"Ji Chu greets Your Majesty, long live the Emperor!" Ji Chu knelt below with neither arrogance nor servility, his words resounding.
The Emperor praised, "Hmm, not bad. I've often heard your commander mention your name. You're this year's martial arts champion, right?" The Emperor looked at the young man before him, feeling that he looked somewhat familiar, and asked with a hint of uncertainty.
"Yes, Ji Chu is this year's martial arts champion." Ji Chu lowered his eyes and said respectfully.
"Good, Ji Chu fought bravely, defeating many with few. I hereby appoint you as General Wu Xian and reward you with ten thousand taels of gold." The Emperor looked at the young man's upright posture even while kneeling and was quite impressed.
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty." Ji Chu bowed respectfully.
As Ji Chu walked towards his seat, he inadvertently glanced up. The Emperor, holding a wine cup to celebrate with his officials, did not notice his gaze.
An Ke had been keeping a close eye on the boy from the very beginning, so she didn't miss his gaze. Following his gaze, An Ke discovered that he was looking at Qing'er.
An Ke frowned slightly. She had been in a spectator's mood, wanting to watch the drama unfold, but she never expected to end up eating her best friend's food.
The emperor then bestowed titles upon several more outstanding individuals who had distinguished themselves in the battle, and also commended the remaining troops, distributing 100 taels of gold to them.
Hailancha, on behalf of the army, thanked the emperor for his grace. The emperor waved his hand, gesturing for Hailancha to sit down.
Then came singing and dancing, the ministers were all smiles, the emperor was also very happy, and he drank to his heart's content.
An Ke spent the entire night thinking about Ji Chu and Qing'er, ignoring even when Ertai gave him a meaningful look.
Ertai: ? Who is the princess looking at? Why isn't she looking at me? (Feeling wronged)
Some ministers were so drunk they were dazed, unsteady on their feet, and completely intoxicated. No wonder ministers are always allowed to bring their families to banquets; it's better if they get drunk so someone can help them home and prevent them from making a fool of themselves.
Fu Lun wasn't drunk, and he hadn't originally planned to bring his wife into the palace today. But he couldn't stop her from pleading.
Even a day as husband and wife is worth a hundred days of kindness. No matter how heartless he was, he couldn't refuse her again and again. If word got out, people would laugh at his wife. So Fu Lun let her be, only repeatedly telling her before entering the palace to speak less that day.
At the beginning, the Fujin (wife of the emperor) sat obediently next to Fu Lun. When the banquet ended, everyone began to leave.
Seeing that Ertai was about to leave the Taihe Hall, the Fujin quickly called out to him.
Ertai was puzzled and didn't intend to pay attention. Just as he was about to step out, his wife called him back again.
Ertai was somewhat irritated. He had already signed the document severing ties, so what was he doing putting on this act now? Fu Kang'an also knew about the things that had happened in Ertai's family and thought that he had to help his good brother no matter what.
She followed Ertai over, and when the Fujin saw that there were outsiders present, she kept her mouth shut and didn't say a word. After all, it concerned family matters, and the Fujin didn't want others to know too much.
Fu Kang'an: Huh? Your family's affairs have already spread throughout the capital. Who doesn't know? There's no use burying your head in the sand.
Fu'ertai had already drunk some wine and was feeling a bit dizzy. He was thinking of returning to the camp to rest when his wife called him back. Not only was she calling him, but she remained silent even as he stood before her. Fu'ertai simply ran out of patience and turned to leave, ignoring the shouts behind him.
Fu Kang'an hurriedly chased after him, reaching out to put his arm around Ertai's shoulder. "Are you alright? I saw you drinking all night." Fu Kang'an also highly regarded Ertai; he had the courage to go to the battlefield and the perseverance to sever ties with his family.
Fu Kang'an didn't have many friends, or rather, he didn't admire many people. After all, he was never short of people who fawned over him and flattered him. But this also made Fu Kang'an look down on those who chattered incessantly around him.
He knew that these people were only trying to smooth things over and get close to him because of his father's influence. This annoyed Fu Kang'an greatly, making him feel that he could never escape the halo brought about by his father.
"It's nothing, I was just a little happy tonight and had a few too many drinks. You should go home early too." Fortaire's face was cold, and his words were as icy as ice.
"Hey, I must say, you're quite the mood freak." Fu Kang'an wasn't angry, and continued to chatter beside Ertai. "Look at the way you look at the princess, so passionate, you're practically dripping with affection, but all I get from you is cold ice?"
