The drizzle gradually turned into a heavy downpour...
Raindrops hit the wooden windows with the strong wind, making bursts of noise. The people on the street had already packed up their stalls. With such heavy rain, there would probably be no business coming to their doors!
However, Lu Xin was throwing a tantrum in his study, and the antique decorations in the room were broken into pieces all over the floor, but he still couldn't calm down!
"General!" The guards outside the door heard the noise and ran in with a worried look on their faces, but found that there was no place to stand in the study. They immediately looked at Lu Xin with some fear, fearing that he would attack them if he was unhappy!
"Get out!" Lu Xin didn't want to see anyone at this moment. The memorial on the desk that had just been returned from Kyoto made him feel even more depressed!
He originally thought that he could take advantage of Chu Feiyang's refusal to talk to bring him down, but he didn't expect that Chu Feiyang actually had a trick up his sleeve. He wanted to use the refusal to talk as bait to make Nanxun a vassal state. In this way, not only could his plan not be implemented, but he had to obey the emperor's order and cooperate with Chu Feiyang. The tens of thousands of troops in his hands had to protect the safety of the King of Chu and his wife!
Even more abominable was that, when victory was already certain, Prince Chen suddenly showed up, acting like a traitor and speaking in support of Prince Chu! This was bad news. If these two princes joined forces, the throne the Emperor sat on would be in danger!
What's more, during the morning court session, neither Prince Duan nor Prince Hai spoke in favor of his proposal, which shows that the thoughts of these two people are also difficult to understand!
For a moment, Lu Xin felt completely helpless. He had never imagined that Chu Feiyang would turn the tables at the crucial moment. With a sudden swing of his sword, the ancient painting hanging on the wall fell to the ground, its body lying on a pile of sharp fragments...
At this time, there was also a solemn atmosphere in the Nanxun Palace!
Nan Yijun came to Emperor Feng Jing's bedroom and saw Emperor Feng Jing lying on the couch in a light sleep. He suppressed his anxiety and stood quietly aside!
"Have you dealt with all the affairs in the court? How come you have time to come here?" Emperor Feng Jing had already received the news when Nan Yijun walked towards his bedroom. Now he was just testing Nan Yijun's patience and observing how ambitious Nan Yijun was to covet his throne!
Unexpectedly, even though Nan Yijun was burning with anxiety, he remained remarkably calm. Upon hearing Emperor Feng Jing speak, he bowed and saluted, saying, "Your Majesty, I just received a secret report from Western Chu!"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Feng Jing's eyes half-opened. Seeing a hint of anxiety in Nan Yijun's eyes, he sat up straight and spoke with a serious tone, "Secret report? It seems that the King of Chu has already reported what happened to the Princess of Chu to the Western Chu court! What has Emperor Yu Gan decided? Does he want to recall the King of Chu and stop the peace talks?"
If this is true, then the negotiations between the two countries will break down and the only option is war!
Thinking of this, Emperor Feng Jing couldn't help but frown, and his usually pale and weak face was also full of hostility. His gaze couldn't help but turn to Nan Yijun, waiting for him to speak!
Nan Yijun's eyes flashed with helplessness, and after a while he slowly spoke, "The King of Chu proposed to the Western Chu court to make Nanxun a vassal state of Western Chu and to send troops to garrison Nanxun! Your Majesty, if this news is reliable, we can either fight to the death or accept the King of Chu's proposal! With Nanxun's strength, fighting against Western Chu is like hitting a rock with an egg! What's more, Lu Xin is now stationed with 30,000 troops inside and outside the South City. In this way, our original advantage is gone!"
Having said that, Nan Yijun slowly closed his mouth, and he felt more and more disgusted with Nan Lan in his heart. Even after a death, a person could still cause so many troubles!
If she hadn't resorted to any means to take the position of Princess Chu, how could Nan Xun have ended up in such a dilemma today?
After listening to Nan Yijun's analysis, Emperor Feng Jing's face became even paler and weaker, and worry instantly filled his eyes. He stood up from the couch with his thin body and looked out the window with a distant gaze. He saw that the wind and rain were getting stronger, and the flowers in the garden were knocked to the ground by raindrops. The imperial garden was already in a mess, just like the difficulties Nan Xun was facing at this moment, which made people feel helpless!
