SWDnovel Chapter 38 Awakening of Insects [Requesting monthly votes, let's see if we can get on the new b
Chapter 38 Awakening of Insects [Requesting monthly votes, let's see if we can get on the new b
The scent of sandalwood in the hall seemed to have solidified.
Yang Yan raised his second finger, his voice exceptionally clear in the empty hall: "The second concern lies in military matters."
"The Fubing system is the foundation of our dynasty, but the Fubing in Guanzhong accounts for 60% of the nation's elite troops. If they are all transferred to Liaodong, the Central Plains and Jiangnan will be left vulnerable."
He paused briefly, then presented a case that could not be ignored: "The rebellion in Jiangnan in the tenth year of the Kaihuang era was suppressed by the urgent transfer of He Ruobi's former troops from Bingzhou to the south. With this precedent, we must be wary."
He deliberately mentioned the name "He Ruobi".
This meritorious general who pacified the Southern Chen dynasty is now being sidelined at home due to "resentment".
Dugu Jialuo understood the internal rifts and balance within the Guanlong Group better than anyone else.
"Three considerations are needed for treatment."
The third finger slowly extends.
"Even if we conquer Liaodong, how should we govern it? Should we establish prefectures and counties? The local people are fierce and their language is incomprehensible. We would need to station heavy troops and send officials, which would consume money and grain every year and become a burden."
"It would be better to follow the example of Emperor Wu of Han in dealing with the Western Regions, making them submit to him and pay tribute, and sending their sons to the court, thus using barbarians to control barbarians."
Having said that, he took a deep breath and laid out the conclusion he had been pondering for a long time, his voice carrying a decisiveness beyond his years:
"Therefore, I dare to offer my advice: the best course of action is to force them to surrender. We should find a way to compel them to submit and pay tribute every year, so that our Great Sui Dynasty can first secure its internal stability before gradually expanding its external influence. When the hearts of the people in the north and south are completely united and the nation is at its peak, then we can plan a complete and utter annihilation. This is the most foolproof strategy!"
He paused, lowering his voice further, before uttering the final and most dangerous concern: "Moreover, everything mentioned above is based on the assumption of a smooth war. But what if the war suffers setbacks..."
Dugu Jialuo accepted his words without hesitation.
Those four calm words carried more weight than any exclamation.
"Your Majesty is wise." Yang Yan then made the potential threat more concrete: "In the tenth year of the Kaihuang era, Li Leng and others in Jiangnan gathered a crowd to rebel, calling it 'Restoration of Chen.' In the seventeenth year of the Kaihuang era, Li Guangshi, the chieftain of Guizhou, started an uprising. Although both have been quelled, the sparks of rebellion have not been extinguished, and we must not fail to worry about them."
Inside the hall, the smoke from sandalwood incense rose straight up—there was no wind.
Dugu Jialu remained silent for a full ten breaths.
She suddenly reached out and pulled out a file made of yellow hemp paper from the stack of documents on the desk, gently pushing it to the edge of the desk.
Then, she suddenly made a move.
The hand that held the reins of power in the world precisely pulled out a yellow hemp paper scroll from the tall stack of documents on the desk and gently pushed it to the edge of the rosewood table.
Yang Yan, with his sharp eyes, noticed a line of small, vermilion-inked characters on the cover of the dossier: "A Brief Account of the Geography of Liaodong - Presented by the Department of Military Affairs of the Ministry of War".
His heart sank slightly—she had already accessed the Ministry of War's most confidential border maps, and her understanding of Liaodong was perhaps far greater than he had imagined.
"In the tenth year of the Kaihuang era, Li Leng caused chaos in Jiangnan, and his slogan was 'Restore the Chen Dynasty'."
"In the seventeenth year of the Kaihuang era, Li Guangshi of Guizhou rebelled and colluded with more than a hundred local tribes in Lingnan."
Dugu Jialuo's voice was as calm as if she were recounting history.
"Do you know what the primary course of action the imperial court took after these two rebellions were quelled and the local governors reported back?"
Before Yang Yan could answer, her fingertip had already touched another yellowed report.
"It's about setting up 'village schools'." She pointed to one of the lines, "Teaching children to read. The first sentence of the textbook is: 'The Great Sui Dynasty received the Mandate of Heaven and unified the world.'"
She finally raised her eyes, her phoenix eyes, which had seen all the changing times, were like a deep pool, calm and still, yet they reflected Yang Yan's figure, which froze instantly.
"The twenty years of effort to win people's hearts that you mentioned, I..." She paused slightly, as if weighing the weight of each word, "has been implemented for ten years."
boom--!
Yang Yan felt a sudden tingling sensation on his scalp and a ringing in his ears.
His painstakingly conceived and proud "vision" instantly faded into a belated and shallow insight in the face of this casually uttered sentence.
This was not the joy of having his suggestion adopted. Rather, it was the feeling of walking on thin ice, finally believing he had touched the helm of the empire's ship, only to be horrified to discover that the true helmsman had already stood there, silently observing the storms of time for many years.
A mixture of trembling, chills, and extreme excitement suddenly gripped his heart.
"The Royal Grandmother Shengming."
