Little did she know, Yun Qianmeng was drinking the warm water in her hand. After her thirst was relieved, she put down her teacup and said with a faint smile, "It's the Sea King's birthday. This concubine and the prince should have prepared generous gifts and went to the Sea King's Mansion to celebrate in person. However, this concubine is pregnant now, and the doctor also advised to avoid traveling or being tired for the first three months. Although there are no absolutes in this world, it is better to be safe than sorry. This is this concubine and the prince's first child, so it is natural to be cautious. This concubine and the prince will definitely prepare generous gifts and send them to the Sea King's Mansion, but we cannot go in person to celebrate the birthday. Please ask the nanny to go back and tell us to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings."
The speech was logical and reasonable, and all the parts that could be refuted were clearly pointed out. Even if the nanny wanted to make things difficult, she couldn't think of any other excuses for the time being.
The big red invitation in her hand suddenly became extremely hot. She couldn't give it away but couldn't take it back either. The nanny looked a little embarrassed, but Yun Qianmeng was of high rank and noble status. How could she refute it in person?
After much deliberation, the nanny smiled and temporarily withdrew her hand. She slowly sat down and chatted casually, "It's a good thing that the princess is pregnant. She should be careful during the first three months. However, sitting at home all the time is not a good thing either. She should also move around a bit, as this will help with the birth."
Yun Qianmeng listened, nodded with a smile, and said gently, "That's right. Just now, Princess Xiahou and I went for an outing at the Ludai River. It's just that pregnant women tend to get sleepy easily, and after just a short time out, I felt a little tired."
"The princess is hungry. I will tell the kitchen to bring up the porridge and side dishes that have been cooked long ago. The princess should have some to eat first." Nanny Shangguan was such a discerning person. After hearing what Yun Qianmeng said, she knew what she should say and quickly continued what Yun Qianmeng said without giving the nanny any chance to speak.
Yun Qianmeng shook her head slightly at Nanny Shangguan and said, "I'm just a little tired from walking. I'll be fine after a rest. Yangmingshan is a beautiful place, but the path up there is notoriously difficult. I remember when the Prince of the Sea celebrated the birth of his son, I and the eldest daughter of the Duke of Fuguo went to attend the banquet. We were attacked by a wild beast on the way. Fortunately, the Minister of Justice escorted us there, otherwise the consequences would have been disastrous."
After hearing Yun Qianmeng's words, the smile on the nanny's face became increasingly awkward. She could only listen quietly and smile along. After a long while, she finally found her voice and retorted dryly, "Don't worry, Princess. The road leading up the mountain has been cleared recently, and the road surface is much smoother. There will definitely not be another accident like last time."
To put it unexpectedly, all the faults were put on the wild beasts and livestock, and had nothing to do with the Sea King's Palace.
"After talking for so long, Madam, you must be thirsty. Have some tea to moisten your throat." Yun Qianmeng did not answer the madam's words. Instead, she picked up the teacup beside her and continued to drink the warm water in it.
Seeing that Princess Chu had heard what Yun Qianmeng had said, the nanny naturally couldn't say anything more. She could only follow Yun Qianmeng's words and drink her tea silently. The tea was a little cold, and it tasted slightly bitter in her mouth and on the tip of her tongue, which made the nanny's usually clever tongue roll inward. At this time, Yun Qianmeng's voice rang in her ears.
Yun Qianmeng slowly put down the teacup in her hand, picked up a handkerchief, wiped the corners of her slightly damp lips, and slowly spoke, "There is one more thing I didn't want to say, but the Sea King invited me so warmly. Since I can't go, I should tell you the reason, so as to avoid any rift between the two palaces."
When the nanny heard Yun Qianmeng's words, her heart tightened. She didn't understand why there was something else going on. But she said respectfully, "Princess, please speak."
Seeing that the nanny was quite understanding, Yun Qianmeng nodded and continued, "My Second Mother just passed away, and the Prince and I don't really have the heart to think about other things. Although Second Mother is now a criminal, filial piety is the most important virtue. As her children, how can we just ignore her because of her crime? How can we attend Prince Hai's birthday banquet while still in mourning?"
