General Cangying Jin would return Li Zhongqian's letters every two days.

He wrote the letter hastily, just a few words, telling where he had arrived and which route he would take next.

That day, Yaoying finished her work, took the letter and compared it with the map, exclaimed, and turned to ask Tanmarajiva.

He and she sat back to back, and the desk in front of them was also piled with documents. He would glance at the map and tell her the name of the local tribe and its customs and practices wherever she pointed.

Yaoying lay back on her desk, picked up a pen and wrote a letter, saying that she had been ill recently and missed Li Zhongqian very much.

The letter was sent out, and within a few days, Li Zhongqian replied. The letter still contained only a few sentences and did not mention her illness.

Yao Ying rolled up the parchment and frowned slightly.

…

Two months later.

Chang'an.

The sky is vast, the Milky Way is shining brightly, the streets are brightly lit, the night market is ablaze with thousands of lights, and the trees are like silver flowers, like the outlines of the stars in the sky reflected on the ground.

Emperor Li De of the Wei Dynasty stood in front of the palace, wearing a red and yellow round-collared uniform. His temples were gray and wrinkled, but his eyes were still deep and clear as he looked towards the west.

The night is quiet, but a storm is about to come.

He coughed a few times.

The eunuch anxiously advised: "Saint, you just took medicine, you can't be exposed to the wind. It's late at night and the dew is heavy. You'd better return to the palace as soon as possible."

Li De waved his hands.

The eunuch retreated respectfully.

The guards wearing a fuku trotted forward and clasped their fists, saying, "Your Majesty, the imperial edict has been sent to Hexi, Gaochang and other places, but there has been no response from Gaochang. The Lin, Chen, Yu and Wang families have submitted a petition, saying that they are extremely worried and will choose a day to send their sons to the capital for the princess to select."

Li De looked normal.

If the Central Plains dynasty lost Hexi, it would be like having its throat strangled and destined to be controlled by others. The recovery of Hexi and the Western Regions would benefit the country and his descendants, and he was happier than anyone else. If the Wei Dynasty wanted to maintain long-term stability, it had to take back the horse farm and strengthen its military.

But the Western Army was now in the hands of Li Yaoying, which became another concern for him.

Li Yaoying, a weak woman, was stranded in the war-torn Western Regions, but she could survive and grow stronger. This was beyond his expectation. He would not allow others to sleep beside his bed. Li Yaoying and Li Zhongqian hated him to the core and would rebel sooner or later. He could not leave these two children behind.

It is necessary to cultivate another force before their foundation is not solid enough, so that the two forces can fight each other and the court can take advantage of the opportunity to control the situation.

"Who is guarding the Li Palace?"

"Saint, everything has been arranged. The Li Palace is guarded by General Sun Qin of the Left Guard, and Empress Xie cannot escape. General Pei Yanzhi of the Right Guard guards the Chongxuan Gate on the north side of the palace. The two generals of the Wuwei Guard guard the south and east respectively. All the districts have been cleared, and they are all people of the Yulin Army."

"Where are the troops from the East Palace?"

"According to the instructions of the Saint, the soldiers of the Eastern Palace were transferred to Luoyang. Now the Eastern Palace is guarded by the Jinwu Guard. Crown Princess Zheng is law-abiding and teaches the grandson wholeheartedly every day. She doesn't care about anything else. On the old lady's birthday, His Highness did not return to the Zheng family. He only sent someone to deliver a few ordinary birthday gifts."

Li De nodded.

Zheng is worthy of being the prime minister's niece. She can judge the situation and know when to protect herself. She is the mother of Taisun. As long as she is obedient, glory and power will be within her reach.

A Jinwu Guard quickly climbed up the stone steps and said, "Your Majesty, I have good news! The cavalry has returned from Nanchu and has reached the border of Jingzhao Prefecture!"

The eunuchs looked delighted.

