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Chapter 2560 Northern Expedition

The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was the first to learn of Qi Shu's childbirth.

All matters, big and small, in the palace had to be registered and recorded by the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs. The birth of a prince was of paramount importance.

That afternoon, a eunuch rushed into the Directorate of Ceremonial, holding a document in his hand, and said breathlessly, "Consort Su has given birth! It's a prince!"

The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs suddenly became lively, with eunuchs crowding around to ask all sorts of questions.

Gongsun Jin sat in his seat, holding a pen, copying a document.

Upon hearing the news, his hand paused involuntarily, and the tip of his pen left a black, round dot on the paper, like a mole.

He didn't look up and continued writing, but the ink spot remained there, neither erased nor rewritten.

The prince.

Qi Shu gave birth to a prince.

Gongsun Jin felt as if his heart was being squeezed, the pain making it hard for him to breathe.

Qi Shu gave birth to another man's child, and the father of that child was the enemy who wiped out the entire Qi family.

I wonder what Qi Shu is feeling right now—happy, sad, or numb?

Gongsun Jin had no idea.

All he knew was that he couldn't help in any way right now, and could only sit here and listen to news about Qi Shu from others, like an insignificant bystander.

……

That evening, Su Ning personally named the prince.

His name is Su Yingyuan.

Yingyuan means the beginning of Heaven.

The moment the name was announced, everyone understood that the Emperor had high hopes for his eldest son.

"Yingtianzhiyuan" refers to the Crown Prince's intention.

Although the emperor did not say it explicitly, the name itself conveyed the meaning very clearly.

When the news reached the Directorate of Ceremonial, the eunuchs began to discuss it again.

"Yingyuan, what a great name! It's so grand!"

"His Majesty is raising the eldest prince as if he were the crown prince."

"That's right, he's the eldest son, who else should we choose if not him?"

Gongsun Jin sat in the corner, listening to the discussions, his face still expressionless.

He held a book in his hand, flipped through several pages, but couldn't absorb a single word.

Because he was wondering what Qi Shu was doing right now.

Is she feeding the baby, or watching the baby sleep?

What was Qi Shu thinking when she was holding that child?

Is she thinking about her child's future, or about her own past?

Gongsun Jin didn't know why he was thinking about these things.

These things seem to have nothing to do with him.

That child has nothing to do with him either.

Qi Shu has nothing to do with him anymore.

From the moment he castrated himself, he was no longer a man.

He was no longer the spirited Mr. Gongsun who stood on the podium.

He was just a eunuch, a lowly eunuch, who didn't even have the right to like someone.

But Gongsun Jin still couldn't let go, couldn't let go of Qi Shu, couldn't let go of the woman he had loved for so many years.

……

Qi Shu recovered well after giving birth.

She was young and in good health, and with the careful care of the imperial physicians, she was able to get out of bed and walk around in no time.

She personally fed the baby every day, changed the baby's diapers herself, and did everything herself, not letting the palace maids interfere.

She puts all her energy into her child, as if only in this way can she stop thinking about the things that cause her pain.

Su Yingyuan is very good-looking, resembling both Qi Shu and Su Ning.

The child's eyes are like Qi Shu's, big, bright, and watery; his lips are like Su Ning's, thin, and very imposing when he purses them.

When Qi Shu held Su Yingyuan, she often stared blankly at his face.

On that young face, she saw the shadows of her family and her enemies.

Qi Shu didn't know whether she should love this child or hate it.

All she knew was that this child was flesh of her flesh, and she couldn't help but love him.

……

Gongsun Jin never had the chance to see Qi Shu again.

The Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was far from the inner palace, and his status did not allow him to go to the inner palace.

He could only imagine Qi Shu's appearance in his mind, imagine her holding the child, imagine her smiling, and imagine her crying.

The more Gongsun Jin thought about it, the more upset he became.

What Gongsun Jin didn't know was that his every move was being watched.

Su Ning sat in the imperial study, flipping through the secret reports sent by his spies.