After hearing Yun Qianmeng's words, the nanny was completely speechless. She had long anticipated the Chu Princess's sharp tongue and meticulous mind, but now, in this verbal exchange, she was completely powerless and was defeated by the Chu Princess's gentle words. This made her unable to vent the anger she had been holding in her heart. This Chu Princess was truly an extremely powerful woman.
Lowering her head and taking a sip of the bitter cold tea, the nanny had an unnatural smile on her face and could only nod in agreement with Yun Qianmeng's words, "Princess, you are absolutely right. Filial piety is indeed the most important of all virtues."
"Then I'll have to trouble Madam to go back and explain it to the prince and me, so that the Sea King won't be confused." After saying this, Yun Qianmeng stood up, and her words and actions showed that she was sending the guest away.
The maid remembered the other invitation in her sleeve and hurriedly stood up and said, "Princess, please stay. I have something else that requires your approval."
Yun Qianmeng's sharp eyes instantly swept over the nanny, only to see a hint of anxiety on her face. She nodded slightly, and with Mu Chun's support, she sat down again and asked in a clear voice, "What else?"
Seeing Yun Qianmeng sit down again, the nanny couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. She quickly composed herself and said with a smile, "It's like this. Our Crown Prince's Consort and Princess Xiahou are very close. I'm worried that Princess Xiahou won't be able to attend our prince's birthday banquet. Please write an invitation and invite Princess Xiahou to the Sea Prince's Mansion on June 26th. I hope the Princess and the Princess will agree to it. Otherwise, I won't be able to explain this to the Sea Prince's Consort and the Crown Prince's Consort."
As she spoke, the nanny quickly pulled out a light pink invitation from her sleeve and presented it with both hands, waiting for Yun Qianmeng or Xiahou An'er to take it.
Yun Qianmeng's gaze returned to the nanny, and she felt she was truly a formidable figure, having directly silenced her refusal with her words. Furthermore, the pregnancy and the Xie family incidents couldn't be applied to Xiahou An'er. If she refused again, it would be suspected of deliberately not attending the birthday banquet.
But why did Princess Qian lie so openly? She said she and An'er got along very well, which made Yun Qianmeng laugh inwardly. She became even more suspicious of the Sea Prince's Mansion's intentions.
For a moment, the front hall was completely silent and unusually quiet.
Yun Qianmeng's expression was calm, and her eyes were peaceful, showing no emotion at all.
After hearing the nanny's request, Xiahou An'er's eyebrows suddenly frowned slightly, and her sharp eyes were mixed with a hint of confusion and anxiety. Her hands unconsciously rubbed the silk handkerchief in her hands, but she did not speak immediately, but waited for Yun Qianmeng's decision.
The nanny maintained her previous movements, but no one came forward to take the invitation from her. She couldn't help but feel anxious, puzzled as to what the Princess of Chu was up to. Could it be that the Chu Palace was planning to openly break off relations with the Hai Palace?
After a long time, a faint smile appeared on Yun Qianmeng's indifferent face, gently dispelling the coldness just now.
She turned to look at Xiahou An'er, whose face was calm but whose eyes showed a complex and indecisive expression, and said with a smile, "An'er, this is the Crown Prince's Consort's special invitation to you. It's your own decision."
Hearing this, Xiahou An'er turned to look at Yun Qianmeng. A rare look of confusion appeared in her confused eyes. She stared directly at Yun Qianmeng's lotus-like smile and spoke with a hint of inquiry, "An'er will of course accompany my cousin's wife."
Xiahou An'er knew clearly what was more important, love or family! Furthermore, the invitation was sent by Princess Qian, so there must be something fishy going on. Xiahou An'er was a very perceptive person, so how could she not understand these twists and turns?
However, after saying this, Xiahou An'er turned away and said no more.
Yun Qianmeng was about to follow Xiahou An'er's lead and refuse, but the moment Xiahou An'er turned away, she caught a glimpse of desolation in her eyes. A pang of heartache rose in her heart, and she smiled and said, "Wouldn't it be boring to have you accompany me all day? I've been drowsy most of the day now. If you were to stay by my side like this all day, I'd really feel bad."
