Chapter 506: Your Majesty, the Qingzhou army was defeated and Lord Zhao returned in triumph!
Crash——
On this day, a ship returning along the canal finally docked at the pier outside the south gate of the capital.
Before the ship even stopped, the deck was already crowded with people, led by the "palace ladies" headed by Mo Chou and Sun Lianying.
After not seeing each other for many days, Mo Chou had become much thinner. Beside her, the old supervisor Sun Lianying could hardly hide his fatigue - for a mortal like him, this escape was undoubtedly extremely arduous.
Standing on either side of the two empresses' close confidants were faces familiar to Zhao Duan:
Eunuch Hai wearing a bright red dragon robe.
The team's nominal highest official was actually the Minister of Rites who served as the mascot.
The Governor-General of the Grand Canal was Ning Zechen.
Tang Jinzhong, Song Jinxi and other eunuchs enshrined in the Wugong Hall.
As well as Zhao Duan’s direct subordinates, the elite members of the Lihua Hall, Lang Shiba and Ji Yue were also mixed in.
"We've finally arrived in Beijing," Mochou said, standing at the bow of the boat, facing the summer breeze, her expression solemn and serious as she glanced at everyone.
“If nothing unexpected were to happen, the capital would be in turmoil right now. From the court officials to the common people, everyone would be in danger.
Since we are the Fengshan team, even though we have not been able to welcome the emperor back, our every move will inevitably be watched by countless people.
I hope that no matter what misfortunes you may encounter later, you will remain calm even if Mount Luo collapses before your eyes. Only in this way can you help His Majesty maintain the court in these turbulent times."
The Minister of Rites was a little excited and couldn't wait to get off the boat:
"Miss Mo has said this eight hundred times. We are not three-year-old children, so we naturally understand. Let's hurry into the city."
I have been away from Beijing for too long. Although we have been exchanging letters through the secret guards, the last communication was half a month ago. Given the current situation, no one knows what the situation in the city is like.
Therefore, at this moment, instead of feeling relaxed about returning to Beijing, everyone was on edge, as if facing a formidable enemy.
"Dad, this is the capital."
Behind Ning Zechen, a round-faced girl who spoke honestly rolled her eyes, and held Madam Ning's hand nervously and excitedly.
Surprisingly, they were the wife and daughter of Governor Ning whom Zhao Duan rescued on the river when he rushed to Jianning Prefecture that day.
When the Fengshan ceremony was being held at Luoshan, Ning Zechen arranged for his wife and daughter to watch the ceremony nearby, and then they simply followed the Fengshan team all the way north.
"Hush, the capital is not like the outside world. The water in the court is very complicated. Don't talk too much after entering the city and don't lose it." Governor Ning, whose skin was darker and rougher, held the sword at his waist and gave a serious warning.
When he turned around and looked at the majestic city, a heavy feeling of sorrow hung between his brows. He didn't know whether it was right or wrong for him and others to enter the city this time.
At this time, the clerks at the dock had noticed this special team and hurried over to greet them.
Mo Chou directly threw out the token and ordered the carriage to be prepared.
When the dock clerk picked up the token, he broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly gave orders.
"Should we ask these people about the situation in the city?"
In the Lihuatang team, the secretary Qian Kerou was about to take action, but was stopped by Chen Juan:
"The bigwigs on the ship haven't said anything, so what can we, the little soldiers, do? And what can these petty officials outside the city know?"
Qian Kerou uttered an "oh", stopped her movements, and said softly:
"I was just thinking, maybe the master has already returned. I wonder how he is now and whether he is safe."
Hou Renmeng folded his arms, followed the team out, and patted her shoulder:
"With your talents, you will surely be safe and sound."
…
With heavy hearts in their hearts, the entire team marched into the capital city in a mighty procession.
They hurried along the main road towards the imperial palace in the north of the city - this was the destination agreed upon before disembarking. They would first enter the palace, then contact the Xiuwenguan and establish contact with important officials such as Grand Tutor Dong.
In order to prevent the situation in the city from getting out of control, Eunuch Hai deliberately concealed his whereabouts during his return and did not report to the court in advance.
Going straight into the palace was also to catch those who were interested by surprise and seize the initiative.
However, as they walked along, they were surprised to find that the atmosphere in the city was much better than they had expected.
Although it is indeed not as lively and prosperous as before, the general order remains. When passing by teahouses and taverns, there are no scholars gathering to discuss state affairs.
