Chapter 252.1: Who Is the Rebel? (Spring Flowers, Autumn Moon – Bonus Update)

Although they did not know why Deputy Commander Chang was dressed in the uniform of the Chuzhou army, many among them had been waiting for Chang Kuo’s return. In the midst of the chaos and noise, no one stepped forward immediately.

Li Yi was startled.

Chang Kuo was not dead!

He realized… the one who had died was not Chang Kuo, but the Chuzhou Prefect!

That letter had only been meant to lower his guard!

In his panic, he raised the head and shouted loudly: “Chang Kuo killed the Chuzhou Prefect, he has rebelled! Capture him at once!”

But soon, an even louder voice overpowered him, sharp and piercing, with a tone that only a decade of street shouting could rival.

The woman’s voice shouted, blunt yet irresistibly captivating, as if even passing dogs would stop to listen: “It is the Chuzhou Prefect who has rebelled, not our General Chang! The Prefect colluded with Xu Zhengye, scheming to poison our General Chang, but heaven has eyes, and the treacherous scoundrel has not succeeded!”

She spoke with sincerity: “I am a citizen of Hezhou. Think back to when General Chang came with only twenty thousand troops to aid Hezhou—that was a mission undertaken with the heart ready to meet death!”

A heart ready to live and die with Hezhou…

Chang Suining wanted to correct her but held back. Let it be; her free expression worked well enough.

“Let me say it here today: Even if the King himself rebelled, General Chang would not!”

Young Miss Jicai emphasized with a strong “pfft”: “Those who slander General Chang as a rebel are the true thieves shouting ‘Stop thief!’”

Li Yi, hearing this, turned an iron face—how could there even be a woman shouting in the midst of the army!

Could it be that Chang Kuo had specially hired her to curse the ranks?!

Seeing the commotion among the troops, Li Yi grew anxious: “Where did this vulgar woman come from, daring to speak nonsense here? Kill these rebels at once!”

At this moment, a youth in Chuzhou military attire rode up beside Chang Kuo, lifting his horse a half step forward, raising an item in his hand.

It was a scroll of bright yellow silk, stained with already darkened blood.

The sight stopped Li Yi’s personal guards, who had been about to charge forward.

The mounted youth spoke, with a voice leaning toward a girl’s tone, looking down at Li Yi: “General Li, since you claim not to be a rebel, then kneel and receive the imperial edict.”

Seeing the object in her hand, Li Yi’s gaze trembled.

That very imperial edict he had searched the entire camp for, yet never found… unexpectedly, it had fallen into the hands of Chang Kuo and the others!

He stared at the girl. She too looked at him and asked, “Will you not kneel before seeing the edict?”

Li Yi gritted his teeth: “What edict… how am I to know if it isn’t forged by you!”

Yet she seemed not to hear him, speaking on her own: “Then stand and listen.”

The girl then unfurled the silk, announcing the decree loudly.

Her voice was clear, carrying in all directions.

Only at the end did the army realize it was indeed an imperial order for a transfer of command!

Moreover, it instructed that He Wei replace the current commander…

Although He Wei’s assassination was not witnessed by many, rumors had spread.

“This edict was personally given to me by He Wei before he died,” the girl concluded. “Li Yi would not relinquish command, and thus secretly plotted to kill He Wei.”

“Utter nonsense! Rebels falsifying an edict to slander the loyal, just like Xu Zhengye did in Yangzhou… such vile, treacherous schemes are nothing new!” Li Yi vehemently refused to acknowledge.

Chang Kuo raised an eyebrow and asked loudly: “Xu Zhengye is now your lord, yet you slander him behind his back—do you not fear he will make you pay later?”

No nonsense at the front; though it sounded like a taunt, it also stirred the troops’ hearts.

Just like that imperial edict, not everyone would believe it, and Li Yi would not recognize it—but that did not make it useless.

