Chapter 172

The news that the Northern Frontier was destroyed and the Seventh Prince was injured and disabled spread throughout the capital.

If it is only the former, then the whole capital will celebrate with singing and dancing, wearing colorful silks, dancing dragons and lions, and preparing to line the streets to welcome the arrival of the Seventh Prince.

But.

But there is a follow-up to this news.

-

East Factory.

In the gloomy factory hall, sat a eunuch wearing dark red clothes with a shallow scar at the end of his eyebrow.

Chen Jian stood at the door and took a look inside, then waved the young eunuch and brought over the recent documents on trivial matters of the East Factory.

"Factory Manager."

"There is a backlog of things that need your attention. If you don't review them in time, His Majesty will punish you."

Wen Xiaochun opened his eyes and said calmly, "Oh, put it down."

He looked no different from his usual cautious and meticulous self, but Chen Jian inexplicably felt a sense of disobedience.

He narrowed his eyes and asked tentatively.

"Everyone below is wondering what reward His Majesty will give the Seventh Prince when he returns to the capital. Taking down the royal court is already a great military achievement. If he returns injured, His Majesty will show mercy to him, and I'm afraid the reward will be doubled or more."

Wen Xiaochun smiled and looked up at him: "Deputy Governor Chen, you came here just to talk nonsense to me."

Chen Jian: "No, I just want to remind the factory owner."

After he finished speaking, he turned around and was about to leave. Wen Xiaochun said, “Wait.”

"I remember that there were still a few eunuchs in the Border Inspection Office who did not participate in the treason. They were not dead, but were staying in the prison in the border town."

Chen Jian: “Yes.”

Wen Xiaochun: "Since they were once members of the East Factory, they should be brought back to be dealt with by the East Factory. It is not good to keep them at the border. I want to send people from the East Factory to the border to bring those two back. What do you think, Deputy Governor Chen?"

"Of course I agree," Chen Jian paused, "But after all, it's a shameful matter for our family, so it's better to be more covert."

Wen Xiaochun: "The deputy governor is very thoughtful."

After Chen Jian left, Wen Xiaochun knocked on the table, and two of the factory guards' trusted aides walked out from the dark.

"Keep an eye on him and see where he goes."

"yes."

-

The Fifth Prince’s Mansion.

"The secret transfer of personnel to the border should not be for the purpose of recruiting the people from the Supervisory Office, but for other purposes," Chen Jian said softly, "Besides, I am afraid that I will be followed when I come to your place this time, and my position should be exposed."

"But it doesn't matter. Your Highness is ostensibly working for the Sixth Prince."

The Fifth Prince: "When my seventh brother returned to the capital with serious injuries, Wen Xiaochun sent people to the border... Do you think someone ordered him to do this, or did he do it on his own? What was he going to do at the border?"

Chen Jian: "I don't know, but his behavior this time is strange."

It may be sent by Your Majesty, or it may be sent by someone else, it is hard to tell.

The Fifth Prince: "Go to the border and plant a few of your men among the people there. If anything unusual happens, report to me immediately."

After Cui Rongrong returned to his hometown, the East Factory was gradually controlled by the new factory governor and deputy governor.

Chen Jian: "Your Highness."

He hesitated and said, "You don't look very well."

The Fifth Prince's desk was unusually messy, his lips were chapped, and his hair was slightly loose.

"Nothing," said the Fifth Prince, "I am naturally excited because my plan is about to come true."

Chen Jian bowed and retreated.

-

Xi Mansion.

Since the night I heard the news.

Xi Zixing fell ill.

He had been in the Hanlin Academy for nearly a year and was about to be appointed to one of the six ministries. His future was bright. If he took too long of sick leave, the opportunity would be given to others.

For this reason, Xi Shiqiu wished he could force all the medicine down his throat in one breath.

"The doctor felt your pulse and said that you are fine. Since you are fine, you still have to report for duty. You can go to the Six Ministries at the beginning of next month. If you pass the assessment, you will be the Imperial Secretary. You should prepare more now..."

Xi Zixing sat by the window with his hair loose and barefoot, looking indifferent.

"No need, father."

Xi Shiqiu choked.

