After a male student transmigrated into the body of a widow,

Chapter 221 Tuogu

Without disturbing Zhao's wife and the others who were chatting and laughing happily, Gu Lin and his two companions quietly went to the study in the front yard.

Upon entering the room, Zheng Hao ordered his men to stand guard outside, while Da Zhuo and the others entered the study together.

Gu Lin turned to look at Da Zhuo and asked, "Why did His Majesty suddenly pass away?"

The news came as a complete surprise.

He knew that Emperor Jian'an had been taking elixirs and indulging in women, and that his health was gradually deteriorating. However, according to what Zheng Hao had said earlier, Emperor Jian'an's body could still hold on for a while, and with the excellent medical skills of the imperial physicians, Emperor Jian'an should have lived for at least a few more years. How could he have suddenly passed away when he was perfectly healthy?

Da Zhuo reported truthfully, blurting out the information he had obtained from the messenger: "His Majesty's death occurred five days ago. Our mole in the capital received the news and immediately left the city for Youzhou Prefecture. As for the cause of His Majesty's death, we still do not know, because the capital was sealed off after the mole left the city, and no more news could be sent out."

Gu Lin did not question the hidden agents Da Zhuo mentioned, as Zheng Hao had already told him about their existence.

The capital city was the residence of imperial relatives, high-ranking officials and nobles, so it was impossible for Zheng Hao to leave without leaving anything behind.

He deliberately left several hidden agents to prevent a major incident in the capital from happening today, in order to close the city gates and prevent news from getting out.

The death of Emperor Jian'an was a matter of great importance to the country and its people. In order to deliver the news to Youzhou Prefecture as soon as possible, countless horses died from exhaustion.

Upon arriving in Youzhou Prefecture and meeting Da Zhuo, the spy managed to explain everything before completely fainting.

Zheng Hao asked the most important question: "Who is in power in the capital now?"

Upon hearing the question from the official, Da Zhuo's expression hardened slightly: "When His Majesty passed away, the Crown Prince was on his way to the White Horse Temple outside the capital to pray for His Majesty's well-being. By the time news of His Majesty's passing spread, the capital had already been taken over by the Third Prince. The Third Prince possessed the imperial edict, which stated that His Majesty felt the Crown Prince was unfit for the throne before his death and therefore appointed him as the heir apparent to the throne."

“The Crown Prince and his officials do not believe that they are isolated and helpless in the suburbs. In addition, the Crown Prince’s important ministers are all in the capital. Those who obey will be spared by the Third Prince, while those who resist will have already lost their lives.”

"The Third Prince's tyrannical behavior terrified the officials, and many courtiers did not believe that the edict in his possession was genuine. The Third Prince could not kill all the civil and military officials, so he had to back down. In addition, the Crown Prince had been the heir apparent for many years and had trusted guards to protect him. The current situation is that the Third Prince and the Crown Prince have been in a standoff."

The outcome is difficult to predict.

Da Zhuo knew that no matter who won this struggle for the throne, the other would be buried forever.

Zheng Hao waved for the other party to leave, and at the same time ordered, "Keep a close eye on the movements of this manor."

Da Zhuo should have retired from the study.

The three sat around the table. Gu Lin and Gu An remained silent, clearly still deep in thought about the death of Emperor Jian'an and the struggle for the throne between the Crown Prince and the Third Prince.

Zheng Hao addressed the two men, saying, "The news of His Majesty's passing will spread throughout Youzhou Prefecture in a few days at the latest. You don't need to be overly cautious or apprehensive in your actions outside; just act as usual."

If Gu Lin and Gu An act too obviously, it will be easy for those with ulterior motives to discover that Zheng Hao has planted people in the capital.

He can't reveal too much right now.

Gu Lin understood and nodded slightly, saying, "We still need to pay attention to some important points, so as not to be caught doing something wrong in the future."

However, we've only just arrived in Youzhou Prefecture and don't know anyone there yet. The prefectural officials won't come to pay their respects for the New Year for several days, by which time news of His Majesty's passing will have already spread. So, we should keep a low profile these days.