Voltaire was surprised by his observation skills. Had he still been discovered despite being so well hidden?
Fu Kang'an: ...Anyone who isn't blind can see that, okay? You keep looking up every now and then, do you really think nobody notices? Besides, looking at Prince Rui's murderous gaze, anyone with a brain can tell, right?
"No, I was just in a good mood and had a few too many drinks." Ertai unconsciously pursed his lips, a rare hint of embarrassment appearing on his face. "Lord Fuheng is still waiting for you. You should return to your residence as soon as possible. Farewell!"
After saying this, Fu Ertai walked in the opposite direction. Looking at the bright moon hanging in the sky, Fu Ertai suddenly felt the urge to walk, rather than ride a horse.
They walked back to the military camp under the moonlight.
Cining Palace
The Empress Dowager had already retired for the night, and Qing'er was washing and dressing.
Just then, there was an unexpected knock on Qing'er's door. Qing'er paused, combing her hair, and asked, "Who is it?"
"Of course it's me." Anke squeezed in through the doorway, clutching her blanket.
When Qing'er saw what An Ke was carrying, she quickly went over to help her take it down, and unconsciously asked, "Why did you decide to sleep here? And why did you bring so much stuff?" Qing'er was completely confused as she looked at the many pieces of jewelry An Ke was carrying.
"Oh, I just suddenly wanted to sleep here with you." Anke said, half-coquettishly, while holding Qing'er's hand and winking her big eyes at Qing'er.
As expected, Qing'er was just like when she was a child, completely swayed by An Ke's charms. She sighed helplessly, "You, you, I just can't do anything with you." Although she said this, her hands kept making the bed for An Ke.
"Hehe, Qing'er, what do you think of Ji Chu today?" An Ke asked cautiously, while also observing Qing'er's expression.
Qing'er said with a calm expression, "That's great. Didn't you win against the Dzungars with fewer troops? You must have fought very bravely. Otherwise, why would the Emperor, such a wise man, appoint you as a third-rank military officer?" Qing'er spoke truthfully.
Seeing that Qing'er didn't seem to be acting strangely when talking about him, An Ke couldn't help but wonder if she was overthinking things. Just as An Ke was having a mental breakdown, she was caught off guard when she heard Qing'er ask her a question.
"What's wrong with you tonight? Ertai kept looking at you, but you didn't even glance at him. Are you angry with him?" Qing'er lay in bed, chatting with An Ke.
"Huh?" An Ke didn't react for a moment, then thought about Qing'er's question and realized that she had indeed neglected him tonight. "No, why would I be angry with him?" An Ke waved her hand, indicating that it was simply nonsense.
"That's good. I thought you two had a fight. But then I thought, didn't he just return to the capital today? Even if he wanted to be angry with you, he wouldn't have time," Qing'er said jokingly.
"Oh, Qing'er, you're actually teasing me. Let me show you my tickling skills." With that, An Ke took the initiative and reached for the ticklish spot on Qing'er's waist.
"Ah, hahaha, okay, haha, I surrender." Qing'er said breathlessly as she was being scratched.
Anke stopped, and the two girls lay peacefully on the bed again, chatting casually. As they talked, they both closed their eyes and drifted off to sleep.
*
outside the capital
The night shrouded the earth in a fog, obscuring the surroundings.
Hidden in the bushes beside the woods were three or four boys dressed in white, who were communicating with each other in Hui language.
"Should we take action now?" someone asked in a rapid-fire manner.
“No, Ali and Zhuo brought a lot of people to escort Hanxiang. If we make a move now, we won’t have a good opportunity.” The white-clad youth who was leading the group said. His face was covered with a black cloth, making him look particularly mysterious.
Their eyes were fixed on the large tent not far away.
Inside the main tent
"Hanxiang, you must understand your father's good intentions." Ali Hezhuo was still earnestly advising his daughter. "Mengdan cannot give you happiness. Our Hui people are currently suffering from hardship, and now we can only rely on you to save us from this disaster."
Hanxiang ignored everything else and focused solely on kneeling on the mat, praying incessantly to her God.
Seeing Hanxiang like this, Ali Khoja felt not only heartache but also anger. He was heartbroken that the daughter he had raised would eventually be married off, even sent to the magnificent palace. He was angry because Hanxiang had eloped with Mengdan time and time again.
