Chapter 264 The Master Has Ordered
Gu Huan finished discussing everything with everyone and was about to go back to her room when she heard Dong Hua's voice outside.
"Captain of the Guard, why are you here?"
The captain of the guard is Chi Yan.
He came back in person, so it must be something big.
Gu Huan hurriedly called out, "Come in quickly."
Chi Yan was covered in dust, his face was gray, his eye sockets were sunken and he had a pair of dark circles under his eyes.
Gu Huan was surprised: "Did you rush back after not sleeping for several days?"
Chi Yan: "Ten days."
His voice was hoarse and his lips were chapped.
It normally took him ten days to run a journey that would normally take a month. It must have been something very urgent and confidential.
Gu Huan quickly asked him to sit down, then turned to Dong Hua and told her, "Hurry up and go to the kitchen and ask them to make a bowl of noodles that is easy to digest. Use minced pork, chicken, or fish, but don't use large pieces of meat. Cut the vegetables into shreds and put an egg in it."
"Hey." Donghua ran away.
Zhou Zhilan poured him a cup of hot tea.
Chi Yan was really tired, so he sat down obediently, took the tea and drank it in one gulp.
“Do they need to avoid it?”
Min Dongsheng and the others were about to avoid him, but Chi Yan shook his head and said, "I have brought you new news, and the Lord has also given you instructions."
Chi Yan didn't waste any time and said directly: "The eldest prince Zhao Yuze is also accompanying him to Southern Xinjiang this time. The chief imperial envoy in charge of the peace talks between the two countries is Wang Heng. In addition, the emperor has sent an official to take over the post of governor."
Min Dongsheng's face changed. "Zhao Yuze and Wang Heng? Why would they let them come? And send another governor? That means they want to take over our southern border's political jurisdiction and financial power!"
Gu Huan's heart also skipped a beat.
"Whose idea is this?"
Min Dongsheng didn't even think twice: "Of course it's His Majesty."
Zhou Zhilan's face was grim: "Your Majesty, are you suppressing both sides? Using the Lord to suppress the Empress Dowager's party, and then using them to suppress us?"
Gu Huan understood: "That's exactly what he meant."
She didn’t care about anything else. She was more worried about Mu Junyan.
In the past, any military force stationed at the border for a long time was automatically entitled to receive local taxes to supplement military pay, pensions and other expenses.
Especially the Mu family army in southern Xinjiang and the Yuan family army in northern Xinjiang, they only paid 20% of the tax revenue in their jurisdiction.
After all, the military pay and supplies allocated by the court were far from enough.
The emperor clearly knew that Mu Junyan was alive, but he still blatantly took over the administrative jurisdiction and financial power of Southern Xinjiang. What does this represent?
The Empress Dowager's family should not know about Mu Junyan's existence, otherwise, they would not allow Gu Huan and the old lady to return to Juzhou.
The Jiang family has been silent for a month or two, probably waiting for an opportunity to negotiate peace.
Gu Huan said, "Was it decided first that the prince would come to negotiate peace and discuss economic and trade matters at the same time?"
Chi Yan nodded: "That's right."
Gu Huan and Min Dongsheng looked at each other and understood everything.
After suffering a blow, the Jiang family behind the Queen Mother has been lying in wait for an opportunity.
They probably guessed that Mu Junyan was not dead, so they conspired with Mu An to set the fire. Although the conspiracy failed, Mu Junyan was protected by the emperor and continued to hide.
But they already know that the Mu family army is still the biggest hidden danger.
The court officials all believed that Crown Prince Zhao Yuxuan wanted to take Mu's army into his possession, so after the emperor agreed to the marriage proposal from the Prince of Dali, it was only natural for him to send the crown prince to negotiate peace and to subdue Mu's army at the same time.
The Jiang family seized this opportunity and sent the unmarried Jiang Ruoxi to Dali for marriage. The emperor had no reason to refuse.
Marriage between the two countries is a good thing with great benefits.
Since Jiang Ruoxi is here, it is normal to send an imperial envoy to negotiate peace.
