Man-eating birds 9

For the next few days, Xiao Congzhi did not attend court, but he also did not stay in the Zichen Palace to spend time with Xie Mowen. He sent out spies to investigate the people on the list given by Jiang Zeyan, and Xiao Congzhi would carefully consider each one who was reported back.

Comparing the list, Xiao Congzhi realized for the first time what kind of path his parents had paved for him.

The current Minister of Justice is a man of the late emperor, but he is well hidden and has never been discovered by Prime Minister Jiang. This is why he promotes and values ​​Sun Rang, in order to cause trouble for Prime Minister Jiang.

I once thought that everyone in the Censorate was a protégé of Prime Minister Jiang, but now I realize that the Censor-in-Chief is a former official of the late emperor who was hiding among them.

In Yidu City, about half of the officials below the fifth rank are diligent and hardworking but not very noticeable. Every year at the end of the year, they will send a secret letter to Jiang Zeyan, explaining their work throughout the year.

Five prefectures, six counties, forty-three districts, and three hundred and twelve cities, along with officials of all ranks, including many former ministers of the late emperor, are all capable of swaying public opinion when Xiao Congzhi seeks to change it in the future.

This path wasn't something blatantly obvious; rather, like a gentle breeze and rain, it had been subtly influencing the court for twenty years, quietly taking shape as Xiao Congzhi plotted his scheme…

That year, when Xiao Congzhi made his moves, he always felt that the trend of the game was inevitable. Now he realizes that the game is moving slowly and is no longer the same as it was twenty years ago.

Xiao Congzhi burned yet another secret letter, then lowered his eyes and stared out the window in a daze. Suddenly, his snow-white carrier pigeon flew in.

"Didn't you say we wouldn't see each other for the past few days?" Xie Mowen was packing his clothes when he heard a noise by the window. He quickly turned around and found that it was Xiao Congzhi.

Xiao Congzhi jumped in through the window, walked slowly to Xie Mowen, hooked his hand around Xie Mowen's belt, and gently tugged it. "I was in a state of turmoil before and wanted some peace and quiet, but I've made up my mind now."

Xie Mowen covered Xiao Congzhi's mischievous hand, touched the corner of Xiao Congzhi's mouth with his other hand, and asked with a smile, "Is it tomorrow?"

"Nothing can be hidden from you." Xiao Congzhi snorted and leaned into Xie Mowen's arms, raising an eyebrow as he said, "Things will get chaotic after tomorrow, so today... show me some tenderness?"

Xie Mowen readily accepted good advice.

The next day, morning.

Sun Rang stepped forward and petitioned the emperor to assume power and rule personally after his coming-of-age ceremony.

Xiao Congzhi remained silent, and Jiang Yangze avoided the conversation.

Tao Ran stepped forward and said, "This is not appropriate. His Majesty has not participated in government affairs in recent years. How can he possibly take charge if he were to assume personal rule so hastily?"

Sun Rang refused to back down, "According to Lord Tao, His Majesty will never have a day to rule in his own right?"

“Lord Sun, please be careful with your words.” Feng Jue stepped forward and spoke with righteous indignation, “It is too hasty for Your Majesty to assume personal rule after the coming-of-age ceremony. Moreover, there are rumors circulating about Your Majesty recently. If Your Majesty is to assume personal rule, the rumors should at least be quelled first.”

"What rumors?" the emperor on his throne asked casually.

Feng Jue immediately stammered, "This..."

The nominal Censor-in-Chief chimed in, saying, "Rumors circulate among the people that His Majesty is obsessed with men and is ill-suited to inherit the throne."

Feng Jue quickly chimed in, "That's right, Your Majesty. If we want to quell the rumors, why not hold a selection of candidates after the spring?"

Prince Rong, Lin Shuo, coughed lightly. "We should be discussing whether His Majesty should assume personal rule, not how to quell the rumors."

"How can I govern personally when there are so many rumors and injustices?" The one who spoke was a fifth-rank official, probably from the Ministry of Personnel or the Ministry of Revenue.

Qi Ming snorted and muttered, "I've never heard a few rumors that an emperor can't seize power."

The Imperial Censor mocked, "General Qi is a martial man; how could he possibly understand all sorts of tricks?"

