Xi Lin had been guarding the courtyard of the east wing the entire time. Seeing Yun Qianmeng walk out with a slightly gloomy expression, he immediately bowed and said, "Your humble servant greets the princess!"
"Get up!" But Yun Qianmeng just left these words behind and walked past Xi Lin out of the yard without even stopping!
Yun Qianmeng casually beckoned over the palace guard who was guarding the garden entrance, took out the jade token she carried with her, whispered a few words in the guard's ear, and then handed the jade token to him. The guard immediately saluted Yun Qianmeng and turned to leave!
When Xi Lin heard Yun Qianmeng's slightly cold voice and the chill she brought as she walked past him, he immediately turned to look at the east wing, only to see that it was already bright outside, but the doors and windows of the inner room of the east wing were closed, and the prince did not come out with the princess. It seemed that the princess had discovered that the prince was injured. Alas, he had reminded the prince a long time ago, but he just didn't believe it. How could the princess be fooled by others?
After taking a pitiful look at the inner room of the east wing, Xi Lin decisively stood up and followed Yun Qianmeng. Protecting his master was his first responsibility!
The maids and servants sent by Zhu Zhong were very hardworking and started to get busy early in the morning. Everyone in the backyard was doing their own work diligently. When Yun Qianmeng stepped out of the courtyard of the east wing, the bluestone road outside had been washed by the servants. Looking at the slightly wet surface, a fresh air suddenly came to her nose, blowing away the tiredness and worry of Yun Qianmeng's sleepless night!
These maids and servants were obviously well-trained. Even when they saluted Yun Qianmeng, they were still very quiet but polite. This made Yun Qianmeng very satisfied, so that they would not disturb Chu Feiyang's rest with their clumsy hands!
Walking through the garden with fresh air and passing through the long and winding corridor, Yun Qianmeng stepped into the west wing where Xia Ji was recuperating in the astonished eyes of everyone, only to see Nie Huaiyuan instructing Yingqiu to add herbs into the medicine jar!
Yingqiu was the first to see Yun Qianmeng. Upon seeing her master, a genuine smile suddenly appeared on Yingqiu's face. She immediately stood up and saluted towards Yun Qianmeng, "This servant greets the princess!"
Hearing this, Nie Huaiyuan quickly turned around, but he didn't look at Yun Qianmeng immediately. Instead, he looked past Yun Qianmeng and Yingxia and exchanged a glance with Xi Lin, who was following at the end. After seeing the hint in Xi Lin's eyes, Nie Huaiyuan handed the herbs in his hand to Yingqiu. He then walked forward and bowed to Yun Qianmeng, saying, "Greetings, Princess! Why are you here so early? If you need anything, just send someone to tell me!"
Yun Qianmeng looked at Nie Huaiyuan, who came forward deliberately with little sign of flattery on his face, and then snorted coldly. A hint of coldness instantly appeared in his elegant temperament, which made Nie Huaiyuan's smile pause for a moment. He immediately closed his mouth, lowered his head and stood aside, no longer saying a word!
"Doctor Nie's medical skills are becoming more and more sophisticated. He has even learned the art of disguise! I really admire him!" Yun Qianmeng had already noticed the look Nie Huaiyuan gave Xi Lin, so she spoke straight to the point!
However, the words only mentioned Nie Huaiyuan's medical skills, but did not mention Chu Feiyang!
For some things, just giving them a warning will suffice, but Yun Qianmeng still has to consider her husband's reputation, especially since Chu Feiyang is now the King of Chu. She cannot let him lose his prestige in front of everyone, which will not be conducive to leading everyone in the future!
Nie Huaiyuan's cheeks flushed slightly after being ridiculed by Yun Qianmeng's words of praise and criticism. He couldn't help but carefully raise his eyes to glance at Xi Lin, but saw that the other party also lowered his head tightly. Looking at Yun Qianmeng's cold face and serious eyes, he could only sigh in his heart and said honestly, "It was my negligence. Please calm down, Princess!"
Seeing that Nie Huaiyuan took the initiative to admit his mistake, Yun Qianmeng did not pursue the matter. After all, if Chu Feiyang had not asked them to keep silent, they probably would not have done that!
Seeing some maids from the inn still bustling in and out of the courtyard, Yun Qianmeng approached Nie Huaiyuan slightly and asked in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "How is your injury? Are there any broken bones?"
