Chapter 235 Father and Brothers Go to the Northwest! Southwest Unrest
Huo Buzhi was seriously injured and the border was in crisis. Emperor Wen appointed the old general He Yong and He Jiang, the fifth son of the He family, to lead the troops to repel the Huns and recapture the military stronghold.
When the army set out on the day of the expedition, He Zhaojun held on to the two men, refusing to let go. He Yong and He Jiangdu pretended that she was simply dependent on them and couldn't bear to let go.
"Little sister, don't look so sad. I will protect father and come back safely. Your wedding with the third prince is in two months. The two of us will definitely come back to attend your wedding!" He Jiang comforted her kindly, but He Zhaojun seemed worried.
He Yong also patted her shoulder and said, "Don't worry. The Jin family excels at fighting on frozen lands. Their armaments are carefully selected. You have also taught us how to survive in the desert. Besides, we have sufficient troops this time. This is not the first time I have fought against the Xiongnu. Those damned people tremble in fear when they hear my name, He Yong!"
He Zhaojun's uneasiness continued to grow. This time, it was her father and her fifth and second brothers who died in such a tragic way that it still tormented her in her dreams at night. Now, she had to face the separation from her loved ones again, which was extremely difficult for He Zhaojun to accept.
"No! You wait for me for half a day, I will ask His Majesty for permission to set out with the army. I am worried about you!" After He Zhaojun said this, she was about to get on the car and go into the palace to ask Emperor Wen for permission with an unstoppable momentum.
But before she even left, Cao Cheng hurried over and bowed to her. "Third Prince Consort, Concubine Yue has suddenly developed a high fever and is in critical condition. His Majesty urgently summons you to the palace!"
He Yong was stunned and quickly signaled He Zhaojun to get in the car. He leaned out of the car door and told He Zhaojun, "Your mother passed away early, but Concubine Yue took care of you. She treated you well. You should rest assured and take care of him in the palace. Don't worry about your father. We will definitely return safely and are looking forward to drinking in your wedding wine!"
He Zhaojun thought for a while before finally making up her mind and nodded. "Okay, then, Father, Brother, you must take the pair of white eagles with you and send me messages from time to time. If I don't hear from you for too long, I will definitely lead my men to the northwest to look for you personally!"
He Yong smiled heartily, fired three cannon shots, and the army set off. He Zhaojun hurriedly got in a carriage and headed towards the other side, all the way into the deep palace.
"How is my mother?" He Zhaojun smelled the strong odor of medicine before she even entered the Yongle Palace. The palace maids and waiters were all in a hurry, and the doctors had heavy faces and a look of sorrow.
She hurried to Concubine Yue's bedroom, but unexpectedly, she saw Concubine Yue's face was pale, her cheeks were flushed, and she had difficulty breathing. It was obvious that she was in extreme pain from illness.
"Mother! How did it come to this? I saw you in good spirits a few days ago. How come you became so sick in just two or three days?" Her worry was beyond words. She held Concubine Yue's hand and burst into tears.
Concubine Yue forced a smile and said, "Hearing you call me mother, I don't feel uncomfortable at all."
"My mother...she's been poisoned." Wen Ziduan pulled He Zhaojun to sit by the bed and dismissed the others around him. Seeing his serious expression, He Zhaojun knew that Concubine Yue's illness was not simple.
He leaned over to He Zhaojun's ear and whispered, "The ancient Qiang in the southwest are stirring. If this were to become public, the Xianbei and the Xiongnu would join forces, and the Han Empire would be in danger!"
The ancient Qiang is adjacent to Liangzhou and Yizhou, with complex mountainous terrain and deep valleys. The annual military expenditure allocated by our dynasty is more than twice that of the northwest, and we can only barely maintain stability.
He Zhaojun was shocked. "So, His Majesty has decided to have you and me conduct a secret investigation, correct?"
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