He bowed deeply, this time with complete and utter submission.
Dugu Jialuo leaned back gently against the golden nanmu armrest.
"You are better than those military men in the court who only know how to boast about their achievements." Her voice was soft, but it weighed heavily on Yang Yan's ears. "You also understand the 'foundation of the nation' better than... your father."
This statement is the final determination.
Back then, Crown Prince Yang Yong was eager to make achievements and repeatedly challenged the foundations of the Guanzhong region, which gradually led to him losing the emperor's favor.
Yang Yan's "three considerations" today, though seemingly simple, boil down to one point: to strengthen the foundation and never shake the cornerstone of the current power structure—the Guanzhong military group.
Dugu Jialuo gazed quietly at the young man before her.
At sixteen, his face still held a touch of childishness, but his eyes shone with a composure and insight beyond his years.
The sharp scrutiny in her eyes gradually softened, replaced by a complex sense of relief.
What she saw was not the armchair theorist of a young man, but the thoughtful consideration of a mature politician regarding national policy.
This child not only possesses extraordinary talent, but also foresight and composure far surpassing many meritorious veterans in the court!
He understood that "stability" should come first, which was precisely the foundation that she and Yang Jian laid for the Sui Dynasty after spending half their lives together!
After a long while, Dugu Jialuo slowly nodded, and the corners of her tightly closed mouth finally curved into a smile that came from the bottom of her heart.
"It seems that despite his many shortcomings, Yang Yong has ultimately... raised a good son."
Yang Yan bowed deeply again, his posture extremely humble: "My humble opinion is but a few words from others, and I dare not accept such praise from my grandmother."
"You don't need to be so modest."
Dugu Jialuo smiled slightly, the scrutiny and aloofness in her eyes completely disappearing, replaced by a genuine, grandmotherly affection.
She even made an exception and waved to him, indicating that he could come closer.
Yang Yan did as he was told and took two steps forward.
"Do it well."
Dugu Jialuo suddenly reached out and gently supported him.
This is an extremely rare act of kindness.
"Don't let your efforts go to waste, and don't let down... your own identity."
She deliberately paused for a moment on the word "identity".
"Your grandson obeys the decree and will certainly not fail the Empress Dowager's high expectations!"
Yang Yan felt a surge of warmth in his heart, and his voice carried a genuine expression of filial piety.
"If your father had half your insight..."
Her unfinished words lingered in the hall, and when she turned away, her face was devoid of emotion.
"What you say today comes from your mouth and enters my ears."
"Grandson understands."
"Step down."
Dugu Jialuo has returned to normalcy.
"I know what I'm doing when it comes to marriage."
Yang Yan bowed and retreated step by step to the palace door before turning around and gently pulling open the heavy door.
Just as the palace doors were about to close, a calm command, carried clearly by the breeze, reached his ears:
"Serve the meal. Also, have the Imperial Household Department find the Imperial Concubine Yuan's original imperial edict and seal... wipe them clean, and keep them for later use."
……
On the way back, the setting sun cast golden light and the evening clouds blazed like fire, bathing the palace road in a warm glow.
Yang Yan kept replaying Dugu Jialuo's last words in his mind—"Yuan Shi?"
The late Crown Prince's principal wife, Lady Yuan. Born into the Northern Wei imperial family, she died childless and became a faint shadow in the Eastern Palace's memory.
Why did Dugu Jialuo mention the imperial edict of a deceased person at this time? Why specifically after his discussion of "the foundation of the state" and "stability"?
In a flash, the words of the Empress Dowager, "Don't betray your identity," exploded in my mind.
He understood instantly!
Dugu Jialuo was speaking to herself! It was a hint, a suggestion, a groundbreaking political signal!
identity……
Yes. If he remains only the eldest son of Yun Zhaoxun, then the title of "eldest son of a concubine" will forever be an indelible stain on his status, and his foundation will forever be like duckweed.
But if... if he could inherit from Consort Yuan, as her legitimate son, he could continue the bloodline of the Northern Wei imperial family...
Then, Yang Yan will no longer be the eldest grandson of a concubine who needs to constantly prove himself.
He will become the undisputed legitimate heir of the empire, a fusion of the powerful military families of Guanzhong (the Yang family) and the legal system of the Northern Dynasties (the Yuan family)! This political capital is so substantial that it will deter all those who covet it.
The last golden rays of the setting sun sank behind the heavy palace walls. The boundless twilight surged in from all directions.
Yang Yan stood still, turning back to look at the Ganlu Palace, which appeared even more profound and unfathomable in the twilight. The palace's outline swallowed the last rays of daylight, like a lurking beast.
The brief moment of warmth between grandfather and grandson in the hall just now, when recalled now, felt colder than the twilight.
He recalled his grandmother's focused eyes as she listened, her final smile of relief, and the kindness of her gentle support... Was every step, every expression of emotion, a precise measurement?
This imperial grandmother's thoughts and plans were far more profound than he could ever imagine.
The palace lanterns lit up one after another, illuminating his way back to the mansion, but they could not penetrate the chill and enlightenment churning in his heart.
He could only continue down this path, carrying this cold "high expectation," towards the chessboard of fate that had been quietly rewritten.