The secret report detailed Gongsun Jin's every move in the Directorate of Ceremonial, including who he met, what he said, and what he wrote each day, even detailing his sleepless nights.

After reading the secret report, Su Ning chuckled and said to the eunuch beside him, "This Gongsun Jin is truly a talent. Those old fogies in the Directorate of Ceremonial all praised him for his efficiency and said he is a promising individual."

The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard asked cautiously, "Your Majesty, should we... transfer him away? Or find a pretext to send him out of the palace?"

Su Ning shook his head: "No need. Talented people are rare, and they should be given important positions. As for what he thinks, that's his business. I use his talent, not his heart."

The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard dared not ask any more questions and stepped aside.

Su Ning leaned back in his chair and began to think.

Gongsun Jin was a man of talent, affection, righteousness, courage, and wisdom.

Such a person would indeed be wasting his talents by being placed in the Directorate of Ceremonial.

But I can't use Gongsun Jin right now, because there's still a thorn in his side.

If that thorn isn't removed, Gongsun Jin will never truly serve the court.

Suning isn't in a hurry; he has plenty of time.

Let's wait and see what Gongsun Jin chooses.

Should one cling to that hopeless relationship, or let go of the past and start anew?

No matter which path Gongsun Jin chooses, Suning has a way to deal with it.

That's the advantage of being an emperor: you can always stand on high and watch the people below put on a show, and you can call a halt whenever you want.

Gongsun Jin had no idea how many moves he had made on Suning's chessboard.

They thought they were well hidden, that they were a pawn lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to deliver a fatal blow to their opponent.

Little did he know, he had already been exposed.

He was never the one playing the game, but rather the one being played.

Every step they took was within Suning's expectations.

……

In the courtyard of the Directorate of Ceremonial, Gongsun Jin was practicing calligraphy.

I practice calligraphy for half an hour every day without fail.

His calligraphy, stroke by stroke, is powerful and penetrating, just like him—calm on the surface, but full of strength underneath.

When Liu Zhangyin came out of the room, he saw Gongsun Jin practicing calligraphy. He came over to take a look and praised him highly: "What excellent calligraphy! Young Gongsun, your calligraphy is better than that of the scholars in the Hanlin Academy. If the Emperor sees it, he will definitely like it."

Gongsun Jin put down his pen and said modestly, "Eunuch Liu, you flatter me. My skills are nothing special."

Manager Liu patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile, "Young man, don't be too modest. Too much modesty is just arrogance. Work hard, we have high hopes for you."

Gongsun Jin bowed and watched Liu Zhangyin walk away, then picked up his pen again and continued practicing calligraphy.

This time, he wrote a poem, a Tang Dynasty poem, Li Shangyin's "Untitled": "It is difficult to meet and difficult to part, the east wind is powerless and the flowers are withered. The silkworm spins silk until death, the candle burns until it is ash and the tears are dry."

When he wrote the line "The silkworm spins silk until its death," his hand suddenly stopped for a moment.

I stared at those words for a while, then continued writing, word by word, neatly and without any corrections.

After finishing writing, Gongsun Jin picked up the paper and examined it against the light.

After the ink dried, he folded it neatly and tucked it into his sleeve.

He neither threw the poem away nor showed it to anyone else, but took it back to his residence and put it under his pillow.

That night, Gongsun Jin suffered from insomnia again.

Lying on the communal bed with his eyes open, listening to the snoring of the eunuchs around him, his mind was filled with Qi Shu's face.

I reached under my pillow and touched the poem. My fingertips brushed against the edge of the paper; it felt cool to the touch.

"The silkworm spins silk until its death." Gongsun Jin murmured this sentence to himself, repeating it over and over until his eyes welled up with tears.

I don't know how much longer I can hold on.

All I know is that as long as he's alive, I won't give up.

It wasn't for revenge, nor for restoring his country, but simply for the woman he had loved his entire life.

Even if that woman may never know, even if that woman will never turn back, Gongsun Jin will still protect her and guard her until the day he dies.

……

In the third year of the Minxing era, in the spring.

