lady, please calm down

In late May, Chen Chu arrived in Yangzhou. At this time, Jiang Huaixiong's Western Route Army had already entered the Jinghu Road.

Zhou Liang and Peng Er served as commanders of the eastern and central armies respectively.

At the end of the month, the Eastern Army, with Xiao Xin's troops as the vanguard, entered the Zhejiang East Road via Dantu; the Central Army, with Han Shizhong's troops as the vanguard, passed through Jiangning Prefecture and entered the Jiangnan East Road.

Among the three armies, except for Jiang Huaixiong's troops who had to stay in the Jiangnan camp of Jinghu Road to digest and incorporate the Jinghu Army, the Xin and Han armies were unstoppable, marching 300 miles in five days. The prefectures and counties along the way either surrendered or fled, and they encountered almost no decent resistance.

On the fourth day of June, in Changxing, Wucheng and other counties north of Lin'an, every household, from officials and gentry to merchants and ordinary people, sewed the imperial flag of Chu overnight, ready to "welcome the royal army" at any time.

At 11 p.m. that evening, Luo Ruoji, who was hiding in Chen Bokang's mansion with his family, suddenly heard the news that Emperor Zhou and Qin Huizhi were being escorted by Zhang Kui, the Inspector General and Commander-in-Chief of the Palace, and were leaving the city south at night. He heaved a sigh of relief and slumped in his chair.

Being in the same city, how could Luo Ruoji be completely unaware of the unusual movements of the imperial guards?

This afternoon, Zhang Kui was suddenly ordered to enter the imperial city.

At that time, Luo Ruoji thought that the emperor and Prime Minister Qin were desperate and wanted to purge the officials in the court who had secret connections with the State of Chu. As a representative figure among them, Luo Ruoji was immediately frightened out of his wits.

However, Lin'an had already imposed a citywide curfew a few days ago due to the southward advance of the Chu army, leaving them with nowhere to escape.

The King of Chu was unable to quench his immediate thirst with distant water, so Luo Ruoji was so panicked that he subconsciously ran to Chen Bokang's house.

Chen Bokang was a big shot among the pro-Chu forces in the Lin'an court. If the Zhou emperor was afraid to touch him, Luo Ruji would have a chance to survive.

If Emperor Zhou got ruthless and wanted to kill even Chen Bokang, then Luo Ruoji would have no chance of survival.

Unexpectedly, after Zhang Kui's troops entered the imperial city, there was no movement.

It was not until this time that Luo Ruoji received the confirmed news that Emperor Zhou had taken Qin Huizhi and his family out of the city. Only then did he understand that the emperor recruited Zhang Kui's troops just to escape safely.

By the middle of the night, as more and more news came in from outside, Chen Bokang and Luo Ruoji realized that Emperor Zhou may have fled suddenly to abandon his companions, and even did not take the empress and concubines with him. Instead, Qin Huizhi took his wife and children with him.

After confirming that Emperor Zhou and his entourage had all left the city, Chen Bokang hurriedly changed into his official uniform, took Luo Ruji with him, and called on the servants to escort them out of the house, preparing to take over Lin'an.

Luo Ruji felt relieved and felt that he had won the battle. He couldn't help but speak frivolously, "Our emperor is suspicious, indecisive and heartless. He even left his concubines in Lin'an when he was trying to escape."

Chen Bokang said, "Your Majesty has no heir. The queen and concubines are of no value to him. They would be a burden if he brought them along."

"Hehe~" Luo Ruji smiled comfortably and suggested: "Prime Minister Chen, are we going to let the emperor and that treacherous prime minister escape like this? There are still 20,000 imperial guards in the city. If we don't lead the army to pursue them, we will have a hard time explaining ourselves when the Emperor of Chu comes to visit us in the future, right?"

"."

Chen Bokang glanced at Luo Ruji, who looked like a smug villain, and his voice turned cold. "In the current situation, it's good that the Imperial Guards don't cause chaos. Some generals want to surrender to Chu, and some want to take the troops and try their luck. Even when His Majesty fled, he didn't dare to take them all with him. Lord Luo, do you think you have more reputation than His Majesty? His Majesty doesn't have the confidence to control the Imperial Guards, so how can you control them?"

Emperor Zhou fled tonight, and besides Qin Huizhi, there was Zhang Kui. The latter's beloved son died on Jinghu Road last month, and he had a great feud with the Chu army.

Perhaps it was for this reason that the suspicious Emperor Zhou only brought Zhang Kui's imperial guards.

Chen Bokang gave Luo Ruoji a cold shoulder. Luo Ruoji's official position in the Zhou State was not as high as Chen Bokang's, and it was likely that after he returned to the Chu State, his status would still be lower than Chen Bokang's.

Even though he was humiliated, he could not say a word.