Zheng Hao agreed, and Gu An had no objection.

After the three of them discussed the matter, Gu Lin and Gu An left the study to continue celebrating the New Year with Zhao's wife and the others, while Zheng Hao summoned his advisors to discuss matters.

With Emperor Jian'an's sudden death, the original plans had to be changed.

After Ye Kuogang and his students finished their New Year's Eve dinner, they were invited away by the young prefect.

As he entered the room, he walked toward a chair and asked, "What is so urgent that my lord has summoned me here before tomorrow?"

As Ye Kuo sat down in front of the chair, he heard the Duke Ming, who was sitting at the head of the table, say in a calm tone: "His Majesty has passed away."

Ye Kuo paused, then turned to look at Zheng Hao, his previously relaxed expression hardening.

His expression was solemn and his tone deep: "Please explain in detail, my lord."

Zheng Hao briefly recounted the cause, process, and outcome of the matter.

After listening, Ye Kuo did not immediately express his thoughts.

He looked up at the young prefect behind the desk. The man was indifferent and composed, showing neither surprise at the death of Emperor Jian'an nor elation at the disappearance of the mountain that had been pressing down on him.

Ye Kuo asked, "What is your opinion on this matter, my lord?"

With Emperor Jian'an's death and the capital in turmoil, it remains uncertain whether the throne will ultimately fall to the Crown Prince or the Third Prince.

He said, "The Third Prince was able to keep the Crown Prince out of the city, so he must have control of the Imperial Guards. If the Crown Prince wants to break the deadlock, he can only borrow troops from the local areas and prove that the edict in the Third Prince's possession is fake."

At this point, Ye Kuo shook his head slightly: "Even if the Crown Prince succeeds in borrowing troops to suppress the Third Prince, he may not be able to secure his throne. It is unknown whether the troops borrowed are loyal ministers and generals. If the Crown Prince is not capable of suppressing them, it would be like inviting a tiger into the capital."

Zheng Hao raised his hand to interrupt Ye Kuo: "I have no troops under my command, and this matter is not something I need to consider."

"I invited you here to discuss what Youzhou Prefecture should do after the new emperor's ascension to the throne, and how to deal with the Northern Barbarians who want to take advantage of the internal turmoil of the Great Qian after learning of His Majesty's death?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Kuo immediately turned his attention to these two places.

While others stayed up all night on New Year's Eve, they spent half the night in the study. After discussing important matters, Ye Kuo got up to leave when Da Yan came in with a food box. After bowing to the two of them, she stood up and said to the young prefect, "Sir, this is a late-night snack that my husband prepared for you and Mr. Ye."

Zheng Hao stood up, his cold expression softening slightly, and invited Ye Kuo: "Sir, you have gone to so much trouble. Why don't you stay and have a late-night snack with me?"

Ye Kuo readily agreed.

Da Yan took out a late-night snack from the food box and placed it in front of the two of them. Eating too much oily food in the middle of the night would be difficult for their stomachs to digest, so Gu Lin prepared two portions of dumplings for them instead of big fish and meat dishes.

Ye Kuo's expression showed surprise, but he then comfortably finished the steaming dumplings and walked back to his courtyard, still feeling warm all over.

The next day, dawn.

While Gu Lin and Zheng Hao were having breakfast, a soldier came to invite Lord Zheng to the military camp to discuss important matters.

It was the New Year holiday, and there was no news of any invasion from the northern barbarians. What did the Marquis of Zhenbei want to discuss with Zheng Hao?

Gu Lin had some guesses in his mind, but he wasn't sure.

Facing the slightly worried look in the young man's eyes, Zheng Hao remained calm and placed his hand on the back of the other man's hand: "I haven't shown Uncle Gu the money earned by the caravan from selling refined salt yet. I'll show it to Uncle Gu when we get back later."

Knowing that the other party didn't want him to worry, Gu Lin smiled slightly: "I've had some New Year's gifts prepared. Take them and give them to your comrades in the army."

Zheng Hao nodded in agreement, and without riding a horse, he arrived at the military camp with a cart full of New Year's gifts.