Previously, Crown Prince Li Xuanzhen led troops outside and did not return for a long time, even traveling thousands of miles to the Western Regions. The emperor sent several people to persuade the crown prince to return to Chang'an. A few months ago, the crown prince led his troops south to attack Southern Chu, unexpectedly flooded the capital of Southern Chu, defeated the Chu army, and the king and ministers of Chu surrendered. The land of Southern Chu was returned to the Wei Dynasty.

The country is unified, the prince has returned to the capital, who wouldn't be happy and smile?

The eunuchs' eyes rolled, and they vied with each other to flatter Li De, talking about how storytellers in the neighborhood praised the prince's bravery and heroic deeds. Just as they were talking excitedly, they heard hurried footsteps and two Yulin guards quickly ran up the stone steps.

"Your Majesty, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has returned to the capital without being summoned, and he is already outside the palace gates!"

The stairs fell silent, and the eunuch was dumbfounded.

The Flying Cavalry had just entered Jingzhao Prefecture. How come the Crown Prince, a general, was already outside the palace? As a Crown Prince, he dared to enter the forbidden palace. Could he have any bad intentions?

The wind blew, and everyone present was terrified.

Li De's expression remained unchanged, as if he had expected this to happen. He asked, "How many people did he bring?"

"Reporting to His Majesty, His Highness only brought a few followers back to the capital. The others went back to the East Palace. The Crown Prince entered the palace alone."

Li De's face darkened: "Let him in."

The Yulin Guards agreed and went to the palace gate to deliver the message. The eunuchs looked at each other, sweating profusely, and dared not utter a word.

Soon, lights flickered in the distance and heavy footsteps were heard on the stairs.

A tall figure quickly climbed the stairs in the night. Before he got close, a eunuch saw the cold light reflected from the blade and trembled with fear.

Li De looked at the person who came without saying a word.

Under the starlight, before the eunuchs could come up with a countermeasure, Li Xuanzhen had already rushed into the corridor. He had not yet taken off his armor. He was covered in dust and had a stubble on his face. His white robe was stained gray with blood and dust, and his narrow phoenix eyes flashed with fury.

"Where are the Chen family?"

He walked up to the emperor and asked directly.

Li De waved his hand, signaling the eunuchs to leave, and said calmly: "You left the flying cavalry behind and entered the palace alone, just for a few Chen family members?"

Li Xuanzhen sneered: "I just sent people to rescue the Chen family, and you kidnapped them. Where are they being held? I'm going to take them away today."

Li De had a blank expression on his face: "What does the Chen family of Nanchu have to do with you?"

He paused, and his tone suddenly became sharp, "Is it because of Qi Niang? You actually have feelings for her?"

Li Xuanzhen was silent.

Li De laughed in anger, two rays of light flashing from his eyes: "How foolish! Who is she? If you save the Chen family for her, she will be grateful to you? Since you know her life experience, you should have captured the Chen family and used it as a handle to make her afraid to act rashly! Instead of saving them and sending them to Gaochang, she will not appreciate your kindness!"

Li Xuanzhen looked at him with indifferent eyes, "Release the Chen family."

Li De smiled and said, "Today, Li Yaoying hasn't even spoken yet, but you've come to the palace alone to ask me for someone because of her blood relative. One day, if she asks you for help, will you hand over the throne to her?"

The cold questioning voice echoed in the night.

Li Xuanzhen stood on the steps, his face cold and motionless. A cool breeze blew past him, and the smell of blood on his body spread.

Li De's face became increasingly gloomy. "You are the crown prince, and will be the emperor in the future. It is easy for you to get any woman you want. No matter what Qi Niang's surname is, as long as you say a word, she will have to enter the palace to serve you. Why don't you stay here and be toyed with by her like a little clown?"

"She didn't think of me as a little idiot."

Li Xuanzhen said coldly.

This little clown could still make her laugh, but she didn't take him seriously at all.

"I like her. No matter how shameless it may seem to others, I will not hide it anymore..."

Li Xuanzhen's eyes reflected the deep night sky. "This matter has nothing to do with her. She won't use me!"

