sbdcsierra Chapter 959 Extra: A Young Man's Journey 12
Chapter 959 Extra: A Young Man's Journey 12
Dugu Li felt that the handsome young soldier in front of her was extremely arrogant.
He spoke so casually about things that even she, the future Empress of Great Yan and the future Empress Dowager of Great Yan, dared not say.
It's as if he really could do it.
But it must be said, this proposal is really tempting.
So she said with a smile, "Alright, if you really have the ability to join forces with me, then I will do everything in my power to give you all the rights I have."
She really wanted to see what earth-shattering things this arrogant soldier could do.
The night wasn't long; as dawn broke, they heard the sounds of people searching outside.
Judging from their accents, they were soldiers from the Great Zhao Kingdom.
Zong Lin looked at Dugu Li, whose clothes were loose and who was not yet properly dressed: "How am I supposed to contact you?"
Dugu Li didn't want to let him go. She knew her fate since she was a child. She was destined to become the Empress of the Great Yan. If she was lucky, she would meet a young and strong Prince of Yan. But if she was unlucky, she would meet the old emperor who was now old enough to be her grandfather.
So she never even considered the possibility of romantic love in her life. All she wanted was a handsome and obedient young man, just like the one described in the storybooks she brought back from Da Zhao.
She'd heard that princesses of the Zhao and former dynasties could keep male concubines, but that wasn't the custom in their tribe. However, women could still marry multiple men. She'd long ago decided to find herself several handsome husbands, and this young man before her was truly to her liking.
She wanted to take him back and keep him by her side.
But what attracted her more than the handsome young man was power.
She was eager to know what kind of surprise this arrogant soldier could bring her.
Dugu Li took a silver whistle off her neck and handed it to Zong Lin.
"My eagle will come to you."
Zong Lin took the silver whistle, got up, and left the cave.
In the following months, Dugu Li and Zong Lin worked together, and Zong Lin quickly became a junior general, winning several brilliant battles. With power, Zong Lin had much more freedom and met with Dugu Li more frequently.
When Zong Lin received the message from Emperor Chengde ordering him to return to the capital, Dugu Li was already pregnant.
It was only then that Dugu Li realized that the soldier who had dared to speak so arrogantly in front of her was actually the second prince of the Great Zhao Dynasty.
So the only person threatening him was the Crown Prince Chongwen, who was said to have an excellent reputation.
Rather than the impending separation and the possibility of never seeing each other again, Dugu Li felt more excited.
If the two of them join forces, one day they might be willing to gamble on the fate of the world.
The Empress of the old Emperor of Great Yan is seriously ill. In a few days, Dugu Li will soon become the Empress of Great Yan. It is not safe for her to raise the child in her womb. Zong Lin left his confidant Xiao Chong behind and instructed Dugu Li to hand the child over to Xiao Chong after giving birth, and he would raise the child.
Dugu Li had no doubts. Zong Lin was a prince of Da Zhao, and it was normal for him to have concubines who gave birth to children. However, she was about to marry into the Yan Palace and had not yet gained power. It was already the limit for her to secretly give birth to this child. There was really no way to keep the child by her side and use it as leverage against her.
After discussing and making a decision, Zong Lin left the border and returned to the capital.
However, what he did not expect was that after returning to the capital, what awaited him was not a government official position, but a transfer order to the southeast to build the still-developing southeastern navy to fight against Japanese pirates.
Zong Lin only stayed in the capital for a few days. He could only sneak a peek at Yan Chengyue and didn't even have the chance to appear by her side.
He knew that his father had discovered his thoughts; he coveted Yan Chengyue.
Coveting the future Crown Princess.
To the Emperor, this was no different from coveting the position of Crown Prince.
If he were to go to Yan Chengyue at this time, and his father found out, it would not only arouse his father's suspicion, but also bring trouble to Yan Chengyue.
Yan Chengyue delayed her wedding due to mourning. Although the matter was eventually settled by Zong Huai taking a concubine, the concubine in the Eastern Palace has not conceived in the past two years, and the emperor has asked about it several times.
This also served as a reminder to Zong Lin.
If he and Dugu Li's child is born in the future, he can't raise it by his side.
Firstly, his identity was difficult to conceal, and secondly, given the Emperor's high regard for Zong Huai, he wouldn't want to see his child born first.
Zong Lin quickly made a decision and instructed Xiao Chong that if the child was brought back in the future, he should send him away and make proper arrangements for him.