“Perhaps you all still do not know—Li Yi killed He Wei, intending to trap me in Hezhou, but that is not the whole truth!” Amid the commotion, Chang Kuo’s voice grew louder and stronger: “He had already secretly colluded with Xu Zhengye. This so-called siege of Yangzhou is in fact joining the enemy!”

“He Wei died in the camp, and the eighty thousand troops that should have gone to aid Hezhou remain inactive outside Yangzhou—that is the clearest proof!”

“Li Yi’s treason has already been reported to the capital. The imperial envoy tasked to punish him is on the way!”

Raising his sword, he said sternly: “Today, I will execute the rebel Li Yi!”

“Those who follow me will be rewarded!”

“And anyone still conspiring with Li Yi shall also be treated as rebels and executed!”

Chang Kuo’s voice spread a killing intent that made Li Yi’s army instinctively hesitate and step back half a pace.

“Do not listen to the slanders of this scoundrel!” Li Yi’s voice rose, trembling: “I am of the Li family. My father is the Prince of Huainan, Li Tong, loyal to the sovereign… how could a mere outsider slander me! Whoever brings me the head of the rebel Chang Kuo shall be richly rewarded!”

Having spoken, he mounted his horse first, posing a brave stance to attack the enemy.

The army surged forward, yet it was chaotic.

Some soldiers were more inclined to believe Chang Kuo’s words.

Li Yi’s unusual conduct during the march had already raised suspicions when leaving Shouzhou, but he had suppressed them with strict military law.

At that time, Chang Kuo was absent; now, with him back to uphold order, the long-suppressed discontent among the troops erupted all at once.

They cared not only about the truth but also followed their hearts.

Whether Li Yi was truly a rebel or not, the edict transferring command was not a forgery in their eyes.

Since he had been replaced, he was no longer their commander. What he spoke now was no longer military orders but empty words!

Who would listen to such empty words?

Among the soldiers were leaders, and many began to resist their comrades who still obeyed Li Yi.

 Chapter 251.2: Deputy Commander Chang Has Returned

Li Yi no longer harbored any doubts; his heart was at ease, and he even ordered wine to be prepared in celebration.

As he lifted his cup, an aide asked, “In that case… should we recall the letter we just sent to Deputy General Yu, as your command suggested?”

“No need,” Li Yi replied. “Let him come — it’s always better to be prepared.”

With Chang Kuo gone, other threats still lingered. He had already learned that imperial envoys had arrived in Jiangnan and would soon act.

But none of this spoiled Li Yi’s good mood. To him, no one was more difficult to handle than Chang Kuo. With Chang Kuo dead, why fear a mere imperial envoy?

The tension of the journey melted away, and Li Yi drank heartily. His aides advised moderation, and he heeded them, not allowing himself to become drunk.

Yet under the effect of the wine, he slept deeply that night, waking only near noon the next day.

With the threat of Chang Kuo removed, Li Yi no longer panicked. Following his aides’ suggestion, he decided to wait for the fifty thousand troops behind him to arrive before resuming the march, ensuring greater safety.

As evening approached, news came that the main army had indeed caught up. They had marched relentlessly from Shouzhou and were exhausted, but after a day and night of rest under Li Yi, they were refreshed. Ignoring the soldiers’ fatigue, Li Yi ordered them to rest only for an hour — citing “military affairs must not be delayed” — and then continue marching through the night.

By noon the following day, as the troops paused to eat, scouts reported activity to the right: signs of the Chuzhou army.

Li Yi’s aide asked seriously, “Truly the Chuzhou army? Have you confirmed?”

The soldier nodded: “Indeed, they are from Chuzhou. Their banners and uniforms are genuine. The officer leading them wears the prefect’s official robe.”

Li Yi said, “Very well, let us wait here for them.”

He had little interest in the Chuzhou army and did not yet regard the Prefect Wei, whom he had never met, as significant. What he most wanted was to see Chang Kuo’s head with his own eyes.

The troops rested for over an hour, and sure enough, the Chuzhou army arrived.

