Chapter 75 Returning to the Capital

Faint conversations drifted from the makeshift prison. The exact content was unclear, but the serious tone of the voices was faintly discernible. It was Zhuang Ziqian interrogating the assassin.

On the other end, Cheng Zhuoran, with a grim expression, was talking to Cheng Rong, occasionally glancing back at Zhou She.

Cheng Rong looked pale and groaned, mumbled in response, too ashamed to lift his head after being scolded.

Zhou She and the other military doctors examined him and straightened his clothes. He stepped forward and said softly to Cheng Zhuoran, "General Cheng, I roughly know who did this. There's no need to be so harsh."

The only person who could possibly infiltrate an assassin into a grain delivery team is the Third Prince.

Of course, even if it wasn't him, Zhou She wasn't going to let the Third Prince take the blame.

Cheng Zhuoran's expression changed slightly.

Does this mean Zhou She thinks he can't solve the problem?

However, Zhou She remained silent for a moment, then turned to Cheng Rong and said, "Next time, be sure to be more careful. After something like this happens, do you still want your head?"

Cheng Rong nodded repeatedly. Cheng Zhuoran ignored him, took a deep breath, and strode into the room, stopping Zhuang Ziqian from further interrogating him.

The assassin was tougher than a clam shell, and Zhuang Ziqian was prepared to use force, but upon hearing Cheng Zhuoran's account, he flew into a rage.

"Who dares to cause trouble in the military camp? Do they have a death wish?!"

Cheng Zhuoran said helplessly, "Since Zhou She knows what's going on, he's probably not someone we can afford to offend."

Zhuang Ziqian gritted his teeth: "Fine, let's report this matter back to the capital first and then make a plan. Harming a meritorious official is also a serious crime. His Majesty sending people to investigate will be much faster than us."

Taking this opportunity, Cheng Zhuoran decided to pack up Zhuang Ziqian and send him home.

Although Zhuang Ziqian was indeed a veteran general, two tigers cannot share one mountain, and two commanders cannot share one army. Zhuang Ziqian had been stationed at the border for many years, and his presence there was seriously affecting his own career.

“I’ll send Zhou She back to report his achievements in person. You can go with him. I’m always worried that these assassins might come back again. Since you have experience, you can help him guard against them.”

Zhong Ziqian glanced at him sideways. He knew what Cheng Zhuoran meant, but he didn't intend to expose him. After all, he was leaving soon, and everyone understood his little scheme.

Zhou She was somewhat surprised when he learned that he was about to return to the capital. Cheng Rong, on the other hand, was left behind at Mingyuan Pass. Cheng Zhuoran said that he would give him extra training to cleanse him of the slickness he had learned in the capital.

The two parted ways, with Zhou She taking only a few hundred personal guards. Everything was prepared, but just before he left, someone came to report that the head of the Duan family requested an audience.

Zhou She: "..." Huh? Who?

After hearing his own series of actions displayed on the screen, he really didn't think he could get along with Duan Mingyuan.

Duan Mingyuan thought, why not?

A true man can bend and stretch, and he is the most virtuous of all men!

When news of the reopening of Mingyuan Pass spread, Duan Mingyuan immediately and decisively came to the scene.

Although Duan Mingyuan's family was powerful and influential, and a local force to be reckoned with, they still had to consider the situation of the royal family.

Times have changed. It's no longer the time when aristocratic families despised imperial power, like it was hundreds of years ago.

Of course, he had been observing the situation at Mingyuan Pass before this.

He doesn't fawn over everyone he meets. Even though the sky foreshadowed the future, what if it turns out otherwise?

What if the Duan family was targeted before Zhou She ascended the throne? What if Zhou She failed to ascend the throne this time?

When news of the Northern Di retreating from Mingyuan Pass arrived and Zhou She was about to return to the capital to report his achievements, Duan Mingyuan knew that his opportunity had come.

Duan Mingyuan was a thin, middle-aged man, just over forty years old. He wore a simple straight-cut robe and looked like an honest and upright scholar.

Upon seeing Zhou She, a faint smile immediately appeared on his face.

Regardless of what happens later, at least at this moment, Zhou She has seized military power. If you anger him, he might just set up a trap for you, like Tian Mu did.

Although Zhou She was surprised, he remained calm and asked with a smile, "Does Patriarch Duan have something important to discuss?"

Duan Mingyuan nodded naturally. He was giving Zhou Shezhang face, not bothering him for no reason, so he was prepared: "Congratulations to General Zhou on your victorious return to the court. I have prepared a small gift."

Zhou She almost burst out laughing.

He pondered for a moment, looking at Duan Mingyuan's sincere yet cautious face, and for the first time gained a deeper understanding of the changes in his identity.

Apart from himself, no one knew the significance of the emperor sending him to the border, including himself, who sometimes wondered if it was really just a pie in the sky.

Is it a pancake? It looks a lot like one.

It's hard to say, but at least for now, in the eyes of the local powerful clans, he already has power.

*

The third prince paced back and forth, feeling a sense of anxiety even though he knew the information wouldn't come back quickly.

Not long ago, he went to the palace to discuss matters with his father, the emperor. During their tender conversation, he took the opportunity to bring up the topic of marriage.

The third prince already has a principal wife, but this woman is gentle but inflexible, a typical puppet raised by aristocratic families.

The Third Prince had long been dissatisfied with this, and just then, Tianmu praised Gu Xunhui highly, so he came up with a bad idea: since Gu Xunhui is so intelligent, wouldn't it be a happy ending for everyone if he married Gu Er?

However, in the end, he found that only he and his father, Gu Jingshan, were happy.

