When the food was placed in front of her, Ren Yaoqi realized that she was really hungry. She carefully ate two bowls of porridge, a basket of steamed dumplings, one and a half spring rolls, and some side dishes.
Just when I felt a little full, Xiao Jingxi came back.
"Are you full?" Xiao Jingxi sat down next to Ren Yaoqi.
Ren Yaoqi nodded, and then Xiao Jingxi took Ren Yaoqi's bowl and chopsticks, picked up the half-eaten spring roll on her plate and ate it.
Sang Zhen, who was serving nearby, said quickly, "I'll ask the kitchen to bring some more food."
Xiao Jingxi looked up and smiled: "No, I have to go out later. These on the table are enough for me to eat."
Ren Yaoqi didn't say anything, asked Sang Zhen and the others to leave, then served Xiao Jingxi a bowl of porridge, sat there and watched him eat while serving him food.
Only after Xiao Jingxi put down his chopsticks did Ren Yaoqi call the maid to come up and clear the table.
After dinner, Xiao Jingxi did not rush to leave immediately. Instead, he helped Ren Yaoqi sit down on the south kang. The two of them snuggled together in silence, and no one spoke.
"What's the situation outside now?" Ren Yaoqi asked softly, leaning in Xiao Jingxi's arms, breaking the warm silence in the room.
"Xiao Heng's men have been cleared out, and the troops outside the city have also withdrawn. Don't worry, everything is fine." Xiao Jingxi stroked Ren Yaoqi's cool and smooth hair and said softly.
"Have you delivered a letter to the Hezhong Palace?" Xiao Jingxi asked with his head down.
Ren Yaoqi paused, then nodded, "I went into your study and checked your documents. I guessed that there might be some big moves at the court, so... I don't know if I did the right thing. I'm sorry, I overstepped my bounds this time."
Xiao Jingxi gently tapped Ren Yaoqi's head and said with a smile, "Silly! Who said you were overstepping your bounds? I allowed you into my study. You can go anywhere in the Yanbei Palace that I can go. Besides, this time, it was thanks to your quick reaction. If it weren't for the large-scale and frequent mobilization of the Hezhong Prince's troops to intimidate those in the south, how many more would have surrounded Yunyang City today? This chess move you made was truly brilliant. My subordinates all said that I had planned everything perfectly. Without the Hezhong Prince's Palace actually deploying a single soldier, I was able to tie down most of the troops in the south and relieve Yanbei's predicament. I really can't tell them that it's not because I'm so powerful, but simply because I'm lucky enough to marry a very powerful wife."
Hearing the joking tone in Xiao Jingxi's words, Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but laugh. Finally, he sighed, "I can't ask my grandfather to openly send troops to Yanbei. Even to avoid being criticized for attacking Wei to save Zhao, it's not working. We can only use the tactic of deterrence. It's also thanks to those people in the south who have been in the gentle countryside for so long that their courage has been corroded."
No matter how close the relationship between the Yanbei Palace and the Hezhong Palace was, the Hezhong Palace couldn't afford to send troops to Yanbei, as it was a taboo. If the Hezhong Palace, in order to alleviate the danger in Yanbei, actually sent troops to besiege the capital, the world would see it as collusion between the Yanbei Palace and the Hezhong Palace, giving the court a legitimate reason to attack. The Yanbei Palace and the Hezhong Palace would be at a disadvantage in public opinion, and might even give the Liao people an opportunity to exploit.
So, after careful consideration, Ren Yaoqi did not request the Hezhong Palace to send troops for assistance, but instead instructed the Hezhong Palace to frequently mobilize troops. The imperial court, always wary of the Hezhong Palace, a tiger lying dormant at their feet, ready to leap and threaten their lives at any moment, did not dare to send all its troops to Yanbei in a desperate attempt.
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