Early that morning, Su Ning sat in the council hall of the Privy Council.

The room was packed with people: Vice Privy Councilor Wei Qilin and Song Shijie, Minister of War Zhou Kejian, several senior staff officers from the General Staff Office, and several generals who had returned from the border. The room was filled with a dark mass of people.

He Jingyuan, as the Grand Secretary, also attended the meeting.

Although he doesn't handle military affairs, as the chief minister, he must be present for such important events.

Su Ning sat in the main seat, with a huge map spread out in front of him. It was covered with densely packed maps showing the mountains, rivers, cities, passes, and troop deployments of the Northern Jurchens, making it dizzying to look at.

This was drawn up by the Staff Office over a whole year. Every road, every mountain, and every river was repeatedly verified to ensure that nothing went wrong.

"Everyone's here." Su Ning glanced at everyone present. "Let's begin."

Wei Qilin stood up, walked to the map, picked up a thin wooden stick, pointed to several locations on the map, and began to introduce the General Staff's operational plan.

Although he hasn't been leading troops on the front lines for the past few years, he has never neglected military affairs. Every day, he reads battle reports, studies maps, and discusses tactics with his staff. His understanding of the Northern Jurchens is deeper than anyone else's.

“The main force of the Northern Jurchens is here,” Wei Qilin pointed to a location on the map with a wooden stick, “Ulan Bakuren. Their Khan’s court is located here, and about 100,000 cavalrymen are stationed around it, all of whom are the elite of the Northern Jurchens. This is the lifeline of the Northern Jurchens, and it is also our primary target this time.”

Then he moved the wooden stick again and pointed to another place: "The Northern Jurchens have about 50,000 cavalry on the eastern front, scattered in several fortresses. They have 30,000 on the western front, guarding a stretch of Gobi Desert. On the southern front, where we are located, there are about 20,000 patrolling cavalry. They are not many troops, but they are very mobile. If they can't win, they run away, and then they come back. They are like flies, very annoying."

Minister of War Zhou Kejian asked, "Vice Envoy Wei, what is our objective in this military campaign? Is it to recover the entire territory, or to cripple it and then withdraw?"

Wei Qilin glanced at Su Ning, and Su Ning nodded.

Wei Qilin said, "The entire territory will be recovered. How much have the Northern Jurchens robbed of us and how many people have they killed over the years? This debt must be settled. This expedition is not just to teach them a lesson; it's to completely annihilate the Northern Jurchens and bring their territory under the control of Dayong. Ulan Bakulun must be captured, and the Khan must be brought back to be presented as a prisoner of war at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Not a single one can escape." The room fell silent for a moment, then a buzz of discussion arose.

The generals whispered among themselves, some excited, some nervous, and some calculating whether they would get a chance to fight.

A war that destroys a nation—that's such a great achievement, who wouldn't want to get involved?

Su Ning tapped on the table, and the room fell silent again.

"General Wei, please continue with the specifics of how to fight," Su Ning said.

Wei Qilin cleared his throat and pointed the wooden stick at the southern position on the map. "The General Staff's plan is to launch an attack in three routes. The eastern route, with 50,000 troops, will depart from Yanzhou, bypass the Northern Jurchens' main defenses, and cut off their retreat from the east. The western route, with 50,000 troops, will depart from Chongzhou, cross the Gobi Desert, and encircle them from the west, forming a pincer movement with the eastern route. The central route, with 100,000 troops, will be personally commanded by His Majesty and will advance from the front to draw away the main force of the Northern Jurchens."

He paused, then added, "Three armies, totaling 200,000 troops. The eastern and western armies will move first, departing ten days ahead of schedule. Once they are in place, the central army will follow. The three armies will launch a simultaneous attack, leaving the Northern Jurchens unable to escape even if they want to."

Zhou Kejian then asked, "What about provisions and supplies? With an army of 200,000, the daily consumption is not insignificant. The Ministry of War needs to make preparations in advance."

