Hidden Shadow – CH 285

Chapter Two-Hundred-Eighty-Five: Schemes

The story should be told beginning with the fall of Zhending Prefecture.

The Emperor punished Liu Yun as a warning to others, and Ling Ziyue was indeed intimidated; after all, no general would want to die before achieving his goal.

The Northern King of Liao obtained the woman from Dangerous Moon, believing her to be Ling Ziyue’s woman, and had her publicly humiliated daily.

Even though she was not Ling Ziyue’s woman, the thought that a woman could act this way for her country while they, a group of men, could only watch helplessly was unbearable! Ling Ziyue endured this for over two months, feeling the time was right, and petitioned to launch an attack on Liao.

Liao was primarily nomadic, and livestock production depended entirely on this season. The longer the war dragged on, the better. Even if they could not decisively defeat Liao, they would certainly drag their people into misery.

The Song Dynasty lacked many things, but not money and provisions.

Ling Ziyue’s memorial caused a great uproar in the court. At that time, the Emperor had just become infatuated with the woman in Gushe Palace, feeling exhilarated and full of vigor. He acted as a stabilizing force in this turmoil, approving the memorial.

When news of Ling Ziyue’s initial victory arrived, the Emperor was genuinely pleased for a while. However, what followed was a protracted stalemate. There were reports of battles and large quantities of weapons and provisions being sent to the border, but the war made little progress. Then, someone suggested that Ling Ziyue’s lavish spending suggested he was likely planning a rebellion!

The Emperor was immediately disheartened. His initial enthusiasm was dampened, and his suspicious nature took over. After much deliberation, he concluded that Ling Ziyue indeed showed signs of rebellion. So, on a sleepless night, he ordered Ling Ziyue to withdraw his troops. However, Ling Ziyue was currently attacking a crucial pass in Xijin Prefecture, and with just one more push, he was about to capture it. Having sacrificed so many soldiers’ lives, how could he possibly return empty-handed?

As the saying goes, “A general in the field may disobey the Emperor’s orders,” and Ling Ziyue, after receiving the imperial edict, continued fighting for three more days. Upon hearing this, the Emperor was furious and issued another urgent decree.

When the edict arrived, Xijin Prefecture had just fallen.

Xijin Prefecture was the capital of the Liao Kingdom’s Nanjing Circuit; its capture meant the recapture of part of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun.

Ling Ziyue had guarded the border for many years and had countless plans to attack the Liao, but these had always been suppressed by the court. This time, his swift and fierce attack caught the Liao Kingdom completely off guard. The Song army’s morale was high; holding Xijin Prefecture should not be a problem. Once they gained a foothold, this land would soon be incorporated into the Song territory.

Unfortunately, at this moment, another imperial edict arrived. It stated that Liu Yun would take over Xijin Prefecture, and General Ling would be punished for treason if he did not return to the capital.

Liu Yun was also a valiant general with rich experience in border defense, making him the ideal candidate to take over Xijin Prefecture. However, his departure from Zhending Prefecture would create a gap in the western defense line. Ling Ziyue could not discuss defying the Emperor’s orders with Liu Yun; having served together on the frontier for many years, he knew Liu Yun’s character well. Ling Ziyue was somewhat blindly loyal and bound by family ties; he would never risk everything like Liu Yun.

In the end, Ling Ziyue returned.

Along the way, he pondered whether his actions were right or wrong. Had he acted too hastily?

Ling Ziyue dared not look back at the border situation; he could already foresee the outcome. Now, he could only pray that Heaven would favor the Song Dynasty.

The rain poured down.

At the pavilion outside Bianjing City, Ling Ziyue stood in full military attire, his face weathered.

“General, you are usually so prudent; why would you…?” Li Qingzhi asked.

Ling Ziyue remained silent; Chu Dingjiang’s words had awakened him. He did not act impulsively at the time, but it was only after receiving repeated news of the Dangerous Moon that he gradually became overwhelmed with grief and indignation, losing his composure.

“Who are the Dangerous Moon people in the Konghe Army?” Ling Ziyue sensed something was amiss.

Li Qingzhi said, “The Dangerous Moon are those who cut off all paths; their missions are almost always risky.”

Ling Ziyue asked, “Could there be spies among the Dangerous Moon?”

Li Qingzhi thought for a moment, “Unlikely, because the people of the Dangerous Moon only receive orders and have no right to know the entire mission; they have very little information.”

Seeing Ling Ziyue deep in thought, Li Qingzhi continued, “Besides, Lord Chu was among those who rescued the Dangerous Moon. If those two had done anything wrong, Lord Chu would have seen through it immediately.”

“So, I was too impulsive,” Ling Ziyue sighed. “Let’s go.”

The soldiers accompanying him rose one after another.

Li Qingzhi cupped his hands and said, “I can only escort the general this far.”

“Thank you for your trouble, brave warrior,” Ling Ziyue said, returning the cupped hands, but in his heart, he thought, “Although you are righteous enough to accompany and protect me, you do not know that the most dangerous place is not the journey, but the imperial court!”

One autumn rain brought a chill.

In Bianjing, leaves fell, and autumn arrived, while in the Liao capital, snow had already fallen.

In the Liao imperial palace, a fireplace was lit. A man sat at the head of the table, wrapped in a dark blue fur coat, his head bowed, and his eyes closed. His sharply defined face was half-hidden in the coat, only his brows revealing a pair of piercing eyebrows.

Below him sat Yelu Huangwu, dressed in a deep purple robe and draped in a dark fox fur coat. Her beautiful and dignified face now carried a faint smile. “Brother, your plan is truly excellent.”

“You have handled this matter well.” The man coughed a few times as he spoke. “I have ordered that your status as a princess be restored, and your residence remain the same.”

Yelu Huangwu’s only action was to embellish the story of Dangerous Moon and relay it to Ling Ziyue. Ling Ziyue was a man of strong will and fiery temper. Though composed, a well-placed message could subtly ignite his passion and rage.

“News has come from Bianjing that Ling Ziyue has been confined to his residence since arriving,” Yelu Huangwu said. “I will have my people there add fuel to the fire.”

“Come closer,” said the man seated beside him.

Yelu Huangwu ascended the steps and knelt beside the man. He turned his head and whispered a few words before adding, “This must be done quickly. Once the opportunity is lost, it will be difficult to force Ling Ziyue to his death.”

Ling Ziyue enjoyed a high reputation among the people, and this triumphant return further enhanced his fame. It must be understood that since the founding of the Song Dynasty, the wish of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong had been to recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun—something no one had ever accomplished, yet Ling Ziyue had done it!

The entire nation rejoiced. The Song Dynasty had always valued civil officials over military ones, but this time even the scholars who typically looked down on warriors held Ling Ziyue in high esteem.

Chu Dingjiang had been secretly observing the matter and suspected it was a Liao conspiracy, but he did not intervene. Instead, he used the opportunity to clear the Hua family’s name.

However, as long as Prime Minister Hua remained in court, the Hua family lived on the edge. Chu Dingjiang had secretly advised him to retire gracefully, but people were always drawn to high positions. He was indeed very talented, and seeing the Song Dynasty prosper more and more gave him a sense of satisfaction that nothing else could replace.

Prime Minister Hua became hopelessly addicted to the sense of accomplishment in governing the country, willing to die in his position, bearing the infamy of the prime minister.

The Song Dynasty also had a strong sense of family, but compared to Chu Dingjiang’s era, it had weakened considerably. Many people disregarded their families for personal gain.