"Huh?" Lu Lu and Wei You were both stunned.
Yuan Xiu laughed smugly and said, "I've always been worried that Zhou Chuan and his sister would run away, but if Zhou Nuo becomes Empress, they will be members of my Yuan family. Zhou Chuan is a sword genius and has the potential to become a Grandmaster in the future. As for Zhou Nuo, he can help me build Da Jing into a nation strong in archery!"
"Why didn't I think of that before? Hahaha..."
Wei You knelt on the ground and said, "But Zhou Nuo... she and the prince consort..."
"I've already given my elder sister to Zhao Cheng, can't he even bear to part with a woman?"
Yuan Xiu looked up and saw that Dian Chen had led Zhou Nuo in. He said, "Don't kneel, stand up and speak!"
Wei You quickly got up.
Zhou Nuo walked up to Yuan Xiu, knelt down, and said, suppressing his anger, "Your Majesty, my brother and I have a deep bond. Please do not send my brother to the Western Regions. I beg Your Majesty to rescind your order!"
"Nonsense!" Yuan Zheng said seriously, "A monarch's word is law. Once an imperial edict is issued, how can it be changed at will? Zhou Chuan has already accepted the edict. You are putting him in an unjust position."
Zhou Nuo asked, "How long will it take to travel to the hundred kingdoms of the Western Regions?"
Yuan Xiu said, "That depends on him. He can be fast or slow."
Zhou Nuo shook his head and said, "I've heard that the small countries in the Western Regions are constantly at war, and the area is in complete chaos. The countries that border Da Jing, such as Teluntu, Jinran, and Dayue, are outwardly respectful to Da Jing, but in reality, they are eyeing Da Jing covetously. Your Majesty, my brother's journey is fraught with danger!"
"They dare?!" Yuan Xiu clenched his fist and said, "If anything happens to my beloved minister in the Western Regions, I will personally lead my elite troops to raze the entire Western Regions to the ground!"
"His Majesty……"
"Alright." Yuan Xiu put on a smile and said, "Zhou Chuan is my beloved minister. I am actually reluctant to send him on a mission to the Western Regions. But at present, no one in the court is more suitable than him. Zhou Nuo, you should also consider your brother's career. If he succeeds on this mission, he will return as an important minister of our Great Jing Dynasty!"
Zhou Nuo bit his lip and said, "Your Majesty, is it really impossible to retract this order?"
Yuan Xiu sighed, sat down on a bench in the corridor, raised his arm and waved his hand, signaling the others to leave.
After Lü Lu, Wei You, and Dian Chen retreated outside the corridor, Yuan Xiu patted the bench next to him and said, "Sit down and let's talk."
Seeing that Zhou Nuo did not sit down for a long time, Yuan Xiu pulled her to sit down next to him and smiled, "Now that there is no one else, I can speak frankly with you. Although a king's word is law, I have special feelings for you and your brother. If you really do not want Zhou Chuan to go on a mission to the Western Regions, then you must promise me one thing."
Zhou Nuo's face lit up with joy, and he said, "Your Majesty, please speak! As long as my brother is spared suffering in the Western Regions, I'm willing to do anything!"
Yuan Xiu nodded and said, "Recently, some ministers told me that since the founding of the Great Jing Dynasty, no emperor has ever reigned for eleven years without establishing an empress. Look at what they said, it's extremely sarcastic and utterly despicable!"
"But what can I do? I haven't found someone I like, so am I just going to appoint someone randomly?"
"The Empress is not only the head of the harem, but also the mother of the nation. How can she be treated so lightly?"
"So I've made up my mind." With that, Yuan Xiu gently patted Zhou Nuo's back a few times and said, "Zhou Nuo, I want you to be my empress!"
"In that case, as the Empress's own brother, he certainly cannot go to such a far place as the Western Regions on such a grand occasion as his wedding."
Zhou Nuo stood up as if he had been electrocuted, distancing himself from Yuan Xiu like a startled rabbit.