After a long while, he sighed and said, "Why are you doing this? It is better to stand closely behind His Majesty than to follow the Seventh Prince. You have not yet joined the Six Ministries, so you are not deeply involved in the factional struggles. In the future, you will be loyal to His Majesty, and no one will talk about your past deeds."

"It's not following him," Xi Zixing said, "He never agreed to me following him, it's just my selfish desire."

In fact, both he and Xia Fuyang were like this. At the beginning, they wanted to impose their will on the Seventh Prince, let him fight and grab, and win the battle for the throne.

But after spending time together and getting to know the Seventh Prince's personality, this desire to impose himself never appeared again.

Because they knew that if this happened, the friendship between them and the Seventh Prince would no longer continue.

"I once jokingly told him that if he was in the court, I would be in the court. If he was not in the court, I would follow him to his fiefdom to serve as his staff. That was not a joke."

"Given the current situation, it's better for the six ministries not to join."

Xi Shiqiu pointed at his head and said, "How could I give birth to a son like you!"

Xi Zixing pretended not to hear anything and poured the medicine in the bowl into the flowerpot in the house.

“People who are not sick do not need medicine.”

-

Nanning.

The Imperial Palace.

The ground was covered with shattering porcelain.

Emperor Nanning: "What a waste!"

"The Northern Frontier Royal Court was actually penetrated by the Great Zhou. The floods and plagues did not drag them down. There are ways to deal with the shortage of food without forcibly collecting it. They found out the location of the natural barrier without anyone noticing, and cut off our plan to consume the Great Zhou together with the Northern Frontier."

"The three-way balance of power was broken just like that...?"

Emperor Nanning stared at the eunuch who delivered the message. Every time he took a step forward, the eunuch took a step back. Finally, he knelt on the ground, trembling.

The Emperor of Nanning kicked him.

"Such an unlucky letter really pollutes my ears. Drag him away and kill him!"

The young eunuch who reported the news had his mouth blocked and was dragged away before he could even cry out.

The chief eunuch said cautiously, "Your Majesty, are you still going to continue at Zhennan Pass?"

"We can't just withdraw our troops," said the Emperor of Nanning. "Yu Ruo is a piece of trash. Xu Tingfeng is a person who popped up from nowhere. He can't beat someone whose legs have been broken for more than ten years. Let him get out of here!"

The northern border has been swallowed up by the Great Zhou, and the advantages that Nanning had gained at Zhennan Pass were also forced back one by one by Xu Tingfeng. If the war continued, Nanning would not gain any benefits.

"yes."

Emperor Nanning: "The only good news is that the Seventh Prince has been abolished. Otherwise, he would be really difficult to deal with..."

-

Zhennan Pass.

The moonlight is graceful.

Yu Ruo picked up a pot of wine and sat alone in the tent.

He was the only one there, but there were two bowls on the table.

He poured his own bowl, then filled the other empty bowl, picked up the bowl and clinked it with his.

"I thought I'd see you moving up step by step."

Qu Watanabe.

Yu Ruo's thoughts drifted back to the night he returned to Nanning from Da Zhou, drinking on the rooftop with Qu Dubian.

His mother's bloodline destined him to suffer the contempt and embarrassment of his other brothers after he was born. From childhood to adulthood, he was not loved by his father because his face resembled that of people from the northern border.

His childhood and adolescence were filled with darkness, calculation, his mother's guilty eyes, and helpless crying.

He knew that he would never be able to inherit the throne, nor would he be able to reach the highest level and implement benevolent policies for the people of the world and bring peace to the world.

Even if he steals power, the officials in the court will not recognize him.

The use of force to suppress others will only lead to chaos and bloodshed.

So, he was looking forward to having someone who could.

The descendants of the Nanning royal family, his brothers and sisters, are all no match. Some were spoiled, some were cunning, and some took after their father...

Later, he met the seventh prince of the Great Zhou.

Gradually, he felt that perhaps the Seventh Prince could be a benevolent monarch.

Even if it is not the monarch of his own country.

In the past three years, he listened to the news about the Seventh Prince. On the one hand, he was pleased with his displayed edge, but on the other hand, he was more wary and wanted to kill him, except for the future strong enemy of Nanning.

pity.

Yu Ruo said: "Fate plays tricks on us."

He drank all the wine in the bowl.

-

Xu Tingfeng's tent.

He remained silent after reading the message.

