Chapter 310 Late-night Secret Talk

As a result, the entire military camp was in an uproar.

Almost instantly, there were loud sounds of gongs and drums, the beating of war drums, and thunderous applause. Xu Zhenying heard the huge commotion coming from the front when he was still a mile away from the military camp.

Zhou Houfang poked her head out, her face pale with fear, "Why are there so many people?!"

Lin Han also sighed, "His Royal Highness Prince Zhao's reputation is far-reaching. Who among the soldiers doesn't love and respect him?"

The security team, on the other hand, was on high alert. Ming Xiaoshuang knew how much commotion Xu Zhenying could cause wherever he went, so he ordered everyone to stay close to the carriage and practically shouted to the people behind him, "Your Highness, there are too many soldiers outside. Stay inside the carriage and don't come out!"

Qu Min and Chang Yuanshan were inseparable in the car.

The more people there are, the more you need to pay attention to safety and be wary of people who are taking advantage of the situation to do something illegal.

Xu Zhenying cooperated and just lifted the curtain inside the carriage, waving his hand to the soldiers on both sides who were like a tide.

And with every wave of Xu Zhenying's hand, the soldiers' cheers reached a climax!

The loudest screams came from the female soldiers!

After Xu Zhenying's carriage passed by, the female soldiers seemed to have not yet come to their senses.

In just that short quarter of an hour, many of them even had hoarse throats and red eyes, and it was obvious that they had not yet recovered from their excitement.

"Oh my god, I saw His Royal Highness Prince Zhao! I saw His Royal Highness Prince Zhao! He looks just like the wooden statue!"

Although one female soldier looked excited, she shook her head, disapprovingly: "His Royal Highness Prince Zhao actually came to our Luzhou front? This is too dangerous! We are so close to the front line, what if there is a sudden attack from Qiongzhou?"

"What are you afraid of? Our firearms are not for show! If they dare to come, we can just move one step further west!"

Of course, there were also politically astute female soldiers. "Do you think that His Royal Highness Prince Zhao's presence at the front lines right now means that the war situation has changed?"

Not to mention the female soldiers, even the male soldiers were attracted by this sentence.

"What do you mean?"

The female soldier, caught off guard by so many people, became a little nervous. "I was just guessing. Prince Zhao has been guarding Jinzhou, and now, with the two armies engaged in fierce fighting, she's disregarding the danger and choosing to lead the troops herself. Who knows... Prince Ming's good days are over!"

The female soldier's speculation immediately resonated with everyone.

A green curtain immediately blocked out the noise outside.

Only Xu Zhenying and Jiang Yongkang were left in the tent.

When Old Lin saw the twinkling lights inside the tent, he wished he could go in and take a look.

Xu Zhenying is good in every way except that he is a bit stubborn. Once he makes a decision, no one can change it.

Especially the choice of one's own marriage and heirs.

According to the calculation of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Xu Zhenying was already eighteen years old. An eighteen-year-old emperor should have been married long ago.

He was really worried if there was no heir to such a huge inheritance.

But Xu Zhenying was very persistent on this matter. No matter how he lobbied, no matter whether he asked Miao or his grandmother Huang, Xu Zhenying just refused to give in.

Even his nearly thousand-word proposal for selecting an imperial husband was thrown into the trash by her.

Sad, so sad.

Xu Zhenying's excuse was that she was still young and the issue of succession was not urgent.

Now it’s really the emperor who is anxious, but the eunuch is!

As perceptive as Mr. Lin was, he naturally noticed the subtle relationship between Jiang Yongkang and Xu Zhenying, which was neither a king nor a minister.

Especially after meeting Jiang Yongkang in person, and after confirming through indirect inquiries that Jiang Yongkang was not married, Mr. Lin finally showed a hint of satisfaction on his face.

He looked at Ming Xiaoshuang who was standing at the door in a daze and said, "What are you standing there for? Let's go eat—"

Ming Xiaoshuang said, "Your Highness hasn't had his meal yet."

"Don't worry, they both probably have a lot to say, and some are waiting."

Ming Xiaoshuang felt a little sad.

As expected, Jiang Yongkang is the minister that His Highness values ​​the most.

"Then I'll have the logistics department bring some food in for Her Highness. She's been traveling all day, and Her Highness isn't used to Jianzhou's sweet and sour food at noon. I see she barely touched her chopsticks, so she must be hungry now."