Seeing Yun Qianmeng using both kindness and force, Nie Huaiyuan couldn't help but feel relieved. Who said that the women of Western Chu were gentle and virtuous? At least the Princess of Chu in front of him was an exception!
She has amazing insight amidst her calmness, and rare thundering methods amidst her gentleness. She is also very good at controlling people's hearts, and when they feel oppressed, she gives them appropriate trust. Such a woman is truly an extraordinary woman, hard to see through and understand, and always carries a layer of mystery!
However, seeing that Yun Qianmeng, who was only sixteen years old, was already so formidable, Nie Huaiyuan had nothing else to think about except admiration. He bowed slightly and answered Yun Qianmeng's question in a very low voice, "Your Highness, the sword wound on your right arm is more serious. However, as long as Your Highness takes the decoctions and changes the dressings regularly, and given Your Highness's strong body, I believe it will scab over within five days! As for the wound on your right index finger, it was caused by drawing the bow. As long as you change the dressings regularly and keep it away from water, it will heal in two or three days. Your Highness, don't worry too much!"
Hearing this, Yun Qianmeng's heart finally settled down. She glanced at the maids guarding the west wing, a glint in her eyes, and then asked, "How is Deputy Commander Xia's injury?"
Following Yun Qianmeng's gaze, Nie Huaiyuan glanced at the west wing. His brows furrowed slightly, but he still told the truth, "Deputy Commander Xia is seriously injured, but fortunately, he's in good health. I believe he'll wake up in the next two days!"
Yun Qianmeng listened carefully to Nie Huaiyuan's diagnosis, nodding at the appropriate times. In her mind, she was calculating the situation in the capital and the environment they were currently in. After a while, she slowly spoke and instructed, "Deputy Commander Xia has been dedicated to his duties. He suffered serious injuries in order to protect me and the prince! And now that he has the emperor's order, I'm afraid that if he wakes up, he will ignore his own injuries and force his way forward! His loyalty is so deep that the sun and the moon can bear witness to it! However, I really can't bear to see Deputy Commander Xia working so hard. Before the wound on the prince's right arm scabs over, I'd like to trouble Doctor Nie to let Deputy Commander Xia rest well and not make things difficult for him!"
Hearing Yun Qianmeng's instructions, Nie Huaiyuan was surprised, but still bowed and responded in a low voice!
Seeing that Nie Huaiyuan understood what she meant, Yun Qianmeng nodded slightly, and then led Yingxia and the others out of the west wing!
After watching Yun Qianmeng leave, Nie Huaiyuan told Yingqiu to seal the furnace first. He then turned around and walked out of the garden and walked towards the carriage he was riding in. He took out another bag of medicine powder from it and added it back into the medicine jar!
Yingqiu looked at the light brown powder poured into the medicine jar, but from the smell of the powder, she could already tell what kind of medicinal material it was. She stared at Nie Huaiyuan in confusion and asked in a low voice, "Doctor Nie, this..."
Nie Huaiyuan stirred the medicine pot with bamboo chopsticks for a while before speaking, "Rather than letting Deputy Commander Xia wake up in pain, why not let him sleep for a few more days? When he wakes up after his injuries have subsided, he will suffer less! We doctors are like parents to our patients. We can't just think about how to heal our patients, we must also think about how to alleviate their pain!"
After saying that, Nie Huaiyuan handed the task of boiling the medicine to Yingqiu, and he turned back and walked into the west wing with a bit of embarrassment...
"Tell me, who hurt the prince?" After learning about Chu Feiyang's injuries, Yun Qianmeng finally breathed a sigh of relief. She then took Xi Lin back to the side room of the east wing and sat aside with a serious expression. She tapped the table lightly with her right index finger, but her eyes were staring fiercely at Xi Lin who was kneeling on one knee in front of her!
"I have failed in my duty and caused the prince to be injured. Please punish me, Princess!" Xi Lin knew that Yun Qianmeng was a person who clearly distinguished between rewards and punishments. The way she used both kindness and force on Nie Huaiyuan just now had made him realize how powerful this female master was. He knew in his heart that after the princess finished caring about the prince's health, she would blame him next!
"Will punishing you restore the prince to his former glory?" Unexpectedly, Yun Qianmeng asked softly, her fingers tapping the table slightly retracted. She then picked up the teacup beside her and took a sip of the hot tea thirstily. Then she continued, "Tell me the whole story!"