Xue Letian felt like a needle was stuck in his butt and he couldn't sit still.

"Can you please say something? I beg you, just say something!"

It’s okay to be angry, but it’s scary to keep silent, okay?

Xu Tingfeng: "If the news is true, uncle would have written to me long ago."

There is basically nothing happening in the northern border now. Xia Fuyang can just stay at the border and finish the work, without having to worry about the border all his life. If Xiaoqi really becomes as described in the letter, then as long as his uncle can still breathe, he will personally send Xiaoqi back to Beijing.

Instead of staying at the border.

Xue Letian was shocked: "You mean, the news is fake...? No way."

Xu Tingfeng glanced at him.

Xue Letian quickly covered his mouth and slapped himself on the mouth several times: "I said the wrong thing, it must be fake!"

Xu Tingfeng: "Since I can't say it, then it's inconvenient to say it. I'm in Zhennan Pass, even though I'm the commander-in-chief, there are still many people around me."

"Indeed, the weapons resale you asked me to investigate is related to the court," Xue Letian curled his lips, "I can't believe it. It was during wartime."

Xu Tingfeng: "Don't get involved. When you were investigating, you discovered that another group of people were collecting evidence, so this matter will definitely be reported to the court. I just don't know how it will end."

Xue Letian: “Yes.”

He looked at Xu Tingfeng carefully, "Are you really that stable? Why don't you go back to Beijing and see for yourself."

“No need.”

Xiaoqi now has only three situations.

The first possibility is that he is just as he guessed, there is nothing serious, and the news is false. He returned to Beijing to do something or to avoid the limelight.

The second possibility is that Xiao Qi was seriously injured after the fight with Jizhigla, which was an accident.

The third possibility is that Xiaoqi’s serious injury was real and it was not an accident, but man-made.

For the first two options, it’s useless for him to worry about whether to return to Kyoto or not, because the outcome will not change.

In the latter case, he would not return to Beijing so that he could hold the military power of Zhennan Pass and use it to exert pressure.

Xu Tingfeng picked up the teacup and took a sip, then found it was empty. After putting it down, his cold fingertips curled up into his palm.

"Give your uncle a letter. Go to business instead of government."

-

We walked and stopped along the way.

Compared to the solemnity when he left, he felt much more relaxed when he returned.

I also had the time to appreciate the beautiful scenery along the way - 2D cartoon version.

Everything became cute.

Others didn't quite understand why the Seventh Prince always wore a blindfold, got up from his wheelchair and wandered around, often squatting in front of rocks and bushes on the side of the road, as if he could see.

There was light snow every day on the road from Shanming Pass.

Qu Dubian was squatting in front of a big tree at this moment, with snowflakes sticking to the edges of his thick cloak.

Yi Twelve stood behind Qu Dubian holding an umbrella and said softly, "In front of your Highness is a red mushroom covered with snow."

"oh……"

Qu Watanabe: "It's pretty good looking."

In his eyes, it's like a double-color ball ice cream.

When the team was resting, he would make little snowmen here, and line up the snowmen and red mushrooms.

The doctor who accompanied the team pushed the wheelchair over and said anxiously, "Your Highness, you should come up and sit. Don't you feel pain in your legs when you squat and stand up?"

Qu Watanabe: "I'm here. I'm tired too."

When he stood up, Yi Shier helped him up, then held his arm and led him to the wheelchair.

Qu Dubian went to eat by the fire: "How is Jizhigla?"

B12: "Alive, it's dealt with."

Jizhigla was escorted back to Beijing and the journey should have been smooth, but he said things to Xia Fuyang that he shouldn't have said.

The situation in the capital is unclear. If he leaks any more information at random, Xia Fuyang will most likely be targeted by the person behind the scenes, and the Xia family will be in danger.

Qu Dubian clapped his hands after finishing his meal.

"Keep on going."

-

Early December.

Light snow in Beijing.

The seventh prince arrived in the capital.

The people of the capital lined the streets to welcome him. Emperor Chongzhao, wearing court robes and accompanied by civil and military officials, personally welcomed the seventh prince's triumphant return outside the Meridian Gate.

Except for the eldest prince who was far away in Lingbei, all the other princes came.

Zhiyi was also there.

