Chapter 249: Touching the Heart
The King of England left Minghua Palace in a daze. How could the delusion in his mind for many years be completely dispelled by a few words from others?
But on the carriage back home, he laid out his current power one by one, and then compared it with other brothers. He still had to admit that what he had was too little, and time seemed to be no longer waiting for him.
Feeling lost and unwilling, the King of England had to cheer himself up and consider which brother he could truly rely on.
The eldest brother, King Wu? He had the title of eldest son and military achievements, but in the eyes of the King of England, he was impatient and reckless, and it was a bad idea to associate with him.
Second brother, King Wen? He was indeed a man of deep thoughts, adept at winning over civil officials and accustomed to plotting behind the scenes. But at the same time, he was also narrow-minded, skilled in political maneuvers but lacking in courage. If you joined him, you would probably end up being abandoned by the dog after the rabbit died.
Then... the only one left is my sixth brother, King Zhao.
He was once the crown prince, and he had the Yang family, a century-old family, as his queen, the Xi family as his wife's family, and he himself... The King of England had to say that this younger brother who was once the crown prince was the most truly sensible one among their brothers.
If you join him, you shouldn't be afraid. And he was able to return to his position as a commoner, so it's definitely not simple. It's just that his legs...
The King of England was a little hesitant. He realized later that someone was behind Xiao Ji's fall from his horse. He was forced into the game, but in Xiao Ji's mind, he was afraid that he had cooperated with others and did it on purpose.
The King of England tapped his legs with his hands and told himself that there was no rush and he should wait a few more days.
The carriage slowly stopped, and before the door opened, the coachman announced, "Your Highness, Prince Zhao and his wife have been waiting at the palace for a long time."
King Ying's heart suddenly trembled. Xiao Ji actually came so quickly?!
He had indeed anticipated that he would be courted by various parties upon his return to the capital, but he had not expected that his seemingly noncompetitive sixth brother would act so swiftly and block his door directly! This initiative and eagerness seemed completely different from his past self...
The King of England suppressed his doubts, lifted the curtain, and stepped out of the carriage steadily. He nodded calmly and said, "I have just returned to the capital, and my residence still needs to be reorganized. I had originally planned to reunite with you brothers after everything was settled, but I am sorry that you two came to visit me first."
His eyes quickly swept over Xiao Ji's face and found that Xiao Ji was completely different from the last time he saw him. At that time, Xiao Ji, who had just broken his leg, looked listless and taciturn, but now he can stand here well and can be said to be full of energy.
When the King of England's gaze fell on Qingwu beside Xiao Ji, his eyes flashed slightly.
Qing Wu and King Ying looked at each other, smiled slightly, nodded, and said, "Fifth Brother, you have been exhausted on the journey."
The voice was clear and bright, not overly reserved and gentle, but rather revealed an elegant and graceful demeanor, which made the King of England feel indescribable emotions.
He still remembered the day when Xiao Ji was banished from the palace. It was this girl who bravely stood in front of the deposed prince. He didn't know why, but the unexpected glimpse that day seemed to be deeply engraved in his mind and would occasionally appear in Xiao Ting's dreams.
But now she is no longer the concubine of the past. She is now standing beside Xiao Ji, with a frank and calm expression on her face, and she has her own demeanor, like a standing tree.
Xiao Ting suddenly remembered the news he had heard that she was not the one the emperor had originally arranged to marry.
Xiao Ji keenly noticed that Xiao Ting's gaze lingered on Qing Wu for several breaths. He couldn't help but put his arm around Qing Wu's shoulders, looked at King Ying and said with a smile: "I haven't introduced you yet, but now Qing Qing is my official wife. It's all thanks to Qing Qing that I was able to get out of this slump."
This sentence really brought the King back to his senses. He lowered his eyes and said, "Then I would like to congratulate Sixth Brother's wife. She is now the legitimate princess. Sixth Brother is so lucky."
Qing Wu bent her knees slightly again, "Thank you, Fifth Brother." She didn't say much, just quickly turned her head to glance at Xiao Ji, and silently loosened Xiao Ji's hand on her shoulder, wondering in her heart what was wrong with him.
This subtle interaction caught the King's eye, and he couldn't help but feel envious and lost. It also reminded him that he hadn't even married yet, and didn't even have a wife to help him.
But after just a moment, Xiao Ting collected his thoughts and extended his hand as an invitation: "Please come into the mansion and chat."
However, Xiao Ji did not move. Instead, he gently raised his hand to stop the King of England's movements: "Fifth Brother, you have been traveling all the way and must be tired. You must not have settled down properly at home yet. How can we bother you any further?"
He spoke sincerely, then changed the subject, looking at the King of England with a clear gaze, "Fifth brother has returned triumphantly from his border patrol, and has made great contributions to the country. The court should have hosted a welcoming banquet for him, but due to the illness of our father, no one has arranged this. However, the King and the Princess have remembered this and have prepared a welcoming banquet at Zhuangyuan Pavilion. Please do not refuse, Fifth brother."
