Another elder chimed in, "Yes, Your Highness, the court is empty. The entire Wei Dynasty is eager for you to return to Kyoto early, announce your ascension to the throne, and become emperor! Please set off as soon as possible!"
The Sixth Prince waved his hand and refused to agree.
"It's not that Your Highness wants the two ministers to delay here, but there are truly priorities. The Rakshasa devils outside the border are cunning and vicious. If we can't defeat them once and for all, they will surely become a major threat to our Great Wei! Not to mention their attacks on the border, their annual harassment of the border alone results in thousands of mountain folk and hunters being burned, killed, and looted. The people inside the border are even more terrified, and the border troops have to patrol and guard constantly, which consumes a huge amount of financial and material resources.
"Now that the war is almost over, and the grasslands have also sent troops to join forces, this is truly a rare opportunity. We must completely eliminate the Luosha devils, or at least ensure that they dare not approach the Wei Dynasty again within the next ten years.
Otherwise, even if I ascend the throne, I will still be concerned about the border. A peaceful border and a safe life for the people of the north are also my gift to my ancestors. Please rest assured that they will hand over the country to me!
These words can be said to be reasonable. The war outside the border is indeed the key point. The two elders looked at each other, feeling helpless.
This was not the first time he had made such a plea, but it obviously failed again.
As court officials, they naturally hoped that the new emperor would return to Kyoto as soon as possible, but as the new emperor had been fighting on the border for so long, he naturally also hoped to see his battle through to the end and drive the enemy thousands of miles away.
At this time, the general stepped forward and acted as a peacemaker.
"Please take a seat, elders. We can discuss this slowly." He poured tea for everyone and continued, "Your Highness grew up in the north and knows the importance of the border very well. He cannot help but want to see the border peaceful with his own eyes before he can feel at ease. But the elders are also concerned for the country and the people, and their loyalty is commendable..."
"How about this? Let me offer a suggestion. Why don't we wait another month? After that month, regardless of whether the Luosha devils are completely annihilated or not, Your Highness will accompany the elders to the capital, and I, a foolish general, will continue to lead the troops in the battle. What do you think?"
The two elders were immediately happy, their faces wrinkled a few more, and they responded one after another.
"Good, good, General, this is a good suggestion. The General has been guarding the border for many years, so he will naturally ensure peace at the border."
"Yes, yes. If you need money or food, the general will just send a message to Kyoto, and the six ministries will certainly help."
The Sixth Prince frowned, looking somewhat dissatisfied, but seeing the two old ministers looking at him eagerly, he compromised.
"Okay, I'll follow the general's orders and give him a month."
The two old ministers felt relieved, finally able to report to the capital. They weren't afraid of waiting; they were afraid of waiting endlessly. Every time someone from the capital came to press for more information, they felt a little embarrassed.
After all, they had worked so hard to get this job, but they didn't expect it to be so difficult to complete.
Fortunately, fortunately, we finally see the light today!
Thinking of this, they looked at the general with gratitude, and suddenly felt guilty about withholding money and food from the border guards in the past...
After a few more casual words, the elders tactfully withdrew, leaving the general and the sixth prince to discuss "military intelligence".
The general was amused and whispered, "When these two ministers first arrived, their chins were so high that they were almost lifted to the sky. Now their backs are completely bent. If they had recognized the situation earlier, they would have suffered less."
The Sixth Prince snorted coldly, a hint of contempt flashing in his eyes. "The late emperor was incompetent, and the government was almost completely controlled by them. It's natural for them to be proud. I'm afraid they are still planning to use me as a puppet in the future! It's simply wishful thinking!"
"Give them some time to cool down their tempers. When I return to Kyoto, they'll be able to talk to me. This will save them from scheming all day. Instead of thinking about this, they should focus on how to make life better for the people."
It was truly disrespectful for a son to call his father incompetent. However, the general seemed not to notice and replied, "Those people in the court have been the same for years. Their wealth and glory are more important than the lives of the people! I'm sure Your Highness will have a lot of headaches when he returns. It's a pity that I can't help you."
"Your Highness, don't forget your promise to me. In three years, I will be resigning. Your Highness must find someone to take over. I want to go and see the world with my old wife and enjoy my retirement."
The Sixth Prince had heard him say this more than once and couldn't help but laugh. "I remember that. I promised you, and I will definitely keep my promise. However, Yong'an is still too young. After you step down, He Xiong will have to hold on for a few more years before he can hand it over to Yong'an."
"Okay, no problem. He Xiong is still young, and it is most appropriate for him to assist Yong'an." The general agreed without any intention of asking He Xiong's opinion.
In the logistics tent, He Xiong sneezed loudly, then rubbed his hands and continued to warm himself by the fire. He smiled and said to Old Man Tai, "Uncle, it's really cold today. Fortunately, the military rations have been transported back, otherwise we would have suffered on the road."
Grandpa Tai had just brought his men to deliver the last batch of food, having endured some hardships on the way, braving the wind and snow. Yonglu was applying ointment to Grandpa's frostbitten hands, while Yongyue was making him hot tea with ginger slices.
Old Man Tai chuckled and replied, "The coldest time is before the New Year. It will get better in the first month of the lunar year. It will get warmer and warmer. In April, we can plant corn!"
He Xiong's heart was also burning with excitement when he thought of the vast corn fields. "Then I won't have to worry about going hungry anymore!"
Tai Yongyue interrupted and said, "By then, will my sister and aunt be able to come back? And my brother won't have to go out to fight anymore?"
"Of course!" He Xiong lowered his voice and laughed at the silly boy. "By then, your cousin will be the emperor! Who will dare to bully your family? The border will be even quieter, and your eldest brother will probably be complaining about being bored every day!"
Tai Yonglu and Tai Yongyue both laughed, but Old Man Tai looked very calm, "Nothing else matters, as long as the family is together and lives a good life in peace."
He Xiong admired the old man most for this. If it were another family, they would be so proud of themselves, but the Tai family just did what they had to do without any arrogance or pride.
Even the two elders who happened to see the Sixth Prince talking to the old man yesterday, asked curiously, and were surprised to find out the identity of the Tai family!
The Sixth Prince's mother died young, and his maternal grandfather's family was also gone. It can be said that the Tai family was the only relative left. The Tai family could have enjoyed the prosperity and wealth, but they chose to send the whole family, no, the whole clan, to help transport military supplies and kill the Rakshasa devils!
From now on, anyone who wants to say something sarcastic will probably fail!
At this time, Tai Yongan rushed in from outside with a cold breath, pulling a rabbit in his hand and swinging it, "Grandpa, look, I caught a rabbit on the way back! Let's roast it and eat it!"
The Sixth Prince followed in and said with a smile, "I heard that you killed over fifty more Rakshasa devils this time? You're not showing off, but you actually treat rabbits like treasures!"
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