Chapter 69: The Third Prince’s Instructions! Should I Blame You?

He Zhaojun then remembered that he had given the silver hairpin to Shao Shang. "Well, you're so thoughtful. When my two brothers return triumphantly, I'll definitely treat you to a feast."

The irritation in her heart did not decrease at all, but she did not want to show her vulnerability to Lou Yao.

The two of them were silent along the way. When they reached the palace gate, Lou Yao felt it was inconvenient to see her off any longer. He watched He Zhaojun's carriage drive away and turned his horse back the way it had come. He Zhaojun, on the other hand, stopped the carriage after turning the corner.

"Let's stop here today. I'll walk the rest of the way by myself." She was afraid that her emotions would be seen by Concubine Yue, so she planned to walk to Yongle Palace and find ways to relieve her anxiety on the way.

Passing by the Imperial Garden, He Zhaojun saw from afar the charming and dignified Wen Ziduan, who was standing by the roadside, as if waiting for her.

He Zhaojun walked forward and stopped after three or five steps.

"Greetings to His Royal Highness the Third Prince." He Zhaojun had a thousand questions in her mind, but she forced herself to hold them back.

Wen Ziduan sighed softly: "You can ask me, I know this matter best." A few days ago, Emperor Wen received urgent news from the border that the Xianbei were in civil strife, and the neighboring Liaodong County and Xuantu County[32] were affected.

The local governor discovered that the number of young and strong laborers in the area had dropped sharply, and many people had disappeared for no reason. He then set up checkpoints at the city gates for inspection, but found nothing. For a while, rumors spread among the people, and the morale of the army was low.

The bodies of missing people were found in the lower reaches of the Liaoshui River. Most of them had been engaged in heavy physical labor and died of overwork. Various signs indicate that someone smuggled people to the Xianbei people outside the city[33]. The identity of the culprit and the reason are still unknown.

He Zhaojun lowered her eyes. "So, my two brothers, you're going to face danger all around you... If we mishandle this matter and provoke a war with the Xianbei, not only will the foreign enemies, already consuming each other in the internal strife, unite to harass our borders, but we'll also put the people living on the border on the brink of destruction."

"Yes, so, this matter must be resolved by someone...either openly or secretly." Wen Ziduan nodded. He Zhaojun was very smart. He only briefly described the cause, and she thought of all the possibilities one by one.

"We must not only solve this problem and rescue the imprisoned people, but also stop this evil behavior. Otherwise, if someone does the same, there will be no peace in the world." Although He Zhaojun was worried about her brother, she wanted to know the situation on the border even more.

If there is an insider involved in this matter, it must be a prominent local family or an important official in the court. No matter who it is, if it is not discovered early, my brother will feel like a thorn in his side and will not be able to sleep or eat.

Wen Ziduan looked at He Zhaojun and said, "When the emperor asked about the best person to resolve this matter, it was I who suggested that the He family's son be chosen."

He asked himself honestly, he had never been partial and had never wavered, but when he thought that He Zhaojun would be frightened because of this, he felt a little panic for no reason.

"General Ling is familiar with military affairs in the northwest and southwest. If the Xiongnu take advantage of the opportunity to invade the border, he must be in charge. General Wan injured both knees early in life. Youzhou has extremely cold weather and complex terrain. He is not the most suitable candidate..."

He Zhaojun told Wen Ziduan all the reasons she could think of one by one.

"My two brothers are in their prime. The eldest brother once conquered Goguryeo, and the second brother is best at fighting in dense forests and mountains. They are the most suitable candidates." He Zhaojun felt a little relieved when she thought of this.

Wen Ziduan nodded and took a step forward. "Yes. Do you blame me for advising the emperor?"

He stared at He Zhaojun's expression, afraid to see any blame on her face.