Welcoming banquet?
King Xiao Ting of England stiffened slightly. Xiao Ji's words hit the nail on the head about the hidden loneliness in his heart.
He knew that his achievements while guarding the border were not earth-shattering, nor did he expect to be personally welcomed by the emperor and congratulated by all the officials.
But apart from the routine reception at the city gate by the Jingzhao Yin, his journey back home was really no different from any other day, as if he had just gone out for a hunting trip rather than returning from a bloody battle.
This desolation forms a huge contrast with the ambition he had when he left Beijing, which inevitably makes people feel a little sad.
Hearing that Xiao Ji not only remembered but also specifically mentioned that he had "contributed to the country" and "should have been welcomed by the imperial court", his words were full of recognition, and the King of England couldn't help but feel warm in his heart, and the grievance of being ignored seemed to be somewhat comforted.
He subconsciously said modestly, "Sixth brother, you're too kind. It's just my job. I drove away some bandits that were disturbing the border. How dare I claim credit for it..."
At this time, Qing Wu, standing by, smiled and spoke in a clear and sincere voice, "Fifth brother, you are too modest. The frontier is bitterly cold, and it is not easy for the soldiers to guard it. To protect the border and the people and repel the invading enemy is a meritorious service. The stability and prosperity of the capital are all due to soldiers like Fifth brother who brave the wind and rain outside. Fifth brother deserves this cup of welcome wine."
These words were indeed from Qingwu's heart, and naturally seemed particularly sincere and earnest. The King of England found them extremely pleasant to the ears, and the resentment in his heart gradually diminished unconsciously. Although he knew that they must have the intention of winning him over, this care and respect really made him feel the attention he had longed for.
"In that case... I'm sorry to bother you." The King of England showed a much more genuine smile on his face and accepted the invitation.
Listening to his self-proclaimed quiet changes, Qingwu's lips curled up quietly as he turned around and got into the carriage. The first step was completed.
The carriage was heading towards Zhuangyuanlou. However, as it approached the intersection where the restaurant was located, it slowed down. Outside, there was a commotion, as if a large number of people had gathered.
Xiao Ting instantly became alert, his eyes darting out the window. It was already afternoon, and we weren't on a street, so how could there be so many people? Was there a conspiracy? An assassin? He'd just returned to Beijing, and yet he couldn't contain himself?
He naturally thought of Xiao Ji and his wife. When he got off the carriage, he already had a dagger in his sleeve, ready to deal with any emergency.
However, the expected flashes of swords and sabers did not appear. Instead, many people gathered outside the restaurant. When they saw the King of England get out of the carriage, instead of hiding in fear, they looked around curiously, and some even pointed at him excitedly and said:
"Look! That's His Majesty the King!"
"I heard that His Highness drove away the Huns at the border!"
"He looks so majestic! He is indeed our prince!"
"Live long, my Lord!"
Hearing these sincere praises and curious looks, the King of England was stunned.
His tense body slowly relaxed, and the hand gripping the dagger loosened considerably. An indescribable warmth and pride instantly washed away his previous vigilance and the loneliness he had felt along the way.
Xiao Ting straightened his back, subconsciously adjusted his robe, and unconsciously showed a happy smile to the people around him.
Although there were only a few hundred people among them, not as many as imagined, lining the streets to welcome them, but those admiring and respectful eyes and words could not be faked.
As the King of England walked in front, feeling the people's eager praise and inquiries, Qingwu and Xiao Ji followed behind at a considerable distance. When Qingwu saw that the King of England had approached the door, he hurriedly waved upstairs.
All of a sudden, several girls leaned out, and countless orchid flowers slowly fell from the upstairs. The scene of the top scholar's parade a few months ago was reproduced, no, it should be said that it was even more grand than before.
The King of England could not help but look up at the sky. The girls' laughter, the people's praises, and the grand rain of flowers made him stunned for a moment, until a child threw a berry at the King of England and woke him up.
"Your Highness is a great hero!"
He could not help but turn back. At this time, more and more people came over because of the scene. When they learned that the King of England had returned from guarding the border, they joined in the cheering.
At this time, the streets were lined with people welcoming him, and the cars were filled with fruits. The triumphal scene that every man had been looking forward to had come true.
Seeing the King of England immersed in it, Xiao Ji couldn't help but lean over to Qing Wu's ear and ask, "How did you come up with the idea of ​​scattering flower petals on a tall building? Even I can't bear to see it."
It is said that although people would throw flowers and fruits to the top scholars before, that was only on the sides of the road, not in high-rise buildings.
Qing Wu didn't dare to say that she had thrown them to Song Yunhe upstairs a few months ago. She only said that Shan Shan had thrown them to Xu Zhuangyuan, "Many of these flowers were given by Shan Shan."
Xiao Ji didn't think anything was wrong at first, but the next moment he thought of the key point: "Madam Lin threw it to Xu Zhuangyuan on the day when the newly-minted Jinshi were paraded through the streets, and Qingqing was there too!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
