The Fallen Nation System, Turning the Tide - Chapter 14: Secret Letter

Chapter 14: Secret Letter

Western Rong, just you wait!

Xu Ying opened the first memorial from each stack and, just as she had expected, they were sorted by category.

This time, the submitted memorials had been neatly organized by content: one pile for the daily greetings from officials, another for cases requiring judgment, and a separate stack for admonishments and heartfelt advice directed at Xu Ying herself.

Originally, this task should have been handled by the chief eunuch in the palace. However, since Xu Ying had left the palace without bringing any inner attendants, and the palace maids lacked experience, the categorization of memorials had been overlooked.

Suddenly receiving sorted memorials, her response speed increased severalfold. Xu Ying felt exceptionally refreshed and smooth, effortlessly processing half of them in no time.

Xu Ying quickly ordered the palace maids responsible for delivering the memorials to be summoned. Holding a memorial, she walked up to them and asked, “Who was in charge of organizing today’s memorials?”

Among the row of five palace maids, the four counting from the right pressed their hands against their waists, the lotus-root-colored sashes trembling slightly. They anxiously glanced at each other with bewildered expressions, then shook their heads and remained silent.

Only the maid on the far left swayed slightly, took a small step forward, and knelt abruptly on the ground. Flustered, she pleaded for mercy, her voice unsteady: “Your Majesty, it was this lowly one who presumptuously took it upon herself to organize the memorials. I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness…”

Xu Ying looked over. The maid was prostrate on the ground, head bowed low without showing her face. Her hair appeared slightly yellowish, likely due to malnutrition, and her slender figure seemed somewhat familiar.

It seemed to be that particularly graceful and beautiful palace maid.

Xu Ying recognized her.

“What is your name?” Xu Ying waved for the other maids to withdraw and turned back to walk toward her desk.

Meeting the emperor for the first time, the palace maid felt apprehensive and timid, like a wooden bucket dropped into a dry wellsinking without reaching the bottom, empty and unsettled.

After a brief pause, she finally took a shallow breath and softly replied, “Your Majesty, this lowly one is Sun Wanyun.”

Xu Ying’s hand, which had been flipping through memorials, stilled. She looked up in surprise. “So you are Sun Wanyun.”

Daughter of a disgraced official, intelligent and perceptive. Xu Ying’s gaze swept over the slender shadow on the floor. The former aspect of her identity could stir controversy, while the latter could persuade Xu Lang. Most importantly, she could help reduce Xu Ying’s workload.

Sun Wanyun was perfectly suited. The more Xu Ying looked at her, the more satisfied she felt.

“From now on, you will be responsible for categorizing and organizing the memorials.”

The rotation period was three months. Since Sun Wanyun could directly enter her study, and with Prince Ning already in Chang’an, Xu Ying estimated that should be enough time for Liu Xu to depose her and install a new emperor. Thus, she didn’t make a special exception for Sun Wanyun by fixing her position permanently.

However, those important yet tedious tasks no longer needed to burden Xu Lang and could be directly assigned to Sun Wanyun instead. This resolved a significant difficulty.

Sun Wanyun felt as if she were walking on clouds as she lightly stepped out of Azure Wave Study, the experience feeling like a dream.

The Emperor had not reprimanded her for overstepping but had instead allowed her to continue organizing the memorials. She had heard that this honor was typically reserved for the chief inner attendant.

Sun Wanyun’s heart raced uncontrollably. One moment, it felt as if she were soaking in a warm bathcozy and comfortable, sighing in contentment. The next, it was like lying beneath an overturned galaxy, gazing up at the cold stars seemingly within reach, yet filled with anxious uncertainty about the dark curtain beyond those glittering points of light.

Tossing and turning, his mind filled with the chaos of the confiscation, the desperate screams of maids trying to fleethen abruptly, the slanting sunset pierced through the serene and elegant study, filtering through the lattice window to spill across the floor. That clear, cold voice flowed over his skin, a faint tingling spreading in ripples.