"You have been taught by me for many years, yet you are still so naive!" Li De was furious. He swung his sleeves, bringing with him a gust of cold wind. "Li Zhongqian and Li Yaoying have become my biggest concerns. You and Taisun will die at their hands sooner or later. I have made up my mind."

"Even if there is no personal grudge, for the sake of the stability of the country, I must eradicate the weeds and root them out!"

Li Xuanzhen clenched his fist, veins bulging, and drew the short knife from his waist.

The Yulin Guards rushed forward.

Li Xuanzhen's fingers clenched and with a "hiss" sound, the dagger pierced into his chest and blood spurted out.

Everyone shouted in unison.

Li Xuanzhen said word by word: "Qiniang cares about the people and will restrain Li Zhongqian. If you dare to hurt her, kill me first!"

Li De looked at the blood gushing out of his chest, and was furious, his eyes oozing blue. "You are simply unreasonable! For a woman who doesn't treat you as a human being, you don't even want your life! Which is more important, Qi Niang or your kingdom?"

Li Xuanzhen smiled sarcastically.

"Aye, compared to you back then, I am far inferior to you."

Hearing his sarcasm, Li De's eyes widened, he became furious, his body trembled a few times, and his face looked grim.

The eunuch next to him was startled and hurried over to help.

Li De waved his hands and shook off the eunuch, who fell to the ground, got up and stepped aside.

"I really am heartless, unkind, and heartless."

"I am the emperor, and I will never allow any hidden dangers in the court!" He glared at Li Xuanzhen, "I tell you, you are too late. If I want to take action, no one can stop me!"

Li Xuanzhen's heart skipped a beat. "What did you do?"

Li De suppressed his anger and said calmly: "I sent someone to write a letter to Li Zhongqian, telling him that Li Yaoying should either give up the Western Army or find a husband among the officials of the Eastern Palace. Thank you, Empress, for leaving the palace. I have already found out about Li Yaoying's life experience. Do you think Li Zhongqian will return to the capital given his personality? Li Zhongqian has always wanted to assassinate me. If I catch him, will Li Yaoying just watch him die? I won't kill her. If I kill her, the Western Army will be in chaos, and it will be difficult to explain to King Tanmo in the royal court. I have a way to make her fall into the trap!"

Li Xuanzhen's eyes suddenly became angry, and a chill rose from the soles of his feet.

Li De waved his hand, and a Jinwu Guard stepped forward, knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, Duke Wei Li Zhongqian left the Western Army a few days ago and flew overnight. He will be back in Beijing in two days."

Li Xuanzhen's pupils shrank and he turned around abruptly.

The Jinwu Guards rushed up quickly, surrounded him, and pointed their swords at him.

"Why do you think I want to arrest the Chen family? It's to force you to return to Beijing!" Li De looked at his son, "After Li Zhongqian returns to Beijing, Li Yaoying will definitely come back as well. When she begs you in a soft way, you will definitely help Li Yaoying save people. Before I solve the problem for you, you must reflect on your mistakes behind closed doors!"

"Take the prince away! Keep him under strict guard. Do not release him without my written consent!"

Li Xuanzhen was taken away and imprisoned in a secret room in the dungeon.

The secret room was dimly lit. A woman in a linen gown and with disheveled hair was squatting in the corner with shackles on her feet. When she heard the noise, she raised her head with a look of horror and shrank into the corner. Her eyes fell on Li Xuanzhen, her eyes slowly widened, her mouth opened, and a surprised hum came from her throat, and she suddenly jumped up.

The handcuffs clanged, and she was pulled back and fell into the haystack. She crawled forward and reached out to grab the corner of Li Xuanzhen's robe.

"Changsheng...save me..."

Li Xuanzhen recognized her, froze, and turned around suddenly.

"Why is she here?"

