Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Deal with Wu Wuyu first
It is said that Wu Tianyue and Daiyu met again after a long separation. They were being affectionate when Daiyu suddenly became bolder. Wu Tianyue was startled, and then he was shocked and ecstatic.
But when he turned around and saw that Daiyu's clear eyes were full of doubt, he knew that she had no other intentions. He couldn't help feeling a little disappointed, but he was afraid of scaring her, so he suppressed his emotions.
Fortunately, Zijuan came in to answer him, and his excitement finally subsided. He sat back in his chair and asked, "Who was sent?"
"It was a maid holding a badge from the palace." Zijuan lowered her head, pretending she hadn't seen the intimacy between the two. "But I've never seen her before."
That should be Prince Zhongshun's man. Wu Tianyue understood instantly after hearing this. The emperor probably knew that he had arrived in Beijing and urged Prince Zhongshun to let him into the palace.
Thinking of this, he suppressed his thoughts, stood up, touched Daiyu's head, and said with a smile: "Yu'er, wait for me for a few days, I will help you vent your anger first."
Daiyu then remembered that she had forgotten to ask him why he said he was afraid. Just as she was about to speak, she saw his demeanor suddenly change. He no longer had the jokes and jokes he had before, nor was he as aggressive as before. He looked heroic and his eyes were firm and resolute. He was really like what the book said, "more nimble than a monkey, and as brave as a leopard." With this armor on, he was even more majestic and intimidating.
But Daiyu was not as frightened as before. She just felt her heart beating very fast when she saw the heroic and majestic Wu Tianyue.
If Wu Tianyue knew what she was thinking and saw her expression at that moment, he would have been so happy. Unfortunately, he was busy going to the palace and had no chance to see her.
When Wu Tianyue followed the old woman out, they saw the chief historian and others waiting outside the garden. The two of them did not even return to the palace, but rushed straight to the imperial palace.
The chief historian was not allowed to enter without being summoned, so Wu Tianyue entered the palace on his own.
After asking around with the eunuch who had been accompanying him, Wu Tianyue learned that Wu Wuyu had been recuperating at the Emperor's residence. After a moment's thought, he said, "Go to the Imperial Kitchen and see if they've prepared the Eight Treasures Soup today. If they have, have someone leave a bowl for me. I'll take it with me when I leave the palace."
When he was in Beijing, he often went to the palace and was very favored. He also lived in the Daming Palace for several years when he was a child and was very familiar with the palace. After he met Daiyu, he often asked the imperial kitchen to keep food for him. So the young eunuch did not suspect anything and respectfully agreed to leave after hearing this.
Wu Tianyue sent the young eunuch away and did not go to the Yangxin Palace. Instead, he turned around and headed towards the Daming Palace.
As dusk fell, the lights in the Daming Palace were lit early, making it as bright as day.
Wu Tianyue did not go to the main hall of Daming Palace. As soon as he entered the door, he went straight to the side hall where Wu Wuyu lived.
In addition to candles, there were also several luminous pearls in the hall, which made it bright. Wu Wuyu, wearing a bright satin robe, was lying on a soft couch covered with a thick velvet carpet, with his legs spread out, holding a beautiful woman in his left hand, and happily enjoying the dance in the hall.
The fire in the floor was probably too strong, and Wu Wuyu felt like yawning. He tilted his head and took a sip of the wine handed to him by the beauty. Then he heard a loud bang, and the palace door lay on the ground in pieces like two fragile cakes.
The cold wind blew in, dispersing the warm fragrance in the hall and making Wu Wuyu shudder, all his sleepiness disappeared.
Wu Tianyue looked at the dust flying in front of him and made a disdainful "tsk" sound. He regretted wanting to give Wu Wuyu a warning, but the palace door was too fragile. How much strength did he use? How could it break?
The eunuch who had stopped him earlier had already stood up, not daring to move forward. He looked at his expression and moved away little by little.
Wu Tianyue pretended not to see it, stretched out his hand to wave away the dust that was floating in front of him, and strode over the threshold.
Everyone in the hall was stunned. The musicians forgot to play, the dancers forgot to dance, and the beauty who was feeding them wine sat stiffly like a statue in the arms of Wu Wuyu, who was also stunned and kept drinking.
Wu Tianyue folded his hands and said sarcastically, "It seems that my second cousin is in a good mood today. Even after the lights are turned on, he still has the leisure to enjoy wine and admire beauties in the palace."
"Wu... Wu Tianyue?" Wu Wuyu regained consciousness. Thinking of his mother's investigations over the past few days, he realized that Wu Tianyue had come to vent his anger on behalf of the woman he loved. His voice was a little unsteady with fear. "What do you want to do? The Emperor's grandfather is in the main hall, and you dare to trespass into the Daming Palace!"