Among the officials standing on both sides, far from the emperor, some whispered to each other, "We are greeted at the Meridian Gate. This is unprecedented since your Majesty ascended the throne."

"What do you know? Originally, the Ministry of Rites planned to pick someone up in front of the Ganji Gate, but His Majesty said to pick him up at the Wumen Gate. The announcement was not made at the grand court meeting, and you and I were not there, so we didn't see it. Many people in the court were shocked at the time, but..."

The official who spoke waved his hand, "No one said it was inappropriate."

The new version of gunpowder, three-bow crossbow and other weapons made the Great Zhou invincible on the battlefield against the northern border, and the seventh prince deserved the most credit.

Annexing the northern border and Nanning and achieving great unification has been the ultimate ideal of all emperors since the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Today, the Great Zhou is almost half completed.

The Seventh Prince even captured the Northern Frontier King Jirigela and the Zuoxian King and brought them back to the Great Zhou to pay tribute to their ancestors.

Who can say no to such military achievements?

In the distance, a group of people walked towards the palace gate. The seventh prince was sitting in a wheelchair, being pushed by someone, with a three-finger-wide black silk tied behind his head.

Getting closer.

After seeing his appearance clearly, Emperor Chongzhao took half a step forward to meet him.

As soon as he moved, the people behind him naturally followed suit and moved forward.

The corner of Qu Dubian's mouth twitched.

A group of colorful Q-version cartoon characters with beady eyes surrounded him.

"Greetings to His Royal Highness the Seventh Prince! Congratulations on your triumphant return!"

Qu Dubian coughed several times violently, then pressed his lip corners with his clenched fist.

It was too frivolous, he was really afraid that he would laugh out loud on the spot.

The boy's lips were pale, and the bold and lively energy that once emanated from his entire body had now completely disappeared, leaving only quietness, weakness, and paleness.

He is often sick, but he is very optimistic and can easily infect people around him.

Now I can control my coughing.

Emperor Chongzhao felt a pain in his heart, "Father will definitely summon all the famous doctors in the world to cure you!"

Qu Duanbian bowed: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Seeing that Emperor Chongzhao looked a little strange, Eunuch Yu immediately said, "Your Majesty, there is still an order that has not been announced."

Emperor Chongzhao: "I have ordered Xiaoqi to stay and read to them. It is cold outside and he cannot stay for long."

After he finished speaking, he waved his hand, and Qu Dubian was pushed away from the palace gate and into the palace.

Eunuch Yu, who stayed behind, sighed and unfolded the imperial edict in his hand.

Civil and military officials, as well as several royal heirs, knelt on the ground and listened attentively.

"The Emperor, in accordance with the Will of Heaven, proclaims: The seventh son of the Emperor, Qu Watanabe, is both virtuous and talented, and has made great military achievements. Although he is my youngest son, he is not inferior to his elder brother. He is hereby granted the title of Prince, and the title of Yong. He is now His Royal Highness Prince Yong, and is granted a fief of 10,000 households. He is granted the right to ride in the palace, and is exempted from the ritual of kneeling and bowing...

I hereby advise you that Xia Fuyang, son of Marquis Changping, has made meritorious contributions in the Northern Expedition and shall be granted the title of General Zhenbei. The title of Marquis Changping shall be hereditary and shall be rewarded...

Sword-wielding Marquis Xu Jin fought in the battlefield and was granted the title of Duke Zhenguo. He recuperated in the northern border and returned to the capital to live out his life.

So decreed! "

After the reading was completed, all the officials bowed again, with different thoughts in their minds.

Although they were all guessing that the Seventh Prince would be the first prince to be crowned king when he returned this time, they were still emotional when it really came to this point.

Yi Zi Wang, a prince of the first rank, the first among the princes.

Normally a prince has a fief of 6,000 to 8,000 households, but since the founding of the country, there have been very few princes with 10,000 households.

Although His Majesty did not specify in the imperial edict where the fiefdom given to the Seventh Prince would be, judging from the situation, the location would definitely not be bad.

After hearing the decree, Zhiyi turned and ran away. Eunuch Yu hurriedly stopped her, "Your Highness, the Princess! Wait a minute."

"Eunuch, is there anything else you want to tell me?" Zhiyi suppressed her anxiety.

