Yuan Zhao then touched Yuan Zhizhi's hand and asked softly, "Zhizhi, do you know the Fourth Prince of Northern Qiang, Duota, the new King of Northern Qiang?"
Zhizhi stared with her big round eyes, thinking about Yuan Zhao's words.
[Towers...]
Yuan Zhizhi thought carefully and there was no such person as Duota in her memory.
But her memory of her past life has become increasingly vague recently. Could it be that she has forgotten?
[In my previous life, when the Northern Qiang envoys came to the capital, my mother was still in Yangzhou... After my mother died, and then Father Huo died, the Northern Qiang invaded Dacheng...]
[Duota... Zhizhi has no impression...]
Yuan Zhao was neither surprised nor disappointed when she heard this answer. She smiled slightly and said, "It's okay, go to sleep. It's just that mom is going crazy."
She patted Zhizhi gently. Zhizhi was still thinking about Dota in her little head, trying to search it out from her memory.
But not long after, she fell into a deep sleep again.
…
The next day, the Northern Qiang and Nanyue delegations set off in the afternoon.
Yuan Cheng, Yuan Zhao and Yuan Heng went to the city gate to see them off.
The two teams said goodbye to each other in a mighty manner.
Helian Yu patted Yuan Musheng, still cheerful, "Brother Musheng, goodbye!"
Yuan Musheng nodded. He glanced at Jing Yang, but Jing Yang didn't say anything else.
But Jing Kangshan, who was standing by, looked at Helian Yu with a complicated look when he heard this.
But he didn't say anything in the end. He just clasped his fists with Yuan Cheng and said, "Goodbye, everyone."
Ye Huan swayed her body, her eyes were charming, her voice was coquettish,
"It's just a little regretful that I didn't get to meet General Huo this time... But it doesn't matter. I believe we are destined to meet again..."
Ye Jiao stood beside her, with her eyes lowered and her expression unclear.
Yuan Zhao didn't say anything. When she glanced at Helian, she saw him slightly parting his lips, smiling and talking casually.
"Your Highness, I believe we will meet again..."
Her heart sank slightly.
What else does Helian Shi have to do?
She felt so heavy-hearted that she didn't feel relieved even after she moved back to the princess's mansion with her children.
At dinner time, Huo Yan came back and said to her, "The Northern Qiang envoys are on their way, and I should hurry back to the northwest."
The army in the northwest is still waiting and cannot remain leaderless like this.
If the Northern Qiang make any moves on the border, it would be better if Huo Yan is there.
Huo Yan was scheduled to depart the next day, but after dinner he was secretly summoned to the palace by Emperor Xuan to discuss matters.
The sky was dark and overcast, and it looked like there was going to be a heavy rainstorm.
The air was terribly oppressive.
The rain didn't start to fall until almost midnight.
There were thunder and lightning and heavy rain.
Yuan Zhao couldn't fall asleep listening to the sound of rain.
At some point, there were a few knocks outside the window.
Yuan Zhao thought it was the wind, but the knocking sound became louder and louder. She sat up in bed and looked at the window.
A flash of lightning passed by, illuminating a black figure outside the window.
Her heart skipped a beat.
Fortunately, Yuan Heng's low voice came from outside, "Royal sister, it's me."
Yuan Zhao hurriedly put on his coat and opened the window. He saw Yuan Heng in a black nightgown, his whole body soaked.
"Come in quickly!" Yuan Heng seemed to have something in his arms and quickly flipped in through the window.
"Why are you here so late?" Yuan Zhao asked with a frown.
Still dressed like this.
Yuan Heng looked around before closing the window, seeming very nervous.
"Royal sister, where is Huo Yan?"
"It should be in the East Palace, what's wrong?"
Yuan Zhao was a little confused about what was going on, but Yuan Cheng unbuttoned his wet nightgown and handed her the thing in his arms.
It is a rolled-up painting.
"You'll know when you see it."
Yuan Zhao lit a candle and opened the scroll. Her face gradually turned pale when she saw the person in the portrait clearly.
Especially at the bottom of the painting there is a line of small characters: Northern Qiang Sima - Helian Chang
Her grip on the scroll slowly tightened, her voice trembling, "Where did this painting... come from?"
Yuan Heng's expression was slightly heavy. "Tonight, the same painting was delivered to the homes of all officials above the third rank in the court..."
Yuan Zhao's body swayed slightly and he could hardly stand.
Yuan Heng reached out to support Yuan Zhao and asked her, "Royal sister, do you know something?"
"Why is Helian Chang's portrait exactly the same as the Huo family's second master who died in battle?"
Yuan Zhao sat down dejectedly. She shook her head but could not answer.
The sound of rain outside was "clattering", with an overwhelming momentum.
Yuan Heng sat beside her, silent for a long time. "The Battle of Swift Wind Valley was the most devastating defeat in Dacheng's hundred years..."
"If it's true as this portrait shows, the Northern Qiang Grand Marshal Helian Chang... is actually Huo Pingchang, who died in battle... then the Huo family..."
Yuan Zhao understood what he said before he finished.
"Tomorrow morning court session will probably be a bloody affair..."
…
Yuan Heng came and left in a hurry, leaving the painting behind.
Yuan Zhao didn't sleep again and sat alone on the couch until dawn.
That night, many people in the capital city couldn't sleep like her.
Huo Yan sent someone back to tell Yuan Zhao not to worry and to take good care of the children at the princess's mansion today.
Nothing else was mentioned.
In the early morning, the heavy rain slowly stopped, but she knew in her heart that a bigger storm was brewing.
She sent people to find out first-hand information about the morning court.
But before the morning court was over, for some unknown reason, the news had already spread in the capital.
The portrait was not only sent to the homes of officials in the court, but was also circulated among the people.
Rumors spread all over the place:
"He Lianchang, the Grand Marshal of the Northern Qiang, is Huo Pingchang of the Huo family!"
"Huo Pingchang didn't die for his country! He is a traitor to Dacheng!"
"What exactly happened at the Battle of Windy Valley?! There's a traitor in the Huo family. Is this the work of the Huo family?"
"The Huo Family Army is the Huo Family's private army! What's with all the talk of loyalty to the emperor and patriotism? The Huo Family deserves death!"
"Thousands of soldiers died in the Gale Valley! It's all the Huo family's fault!"
"The remaining members of the Huo family are to blame! All nine generations of the family should be executed!"
…
Rumors spread faster and faster, and such news cannot be covered up at all.
All kinds of speculations emerged like a tide, and for a moment, the Huo family and the "traitor" were firmly tied together.
At the entrance of the Huo Mansion, which was always solemn and quiet, someone began throwing various objects at the closed door.
Biyun went out to investigate and came back to tell Yuan Zhao about the situation outside.
Yuan Zhao was worried about the Qiao family and the other members of the Huo family. Just as he was about to give them some instructions, Gan Tang, who had gone to inquire about the news from the morning court, hurried in.
"Your Highness, something bad has happened!"
"At this morning's court session, the Censorate took the lead in impeaching General Huo. Nearly half of the court officials are demanding that Your Majesty remove the general! A thorough investigation of the Huo family!"
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