King Yan first killed Zhang Bing and Xie Gui, and then seized Pingcheng. That move was already a declaration of war in the court’s eyes under the charges of bewitching the new Emperor to cause trouble for the government. Yin Wen, the unfilial son of the Yin family, turned black to white (truth to lie) to deceive the new Emperor. He wanted to follow the instructions of the ancestors and send troops south to wipe out the rebellious officials and thieves in the court.
The officers and soldiers in Pingcheng had listened to King Yan’s orders, and the one hundred fifty thousand troops had also supported King Yan. The rest of the people had heard more or less that the second household of the Yin family was kicked out of the house because of unfilial piety. It must be Yin Jingshan, Yin Wen, father and son who broke the heart of the old man. That kind of unfilial thing could stir up the situation in the capital, which showed that the officials in the court were not good.
Therefore, when the army outside the city vowed to follow King Yan, the people inside the city also shouted slogans in response. King Yan stood on the high city wall and smiled when he saw the scene.
Before leading the army to attack the county town near Pingcheng, King Yan left ten thousand troops to protect Pingcheng and handed decision making over to Princess Xu and Wei Yang. All affairs in the city were under the command of Princess Xu.
“The eldest is still young. I won’t worry about him with you here defending the city,” King Yan assured Princess Xu, holding her hand. He had been married to her for many years, loving and pitying the four concubines. However, he held deep respect and admiration for Princess Xu, and their mutual love had flourished for thirty years since their marriage.
As the inevitable parting approached, Princess Xu greeted King Yan with warmth and calmness in her eyes. “My lord, just go south; I will never let you have any worries.”
King Yan tightened his grip on his wife’s hand, then strode away.
Wei Yang went out to see his father off, standing under the city wall, watching the army depart. After patrolling the city once more, he returned to the palace at dusk.
“Mother, what did father say when he left?” Wei Yang inquired.
Princess Xu looked at her son and told the truth.
Wei Yang’s face changed slightly. His mother was just a woman, and his father entrusted him to listen to her in matters as significant as defending the city. Though he understood his mother wasn’t an ordinary woman, the battle to defend the city made him question his worth in his father’s eyes. How useless must he appear to his father?
Observing the change in her son’s expression, Princess Xu spoke earnestly when their eyes met again, “Son, your father aims to secure that seat, and you must adopt a long-term perspective. As long as we, mother and son, safeguard Pingcheng successfully, the credit for defending the city will be yours, and you will be the heir. Exercise caution in your words and deeds; the seat will eventually be yours. Do not rush for quick success, as impatience may expose your shortcomings.”
Wei Yang looked at his mother and declared, “The son will remember what you teach.”
Princess Xu responded, “Well, the most important thing right now is to keep Pingcheng secure. The rest will be addressed once the major tasks are completed. It’s getting late. Go to bed early, and accompany me to patrol the city tomorrow morning.”
Wei Yang resigned.
He walked towards the east harem and spotted his second brother, Wei Yan, and fifth brother, Wei Jing, standing in front of the gate from a distance.
“Brother!”
Upon seeing Wei Yang, Wei Yan hurried over and bombarded him with a series of questions. He had been kept in the dark from the sudden sounds of fighting in the palace at dusk to his father leading the army out at noon. Wei Yan felt aggrieved. The third brother hadn’t mentioned anything, and his father took the fourth brother to discuss important matters, leaving him and the youngest fifth child uninformed. How could Wei Yan feel at ease? His primary concern was whether his father would succeed. If not, the family could face exile or even execution.
“Look at you. Why blame Father for not informing you in advance?” Wei Yang shook off Wei Yan’s hand, scolding him with the authority of an elder brother. He then turned to Wei Jing and said, “With Father away, Pingcheng is under my mother and me. Fifth brother, focus on your studies and help Da Lang and the others with their homework when you have time. Don’t follow your second brother’s example.”
Wei Jing agreed and left first.
Wei Yan, though timid, was thick-skinned. Unfazed by the scolding, he continued to pursue Wei Yang to the door.
Annoyed by the persistence, Wei Yang felt compelled to explain the intricacies of the future. He finally said, “It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe me. Do you doubt Father? That’s enough for today. Calm down tomorrow, as I have a task for you.”
After all, he is his brother, and certain matters should be shared with him.
Considering his father’s army and his various military exploits, Wei Yan gained some confidence in his heart. On one hand, his family might ascend to a higher level. On the other hand, even if they survived, they could face exile to a destitute place. What would be the point of such a life?
The father did the right thing; he should fight for it!
Figuring it out, Wei Yan returned to Changyuan Hall, where Ji Xianxian had been patiently waiting. The couple entered the inner room to talk.
Ji Xianxian’s heart thumped with excitement; her father-in-law was truly bold, exceptionally bold.
However, understanding that her father-in-law didn’t act impulsively but had thoroughly prepared for this, her confidence in him grew even stronger. Just like when the Crown Prince succumbed to illness, she couldn’t help but indulge in a sweet dream, clinging to Wei Yan’s arm.
“Once Father sits on the dragon chair, you and your brothers will become princes. At that time, we’ll build a magnificent palace. The entire palace will be under our control, and we won’t have to squeeze into this small courtyard anymore.”
Wei Yan replied, “Are you not afraid that Father might lose? Don’t just consider the possibility of losing our heads; I’m concerned that your Ji family might also face repercussions.”
It was only then that Ji Xianxian remembered her parents in the capital.
She frowned, though not overly worried, stating, “Our Ji family is a thousand-year-old lineage. Over several dynasties, we’ve weathered many significant storms. When Father rebels, as long as Grandfather and Father confess to the court that they were unaware of anything, the court might, at most, suspend the men from the Ji family or tarnish our name for alleged indiscriminate killing. If Father is defeated, the Ji family may lose face. If he succeeds, our family’s glory will be restored.”
Wei Yan considered the in-laws of his four brothers.
The third brother married into the Yin family. Despite Yin Wen offending his father, Yin Yong surrendered his family fortune and swiftly became a hero on his father’s side.
The fourth brother had the support of the Guo family.