Eunuch Yu: "Your Majesty and His Royal Highness Prince Yong have more to say. When they are done, His Royal Highness Prince Yong will naturally go to Shunning Palace. You may as well return to the palace and wait."

Seeing Zhiyi pursed her lips, Eunuch Yu added: "Don't worry, it shouldn't take too long."

After welcoming the Seventh Prince, all the civil and military officials went wherever they needed to go. This place was close to the government office, so it was convenient for them to get there.

The second prince looked at him and said, "Seventh brother will not leave the palace tonight. Let's go visit him another day."

The tip of the Sixth Prince's nose turned red. "Originally, I wanted to prepare a welcoming banquet for Xiao Qi, but now, he probably can't even find the plate. Why is he trying so hard? Isn't Xia Fuyang here? Why not let him go up? Even if he is blind, father will give him more rewards..."

The Fifth Prince: "Sixth brother, be careful with your words."

The Sixth Prince reacted and immediately shut up.

The Third Prince: "He is the first among us to be crowned a prince, and he also has a fief of 10,000 households. He was sick when he was a child but survived. His eyesight may be cured, and he can live freely after being cured."

The fourth prince looked at him and asked, "Then Third Brother is willing to exchange with Little Seven?"

The third prince touched his nose and said, "...I was just talking."

-

Inside the Zichen Hall.

There was a table full of dishes, all of which were Qu Watanabe's favorites.

Emperor Chongzhao did not let Eunuch Yu serve food, but served him some food himself from time to time.

"Try it and see if it still tastes like the one you loved when you were a kid."

Qu Dubian didn't feel like eating. He wanted to go back to Shunning Palace and eat the food cooked by Empress Guo.

Ever since his elder sister got married, he no longer wanted to play the father-son game with Lao Deng, especially after he learned the truth about his uncle's legs being crippled.

However, if the thin family affection between them can bring more benefits, he doesn't mind pretending.

Qu Dubian reached out and touched the table twice, "Thirsty."

Eunuch Yu quickly poured a cup of tea and handed it to him, "Your Highness."

Qu Dubian drank half a cup, and when he put it on the table, the cup accidentally hit the edge of the dishes.

His hand slipped, and the remaining half cup of tea instantly spilled. He subconsciously grabbed it with his hand, but the bowl overturned and the tea spilled all over his hands.

The tea flowed down his knuckles to his wrists, dripping onto the soft blanket covering his legs.

The boy was stunned for a moment, then pursed his lips and curled his fingers slightly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"It's okay, Your Highness," Eunuch Yu waved his hand quickly, and a palace servant came up immediately and replaced a set of plates and bowls for Qu Dubian.

Qu Watanabe: "Give me a handkerchief."

Eunuch Yu: "Yes, yes, yes, I will help you wipe it."

"I'll come."

Emperor Chongzhao took his hand and wiped the tea off his hands.

The father and son had not had such close contact for a long time. Emperor Chongzhao touched his cold hand and saw a tiny scar on his palm.

They are all left over from the battlefield.

Emperor Chongzhao: "When I was a kid, if I had a cut on my hand, I would raise it in front of me for a long time, and I would not stop until I got something good to take back. But now I don't say anything."

Qu Watanabe: "Your Majesty, do you have any good stuff here for me to steal?"

"You always lied to me about those incense..." Emperor Chongzhao's voice suddenly stopped, and after a few seconds, he said, "Those treasures in my private storehouse."

Qu Watanabe fell silent.

Emperor Chongzhao: "You refuse to call me... Father, are you still blaming me for the weaving ceremony?"

Answering yes or no is not the standard answer.

Qu Dubian simply asked back, "When I was a child, I cut my hand and cried in front of Your Majesty because crying out in pain worked. Now that I'm grown up, will crying out in pain still work in front of you?"

Emperor Chongzhao: "As long as I am here, I will be effective."

Qu Watanabe didn't respond.

Emperor Chongzhao couldn't explain how he felt, he just felt that he and his son could never go back to the time three years ago.

He sat down again and said, "Let's eat."

"I don't want to eat here," Qu Dubian said, "Father, I want to go back to Shunning Palace to see Empress Xuan."

Emperor Chongzhao was stunned, and quickly said, "As I should, as I should."

"Yu Decai, go see Xiao Qi off, and then ask a little eunuch to hold an umbrella for him."

