Chapter 183 [VIP]
Gu Yican planned to launch a campaign against the Northern Di in a year or two, before they had fully recovered.
The Great Qi Dynasty is not strong enough to wage war on two fronts at the same time. If the court devotes all its resources to the Zhenbei Army, it will be impossible to go to war with Liang for five years.
Therefore, this condition is less of a transaction and more of a strategic retreat.
“Jiang Wu said.” Gu Zhizhuo’s eyes darkened slightly as he slowly repeated Jiang Wu’s words to his brother, “Duoleng made an agreement with the Emperor that Daqi would hand over Father to him to get rid of, and Xiliang would agree not to invade the border for ten years.”
"Oh."
A soft laugh escaped her lips: "Now it's a case of tit for tat."
As if sensing her suppressed emotions, the cat put its two paws on her shoulders and rubbed its fluffy little head against her face.
Gu Zhizhuo held it in his arms.
"Meow."
Gu Yican: "Will the King of Liang agree?" His voice lacked its usual high spirits.
He went to Xiliang with his father, and in the end, he left his father to be buried there alone.
"meeting."
Xie Yingchen smiled and explained gently, "Firstly, the King of Liang has long wanted to get rid of Duoling, but he cannot do so due to Liang's traditions. After all, he obtained his throne from his elder brother, and his queen is Duoling's mother. Using a borrowed knife to kill Duoling, and using Daqi to get rid of him, is a condition that will only play into his heart."
"Secondly, the Liang Kingdom suffered a major defeat at the hands of my father-in-law, and like the Northern Di, it will be difficult to recover in three to five years. I had Jiang Youzheng deploy troops on the border, making it seem like a declaration of war. In the past month, they have launched several fierce attacks and taken three border cities in the chaos. The King of Liang is probably not sure about the strength and intentions of the Great Qi. As long as the wording of this letter is strong, he will be afraid."
"For the King of Liang, sacrificing Duoling gave him time to recuperate."
"Just like our Emperor, who not only eliminated his father-in-law and a major threat, but also managed to get the Liang Kingdom to submit a letter of surrender, why not do it?"
Gu Yican nodded silently.
Ultimately, the two countries are like sitting at a card table. Three years ago, the father was the chip; now, the chip has simply been replaced by a multifaceted one.
Very well, let the multi-faceted one serve as the sacrificial offering.
"Can Can, go to the Western Frontier to welcome Xie Jing's bride." Xie Yingchen took the memorial and slammed it on the stone table. "Take the Western Frontier army to intimidate Xiliang, and then deliver my letter to the King of Liang."
Gu Yican had fought against Liang Kingdom with his father, and the people of Liang Kingdom were terrified of him.
Gu Yican agreed.
"Remember to bring him to the capital alive. Duoleng is a 'VIP,' so don't be tempted to do anything on the way." Xie Yingchen spoke the coldest words in the gentlest tone. "Once this is done, Duoleng will be a birthday gift for Yaoyao and you. You can do whatever you want with him."
Gu Yican was delighted to hear this: "It's settled."
The two raised their hands and gave each other a high five, and Gu Zhizhuo nodded in agreement.
"When should I go?"
"I will issue the order later tonight, within three days, we shall depart within three days."
"no problem."
Gu Yican rubbed his hands together and pressed his fingers down in anticipation.
He had fought against this multi-faceted prince before, back in the Western Frontier.
Xie Yingchen told Huai Jingzhi to go back first, and Huai Jingzhi naturally knew how to explain things to Duke Cheng'en.
Gu Zhizhuo grabbed the cat's paw and waved it at him.
"Your Highness."
Granny Zhu stood far outside the pavilion until Qingmei came over and led her over. She then reported, "The Grand Madam sent me to ask when the meal will be served."
"Have someone prepare the meal," Gu Zhizhuo said proactively. "We'll head over now. Are Cousin Danling and Cousin Xing still at Ronghe Hall?"
"Yes," said Granny Zhu respectfully, "I'm talking with the Grand Madam."
She said happily, "Let's go, let's go, I wonder what delicious food Grandma has prepared for me."
It was rare for the entire Ronghetang family to be present. The matriarch, who loved lively gatherings, was overjoyed.
Xie Danling was extremely comfortable staying outside. After her meal, she didn't want to return to the palace and, with a bit of coquettishness, stayed at the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion again, living with Gu Zhizhuo. The Grand Madam, who adored her, readily agreed, "The little princess can stay as long as she wants."
So, after dinner, only Xie Yingchen and Wang Xing went back.
"What are your plans for the future, cousin?"
Wang Xing pretended not to understand him and laughed, "Does Princess Shang count?"
The Ji family was forbidden from holding official positions by the Taizu Emperor.
The Wang family, however, were unwilling to enter officialdom.
The reason why the Wang family has remained standing through several dynasties is because of their prudence.
The late emperor wanted to reinstate the Wang family and married off both of their daughters to the capital, but the Wang family remained silent.
Xie Yingchen took the initiative to invite, "Cousin, would you like to come to my residence for a visit?"
