Chapter 300
Chapter 300
The process of welcoming refugees continued as usual. Several families started to clash during this time, but ultimately, there was nothing of major concern for the Mu family.
However, over time, news of the conflicts within the Du Region began to intensify. Unlike the novels Yueqian had read, they were truly fighting amongst themselves, leading to a civil war. The people of Du fled for their lives, and many noble families had to relocate to other Regions to escape the turmoil.
This chaos forced the Hu Region to send soldiers to suppress and control the situation. The emperor of the Bai Region was deposed, and internal matters were dealt with, including handling the people and those who believed in unfounded rumors. Many ended up in dire situations, with some even becoming war slaves.
The Hu Region couldn’t afford to ignore this issue. After all, the Du Region was one of their vassal states, and any unrest could escalate further. However, the deployment of Hu soldiers to control the situation reduced their military strength, and since the Hu Region had suspicions about the ongoing events, they needed to recall some of their troops.
In truth, the conflict between these two Regions shouldn’t have affected Mu Heng and Yueqian at all. They no longer considered themselves people of the Du Region. Yet, it wasn’t that simple.
"Those Hu Region people are really crazy," a disgruntled voice rang out, causing the servants to feel uneasy.
"Crazy? I don’t think so. They’re smarter than you think," another commented candidly. This conversation arose after they had received a message from the Hu Region, which led to an urgent meeting.
"Even though they know how chaotic the Du Region is right now, the Hu Region soldiers can only control the situation for a short time. They can’t bring internal peace just by marching in. Instead of monitoring the situation, they didn’t do that. Instead, they dumped this responsibility onto our Bai Region."
"Isn’t this just sending us to our deaths? Whoever gets sent there is as good as dead."
"Even the Emperor over there has been suppressed, and many officials have been dealt with. The remaining officials have risen to power, each wanting to push themselves to the top. Isn’t this their opportunity? But in the end, the Hu Region didn’t appoint any of them as Emperor. Instead, they want our Bai Region to send someone to replace them! What kind of flawed thinking is this?"
"It’s not just about sending someone from the Bai Region. They also requested that the Wang be the representative! If we didn’t know that the Wang had good relations with the Hu Region, we would think the Hu Region was bullying our Bai Region."
"In such a chaotic state, instead of having the Wang closely monitor the situation here, they want him to go manage that Du Region. Even if it’s in the capacity of their Emperor, how effective can it be? How would the native people of Du accept this?"
"On the one hand, if the Wang can take full control, it would be beneficial. But if he can’t, it means our Bai Region is sending the Wang to his death. Not only would the Wang be affected, but our Bai Region would also lose its main military force."
"What can we do? We can only comply with the orders. Do we dare refuse the Hu Region’s orders?"
"If the Wang goes, what about our Second Prince..." Many people fell silent immediately. Mu Heng, who had been quietly standing in the corner, also frowned with worry.
It must be said that his Mu family could stay here mainly because the Wang had their back. Even though Mu Heng had always sided with the Second Prince, he hadn’t fully earned their trust. The others had only allowed his participation because the Wang vouched for him. If the Wang went to the Du Region, the Mu family would find themselves in a precarious situation.
"Everyone, the Wang’s orders have arrived." While everyone was at a loss, a minor official aligned with the Second Prince rushed in.
The head of the Wei family, the leading supporter of the Second Prince, quickly took the letter and read it. He did not read it alone but let everyone hear it at the same time.
"Since I must go to the Du Region in the coming days and take the deputy general to manage any unforeseen circumstances, the Bai Region will face difficulties. Crowd control must always be vigilant. If neglected, the Bai Region could become another Du Region."
"Therefore, the vacant positions of Great General and Deputy General need to be urgently appointed. For the position of Deputy General, it has been assigned to the Empress’s family. From now on, Official Hui Huan will become the Deputy General!"
Upon reading this, the head of the Wei family was immediately stunned. What kind of appointment was this? Wasn’t this essentially supporting the Crown Prince’s ascension to the throne? To the extent of giving the position of Deputy General to the Empress’s brother, while the Empress’s father was already the Grand Minister. This meant that the Hui family’s power would be overwhelming, wouldn’t it?
"This is unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable."
"If the Hui family gains such power, the Crown Prince’s influence will be greatly strengthened, won’t it?"
"With positions as Grand Minister, Deputy General, Empress, and Crown Prince, there’s no doubt the throne will belong to the Crown Prince in the future. Has the Emperor made his decision already?"
"Will the Second Prince receive nothing? This is impossible. This is blatant oppression. Normally, His Majesty wouldn’t act this way. Something must have happened."
Many voiced their objections vehemently. The Crown Prince’s faction had suddenly gained such a significant position. Then, what could the Second Prince be counted as?
