Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne-Chapter 31 Yangzhou Anomaly

"By the way, Second Uncle, how is the situation in Yangzhou?"

A few days ago, Lai Xi brought his friend to the palace to find Zhao Yao. His friend told Zhao Yao that there were many people in Yangzhou, and these people were fighting and killing each other. However, he didn’t know the specific details about these people, he only knew that there was a war in Yangzhou.

Zhao Yao wanted to know the specific situation in Yangzhou, so he asked Lai Xi and his friend to make a trip to Yangzhou to gather information for him.

Upon learning that Lai Xi and his group were going to Yangzhou, Lai Qian insisted on going as well to help Zhao Yao gather information. Once they arrive in Yangzhou and collect the news, Lai Qian will fly back to the capital at the earliest opportunity to inform Zhao Yao.

Yangzhou is hundreds of miles away from the capital, and it will take Lai Qian and Lai Xi some time to fly there. Zhao Yao is still unaware of the current situation in Yangzhou.

Liang Run thought Zhao Yao was asking about Mr. Liang, so he said, "Your grandfather is doing well, no one is giving him trouble." The Liang family still has some reputation in the Yangzhou region, being one of the wealthy gentry. Besides, his role as County Magistrate has been satisfactory, maintaining good relations with some officials in Yangzhou. He was transferred to Guangling County as County Magistrate, and no one has given him a hard time. "Your grandfather and grandmother have always wanted to see you, but unfortunately, your grandfather cannot come to the capital."

"I also want to see my grandfather and grandmother," Zhao Yao said. "If grandfather can’t come to the capital, then grandmother can. At that time, my mother and I will secretly sneak out to meet her."

"Your grandmother wants to come to the capital too, but she suffers from severe seasickness and can’t travel by boat to the capital," Liang Run explained. "She also can’t endure long periods in a carriage; it makes her uncomfortable."

"Ah, seasickness and carsickness, then grandmother can’t travel far?"

"That’s right, your grandmother is afraid of long trips as well."

Zhao Yao said with a look of disappointment, "It seems, for now, I won’t have the chance to meet my grandfather and grandmother."

"Alas, the capital is really too far from Yangzhou."

"Second Uncle, earlier I asked about the situation in Yangzhou, not about grandfather, but about what’s happening in Yangzhou City."

Liang Run, upon hearing this, showed an astonished expression: "Why are you asking this? Is something happening in Yangzhou, could it be rebels?"

Zhao Yao nodded and said, "It is related to the rebels."

"What about the rebels?" Liang Run knew that there was fighting in Yangzhou, and it was against the rebels. "Didn’t the emperor send the Xie family to suppress the rebellion? Your grandfather said that although there’s fighting in Yangzhou, the interior of Yangzhou City is still safe."

"Second Uncle, don’t you find it strange that the Xie family went to Yangzhou to suppress the rebellion months ago, but still haven’t succeeded and are entangled with the rebels?" Zhao Yao knitted his brows, and though usually a cute face, it now looked rather serious. "Back then, Yangzhou, Liangzhou, and Jingzhou all had uprisings at the same time. The uprising in Liangzhou was the most severe, while Yangzhou’s was the mildest. Logically, Yangzhou should have been the easiest to pacify, yet the reality is that Liangzhou achieved a major victory first, while Yangzhou has yet to succeed in quelling the rebellion."

"It must be because the Xie family is ineffective, unable to handle even a small uprising in Yangzhou." Liang Run’s business of delivering goods hadn’t reached the Duke Zhen of the Xie family, but he had heard about the Xie’s situation from elsewhere. "The one leading the forces to suppress the rebellion in Yangzhou is Xie Shi. He always followed his brothers in battle before and never led troops independently. This is his first time leading troops on his own, so it’s normal that he hasn’t succeeded yet."

"Actually, the Xie family isn’t known for great military talents. They were conferred the title of Duke Zhen because the Xie family provided money, weapons, and provisions to help the late emperor build his empire. To ensure the Xie family would naturally be conferred as Duke Zhen, the late emperor had them go to the battlefield and earn merits. With the help of other soldiers, the Xie family achieved numerous military successes and subsequently received the title of Duke Zhen."

Liang Run was only half right. The other half of the reason is that the Xie family has stood for hundreds of years as a top-tier noble house, leading all the noble families. The late emperor granted the Xie family the title of Duke Zhen to intimidate other noble houses.