Upon entering the military camp, before he could even send out the New Year's gifts, Zheng Hao was invited away by Tian Kang, who was guarding the gate.

Tian Kang stepped forward: "Lord Zheng, you've finally arrived! The Marquis has been looking for you since early this morning. Please come with me."

Tian Kang was not one to sit still. Seeing that the Marquis was different from usual and seemed very anxious, he got up and went to the camp gate to greet Supervisor Zheng.

"Thank you for your trouble, General Tian."

As Zheng Hao spoke, he followed Tian Kang to the camp of the Marquis of Zhenbei. As soon as he entered, he saw that there were not only the Marquis of Zhenbei, but also other generals inside.

Upon seeing his arrival, before he could bow, the Marquis of Zhenbei, who was seated at the head of the table, said, "Lord Zheng, there is no need for such formalities. I have important matters to announce. Lord Zheng, please take your seat first."

Without further ado, Zheng Hao took his seat as instructed.

After everyone had arrived, the Marquis of Zhenbei swept his eagle eyes over the generals below and said, "This morning, I received a secret letter from the Crown Prince, saying that the Third Prince was forging an imperial edict and intended to usurp the throne. The Crown Prince's secret letter ordered me to lead a large army back to the capital to quell the rebellion!"

Upon hearing this, the generals inside the tent were greatly alarmed and began to discuss the matter amongst themselves.

The Third Prince and the Crown Prince kept the news of Emperor Jian'an's death a closely guarded secret, fearing unrest in the regions if the news spread. Even though the Third Prince controlled the Imperial Guards and the Crown Prince was at a disadvantage, they dared not make the news public. Instead, they sent secret messages to their trusted and loyal ministers and generals.

While the other generals were discussing in confusion, Li Xiu stepped forward and solemnly said to the Marquis of Zhenbei, "My lord, the Northern Barbarians must not be allowed to know about His Majesty's passing."

Ping Jin's tone was cold but went straight to the point: "The primary duty of the Zhenbei Army is to guard the border fortresses and resist foreign invasion. We must not rashly mobilize troops back to the capital."

The Northern Barbarians have always coveted the Great Qian Dynasty. Once the Marquis of Zhenbei mobilizes his troops back to the capital, the border defenses will be weakened, and the Northern Barbarians will surely take this opportunity to attack.

Marquis Zhenbei was also aware of this. He looked up at everyone and said, "It is not advisable for the capital to be in turmoil for too long. If the Crown Prince and the Third Prince continue to be locked in a stalemate and no victor emerges, the Great Qian will be attacked from both sides."

The Marquis of Zhenbei was not concerned about whether the Third Prince had usurped the throne with a forged edict. What he cared about was whether the Great Qian Dynasty could be stable and safe. If the Crown Prince and the Third Prince could decide the outcome within a few days, the Marquis of Zhenbei would not interfere. But judging from the current situation, the Third Prince could not kill the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince could not do anything to the Third Prince.

If things continue like this, the Great Qian Dynasty will inevitably descend into chaos sooner or later.

Marquis Zhenbei made a decision: "A country cannot be without a ruler for a day. This afternoon, I will lead my troops back to the capital to quell the rebellion."

"My Lord, you can't do that!"

"My lord, you mustn't!"

"My lord, what if the Northern Barbarians suddenly attack after you leave?"

As soon as the Marquis of Zhenbei spoke, the generals in the tent all tried to dissuade him.

They were not unaware of the dangers of a vacant throne, but they were even more aware of the potential consequences of the Marquis of Zhenbei leading his troops away.

Tian Kang spoke urgently: "Why should the turmoil in the capital require Your Highness to go there personally? This humble general is willing to lead troops to assist His Highness the Crown Prince in quelling the rebellion!"

As soon as he spoke, the other generals chimed in.

The Marquis of Zhenbei raised his hand, and everyone fell silent.

He looked at everyone with a resolute gaze and said, "This time, to quell the rebellion in the capital, I must go with the precious sword bestowed by His Majesty. No one can go in my place."