Hearing Yun Qianmeng say this, Xiahou An'er turned her head abruptly, and her beautiful eyes, which flashed with surprise, immediately looked at Yun Qianmeng. Her red lips opened and closed several times, but she never uttered the words in her heart.
How could Yun Qianmeng not understand? She stood up, supporting herself on the table with her bare hands. She waved to Xiahou An'er, then pulled the struggling, hesitant little girl over. Smiling, she said to the nanny, "Put the invitation aside for now. Once the princess has a few days to think about it, I'll send someone to personally report to the Shanghai Palace. Besides, there's still some time until the 26th, so there's no rush."
Yun Qianmeng had spoken, so how could anyone dare say no? Although Yun Qianmeng's answer was ambiguous, for the maid from the Sea Palace, it was still a good thing to report back.
The nanny respectfully placed the invitation on the tea table beside her and then said, "Since that's the case, I'll take my leave."
"Go ahead. Madam Shangguan, please see the guests off for me." Yun Qianmeng nodded slightly, and turned around and left the front hall with Xiahou An'er.
The two of them walked slowly back to the backyard. Xiahou An'er looked up at the lush green grass outside the porch, silent and thoughtful.
Yun Qianmeng accompanied her to look at the scenery of the Xiangfu Garden, and waited silently, without saying a word to break the silence between the two.
"Cousin, I still want to..." Xiahou An'er suddenly spoke, but stopped halfway through the words. She bit her red lips lightly with her pearly teeth, staring at the green in front of her with her beautiful eyes, feeling anxious.
Yun Qianmeng didn't expose her thoughts. She just smiled elegantly, her eyes calm, and her voice as clear and crisp as a spring. "I'll leave the post with you. Let me know when you've made up your mind."
After saying that, Yun Qianmeng left this space to Xiahou An'er, and led Ying Xia Muchun back to Mengxin Cottage. Unexpectedly, Chu Feiyang had already returned to Mengxin Cottage. At this time, he was wearing a crescent-white silk robe, lying on a recliner with a scroll in his hand, reading seriously.
Yun Qianmeng gestured to the two girls behind her, telling them not to follow her in. She then tiptoed towards Chu Feiyang, reaching out her bare hands and grabbing the scroll, trying to pull it away...
However, Chu Feiyang was a fox with an extremely keen sense of smell. When Yun Qianmeng stepped into the main house, he already knew that she had returned. He was just pretending to be reading a book without moving.
Seeing Yun Qianmeng trying to take the scroll from his hand, Chu Feiyang suddenly let go. When Yun Qianmeng was feeling smug about having snatched the scroll, she found herself in Chu Feiyang's arms, already sitting on his legs, sitting on the recliner with him.
"I feel no sense of accomplishment. I always lose to you." Yun Qianmeng closed the book in her hand and placed it on the small table next to the recliner, complaining with a slightly drooping mouth.
Chu Feiyang wrapped his arms around her waist, only curling his lips into a smile when he heard her complain, then he took out a hand and gently touched her nose, saying lovingly: "You, you are about to become a mother, and you are still so naughty."
Little did she know that after hearing this, Yun Qianmeng suddenly straightened her back in Chu Feiyang's arms, put her hands on her hips and said seriously, "Who said I was naughty? Every time I read, you sneak up on me and accuse me of hurting my mind and eyes by lying down to read. But what about you? Don't you also read while lying down? Could it be that your eyes were calcined in the Eight Trigrams Furnace?"
Hearing the stabbing, Chu Feiyang immediately understood why Yun Qianmeng had acted that way. A warmth instantly surged in his heart. He gently and firmly wrapped his arms around her waist, which had not yet deformed, and whispered, "I won't do that again."
Seeing that Chu Feiyang understood what she meant, Yun Qianmeng smiled, turned slightly, and put her arms around Chu Feiyang's neck. She said softly, "Feiyang, just now by the Ludai River, I saw you taking Xi Lin out of the city."
