Chapter 71: Marriage
After King Xiqi captured Tangzhou, he did not return to the royal court immediately, but continued to launch an offensive. With the help of the surrendered bandit Qian Qian, he successively captured Ningzhou and Fangzhou.
It was also at this time that Darong sent envoys to negotiate peace with King Xiqi.
Not long after, Chi Qi received a letter from the military envoy sent by King Xiqi.
In the letter, he said that he could withdraw his troops and return to the country, but he required Dayong to marry a princess to Xiqi, and he also specifically mentioned Princess Fuguang.
Chi Qi had anticipated this a long time ago, so she was not surprised even when she saw the request from King Motuo of Xiqi.
Darong's military strength was obviously stretched to the limit, and the local people were very dissatisfied with her rule. The Zhao clan was eager to replace her. It was impossible for her to raise all her forces to deal with Xiqi.
Xie Qinjian instigated Prince Yu of Yanzhou to cooperate with Prince Qi of Xi. Isn't this the situation he wanted to see?
Unfortunately for her, the war in Xiqi was not worth worrying about, and the domestic unrest was the first thing to be resolved.
She looked at Wu Wenxiu and asked her to draft an imperial edict and reply to King Xiqi.
When Wu Wenxiu heard her words, his eyes widened in disbelief, "Your Majesty——!"
Chi Yan knew what she was going to say. She waved her hand, turned around and said, "I've made up my mind. You don't need to persuade me. Go and get Zhao Yuzhang over."
Wu Wenxiu still found it hard to accept, but she also knew that Chi Li had made a decision and that no one could persuade her otherwise. So she suppressed her emotions for the moment and agreed, "Yes."
After a while, Zhao Yuzhang arrived at the study room and bowed to Chi Ling, who was sitting behind the desk. "Your Majesty, what is the matter that has summoned me?"
Chi Li looked at her and said, "I have decided to marry Princess Fuguang off to Xiqi. I will issue the decree tomorrow. As her aunt, the important task of escorting her safely to Xiqi falls to you."
"Your Majesty, I cannot obey your command." Zhao Yuzhang's face darkened immediately. "I always thought that Your Majesty was different from those male rulers, but I never imagined that after the country was defeated, you would follow their example and use a woman to pay the price! Was your past love and respect for Mingyue all fake? How could you bear to let her go to Xiqi?"
The more she spoke, the more intense her tone became, and by the last two sentences, it was almost like an interrogation.
Chi Li, however, was not annoyed. She placed her chin under her folded hands and looked at her with a smile, "It seems I was right about her. The person who can escort Mingyue to Xiqi must be Princess Zhaoqing."
Zhao Yuzhang was stunned. "What?"
Chi Yu continued, "I wonder if Princess Zhaoqing has ever heard a story. It's said that to help her young learn to fly, a mother eagle will cruelly break their wings and throw them off a cliff. In such desperate circumstances, only the young eagle who can endure the excruciating pain and fly will one day become the king of the sky."
Zhao Yuzhang frowned immediately and fell into deep thought. What did Empress Dowager Chi mean by this?
She knew that Empress Dowager Chi couldn't spare the troops to attack Xiqi at the moment. Moreover, even if Qian Qian won, it would not be a good thing for Empress Dowager Chi, as it would make her lose control of the army.
After all, not all of these people obeyed Queen Mother Chi. What they obeyed was only Chi Qi's identity as Queen Mother.
That's why she wanted to train the female soldiers of Jinwuwei to fight against them.
But the power of female soldiers is too weak after all. They are just green sprouts that have just emerged from the soil, while male soldiers are giant trees that have grown for thousands of years. Even if this giant tree has been hollowed out by insects, it can still live for hundreds or thousands of years.
Unless their roots can be cut off cleanly and efficiently.
But Queen Mother Chi seized power from this tree. Cutting them off would be equivalent to killing herself, which she could not do.
But this doesn't mean Zhao Mingyue can't do it.
If Zhao Mingyue could gain the support of the increasing number of female officials in the court, the growing number of female soldiers in the army, and the women of the people who own the land and property, and rise to a high position, then her power would be more stable and purer than that of Empress Dowager Chi.
Of course, these words were not thought up by her, but told to her by Xue Qi.
She was not interested in these power struggles, she just wanted to fight and win, but without the support of the rulers, this was destined to be a luxury.
Zhao Yuzhang originally thought that Queen Mother Chi would be the one to support her, but now, she began to doubt it.
After thinking for a long time, she finally spoke, "Your Majesty, are you saying that by letting Mingyue marry Xiqi, you are the mother eagle who broke the wings of her young eagle? Are you planning to let Mingyue deal with Xiqi?"
Is this a bit too bold? The Golden Crow Guards, with only a thousand men, can't do it.
Hearing her speculation, Chi Li couldn't help but laugh. "I didn't say that. It's just that if Zhao Mingyue can't even handle this little hardship, then she's not worth my effort to train her, isn't it?"
Zhao Yuzhang saw her saying such cold-blooded words with a smile, and even though she was a cold-hearted person, he felt a little scared.
"What if the young eagle really fell to his death?"
Chi Li smiled, her eyes cold. "A young eagle that can't learn to fly will inevitably die. Besides, even if Mingyue leaves me, don't you, Princess Zhaoqing, still have her to protect her?"
