fang Shuo's army might have captured Tayun Pass and advanced directly to Mengcheng—they realized that things were going very wrong.

He was so frightened that he disappeared right off the city wall.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the county magistrate of Mengcheng appeared on the city wall, running while fastening his leather belt, wiping the sleep from his eyes, and still looking groggy.

He stared blankly at the perfectly aligned cavalrymen under the heavy snow, then stammered, "You...you...are you Fang Shuo's army?"

Shen Nanzi: "I am a soldier of Yunhan."

Upon hearing that they were soldiers of the Yunhan Army, the county constable immediately breathed a sigh of relief, and his expression softened considerably. "So you are border troops. Where are you going on your mission? Do you have a military tally or orders?"

Shen Nanzi: "Are we the troops of Xie Chengze, the grandson of the emperor? Please, county magistrate, open the city gates and let our army pass."

"The Emperor's grandson? When did the Emperor's grandson's army appear on the frontier?" the county constable muttered.

After a moment, he suddenly remembered something, pointed at Shen Nanzi, and his face turned pale, "Are you rebels?"

"Rebels?" Shen Nanzi smiled faintly. "Now that the imperial power is ineffective, how can there be rebels?"

The snow was falling heavily, and Shen Nanzi didn't want to waste any time. "County Commandant, the imperial court isn't paying you military salaries anymore, and you're relying on the people's grain for supplies."

"But you also know very well that the people's food supply is simply not enough to last until next spring."

"The people of Montreal were suffering terribly, and many men sold their lives to become guards."

You should have heard something about it.

The county constable had indeed heard something about it and even sent someone to check with the owner of the house who had been recruited. The man was paying real money, and they couldn't find anything unusual.

Without any abnormalities, there is no evidence, and therefore no one can be arrested.

Shen Nanzi cruelly told him, "Those are not guards, but soldiers recruited by the imperial grandson."

The county constable's expression suddenly changed. "You actually openly recruited soldiers in Mengcheng? This is a crime of treason."

Shen Nanzi: "The victor is king, the loser is villain. County magistrate, do not resist. We will not kill anyone, we are just passing through."

The county constable was somewhat confused by what he was saying.

Shen Nanzi waved her hand, and the deputy general beside her immediately lit a signal flare.

Suddenly, a large number of men dressed as commoners appeared on the city wall.

The few dozen soldiers guarding the city walls of Mengcheng were quickly subdued by hundreds or even thousands of civilians.

Even the few spears in their hands were disarmed.

With such a complete disparity in strength, no schemes are needed; it's a simple and quick solution.

The county magistrate then understood the meaning of what he had just said.

These men, disguised as commoners, were soldiers recruited by the young prince.

Shen Nanzi said coldly, "If you don't want to die in vain, don't have any other thoughts, otherwise you will be killed without mercy."

“We are all citizens of Yunhan. This is a last resort. If you do not resist, we will not kill you.”

Shen Nanzi pointed to the cavalry behind her, "See? We have the ability to massacre an entire city."

The county magistrate looked at the cavalry and felt fear. She was right. Three thousand cavalrymen could easily slaughter a small city like Mengcheng.

He immediately addressed the other guards, saying, "Everyone, don't make a move. Let the county magistrate clarify the matter."

The county constable wondered why General Zhao had let them come, and why they hadn't started a massacre.

Everything was completely different from the rebels.

He did not want to make unnecessary sacrifices before the enemy and friend were clearly distinguished.

The city gates of Mengcheng opened with a heavy thud from the inside.

Shen Nanzi immediately ordered three thousand soldiers to enter the city and sent people to find a location to set up camp.

She then sat down for a talk with the county official.

When Zhao Zhendong arrived in Mengcheng, he saw that Shen Nanzi was sitting at the same table as Xian Wei.

As the two drank tea, the county magistrate took out a map and began discussing with Shen Nanzi how to conquer the next city effortlessly.

"Princess Consort Jing, why didn't you wait for this old minister?"

When the county magistrate saw Zhao Zhendong arrive, he quickly offered him a seat.

"It's snowing heavily outside, and I, the princess, need to find a place for my soldiers to stay."

"It's all my fault for being so muddle-headed, Princess Jing, please don't blame me."