"you!"

“I think…” Zhang Hesheng quickly stepped forward to interrupt Qi Ming, not wanting him to cause trouble in the court, “It would be better to let His Majesty learn how to govern first, and then proceed gradually.”

Sun Rang sighed, "How long will that take? His Majesty will be over twenty after the New Year."

“They’re still young,” Zhang Hesheng said.

“That’s not appropriate.” Yan Hong rarely stepped forward at the court assembly. He bowed and spoke eloquently, “According to the law, Your Majesty should assume personal rule after coming of age, and the Prime Minister should relinquish the regency. From then on, all matters, large and small, should be decided by Your Majesty, and all officials in the empire should be subordinate to Your Majesty.”

“This…” Tao Ran glanced at the Prime Minister and said with a forced smile, “Laws are laws, but in practice, the people and the country are the most important things.”

Sun Rang questioned, "Why does Lord Tao believe that His Majesty's personal rule is detrimental to the country and the people?"

"What kind of talk is that, Lord Sun? I didn't say that!"

Sun Rang sneered, "You guys are practically saying that His Majesty is incompetent, morally corrupt, and will surely be a foolish ruler when he takes over the reins of government!"

"Minister Sun... watch your words." Xiao Congzhi reprimanded lazily, then slowly sat up straight, a smile playing on his lips. "What does the Prime Minister think?"

Jiang Yangze reluctantly stepped forward and said in a low voice, "According to the law, Your Majesty should assume personal rule. However, it is also my fault for not allowing you to learn how to govern in the past few years. I think it would be better to wait another year."

Jiang Zeyan echoed, "Your Majesty is young, and a year is certainly an easy time for you to wait."

"I…"

"Urgent message! The Jin prince has led 10,000 elite Jin troops to bypass the Khitan army and they are now engaged in battle."

"What!!!"

"How could this be!?"

What happened to the Jin Kingdom?

"Could this year really be a bumper year??"

"Nonsense! Nonsense!"

"Has the Xia Kingdom made any moves?"

The court officials immediately fell into chaos, and the court session became even more like a marketplace than before.

Xiao Congzhi cleared his throat, his voice melodious and resonant, "I am twenty years old, and it is time for me to come of age. I enjoy the worship of all people and am well-fed and clothed. I am thinking about what I should do for the country and the people."

The courtiers fell silent, yet they were unsure of their emperor's intentions.

All I heard was…

"It was I who asked the Crown Prince to lead the troops to stop the Khitan, so as to increase Commander Shen's advantage in winning the battle."

After he finished speaking, a commotion erupted. The officials' exclamations of shock grew even louder, and Jiang Yangze stared wide-eyed at Xiao Congzhi.

Xiao Congzhi continued, "I have no intention of ruling personally. For many years, my ambition has not been in this matter. I only hope that the court can be a little more peaceful."

"How could Your Majesty have any connection with the Crown Prince of Jin?"

"The key question is, how did you take it upon yourself to do this without informing the Prime Minister?"

"Could it be that His Majesty has long harbored ambitions to seize power?"

“The Jin Kingdom came to pay tribute before the Mid-Autumn Festival. It’s hard to say whether Your Majesty and Bai Luo’an had already become friends at that time.”

"The key point now is what His Majesty's last words meant!"

...

"Shut up, all of you!" Jiang Yangze slammed his fist on the table and roared, "Get out of here!"

"grown ups…"

"Get out! Lord Jiang, stay."

The staff filed out, but Jiang Zeyan remained.

Jiang Yangze had a headache. He closed his eyes, pressed one hand to his forehead, and asked coldly, "What do you think?"

Jiang Zeyan stood with his head bowed before Jiang Yangze, speaking humbly, "Leaving aside the matter of the Jin Crown Prince, just look at the debates before this. Lord Sun clearly sided with the Emperor, Commander Yan has always been a loyal subject, and General Qi... although he seems to be speaking for the Emperor, he actually intends to oppose us. Lord Zhang is neutral, and his words are all conciliatory. Prince Rong only said one sentence, which is hard to refute, but he should also be neutral. Although the argument is fierce, judging from this, the Emperor is not in a favorable position in the court. In the end, there's only Lord Sun, whom we just recruited a few days ago."