Su Ning said, "I have already discussed the matter of provisions with the Grand Secretary. The Ministry of Revenue has transferred 500,000 shi of grain from various regions, enough to feed the army for half a year. As for supplies, the Ministry of War is responsible for preparation, and they must all be in place within a month."

Zhou Kejian nodded and quickly wrote it down in his notebook.

A young staff officer stood up, pointed to several locations on the map, and said, “Your Majesty, esteemed envoys, these places are the water sources for the Northern Jurchens. We can send small groups of troops to infiltrate them in advance and cut off their water supply when the battle begins. Without water, the Northern Jurchens' horses will be unable to run, and their men will be unable to fight, reducing their combat effectiveness by at least 30%.”

Wei Qilin's eyes lit up: "That's a good idea. Your staff should come up with a concrete plan for the water source, and do it quickly."

The staff officer sat down and began writing furiously in his notebook.

Another advisor stood up: "Your Majesty, General, the Northern Jurchens' warhorses are faster than ours, which is their advantage. However, their horses also have fatal weaknesses: they are short, lack strength, and are slow. In winter, although their horses have great endurance, this will further limit their speed, making them unable to run fast. Could we schedule the start of the war in winter?"

Su Ning thought for a moment and shook his head: "Winter won't work. Our Dayong soldiers can't withstand winter either. The winters on the northern grasslands are too cold; frostbite casualties would be greater than battle losses. Besides, transporting supplies in winter is inconvenient; heavy snow blocks the roads, and supplies can't be delivered. The start of the war is set for autumn, when the horses are fat and the weather is perfect for fighting. Winter is a limitation for them, and it's a limitation for us as well. Our horses aren't as stamina-efficient as theirs, but our soldiers are stronger. Our equipment is also better than theirs."

The staff officer nodded and sat down.

Wei Qilin continued, "There's another matter. The Northern Jurchens rely on mounted archery in battle. They are incredibly accurate and ruthless when shooting arrows from horseback; it's their specialty. Although our cavalry has been trained for three years, their mounted archery skills still can't match theirs. Therefore, the Chief of Staff's suggestion is not to compete with the Northern Jurchens in mounted archery, but rather in swordsmanship and spears. Charge in, engage in close combat, and don't give them a chance to fire arrows. Our armor is thick, and our swords and spears are sharp; they are no match for us in close combat."

One general asked, "But how do we charge forward? They won't stand still and wait for us to charge; they'll run, shoot as they run, run away, and then shoot again. We can't catch them, what should we do?"

Wei Qilin smiled and pointed to an area on the map. "The General Staff has already considered this issue. We've built over a dozen beacon towers along the border, one every thirty li. If the Northern Jurchens dare to harass us, a single beacon fire will send nearby garrisons to the scene within half an hour. In addition, we've trained a special infantry force to deal with cavalry, equipped with spears and powerful crossbows. If the Northern Jurchens dare to approach, we'll stab their horses with spears and shoot them with crossbows, ensuring they never return."

Su Ning listened to Wei Qilin's report, nodding occasionally.

He and his staff had gone through this plan dozens of times, taking every detail into consideration.

From troop deployment to food and supplies, from attack routes to retreat plans, from weather changes to terrain utilization, everything that could be thought of was considered.

"Is there anything else to add?" Su Ning asked.

The room was quiet for a while; no one spoke.

Su Ning stood up, placed his hands on the table, and looked at everyone present. "Gentlemen, three years ago, we conquered the world and established the Great Yong. But the Northern Jurchens are still swaggering on the border, still robbing our things and killing our people. I have never forgotten the blood debt of the massacre in Yanzhou. This debt should be settled thoroughly now."

"I don't care how many cavalrymen the Northern Jurchens have, nor how skilled their archery is. I only know that the soldiers of the Great Yong are invincible. This expedition is a must-win, no-lost campaign. Anyone who dares to retreat in the face of battle, anyone who dares to delay military operations, I will cut off their head and send their entire family to the army."

Wei Qilin was the first to stand up, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, this humble general swears to serve you to the death, and will not return until the Northern Jurchens are defeated!"

