sbdcsierra Chapter 524: Xiyue Suspends Northern Expedition Plan
Chapter 524: Xiyue Suspends Northern Expedition Plan
Chapter 524 Xiyue suspends the Northern Expedition plan
"Helian, go prepare some more fruit offerings. I have to go to the temple to copy scriptures and pray for blessings tomorrow morning."
After returning to Prince Han's Mansion, Luoying washed her hands and gave instructions to the maid serving beside her.
"Princess, we have to see each other tomorrow...see each other..." He Lian nodded, lowered her voice and hesitated to speak.
"Have you paid your respects to the Empress recently?" Luo Ying saw the other party's awkward expression and knew what she wanted to ask, but ignored her and asked in a cold voice.
"Princess, I..." He Lian immediately knelt in front of her and lowered her eyes guiltily.
"You are the Queen's person, and there is nothing wrong with returning to the palace to pay your respects often. It proves that you are a loyal girl who knows how to repay kindness." Without waiting for Helian to finish her hesitant words, Luoying smiled and helped her up, and then said seriously: "But you must also remember your status as a person with little influence. After staying in the palace for so many years, you must know how to protect yourself. You must know what to say and what not to say. Under the supreme imperial power, let alone you, a small maid, even I am helpless." After Luoying finished speaking, tears fell. Although she was acting for Helian, the tears at this moment came from the bottom of her heart.
"Princess..." He Lian was at a loss for what to do upon seeing this and she also started wiping away her tears. She had been a slave in the palace since she was a child and had seen many palace maids lose their lives because of their careless words. So she was grateful for the princess' kind advice and understood that she had no choice.
The next day, Luoying once again left home in a low-key manner and went to Anxiang Temple. Because she arrived early, the novice monks in the temple were still doing morning lessons. The wooden fish sounded crisply, and the clear and peaceful chanting sounded like a gurgling stream. After meeting the abbot in the front yard, she entered the Ksitigarbha Hall again.
"Little Master, my princess is copying scriptures and praying for blessings inside. It is inconvenient for you to enter at the moment."
"The temple made some cakes this morning, and the abbot asked me to bring them to the princess for her to taste."
Luoying was about to take off her veil when she heard Helian stop the young monk who had delivered the message to her yesterday from outside. She immediately said:
"He Lian, don't be rude. Let the young master bring in the cakes!"
When He Lian heard the princess speak, she no longer dared to embarrass the little monk in front of her, and stepped aside to let him enter the hall.
"Good morning, benefactor." The little monk entered the hall and placed the plate of pastries on the desk first. Then he still blinked his innocent big eyes and bowed to Luoying with a smile.
"Good morning, little master. Could you please take a look at these scriptures for me to see if there are any mistakes in my copied scriptures?" Seeing the young monk, Luo Ying secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Since the other party came on his own initiative, she didn't need to make an excuse to go to the backyard to look for him. So she took a stack of scriptures that she had copied yesterday and handed them over.
The young monk took the scripture without saying a word, but began to read it carefully. When he turned to the secret letter sandwiched in the middle, he stuffed it into his sleeve as if nothing had happened and continued to read the scripture.
Seeing that the little monk was only about twelve or thirteen years old, yet could act so flawlessly, Luoying couldn't help but wonder where Jiuyi found such a child?
A few days later, the secret envoy sent by Yan Qiao hurriedly arrived at the military camp in the northern border of Xiyue Kingdom. Yan Zongzheng and Mr. Fan made a plan to attack Zhongshan but were shocked after seeing the secret letter from his royal brother.
"Your Highness, what happened?" After arranging the secret envoy, Mr. Fan returned to the tent and asked Yan Zong, who was still standing in front of the map without saying a word.
"The Jingsong Kingdom has secretly increased its troops in the two northwestern borders and is ready to take action. His Majesty has ordered us to suspend the Northern Expedition plan." Yan Zong stared at the map in front of him with a cold face and sighed.
"I didn't expect that the Jingsong Kingdom would suddenly take action at this critical juncture. The time we agreed with His Majesty to attack Zhongshan has not been announced to the public. Is it just a coincidence?" Mr. Fan was immediately surprised when he heard this, and muttered to himself with frowns furrowed.
"Sir, immediately send someone to find out the movements of the Beigu camp of Jingsong Kingdom." Yan Zong said nothing more, turned around and gave instructions to Mr. Fan. At that time, the army marched north in a mighty manner, and the rumor that Xiyue was going to march north had already spread among the countries. As for the fact that Jingsong took action before Xiyue attacked Zhongshan, it was probably just a coincidence. What surprised him was that Jingdi Gong Liangying dared to make up his mind to fight Xiyue this time.
"Yes, Your Highness." Mr. Fan bowed slightly and left the tent.
"Go and inform Wei Zhun and Da Xixian to withdraw their troops to Fengling City." After Mr. Fan left, Yu Cheng also turned and entered the tent. However, before he opened his mouth, he heard the prince's order.
"Your Highness, are you not going to attack Zhongshan anymore?" Yu Cheng was still unaware of the situation and was naturally surprised to hear that the troops were going to be withdrawn.
"It's just temporary. Jing Song is preparing to make a move in the dark, so we must be on guard." Yan Zong narrowed his cold eyes and said in a calm voice.
Upon learning that there were unusual movements in the Jingsong Kingdom, Yu Cheng immediately understood what was going on and hurried over to deliver the message.
"Your Majesty, General Fan Chong has returned from the East Territory."
In the Xiyue Palace, Eunuch Qin walked into the imperial study and bowed to Yan Qiao who was reviewing memorials.
"Let him in!" Seeing that his imperial guard leader was still working at lightning speed, Yan Qiao was very satisfied. He raised his phoenix eyes slightly, glanced at the figure outside the hall, and gave the order.
"Your Majesty, your humble servant pays homage!" After receiving the order, Fan Chong hurried into the imperial study and kowtowed.
"My dear minister, what did you gain from your trip to the East?" Yan Qiao put down the imperial pen in his hand and asked directly.
"Your Majesty, this is the memorial of apology that the young Marquis of Dongmen asked me to present. Your Majesty will understand the whole story once he takes a look at it." After saying this, Fan Chong handed the memorial in his hand to Eunuch Qin.
Yan Qiao took the memorial handed over by Eunuch Qin, and threw it aside with a gloomy face after reading it. It turned out that the spy of Jingsong State was discovered when he eavesdropped on the officials of Gugui City and Dongmen Junhong talking about the Northern Expedition. However, in Yan Qiao's opinion, what this person overheard was just an unimportant remark. After all, the ambition and great cause of Xiyue State were no longer a secret, and Jingsong State's dispatch of troops was probably premeditated.
Despite this, Yan Qiao still issued an order to impose light punishment on local officials as a warning for their outspokenness. As for Dongmen Junhong, he was in a high position and should have set an example of caution, but he took the initiative to have fun with local officials and almost got into trouble, so he was fined a full year's salary.
Afterwards, Yan Qiao asked Eunuch Qin to draft two imperial edicts, one to summon the Crown Prince Yan Yuan back to the court, and the other to order General Shu Feng to unite with Southern Xinjiang to restrain the south.
The Jingsong Kingdom has become restless. Yan Qiao, Prime Minister Geng An and several other ministers unanimously decided to suspend the Northern Expedition plan and deal with Jingsong first. Although Jingdi Gong Liangying is weak and incompetent, the Jingsong Kingdom is still a tough bone to chew. Even with the current strength of the Xiyue Kingdom, it cannot be taken lightly.