Partiality and sincerity
In the daytime sunshine, Chen Yun and Huang Youbing gathered in the courtyard of Prince Xuan's Mansion. They were playing with the toddlers Li Ziyin and Li Xin when Fang Zai Qiao ran in.
"Princess, Princess! This is terrible! The prince was shot on the front lines and is being held back by a force rebelling against the Qiankun Nation. Now the prince has sent away the spoils and most of the food, leaving him and a small number of soldiers to fend for themselves. Considering their lack of combat effectiveness, I am writing to request support."
Chen Yun felt as if the sky had fallen at that moment. As her mother, Huang Youbing naturally saw it all.
Huang Youbing quickly stepped forward and steadied the shaky Chen Yun. She looked at her with a firm and gentle gaze and said softly but forcefully, "Yun'er, now is not the time to panic."
Chen Yun took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. She knew that as the mistress of Prince Xuan's Mansion, she could not fall down.
She looked at Huang Youbing, her eyes flashing with determination: "Mom, you are right. We must act immediately and cannot let Li Lin fight alone."
Fang Zaiqiao felt a little relieved upon seeing this, and quickly added, "Princess, I have already ordered fast horses to be prepared. They are ready to set out at any time to deliver the message and gather nearby troops. However, regarding the support, Princess, I still need your decision. Should we send reinforcements directly, or should we gather our own forces first?"
"Let Yuchi lead the troops. Before that, let me go to my father to retrieve the weapons. Room Secretary, this letter must have shaken the hearts of the royal family. What you need to do now is to appease them. Wait for my message. Go quickly!"
Fang Zai Qiao saluted and left quickly.
Chen Yun sat heavily on the stone bench, looking ahead with a worried look on his face. He sneered, but he didn't know why he sneered.
"Mother, I don't want to regard Li Lin as my husband, but I am always tempted by him."
"You're worried about him."
Chen Yun looked at Huang Youbing in surprise, "I'm worried about him? I'm actually worried about him?"
Chen Yun frowned and lowered his head in silence, while Huang Youbing sat beside him. Chen Yun felt a mixture of emotions, realizing that her concern for Li Lin might have gone beyond simple responsibility.
"Does it happen that when people live long and have enough to eat, they become mean?"
"Mother has been through this before and understands how you feel, but the situation is urgent and we shouldn't be sad. It's time to go to court."
Chen Yun nodded. She stood up and prepared to go back to her room. Huang Youbing looked at Chen Yun as she left and said one last word: "In life, the ultimate goal is to have a clear conscience."
Chen Yan heaved a long sigh towards the sky, as if expressing his regret for the impermanence of life.
The city walls scorched like fire under the scorching summer sun. In a flash, Chen Yun, Yangyang, and Yueyue were walking through the palace to pay their respects to the emperor. Along the way, they exchanged greetings and chatted with many of the concubines.
It took nearly an hour to finally reach Kunning Palace. Chen Siyu and several concubines were sitting on either side.
Chen Yun took a look at Chen Siyu's concubine dress and remembered that today was the day for the new concubine to meet the emperor.
"Oh, I forgot. Although Xiaoyu is a concubine, as a new concubine, she also needs to come for a few days to get acquainted. Well, let's deal with the main matter first." Thinking of this, Chen Yun bowed to Li Lieo and Xue Lian, "Your son pays homage to the emperor, father, and the queen mother."
"Princess Xuan is attending court today. What's the matter?"
"Reporting to His Majesty, I learned today that Prince Xuan was fighting for his country and was met with an uprising by local rebels. He is short of troops. I hope Your Majesty will allow the deployment of the antibiotics and gun carriages that I once crafted."
One concubine turned sideways and asked the concubine next to her: "What are antibiotics?"
Chen Ying replied, "It's a drug developed using an antibiotic called penicillin. It's an antibacterial substance produced by the fermentation of Penicillium spp. in a culture medium. It can treat a variety of external and internal injuries. It can also treat other infectious diseases. I'd like to add that Traditional Chinese Medicine emphasizes the balance of yin and yang; there's no such thing as anti-inflammatory or antibacterial."