Old Lin paused, then looked Ming Xiaoshuang up and down.

Ming Xiaoshuang was horrified by his gaze and said with a forced smile, "Master, just tell me what you want me to do... Don't look at me like that."

Elder Lin held Ming Xiaoshuang's hand affectionately and said, "Xiaoshuang, you're not young anymore. Have you ever considered starting a family?"

Ming Xiaoshuang was a little confused, and seemed to not understand why Mr. Lin suddenly brought up his marriage.

But in the next moment he smiled and said, "Could it be that Master has a beautiful granddaughter?"

Elder Lin glared at him and said, "How dare you, you idiot, set your sights on my granddaughter?"

Ming Xiaoshuang jumped up and down, "I dare not, I dare not——"

"I see that although you are not well-educated and not very smart, you have the virtue of being loyal. Therefore, I have specially pointed out a bright path for you."

Ming Xiaoshuang's eyes lit up, and he immediately bowed: "Master, please teach me."

Old Lin hooked his arm around Ming Xiaoshuang's shoulders like an old naughty boy and said, "Xiaoshuang, have you ever considered becoming the emperor's husband?"

Old Lin clearly felt Ming Xiaoshuang's body tense up.

"What?"

"My dear husband! My boy!"

But Ming Xiaoshuang, a man of steel, almost knelt down before Elder Lin upon hearing this. "Master, please don't harm me. If you want me to be the emperor's husband, wouldn't that mean marrying into the family? My Ming family has only one son for three generations... Besides, His Highness is a rare talent, there's no way a toad like me can climb up to him! I get scared the moment I see His Highness! I beg you, please don't try to arrange a marriage with someone you don't want!"

Seeing Ming Xiaoshuang trembling with fear, Elder Lin was filled with regret. "Well, I've been wrong! Our prince is so talented, so beautiful, and so divinely gifted. How can a mere mortal like you be worthy of him?"

Ming Xiaoshuang wasn't even annoyed, and nodded vigorously, "That's right, that's right, I'm definitely not worthy of Your Highness. I think Minister Jiang is a young talent, both civil and military, and he has a close relationship with Your Highness. He's much more suitable to be the Emperor's consort than me!"

"Oh, you're the only one in three generations, and Minister Jiang is the only one!"

"Hey, Master, can you help to make some connections?" Ming Xiaoshuang became energetic as soon as he saw that Mr. Lin had given up the idea of ​​matchmaking, and began to give advice with a smile.

It’s not that His Highness isn’t good enough, it’s just that Ming Xiaoshuang doesn’t have the ambition to marry someone above his station.

He doesn't like girls who are smarter and more capable than himself.

What's more, his relationship with His Royal Highness Prince Zhao is a very simple and pure relationship between a monarch and his subject!

Old Lin blew his beard and glared, "Then what kind of girl do you like?"

Ming Xiaoshuang touched his head and smiled, "I just have a few requirements. It's best if she's well-educated, generous, gentle, and virtuous."

When Xu Zhenying and Jiang Yongkang returned to the house, they found that the area within ten meters outside the door was naturally heavily guarded.

Due to Xu Zhenying's sudden arrival, the entire military camp strengthened security, with almost a guard post every three steps and a sentry every five steps.

Jiang Yongkang's tent was the focus, and it was completely packed inside and out.

It was already past dinner time, but the soldiers were extremely excited, and the evening class turned into a discussion about Xu Zhenying's arrival today.

But inside Jiang Yongkang's account, everything was quiet.

The green curtains block out all the noise.

There was a soybean oil lamp lit in the tent, covered with a glass globe, making the room dimly illuminated.

Jiang Yongkang poured Xu Zhenying a cup of hot tea and placed it on her desk, his tone not without complaint, "You shouldn't be going to such a dangerous place like the front line at this time."

Xu Zhenying didn't drink, but just sat casually in the main seat, "Isn't this a surprise for you?"

Although Jiang Yongkang knew Xu Zhenying was joking, he still hesitated for a moment. He sighed slightly, "Tell me, why did you suddenly come to Luzhou this time?"

Xu Zhenying stared at him with a smile, "Of course the battle situation has changed. I need to come in person to feel at ease."

"Has the war situation changed?" Jiang Yongkang sat up straight when he talked about official business. "What has changed? How come I don't know?"