Jiang Yangze pondered for a moment, then said, "Continue."

"As for the Jin Crown Prince, Lord Feng's speculation earlier was reasonable. His Majesty may have become acquainted with him during the court audience. His Majesty admires martial arts and the martial world, and enjoys making friends, which makes sense. However, this matter was handled haphazardly, without any plan or consideration. What can the Jin Crown Prince possibly do by simply stopping the Khitan? Moreover, he didn't even tell you, Lord Feng, wasting several days. I wonder if it's possible that during the court audience that day, we rejected His Majesty's proposal, and His Majesty was displeased. After the court audience, he was full of ambition to do something, so he contacted the Jin Crown Prince."

Jiang Yangze opened his eyes and gave Jiang Zeyan a vicious look. "But why is Prince Jin willing to send troops? This is no small matter."

"That's hard to say. I've never been familiar with the internal affairs of Jin. However... Your Majesty's ability to send the Crown Prince to war might mean you've also made connections with someone from Xia. To be frank, we should be on guard."

Jiang Yangze's eyebrows twitched, and he sat up straight.

"As for Your Majesty's words, I cannot understand their literal meaning. I only feel that they are consistent with my initial guess: Your Majesty wants to make a decision in the court."

"Hmph." Jiang Yangze snorted coldly, then waved his hand, "You can go down too."

"Yes, I'll take my leave."

After Jiang Zeyan left, Jiang Yangze took out paper and pen and drafted a letter.

In the days that followed, the emperor feigned illness and suspended court. As the year drew to a close, with only one or two days left until the coming-of-age ceremony, a strange sense of oppression descended upon the capital city of Yi.

As the first light of dawn shone in, Xiao Congzhi sat up, raised his hand to catch the ray of light that pierced the tranquility, and slowly curved his lips into a smile.

"Xie Mowen..." His voice was still slightly hoarse.

Xie Mowen rolled into the quilt, reached out and put his arm around Xiao Congzhi's waist, pulling him back down to lie down. He hugged him tightly for a while, warm and cozy, before getting up. There was no trace of weariness in his eyes.

Xie Mowen put on his coat and walked to the window. He raised his hand and waited quietly for a while. A gray carrier pigeon fluttered its wings and landed on his fingertips. When Xie Mowen took out the letter and turned around, Xiao Congzhi was already dressed and sitting on the edge of the bed.

"You heard the sound?" Xie Mowen asked.

"Um."

"Why are you sleeping so lightly..." Xie Mowen walked over, bent down and gently kissed Xiao Congzhi's forehead.

"What did the letter say?"

"As you predicted, Crown Prince Xuan led his troops out two days ago, taking the land route through Jiang Yangze and heading straight for the capital. Of the 50,000 Xiongnu cavalry, 10,000 entered Yidu and 40,000 invaded Anling."

"Hmm." Xiao Congzhi stood up, took the secret letter from Xie Mowen, glanced at it, and threw it into the brazier next to him.

After the court session that day, Jiang Zeyan cleverly worded his words, and Jiang Yangze, in order to secure a way out for himself, sent a message to the Crown Prince, finally revealing the land route.

However, Xie Mowen's spies sent to the Xiongnu royal court reported that Crown Prince Xuan had already been enraged. Coincidentally, the two tall maids who had substituted for Xie Mowen and Xiao Congzhi when they infiltrated the Prime Minister's residence were actually planted by Crown Prince Xuan. Xiao Congzhi, seizing the opportunity, acted as two spies and also had Xie Mowen's men kill the Gu Master beside Crown Prince Xuan.

With the deaths of two Gu Masters and the spy planted in the Prime Minister's residence, it was impossible for Crown Prince Xuan not to suspect Jiang Yangze. At this time, Jiang Yangze still had the audacity to ask Crown Prince Xuan for help in the future. Crown Prince Xuan was so angry that he almost laughed. As soon as the land route was open, he immediately raised an army and marched south to force the palace to resign.

Xiao Congzhi drafted the imperial edict, pressed down the jade seal, put it into his sleeve, and was about to call Xie Mowen to leave together.

