Chapter 35: Seeing Shura Field Again Song Youning glanced up slightly...
Song Youning raised her eyes slightly and looked at Song Luoshu who was lying on a rattan chair drinking tea. He was leaning on the back of the chair, holding a cup of tea, looking leisurely and contented.
"Father..."
To the other two in the hall, her voice grew colder and colder: "What are your thoughts on the war in the north, father?"
Upon hearing this, Song Luoshu paused the teacup he was playing with and stood up from his chair. His eyes, which had been smiling just now, suddenly became as calm as water, and there seemed to be an undercurrent flowing in his eyes.
After a long silence, Song Luoshu finally spoke, "The court is currently turbulent. Your marriage to the Li family is just about to be sealed. If you hand over military power to the King of Zhenbei at this time... I'm afraid there will be endless troubles..."
"Xiao Lin has followed you everywhere, through thick and thin. If you truly abandon him, not only will you chill the hearts of the Zhenbei Palace, but you'll also sever your ties with the military commander..."
"The Prince of Zhenbei has a strong character. He had his military power taken away from him, and he endured humiliation in the court."
"And you and I both favor that young man from the Li family... Even our last hope of marriage has been cut off. He will definitely side with Grand Tutor Chen's faction, and now you want to restart the Xiao family and let him regain military power..."
He paused slightly, and looked at Song Youning with a sharp gaze, and said word by word: "I'm afraid that this great country will have to change its name sooner or later."
"Have you thought it through?"
Song Youning's eyes flickered upon hearing this, and he opened his lips slightly: "Didn't the emperor hope that I would marry Lord Li before? Why is he speaking for Xiao Lin now?"
Song Luoshu shook his head and sighed: "What I said today is not for him, but for the foundation laid by our ancestors..."
He lowered his eyes for a long time before sighing softly, "Prince Zhenbei had no troops or power before, so he wasn't a concern. But if you hand the tiger talisman back to the Xiao family..."
The voice stopped abruptly.
He spoke again slowly: "I know that you still can't let go of Xiao Lin. He blocked arrows for you and protected you. You feel sorry for him and his youthful ambition. You want to give him a chance to fight for the country on the battlefield..."
"But Ning'er..." Song Luoshu suddenly called her by her maiden name: "Military power is not a joke. If you give him three points today, he may not be willing to return it to you tomorrow. Even if Xiao Lin is willing, the King of Zhenbei is not willing..."
"By then... I'm afraid you'll have to reconsider your marriage with the Li family... Are you willing?"
She knew that the husband she had chosen would cause a stir in the court, but she did not expect that this marriage would be like a huge rock thrown into a pond, causing a thousand waves.
She and Xiao Lin had been fighting and quarreling for so many years, and in the eyes of outsiders, there was still some room for improvement in the position of the emperor's husband. But after she returned to the palace this time, she directly decided on Li Funing's position as the son-in-law in front of all the officials in the court.
And the only legitimate son of the Xiao family was abandoned in front of everyone. The King of Zhenbei, who was so protective of his own shortcomings, would definitely not swallow this...
But although Li Funing is sometimes dark and annoying, she still cares about him in her heart.
To be frank, it was all because of her. She didn't want to ruin her friendship with Xiao Lin, nor did she want to lose Li Funing...
After careful consideration, she finally spoke, her voice clear but every word weighted: "Father, please understand. The smoke of war in the north has never ceased. They have repeatedly invaded our borders and have never taken our actions seriously. They have burned and looted, causing the people on the border to be displaced..."
"Countless soldiers of our army have been killed or wounded, and the people on the border are suffering. Whenever I think of this, my heart aches."
"Although I am a bit stubborn, I am still a princess of the Dagan Kingdom. I should prioritize the safety of the people rather than just the stability of my own imperial power."
Her brows were furrowed, her expression becoming increasingly serious, her eyes filled with unusual determination: "Your son knows that things may change when the Prince of Zhenbei takes control of the army, but how innocent are the people? If we sit back and watch the people suffer because of the checks and balances at court...isn't this a shame for us?"
Her voice faltered slightly, and as she looked at Song Luoshu, whose brows were furrowed, her voice became even stronger: "This son is willing to guarantee with his life. Even if the Grand Tutor and the King of Zhenbei join forces to seize power, this son has a plan to deal with it. He will definitely return the military power to the royal family and secure the border forever!"
"I also ask Father to give Xiao Lin and the countless soldiers of Dagan a chance to devote themselves to Dagan. Don't lose the big picture for the sake of small things."
Song Luoshu's brows were furrowed, his eyes were calm. Suddenly, his brows relaxed: "That's all."
His expression relaxed visibly, and Song Youning, who had been nervous, also felt relieved.
Song Luoshu waved his hand and whispered to the outside of the hall: "Come in."
The palace door burst open, and as the palace servants rushed in, Song Luoshu's voice rang out, "Draft an edict. Bei Jing has repeatedly invaded our borders, looted our women and children, and massacred our city."