It was only natural for Jiang to push Zhao Yuze in on the pretext that the eldest prince was sending his younger sister.
The emperor just wanted the two forces to confront each other.
Whoever wins in the end will become the crown prince. At the same time, both sides will be weakened after suffering losses. This is the best result that the emperor wants to see.
Dog Emperor, so bad!
Gu Huan frowned.
Chi Yan stood up and clasped his fists solemnly towards Gu Huan: "My Lord has ordered me to lead the entire scout battalion to obey Madam's orders."
Gu Huan was stunned: "Me?"
Mu Junyan, you think too highly of me!
Everyone looked at her with sharp eyes.
She was a little nervous: "In the past, everything was planned by Ziyuan. Mr. Min gave instructions and plans, and I just cooperated. How can I command the scout camp?"
"Not only the scout camp, but the entire Mu family army obeys Madam."
Chi Yan carefully took out a black rosewood square box from his arms, opened the lid, and presented it to Gu Huan with both hands.
Inside was a rectangular Hetian jade plaque with only one word engraved on it: Mu.
Zhou Zhilan exclaimed: "Mu family coach token!"
Gu Huan's eyes widened: "Coach's token?"
"right!"
Zhou Zhilan stared at Gu Huan eagerly: "Whoever holds the commander's token, all the Mu family soldiers must obey orders when they see the commander."
So, this is what Mu Junyan meant when he said that it was useless for the emperor to have the tiger talisman of the Mu family army.
"no."
Gu Huan was so frightened that her face turned pale.
Chi Yan held the wooden box in front of her and knelt on one knee: "I, Chi Yan, will lead the entire scout battalion to obey your orders."
Zhou Zhilan also knelt on one knee: "Zhou Zhilan, obey my order."
Min Dongsheng also lifted his robe and knelt on one knee: "Subordinate Min Dongsheng obeys your orders."
“You, you guys…”
Gu Huan stamped her feet anxiously: "I can't do it. I'm just a woman from a secluded place. How can I get such a handsome card? Please don't embarrass me."
"We all support you. Right now, you are the only one who is suitable to hold this token."
The old lady's loud laughter came.
Gu Huan raised her head and said in a hurry, "Mother! My daughter-in-law can't do it, so mother is the most suitable person to take over."
The old lady walked in with a smile: "Don't worry, we are all your backers. Just do it. Don't forget that everything you do is to ensure Ziyuan's safe return."
The old lady took the token from the wooden box and gently stroked the warm jade token.
"I have also received this token. At that time, Ziyuan's father and brothers were besieged, and I led the troops to rescue them. Unexpectedly, I was a step too late, and only Ziyuan was still alive. Later, I used this token to protect Ziyuan all the way to the title, and then I returned the token to Ziyuan."
She held Gu Huan's hand and placed the token into her palm.
"Good boy, Ziyuan trusts you, and your mother trusts you even more. Just do what you want, and don't worry."
Gu Huan was so nervous that her palms were sweating. Holding the warm jade token, she felt as if a raging fire was burning in her heart and her whole body was warm.
The back also stiffened.
She understood. The old lady told her to do what she really wanted to do. Ziyuan must have understood her true feelings, so he gave her the token of the commander of the Mu family army with confidence.
Gu Huan tightly grasped the jade token and nodded solemnly: "Okay, let's fight them together!"
Chi Yan said: "The Lord said that they are here for a tough battle without gunpowder smoke. First, we must ensure the safety of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and prevent them from doing bad things. Second, we must stop Jiang Ruoxi from marrying. Third, Madam, you must protect yourself."
Gu Huan's heart skipped a beat when she heard that.
The first two were exactly what she wanted.
The old lady held her hand and said softly, "According to the schedule, it will take at least two months for them to arrive. By then, you will be about to give birth. But don't worry, I will escort you."
Gu Huan nodded: "As long as my mother is here, I won't be afraid."
The old lady ordered Chi Yan: "Tomorrow morning, have all generals above the fifth rank come here."
Chi Yan replied, "Yes."
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