"Since Zhao Mingyue doesn't want to serve as an official in the court, how can Long'er let him go to Anyang Prefecture to lead the navy?" Emperor Taikang said.
“I have a good relationship with Zhang Xiantao. If I talk to her nicely, she will definitely agree.” Xingxing was very confident in her relationship with Zhang Xiantao.
The emperor had met Zhao Mingyue. Although she was only twenty years old, she was calm and composed, neither arrogant nor impatient. After three years of exposure to the wind and sun in the northern border, her skin was two shades lighter than others. She had a resolute gaze and a commanding presence, making her capable of shouldering heavy responsibilities.
However, having never been involved in naval warfare before, if Zhao Mingyue were directly appointed as the commander-in-chief to fight the Japanese pirates, the old men in the court would probably start yelling and screaming again.
This matter must be handled with caution and must not be revealed; it must be carried out in secret.
After leaving Kunning Palace, Xingxing went to Jinyue Palace to test Consort Duan, hoping to find out some information about Prince Cheng from her. However, Consort Duan seemed to know nothing and was even somewhat bewildered by the eldest princess's probing.
After sitting in Jinyue Palace for a quarter of an hour without finding out anything, Xingxing did not linger any longer and hurriedly left.
"What's gotten into the eldest princess today? She suddenly came here for tea and asked all sorts of questions. My son made great contributions last year, but he didn't do anything wrong. Does she want to find some dirt on me?" Consort Duan squinted and indulged in her own conspiracy theory.
Ten days later, Zhao Mingyue was appointed as the commander-in-chief and immediately led an army of 20,000 to Anyang Prefecture to fight against the Japanese pirates. Emperor Taikang kept the matter of Prince Cheng's collusion with the Japanese pirates a secret, and no one in the court knew about it to this day.
Although 20,000 troops is not a large number, it is not insignificant either. It is not easy to keep 20,000 troops leaving the capital a secret. However, Emperor Taikang did not admit that he sent someone to Anyang Prefecture to investigate Prince Cheng. He only said that Zhao Mingyue led troops to suppress bandits at the border between the north and south.
In previous years, the disasters were severe, and there were indeed many bandits and outlaws in various places. They were quite rampant. The emperor was not in good health before, and he was unable to handle many affairs of state. Now that the external threat has been eliminated, he has finally decided to deal with the internal threat.
This was the ministers' guess. In short, with only 20,000 troops, no one could have guessed that such a small force was going to fight the Japanese pirates; they just felt that fighting bandits would be more reasonable.
Of course, not many officials knew that Zhao Mingyue had taken 20,000 troops with her; only those powerful and influential ministers knew.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
