Chai Shilun was extremely surprised when he saw the person coming. Chai Shiqin had changed from his usual timid appearance and exuded an arrogance. Was this really his eighth brother who would be scared when someone spoke loudly?
Chai Shiqin smiled and said, "The Emperor has issued an order, inviting my second brother to return to the capital."
"Return to the capital? Did the emperor ask me to return to the capital?"
"Of course it was the Emperor who asked my second brother to return to the capital. I, your younger brother, don't have the guts to go against the Emperor's wishes."
This is ironic! Chai Shilun was furious, "Eighth brother really opened my eyes."
"I dare not! Everything is according to Father's will!"
Lu Gang's eyes widened suddenly. What did this mean? Could it be that the emperor had asked Prince Duan to put on a show to deceive everyone?
"What if I don't go back to Beijing?" Chai Shilun still wanted to make a final struggle.
Since childhood, Chai Shiqin had been bullied by Chai Shilun. "If Second Brother insists on disobeying the imperial order, then Father will make the final decision. However, I advise Second Brother to think it over carefully. You must be aware of the seriousness of the crime of disobeying the imperial order."
The imperial edict was above, and Chai Shilun dared not disobey. He sneered repeatedly, "So you are the wolf cub. This king will return to the capital as soon as possible."
Chai Shiqin glanced at Ma Ben and other deputy generals, turned around and left without saying a word.
Ma Ben's nerves tensed up, thinking to himself that something was wrong. He hurriedly saluted Chai Shilun and hurried after Chai Shiqin.
Chai Shilun was filled with rage and kicked the military doctor, but he forgot that his leg was injured. He screamed in pain, "Ah... Get out! Get out of here!"
The military doctor and Lu Gang both retreated, leaving Chai Shilun lying on the bed, crying and laughing...
Lu Gang returned to his room, closed the door and paced back and forth. Chai Shilun not only came to Huaizhou privately, but also suffered a defeat. Once he returned to Beijing, he would definitely lose his title of prince.
Judging from Chai Shiqin's attitude, Chai Shilun's fate in the future will definitely not be good. He can't follow Chai Shilun to his death, he has to find a way to survive.
After thinking hard for a long time, he went to see Chai Shiqin under the cover of night.
Chai Shiqin was the Grand Commander appointed personally by the Emperor, and the Huaizhou garrison was much more obedient to him. But he wanted more than obedience; he demanded loyalty. So he deliberately spread rumors that there were nearly twenty vacancies in Huaizhou, and he could decide who would fill them.
Upon hearing this, the generals immediately sent people to inquire about Chai Shiqin's preferences. Just as Chai Shiqin was enjoying the flattery and fawning he had never experienced before, the Southern Chen Kingdom led its troops to attack...
A month later, Emperor Jianning received another report of defeat in the southwest. In the court, all the officials argued that Chai Shiqin was not a good general, and that his calligraphy and painting skills would be of no use in fighting. They advised Emperor Jianning to recall Chai Shiqin and send someone else to the southwest.
Emperor Jianning was stubborn and did not want to leave until news came from the southwest that two cities had been lost. The court officials could no longer sit still. More than a dozen officials knelt in the Xuanzheng Hall and refused to get up, requesting Emperor Jianning to send someone else to the southwest.
It was a fact that his son was not ambitious enough, and Emperor Jianning could not refute the court officials, but he was unwilling to recall Chai Shiqin. The two sides had a fierce dispute, and Emperor Jianning vomited blood and fainted on the spot.
After he woke up, the first news he received was that Chai Shilun had died on his way back to Beijing.
Chai Shilun was guilty, but they were brothers. Knowing that Chai Shilun was injured, he still rushed him back to Beijing, causing him to die in a foreign land. The censor accused Chai Shiqin of disregarding his brotherly love and being unkind.
First, due to his lack of ability, Dayong lost two cities in a row, and then he gained a reputation for being unkind and unjust. Chai Shiqin's road to becoming an emperor was about to end just as he began.
Emperor Jianning was very anxious about this and quickly summoned Qi Wen and Duke Zhenguo to discuss countermeasures.
Qin Shu, who was far away in the southwest, dressed in men's clothes, led Duke Lu's private soldiers to launch a surprise attack on the military camps of the Eastern Dynasty and the Southern Chen, successfully delaying the two countries' continued invasion.
She hurried back to the capital and asked for permission to go to the southwest to fight.
Emperor Jianning looked at Qin Shu and asked, "Haven't you already fought in battle with Duke Lu's private troops?"
"Your Majesty, please punish me for mobilizing troops without permission!"
Emperor Jianning waved his hand. "Since you're already in the southwest, why bother making this trip? Why not just stay and lend a hand to Prince Duan?"
Qin Shu's reasoning was sound. "Your Majesty, please allow me to inform you that my father is the Duke of Zhenguo. If I were to remain in the southwest without permission, I'm afraid it would arouse suspicion among the court officials. That's why I've hurried back to ask for your Majesty's order."
She was a woman, and the eldest daughter of the Qin family. If anyone really investigated, her crimes would outweigh her merits. The Duke of Zhenguo already had control of the northern border troops, and Qin Shu secretly went to the southwest to lead the troops to fight. What was he trying to do?
Was he trying to tell the world that only the Qin family knew how to fight? That Dayong would be ruined without the Qin family? At the very least, this was the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion being overly ambitious; at the worst, the Qin family was suspected of rebellion.
Emperor Jianning understood this, but precisely because he understood it, he preferred that Qin Shu remain in the southwest privately. Without an imperial edict, Qin Shu wouldn't dare let too many people know her identity; nor would she dare publicly claim credit afterward. All the credit for the southwest would then go to Chai Shiqin.
"You are a woman after all, so it is difficult to give you an official position. I will allow you to go to the southwest to assist Prince Duan in driving out the foreign enemies. When you return victorious, I will have my own explanation."
Qin Shu pouted and complained half-heartedly, "Your Majesty has already said that I am a woman. If there is no imperial decree, who will obey my orders in the southwest? Your Majesty, I can't go to war alone."
"I have a secret letter for you to take to the southwest and give to Prince Duan. Prince Duan will cooperate with you."
Qin Shu lowered his head, looking unhappy.
Emperor Jianning added, "If I were to issue an edict to you, the court officials would not agree."
"Then His Majesty should at least ask! Perhaps the courtiers gave in to a moment of weakness."
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