His father also severely reprimanded him. He concluded coldly with, "If you weren't my son, would you think you could live such a carefree and easy life? I think you just need some discipline!"

Emperor Hong'an then casually tossed him to Shen Mingzhe.

Shen Mingzhe was an even more stubborn fellow. The Third Prince had been rebuffed by him several times, and he was seething with anger with nowhere to vent it.

As he paced back and forth, he suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside the door. Someone rushed in like a whirlwind.

The Third Prince frowned and roared, "Who?! How dare they be so rude!"

The person who came was one of his acquaintances.

The third prince was confined to his home to study. This pageboy spent his days finding writing materials and new books for the prince, and frequently coming and going from the mansion.

He practically tumbled in, his face showing a hint of panic, and cried out, "Your Highness! Zhou... Zhou... Zhou She is back!"

The tone was as if shouting: The ghost is back!

The Third Prince's expression changed drastically. He slammed his hand on the table and asked incredulously, "Who's back?"

He wasn't that he didn't hear clearly, but his excessive panic made him lose his composure, and he momentarily recalled what he had done.

Did the assassin fail? Did he expose himself? Did Zhou She know that he was the one who sent him?

A jumble of guesses flashed through my mind. The sound of gongs rang out in the street, and the clamor of voices echoed through the sky.

The third prince stared blankly, no longer able to deceive himself: his nemesis, his future enemy, had truly returned!

The memorial was delivered to Emperor Hong'an by express courier. Zhou She followed closely behind, leading his personal guards, and headed straight for the capital.

Zhuang Ziqian was originally a disgraced official who was temporarily replaced, but now he has become a meritorious official.

When the emperor saw him, his eyes immediately filled with tears. He patted the man's hand repeatedly and said with deep emotion, "My dear minister, you have done me another service before you leave. I am truly gratified!"

Zhuang Ziqian lowered his head and wiped away his tears: "Your Majesty, I dare not fail to live up to your great kindness."

The two ignored Zhou She and talked to themselves for a while until they finally got their act going, at which point Emperor Hong'an turned around.

When facing his future heir, his expression was not as gentle as when he treated Zhuang Ziqian: "How is Ruochuan's health?"

Zhou She knew this was out of concern, and opened his mouth to say something.

Zhuang Ziqian looked around, finding the atmosphere suitable, and said indignantly, "Your Majesty, some villains attempted to assassinate us after the victory celebration banquet. After much deliberation, I am truly filled with lingering fear..."

Before he could finish speaking, Emperor Hong'an's expression changed drastically.

Zhuang Ziqian was a clever man. He didn't say it was to assassinate Zhou She, but rather to assassinate us. After all, it involved himself, which gave him a reason to speak, and he wouldn't be implicated as Zhou She's accomplice.

Zhou She was somewhat moved. Under the emperor's questioning gaze, he nodded heavily: "Your Majesty, this is indeed the case. I dare not fail to report it, but I am puzzled. Mingyuan Pass is an important border town, yet this person brazenly infiltrated it. Is he a Northern Barbarian? Or has he been turned? Should this matter be thoroughly investigated? I beg Your Majesty's instructions."

Although he said this, he certainly hoped for a thorough investigation. However, it's an art of speaking; if one speaks too definitively, even the emperor might not be happy to see his son arrested.

If the evidence truly points to the Third Prince, the Emperor will likely back down and only impose a minor punishment.

Emperor Hong'an maintained his calm demeanor, but his voice was already tinged with resentment as he coldly declared, "Investigate! Of course, we must investigate to the very end!"

After saying this, he gestured slightly, leaving Zhuang Ziqian behind and letting Zhou She go back to rest alone. Before leaving, he said to Zhou She, "I wish to bestow a marriage upon you and Gu Xunhui. Do you have any objections?"

Zhou She remained silent. He had no right to refuse this matter, and besides…

A harmonious marriage is what I desire most. Since Gu Xunhui is indeed a good match, why not make it happen?

He used to carry that gold hairpin with him, but later he felt something was off, so he put it away at home.

Zhou's father was not at the princess's residence; he was extremely busy and had been staying at the government office for several days.

The princess didn't care; she was busy tidying up her son. When she heard that her eldest son had come home, she felt even more embarrassed.

Who could have imagined that the eldest son, whom they had never cared about, would achieve such success in the future? Even more unexpectedly, the relationship between mother and son broke down to this extent.

In fact, the two of them could probably guess that the princess disliked fools and lazybones the most, and Zhou She had stepped on all of his mother's landmines in the past.

For over twenty years, she had almost completely ignored Zhou She, and any discipline she showed was only because she couldn't bring shame to the princess's residence.

Zhou She remained respectful, seemingly oblivious to Tian Mu's "slanderous words." He chatted with his mother for a while before leaving. As he departed, he saw Zhou Ze in the distance and gave him a malicious smile.

Zhou Ze: "..." What bad luck.

Zhou She had been in the capital for more than ten days. With no one urging him, he was happy to be at his own pace and meet with old friends.

Most people had developed some resentment towards him, but Zhong Jin's first question upon meeting him was: "So, your engagement to Gu Xunhui back then was real?"

Zhou She: "..." Speechless. Is this the point you care about?

But Zhou She was also very curious. The matter had already spread throughout the city, but the emperor was still suppressing it. Why was that?

Does he intend to keep this a secret?

Zhou She's doubts were resolved a month later. The emperor finally announced his marriage, but on the same day as another imperial edict that no one had expected.

It was like a thunderclap from a clear sky, making one's mind reel and lose track of time.