Chapter 52: Song Youning smiled, her smile innocent and pure...
Song Youning smiled innocently, "I didn't say that. That's what the prince said himself!"
After saying this, he picked up the empty teacup from the table and played with it in his hands, his eyes fixed on the lustrous, translucent glass cup, his eyes full of wonder. "This one is well-fired, like jade with a hint of red, and the patterns are unique... Next time I bring a set of tea sets back for my father, he'll surely be delighted."
"Then let's fight, fight the southern border!" A burst of shouting suddenly came from the corridor, and Song Youning looked in the direction of the voice.
"This prince will lead the troops to fight them all together! This prince will take care of them all for Your Highness!" Xiao Lin jumped up from his seat unexpectedly, waving his hands and showing his teeth like a little beast that was angered.
King Zhenbei looked at his son, whom he hated so much, and saw his fawning appearance. He was furious, but he was powerless. He beat him and scolded him, but the boy refused to listen. He could only rub his throbbing temples helplessly and suppress his anger.
His Xiao family's fame and reputation, generations of heroes, were all ruined by this foolish boy...
It’s all my fault for protecting this kid too well and letting him become lawless.
Poor him, he lost his mother when he was young. He was pampered and loved in every way since he was a child. He was held in her hands for fear of dropping him, and held in her mouth for fear of melting him. This is why this bastard is in his twenties and still has no brains at all. Can't he see that people don't have that kind of feelings towards him?
Song Youning had tossed and turned all night because of Li Funing and hadn't slept well. He had just talked with the father and son and felt a little tired now. However, it was impossible for him to leave, so he had to sit lazily on the chair.
She leaned against the soft couch, her fingertips leisurely turning the celadon cup. Hearing Xiao Lin's voice so excited, she casually glanced up at the father and son in the corridor.
It would have been fine if he hadn't seen it, but when he did, he saw the King of Zhenbei glaring at Xiao Lin with a look of disappointment. He used to look so majestic with sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes, but now he was glaring with his beard puffing out his beard, which made him laugh.
Sure enough, Xiao Lin is such a troublemaker that anyone who talks to him will be furious.
She was also deeply touched by Xiao Lin's rogue temper... She had suffered as a father to King Zhenbei for so many years, and now she had to let King Zhenbei have a taste of it.
However, although Xiao Lin was naughty, she actually liked his personality. His emotions were all written on his face, so she didn't need to spend a lot of effort guessing.
Compared to the thoughts of some people that are always hidden behind clouds and mist, such obvious joy, anger, sorrow and happiness are simpler and purer.
Although she and Xiao Lin grew up together, she really has no feelings for Xiao Lin between men and women!
Only bad friends share the same bad taste...
She fights...he hands her the knife, she chases the dog...he carries the chicken, and most importantly, she gets into trouble...he takes the blame.
This is already the most precious friendship in this world! Why does a third party have to come in and steal your love?
The King of Zhenbei was looking at his silly son with a short mind and wanted to cry. How could he have given birth to such a rag... He couldn't hold it in for a moment, and glared at him in front of everyone, and angrily scolded him: "Sit down!"
Suddenly, the heroic and majestic image of King Zhenbei just now shattered in Song Youning's heart.
...As expected, like son....like father....
Seeing that his father, who had always doted on him, was actually angry, Xiao Lin didn't dare to say anything for a moment.
He knew that his father had never liked him to be with His Highness, but he had never thought that even if he tried to talk to her normally, it would not work. He immediately fell silent and sat back on the stool, as obedient as a puppy drenched in rain.
He secretly looked up at Song Youning lying on the couch, his usually bright eyes now wet.
Seeing his pitiful appearance, Song Youning's heart suddenly softened. As expected, as the saying goes, "Birds of a feather flock together." Who knows when, he had actually learned Li Funing's trick...
Forget it, forget it! I'll just save this guy's life and repay him for taking the blame for her.
The smile faded from her lips, and a trace of worry appeared on her face: "King Zhenbei, have you thought of a foolproof plan for your march into the northern border this time?"
She changed the subject without leaving a trace, and turned to the pair of eyes that were begging for help. She suddenly smiled and started talking again: "Why don't you tell me about it? The terrain outside the pass... I am most familiar with the prince..."
"If there's anything I can help with, Your Highness, please just tell me..."
Before he finished speaking, Xiao Lin suddenly straightened up and stood up again.
This time he stood properly and behaved politely.
The young general's eyes were still red, but he couldn't wait to interrupt, his eyes full of expectation: "Yes! Yes! Your Highness and I are most familiar with each other!"
"Your Highness and I used to love to go to the merchants outside the Great Wall to buy new things... I think I can definitely help my father..." He wanted to take the opportunity to prove to the King of Zhenbei that their relationship was extraordinary and not what he thought.
He shut up halfway through and stole a glance at the expression of King Zhenbei.
He looked just like a wolf cub who wanted to wag his tail but was afraid of being beaten by the wolf king, and Song Youning, who was lying on the bed, almost laughed out loud.