"Your Majesty, please give us some instructions! Once the King of Chu enters the palace, we will have no time to think of a countermeasure!" Seeing that Emperor Feng Jing was staring at the withered flowers outside the window and admiring them alone, Nan Yijun was secretly annoyed, but he could only speak out to remind him!
"What do you think?" Emperor Feng Jing retracted his gaze, looked at Nan Yijun calmly, and asked calmly!
"Fight or surrender! Do we have a third choice?" Nan Yijun sneered, his eyes filled with helplessness. Perhaps before King Chu went to Nanxun, he had already planned everything! He had always been conceited, but he didn't expect that there were people better than him. Chu Feiyang was enough to make everyone feel ashamed!
"You go back first! Let me think about it carefully!" Seeing Nan Yijun's unwillingness, Emperor Feng Jing waved his hand tiredly and asked him to leave, then walked into the inner hall!
Watching the figure of Emperor Feng Jing in a dragon robe disappear before his eyes, Nan Yijun suddenly frowned, then turned and left!
"Someone come here!" Unexpectedly, after Nan Yijun left, Emperor Feng Jing called in his personal eunuch and whispered a few words in his ear!
On a rainy night, the wind and rain still beat violently against the window frame. The shadows of the trees swaying in the wind were reflected on the wooden windows, which made people feel afraid. However, the inner room was quiet, with flickering candlelight, quiet and peaceful. Yun Qianmeng was playing Go with Chu Feiyang in a good mood. Mu Chun was waiting on the side, smiling as he watched his young lady, who had been losing since dinner until now!
"Oh, I won't play with you! You won't give in at all!" Seeing that the advantages and disadvantages of the black and white pieces on the chessboard were already determined, Yun Qianmeng suddenly took the black piece between her two fingers into her palm, then withdrew her right hand, her cheeks puffed up slightly, refusing to be a little grass to complement Chu Feiyang!
Seeing that Yun Qianmeng could also act like a spoiled child, Mu Chun covered her mouth and laughed secretly. Chu Feiyang saw Yun Qianmeng's bright eyes sparkling with tenderness under the candlelight, her pink cheeks flushed with rouge because of her anger, and her bright red lips slightly pouted. For a moment, he was a little distracted and waved his hand to let Mu Chun retreat. Chu Feiyang held her right hand that was about to withdraw and teased Yun Qianmeng, "Meng'er, play another game with your husband!"
Hearing this, Yun Qianmeng's gaze, which had originally been on the chessboard, turned towards Chu Feiyang, and she couldn't help but glare slightly. The warm breath covering the back of her hand made her heart skip a beat, and she couldn't help but smirk in her heart. She then clenched her right hand into a fist and flipped over Chu Feiyang's light grip with her backhand, and then quickly attacked Chu Feiyang's handsome face!
Chu Feiyang smiled evilly and dodged Yun Qianmeng's attack with an easy sidestep. Seeing the annoyance in her eyes, he knew that he had dodged too easily, which made his beloved wife feel frustrated. She suddenly returned to her previous sitting position, waiting motionlessly for Yun Qianmeng to attack him again!
Seeing that Chu Feiyang intended to let her go, Yun Qianmeng did not reduce the strength in her hand and attacked his cheek again, but stopped the attack when it was half an inch away from his facial skin!
Seeing Chu Feiyang facing her attack with his smiling eyes not blinking at all, Yun Qianmeng curled her lips unconsciously, then retracted her fist and put the black dot hidden in her palm into the container. However, she was secretly annoyed at herself for being soft on Chu Feiyang. If she hurt his face, she would be the one who felt hurt!
With some anger, he began to pick up the black and white pieces on the chessboard. The sound of the pieces rustling echoed with the sound of rain outside the window!
Seeing a hint of dissatisfaction hidden in Yun Qianmeng's eyes, Chu Feiyang couldn't help but shake his head and smiled indulgently, then reached out to help her pack up the chess pieces, but he always deliberately snatched the chess piece that Yun Qianmeng had her eyes on before she could pick it up!
The two of them fought for the piece, and four hands started an unusual battle for it on the small chessboard, until their eyes fell on the last white piece at the same time. Chu Feiyang suddenly withdrew his hand. Yun Qianmeng saw the opportunity and immediately snatched the white piece. However, she didn't expect that Chu Feiyang had already hidden a trick. When she withdrew her hand, he immediately reached out and held her hand. With a slight force of his strong wrist, he pulled Yun Qianmeng into his arms in the blink of an eye and made her sit on his lap!