"Yes, I obey your command!" Upon hearing this, Xi Lin quickly recounted what had happened before in great detail, even telling her every word of the conversation he had heard from his subordinates. After he finished speaking, he stopped talking and just knelt in front of Yun Qianmeng with his head down, waiting for her punishment!
However, Yun Qianmeng maintained a cold expression throughout. However, when she heard Xi Lin talking about the conversation between Chu Feiyang and Qi Jingyuan, her originally calm heart suddenly became confused for a moment. A thousand thoughts ran through her mind, but after they settled, a touch of emotion and pity emerged!
Yingxia looked at Yun Qianmeng, who was as quiet as water and didn't say a word, and felt a little worried in her heart. She didn't know how the princess would handle this situation!
Yun Qianmeng, however, hid her emotions as quickly as possible. She raised her eyes slightly and glanced at Xi Lin, saying without a trace of emotion, "The prince just said that you should lead the army yourself. Do you accept that?"
"I give in!" Without any hesitation, Xi Lin lowered his head and gave a resounding answer!
"In that case, you can go out and guard this garden well. If you let the prince be in danger again, you will be punished twice!" But Yun Qianmeng suddenly changed the subject and stood up slowly in Xi Lin's surprised eyes. His face was still cold, but his tone was not as solemn as before. However, it made Xi Lin's heart tremble, and then a warm current surged in his heart. He immediately nodded to Yun Qianmeng, adjusted the sword at his waist, and stepped out of the side room with a sense of responsibility!
"Princess, you've been tired for so long, take a rest!" Yingxia looked at Yun Qianmeng worriedly and reminded her softly!
Little did they know that Xi Lin, who had just walked out for a moment, had returned. He respectfully reported to Yun Qianmeng, "Princess, the prefect Zhu wishes to see the prince!"
"Did he say anything important?" He couldn't help but look outside the window, and saw Zhu Zhong in official uniform, standing upright at the gate of the courtyard of the east wing, waiting to be summoned!
"Replying to Princess, Zhizhou Zhu only said that he wanted to discuss the itinerary of the prince and princess and the casualties of the royal guards!" Xi Lin, who had already learned the reason, told it all without hesitation!
Yun Qianmeng, however, withdrew her gaze and spoke with a hint of authority, "I believe that Magistrate Zhu has already reported yesterday's events to the court. You should go and tell him that the prince's itinerary is in compliance with the emperor's orders! As for the issue of compensation for the imperial guards, it will naturally be handled according to court conventions. When will we discuss this matter again?! Today, unless there is an imperial decree, all requests will be rejected!"
After he finished speaking, he saw the palace guards who had just been sent out by Yun Qianmeng walked in quickly. After bowing respectfully, he presented the jade token with both hands. Yun Qianmeng took the jade token and put it in his sleeve and walked out of the side room quickly. After Yuandong lifted the door curtain, he walked into the inner room quietly!
Since the windows in the inner room were not open, the view was a little dim!
Yun Qianmeng quietly walked to the bed, gently lifted the curtain at the head of the bed with one hand, and saw Chu Feiyang obediently closing his eyes and sleeping, and she unconsciously revealed a relieved smile!
She slowly sat down, stretched out her slender and tender fingers and gently stroked Chu Feiyang's eyebrows. She felt that even in sleep, Chu Feiyang's facial features were still exquisite and impeccable, but his thick black eyebrows seemed to want to show his fortitude to the world, making it impossible to ignore his handsomeness as a man!
However, due to his injury, his face was slightly pale and his thin lips had lost their former luster. Her fingertips slid down along the contour of his face, gently rubbing his slightly dry lips, but an almost inaudible sigh escaped from his red lips. Chu Feiyang, who was doing this just to avenge her, made her angry and distressed. Did he know that when he was worried about her getting hurt, she would also be worried about his injury?
Suddenly, there was a drastic change, and Yun Qianmeng's sitting body was pressed down by the sleeping Chu Feiyang, with her head resting on his left arm. Yun Qianmeng stared at the handsome face above her head with an extremely evil smile, and her delicate face was frosted!
"Get out of the way!" I'm still angry, how can I forgive him so easily? Otherwise, won't he be even worse next time?