"The city is more stable than we expected. It seems that Grand Tutor Dong still has control over the court." Mo Chou's eyes flashed.
Beside her, the old supervisor, Sun Lianying, with his temples white and a look of exhaustion, silently gazed at the two sides of the street, watching people come and go, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper. "Something's not right."
"What's wrong?" Mo Chou turned her head to look at the old eunuch.
Sun Lianying muttered, "It's too peaceful and stable. This is the biggest problem."
The Minister of Rites, who was walking nearby and heard the conversation between the two, added:
"There's no point in making random guesses. The most urgent thing is to enter the palace first."
Mo Chou nodded, and the Fengshan team accelerated towards the imperial palace. Soon, a huge group of people arrived outside the imperial city gate.
At this moment, three figures walked out from the imperial city.
The one in the lead had a stern and sinister face, was beardless, had thick joints on his hands, and had an aura that said "keep away from strangers." He was wearing the official robe of a third-rank brocade commander.
It was Ma Yan.
Behind him, one on the left and one on the right, followed two police officers, Zhang Han and Haitang.
When the two teams met, both sides were stunned.
After days of hard work, Haitang had dark circles under her eyes. She yawned and suddenly stopped, rubbing her eyes subconsciously.
After confirming that he was not mistaken, he looked at the person in the bright red python robe in the returning team, and his face was filled with joy: "Too..."
Before Great-grandfather could finish his words, Ma Yan interrupted him:
"Mo Zhaorong? Sun Sijian? When did you come back?!"
"Master Ma?!" Everyone who had been on edge along the way suddenly felt relieved when they saw a familiar face.
The Minister of Rites almost cried, feeling that the King of Hell, whom he hated so much in the past, seemed gentle and amiable today.
The Empress's spy chief is still here, which means the capital is not in chaos yet.
"Dugong!"
"Greetings, Lord Governor!"
The Jinyi members of Lihuatang were overjoyed, as if they had found their organization, and they all bowed.
With his hands behind his back and a calm demeanor, Eunuch Hai glanced at Ma Yan and nodded slightly as a greeting. The many attendants behind him clasped their fists in understanding.
"I'll be back soon," Mochou forced a smile on her face and pointed at the people behind her:
"Most of these were the guards who protected Luoshan during the Fengshan ceremony. After the Eight Princes rebelled, we fought and fled all the way. Unfortunately, many got separated or died along the way. Fortunately, these are still left. We hurried back north to help Your Majesty stabilize the court in case the situation worsens."
After a pause, she continued:
"However, from observing you all the way since entering the city, to running into you here, I know that the court is still stable. I guess it's the Grand Tutor who is taking great pains to keep it under control. I wonder if he is in the palace now?"
Ma Yan faced pairs of eyes eager for answers and listened to Mo Chou's words full of complaints. For a moment, his brain froze and he didn't know how to respond.
Seeing his hesitant attitude of wanting to say something, everyone's heart sank!
The forced smile on Mo Chou's face froze, and her hands clenched subconsciously in her sleeves:
"What's going on? Is there something wrong at the court?"
Ma Yan pondered for a moment and nodded sincerely:
"A major change has indeed occurred. Li Yanfu has instigated a rebellion among many Li Party officials and the commander of the Imperial Guards, launching a palace coup and attempting to control the court."
What? !
Like a bolt of thunder out of the blue, everyone's expression suddenly changed.
Without waiting for Mo Chou to ask further questions, Ma Yan continued:
"However, Li Yanfu's coup has failed. Those who participated in the rebellion are now either dead or imprisoned. I just entered the palace to report on the interrogation of Li's traitors."
Your mother's heavy breathing...
The officials in the Fengshan team felt that their hearts, which had sunk to the bottom of the valley, were floating up again, as if they were pulled back to the midsummer from an ice cave. Their cold limbs regained warmth, and they cursed in their hearts.
"Is this really true? I've seen that Li Yanfu has long harbored rebellious intentions, and it's true!"
The Minister of Rites jumped up and down, cursing loudly, clasping his fists to the sky, tears welling in his eyes:
"Fortunately, God protects our Yu Kingdom, and God blesses Your Majesty, and has prevented this traitor from succeeding!"
Ma Yan shook his head and seriously corrected it:
"It is not God who blesses Your Majesty, nor is it God who blesses the Yu Kingdom. It is Your Majesty who protects the Yu Kingdom."
