Cheng Cheng was slightly taken aback. Wasn't Princess Xiaoyao, Song Yaozhu, the daughter of the Song family? When she was found, the Song family had verified her identity several times.
If she's going to marry the carefree prince, her identity will definitely be verified several times.
However, since the emperor wanted to investigate, he naturally obeyed.
After Yuwen Wuji finished telling the story, he noticed a white cloth hanging on his sleeve, and he couldn't help but be moved.
"I am also deeply saddened by your master's situation..." Cheng Cheng did not reply. He was just a lowly soldier of Yuwen Wuji. If it weren't for his master, the emperor would not even know who he was.
"I hereby appoint you as Commander of the Imperial Guards, hoping you will carry on your master's legacy..."
Cheng Cheng trembled. He never expected that Yuwen Wuji would appoint him as the commander of the Imperial Guard.
But he also knew that this was a challenge, and if he didn't do well, he would die without a burial place.
"I... thank you Lord for your kindness!"
After leaving the Qiankun Palace, Chengcheng walked briskly, but after a few steps, he slowly slowed down. The cold wind cooled his feverish mind and calmed him down.
Why would Yuwen Wuji appoint him without verifying his identity? This is unlike someone as cautious and meticulous as him.
After he left, Yuwen Wuji lay on the bed, looking exhausted. Li Wei tucked the blanket around him and made the charcoal fire burn even brighter.
Yuwen Wuji was thinking. He wondered if a person could transform from a rural village woman into a sensible and well-mannered noblewoman in the capital in just over two years.
It is said that it is easy to draw the skin of a tiger but difficult to draw its bones. Even though he had been emperor for so many years, he would sometimes reveal some unknown bad habits when no one was around.
As for Song Yaozhu, whose behavior was utterly unseemly, when she was first brought back, she was timid and fearful of meeting people, and couldn't even speak Mandarin properly. Therefore, none of the noble ladies in the capital bothered to pay her any attention.
The reason they initially acquiesced to the Song family's substitution of a daughter was to use Song Yaozhu to humiliate Xie Liwei.
But how long had it been since she married into the Prince of Xiaoyao's mansion? In such a short time, not only did she speak fluent Mandarin, but her behavior also resembled that of a well-educated woman from a prominent family.
The moment she sat there, she embodied the saying "a person with a wealth of knowledge naturally exudes elegance," a quality that the uneducated "Song Yaozhu" could never display.
Of course, the ever-arrogant Yuwen Wuji would never believe in the existence of ghosts and spirits. He was more inclined to believe that Song Yaozhu had been replaced and was a spy sent by an enemy country.
Otherwise, how can you explain that she looks so much like the deceased Xie Wanqing?
However, if she was a spy from an enemy country, why didn't she enter the palace with this appearance, but instead insisted on marrying Xie Liwei?
He couldn't understand it, and his thoughts gradually became hazy until he fell asleep.
Li Wei replaced the calming incense burning in the hall before slowly leaving the inner hall.
Outside, the Fifth Prince was engrossed in reading a book. When he saw Li Wei come out, he asked, "Father, have you rested?"
"The calming incense given by Consort Shu is very effective. The Emperor fell asleep as soon as it was lit."
The Fifth Prince nodded. "Please take good care of Father Emperor, Father. I'm going to see Mother Consort. She's very worried about Father Emperor because she can't see him."
After he left, Li Wei couldn't help but spit. What kind of son could read books when his father was so ill that he didn't know whether he was alive or dead?
But considering who his son is, it's not surprising.
Yuwen Wuji was born cold-hearted and aloof; his very soul was cold.
That evening, Chengcheng's message arrived at the Prince's residence, and Song Yaozhu couldn't help but laugh: "I've made it so obvious, but he still can't see through it."
Xie Liwei threw the note into the incense burner and said, "Given his character, he probably thinks you are a spy from an enemy country."
Song Yaozhu pursed her lips. "I guess so. After all, I just gave him some muscle-relaxing powder, and the assassin arrived right afterward."
"It's alright." Xie Liwei patted her hair. "Let him think what he wants. It was unexpected that Chengcheng could become the commander of the Imperial Guard. Let's wait and see."
Their original plan was to send the Thousand-Faced Jade Gentleman into the palace to pretend to be the seriously ill emperor.
But right now, Lu Yinghong and the Fifth Prince are both keeping a close eye on the Emperor. Even if they had a chance, it would be too risky.
Moreover, those people were even less willing to let the emperor get better than they were.
After several heavy snowfalls, the chill in the air in the capital intensified, and charcoal became scarce. Even though many merchants stockpiled charcoal, the price remained high due to the cold weather.
Not only in the capital, but also in Yunzhou, a place that hadn't seen snow for several years, heavy snow fell this year, making it very cold for many residents of Yunzhou.
These common people had never read more of the Master's articles, so naturally they didn't know to prepare winter clothes in advance.
Although the local government had prepared cotton-padded clothes and charcoal, where could they supply the entire population of the prefecture?
Before the citizens of Yunzhou City, the employees of the Peng family's shop returned to Yunzhou. After the disaster, they were among the last to evacuate and the first to return to the city. However, they had no complaints, as their master had been very generous.
The Peng family sold the cheapest charcoal in Yunzhou City, but the supply was limited daily. Many of their shops had set up charcoal halls, burning charcoal every day to provide warmth for homeless people and beggars. Many homeless people and beggars used these as their homes, surviving on a bowl of porridge each day.
However, these measures are only a drop in the ocean, and it remains to be seen what the imperial court will do next.
The imperial court was naturally making great efforts to provide disaster relief. Zhangzhou and Yanzhou had prepared rice and winter clothes well in advance. However, they had just survived a drought and were now facing a snow disaster, which was somewhat overwhelming.
Although the prefect of Xuzhou had prepared these things long ago, the Prince of Yong ordered him to use them on the soldiers of the prefecture. Only those who were willing to join the army were given cotton clothes and food.
This terrified the prefect, who trembled with fear. Each prefecture had a fixed number of garrison troops; how could they expand the army without the court's permission? This was treason!
But Xuzhou was the territory of the Prince of Yong. If he did not comply, the lives of his entire family would be in danger, so he had no choice but to do this.
Soon, after five days of continuous snowfall, many places in Xuzhou experienced snowdrifts collapsing houses, and the prefect and local officials led people to rescue people everywhere.
Prince Yong, however, ordered that he not be allowed to use the grain in the granary, as he had a great use for that grain later.
The prefect was incredulous. When this prince first arrived in Xuzhou, he was courteous to scholars and treated the people like his own children. How could things have changed so drastically in just a few months?
He knew perfectly well why the Prince of Yong wouldn't let him touch the granary. He wanted to use the grain as provisions and lead the troops from Xuzhou to attack the capital!
He's absolutely insane!
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