The Child Emperor - Chapter 143: The Rumormonger

Han Ruzi was prepared to force his way through. If his men couldn’t even get through this obstacle, then the idea of defending Shattered Iron City and baiting the Xiongnu would be nothing but a joke.

There were over thirty military officers blocking the city gates, including two whose ranks were higher than Han Ruzi’s Central Protector Commander. They had no intention of backing down.

In order to “save” a large number of noble scions, the military leaders split into two groups: one group blocked the gates while the other went to see the Grand General, determined to keep their relatives inside the city.

As night approached and the city gates were about to close, even having a pass would be useless. Han Ruzi decided to wait a little longer. If Chai Yue couldn’t arrive in time, he would order his troops to charge.

Glancing back, he saw that the noble sons remained organized. Cui Teng, not far from Han Ruzi, sat on his horse and sneered, “Let’s see how long you can push your way around.”

Ignoring him, Han Ruzi said to Zhang Youcai beside him, “Go to the Grand General’s mansion and see how Chai Yue is doing.”

Zhang Youcai obeyed the order. Han Ruzi’s troops consisted of two hundred-man squads. He instructed one squad to continue monitoring the Noble Camp while the other gathered in front of him, forming four lines ready to charge.

His actions startled everyone except his soldiers, who showed no fear and quickly formed ranks.

Several dozen officers in front of the city gates whispered to each other. Before long, a military officer rode over and loudly said, “Please come for a discussion, Central Protector Commander.”

Han Ruzi said to Prince Donghai, “You go.”

“Why? Well, since you’ve given me an order… Uh, tell me frankly, what exactly do you want to do?”

“Before nightfall, I must lead everyone out of the city and camp with my retinue outside the city. It’s not far away. If they let us pass, I’ll be grateful. If not, I’ll lead the troops out by force.”

“But you don’t have the Grand General’s pass,” Prince Donghai reminded him.

“They don’t either.”

Prince Donghai shook his head helplessly, urged his horse forward, and went to negotiate with the officers blocking the gates.

Han Ruzi looked again at the Noble Camp. In fact, the biggest problem was these people—nearly five hundred noble sons, along with almost the same number of attendants. If mass disobedience erupted among nearly a thousand people, his small force wouldn’t be able to suppress it.

These people needed to understand that fleeing would come at a heavy price.

Han Ruzi rode up to Cui Teng.

Someone might have secretly advised him, or he might have become smart in the critical moment. Cui Teng didn’t utter a single swear word. Instead, he smiled and said, “Brother-in-law, you’re really impressive. Are you really going to fight? Give me my sabre back, and I’ll charge with you.”

“Your five-day confinement isn’t over yet,” Han Ruzi said coldly.

Cui Teng immediately nodded, neither getting angry nor defiant. Han Ruzi wanted to use him as an example, but he was behaving impeccably.

Han Ruzi stared at Cui Teng for a while. Cui Teng grinned, looking even more innocent.

Unable to do anything, Han Ruzi had to find another target. However, none of the usually arrogant noble sons dared to leave ranks. They were remarkably disciplined.

Han Ruzi realized that there was no need to resort to intimidation tactics; they were already intimidated.

He was puzzled. He hadn’t done much, just disciplined Cui Teng a bit. It shouldn’t have had such a significant impact. Yet here they were, all the noble sons, sitting still on their horses. It was their attendants, who looked shocked.

Something was amiss, but Han Ruzi had no one to ask. So, the camp’s officers ordered the troops to reorganize. The attendants fell back, and the noble sons lined up in four columns, interspersed with the soldiers.

His orders were obeyed without hesitation.

Han Ruzi returned to the front of the formation. The constant movement on his side attracted attention from across the way. The soldiers blocking the gates started to get nervous. If the noble sons dared to charge, they wouldn’t dare to stop them. Dozens of officers became even more frantic, crowding around Prince Donghai.