"I also heard that Jiang Muchen made things difficult for my princess at the Ludai River today." Chu Feiyang was not to be outdone and said what was on his mind.
"Oh, answer my question first, and then get jealous." Yun Qianmengling pouted her lips slightly, with a hint of tenderness and curiosity in her eyes.
Yun Qianmeng's rare coquettish look moved Chu Feiyang's heart. He suddenly leaned over and pecked her on the lips. Then he smiled and said, "Did the Sea Palace send someone here just now?"
Yun Qianmeng nodded and succinctly recounted what had happened, but her gaze remained fixed on Chu Feiyang. The tenderness in her eyes gradually faded, and a solemnity crept into her clear eyes. Chu Feiyang definitely wasn't asking this because he was interested in the affairs of the inner house. He was afraid...
"After the morning court today, Hai Chenxi asked for permission from the emperor, hoping that the emperor could go to the Sea Palace to celebrate with his ministers before Hai Quan's birthday." Chu Feiyang spoke slowly, his narrow eyes gleaming with a gleam that made people dare not underestimate him.
Hearing this, Yun Qianmeng frowned slightly, somewhat puzzled. "Is the Sea Prince planning a grand birthday banquet? He's even planning to invite the Emperor to the Sea Prince's Palace. Doesn't he know that the furnishings inside the Sea Prince's Palace are comparable to those of a royal family? Isn't he afraid that the Emperor will be furious if he sees all this?"
Listening to Yun Qianmeng's analysis, Chu Feiyang smiled and continued, "The Emperor is shrewd and has already found a reason to reject Hai Chenxi's request. However, he ordered the Crown Prince to go and celebrate the birthday. He originally wanted to order Prince Chen and me to escort the Crown Prince to the Sea Palace, but I didn't expect that my reasons would coincide with those of the Princess."
After saying that, Chu Feiyang rubbed Yun Qianmeng's nose with the tip of his straight nose, his heart filled with a sweet smile. They really were in perfect harmony with each other.
Yun Qianmeng laughed when he said that, but when she thought of Xiahou An'er's hesitation, she sighed softly, "I'm afraid Hai Yue has developed feelings for An'er. Otherwise, why would he use the hand of Prince Qian's Consort to write an invitation to An'er? I let An'er make her own decision. I'm a little unsure about this matter and don't know whether it's right or wrong."
Chu Feiyang was a savvy person. When Yun Qianmeng mentioned this matter, he understood the twists and turns in his heart. His sword-like eyebrows knitted together, and a cold light flashed in his eyes. He spoke softly to Yun Qianmeng, "An'er is not a child anymore. It's time for her to make her own decision. If she wants to go, I will send more secret guards to follow her. You can relax."
Seeing Chu Feiyang comforting herself, Yun Qianmeng couldn't help but nodded and chuckled.
"You only have two girls, Ying and Xia Muchun, by your side now. It's really not enough, so I will bring one back for you." Chu Feiyang changed the subject at this time.
He clapped his hands three times, and immediately there was the sound of footsteps, followed by the crisp rustling of beads on the door curtain. Qiao Ying, dressed in a black suit, knelt before the two men and said respectfully, "I pay my respects to the Prince and Princess."
Yun Qianmeng's face showed surprise. She immediately stood up from Chu Feiyang's lap and walked to Qiao Ying. She bent down and helped Qiao Ying up. With a hint of excitement, she said, "Qiao Ying, are you feeling better?"
Qiao Ying was a quiet person, having grown up in a military camp, and she was even more reserved. But after hearing Yun Qianmeng's caring words, her heart ached slightly, and she replied in a hoarse voice, "Princess, I'm well now."
"What's this?" Yun Qianmeng looked her over. Seeing that Qiao Ying looked normal, she slowly let go of her worries. She turned to look at Chu Feiyang, who was sitting on the recliner, and asked, "Do you want Qiao Ying to come and protect me?"
Thinking of this, Yun Qianmeng frowned slightly. She already had secret guards by her side, so why would Chu Feiyang transfer Qiao Ying to his side?
