Chapter 34: Night Entry
"Your Highness, we will soon arrive in Gyeonggi..."
It is only mid-August now, but the climate in the north seems to have already entered winter, and the night wind makes people feel cold.
Zhu Yuhuan gazed at the distant scenery, then looked at the soldiers around him and said, "Rest, everyone! After all, you've come all the way from the southwest and haven't fully adapted to the climate yet. If you all fall ill, things will be troublesome."
He Yong responded and immediately asked the guards to rest on the spot and make a fire to boil water.
Those who followed Zhu Yuhuan back to Beijing were all local people in southern Yunnan. They were all brave and good at fighting, but after all, they were moving from south to north, so it was inevitable that they would have some problems with acclimatization.
It was also thanks to the officials who tried to stop Zhu Yuhuan from returning to Beijing. Without their warm hospitality, these soldiers would not have adapted so well.
Zhu Yuhuan sat on the ground and asked Huai En to bring them some dry food. When she saw He Yong bringing water, she smiled and said, "Sit down, let's warm ourselves by the fire together."
He Yong responded, poured water for Zhu Yuhuan, and then sat down.
Seeing Zhu Yuhuan twisting a piece of dry grass in his hand, looking bored, he took the initiative to speak: "The officials along the way have used various excuses to prevent Your Highness from returning to the capital. I'm afraid this was Wang Zhen's idea. I wonder what trap the capital has set for Your Highness..."
Zhu Yuhuan couldn't help laughing when she heard that. She tilted her head to look at He Yong and said, "He doesn't have that chance."
He Yong heard the certainty in her tone and couldn't help asking, "Your Highness, do you think Wang Zhen died in Datong?"
They had a relatively smooth flow of information during their journey. The reason was that the battle situation in Datong and Yanghe was too tragic. They didn't know whether the military reports had reached the capital, but the news had already spread among the people.
The Marquis of Xining, the Earl of Wujin, and the soldiers who followed them were all killed in action. Even the border general Shi Heng barely escaped with his life. The emperor led the entire army to Datong. Who knew what would happen? At this point, with no news of the emperor's life or death, many people naturally wondered if Wang Zhen had died outside the border.
Zhu Yuhuan laughed and said, "Isn't Wang Zhen afraid of death? Of course he will find the safest place to stay." After that, she poked the fire with the branch in her hand, and the flames jumped with her hand.
He Yong certainly understood that the safest place was by the emperor's side.
But if that were the case, how could Wang Zhen die?
Seeing that he was still a little confused, Huai En continued, "Even the most ordinary soldiers have anger."
He Yong was stunned and quickly understood what Huai En meant.
"In previous years, the Emperor's hunting patrols were mostly conducted in August, September, and October. Although the weather was cold then, it was dry. July is a rainy month, and it's impulsive to go out on patrol at this time. Your Majesty is so precious, and with someone to look after you, it's no problem." Zhu Yuhuan's eyes reflected the firelight as he spoke, "But the soldiers accompanying him have encountered repeated torrential rain, making the roads muddy and difficult to walk, and they're still forced to accompany Your Majesty on hunting trips. I'm afraid they're already filled with resentment."
This is the most taboo point when marching and fighting. No matter how large the army is or how sophisticated its equipment is, the soldiers fighting are still just human beings.
If you don't treat people as human beings, the consequences will be serious, and this is the same everywhere.
Most ordinary people are like springs. The greater the pressure they bear, the more severe the rebound will be.
The fire grew brighter and brighter.
He Yong immediately understood Zhu Yuhuan's implication and said, "Blowing up the camp... then Your Majesty... "
Zhu Yuhuan sighed and said, "No, even if a camp uprising really happened, they generally wouldn't harm Your Majesty. At most, they would force Your Majesty to lead the army back to the capital. Whether it's the emperor or the soldiers, Wang Zhen is the perfect scapegoat."
If they just killed Wang Zhen, they might be able to return to Beijing. But if they killed the emperor, they would probably have no other choice but to defect to the Oirat Mongols.
Not to mention that these people have been influenced by the idea of loyalty to the emperor in the military camp. No matter how much resentment they have, they may not have the courage to kill the emperor.
Anyway, Wang Zhen can be directly pulled out as a scapegoat. Killing him can not only intimidate the emperor but also make people feel better. Why not do it?
In fact, they all understood in their hearts that if it were not for the emperor's tacit approval, how could Wang Zhen have the right to act so arrogantly here?
He Yong looked at Zhu Yuhuan, who was still calm and composed, and couldn't help asking, "What if His Majesty deliberately embarrasses Your Highness after he returns...?"
Zhu Yuhuan turned his head slightly to look at him and asked, "Your Majesty, can you come back?"
He Yong was frozen in place by her question, and could only stare blankly at the red light reflected on her face.
As the night wind blew, He Yong belatedly understood what Zhu Yuhuan meant, and felt a chill down his spine.
