"The commander is going back so soon?"

“My daughter Ayun is about to give birth, and I will try my best to go back and see my grandchild born.”

"Congratulations, Commander-in-Chief!!!"

The generals shouted in unison.

"Haha, this is a family matter, there's no need to offer congratulations in the camp."

Zhao Huan smiled and said, "As for you, do you want to go back with me? We have achieved victory on both the southern and western fronts. The Emperor's grace is boundless, and those who have made meritorious contributions will surely be richly rewarded. You can return to the capital in glory."

Feng Jing, Huang Shi, and Chi Jianzhang exchanged a glance, clasped their hands in a fist and said, "General, we have been guarding the southern border for many years and have long been accustomed to living here, so we will not be going back."

Zhao Huan said, "The southern border does indeed need guards, but this is a good opportunity for you to be transferred. If you need it, I can recommend you to His Majesty to serve as officials in the court, so you won't have to suffer from the storms on the border anymore. As for the southern border, other generals can be sent over."

Feng Jingdao said, "I have spoken with General Huang and General Chi, and we are willing to stay."

Huang Shi stroked his bald head and laughed, "We appreciate the commander's kindness. We've dealt with the Yang family army for half our lives. Unless the Yang family father and son are both dead, I, Old Huang, will fight them to the death!"

Chi Jianzhang also stated, "The commander-in-chief knows my abilities; I am good at defense but not at offense. I am really not at ease entrusting the southern border to someone else."

Zhao Huan said with satisfaction, "It is a blessing for the people of Dongjing to have three generals! Since that is the case, I will not try to persuade them any further."

As he spoke, Zhao Huan looked at Jin Ranren, who was sitting at the end of the table, and asked, "General Tuotie, what about you?"

Tuo Tiewuhua stood up and said, "If the commander-in-chief does not mind, I would like to go to Changsui to serve the commander-in-chief and His Majesty."

"good!"

Zhao Huan made the final decision, saying, "Generals Feng Jing, Huang Shi, and Chi Jianzhang, please stay. The rest of you, come back with me!"

...

Bang!

Clang!

"I won't eat! I won't eat!! I want to get out!!!"

*Clap clap clap!*

Zhao Zhan pounded on the door loudly and roared angrily at the outside.

The guards standing outside the door said, "Please, Fourth Young Master, don't make things difficult for us. The Eldest Young Master has given strict orders that you cannot be let out before the Prime Minister returns."

Zhao Zhan angrily said, "Go and tell my elder brother that if he doesn't let me out, I'll go on a hunger strike!"

The guard calmly said, "The young master instructed that no message be sent to you."

Zhao Zhan said, "Wouldn't he care if I died?"

The guard said, "The eldest young master said that if you die, he will marry Wang Yucen off to someone else."

Zhao Zhan: "..."

Regarding the incident involving Zhao Zhan and Yuan Yun, Zhao Cheng punished all participants except for Miao Donglin, including Zhao Zhan.

He put Zhao Zhan in solitary confinement, saying that he, as the eldest brother, could no longer control him and would leave him until Zhao Huan returned to make a decision.

Zhao Cheng kept his word and never visited Zhao Zhan once after Zhao Zhan was imprisoned.

Seeing Zhao Cheng's resolute attitude, Zhao Zhan sat down on the ground, then got up and angrily started throwing things around.

Just as Zhao Zhan raised the teapot to smash the door, the door suddenly opened.

Upon seeing the person outside the door, Zhao Zhan quickly put down the teapot, tears welling up in his eyes.

"mother……"

Mu Zhaojun entered with Wang Yucen's help, and the guards immediately closed the door.

"mother!"

Zhao Zhan crawled on his knees toward Mu Zhaojun and grabbed his mother's leg.

"Look at you, so pathetic."

Mu Zhaojun said calmly, found a chair and sat down, saying, "Yu Cen, have them bring Zhan'er a hot meal."

"yes."

Zhao Zhan cried out, "Mother, if I stay locked up any longer, I'll be ruined. Please go and plead with my elder brother for me!"

Mu Zhaojun said, "Don't you know your elder brother's temper? Even if I plead for you and he gives me face by letting you out, do you think he won't come up with other ways to punish you? The unknown is the most terrifying. Right now you're just locked up, what kind of suffering is that?"

"My brother is so heartless!"

"And what have you done? If anything happens to the child in A-Yun's belly, can you still be brothers in the future?"

"I didn't do it. I had no idea they would use such despicable methods!" Zhao Zhan explained.

Mu Zhaojun snorted and said, "It's been investigated and found out that it was Miao Rusong who came up with this dirty trick to avenge my father. If it really was you who arranged it, I won't let you off the hook, let alone your elder brother."

"I don't understand, I really don't understand..."

Zhao Zhan shook his head and said, "I just want to share the burden with my father and elder brother. Why do they always think I'm wrong? When our family started the uprising, I served in the army with my elder brother and made contributions. I'm not a child anymore!"

Mu Zhaojun suddenly stroked Zhao Zhan's face affectionately and said softly, "Zhan'er, I just don't want to interfere in your men's affairs, but I'm not stupid."

"Do you really just want to share the burden with your father and older brother?"

Zhao Zhan suddenly froze.

Mu Zhaojun said expressionlessly, "When Yuan Xiu wanted to deal with your father a few years ago, you started to stir things up. No one knows a son better than his mother. Of my four sons, you have been the most scheming and ambitious since childhood."

"All you've done is to push your father and Cheng'er into a corner, so that they can only go that far in the end."

"By then, you will have become a true prince. The future is long, and if you have the opportunity, you may be able to sit on that chair again."

"Right?"

Zhao Zhan was stunned, and stammered, "Mother, I..."

"You don't need to explain."

Mu Zhaojun waved her hand and said, "Your father has seen through your thoughts long ago, but why can't you see through his thoughts?"

"My father... what is he really thinking?" Zhao Zhan asked doubtfully.

Mu Zhaojun looked up towards the door and sighed, "I didn't want to get involved in these things, but you're too impatient. To make you give up and not make the same mistake again, I'll tell you today that your father will never take that step."

Zhao Zhan sat on the ground in disappointment.

“At least…” Mu Zhaojun added.

Zhao Zhan, as if grasping at a straw, quickly asked, "At least what?"

Mu Zhaojun said, "At least until the Wen family uncle and nephew make a move, our Zhao family will not be the first to act."

"If the Wen family doesn't make a move, the Zhao family won't be the first to act..."

Zhao Zhan's eyes lit up, and he immediately understood what Mu Zhaojun meant.

My father is a man who values ​​his reputation the most. The Great Jing Dynasty has now been divided into two. Although it is no longer the Great Jing Dynasty of the past, the emperors of each dynasty still bear the surname Yuan.

Whether it's his father or Wen Tai, they were both just powerful ministers who acted as regents.

A powerful minister is first and foremost a subject.

They didn't take that step.

The current Great Jing Dynasty is practically extinct, but it still exists on the surface.

But whoever takes that first step will be tearing off the last fig leaf, and the Great Jing will become a thing of the past.

Whoever tears off this fig leaf will inevitably become the destroyer of a dynasty and leave a bad name in history books.

Having figured this out, Zhao Zhan took a deep breath.

So this is what Dad really thought!

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