Behind him, Haitang saw that everyone looked confused and started to explain:
"Before the Li Party's coup, Your Majesty and Zhao Shaobao had already returned to the capital. Moreover, both of them had reached a higher level of cultivation. Your Majesty, with just one sword, swept through thousands of troops and eradicated the rebels. Now, he has ascended the throne again and has been sitting in the palace for many days. That is why the city is so peaceful.
A few days ago, Zhao Shaobao led his troops out of the city to quell the Qingzhou rebels.
By the way, before he left the city, His Majesty sent someone to the Zhao Mansion to propose marriage. Now this young protector is the emperor's consort. Hey, didn't you ask before you came back?"
What? Your Majesty is back early?
Going a step further, he single-handedly pushed through a coup?
Zhao Duan is back too, and is now leading his troops out to fight again?
Mo Chou, Sun Lianying, Ning Zechen, the Minister of Rites, Eunuch Hai and the others had dazed expressions and stood blankly at the city gate, trying their best to digest the huge amount of information contained in these words.
"Master is back..." Qian Kerou murmured softly, her expression changing from shock to excitement and admiration:
"I knew he could do it."
Thousands of miles to protect the emperor, returning to the capital to quell the rebellion... Hou Renmeng, Chen Juan and other Lihua Hall Jinyi were overwhelmed with emotion and lost in thought for a moment:
Has my master done such an astonishing thing again?
Propose marriage... Propose marriage... Mo Chou stood there in a daze, the word circling again and again in her mind, her lips pale.
This imperial city is too shaky.
…
…
Outside the imperial study.
The small garden was shaded by green trees and had colorful flowers scattered about. Sunlight shone on the green tiles and the red-painted wooden pillars. Female officials were hurrying along the way.
"Your Majesty, Mo Zhaorong has arrived."
In the study, Xu Zhenguan, who was correcting memorials with his head down and holding a red brush, heard the report outside the door. He raised his head, placed the red-stained brush on the pen holder with his slender hands, and saw a thinner and more beautiful figure walking towards him from the open door and outside the threshold.
Mo Chou, wearing a slightly dirty official robe, a black veil on her head, and with her brows painted no longer in place, bowed down:
"This servant pays homage to His Majesty!"
"Mochou?" Xu Zhenguan put down her pen and stood up, her white dress dragging on the polished floor. She walked a few steps to the door and caringly helped the maid she hadn't seen in many days to her feet. Her fairy-like face was filled with concern and joy.
"I'm so happy to hear that you've returned. It's good to be back. You've worked so hard along the way."
"Your Majesty..." Mo Chou was helped up, raised her head, bit her lip and looked at the familiar smile of the empress. Her nose felt sore, her eyes were slightly red, and she was choked with sobs and speechless.
"This servant...this servant...I thought I would never see Your Majesty again."
After saying this, the hot tears in my eyes could no longer be stopped from rolling down.
Mo Chou had never shed tears on her escape journey north, but at this moment, her tears burst out like a dam, unable to be contained.
The empress smiled and with a slightly doting look in her eyes helped the female official, who was called "slave" but had actually been with her since she was the third princess and was like a sister to her, into the study and pressed her into a chair.
The slovenly female official sat weakly in the chair, almost hugging her waist and crying with her head buried in her heart. The empress in white stood beside the chair, smiling and gently patting her back with her hand.
This scene is extremely rare in the imperial courts of all dynasties.
After a long while, Mo Chou's pent-up emotions were released through tears. Finally realizing her own misconduct, she hurriedly broke free and stood up. Her hands quickly wiped away the tears from her eyes, and she said in panic:
"Your Majesty, I have violated the rules in front of your palace. Please punish me!"
The empress just smiled, raised her hand, tidied up the messy hair on her forehead, and said with a smile:
"Okay, I'll punish you by telling me everything you've experienced along the way."
"As you wish..."
Mo Chou blushed and began to stutter, telling out the key information of her experience along the way in one breath. The empress listened quietly, occasionally asking a question in the middle.
Finally, he nodded gently and said:
"Although you haven't been by my side all the way, you have still performed meritorious service in protecting me. The rest of you are in the side hall? I deserve to reward you."
Mo Chou quickly shook her head:
"I dare not take credit for it. As a subject, it is my duty. As for protecting the emperor, I heard that Zhao Shaobao escorted His Majesty all the way back to the capital. The other day, His Majesty even... proposed to him?"
