Chapter 438 Bad News
Two days passed quietly, and the situation in the court seemed to have stabilized, with no obvious disturbances inside or outside Fengjing.
In the early morning light, the willow branches inside the palace wall were wet with dew, and birds were singing, showing a peaceful and tranquil scene.
Those uneasy factors lurking in the dark, waiting for an opportunity to strike, had already been silently suppressed by Xuanjiwei without alarming the world.
In the long streets and deep alleys, the occasional night patrol light flashes across the bluestone brick surface.
Then it returned to silence, as if nothing had happened.
Even the curfew has been lifted, and the streets are bustling with people again.
There were no more heavily patrolled troops, and the streets were gradually regaining their former vitality.
The aroma of food wafted out from the teahouses and taverns again, and the hawkers' calls could be heard one after another, but there was a hint of caution hidden beneath their smiles.
News of a great victory came from the north.
The Shuofeng Dynasty launched a fierce attack on Zhenbei Pass, but was severely damaged and defeated under the command of the Grand Princess.
When the good news reached the capital, the people were jubilant and their morale was greatly boosted.
In the streets, storytellers had already turned the eldest princess's heroic deeds into jokes, which drew rounds of applause.
However, the air in the imperial study was still heavy, like the stuffiness before a rainstorm.
The faint scent of agarwood curled up from the inlaid golden beast furnace, but it could not dispel the oppression.
The reason is simple: the Sixth Princess Qin Zhaoyue has not slept for two consecutive days.
There was a faint dark blue tint under his eyes, and his skin had a paleness that seemed to come from not having seen the light of day for a long time. His eyes were filled with resentment, as if two clusters of ghostly fire were burning in them.
The ones who suffered the most were the people from the Mo Group around her.
They kept a close watch on him, not allowing His Highness to fall asleep.
On the other hand, the longer His Highness was awake, the more unpredictable his temper became.
There was something sweet between his lips and teeth, and every time he opened his mouth, he could make people feel ashamed.
Fortunately, Mo Zu had been with them for a long time and was somewhat accustomed to it, and there were also Sui Mo and Mo Yi who were in front to support them.
Now even the third and fourth princesses lowered their voices in front of her, and a storm was about to break out in the imperial study.
For example, right now, the Fifth Prince held his breath, concentrating his attention as he tiptoed past the couch...
"Look at you, you look like a bear, you walk like a woman, what's wrong, did you just get circumcised?"
Everyone: ...
The fifth prince pursed his lips, feeling aggrieved but not daring to argue.
“Hmm…”
He just lowered his head and retreated slowly, which made Qin Zhaoyue even more annoyed.
Her temper is not without reason.
Being unable to sleep was certainly difficult, but the real reason for my anxiety was not mentioned to anyone:
The growth of merit points is far less than expected.
The liquidation of the four great families was not completely successful.
According to the intelligence of Xuanji Guard, those who escaped were the foundation cultivated by various races for many years and hidden behind the scenes.
These shrewd and calculating people had already prepared a retreat plan long before the situation became more serious.
What’s even more troublesome is that two days have passed and there is still no trace of these people, as if they had evaporated from the face of the earth.
Xuanji Guards tried every possible means, but still failed to get any clues from the captured people.
As a result, although the four major families were all overthrown on the surface, the merit points gained were greatly reduced.
"Yin and Yang complement each other", and the rise is not as expected.
Under Prime Minister Pei's strong push, although there was a period of growth, it then quickly slowed down and almost stopped.
Qin Zhaoyue knew that the tone of this matter had been decided as early as when the provincial examination results were posted and the government was discussed in the court.
Opening a girls' school is not something that can be accomplished overnight, and its far-reaching impact cannot be seen in a short time.
I'm afraid we'll have to wait until the provincial examination, the palace examination, and even the final appointment of officials before we can see another wave of rising tide.
But how could Qin Zhaoyue wait until then?
I'm afraid that before that day comes, she will have already run out of energy and it will be impossible for her to force herself to stay awake.
