Chapter 141 Chapter 141 This time they fled together, and...
Chapter 141
Jing Zhuoran indeed became famous in one battle.
His martial arts skills were not very high, and his body was not very strong, but he was quite intelligent and his courage was greater than others imagined.
A small group of Dayan soldiers under his command successfully surrounded the leader of the northern barbarians and forced him to surrender.
Xie Junxing and Lin Zhihua had experience in suppressing rebellions in Yuzhou, so they worked together very well.
They made another contribution.
Zhou Heng did not let his youngest son go to the war. The Cheng family incident had not yet been resolved, so it would be better for Zhou Mingyan to stay with Princess Liyang and her husband to protect them.
Prince Rui took the initiative to lead his men to round up some northern barbarians, finally living up to the "Wu" in his name and being able to give an explanation to his father.
——No matter what happens in the capital, he can still leave a good impression on his father.
As for the Sixth Prince and other princesses and their husbands, most of them were under the protection of Duke Lin.
Of course, Emperor Longshun, Concubine Lan, and some of the children of aristocratic families who were trusted by Emperor Longshun were also under the protection of Duke Lin, waiting for the end of the battle with peace of mind.
The assassination lasted only a quarter of an hour before it was averted.
There are quite a few northern barbarians captured in Dayan.
The interrogation was handed over to Xie Junnuo.
He was a close minister to the emperor and his stance was more neutral than that of Duke Lin and General Zhenbei.
Except for those who committed suicide and those who were stubborn and would rather die than surrender, most people insisted that they were following the orders of the prince.
Xie Junnuo frowned. Such blatant accusation seemed more like a frame-up.
Although the prince may really have the intention of aspiring to a high position, if he really colludes with the northern barbarians to harm Your Majesty and his brothers, that would be the worst move.
You don't have to take such a risk, do you?
He is already the crown prince, second only to the emperor. If he just waits a little longer, he will get what he wants.
Why dig your own grave?
When Xie Junnuo presented the confessions of the Northern Barbarians, he also expressed his doubts.
Emperor Longshun was well aware of the prince's change of mind - after all, he had risen step by step from the status of a prince to the high position of emperor - the closer he was to that position, the more he feared he would not get it, the more he would lose his mind and make mistakes.
He threw the memorial on the table and snorted, "He might not dare, but his bedmates, his advisers, his supporters, all of them will push him! He's not innocent!"
Xie Junnuo lowered his head and said nothing more.
In this case, it doesn't matter what he says.
What’s important is the emperor’s thoughts.
Emperor Longshun pondered for a long time before making up his mind and ordered, "Pass on my order. Ask Zhou Bokai to lead the soldiers from the Southern Camp to the hunting ground to welcome you."
This was his last chance to the prince.
Xie Junnuo looked solemn: "Yes."
The news was passed back to the capital and given to the prince through Ye Changning.
——Avoided the prince’s advisers and followers.
I have to praise Xie Junnuo for being thoughtful.
Ye Changning had already gathered a considerable amount of evidence—this was Concubine Lan's backup plan. She had preserved witnesses and evidence, and the reason she was only now facilitating the discovery was because Jing Yue was now capable of self-preservation, had found a suitable ally in the "young master," and had the support of the Lin family. She no longer had to worry about being silently assassinated like the Wei and Qin families, who dared not speak out. It was a matter of time and circumstances.
Now is the best time.
It can not only avenge the Wei and Qin families, but also make His Majesty pity Yue'er more, and it can also confirm the evidence of the Prince's party's guilt - Cheng Lunian is the prince's brother-in-law. Even if the prince can successfully get himself out, he cannot escape His Majesty's suspicion.
Concubine Lan served Emperor Longshun for more than ten years and was always favored by the emperor because she knew him very well.
How can an emperor not be suspicious?
Ye Changning placed all the evidence in front of the prince.
The prince looked through it solemnly, and then remained silent for a long time.
"Cousin, this is the latest decree from His Majesty—" Ye Changning presented the secret decree to Jing Zhuowen.
After Jing Zhuowen finished reading, he raised his eyes and stared at Ye Changning: "Why is it for you and not for me?"
Ye Changning: "Three days ago, another group of northern barbarians attacked Your Majesty."
Jing Zhuowen's expression changed.
Ye Changning continued, "The captives said they were following the Crown Prince's orders."
Jing Zhuowen held his breath.
"There's a good chance...there might be some northern barbarians among you. Do you want me to help you check?"
