The Fallen Nation System, Turning the Tide - Chapter 7: The Cold of Heaven

Chapter 7: The Cold of Heaven

“Youzhou is bitterly cold, do take care.”

Xu Lang furrowed her brow, a troubled expression appearing on her face as she voiced her concern: “They are lowly individuals. Having them close by might not be appropriate.”

Xu Ying straightened up and spoke gravely: “Under the vast sky, all is the king’s territory; within the seas’ boundaries, all are the king’s subjects. Regardless of status or nobility, they are all my people. As their ruler, I must take responsibility for every single one. Moreover, history records virtuous ministers who rose from slaverywould a wise monarch discard talent merely because of humble origins?”

Seeing that Xu Lang still had reservations, Xu Ying added: “If it truly proves unworkable, let them perform rough labor outside the quarters, keeping them at a distance. How would that be?”

“Let it be so for now.”

Since Xu Ying had already conceded, she couldn’t very well say more.

Xu Ying breathed a sigh of relief and assigned Xu Lang the task of managing the camp prostituteswhether they would wash clothes or chop firewood would be Xu Lang’s decision.

Xu Lang was not one to sit idle; upon receiving the assignment, she took the roster and immediately headed out. Xu Ying quickly called her back, pressing a small hand warmer into her palm. “It’s freezing outsidemind your hands don’t get cold.”

“Alright.” Xu Lang tucked the dossier into her robe, hugged the hand warmer, and smiled at Xu Ying.

Xu Ying saw Xu Lang to the doorway, watching her depart until her figure grew smaller and smaller, vanishing from sight. Only then did Xu Ying shift her feet, hugging herself tightly as she turned back into her room against the biting wind.

Shortly after crossing the threshold, a palace maid entered behind her carrying tea. Xu Ying glanced casually and found the maid somewhat unfamiliar.

Could she be an assassin sent by Xu Long’s former allies?

Searching her memory, Xu Ying confirmed she had never seen this person before. Unknown origins meant ill intentionsshe thought inwardly, “So you’ve finally shown yourself.”

Pretending unawareness, Xu Ying sat down by the hearth to warm herself.

The maid approached with bowed head, holding a wooden tray in both hands, and said softly, “Your Majesty’s tea has gone cold. This humble servant will replace it for you.”

“Leave it here.” Xu Ying nodded, tapping the table twice with her knuckles. Before she could react further, her peripheral vision caught the maid’s slight flinch, as if startled.

Though controlled masterfully and gone in an instant, Xu Ying’s attention had been fixed on the maid all along, and she didn’t miss this subtle anomaly.

A guilty conscience, indeed.

Xu Ying grew increasingly exhilarated.

As the maid drew near to exchange the teacup, Xu Ying nonchalantly lifted the freshly poured hot tea to her lips. Her gaze swept over the maid’s red, swollen fingerslikely on the verge of frostbite.

Performing one last kindness, Xu Ying set down the teacup and rose to retrieve ointment from a small cabinet by her dressing table. Both she and Xu Lang had suffered from chilblains in their youth; their fingers would itch every winter, so she kept ample frostbite cream on hand.

“Youzhou is bitterly cold, do take care.” Xu Ying handed her a small jar of the ointment.

The maid looked up in surprise, hesitating briefly, but Xu Ying had already pressed the porcelain jar into her hand.

Xu Ying turned back to resume her previous motion, lifting the teacup to her lips and swallowing the contents calmly. The maid clutched the jar, her lips parting as if to speak, but ultimately lowered her lashes without a word.

A long moment passed with Xu Ying and the maid staring at each other in silence.

Had there been no poison after all?

Was she not an assassin?

Xu Ying fell into confusion.

Equally bewildered was the female assassin tasked with killing the emperor. She had seized the opportunity of Xu Ying’s sparse retinue to infiltrate disguised as a palace maid, pouring lethal poison into the tea. She had watched Xu Ying drink ityet here she was, completely unaffected.

The assassin suddenly recalled the rumors about Xu Yingthat she was no ordinary mortal but an immortal reborn, possessing divine power. On the day of the sacrificial ceremony, she had summoned heavenly thunder to strike down the rebellious Qi Wang and Wu Huangzi.