Xu Zhenying stared at him and smiled, saying half-heartedly, "I might as well give you a hint. Prince Ming's good days are almost over."

Jiang Yongkang couldn't help but feel a little frightened when he heard these calm words.

Although Xu Zhenying was in charge of the rear area, she was very sharp-eyed and could make plans even from thousands of miles away.

Perhaps, the situation on the battlefield is really going to change.

"Your Highness has made some arrangements that I'm not aware of?"

"You could say that. It's just that we haven't succeeded yet, so I can't disclose it. But you can have your soldiers prepare well. Prince Ming's army will soon launch a frantic counterattack. In the final few battles, we must not only defeat them completely, but also do our utmost to preserve our strength."

Jiang Yongkang was a little absent-minded and seemed to be standing there.

Calculating the time, he has been fighting outside for several years, and he seems to have become accustomed to the days of dying on the battlefield and being in the midst of war.

Then suddenly one day, Xu Zhenying told him that the battle might be over soon——

Seeing him lost in thought, Xu Zhenying asked him with a smile, "What are you thinking about?"

"I was wondering...are we heading north?"

"To be honest, I haven't thought about it." Xu Zhenying was naturally open and honest with her closest partner. Ever since Jiang Yongkang was willing to hand over all his wealth to her just to fulfill their common dream, she completely regarded Jiang Yongkang as her own.

"There is a Zhao Yi in the north, and he should not be underestimated. Besides, I am really a little tired." Xu Zhenying rubbed his temples gently.

Although she was only eighteen years old, she looked tired as if she had gone through decades of long life.

At this moment, Xu Zhenying was no longer the decisive young monarch in front of Jiang Yongkang, but just a tired partner.

"I have been hesitating whether to adopt a soft policy and gradually devour them, or to seize the opportunity when the soldiers are united and attack Bianjing with all my might."

Jiang Yongkang smiled: "It's rare to see you hesitate."

Jiang Yongkang's face froze as he recalled something. "Why didn't you hesitate when Prince Ming proposed to me?"

"That's because I know he has ulterior motives. Besides that, I often hesitate, especially as the territory we occupy grows larger and larger. Every decision I make affects the livelihoods of countless people, and even changes the fate of others. I have to be cautious. Power is intoxicating, but it also makes people exhausted."

Xu Zhenying smiled and pulled his hair. "If you don't believe me, look, I'm only eighteen, and I already have white hair."

Jiang Yongkang stared at her. "No rush. Let's wait until we conquer the entire Eastern Territory. It's only a matter of time before we conquer Bianjing."

"That's right." Xu Zhenying frowned and whispered, "Our spies inside the palace sent word that the young prince suddenly fell into a coma last month, frightening the emperor and empress. Zhou Zhong lost his composure and nearly fell out with Zhou Mian."

Jiang Yongkang was stunned. "It seems that the situation in Bianjing is more tense than we thought."

Xu Zhenying moved the teacup with her bare hands, a faint smile on her lips, "I arranged it."

Jiang Yongkang was a little surprised.

"How can we prevent them from losing their composure if we don't add fuel to the fire between them? But don't worry, the food I had people feed the little prince isn't poisonous. It'll just make him sleep a few more days."

"Zhou Zhong was originally unpopular as a bastard, and his mother was only a concubine, so his maternal family was not prominent. That's why he was pushed to the throne. Zhou Mian went to great lengths to choose the son who was easiest to control, simply because the ministers at the time were afraid that he would seize the throne. Now that the previous dynasty has been sorted out, Zhou Mian has firmly controlled the civil officials. Even though there has never been a rule in history where a father succeeds his son after his death, in today's world, anything that violates ancestral teachings and moral principles is not surprising. I guess... Zhou Zhong's death is approaching."

Xu Zhenying nodded. "That's right. Zhou Zhong probably knows he's in a desperate situation now, and he's like a frightened bird. If we just use a little force, we can easily take him down."

"When two tigers fight, one is bound to be injured. Your Highness, are you trying to fish in troubled waters?"

Xu Zhenying smiled meaningfully, "Then...we'll see what the timing is."

"That Zhao Yi... is a bit of a problem. He's incredibly popular among the soldiers and civilians. If Zhou Zhong dies, he might declare himself king. Then we'll have another enemy."