"Alas..." Yun Qianmeng sighed softly and placed the white pieces in her hand back into the box, but shook her head inwardly. There really was no comparison! Her skills were truly vulnerable in front of Chu Feiyang. If he hadn't just wanted to play with her, she would have been completely helpless against him. It was a shame that she was once a Sanda champion. It was really sad!
Chu Feiyang took advantage of Yun Qianmeng's moment when she lowered her head to fiddle with the chessboard, and stared at her profile. His dim vision blurred her soft and beautiful profile. Her eyelashes, as long as butterfly wings, were slightly curled up, trembling with her blinking. Her clear pupils reflected a quiet light in the candlelight, but because of her previous actions, there was a hint of annoyance and coquettishness in her eyes, which diluted her usually overly calm and cold demeanor. However, a trace of frustration appeared in her eyes at this moment. It seemed that she was a little dissatisfied with the previous confrontation between the two of them!
Chu Feiyang's mind moved slightly, and he was about to lower his head to kiss those soft lips, but he heard footsteps outside. The casual and leisurely look on his face immediately disappeared, and his eyes looked straight at the door of the inner room!
At the same time, Yun Qianmeng also noticed the movement outside and immediately stood up from Chu Feiyang's arms. She looked at him and saw Mu Chun lift the beaded curtain and walked in with her head lowered. "Your Majesty, Princess, Guard Xi requests to see you!"
"Let him wait outside!" Hearing that Xi Lin wanted to see him for something, Chu Feiyang stood up, leaving Yun Qianmeng alone in the inner room, and temporarily went to the outer room!
"Your Highness!" After a while, Xi Lin hurried in, the clothes on his shoulders were wet by the rain, which showed that he had been loyally guarding the gate of the courtyard!
Chu Feiyang nodded to Mu Chun, who immediately handed over a dry towel that he had prepared, allowing Xi Lin to wipe the rain off his face. He then asked, "What's going on outside?"
This outside didn't just refer to Nanxun's palace! It referred to everything inside the inn, excluding the courtyard where he and Yun Qianmeng lived, including everything in Lu Xin's courtyard!
Xi Lin wiped the rain off his face briefly and replied, "General Hu Wei received a memorial from Kyoto today and flew into a rage in his study! Meanwhile, the Nanxun Palace remained relatively calm. Emperor Feng Jing did not summon the officials. However, Nan Yijun went to Emperor Feng Jing's bedroom in the afternoon. The two of them had a private conversation for a while, and then Emperor Feng Jing ordered his personal eunuch to meet with Prime Minister Wan! Presumably, Emperor Feng Jing and the Regent must have heard about our intention to make Nanxun a vassal state, but to avoid causing a stir in the court, they temporarily suppressed the matter!"
"It's a good thing that they can still keep their composure at this time! You go down first. If there is any change, come and report immediately!" After listening to Xi Lin's report, Chu Feiyang smiled calmly. The calculations in his eyes did not slacken because of the enemy's calmness. His look full of interest further demonstrated his confidence!
"Yes!" Nodding slightly at Chu Feiyang, Xi Lin immediately took the hat placed at the door, put it on again, and walked out!
"It seems that Lu Xin is angry and embarrassed this time?" At this time, Yun Qianmeng lifted the bead curtain and slowly walked out with a faint smile on her face!
Just by listening to Xi Lin's report, one can imagine Lu Xin's anger. After waiting for so long, he finally got the evidence to discredit Chu Feiyang. Before he could be happy and take credit, it was easily resolved by his opponent. If it were someone else, he would surely feel unwilling!
Besides, Lu Xin was probably just waiting to bring Chu Feiyang down so he could become the envoy for peace talks. Wouldn't he be in charge of everything then? Who would say anything? By then, even the affairs of Youzhou would fall into his hands again, and the benefits would be numerous!
But when he was about to shoot, he was suddenly tackled by the opponent. The unwillingness in Lu Xin's heart had already turned into anger, and it was no wonder that he was furious!
"Since he is so angry with me for ruining his good deeds, then I can only send him to heaven and be a good person to the end, so that he will never be able to swallow this anger for the rest of his life!" When Chu Feiyang saw Yun Qianmeng coming out, he asked Mu Chun to close the door of the main house to prevent the strong wind mixed with drizzle from rushing in and catching a cold!