The other generals also stood up and shouted in unison, "We will not return until we defeat the Northern Jurchens!"

Su Ning nodded and sat down again. "Alright. Vice Envoy Wei, you are in charge of the Eastern Route Army. Within five days, submit the roster of the Eastern Route Army. Make sure it is clear who will lead the vanguard, who will bring up the rear, and who will be in charge of supplies."

"Yes!" Wei Qilin replied.

"I'll send Li Huai'an to the Western Route Army," Su Ning said. "He's been in the Northwest and is familiar with the terrain there. I trust him with the Western Route Army."

Grand Secretary He Jingyuan immediately showed a pleased expression, after all, Li Huai'an was one of his most valued students.

The fact that Su Ning is now willing to let Li Huai'an lead troops to fight against the Northern Jurchens shows that he values ​​their faction.

Zhou Kejian was taking notes beside him, his pen scratching across the paper.

Su Ning added, “I will personally command the central army. The Grand Secretary, the Cabinet, and the Six Ministries will remain in the capital to handle state affairs. The Privy Council, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of War will fully support the front lines, ensuring that there is no shortage of food, weapons, or medicine. Anyone who dares to hinder us from the rear will be severely punished by me.”

He Jingyuan stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will guard the capital. Anyone who dares to cause trouble will be dealt with by me first."

Su Ning looked at everyone present and suddenly smiled. "Alright, everyone disperse! Go back and prepare. The army will set off in three months."

"promise."

……

The crowd stood up and filed out.

As Wei Qilin reached the door, Su Ning called out to him, "Father-in-law."

Suning used this rarely used name.

Wei Qilin paused for a moment, then turned around. "Your Majesty, is there anything else?"

Su Ning walked up to him and lowered her voice, saying, "Take it easy with the Eastern Route Army. You're the Deputy Privy Councilor, not the vanguard officer. Don't rush to the front every time there's a battle. You're not young anymore, not like you used to be."

Wei Qilin chuckled twice and scratched his head. "Your Majesty, rest assured, I know what I'm doing."

Su Ning looked at him and said seriously, "I'm not joking with you. If something happens to you, Changyu will be heartbroken, and I will be heartbroken too."

Wei Qilin's smile faded, and after a moment of silence, he nodded, "Your subject will remember."

Su Ning patted him on the shoulder, then turned and left.

Wei Qilin stood at the entrance of the Privy Council, watching Su Ning's retreating figure, his eyes slightly red.

Even after becoming emperor, this son-in-law remained the same; he didn't say anything, but he kept everything to himself.

……

Three months later, the army set off.

The Eastern Route Army and the Western Route Army went first, with 50,000 troops leaving the city in a grand procession.

Wei Qilin, mounted on his horse, glanced back at the capital, then turned and spurred his horse, riding away without looking back.

Li Huai'an led the Western Route Army out of the city from another direction. His troops moved very quickly, raising clouds of dust that blotted out the sky.

Suning's central army set off three days later.

One hundred thousand men, with banners waving and swords and spears standing in a forest, filed out of the north gate of the capital and took a whole day to complete their journey.

Empress Wei Changyu, heavily pregnant, stood atop the city wall, watching the army depart into the distance.

Qi Shu was also there, holding Su Yingyuan in her arms.

Su Yingyuan was already over a year old, an age when he was curious about everything. He lay on the city wall, craning his neck to look down, babbling away.

"Father! Father!" Su Yingyuan called out twice, his voice a little unclear, still childish.

Qi Shu hugged Su Yingyuan tightly and whispered in his ear, "Father has gone to fight the bad guys. He'll be back in a few days."

Su Yingyuan tilted his head and thought for a moment, then asked, "Are bad people bad?"

Empress Wei Changyu, who was standing to the side, laughed: "Bad, very bad. That's why your father is going to beat them up."

Su Yingyuan clenched his little fists and, imitating the adults, shouted, "Beat the bad guys!"

Wei Changyu and Qi Shu on the city wall both laughed, but Qi Shu's laughter was somewhat meaningful.

Suning rode his horse at the head of the procession.