Chu Feiyang stood up and nodded slightly to Qiao Ying. Qiao Ying bowed slightly and left the inner room. Chu Feiyang then walked to Yun Qianmeng's side, put his long arms around her waist, and said softly, "Qiao Ying is a woman, she can protect you closely. Now that you are pregnant, we can't be careless."
"But something happened in the court?" Perhaps things were not as simple as Chu Feiyang said. Yun Qianmeng stared at Chu Feiyang beside her.
Chu Feiyang smiled faintly and said nonchalantly, "It's not a big deal, it's just that Hai Quan has been in frequent contact with Qi Jingyuan recently."
"Could it be that Qi Jingyuan sent a message? Hai Quan he..." Yun Qianmeng put her arms around Chu Feiyang's waist, her tone solemn.
Chu Feiyang shook his head and continued, "It's hard to tell for now. Hai Quan is cunning and sly. Even if he wants to, I'm afraid he won't reveal his target. What's more, Hai Quan is not completely confident in Qi Jingyuan. How could he reveal his true identity to Qi Jingyuan so quickly? I'm afraid Hai Quan is testing Qi Jingyuan and the Western Chu court at the same time. I sent Qiao Ying here just in case. Qiao Ying is very skilled and she's a woman. I'm very confident in having her by your side."
Hearing this, Yun Qianmeng couldn't help but nodded. She knew that Chu Feiyang was thinking about her, and Qiao Ying was quite to her liking, and it would be pleasant to get along with her, so she agreed with Chu Feiyang's approach.
As the two were talking, Mu Chun's voice came from the door, "Your Highness, Guard Xi is outside the room asking to see you."
"Go ahead." Yun Qianmeng straightened Chu Feiyang's collar and spoke with a faint smile.
Chu Feiyang tightened his arms around her slightly, then reluctantly let her go and strode out of the inner room.
"What's the matter?" Chu Feiyang asked after stepping out of the main house and seeing Xi Lin standing under the eaves.
"Your Highness, General Du, Lieutenant General Meng, and Lieutenant General Ye have already returned to the Prime Minister's Residence and are now waiting for Your Highness in the study." Xi Lin straightened his back and answered Chu Feiyang's question respectfully.
"These guys are quite fast. Let's go and take a look." Chu Feiyang nodded slightly and led Xi Lin out of Mengxin Villa.
The two of them walked through the pavilions, towers, corridors and lawns of Prime Minister Chu's mansion and soon arrived at the study.
There was already a lot of heated discussion in the study. It seemed that these people had not been idle during the time when Chu Feiyang was not there.
Chu Feiyang pushed the door open and stepped into the study. The people who were originally discussing the map immediately stood up, saluted Chu Feiyang, and said in unison: "This general greets the prince."
Chu Feiyang's shrewd eyes swept over the faces of several people one by one. Seeing that they were all in high spirits, he nodded with satisfaction and said with a smile: "It's been a few years since we last met. You guys have become more mature and steady."
Several young men chuckled, and a dark-skinned young man spoke first, "It's all thanks to the prince's cultivation. Otherwise, how could we have achieved such greatness?"
"I don't have that much ability. This is all thanks to your own efforts." Chu Feiyang also said with a smile.
Chu Feiyang walked past several people and came to the desk. Looking at the map of Western Chu spread out on the desk, he said in a deep voice, "Meng Tao, come over and tell me about the recent situation in the north."
The dark-skinned young man is named Meng Tao. He is now a lieutenant general. He has followed Chu Feiyang in marching and fighting since he was a child. He is brave, careful and very smart. He fought bloody battles all the way from a soldier to a lieutenant general. Now he is a well-known general of Western Chu.
"Yes." Meng Tao immediately put away his playful smile, stepped forward, pointed to the north on the map, and whispered to everyone, "There's been some unrest in Northern Qi recently. It seems the conflict between the Crown Prince and the Crown Prince has intensified, and both sides are suspected of violence. The Crown Prince, relying on his power, has been mobilizing troops at will. However, there's one thing that's very noteworthy: Qi Jingyuan's men aren't being mobilized within Northern Qi, but rather towards the border between Northern Qi and Western Chu. This is truly suspicious. Does Your Highness have any concrete information? Could it be that Northern Qi is planning to attack Western Chu again?"