Yun Qianmeng raised his eyebrows slightly. He knew that Chu Feiyang had already thought of an ending for Lu Xin when he heard Chu Feiyang's calm and relaxed tone. Poor Lu Xin probably didn't even know how he was plotted against, and Emperor Yu Gan had never expected that he would lose a great general invisibly!
"Your Highness!" Xi Lin came back at this time, but this time he did not step into the main house. He just stood outside the house and called softly!
"What is it?"
"Your Highness, Prime Minister Nan Xunwan is outside the courtyard asking for an audience!" Although the wind was still blowing, Xi Lin's voice was clearly transmitted into the house!
After hearing this, Chu Feiyang nodded to Yun Qianmeng and asked her to go back to the inner room to rest first. He then asked Xi Lin to take the person to the side room!
Yun Qianmeng led Mu Chun back to the inner room and asked Mu Chun to put away the chessboard and chess pieces on the table. She sat beside the table and waited for Chu Feiyang!
"Princess, Prime Minister Wan is coming here at this time, isn't he trying to harm the prince?" Mu Chun finished what Yun Qianmeng had asked her to do, and fearing that she would be hungry, she picked out a few plain snacks and brought them to the table, and poured a cup of hot tea for Yun Qianmeng, then asked in confusion!
Upon hearing this, Yun Qianmeng smiled gracefully. Prime Minister Wan chose to come when it was late at night and everyone was asleep because he didn't want anyone to discover his whereabouts. He must have something important to discuss with Chu Feiyang in secret!
According to Xi Lin's previous report, it seems that Emperor Feng Jing must have instructed Prime Minister Wan to come in the middle of the night. I'm afraid what he said must be related to Chu Pei's injury! Perhaps Emperor Feng Jing hoped to use the antidote in exchange for Nan Xun's freedom!
After all, although Nanxun is still Nanxun after becoming a vassal state of Western Chu, it has been controlled by Western Chu from then on. Not only does it have to pay tribute of a lot of money and goods every year, but there is also a large army of Western Chu stationed in Nanxun. As time goes on, I am afraid that the people of Nanxun will also think of themselves as people of Western Chu. At that time, Nanxun will naturally become a piece of territory on the map of Western Chu. In addition, Nanxun has been trading and marrying with Youzhou, and its culture, economy, politics and military have infiltrated into it bit by bit. It is only a matter of time before Nanxun is destroyed!
It’s a pity that Emperor Feng Jing’s trick doesn’t work!
Chu Feiyang came to the side room first and sat at the table waiting for Prime Minister Wan's arrival. He already knew the purpose of his visit!
A dampness was brought in as the visitor walked into the side room. Prime Minister Wan walked in wearing a straw raincoat and a straw raincoat. He then took off his wet clothes and looked at Chu Feiyang calmly, "I hope I didn't disturb the King of Chu's rest!"
"What if I disturb you?" Chu Feiyang asked with a faint smile!
It was just the calmness in the words that made Prime Minister Wan slightly put away his usual arrogance in front of everyone. Instead, he smiled humbly and sat down opposite Chu Feiyang. Then he said, "Your Highness must have guessed the reason why I came here tonight!"
"I am not from Nanxun, and I have never served in the same court with Prime Minister Wan. How can I guess the purpose of Prime Minister Wan's visit?" Chu Feiyang asked calmly. Then he raised his right hand, picked up the teapot on the table, and poured a cup of tea for Prime Minister Wan. "Please enjoy! Prime Minister Wan, you have come here in the rain, please don't catch a cold!"
"Your Highness is so considerate, he must be a filial son!" Taking the hot tea handed over by Chu Feiyang, Prime Minister Wan took a sip, and then spoke meaningfully. He held the glass teacup in his hand and turned it slightly, reflecting colorful light under the pale yellow candlelight, just like the human heart, every angle hides different thoughts!
"I have followed my grandfather since I was young, so naturally I respect him very much! Could it be that Prime Minister Wan came here today to praise my filial piety? If so, I'm sorry that I can't accompany you! Prime Minister Wan, please finish this cup of tea and go back!" After speaking, Chu Feiyang put down the teacup in his hand and pretended to stand up, but Prime Minister Wan tried to stop him!
Seeing Chu Feiyang about to leave, a trace of anxiety flashed across Prime Minister Wan's originally calm face. He instantly raised his head and looked at Chu Feiyang, and at the same time said anxiously, "Your Highness, please stay!"