Xie Mowen paused for a moment, then asked, "Where to?"

Xiao Congzhi was a little puzzled and replied, "Go to the General's Mansion."

"You're going to send Qi Ming to Anling?"

The troops of the Sheng Dynasty, without the Tiger Tally, only defended and did not attack. In the event of war, the generals would inevitably need to use the Tiger Tally to mobilize the troops to fight.

"Right now, only Qi Ming can lead the troops."

"But this battle is special. Qi Ming doesn't need to win any battles. As long as he stops those 40,000 iron cavalry, he can be considered to have made a contribution to the rise of the new emperor. After that, it will be much more difficult for him to regain control of the military."

Xiao Congzhi patted Xie Mowen's hand and said helplessly, "I only have five thousand Imperial Guards, one thousand Shadow Guards, plus half of the Southern Region Army that Shen Zhuo secretly brought to the city. Even against ten thousand Xiongnu cavalry, victory is still not guaranteed. I plan to use this imperial edict to make Qi Ming hand over the Tiger Tally of the Eastern Border Army. The Eastern Border Army can reach Yidu in just one day, so it can be considered as reinforcements."

Xie Mowen disagreed, "When we go to war together in the future, it should be to receive the Emperor's favor, not to do this now as a favor to you and to remove the stain on your eyebrows."

“I did consider sending Shen Zhuo to Anling, but firstly, Qi Ming might not hand over the Tiger Tally of the Zhenxi Army, and secondly, he needs to command the Left Army of the Imperial Guard.”

"I'll go."

"What?"

Xie Mowen was very determined, looking straight at Xiao Congzhi, "I said I would go to Anling and use the tiger tally to mobilize the other half of the Southern Region army. There are more than 10,000 troops here in Yidu, more than half of whom are elites. We have a better chance of winning against the Xiongnu. Don't let Qi Ming participate in this battle."

Xiao Congzhi was truly shocked. He grabbed Xie Mowen's hand and asked seriously, "Are you crazy? How can a mere five thousand soldiers from half of the Southern Region army, and not even elite troops, possibly stand against forty thousand Xiongnu cavalry?"

"We don't need to win any battles. We just need to hold out for a few days. I am already familiar with the terrain outside the Northwest Pass. Prince Xuan's choice of Anling is exactly what I wanted."

Xiao Congzhi took a deep breath. "How long have you been planning this?"

"I've been thinking about this for a long time."

"Let me think about it."

Xie Mowen stepped forward and hugged Xiao Congzhi. "There's no time to think about it. Besides, you're just trying to reassure me. You're going to go find Qi Ming right away. Don't lie to me."

“I…” Xiao Congzhi couldn’t speak. He hugged Xie Mowen back. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, it’s that I can’t let you go to your death. Let Qi Ming earn military merits, and if it’s hard to take back military power, take it back slowly. I… just want you to be safe.”

Xie Mowen released Xiao Congzhi, cupped his face, and leaned close, chuckling softly, "But you also know that you can't stop me from making a decision."

"The tiger tally is here. If I don't give it to you..."

In front of Xiao Congzhi, Xie Mowen took out the tiger tally of the Southern Region Army from his pocket, which was the one that Shen Zhuo had secretly given to Xiao Congzhi a few days ago.

Xiao Congzhi stared at Xie Mowen in disbelief.

"You never guard against me."

"Xie Mowen!" Xiao Congzhi was really anxious now, his voice trembling at the end, because he knew for sure that he couldn't stop Xie Mowen at all, whether he tried to persuade him gently or forcefully.

"Congzhi, you've always given me whatever I want. Are you going to indulge me again this time?" After a pause, he continued, "I've sent Shaocheng back to Anling to prepare. His two-headed red snake can attract thousands of poisonous insects, increasing the chances of success. Besides, there are all those sects in the martial arts world; surely some will be willing to help."

Xiao Congzhi turned his head away with difficulty. He never shed tears, but there seemed to be tears in the corners of his eyes. Xie Mowen knew that his Congzhi had accepted it. He had not agreed, but he could not refuse, so he could only accept it.

Xie Mowen straightened up, stood still and looked at Xiao Congzhi intently for a while, then turned and left, his robes fluttering, without stopping.