After saying that, he sat up in a hurry and wanted to run out.
He indulged in vocal music all year round, and even the stronger ordinary people could not compare with him, let alone Wu Tianyue.
So Wu Tianyue just walked forward quickly, grabbed Wu Wuyu's loose collar, and pulled him over like a chicken.
"Ouch!" Wu Wuyu screamed and threatened, "You dare...ah!"
Wu Tianyue had been on the battlefield for more than a year since he joined the army. How could Wu Wuyu withstand his punches that could fight their way through thousands of soldiers? The threats in his mouth instantly turned into screams.
"Let her apologize in person?"
"Lift her car curtain?"
"Spreading rumors? Don't you think you deserve it?"
"You are quite capable even though this prince is not here?"
While beating Wu Wuyu, Wu Tianyue took time to list Wu Wuyu's crimes. Although his voice was not loud, every word was clear and every punch hit the flesh.
None of the palace maids, eunuchs, musicians and dancers in the hall dared to step forward. They were all so frightened that they knelt and trembled on the spot.
"Prince!" An anxious voice came from outside the palace, "Prince, please show mercy."
Wu Tianyue heard the voice and saw that Wu Wuyu had lost his earlier arrogance. He threw him to the ground like a broken sack, brushed the non-existent dust off his hands, and said to Dai Quan, who was running out of breath, "Chief Steward Dai is here. It's just right. This prince has finally returned, and it's time to go and pay his respects to the emperor."
After saying that, he glanced at Wu Wuyu, who was curled up on the ground and groaning, turned around, stepped over the broken door panel on the ground, and walked away.
Dai Quan helped Wu Wuyu, who had a bruised face and nose, up, and asked someone to call the imperial physician. He ordered people to take good care of him, and then hurried to catch up with Wu Tianyue.
In the main hall of Daming Palace, Wu Tianyue stood there calmly, as if he had just taken a walk.
After hearing what Dai Quanhui said, the retired emperor felt his heart throbbing when he looked at Wu Tianyue who was standing straight with an expression of "I know nothing".
"Wu Tianyue!" the retired emperor shouted sternly, "Who gave you the courage to run wild in the Daming Palace?"
"Your Highness, I just returned to the capital today. I heard that the Second Prince was recuperating in the palace, so I didn't even go to His Majesty's place. I went to see the Second Prince right away." Wu Tianyue spread his hands innocently. "It's also my fault for being too concerned. I walked too fast, and the floor inside the palace was slippery. I accidentally fell and bumped into the Second Prince. I was afraid he might fall somewhere, so I hurriedly picked him up... Alas, it was all an accident. My grandson had just returned from the battle, so I didn't handle him properly. Please forgive me, Your Highness."
The retired emperor was furious after hearing these lies. Why did he go to the military camp? This kid is more difficult to deal with than before.
Seeing him so angry that he slammed the table and stood up, Wu Tianyue added slowly, "Actually, there's one thing I don't understand. The Second Prince is so ill that he needs to go to the palace to recuperate, so how can he still have the energy to summon the palace dancers to drink and have fun? Although he is the emperor's biological son, the emperor will not blame these things if he knows, but if the censor gets wind of it..."
Having said that, Wu Tianyue considerately stopped, but he also successfully stopped the emperor from saying anything about scolding him.
Didn't he hear in the palace that you were coming back and was afraid you'd go and cause trouble in the prince's residence? The retired emperor thought angrily, but he couldn't refute it. Everyone in the palace belonged to the emperor. Even a prince had no right to summon dancers for his pleasure, let alone Wu Wuyu, who was now just an unaccomplished prince.
It was also because the retired emperor's health had been deteriorating over the years, and the power in his hands was taken away bit by bit by the emperor. After experiencing the fickleness of the world, he became more and more greedy for family happiness.
However, the royal family was short of offspring, and his two remaining sons had long since become estranged. The crown prince was also not close to him, so Wu Wuyu, who had been raised since childhood, continued to treat him as his primary lover, inevitably doting on him even more. These days, Wu Wuyu had been detained in the palace, and seeing him bored, the retired emperor tacitly allowed him to use the palace music troupe for entertainment.
It would be fine if no one cared about this violation of the rules, but if it was reported to the previous dynasty, even the emperor would lose his reputation in his later years. So Wu Tianyue seized on this point and made a fuss about it, and the emperor had no way to refute it.
And according to the news heard these days, Wu Tianyue has made great military achievements and is truly a pillar of the country. If he is not framed and sent back to Beijing, it will only be a matter of time before he completely conquers Beidi after staying there for a few more years.