Most military generals are thick-skinned and unable to understand the meaning behind the words of the Marquis of Zhenbei.

The few remaining Confucian generals and strategists were frowning in deep thought, wondering how they should defend against the northern barbarians if the Marquis led his troops into the capital.

The young military supervisor spoke up to help the Marquis of Zhenbei out of his predicament: "If it weren't for Your Excellency personally leading the expedition to the capital to quell the rebellion, the other generals would very likely have been labeled as traitors by the Third Prince."

Generals like Tian Kang turned their heads and their gazes fell on the young military supervisor.

Zheng Hao: "Your Excellency wields the precious sword bestowed by His Majesty, which can slay treacherous officials and rebels. Without Your Excellency's leadership, the rebellion cannot be quelled."

After hearing the young military supervisor's explanation, Tian Kang turned to look at the Marquis of Zhenbei. Seeing that the other party did not deny it, he knew that what Lord Zheng said was true.

Seeing the generals' expressions of accepting the facts without saying a word, Marquis Zhenbei wasted no more time.

He addressed the crowd, saying, "This time, I am returning to the capital to quell the rebellion with 50,000 soldiers. After I leave, the Zhenbei Army will be under the command of Lord Zheng and General Ping. During my absence, you shall obey their orders. Do you understand?"

Pingjin had served the Marquis for many years and had made great military achievements. In the past, when the Marquis briefly left the military camp, Pingjin was in charge of the Zhenbei Army, so the generals in the tent had no objections.

After spending some time together, they had long since overcome their hostility towards Lord Zheng. Moreover, although Lord Zheng was the military supervisor, he never blindly interfered in military affairs and even put forward several suggestions that would benefit the Zhenbei Army.

Therefore, the generals did not object to the other party briefly taking control of the Zhenbei Army.

After giving instructions to Pingjin and the other generals, the Marquis of Zhenbei dismissed them, leaving only Zheng Hao in the camp.

He stepped forward and stood in front of Zheng Hao, raising his hands in a fist salute. Zheng Hao's brow twitched, and before the Marquis of Zhenbei could bow in respect, he raised his hand to support the other's arm: "Your Excellency, you mustn't."

The Marquis of Zhenbei moved slightly but did not budge the other man an inch. He felt the young man's solid strength, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

He lowered his arm, straightened up, and said to Zheng Hao, "This trip was rushed, and I didn't have time to say goodbye to Xiao An. I would be very grateful if Lord Zheng and Mr. Gu could take good care of Xiao An in the future."

Zheng Hao's eyes flickered, realizing that the other party's words were not parting words, but rather a request to entrust Gu An to them should something happen to him.

The Marquis of Zhenbei said with regret, "I thought that once I found Xiao An, I could enjoy the happiness of being a grandfather and grandson. But things didn't go as planned. After a short reunion, we have to part again."

“Xiao An is filial and sensible. Lord Zheng and Mr. Gu know this better than I do. He is now a teenager and will be able to live independently, marry, and have children in a few years. If I encounter any misfortune on this trip to the capital, I beg Lord Zheng to protect Xiao An as he grows up.”

When his wife and daughters died, he thought his grandson was also dead. With no worries, the Marquis of Zhenbei was alone on the front lines, having long since become indifferent to life and death.

Faced with the invasion of the northern barbarians, while other generals feared being injured or dying and unable to reunite with their families, he was never afraid of death and dared to lead the troops into battle. Now, returning to the capital to quell the rebellion, he faced the Imperial Guard, which was many times weaker than the northern barbarians, and he actually felt fear.

He feared that he had just reunited with Gu An, and before he could treat her well, teach her about military campaigns, or tell her about her grandmother and parents, so that she could feel his grandfather's love for her, he would leave her behind again.

There is no greater sentiment than this when entrusting one's orphan to another.

Zheng Hao replied earnestly, "Your Excellency, rest assured, Gu An is my family, and I will always protect him and uphold our family's honor."

"Thank you, Lord Zheng."

Marquis Zhenbei expressed his sincere gratitude.