Chapter 1450 - 350: Boiling! (Part 3)

Chapter 1450: Chapter 350: Boiling! (Part 3)

"So, in fact, Second Brother doesn’t actually have any troops in his hands."

The Imperial Guards, especially those stationed in the capital, are a presence that every country will have. They are what we call the central army.

Normally, the Imperial Guards should be the most powerful force, a military unit that should have existed since the founding of the nation, perhaps even preceding the establishment of the country itself.

Most likely, the predecessor of the Imperial Guards was actually the true loyalists of the founding monarch.

However, the situation varies for each country,

The royal cavalry of the barbarian tribes already represents the full extent of what their royal court can control. To be precise, apart from this force by their side, the barbarian royal court can hardly truly mobilize the forces of the major tribes. Without regional armies, there’s no talk of a central army.

In the former Jin State, following the decline of the Yu family, the tripartite division led to the Imperial Guards being reduced to a mere few tens of thousands stationed in the capital city.

The situation in Qian State’s capital became a joke regarding the Imperial Guards.

Before the war, Qian State’s capital was said to boast 800,000 Imperial Guards in defense, yet when the news of the Yan Army’s southern advance arrived, the first group sent northwards was less than 100,000, followed by a forced second group of 50,000, which dwindled down to less than 20,000 midway through the march...

Afterward, despite the pressure from the officials and ministers of Qian State, even the generals of the Imperial Guards admitted there were no more troops to be had.

In the end, to deal with the two cavalry troops of Li Fusheng and Li Bao, Qian State even commanded the Zu family’s army from the southeast coast to assist, relying purely on regional military leaders for battles.

The royal Imperial Guards of the Chu State, on the other hand, were combat-ready with high competence, arguably the strongest central army among the four major eastern nations.

Originally, Yan State’s Imperial Guards had been neglected due to the century-long maintenance of the Beifeng Army. After Tian Wujing took over the Jingnan Army, the Imperial Guards deteriorated further.

In recent years, half of them were allocated to Beifeng Prefecture, followed by another allocation alongside the Eldest Prince for eastern expeditions. Now, even defending the capital relies on the force of Li Liangshen’s command.

In other words, the Crown Prince might not be as weak as presumed, possibly even insidiously strategic;

But even if he’s strategic, it’s hard to act without resources. The Imperial Guards are just an empty shell now, what else can be done?

Thinking back, the Empress’s departure was quite timely.

After Ji Chengjue’s grand wedding, it was expected that the delayed wedding of the Crown Prince and the Princess would soon commence accordingly.

If the Crown Prince and the Princess were truly wed,

Well,

knowing the Princess’s audacious nature,

having dared to deploy Seventh Uncle and Li Liangshen to kill a prince during Ji Chengjue’s wedding night,

she might have allowed Li Liangshen’s Beifeng Army entry into the capital upon the Yan Emperor’s retirement to the rear garden,

to enthrone Ji Runhao as the Retired Emperor;

Most likely,

he would never emerge from the rear garden in his lifetime.

However,

Subtly,

Zheng Fan has a feeling that the Princess might wield influence over Li Liangshen, but not necessarily over the Beifeng Army stationed outside Yanjing.

The Yan Emperor is a person difficult to discern.

His Majesty is not Li Yuan, and Ji Chenglang isn’t Li Laosan either.

But fortunately, whether discernible or not doesn’t matter; no matter how talented the Yan Emperor is, he cannot resist time.

"Old Zheng, when I do carpentry, my favorite thing is symmetry."

With one flick of the ink line,

one measurement,

near or far,

divided equally,

this feeling is the most satisfying for me.

So,

I think,

the Father Emperor must like this feeling too."

The Ji family’s heirs aren’t simple. Even the most pitiful tool-like Ji Laosan, in other countries, he’d be a mastermind among the princes.

It’s not that he’s incapable; it’s that his father and brothers are too superior.

"Continue," said Lord Zheng.

"Father Emperor doesn’t actually care whether it’s the Crown Prince or Old Six who takes the throne."

The Fifth Prince made a shocking statement.

People everywhere are speculating who the next Yan Emperor will be.

Not just the Yan people, but also the Chu people, Qian people, and even the Jin people are guessing.

On the day of Ji Chengjue’s grand wedding, he showcased his prowess, then decisively cleared the business routes and managed the Ministry of Revenue, displaying ruthlessness much akin to the Yan Emperor.

The Crown Prince, in contrast, appears more seasoned.

Whoever the next Yan Emperor is, it will likely impact Yan State’s future policies.

"Balance?" Lord Zheng inquired.

"Yes, Father Emperor seeks a balance, a balance for the future."

The Fifth Prince gestured with his hands,

and said:

"If you think of Yan as a carriage, Father Emperor hopes this carriage can continue to travel steadily."

Lord Zheng shook his head,

and laughed;

"So, His Majesty is pulling strings between the Crown Prince and Old Six."

"Hmm, hearing you call Old Six gives me the feeling you’re one of us, like one of the brothers."

"Since it’s you, Your Highness, who first spoke casually, I’ll do so as well."

The Fifth Prince, though not overtly saying "demise," already hinted at it, which in itself is quite irreverent.

As he spoke boldly, I simply followed suit.

"Hey, if you, Lord Pingye, were our brother, Father Emperor would probably be happy enough; the Eldest isn’t as adept in battle as you."

The Yan Emperor hoped for a prince who could take on the mantle, at least one who could lead in the military, so he chose his eldest son whom he had meticulously nurtured.

But the defeat at Wang River set everything back.

You could say that episode was the Yan Emperor’s attempt to reclaim military power.