Although the emperor issued an imperial edict, it is unknown what his intentions were, as the investiture ceremony has not been held yet, as if he could pretend it never happened by forgetting about it.
Therefore, Xie Yingchen has not moved into the so-called Eastern Palace, but is still living in the Prince Chen's Mansion, and he hasn't even changed the plaque.
When Xie Yingchen entered, he saw Xie Jing pacing back and forth at the door, neither knocking nor leaving.
Cheng En Gong had been waiting in the flower hall for several hours, accompanied by Huai Jingzhi. When Xie Yingchen came in, he quickly stood up and glanced at Wang Xing, who was walking half a step behind him.
"The Crown Prince".
He greeted him and said, "Your subject has come to request an audience regarding the marriage alliance between His Highness the Third Prince and the Princess of Liang."
"I was just about to discuss this matter with the Duke."
Xie Yingchen walked past him and sat down in the main chair.
Upon being swept by his gaze, Duke Chengen inexplicably felt a head shorter.
Duke Cheng'en originally wanted to ask what the meaning of the Jiang Wu that he had sent today was, but then he thought that if this matter were brought up in the open, wouldn't it directly lead to a falling out with Xie Yingchen? Alas, he originally intended to ask Prince Jin, but it was all Prince Jin's fault for being so strange and eccentric, which prevented him from even having a chance to ask the most important question.
Seeing his hesitant gaze, Xie Yingchen didn't say anything.
Soon after, Prince Li, Chief Minister Song, the Minister of War, the Minister of Rites, and others were summoned one after another. Around midnight, Xie Yingchen issued an imperial edict, ordering Prince Zhenbei, Gu Yican, to go to Liang Kingdom to welcome the bride and depart immediately.
Upon receiving this order, Xie Jing got completely drunk.
However, even the Duke of Chengen disregarded his disappointment and happily prepared for his trip, repeatedly instructing him: "The Crown Prince sent Gu Yican to fetch the bride, he definitely has ulterior motives. He may be trying to ruin the marriage, or he may want Gu Yican to seduce the Princess of Liang on the way to the wedding. Then the Crown Prince can say that the two are in love and marry the Princess of Liang to Gu Yican, cutting off our escape route."
"The Crown Prince is treacherous and cunning; Your Highness must be wary."
"I finally managed to persuade him to let you go with me to the wedding. Your Highness, please don't let anything go wrong."
Duke Cheng'en repeatedly advised Xie Jing, who reeked of alcohol, until Xie Jing responded irritably, only then was he satisfied. Before leaving, he couldn't help but add, "Your Ke'er, just keep raising her as you are, don't let her cause trouble with the Princess of Liang again. If you really like her, you can make her a Noble Consort in the future."
Xie Jing: "..."
No, not anymore.
He drank cup after cup until he was so drunk that he slumped onto the table, muttering incoherently.
Xie Jing drank himself into oblivion for three days. On the day he left the capital, he still reeked of alcohol and swayed as he boarded the carriage, causing many court officials to frown.
The wedding procession set off from the capital, and Xie Yingchen, along with Gu Zhizhuo, personally escorted them to Sanliting.
As Xie Jing gazed at the beautiful figure standing side by side with Xie Yingchen from afar, he couldn't help but wonder if he himself would be standing there now if Xie Yingchen hadn't taken advantage of him.
This thought lingered in my mind countless times, burning like a raging fire.
Gu Yican mounted his horse and said to his sister, "I'm leaving."
After saying that, he clasped his hands in a mock-serious gesture and said, "This humble general will certainly not fail in his duty."
Xie Yingchen had already put the letter to the King of Liang in a hidden pocket. After saying goodbye to his sister, he spurred his horse and rode to the front of the group.
"Set off!"
After watching them leave, Xie Yingchen and Gu Zhizhuo returned to the capital.
The Duke of Cheng'en was the most flamboyant and restless. Under the pretext that Xie Jing was a marriage alliance, he insisted on holding a grand wedding. For several days in a row, he tested the waters step by step, raising the standards again and again, almost to the point of approaching the Crown Prince's wedding.
Many people in the court were secretly watching and speculating about how Xie Yingchen would respond. In the blink of an eye, Xie Yingchen issued another decree, bestowing upon the woman of the Yin family in Yongzhou the title of County Princess, with the honorary title of Fu'an, and granting her a County Princess's residence.
The sudden appearance of the county magistrate stunned everyone.
This is so unconventional!
Originally, everyone was speculating whether the Crown Prince would see Xie Jing as a threat and suppress him, but who knew that the Crown Prince didn't take the Third Prince seriously at all?
Confused as they were, many people began to inquire about who this newly appointed county magistrate was.
Upon inquiring, some people naturally thought of the Yin family of Yongzhou, who had recently been exonerated.
So it was this woman from the Yin family.
The Yin family was wrongly convicted of banditry, and almost the entire family perished, leaving only this one orphaned girl. She is indeed quite pitiful. But to bestow upon her the title of county princess—isn't that a bit too much favor?
As a result, memorials began to arrive, but Xie Yingchen instructed the Directorate of Ceremonial to suppress them without even glancing at them.
