Emperor Xia was no fool. The moment he read Lu Chen's letter detailing the sudden movement of the barbarian cavalry toward the south, a chill crept through his heart. He knew immediately--- this was no ordinary threat. There was a high possibility that it had something to do with the powerful aristocratic families… and perhaps even his own sons.
As a seasoned veteran in the treacherous arena of imperial politics, Emperor Xia had seen his fair share of schemes. He was not unfamiliar with emperors throughout history who secretly invited foreign enemies to create chaos, only to then emerge as saviors and reap the rewards. In fact, it was a page taken straight from the old playbook of political manipulation.
Inside the solemn and imposing Imperial Hall, the atmosphere was stifling. A suffocating tension spread as the ministers exchanged glances but dared not utter a word. All of them could clearly sense the storm brewing on Emperor Xia's face—it was twisted with fury, his eyes deep and ominous. This was the first time in over a year that they had seen the emperor's face turn so dark, so terrifying.
An uncomfortable silence lingered, until finally, Emperor Xia let out a cold sneer that broke the stillness like thunder.
"The barbarians," he said, his voice filled with disdain, "have truly picked the perfect time."
A tall and slender official, standing at the front-left of the hall, hesitantly took a step forward and asked with respectful caution, "Your Majesty… what news has arrived from Beijun?"
Before the man had fully finished speaking, Emperor Xia's voice echoed through the hall with an edge of cold authority.
"The Northern King has sent an urgent letter. His people intercepted a summoning call issued by the barbarians on the northern grasslands. According to the report, the barbarians are planning to gather an army of 300,000 cavalry and march southward. Their aim is to occupy Beijun, declare the establishment of their own nation, and use Yancheng as their capital."
The moment these words fell from Emperor Xia's lips, the hall erupted into an uproar.
"Three hundred thousand?! Heavens! How could the barbarians have gathered such a massive force?"
"Establish a nation? If we allow them to succeed, wouldn't that mean our Great Xia will forever live under the looming threat of the barbarians' iron cavalry?"
"This must not be allowed! We cannot let them march south!"
"The ambition of the barbarians is boundless. This time, we must not let them off easily!"
Voices clashed, and panic spread across the hall. The ministers' expressions turned grim and alarmed.
Yet amidst the growing noise, Emperor Xia remained quiet. He sat still on the dragon throne, his eyes deep in thought, allowing the ministers to voice their fears. After a long pause, a voice broke through the din.
Lu Shuyun, the Eighth Prince, stepped forward with a calm yet sharp tone.
"Father, this son believes the Northern King may have fabricated the military report. As far as I am aware, ever since the Northern King was sent to Beijun, he has spent his days locked inside his mansion, indulging in pleasures. He has shown no signs of taking control or managing the affairs of Beijun."
"Given this, how could he possibly know that the barbarians are going south?"
Lu Shuyun continued, his tone filled with calculated skepticism. "The barbarian tribes dwell far beyond the borders of Beijun. Even if they did send out a call to arms, how could the Northern King's people intercept such a thing—unless, of course, he had already planted spies deep within the barbarian territory?"
The implication hung heavily in the air.
Lu Shuyun's words immediately shifted the thoughts of many ministers. They began whispering among themselves, the seeds of doubt quickly sprouting.
Indeed… The Northern King was known to be a carefree and idle prince, a man who seemed to care little about administration or military matters. How could someone like that orchestrate such an operation, let alone place agents deep into barbarian lands to intercept crucial communications?
It simply did not add up.
Could it be… that the Northern King truly had fabricated the intelligence?
At that moment, the Left Prime Minister, Lin Gaoyuan, calmly stepped forward and addressed Lu Shuyun.
"Eighth Prince, you accuse the Northern King of forging military intelligence. Besides your judgment based on his behavior, do you have any other tangible evidence?"
Lu Shuyun was caught off guard. He hesitated momentarily before composing himself.
"Prime Minister Lin, is this not enough?" he asked with deliberate emphasis. "Can you really believe that the Northern King is capable of sending agents into the core territory of the barbarians?"
Lin Gaoyuan's response was measured and deliberate.
"Whether or not the Northern King has such capabilities, I cannot say with certainty. However, I do know one thing: he sent his letter to the capital through a red silk messenger."
His words instantly silenced the murmurs of the court.
Within the Great Xia Dynasty, a red silk messenger symbolized utmost urgency—a classification reserved solely for critical military intelligence. The use of such a messenger was not something to be taken lightly or used at random.