Seeing Song Youning say this, the King of Zhenbei's expression finally eased. "I originally planned to let the soldiers rest for a few days, and then wait for the food and grass from the court to arrive, and then take the northern border by surprise..."
Having said this, he suddenly paused and looked at Song Youning with a complicated look: "But after listening to your Highness's words just now, it really gave me a sudden enlightenment."
He slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups clink. "Our army is roughly equal in strength to the Northern Frontier. A head-on confrontation would be mutually destructive. If the Southern Frontier were to take advantage of this opportunity and invade..."
The voice stopped abruptly, and veins bulged on the forehead of King Zhenbei.
He paused, remaining silent for a long moment, his eyes suddenly tinged with anger. "But the barbarians from the Northern Frontier have gone too far, treating the Three Kingdoms Agreement as worthless. Relying on their vast military might, they've dared to repeatedly attack our camp. If we don't avenge this, wouldn't we be cowards?"
Song Youning said nothing, just quietly shaking the cup in his hand. Xiao Lin suddenly stood up and slammed the table, and there was another deafening sound.
"The Northern Territory is truly going too far! They even dared to defy the agreement... How about we inform the Southern Territory about this and join forces with them to take down the Northern Territory together?"
Song Youning's eyes turned slightly, and her gaze fell lightly on Xiao Lin who was sitting below her. She couldn't help but smile. This barbarian had learned his lesson and knew how to take advantage of the situation.
King Zhenbei nodded after hearing this. The Northern Frontier unilaterally tore up the contract. If they informed the Southern Frontier and sent troops together with the Southern Frontier, they could not only take care of the Northern Frontier but also avoid being attacked from both sides. This would be a perfect plan.
King Zhenbei turned his head to look at Xiao Lin, a hint of relief flashed in his eyes.
Although this kid was reckless, he had improved somewhat after years of training with me. He pondered for a moment, then suddenly stood up and clasped his fists, his armor clanging against each other.
"Your Highness, this is a brilliant plan. I believe we should send a capable envoy to the southern border. If we can persuade them to form an alliance with our dynasty, we can jointly defeat the barbarians in the northern border..."
"Your Highness, this prince is willing to go to the southern border and persuade it to form an alliance with our dynasty..." Xiao Lin suddenly knelt down, his eyes shining, the youthful vigor and vitality of the young man fully displayed in him.
Song Youning shook his head and said calmly: "This plan...is not feasible..."
"Why?" The father and son opened their eyes wide and said in unison.
"If this were an ordinary military conflict, this would be the best strategy. However, this time it's a way of balancing powers between nations. If we go find the Emperor of the Southern Territory, he will definitely agree, but whether he will secretly make things difficult for us remains to be seen..."
Xiao Lin frowned, took two steps forward and then stopped abruptly, his usually clear eyes full of confusion.
Song Youning raised his eyes to look at Xiao Lin, with a meaningful light in his eyes: "Xiao Lin, have you ever thought about..."
"This three-way balance of power is like a tripod, each one indispensable. If Dagan truly joins forces with the Southern Territory to destroy the Northern Territory... then Dagan, already a powerful nation, will become even stronger... The disparity in power between the Southern Territory and Dagan is enormous. Not to mention me, even my always benevolent father would be impatient..."
Before he finished speaking, Xiao Lin's pupils suddenly shrank, and he blurted out: "To destroy the Southern Territory?"
"That's right." Song Youning raised the corners of his lips slightly and nodded with satisfaction, but the smile did not reach his eyes. "The King of the Southern Territory is no fool. He can survive in the Three Kingdoms with such a weak force. How could he not know the principle of "the lips and the teeth are cold when they are gone?"
She suddenly picked up the teacup beside her, a smile on her lips: "Today he can join hands with us to destroy the Northern Frontier, tomorrow..."
"Tomorrow is the day when the Dagan cavalry will break through the southern border pass," the King of Zhenbei replied coldly. "So that old fox would rather play along with us on the surface, while secretly assisting the Northern Frontier. We can neither allow the Northern Frontier to be destroyed, nor allow us to succeed. The only way is to maintain this delicate balance."
Xiao Lin's breathing stagnated slightly, and he suddenly felt hot.
He unconsciously clenched his fists. Although he was a young general, he had been familiar with military books since childhood. Although he was not very talented, he had read the military tactics thoroughly.
But only at this moment did he truly understand that the flashing swords and shadows on the battlefield were far less dangerous than the turbulent undercurrents in the court. If the battle on the battlefield was about manpower and strategy, then the battle in the court was about people's hearts and human nature!
Song Youning looked at Xiao Lin's sudden realization, a sly smile playing on her lips, as if she had returned to being that innocent little girl who loved to play pranks: "So this battle, it's not that we can't fight... but we need to change the way we fight it."
Seeing her confident look, King Zhenbei guessed that she must have a plan to deal with it. He raised his eyes and said, "I'd like to hear the details..."
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