Then Prime Minister Wan took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Since Your Highness has seen me, you must have guessed my intention! Then I will say straight to the point, Your Highness, the proposal you submitted to the Western Chu court is known to the Emperor, but please think twice before acting, and don't let this lead to a situation where both sides suffer losses!"
Hearing this, Chu Feiyang sat down again, but his eyebrows were slightly raised because of Prime Minister Wan's words. The smile in his eyes was filled with a layer of coldness, which was chilling, but because of the faint smile on the corners of his mouth, it often gave people an illusion!
"A loss for both sides?" Chu Feiyang replied with a playful tone, repeating Prime Minister Wan's words. "This king submitted this memorial to the court after careful consideration! Does Prime Minister Wan think that I am treating state affairs as a joke? Or does he doubt my ability to handle affairs?"
Seeing that Chu Feiyang always managed to divert the topic away from its original track, Prime Minister Wan frowned slightly, his mind turning over several times, and then he handed over his secrets, "Your Highness, why are you playing dumb with me? Your Highness knows that our emperor does not want Nanxun to become a vassal state of Western Chu, but he still made such a decision. Isn't it because of Master Chu's poisoning? If that is the case, we will hand over the antidote immediately and pay Your Highness 300,000 taels of silver every year. We only hope that the vassal state issue will be dropped!"
Seeing that Prime Minister Wan spoke sincerely and with a look of genuineness, Chu Feiyang naturally believed that Prime Minister Wan would not dare to lie about such a matter at this time!
"The conditions offered by Emperor Feng Jing are truly tempting. Not only does he have the antidote, but he also has silver! However, wouldn't this make me go back on my word? How can I explain this to the Emperor and the officials after I return to the capital? If this matter is leaked in the future, I'm afraid the Chu family will be implicated. How can I ignore the lives of my family for the sake of temporary glory and wealth? What's more, a mere 300,000 taels is not worth my attention!" The smile on his lips remained, but his words became more and more sharp, making Prime Minister Wan feel the pressure of negotiating with Chu Feiyang for the first time! Especially since what was originally a bargaining chip in their eyes became something dispensable in Chu Feiyang's mouth. It was really a headache!
"If something happens in the future, Nanxun will be the prince's home! What do you think, Your Highness?" Prime Minister Wan's excuse was very quick to react. Although it was meant to please, it was reasonable!
But Chu Feiyang shook his head and said another possibility, "By then, I'm afraid Nanxun will want to kill me as soon as possible!"
Hearing Chu Feiyang's realistic words, the smile on Prime Minister Wan's face froze for a moment, and then he asked, "Does Your Highness not care about Lord Chu's safety? If the world knew that Your Highness had the opportunity to save his father but did not lend a hand, how do you think the people of the world would view Your Highness?"
"Prime Minister Wan must be aware of how Lord Chu was injured, right? Instead of worrying about my family affairs, you might as well pay more attention to the Prime Minister's Mansion!" His eyes suddenly turned cold, Chu Feiyang put away the faint smile on his lips, and counterattacked Prime Minister Wan with sharp words. The kingly style displayed invisibly made Prime Minister Wan's heart tremble. For a moment, he was so focused on staring at Chu Feiyang's expression that he forgot to respond!
Chu Feiyang, on the other hand, picked up the teacup in front of him, took a sip, and stared blankly at the tea leaves soaked in clear water in the cup. He was not affected at all by the threat from Prime Minister Wan just now!
Seeing Chu Feiyang restrain his domineering aura, Prime Minister Wan clenched his hands into fists under his sleeves, and spoke again after a while, "Your Highness, our emperor has already ordered Princess Nanlan to be demoted to a commoner. Now the princess has been burned at the stake. Can't Your Highness show mercy? If the people are outraged, there will inevitably be a war between Nanxun and Xichu! Does Your Highness want the people of Xichu to be invaded by the flames of war because of your memorial? Or does Your Highness want the people of Xichu to understand that you did this just to vent your anger on behalf of the Princess of Chu? If that happens, how will Your Highness and the Princess gain a foothold in Xichu? How will they face the people of Xichu? And we can guarantee that Your Highness will be able to meet your concerns just now. Knowing that Your Highness nods, Our Emperor will write a letter to the secretary to seek friendship between Nanxun and Your Highness!"