However, the concubines were all sarcastic, and everyone believed that the medicine had only magical effects.
After hearing this, Chen Siyu looked at Chen Yin worriedly, but Chen Yin just put on a forced smile, which made her feel uncomfortable.
Although Li Lieo was concerned about Li Lin's power, he was also worried about his children, so he agreed.
But the other concubines disagreed with Li Lieo's decision and tried to stop him for various reasons.
Chen Yun did not leave immediately, but whispered to Yangyang and Yueyue to go directly to the Imperial Medical Bureau and the Ministry of War to get the things, and then he sat aside.
"Your Majesty, now that you've spoken, you shouldn't change your mind. Who can guarantee that the front lines won't be like the Zhang Chu regime... riots that cost the people money and labor, and the harem austerity? I remember from this story that the remnants of the six kingdoms also rose up against the Qin Dynasty. Therefore, war, constant fighting, will only hurt the people of both countries."
Li Lie'ao glanced at them, and all the concubines were speechless. Li Lie'ao sneered and said, "How can I not save my prince when he is in trouble? Let's forget about this matter and don't mention it again!"
Chen Siyu bowed along with the other concubines to show her agreement, but she secretly sighed in her heart: "Is this just a palace game? With my sister's ability, it's no wonder that guy Li Ji wants to win her over."
Half a month later, Chen Yun brought Wei Chi Muyan and some officers and soldiers to the site of the mutiny.
Li Lin was in the camp. Seeing Chen Yun coming, he walked over. Before he could speak, Chen Yun grabbed Li Lin's shoulders and complained bitterly: "Why don't you run away! If you are injured, you should get treated!"
Li Lin was stunned by Chen Ying's sudden concern.
Chen Feng, who was standing by, smiled and coughed dryly, and Li Lin finally reacted.
Li Lin shook Chen Yun's hand and said, "Madam, you are frightened. Now the rebels have almost been put down. Why don't you stay at home and stay safe?"
Chen Yun said, "Ruoxi and Ningshuang have taken good care of it. I don't need to intervene. Now that I have brought medicine and weapons, the war should be over."
Yuchi Muyan ran in: "Your Majesty! The enemy is attacking on a large scale!"
Li Lin was about to walk out when Chen Yin grabbed his hand.
"Tell me the truth, second brother, how are you injured?"
"It takes a hundred days to heal a broken bone. I am as powerful as a god, and I will not let such injuries delay victory. Stay in the barracks!"
"I want to treat the soldiers' injuries myself!"
So, the men were fighting outside, and the women were treating the wounded soldiers in the rear. At the same time, during a prisoner handling, it was discovered that Li Lin's heart was ruthless.
Several soldiers knelt before Li Lin, pleading for their lives, citing their families' elderly and young children as reasons, but Li Lin, without a word, slashed the necks of several captives with his sword. Blood splattered everywhere, causing Chen Yun's pupils to dilate.
Later, I learned that many of Li Lin's followers and subordinates were defeated by him. Only then did I understand that Li Lin was not merciful without reason, but chose to be merciful for a valuable reason.
At night, Li Lin returned from the battle with blood all over his face. When Chen Yun wiped it for him, he suggested treating prisoners well.
Li Lin just responded coldly: "There is not enough food for people to eat."
Just one sentence made Chen Yun more determined. She believed that Li Lin was a man of both civil and military talents. If he was guided, he would definitely benefit the country. As his wife, she couldn't let him go.
After several weeks of fighting, the rebellion was finally put down, and Li Lin led his army back to the palace.
However, things were not as satisfactory after returning to the palace. In the study of the Qianqing Palace, the two favorite concubines of Li Lieo were delighted to see two boxes of gold and silver jewelry.
"Your Majesty, there don't seem to be many such beautiful ornaments in the harem. Prince Xuan wouldn't be so stingy as to allow me to take one or two, would he?"
After hearing what the concubine said, how could he explain that the kingdom and wealth he and his brothers had worked so hard to build were taken away by a woman who had done nothing?
