The blue wind was blowing, the green grass was swaying, the young general, wearing a dark blue armor, was sitting on horseback, unfolding the letter in his hand, and reading it silently for a long time.
There was the sound of horse hooves in the distance, and Wei Shuye rode up from behind. Seeing his uncertain expression, he raised his eyebrows slightly and asked, "Another letter from Zhuge Si?"
"Yeah." After a long while, Zhao Chefang raised his head, laughed, and said, "He has another daughter, and he asked me for a title."
"Oh?" Wei Shuye smiled sincerely, "He has both a son and a daughter, so I should send him a gift."
"Don't worry about it. He made a gift list himself and asked us to send it according to what he wrote."
Wei Shuye was slightly stunned when he heard this, then he smiled and said, "He's already a father of two children, but he's still so awkward. No matter what happens, he refuses to suffer any loss."
Zhao Che's eyes were gentle, and he seemed to recall some past events when he was young. He smiled and said, "He has been like this since he was young. Do you remember when we were studying together in Shangwu Hall, everyone had to have a banquet on their birthday, and others prepared red envelopes and gifts, but he was a weird person. He never said anything and never had a banquet. One time, Thirteen ate a meal with him, and it happened to be his birthday that day. Thirteen boasted to us afterwards, saying how amazing he was that he ate free food from Zhuge Si. As a result, more than 20 businesses went to Thirteen's housekeeper to collect the bills the next day, saying that the fourth young master of Zhuge Mansion bought a lot of things, all in Thirteen's name, and asked people to collect the money from him."
Wei Shuye laughed and said, "I remember, I remember it clearly. That time, His Highness the Thirteenth Prince really spent a lot of money. He spent half a year's salary on a single meal. He also borrowed money from me for three consecutive months and still hasn't paid me back."
"Haha, everyone says Thirteen is a kind person, but in fact he is the most cunning. From childhood to adulthood, he is the one who never likes to pay back the money he borrows."
The two of them walked back while talking. Now, Zhao Che's palace is located in Shuanghan City, adjacent to Northern Russia. It covers a vast area, comparable to Zhenhuang, the capital of Daxia. After several years of development, the population has gradually prospered and it has become somewhat of the first commercial capital in the North.
Before entering the city, we heard the noisy sound of galloping horses. The woman running in the front was wearing a bright red cloak and fiery red fox fur boots. Her cheeks were slightly rosy and her eyebrows and eyes were picturesque. Looking closely, her lower belly was slightly bulging, as if she was pregnant. When she saw Zhao Che, her eyes suddenly lit up, and she swung her whip and rode forward.
Zhao Che couldn't help but frown, but Wei Shuye covered his mouth and laughed quietly.
"You didn't even tell me you were coming back, huh, and I finally found out!?" The woman was already a mother of two children, and her third child was about to be born, but she still had the naive look of a young girl. She cracked a whip, raised her little chin, squinted her eyes and stared at Zhao Che with a smug look on her face.
"You're already pregnant, why are you still riding a horse? You didn't take what I said to heart, did you?"
"Tsk!" Wanyan Rou snorted softly and said nonchalantly, "My mother was born on a horse. We Donghu women are not as delicate as you Daxia women." As she said that, she suddenly jumped off the horse, ran to Zhao Che in a few steps, and climbed onto his horse's back using her hands and feet. Judging from his posture, it seems that he wants to ride with him.
"Pull me, pull me!" Wanyan Rou stood on tiptoe and shouted from the side. It is indeed inconvenient to get on a horse when your belly is big.
Zhao Che looked at her stubborn little face and finally gave in helplessly. He sighed, pulled her onto the horse's back, but he didn't dare to gallop at all. He just kicked the horse's belly lightly to make the horse walk slowly.
Miss Wanyan Rou, who always claimed that she was not as delicate as the women of Daxia, also leaned obediently in her husband's arms, smiling like a cat that had eaten fish.
As soon as I returned to the palace, a eunuch came to report that there was a battle report from the inland. Wanyan Rou was so angry that she cursed and pouted as she returned to the harem, saying that she was going to find her son to play Cuju.
As Zhao Che walked towards the main hall, he ordered the eunuchs to keep an eye on her. The afternoon sun was warm, shining through the window panes onto the ground, creating a golden glow.
The news was sent by Zhao Yang's men, and the content was similar to what Zhuge Yue said, but it was more detailed.
Zhao Yang has been active on the northern border in recent years, so it is not surprising that he knows more. Moreover, Zhuge Yue should have sent this letter half a month ago. At that time, the battle was not yet intense. It was not easy for him to realize the seriousness of the situation in advance.
Wei Shuye had long known that Zhuge Yue’s letter would not be a trivial matter, but he had just returned from the expedition against Tuyuhun and Zhao Che did not want him to worry. So he just went home for a walk and then went into the palace. As soon as he entered the Qinzheng Hall, he saw that Zhao Che had summoned a group of generals and ministers to discuss military affairs.
After discussing for two full hours, it was time for dinner. Wanyan Rou sent people to urge them several times and was almost going to come and fight with the ministers in person. Finally, the elders had to leave the palace with trepidation. Zhao Che invited Wei Shuye to have dinner with him, and Wei Shuye did not refuse. However, during the meal, she was glared at by a woman who wanted to monopolize her husband.