Li Yi dismounted from his carriage and, accompanied by two advisors, approached the army to meet the Prefect of Chuzhou.

“I am Wei Jun, Prefect of Chuzhou. Greetings, General Li!” The middle-aged man in the prefect’s robe bowed to Li Yi.

Li Yi glanced at him and nodded, quickly shifting his eyes to the box held by the soldiers at Wei Jun’s side.

The man understood immediately and said, “This is my first time meeting you, General. I have prepared a modest gift; please inspect it…”

He stepped forward, carrying the heavy box toward Li Yi.

Just as he approached, an advisor raised his hand to stop him.

The aide smiled: “Perhaps I should inspect it first—”

The middle-aged man readily consented: “Please.”

The advisor examined the box cautiously before opening it.

Li Yi’s confidants surrounded him, so there was no worry that showing Chang Kuo’s head would cause unrest among the troops.

There was no need to announce Chang Kuo’s death publicly — merely a verification would suffice.

The box opened to reveal a head — indeed, but the advisors’ expressions changed immediately. One looked sharply at the “Prefect of Chuzhou” holding the box: “Prefect Wei, I believe you may have mistaken the person.”

Li Yi stepped forward, frowning. He did not recognize the head, but it was clearly not Chang Kuo!

What was this Prefect thinking? Had he killed the wrong person? Where was Chang Kuo? Had he escaped?

Li Yi sensed something was wrong. His advisor pointed at the “Prefect” and said, “Seize him at once!”

There was clearly treachery afoot.

The advisor’s vigilance and decisiveness forced the man pretending to be Wei Jun — Deputy General Jin in disguise — to curse silently: Bad luck. He hurled the box at Li Yi and drew a long sword hidden under his cloak.

A woman had said that capturing Li Yi would be ideal, but if circumstances were unfavorable, she had instructed him to prioritize self-preservation.

To verify “Chang Kuo’s” head, Li Yi had only a few dozen confidants with him; the rest of the soldiers remained ten paces away. Taking advantage of this, Deputy General Jin and his soldiers drew their weapons and fought while retreating.

Not far off, Chang Suining, wearing Chuzhou uniforms, saw this and immediately spurred her horse forward to rescue Li Yi.

Li Yi was escorted to safety while shouting angrily, “…These are Xu’s rebels! Quickly eliminate them!”

The other officers in the army were momentarily stunned.

Why was there a fight all of a sudden?

Weren’t these supposed to be the Chuzhou troops? How did they turn into rebels?

But military orders prevailed. The resting troops quickly took up arms and lined up to charge forward.

Suddenly, a loud voice rang out from the opposing army: “General Chang is here! Are you attempting to rebel and slay your deputy commander?”

General Chang?!

The soldiers froze in astonishment. Then they saw a figure on horseback emerge at the front lines — tall, imposing, and with stern features. It was unmistakably Chang Kuo himself!

“It’s the Deputy Commander!”

“Deputy Commander Chang has returned!”

 Chapter 880: Conflict (Part 1)  

At this moment, more and more people were gathering outside the palace gates. Those without relatives participating in the imperial examination weren’t concerned about who would succeed or fail. They were there simply to secure a prime spot to witness the newly crowned top scholar, second-place candidate, and third-place candidate parade through the streets on horseback—a moment of unparalleled glory.  

Among the crowd were men, women, and children of all ages. Some parents had brought their children along, hoping the festive atmosphere would inspire them to work hard and one day bring honor to the family.  

Nearby, a group of young women and newlywed wives chatted and laughed while gazing at the towering palace gates.  

“I wonder what the top scholar and the second-place candidate will look like this time. Three years ago, they were quite plain-looking.”  

“So what if they were plain-looking? Didn’t they still become officials, make fortunes, and marry the daughters of noble families? That’s still quite impressive!”  

“Exactly! Who cares what they look like? We’re just here for the excitement. Hopefully, there’ll be as much drama as last time!”  

“Heh, you’re dreaming. Not every year can have that kind of spectacle!”  