Wang Ziteng, who was able to lead troops in the court, suffered a relapse of his old injury. Whether it was to compensate Wu Tianyue for being forced to return to the capital or for future wars, the emperor would reuse him. Not to mention that he had just beaten a prince he disliked, even if he had friction with the prince, he would be let off lightly.
As expected, power is the most important thing in the world. The emperor was unwilling to accept this, but he was old and the emperor was full of vigor. He could only take a deep breath and said through gritted teeth: "Since...since it was an accident, be careful in the future!"
"Grandson obeys your command." Wu Tianyue saluted respectfully.
The more the emperor looked at his obedient appearance, the angrier he became. He waved his sleeves heavily and said, "Back off."
The goal had been achieved, and Wu Tianyue didn't want to stay any longer: "Grandson, I'll take my leave." He turned around and walked out of the hall with light steps.
I don’t know whether the emperor knows it or not, and he hasn’t sent anyone to call me. Wu Tianyue was thinking about it when he suddenly saw a figure by the wall who hurriedly dodged away.
That direction is the direction of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, it seems I know it.
Wu Tianyue sneered and said that with the emperor's suspicious and controlling personality, how could he not send someone to keep an eye on this place.
Then he calmed down and went to the imperial kitchen to order someone to send the Eight Treasures Soup to the Jia Mansion. He also told Daiyu not to wait for him before going to the Yangxin Palace.
"Nephew pays homage to His Majesty."
Inside the Yangxin Palace, the emperor sat upright on the high throne. After Wu Tianyue finished his greetings, he smiled and said, "My little general is here."
Seeing that he did not mention the Daming Palace, Wu Tianyue knew that he was already quite important to him. He smiled and said, "My nephew is not virtuous and capable enough to deserve such praise from Your Majesty."
"The man known as the 'God of Killing' in Northern Di is so cautious in my presence," the emperor said, with a half-smile. "Is Yue'er trying to make people think I'm intolerant of talent?"
Wu Tianyue was very impatient with the emperor's overt and covert suppression and warnings, and he apologized respectfully: "Nephew, I dare not."
The emperor said nothing more and ordered someone to give him a seat. It looked like Wang Ziteng was about to die. The only one who could be used now was Wu Tianyue. It was unknown how many years the Northern Di could remain peaceful. It would be better to give him some advice first so that he knew his place.
Wu Tianyue could also guess what the emperor was thinking. He did not refuse and lowered his head to sit on the chair, thinking in his heart how to contact the prince secretly.
"I've read Jin Lang's report. You truly exemplified the spirit of a 'God of War' in the battles of Northern Frontier." His respectful words pleased the Emperor, who, in a break from his earlier cold tone, smiled and said, "I heard you once defeated a larger force with a smaller one, breaking the enemy from a desperate situation. Come, tell me about it."
Cai Rang hurriedly spread out the map, and Wu Tianyue stepped forward and used the map to describe the battle in detail to the emperor.
After hearing this, the emperor's admiration for Wu Tianyue's talent grew even stronger, and his killing intent intensified. It was a pity that he was the son of Prince Zhongshun. His expression changed several times, and he smiled and said, "Yue'er is truly brave. Compared to you, the ancient Wei and Huo are no better."
"Your Majesty, your praise is too great. I do not deserve it."
"Why call me Your Majesty? Just call me 'Uncle Emperor' as before." The emperor remained gracious. "Besides, what are you unworthy of? Besides you, who else in this court could have driven the Northern Di into the depths of the grasslands in just two years?"
Wu Tianyue readily accepted the advice: "My nephew is young, and these are all the merits of the soldiers in the army."
"Yue'er, don't be so modest. Without you, these battles wouldn't have been won so beautifully." The emperor waved his hand, a look of worry returning to his face. "You're right, though. You're indeed young. I wanted to appoint you directly as the governor of the Beijing camp, but the court officials might object. Furthermore, you've been using a false identity in the army. If this were made public, I'm afraid someone would use it to criticize the Northern Frontier army for lax management. It wasn't a big deal in the past, but with the recent reports of people falsely claiming credit within the army, and the Northern Frontier war just ended, I'm afraid it can't withstand the turmoil."
"Nephew, I understand." Wu Tianyue had known his thoughts for a long time and was not surprised. He smiled and gave him an excuse. "Now that the Northern Frontier is stable, it doesn't matter whether I am there or not. Besides, the Northern Frontier is bitterly cold. I stayed there before only because I loved martial arts since I was a child. If I can become a military commander, stay in the capital, and work for my uncle the emperor, that would be the best."