Previously, she had dismissed it as baseless gossip, but witnessing the scene now sent chills down her spine, her back drenched in cold sweat.

Raising her eyes, the assassin met the female emperor’s gaze directly. Those sharp, penetrating eyes, clear as black and white, seemed to lay everything bare wherever they rested.

It was as if Xu Ying had already seen through her disguise, a faint, disdainful smile playing on her lips, like watching an ant trying to shake a tree. The assassin suddenly felt like a grasshopper in late autumn, doomed and powerless.

No wonder she had been given the frostbite ointment and warned to be carefulit had been a warning all along!

Do not say you were not forewarned.

The phrase echoed in her mind, and the porcelain vial in her hand suddenly felt thorny, while the dagger hidden in her sleeve grew heavy.

Enough. If she didn’t carry out the kill, others more daring would come. Survival was what mattered now.

“If Your Majesty has no further orders, this humble servant takes her leave.”

Afraid that Xu Ying might actually call her back, the assassin quickly retreated from the room and left without looking back.

Xu Ying gazed thoughtfully into her teacup, wondering, where exactly had things gone wrong?

The deed done, robes brushed clean, leaving no trace of one’s name or feat.

Just then, a flash of pink skirt passed by outside the door, and a pigeon headed for the Zhang residence in Chang’an flapped its wings and flew away.

Xu Lang conveyed Xu Ying’s intentions to the Governor of Youzhou. Though surprised, the governor dared not question it and immediately sent someone to ask the camp prostitutes if they were willing to serve the emperor. Those unwilling would be assigned to the Imperial Music Bureau as servants.

In either case, they would be serving others. Joining the Imperial Music Bureau meant a life with no future prospects, but serving the emperor was differentwith a stroke of luck, one might receive imperial favor, regain civilian status, and escape their registered disgrace.

Hearing they could serve the emperor, everyone rushed forward, afraid to fall behind.

Xu Lang counted them and assigned them to the rear kitchen and outer courtyard, strictly defining their working hours and permitted areas, forbidding them from wandering freely.

Sun Wanyun had been forced into camp prostitution due to her father’s crimes. By chance, she befriended Jia Zhenzhen, and as Jia Zhenzhen gained He Chongguang’s favor, Sun Wanyun’s life improved considerably. She felt deeply grateful to Jia Zhenzhen.

Seizing this sudden opportunity, Sun Wanyun went straight to the small loft to find her.

In the cramped, low attic, a stern-faced old woman stood rigidly beside a young woman adorned with pearls and jade. The young woman had delicate features, fair skin like congealed cream, and an air of cultivated refinement.

“I won’t go,” Jia Zhenzhen replied softly.

Sun Wanyun was puzzled. “Why not?”

Staying here and relying on beauty for survival offered no real security. Even if He Chongguang doted on her, he was nearing the end of his life and couldn’t protect her forever.

“Since I already have people serving me here, why should I trouble myself to go serve others?” Jia Zhenzhen slowly traced her eyebrows before the mirror. “Besides, once a prostitute, always a prostitute. Rather than going out and inviting humiliation, I’d rather stay in this attic.”

Jia Zhenzhen was right. Even if they were no longer camp prostitutes, people’s judgmental stares would never change.

Sun Wanyun felt disheartened, but since the emperor had given them this chance to escape, she still wanted to try.

Before her family’s downfall, she had been educatedshe could read, write, and was skilled with the abacus, keeping accounts in perfect order. Every visitor had praised her intelligence and sought her hand in marriage.

She wanted to see His Majesty, to tell him she was capable of many things and learned quickly. While her brothers needed a full day to memorize texts, she could recite them flawlessly in reverse within half a quarter-hour. She would never disappoint His Majesty.

As long as she didn’t have to return to the army, lying beneath different men.

Everyone has their own aspirations, and Sun Wanyun saw no point in forcing the issue. After bidding her farewell, she immediately went back to pack her belongings.

After Sun Wanyun left, Jia Zhenzhen wiped away the crooked lines she had drawn and stared blankly at her reflection in the mirror.

“Remember your place, Miss Jia,” an elderly woman warned.

Jia Zhenzhen sneered, “I don’t need your reminder.”

