The more Jiang Chao thought about it, the more his head ached, so he simply left.
"Jiang Chao, don't go!" Huang Xiaosan said angrily, "You haven't apologized to me yet!"
He was really angry to be scolded for no reason.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chao pretended not to hear it and quickened his pace to leave, as if a fool was chasing after him.
After sending the two back to the residence of the Lady Protector of the Nation, Liu An immediately rushed to the capital.
"Your Majesty, Jiang Chao and Huang Lin have arrived."
"Where's Huang Shu?"
"Huang Shu hasn't come over; he should still be in southern Henan."
Upon hearing this, Ji Xuan was somewhat disappointed.
"The two of them alone are not enough. Huang Shu is good at leading troops into battle, and Jiang Chao is good as a strategist, but he lacks the courage to be a general."
It's not that strategists are useless; on the contrary, their strategies often lead to unexpected victories. However, what the Great Zhou Dynasty lacks most right now are generals who can establish a renowned reputation.
Liu An was well aware of this as well. "The Lady Protector of the Nation is leaving the capital tomorrow. If His Majesty has any other ideas, it would be best to make them clear as soon as possible."
"Leaving tomorrow?" Qi Yong was surprised. "Didn't she just wake up? Why not stay in the capital to recuperate for a while longer?"
"In my opinion, there is no place more suitable for recuperating than the Immortal Manor. Where in the world is there a place with more spiritual energy than the Immortal Manor?"
Upon hearing this, Qi Yong choked.
He knew all this, of course, but it was obvious that the Lady Protector of the Nation was recuperating in the capital, which made everything easier for her, while in southern Henan…
With the Lady of the Nation's array formation alone, it would be extremely difficult for her to prevent others from finding her.
But there are some things that no one else can do but her.
Thinking of this, Qi Yong immediately spoke up, "Liu An, could you please try to persuade the Lady of the Nation again? The capital has all kinds of medicinal herbs, and the entire Imperial Physician Bureau is on standby at any time to ensure that the Lady of the Nation's health will not be affected."
"If you want to persuade her, persuade her yourself," Liu An said, not falling for the trick. "Heavenly secrets should not be revealed. Madam has already suffered the consequences of her actions against Heaven. I cannot force her to stay because of my own selfish desires."
Upon hearing this, Qi Yong's face immediately turned bright red.
What do you mean by "selfishness"? Wasn't he also doing it for the good of the entire Zhou Dynasty?
Ji Xuan's face also looked somewhat unnatural. After clearing her throat, she said, "Alright, the Lady of the State has a different status. Since she has already made her decision, you should not interfere."
“Your Majesty is right,” Liu An replied with a smile. “After all, there is a difference between immortals and mortals, and we cannot interfere too much.”
"Um."
After nodding slightly, Ji Xuan waved for Liu An to leave.
"Master," Qi Yong said with great dissatisfaction, "Liu An is truly a lackey!"
They haven't even done anything yet, and this man has already taken the protection of the Lady Protector of the Nation. He doesn't even care about his parents.
"He's warning me!"
Upon hearing this, Qi Yong became even more indignant, "How dare he, a mere subject, act like this?"
Ji Xuan shook her head and remained silent, her eyes growing even more profound.
After a moment, he ordered in a deep voice, "Qi Yong, prepare the carriage. We're going to the residence of the Lady Protector of the Nation."
"Yes, ma'am!"
Upon seeing Ji Xuan again, Jiang Nuan became certain of one thing: this emperor was incredibly idle.
Otherwise, how could there be so much time to keep running around?
"I heard that Madam is leaving the capital tomorrow?"
“Yes,” Jiang Nuan was not surprised that Ji Xuan would know the news, but she was a little surprised that he would make a special trip for it. “Did His Majesty have any instructions?”
"The Gandan in the Northwest is stirring up trouble, seemingly preparing to send troops against the Great Zhou."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Nuan was stunned for a moment, then understood.
As expected, the calamities of heaven and earth were not so easy to overcome; two earthquakes were not enough.
What instructions does Your Majesty have?
"Lady Jiang," Ji Xuan bowed earnestly, "Liu An said that he investigated Gan Dan under your guidance. I think you are aware of this matter and would like to ask for a plan to save the country!"
Upon hearing this, Jiang Nuan's smile froze for a moment. "The calamity caused by people must be resolved by people. The Great Zhou has 400 million people, more than ten times the number of Gandan. Your Majesty should not be so pessimistic."
"However, the lady has also seen Wang Qi's performance. There is really no commander in the court who can be of good quality."
Jiang Nuan was also in a dilemma, "I have never been involved in military affairs, I'm afraid I will disappoint His Majesty."
"I've heard that Huang Shu is exceptionally brave..."
Ji Xuan didn't say anything more; some things are best left unsaid.
He knew he was taking advantage of the Huang family time and time again, yet he knew he couldn't refuse this shortcut.
“If Your Majesty doesn’t mind, it wouldn’t hurt to let him go to the Northwest for some training,” Jiang Nuan said, then added bluntly, “but this lad hasn’t seen much blood and is ultimately just a theorist. Your Majesty shouldn’t take it too seriously.”
"Don't worry, my lady, I know what I'm doing."
Having achieved her goal, Ji Xuan left without lingering, her mind heavy with worry the entire way.
"Your Majesty," Qi Yong said, somewhat puzzled, "Isn't everything fine now?"
“The result is indeed good, but,” Ji Xuan sighed and said with a sense of loss, “all the previous efforts to win people’s hearts have been in vain.”
"Why do you say that?" Qi Yong asked, puzzled. "This servant saw that the Lady Protector of the Nation was not unhappy."
You don't understand!
Ji Xuan shook her head, closed her eyes, and stopped speaking.
As soon as the two left the Lady Protector's residence, Jiang Nuan's face darkened.
"What's wrong?" the old lady asked, puzzled. "Why is she upset all of a sudden? Who upset my daughter?"
“Aunt,” Jiang Chao said thoughtfully, “is it because of the Emperor?”
Jiang Nuan did not answer, but simply recounted what had happened before. Her tone was calm, yet it gave people a chill.
"Mother," Huang Xiaosan said happily, "It's a good thing that Holy Mountain values Second Brother so much!"
Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Chao uttered two words: "Idiot!"
The old lady ignored the two bickering and frowned as she asked, "Is there no one left in the Great Zhou? Why is the Emperor focusing on our family?"
It's one thing for the grandson to want to join the army in the Northwest, but it's quite another for others to chase after him and force him to go.
It's not like the Great Zhou has no one else besides his family, so why make such an embarrassing spectacle of themselves?
“Grandma, you don’t understand,” Jiang Chao said, squinting. “How could the Emperor possibly value the Second Prince so much? He cares about the aunt behind the Second Prince.”
This shows that they are no longer satisfied and want to regain the initiative.
The approach was correct; he would have done the same. However, when it happened to him, it was incredibly frustrating.
My aunt may be incredibly capable, but she doesn't owe anyone anything. Helping her is a favor, not helping her is her right.
We've already helped so much and you're still not satisfied? Do you expect us to come looking for you every time something goes wrong?
Who owes the Ji family anything?
The old lady was indeed not very politically astute; although she felt uncomfortable, she didn't think too much about it.
Upon hearing this, his face darkened instantly. "What? You can't even stop helping me from now on? Why should I?"
Sensing an opportunity, the old man immediately advised, "I told you the capital wasn't a good place. Everyone there is cunning and scheming. Let's hurry home!"
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