He glanced back at the capital and saw Wei Changyu, Qi Shu, and Su Yingyuan standing on the city wall. He waved to them.

Wei Changyu waved, and Su Yingyuan waved too, their little hands waving happily.

Su Ning turned around, looked at the main road ahead, spurred his horse, and sped up.

……

Two hundred thousand troops advanced in three directions, with only one objective—the Northern Jurchens.

This battle lasted for a full six months.

They fought from autumn to winter, and from winter to the following spring.

Su Ning's central army clashed head-on with the main force of the Northern Jurchens in more than a dozen battles, winning every single one. However, the Northern Jurchens were like grass on the grassland, growing back after being cut down, and there was no way to defeat them all.

Wei Qilin's eastern army circled around to the rear of the Northern Jurchens, burned their supplies, and cut off their retreat.

Li Huai'an's western army crossed the Gobi Desert and stabbed the Northern Jurchens in the back, catching them completely off guard.

The three armies besieged the Northern Jurchens in Ulan Bakulun for two whole months.

The Khan of the Northern Jurchens sent envoys to sue for peace, saying that he was willing to become a vassal and pay tribute, and to return the cattle and sheep that had been stolen to Dayong.

Suning, however, did not agree.

He ordered the peace envoys to be sent back, and sent a message: "Surrender or die. There is no third way."

The Northern Khan did not surrender.

Instead, he led his last tens of thousands of cavalry out of Ulan Bakuren, intending to flee north.

Wei Qilin led the Eastern Route Army to intercept them and beheaded the Khan with a single stroke.

The Northern Jurchen people were leaderless; some died, some surrendered, and some scattered.

……

After half a year of fighting, the Northern Jurchens were finally destroyed.

When the news reached the capital, the whole city rejoiced.

The people were banging drums and gongs and setting off firecrackers, just like celebrating the New Year.

Grand Secretary He Jingyuan stood atop the city wall, watching the cavalrymen bringing good news gallop by, tears streaming down his face.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Great Yong!" the people in the city shouted, their cries rising in waves.

Su Ning rode his horse at the head of the triumphant procession, wearing armor and with a smile on his face.

Behind him were Wei Qilin and Li Huai'an, followed by a dense mass of soldiers, and then the spoils of war: countless cattle, sheep, horses, and gold and silver jewels.

Standing atop the city wall, Wei Changyu held her newborn son, Prince Su Ying'an, and watched Su Ning's figure draw ever closer, tears streaming down her face.

Qi Shu, who was standing to the side, also came to greet Su Yingyuan, her face still bearing an indescribable expression.

Su Yingyuan is already two years old and has become much more sensible. When he sees Su Ning, he waves his little hand vigorously and shouts "Father Emperor, Father Emperor".

Su Ning climbed onto the city wall and took Su Ying'an from Wei Changyu's arms. He was so cute and cuddly.

After holding him for a while, he handed Su Ying'an over to Wei Changyu.

Then he picked up Su Yingyuan, who was standing to the side, and lifted him high in the air.

Su Yingyuan giggled incessantly, patting Su Ning's helmet with his little hands, making a jingling sound.

"Father Emperor has won!" Su Yingyuan said.

Su Ning smiled and said, "Yes, Father Emperor won."

Su Yingyuan then asked, "Where are the bad guys?"

Suning said, "The bad guy is dead."

Su Yingyuan thought for a moment, "It's good that the bad guys are dead. They can't bully people anymore when they're dead."

Su Ning smiled, still holding him in her arms, then put her arm around Wei Changyu's shoulder, watching the triumphant army below the city.

The army had already encamped outside the city, a vast, dark mass stretching as far as the eye could see. The cheers of victory rose in waves, shaking even the city walls.

Now that the Northern Jurchens have been destroyed, the northern border of Dayong is at peace.

People can finally live their lives in peace and stability.

However, the conspiracies and schemes hidden in the sunlight are about to erupt. After all, now that there is no external threat to suppress them, the internal strife will naturally become more acute.

...(End of this chapter)