Chapter 4 The General Returns to Court: Han Jiqing smiled and said, "Won't you accept this cup of wine from me? I'm saving your life."

"Say what you said again!"

Liang Fu suddenly felt that his life was hanging by a thread and he was about to die. He didn't even know if he could get through the New Year safely.

He was so angry that he trembled all over, clutching his chest as if he was about to collapse.

"Lord Liang, Lord Liang, please take care of your health!"

Liang Fu finally managed to get out of his home during the opportunity of his younger brother's successful return to the capital, and his injuries had mostly healed.

Dressed in a flamboyant yet dignified and festive manner, he was the first to arrive among the group. Even though his status was higher than that of the average person, this was a meritorious member of his family returning, so how could he not treat him well?

He had hoped to use this opportunity to further his position in the court, but he never expected that his younger brother would say, "Oh dear!"

Suddenly remembering something, he quickly sat up and cautiously asked, "Do you know who gave this order?"

"Is it General Liang or General Han?"

The soldier pondered for a moment, then replied, "Yes, sir, it is General Liang."

Upon hearing those words, Liang Fu felt his vision go black.

There was no need to spread the word; as soon as Xiaobing finished speaking, the people around him immediately scattered and started discussing it.

"He's already so arrogant after just achieving some merit!"

"Even His Majesty arrived half an hour early today!"

"Isn't the Liang family showing far too little respect for the Emperor?!"

Some people said, "What's so surprising? General Liang He is one of the two generals leading the troops this time."

This victory over the Xiao Kingdom has reclaimed eleven cities that our Great Yun Kingdom had lost, and we've also acquired countless grains. Now, even the beggars on the street will get a bowl of porridge for the New Year!

"What a meritorious and capable general he is!"

"Meritorious officials and good generals? Whether they qualify as meritorious officials is another matter, but good generals are not necessarily so."

"Sir, please keep your voice down! Lord Liang is still not far away!"

The speaker immediately lowered his voice, but after glancing at Liang Fuzheng, who was frowning not far away, he knew that Liang Fuzheng didn't care about them at all, and a look of disdain appeared on his face.

This time, Gu Huizhou didn't even need to give an order; the rumors alone would be enough to nail the Liang family to the pillar of shame. Liang Fu immediately wanted to fly over and kill his stupid younger brother on the spot, so that his father wouldn't be able to rest in peace even in the afterlife.

Thinking this, Liang Fu immediately rushed to Gu Huizhou's imperial carriage to apologize, "This old minister pays his respects to Your Majesty, long live the Emperor!"

"My foolish brother's actions this time are also for the sake of the soldiers of my Great Yun. Even if I win this battle, I will still owe a lot to the capable assistance of my soldiers! I have always liked to think of others since I was a child. The generals can ride their horses day and night to launch attacks."

But those soldiers had no choice but to walk back to the capital!

As Liang Fu spoke, he almost knelt down, "Your foolish brother only wanted the soldiers to have a good rest so that they could meet His Majesty in their best condition! I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness!"

Gu Huizhou's smile grew wider, but he didn't answer. He paused in turning the pages of his book, and after a while, he spoke, "I heard that the eldest young master summoned many scholars yesterday."

Liang Fu's heart skipped a beat. "It is true, it is true."

Liang Fu was also puzzled as to how the topic had come to this point. A serious look flashed in his eyes. "My son usually enjoys studying classical Chinese poetry and prose. This time, he happened to meet a great scholar while discussing poetry and prose with a friend."

He smiled and said, "That great scholar is very famous. He is Mr. Li Wenjing, the top scholar of the previous dynasty. He disliked the trivialities of officialdom and went into seclusion in the mountains on the day the results were announced. Now that he is old, he wants to pass on what he has learned to the scholars of Dayun."

"So my son helped you with this favor, sir."

Gu Huizhou nodded, "So, the eldest young master is still thinking of my country and its people."

Liang Fu quickly denied it, "My son is absolutely unfit for such a heavy responsibility! I only wish to help the old gentleman and also learn something from him!"

"The eldest son's character is truly something I should learn from."

"Your Majesty, Quanzi——"

As the two were talking, the sound of galloping hooves came from not far away.

"Alright, my two generals have arrived. Let's go take a look."

As soon as Gu Huizhou finished speaking, Cui Xiangzhu, who had just returned, reached out and lifted the curtain, saying, "Your Majesty, please be careful."

The emperor stepped forward, and everyone spontaneously lowered their heads to make way for him, regardless of whether they respected or followed him in their hearts, they had to put on this act at this moment.