"The King of Zhenbei is to receive the seal of the Great General of the Nation, Xiao Lin is to be the vanguard commander, and he is to dispatch 200,000 troops and 250,000 dan of grain and fodder. They are to march within three days."
Everyone was shocked when they heard this, and the hall fell silent.
Since ascending the throne, Song Luoshu has always regarded himself as a "king who maintains the status quo" and is extremely cautious in using military forces.
When the southern border was invaded by bandits, he would rather give gold and silver every year than resort to war.
now
"Two hundred thousand troops..."
"Father Emperor"
Facing everyone's astonished gazes, Song Youning suddenly lifted her skirt and knelt on the ground, looking more serious than anyone had ever seen.
"Although I bear the undeserved title of Princess Dagan, I have spent all these years wasting my time in the brothels..."
"But as a princess and a friend of Prince Xiao, I owe it to myself to serve the country and my friends with all my heart. I do not seek fame and recognition, but only to live up to my conscience. I beg Your Majesty to grant me permission to accompany you to the northern border. I will do my part for my friends, the people, and the great cause..."
Song Luoshu tensed up, and he stared at his kneeling daughter thoughtfully.
Sure enough, it was right to let her wander among the people all these years.
He was more than capable of maintaining the status quo, but lacked the decisiveness to strike. She, on the other hand, was different. The world of the underworld sharpened her edge, and the mountains, rivers, and seas broadened her horizons. She understood the imperial schemes, which could not be learned in the court, in gambling houses and taverns; she grasped the true meaning of governance, which court officials could not explain even with quoting classics, from the bargaining of peddlers and hawkers.
This strategy is quite clever!
If she went to war as the Crown Princess, half of the tiger talisman could be handed over to her, and the other half would be placed in the hands of the King of Zhenbei, and she would follow the army in the name of Xiao Lin's old friend.
It can not only divide the military power of the King of Zhenbei, but also confuse people's attention. Not to mention the reckless men under the King of Zhenbei, even the old foxes in the court would probably think that she went to the battlefield for personal reasons. In this way, two birds with one stone would be killed, and Xiao Yan, the old official, would not be able to find fault with her.
She added, "The northern border has always been a winding road. I don't have much of my own, but after traveling all these years, I know a lot about the northern border's roads. Why not take me with you? I can also lend a hand to the King of Zhenbei."
Song Luoshu's eyes flickered slightly, and his fingertips slowly rubbed the jade ring in his hand, with a smile on his lips: "Accurate!"
He then announced loudly: "Propagate my will..."
Song Luoshu stood up and flicked his wide sleeves. "Now the Crown Princess is dispatching troops on my behalf to relieve my father's worries. I order her to hold half of the Tiger Tally of the three armies and take charge of all matters related to the northern expedition. The King of Zhenbei will hold the other half and be appointed the Great General of the Nation to join the expedition to the northern border. Xiao Lin will be the vanguard marshal. We will set out in three days. During this period, all orders issued by the Tiger Tally will be subject to the Crown Princess to enhance the prestige of our country..."
Xiao Lin's eyes suddenly lit up, and he rushed to her without caring about etiquette. The young general smiled with his eyes and eyebrows flying, like a child who had received a candy man. He didn't care whether it was a tiger talisman or a wolf talisman, he only knew that he could go with her to see the wolf smoke at the border again.
"That's great, Ningning can go to the northern border with me." Xiao Lin cheered like an ignorant child.
Eunuch Guo looked at the young man, who was completely unaware of the weight of the tiger talisman, and then glanced at Song Youning. How could this be called a mutual affection? It was clearly a tiger coaxing a fawn into a trap.
Xiao Lin recalled his father's gloomy face when Zaochen left the house. "That girl has the country in her heart, and now she's thinking about that kid from the Li family. How could she be sincere to you?"
"You have only one mission in the palace today, and that is to get the Tiger Talisman for your father. Now that your father is under the suspicion of His Majesty, he cannot take the initiative to ask for permission, so he has no choice but to ask you to go on your father's behalf. You are already on good terms with the princess and have made great military achievements. His Majesty will not do anything to you even for the princess's sake. You are the best person to get the Tiger Talisman for your father..."
The words my father repeated over and over again before leaving came to mind: "Remember! You must get the tiger talisman for me. Don't say, don't listen, don't look at anything else!"
Meanwhile, Xiao Lin had already forgotten all these words. Not only did he not realize anything, his face was also filled with joy.
He thought to himself that half a tiger talisman is still a tiger talisman. He had completed his father's mission, and Ningning was going to the northern border with him!
He secretly clutched his sleeves, his heart sweetening: "Father is finally wrong this time. This time it was his Ningning who took the initiative to ask to accompany him to the Northern Territory. She is not as indifferent to him as Father said..."
