Chapter 224 Father and Son
Xiao Ling and Xie Yunman were watching when a voice came from behind them:
"What are you looking at?"
The two were startled and turned around, only to see that it was the Second Prince.
Xiao Ling gestured with his chin towards the front.
The Second Prince glanced at it and said, "Yongning is still sending flowers? It's been months already?"
"It was delivered in June, so it's been more than two months now."
Xiao Ling stroked his chin as he spoke.
"Has Du Shaoqing relented?" the Second Prince asked.
"have no idea."
“I think Mother is right. This Du Shaoqing is cold-hearted and doesn’t seem like a person who can live a good life,” the Second Prince said, shaking his head.
"Yongning said she would send him for three months, and if Du Zhengming still didn't respond, she would find someone else."
Upon hearing this, both the Second Prince and Xie Yunman turned to look at Xiao Ling.
"Who should we replace?" the Second Prince asked.
"Just three months?" Xie Yunman asked.
"I don't know who they'll replace them with, but it should be one of those talented young men that the Empress has her eye on."
She told my mother and the Empress that it would be three months.
The second prince shook his head and said, "Change it quickly."
"What kind of talk is it for a princess to chase after a mere courtier every day?"
Xie Yunman remained silent, wondering whether she should remind Du Zhengming not to miss the opportunity.
But then I thought again, Du Zhengming should know what's going on, so I shouldn't do anything unnecessary.
The three watched as Du Zhengming was struggling between himself and the young eunuch, seemingly because Du Zhengming didn't want it, but the young eunuch insisted on giving it to him.
In the end, Du Zhengming couldn't refuse and accepted the small vase.
Xiao Ling crossed his arms and sneered, "I already accepted it, why did you drag it out for so long?"
The second prince also chuckled.
Only Xie Yunman remained silent.
The three watched a good show before parting ways and going home.
After Xiao Ling returned home, he told Xie Yunyu what had happened.
Xie Yunyu laughed upon hearing this, saying, "It seems that Du Shaoqing is about to face a wife-chasing nightmare."
What do you mean?
Xiao Ling was already immune to Xie Yunyu's strange words.
If you don't understand, just ask.
"It means he'll have to work hard to win over Yongning from now on. Yongning will have to hold on and wear him down for a year or two."
Xiao Ling frowned: "What makes you say that?"
"What? You don't believe me? How about we make a bet?"
Xie Yunyu looked confident and composed.
Upon seeing her like this, Xiao Ling knew that she must have figured something out.
Making a bet with her at this point would be a sure loss.
"I believe you, please enlighten me, my lady." Xiao Ling admitted defeat very readily.
Xie Yunyu laughed when she saw him admit defeat so readily.
"It's not so much about giving guidance, but rather that Du Shaoqing probably doesn't understand his own feelings yet."
"You'll find out soon enough, when Yongning and the Empress's three-month period is over."
Xiao Ling got up and took Xie Yunyu's hand to eat.
The two ate and chatted, and the rule of not speaking while eating or sleeping had no effect on Xie Yunyu at all, gradually leading Xiao Ling astray.
"The war in the North is probably coming to an end," Xiao Ling said.
"Oh, so fast?"
This surprised Xie Yunyu quite a bit.
"Ye Zhen surrendered with half of the tiger tally, on the condition that her and Xiao Yi's lives be spared."
Xiao Ling took a bite of spinach and said.
"From the very beginning when we discovered the secrets of Fenghe Garden and Chengming Garden, I felt that Ye Zhen was not destined for great things."
These are all underhanded tactics used in the inner quarters of the household.
I wasn't surprised at all by her actions.
Xie Yunyu took a sip of soup and said.
"What about Xiao Zhi and Xiao Li?" Xie Yunyu pressed.
"They are still organizing the remnants to fight back."
After saying this, Xiao Ling suddenly sighed deeply.
"My uncle was quite saddened when he heard the news."
Xie Yunyu understood: "Because of Xiao Zhi?"
"Well, judging from the news coming back from the battlefield these days, Xiao Zhi is doing very well."
Now that it has been confirmed that he is his uncle's bloodline, his uncle really wants to meet him.
