Chapter 142 Why is it that his bloodline resembles mine? That's not a good thing...
Inside the Mingguang Hall, the lanterns were ablaze with light and the candles were like silver flowers. In the center of the hall, the dancers with colorful sleeves and singing girls were as graceful as fairies in murals. The melodious sounds of jade flutes and golden pipes lingered among the crowd.
Amidst the gentle, melodious music, most of the dignitaries in the room seemed listless. Some were sipping their fine wines, while others were chatting quietly in small groups.
Only Yu Nie and the others occasionally cast their gazes across the clamor, quietly landing on the throne to observe Zhao Yunfu, who was smiling gently.
Standing beside him was Langxi, who had just been formally appointed as a concubine and promoted to "Consort Hui" during the day.
She sat quietly beside the king, adorned in magnificent robes and jewels, her beauty exquisite and captivating.
Since the founding of the Northern Ye Kingdom, very few women have been promoted to the rank of imperial concubine upon entering the palace.
Apart from the former emperor's most famous and favored concubine, no one else has received this honor. In the eyes of the palace servants, Langxi is truly destined to be with that former concubine. Not only do they look quite alike, but their favor and experiences after entering the palace are also exactly the same. What's more, the title of "Consort Hui" that she inherited today is exactly the same as that of the former concubine.
With Langxi being made a concubine, Shen's father, who had been retired for more than ten years, was specially reinstated and appointed as the Vice Minister of Rites. His entire family moved back from their hometown of Yuyao to the capital, Jian'an.
The whole country was talking about it, saying that when one person attains enlightenment, even his chickens and dogs rise to heaven.
Zhao Yunfu's move caused an uproar in the court. Many ministers jointly submitted a memorial, saying that such a promotion was inappropriate. They said that her family had voluntarily resigned from their official posts years ago, and now that the imperial examinations had been reinstated, Shen'an should be allowed to pass the examinations and re-enter the officialdom. They earnestly requested that he reconsider.
However, Zhao Yunfu ignored all these suggestions and insisted on doing things his own way.
Such imperial favor naturally drew the attention of the entire palace.
To express their dissatisfaction, according to regulations, after the ceremony of bestowing the title of imperial concubine, the concubines were supposed to go to the Jade Palace where Langxi was staying to pay their respects on the same day. However, until the banquet began in the evening, apart from a few low-ranking noble ladies who went as required, none of the high-ranking concubines came to the door.
Even Empress Wang, who was known for her kindness and gentleness and who ruled the six palaces, did not summon her.
For Yu Nie, she had the opportunity to rescue Lang Xi from this prison of the deep palace.
However, because of Xu Jingyang, Langxi herself decided to stay in the palace, as she wanted to personally kill Zhao Yunfu.
Zhao Yunfu's attitude towards Langxi was more like treating her as a shadow of the deceased Cheng Shi. He spoke without any guard up, which allowed Langxi to glimpse many secrets.
During his visit to the Jade Palace, Yu Nie learned from Lang Xi that the "Aunt Wu" beside Huan Xun was actually a spy carefully cultivated by Zhao Yunfu. The real Aunt Wu had been secretly murdered by her replacement less than a year after arriving in Jian'an.
The fact that this chess piece was buried so deep and laid out so early shocked Yu Nie.
In her past interactions, she had not noticed anything unusual about Aunt Wu, but what worried her more was whether Huan Xun knew about this.
Langxi's subsequent words were like a lamp, illuminating the fog surrounding why Zhao Yunfu did what he did.
In Yu Nie's view, Zhao Yunfu did this because he was wary of and suspicious of Huan Xun. In reality, Zhao Yunfu was choosing a pawn for himself to see if Huan Xun could be used by him.
Compared to Huan Xun, Zhao Yunfu's real concern was his teacher Yan Yue, who held considerable military power and was cunning and calculating.
In his eyes, Huan Xun was just a young and impetuous man, much easier to control than Yan Yue, a minister who had been in officialdom for many years.
This time, he decided to send Huan Xun to lead the troops south. Firstly, there was indeed no one in the court who could shoulder this important responsibility. Secondly, in his eyes, Huan Xun had become a "lovesick fool" who had repeatedly refused military power.
