Chapter 6, Predicament

Not at all optimistic! Xiao Cheng stated with certainty: "Now the emperor has grown wary of the Second Prince. While the emperor is still in good health, he will certainly not allow the Second Prince to ascend to the position of the Crown Prince, which would enable him to stand in opposition. Master Xu, think about it, once the Second Prince becomes the Crown Prince, he will be able to establish his own faction in the capital. At that time, it is likely that more court officials will side with the Crown Prince. A Crown Prince with immense power in the court and formidable strength in the military, can the emperor sleep soundly?"

Why did I not speak? Xu Wuyan sighed: "It can be the identity of an old servant, yet it is also something that can only be touched upon lightly. If I were to speak more deeply, the master would be displeased. Erlang, the Xiao family is after all of military lineage. To recover the northern lands and unify the realm, even the old master had this in his heart back in the day."

Listening to Xiao Cheng's analysis, Xu Wuyan nodded

This force is gradually transferring into Xiao Cheng's hands step by step

Involved in what kind of struggle for the throne, disputes over the imperial seat are certainly not a good thing. If successful, it is naturally favorable, but what if it fails? One can only fear the outcome of death and the extinction of one's clan.

As time went on, the conflicts between both parties gradually diminished and eventually calmed down, for no one is willing to engage in a losing business. Particularly in a state like Beiliang, which is essentially a tribal confederation, whenever they dispatched troops to seize goods, if the spoils did not compensate for the losses incurred during the military campaign, they naturally lost interest.

It is precisely because the Second King has been in control of the Northern Frontier in recent years, firmly rejecting the interference of civil officials in Northern Frontier affairs and granting frontline generals ample autonomy, that the situation in the Northern Frontier has been stabilized.

In the eyes of these individuals, it is the civil officials who strategize and command from the front, while the military generals are merely expected to charge into battle, shedding blood and risking their lives. Thus, when achievements are made, it is naturally the civil officials, who are responsible for decisive victories, that receive the majority of the credit.

Do not speak, remain silent and uncommunicative

If it weren't for this old servant being extra cautious, you would have truly been deceived by Erlang

However, without establishing the Crown Prince, theoretically both the Grand Prince and the Second Prince have opportunities, but does the Second Prince have a greater chance? Quite the opposite. To say something that should not be said, if anything were to happen to the Emperor, if there were any unforeseen circumstances, the Second Prince, being far in the northern frontier, would be unable to reach in time. At that point, if the capital supports the Grand Prince to ascend to the throne, what can the Second Prince do? Raise an army to rebel?

When Xu Wuyan sat opposite Xiao Cheng, calmly speaking to him about what seemed to be a trivial matter, Xiao Cheng could not see his own expression, but the twitching of the muscles on his face made it clear to him that his appearance at that moment must have been quite distorted

Lifting the teapot on the table, he poured a glass of cold water for Xu Wuyan. Xiao Cheng also sat down opposite the old man, looking at the elderly figure across from him. He recalled three years ago when they sat facing each other in the same manner. This was the person who had been doing things at home for decades, whom he had been taught to call "Grandpa Xu" since he was just beginning to speak, yet he had startled him greatly.

Indeed, it is impossible. Xiao Cheng said: "Will the Northern Frontier Army rebel alongside the Second Prince? Will the people of the Northern Frontier rebel alongside the Second Prince? Will the local officials in the Northern Frontier, such as the county magistrates, governors, prefects, gentry, and powerful families, rebel alongside the Second Prince? They will not. At that time, with a decree in hand, the Second Prince will have no choice but to submit and go to the capital."

Why can't the master see such a simple truth

Indeed, how easy is it to discuss? As for the book, Xu Wuyan nodded and said, "Even if we start from now, I will still not be able to see it."

Xiao Cheng sighed, saying: "How easy is it to talk about? The Liao Dynasty may not match our Song Dynasty in terms of financial resources, but its military strength far exceeds ours. If we wish to reclaim the northern territories, our Song Dynasty must first make a firm decision, establish a national policy, and then mobilize the entire nation to develop its military. It may take ten years of accumulation, and perhaps there is some possibility of success."

Er Lang, do you really have no confidence in the Second King at all

The demeanor of the two great kings has also left the civil officials in the capital feeling a sense of obstruction in their throats

Xiao Cheng is truly unable to comprehend what else is on his father's mind It is no wonder that the old master does not hold him in high regard

In the past two years, although there have been continuous battles in Northern Xinjiang, Beiliang has found little opportunity. While small-scale attacks have been frequent and have caused considerable losses to the Song Dynasty, the border troops of the Song Dynasty have also occasionally achieved victories.

This is even more intolerable in the eyes of the civil officials who have achieved the status of Jinshi.

This has caused the prestige of the Second Great King to rise day by day within the country, especially in the northern regions, where the title of the Virtuous King has truly taken root in the hearts of the people

"Grandfather Xu, your status at home is different; are there some matters you cannot discuss with Father?" Xiao Cheng rubbed his temples and said, "My words naturally hold no weight in Father's heart, but you are different, aren't you? Our Xiao family has too close a relationship with the Second Prince; at this time, aligning too early is not a good thing."

Because the father has placed his hopes on the official, expecting the official to confer titles upon the two great kings! After all, overcoming the northern territories and unifying the world is something our official does not wish for either. This official is currently in a dilemma! He wants to indulge in debauchery while also wanting to maintain a good reputation, wishing to have both fish and bear's paw!