Your Majesty, I will not disappoint you.

Sun Wanyun, thinking of the scenes from the day, brimming with beautiful hopes and fervent passion, drifted into a deep and intoxicated slumber.

The scout reported that Yanjie had fled with his men. Tanmuhu cursed and raged, berating Yanjie over and over three hundred times, exhausting the Northern Barbarians’ vocabulary before switching to Han language.

Niu Pengnan, assigned to escort him, endured an earful of foul language until he could bear it no more. He untied his own bellyband and stuffed it into Tanmuhu’s mouth, finally achieving peace and quiet.

Xia Chenglie slowly withdrew his gaze. Yanjie’s escape was within his expectations; capturing Tanmuhu was enough to intimidate the Northern Barbarians, so he paid it no mind and proceeded to bind Tanmuhu and return to camp.

Upon arriving at the camp, Xia Chenglie anticipated a backlog of military affairs in his tent and went straight there without resting.

On the desk lay a neatly folded secret letter, sealed with wax, awaiting its sole recipient.

Xia Chenglie had heard that memorials impeaching him filled the court. He had long prepared himself for reprimands and demotions, deliberately ignoring royal orders during campaignsafter all, if he made mistakes, he could anticipate the consequences, whereas flawless execution might invite sudden, baseless accusations.

Slowly tearing open the envelope, Xia Chenglie drew out the thin sheet of paper, unfolded it, and fixed his gaze upon it. Only a few brief words were written

Well done, you have not failed my high expectations. Do not worry.

Xia Chenglie’s eyes grew hot. Trembling, he lifted the thin paper and pressed it to his chest. The iron-willed general raised his head, tears glistening in his eyes.

Why did it come so late?

Years ago, when he sat anxiously in the commander’s tent, these were the words he had desperately longed for. Finally, he had received them.

“General, Niu Liuah, no, Niu Pengnanhas beaten up that little barbarian. There’s a commotion now. Should we intervene?” Old Hou stood at the entrance, calling out.

Old Hou called twice, but there was no response from inside. He tilted his head to listenno movement. Growing concerned, he lifted the tent flap and entered, only to be startled by the sight of Xia Chenglie’s red-rimmed eyes. Hurrying forward, he asked, “General, what’s wrong?”

Xia Chenglie, hands shaking, held out the letter to Old Hou. The neat, bold characters came into Old Hou’s view.

Old Hou’s heart jolted, a surge of heat rushing through his chest. Dazedly, he reached out to touch it, afraid it was an illusion, but halfway there, his hand paused, frozen in mid-air.

“This… this was written by His Majesty?” Old Hou’s lips trembled as he pointed at the letter, unable to believe it.

“Indeed.”

Tears streamed straight from Old Hou’s eyes. Choked with emotion, he could not speak.

For generations, the Xia family had served in the military, shedding blood and sacrificing lives for the sovereign. With their male lines nearly extinguished, it was only with Xia Qiyuan that they finally attained high rank and generous emoluments. Yet, at that very moment, his sovereign grew suspicious of him, sending civilian officials with no military knowledge to restrain him during campaigns. Their reckless commands cost the Xia Family Army thousands of lives.

When there is a will to condemn, excuses are never lacking.

Fortunately, the Xia family only disbanded, but the general’s family they had fought alongside collapsed entirelysome executed for delaying military operations, others implicated for alleged treason. The former emperor’s pettiness and suspicion drenched the army in blood.

This time, it seemed different. Her Majesty had ignored all slander. She said there was no need to worry.

Xia Chenglie knew how difficult it was for a woman to ascend the throne. He could hardly imagine the immense pressure she had endured to persevere. She was right there in Youzhouif she ordered the troops to withdraw, the garrison would never dare disobey, yet she did not.

Thinking of this, Xia Chenglie declared resolutely, “With such a sovereign, what more could one ask? I am willing to expand the empire for Your Majesty. Even if you doubt me, I would face death nine times without regret!”