Langxi told her that the day before yesterday, when Zhao Yunfu first appointed Huan Xun to lead the troops at Dongguan Pavilion, he refused to go south, citing his upcoming wedding and desire to be with his new wife. It was only after repeated persuasion from Yang Du, Nie Yuzi, and several officials from humble backgrounds, coupled with Zhao Yunfu's fury, that he reluctantly accepted the post.
After the song ended, Yu Nie's thoughts were brought back to reality.
She exchanged a glance with Huan Xun sitting opposite her, when Zhao Yunfu's voice suddenly rang out.
He raised his glass, in high spirits, seemingly unaffected by Xiao Chengyan's escape from Jian'an.
"Gentlemen, the flames of war have not yet died down in the northern frontier, and the Southern Yin has once again stirred up its wolves' hearts. The Southern Yin has mobilized 800,000 troops, intending to launch a northern expedition while most of our forces are tied up in the northern frontier." As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall erupted in uproar.
Only at this moment did everyone learn that Nan Yin was planning a northern expedition.
Zhao Yunfu raised his hand, suppressing the commotion and discussion throughout the hall.
He swept his gaze across the clamoring courtiers, and the hall fell silent instantly, save for his calm and authoritative voice: "But how can others covet my empire, or deceive my subjects?"
"To sit idly by and wait for the enemy to prepare their provisions, sharpen their blades, and deploy their troops on our borders is neither the act of a brave man nor the strategy of a wise man. To passively endure being attacked has never been the spirit of our dynasty. Xiao Daozun wanted to launch a northern expedition, so I will not let him have his way. Now is the time to take the initiative and keep the flames of war outside our borders."
"Therefore, I have decided that we should simply hold the northern border. The rest of our elite troops should march south to attack instead of defend, disrupt the Southern Yin's plans, and strike at their heart. I want the Southern Yin rulers and ministers to know that their so-called brilliant plans are nothing but clumsy tricks of clowns in my eyes."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room, and his voice suddenly rose: "This southern expedition concerns the fate of the nation; only those of great talent, courage, and loyalty can shoulder this heavy responsibility. Huan Xun, Junior Tutor to the Crown Prince and concurrently Vice Minister of the Chancellery, shall obey orders!"
Upon hearing the voice, Huan Xun stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your subject is here."
Zhao Yunfu: "Huan Qing, you are a man of both literary and military prowess, unparalleled in loyalty and bravery, and have repeatedly made outstanding contributions. I hereby appoint you as the General Who Conquers the South, to oversee all military and political affairs of the southern expedition, and bestow upon you the imperial insignia and halberd. All three armies marching south will be under your command. I hope you will live up to my expectations and the expectations of the people, and crush the Southern Yin."
"Your subject obeys the decree."
"Your Majesty, I will do my utmost to defeat the enemy and capture their king to repay your grace. I will not return to the court until the enemy is destroyed."
"Good!" Zhao Yunfu showed a satisfied expression, raised his hand and ordered Feng Changshi to bring out the sandalwood box, which was then placed in front of Huan Xun. Inside the opened box, a gilded military tally stood menacingly.
Zhao Yunfu: "From tomorrow onwards, the fate of the nation rests entirely in your hands."
With that, he raised the golden cup on the table and addressed the assembled civil and military officials: "My lords, today's banquet is ostensibly a Mid-Autumn Festival celebration, but in reality, it is a farewell feast for the Great General. I drink this cup with you all to send off Minister Huan and to wish our royal army a resounding victory and an early triumphant return!"
At this point, the hall fell into a moment of silence, the wine in the golden cups reflecting the complex expressions on the faces of the attendees.
The ministers exchanged worried glances, and some secretly observed Huan Xun, trying to read the young general's chances of victory from his face.
Their worst fears had finally come true. The immense pressure of fighting on two fronts weighed on everyone's hearts like a boulder, and for a moment, no one could respond or agree with them.
On the throne, Zhao Yunfu, with a calm expression, narrowed his eyes, a barely perceptible anger creeping onto his taut lips.
Yang Du, the Grand Secretary, understood the ministers' concerns about the war and also discerned His Majesty's hidden displeasure.
Yu Nie, who was sitting in the front row, also noticed this scene.
Yang Du immediately stood up, raised his cup with both hands, and said: "We congratulate Your Majesty! We wish the General a safe journey! May our royal army be invincible and return in triumph soon!"
This sound was like a thunderclap, startling the hesitant crowd.
