Chapter 126 Taking the Bait [Bonus Chapter]
After seeing his father off, Zhi Junyuan was exhausted, but he still went to find Guan Zhiwei.
He took out the military tally, which was still owned by Gao Yang back then. It was made of iron, with the word "soldier" written on the front and the shape of a tiger on the back.
“My father gave it to me, saying it was so that His Majesty could rest and recuperate in peace.”
Guan Zhiwei reached out and grasped the military tally, rubbing it in her hand. "I know you and your father have a deep bond. It's not easy for you to ask him for the military tally for me."
Zhi Junyuan was surprised by her thoughtfulness and choked up for a moment: "Your Majesty, you understand everything, you understand me the most."
Guan Zhi smiled and said, "My virtuous husband has helped me achieve my lofty ambitions, and I will repay him with ten thousand taels of gold."
Knowing you are far away, I burst into laughter through my tears, so happy that snot bubbled from my nose. Your Majesty praised me for being virtuous.
After praising the man, Guan Zhiwei got down to business, “I’m afraid I can’t mobilize those arrogant and fierce soldiers with just a military tally. You go personally to convey my decree, divide the soldiers into groups, and have them lay down their arms and go to the fields. I will have Jie Qianchou cooperate with you. The key personnel will then be brought back to the capital.”
Knowing that the Emperor was indeed wary of his father for a long time, I realized that it was fortunate that I was about to step down, which would put the Emperor at ease.
"I want to be with Your Majesty during childbirth, and then go after it's over."
"But I'm afraid things might get complicated if I wait too long. I can't even sleep right now. The thought of more than 100,000 people, if a real fight breaks out, will surely cause widespread suffering. I just can't bear it."
Seeing her worried face from afar, Zhijun felt a surge of protectiveness and immediately said, "Then I'll go now and try to come back quickly, before you give birth."
Guan Zhiwei looked at his serious expression, her focused gaze seeming to bloom like a flower on his face.
He was a little embarrassed. They weren't an old married couple yet, and his skin was still quite thin, a faint blush like he'd applied rouge.
Guan Zhiwei suddenly smiled, reached out and touched his cheek, and said, "I'll have Wei Fuzhi take 50,000 men with you. If anything happens, you must protect yourself."
Zhi Junyuan took her hand and gently rubbed it. Wow, it smells so good.
"Your Majesty, rest assured, I will definitely protect myself, even if it's just for Your Majesty and the child."
He wanted to reach out and touch Guan Zhiwei's belly.
Guan Zhiwei stopped him, "The imperial physician said that no one should touch the belly, the baby is too fragile."
He then lay down beside her belly and whispered, "Be good and wait for me to come back. Don't bother His Majesty. If you behave, I'll take you riding a big horse when I get back. I grew up on horseback, so your riding skills will definitely be excellent."
The only thing inside the clothes was the orange that Guan Zhiwei had just eaten that day.
She thought, if Zhifang doesn't take the bait, then there's another one.
In order to control those aristocratic families, Zhi Fang took away a group of their young masters, including Jiang Shuzheng.
Coincidentally, Jiang Shuzheng's wife, Guan Liuliu, is now working for Guan Zhiwei.
Since we can't get the truth from our own son, let's ask outsiders.
Jiang Shuzheng's letter to his family became the Guan family's letter and ended up in Guan Liuliu's hands.
Guan Liuliu used the excuse of leaving the palace to buy things for His Majesty, parked her carriage near the prefect's residence, and then knocked on the door from the back.
Like a fish that has taken the bait, it immediately comes running at the first whiff of the scent.
As for who is the hook and who is the fish, that's hard to say.
"What does this king of a different surname mean?"
Guan Liuliu asked directly, her expression indifferent, seemingly unconcerned, as if she had only come to interrogate her.
Zhi Fang said slowly, "I just want to know how my unborn grandson is doing right now."
Guan Liuliu remained unfazed: "His Majesty is strong and healthy, so the young prince is naturally safe and sound. There is no need for the prince of a different surname to worry about him."
Zhi Fang wasn't angry at her aloof attitude; he simply smiled and gave his subordinate a meaningful look.
The subordinate immediately went out, and a moment later returned with a finger, which he threw on the ground.
There were screams coming from outside.
"Ah!" Guan Liuliu's face turned pale, and she rushed over, wanting to pick up the finger and examine it carefully.
Knowing that the enemy was about to strike decisively, he stepped forward and placed his fingers under his feet.
He said in a deep voice, "Madam, you should think carefully before answering me, or next time it won't just be your finger that gets cut off."
Guan Liuliu gritted her teeth and looked up at him: "You dare! He's from the Jiang family..."
Guan Liuliu burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably: "What exactly do you want to ask?"
"How is His Majesty's health?"
"..."
Guan Liuliu hesitated.
Zhi Fang decided to help her make up her mind, and said to his men, "Go and cut off Jiang Shuzheng's head."
"Ahhh—"
A series of screams came from outside.
"No, no! I'll tell you! Ever since Your Majesty became pregnant, your health has been poor, and you've had severe morning sickness. The imperial physicians say that Your Majesty's body is too strong and is rejecting foreign substances. They advised Your Majesty to abort this child, saying that perhaps the next one will be better. But Your Majesty can't bear to, and is just gritting your teeth and enduring it, trying to hold on until the day of delivery!"
"No wonder my son was so eager to get the military tally from me. He's afraid that if she passes away, no one will be able to control me." Zhi Fang began to speculate.
Guan Liuliu categorically denied it: "The Empress is not like that. The Empress saw that His Majesty was uncomfortable and thought that he was worried and therefore could not have a healthy pregnancy. She wanted to help His Majesty relieve his worries."
"You young people's thoughts are not important at all; what's important is that he's gone."
Zhi Fang wanted to lower Guan Zhiwei's guard, and also wanted to send his son away, while also sending away one of Guan Zhiwei's generals, 50,000 soldiers.
"Madam, whether Jiang Shuzheng lives or dies depends on you."
"You, a king of a different surname, are already the emperor's father-in-law. What more could you possibly want!"
Zhi Fang sneered, "Is it only permissible for the emperor to covet my 100,000 troops, but not for me to covet her throne? She also seized her throne from others, so why can't I take it from her?"
Guan Liuliu said anxiously, "But His Majesty has not mistreated you. She has treated you and your son very well. How will you explain this to the Empress in the future?"
Zhi Fang scoffed, "I'm willing to treat her as my daughter-in-law, and I won't mistreat her. When she gives birth, send someone to tell me immediately. If you're late, Jiang Shuzheng will lose his head!"
Guan Liuliu bit her lower lip so hard that it bled. She stood up without a word and staggered out.
The subordinate asked, "General, will she obey?"
Zhi Fang was very confident: "Jiang Shu is in my hands. He wouldn't dare to disobey. There are only a few Guan Zhiweis in this world."
Jiang Shu was in his hands, so he figured she wouldn't dare lie.
With such an inside contact, things became much easier from then on.
He would seize power the moment Guan Zhiwei gave birth.
No matter how strong Guan Zhiwei is, the child still came out of her body.
She was to be torn in two, and the pain was unbearable. Her greatest reliance was her unparalleled martial prowess, and the intense pain would render her ability to resist futile.
The child from the Zhi family will ultimately only help his grandfather.
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