However, the eyes of the Wei family head showed a strange look as he held the letter. He didn’t speak but signaled everyone to quiet down before continuing to read.
"But due to the severity of the situation, the Emperor has decided to increase the military forces. The structure of the army will change. As everyone knows, the position of General of the Bai Region still belongs to the Wang, who holds the authority to call upon the Hu Region’s forces for assistance. However, because of other commitments, he is not in the Bai Region. Therefore, Deputy General Hui cannot handle everything alone."
"So..." The Wei family head fell silent and looked at Mu Heng with disbelief.
He had clashed with this Official Mu many times. The latter had even refused the request to take his daughter as a concubine. If this was not called humiliation, then what else should it be called? As a result, every time he entered a meeting, he would not say a single word to Mu Heng, not letting him have the power to decide or say anything.
Given his low status, no one really paid much attention to him. Especially after the Mu family took over the port that was supposed to belong to the Wei family, the loss of power made him avoid even looking at Mu Heng.
Who would have thought that in such a short time, this man surnamed Mu would have such luck again, and a terrifyingly great one at that!!
"Originally, there was only one Deputy General and several subordinate generals. But now, there will be two Deputy Generals. One has already been mentioned, Hui Huan. The other is Mu Heng!"
As soon as he finished this sentence, the people in the meeting let out cries of disbelief. Everyone knew that Mu Heng was close to the Wang, but they never expected that the Wang would trust him enough to grant him such a significant position.
When Hui Huan became Deputy General, everyone was shocked, but considering his qualifications, it seemed appropriate and required no further consideration. Hui Huan had always worked in the military. However, when they heard the Emperor’s announcement, which was based on the Wang’s recommendation, that Mu Heng would be another Deputy General, they were utterly astonished.
"Previously, the Deputy General oversaw eight subordinate generals, but now it will change to two Deputy Generals, each overseeing four subordinate generals, making operations more efficient and ensuring better oversight."
"The troops will be equally divided to report directly to the Deputy Generals, ensuring full power until the Great General, the Wang, and the Deputy Generals complete their missions. During this period, Deputy General Hui and Deputy General Mu will have full authority to issue orders."
"This is the entire announcement..." The head of the Wei family was the first to start clapping, congratulating Mu Heng.
Inside, he felt pain and envy, but as the head of the powerful Wei family, who had held power for a long time, he had encountered such situations many times. Some were fortunate enough to be promoted quickly, while others had to wait a long time for their positions. However, this promotion was not the end. Gaining the position was just the beginning of the battle.
The higher the position, the more people will scrutinize and attack. Not to mention, the military power of the Bai Region had been in the hands of a very strong leader like the Wang. Now, with the power shifting to others, those who had been waiting for their chance would certainly cause much turmoil.
This is an opportunity to prove oneself, but it’s also a chance to be deemed incompetent!
"Congratulations to Deputy General Mu on your promotion."
"Congratulations."
"Official Mu, from now on, you’ll be a key figure on our side."
"Truly, His Majesty hasn’t decided yet. He still sees great importance in the Second Prince."
"His Majesty trusts Deputy General Mu greatly, hence granting this position. May you advance successfully."
"May you advance successfully," everyone said in unison, continually congratulating Mu Heng. Although they were shocked that Mu Heng was chosen, many were envious of his prestigious position, while others felt pity for him, having to assume such a role in these circumstances.
No one knew how many cities would rebel. If he couldn’t control them, his future prospects would be bleak. This appointment was clearly a double-edged sword. Everyone knew the Wang wouldn’t be able to return to the Bai Region. If he performed well, he’d become the Emperor of the Du Region. But if he failed, he’d lose his life there.
The claim that the Wang would retain the title of General of the Bai Region was just for now. The appointment of two Deputy Generals seemed like a stage for potential candidates to demonstrate their capabilities as the Great Generals.
Whoever performed well would secure the position of Great General of the Bai Region. Everyone believed the Hui family had a high chance of seizing this opportunity, while Mu Heng had a high chance of being eliminated.
Yueqian heard this news later while overseeing the food distribution for the refugees. She couldn’t help but frown, realizing that, in the end, her husband was about to face immense challenges in his life.
She didn’t consider his appointment lucky. The Wang had always hinted that Mu Heng would eventually become a General of the Bai Region. The noble had praised her husband’s skills many times, which made both her and her husband strive even harder.
If there was one stroke of luck she could count on, it was that she had had sufficient time to prepare. At the very least, the troops she had been secretly training were somewhat functional.
With the new position as Deputy General, recruiting soldiers became easy. Thus, she could have her own people enlist in Mu Heng’s army and assist him in battles.
Even though their skills were not yet at a level she was satisfied with, they all knew how to use poison, how to heal, and how to wield a sword. This was enough to ensure her husband’s safety from various dangers.