A sneer spread from Chu Feiyang's lips. He glared at Prime Minister Wan's righteous face, feeling a sense of irony in his heart. "Should you show mercy when you can? When Nan Lan wanted to kill my princess, why didn't Prime Minister Wan try to persuade her? And when Lord Chu was poisoned and bedridden, why didn't Nan Xun take the initiative to send the antidote? What qualifications does Prime Minister Wan have to ask others for what he can't do? Besides, whether there will be a war between Nanxun and Western Chu depends entirely on Nanxun! If Emperor Feng Jing agrees to my proposal, Nanxun will only need to pay tribute on time every year, and the rest will remain almost unchanged. Perhaps under the jurisdiction of Western Chu, Nanxun will be even richer than it is now! Why is Prime Minister Wan so anxious to reject my proposal? What's more, the Regent is in charge of important matters at this time. He didn't say anything. If Prime Minister Wan does this and something goes wrong, won't it make the Regent embarrassed?"
"Since Your Highness knows so many things, it is impossible that he is unaware of the relationship between the Xie and Chu families and Nanxun? If any rumors are leaked, Your Highness will not be afraid that it will damage the good reputation that the old King of Chu has worked hard to build throughout his life?" When Prime Minister Wan saw that the negotiation failed, he spoke with a gloomy face and a cold expression!
"Xi Lin, show the guest out!" After he finished speaking, Chu Feiyang stood up and no longer looked at Prime Minister Wan, who had an ugly and gloomy expression!
When Prime Minister Wan saw that the secret talk was unsuccessful, his face suddenly changed, but he could no longer find a topic that could move Chu Feiyang, so he could only temporarily leave the inn and hurried to the palace!
"Leaving?" Seeing Chu Feiyang return to the inner room, Yun Qianmeng gestured for Mu Chun to go down and rest. She stood up and walked towards Chu Feiyang, whispering, "You came here at this time, probably hoping that we would show some mercy!"
Chu Feiyang turned around and closed the door to the inner room. He then hugged Yun Qianmeng and lay down on the bed. He gently patted Yun Qianmeng's back with one hand and repeated the conversation he had just had with Prime Minister Wan. "After resting for these few days, it's time to go to the negotiations tomorrow!"
Yun Qianmeng was patted until she felt drowsy. She rubbed her eyes and nestled into his side, saying lazily, "I think Emperor Feng Jing doesn't want a war between the two countries! But by becoming a vassal state, he is equivalent to a vassal king, and Nanxun has lost its autonomy. Everything in the future depends on the situation in Western Chu! Perhaps in a few years, the emperor will withdraw the vassal state, and he won't even be able to be a vassal king. That's why he is making a fuss about the Chu and Xie families! However, father and the Xie family have indeed given us a difficult problem! I just hope that your negotiations tomorrow can go smoothly! Otherwise, Lu Xin is waiting to find out our mistakes!"
Seeing Yun Qianmeng's thorough analysis, Chu Feiyang lowered his head and placed a kiss on her forehead. He then pulled the thin quilt from the bed to cover her, then extinguished the candle and closed his eyes to rest!
The continuous heavy rain did not stop even though it had been falling for a whole day. When Chu Feiyang and Yun Qianmeng opened their eyes, the inner room was dark and the sound of wind and rain outside was still there. They were afraid that such rainy days would continue for several more days!
"You slept late last night, lie down for a while!" Seeing Yun Qianmeng get up, Chu Feiyang pushed her onto the bed to prevent her from getting up so early with him!
To reassure him, Yun Qianmeng fulfilled his wish and lay back on the bed, but her mouth was not idle. "Remember to take the carriage to the palace later. Tell Xi Lin to prepare a hat, don't let it get wet in the rain!"
As she was talking, Yun Qianmeng's body changed from lying flat to lying on her side, then evolved into lying at an angle, and finally sat up, pointing at the clothes beside her and asking Chu Feiyang to put on a few more layers!
Seeing that she was only wearing a white silk inner garment, Chu Feiyang sat up. In the dim light, his brows furrowed slightly, and then he put down the gauze dress he was holding. He quickly walked to the bed and sat down. Just as he was about to reach out to grab the thin shirt on the bed and put it on Yun Qianmeng, he saw that her inner garment was slightly open, revealing the light pink bellyband underneath. Her rising and falling breathing movements brought out the woman's softness, making Chu Feiyang's Adam's apple slide up and down for a moment. He turned around to see that the door to the inner room was closed. Then he reached out a hand to hook Yun Qianmeng's delicate chin, lowered his head to stop her chattering red lips...