This county princess was not only concerned about the suffering of the Yin family, but also about the sacrifices made by the women of the Yin family for the sake of destiny.
As part of the bestowal of honors, not only was the county magistrate's mansion returned to Yin Xiyan, but all of the Yin family's assets were also handed over to her.
Before leaving the capital, Shen Xu had instructed that the Eastern Depot should thoroughly investigate those who had embezzled the Yin family's assets back then.
Whether through coercion, bribery, or simply confiscating property and arresting people, everything that was due was taken back. For the remaining items that couldn't be found, Xie Yingchen ordered people to open the emperor's private treasury and replace them at a discounted price.
right.
It refers to the internal treasury.
As the grandson of the emperor, Xie Yingchen was not, by all accounts, qualified to access the emperor's private treasury.
Upon receiving this order, Zhong Fu, the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department, was stunned. After thinking it over, he quickly went to report to Wu Shang.
When Wu Shang asked for the reason, he replied without hesitation, "Open."
"ah?"
Wu Shang's face had been injured in his early years, so he couldn't make any extra expressions. He tried desperately to force a smile, but it was a chilling one: "Take more."
"Remember to choose the best. Things like silk, spices, pearls, and jade must be newly presented as tribute this year. Do not use old or outdated goods."
"Oh, by the way, the ivory screen that Minzhou presented as tribute last month is quite nice, take it too. And the blue jade grape bonsai that came from Jiangnan for the Emperor's birthday is also quite good..."
He listed several rare items, leaving Zhong Fu speechless.
After he finished speaking, Wu Shang warned again, "If anything goes wrong and it's not done well, you'll have to pay with your head, understand?"
"I know, I understand. It's called chromium poisoning potassium."
Despite being somewhat confused, Zhong Fu focused on being obedient.
Wu Shang was still worried.
He originally intended to deliver the imperial decree himself, but then he thought that he had accompanied his master to Tianxi Tower before, and he didn't know if Miss Yin had seen him. If he accidentally made a mistake, it would be all over.
So he summoned Zhong Fu back, gave him a good talking-to, and sent him to deliver the imperial decree.
The master has not made Miss Yin's identity public, so it would be bad if the servants were not attentive and neglected her.
He was extremely careful and gave repeated instructions, so when Zhong Fu arrived at Tianxi Tower, he not only stopped putting on airs, but his face was beaming with joy.
When Zhong Fu came, Gu Zhizhuo happened to be there too, examining the scar on her chest.
"Go and receive the imperial decree," Gu Zhizhuo said with a raised eyebrow and a smile. "It's a good thing."
The tabby cat peered out the window, its tail swishing back and forth. Hearing this, it turned around and meowed, as if echoing Gu Zhizhuo.
A full month has passed since Yin Xiyan was injured, and she has recovered well, able to get up and walk around. Gu Zhizhuo had just examined the knife wound on her chest; it had healed remarkably well, leaving only a thin scar, which would completely disappear after applying scar-removing ointment for some time.
As for the deficiency of her soul, it cannot be cured, and she will inevitably be weak and sickly for the rest of her life.
Gu Zhizhuo smiled and pushed her out the door.
Zhong Fu finished reading the decree with a smile, then personally helped Yin Xiyan up and shouted to the clueless eunuch, "Hurry up and bring a round-backed chair so the county princess can sit down."
"Bring two over!"
He hadn't forgotten Miss Gu.
The young eunuch was stunned by the reprimand. Not to mention a county princess who had just been conferred a title and whose origins were still unknown, even when facing princesses, Zhong Gonggong was never seen bowing and scraping like this.
Despite not understanding, the young eunuch quickly brought over two chairs, helped them sit down, and diligently served them tea and water.
Yin Xiyan stared silently at the imperial edict in her hand, still reeling from the shock.
County Princess?
The most beautiful dream she had in the past ten years was that those who harmed the Yin family would pay for their crimes in blood, and the Yin family could clear their name.
That's all.
By then, she could die in peace.
Seeing my brother again was already a blessing from heaven, I never expected...
“Your Highness, these are all the properties that were confiscated from the Yin family back then. Please take a look.”
Zhong Fu smiled kindly and handed over a booklet.
Yin Xiyan quickly flipped through the list, and indeed, all of these belonged to the Yin family; she hadn't forgotten them for a single day.
After the Yin family was convicted of banditry, their vast fortune was confiscated by the imperial court. Before leaving the capital, the younger brother said that he would make sure everyone returned it.
Yes, they've all been returned.
Yin Xiyan gently stroked the booklet with her fingers, unable to control the trembling of her fingertips.
All of these are the fruits of my father and mother's labor, especially the horse farm, which is the ancestral property upon which the Yin family has built its lineage.
It finally returned to the hands of the siblings.
My younger brother will be very happy.
My younger brother used to love going to the horse farm with her and riding horses. He excitedly said that he wanted to become a hero and save the people with his own life.
She thought of that spirited young man who sat on horseback, his face as bright as the moon.
Tears welled up in her eyes and unknowingly slid down Yin Xiyan's scarred cheeks.
Drop by drop, it fell onto the booklet, blurring the words "Horse Farm" on it.
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