Chapter 781: Fathers Plans

Chapter 781: Father's Plans

Whatever the reason, now that his elder brother clearly understood and could see the bigger picture, He Yue felt there was no longer any need to hold back.

Even Sect Leader Xue of the Rongshan Sect trusted his brother, so what reason did he have not to do the same?

He Lingchuan did not seem particularly concerned. “How long has the He Family even been back in the Yuan capital? His Majesty is simply too impatient.”

“Of course he’s impatient. Over the past three or four months, the rebels in the south have grown from one force into four. The more the court suppresses them, the worse the unrest becomes. Yet the money, grain, and supplies sent to the northwestern front can’t be reduced either. His Majesty has already fallen ill twice.”

He Lingchuan asked his younger brother, “When do you think Father intends to march south?” So that’s why Father spoke so righteously earlier, insisting that I should conduct official business impartially and inspect everything properly.

He Yue thought for a moment. “It’s difficult to say. Even if the money and grain arrive, the army still hasn’t finished reorganizing. The core of our forces is the Coordinating Army brought from Heishui City. After nearly a year of expansion and training in Xia Province, it still numbers only 1,500 men. That isn’t remotely enough to suppress the rebellions. But Father looks down on the local militia garrisons’ troops, so he insists on personally training them first.”

“Mm, that’s only sensible.” He Lingchuan still remembered the journey from Heishui City to Xia Province the previous year. Along the way, he had seen far too much governmental incompetence and military indiscipline.

When local officials could not receive their salaries and soldiers could not obtain their rations or pay, who could expect them to fight diligently?

Besides, Yuan’s entrenched problems had not developed in a day or two. He Chunhua had served as a commandery administrator for many years and understood the state’s condition perfectly well. Even after the Rongshan Sect’s money and grain arrived, He Lingchuan doubted his father would move rashly.

A true gentleman might choose not to fight, but once he did, victory had to be certain.

He Chunhua treasured the victories he had already earned and cared for the soldiers under his command. He Lingchuan saw nothing wrong with that.

Whether he could withstand the Yuan court’s pressure would depend on He Chunhua’s own skill.

After thinking for a moment, He Lingchuan asked, “Father must have made quite a few new friends at court by now, right?”

“How did you know?”

“It would only make sense. Otherwise, why would our family have been transferred back from the northern front so quickly?”

“That’s true. On the afternoon after Father arrived in the Yuan capital, he went to visit the Minister of Finance.” Big Brother can now hear the music from a single plucked string; he’s truly grown perceptive. He Yue wondered whether his brother had always been this way, or whether his wandering outside had suddenly opened his eyes. “State Preceptor Yan is also very close to Father.”

“State Preceptor Yan?” While in Beijia, He Lingchuan had heard Li Qingge mention that Yuan had already selected a new state preceptor to fill the vacancy left by Sun Fuping. What was his name again? Ah, right—“Yan Lixin?”

The man had established his own Daoist sect while still in his twenties and become leader of the Southeastern Daoist Alliance at thirty-one. He was widely regarded as an outstanding talent. This year, at only thirty-eight, he had been promoted to Great Yuan’s state preceptor.

He was also the youngest state preceptor in Yuan’s history.

Interestingly, He Chunhua and Yan Lixin were close in age. When He Chunhua was exiled to Heishui City, Yan Lixin had been only thirteen or fourteen. But in that case, the two should not have shared much history.

How did they suddenly become “very close”?

He Yue continued, “Father knew him when they were young. Later, while Father served as Governor-General of Xia Province, he exchanged letters frequently with people in Dunyu, and he corresponded most often with State Preceptor Yan. A few days ago, Mother even sent me to the Yan Residence with several boxes of pastries.”

Judging by He Chunhua’s usual methods, he had very likely worked behind the scenes to help Yan Lixin win the position of state preceptor.

Political investment carried enormous risks. It was a high-level game that ordinary people could not participate in. However, when one chose correctly, the returns could be equally extraordinary.