"...Thank you." Jing Zhuowen suddenly came to his senses. He still had some sense. Collaborating with a foreign enemy and committing treason was a far more serious crime than deliberately seeking a high position. Since his father had ordered Zhou Bokai to lead the army to welcome him, it must be his last chance. He couldn't afford to be foolish again.
Ye Changning turned to leave, but Jing Zhuowen held him back, his expression changing from stern to nervous and worried: "Changning, this time it all depends on you!"
Ye Changning changed his address: "Don't worry, cousin." He wanted to mention bringing his mother and sister home, but he was afraid that this would remind Jing Zhuowen, so he swallowed it back.
Jing Zhuowen took the initiative to say: "Let's pick up my aunt and Mo'er and take them home later."
"……good."
After Jing Zhuowen 'showed his favor', he took the initiative to discuss with Ye Changning how to end the situation: "Father must be very angry with me, Changning, will you help me plead for mercy?"
Ye Changning chose his words carefully: "My cousin was simply deceived. It's not too late as long as he corrects his mistakes in time."
Jing Zhuowen: "Will the Emperor abolish me?"
Ye Changning didn't know how to respond, so he tried his best to offer advice. They were relatives after all, and the Queen had been very kind to him in the past. "It probably won't happen. Submit a memorial to His Majesty as soon as possible about everything that happened in the capital... or... go to greet him in person."
At this point, Ye Changning had a plan, and his voice became firm. "Yes, if you go to greet the emperor in person, His Majesty will surely soften his heart. Then, you can temporarily distance yourself from the Cheng family. His Majesty will clearly distinguish between rewards and punishments, and he won't vent his anger on you because of Cheng Lunian's matter."
Jing Zhuowen was a little unsure whether this method would work: "Really?"
"Really. Don't tell the Queen, and don't tell the Crown Princess. It's your own decision." Ye Changning warned.
Jing Zhuowen looked at him seriously for a moment and nodded: "Okay, I'll listen to you."
When Ye Changning was about to leave, he discovered Liao Ronghua eavesdropping outside the study.
He turned his head to look, and Liao Ronghua shrank back guiltily, not daring to look him in the eye.
Ye Changning was conflicted. He took a few steps, then suddenly turned around and quickly rushed to where Liao Ronghua was hiding. He pinned him down and captured him.
——Coming to the East Palace to see the prince today was an emergency, so Liao Ronghua naturally would not prepare anything in advance. If he were to check on him at this time, he would definitely find something.
Liao Ronghua shouted for help, but as soon as he opened his mouth, Ye Changning hit him.
He struggled in vain. Although he had martial arts skills, he was only a counselor after all. How could he compare to Ye Changning's martial arts skills?
Jing Zhuowen was stunned when he saw Ye Changning coming back and bringing Liao Ronghua in with him: "Changning... what are you doing..."
"He's been sneaking around outside and eavesdropping on our conversation," Ye Changning said. "He's also skilled in martial arts. He's a Northern Barbarian. May I ask, Your Highness, how do you know him?"
In a flash, Jing Zhuowen thought of many of the suggestions Liao Ronghua had given him before.
Some of his schemes did help him a lot, but some of them made him suspected by his father and suppressed by his other brothers. Moreover, recently... Liao Ronghua's schemes seemed to be encouraging him to seize the throne, but in fact they were pushing him into the fire pit!
"He is a northern barbarian?! Changning, you must help me find out! I was bewitched by him!" Jing Zhuowen immediately distanced himself from the matter.
Liao Ronghua stared at Jing Zhuowen with a cold gaze, then suddenly smiled. He accepted his fate by being targeted by Ye Changning. But he also believed that he must have planted a fuse among the Emperor of Dayan, the Crown Prince, and the other princes.
As long as the time is right, their relationship will explode like gunpowder and fall apart!
Seeing him smile, Jing Zhuowen was furious. He grabbed his sword from the wall and was about to strike him down, but was stopped by Ye Changning.
"Calm down, Your Highness. Killing him will not be good for you." Ye Changning's voice was like a magic needle that stabilized Jing Zhuowen's heart.
But he couldn't be completely at ease: "What if he's talking nonsense..."
Ye Changning: "Don't worry, cousin, I will verify it from various sources."
Jing Zhuowen took a deep breath and let Liao Ronghua go for the time being.
But he really didn't like the way Liao Ronghua looked at him.
We have to find a way to get the secret guards to blind or poison Liao Ronghua to make him mute, so that he won't talk nonsense.
Jing Zhuowen had an idea and said, "Let's hand him over to the guards first. We'll go to the Queen Mother to pick up my aunt and sister."