“...”  

Standing near them, Mo Yan’s interest was piqued by their mention of “that kind of spectacle.” After listening for a while, she learned it was a story reminiscent of the tale of Qin Xianglian and Chen Shimei, with a somewhat similar ending.  

Apparently, during the last examination, a young scholar from Jiangnan, though ordinary in appearance, stood out for his literary talent and earned the third-place title. After the spring examination, he composed many remarkable poems—not about national affairs or patriotism in peaceful times, but mostly sentimental and melancholic pieces. These works caught the attention of some young women in their boudoirs, leaving them infatuated.  

What followed was a series of dramatic events. This Jiangnan scholar came from a modest family. After securing the third-place rank, he caught the eye of a high-ranking court official and married the official’s only legitimate daughter.  

However, it turned out that the scholar had already married and had children back in his hometown. After marrying the noble’s daughter, he abandoned his first wife and children, secretly bringing his parents to the capital. To prevent his first wife from finding out, he claimed he had fallen ill and died during his journey to the examination. His parents were relocated under the pretense of joining a married daughter in another town.  

But the scholar’s first wife was a sharp woman who knew her husband’s nature all too well. The moment her in-laws were taken away, she suspected foul play. Accompanied by her brothers, she followed them all the way to the capital, exposing her husband’s deceit.  

What ensued was a sensational battle between the original wife and the noblewoman for the scholar’s affections. The noblewoman, with her power and status, refused to let go of what she considered hers. Meanwhile, the first wife, armed with a valid marriage certificate and no grounds for divorce under the Seven Grounds for Divorce, stood her ground and refused to back down.  

Caught between the two women, the deceitful and fickle scholar became mentally distressed. His poor conduct led to errors in his work, and after being severely reprimanded by his superior, he turned to alcohol to drown his sorrows. One night, in a drunken stupor, he fell into a river on his way home and never surfaced again.  

The noblewoman shed a few tears at his funeral before returning to her family with her generous dowry. Not long after, she remarried a widower of equal social standing. Now a mother of a two-year-old son, she reportedly lived a happy and fulfilling life.  

The most astonishing twist, however, was the first wife’s actions. Despite her in-laws falling ill from grief over losing their son, she arranged a proper and dignified funeral for the scholar, ensuring he was buried honorably.  

Just when everyone thought she would stay with her late husband’s family to raise her son and live a life of quiet widowhood, she shocked everyone a year later. In a swift and decisive move, she married a fourth-ranked general who had delayed his marriage due to years of border defense. Overnight, she became the esteemed wife of a general, leaving everyone utterly astonished.  

[End of Chapter]    

 Chapter 879: Aiming for the Zhuangyuan (Part 3)  

Using his years of salary and rewards, Xiao Ruiyuan had purchased shops across the country. He arranged for some individuals to train under the managers of his capital shops to learn the trade. Once they were proficient, they were assigned to manage these shops, enabling them to earn a living and maintain their dignity.  

However, over the years, despite the network of shops expanding nationwide, the number of people he could assist remained limited. Many injured soldiers continued to live in hardship at the border, refusing any aid from the great general, Xiao Ruiyuan.  

To most, these soldiers' refusal seemed stubborn or foolish. While Mo Yan also felt that certain principles could be set aside when survival was at stake, it was precisely this perseverance that made them all the more admirable.  

Moved by their resilience, Mo Yan suddenly wanted to help these honorable individuals. She suggested to Xiao Ruiyuan, “Our orchard and herb fields need a lot of caretakers. I think these people would be perfect. I can’t promise much, but at least they won’t have to suffer from hunger or cold. What do you think, Brother Xiao?”  

Xiao Ruiyuan’s eyes softened, his gaze glowing warmly as he looked at her. “Yan’er, thank you!” He didn’t know how else to express his gratitude, even though such formalities were unnecessary between them.  

Mo Yan rolled her eyes at him, her tone stiff. “I’m not doing this for you, so why are you thanking me?”  