How could Ali Hezhuo not see that this young man was not a good match for Hanxiang at all? He was never one to look down on others. Even if he fell on hard times, it wouldn't be a problem for him to regain an official position. But the problem was that he preferred to live off his past achievements rather than seek an official position.
That's exactly why I don't want to marry Hanxiang to him—I dislike that about him. No matter what, she's my daughter, whom I've raised with utmost care and affection. How could I not want her to be happy?
Moreover, no matter how much he opposed it, Meng Dan never tried to win him over; instead, he was determined to persuade Han Xiang to elope with him. This man was cunning and selfish enough that Ali and Zhuo could see their future clearly.
Just then, internal strife broke out within their tribe, and even other smaller tribes began to bully them. With no other option, Ali Khoja's only thought was to submit to the Qing Dynasty.
With the aid of the Qing Dynasty, the crisis facing the Hui people could be greatly resolved. Then, he would no longer have to worry about these things. Unfortunately, Hanxiang didn't understand his good intentions as a father.
Although the intention was to present Hanxiang to the Emperor, she was, after all, a princess, and one presented by the Hui people. As long as she remained peaceful and secure in the palace, her lifelong wealth and honor would be assured. Wasn't that better than wandering the world with Mengdan, begging for a living?
Ali and Zhuo saw that it was getting late and they really couldn't stay in their daughter's tent any longer. They sighed silently, "Hanxiang, you should rest early. We will be arriving in the capital soon. Start arranging and preparing the dance for you as soon as possible."
After saying this, Ali Khoja left the tent without looking back. No sooner had Ali Khoja left than Hanxiang, who had been keeping her eyes closed, opened them, then slowly closed them again, chanting the name of her true god Allah in a fervent voice.
Their conversation was overheard by the secret guards sent by the emperor to monitor and investigate them. After a moment's thought, the guards went to a quiet place without hesitation, summoned a carrier pigeon, wrote down what they had just heard, and sent it to the pigeon.
This action was carried out so discreetly that no one noticed. The guard remained hidden, diligently keeping watch. Of course, he did spot Meng Dan and his group, but only relaxed his guard after confirming they posed no threat.
Besides keeping a close eye on Ali and Zhuo's group, he also kept an eye on Meng Dan's group.
*
In the early morning, the weather gradually turned cold.
Anke's biological clock remained unchanged; she got up early and went to the yard to practice boxing and swordsmanship. Her movements were incredibly fluid, like dragons and snakes, her figure agile and graceful. Every move Anke made while practicing swordsmanship was a delight to behold.
After having breakfast, Anke decided to go and see Ertai, since she had completely ignored him last night.
Seeing this, Qing'er simply covered her mouth with a handkerchief and chuckled softly. This chuckle made An Ke feel a little uncomfortable.
An Ke awkwardly touched the tip of her nose and coughed lightly. "Why don't you come with me? We haven't gone out for a stroll in a long time. I'll take you for a ride. It's settled then." As soon as she finished speaking, An Ke instructed the maid beside her to inform the Empress Dowager.
She pulled Qing'er onto the carriage and abducted her away.
The carriage was filled with the scent of pear blossoms and covered with a fluffy fox fur carpet, making it very warm. Qing'er, who had been woken up early in the morning by Anke, was now feeling drowsy.
Seeing Qing'er's condition, An Ke told her to lie down. She would wake her up when they arrived at their destination. An Ke, on the other hand, sat quietly beside her, reading a military book.
Qing'er relaxed and lay down. As long as An Ke was there, Qing'er felt very at ease.
The carriage swayed and rattled as it headed towards the military camp.
Fu Erkang had originally planned that if Ertai entered the palace today, he would pull Ertai over no matter what and have a good talk with him. He was truly fed up with being in the imperial kitchen.
He wanted to get rid of this place, but now, when he went to his father, his father said he couldn't help him. He went to his mother, but she couldn't do anything either.
Completely at a loss, he had no choice but to turn to his younger brother, whom he had previously looked down upon. After all, his brother was now a favorite of the emperor and a meritorious official of the Qing Dynasty. If he simply asked, the emperor would most likely respond.
Although he was very reluctant to admit it, Fu Erkang was now willing to acknowledge that Ertai was his good younger brother, and he would surely help him through this difficult time.
He helped him this time, and he would help him again next time. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, and there was no reason why Ertai wouldn't understand. However, Fu'erkang waited and waited, but Ertai never came to the palace.
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