Zhao Yuzhang took a deep breath and had to admit that she had been persuaded by Chi Yan. "Okay, I will escort Princess Fuguang to Xiqi."
After saying that, he said goodbye and left.
After seeing her leave, Chi Qi raised her hand and rubbed the bridge of her nose. The thought of having to perform it again with Zhao Mingyue made her feel tired.
It would be better not to see her at all. Just as he was thinking this, his arm was suddenly grabbed tightly. He turned around and saw Liu Shen'ai's moved eyes.
"Host, you really have good intentions for the heroine! I really thought you were going to send her to Xiqi for marriage, but I didn't expect your character to become that of an eagle protecting its cubs."
Chi Yan slapped her hand away with a cold face. "You're overthinking it. That story was just a lie I told to fool Zhao Yuzhang. Besides, a young eagle with broken wings can't possibly fly. It will only fall to its death at the bottom of the cliff."
Liu Shen'ai shuddered, then glared at Chi Li angrily. Damn it, she was deceived again!
Chi Li said coldly, "Xiao Liu, don't forget our goal. Getting rid of Xie Qinjian is the most important thing."
As for Zhao Mingyue, she was just a chess piece she used to lure this man out.
After playing the role of a loving mother for so long, it's time for her to show her worth.
What choice will Zhao Mingyue make, and what will the world become in the end?
Let's wait and see.
————
Princess Mansion.
Zhao Mingyue was practicing archery at the shooting range. He raised his hand to release the string, and with a whoosh, the arrow hit the center of the bull's eye.
She continued to nock her arrow and was about to shoot again when suddenly two claps of applause were heard behind her. "Great! The princess's archery skills are getting even better."
Zhao Mingyue turned her head and saw Xue Qi standing under the eaves, looking at her with a smile.
She immediately put away her bow, turned around, walked forward, and said with a warm smile, "Master Xue!"
Last time, she and Xue Qi had different opinions and they parted on bad terms. Later, she apologized to Xue Qi, and Xue Qi accepted her apology and continued to teach her, but she always felt that Xue Qi's attitude towards her was not as friendly as before.
Therefore, she was very happy to hear Xue Qi praising her archery skills.
Xue Qi looked at her and asked with a smile, "Princess, why did you think of practicing archery today?"
Zhao Mingyue lowered her eyes. "Mother's been worried about the war on the border lately. I want to share her worries, but I can't do anything to help her. I can only practice archery. Maybe I can help more on the battlefield in the future."
As she spoke, she suddenly raised her head and looked at Xue Qi with bright eyes, "Master Xue, how about you give me some advice?"
Xue Qi seemed to have not thought about it at all, and immediately said: "If the princess can lead the army to defeat Xiqi, there is no need to worry."
Zhao Mingyue was stunned. "When I said I wanted to deal with Xiqi, didn't you, Master Xue, try your best to dissuade me?"
Xue Qi shook his head. "This is not the same time now. The princess is in a very dangerous situation now."
Zhao Mingyue was certainly not completely unaware. "I know that ever since I established my government and was granted the title, those officials have been keeping an eye on me. They don't want another woman to rule Darong in the future."
"It seems that Princess knows very well who your enemies are. Then, Princess, can you tell me who your friends are?"
Zhao Mingyue frowned and began to list, "My friends, are they the ones who will support me? Aunt, Jinwuwei, and Wu Shishu."
I can count them on five fingers; it’s too few.
She was unwilling to give up, racking her brains and coming up with another idea, "And my mother!"
No matter what happens, A Niang will be her strongest support, she firmly believes in this.
That's why she had to find ways to share her mother's worries and become her strongest arm.
At this time, the guards ran over from outside, "Princess, the imperial decree has been issued, ordering you to marry Xiqi!"
Zhao Mingyue slowly opened her eyes, "What?"
She suspected that she had heard it wrong, or that the person who delivered the decree had delivered the wrong message.
The guard thought she didn't hear clearly and repeated it again. Now Zhao Mingyue knew that she had heard it correctly.
But how could that be? She had clearly heard her mother promise her with her own ears that she would not let her go to Xiqi. How could she go back on her word?
She threw down her bow and arrow, pushed the guards aside, and said, "I want to enter the palace!"
She didn't believe that her mother would really let her marry Xiqi. There must be something wrong.
Before Xue Qi could even open her mouth, Zhao Mingyue had already hurried away. Watching her hurriedly retreating figure, she suddenly had a premonition that Zhao Mingyue was destined to be disappointed this time.
Why did Queen Mother Chi let Zhao Mingyue marry Xiqi? She didn't think this was a last resort for Queen Mother Chi.
Based on her understanding of Empress Dowager Chi, she was certain that no one could force her to do anything she didn't want to do.
In this case, there was only one reason why she issued this decree, and that was that she wanted to do so.
But why?
Xue Qi suddenly remembered what Queen Mother Chi had said to her when she asked her to be the princess's teacher:
"Xue Qi, if you dare to gamble, then you must stay by the princess' side. No matter how she falls in the future, never leave her."
At that time, she didn't understand why Queen Mother Chi made such a prediction, but now, she somewhat understood.
She slowly raised the corners of her mouth. Is that how it is?
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