Even if the Northern King were a foolish man, he could not possibly be ignorant of the weight such a messenger carried. The punishment for falsely using red silk for misinformation would be swift, severe, and unrelenting.
Would a prince known for indulgence and idleness truly dare fabricate such a message, knowing the consequences?
Lin Gaoyuan didn't believe so.
While it remained unclear whether there were truly 300,000 barbarian cavalry mobilizing, it was still highly likely that something abnormal was happening in the north. In his view, perhaps the Northern King had exaggerated the numbers, hoping to prompt support from the court.
But exaggeration was one thing—fabrication was another.
The truth remained: the barbarians were making a move.
No sooner had Lin Gaoyuan finished speaking than the Eldest Prince, Lu Yi, stepped forward with confidence and cupped his hands.
"Father, your son is willing to lead an army north to confront the barbarian threat!"
But before Emperor Xia could respond, the Second Prince spoke with a mocking sneer.
"Brother, aren't you being a bit too eager? We haven't even confirmed whether the barbarians are truly coming south, and yet you're already asking to lead troops? Are you truly going to resist the barbarians, or are you looking for something else?"
Despite the looming threat at the borders, the imperial court remained riddled with internal strife. Even in the face of an enemy invasion, the struggle for power among the princes persisted, as vicious and unrelenting as ever.
Leading troops northward would provide any prince with an opportunity to earn merit and gain influence among the military ranks—a tremendous advantage in the contest for succession. Every prince desired the chance, but none wanted to see their rival seize it first.
Lu Yi narrowed his eyes, letting out a cold laugh.
"Second Brother, what are you implying? Defending the borders from foreign invaders is a duty of our royal family. Are you suggesting that I have ulterior motives?"
Before their dispute could escalate further, Emperor Xia's voice thundered from the dragon throne.
"Enough."
The single word cut through the noise like a blade, silencing everyone in an instant.
The great hall, which had just moments ago been echoing like a crowded marketplace, fell completely silent. All eyes turned toward the emperor.
"Whether the barbarians truly intend to go south—this will be verified by my shadow guards," Emperor Xia declared in a cold and commanding voice. "For now, what you must discuss… is how to respond if the threat proves real."
With that, the debate over the authenticity of the message came to an end. The matter had been left in the hands of the emperor's elite spies.
But at that moment, Lu Shuyun's expression darkened.
He had originally assumed that this barbarian invasion would catch the Northern King by surprise—or at the very least, allow the matter of the recent assassination attempt to be buried under the chaos. Yet, the Northern King had not only remained alive but had also detected the barbarian movement in advance.
Even so, it didn't matter.
The Blood Moon Tower had already been mobilized. By now, their Grandmaster should have arrived in Yancheng.
Lu Shuyun was confident: even if that mysterious Grandmaster protector was still in the Northern Palace, he wouldn't be able to stop what was coming.
The Northern King… wouldn't live for many more days.
What Lu Shuyun truly needed to focus on now was claiming the right to lead the army north.
If he could take command, he could secretly collaborate with the barbarians as previously agreed. They would offer him minor victories and concessions, allowing him to return with military accomplishments and rising prestige—an ideal path to seizing the crown.
Whether Beijun fell to the barbarians or not didn't matter to him.
It was just a cold, desolate land at the edge of the empire. If the barbarians wanted it, let them have it.
His only concern… was the throne.
Just then, the Eldest Prince once again stepped forward.
"Father, your son believes we must immediately begin the mobilization of troops and march them north."
"If the Northern King has used the red silk messenger, it can only mean one thing—the threat is imminent. If the imperial court delays, the thirty thousand stationed in Beijun alone will never be enough to stop three hundred thousand cavalry."
His words stirred renewed discussion, and soon another voice joined his.
The Fourth Prince stood up and firmly added, "Father, your son also supports immediate deployment of the army!"
Not a single prince wanted to miss this rare opportunity. Great Xia had known peace for many years. This was their moment to forge their names in blood and glory.
But Lu Shuyun was quick to act.
"Father," he said with a composed and righteous tone, "Beijun is, after all, the Northern King's fief. Naturally, the responsibility of repelling the barbarians should fall upon him."
"If the court must dispatch troops every time a border prince encounters foreign invaders, then what purpose do the princes serve?"
As soon as Lu Shuyun finished, another voice rang out from among the ministers. A high-ranking official standing to the right of the chamber respectfully addressed the emperor.
"Your Majesty, I agree with what His Highness the Eighth Prince has said. The border princes must be responsible for the defense of their own territories. We cannot afford to send imperial troops every time the borders are threatened."