The years I was in the human world

Chapter 213: Border Dilemma

There were successive heavy rains in Jiangzhou and the grain harvest was poor. Everyone in the Western Court had to tighten their belts to get through the next year. After Xie Yang had dealt with the Jiangzhou affairs, he returned to the court with Princess Zhaowu to plead guilty. Because of the messed up Jiangzhou affairs, the second princess Zhaowu was confined to her house and was not allowed to leave.

The noble families of the Fifth Prince, headed by the Du family, used this opportunity to remove Xie Yang from his military post in the Bingzhou Military Office. Prior to this, the Emperor had ordered the Fifth Prince to go to Pingyang County to distribute military pay, and he had not yet returned, so they took the opportunity to appoint him to temporarily take charge of Bingzhou's military affairs and assist the Bingzhou Governor in guarding the border.

The emperor played this "decentralization" move beautifully. The aristocratic families were happy to see the Fifth Prince dividing the military power of the Xie family on the border, and the emperor was also satisfied with transferring the Fifth Prince out of the center of power. Both sides were happy.

However, only a few days after the Fifth Prince arrived in Pingyang, something strange happened at the border. It was nearly the depths of winter, and the Wuxiang people, who had been peaceful in the north for more than a decade, suddenly moved south. At that time, the Fifth Prince, who was in charge of the Bingzhou Military Government, heard about the Wuxiang people's unusual movements and was so horrified that he actually abandoned the city and fled.

The Bingzhou army had no one in charge and their resistance was completely defeated. The Wuxiang people marched southwards with great momentum and captured thirteen cities in half a month, approaching Pingyang County.

By the time the urgent news from the border reached the capital, the fifth prince had already fled back to the prince's mansion and hid himself there. The emperor was furious, and the memorials were scattered all over the floor of Chengming Hall. He rarely scolded Madam Du in front of all the concubines: "What a good son you have raised!"

"When the Wuxian people came south, he didn't resist at all. He abandoned the people of the state and ran back!"

"Your Majesty, the Wuxiang barbarians are so ferocious. If Jin'er doesn't run away, she might become a captive who threatens you. That would be really embarrassing." Madam Du felt very aggrieved. What could she do if the Wuxiang people went south?

Thirteen cities on the border were captured in succession. It was because the generals defending the cities were incompetent and Xie failed to do her job well. What does this have to do with her Jin'er?

"According to what you said, I should reward him for knowing the times and running fast?!" The emperor was amused by Mrs. Du's indifferent attitude. He sneered and said, "It seems that I was wrong to ask him to take charge of the border military affairs."

"Your Majesty, Jin'er came back day and night to report the news. It would be fine if you didn't feel sorry for him for going through so much hardship, but you blamed him. It's really unreasonable." Madam Du curled her lips, as if she didn't care.

"The Wuxian people won't be able to occupy those border cities for long. They will have to take them back sooner or later. How can they be compared with Jin'er's safety?"

"Jin'er, Jin'er, Jin'er, those are thirteen cities in total. After passing Pingyang, we'll reach the imperial palace. If that's not important, then what is important?" The emperor was so angry at Mrs. Du that his face turned red.

He pushed the table beside him hard, and all the things on it fell to the ground. Mrs. Du was startled and looked at him with wide eyes in disbelief.

"He ran back faster than the urgent message. Do you want me to reward him with a title of nobility?"

……

The dispute between the emperor and Madam Du did not escape the eyes and ears of all the civil and military officials in the court. After a few days, after the morning class, the once arrogant Fifth Prince now stayed in his palace and naturally could not hear the princes, princesses, and other young men who were adding insult to injury to his misfortune.

"They fled without fighting, resulting in the loss of thirteen cities on the border. It will be difficult for the fifth brother to make a comeback this time." The sixth prince said gloatingly.

"The emperor seemed very angry. Even Madam Du was scolded." The Seventh Princess added.

"How can I not be angry? I heard that the Fifth Prince ran back earlier than the messenger who brought the news." A young man from a noble family echoed.

The chattering of discussions was endless. Chu Zhaoli was used to it and sat quietly aside without interrupting. In the past, they were mocking him, but now the situation has changed and the person being mocked has become the Fifth Prince. It was boring after all.

"Your Highness, why are you here alone?" Xie Yang, who was dismissed for incompetence, sat down next to Chu Zhaoli, "Why don't you curse them together?"

"Xie Xiao General, I have such a beautiful woman by my side, and you say I am a human being?" Chu Zhaoli patted Lu Zhouxue beside him. The latter looked at him speechlessly and silently stuffed a piece of dessert into his mouth.

Xie Yang was speechless. He originally thought that Chu Zhaoli's words a few months ago about "bringing a beauty back to the palace" were a joke, but he never thought it was serious.

Chu Zhaoli was happy that both of them were silent at once, and then he slowly answered Xie Yang's second question:

"Thirteen cities have been lost. Even if we say ten thousand things against my fifth brother, what good will it do? Besides, they weren't talking about the lost cities in the first place. They were clearly gloating over the misfortune. Isn't it more tragic to use the safety of the country as a topic of conversation than to abandon the city and flee?"

"Your Highness the Crown Prince is much more insightful." Xie Yang sighed, with a look of worry and self-blame on his face, "If I hadn't been punished by Jiangzhou, Bingzhou's military would still be under my command, and why would we have lost thirteen cities on the border in a row?"

"General Xie, please don't blame yourself. Don't say that Fifth Brother's own mistakes cannot be blamed on you. Even if it's Jiangzhou..." Chu Zhaoli didn't finish his words. He looked at Xie Yang and said, "Now that the battle of Pingyang is imminent, will the emperor re-employ you?"

"His Majesty has not issued an order." Xie Yang shook his head and said, "But three days ago, my father led a thousand light cavalry to Pingyang. He should be going there for Bingzhou affairs. My cousin is brave, and I think there will be results soon."

Sure enough, half a month later, news came from the border that the Wuxiang people had ceased fighting and were willing to return the thirteen border cities. However, along with the news was a letter asking for the princess' hand in marriage.

Just as Mrs. Du had thought, the Wuxiang people could not occupy the thirteen border cities for long, so they robbed all the money and food in the cities, killed half of the people, and then put on a humble attitude, saying that they were willing to return the thirteen cities if they could marry a Han princess.

"What a wolfish ambition! What a wolfish ambition!" The emperor was so angry that he cursed in public in the court, but knowing that the other party was taking advantage of him, he had to seriously consider Wuxiang's proposal to marry the princess.

Because the grain harvest in Jiangzhou was poor this year, the people were already complaining. If he rejected the Wuxiang people's request for peace, the war would go on endlessly, and his Chu family's throne would be unstable. Moreover, the noble families below were constantly instigating:

"Your Majesty, if you can recover the lost territory and protect the peace of our country at the cost of sacrificing a princess, why would you hesitate?"

The emperor was silent. Marrying his daughter for a marriage was a shameful thing, but facing the court officials who all agreed, he knew he had no room to refuse, so he could only say with a gloomy face: "Marry a princess? Okay, then according to your opinions, which princess is suitable to marry?"