Li Lin was silent for a moment before responding, "This is spoils of war, and it should be used to fill the national treasury."
The two concubines' faces turned dark after hearing this.
Li Lie'ao said, "It's okay to let the two concubines pick one or two. They are all from the national treasury anyway, so it would be a waste if they were not used."
When the concubines asked again about his father's reaction, Li Lin remained silent. His boredom made the two concubines dare not really take it, and instead they continued to pester him.
Chen Yun nudged Li Lin, and Li Lin said, "Father, if there is nothing else, I will return home and rest first."
When Li Lin and Chen Yun turned to leave, Li Jiancheng came in armored, followed by soldiers carrying several boxes of jewelry.
Li Lin stopped and asked with a sneer, "Where did the emperor get the property to hand over to the national treasury?"
Li Jiancheng said nonchalantly, "Oh, it was obtained from Hebei Province. We should still thank Ben for wiping out the remaining Tufan villains. But I just can't understand why there are still remnants in the place where the Heavenly Generals have cleared out?"
Seeing that Li Lin didn't say much, Li Jiancheng said, "This time, we annihilated over 30,000 enemy troops. All of them have been annihilated. The boxes contain the spoils of this battle, and some of them are for the concubines in the harem. It's time for father and his concubines to distribute some of the most precious treasures."
Chen Yun looked at Li Lin's angry face and frowned unconsciously. He secretly felt sorry for Li Lin. "The property has just been deposited, and this person is doing the opposite. Isn't it too obvious to sabotage us? Li Lie'ao, you indulged the concubines' extravagance and the discord between brothers. Staying in this position will only damage the foundation!"
Chen Ying pulled Li Lin's sleeve, and Li Lin followed Chen Ying and left without saying a word.
Walking on the road in the palace, the figure passed by the red wall.
Li Lin asked, "Xiao Ying, do you think you can still protect yourself now that your father has divided you into so many factions?"
"Second brother, I don't understand how you gained your power. If it wasn't me, then let it be lost!"
"All of them were surrendered by the king. Some came here because of their reputation. My father, the emperor, and my mother, the queen, have never trusted their second son since he was young. Life is like walking on thin ice. What should I do?"
Chen Yun knew that Li Lin was exceptionally capable and accomplished, and that his neglect might be due to his prowess since childhood. She could only hold Li Lin's hand to comfort him.
"Brother, wherever you are, I will follow you. You will not walk alone on thin ice."
Li Lin was stunned for a moment, then wiped the sweat off Chen Yan's face, "It's getting hot. Let's go back and make some smoothies!"
"Have you forgotten that I have a gas illness and can't eat cold food?"
"Oh, it seems so."
The two came to the study in Kunning Palace. The room was filled with piles of books and the fragrance of ink. Queen Xue Lian was sitting at the desk, writing with a brush.
After paying their respects, Xue Lian asked curiously, "Huh? Aren't my two grandchildren here?"
"After returning to my mother, I learned that my mother lost her husband not long ago, and her three daughters have already married. The family is lonely, so I arranged for my mother to come to my house to take care of Xin's son Yin, so that she can have some comfort and get used to this kind of life as soon as possible."
Xue Lian put down his brush and said that Chen Ying was right.
"Alas, becoming a widow does indeed require many things to contend with. While Lin'er was away at war, you often visited us in the palace. In the future, please come more often and bring my grandson with you."
"must!"
However, Li Lin did not respond favorably. Instead, he questioned Chen Yun, "Why do you often go to the palace? It's not your home."
Chen Yun was completely overwhelmed. Li Lin had suddenly said something like that. Wasn't that infuriating? Just as she was scratching her head, pondering how to respond, her gaze shifted to Xue Lian, who had a sullen look on her face.
"You grew up in the palace, how can it not be your home? Your fourth brother would not say such a thing."
Li Lin asked, "Mother, why don't you use your son's ability to illustrate this?"
Chen Yun sensed the tension growing and quickly explained, "Brother, please don't be impulsive. Mother, Brother was just irritated by the Crown Prince and the Empress, not by any intention of offending you."
