The ban on imperial heirs leaving the palace at will has now been lifted.
With four second-rank experts stationed in the capital, and most of the elites from the Xuanji Guard, Qingluan Guard, and Qilin Guard, which had been dispatched to various regions to target powerful families, being recalled to the capital, the palace guards and the defense of Fengjing were no longer as strained as before.
Nowadays, every imperial heir who leaves the palace is accompanied by a master of the Divine Martial Realm, ensuring their safety.
Thus, all the imperial heirs eventually gathered at the Sixth Princess's residence.
Before court assemblies, many officials would not eat in order to avoid being impolite.
Even if they ate some snacks, it was only enough to fill their stomachs, and they didn't dare to drink much water.
After all, it would be quite troublesome to suddenly need to urinate during a solemn court assembly.
Therefore, at this moment, everyone is gathered in the spacious and bright dining hall of the princess's residence to enjoy breakfast.
Qin Zhaoyue ate with great relish, completely unmoved by the piercing gazes directed at her, a mixture of curiosity, resentment, and inquiry.
Just kidding. They can't beat us in terms of strength or speed these days. What's there to be afraid of?
"Sixth sister, you're being really unfair."
"You've made us worry for so long for nothing, and you haven't even let out a whisper about the Empress's recovery."
Princess Qin Zhaowan put down her silver chopsticks, her tone tinged with reproach.
Qin Zhaoyue pursed her lips and swallowed the food in her mouth without caring.
"Ha, the Empress herself issued a gag order forbidding us to speak."
If you have any objections, go and reason with the Queen Mother. Why take it out on me?
This answer clearly failed to satisfy everyone, and a cacophony of voices immediately erupted, filling the dining hall with a buzzing sound.
Qin Zhaoyue had a headache from the noise. She rubbed her temples and waved her hand dismissively.
"Alright, alright, stop arguing! Can't we ask each of you one by one?"
She had figured it out; if she didn't satisfy the curiosity of these brothers and sisters today, she would have a hard time getting away. It was better to get rid of them all at once.
Seeing this, the Third Princess made the final decision and asked the first question:
"Then let's talk about the matter of the Vermilion Bird Southern Route. How exactly did you quell the rebellion in such a short period of time?"
And how did we persuade Southern Xinjiang to consider incorporating it into our vast territory?
They already knew that the Heavenly Plate Xiao Liu carried was closely related to the dynasty's fortune.
They didn't need to ask about the specific details of how the Queen Mother recovered, but they could roughly guess that it must be related to the recovery of the southern territory and the restoration of the nation's fortune, and the use of the power of the Heavenly Plate to expel the poison and heal her injuries.
The key to this lies in "how to retake it".
They had privately analyzed the situation repeatedly, and no matter how they looked at it, it was extremely unfavorable for Da Gan.
The second brother was used as a puppet, given the righteous cause; supported by the four great families, he also colluded with the tribes of the southern border, and even the Grand General of the Southern Border betrayed him.
This didn't seem like a problem that could be solved in a day or two, but Xiao Liu managed to do it anyway.
Qin Zhaoyue didn't hide anything and briefly recounted the process.
It's simply a matter of striking at the heart of the matter, controlling key figures, using overwhelming force to intimidate, and swiftly cutting through the mess.
Then, an eerie silence fell over the dining table, and everyone stared in disbelief.
In summary, her method can be summed up in three words: kill, control, and suppress.
The source of trouble must either be completely eliminated or forcefully subdued.
"...It's that simple?" Fifth Prince Qin Jingzhan murmured in disbelief.
"Heh," Qin Zhaoyue chuckled softly, pouring a small amount into a cup.
"In the face of an absolute disparity in strength, all schemes and strategies are nothing but worthless and easily defeated."
Next, everyone pressed for details about their itinerary over the past month or so since leaving Suzaku South Road.
Qin Zhaoyue picked and chose, and gave a general account as if she were recording a diary.
Basically, he accompanied the Empress Dowager on her journeys, stopping frequently to observe the lives of ordinary people along the way; in short, it was a clandestine visit.
After hearing her description, everyone's expressions turned even more grim.
"So we were in the capital, worrying and anxious day and night."
You, on the other hand, are enjoying yourself with the Queen Mother, traveling slowly in carriages and indulging in food and drink.
"Qin Zhaoyue, do you have any conscience at all?" the Fifth Prince couldn't help but accuse.
Qin Zhaoyue rolled her eyes dramatically.
"You talk as if I have the authority to make this decision. Do you think I don't want to go back to the capital and enjoy a life of luxury? It's all up to the Empress Dowager!"
That's the logic, but the sense of injustice in everyone's hearts was hard to dispel.
Xiao Jiu muttered something to herself, her voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for everyone to hear:
"Sixth Sister is a real scoundrel..."
"Hey!" Qin Zhaoyue immediately straightened her face, feigning a fierce expression, "What did you say, you little brat?!"
Breakfast was spent in this noisy atmosphere, finally satisfying the long-suppressed curiosity of the brothers and sisters.
The three older men at the top all have regular jobs and cannot stay for long.
The three younger children had to return to the palace for further studies, so everyone took their leave one after another, leaving Qin Zhaoyue with some peace and quiet again.
The Empress Dowager kept her word; although she retained her title as Commander of the Xuanji Guard, she did not assign her any specific tasks.
After eating and drinking her fill, she unusually did not immediately retreat to her bed, but instead, on a whim, began to stroll around her own residence.
As they strolled along, they suddenly heard a faint sound of reading aloud, which seemed to include Jiang Wuyai's familiar voice.
Normally, this junior brother would have been swooning over him by now.
She hadn't seen anyone since returning from the palace today, and she felt like something was missing.
Qin Zhaoyue listened intently, "What is my senior brother doing over there?"
Sui Mo, who was following behind, pursed his lips, a slightly embarrassed look on his face.
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