As if waking from a dream, everyone rose and took their cups, and in an instant, loud and unified prayers resounded throughout the palace: "Congratulations to His Majesty, and best wishes to the General on his journey! May our royal army be invincible and return in triumph soon!"
Hearing the deafening sound, Yu Nie's heart grew heavy.
Amidst the deafening chants of prayers, her gaze pierced through the clinking glasses of the crowd and landed on him.
He sat down again, and the banquet returned to its lively atmosphere. People came to toast him from time to time, and she watched as he drank the wine in his glass in one gulp.
As the crowd shifted slightly, his gaze met hers in mid-air.
In an instant, the usual shrewd smile on his face, which never reached his eyes, softened.
He saw the undisguised worry in her eyes, a deep concern that almost overflowed, which clashed with the sycophantic atmosphere of the hall.
Gu Xiangzhi, who served Zhao Yunfu, witnessed this entire scene. Even though he knew there was no possibility between them, and knew where her heart lay, he could never win it back.
Sitting next to Yu Nie, Zhao Huashu looked at his lowered eyes and the emotions he suppressed.
All of this had nothing to do with her, but a feeling mixed with heartache and loss welled up in her heart.
Huan Xun's face showed no extra expression, but his eyes paused slightly. With just that one glance, Yu Nie inexplicably felt her eyes sting.
She hurriedly lowered her eyelashes, picked up the wine glass to cover her embarrassment, and brought it to her lips, only to find the wine going down her throat unbearably bitter.
The grand banquet was about to end, and Huan Xun had been summoned away by Zhao Yunfu a short while earlier and taken to the East Pavilion.
Seeing this, Zhao Huashu took Yu Nie to see Hua Ruo in the palace.
From the moment she learned that Xiao Chengyan had fled Jian'an, she lost her appetite and couldn't eat or drink. Even though Consort Gao sent people to check on her several times, it was to no avail, and she remained in bed.
Just as the two were about to pass by, a female official quietly approached them, bowing respectfully and saying, "Your Highness Shunhe, Her Majesty the Empress requests your presence."
Upon hearing that the Empress was looking for him, Yu Nie felt a little suspicious.
She was not familiar with the Empress and had only met her a few times. Given the previous incident involving Wang Feng, what could the Empress possibly want with her?
With this question in mind, she couldn't help but ask the lady-in-waiting who had come to ask.
The other party replied, "I am not clear about the specifics; the princess will know when she arrives."
Upon hearing this, Yu Nie had no choice but to agree.
Then, she turned around and whispered a few words to Song Ai before following the female official to Ningkun Palace.
It was half an hour later when Huan Xun came out after discussing matters in the East Pavilion.
Outside the door, Xie Cheng and Song Ai were waiting to the side.
Seeing him come out, Song Ai stepped forward, bowed, and said, "My lord, my prince originally wanted to come and wait for you, but he was called away by the Empress's attendants. She said she would invite you to meet outside Danhe Gate when you come out."
Upon learning that Yu Nie had been summoned away by the Empress, he nodded slightly.
At this moment, he wasn't worried that the Empress would harm her. Now she was a princess valued by Zhao Yunfu, and the Empress wouldn't be so foolish as to target Zhao Yunfu's people.
"Understood." He replied briefly, then turned and strode towards Danhe Gate.
A cool night breeze blew as Huan Xun stood outside the palace gate, glancing inside from time to time.
However, the first to break into this silence was a small figure.
"Teacher." The childish voice was slightly breathless.
Huan Xun turned around and saw the seven-year-old Crown Prince Zhao Yuanrui alighting from his palanquin. He gestured for the eunuch to stay where he was and walked over alone with small steps.
His small body looked even thinner in the night wind. When he quickly walked up to Huan Xun, he gave a proper bow.
Huan Xun bowed in return, saying, "It is late at night, and Your Highness is not feeling well. You should not have come here."
The moonlight shone on Zhao Yuanrui's slightly pale face.
"There were too many people in the hall just now, so it wasn't appropriate to talk. That's why I came to see you off." His voice was soft and childlike, but his tone was unusually calm.
After saying this, he tightened his grip on his sleeve slightly, and looked up at his small face, saying, "Although I have not been under your tutelage for long, I thank you for teaching me swordsmanship and horseback riding."