"No!" Little did he know that the person who did something wrong was also very confident. He stretched out his right arm and held the person under him tighter in his arms until the breaths of their nostrils blended. Only then did he stop his hand movements with satisfaction. His ink-black eyes flashed with smiles and emotion as he stared at Yun Qianmeng, whose face still had an angry look, but his heart was already filled with tenderness!
"What were you thinking about just now? You were so absent-minded?" Chu Feiyang had already developed the ability to stay awake for several nights during the march and battle. Just one night of sleeplessness would not affect his spirit. At this moment, he looked at Yun Qianmeng with a gentle gaze and a faint smile on his face, and his tone was full of flattery!
Being stared at by Chu Feiyang with such a fiery gaze, Yun Qianmeng reached out and pushed his upper body away, which was constantly pressing down on her. Then she said unhappily, "If you're injured, you should behave like an injured person!"
"It's okay, my arm just bleeds a little. It will recover in a day or two!" He continued to lower his head and rubbed Yun Qianmeng's upturned nose with the tip of his straight nose. The soft touch almost made Chu Feiyang sigh with comfort. The right hand that was tightly wrapped around her waist was even more eager to move, and carefully groped towards the embarrassing part!
"If Your Highness has nothing else to do, why don't you go and see Governor Zhu! He has something important to ask Your Highness!" In front of Chu Feiyang, Yun Qianmeng knew that she would be of no use at all, so she could only speak with a sneer!
Sure enough, the hand that was about to grope for the softness of her chest paused slightly, and Chu Feiyang's eyes suddenly showed a hint of helplessness. He could only lower his head and bury his head in her neck, refusing to get up, and said coquettishly, "I feel dizzy!"
"But why did I feel that the prince was in very good spirits just now?" Yun Qianmeng wanted to reach out and push away the right arm that was across her waist, but the information that he was injured suddenly emerged in her mind. She had to give up and spoke slowly with a hint of gritted teeth and anger!
"I really feel dizzy. If Meng'er doesn't believe me, just kiss me and you will know the truth!" The thin lips pressed against her snow-white neck opened slightly, deliberately blowing out hot air while taking the opportunity to kiss her skin!
"If that's the case, I'll have Yingxia invite Doctor Nie to give the prince acupuncture. I'm sure the wound has affected his tendons and bones, and acupuncture is the fastest way to see results! Seeing the prince in so much pain, I really want to do it myself!" She raised her hand and tapped Chu Feiyang's forehead. She wanted to push away his lips that were pressed against her neck, but she found that his forehead was slightly hot. It must be from the wound on his right arm. The anger in Yun Qianmeng's eyes disappeared, and a hint of worry appeared in her eyes. With a serious face, she called out to the inner and outer rooms, "Yingxia..."
"Shh!" Unexpectedly, Chu Feiyang touched Yun Qianmeng's lips with one hand, and looked at the girl who hid her worries deep in her heart with a smile in his eyes. Then he comforted her, "It's okay, this little injury will be fine after a good sleep!"
After he finished speaking, he pulled Yun Qianmeng up and laid her down again. After covering them with a quilt, he embraced Yun Qianmeng and closed his eyes with peace of mind!
As he closed his eyes, Yun Qianmeng gently placed one hand on his waist and slowly closed her eyes with a peaceful heart...
At this time, the Kyoto court had fallen into a dead silence...
"What? You have nothing to say?" Emperor Yugan looked at the ministers who were choosing words and sentences, and spoke sarcastically!
"Your Majesty, since it was Xia Ji who failed to protect the Prince of Chu and his wife this time, why not send another 3,000 guards to let Xia Ji make amends!" Seeing Emperor Yugan's angry expression, Jiang Muchen stepped forward and spoke first!
"Your Majesty, in my opinion, since there are not too many losses among the palace guards accompanying the King of Chu, why not let them escort the prince and princess to Youzhou!" Lord Qin, who is now the left prime minister, stood up and spoke about the matter after Jiang Muchen finished speaking!
Although he is old, he has a clear mind. The Imperial Guard has only 100,000 men in total, and they are responsible for guarding the Imperial Palace and the Emperor. Now they have lost nearly 3,000 men. It is absolutely impossible to withdraw more men to protect the King of Chu and the Princess. Otherwise, judging from the uneasy actions of the kings, the Imperial Palace and the Emperor will surely be in danger!
