Chapter 111: Please take back the tiger talisman
The army entered the city, and the people on the side knelt down one after another, shouting in a loud voice, "Congratulations to King Anding for his great victory and triumphant return."
"Everyone, please stand up quickly. No need to be polite!"
Seeing so many people kneeling, Shen Yu's eyes narrowed and he loudly asked the people to stand up.
After hearing the prince's instructions, the people all stood up. Unlike before when they watched from afar, they now looked closely at the soldiers entering the city.
The generals who entered the city after taking a special rest outside the city gate were all in high spirits, dignified, with serious faces and no smile on their faces.
The first important thing after returning to the court is naturally to go to the palace to meet the emperor.
Chen Yu did not stay on the main street for long. He leaned into the horse's belly and said softly, "Go!"
The horse sensed its owner's anxiety and quickened its pace.
Shen Lingge followed Shen Yu to the gate of the imperial palace.
After a night of falling snow, the glazed red tiles were covered in silver, which was very beautiful.
Anyone entering the palace had to dismount and walk into the imperial palace. Except for the imperial guards, no one else was allowed to enter with weapons, and even Chen Yu was no exception.
All the soldiers and he took off their weapons, followed Chen Yu closely, and entered the imperial city together.
Palace servants were sweeping snow on both sides of the road, and it looked much more lively than usual.
As the sound of mighty and orderly footsteps was heard, the palace servants who were sweeping the snow looked up one after another, and those passing by all bowed to Chen Yu.
These palace maids who were sweeping the snow were all new arrivals in the palace this year. They had never seen Prince Anding before. Because of their low status, they were arranged to sweep the snow at the palace gate. Unexpectedly, they were the first people in the palace to see the true appearance of Prince Anding.
After they left, they whispered in private, "Prince Anding is so handsome!" The palace maid who spoke first blushed, and it was unclear whether she was cold because of the winter or because she was embarrassed by being immersed in Prince Anding's face.
"I heard that the late emperor and his wife were both very handsome, so their children will surely be good-looking. Your Majesty is handsome, and our Majesty and the prince are brothers from the same mother, so they will certainly be good-looking."
"If I were to marry a man like this, I would be happy even if I could be a little maidservant." The person who said this knew that she was of low status and did not even dare to ask for the position of a concubine. Looking at this beautiful face, she would have no regrets about being a maidservant.
The palace maids who were sweeping the snow on the palace road were in groups of two. The two young palace maids who were talking stopped their work, leaned on their brooms, and stood close to each other, talking without deliberately lowering their voices.
The two were so engrossed in their conversation that they didn't notice the head nanny approaching from behind.
"How dare you! The prince is a noble, how can you, a little palace maid, discuss him? Drag him away and give him twenty slaps in the face!"
"Mammy, we were wrong!"
The voice gradually faded away, and the head nanny looked around, trying to see if there was anyone else who was secretly talking about the master behind her back.
Chen Yu and his group were unaware of the episode behind them.
Passing through the corridor and entering a red door, you will reach the Xuanzheng Hall where the emperor held political meetings.
Everyone arrived in front of the Xuan Zheng Hall. Three thousand elite soldiers were waiting in the small square outside the hall, while Shen Yu and Shen Lingge entered the hall to meet the emperor.
Silver charcoal was burning in the Xuanzheng Hall. It was not only warm, but even if more was burned, there would be no ash. It was the best charcoal fire, and probably only Emperor Showa and the Imperial Concubine could use it in the entire palace.
Inside the hall, there were only a few people wearing golden dragon robes, sitting on the high steps. Brothers in the past, king and subjects today.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you and wish you the best!"
"Your son pays respect to your father!"
The uncle and nephew knelt on the ground and bowed in unison.
"No need to be so polite! Stand up!" Emperor Showa raised his hand while sitting on the dragon throne.
The Yue Kingdom defeated Mobei and signed a ceasefire agreement. Every year, the Kingdom could obtain exquisite war horses from Mobei. Emperor Showa was very pleased and naturally looked happy.
The uncle and nephew stood up, looking humble.
Emperor Zhaohe looked at his brother, "Wu Jue, you have become more mature, your skin has become darker, but you are stronger!"
Wu Jue is Chen Yu's courtesy name. Only his father, the emperor, and his mother would call him that when he was a child. No one has called him that for many years, not even Chen Lingge. This is the first time he knows the courtesy name of his uncle.
The younger brother in Emperor Showa's memory was small, thin, and fair-skinned. He went to the battlefield at a young age. Except for returning when his father had just passed away, he never returned to the imperial city since then.
Now that I think about it, it’s been ten years since I last saw you.
Emperor Zhaohe frowned and pretended to be angry: "If Mobei hadn't asked for peace, would you have planned not to come back?"
"I dare not."
When he was young, his elder brother was the crown prince, and the two of them were very friendly and respectful to each other. On weekdays, they were just like ordinary brothers, chatting and laughing. Now everything is different. When facing the emperor, there is already a distinction between the monarch and his subject in their words.
"When I was young, I was stationed at the border to protect the territory of Yue Kingdom from being invaded by Mobei Kingdom. Now that the war between the two countries is over, I will return to report."
As he spoke, he knelt down and said, "I have fulfilled my mission and lived up to your trust. The friendly agreement between the two countries has now been successfully brought back to the Imperial City."
"Good! Good! Good!" The emperor was delighted and said three "good"s in a row. "Don't kneel down now. Think carefully about what you want. I will reward you."
Emperor Zhaohe’s gaze fell on Shen Lingge again, “Qinghe, I haven’t seen you for a few years, you have grown a lot taller.”
He looked at Shen Lingge's eyebrows and eyes. The fifteen-year-old boy had lost the immaturity of his childhood and overlapped with the hazy figure in his memory.
Qinghe looks more and more like his mother, and if you look closely you can see that he is somewhat similar to him.
"Father, I am now grown up and can help you share your worries."
"Good boy, the imperial concubine has been talking about you for a long time, go see her later."
"The eldest prince is back. I'm sure the Imperial Concubine will be overjoyed. I'll go and tell her right away."
The person who spoke was Eunuch Chen, the chief eunuch who had served Emperor Showa for many years.
After Eunuch Chen finished speaking, he saw Emperor Zhaohe nod and hurriedly retreated.
"Yes, I miss my father and the imperial concubine at the border."
Shen Lingge lost his mother at a young age, and the Imperial Concubine raised him with all her heart and soul. In the entire palace, if we were to say who he had the best relationship with, even his father would rank behind the Imperial Concubine.
"Wu Jue, have you thought about what reward you want?" Emperor Showa brought the topic back to Chen Yu.
Upon hearing this, Chen Yu took out a small box from his body, raised the box above his head with both hands, knelt down, and did not say what reward he wanted first, "Your Majesty, please take back the tiger talisman. I have guarded the border of Yue Kingdom for more than ten years. Now I want to rest for a while."
Worried that his brother might think too much, he added: "If the war breaks out again, as long as my brother needs me, I will go to the battlefield at the command of my brother to protect the peace of the Moon Kingdom."
Since ancient times, those who have achieved more success than their masters have always ended up in a miserable state, not to mention that he is the younger brother of the current emperor. His majesty has been wary of his existence since he was a child. That is why he has to hand over the tiger talisman and stay away from the court. Maybe he can live longer.
What's more, before parting with Xu Zhao, Xu Zhao had whispered the word "tiger talisman" in his ear, so it seems that they were thinking the same thing.
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