Chapter 235 - 198

A sudden, heavy snow arrived, blanketing the Imperial Palace in a coat of white.

The auspicious snowfall had put the Emperor in a good mood. The court was peaceful, with no major incidents. But after three days of snow, just as he was growing tired of the sight, the war with Beixia took an unexpected turn. Before winter, General Rong had requested tens of thousands of troops. Trusting him completely, the Emperor had approved his request to mobilize a unit from the Firearms Camp and had allocated the full amount of arrows and military funds he’d asked for.

The cost was immense, with the goal being a single, decisive blow to eliminate any future trouble.

Wars are fought with money and grain. No matter how wealthy the Yan Chi Dynasty was, it didn’t want to get bogged down in Beixia for too long. It was an impoverished land; conquering it would yield few resources or spoils. Worse, its people frequently harassed Yan Chi’s citizens. This latest unrest gave the Emperor a just cause for war. He was determined to beat them into submission once and for all—and if they could be conquered directly, all the better.

The best general, ample supplies—the Emperor was certain of victory.

But what arrived with the goose-feather snow was a report detailing a stalemate.

’How could there be a stalemate?’

Never mind something as remote as war; it was like a film crew shooting abroad—every day of delay was money burning. Ancient military campaigns were even more unforgiving. If supply lines failed, it could lead to mutiny or soldiers starving to death. It was a drain on Yan Chi’s living combat strength, and the mere thought of it pained the Emperor.

And then there was the Firearms Camp...

Those things were nothing if not expensive, and rare too.

Training a formation to use firearms was not cheap.

Just how expensive was it?

"Emperor, Your Majesty! This war must be won quickly! We cannot afford to drag it out!"

The Minister of War looked like he was having a heart attack right there in the court.

The report sent back by General Rong was, yet again, a request to the court for more grain, more money, and more men.

The Emperor was not a harsh man. He well understood the principle that an ox plowing a field must be fed. So, despite the enormous sum General Rong had requested before setting out, the Emperor had borne the pressure and given him everything he asked for without a second thought.

’The relationship between a ruler and his subject was all about trust!’

After all, General Rong’s promise before the expedition had been clear: give him these resources, and he guaranteed he would utterly crush the rebels.

In reality, however, they were at a stalemate, and the report even hinted at a decline in their position.

It wasn’t just the Emperor who was furious; the other ministers were also shocked and bewildered. At the same time, they couldn’t help but have their own suspicions—General Rong held immense power in the military. Could it be that he was taking the money and grain to build up his own army and declare himself king? But Noble Princess Consort Rong was still in the palace. General Rong doted on his daughter, always treasuring her more than his own eyes. If she wanted the moon, he would give her the stars as well.

But on second thought, if he truly had treasonous ambitions and could succeed, what was the loss of an eyeball?

This suspicion, along with the chill from outside the hall, seeped into the hearts of all the civil and military officials.

"Changing a general on the front lines will shake the army’s morale. We will trust him one more time." The Emperor drafted an edict in stern terms, making it clear this was the final time and ordering General Rong to secure a swift victory. In truth, the Emperor not only wanted him to hurry up, but also wanted him to clarify where the military funds had gone. However, with the enemy at the gates, it was not wise to show doubt in one’s general, so he kept this matter to himself for the time being.

The officials were fraught with worry, and a dark cloud hung over Xuanzheng Hall.

Like the Serbian student who fired the first shot at the crown prince of the Austria-Hungary Empire, not knowing he would trigger the First World War, this unremarkable military report swiftly triggered political turmoil in the Yan Chi Dynasty.

Guo Ruikuo submitted a memorial impeaching Rong Xue Tao. The evidence of bribery and faction-forming was irrefutable. Furthermore, the accusations regarding a past assignment from the Emperor—where Rong Xue Tao was sent to manage flood relief—were damning. He was accused of falsifying expenses, appointing cronies, and squandering the silver taels meant for disaster relief and river management. Each charge was like a dagger to the heart, pushing this once-favored official to the edge of a cliff.

The Emperor’s expression was impassive. He shelved the memorial without acting on it, leaving the assembled civil servants burning with anxiety.

’Could the Emperor’s favor for the Rong Family truly extend to this degree of indulgence?’

But after shelving the memorial, the Emperor made another move—he generously rewarded Guo Ruikuo.

With turmoil in the court, the harem was also seized with panic.

Even the most clueless Changzais and concubines had heard the rumors: it was best to lie low, stay out of trouble, and whatever they did, not to provoke Noble Princess Consort Rong.

On the Emperor’s instruction, the Empress cut off all channels of correspondence between the concubines and the outside world. But just before the "interception day," Guo Xiao Yi received a message from her parents. She learned that the Rong Family was likely in trouble, and that the one who fired the first shot among the civil servants was none other than her own father, Guo Ruikuo.

’The Rong Family has had their day in the sun. It’s time for the tables to turn!’

Guo Xiao Yi was ecstatic.

She wanted to go to Zhaoyang Palace right then and there to "visit" Noble Princess Consort Rong, but Xie Sheng stopped her.

"Don’t you worry," Xie Sheng said. "The Noble Consort’s days in the sun won’t last much longer."