When asking this last question, Mo Chou's voice changed a little, and there was some resentment in the look she gave the empress.
Xu Zhenguan smiled and nodded, as if he didn't notice the little maid's resentment:
"He... is indeed the husband I have chosen."
Mo Chou was speechless for a moment, and had countless questions to ask.
For example, she wanted to ask what happened between Zhao Duan and the Empress during their escape, but she felt that it was not something she was qualified to ask, so she could only say dejectedly:
"I don't know if Zhao Shaobao is now..."
"He went to the border of Qingzhou Road to quell the rebellion." Xu Zhenguan replied. When she brought up this topic, she couldn't help but sigh softly:
"After only being gone for a couple of days, he caused dissatisfaction among many people in the court."
"Zhao Shaobao has no experience in leading troops in battle," Mochou was stunned for a moment, but her mind was very active and she immediately realized:
"Could it be that the military officers from the Privy Council and the Ministry of War feel that this is inappropriate?"
Xu Zhenguan nodded slightly, stood up and paced back and forth, saying:
"That's right. These past few days, these people have been asking me to replace Zhao Duan and fight. I've gotten calluses on my ears."
As soon as the words fell, a female official came out of the door:
"Your Majesty, the officials from the Privy Council and the Ministry of War are here again, and they want to see Your Majesty."
Xu Zhenguan's face showed some helplessness. He wanted to drive him away, but after hesitating for a moment, he said:
"Bring them here."
…
After a while, about three or five people were brought over. The leaders were the old Minister of War and the Deputy Privy Councilor, the highest-ranking official in the Privy Council.
"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you!"
Before entering the door, several people bowed familiarly.
"No need to be so polite." Xu Zhenguan's cold voice came out.
The military officers stood up and looked into the study. When they saw Mo Chou standing quietly beside the empress, they were all stunned. The old minister of the Ministry of War was the first to laugh and say:
"I, the old minister, and others, have just entered the palace and have heard that Mo Zhaorong and others have returned. This is cause for celebration."
Xu Zhenguan, sitting behind a bright yellow desk, raised his hand to interrupt him, his expression indifferent and indifferent:
"What do you have to say, please speak directly."
He looked too lazy to exchange pleasantries and was not willing to beat around the bush.
This... Several military officers exchanged glances, and the tall and thin Deputy Privy Councilor stepped forward and bowed, saying:
"Your Majesty, we are here to advise you on replacing Shao Bao Zhao to deal with the war in Qingzhou Road."
He took out a letter from his sleeve and held it up with both hands:
"This is a joint petition signed by all the generals and officers in the capital. We implore Your Majesty to revoke your order and hand this battle over to the Privy Council. We will fight to the death to repay Your Majesty's grace!"
Xu Zhenguan stared at the group of people quietly. Mo Chou glanced at the memorial, hesitated for a moment, then walked over, picked it up, and handed it to the empress.
Xu Zhenguan picked up the thick joint letter with his two slender white fingers, but did not open it. He just threw it on the table and said lightly:
"Li Yanfu has launched a mutiny, two commanders of the imperial guards have rebelled, the princes are in turmoil, and military officers like Zhao Shixiong and Wei Xianzong have also rebelled against the court. Logically, they are all subordinate to you. Now, you are vying for military power again. Do you want to quell the rebellion, or do you have other motives?"
As soon as these words came out, the faces of several people changed and they all knelt on the ground:
"Your Majesty, we are truly loyal, and the Privy Council (Ministry of War) has absolutely no second thoughts! It's just that although Young Master Zhao isn't a military commander, he's never led an army before. For the greater good, we're..."
Xu Zhenguan said calmly:
"Who says he can't win a battle just because he's never led an army?"
Mo Chou glanced at her sideways and thought to herself, Your Majesty, your bias is too obvious.
"This..." Several military officers were unable to refute for the moment, so they had to stiffen their necks and remain motionless, their attitude clear.
Just as the emperor and his ministers were deadlocked, suddenly, another eunuch rushed in from the corridor outside the door. Before he even arrived, he shouted in a shrill voice with joy:
"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty! The Qingzhou rebels have been defeated, and the rebel king, King Heng, has been escorted out of the city. Lord Zhao has returned in triumph! In triumph!"
…
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(End of this chapter)
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