The emperor was very pleased to see him so sensible. He smiled and said, "There is a position that suits you, but it is a shame for you."
"My nephew's demands are very demanding. If I can meet one or two of them, I'm quite lucky. How can you say that I'm being wronged?"
The emperor smiled and said, "The position of Minister of the Imperial Guard is currently vacant. I wonder if Yue'er is interested?"
The Minister of the Imperial Guard is in charge of the core guard force directly under the emperor, guarding the palace - the Dragon Guard. It can be said to be the "last line of defense around the emperor". It is usually held by the prince most trusted by the emperor. When the emperor was in power, it was taken over by the former Prince Yi Zhong. Later, when the former Prince Yi Zhong committed a crime, Dai Quan took temporary charge.
After the emperor came to the throne, he should have appointed Prince Zhongshun immediately, but the emperor only ordered him to eliminate the power of the retired emperor and did not issue an appointment. Prince Zhongshun pretended not to know and just did his work quietly, so this position has remained vacant.
Wu Tianyue had not expected the emperor to be so generous as to allow him to sit in this position. On second thought, he was afraid that this was also a sign of favor, so he did not refuse and thanked him, saying, "Thank you, Uncle Emperor. It is indeed a perfect fit."
The emperor knew this was a risky decision, but it did make him feel more at ease to have him by his side. Seeing that he didn't refuse, he smiled and said, "From now on, my safety will be entrusted to Yue'er."
Wu Tianyue replied confidently, "I will definitely live up to the trust placed in me by my uncle the Emperor."
Seeing him so complacent, the emperor felt even happier and said with a smile, "Although I cannot allow you to take charge of the thirty battalions of the Beijing Army, Wang Ziteng is now seriously ill, and you are the most familiar with the training methods in the capital. Therefore, in addition to the Dragon Guard, I will give you another authority, which allows you to enter and exit the Beijing camp at will and conduct daily training."
He really wanted me to work for him, but was also afraid that I would secretly build up my own power. Wu Tianyue was disdainful in his heart, but he smiled and responded: "My nephew obeys your command."
The emperor nodded in satisfaction and said, "It's late today. You should go back and rest first. Tomorrow you will go visit Wang Ziteng on my behalf."
"Yes." Wu Tianyue agreed, and then raised his head with a smile, "My nephew has another matter that I would like to ask Uncle Huang for his opinion on."
"What is it?"
"My nephew has long admired Lin Ruhai's daughter. I ask the Emperor to grant us a marriage."
The emperor had anticipated this and couldn't help but laugh when he heard his words. "I still remember a few years ago when you solemnly swore before me that you had no feelings for that woman..."
At this point, he recalled the close relationship between the uncle and nephew, which was like that between father and son. He couldn't help but pause and lost the desire to tease. "Since you are interested, then it's up to you."
After saying this, he ordered Cai Rang to draft an edict.
Wu Tianyue bowed his head to thank him, feeling a little sad about the unpredictable nature of life.
The emperor's voice rang out again in his ears: "You used to be on good terms with the crown prince. Did you go to see him today?"
Aside from the portion of my itinerary that my forces took the trouble to conceal, aren't you aware of the rest? Wu Tianyue sneered inwardly, complaining, "I rushed back to the capital before sunset, so how could I have time to go to the Crown Prince's Mansion?"
Having said that, he added, "Uncle Huang, have you heard the rumors about my future wife? Those ignorant fools believe such nonsense."
"Be careful with your words." The emperor quickly reprimanded him, but the expression on his face showed that he was very satisfied with Wu Tianyue's outspokenness. The more he offended the nobles in the capital and the more alone he was, the more useful he would be.
Wu Tianyue had already guessed his thoughts and continued, "Though the innocent are innocent, those words are truly harsh. Furthermore, bringing Wu Wuyu into the picture is completely disrespectful to the royal family. Uncle Emperor, please make the decision for me."
The emperor had promoted the spread of rumors in order to force Wu Tianyue to return to the capital. Now that his goal had been achieved, those rumors were naturally useless, so he said straightforwardly: "It does damage the reputation of the royal family. Don't worry, I will have someone deal with this matter."
"Thank you, Uncle Emperor." Wu Tianyue expressed his gratitude and retreated happily.
It was already very late, but Prince Zhongshun was still waiting outside the palace.
The father and son did not talk to each other. They simply exchanged greetings and returned to the palace together.
When they arrived at the palace and made sure that there were no spies from the palace, the three of them had a heart-to-heart talk and did not leave until late at night.
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The author has something to say: Thanks to the little angels "Don't Want to Go to Work" and "Yaya" for irrigating the nutrient solution~
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