"Oh, so, Qin Zuo Xiang thinks that the safety of the King of Chu and the Princess is not important? Jiangzhou is far away from Youzhou, and only a few hundred people are escorting the Prince and the Princess. Does this mean that they can assassinate the Prince and the Princess at will? Moreover, Jiangzhou is also a rich place, and Zhu Zhong has not made any major mistakes in his administration over the years. But such a thing happened when the Prince and the Princess were traveling to Jiangzhou. This shows us that this is a premeditated assassination. If, as Qin Xiang said, we not only do not increase our defenses, but weaken the protection of the Prince and the Princess, wouldn't this put the Prince and the Princess in danger?" At this time, the silent Yun Xuanzhi suddenly spoke to refute Qin Xiang, and every word he said was full of evidence, which made all the officials nod their heads!
Qu Lingao and Qu Changqing, who were standing aside, looked up at Yun Xuanzhi after hearing his words. They felt that Yun Xuanzhi, who had never been involved in Chu Feiyang's affairs in the past, was a little abnormal today!
He must be worried that if something happens to Chu Feiyang and Yun Qianmeng, his position as Right Prime Minister will also be in danger!
However, Prime Minister Qin was not angry at Yun Xuanzhi's words. Over the years, as the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, he had seen a lot of injustice in the world. He was also used to the inexplicable backstabbing in the court. If he got angry at this time, it would be exactly what Yun Xuanzhi wanted!
Moreover, he had no personal grudges with the King of Chu and his wife, and what he said at this time was from the perspective of a minister, so there was no need to feel guilty or afraid!
Prime Minister Qin glanced at Yun Xuan indifferently, then immediately spoke, "Prime Minister Yun, you know that the number of Imperial Guards, City Defense Forces, and State Garrison Forces is limited. Their positions are their responsibilities! How can we arbitrarily deploy personnel? If something happens in the palace, who will bear the responsibility?"
Yun Xuanzhi frowned slightly after being refuted by Qin Xiang's righteous words. He only said that he would send people to protect Chu Feiyang and Yun Qianmeng, but did not mention the Imperial Guards!
Thinking of this, Yun Xuanzhi's sharp gaze instantly turned to Jiang Muchen, but he saw that the person who had just made this suggestion was standing in the hall with a cold face, watching the argument of others with cold eyes. This made Yun Xuanzhi's heart sink slightly, and he turned his eyes slightly and looked at Jiang Muchen who was overly quiet today!
"Out of three thousand guards, nearly two thousand were lost, eight hundred were injured, and the deputy commander Xia Ji was seriously injured and unconscious! What does this mean? Does it mean that Xia Ji is incompetent in commanding the army, or that the guards are weak and can be bullied? Or is it that my Western Chu is surrounded by crises, and those bandits even dared to kidnap and assassinate the princes and princesses' carriages? Or does it mean that the ministers I raised are all stupid and incompetent, and can't even manage this small territory?" Little did he know that the argument just now made Emperor Yu Gan angry, and the roar restored silence in the hall in an instant, with only Emperor Yu Gan's roar echoing in the empty golden hall!
"I deserve to die!" All the officials were horrified and knelt down in unison!
Looking at this group of ministers who could only say 'they deserve death' but could not offer a specific solution, Emperor Yugan stood up from the dragon throne in anger, one hand on his waist and the other pointing directly at the kneeling crowd below, shouting angrily, "Last year, the imperial palace caught fire and the palace maids were killed. The imperial guards failed in their duties! During the Qiqiao Festival, the Crown Prince of Northern Qi led his men to kill and injure the people of Kyoto. The city defense forces failed in their duties! During the imperial examination, the inn where the candidates were staying caught fire. The city defense forces failed in their duties! This time, the King of Chu and his wife were assassinated. The imperial guards and the state garrison failed in their duties! How far do you want to disappoint me?"
"Your humble servant deserves to be put to death a thousand times!" But what Emperor Yugan gets is always the same "Your humble servant deserves to be put to death a thousand times"!
"Prince Hai, what do you think?" What Emperor Yugan least wanted to hear at this moment was the words "he deserves to die"!
Since they like to kneel, then let them kneel well!
