Chapter 195 I Go to Find Huo Zheng

When Chunzhi heard this, it was like a bolt from the blue.

Her mind went blank for a moment.

The day when Huo Zheng left Beijing for Xizhou appeared in her eyes. In the dark night, he reined in his horse and looked back at her.

At that time, it was thought that he would soon be able to quell the rebellion in Xizhou and return home safely.

Chunzhi has been telling herself this these days, so she took good care of the palace and took good care of Xiaoxing, so that she could live happily with Song Wan'er and Huo Yanran every day, waiting for his return.

But the urgent report from Xizhou brought back the news that Huo Zheng had died in battle.

Chunzhi was so frightened that she lost her balance and almost couldn't hold Xiaoxing back.

Xiaoxing almost fell down and started crying with a "wow".

Chunzhi quickly hugged the child tightly and coaxed him in a hoarse voice, "Xiaoxing, be good and don't cry... don't cry."

When Queen Wang, who was standing next to her, heard Eunuch Xu say, "Prince Chang'an has passed away," her eyes went dark and she fell forward.

"Empress!"

The accompanying female officials and palace maids hurried forward to support Queen Wang.

Eunuch Xu wiped his eyes with his hand and whispered, "The Emperor had a severe seizure when he saw the urgent report that Prince Chang'an had died in battle in Xizhou. Your Majesty, please take care of yourself."

It was impossible to conceal such a major event as the death of Prince Chang'an in battle in Xizhou, so the emperor sent Eunuch Xu to Qiwu Palace to inform the empress.

Queen Wang usually did not seem to be very close to Prince Chang'an, and many people secretly suspected that the Queen did not actually like this adopted son. Today, when she learned the news that Prince Chang'an had died in battle in Xizhou, she almost fainted from anxiety, which was really beyond everyone's expectations.

After being supported by the ladies-in-waiting and the palace maids, Queen Wang regained her composure before speaking in a hoarse voice, "Who brought this news back? Could it be... a mistake? Qilang has always acted cautiously. He promised me that he wouldn't go to the battlefield himself. How could he, how could he die in battle?"

Huo Zheng was in his prime, with a virtuous wife and young son at home. He was only one step away from becoming the crown prince... How could he die?

Queen Wang could not accept this bad news at all.

Eunuch Xu said, "Your Majesty, please accept my condolences. This urgent report was written by the general of Xizhou himself. It cannot be false..."

"No! I don't believe he'll die!" Chunzhi hugged Xiaoxing, who was in tears, and said firmly, "They must have made a mistake. Huo Zheng won't die... He said he would come back."

Eunuch Xu looked at Queen Wang, then at Princess Chang'an, and said with a face full of sorrow, "Please accept my condolences, Princess."

"I don't want any condolences. I don't believe Huo Zheng will die! I want to go to Xizhou!"

Chunzhi hugged Xiaoxing tightly and turned away.

"Princess! Princess Chang'an!" Eunuch Xu was startled and quickly called to the eunuchs, "Stop her, stop her quickly!"

The young eunuchs hurried forward to block Chunzhi's way, "Princess Chang'an... please calm down."

"Don't stop me!"

Chunzhi couldn't calm down. Xiaoxing could feel her mother's emotions and sobbed in her arms, crying like a tearful baby.

"Chunzhi." Queen Wang stepped forward, supported by the ladies-in-waiting and palace maids. "I'm going to see the Emperor. Come with me and find out what happened in Xizhou."

Xizhou is too far away from the capital, so perhaps the battle report is wrong.

Queen Wang calmed herself down and asked Chunzhi to go with her to the emperor to get the truth.

If others heard the news of their husband's death and said they were going to Xizhou, they would most likely be putting on an act. But when Chunzhi said she was going to Xizhou, Queen Wang really believed it and didn't dare to leave her alone there.

Chunzhi turned around and looked at Queen Wang, tears welling in her eyes, "Mother..."

"Let's go." Queen Wang continued to move forward, "Come with me."

Chunzhi replied "yes" and followed Queen Wang to the Yangxin Palace where the emperor was.

When they arrived, a group of imperial physicians and several important officials had already gathered in the Yangxin Palace.

The imperial physicians were treating the emperor's headache, while several important officials were discussing the war situation in Western Province.

Prime Minister Ji said, "The death of Prince Chang'an in Xizhou is truly tragic, but the most pressing matter right now is the rebels colluding with Xiling to stir up war. Your Majesty, please immediately dispatch your troops to Xizhou to meet the enemy!"

Grand Tutor Wang said, "Prime Minister Ji's words make sense. I second your opinion!"

The remaining people said in unison: "I second the motion!"

Prince Chang'an Huo Zheng was the most useful of the emperor's sons. Now he has died in Xizhou, and it is no longer possible to send another prince there.

Moreover, Prince Rui's leg injury has not healed yet, and the Fourth Prince is still in seclusion refining medicine. Even if the emperor wants to send a prince, there is no one to choose.

The emperor was already having a splitting headache, and after hearing what the ministers said, the headache became even more unbearable. He said in a deep voice, "Summon the great general Xu Hongshan to the palace immediately!"

"Yes." The eunuch beside him immediately responded and left.

Upon hearing this, several important officials said that General Xu Hongshan was brave and good at fighting, and if he went to Xizhou, he would definitely be able to turn the tide.

As everyone was talking, a eunuch came in and announced, "Your Majesty, the Empress and Princess Chang'an are here."

The emperor's brow furrowed even more, but in the end, considering the grief of losing his son, he did not send Queen Wang back. "Let them in."

"Yes." The eunuch responded and went out to invite Queen Wang and Princess Chang'an in.

Chunzhi was afraid that Xiaoxing would cry in front of the emperor, so she temporarily handed him over to the care of the female officials and palace maids, and she followed Queen Wang into the Yangxin Palace.

"Is the Emperor's headache better?"

Even though Queen Wang was extremely worried about Qilang's matter, she still asked about the emperor's condition after entering the palace.

"It's an old problem, that's all." The emperor was having a headache. "You know about Qilang's matter, right?"

Queen Wang said hoarsely, "I have heard about it, but I don't know what the current situation is in Xizhou. How could Qilang...how could he suddenly die in battle?"

Chunzhi looked up at the emperor, her eyes filled with tears, and she tried hard to hold them back.

The emperor closed his eyes and said, "Ji Jun, tell the empress about the current situation in Xizhou."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Prime Minister Ji Jun said with a heavy face. "Prince Chang'an had originally controlled the Xizhou rebels, but the rebel leader, Cao Jing, desperately colluded with Xiling and led a 200,000-man army to launch a rapid counterattack. To protect the territory and the people, Prince Chang'an personally led his troops into battle. After three days of hard fighting in heavy rain, he defeated the powerful enemy. On the way back to camp, he was killed in a mudslide... To preserve Prince Chang'an's achievements, the battle report states that he died in battle."

"I don't believe Huo Zheng will die." Chunzhi looked at the emperor with extreme seriousness, and a bit more stubbornness.

She said, "Father, I want to go to Xizhou to find him."

The emperor frowned and said, "The dead cannot be resurrected. What are you doing in Xizhou?"

In the emperor's view, Chunzhi was simply causing trouble at this time.

At times like this, a woman should stay at home. If she wants to cry, she should cry alone in the room. Why would she come here and make a scene?

Chunzhi said hoarsely, "I'm going to find Huo Zheng."

Just as the emperor was about to speak, he saw Chunzhi burst into tears. She raised her sleeve to wipe away the tears and said with a firm look:

"He died, and I collected his body."

"He's alive, I'll take him home."