Xiao Congzhi never looked back even once from beginning to end.

The torrential rain, which had been brewing for years, fell in an instant.

After leaving the palace, Xie Mowen mounted his horse and headed straight for the Southern Region military camp. At the same time, countless secret letters were sent to all corners of the world…

In the name of the leader of the Demonic Cult, he gathered the most capable people in the martial arts world and assembled them in the border city of Anling to resist the invasion of the Xiongnu.

At noon on the same day, Xiao Congzhi, accompanied by his Imperial Guards, arrived at the Prime Minister's residence to prosecute him for treason. The letters of accomplices were thrown to the ground. When Prime Minister Jiang saw her trusted confidant Chen Zhuo standing behind the Emperor, she was enlightened. However, like a cunning rabbit with multiple escape routes, Jiang Yangze quickly devised a plan, ordering his household guards to protect him and attempting to escape through a secret passage.

Xiao Congzhi personally wielded a fan and instantly beheaded dozens of his generals. Jiang Yangze was so frightened that he fainted. When he woke up, he had already been taken to the Ministry of Justice prison. After much thought, he finally understood the key points. Before he could be interrogated, he went mad.

After Jiang Yangze was captured, the entire Jiang family was imprisoned in the imperial prison. Empress Dowager Jiang attempted suicide but was stopped. After her hands and feet were crippled, she was temporarily placed under house arrest in Changning Palace.

Half a day later, the Xiongnu cavalry arrived at the capital. Xiao Congzhi, fully armed, sat on his horse and shot an arrow through the Xiongnu banner at the head of the army.

Outside Yidu City, war raged.

Although the Crown Prince felt uneasy about the strange situation, he was confident in the bravery and skill of his ten thousand iron cavalry and led his troops to meet the enemy. It was not until his personal guard was beheaded by Xiao Congzhi that he realized his carelessness and hurriedly fled back to the desert under the cover of his remaining troops.

"Your Majesty, the investigation into Lady Jiang is yielding more and more information, but the important matters have become clear."

"Your Majesty, Minister Tao of the Ministry of Works and Minister Feng of the Ministry of Revenue have been imprisoned in the Imperial Prison and will be put on trial at a later date."

"Your Majesty, there is still a lack of procedures for investigating officials of all ranks within the Jiang clan. The Ministry of Justice is overwhelmed with the task."

"Your Majesty, General Qi is requesting an audience outside."

"Your Majesty, the evil deeds of the Jiang clan in plotting to seize power have been revealed to the world, and the people are shocked and their opinions have turned against the truth."

"Your Majesty, the imperial clan has petitioned Your Majesty to follow the will of the people and assume personal rule."

"Your Majesty, is the coming-of-age ceremony truly to be postponed?"

Xiao Congzhi finally moved, turning his gaze away from the window. He was leaning lazily against the throne, his eyes unfathomable, revealing no trace of joy or anger.

"Extend".

Lin Shuo was truly in a dilemma. He dared to guess that the emperor wanted to hear about the situation beyond the Northwest Pass, but the battle reports were indeed delayed. Yidu had been too chaotic these past few days, and no one could spare the time to make a trip to Anling.

When the Xiongnu were defeated, Xiao Congzhi issued three imperial edicts summoning Mo Huan, the Right Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard, back to the capital. He also sent someone from the Shadow Division to Anling to deliver a message, but there was no response. Only he knew that the lack of response was not due to delay, but because that bastard Xie Mowen had something to hide from him!

Xiao Congzhi was genuinely angry, but faced with a mountain of troubles, he lifted his eyelids and calmly said, "Clean up the Jiang family's affairs and exterminate their entire clan. Have the Censor-in-Chief Su Xunan investigate the henchmen thoroughly and sentence them according to the law. Minister Sun will review the case. I don't need to see any cases involving officials below the third rank. Tell Qi Ming to go back and wait."

Sun Rang bowed and accepted the order, but remained silent, not daring to utter a sound. With the emperor in such a state, who would dare to say a word? If he weren't truly overwhelmed with trouble, why would he have come? And he even dragged Prince Rong along out of fear of death.

