Feng Yao brought up hot tea, and Xiao Rongyan tapped the table beside him with his finger, signaling Feng Yao to set it down.
Xiao Rongyan was not angry with General Song. On the contrary, he signaled Yue Shi to stop talking, rely looking at General Song and shaking the hem of his garnt, saying, "Since General Song is so loyal to His Majesty, you must be able to think of a way to achieve the best of both worlds. Otherwise... how can it be said to be wholehearted and unreserved loyalty to His Majesty, right... General Song!"
General Song, feeling choked by Xiao Rongyan’s words, was about to retort, but his throat seed to be clutched when he t Xiao Rongyan’s gaze.
Xiao Rongyan’s fingers tapped the table casually: "Then... I’ll give General Song the ti of an incense stick. If you can’t think of anything, you’ll be punished with fifty military sticks, which is considered lenient for General Song!"
After saying this, Xiao Rongyan hid the Yan hairpin in his hand, picked up the teacup, instructed soone to light an incense stick, and slowly blew on the hot tea in his cup.
Yue Shi looked at General Song’s distressing expression, feeling a bit relieved inside.
"Calm your anger, Prince!" a commander quickly pleaded for General Song, kneeling on one knee and cupping his fist, "General Song’s offense to the Prince indeed deserves severe punishnt, but now is the ti for manpower. General Song is the most valiant on the battlefield. Please, Prince, consider the fact that General Song was the first to break into the city and show so leniency, spare him this once!"
Xiao Rongyan laughed and said, "How can this be considered sparing? General Song claims to be loyal to His Majesty, and I am rely giving him a chance. If he cos up with a plan, it will be a great achievent... Regarding the offense against , I certainly won’t hold it against him! But if General Song can’t co up with anything..."
The smile at the corners of Xiao Rongyan’s lips grew colder, his eyes filled with terrifying murder: "In our Yan Army, if a commander cannot accomplish sothing himself but uses His Majesty’s na to impose burdens on , that’s one thing, but if he imposes them on subordinates... wouldn’t the subordinates be forced to death if they couldn’t manage? I, Rong Yan, don’t want such a general even if he were a war god. If General Song really can’t co up with anything, after the fifty military sticks, if he survives, let him roll back to Yan Capital as far as I’m concerned!"
General Song’s face turned red with anger: "The prince’s actions inevitably have the intent of sidelining His Majesty’s influence in the military!"
These words were severe, and all the generals present in the army looked visibly uncomfortable.
"General Song, what are you saying!" A commander who was friendly with General Song quickly rebuked and knelt, pleading, "Please, Prince, overlook General Song’s errors; he spoke out of anger and irrationality!"
"What, you think my request for you to co up with this dual-benefit plan is to sideline His Majesty’s influence in the military, or do you believe... that you represent His Majesty in the military?" Xiao Rongyan chuckled lowly, giving a chilling smile, "General Song, you should be glad I still recognize your loyalty to His Majesty, otherwise... your head might no longer be on your shoulders!"
Very quickly, the incense stick burned out, and with a grimace, General Song was dragged out by the soldiers and whipped fifty tis with the military stick. Yue Shi personally administered the punishnt, and General Song fainted just after being beaten, carried back by his subordinates to the hard battle.
By then, Xiao Rongyan had finished his tea, casually placing the cup aside: "And you all, any dual-benefit plans?"
The generals in the tent looked left and right but remained silent.
Xiao Rongyan nonchalantly tidied his clothes: "If none of you have any dual-benefit plans, then... let’s follow Zhou’s approach, win over the Xiliang civilians, and see... how many Xiliang civilians we can win over for our Yan!"
After saying this, Xiao Rongyan stood up and headed for the tent’s exit.
The commanders hurriedly got up, giving a respectful long bow in Xiao Rongyan’s direction, sending him out of the tent.
·
On the first day of the second lunar month, Bai Qingyan arrived in Jiangzi City with the army and refugees.
Outside Jiangzi City, there were already many refugees attracted by the news, but the general guarding the city hadn’t received orders from above, so he didn’t dare to allow these Xiliang refugees into the city on his own authority. However, due to the news from Yecheng Pass, he also didn’t drive them away.
As soon as Bai Qingyan arrived, she imdiately ordered the registration of the Xiliang refugees to enter the city, assign residences and farmland, and instructed the soldiers to repair any damaged houses to ensure the people could move in directly.
The citizens who were assigned houses and food, brought their wives and children to see their hos in Jiangzi City and were moved to tears. They finally had a ho, different from the past months where they wandered, always fearing they might starve and having to guard against the Tianfeng Kingdom’s army and bandits. Every day was filled with fright!
Now, they’ve finally settled down, beco the people of Zhou, with provisions from the Imperial Court; they won’t starve, they have houses to live in, land to cultivate, even though they owe the Governnt Office silver and grain, at least they survived.
In tis of war, survival is everything for the common folk, not to ntion that Zhou provided them with stability.
Upon Bai Qingyan’s arrival in Jiangzi City, after her arrangents, she rested, attended by Chun Zhi. The battle report sent from the front because it was a victory, Wei Zhong held onto it, intending to report it once Bai Qingyan awoke.
During these days, Bai Qingyan hadn’t rested well, particularly as a pregnant woman. Wei Zhong was reluctant to wake her.
Bai Qingyan slept for three hours, the al had long been ready, and Chun Zhi checked in ten tis, yet Bai Qingyan hadn’t woken, thus the kitchen kept the al warm, prepared to serve it imdiately when she awoke.
She woke at midnight, the cooks in the kitchen all at the ready, not daring to rest, and on hearing the emperor had awakened, imdiately sent the al in a black lacquered gold-outlined food box to Bai Qingyan’s bedside, with the kitchen bustling to prepare more dishes.
Behind the screen and drapes, Bai Qingyan dressed and rinsed her mouth, the maids ca in a line carrying the food boxes, Wei Zhong personally laid out the table, tested the dishes, the maids swiftly withdrew.
"Your Majesty, it is ti to dine," Wei Zhong reminded outside the screen in a low voice.
Chun Zhi fastened Bai Qingyan’s frost-colored orchid clasp, hands folded in front of her waist, stepped back daintily to the curtain, lifting it for Bai Qingyan, then followed her out.
"Any battle reports arrived?" Bai Qingyan asked after sitting down, wiping her hands with a warm towel.
"It’s a victory report, so this old servant didn’t disturb Your Majesty’s rest," Wei Zhong said with a smile, handing the victory report from the eunuch’s tray behind him to Bai Qingyan, "Deyang City has been taken..."
Bai Qingyan skimd the report and asked Wei Zhong whether it ntioned any injuries to her younger siblings: "Where is the soldier who delivered the battle report?"
"Resting now. If Your Majesty wishes to ask anything, how about waiting until tomorrow?" Wei Zhong suggested with a smile.
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