“Before, I couldn’t even climb onto a pony, but now I can finally run a lap on the riding field. When my father came to see me ride last time, he finally praised me for riding very well. Before, he always complained that I was weak and lacked manliness, and that I couldn’t even ride a horse.”
At this point, the little prince's eyes sparkled, and he said gratefully, "These are all things that the teacher taught me."
A night breeze blew by, and he coughed, but still hurried to finish his sentence: "I secretly looked at the map. Lingnan is very, very far away, and it's close to Nanyin. The people of Nanyin will definitely defend it to the death. My military skills are far inferior to yours, and you must understand the dangers of this place better than I do."
Having said that, he stepped forward and took out an object carefully wrapped in a brocade handkerchief from his bosom.
He presented the item with both hands; it was a jade pendant with a warm, lustrous color: "This was a gift from my grandmother when I turned one year old. This jade pendant has been with me for many years, and I hope it will protect you and ensure your safe return."
Zhao Yuanrui's small face was full of solemnity:
"There are many good teachers in the court, but Yuanrui has only one martial arts teacher."
"Teacher, please take good care of yourself on your journey."
In the end, his youthful voice revealed an undisguised attachment, but he quickly pursed his lips, hiding this emotion deep in his heart.
Huan Xun held the jade pendant, which still retained the warmth of a child's body, and felt his palm burning hot.
He looked down at the pale yet innocent face before him. This child, so pure and filial, was none other than Zhao Yunfu's bloodline...
Thinking about what he would do in the future, an indescribable sense of guilt suddenly gripped his heart.
He almost instinctively handed the jade pendant back, squatted down and said, "Your Highness, this jade is of extraordinary significance. I... am unworthy to accept it. Your Highness should keep it."
"No, this is for the teacher, the teacher must accept it!" The little prince was unusually stubborn, and firmly pushed the jade pendant back with his little hand: "No matter how precious the jade pendant is, it cannot compare to the friendship between us as teacher and student, nor is it as important as the teacher's safety. Please be sure to take it with you, so that I can feel a little more at ease."
Seeing the earnestness in the young prince's eyes, Huan Xun knew that further refusal would be useless. He finally clenched the jade pendant in his palm and accepted it.
Then, he reached out to Xie Cheng for his personal dagger and handed it to the man in front of him: "This dagger has been with me for decades, having weathered the winds and frosts of the northern frontier and witnessed the misty rains of the south."
"I present this to Your Highness today, hoping it will temporarily accompany you in your stead. I hope it will remind Your Highness that a wise man should keep his talents hidden until the right time to act, but before deciding where to direct his sharpness, he should first examine his own conscience."
The young prince looked at the dagger handed to him, then looked up into his deep eyes, and accepted this gift that far exceeded his expectations for his age.
The scabbard, made of black iron, was cold and heavy.
Zhao Yuanrui's face was solemn: "Thank you for your generous gift, sir. I will certainly live up to your expectations, work diligently, and never forget your words today."
Huan Xun: "Your Highness, remember this: from now on, wherever you are or whatever you do, I hope you will listen to your own heart. If you are unhappy, then say so; if you are unwilling, then be honest about it. Do not force yourself to do things against your conscience in order to please anyone, understand?"
These words were almost beyond the bounds of a subject's duty, yet Huan Xun still spoke them.
A glint seemed to flicker in the young prince's eyes as he listened intently, as if trying to etch every word into his heart.
After a moment, he took a small step back and bowed deeply again: "Yuanrui... will remember your teachings, teacher."
At this moment, a eunuch standing nearby cautiously stepped forward and whispered, "Your Highness, it is late and the dew is heavy. You should return to the palace. Your health is of utmost importance."
There was no time to waste. The young prince nodded, took another deep look at Huan Xun, and after exchanging a few more words with him, he turned around, surrounded by eunuchs, and his figure gradually disappeared into the deep night.
Huan Xun stood alone in place until the figure in the distance completely disappeared.
He then opened his palm and looked at the jade pendant that contained his sincere feelings.
"The students you teach are just like you." Hearing the voice, he looked in the direction of the sound.
Yu Nie, who had come out of Danhe Gate, had been waiting outside for a while. He waited until he saw the master and disciple talking again before he came out.
“Being like me is not a good thing.”
He curled his lips slightly, put away the jade pendant in his hand, and walked towards her.
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