"General Zhao is willing to lend a helping hand. On behalf of the young prince, I thank you."

"It is my honor to serve Princess Jing."

Shen Nanzi looked at Zhao Zhendong strangely; his attitude had changed too quickly, making her suspicious.

Zhao Zhendong quickly stared at the county magistrate, "You brat, how did you lose so quickly? Where did your usual arrogance go? How come you were so easily defeated in front of Princess Jing?"

The county constable said, "You've already let them pass, don't you know what's good for you? I was trained by you."

"Furthermore, Princess Jing has recruited two thousand soldiers in Mengcheng, and there are three thousand cavalry outside the city. I only have five hundred guards, scattered at the four exits. We are no match for them at all. We need strength to resist."

“Even the Princess Consort of Jing says they are one of our own, don’t you understand?”

Zhao Zhendong chuckled, "You're smart enough to know what's good for you."

The three chatted for a while longer.

Zhao Zhendong frankly stated: "Princess Consort Jing, the Emperor did not assign any of the 101 cities that His Highness Prince Jing conquered back then. They were unclaimed territories, and the garrison was composed of the subordinates of veteran officials."

Shen Nanzi was overjoyed; wouldn't that save them a lot of fighting?

He continued, his voice tinged with guilt: "But these cities are not the major cities of Luoyang, so the garrison cannot be moved; we must maintain the normal operation of the cities."

"This old minister can muster 10,000 elite troops to follow Your Highness. The border troops cannot all be withdrawn, as we must guard against Fang Shuo taking the opportunity to cause trouble."

Shen Nanzi was aware of Zhao Zhendong's concerns; Fang Shuo was his mortal enemy.

"It's alright. We can recruit soldiers along the way, or we can seize the troops of other vassal kings for our own use."

"Thank you for your understanding, Princess Jing." The more Zhao Zhendong talked with Princess Jing, the more he felt her tolerant heart.

"Why did General Zhao change his mind?" This was Shen Nanzi's question. There couldn't be any mistakes later on, because she needed to use Zhao Zhendong.

"This old minister's thinking is outdated and stubborn. He has already reached the bottom line of what he can tolerate by exchanging winter clothes for Fang Shuo's three thousand soldiers to enter Tayun Pass."

"If this old minister were to send troops again, it would be a complete betrayal of our original intentions and a disregard for the ancestral precepts of the Zhao family."

"Later, when they saw the supplies sent by Princess Jing, which were so thoughtful and meticulous, the border troops who had suffered so much injustice all cried."

“Our filial piety and loyalty, as Princess Jing said, are foolish and cannot continue.”

"Only by being flexible can we break the deadlock."

This was also what he truly felt; when Princess Jing offered such favorable terms, he was already considering accepting.

It has nothing to do with His Highness Prince Jing.

Now that His Highness Prince Jing has given permission, it can only be described as icing on the cake.

I've even lost that last bit of rebellious thought; now I feel completely at ease.

He, Zhao Zhendong, is still a descendant of loyal martyrs, guarding the land and its people.

Shen Nanzi gazed at that sincere face, a face ravaged by time, the face of an old general from the frontier, dark, solemn, and dignified, who had dedicated his entire life to Yunhan.

Shen Nanzi nodded, "Alright, General Zhao, I entrust Cheng'er to you. In the future, if that day ever comes, I will make sure you leave a strong mark on the Zhao family genealogy."

Zhao Zhendong immediately knelt down on both knees, "This old minister will do his utmost to serve the country until his dying breath, and will not fail the trust placed in him by the Princess Consort of Jing."

*

The cold wind whipped up the sand and gravel of the border region, which lashed against the thick rammed earth walls of the city. Banners fluttered on the city towers, and armor clanged.

More than 10,000 soldiers stood in rows on the open ground below, their eyes fixed on the high platform.

Standing in the center of Mengcheng's city tower, Xie Chengze, the young grandson of the emperor, was about to raise a rebellion and declare himself king.

On the high table, three sticks of incense burned, their smoke curling upwards.

A dark-patterned red silk was laid out in front of the table, making the newly embroidered flag even more eye-catching.

General Zhao Zhendong, commander of the border army, wearing black armor, slowly stepped forward, holding a flag in his palm.

The crisp sound of the armor plates colliding was especially clear under the watchful eyes of everyone.