"Bai Ci'en is over there." Xu Zhenying was also a little unsure. "His attitude towards us is somewhat ambiguous. It is said that he has been secretly studying our Jinzhou Prefecture's textbooks and even promoting reforms in the army, learning the same methods as our army."

"What's Zhao Yi's attitude?"

"Perhaps he had seen our cowpox vaccine and cotton-padded clothes, or perhaps he thought the effects were good, so he didn't try to stop Bai Ci'en."

Jiang Yongkang laughed, "Just because General Zhao didn't stop it doesn't mean his men didn't object. From what I've heard, it seems Zhou Mian has sent quite a few people north to control military power. He can't bribe Zhao Yi, so he can only keep making small moves. I don't believe Zhou Mian can sit still while Zhao Yi is implementing reforms in the military."

"Zhou Mian is too narrow-minded, and all he cares about is his own little piece of land. Bai Ci'en's reforms were originally well-intentioned, and while the results aren't as good as ours, they've improved the soldiers' combat effectiveness. No matter how you look at it, it's a good thing. But Zhou Mian feels Zhao Yi is trying to build momentum for himself. He's afraid the soldiers in the north will disobey him in the future, so he can't wait for Zhao Yi to step down. Just watch, the three of them are secretly competing against each other. Whatever Zhao Yi supports, Zhou Mian opposes. And whatever Zhao Yi opposes, Zhou Mian insists on doing. Not to mention the soldiers' salaries and supplies are constantly being withheld. If this continues, I'm afraid Zhao Yi will lose heart."

"Your Highness, are you worried that Zhao Yi might rebel?"

"If I were him, I would have rebelled long ago. But Zhao Yi is a bit pedantic—"

"He and Mr. Fang are the same kind of people."

When Xu Zhenying mentioned Mr. Fang, his eyes darkened slightly. "Indeed, they are all loyal to the emperor and patriotic. They would rather sacrifice their lives for the country and regard death as a return home than accept the fact of the change of dynasties."

"So the situation in the north may be more complicated and difficult than we imagined. Your Highness is worried. Waiting for the war in the east to subside and recuperate is also a good option. Our soldiers have been exhausted from fighting for years and haven't been reunited with their families for many years. Firstly, they can rest and recuperate. Secondly, Bianjing City is already struggling. It doesn't need us to add fuel to the fire. Perhaps it will collapse on its own."

"The battle situation is changing rapidly, and we can only wait and see how it develops."

The two people sat there, facing each other in silence.

Xu Zhenying and Jiang Yongkang sat facing each other. Suddenly, he remembered the gossip the soldiers had casually mentioned. He smiled and said, "I heard that a girl named Wang has taken a fancy to you? She wants to take you back to be her husband?"

Jiang Yongkang nearly spit out his tea. He looked at Xu Zhenying with resentment, "Who did you hear that from, Your Highness?"

"The soldiers on the road were all talking about it, and they said that Miss Wang was very beautiful."

"Your Highness, please stop listening to rumors." Jiang Yongkang put down his teacup, wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, and said seriously, "I don't even know any Miss Wang."

Xu Zhenying smiled, "My fifth sister is getting married to Dean Luo. You're two years older than her, aren't you considering personal marriage?"

Jiang Yongkang squinted his eyes at her. "Your Highness once suggested that I should marry later. Your Highness said that I was still young and had a lot of experience to gain. Now that my business is only halfway through, I should focus more on my career."

Xu Zhenying was stunned. "I said that? When?"

"Qianzhou, after you finished discussing the ownership issue with the chieftains, you sat in the carriage and gave them these instructions before leaving."

Xu Zhenying frowned, "I don't remember."

Jiang Yongkang was speechless, but the man didn't care. "Well, it's different now. Back then, you were young and it was the best time to make achievements. I was afraid that you would be deceived by girls because you were too young. Now it's different. You are older. If you meet the right one, you can choose to settle down."

Jiang Yongkang stared at her dimly, "Hasn't the foundation for marrying a wife already been given to you?"

Xu Zhenying frowned slightly.

Jiang Yongkang remained calm and said, "I have no money now and can't get married."

Xu Zhenying sighed, "It costs money to marry a wife nowadays. Okay, after we fight our way to Bianjing, I'll raise the salaries of all of you."

Jiang Yongkang curled his lips and smiled, "Okay, then thank you, Your Highness."