After a while, Chu Feiyang regained consciousness amidst Yun Qianmeng's soft gasps. He let go of her slightly, but his dim eyes still couldn't hide her flushed cheeks. He couldn't help but touch her lips again, and his tongue lightly outlined the perfect lip shape before swallowing them into his mouth again!
"Your Highness, the time has come!" Just when Chu Feiyang was getting excited, Xi Lin's reminder came from outside the door!
Yun Qianmeng immediately pulled away, looked down at her open collar, and immediately reached out to straighten it. Then she pushed Chu Feiyang and whispered, "Go! Be careful!"
"Alas!" Chu Feiyang sighed resentfully as he watched the beautiful scenery before him disappear. He then helped Yun Qianmeng lie down, picked up the gauze dress he had just placed on the table, put it on neatly, and then left the inner room!
But before he walked out of the inn, he saw Lu Xin leading the guards walking towards him quickly!
"The prince must be going to the Nanxun Palace!" Seeing Lu Xin wearing a straw raincoat, he must have received the news long ago and made preparations so quickly!
"General Hu Wei is well-informed and deserves the emperor's trust!" Chu Feiyang said with hidden sarcasm. Jian Xi Lin had already arrived at the door of the inn in his carriage and walked straight out!
"It's raining heavily today. Your Highness, do you mind if I take your carriage? Your Highness also knows that I am a military general and seldom ride in a carriage, so naturally I am not prepared. I didn't expect the weather in Nanxun to be so abnormal. It has been raining for a whole day and a night and there is no sign of stopping!" Although he was asking Chu Feiyang, Lu Xin took the lead and walked to the front of the carriage and lifted the curtain for Chu Feiyang!
Seeing Lu Xin's smiling face, Chu Feiyang also said generously, "In that case, then General Lu, please come in!"
Hearing this, Lu Xin was delighted and immediately followed Chu Feiyang into the carriage. However, before he could sit down, Chu Feiyang spoke up, "I didn't expect General Lu, a military commander, to be so pampered! It seems that General Lu hasn't been tempered enough in these years! When we return to Kyoto, I will definitely speak well of this to the Emperor and ask him to train more so that he can take on the important task of guarding the border!"
After hearing this, Lu Xin was in a dilemma about whether to stand or sit. In the end, he could only bite the bullet and sit down next to the car door! But after he sat down, he realized that what Chu Feiyang had just said seemed to contain a hidden meaning. He couldn't help but frown and said with a probing look, "Your Highness really loves me! But I have been training a lot in the frontier for these years! The Emperor also saw this and summoned me back to the capital! I appreciate your kindness!"
Seeing Lu Xin so shameless, how could Chu Feiyang let him off easily? When it comes to speaking, how many people can match Chu Feiyang? Sitting upright in the steadily moving carriage, Chu Feiyang smiled faintly and said, "This is not up to the general to decide! We are all court officials, and all matters are naturally based on the emperor's priority! How can we imagine things on our own? Wouldn't the court be in chaos? Just like the incident in Nanxun this time, wasn't it a disaster caused by the general's impulsive behavior? My princess was almost killed because of the general's impulsiveness! But I didn't expect that someone, eager for quick success, would write a memorial that confuses right and wrong, almost blinding the emperor and all the officials in the court!"
As soon as these words came out, Lu Xin's face tightened and he looked at Chu Feiyang vigilantly!
Today he originally wanted to inquire about Chu Feiyang's plans for the vassal state, but he didn't expect Chu Feiyang to bring up the old matter and dig up the fact that he had secretly gone to Kyoto to distribute memorials!
This peace talk was originally Chu Feiyang's business, and he was just guarding King Chu and others along the way. If he interfered too much in this matter, he would be suspected of exceeding his authority!
What's more, his memorial was returned to him by Emperor Yugan, giving Chu Feiyang an advantage!
I'm afraid that after Nanxun's matter is over, Chu Feiyang will think of ways to deal with me!
Seeing Lu Xin frowning and thinking deeply, Chu Feiyang sneered slightly. It was not worth it for him to take action alone against Lu Xin!
Silence suddenly returned to the interior of the carriage. The wheels rolled over the cobblestone road, splashing up the accumulated water on the ground. It sped towards the palace in the pouring rain...