Yuan Xiu asked suspiciously, "What's wrong? Are you too happy?"
Zhou Nuo immediately knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, this is not allowed!"
Yuan Xiu's face darkened, and he said, "Didn't you just say you were willing to do anything?"
"This is the only thing I cannot do!" Zhou Nuo kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty just said that the Empress is the head of the harem and the mother of the nation. Zhou Nuo is of humble origin and a rough man; I have absolutely no such improper thoughts, and am utterly unworthy of such honor!"
"If I say you are worthy, then you are worthy!"
"Zhou Nuo has been free and unrestrained since childhood, and only loves the martial world, not this forbidden palace. He stayed in the palace as an instructor because... because His Majesty is wise and powerful, and he wanted to assist His Majesty for a while."
"What if I insist on doing so?"
"That would drive both my brother and me to a dead end!"
"Zhou Nuo!" Yuan Xiu pointed at Zhou Nuo and shouted, "How dare you!!"
Zhou Nuo stood up, looked directly into Yuan Xiu's eyes, and said, "I, Zhou Nuo, have never understood what etiquette is! Your Majesty may kill or punish me as you please! But after Your Majesty has said these words, I have no face to stay here any longer. Zhou Nuo takes his leave!"
After speaking, Zhou Nuo turned and left without saying another word or lingering for a moment.
"you……"
Yuan Xiu was so angry that he couldn't speak and paced back and forth in the corridor.
Lü Lu, Wei You, and Dian Chen rushed over.
"Bastard! Bastard!!"
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"
Yuan Xiu put one hand on his hip and pointed at Lü Lu with the other, saying, "Have your little servant investigate which ministers went to Mu Shanyue's house last night!"
"Your Majesty, what's wrong...?"
"I want to kill people! I want to kill people! Dianchen, arrest all these people for me!!"
Arrest him!!!
...
Zhou Chuan's residence.
When Zhou Nuo arrived, Zhou Chuan was sweeping the yard. Zhou Nuo glanced into the room and saw that the luggage and bags had been packed.
"Brother, are you really going?"
Zhou Chuan smiled slightly at his sister and said, "Of course we have to go, otherwise it would be disobeying the imperial decree."
Zhou Nuo grabbed Zhou Chuan's hand and said, "Let's go! Let's leave this palace!"
Zhou Chuan said, "Isn't that also defying an imperial decree?"
"So be it, I'll defy the imperial decree!" Zhou Nuo said sternly. "When has my brother ever been afraid of anything? At worst, I'll be wanted by the court, but I'm not afraid!"
Zhou Chuan shook his head and said, "It's not that I'm afraid of trouble, it's just that we can't cause trouble for the Right Prime Minister and the Young Prime Minister."
Seeing Zhou Nuo frowning, looking puzzled, Zhou Chuan continued, "I know why the emperor sent me to the Western Regions."
"The Emperor already knows about what happened at Mujing Bay that night. My brother and I made too much of a fuss this time. Given His Majesty's temper, he wouldn't be himself if he didn't do something. Tell me, if he doesn't send me on a mission to the Western Regions to distance me from the Right Chancellor's office, then he is very likely to kill me."
Which of these two outcomes would you choose?
Zhou Nuo questioned, "Do we really have to make a choice? Just leave!"
Zhou Chuan remained calm and said nonchalantly, "The Emperor knows about our relationship with the Right Chancellor's office. If I disobey the imperial decree now, I will be putting the Right Chancellor in an unjust position."
“When I came to Changsui, I talked with the Right Chancellor. At that time, I asked him what I should do if the emperor wanted me to serve the court. The Right Chancellor only told me three words: ‘Follow your heart’.”
"After the military examination, we all chose to stay, so we must take responsibility for that choice."
Zhou Chuan faced east, clasped his hands in a respectful gesture, and said solemnly, "Sister, we have not yet been able to repay the Right Chancellor's kindness in this lifetime, how can we give up halfway?"
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