A new era

On December 30th, the 15th year of the Taichu era, the last day of the year, everyone gathered together for a sumptuous New Year's Eve dinner.

Everyone held beautiful hopes for the new year, their faces brimming with joyful smiles.

In Luoyang, people had just finished their blessings, put down their wine cups, and picked up their chopsticks.

Suddenly, the resonant 'cheng-hong' sound of a bell rang out, instantly spreading throughout Luoyang.

This bustling imperial capital of a million people fell silent in an instant, with only the echoes of the bell floating in the air.

Everyone dropped their chopsticks and rushed into their courtyards, looking up to find the source of the bell.

"Ye Hong, how many times has it rung?"

Song Yehong bowed to Song Jinglian.

"Reporting to Father, it has already rung twenty-nine times. It must be..."

Song Jinglian looked up toward the imperial palace.

"In the end, he couldn't hold on any longer. I truly don't know what chaos lies ahead. Oh well, it's the era of you young people now..."

In another large residence, Zheng Ji, the head of the Zheng Family, patted his son's shoulder.

"Ting'er, from now on, the Zheng Family will be handed over to you."

Zheng Ting felt like crying; he really wanted to say something.

"Father, didn't you see that my hair has turned white waiting for those words?"

Emperor Zhao Che had persisted on his sickbed for nearly a year, but in the end, he did not live to see the sun of the 16th year of the Taichu era of Great Qian, passing away in the cold imperial palace.

The transfer of power was not as chaotic as imagined; after all, the Emperor had issued his final edict long ago, making The Emperor's succession logical and smooth.

However, it seemed no one would have a good New Year.

Various funeral arrangements for the Late Emperor had to be made quickly, including determining his posthumous title and temple name, and arranging his burial in the mausoleum.

Only after everything was completed could the new Emperor ascend the throne, enfeoff meritorious officials, and win over the people.

Although The Emperor's face was filled with sorrow as he knelt before the Emperor's coffin, his heart was already blooming with joy.

As long as the Emperor didn't die, he would always be the Crown Prince. Who knew if the Emperor would suddenly decide to change the heir again? After all, he had done it once before.

Originally, the Emperor was terminally ill and seemed about to go, but he had been kept alive with medicine until now. Having been the Crown Prince for two or three years, he had long been yearning for that dragon throne.

On the second day of the first lunar month, a large number of messengers left Luoyang to announce the tragic news to the four corners of the country.

At the same time, the first command of the soon-to-be Emperor The Emperor was issued: strictly forbid all vassal kings from leaving their fiefs.

It was already the end of February when the funeral report reached the Southwest border.

No matter how the Emperor treated Zhao Xiyao, he was her father after all. Upon receiving the news, the girl burst into tears instantly, crying uncontrollably in Gao Yuan's arms.

"Wuwuwu... I don't have a father Emperor anymore... wuwuwu!"

What could Gao Yuan do? He could only join Zheng Wan and Song Yao in comforting the girl.

After a long time, the girl cried herself to sleep in Gao Yuan's arms, still sobbing in her sleep, which made Gao Yuan's heart ache.

Carrying the girl back to the bedroom in the backyard, Zheng Wan and Song Yao looked at Gao Yuan.

"Husband, should we observe mourning in Nanzhou?"

Gao Yuan nodded.

"We must observe mourning. Externally, we still need to fly the flag of Great Qian."

"Alright, we'll go and prepare then."

When an Emperor passes away, the entire nation observes mourning; it's not as simple as just wearing white.

According to ritual norms, all entertainment activities must stop, and the army must cease offensive operations, focusing only on defense.

This suited Gao Yuan's current needs perfectly. After a fierce battle, the Nanzhou Army had suffered heavy losses and needed to stop for rest and replenishment.

The Second Division was fine; with the permanent Martial Soul enhancement, it quickly restored its roster of two thousand men.

The First Division was more troublesome; its losses had to be replenished by drawing personnel from the City Defense Forces, and they had to be carefully selected to ensure quality.

It's often said that elites must be forged through blood and fire, and this was true. Although the City Defense Forces suffered heavy losses in this battle, many elites were also tempered.

Only after Liu Rengui used all his persuasion did Gao Yuan refrain from taking all these veterans, leaving some for him as a backbone.