After dinner, the two went into the study, and Zhao Che asked straight to the point, "What do you think about this matter?"
Wei Shuye smiled slightly and said, "Your Highness should have already had an idea, why bother asking me again?"
Zhao Che frowned and said, "I haven't decided yet."
"Your Highness is hesitating, which means he has already made up his mind."
Zhao Che sat down slowly, stroking the wall of the teacup with his fingers, and remained silent.
"Princess Jing'an braved the wrath of the world and attacked Meilin Pass, allowing the Quanrong people to advance eastward. This is simply courting death. Your Highness, this time, even if she is a blood descendant of my Great Xia, she cannot be tolerated."
Seeing that Zhao Che didn't say anything, Wei Shuye continued, "She tried to murder Chu Qiao several times, both openly and secretly. If it weren't for your sake, Zhuge Si would have done it long ago. Over the years, Bian Tang didn't touch her, Qinghai didn't touch her, and I don't know what Yan Xun was thinking. He had several opportunities but didn't do it in the end. In addition, we secretly protected her, so her life was not in danger. But this time, she really went too far."
Zhao Che was silent for a moment, then said, "The Quanrong people have already reached Beishuo."
"Da Yan has only been established for six years, and the domestic power is unstable. The local Da Xia troops have not been completely eliminated. Princess Chun can gain some advantages by waving the banner of restoring the Xia Dynasty, but if the opportunity is too late, the people and the army will witness the brutality of the Quanrong and will surely turn against them. At that time, Princess Chun will be in a completely passive situation, and she will definitely be labeled a traitor of Donglu."
Wei Shuye talked eloquently. After several years of bloody washing, he was no longer the elegant young man from a noble family in Zhenhuang City.
Zhao Che frowned and said slowly, "Do you think what Lord Zhang said is feasible?"
Wei Shuye laughed and said, "Your Highness, you know it very well, so why ask me?"
Zhao Che looked at him, and after a while, he suddenly laughed and said, "Indeed, no wonder Ah Rou said that I am becoming more and more nagging. It is true that I am worried about gains and losses."
"All high-ranking officials are like this. You were just a vassal king before, but now you are the monarch of Daxia. You are responsible for so many people, so you must be cautious."
"I understand that Yanbei's rule has stabilized. The situation in the north is chaotic now. We can't fight on two fronts. If we do both at the same time, we will gain nothing. We can't take advantage of this."
Wei Shuye said: "What about Zhuge Si's proposal?"
"Let's wait and see." Zhao Che frowned and said, "We are different from him. Qinghai has always been independent and has no fundamental hatred with the inland areas. However, our soldiers, especially the senior officers, hate Yanbei to the core. If you ask them to help Yanbei fight, wouldn't that be harder than taking their lives?"
Wei Shuye sighed helplessly after hearing this, shook his head and said, "Alas, how can we fight for others?"
Zhao Che also smiled helplessly, "How can I explain this to these people?"
"By the way, the ceremonial officer just sent a fast horse out of the customs. What's the matter that's so urgent?"
At this point, Zhao Che finally showed a relaxed smile and said, "I'm still looking for a wife for Xian'er. The Zhuge family's Princess Pearl is a treasure now. I have to settle the marriage before Bian Tang does."
"Tang Emperor Li Xiuyi?" Wei Shuye asked in surprise, "Hasn't he already appointed a queen?"
"You forgot that Li Ce has another son, the son of Concubine Zhan, who has always lived in Qinghai."
"Oh, I remember now." Wei Shuye nodded, "I have met that child once before. He looks a lot like his father, especially his eyes."
Zhao Che leaned back in his chair and said proudly, "He wants to take away so many of my things. Sooner or later, I will ask him to return them all as his daughter's dowry."
The wind is blowing from the north, and the green grass is just beginning to sprout. At this time in Qinghai, the rain is already hitting the banana leaves, and everything is lush and green.
It was late at night and Chu Qiao, wearing white cotton pajamas, lowered the window shutter, and the sound of the dripping rain was immediately blocked out. A pair of red candles burned quietly, the flames were dim, and the atmosphere was peaceful and serene.
A pair of hands wrapped around her from behind, and warm breath fanned behind her ears. Zhuge Yue, feeling extremely tired, leaned against her soft body and said softly, “I haven’t slept yet.”
"How can I dare to sleep first if you don't come back?"
Chu Qiao smiled and turned around, pecked him lightly on the lips, and asked, "Are you hungry? Do you want to ask the kitchen to prepare dinner? I've asked someone to keep it warm for you."
Zhuge Yue smiled, seemingly dissatisfied with her light kiss. He lowered his head and covered Chu Qiao’s soft lips, tracing the shape of her lips with his lips, while the tip of his tongue deftly pried open her pearly teeth and entangled with her tongue passionately.
Chu Qiao hugged his waist tenderly and responded passionately. After a while, the temperature in the air seemed to rise out of nowhere. Zhuge Yue's hoarse voice rang in his ears, full of lust and a kind of devilish temptation, "It's been so many days, don't you miss me?"
Chu Qiao's cheeks were pink, she was panting, her whole body leaning in his arms, her head tilted up, her eyes seemed to be covered with mist, moist and dark.
"I miss you. If you continue to abuse me like this, I will take a concubine."