He and the Ye family share the same honor and disgrace. As long as the relationship does not become too strained, he believes that Ye Changning will still stand by him and save his life.
The Queen disagreed with Ye Changning taking them away. After hearing their purpose, she sighed with regret, "I'd like to stay with my sister-in-law and niece for a few more days. The nights are long in the palace, and His Majesty is away. I don't even have anyone to talk to in confidence. How about this? After His Majesty returns to court, Changning will come and take them home, okay?"
Jing Zhuowen wanted to say something to help, but the Queen secretly glared at him, and he shut up again. He then tried to smooth things over between the two of them: "Yes, Changning, it would be a good idea to let your aunt and Mo'er spend more time with the Queen Mother."
"Then Your Highness, will you accompany Lord Zhou out of the city to welcome the emperor?" Ye Changning asked directly.
The Queen tried to stop him, saying, "The Crown Prince is staying in the capital, how can he leave the city at will? Let Zhou Bokai lead the troops to meet him."
Jing Zhuowen: "Mother..."
The Queen suddenly stood up and said, "I'll go and greet you. Is that all right?"
Jing Zhuowen was stunned.
Ye Changning glanced at the Queen for a moment longer. The Queen looked straight at him, and he smiled back, "Aunt, you are wise."
It is indeed better for the Queen to welcome His Majesty in person than for the Crown Prince to do so.
The prince is in charge of the capital, so his foundation is stable. No matter what happens outside, he can switch between offense and defense at will.
The queen was really worried about the prince.
The Queen was not afraid at all: "When do we leave?"
Ye Changning: "We can set off immediately."
Jing Zhuowen hesitated: "Mother..."
The Queen patted his hand and said, "Do your work well in the capital. No matter what happens, I am here with you."
Ye Changning knew that he could not take his mother and sister with him, but he was not too worried.
He asked the prince to order Zhou Bokai to prepare to go out of the city to welcome the emperor.
The queen changed her clothes and arrived at the palace gate with two maids, two palace maids and seven or eight eunuchs.
When Zhou Bokai knew that the queen would also be accompanying him, his heart tightened. This was truly an unexpected trip.
"Then the safety of the capital..."
"Masters Zhou Er and Zhou San are here, aren't you worried, Brother Zhou?"
"Don't worry, don't worry!" Zhou Bokai was immediately happy when he heard that his second and third brothers could resume their jobs.
But... my mother, mother-in-law, and wife are still in the palace...
He didn't dare mention it, but fortunately Yan Chongshan sent him messages every day, saying that his three wives were all well.
Zhou Bokai thought that if His Majesty was welcomed back, everything would be back on track!
By then, my father and father-in-law will also return to the capital, and the hidden northern barbarians will definitely not be able to cause any more trouble!
Zhou Bokai guessed correctly. Liao Ronghua was detained, the northern barbarians in the hunting ground were captured, and the remaining northern barbarians remained inactive. Some of them even secretly left the capital and prepared to return to their own territory in the north to lie dormant again.
Anyway, they have already disrupted the Dayan royal family and court.
Then we just waited.
Wait until Dayan becomes chaotic from within.
On the only way back to my hometown in the north, a group of cavalry suddenly appeared. The leader was a heroic woman!
The northern barbarians had all heard of General Gu's name, but this woman was younger than General Gu and could almost be his daughter.
They quickly guessed that this person was the second daughter of Duke Lin’s Mansion, Lin Zhiqi!
Lin Zhiqi had predicted the northern barbarians' escape route in advance and had already ambushed their troops nearby.
After this battle, she became completely famous!
Jing Zhuoyue was worried about her and wanted to fight alongside her, but was rejected by Lin Zhiqi, who told him to protect Princess Jing.
Jing Zhuorui knew his own limitations, so he just focused on protecting Ji Wushuang and didn't mention helping with the ambush.
He is a skilled martial artist, but on the battlefield swords are merciless and he may not be able to escape unscathed.
Besides, Lin Zhiqi needs this battle to clear her name - women are just as good as men!
Why should he join in the fun?
He and Zhuo Yue are both princes with titles. Is it really good for him to be labeled as "brave and warlike"?
You should give way to others when it is time to do so.
He looked at the worried Jing Zhuoyue and whispered his ideas to him in a low voice.
Jing Zhuoyue suddenly understood.
"Third brother is indeed thoughtful. I have learned a lot from you!"
"You're welcome, Fourth Brother."
This time they fled together and accumulated a lot of brotherhood.
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