After a long and arduous journey, the Fourth Prince finally arrived in the Northwest. Because of its proximity to the battlefield, the caravan led by the Fourth Prince stopped ten miles from the camp, waiting for Hongli and the Seventeenth Prince to receive him.
Upon receiving news that the Emperor was already ten miles away, Hongli and the Seventeenth Prince led a group of people to meet the Fourth Prince. They hurried to their destination and saw the Fourth Prince dressed in white, looking quite like a businessman.
"Father, your son is late in welcoming you!" Hongli and the Seventeenth Prince were overjoyed to see the Emperor. When they received the news, Hongli was still half-believing and half-doubting, suspecting that it was a trap set by the enemy. But when he actually saw the Fourth Prince, Hongli was overjoyed.
The Fourth Prince looked at Hongli standing unharmed before him, and his heart finally settled. "Rise! Do you think I've done a good job as a merchant?" The Fourth Prince ordered his men to lift all the burlap lining on the carriage, revealing grain and some clothing hidden inside.
Hongli and the Seventeenth Prince exchanged a glance. Now they no longer had to worry about the provisions. "Father, you must be tired from your journey. Come back to the camp with me!" Hongli ordered the soldiers to help transport the grain and led the "caravan" back to the camp.
The Fourth Prince observed the terrain and road conditions along the way to better plan his military deployment. He entered the military camp under the guise of a merchant, and most people did not recognize the Emperor. The Fourth Prince felt deep sorrow as he looked at the seriously wounded soldiers lying on the ground.
"Hongli, I brought many imperial physicians with me this time. Have them examine these wounded soldiers as soon as possible." Since most of the soldiers were wounded, Hongli worried that the physicians wouldn't be able to handle the workload, so he sent those who were unharmed to help.
Seventeenth Prince brought Fourth Prince to General Shen Hebi's tent. "General, look who I brought!" Seventeenth Prince stood in front of Fourth Prince. Shen Hebi looked puzzled. Who had the leisure to joke at a time like this?
The Seventeenth Prince took a few steps to the side, and the Fourth Prince stood before Shen Hebi. Shen Hebi was first surprised, then ashamed, realizing that he had failed to lead his troops well, which had put the Qing Dynasty in danger.
"Your Majesty, I have failed to lead the army well and have even brought you here in person. I deserve to die!" Shen Hebi knelt on the ground, begging the Emperor for his punishment.
The Seventeenth Prince, who was standing to the side, was surprised by General Shen's reaction and knelt down as well. "Your Majesty, I have also failed you. Not only did I fail to help General Shen, but I also hindered him. If you want to blame someone, blame me!" During the last battle, I was careless and fell into the enemy's trap. It was thanks to General Shen's timely rescue that I was able to survive. Otherwise, I would have died on the battlefield long ago.
"Your Majesty, it is my fault. As the old marshal, I not only failed to lead the army well, but also suffered many defeats! Now the army is severely depleted, and I am afraid..." Shen Hebi felt sorry for the emperor after losing several battles, and now that the emperor had come in person, he felt even more guilty.
Fourth Master remained silent, took two steps forward, and helped the two up. "Don't blame yourselves too much. Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. You can't be blamed for this!"
The Fourth Prince smiled and said, "Besides, now that I'm here, don't you have the confidence to win the battle?" The Fourth Prince brought not only the imperial physicians from the palace, but also his own secret guards, who were waiting less than ten kilometers from the military camp.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