It turned out that the late emperor’s decision to marry into the Xie family was correct, as was making the Xie family Duke Zhen. With the Xie’s presence, those noble houses have been well-behaved in the court, not daring to look down on the Imperial Family.

It is important to know that the surviving noble families have a heritage of hundreds of years. Dynasties often change rulers, but these noble families remain unshaken. Their influence is so vast that even the Royal Family does not look down on them.

The late emperor started as an ordinary commoner, and due to the tyranny of Emperor Xia Ling and the oppression by officials, his family either died of beatings or starvation. Forced to survive, the late emperor rose in rebellion. Initially, he only intended to share a meal with his brothers, but unexpectedly, their uprising grew larger, and their army stronger.

As their uprising expanded and gained more supporters, the late emperor decided to follow the mandate of heaven and directly overthrow the Xia Dynasty’s tyranny. Unfortunately, after a few years, a drought occurred, and many places lacked food.

The late emperor and his brothers needed food the most in battle, but what they obtained was insufficient. Just as they found themselves in trouble, the Xie family took the initiative to show goodwill and provided them with provisions.

The Xie family valued the late emperor’s potential, and the late emperor needed the Xie’s support, so they entered into a marriage alliance and cooperation. With the Xie’s backing, the late emperor eventually overthrew the Xia Dynasty and established the Great Zhou Dynasty.

When a new dynasty is established, many issues arise, the biggest being the noble families. These noble families look down on the grass-root origin of the Imperial Family. However, with the Xie’s support, these families did not dare to openly play tricks or engage in petty actions.

The Xie family’s ties with the Imperial Family are deep, especially as the Crown Prince is born of a Xie family daughter and is the next King. For their own interests, the Xie family will indeed fully support and defend the Royal Family.

In the previous dynasty, the Xie family was heavily suppressed, especially during Emperor Xia Ling’s reign, facing various oppressions. Many died, and their influence was severely weakened, leaving the Xie family greatly damaged. Now, Duke Zhen is determined to restore the Xie’s to their former glorious days and will certainly support the Crown Prince’s future ascension to emperor.

"Second Uncle, you’re mistaken. The Xie family may not have produced extraordinary military talents in the last two or three generations, but in the previous dynasty, and even further back, the Xie family produced many outstanding military leaders. The reason the Xie family became an elite noble house is because they produced many strategic geniuses." Although usually disinterested in studies, the Tenth Prince was very well-informed about the noble families in the capital. "Xie Shi is not a fool, nor is he as useless as you say. Moreover, he has capable soldiers by his side. With their abilities, it’s impossible that they can’t even handle a small rebellion in Yangzhou."

Liang Run finally grasped Zhao Yao’s meaning, and with a look of surprise, he said: "Yao Yao, you mean the rebellion in Yangzhou is abnormal and not as simple as it seems."

"Yes, the rebellion in Yangzhou is likely more complex than we imagined," Zhao Yao replied earnestly. "If we don’t understand the true situation in Yangzhou, grandfather and the others may be in danger."

"What do you think the real situation in Yangzhou is?"

"The rebels in Yangzhou are likely not simple, but I can’t guess the exact situation," Zhao Yao continued, "Second Uncle, you should write a letter to grandfather, advising him to pay attention to the rebel situation in Yangzhou and be cautious."

"Sure, I’ll write the letter after dinner and send it to the hostel first thing in the morning." The hostel has people dedicated to delivering letters.

"If the situation in Yangzhou is extremely dangerous, advise grandfather to step down from his position as County Magistrate and take the clan to live somewhere else."

"Okay," Liang Run said. "Yao Yao, how did you know something was happening in Yangzhou? No one in the capital has mentioned anything about Yangzhou."

"Just a guess."

"A guess?"

Zhao Yao recounted the events of that evening’s banquet to Liang Run. "Both my mother and I felt that something was not right with what’s happening in Yangzhou."

"You two are really alert."

"I hope we’re just overthinking."

The uncle and nephew finished their dinner and each wrote a letter to Mr. Liang.

Liang Run wrote to Mr. Liang, advising him to be cautious about the situation in Yangzhou. Zhao Yao’s letter to Mr. Liang was to inquire about his well-being.

Since Liang Run came to the capital, Zhao Yao and Liang Zhaoyi frequently wrote to Mr. Liang’s family. Although they couldn’t meet, they at least could keep in touch and let each other know how they were doing.

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