“To assume personal rule… How can a member of the imperial clan take personal rule?” Xiao Congzhi sneered. “Marquis Anguo is just afraid. Let him stay out of the picture.”

Lin Shuo responded softly, "Yes."

Xiao Congzhi wearily rubbed his forehead. "If there's nothing else..."

"Report—Battle report from the front: Commander Mo led his troops to meet the Xiongnu army head-on, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. Anling is safe."

Sun Rang and Lin Shuo's faces showed a mixture of fear and joy as they boldly looked at the Emperor, only to see his eyes harden with coldness. He slowly sat up straight, his voice as cold as ice, "Where is he?"

The messenger was so frightened that he lay on the ground trembling. Lin Shuo quickly changed the subject, saying, "We're probably on our way back to the capital."

"Ha." Xiao Congzhi stood up and looked outside. "He disregarded the imperial edict and military orders. How dare he send back the battle report ahead of time?"

Lin Shuo was startled and looked outside as well, hesitatingly asking, "Does His Majesty mean..."

Xiao Congzhi transmitted his voice with his internal energy, accompanied by a sharp gust of wind, "Come in."

Then came Xie Mowen's voice, tinged with amusement. Hearing his voice before seeing him, Xie said, "I thought His Majesty would rise to greet me."

The soldiers, who had already formed a puddle on the ground, trembled even more violently. Sun Rang and Lin Shuo looked at Xie Mowen with expressions that said, "Do you know you've angered the emperor? And you're still talking nonsense."

Xiao Congzhi stared at Xie Mowen, slowly taking a step. His anger was impossible to hide, and his overwhelming aura made the few people present tremble.

Xie Mowen panicked slightly, his smile fading as he explained, "I figured I'd already upset you, and since it was such a rare opportunity, I stopped you..."

The next moment, Xiao Congzhi pulled Xie Mowen into his arms tightly, holding him as if he wanted to etch himself into his bones. Only when they were this close did Xie Mowen realize that the person holding him was trembling slightly, out of fear.

Xie Mowen raised his hand to hug Xiao Congzhi back, gently patting his back, neck, and the back of his head, his voice soft and gentle, "It won't happen again, don't be afraid... These are people, don't hug me anymore."

Xiao Congzhi refused to let go, for this place could be full of people, or it could be full of dead people.

Xie Mowen was genuinely afraid that the diligent Sun Rang and Lin Shuo would lose their lives, and also afraid that the messenger soldier he had coerced and bribed would be implicated. So he calmly coaxed, "It's alright, it's alright. Shall we go back to Zichen Palace? I'll let you do whatever you want with me."

Xiao Congzhi slightly weakened his strength, and Xie Mowen pushed him away.

After clearing his throat, Xie Mowen said, "I think it's getting dark. Let's talk about it at the morning court tomorrow."

Lin Shuo hurriedly took his leave, and Sun Rang picked up the soldier on the ground and took him away before leaving.

"Go with it?"

Xiao Congzhi gave Xie Mowen a cold look, then walked out with his hands behind his back. Xie Mowen followed with a fawning smile, knowing that Xiao Congzhi was angry, but not so much how to coax him.

Only after entering the Zichen Palace did Xie Mowen ask, as if trying to make conversation, "Why are there so few people serving us?"

There were only a few people holding lanterns outside the Zichen Palace, and no one was serving inside.

Xiao Congzhi did not answer. As he walked into the hall, he waved for the few scattered lantern bearers to leave. After entering the hall and closing the door, Xiao Congzhi finally looked at Xie Mowen and rebuked him in a calm tone, "Disobeying the imperial decree and deceiving the emperor, you bet I will let you off the hook."

Xie Mowen pursed his lips, looked down at the ground, and then secretly touched Xiao Congzhi's hand hanging by his side, pleading in a soft voice, "Congzhi~ please forgive me this time?"

Xiao Congzhi dodged Xie Mowen's fingers, and when he spoke again, his eyes were red. He said in a dry voice, "I think it's okay to believe you, but you've been away from the capital for seven days, and I haven't slept a wink. You know... I don't want to lose you."

Xie Mowen raised his head in a daze. Yes, he knew perfectly well... The next moment, he could no longer restrain himself and rushed forward, embracing Xiao Congzhi despite the wind and frost of the Northwest Pass.