Li Funing watched secretly, and seeing that he was forgotten by Song Youning again, his mind suddenly emerged with the days when he was sitting under the scorching sun, waiting for her return, and anger surged in his heart.
She had never included herself in her plans, not in the past, not now, and not in the future!
Suddenly, she took a step forward, the brocade ribbon hanging from her hair crown swaying gently as she bowed. Her voice was like pine ink soaked in snow water: "Your Majesty, please understand. The princess's body is precious, and the wind and frost in the north are as sharp as knives!"
He raised his eyes to see Xiao Lin's hand holding the corner of Song Youning's sleeve, and his Adam's apple rolled slightly. Since she didn't want to take him, he would go by himself!
He would pester her no matter how hard it took. He no longer wanted to wait alone in this Bianjing city, like a wife-waiting stone, from morning to night!
He spoke slowly again, his heart clearly boiling with anger, yet he pretended to remain calm: "Although I am not good at archery or horse riding, I have been familiar with the Six Strategies since childhood, so I can offer you advice..."
"It would be best if our army returns victorious. On a different note, if we raise the white flag this time... we must have a minister to negotiate... The people of the Northern Territory are always greedy. If we have an ordinary minister, we will surely be led by them, and our interests will be damaged. I request permission to accompany you to the front lines, so that we can attack or defend..."
Song Youning raised his eyes and glanced at Li Funing. As expected, no one could compare to him in terms of controlling people's hearts.
He knew that his father acted cautiously, and firmly grasped his father's conservative character. He suggested that if he went with him, the losses in this battle could be minimized. Given his father's nature of putting the overall situation first in everything, it was impossible for him to refuse, and he might even think that his father acted appropriately.
Song Luoshu, unsurprisingly, felt that what Li Funing said made sense. Regardless of whether this battle was a great victory or not, someone had to go to the northern border on his behalf to discuss post-war matters, and Li Funing..."
He coughed, his eyes sweeping over Li Funing. Three years before, he had been sent as an envoy to southern Xinjiang. He had managed to turn the defeat and negotiations into a tribute treaty? Clearly a defeated nation, yet they hadn't ceded an inch of territory or paid a single ounce of silver. Instead, they had southern Xinjiang willingly contribute a significant amount of money, euphemistically calling it "cultural exchange."
Song Youning and that silly boy Xiao Lin have always been reckless. If the two of them were together, I don’t know if that old guy Xiao Yan would be able to handle them. If I send Li Funing to watch over them, I would feel more at ease in the capital.
Song Luoshu's eyes swept over Li Funing. The young man stood straight, completely different from that silly boy Xiao Lin.
Sure enough, when choosing a son-in-law, a father-in-law still has to choose one who is well-behaved and sensible.
"As the minister has requested, the three of you will follow the King of Zhenbei to the northern border!"
Song Luoshu waved his sleeves, "It's a good opportunity to show the people of the Northern Territory that my pen can also pierce throats."
Song Youning's figure swayed.
Her cute face was slightly distorted at this moment, and her hairpin was even a little crooked. Although she knew that Li Funing would definitely follow, the thought of him and Xiao Lin following her side...
"Father, this...can I wait two days longer before leaving?" His voice seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, and his eyes swept back and forth between Xiao Lin and Li Funing, as if he was looking at two plague gods.
Xiao Lin alone was already noisy enough, and now Li Funing was added to the mix? How was life going to get by in the North from now on?
The scene of the northern border military camp seemed to emerge in front of Song Youning's eyes: Xiao Lin was circling around her all day, as noisy as a peacock seeking a mate; Li Funing was chasing after her with a military book in his hand, analyzing incessantly that "there must be a gap in the siege, and the princess should take the lead in attacking."
She clenched her fists, her knuckles making a slight crackling sound. No, she must not let this happen again.
"I thought..." She was about to open her mouth to dissuade him, but she saw her father glanced at her with a smile, and his eyes seemed to say: You deserve it!
Song Youning was immediately deflated. Knowing that his resistance was futile, he sat back in his chair dejectedly.
She stared at the ceiling of the temple, and suddenly thought of the scene in Yuzhou Temple. She suddenly wanted to cry. This northern expedition army was afraid that it would become a vegetable market again.
Song Youning slowly lowered his head and happened to see Xiao Lin and Li Funing confronting each other in the air.
Xiao Lin's eyebrows were raised, and his amber eyes were burning with obvious hostility; while Li Funing still maintained the dignified demeanor of a young master from a noble family, with a dark current surging in his gentle eyes. When their eyes met, it seemed as if the light of swords and the shadows of knives were crackling in the air.
You could hear a pin drop in the hall. Only a few brave palace maids in the corner quietly looked up, with excitement flashing in their eyes. Although Prince Xiao and Lord Li have always been at odds, today's good show is something that may not be seen again in ten years!
Song Youning closed her eyes in despair, supported her forehead with her slender fingers weakly, buried her face back in the chair, and let out an almost inaudible sigh.
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