"Mother, the Queen, is not saying that you are incompetent. It's just that some well-known things must be mentioned. Have you ever considered that if our generation makes mistakes, the next generation will follow suit?"
Xue Lian coughed and took out the military token from the side.
"This is Lingnan's military token. Exchange it with your Xuanwang Mansion's military token. Keep your troops and divide Lingnan into two parts and govern it as a king."
Li Lin immediately slammed the table, startling Chen Yin and Xue Lian. "Your Highness, I disagree."
"It's not your turn to disagree. Your existence has already erased Cheng'er's achievements. How can you let the eldest prince gain a foothold in the palace?"
"Now he's giving away all his spoils to his concubines! He's not trying to win over his biological mother, but the concubines who are competing with her for favor! Queen Mother is worried about someone who's good at winning people over, and wouldn't want to trust a pawn, right?"
Xue Lian was so angry that she stood up and pointed at Li Lin, scolding him: "The demise of the Northern Zhou Dynasty was mainly due to internal power struggles and the rise of external forces. If the eldest son is not the heir, history will surely repeat itself! Queen Mother has never been partial. She just doesn't want anyone to follow in the footsteps of the Northern Zhou Dynasty."
"Don't use these reasons to explain to me! I don't need to compete with my brother for the throne now. I just hope that your majesty will not prioritize one over the other."
"When has the Queen Mother ever prioritized one over the other? When has the Queen Mother never fought for the rights of you three brothers, and excused you when you made mistakes?"
Chen Yun walked over to Li Lin and pulled him away.
"Second brother, calm down. When we get home later, the child will be scared when he sees you looking so fierce. It's time to go back to the palace."
"Don't go back yet, Ying'er. Do you think King Xuan should agree to partition?"
Faced with Xue Lian's words, Chen Ying felt torn. She was caught in the middle, originally wanting to take Li Lin away, but Xue Lian's words made her the target of both parties, leaving Chen Ying feeling helpless.
Now, if she says anything about either side, she will offend the other side. Instead of this, it is better to be vague about both sides.
Chen Yun humbly said to Xue Lian, "Concubines in the harem are not allowed to interfere in state affairs. This is beyond my jurisdiction, so I cannot answer."
Li Lin pulled Chen Yun to his side and said, "Since that's the case, let's just leave it at that. Mother, I have to ask my conscience. Since I was little, I have never been trusted by you. I was also born by you, and I have worked hard to gain your approval. But Father and Mother have always schemed against me. It's so tiring."
Xue Lian snorted coldly and turned his head away in disapproval. It was this behavior that chilled Li Lin's heart.
"Tell me, what exactly do I need to do to gain your trust? I... seem to be doing everything wrong. I can't explain my family to others. I can only boast that I am a member of the palace. Isn't that pathetic?"
Chen Yan released Li Lin's hand and said, "Second brother, go back and calm down first. It's okay."
Xue Lian was filled with grief and indignation, but could not speak. Li Lin turned and left when Xue Lian did not respond.
Xue Lian did not try to persuade him to stay. He looked out of breath and started coughing non-stop the next moment. The blood he coughed up even stained his handkerchief.
Chen Yan wanted to find Li Lin and come back, but was stopped by Xue Lian.
"Qing'er, I want to ask you, am I really selfish?"
Chen Ying looked at the blood on the handkerchief, and then at Xue Lian's expression that was eager for an answer. If he told the truth, he was afraid that the other party's condition would be worse, but if he told a lie, it would not solve the relationship between mother and son.
Chen Ying walked to Xue Lian, supported her, and asked Xue Lian to help her sit down.
"Mother, I have much to say, but no matter how beautiful the words are, they cannot overcome the pain I have caused Li Lin over the years. Mother and Father both have their own concerns, but a third party would not understand. Please, Father and Mother, please also consider how to gain the other party's trust."
After saying that, Chen Yin bowed and left.
Xue Lian sighed deeply. Nanny Lin tried to comfort her, but Xue Lian lamented to herself, "Perhaps... I'm not a good mother."
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