Chapter 39: A Bolt from the Blue
The morning sun was rising.
Ning Chen sat steadily in the imperial carriage. As the path leading to the Golden Throne Hall grew brighter, his gaze became increasingly resolute. Through painstaking planning, Cao Dahai had finally secured the position of Commander of the Imperial Guard. These thirty thousand troops were the bedrock of his defiance. From this day forward, he would no longer need to be as subservient as he once was.
It was soon time for the morning court session. To Ning Chen’s surprise, the Empress Dowager, who was never late, was a full half-hour behind schedule, sparking endless whispers among the officials. Ning Chen felt an inexplicable sense of unease: had something gone wrong with Cao Dahai’s affairs?
As he pondered this, the voice of the chief eunuch, Li Lianying, suddenly rang out: "Her Majesty the Empress Dowager arrives!"
The noisy court fell instantly into a deathly silence. With a grim expression, the Empress Dowager walked quickly to her seat behind the beaded curtain. The ministers immediately performed the three-kneel, nine-kowtow ceremony: "May the Empress Dowager live for a thousand years, and may Your Majesty..."
Before they could finish the traditional "Long live Your Majesty," the Empress Dowager’s cold voice cut in impatiently: "Two matters!"
"First, Cao Dahai shall assume the position of Commander of the Imperial Guard..."
Before the words had even faded, the hall erupted in a cacophony of discussion.
"Cao Dahai?"
"Unbelievable. The Empress Dowager actually appointed Cao Dahai as Commander? What about Yang Fei?"
"This Cao Dahai is a confidant of Pan Yu. How could she let him take such a post?"
Amidst the uproar, Ning Chen noticed that Zhao Siwen, the Minister of Revenue, had a wretched expression. He caught him glancing secretly at the Prime Minister, Song Guozhong, who stood with eyes half-closed, his face as expressionless as a mask.
The Empress Dowager’s voice rang out again, her authority radiating through the room: "My decision is made. Does anyone have an objection?"
The hall fell silent at once, everyone effectively "sewing" their own mouths shut. Watching this, Ning Chen found it amusing. He alone knew why the Empress Dowager had chosen Cao Dahai, and he alone knew why she offered no explanation, not even mentioning the disappearance of Yang Fei and Fan Dahou. With the decree issued, the matter was settled, and the weight on Ning Chen’s heart finally lifted.
Yet, he noticed the Empress Dowager’s face seemed to grow even gloomier. Remembering her uncharacteristic tardiness, his heart sank once more. Could there be another complication?
Just as he worried, the Empress Dowager stepped out from behind the beaded curtain and scanned the room with a dark glare: "The second matter!"
Everyone felt the oppressive weight of her presence, and they looked toward her with nervous anticipation. Even Ning Chen frowned slightly.
"I have just received an urgent dispatch from the front lines!"
"Shanhai Pass has fallen..."
The Empress Dowager spoke each word distinctly. Before she could finish, the news struck the court like a bolt of lightning, leaving everyone stunned and frozen in place.
"Shanhai Pass has fallen?"
"This—this is impossible..."
Ning Chen was equally shocked, his mind struggling to comprehend it. He knew well that Shanhai Pass was the primary gateway of the Great Ning border and the most vital barrier against the Northern Jin. It was no exaggeration to say: as long as Shanhai Pass stood, Great Ning stood; if Shanhai Pass fell, Great Ning perished.
The Great Ning was bordered by the sea to the south and the Great Jin to the north—vast plains and fertile land lay between. Shanhai Pass was the only natural fortification they could rely on. Since the founding of the dynasty, the two nations had clashed there repeatedly, and Great Ning had poured the nation’s entire wealth into fortifying it. The pass was guarded by the kingdom’s greatest general, Xiang Qing, the Great General of the North. With hundreds of thousands of troops under his command for over a decade, he had successfully repelled the iron hooves of the Great Jin countless times. Ning Chen could not fathom how, with the old general in command, such a crucial pass could fall—and so suddenly.
The Empress Dowager soon detailed the situation. General Xiang had fallen into an enemy trap, causing the pass to collapse. The neighboring Beiguang City had subsequently fallen, and within ten days, it had been razed, with hundreds of thousands of civilians slaughtered. The old general’s whereabouts remained unknown, and his remaining forces had retreated to Yanggu City.
The Great Jin had not immediately attacked Yanggu City; instead, they had sent a letter. They demanded that Great Ning submit as a vassal state, cede territory, pay reparations, and offer an annual tribute of five million taels of silver, five hundred thousand bolts of fine cloth, and one hundred thousand warhorses. Otherwise, the Great Jin would sweep south, their blades pointed directly at the capital.
Yet, more shocking than the fall of the pass was the realization that the civil and military officials now standing before him were paralyzed by sheer panic.
"What do we do? What can we do?"
"Beyond Shanhai Pass lies an open plain. The Great Jin cavalry is invincible; without the defense of the pass, are they not free to roam as they please?"
"Though the capital is far from the north, there are no more obstacles in between. If they truly sweep south, I fear..."
Despair spread like wildfire through the hearts of the officials. Even the military commanders were trembling. The entire court was shrouded in hopelessness.
Ning Chen frowned, sinking into deep thought. He knew exactly what this meant. Great Ning was already fragile, and the Great Jin had always been a wolf at the door. Now, with the loss of their strongest barrier, the nation was effectively stripped naked. If the Great Jin mobilized their full strength, Great Ning had no hope of victory; the end was near.
More importantly, if the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact. If that day came, would everything he had plotted not become a joke? If the nation ceased to exist, what point was there in overthrowing the Empress Dowager? He would only become a king of a fallen land.
As he thought this, the Empress Dowager’s cold voice cut through the air: "Enough!"
"I do not keep you useless fools here to wallow in panic!"
"I want a strategy! Tell me, what is to be done?"
Ning Chen could see that she was truly furious. He knew she wanted to rule a Great Ning, not a fallen one.
As the officials racked their brains and whispered, Zhao Siwen, the Minister of Revenue, stepped forward: "Your Majesty, the Great Jin values martial strength, and their military capability far exceeds our own. Now that the pass has fallen, even if we send reinforcements, it would be like throwing eggs against a rock. Therefore, in my humble opinion, the only solution is to agree to their terms and send an envoy north to sue for peace..."
Once these words were spoken, many ministers began to echo the sentiment. Seeing more and more officials supporting the idea of capitulation, Ning Chen’s expression turned icy. He no longer cared about playing the part of the ignorant, naive youth. Even in this new life, the humiliating history of ceding territory and paying tribute from his previous world remained etched in his mind. He understood the meaning of national dignity—it was the spine of a people, the soul of a nation.
One’s head may be severed and blood may flow, but the dignity of a nation must never be lost!
As the Empress Dowager wavered, Ning Chen suddenly stood up. He scanned the crowd, his voice booming with fury:
"Shut up!"
The entire court froze. Even the Empress Dowager was startled, looking at him with confusion. Under the gaze of everyone present, Ning Chen pointed at them, his words ringing out like a heavy hammer:
"Cede territory and pay tribute? Submit as vassals?"
"How is such behavior any different from selling out your country for personal gain?"
The court erupted in chaos once more.