Princess Shunde felt that the emperor would not be able to return, and even if the emperor could "come back", the princess had a way to prevent him from returning.
He Yong knew very well that Princess Shunde never made a move without a purpose, which meant that she had a 100% chance of ensuring that the emperor would not return.
He Yong was lost in thought when Zhu Yuhuan, who was standing beside him, handed him some dry food. He came to his senses and looked at the dried meat in Zhu Yuhuan's bag. He was a little surprised and asked, "Your Highness, where did this come from..."
"It was given by the people of Baoding Prefecture. We are old acquaintances, how could they be stingy with such a small gift?" Zhu Yuhuan said as a matter of course: "Don't they want to keep me here? I asked them to help me find some dried meat. We have been eating and drinking dew all the way, so we should eat something good to replenish ourselves. I asked Huai En to distribute the dried meat to everyone."
He Yong then realized that Huai En, who had been standing beside him, was gone. He couldn't help but think of the soldiers who had traveled through mountains and rivers with the emperor, and felt a little amused.
I don't know what happened to those soldiers...
The next morning, the group continued their journey, traveling day and night, and finally saw the city wall of Beijing.
"This is the capital... So grand, it looks even bigger than Kunming..."
"When I get back to Yunnan, I'm going to tell my mom that I've made it big and been to the capital!"
"What are you so excited about—"
Unlike others, Zhu Yuhuan had a calm expression. He first asked Huai En beside him to go and inform the guards.
A moment later, Huai En returned and said, "The guards said that Your Highness brought too many people and needed to report to the higher authorities. We have to wait a while before entering the city."
He Yong couldn't help but say, "The number of people is clearly within the limit. Moreover, Your Highness is returning to the capital by order of His Majesty... I'll go talk to them!"
Zhu Yuhuan and Huai En looked at each other and understood why they were blocked at the door.
It must be the decree left by Zhu Qizhen before the army set out.
It seems that the capital has not yet received any news that anything has happened to the emperor.
Although the group was blocked at the city gate and did not affect other people from entering the city as usual, it still attracted attention.
Even though the atmosphere in the capital was becoming increasingly relaxed, there had never been a sight of a woman leading well-equipped soldiers.
Her long hair was tied up in a high bun, but not inside the bun, only fixed with a red silk. She wore a scarlet robe and bright armor, which gleamed coldly under the sunlight. Even without a helmet, one could feel that she was a brave general who had experienced many battles.
Therefore, everyone almost immediately determined the identity of this woman. She must be the Princess Shunde who had been sent to Yunnan before.
But why was the eldest princess stopped outside the city gate?
The Yunnan soldiers who followed Zhu Yuhuan back to Beijing were originally a little confused, but when they saw that He Yong's going would be of no use, they immediately understood what the emperor meant.
Isn't this humiliating the Princess? The Princess's return to the capital should be welcomed with open arms. How could they be stopped outside the city gates? If this continues, it will soon be dark. Are they going to have to spend the night outside?
If it were anyone else, they might be annoyed, but they would never be as indignant as they were. Because they knew better than anyone how much effort the princess had put into Yunnan.
If the Mu family was highly respected in Yunnan because of the Qianning King Mu Ying's enlightenment of the local area, then the Princess Shunde was highly respected for her prosperity in Yunnan.
If there were no princess, they might still have to worry about Luchuan's occasional invasions. How could the people of Yunnan live and work in peace and contentment, digging for water and farming for food?
Seeing He Yong return empty-handed and the sky gradually darkening, Zhu Yuhuan chuckled. She raised her hand to signal the guards behind her not to come forward, and then said to He Yong, "I'll teach you."
He Yong was still a little confused, but he saw Zhu Yuhuan kicking his horse's belly and riding to the city gate.
The soldiers guarding the door were a little nervous and didn't dare to speak. They could only look at their leader.
The leading officer gritted his teeth and said, "Your Highness... this is the order from Eunuch Wang..."
Zhu Yuhuan had no intention of paying any attention to him. He just quickly drew his sword, pointed at him and said, "Get out of the way."
The people around were startled by Zhu Yuhuan's actions and subconsciously took a few steps back, not daring to speak.
"Your Highness..."
Zhu Yuhuan stared down at him and said slowly, "I, Zhu Yuhuan, am a descendant of Emperor Taizu Gao, great-grandson of Emperor Taizong Wen, grandson of Emperor Renzong Zhao, and daughter of Emperor Xuanzong Zhang. Before her death, Empress Chengxiao ordered me to assist Your Majesty in government. This was the first time a princess had assisted in government in this dynasty. I conquered Luchuan and stabilized Yunnan—"
Every time she mentioned a title, her aura grew stronger, making people afraid to look directly at her.
Zhu Yuhuan sneered and asked, "Wang Zhen is just a eunuch, how dare he give me orders?" She lifted the man's helmet with the tip of her sword and shouted, "Get out of the way!"
