The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 2)

Chapter 161 - Suspicion

On the night of April 19, over a hundred Japanese pirates entered through Pinghu in Zhejiang and ravaged the area around Hangzhou, causing hundreds of casualties among local citizens, militia, and guards.

By the evening of April 20, around 3,000 more pirates launched an assault on Tongshan, nearly wiping out an entire village. The Fujian Navy's commander was already leading forces to counter the enemy.

In the main palace, Emperor Jianzhang's expression revealed no hint of emotion, though a cold smile crept onto his lips. On one hand, the Japanese envoys made grand promises of seeking a marriage alliance to secure peace between the two nations. Yet, on the other hand, they sent troops to burn, kill, and pillage, taking advantage of Great Zhou's moment of relaxed vigilance. It was as if they held neither Great Zhou nor him, the Emperor of Great Zhou, in any regard!

Initially, he'd been somewhat tempted by the proposal, thinking it might be a way to achieve significant benefits at minimal cost and provide some relief to Fujian, Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Southern Zhili. However, he could never have anticipated that the Japanese would be so duplicitous.

Since Ceng Biliang mentioned the urgent report from Fujian, Noble Consort Song finally breathed a sigh of relief. As she held the Eleventh Princess and walked back to her quarters, she had to force herself not to reveal her emotions. But once in her chambers, she let down her guard, exhaled heavily, and with red-rimmed eyes, murmured, "Finally, we can breathe easy for now."

The Eleventh Princess didn't fully understand all the underlying complexities, but she saw how Emperor Jianzhang's expression darkened after the report was read. Taking his confidants into the main hall for deliberation, she realized the Japanese request for a marriage alliance wouldn't be so easily granted, and a smile of relief crossed her face.

Later in the evening, Zhuying brought urgent news. "Word has it that Japanese pirates have invaded Fujian again—an entire village in Tongshan has reportedly been massacred..."

Japan attacking Great Zhou at such a moment would make it nearly impossible for Emperor Jianzhang to proceed with a marriage alliance, as it would be a slap in the face for both him and Great Zhou. Recalling the smug expressions of Noble Consort Xian and Ninth Princess, Noble Consort Song couldn't help but smile faintly. The higher they climb, the harder they fall. For all their recent arrogance, the embarrassment that awaits them will be all the more severe.

The Japanese envoys were still utterly bewildered as they were shackled, stunned that the promised princess was nowhere in sight and that they, as royal envoys, were now prisoners. Enraged, they hardly had time to protest before they were gagged with manure and thrown into a dark cell. Although wartime custom typically prohibits harming envoys, Japan's actions had been too brazen this time. Asking for peace and a royal marriage on the surface, they secretly dispatched troops to invade Fujian, effectively delivering a public insult to Great Zhou. Emperor Jianzhang could hardly tolerate them any longer; he might not feel his anger sufficiently vented even if he had them dismembered.

Even the usually composed Prime Minister Chang couldn't contain his frustration this time; after leaving the main hall, he furiously threw down his memorial. For years, Fujian had been battling the Japanese incursions, costing untold manpower and resources. When Japanese envoys came to sue for peace, he had advised Emperor Jianzhang in hopes of sparing the people's suffering and halting the drain on resources, even urging the Ministry of Rites to expedite the matter. That was why the envoys had arrived so quickly and gained an audience with the Emperor so smoothly. But in hindsight, these damnable Japanese were as ungrateful as wild beasts; they could request peace here and then turn right around to attack Fujian. After all his efforts to push for peace, he felt he'd been blindsided. If only he had heeded Guo Huaiying's warning—it seemed force truly was the only language these barbarians understood.

While the inner court scrambled, burning the midnight oil to handle the influx of documents, Song Jue, having finished his shift, enjoyed a rare moment of leisure and went to chat with Song Chuyi, only to discover she was over at Princess Duanhui's tent.

Lady Yu surprised and slightly at a loss, lightly tapped Song Chuyi on the forehead. "You have quite the daring spirit...!"

Cui Shaoting and Guo Huaiying had a clear grasp of Japan's internal situation; the lords were locked in constant civil conflict, too busy battling each other for land to think of offering the whole country's strength to secure a marriage alliance. Prince Duan had only convinced one local warlord, promising he could use military power to conquer Japan for himself. But once the other daimyos learned of this, they wouldn't sit idly by while this one lord gained Great Zhou's support to eventually subdue them. So they fought back, determined to deny any advantage to others, and that was how this urgent report, carried by Ceng Biliang, unfolded so dramatically tonight.

(Translator Xiaobai: The term daimyo refers to powerful Japanese feudal lords who ruled over large swaths of land and commanded private armies from the 10th century until the early Meiji period in the late 19th century. )

Only now did Lady Yu fully understand why Princess Duanhui and Song Chuyi seemed so unperturbed when talking about Ninth Princess. With such a mess brewing for Prince Duan, the Ninth Princess's open jabs and taunts about the Eleventh Princess's impending marriage to a foreign lord suddenly seemed laughably misguided. Even if Emperor Jianzhang had favored Ninth Princess enough to consider sending Eleventh Princess for the marriage alliance, he'd now hesitate at the thought, remembering the Minister of Rites who had ushered the envoys here—wasn't he a Jinshi from Zhangzhou, Prince Duan's territory?

With these suspicions creeping in, further supporting evidence would naturally emerge. For instance, tales would spread of the Minister's luxurious lifestyle, the properties he'd bought around Zhangzhou, and how well-regarded his family was back home...

First Lady Cui's face darkened as she cast a stern look at Song Chuyi. "It's not just her courage at play here. Shaoting indulges her far too much. Such a significant matter, yet he lets a child have a say? Do they even consider how many lives are at stake?"

Lady Yu fell quiet at the thought, reflecting on the cost. While she understood the strategy to dismantle Prince Duan's scheme, the price indeed felt steep.

Song Chuyi hadn't expected Guo Huaiying's forces to cause such significant upheaval. It seemed that Zhou Weizhao was determined to bring Prince Duan to his knees in one decisive blow. She glanced down at her open palms, closing her eyes in quiet contemplation.