Chapter 189: Mixed Joy and Sorrow
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Late August, under the blazing sun, Chang’an felt hotter than ever.
But the news of the Great Victory at Cangzhou made the heat even more intense. In every alley and courtyard, from markets to manors, everyone was talking about it. The common people were ecstatic. The hawkish ministers—the ones who always advocated for war—were overjoyed, rushing to the palace to offer their congratulations to Emperor Xiao Wenxuan. Their long-held stance had finally been proven right.
Of course, while some celebrated, others were miserable. The peace-favoring officials, upon hearing the news, looked as if they were attending a funeral. Still, a victory was a victory for Great Yu, and even they had no choice but to enter the palace and offer their congratulations to the Emperor.
“Congratulations, Your Majesty! The victory at Cangzhou is a tremendous achievement. Prince Qi has humbled the barbarians. Their envoys’ ridiculous demands can now be completely ignored,” General Luo Quan declared loudly in the Chengqing Hall, brimming with confidence.
The other hawkish ministers stood proudly behind him, puffed up like triumphant roosters. Their eyes swept over the peace faction with open disdain, silently mocking them: You see? The barbarians aren’t so terrifying after all.
Emperor Xiao Wenxuan laughed heartily. With so many officials coming to congratulate him, he couldn’t be more pleased.
“Thank you, thank you. This is a day for the entire nation to celebrate!”
Across the hall, Minister Cui Hao and his fellow civil officials forced smiles that looked more painful than grief. The barbarians had been thoroughly defeated at Cangzhou and wouldn’t dare make trouble there again anytime soon. But this meant Zhao King and Liang King’s territories would be the next targets. If the barbarians decided to vent their frustration on those lands, the officials who lived luxuriously off those princes’ wealth would soon find their silver cut off.
Cui Hao bowed and offered his forced congratulations. Then he said, “Your Majesty, though Prince Qi’s victory is indeed worth celebrating, we must not forget the barbarians’ strategy. Among the one hundred thousand troops, only twenty or thirty thousand were real soldiers—the rest were slaves. This loss is merely a scratch to them. If they become enraged and return in force, the situation could escalate. Therefore, I believe we should send envoys to the Golden Horde, make it clear this was Prince Qi acting independently, and that it has nothing to do with Great Yu.”