Even if the Empress later suspected him or was misled by sycophants to suppress him, he would still clear all obstacles for her.

“I feel the same!” Old Hou clenched his fist in agreement.

Western Rong, just you wait!

Xu Lang had been struggling with the task Xu Ying assigned her. With Xia Chenglie about to return, the storyteller in the teahouse slapped his wooden block loudly, and in a flash of inspiration, she seized the moment to coordinate with the Governor of Youzhou. She ordered government officials to organize the commoners to gather under the large locust tree and recount Xia Chenglie’s achievements in the form of a story.

Xu Lang hired several storytellers to craft the narrative, using simple, colloquial language and a dramatic, suspenseful structure. Within the entertaining tale, they wove in praise and admiration for the Empress, making it highly accessible and relatable for the people.

The problem that had troubled her for days was thus resolved, and Xu Lang smoothly advanced the mission Xu Ying had entrusted to her.

With Xu Lang, Princess Huaiyang, overseeing the event, the officials no longer dared to put on airs. Even the Governor was bowing with a smiling face, so the lower-ranked officials kept their heads down and treated the commoners politely, putting on a show of approachability and care for the people.

Having only ever seen petty officials fiercely collecting grain taxes, the commoners were astonished to see them now too timid to breathe loudly. Out of curiosity, they brought their stools and gathered under the large locust tree.

The storyteller was a minor official handpicked by Xu Lang from the government officearticulate and skilled at jesting.

Thrilled to be working for the Princess and speaking before such a crowd, especially with rumors that the Governor would appear, the official was overjoyed and had memorized the story inside out.

“Everyone knows about those Di tribesmen…”

With a few quick, lively words, the official unfolded an engaging tale. During humorous parts, he clowned around without restraint, making the crowd roar with laughter. At tense moments, he paused deliberately before bursting forth suddenly, startling everyone.

“Our General Xia, bearing eighty wounds, lay on the vast grassland, barely breathing, his consciousness fading. Yet, even then, he murmured the name of our dynasty. Gathering his last breath, he sighed, ‘Mother, I may not return.’ Poor General Xia was about to be buried forever in the grasslands.”

Tears streamed down every face. Someone wiped their eyes and sobbed, “General Xia, don’t die! I’ll make your favorite Crescent Wontonsyou can have them when you come back. Don’t die…”

Suddenly, the official’s low voice rose, swift and impassioned: “But at that very moment, a golden light flashed before General Xia’s eyesdazzling and brilliant. His fading spirit solidified instantly. Staring intently, hey, guess who the General saw?” He slowed his speech, building suspense.

“It was none other than our wise and mighty Empress”

Hidden in a small building not far away, Xu Ying spat out her tea.

Hearing that Xu Lang was going to promote the story among the people, Xu Ying had come out to see the effect, only to hear a wildly fabricated, utterly absurd tale.

Xia Chenglie hadn’t even returned yet. She had no idea how he had ventured deep into the grasslands to capture the Khan, yet here they were, narrating it vividly as if it were a live broadcast.

The earlier parts were tolerable enough, but forcing supernatural elements into the middle just to insert her characterthese stiff, artificially glorifying sentences meant to elevate the narrative probably wouldn’t even convince a dog.

As the plot progressed to where Xu Ying healed Xia Chenglie’s wounds and bestowed him with divine power, turning him invincibly fierce, the common folks listened with rapt attention, eyes sparkling as they sat on their benches.

“Bravo! Thankfully, we have Her Majesty! General Xia, hurry and capture the Khan!”

Xu Ying: “…”

Author’s Note:

Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or provided nutrient solutions between 2023-04-01 20:59:50 and 2023-04-02 20:57:53~

Special thanks to the little angel “Red Beauty” for the 20 bottles of nutrient solution~

I’m deeply grateful for everyone’s supportI’ll keep working hard!