This has led the majority of the civil officials in the capital to lean towards the Grand Prince, forming an invisible alliance with him. Coupled with the intentional or unintentional indulgence from the imperial family, the situation for the Second Prince has become increasingly difficult day by day

If absolute command authority is not granted to the frontline generals, and every matter requires consultation and reporting, it is a minor issue to miss the opportunity for battle and achieve nothing; however, a single misstep could lead to the loss of troops and generals, or even the complete destruction of the army

The two great kings have established themselves through military achievements. If they truly ascend to the Eastern Palace and eventually take the throne, becoming the ruling sovereign, it is feared that they will vigorously pursue a northern expedition in an attempt to achieve complete success. Given the experiences of the two great kings, it is likely that the status of military generals will rise rapidly, inevitably affecting the status of the civil officials.

If this national policy is established, directing the entire nation's efforts towards military affairs, then the influence of the two major kings, who hold significant power within the military, will inevitably grow rapidly. Consequently, the ruling authority will naturally feel that their position is becoming increasingly unstable

Xiao Cheng had never known that the old butler in his home held a power that even his father was unaware of, a power that had been left behind by his grandfather, the late Xiao Ding.

No wonder the Xiao family could rise from humble beginnings, and no wonder the old master, as a mere military officer, could attain the position of a minister in both the civil and military offices; everything has its cause and effect.

It is impossible! Xu Wu shook his head in denial

"Grandfather Xu, do not forget that the one commanding the troops in the Northern Frontier is the Second Great King." Xiao Cheng tapped the table, "And the official is only just over forty this year, in good health, and in the prime of life. Do you think this national policy will be decided by the official?"

Among the court officials, there are quite a few who wish to launch a northern expedition, but very few are willing to let the Second Prince take the lead. If the Second Prince's power rises again, it will bring him closer to the position of the Crown Prince. If he were to achieve merit during the northern expedition, that position would undoubtedly belong to him! Even if the Emperor is reluctant, he will have to begrudgingly allow the Second Prince to ascend to the position of Crown Prince.

In fact, regarding this point, Xiao Cheng is quite in agreement.

In his own perception, he always appeared to have a kind and benevolent expression.

When these words were spoken, a smile finally appeared on Xu Wuyan's face. It was also that one evening when Xiao Cheng finally caught sight of those things submerged beneath the surface of the water at the Xiao residence

In the capital, there are indeed supporters of the two great kings, such as the Xiao family, but they are undoubtedly in the minority

Every profession has its specialization. It is not that there are no literati in this world who can engage in warfare, but they are certainly few in number. If those civil officials were to decide when to fight and where to fight, it would not pose too much of a problem. However, once they attempt to intervene in the specific command of military operations, it is likely to lead to significant issues

The higher the prestige of the Second Prince, the more likely it is that the Crown Prince will be pushed onto the throne of the Eastern Palace. Xiao Cheng said gloomily, "Once the Crown Prince truly ascends to power, I fear he will openly deal with the Second Prince. With my father aligning so early, I worry that the entire Xiao family will face dire consequences at that time"

Whether it is the timing of the heavens, the geography of the land, or some sudden change that emerges, it requires the frontline commanders to adapt and change tactics in response to the new demands of the battlefield. This is something that the civil officials commanding from the rear cannot truly perceive. What is represented on the map is vastly different from what is encountered in reality. Moreover, the maps of this season, in terms of accuracy, can only be described as broad strokes; sometimes, it is sufficient as long as one does not go completely off course.

However, the prestige of the Second King became a thorn in the side of the officials

In their view, if it were not for the Second King but rather a civil official in command, the Northern Frontier might have achieved even greater military successes

In the eyes of Cen Fuzi, he is a proud disciple; in the eyes of the world, he is a studious seed; in the eyes of Xiao Yu, he is the second son of the Xiao family, who upholds the family name and strives for further advancement. However, privately, he is far from the simple young man that everyone perceives him to be

It is precisely for this reason that not only is the highest ruler of the Song Dynasty unwilling to do so, but the Grand Prince would also never allow the further growth of the Second Prince's power

However, the reason why the civil officials are still unable to achieve this is that the Second Prince is stationed in the northern frontier, keeping the civil officials' reach outside the command system

The master is not capable; he is an overly idealistic person, always measuring others by his own standards. Dawang, on the other hand, is a straightforward individual, with a single-minded approach. When it comes to fighting in battle, charging into the fray, he is truly rare in this world, but asking him to do anything else is quite a challenge.

It is a pity that he left a bit too early; otherwise, I believe the grandfather and grandson would have certainly had a lot to talk about

Before the old master passed away, he stated that this power should not be entrusted to the young master. The old master expressed concern that, given the young master's character, he might not be able to make good use of this power, and it could even bring disaster to the Xiao family. He instructed the old servant to observe whether there is anyone among the third generation of the Xiao family who can take on this power.

This is a perilous act, walking on a tightrope! Xu Wuyan expresses his melancholy in silence

The old gentleman also mentioned that if the third generation does not succeed, then this force can dissipate. After all, too much time has passed, and people's hearts will have scattered.

To be honest, Erlang, for quite a few years, I was truly disheartened and discouraged, because during that time, you also performed rather ordinarily.

Given the current status of the Xiao family, is it necessary to take a stand so early?

One can only say that one's own grandfather is truly an extraordinary person