Hai Chenxi was called by name and stood up among the officials. His calm face lacked the sinister look of the past. His calm demeanor was that of a veteran official who had experienced many ups and downs in his career. With his unique shrewdness and steadiness, he slowly spoke, "Your Majesty, I believe this matter should not be publicized too much! First, the attack on the royal convoy is already a disgrace to the royal family. If word gets out, the people will surely spread rumors! Second, since there was an imperial guard escort, yet such an incident still occurred, if the people learned of it, they would surely lose confidence in the court. Then, those with ulterior motives would seize the opportunity to spread rumors, damaging the reputation of the emperor and the court, and thus shaking the people's hearts, which would be of no benefit to the consolidation of the country! Third, the letter from Governor Zhu also stated that the King of Chu had already gone to pursue the bandits. It would be better to wait for more news. Perhaps with the King of Chu's military prowess, he would have already eliminated a threat to Jiangzhou!"
Hai Chenxi's words were reasonable and logical, and made most of the court officials suddenly realize the truth. At this time, they felt that after listening to Prince Hai's analysis, the anger that had been oppressing the hall had faded a little, and everyone couldn't help but feel relieved!
"Then according to Prince Hai, after my grandson was attacked, he still has to go alone to capture the thief?" Little did he know that before Hai Chenxi's words had completely dissipated in the hall, Chu Nanshan's strong and powerful voice came from outside the door!
When everyone heard this, they lowered their heads and dared not say a word!
Chu Nanshan has a high status. Even though he no longer has the title of King of Chu, he is still the old King of Chu praised by the people of Western Chu. His ancestors even specially awarded him a waist badge that allows him to enter and leave the palace at will. Now in Western Chu, the only one who can break into the palace so confidently and openly is probably Chu Nanshan!
Following closely behind Chu Nanshan was the head of the Xiahou clan. Although he was already in his seventies, he was only one step behind the striding Chu Nanshan. It was obvious that he must have been very experienced. At this moment, the face of the Xiahou clan leader was filled with murderous intent. He glared at the courtiers kneeling on the ground with a strong chill, and then turned his gaze to Emperor Yugan!
"Your humble servant pays homage to the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" After Chu Nanshan said those words targeting Hai Chenxi, he suddenly changed his arrogance and knelt down to pay homage to Emperor Yugan with great respect!
"Eunuch Yu, quickly help the prince up!" Seeing Chu Nanshan first slap him and then give him a date, Emperor Yu Gan was just furious but couldn't find an outlet to vent!
After all, even if Chu Nanshan lost his throne, his prestige could still shock the court and the public!
Moreover, when he forced his way into the hall just now, he was holding the badge bestowed by his ancestors. Over the years, Chu Nanshan hardly used this badge. Firstly, it showed his respect for the royal family, and secondly, it also showed that he had no intention of being disloyal!
This time, he activated this badge because he was concerned about his grandson and granddaughter-in-law. If he blamed Chu Nanshan at this time, I am afraid that everyone in the court and the country would think that the emperor was a heartless and ungrateful person!
Chu Nanshan's kneeling was extremely thoughtful. It not only gave him face, but also provided him with a way out for his intrusion. Now in the whole of Western Chu, there were probably not many people who could be as cunning as Chu Nanshan!
Emperor Yugan also said that he would not let Chu Nanshan kneel down, otherwise his reputation of crossing the river and demolishing the bridge and suppressing meritorious officials with imperial power would be deeply rooted in people's hearts!
Eunuch Yu rushed to Chu Nanshan's side at the fastest speed, quickly helped Chu Nanshan up who was slowly kneeling, and said with a smile, "Your Highness, please stand up!"
Chu Nanshan was also not polite. Since it was the little emperor who asked him to stand up, he naturally didn't need to kneel!
Almost as soon as Eunuch Yu's hands touched his body, Chu Nanshan stood up straight with a face full of gratitude. His sharp eyes immediately swept towards Hai Chenxi and he said seriously, "I wonder what the Prince of Hai meant by what he said just now?"
Hai Chenxi looked at Chu Nanshan who suddenly appeared, frowned slightly, and then regained his composure, calmly dealing with the fox-like Chu Nanshan. "Please don't worry, Your Highness! I was just speaking the truth! The attack on the King of Chu and the Princess is not what we want to see! The most urgent thing is to find the thieves' den, otherwise I'm afraid such a thing will happen again! This not only threatens the safety of the King and the Princess, but also shakes the people of Western Chu!"
