Chapter 635: Advancement

Chapter 635: Chapter 635: Advancement

Yang Jian now spends half of each day soaking in the warm soup of Fuan Palace.

Some say the Imperial Palace was built in Celestial Wave City because its geographic advantage places it at the heart of the vast territory of the Jingjiu Dynasty, and also serves to suppress the empire’s fate.

But Yang Jian knows well—while the Yang Family’s ancestors did value Celestial Wave City’s location when founding their legacy, there were other reasons as well. For example, this warm soup in Fuan Palace.

It sounds unbelievable, but it’s true: in the eyes of every ruler of the Royal Family, this pool of warm soup is anything but ordinary.

The strange spider-web pattern across Yang Jian’s chest now covers his entire torso; except for the face, neck, and areas revealed by his clothing, almost all of his body is covered with this thing.

If he were outside, with each breath, these black-red ’spider webs’ would pulse slightly with him, bringing Yang Jian unbearable pain.

It took him so many years to understand why the former emperor’s expression towards him before succession was both gratified and sympathetic. As it turns out, this position truly is the hardest and most miserable in the world, and it gives you no chance to regret.

Now Yang Jian knows he is walking the old path of the previous emperor, and that this is always the rough road of the Royal Family.

Seven princes are not few in the history of the dynasty. Yang Jian was once quite proud of his ability to father sons in his early years; in this, he surpassed the previous emperor, giving himself more options.

The Yang Dynasty does not follow that ridiculous saying about the legitimate eldest son inheriting the throne. It is always the capable who possess it, the mediocres who step aside. And the records never gloss over the truth—though some matters are hidden and skipped.

Anyway, Yang Jian feels their Royal Family is still relatively upright. Though the transfer of imperial power has always been bloody, its impact on ordinary folks has been minimal.

For this reason, Yang Jian began his preparations twenty years ago. First, he suppressed and restrained the seven sons, letting them understand the allure of imperial power, so they would yearn for it. With this yearning, they’d invest themselves fully in the coming struggle, allowing each one’s potential to be pushed to the limit.

Next came gradually guiding each of the seven sons to develop their own personalities. This was crucial. People differ, and strengths and weaknesses correspond—there is no absolute good or bad. The growth of character is key for a person’s success, and it also allows Yang Jian to better see each of his sons clearly.

At the same time, this process of selection and cultivation reorganizes all the factions and ministers in court.

The harshness of the Yang Dynasty is not just directed at their own kin—even towards subordinates, they are ruthless. Anyone who tries to grasp something inappropriate in the transfer of imperial power meets only one fate: death.

It is said that each emperor brings his own officials—not simply a matter of trust, but perhaps because all the unlucky and foolish ones are weeded out in the succession.

Yet Yang Jian has to lament the unpredictability of fate—human calculations fall short of heaven’s will. His twenty years of planning, now, at the critical moment, has been disrupted by further unforeseen events; for example, the Barbarian Race, thought to be ruined, has revived because of Yang Yansi and others’ selfish motives—not only seeking to rebuild their Royal Court, but also fighting the Dynasty vigorously on the southern front.

Yang Jian is attended by five eunuchs, all his loyal servants, destined to accompany him in burial. Thus, Yang Jian never hides secrets from them. Of course, this includes Yang Xiusheng, who never leaves his side.

Yang Xiusheng, unlike Yang Jian—who loves bathing in the warm soup—dislikes water. Even when on duty beside Yang Jian, he stands by the shore or sits in a chair, eyes closed in silent cultivation.

"Your Majesty, urgent Red Feather report from the front!"

A eunuch rushed in, carrying a copper rod adorned with three red feathers, kneeling to present it to Yang Jian.

Yang Jian sat up in the pool, his expression not particularly pleased—lately, even soaking in the warm soup, his suffering hadn’t eased as much as before.

He took the copper rod, carefully verifying the seal before opening it. After reading quickly, a smile finally appeared on his face. He reread it from the top, then burst out laughing.

"Big Uncle, we’ve won!"

Yang Jian casually handed the copper rod to the eunuch, instructing him to pass it to Yang Xiusheng, who approached upon hearing the laughter.

"Zuo Yuliang has not let me down. This battle was beautifully fought. After enduring for over a month, the reward has come. Now, with the enemy at Jianchuan’s Upper Military Camp crushed in one stroke, the stalemate is broken. From now on, Jianchuan’s three military camps will regain the initiative, freely reinforcing and encircling each other. The Barbarian Race will no longer dare to threaten the camps, and Jianchuan’s pressure will be gone."

"Hahaha, in that case the next step of the plan can slowly proceed. Turning defense into offense—I’m curious how many of the Barbarian Race will survive this time!"

Yang Xiusheng’s face took on the same smile as he finished reading the copper rod. The Dynasty’s generals were still able to win wars. Previously Jianchuan’s situation had been as fragile as eggshells, likely to cause the frontline to collapse entirely, but now the whole tide had reversed—as if in the blink of an eye.

But though Yang Xiusheng knew the Ministry of War’s plan, it made him all the more worried. His status wasn’t fit for comment, so he just smiled silently.

Yang Jian could plainly see Yang Xiusheng’s concerns. He said, "Big Uncle, do you have something to say? Speak freely."

After thinking a moment, Yang Xiusheng replied, "Are you sure you want to shift from defense to offense? How will you deal with such a long supply line? Even reaching Jianchuan and Hu Zhu Yuan already pushes the Ministry of War and Ministry of Revenue to their limits. Go any deeper—if supplies are cut off, the whole army will become lambs waiting for slaughter, risking total defeat."

"Heh, how could I not know what you say? Zuo Yuliang is a renowned general of our era; surely he’s clear that an overstretched front will negatively affect the war."

"Then..."

"Big Uncle, do you remember that Sinful Official named Xu Hong?"

"The previous Vice Minister of the Ministry of War?"

"Precisely. Xu Hong colluded with Pseudo-Evil Cultivators and exploited gaps in the Border Army, smuggling vast supplies to the Barbarian Race from Xiaochuan through the Ten Thousand Miles Bamboo Sea. That route has now been cleared by Zuo Yuliang’s men. Currently, a mixed force of thirty thousand has traversed the Ten Thousand Miles Bamboo Sea, reaching the eastern edge of the Barbarian Territory and establishing a permanent military camp."

Yang Xiusheng frowned; he couldn’t quite grasp Yang Jian’s intention. Opening up the Ten Thousand Miles Bamboo Sea and prolonging the front—was there a connection?

"Heh, Big Uncle, are you familiar with the geography of the Ten Thousand Miles Bamboo Sea and the Barbarian Territory?" Yang Jian asked, perfectly composed.

"Hmm? You mean, after reaching the Barbarian heartland through the Ten Thousand Miles Bamboo Sea and establishing a military camp—this can serve as a bridgehead, and that passage in the bamboo sea drastically shortens the length of the supply line?"

Yang Jian nodded. "Not only does it shorten the supply line, it makes it much safer. Inside the Ten Thousand Miles Bamboo Sea, not just anyone can move freely. The Barbarian Race will find it much harder to sever our supply."