Chu Feiyang listened to Meng Tao's explanation, and a slight calculation began to form in his mind. His clear, moon-like eyes suddenly darkened, and he ordered in a very serious tone: "Since the battle with Northern Qi last year, we have increased our forces. Now there are 500,000 troops approaching. I believe Qi Jingyuan will not be so foolish. If he fights us to the death, the only one who will benefit in the end will be Qi Jingyuan. This deal is not worth it. He is a shrewd man and will not do business at a loss. However, just in case, the northern army must not be careless. Any action must be carefully analyzed to avoid delays in military reports."
"Yes, Your Highness." With Chu Feiyang's words, Meng Tao knew whether he should defend or attack. After all, if he rashly attacked the Northern Qi army and caused misunderstandings, it would probably be the Chu King's army that would suffer.
"Has there been any unusual movement in the Ministry of War recently? Have the people belonging to King Chen of the Sea taken any actions?" This question was naturally directed at the other two people.
Du Ronghui is a fourth-rank general of Mingwei. He has followed Chu Feiyang for ten years. The two are like brothers. They have fought bloody battles together and shared hardships. The brotherhood between them is stronger than gold.
Since there were no major wars in Western Chu, he was ordered to return to the capital and took up a sinecure in the Ministry of War. However, this seemingly idle position was Chu Feiyang's eyes in the Ministry of War.
Emperor Yugan thought that by expelling Qu Changqing from the Ministry of War, Chu Feiyang would lose an arm, but he didn't know that this person had already been placed in the Ministry of War.
"Your Highness, there is only one thing that is somewhat eye-catching." Du Ronghui spoke. Unlike Meng Tao, he was handsome and elegant. He did not look like a military general, but rather like a civil official. He spoke in a steady manner, which showed that he was extremely cautious.
"Tell me about it." Chu Feiyang pointed to the seats in the study and asked them to sit down. He sat behind the desk and listened attentively to everyone's reports.
"The commander of the Tongzhou garrison in Jiangnan submitted a memorial today, stating that Tongzhou in Jiangnan was devastated by floods. Unable to bear the urgency of competing with the civilian population for food, the garrison requested that the Emperor allocate military rations from the Ministry of Revenue to Tongzhou to alleviate the immediate crisis."
"Is the number large?" Chu Feiyang asked calmly, tapping the table with his slender fingers on his right hand.
"Not much. I've already calculated it. The food and fodder requested in the memorial is only enough to sustain the Tongzhou garrison for one and a half months at most." Du Ronghui answered Chu Feiyang's question accurately.
Hearing this, Chu Feiyang nodded slightly, then slowly spoke, "What do you think is wrong?"
Seeing Chu Feiyang's question, Du Ronghui frowned and said, "The commander of the Qinzhou garrison in the southwest is Bai Wuhen. He fought alongside the Sea King and is one of the four most powerful generals under the Sea King. He is loyal to Hai Quan. Qinzhou and Tongzhou are only a few hundred miles apart. If Bai Wuhen interferes, I'm afraid the Tongzhou garrison..."
After hearing Du Ronghui's answer, Chu Feiyang shook his head and said disapprovingly, "This is unnecessary. Why did Bai Wuhen have to wait until the military rations arrived before taking action? He only needs to rob the 800-mile express letter, and Tongzhou will still be depleted. Hai Quan would not be so stupid as to do such a thankless task. I'm afraid the situation in Jiangnan is really urgent now. Even the military rations are so tight. What on earth is Su Qi, the grain transport envoy, doing?"
"I'm afraid he is counting on the Rong family." Speaking of Su Qi, everyone disliked him. Ye Chi, who had not spoken for a long time, angrily spat out this person's name.
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－－
555555555, I'm flying away with the pot lid on my head. My computer is not good enough. I still have 3,000 words to go. I'll make up for it tomorrow!