The guard was frightened by his gaze and trembled. He said carefully, "Your Highness, this is the order of the Saint. Madam Zhu married a noble from the Northern Rong family. When the remnants of the Northern Rong surrendered, she was offered to the court by the Northern Rong people. She leaked court secrets and colluded with the Northern Rong. The Saint knew that you liked her very much in the past, so he spared her life. Madam Zhu's life in the Northern Rong was not very satisfactory. She was like this when she just came back. Look how obedient she is now. From now on, if Your Highness points east, she will never dare to go west."

"The saint said that you really like Qi Niang. He has a way to make Qi Niang become as obedient and gentle as Zhu Niang, and respect you. You are so noble that you can get whatever you want. Why do you have to be so humble and do bad things to yourself?"

As they talked, Zhu Luyun's eyes were dull, and she crawled forward hunched over, tears rolling down her cheeks: "I'll be obedient, Your Highness, I'm more obedient than anyone else... I won't make trouble again... Save me... I'll serve you well... I'll give birth to your children... Don't send me back to Beirong... They are a group of barbarians... I'd rather die than go back to that place..."

She prostrated herself at his feet, humiliated and begging for his mercy, without any dignity at all, but without a trace of embarrassment on her face.

Li Xuanzhen clenched his fists and turned his head away from her, "Let her go!"

After a pause, he said softly, "Don't make things difficult for her."

The guard responded and dragged Zhu Luyun out in handcuffs. She trembled, cried his name, and begged him to take her in.

Li Xuanzhen did not turn around. When her cries could no longer be heard, he collapsed to the ground and was in a daze for a while.

Suddenly, there was the sound of handcuffs and chains clanging deep in the dungeon. He came to his senses, wiped his face, and looked around quickly.

He had to find a way to deliver the letter to Li Yaoying.

…

In front of the palace, the moonlight cast a shadow on the ground covered with frost and snow.

The eunuch returned and reported, "Your Majesty, we have checked all the city gates and found that the Crown Prince did come back alone. The cavalry is still on the outskirts of the city."

Li De had a sullen face and remained silent. Suddenly, he started coughing violently, staggered, and fell backwards.

The eunuch rushed forward to support him, half-lifting him, and sent him back to the couch in the inner hall with practiced movements. He fell to the ground, coughing and panting, his face pale and his lips blue. He took the pill the eunuch handed him, held it in his tongue, drank a sip of tea, and in a blink of an eye, his clothes were soaked with sweat.

After half an hour, Li De's complexion recovered a little, and he ordered the eunuch: "Let the Crown Princess go to see the Crown Prince. He hurt himself. Bring two doctors with him."

Two hours after the message was sent, Crown Princess Zheng Biyu's trusted eunuch came with a letter and asked for a meeting.

"Your Majesty, the wound of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has been bandaged and the bleeding has stopped. His Royal Highness asked the Crown Princess to help him deliver a letter to Gaochang. The Crown Princess dare not pass on the message without permission, so please take a look."

Li De took the letter, opened it and read it. Then he recalled the scene in which Li Xuanzhen stabbed him without hesitation. His face, which had just recovered, turned a little paler.

As expected, Li Xuanzhen informed Li Yaoying, reminding her not to return to Chang'an, and promised to do his best to save Li Zhongqian.

His love for Li Yaoying actually reached this point.

If Yingniang loves her son, she wants him to live; if she hates him, she wants him to die.

Li De laughed at himself.

…

Crown Princess Zheng Biyu came out of the dungeon and went to the back hall. Across the pond full of blossoming lotus, she saw her son, who was wearing the ceremonial attire of an imperial grandson, sitting in front of the corridor and studying with the doctor of sutras from the Hongwen Academy.

There was the sound of footsteps behind him, and the servant bowed and said, "Your Highness, the letter has been sent to His Majesty."

She responded calmly.

A series of intermittent sobbing sounds came from the palace. The servant pointed at the dishevelled Zhu Luyun not far away and said, "Your Highness, Alang asked us to take care of Madam Zhu and find her a place to stay. I have inquired and found that Madam Zhu was a captive from the Northern Rong and was supposed to be placed in Hexi. The emperor specially sent someone to bring her back. She is a slave and does menial work in the palace. I heard that her situation is very pitiful. Where do you think we can send her to?"