"Are you cursing my grandson and granddaughter-in-law to be attacked again? Moreover, most of the people attacked this time are the imperial guards. It is possible that someone took advantage of Feiyang and Meng'er's trip to kill the emperor's people! I hope the emperor will understand and not miss any tiny details!" Chu Nanshan reacted very quickly and overturned Hai Chenxi's words in an instant!
Not to mention others, even Hai Chenxi looked at the sixty-year-old Chu Nanshan with admiration. It seemed that Chu Nanshan's prestige was not in vain. A man who could sit on the throne of King Chu for so many years was truly a very difficult and tough person!
However, Chu Nanshan's words instantly changed the topic. All the officials only dared to listen to the debate between the two of them, but did not dare to interrupt at all, otherwise if they said something wrong, the whole family would be implicated!
Now the situation in the court is gradually becoming clearer, various factions are gradually emerging, and the ambitions of several kings are slowly revealed!
However, the only one who could point out this relationship in the hall was Chu Nanshan. The Imperial Guards suffered heavy losses. It seemed that they were trying to protect Chu Feiyang and Yun Qianmeng, but it was also possible that the other party was indeed targeting the Imperial Guards. The person protected by the Imperial Guards was the emperor. Once the emperor lost his Imperial Guards, he would be a canary in a cage, at the mercy of others!
No one would dare to say such words, but Chu Nanshan said them without any fear. After hearing his words, the emperor not only did not get angry, but listened attentively to his subsequent analysis. It can be seen that even if Chu Nanshan has lost his throne, his weight cannot be replaced by anyone!
"Your Majesty, I think what the prince said is absolutely right!" Since Emperor Yugan just called Chu Nanshan 'Prince', then everyone should naturally address Chu Nanshan in this respect! Qu Lingao stood up at this time and echoed Chu Nanshan and said, "Commander Wu has always been strict in leading his troops, and the imperial guards are also well-trained. What kind of bandits can injure 800 imperial guards and cause the deaths of 1,900 imperial guards? This humble servant is really puzzled! Moreover, the Jiangzhou area has always been peaceful and there are rarely any bandits. How could a large number of bandits suddenly appear and ambush the royal team while leaving the civilians behind? Moreover, the letter from Zhu Zhizhou also mentioned that there were a lot of items in the carriages of the prince and the princess. It can be seen that these bandits were not robbing at all, but were planning to massacre! I also ask Your Majesty to investigate clearly and never let those with wolfish ambitions go unpunished!"
Qu Lingao's analysis further confirmed the truthfulness of what Chu Nanshan had just said!
The winds in the court suddenly became strange and unpredictable. If there were anyone with ulterior motives, they could name a few, but the officials were not fools. How could they be so foolish as to reveal their names? I'm afraid that if the court were to begin today, their entire family would be killed!
"Your Majesty also knows that Feiyang holds military power and guards the border for Your Majesty! If Feiyang can be dispatched again during this operation, the people at the border will be in danger. I'm afraid someone will take advantage of the opportunity to cooperate with the outside, and this is the real danger!" Chu Nanshan spoke again in a shocking manner, scaring everyone to lower their heads again!
Chu Nanshan's words were obviously meant to carry a personal vendetta, in retaliation for Prince Hai's words that he didn't care about the life and death of Prince Chu and his wife!
However, every word Chu Nanshan said was well-founded!
Currently, the only person in Western Chu who has been married off to Northern Qi is Princess Heshun of the Sea Prince's Palace. If this operation was orchestrated by the Sea Prince, his intentions are truly terrifying! Not only will he eliminate a portion of the Imperial Guards, but he could also eliminate Chu Feiyang. If the border defenses were to slacken, Northern Qi and the Sea Prince could collude internally and externally, plunging Western Chu into a devastating catastrophe!
Thinking of this, all the officials' hearts trembled suddenly. Fortunately, they did not agree with what Prince Hai said just now, otherwise they would be classified as part of the ranks of Prince Hai's Mansion, and their death would not be far away!
Hai Chenxi narrowed his eyes and looked at Chu Nanshan who was getting more and more excited as he spoke, but did not refute immediately. Otherwise, even if he refuted successfully, in the minds of Emperor Yugan and all the officials, it would have confirmed the accusation that the Sea Palace was colluding with internal and external forces!