“Yes, I know.” Xiao Ruiyuan didn’t expose her hidden intentions, smiling indulgently. “But I’ll thank you on their behalf.”  

Mo Yan huffed, saying nothing more.  

Her motivation to help these former defenders of the nation stemmed from both admiration and a desire to share some of the burdens of the man she cared for. Additionally, there was an important personal goal: accumulating virtue to help her space upgrade further.  

Mo Yan had set a non-negotiable goal of upgrading her space to level ten within ten years. Presented with such an opportunity to gain significant merit, she couldn’t let it slip away. Although she couldn’t assist everyone in need at the border, helping a few was better than none. In the future, her orchards and herb fields would expand, and the number of people she could employ would only grow.  

Of course, even this wouldn’t be enough to achieve her goal. Though she had a long-term plan to accumulate virtue, the timing wasn’t right yet, so she had to put it aside for now. Once the time came, the tasks ahead would far exceed her current efforts.  

“By the way, today isn’t a rest day. Don’t you have official duties to attend to?” Mo Yan finally asked the question she’d been meaning to since morning.  

Xiao Ruiyuan’s hand, holding his cup, tightened briefly before he relaxed again. “There’s not much to do these days. I knew you’d be sending your father to the palace for the imperial examination today, so I came to see if you were free.”  

Unaware of his subtle hesitation, Mo Yan responded nervously, “I wonder what kind of question His Majesty will set today. My father seems determined to win the top scholar title… If the essay topic is too difficult or doesn’t suit him, I’m afraid he’ll be disappointed if he doesn’t perform well.”  

Xiao Ruiyuan gently smoothed her furrowed brow, speaking in a low, comforting tone. “Although His Majesty personally sets the questions, there are still guidelines he’ll follow. I’m sure your father is prepared. Don’t worry too much, Yan’er.”  

Mo Yan felt a bit more reassured. Just as she was about to reply, a thought struck her, and she swatted Xiao Ruiyuan’s hand away. “Our cold war isn’t over yet. Don’t touch me.”  

Xiao Ruiyuan froze, staring at her serious expression. At a loss for words, he carefully asked, “Then… how can the cold war end?”  

Suppressing a laugh, Mo Yan put on a stern face and said, “That depends on my mood.”  

Xiao Ruiyuan was truly at his wit’s end. Yet, seeing the lively woman before him, he couldn’t feel any dissatisfaction. Instead, he wished to present her with everything good in the world.  

Although they didn’t talk much after that, the mood between them was pleasant. Silently sipping tea and basking in the tranquil sunlight streaming through the window, they both felt a rare sense of peace.  

Time passed quickly. Before the imperial examination ended, Mo Yan and Xiao Ruiyuan left the teahouse together. After escorting Mo Yan to the palace gates, Xiao Ruiyuan finally departed, reassured.  

When Mo Qingze emerged, Xiao Ruiyuan was nowhere to be seen. Father and daughter chatted and laughed on their way home, neither bringing up the results of the examination.  

The next morning, Mo Yan escorted her father to the palace gates again. This time, she stayed there, determined to be the first to hear the results once they were announced.  

In the grand and solemn Golden Throne Hall, the usual assembly of civil and military officials was joined by a group of scholars dressed in their academic robes. These were the top 100 candidates who had made it through the grueling imperial examination.  

At Emperor Hui’an’s signal, Eunuch Liang personally announced the names of the third-tier (Tong Jinshi) and second-tier (Jinshi) candidates. All eyes then turned to the three remaining names yet to be read, one of which belonged to the ministry of rites minister, Zhao Daren.  

Among the three, one was an elderly man who had taken the exam nine times and finally made it into the Jinshi ranks. The second was a scholar from Jiangnan, just past his thirties. The third was Mo Qingze.  

Everyone present knew that no matter which of the three secured the top scholar title, the futures of the other two would still be bright—especially for Mo Qingze and the Jiangnan scholar, as both were still young.  

[End of Chapter]