Before Lu Xiuyuan entered the Hanlin Academy, the imperial court granted him a few days off.
This holiday is usually used by those who pass the exam to go back to their hometowns to visit their families.
Lu Xiuyuan's family lived just outside the capital, not far away.
During their vacation, Lu Xiuyuan took Pei Zhi to look at houses in the capital.
Lu Xiuyuan will be working at the Hanlin Academy from now on, and he will have to leave early and return late every day.
If he were still living in the fishing village, it would take Lu Xiuyuan two days to travel to and from the capital.
Lu Xiuyuan has now received a settlement allowance, but he definitely can't afford to buy a house in the capital.
Even in the suburbs, it's unaffordable.
That means I can only rent a place, and it has to be in a remote area, otherwise the monthly rent would be too expensive.
Pei Zhi didn't need to worry about any of these things; Lu Xiuyuan took care of everything.
Pei Zhi only needed to see whether she liked or was satisfied with the house Lu Xiuyuan had chosen.
In the end, Lu Xiuyuan and Pei Zhi chose a room with a courtyard and a large tree.
Pei Zhi remembered a saying, "It's good to rest under a big tree," so she decided to book this house.
Once the house was rented, the moving process began.
Moving is a troublesome task; you have to take what you need to take and buy what you need to buy.
You also need to visit your neighbors and greet them.
The neighbors were very curious to learn that a new top scholar lived next door, and they all said they wanted to share in the joy.
Before he knew it, his holiday was over, and Lu Xiuyuan entered the Hanlin Academy.
Pei Zhi then helped Lu Xiuyuan manage the household and take care of her mother.
In the imperial study, Emperor Xiao smashed a teacup in anger.
Xiao Chengci knew to back off this time and avoided being hit.
"You're quite agile now, you know how to dodge."
“Father, you dropped it at my feet. I was afraid it would soil my clothes.”
Emperor Xiao was too lazy to listen to Xiao Chengci's nonsense. "Just as you thought, your 'Sixth Sister' was kidnapped by a group of bandits as soon as she entered the North City."
Xiao Chengci crossed his arms. "Sixth Sister's carriage has the imperial flag on it. What kind of bandits would be so foolish as to rob the imperial family? How many generations of their families would they have?"
The princess was sent to marry a foreign prince, but she was kidnapped and killed by bandits. It's truly...
Emperor Xiao pondered: "It seems that this Shang Huai has truly harbored ulterior motives."
"What are Father Emperor's plans regarding this matter?"
Emperor Xiao stood up. The Zhenbei Army could no longer be handed over to Shang Huai.
But who will they send to take over the Zhenbei Army?
No matter who it is, the Zhenbei Army will not be convinced.
"I am worried that hastily sending someone to take over the Zhenbei Army might force..."
Xiao Chengci replied, "A cornered dog will jump over the wall."
Emperor Xiao was uneasy if the situation were allowed to continue unchecked.
But if we intervene, we're afraid it will provoke Shang Huai into a complete rebellion.
"The Zhenbei Army is in the north, and the Xiongnu are behind them. If I push them too far, they might join forces with the Xiongnu, which would put all the people in the war."
This is a difficult problem.
Although the General of the North returned the Tiger Tally, in a real crisis, the Tiger Tally would be of no use to anyone from the Shang family.
Emperor Xiao tapped the table. "In the end, it still comes down to..."
In the end, it all comes down to a woman.
This was the scene Emperor Xiao feared most, and unexpectedly, it has happened now, even earlier than expected.
"Father, have you ever thought that things would be different if Zhizhi were still alive?"
Emperor Xiao became angry when he heard Xiao Chengci mention this name.
"How is it different? You guys would still fight each other, or even worse, over a woman."
Xiao Chengci gently shook his head, "No, we won't, because we have people we care about, so we won't go to extremes."
Emperor Xiao did not want to hear Xiao Chengci say these things.
"I will issue an edict now, ordering the General of the Northern Garrison and the old Marquis and his wife to return to the capital."
Xiao Chengci raised an eyebrow and asked, "Father, are you planning to use them as hostages?"
Emperor Xiao snorted: "I don't believe that Shang Huai's father, grandfather, and grandmother are all in the capital. Would he dare to rebel?"
Xiao Chengci was not as optimistic as Emperor Xiao. "He dared to kill 'Sixth Sister,' Shang Huai will not let the General return to the capital."
"I do not believe that the Grand General would collude with Shang Huai in such a treacherous manner."
Emperor Xiao firmly believed that the General Who Guards the North would never have any intention of betraying the country.
The general would absolutely not agree to Shang Huai joining forces with the Xiongnu.
"Father is right, but if the General doesn't care about his own son, will he care about the Zhenbei Army, to which he has devoted his entire life?"
Xiao Chengci asked, "Or, even if they return to the capital, if Shang Huai really rebels, can Father really kill them to threaten Shang Huai?"
Why not?
Xiao Chengci spoke directly: "The Shang family has been guarding the north for generations. Whether in the court or among the common people, their status is extraordinary. If you dare to strike with your sword, Father, our family's throne will be passed down to you."
The General of the North's brothers all died in battle.
The common people do not have much reverence for the emperor who is high above them.
But for the merchants who have guarded the battlefield in the north for decades, they have the utmost respect.
Emperor Xiao slammed his fist on the table in anger. "So, you mean I can't do anything about him right now?"
"If Shang Huai wants to rebel, am I just going to watch him rebel?"
Xiao Chengci took two steps back and knelt on the ground. "My father and I both understand why my cousin is like this. Therefore, I request permission to go to the north in person to discuss this with my cousin."
"No." Emperor Xiao refused without even thinking.
"Who knows what Shang Huai's attitude towards you is? What if..."
Shang Huai's rebellious intentions must have stemmed from his deep hatred for Xiao Chengci.
Xiao Chengci still dares to offer himself up; if Shang Huai does…
"If I can successfully negotiate, it would be better than actually going to war. We cannot start a war while the Xiongnu are still at large."
Emperor Xiao still hesitated; he only had one crown prince.
"Father, rest assured, Shang Huai would not dare to kill his son unless he wants to take hundreds of thousands of Zhenbei soldiers with him."
Everyone knew that Emperor Xiao would be furious at Xiao Chengci's death.
Emperor Xiao will certainly spare no effort to make Shang Huai pay for his blood debt.
"Take more guards with you, so I can feel at ease."
Xiao Chengci respectfully replied, "Either we travel light, or we bring hundreds of thousands of troops."
"Alright, alright, go and pack up. Come back soon."
"Your subject obeys the decree."
After Xiao Chengci returned to the Eastern Palace, he asked Deshun to pack some luggage.
De Shun muttered to himself, "The north is cold, so I definitely need thick clothes, and all sorts of medicinal herbs are also essential."
Pei Minxue was just coming over with a memorial when he heard that the Crown Prince was going to the north.
"Your Highness, why are you going north? Are you abandoning the affairs of the court? Your Highness just returned."
Xiao Chengci didn't beat around the bush with Pei Minxue, "You know that the 'Sixth Princess' died on the road, right?"
Pei Minxue nodded, "I know, didn't they say it was the robbers who did it, and that the local officials have already caught them?"
"Minxue, you know everything. Do you think, like outsiders, that it was the robbers who did it?"
Pei Minxue was stunned, and suddenly remembered what Shang Huai had said to him when he buried Pei Zhi.
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