Liang Fu, who had just stood up, angrily punched his thigh. He didn't know how the topic had turned to his Chengfeng. He wondered what the Emperor's attitude towards Liang He would be.

Never mind, we'll just go and see for ourselves.

When the army returned to the capital, the entire country was shrouded in dust and smoke.

Even though the officials were mentally prepared, they couldn't help but cough a few times. Only Gu Huizhou calmly took two steps back, letting Cui Xiangzhu be choked by the smoke and dust.

The army stopped a hundred meters from the capital gate. In the blurry distance, two figures walked ahead and quickly approached.

"Your subject Han Jiqing pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

"Your subject Liang He pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Two generals, leading a large group of soldiers behind them, bowed and saluted Gu Huizhou.

"Please rise quickly." Gu Huizhou stepped forward, pretending to reach out to help the two famous generals up.

But he only slightly bent over, and the two of them immediately stood up. Who would dare to let the emperor help them up?

Han Jiqing grinned so broadly his teeth almost showed. Although he was impeccably dressed and exuded an imposing aura, his armor alone inspiring fear in those who saw him from afar, his current smile was radiant, his weathered and cracked face contorted with rage, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Han Dahai, the head of the Han family, who was the Minister of War, was usually decisive and efficient in officialdom. He would either smile or glare at people. But at this moment, he also showed some of the sadness of an old father. When he saw Han Jiqing return safely, his eyes reddened and he did not dare to step forward.

Han Jiqing greeted the Emperor, then turned and walked towards his father, calling out, "Father!"

"Oh, my good son!"

The father and son embraced tightly, while the officials around them could only admire and flatter them. Putting aside the fact that Han Dahai was already the Minister of War, Han Jiqing, who had just returned victorious, should at least be a general of the second rank!

"Congratulations on your victorious return, General!"

"Congratulations, Lord Han!"

Congratulations, General!

...

After greeting Han Jiqing, Gu Huizhou turned to Liang He, his smile calm, his eyes slightly curved as if carrying a hint of coldness. "General Liang, you must have suffered greatly from your long journey. I was constantly worried about you in the capital, and now I see my great general return victorious—"

"I am very pleased."

Liang He is now forty-eight years old. Compared to Han Jiqing, who is not yet thirty, he has more of the air of an old general. After his trip to the border, he looks more than ten years older.

He narrowed his eyes, his height being about the same as Gu Huizhou's, and seemed to let out a cold laugh, "The border is bitterly cold. Your subject and the soldiers have indeed suffered a lot, but we have managed to get Xiao Kingdom to return eleven cities, and we can ensure that the people of my Great Yun have enough to eat and wear during the New Year."

"I would be willing to die for this!"

Gu Huizhou's lips curled up even more, "Truly worthy of being my good general."

He turned to face his ministers and said, “It is a cold winter day. I will not keep chatting with you two generals here. Tonight, the palace has prepared fine wine, and I and all the officials will join me in welcoming you two back.”

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The palace was bustling with activity all day long. Even the palace maids and eunuchs in the Cloud Palace were busy preparing for Gu Huizhou's banquet attire.

That night at the palace.

"I haven't had a chance to congratulate General Liang yet, but with your military achievements, you're sure to rise to great heights in the future!"

"Although we may envy them, we can't even dream of being like them," the man said, glancing at the people around him with a smile. "The brave warriors who go to the battlefield are far superior to us weak scholars in the capital."

"This gentleman is right. The general must have been incredibly brave on the battlefield to be able to defeat those villains from the Xiao Kingdom so thoroughly!"

"Well said!"

The people surrounding Liang He were all speaking politely, yet their words were full of goodwill.

Liang He's smile never stopped, and the arrogance and pride in his eyes were almost impossible to contain. "Liang He thanks everyone for their praise."

"General Liang, you flatter us. These are our heartfelt words, and they are a done deal."

Han Jiqing was also surrounded by many people with ulterior motives who wanted to curry favor with those in power.

The Liang family and the Han family are both among the three great families of Yun Kingdom. Not to mention that these two are now victorious generals, even the heads of the two families are veterans in the court.

Nobody wants to miss out on getting a piece of the pie.

However, how to choose is another matter. I have long heard that His Majesty will be responsible for carefully deciding the distribution of military merits this time, and the one with higher military merit is the Grand General of Yun Kingdom.

That's a second-rank general!