The opponent could not withstand her pressure and moved aside cautiously under her sword.
Although Wang Zhen was terrifying, Princess Shunde was obviously not a kind-hearted vegetarian.
After the group finally entered the city, Zhu Yuhuan saw that the atmosphere in the city was the same as before, and concluded that there was no news of Zhu Qizhen yet. She thought for a moment and said to He Yong, "Let's go to the Princess's Mansion first. I will go to the palace to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager Cihui tomorrow."
Although Zhu Qizhen intended to take back Zhu Yuhuan's power, according to his original plan, he would have returned by then, and Zhu Yuhuan's ivory cards should have been taken back and would have been of no use.
But the situation is completely different now.
He Yong responded, and as the group was about to go to the princess's mansion, they heard the sound of hurried horse hooves.
"It's a military report." Zhu Yuhuan immediately said, "Huai'en, you come with me to the palace. He Yong, you take your men to the princess's residence to set up camp."
He Yong was startled and said, "Your Highness, the palace gates should be closing by now—"
What answered him was not Zhu Yuhuan's voice, but her resolute back.
"What time is it?"
"To answer the old lady, it's already the first quarter of the night." The palace attendant asked worriedly, "Did the old lady have a nightmare?"
Ever since Hu Shanxiang fell ill, the palace maids have been more concerned about her health, fearing that she would feel dizzy and be punished by the emperor.
Hu Shanxiang stood up and said, "No, I've been so anxious these past few days that I haven't been able to sleep well... Please help me change my clothes."
"Change clothes?"
Hu Shanxiang sighed and said, "I can't sleep. Just do my makeup. I'll get up and read for a while... Yu'er came to pay her respects these past few days and seemed unhappy. I guess things are not going well for the previous dynasty."
Thinking of her daughter's affairs, Hu Shanxiang felt even more uneasy, vaguely realizing that something big might happen.
"yes."
Hu Shanxiang had just gotten up to change her clothes and put on her makeup when she heard someone outside saying that Prince Qing wanted to see her.
Because Zhu Qizhen's border patrol was not going smoothly, in order to facilitate the handling of affairs, Zhu Qiuyu temporarily lived in the prince's residence in the palace for the past few days.
"Mother, my brother was attacked in Tumu Fort, and his life or death is uncertain!"
Hearing Zhu Qiyu's words, Hu Shanxiang's heart suddenly jumped. She subconsciously clenched her hands and asked, "When did the news come out?"
"It has just been reported to the palace. I have not yet informed the Empress Dowager and the court officials. Only a few soldiers guarding the imperial city know that military reports have been received, and I have already instructed Cheng Daiban not to spread it outside."
Hu Shanxiang was silent for a moment, then said, "Regarding tomorrow's court session, we should keep this matter secret for now. We'll have to wait a few days to confirm everything." She looked at Zhu Qiyu and spoke earnestly, "The Emperor's life and death are a matter of national importance. We must not treat it lightly or let rumors spread. The Emperor is the Empress Dowager's biological son. If he knew about this, he would undoubtedly lose his composure. It's better to keep it secret from her for now and tell her when the matter is settled."
Zhu Qiyu understood this and said, "Don't worry, mother. The people around me will never leak it easily. But this matter is not a small matter, and it is impossible to keep it secret forever... If we delay the opportunity to fight..."
He was already very nervous about the matter of being the regent, and now he encountered such a thing. Zhu Qiyu was under greater psychological pressure than anyone else, not to mention that he had to keep it secret from others for the time being.
Hu Shanxiang nodded slightly and said, "If I can't hide it any longer, I will personally go to court the day after tomorrow and take charge of the situation."
No matter what, she had to wait until her daughter came back.
Zhu Qiyu was slightly stunned, and he already understood Hu Shanxiang's subtext.
The room was completely silent, but someone outside had already spoken up: "What's there to hide? This is a national event that everyone should know about."
The voice was familiar yet unfamiliar. Both of them were stunned and looked towards the door at the same time.
The door had been pushed open and Zhu Yuhuan was standing at the door. His face was as calm as ever. He smiled and said, "I'm back."
Hu Shanxiang finally felt relieved. She quickly walked over to her daughter, stroked her cheek, and said, "I'm glad you're back, I'm glad you're back..."
Zhu Qiyu's shoulders relaxed considerably, and he said, "Big sister is finally back..."
After he said this, he suddenly felt something was wrong.
It is now late at night and the palace gates should have been closed long ago. No one is allowed to enter or leave at will. How did my eldest sister get into the palace after rushing back all the way from Yunnan?
Unless someone in the palace can pick up Zhu Yuhuan.
Zhu Yuhuan noticed his gaze and smiled at Zhu Qiyu.
But that smile makes people feel a little creepy no matter how you look at it.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com