After arranging all this, he set off for the southeast.
Two years have passed in the blink of an eye.
Yan Chengyue had already completed her mourning period. This time, Emperor Chengde forcefully set the wedding date for Zong Huai and Yan Chengyue for August of the following year.
In February, newly appointed candidates enter the capital; in April, the results of the palace examination are announced.
Zhao Yang and Bo Zi'an, a scholar who was riding a horse through the streets, fell in love at first sight when they looked at each other from afar.
Bo Zi'an's family was not wealthy, but he was as handsome as Pan An and very talented.
After Emperor Chengde asked Bo Zi'an for his opinion, he generously granted Zhaoyang and Bo Zi'an a marriage. The two got married in June, earlier than Yan Chengyue and Zong Huai.
After their marriage, the two lived in harmony and were very loving.
Zhaoyang soon became pregnant.
Just as Zong Huai and Yan Chengyue's wedding day was fast approaching, news of war broke out in the north.
At first, everyone thought it was just like before, with the debate revolving around the issue of supplies. Even Emperor Chengde didn't believe that the empire he and his predecessor had fought so hard to build could be so easily defeated.
The northern army suffered a series of defeats.
The news that came every day gradually made everyone in the court restless.
Under these circumstances, no one had the mind to prepare for the Crown Prince's wedding.
By the time the wedding date had passed, the iron cavalry of Northern Yan had already approached the Shun River.
Once the enemy forces cross the Shun River, they can march straight to the capital.
This caused an uproar throughout the entire imperial court.
The imperial court was in complete chaos.
Fighting is not just a matter of whether or not we can win; the first problem we can't solve is the issue of supplies.
The northern regions were already facing a severe shortage of food supplies, and this major battle further exacerbated the situation.
The national treasury is now empty and simply cannot support such a war.
If the Yan army were to actually capture the capital, there would only be one option left: to move south. But if they did, the entire Central Plains would suffer as a result.
At that time, blood would flow like rivers, and even if Emperor Chengde did not die after the second generation, he would still be recorded in history as a sinner of the Great Zhao Dynasty.
The only solution is to negotiate.
However, at this point, the negotiations were almost entirely dominated by the other side, leaving no room for negotiation.
While the court was debating how to negotiate peace, Northern Yan put forward an extremely bizarre condition: peace talks were possible, but Crown Prince Chongwen had to be sent to Yanjing as a hostage.
Full of uproar.
Originally, the debate over whether to advocate war or peace was no longer important. The court was immediately divided into two factions: one agreed to let Crown Prince Chongwen go north as a hostage, while the other resolutely refused.
Although Prince Chongwen is only a prince, he is the heir apparent of the Great Zhao Dynasty and the future emperor of the Great Zhao Dynasty. If he is a hostage, how is that any different from the Great Zhao emperor being a hostage?
However, compared to the situation where Crown Prince Chongwen was sent as a hostage, the capital was moved south, and the people of the Central Plains suffered immensely, the consequences were a thousand times worse.
On one hand, there is the greater national interest; on the other hand, there is the dignity of the Great Zhao Dynasty.
It seems like Zong Huai is given the choice, but in reality, at this point, Zong Huai has no choice at all.
He was not the emperor's only child; even if he was, there was always someone in the imperial family who could inherit the throne.
He was given no choice whatsoever: to sacrifice him to bring peace to the Central Plains and preserve the capital of the Great Zhao.
If he, as the Crown Prince of Dazhao, cannot shoulder heavy responsibilities and set an example, how will he govern the country in the future?
Zong Huai resolutely stepped forward and agreed to go north as a hostage.
Upon hearing of Prince Chongwen's righteous act, righteous men from all over the land and newly appointed scholars immediately voiced their support, gathered at the First Building, and swore an oath in blood, vowing to follow Prince Chongwen northward.
Wenren Jing and Yan Chengyue stood in the private room on the second floor, looking at the scene before them, feeling as if they had been transported to another world.
Yan Chengyue said, "My brother has already agreed to go north as a hostage, and Northern Yan has also sent a letter of negotiation. I'm afraid there is no room for negotiation in this matter."
Wenren Jing sighed, "I never imagined that when the true history is laid bare before us, we are all but a drop in the ocean of history. A-Yue, I have to go. The political situation is about to become turbulent, and if I stay in the capital, I will surely cause trouble."