These two items brought a total of 50,000 to 60,000 merits, which were enough to maintain the Queen Mother's vitality, but she had no confidence in completely clearing the vitality poison from her body.
What puzzled Qin Zhaoyue the most was that the page with "Peace and Prosperity" had not changed at all.
Fengjing was peaceful and there was no unusual movement in the area.
The battle report from the North was written in great detail. It was indeed a great victory. Many enemies were killed, making it difficult for Shufeng to recover from the defeat.
Although the city wall of Zhenbei Pass was abandoned, the pass is still solid.
The appearance of five thousand heavy cavalry in black armor is enough to make the Shufeng army dare not attack again for a while.
If that’s the case, why is it still motionless?
Why is the country not at peace and the people uneasy?
Xuanji Guards collected intelligence from various sources but still could not find the answer.
Qin Zhaoyue could endure a little hardship, but he was afraid that the suffering would have no end.
Because of this unrelieved anxiety, the atmosphere in the imperial study became increasingly gloomy, and everyone held their breath, as if walking on thin ice.
Even Xiaojiu didn't dare to play around as usual. He just sat quietly in the corner, stealing a glance at Sixth Sister from time to time.
In the afternoon of that day, Yinzhe suddenly walked in quickly, suddenly breaking the silence in the room.
Her clothes fluttered in the wind as she walked in. Her eyes were full of ups and downs, revealing a rare hint of panic.
Everyone's eyes were instantly focused on her, and even Qin Zhaoyue sat up slightly straighter.
"Something happened. Suzaku South Road is rebelling."
As soon as the words fell, the whole room was shocked and everyone's face suddenly changed.
Qin Zhaoyue was also stunned. After being shocked, he suddenly realized something as if the clouds had cleared.
It turns out that the reason for the stagnation of "peace and prosperity" was never in the northern border, but in the southern border.
His fingertips tapped unconsciously on the edge of the couch, making a regular, light sound.
The third princess raised her voice hurriedly, her knuckles holding the teacup already white.
"Where's my second brother? Is he okay?"
Yinzhe's eyes suddenly turned cold, and his voice was cold:
"He has issued a manifesto, intending to proclaim himself the Son of Heaven and establish his own kingdom."
It was like thunder exploding into the imperial study.
The scroll in the Third Princess's hand fell to the ground with a "bang". The Fifth Prince gasped, and even the most composed Fourth Princess lost her composure and stood there in a daze.
Two days was just enough time for the news of the Queen Mother's assassination to reach the southern border. Could it be that they were so impatient?
Qin Zhaoyue's expression darkened and he immediately asked about the situation.
Her voice became calm instead, and that unnatural calmness made everyone around her hold their breath.
"The Xuanji Guards surrounding the Second Prince may have been eliminated and have been unable to send back any information. We have just dispatched the nearest personnel to investigate.
As far as we know, the rebels are stationed in the northern border of Suzaku South Road, numbering at least 30,000 men, fully armed and equipped."
She looked straight at Qin Zhaoyue.
As soon as their eyes met, they understood everything and came up with the same guess.
In the past, the flow of illegal iron ore mining and secret weapon casting was probably not to the north, but to the south.
Those who escaped from the four great families are probably already in the southern border.
Although it has not been confirmed, based on intelligence, it should be the case.
Otherwise, who could easily support 30,000 soldiers? Who could provide 30,000 soldiers with armor and weapons?
Without the strong financial support of the aristocratic family, the Second Prince would never be able to accomplish anything on his own.
The key question is where these 30,000 soldiers came from.
It's not like the Second Prince just raised the flag and the people of Suzaku South Road followed him instantly.
If we transfer troops from the southern Xinjiang front, won’t the border be left empty? Won’t we be afraid of being attacked from both sides?
Qin Zhaoyue sighed deeply, fatigue and solemnity engraved between his brows, and raised his hand to rub his temples.
“There is no use in thinking too much.
Third sister, please summon General Meng and the officials from the Xuan Ge Division and the Wan Min Division to discuss this matter immediately."
"good."
The third princess stood up in response, her expression regaining some of her former composure, only her clenched fists revealed the turmoil in her heart.
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