The Liang family has been a prominent family in the court since the time of the late emperor. Many of the reforms during the late emperor's reign were initiated by members of the Liang family, making them true ministers who assisted the country. Although the current emperor is not as illustrious as before, they are still veterans of two reigns, and their position in the court is unshakeable by ordinary people.

In comparison, the Han family was a prestigious clan that had been promoted by the new emperor after his ascension to the throne. The head of the family, Han Dahai, had only been in office as Minister of War for less than two years. In terms of political foundation, the Han family was far less stable than the Liang family.

But this is, after all, a prestigious family personally promoted by His Majesty. Moreover, the eldest son of the Han family, who has just returned victorious, is not yet thirty years old, and his future prospects are immeasurable.

As the officials fawned over the two generals, Gu Huizhou slowly walked into the hall from outside. "It seems that you ministers are even more delighted with the return of the two generals than I am."

The moment the words were spoken, the hall fell silent, then everyone shouted in unison, "Your humble servant greets Your Majesty!"

"Rise."

Gu Huizhou smiled as his gaze swept over Liang He, a cold sneer flashing in his eyes. With Cui Xiangzhu's help, he sat down in the highest seat. "No need to be reserved, just do what you were doing before."

Who dared disobey him? The hall immediately became lively again. However, the group no longer dared to chatter incessantly around one person. Instead, they toasted the two generals in turn, expressing their joy and respect.

Liang He remained noncommittal, but Han Jiqing finally breathed a sigh of relief. Now that he was free, he began to complain to his father, "These civil officials are really good at talking. I couldn't get a word in edgewise."

After grumbling about it, he downed another glass of wine, but before he could even swallow it, his father punched him, yelling, "You're still drinking!"

Han Jiqing dodged halfway, "Oh, Dad, in the past two years in the army, I haven't learned anything else, but no one can beat me at drinking!" He said proudly, glancing at Liang He opposite him out of the corner of his eye, "Look at General Liang, his face is already red, he'll probably have to be carried off in a bit."

Han Dahai had gained weight in the two years since leaving the army, and his rather robust physique caused the table to wobble slightly when he looked to the side. "Heh." Ji Qing was right; that guy really would have to be carried off the plane soon.

Gu Huizhou sat in his high seat, slowly sipping a glass of wine, watching the scene below the stage as if he were watching a theatrical performance. His gaze shifted to one side, and his brow twitched slightly, revealing a hint of displeasure.

"General."

The palace maid protested softly, but the men who had come from the battlefield were stronger than ordinary people, and how could a lowly palace maid like her possibly resist? Liang He seemed not to hear her, and with a smug smile, he pulled her a little closer, "Why don't you come with me? It's the same who you serve."

Tears welled up in the palace maid's eyes, and she shook her head repeatedly. But no one around paid her any attention. The wine cup in her hand had long since fallen to the ground. The maid instinctively looked for Cui Xiangzhu's shadow; she was a maid in the Cloud Palace!

"General, this servant is a palace maid from the Cloud Palace—"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of those around Liang He changed to varying degrees, and their clinking of glasses slowed down slightly.

"Hahahaha," Liang He laughed, "So what?"

These words caused even the palace maid's expression to change. "General!"

"Come! I haven't had a drink with General Liang since I returned to the court! We've been on the battlefield together for two years, it's fate that we're here." Han Jiqing stood up abruptly, picked up his wine glass, and walked towards the other side.

He stood opposite Liang He, his hand holding the wine cup pressing against the other's arm that was pulling the palace maid. Both of them secretly exerted force, neither willing to give way.

Liang He looked at Han Jiqing with disdain, "General Han, what are your instructions?"

Han Jiqing smiled and said, "Aren't you going to accept this drink from me? I'm saving your life."

After a few more moments of stalemate, the two remained silent, their eyes locked. The palace maid beside them, however, was pale; Liang He must have been channeling all his pent-up anger into the hand gripping hers.

"Heh," Gu Huizhou chuckled softly. He asked gently, "Why is General Liang unwilling to accept General Han's offer of wine?"

"Is there some rift between the two generals?" he said with a faint smile. "That's not good."

The mushroom that had been placed on Gu Huizhou's desk turned its head to look. A mushroom was placed in a flowerpot, as bright as a decoration. When he turned around, it was as if a column had spun around. As long as no one was watching him, no one would notice.

He glanced at the two locked in a stalemate; he had a very bad impression of Liang He. From morning until now, he hadn't sensed a single trace of friendliness from him.

Moreover, he saw that Liang He was gripping the palace maid's wrist so tightly that her palm had turned purple.

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[Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]