Chapter 268 Departure
She concealed Xuan Yuanze and her rebirth, only revealing Xuan Yuanze's identity, hoping the Crown Prince would make a decision as soon as possible to capture Xuan Yuanze.
However, after she finished speaking, the crown prince sat with his head down and remained silent for a long time.
"If there is still a chance of catching them within 15 minutes, locking down the city now will only increase public panic."
"Moreover, it seems that the internal strife in Vietnam may just be a smokescreen."
Qi Yuxuan dared not speculate and shook her head.
Qi Jun pondered for a moment and concluded: "If they want to fight now, we may not be without the ability to retaliate."
Originally, this battle was unavoidable at the end of the year, but it has come earlier than planned, and everything is a bit rushed.
Qi Yuxuan moved her lips, feeling anxious.
She couldn't say that Xuanyuan Ze was also a reborn person, so she couldn't reasonably inform the Crown Prince that he knew about the border defense deployment. But if she didn't say it, Qi's chances of winning would definitely plummet.
However, she remembered that the Xiahou family had not changed since they were transferred from the southwest to the northwest last year. If the defenses that Ren Ze was familiar with in his previous life all happened after General Xiahou, would the credibility of the information held by the Yue Kingdom decrease if the Xiahou family were transferred back to the southwest and their tactics and methods of fighting were changed?
"Cousin, I want to ask you something."
"If the Yue Kingdom were to truly invade, which general does the court intend to send to lead the army?"
After asking the question, Qi Yuxuan's heart pounded.
She worried that the Crown Prince would think she had ulterior motives, that she would not be able to successfully recommend the Xiahou family, and that what would happen if she succeeded in changing the commander but still could not win the battle?
To everyone's surprise, the Crown Prince didn't hesitate for long before speaking bluntly: "Duan Xin."
General Duan is also a veteran who has fought on the battlefield. He is more experienced and ruthless than General Xiahou, and he commands a larger number of troops. However, he is now a bit old and is rarely used unless the two countries are officially at war.
Qi Yuxuan felt even more uneasy. Just as she was pondering how to answer, she heard the Crown Prince ask:
"No need to worry. General Duan has extensive experience in dealing with the enemy, Nan Yue. General Xiahou was trained under him before taking over the southwestern border from General Duan."
Qi Jun thought the young girl was worried that General Duan was too old to be in command, so he gave her a brief explanation to dispel her concerns. However, he saw that the young girl's brows furrowed even deeper, as if she was even more troubled.
Qi Jun was somewhat puzzled.
Qi Yuxuan felt that things were getting even more complicated.
General Xiahou was trained by General Duan? Doesn't that mean their fighting style and tactics are exactly the same? In that case, it seems that neither of them would fare well in the position! But apart from them, she really doesn't know any other brave and resourceful generals. If she recommends the wrong person, it would truly harm the State of Qi.
Lost in her own thoughts and worries, she didn't see the Crown Prince's expression, which had changed from confusion to worry.
"Yu Xuan".
The prince called her softly.
The Crown Prince used to call her Yu Xuan, but later, perhaps due to some unpleasant conversations between them, he started calling her by her title, Chang Le, and stopped calling her by her given name for a long time.
"If you have something on your mind, you can talk to me. I will definitely help you if it is within my power."
His voice was low and persuasive, as if he were coaxing someone.
Qi Yuxuan had unconsciously bitten her lower lip until it was bloodless. In a moment of impulsiveness, she decided to go all out: "Cousin, can we change the commander-in-chief?"
"The generals who once guarded the Yue Kingdom, such as General Duan and General Xiahou, must have been thoroughly studied by the Yue Kingdom with a great deal of manpower and resources. Otherwise, they wouldn't be so confident and assured of victory. I'm really worried..."
"Moreover, Xuanyuan Ze grew up in the State of Qi, so he may not be unaware of the civil and military officials of Qi. If we follow the old methods and play by the rules, we may be falling into their trap."
She was rambling on about her worries, unaware that the Crown Prince's gaze softened and softened, becoming so tender it seemed as if you could squeeze water from it.
She was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly felt a weight on her head and looked up in a daze.
Qi Jun gently patted her hair with tenderness.
"I know."
“I will pick out the appropriate parts of what you said today and tell General Duan. Everyone has their own expertise, and they will do their job well.”
Qi Yuxuan was still worried: "And... Xuan Yuanze..."
"He saved my life before, but I've never had the chance to repay him. If possible, could you please not kill him?"
She only realized her mistake after she finished speaking. If Yue wins a war, it will surely exterminate the Qi royal family to eliminate any future troubles. The opposite is also true. How can we let the enemy prince live because of her life-saving grace?
Before the Crown Prince could speak, she quickly said, "Alright, perhaps I'm being overly worried and sentimental. Since my cousin already knows, I'll be going now."
As soon as she mentioned leaving, Qi Jun suddenly changed the subject:
"Wait a minute, I suddenly remembered something you just mentioned that I did overlook..."
So when they came out of the palace, it was already dark.
Qi Yuxuan even stayed at the East Palace for lunch and a snack. Just as the Crown Prince wanted to keep her for dinner, she finally woke up and hurriedly took her leave.
The Empress Dowager was still ill. Although the Eldest Princess was still attending to her, what would it look like if people knew she was staying in the Eastern Palace for half a day? Seeing that she had said everything she needed to say without any oversights, she quickly came out.
Once seated in the carriage, she closed her eyes and leaned against the cushion, rubbing her throbbing temples and brow. Suddenly remembering something, she softly called out:
"Ren Shun?"
The air was completely silent; it seemed that Ren Shun had indeed returned with his brother.
Back when she was still living in the Ye family, the Ren family next door only had one child, Ren Ze. There were indeed rumors circulating that the Ren family's wife had married because she was pregnant, which didn't have a good reputation. However, the Ren family's uncle always smiled and took all the blame upon himself, saying that his wife was the best woman in the world and that he wouldn't allow anyone to slander or frame her.
So Ren Ze was actually a child raised in a harmonious family. He was flesh and blood, gentle and kind, and would occasionally make witty remarks to coax people, just like Uncle Ren. Qi Yuxuan liked him very much and envied him for having such a happy and fulfilling family.
But today, all the liking and envy have vanished like a bubble.
Perhaps in his past life, Xuanyuanze knew that his father was not Uncle Ren, so he used the excuse of the scars on his body to avoid taking the imperial examination and went to the border to join the army.
Qi Yuxuan let out a long, weary sigh.
Half a day ago.
Xuan Yuanze rode his horse for a long time after leaving the restaurant, until he left the capital city, before finally reining in his horse and stopping at a foot inn with a sign hanging on it.
"Boss, two bowls of hot tea, please."
The rain had just stopped, and the air outside the city was filled with a fresh, earthy fragrance. The tables and chairs were still wet, but he didn't care and sat down wearing only a raincoat.
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