The palace was a place where the powerful were flattered and the weak were bullied, and there were many tragedies of people falling from the clouds into the mire overnight.

Empress Xian looked at the table and saw that several dishes were missing. Her expression turned cold. "What a bunch of snobbish slaves!"

Liu Sande was at a loss as to what to do. "It's being said in the palace that it was the Third Prince who forced the First and Second Princes into the peach forest. His Majesty is furious. I'm afraid the Third Prince is in great danger this time..."

Empress Xian looked around: "Where's Hui'an?"

A young eunuch entered and said, "Your Majesty, Princess Hui'an was taken to Kunning Palace by Princess Jingning to practice archery. She said that she would not let the princess return until she has practiced well."

Hearing this, Empress Xian actually felt relieved.

Emperor Jingxuan woke up in the early morning of the next day. Soon after he woke up, Jingzhao Yin asked for a meeting outside the palace, saying that the White Lotus Sect had sent a letter.

Emperor Jingxuan ignored the imperial physician's advice and had the Jingzhao Yin brought in.

"It was brought to the government office by a waiter from a tavern, who said that a customer had given him a silver ingot and asked him to personally deliver the letter to Jingzhao Prefecture. I immediately took people to the tavern to arrest the man, but unfortunately the place was empty."

Jingzhao Yin said this and handed the letter to Eunuch Fu.

Eunuch Fu opened it, checked it carefully, and made sure there was no danger before presenting it to Emperor Jingxuan who was lying on the dragon bed.

After reading the letter, Emperor Jingxuan was so angry that he almost died again.

"Your Majesty! Do not get angry!" Eunuch Fu was frightened half to death. The imperial physician had warned him that if he fainted again, he would be at risk of a stroke.

Emperor Jingxuan took a deep breath, tried to calm down, and gritted his teeth and said, "Asshole! You actually asked me to exchange Jingning for my eldest son!"

No one dared to breathe.

The White Lotus Sect is really asking for too much. They dare to propose such conditions.

But if you think about it carefully, it is true that Princess Jingning is the only one in the dynasty who is more important than Xiao Duye.

The Queen had no legitimate son, and Princess Jingning was the only legitimate child.

The second is her invaluable horoscope.

So, will Your Majesty agree? Of course Emperor Jingxuan would not agree.

Emperor Jingxuan went to the Imperial Study to summon his ministers to discuss countermeasures.

General Leng requested to lead troops to wipe out the White Lotus Sect, but was met with joint opposition from the civil officials.

Lin Taiwei said: "Unless it is absolutely necessary, we must not mobilize troops on a large scale. Not only will it cause panic among the people, it will also cost the people money and lives, and endanger the lives of the soldiers."

General Leng said in a cold voice: "How can the soldiers of our Great Zhou be so afraid of death?"

Lin Taiwei said sternly: "But the soldiers of our Great Zhou should not make meaningless sacrifices!"

General Leng snorted, "How can saving the prince be a meaningless sacrifice? You should be a coward and don't drag the soldiers of the Great Zhou down with you!"

Emperor Jingxuan looked at Xiao Shunyang in front of him and said, "Second brother, what do you think?"

Xiao Shunyang cupped his hands and said, "I also agree to send troops."

Jing Yi's father, Marquis Weiwu, said, "Your Majesty, I think this is inappropriate. The court's strong military force can certainly wipe out the White Lotus Sect, but has the situation really reached such an irreversible point? I heard that Taolin is dangerous, and our soldiers must have suffered heavy casualties. The old Protector of the Country once said that a victory gained at great sacrifice is a defeat."

"Soldiers are not afraid of death, but they should not die in vain. I dare to propose - peace talks."

Emperor Jingxuan's eyes fell on the old marquis's face: "What do you think, Lord Su?"

The old marquis said: "Your Majesty, I agree to the peace talks."

The proposal for peace talks was adopted, but the problem became who would go to the talks. The second prince volunteered himself, but Emperor Jingxuan did not agree.

He appointed Xiao Chonghua as the peace envoy, and Marquis Zhenbei and General Leng accompanied him.

Xiao Shunyang said sternly: "Father, my third brother is still ill, let me go!"

Xiao Shunyang frowned: "...Yes."

"Cousin, are you really going?"

On the carriage back home, Jing Yi asked Xiao Chonghua.

Xiao Chonghua pulled his cloak closer. It was already hot in early summer, but he still felt weak and a little cold.

"The imperial decree has been issued. I have no choice but to go."

"You can call it sick."

"Jing Yi, life is death, and death is life. I have no way to retreat."

Jing Yi wanted to say something, but Xiao Chonghua spoke softly.

"According to the spies, Northern Yan intends to form an alliance with Western Jin. If these two countries form an alliance, you know the consequences, right? How do you think my father will protect the Great Zhou? Will he go to war with Northern Yan and Western Jin at the same time, or send a princess to marry?"

"The emperor of the Western Jin Dynasty praised Hui'an's beauty. Do I want to watch my sister being given to an old emperor in his sixties as a concubine?"

Jing Yi was silent.

Xiao Chonghua said: "I am not doing this entirely for Hui'an. I have my own ambitions. I am not favored by my father, so I can only firmly grasp every opportunity, the opportunity to live, the opportunity to die, and I cannot let it go."

In the imperial study, the princes and ministers left one after another, and Emperor Jingxuan left only the old marquis.

He winked at Eunuch Fu.

Eunuch Fu understood and stepped out to guard the door.

When Eunuch Quan wanted to come over to guard with him, he said calmly, "Back off!"

The corner of Eunuch Quan's mouth twitched, and he rolled his eyes secretly and retreated three feet away.

"Su Shuo." Emperor Jingxuan looked at the old marquis solemnly, "I asked you to accompany me to the White Lotus Sect this time, but in fact I have another mission."

The old marquis bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please speak."

Emperor Jingxuan said coldly: "I want you to sign a military order and kill the leader of the White Lotus Sect!"

…

"Your Majesty asked you to kill the leader of the White Lotus Sect?" Qin Canglan frowned and looked at the old marquis, "Did you agree?"

The old marquis glared at him and said, "Do I have room for bargaining? Besides, even if His Majesty didn't order me to do so, I was planning to kill Mo Guiyuan."

Qin Canglan looked at him: "Your body..."

The old marquis said nonchalantly: "I have recovered a long time ago! Don't worry about me! I don't even take Mo Guiyuan seriously!"

Qin Canglan didn't think that Emperor Jingxuan was deliberately making things difficult for him. Given the current situation, killing Mo Guiyuan was indeed the best strategy.

However, issuing a military order was somewhat absurd and did not quite fit in with his style as a wise ruler.

It seems that Your Majesty has really been driven into a corner by the White Lotus Sect.

Qin Canglan said: "If I hadn't been injured, I would have been the one to assassinate Mo Guiyuan."

The old marquis's face darkened: "What do you mean? I am not as good as you, right? Even if you were not injured, I would be the one to kill him!"

Qin Canglan rarely stopped arguing with him, and reminded him: "Mo Guiyuan must have guessed that the court would not easily compromise, and the so-called peace talks were just a cover. He must have set up ambushes and traps long ago. I heard from Wei Ting that there is a very powerful master beside Mo Guiyuan, named Xiu Nu, you have to be careful of this person."

(End of this chapter)