Meanwhile, Nanxun's morning court was in dead silence. When Nan Yijun revealed Xi Chu's intentions, all the civil and military officials of Nanxun were shocked. They had thought that the King of Chu refused to talk just because of the matter of the Princess of Chu, but they had no idea that the other party was waiting for the imperial edict from Emperor Yugan!
This imperial edict was no longer the King of Chu's business alone, but became the business of Western Chu. Even if the King of Chu regretted it, the officials of Western Chu would not agree!
"Your Highness, since things have come to this, we have no choice but to fight!" A general's face flushed red. No one would want his country to become a vassal state of another country and live without dignity!
"No! There is a huge gap in strength between Nanxun and Xichu. Not only is there no hope of winning a battle like this, it may also lead to the destruction of the country! What's more, General Huwei is here with 30,000 elite soldiers. If his 30,000 soldiers join forces with the Xichu army, wouldn't all our efforts be in vain? What should the people of Nanxun do then? Aren't they afraid that General Huwei will massacre the city?" Another civil servant objected. Although both sides held their own opinions, they both had reasons and evidence!
"Your Highness, when such a big thing happened, why didn't you see the Emperor? Your Highness, Nan Xun is at the critical moment of life and death, please let the Emperor come out to take charge of the situation!" Another civil servant shouted at Nan Yijun in a crying voice!
After his reminder, the rest of the people knelt down and bowed towards the empty dragon throne, begging Emperor Feng Jing to come out and preside over everything!
Seeing this situation, Nan Yijun's usually calm face finally frowned. Although he already knew that letting these ministers know Xi Chu's intentions would definitely cause turmoil, if he had told them earlier, there might still be time for them to prepare. If it was too late, with Chu Feiyang's lightning-fast style of action, they might not even know how they died!
"What are you doing? The King of Chu hasn't even brought up the matter yet, and you already have such mournful expressions. If someone doesn't know, they'd think Nanxun is going to be destroyed! Hurry up and get up! Are you waiting for Western Chu to laugh at us?" At this moment, Prime Minister Wan hurried into the hall with an angry face, and cast a gloomy gaze at Nan Yijun who was standing on the jade steps, as if accusing him of informing the entire court of this matter without the emperor's consent!
Nan Yijun also watched as Prime Minister Wan walked into the hall in a rage. His frown relaxed slightly, and he sneered, "Prime Minister Wan is late for the morning court! It seems that the wind and rain last night must have frightened Prime Minister Wan!"
Nan Yijun stared at Prime Minister Wan with gloomy eyes and spoke with sarcasm, which made all the civil and military officials in the court who were originally noisy stop and look at the two people who were playing dumb with some confusion!
But before Prime Minister Wan could speak, a young eunuch ran in from outside. He hurriedly bowed to Nan Yijun and then reported, "Your Highness, the King of Western Chu and General Hu Wei are waiting for you in the Council Hall!"
As soon as these words were spoken, except for Nan Yijun and Prime Minister Wan, everyone else's eyes were filled with panic. It was true that what they feared would come true. They had never expected that the King of Chu would be so fast!
"The matter has not been concluded yet. Everyone, do your job well! I will inform you after I meet King Chu!" Nan Yijun waved his hand and asked everyone to return to their respective yamen to do their work. He strode towards the Council Hall. When Prime Minister Wan saw Nan Yijun going to see Chu Feiyang, he also followed him and walked quickly towards the Council Hall!
"I didn't expect that the prince would come uninvited today!" Shaking off the moisture on his clothes, Nan Yijun strode into the council hall. Seeing that Chu Feiyang was already sitting at the table with a calm expression, he spoke loudly!
"The Regent is also very quick! Since we are all open-minded, there is no need to talk in secret. Naturally, we should get things done as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary trouble!" Chu Feiyang glanced at Prime Minister Wan behind Nan Yijun with his sharp eyes, and spoke with a smile on his lips!
"Your Highness's words really confused me!" Pulling out a chair and sitting down, Nan Yijun replied with a faint smile, pretending to be confused in front of Chu Feiyang!
However, Chu Feiyang withdrew his gaze from Prime Minister Wan and said calmly, "How can something that Prime Minister Wan and Emperor Feng Jing know be hidden from the eyes of the Regent? Your Highness, please look, this is the imperial edict just issued by Emperor Yu Gan of our dynasty!"
Saying this, Chu