Before long, Prince Donghai returned. “They have only one request: to wait for the Grand General’s orders. We are not to act on our own.”

“I’ll wait until nightfall,” Han Ruzi said. Even without the Grand General’s pass, he would leave the city. It wasn’t stubbornness; it was understanding that thoroughness was necessary. Abandoning his plan halfway would destroy the authority he had just established.

Prince Donghai stepped closer and whispered, “It’s strange. They started out quite tough, but suddenly softened, as if… as if they thought you were up to something really important.”

“What could I possibly do? Am I not just bait?”

Prince Donghai chuckled nervously. “You wouldn’t believe how exaggerated the rumors are.”

“You’re saying they suddenly changed their attitude based on rumors?”

“I’m puzzled too. The rumors seemed to have dropped from the sky.”

Chai Yue finally arrived with Zhang Youcai just before nightfall, bringing the Grand General’s pass and decree. The Noble Camp was officially allowed to leave the city.

Once the officers blocking the gates had a way out, they immediately retreated to the streets and alleys, clearing the city gates.

Only after all the troops had left the city gates did Han Ruzi relax. He asked Chai Yue, “Why the delay?”

“The officers didn’t agree to you taking the Noble Camp out of the city. I argued with them for a while. The Grand General finally overruled them and decided to allow it.” Chai Yue had worked hard; sweat dotted his forehead. Watching the disciplined noble sons, he also felt puzzled. “It’s surprising that they didn’t cause any trouble. No, it’s the Marquis’s skill in military management.”

Chai Yue clearly wasn’t adept at flattering his superiors. His praise for the Weary Marquis sounded forced.

Regardless, Han Ruzi led the noble sons to the camp outside the city, isolating them from the main army inside the city, preventing them from running away.

The attendants who had stayed behind in the city quickly joined them, setting up tents they hadn’t used in days.

After nightfall, Han Ruzi received five groups of noble offspring. Just a day ago, they had been scheming to return to the Capital for the New Year, but now they had all changed their minds, volunteering to defend the Shattered Iron City and seek battle with the Xiongnu.

Han Ruzi tried every means to figure out the reason behind the changes, but it seemed even these people didn’t know where the rumors originated from or were unwilling to disclose it.

Prince Donghai visited once, frowning as he spoke, “I don’t know who started the rumor, but word is that you have the support of high-ranking court officials and that you’ll replace Han Xing as Grand General after achieving merit. After you defeat the Xiongnu, you’ll… return to the Capital to…”

Return to the Capital to reclaim the throne? Han Ruzi couldn’t believe his ears. “They believe such nonsense?”

Prince Donghai’s expression was serious. “Why wouldn’t they? A few years ago, during Martial Emperor’s reign, if anyone had said that the descendants of the first two Crown Princes still had a chance at the throne, they would have been laughed at. But what happened? The Graceful Emperor’s two sons are still alive, yet the throne has fallen into someone else’s hands.”

Even now, Prince Donghai still felt indignant about it. “During uncertain times, people will believe any rumor. The key question is, who started the rumor?”

Prince Donghai hadn’t found out, and Han Ruzi had no guesses. If Lin Kunshan weren’t absent from the city, he would have been worth suspecting.

Han Ruzi eventually found Lin Kunshan and informed him of the matter.

After thinking for a while, Lin Kunshan suddenly laughed. “Regardless of who it is, they’re trying to curry favor with you. Just wait; they’ll come to claim credit from you sooner or later.”

The next day, Han Ruzi went into the city to meet with Han Xing and formally received orders to guard Shattered Iron City, as a lure for the Xiongnu.

It was a plan that required careful coordination. Han Xing finally proved himself capable, summoning a large number of generals to make extremely detailed plans for ambushes, communication, intercepting, scouting the Xiongnu’s situation, food and supplies transportation, and reserve forces, among other things. Everything was arranged so meticulously that no one, especially the Weary Marquis, could raise any doubts.

