"Ha ha ha ha……!"
Emperor Xuan laughed loudly.
He took a deep breath and poured a cup of tea for Fu Xiaoguan. "I had Empress Shang remove those flowers... Since you think more color would be better, I'll have you plant some more. Next winter, when you come here again, you'll be able to see the red plum blossoms in the snow."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
"Is it just such a simple request?"
"I am already content."
Emperor Xuan was silent for a moment, then raised his teacup. "I have already issued a secret decree to General Peng. The Ministry of Revenue has also begun mobilizing grain and fodder from the north..."
"Little official!"
"I am here!"
"You are my son-in-law!"
"I am your Majesty's son-in-law!"
Emperor Xuan looked at Fu Xiaoguan with a serious gaze and a stern tone: "Such a big thing, why didn't you tell me in advance?"
This was Emperor Xuan's doubt. The eldest princess asked Fu Xiaoguan the same question last night. The eldest princess thought that Fu Xiaoguan was testing Emperor Xuan's attitude towards him, and Fu Xiaoguan did not deny it.
Emperor Xuan asked again, but Fu Xiaoguan simply smiled. "I returned rather hastily. If I had informed Your Majesty and waited for your reply, I wouldn't have been able to mobilize the Divine Sword First Army in time. So... I thought at the time that I was trying to build a great empire for the Yu Dynasty. Your Majesty is magnanimous and will not blame me."
Emperor Xuan frowned slightly, picked up the teacup and took a sip, "After all, this is a war, and a war of such magnitude. Next time, please remember to inform me first."
"I understand, Minister."
"I heard that Bai Yulian went to Wu Dynasty?"
Fu Xiaoguan said sincerely, "The Wu Dynasty also needs an army like this. This is what I think. His Royal Highness the Fifth Prince has received excellent training in the Divine Sword First Army. He has mastered the essence of Divine Sword Army training..."
Since His Majesty wants to train an army of 100,000, it would be best if His Royal Highness the Fifth Prince trained it himself. After all, this army requires absolute loyalty to the royal family. Bai Yulian is not the best person to train it.
Emperor Xuan did not dwell on this issue any further. He changed the subject and asked a sensitive question:
"When are you planning to return to Wu Dynasty?"
Fu Xiaoguan hesitated for a moment and said, "I will personally conquer the Huang Kingdom. After the battle is over, I will return to Wu Dynasty. The journey to Wu Dynasty is long, and I have a favor to ask of you."
"Oh, tell me about it."
"I intend to have Wenyun and the others leave around September of next year. By then, the child will be older and the weather will be perfect. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
It seems that he is really leaving.
In any case, Emperor Xuan was reluctant to let her go.
Fu Xiaoguan did indeed do a lot for the Yu Dynasty. He formulated national policies, implemented laws, built the Wofeng Road, produced rice yields of over 700 kilograms per mu, produced sweet potatoes yields of over 5,000 kilograms per mu, and provided the Yu Dynasty's army with so many flintlock rifles and red cannons, etc.
How great would it be if such a person could stay in the Yu Dynasty forever?
He was leaving after all, and Emperor Xuan looked a little gloomy for a moment.
"After I leave, the Xishan Research Institute, the Xishan Foundry, and the Pingling Foundry will all be left to Your Majesty."
"As I've said before, I was born and raised in the Yu Dynasty. This is my homeland. In the future, if Your Majesty misses Wen Yun, I will bring my family back to stay for a while."
Emperor Xuan sighed deeply and said, "Then let them go first in September next year."
"You...you don't need to go to the battlefield of the Desolate Country. After all, war is dangerous. You don't need to take risks."
Fu Xiaoguan bowed and said, "This is the last great deed I can do for the Yu Dynasty. By pacifying the Huang Kingdom, the Yu Dynasty's territory will double, and there will no longer be any threats from the north.
After this battle, the Yu Dynasty will usher in a long period of peace, and Your Majesty can focus all your energy on the economy and people's livelihood. And after next year, the Wofeng Road will be fully on track, and Your Majesty can promote the experience of the Wofeng Road throughout the Yu Dynasty.
The prosperity of the Yu Dynasty is just around the corner. Therefore, I must personally go to this final battle to avoid any accidents."
Emperor Xuan fell silent again. No one knew what he was thinking. After a long while, he nodded slightly and said, "After this battle, I will confer upon you the title of Duke of Shengguo!"
Fu Xiaoguan was stunned. Emperor Xuan continued, "You have made great contributions to the Yu Dynasty, and you hold the highest rank. I know you will ascend the throne as emperor after you go to the Wu Dynasty, so this position is meaningless to you. But in my heart, you are still my son-in-law. Now that you have become a saint, you are no longer my subject... I hope you can return safely, and I also hope that the Wu and Yu countries will maintain friendly relations for generations to come!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Emperor Xuan stood up and said, "Go ahead. Empress Shang is waiting for you in Dieyi Palace. She wants to talk to you."
"I...will take my leave!"
Fu Xiaoguan turned and left Banyanxuan, and Emperor Xuan walked to the window with his hands behind his back.
The sun outside the window is shining brightly, emitting a somewhat dazzling light on the snow.
There was no wintersweet tree left in the plum garden, but there were broken tree stumps left - like scars, black and very unsightly in the snow.
…
…
Dieyi Palace.
"I've seen the wintersweet garden. It's not very pretty. Your Majesty will ask Your Majesty to replant it."
"You kid..." Queen Shang shook her head. "It's not a big deal. Why bother?"
It was Your Majesty who personally ordered it to be cut down, but Fu Xiaoguan asked Your Majesty to plant it again. This clearly made Your Majesty unhappy, but Fu Xiaoguan's words showed that Your Majesty accepted it. Is Your Majesty really willing?
Fu Xiaoguan has already confronted His Majesty, and he will leave the Yu Dynasty.
With just one sentence, Queen Shang got a lot of information.
"When are you planning to leave?"
"Next September, let Wenjun and the others go first."
"And you?"
"I still have to go to the Desolate Country to fight one last battle."
Empress Shang frowned and said in a low voice, "Have you also told His Majesty about this?"
"My son-in-law is doing this for the Yu Dynasty. There is no need to lie to Your Majesty."
“…”
Queen Shang took a deep breath, with a look of reproach in her eyes.
She clenched her fists, feeling extremely uneasy. "How can you guarantee your own safety?"
Fu Xiaoguan smiled brightly, "With the Divine Sword First Army and 400,000 northern border troops, the barbarians are not that powerful."
Queen Shang leaned forward, her voice becoming increasingly low, the worry between her brows growing thicker. "Have you ever considered that after the barbarians are wiped out, will those 400,000 border troops be used against you?"
Fu Xiaoguan pretended to be surprised, "This... I am fighting for the Yu Dynasty. Besides, I am the son-in-law of your majesty!"
"But you are about to become the emperor of the Wu Dynasty! If you were an ordinary person, it would be fine and safe. But you are extremely talented... For Wen Yun, you must also return in September, and you must use the strategy of escaping from the shell!"
"Your Majesty, do you think that His Majesty will harm my son-in-law?"
“It’s more than just disadvantageous…!”
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