By March, all units of the Nanzhou Army had completed their replenishment, with both the First Division and Second Division reaching a scale of two thousand men.

The City Defense Forces also expanded to thirteen thousand men after absorbing a large number of Western Kang prisoners of war.

Through the filling of immigrants and scattered resettlement, the people gradually settled down, and the fruits of this great battle were completely digested.

At this time in Luoyang, the Emperor was finally no longer referred to as the Late Emperor. His posthumous title was decided as Wu, making him Emperor Wu of Qian, with the temple name Shizong.

After a grand coronation ceremony, Crown Prince The Emperor finally sat on the dragon throne he had been dreaming of.

Caressing the cold armrests of the dragon throne, The Emperor felt a surge of emotions. Looking up at the expectant gazes below, he signaled.

"Liu Jin, proclaim the edict!"

"As you command!"

The new Chief Eunuch Liu Jin unfurled the imperial decree and began to read it with a high-pitched, rhythmic voice.

Unsurprisingly, veteran officials like Song Jinglian and Zheng Ji were all granted high-ranking honorary positions such as the Three Ducal Ministers and Opening Office with the same Three Civil Offices, completely withdrawing from the center of power.

Of course, the necessary compensation was given. Song Yehong, the eldest son of Song Jinglian and elder brother of Song Yao, was promoted to Vice Minister of Personnel, while Zheng Ting, the eldest son of Zheng Ji and elder brother of Zheng Wan, was promoted to Vice Minister of Revenue.

These were common practices, but one thing surprised everyone.

"Appoint Song Ren as the military governor of Jiannan Circuit, Mao Biao as the military governor of Jiangnan West Circuit, and Feng Pu as the military governor of the South of the Ranges Circuit, promoted to Duke of Qiao..."

Military governors were high-ranking officials who held both military and civil power. At the beginning of Great Qian's founding, many military governors had been enfeoffed, but they eventually became too powerful to control.

It took the efforts of two generations of Emperors to finally eliminate the military governors and return military and civil power to the central government.

Who would have thought the first thing the new Emperor did upon ascending was to appoint three military governors in one go?

However, everyone standing there was an old fox; they immediately understood The Emperor's intention. This was to guard against the gradually rising Gao Yuan in the Southwest.

Soon, this suspicion was confirmed:

Of the only two remaining members of the Gao Family's Twelve Great Protectors in the army, Gao Bing was reassigned as the provincial inspector of Deng Prefecture, and Gao Gui was reassigned as the provincial inspector of Jing Prefecture.

It seemed like a promotion, but according to Great Qian's system of separating civil and military affairs, the two were military officers transferred to civil posts, completely distancing them from the army and stripping them of any military power.

The final appointment was beyond everyone's expectations:

"Princess Roujia, Zhao Xiyao, a woman who is no less than any man; though she is in the border regions, she does not forget her country. For her merit in resisting foreign aggression and expanding the territory, she is specially promoted to Grand Princess Roujia;

Gao Yuan, the duke of anle county, for his merit in assisting Princess Roujia, Zhao Xiyao, is promoted to military governor of diannan circuit, General of the Yunhui, and Duke of Xicheng Commandery."

According to the later analysis of Song Yehong and Zheng Ji, this appointment was likely something the Emperor felt forced to grant out of a desire to win him over.

Thus, Gao Yuan's makeshift Southwest regime became a legitimate vassal state recognized by the Great Qian court.

However, Song Yehong and Zheng Ji also sent letters to Gao Yuan, advising him not to get carried away. The three military governors and their hundreds of thousands of troops were watching him, indicating that the Emperor wanted to win him over while also remaining wary of him.

To the relief of the two old foxes, Gao Yuan not only gladly accepted the Emperor's appointment but also specifically sent Song Yong as an envoy, bringing local Southwest tributes and even an elephant to Luoyang to pay homage.

Although it was more symbolic than practical, this attitude from Zhao Xiyao and Gao Yuan still satisfied The Emperor, who specially rewarded them with some Shu brocade and jade as return gifts.

As for the three military governors watching like tigers, Yang Zhao, who occupied Dian Prefecture and Bo Prefecture, seemed even more panicked than Gao Yuan.