...

When Xiao Congzhi woke up, he felt completely disoriented, as he had absolutely no strength left in his body.

"woke up?"

Xiao Congzhi felt someone lift him up; it was a very familiar scent. Xiao Congzhi leaned his head against it, his throat a little sore, and could only ask softly, "How long have I been asleep?"

"Several hours later, it was just getting dark."

That means I worked from dusk till dawn, and then got dizzy again until dusk.

"Um…"

"I feel a bit feverish. I've had Physician Xu examine me. Is there anything else that's bothering you?"

"Yes, it hurts."

Xie Mowen touched Xiao Congzhi's slightly pale face, "Why don't you blame me for going too far?"

"I have no strength."

As Xiao Congzhi spoke, he snuggled closer to Xie Mowen, who quickly hugged him even tighter.

"The imperial physician said to feed you some porridge when you wake up. Should I have Fulin bring it over?"

Fu Lin was the eunuch who summoned the emperor to the morning court session. He was actually the new head eunuch of the Zichen Palace, just young. When Xie Mowen lifted the curtain from the emperor's bed, Fu Lin trembled and prostrated himself on the ground. Xie Mowen asked him, "Why didn't you leave?" Fu Lin dared not breathe and dared not answer.

It wasn't until Physician Xu gave Xie Mowen a severe scolding that Fu Lin finally calmed down. Following Physician Xu's instructions, he cooked porridge to prepare for the future, hoping to give himself a chance to survive.

"Hmm." Xiao Congzhi tugged at Xie Mowen's arm. "My throat hurts."

"Bring the porridge in." Xie Mowen called out to the outer room first, then lowered his head and kissed Xiao Congzhi, saying softly, "You shouted too much last night, take some medicine in a bit."

"Doctor Xu, how long will it take for me to recover?"

Xie Mowen felt a little guilty. "Did I delay your business?"

Xiao Congzhi shook his head. "There's no rush in court matters, but I want to press our advantage against the Xiongnu."

"Feel sorry."

All aspects.

"We don't need to talk about this, but please don't make decisions on your own next time, okay?"

"good."

Xie Mowen responded while taking the bowl from Fu Lin's hand, patted Xiao Congzhi's arm, and told him to turn his mouth away from his chest.

When Xiao Congzhi turned his head, he first glanced at the terrified Fu Lin. The glance was indifferent, but Fu Lin almost knelt down.

Xie Mowen asked jokingly, "To execute?"

Fulin knelt down on the ground with a "thud," but dared not beg for mercy. Knowing such imperial secrets, he knew he was doomed.

Xiao Congzhi replied with a smile, "Then how many people will be executed?"

Xie Mowen fed Xiao Congzhi porridge. The porridge was at the perfect temperature, not plain white rice porridge, but with some shredded meat and green vegetables, giving it a slightly savory flavor. After feeding him half of it, Xie Mowen said to Fulin, "Just keep your mouth shut."

Fulin still dared not speak, but he kowtowed three times on the ground, as a sign of gratitude and loyalty.

Xie Mowen handed the bowl back and waved for Fulin to leave.

Xiao Congzhi found it amusing and teased, "Commander Xie, you're quite impressive."

Xie Mowen chuckled, "What commander? Your empress naturally has to be more imposing."

"If you really want to be empress, you'll be impeached every day."

Xie Mowen raised an eyebrow. "What, you're not planning to make me your empress?"

"Is it alright if the coronation ceremony is held during my coming-of-age ceremony?"

Historical records state that in the winter of the twelfth year of the Linjia era, the emperor executed the prime minister, Lady Jiang, purged the court, and officially began to govern.

In the spring of the thirteenth year of the Linjia era, the emperor personally led an expedition, forcing the Xiongnu cavalry back a hundred miles. He directly captured the head of the king and crown prince at the Xiongnu royal court. From then on, the Xiongnu cavalry harassed the borders of the prosperous dynasty for a century.

In the late spring of the thirteenth year of the Linjia era, the emperor returned in triumph and took Lady Xie as his empress. Her coming-of-age ceremony was held together with the empress's investiture ceremony. He did not take any more concubines after that.