Meanwhile, the Northern Barbarians were gripped by anxiety over the unknown. Xia Chenglie remained inactive, his intentions unclear, while tightening defenses. Their scouts returned empty-handed.

Tanmuhu grew impatient. “I’ve never seen the Jin dynasty campaign in winter. Xia Chenglie is a defeated general who lost three citieshe won’t take risks. In my opinion, he doesn’t dare attack us.”

Yanjie restrained him. “We know too little about the female emperor. Until we understand her true intentions, we must not act rashly.”

“Wait and waithow long must we wait?” Tanmuhu slammed the wooden table in frustration and volunteered, “Yabgu, let me lead a team to scout the Jin army’s camp personally.”

Tanmuhu was among the Northern Barbarians’ finest warriors. After a moment’s consideration, Yanjie agreed but cautioned, “Proceed with care.”

Tanmuhu dismissed the concern. “Don’t worry, Yabgu. Those Jin soldiers with their skinny arms and short legs can’t harm me.”

Frowning, Yanjie selected several cautious warriors to accompany Tanmuhu, ensuring they could handle any potential ambush.

Under cover of darkness, the group set out for the Jin dynasty’s military encampment.

After Xia Chenglie departed with elite troops, the camp was placed under strict guard, but over time, lapses emerged. Tanmuhu’s team lay in wait outside the camp for an hour before spotting a weakness and slipping cautiously into the compound.

Entering was only the first step; navigating inside proved far more challenging. Tanmuhu darted from hiding spot to hiding spot, barely avoiding patrols. Within half a quarter-hour, he was panting with exhaustion.

Their efforts soon paid off. Torchlights flickered as soldiers jointly pushed carts past, covered with coarse cloth. Beneath the cloth, the carts were ladenlikely with provisions.

Tanmuhu grew excited.

One cart passed, then another, and another…

In the darkness, Jin soldiers continuously pushed heavy carts, their strained grunts indicating the weight of the loads.

“How much provisions has Her Majesty allocated? Why are they still transporting them?”

This was a good question. Tanmuhu pricked up his ears.

“I’m not sure either, but I overheard the captain say it might last us several years.” Provisions were critical intelligence beyond ordinary soldiers’ knowledge, but he had caught a fragmentthe word “years”and didn’t hesitate to boast vaguely.

Tanmuhu was astounded. The Jin dynasty could now muster such vast supplies? Fear and fervor warred within him.

Such quantities likely represented a national effort, signaling the Jin’s resolve. Yet, in Tanmuhu’s eyes, their strength remained insignificant.

It was like a robber encountering an elderly person carrying gold and jewelsthe robber feels no fear, only desire.

Tanmuhu’s eyes instantly lit up, and when he looked at the goods on the cart again, he already regarded them as his own. An overwhelming passion surged in his chest.

While fetching water, the cook soldier Niu Liu unexpectedly discovered fish in the river. Having grown up around water, he was an expert at catching fish and successfully brought back a large fish to supplement their meals.

He hung the fish outside the tent but forgot about it in the midst of his busy tasks. Just as he lay down, closed his eyes and prepared to sleep, he suddenly remembered the fish hadn’t been retrieved. He immediately jumped up, threw on his clothes, and went out to collect the fish.

The night was deep. Niu Liu made his way by moonlight and easily found his hanging fish.

The weather had been cold these past few days, especially at night, but Niu Liu hadn’t expected Youzhou to be this cold – the large fish had already frozen solid.

Author’s Note:

[1] From The Book of Songs: Minor Odes of the Kingdom – Decade of Beishan: “Under the wide heaven, all is the king’s land. Within the sea boundaries of the land, all are the king’s servants.”

[2] An earlier source can be traced to the Kangxi era. Xu Yuanwen’s Collection of Hanjing Hall – Edict on Salt Administration states: “If old habits remain unabolished, willingly degrading oneself, acting for personal convenience, perpetuating malpractices and harboring corruption – once verified through investigation, immediate impeachment will follow. Do not say you weren’t warned. All reinforced regulations are listed below.” Emperor Kangxi’s Admonition to Scholars also contains the phrase “Do not say we didn’t warn you beforehand.” (Source: Baidu Baike)

[3] From Li Bai’s The Swordsman: “When deeds were done, one brushed off his clothes, hiding his tracks and his name.”

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