"Place her? Wait for her to turn the tables and repay kindness with hatred?" Zheng Biyu didn't even look at Zhu Luyun, and plucked a lotus leaf. "Take care of the palace. Don't worry about it. She deserves it. If the prince asks, just say that the emperor has spoken. There's nothing you can do."

The servant responded and waved his hand towards the distance.

Zhu Luyun survived a desperate situation and was about to follow Zheng Biyu out of the palace, but was dragged back again. She was in a state of ups and downs and panic. She opened her mouth to call for help, but the palace maid was quick to cover her mouth and dragged her away.

Zheng Biyu lowered her head and smelled the slightly bitter fragrance emanating from the lotus leaves.

Li Zhongqian must have sneaked into the city. The emperor has set a tight net to use Li Zhongqian to lure Li Yaoying. Li Xuanzhen will not sit idly by. The father and son will fight to the death, and it is unknown who will win in the end.

It is wisest to stay out of it.

She asked people to inquire whether the Jinwu Guards had captured any suspicious persons recently, but everything in the palace was calm and no news came out.

Li De knew that Li Zhongqian was looking for an opportunity to assassinate him, so he issued an edict to attend the banquet in Qujiang on the sixth day of the first lunar month.

Zheng Biyu warned her son to stay away from Li De on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year.

She was counting the days, waiting for the father and his two sons to decide the winner.

On the sixth day of the first lunar month, Qujiang was crowded and extremely lively. The Jinwu Guards led the way, and the civil and military officials gathered around him. Li De, wearing a yellow round-necked uniform, a headscarf, and black leather boots, appeared on the attic of Qujiang, and cheers were heard. The crowds rushed to the bank of Qujiang Lake, and a small gap was opened by the Jinwu Guards guarding the lake.

Zheng Biyu held her son in her arms, absent-mindedly, looking around from time to time, with sweat in her palms.

Suddenly, flames shot up into the sky, and the villa adjacent to the attic was engulfed in flames in an instant. The crowd was quiet for a moment, then turned around and ran. People and horses were thrown to the ground, and screams were heard everywhere.

Zheng Biyu led his son out of the tent. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a tall figure holding a sword and rushing towards where Li De was standing, and he sighed.

This is a trap.

…

The terrain of Qujiang Lake is open and not conducive to encirclement, but the Jinwu Guards were well prepared and quickly quelled the riot that day.

The court kept the details of who assassinated Li De a secret, saying only that the thief had been caught. There were many different opinions among the people. Some guessed it was the remnants of Southern Chu, some guessed it was the dead soldiers of the previous dynasty, and some said it was the Northern Rong. Only the officials in the court knew that the familiar figure was Li Zhongqian, who had left Beijing for several years.

After Li De captured the person, he immediately issued an imperial decree, ordering Li Yaoying to come to the capital.

No sooner had the imperial edict been sent out than a message was sent back to Chang'an, shocking the entire court.

Li Yaoying came back and asked to enter Beijing.

Li De thought he had heard wrongly: How could Li Yaoying dare to return to Chang'an without an imperial edict? If she wanted to save Li Zhongqian, shouldn't she come back secretly? And why did she come back so quickly? Where was the king's monarch?

He questioned the officials of the Ministry of Rites, who found out after searching through the documents that Li De had issued an imperial edict last year to order the generals of the Western Army to return to the capital, but she ignored it at the time. This time she returned, saying that the Western Regions were far away and she had just received the imperial edict, so it was not considered that there was no imperial edict. She must have concealed her identity on the way, and the post station did not know that she was also among the generals and did not notice it. As for the king's monarch, he should not have accompanied her, otherwise it would be trespassing.

Li De was secretly surprised. He sent people to intercept the message and block the checkpoints, but Li Yaoying was able to pass through unhindered and came back so quickly!

Fortunately, all this was in his plan.

Li Yaoying was indeed eager to save her brother and could not wait for King Tanmo to accompany her back to the court.