But if Xiao Zhi doesn't surrender under these circumstances, he's probably determined to fight to the bitter end.
I fear I will never see His Majesty again.
Xie Yunyu sighed, "What a pity."
Xiao Zhi, the character "Zhi" truly suits his name.
Xiao Ling agreed: "Yes, apart from being blind, he's second to none in every other way, both in literary and military prowess."
"No, it's precisely because he's blind that he seems even more outstanding than others."
If he could see, he might have been even more outstanding.
Xie Yunyu had a very high opinion of Xiao Zhi.
"Yes, such an outstanding child, Grandmother and Mother both want to meet him."
Even just one time would be fine…
Xie Yunyu sensed the disappointment in his words and said:
"It's not impossible to see him. Just issue an order to General Wei to bring him back."
"Since he himself doesn't want to go to the capital, we shouldn't make things difficult for General Wei."
Xiao Ling did not agree with Xie Yunyu's statement.
Xie Yunyu thought for a moment and asked, "Do they really want to see Xiao Zhi?"
"Um."
"After Xiao Zhi enters the capital, will His Majesty kill him?" Xie Yunyu continued to ask.
"Probably not."
Xie Yunyu thought for a moment and said:
"Go and confirm it. If His Majesty really doesn't want to kill him, but just wants to see him, I have an idea."
"What idea?" Xiao Ling asked.
"Prince Rui is dead. Princess Rui surrendered with the half-dead Xiao Yi. Of the five brothers, only Xiao Li was by his side."
Right now, the person he cares about most is probably Xiao Li, so let's use Xiao Li to threaten him.
If he can enter the capital alive, Xiao Li will be able to live.
He died, and Xiao Li died with him.
After Xie Yunyu finished speaking, she lowered her head and continued eating.
Xiao Ling looked up at Xie Yunyu and said, "Sometimes you really are quite like your second brother-in-law."
Offending you all is truly terrible luck.
Xie Yunyu looked up at him and asked with a smile:
"What? Are you scared? Afraid that I'll sell you off someday if I'm unhappy?"
"No, my wife loves me and can't bear to part with me."
Xiao Ling feels no psychological pressure at all when she says these things now.
Because through long-term observation, he discovered that his wife liked it when he said those kinds of things.
As expected, Xie Yunyu chuckled upon hearing this.
She even personally served him a piece of yam.
Xiao Ling smiled.
The next day, Xiao Ling told the Crown Prince about Xie Yunyu's idea.
The Crown Prince didn't take it to heart at first. He thought that Xiao Zhi's resolute stance and firm support for the Northern Border made his attitude very clear.
At this point, if we were to put in more effort for him, it might disrupt the overall battle.
However, in the following days, the Crown Prince heard that the Emperor often looked at Xiao Zhi's portrait.
Sometimes they would look not only at Xiao Zhi's portrait, but also at the portrait of the eldest prince.
The crown prince suddenly felt a little soft-hearted.
That's the emperor's son; I have no right to make decisions for him.
After thinking about it, I decided to ask the emperor for his opinion.
"Father, if Xiao Zhineng returns to the capital successfully, will you kill him?"
Or rather, how do you plan to deal with him?
The emperor remained silent, unsure how to respond.
As the fourth son of Prince Rui and the commander-in-chief of the Northern Frontier, Xiao Zhi's head should be cut off and displayed to the public.
But as the emperor's son, the blind third prince Xiao Qi, who was switched at birth, should not have died.
The emperor's longing is one thing, but how to deal with it is another.
Seeing that the emperor remained silent, the crown prince continued:
"Even if he were to be defeated and die, posterity would still say he was brave."
But if he were to be executed by the emperor after arriving in the capital, it would be better for him to die on the battlefield.
The emperor sighed heavily upon hearing this.
Seeing his expression, the Crown Prince had no choice but to say:
"Father, once you've made up your mind, please let me know. I'll handle the rest."
After the crown prince left, looking at the empty hall, a tear suddenly rolled down the corner of the emperor's eye.
Fifteen days later, news came from the border that the remaining forces in the north had been completely wiped out.
Commander Xiao Li refused to surrender and was killed by a hail of arrows.
After his defeat, Vice General Xiao Zhi committed suicide.
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