Han Xing truly needed this military achievement, but he couldn’t participate personally; he had to stay in Mayi City to confuse the Xiongnu.

Chai Yue was appointed as the deputy general to assist the Weary Marquis in executing the plan. The positions of grain officials, messengers, flag officers, and others were all assigned by the Grand General, all under the jurisdiction of Han Ruzi as the Northern Protection General.

The third day was spent further refining the plan.

Before Han Ruzi even reached Shattered Iron City, he had gained a considerable understanding of it. There was a garrison of about a thousand troops in Shattered Iron City, all of whom were indeed elderly, weak, sick, or disabled. Han Xing took back command of the Clear Defense Company and allocated two thousand elite soldiers to Han Ruzi, along with a thousand troops from his own camp, over a thousand noble offspring and attendants, making a total of five thousand defenders in Shattered Iron City.

With everything settled, although the Chu army was full of holes, it hadn’t completely decayed and was still capable of executing complex ambush plans.

Han Ruzi was about to set out with his troops. Several individuals he had requested from both the Northern and Southern armies would meet him at Divine Hero Pass.

The night before the march, the person who had spread the rumors finally came to “claim credit.”

Cui Teng was still under confinement. The noble sons who were often bullied by him, finally breathed a sigh of relief. Zhang Yanghao’s bruises had faded, and he came to see Han Ruzi long after nightfall when Han Ruzi was about to sleep.

Zhang Yanghao seemed a bit impatient. After a few polite words, he revealed the truth, “The Weary Marquis is a man of great ambition. Why not recruit talents to your own faction?”

“It’s just one ambush, hardly a big deal.”

Zhang Yanghao smiled, “Resisting the Xiongnu is indeed a small matter. I’m talking about… the real big event.”

Han Ruzi understood, asking coldly, “Were you the one spreading the rumors?”

“Heh, at that time, morale was shaky, and everyone was speculating why you suddenly became severe and how you managed to gain the Grand General’s favor. I just dropped a hint, and they believed it. And it spread quickly, without needing my direct involvement. It shows that you have won the people’s hearts.”

Han Ruzi had initially thought Zhang Yanghao was merely lacking in foresight, but now he realized he was a total gambler: the more he lost, the more he bet, refusing to give up.

From that day on, Han Ruzi marked Zhang Yanghao as a target to be closely watched. Such a gambler was not to be trusted and could even bring about major trouble.

But for now, Han Ruzi merely snorted lightly. “People’s hearts? The hearts of the people are in the Capital, not here.”

Zhang Yanghao was overjoyed. Since the Weary Marquis was complaining about the people’s hearts, it meant he truly had great ambitions.” Taking a couple of steps forward, he continued softly, “I wonder if the Lord Marquis has noticed, there are differences even among the noble sons. People like Cui Teng are just spoiled idlers, arrogant in normal times but useless when needed. It’s those of lower status, like me, like Chai Yue, who have only one path to climb the social ranks—achieving merit…”

“You’re the legitimate grandson of Marquis Piyuan, what more do you have to worry about?”

“My grandfather only knows how to fight; he doesn’t understand court politics. Without a foothold in the court, even if I inherit the title, I’ll still be the bullied Marquis Piyuan, no different from Marquis Guiyi’s family.”

Zhang Yanghao knelt before the desk, his voice trembling with excitement. “If the Lord Marquis has great ambitions, I am willing to serve as a loyal dog or workhorse.”

This wasn’t the first time Zhang Yanghao had shown his loyalty. Han Ruzi stared at him seriously for a moment before asking, “Are there many people like you?”

“Many. At least half of the Noble Camp. We just usually keep a low profile and go unnoticed.”

Han Ruzi couldn’t help but wonder, what advice would Yang Feng give if he were here? He wondered how the Founding Emperor, Han Fu, had managed to win over his first followers as a commoner.

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