Rebirth: Phoenix Riding the Ninth Heaven

Luo Cheng agreed with this plan, and the two of them immediately began to deploy troops, waiting for the Nanman to take the bait.

As planned, Bailixi selected a crack squad, led by a deputy commander, and deliberately provoked the Nanman tribe by appearing weak and then feigning defeat. The Nanman tribe fell for the trick. Seeing the small and seemingly panicked squad, they saw it as a prime opportunity to plunder, and so they swarmed out in full force, pursuing them relentlessly.

The moment the Nanman army entered the encirclement, a glimmer of determination flashed in Baili Xi's eyes, and he issued the order to attack without hesitation.

Following his command, the soldiers who had been hiding in the forests on both sides rushed out at astonishing speed, like hungry tigers pouncing on their prey. Their cries of killing resounded through the sky, as if they were about to tear the forest apart.

In an instant, arrows rained down upon the Nanman army like a dense raindrop. These arrows, with their fierce force, pierced through the enemy's bodies mercilessly, splashing scarlet blood.

The Nanman army was caught off guard by this sudden attack and immediately fell into chaos. They looked at the enemy troops surging around them in horror, having never expected that they would be in such a desperate situation.

However, these southern barbarians were brave warriors who had fought in the mountains for years, and they were not completely defeated by fear. After a brief moment of shock, they quickly recovered and began to organize a tenacious counterattack.

The Nanman army's generals shouted loudly, trying to hold their ground. Soldiers, in turn, raised their weapons and engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat with the charging enemy. For a moment, swords clashed, shouts of killing, and screams echoed incessantly, and the entire battlefield was shrouded in the aura of blood and death.

Bailixi led the charge, charging into the enemy lines. His spear wielded like a dragon emerging from the sea, crushing the enemy wherever he went. Luo Ye led a cavalry unit, outflanking the Nanman army from the rear and cutting off their retreat. After a fierce battle, the Nanman army suffered heavy casualties. Seeing the situation was dire, the remaining troops attempted to break free, but were surrounded on all sides and ultimately surrendered.

This victory greatly boosted morale, but Bailixi and Luo did not let down their guard. They knew the Nanman tribe would not give up and would surely return. So, on the one hand, they appeased the local people, helping them rebuild their homes and resume production; on the other, they strengthened border defenses, trained soldiers, and improved their army's combat effectiveness.

As they expected, not long after, the Nanman tribe gathered their forces again and launched an attack. This time, they learned from their previous experience and did not rush into a pursuit. Instead, they adopted a step-by-step strategy, hoping to slowly break through the defense line.

Observing the enemy's shifting tactics, Baili Xi decided to change his tactics. He ordered his soldiers to launch a surprise attack at night, taking advantage of the Nanman army's slumber to disrupt their disposition. Under the hazy moonlight, Baili Xi personally led a detachment of light cavalry, stealthily infiltrating the Nanman camp. As they approached the camp, at a command, the soldiers charged like ghosts, brandishing swords and slashing at the enemy. Awakening from their slumber, the Nanman army was thrown into disarray, unable to mount an effective resistance.

After these two attacks, the Nanman tribe was severely weakened and could no longer threaten the border for a short time. Bailixi and Luo pursued the Nanman tribe and negotiated with the leader of the Nanman tribe, forcing them to sign a peace treaty, promising not to invade the borders of the Great Qian Dynasty and to pay annual tribute to the imperial court.

Peace had finally returned to the southern border, and the people rejoiced, expressing their gratitude to Bailixi and Luo. Bailixi and Luo gazed upon the newly revitalized border towns, their hearts filled with relief. They knew they had accomplished another mission, but their duty to protect their country never ceased. Next, they prepared to return to the imperial court to report to the emperor, unsure of what new circumstances awaited them.

Bailixi and Luo led their armies back to the capital, and the capital was once again filled with jubilation. The people lined the streets to welcome them, praising them as national heroes. The emperor hosted a banquet in the palace to welcome them and showered rewards on the soldiers who had quelled the rebellion in the south.

However, behind this superficial glory, an undercurrent surged within the court. Some ministers were uneasy about the growing prestige of Bailixi and Luo, especially those who had long been forming cliques within the court, seeking to control government. They feared that Bailixi and Luo's presence would upset the existing balance of power and threaten their own interests.

Among them, Sun Ming, the Minister of Rites, and Zhou Ping, the Vice Minister of Works, were the driving force behind this undercurrent. Sun Ming outwardly welcomed Baili Xi and Luo, often praising their achievements in court, but secretly he and Zhou Ping plotted to suppress them.

Sun Ming sat across from Zhou Ping in his own mansion, his face darkening as he spoke, "Bai Lixi and Luo's reputations in the court are at their peak, and His Majesty is increasingly relying on them. If this continues, I'm afraid our plan will be difficult to implement."

Zhou Ping frowned, thought for a moment, and then said, "Indeed, they are both very popular among the people and the emperor. Direct action will probably not be effective. We need to find another way and take a long-term approach."