"I wonder if the prince has any good suggestions?" Emperor Yu Gan spoke slowly at this time, his sharp eyes swept across Hai Chenxi's calm face, and then fell on Chu Nanshan!
"Your Majesty!" At this moment, the head of the Xiahou clan, who was standing behind Chu Nanshan, suddenly stepped forward and said loudly, "As Prime Minister Qin just said, the garrisons in each prefecture and county are limited in number and cannot be deployed at will. Why not have the Xiahou clan send a thousand soldiers to escort the prince and princess to Youzhou! Jiangzhou and Luocheng are separated by several cities, which is much closer than the distance to Kyoto. This will not only allow the prince and princess to go to Youzhou as soon as possible to resolve related matters, but also allow Deputy Commander Xia to rest for a few days during the mobilization!"
When everyone heard the proposal of the Xiahou clan leader, they looked at each other in surprise. They never expected that this matter would implicate the Xiahou clan as well!
However, Emperor Yugan did not respond immediately. His face was slightly gloomy, and he stared at Chief Xiahou with a scrutinizing look, trying to determine the truthfulness of what he said in his heart!
Although there are only a thousand people, it is a bit stretched to do anything!
But often the success or failure of a thing can be accomplished by only one or two people!
For a moment, Emperor Yugan fell into deep thought, and there was a hint of doubt in his eyes when he looked at the leader of the Xiahou clan!
"Assistant Minister of War Han Shaomian, listen to your orders!" After a while, Emperor Yugan spoke!
"Your humble servant is here!" Han Shaomian immediately stood up and answered loudly!
"Order the Minister of War, Han Shaomian, to go to Luocheng and lead a thousand elite soldiers of the Xiahou clan to Jiangzhou to escort the King of Chu and the Queen to Youzhou!" After pondering for a moment, Emperor Yugan issued an order!
"Your humble servant obeys your order!" Han Shaomian immediately knelt down and saluted!
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" At this time, Chu Nanshan and the Xiahou clan leader immediately bowed to Emperor Yugan, and then left the hall with their mission accomplished!
"The Minister of Rites drafted an imperial edict, ordering the governor of Jiangzhou, Zhu Zhong, to thoroughly investigate the attack! If any suspicious persons are found in other counties, they must be immediately wanted without delay!" And above the main hall, the imperial edicts issued by Emperor Yugan continued to ring out!
"How did you know Feiyang was in trouble?" Clan leader Xiahou was very curious. How could an old man who dragged him to play chess all day be so well-informed?
Chu Nanshan nimbly climbed onto the horse's back and leisurely rode his beloved horse towards the palace gate. His smiling eyes were filled with a hint of shrewdness. After pondering for a long time, he slowly said, "Meng'er is really smart. When something happened, she knew to let me, her grandfather, know!"
Otherwise, with the cleverness of that brat from the Hai family, he would definitely shift all the responsibility onto Feiyang!
Regardless of whether Feiyang was the victim of the assassination or not, with his reputation as a victorious general, he failed to catch the criminals alone. I am afraid that those ministers who follow the wind will definitely take advantage of the situation!
Hearing this, the tense heart of the Xiahou clan leader couldn't help but relax a little. With Yun Qianmeng by Chu Feiyang's side, at least it was reassuring. He just hoped that this trip to Youzhou would be smooth!
"Your Highness has rarely spoken in the court today. I wonder why?" Seeing that Emperor Yugan left Han Shaomian alone, Hai Chenxi and Jiang Muchen stepped out of the threshold of the hall at the same time and spoke lazily!
"Of course, I don't want to shoot myself in the foot like Prince Hai did!" Jiang Muchen watched everything that happened in the court today with cold eyes and spoke coldly!
"What the old King Chu said is not just directed at the Palace of King Hai. The Palace of King Chen is also a big suspect!" Glancing lightly at Jiang Muchen, who had been silent all day, Hai Chenxi's eyes turned slightly, and a shrewd light was hidden in the deepest part of his pupils!
"Wrong, the emperor will doubt the Sea Prince's Mansion, but he won't doubt me! The Imperial Guards have lost nearly 3,000 men, and the emperor will never risk sending out the Imperial Guards again. The city defense army is the first line of defense before entering Kyoto, so the emperor will naturally not withdraw them at will! And I have to guard against more than just the emperor. I'm afraid that the Sea Prince who lives in Yangmingshan is also a hidden person! Once
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