The flag was black with red gold tassels along the edges. In the center of the flag was the character "承" (Cheng), which was written by Zhao Zhendong himself and embroidered by Princess Jing.

The stitches are strong and sharp, like knife carvings, and every strand of red thread is soaked with the painstaking effort of working day and night. The characters are embroidered with dark silver cloud patterns.

The tail is adorned with three black iron tiger talisman patterns. When the wind blows, the tassels sway gently, as if one can hear the echo of thousands of troops.

"Your Highness,"

Zhao Zhendong knelt on one knee, raising the flag high above his head. His voice was deep and thunderous, sending shivers down people's spines.

"This flag was written by my own hand and embroidered by the Princess Consort of Jing. I wish to protect Your Highness in expanding the territory, raising righteous troops, and restoring peace to the world."

"From this day forward, wherever this flag points, that is where our soldiers will go. We will follow them to the death and never betray them!"

Xie Chengze was dressed in a silver-white python-patterned outfit, his youthful innocence gone, replaced by a resolute sharpness in his eyes.

He bent down to take the flag, his fingertips touching the lingering warmth of the fabric. Holding it in his palm, it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

He slowly rose, grasped the flag with both hands, and suddenly raised it above his head.

"Whoosh!" The soldiers all knelt on one knee, the sound of their armor hitting the ground reverberating through the heavens and earth.

The shouts pierced the clouds, churning up the dust and sand of the borderlands, echoing across the sky:

"I am willing to follow Your Highness! To rise up in righteousness and become king! To protect the peace of the world! To live up to the expectations of the people!"

Xie Chengze's gaze swept over the resolute faces below the stage, and in every pair of eyes burned the disappointment of the past and the expectation of a new life.

He raised his voice, which carried the clear tone unique to young people, yet contained an undeniable authority:

"Now he has abused his power and disrupted the government, seized control of the court, embezzled military funds, and persecuted loyal and virtuous officials who protect the country, leaving the throne vacant and the borders in grave danger!"

"If this royal turmoil is not quelled, the people of Yunhan will be invaded by foreign powers, the land will become a battlefield, and the people will suffer immense loss of life and bloodshed."

"I, Xie Chengze, as a grandson of the Yunhan clan, cannot bear to see the country shattered and the people displaced!"

"Today we raise an army here, declare ourselves King Cheng, and appoint General Zhao Zhendong as the Grand General Who Protects the Nation. We will now lead our elite border troops to Luoyang and restore peace and order to the world!"

He paused, then forcefully shoved the flag into the flagpole base beside the platform.

The black banner fluttered in the wind, and the crimson gold character "承" (Cheng) crackled and shimmered, reflecting the fire in his eyes:

"From this day forward, all my soldiers shall take the flag as their symbol and the people as their foundation. Those who kill without cause shall be executed on the spot, and those who collude with the enemy shall have their entire clan exterminated! In this battle, it is either victory or death!"

"Victory! Victory! Victory!" The soldiers' shouts rang out again, even louder than before, shaking the sand and making the flags flutter wildly.

Zhao Zhendong stood up, walked to Xie Chengze's side, placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, and looked intently at the audience below:

"Issue my order: immediately assemble the army, use the banner with the character 'Cheng' as the signal, and launch an attack!"

Beneath the city wall, the armored soldiers rose to their feet, their swords and spears drawn, gleaming coldly, their dark banners fluttering high in the strong wind.

The young prince's uprising to become king began from this point, and that hand-embroidered banner would eventually follow the army's footsteps, advancing all the way to Luoyang.

Shen Nanzi stood at the back, her eyes filled with tears. Her Cheng'er had grown up and was able to carry the royal flag with his small body and stand on his own.

Her seven-year-old child was already burdened with heavy responsibilities, and as a mother, she felt both proud and heartbroken.

They were ready; once the royal sacrifice was over, they would immediately march on to the next city.

*

News of Xie Chengze's self-proclaimed kingship immediately reached Luoyang.

Holding the letter, Xue Yubai scolded Xue Qingning, "I told you not to do anything, but you insisted on making a move against Zhao Feilong at this critical juncture."

"Zhao Feilong is Zhao Zhendong's son. Do you think he'll let this go so easily?"