In that regard, He Chunhua’s judgment in choosing whom to support was unquestionably far superior to Hong Chenglue’s.

He Lingchuan asked curiously, “Why did Mother send you to the Yan Residence with pastries?” Pastries alone are far too modest a gift.

Yan Lixin was the newly appointed state preceptor. People would gladly send him treasures of any value. Madame Ying could not possibly fail to understand something so obvious.

And why had Madame Ying been the one to request the gift?

“The Yan Family’s eldest young lady loves the hawthorn cake made by our cook, just like you do.” He Yue could not help rubbing the back of his neck. “While you were away... the Yan Family’s eldest young lady became my fiancée.”

“What?” He Lingchuan stopped dead in his tracks. “You already have a fiancée? How old is Ms. Yan?”

Pastries were not valuable, but they conveyed intimacy.

Blushing, He Yue replied, “She turned fourteen at the New Year. State Preceptor Yan dotes on his daughter and wants to wait until she’s fifteen before marrying her off.”

The brat’s still growing, yet he already has a fiancée! He Lingchuan could not help but marvel at how much had changed during the half year he had been gone. “Mother must be smiling from ear to ear. She always wanted to find you a young lady from a distinguished family in the Yuan capital. So, what is Ms. Yan like?”

“She’s very beautiful, and her upbringing is excellent.” He Yue’s face reddened until it resembled a monkey’s backside. “She’s also very, very kind to me.”

A marriage alliance was one of the most common ways to strengthen position and influence.

If the young couple could develop genuine affection on top of that, it would be the best of both worlds. As his elder brother, He Lingchuan was naturally pleased for him.

“When will you arrange for me to meet her?”

He Yue stammered for a few moments before changing the subject. “The world is so unstable. Who can predict what will happen later?”

He Lingchuan patted him on the shoulder. “Be more optimistic. At least the problem on the northern front has been temporarily resolved. Nian Zanli isn’t coming back. Of the three greatest threats, one is already gone.”

Without Nian Zanli coordinating with him, the Minister of War in the northwest would face far greater resistance if he tried to fight his way back to the Yuan capital.

“Ah, Nian Zanli’s arrest truly was wonderful news. Father was so happy during those days that he could barely sleep. He kept saying that Heaven itself must be helping him.” The subject immediately brightened He Yue’s mood. “Now that you’ve returned as well, I feel as though the He Family’s fortunes have finally turned.”

He Lingchuan said softly, “Father has already been made a marquis, and he is a general holding military power. His achievements have already surpassed those of the He Family’s ancestors.”

But He Lingchuan knew that He Chunhua would not stop there.

With his present experience, it was not difficult to see that his father harbored even greater ambitions.

In an age of great struggle, Nian Zanli and Dong Haoming were far from the only people who wanted to accomplish something extraordinary.

The fact that He Chunhua had placed his second son under the Minister of Finance and secured the new state preceptor as He Yue’s future father-in-law showed that his plans were advancing step by step, methodically and without disorder.

He Lingchuan had no idea how many other arrangements his father had made in secret.

Some people were simply born for intrigue and hidden strategy.

If He Chunhua won another two battles, not only would his reputation rise like the noonday sun, but influential voices at court would also speak on his behalf.

That was precisely why He Chunhua was treating the southern campaign with such caution. He refused to waste the advantage and prestige he had painstakingly accumulated.

Great Yuan had placed enormous hopes upon him. Therefore, whatever victory he eventually delivered had to live up to those expectations. Otherwise, the excellent position he had worked so hard to build might collapse overnight.

He Yue sighed again. “By the way, have you heard that Lingxu City suffered a major upheaval? I never imagined that even mighty Beijia could have its own stronghold gutted from within. Brother, you’ve been gone for almost a year. The world outside has truly changed overnight.”

Several months had already passed since He Lingchuan wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace.

News of such magnitude always spread on its own. For Lingxu City, it was a perfect example of bad news traveling thousands of kilometers. In fact, even the ordinary people of Yuan were still discussing it with great enthusiasm.