After a long discussion, the two men finally came up with a plan. They decided to exploit the court's financial affairs, falsely accusing Bailixi and Luo of misappropriating military funds during the southern war and embezzling funds for personal gain. They believed that if such a charge was proven, even the emperor's favor would make it difficult for them to defend themselves.

Sun Ming and Zhou Ping then began to secretly gather so-called "evidence." They bribed some minor military officials to falsify accounts, and instructed some common people in the capital to spread rumors that Bailixi and Luo were corrupt during the war in the south.

As rumors spread throughout the capital, some citizens, unaware of the truth, began to doubt Bailixi and Luo. Dissenting voices gradually emerged in the court. Some ministers, who had previously remained neutral, became ambivalent after hearing these rumors.

Bailixi and Luo noticed the change in the atmosphere at court, but they initially dismissed the rumors as baseless smears from jealous individuals. However, as events unfolded, more and more ministers alluded to the issue of military spending in court, and several imperial censors even jointly petitioned the emperor to conduct a thorough investigation into military expenditures for the southern war.

The emperor, looking at the memorial before him, couldn't help but feel doubtful. Although he deeply believed in the loyalty of Baili Xi and Luo, he couldn't sit idly by in the face of the joint petition signed by numerous ministers and the rumors swirling in the capital. So, the emperor ordered the establishment of a special investigation team, led by Minister of Justice Wang, to conduct a detailed review of the use of military funds for the southern war.

Bailixi and Luo were furious when they learned about this. Luo angrily said, "It's clear someone is deliberately framing us. We fought for our country in the South, and they're using this shady trick behind our backs!"

Bailixi frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Being angry is useless at this moment. We must deal with it calmly. Since they have deliberately fabricated evidence, we must find the key clues that can prove our innocence."

The two men immediately began preparing a response plan. They recalled their trusted advisors who had been in charge of military expenditures during the southern war and carefully reviewed every expense to ensure the accounts were clear and accurate. At the same time, they sent people to find the bribed officials, hoping to get the truth from them.

Meanwhile, Sun Ming and Zhou Ping, upon seeing the emperor order an investigation, were secretly pleased, believing their plan was about to succeed. They continued to pressure the investigation team, attempting to steer the inquiry and establish Bailixi and Luo's guilt.

During his investigation, Minister Wang uncovered numerous suspicious points. The so-called "evidence" appeared conclusive, but upon closer examination, it was riddled with holes. He knew the weight of this matter was grave; mishandling it would not only lead to the wrongful accusation of loyal officials but also potentially ignite unrest within the court. Consequently, Minister Wang remained impartial and conducted a thorough investigation, undeterred by the sway of Sun Ming and Zhou Ping.

During the investigation, Bailixi and Luo's dispatched personnel brought back news that they had found several key clerks and, by explaining the pros and cons to them, made them confess that they had been instructed by Sun Ming and Zhou Ping to falsify the accounts.

After Bailixi and Luo obtained the evidence, they immediately went to the palace to meet with the emperor. They presented the evidence to the emperor and explained the whole story in detail. After reviewing the evidence, the emperor was furious and extremely indignant at the actions of Sun Ming and Zhou Ping.

Emperor Qian looked at the evidence before him and slammed the table in anger. "How dare Sun Ming and Zhou Ping be so audacious and presumptuous, framing loyal officials! Their crimes are simply unforgivable!"

Bailixi and Luo knelt on the ground and said in unison: "Your Majesty, we are devoted to serving the country and have never embezzled military funds. I hope Your Majesty will understand."

Emperor Qian helped them up and said solemnly, "I almost believed the treacherous words and wrongly accused you. This time, I will severely punish Sun Ming and Zhou Ping to uphold the law."

Soon, Emperor Qian ordered Sun Ming and Zhou Ping to be dismissed from their posts and investigated, and handed over to the Ministry of Justice for interrogation. Faced with irrefutable evidence, Sun Ming and Zhou Ping could not deny it and could only confess their crimes of deliberately planning and framing in order to suppress Bailixi and Luo.

In the imperial court, Emperor Qian read out the verdicts against Sun Ming and Zhou Ping in front of all the ministers: "Sun Ming and Zhou Ping, with ulterior motives, fabricated evidence for their own selfish ends, framed meritorious officials, and disrupted the order of the court. Their actions are appalling. Effective immediately, both are stripped of their official positions, their property confiscated, and exiled a thousand miles away, never to return to the capital."

When the ministers heard this, they all knelt down and shouted, "Your Majesty is wise!" After this incident, those forces in the court who attempted to seek personal gain through improper means suffered a heavy blow, and the atmosphere in the court was cleared.

Bailixi and Luo Cheng's innocence was cleared, and their prestige in the court was not damaged, but rather deepened. After learning the truth, the people respected and loved them even more.

However, Bailixi and Luo Cheng did not become complacent because they knew that the struggle in the court would never stop. As long as they held power and served the country, they would inevitably become a thorn in the eyes of some people.