"Yes," Eunuch Yu also smiled, "You can be assured that I will deliver it to His Royal Highness Prince Yong."

Qu Dubian left the Zichen Palace.

Emperor Chongzhao stood at the door and watched for a while.

There was snow and fog flying outside, and the sky was slightly overcast. There was only sporadic snow, and the ground was mostly wet.

Wherever the wheelchair passes, the thresholds are removed, just like when puppy carts paraded through the streets.

On the way, Eunuch Yu said, "Princess Zhiyi is also in Shunning Palace. She was there when you were outside the palace just now, but she didn't have a chance to come forward and talk to you."

Qu Dubian saw that his elder sister was standing with his brothers.

My sister has come out to wait for him, and Empress Xuan and the others must be even more anxious.

When they were almost at the gate of Shunning Palace, Qu Dubian raised his hand and Eunuch Yu stopped, "Your Highness?"

Qu Dubian supported himself on the handrail and stood up. "I'll walk the rest of the way by myself."

Eunuch Yu was a little anxious: "You can't stand for long, right? Let me push you over."

Qu Watanabe shook his head.

This is the journey home.

Eunuch Yu had no choice but to stand here and wait, staring at Prince Yong. As soon as he stumbled, he would pick up the wheelchair and slide over to catch it.

Qu Dubian slowly walked to the door.

He wasn't walking slowly on purpose; he was clearly in a hurry to get back, but somehow he walked so slowly.

It was snowing lightly and there were no palace maids guarding outside.

He was wearing a fox fur cloak and standing in front of the vermilion palace gate. The small beard on his forehead fell on the black silk covering his eyes, and even his hair revealed hesitation.

There was no movement for a long time.

It's really strange, what is he hesitating about.

Qu Watanabe lost his home when he was a child in his previous life, and he had never experienced this feeling.

He asked his elder sister to take a message to Empress Xuan in advance. His imagined meeting should be that he would come back happily, explain briefly to Empress Xuan, and then have a good meal with his elder sister.

How should he smile when they meet later? What expression should he have on his face? The meridian issue is irrelevant, but how should he get away with the eye issue?

After a few seconds, he raised his hand and was about to knock on the door when he heard a crazy dog ​​barking from inside: "Wang Wang Wang!!"

“Wangwangwangwangwangwang!”

Then, someone came running and suddenly stopped behind the door.

Qu Dubian's hand froze as he knocked on the door.

Before he could adjust the expression on his face, the door suddenly opened.

It was Concubine Xuan.

She was not wearing the casual clothes she usually wore in the palace. She seemed to be planning to go out, and she ran over the moment she heard the noise.

Qu Dubian put his hand down, twisted his fingertips unconsciously, and then a smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

"I'm back."

When Concubine Xuan saw him like this, tears welled up in her eyes.

She has raised him since he was a child, so how familiar is he with his pretending to be calm?

She went forward and hugged Qu Duanbian tightly, "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back..."

Nearly a year of worry and longing reached its peak when Zhiyi returned home and reunited with Concubine Guo.

Qu Duanbian had never seen Concubine Xuan like this before.

No matter how close they were, there still seemed to be some politeness and distance between them. Until just now, that distance was slowly smoothed out by a gentle hand.

Qu Watanabe: "Mom, don't cry."

Concubine Xuan paused, then choked up and said, "You little bastard."

"Did Madam Guo cook my favorite dishes?"

In Shunning Palace, Zhiyi and Concubine Guo also came out. Yidianbai and Jinlai circled around Qu Dubian's feet and pressed dog paw prints on his precious cloak.

Zhiyi had tears in her eyes: "Of course."

“And the fried golden horns we all missed on the grassland.”

They held Qu Duanbian's hands and took him home.

far away.

Eunuch Yu pushed the wheelchair over and ordered the palace servants of Shunning Palace to carry the wheelchair in. An imperial physician would come to diagnose His Royal Highness Prince Yong later.

The palace maids in Shunning Palace wrote them down one by one.

Eunuch Yu stood at the palace gate, taking in this heartwarming scene, and recalled the time when His Royal Highness Prince Yong and His Majesty were interacting in the Purple Palace just now.

He sighed slightly in his heart.

There is a difference after all.