Chen Bokang looked at the dark street outside the sedan and said, "Speaking of which, Prime Minister Qin has helped you, and Your Majesty is the king of a country after all. Even if we follow Lord Luo's words and we lead the army to catch up with them, what does Lord Luo want? Is he going to kill his superiors and the king? I know that Lord Luo wants to make meritorious deeds for the Great Chu, but he doesn't have to do it to the extreme. We just need to wait for the arrival of the King of Chu and hand over the intact Lin'an City smoothly. Even if Your Majesty escapes, where can he escape to?"

The last sentence, although spoken in an effortlessly calm tone, still carried a hint of sadness. After all, they were once a monarch and his subjects, and seeing the Emperor of Zhou fall to the point of fleeing south in such a panic, how could he not feel a little moved?

Luo Ruji lowered his head, looking down with an incomprehensible gaze, but said respectfully, "Prime Minister Chen is right."

Compared to the chaotic Jiangnan area, Caizhou on the north bank of the Huai River is much calmer.

Even this time the army's march south did not cause much reaction.

After all, it was recognized by the world that the Zhou State was weak. It was expected that the casualties in the southern expedition would not be large. On the contrary, it was an opportunity to gain military merit.

Even Mao'er, who was always uneasy when her husband went to war, was much calmer this time. Firstly, her husband had clearly told her that he would stay in the rear; secondly, she was back in Caizhou where she had lived for more than ten years, and her mood improved for no reason; thirdly, her extremely busy life also left her no time to think about anything else.

On the third day of June, Mao'er met with Ding Jiao and other female officials in the mansion early in the morning. Although Mao'er has the image of a virtuous queen who does not interfere in government affairs, this kind of meeting naturally has political implications.

At least, it was a relatively gentle way to persuade Xu Bang and other Caizhou officials not to embarrass the Fusi in the future.

During the meeting, Maoer specifically mentioned to Zhong Yi who was present that Jie Tianlu of the Jinghu Army had made great contributions this time, and after he assisted Commander-in-Chief Jiang to complete the reorganization of the Jiangnan camp, he would come to Caizhou to reunite with Zhong Yi.

The mutiny of the Jinghu Army happened only a dozen days ago. In Caizhou, there were only rumors that there had been changes in the Jinghu Army, but the specific situation was not known.

After listening to what Mao'er said, Zhong Yi and others realized how dangerous the matter was.

Zhong Yi was of course terrified, but Du Xier, Mrs. Lin and other staff members of the Women's Department who were also present looked at the former with strange eyes.

After all this time, it turns out that your husband is working for the Southern Dynasty!

Not to mention the current situation between Chu and Zhou, just the scar on the face of Madam Ding, the head of the Huaibei Women's Affairs Bureau, was caused by the Jinghu Army when the Zhou army took advantage of the siege of Tokyo a few years ago!
The women were naturally angry at Zhou's army.

Zhong Yi felt the gazes from all around her and couldn't help feeling ashamed. They usually got along very well with each other. Zhong Yi herself knew about the past affairs of the two countries, so she subconsciously concealed her knowledge of Tianlu's background.

Being exposed at this moment, I couldn't help but feel ashamed for having let everyone down.

But since Mao'er had revealed the truth in front of everyone, how could she not be prepared? She showed a slightly surprised expression and said, "Madam Zhong, you still haven't revealed Jie Yingzheng's true identity to others?"

"Your Majesty, I..." Zhong Yi thought Mao'er was talking about Jie Tianlu's identity in the Jinghu Army, and she stammered and couldn't answer.

Mao'er smiled and said, "Your Majesty wrote to me the day before yesterday, specifically mentioning this matter, saying that Jie Yingzheng's mission as a spy in the Jinghu Army has been completed, and when he returns to Caizhou, his rank in the Huaibei Army will be restored. This time, Jie Yingzheng went deep into the enemy camp and single-handedly helped the Jinghu Army return to the right path. This is respectable and admirable. Your Majesty will definitely reward him handsomely."

Madam Lin, Du Xier and the others all looked at Zhong Yi again, but their eyes had changed from suspicion and dissatisfaction to admiration and apology. The apology was probably because they felt that they had misunderstood Zhong Yi just now!
What a hero it is to sneak into the enemy camp alone as a spy!
Courage, wisdom and decisiveness are all indispensable to the restoration of the Jinghu Army and the reduction of casualties among our Huaibei people!

Who would have thought that Brother Jie, though not good-looking, is actually a hero!

"."

Zhong Yi was stunned for two or three breaths. She believed that her husband was honest and upright, so how could he be capable of doing a job like an undercover spy?
Could it be that Her Majesty the Queen made a mistake?
Until Zhong Yi almost thought she was dazzled, because the Queen Mother, who was sitting at the top with dignity, suddenly winked at her while everyone's attention was on her.

At this point, Zhong Yiru still didn't understand what was going on, and was dumbfounded.

It seems that it is true that Brother Jie made great contributions in Jinghu Road, but after the Queen Mother learned about this, she deliberately patched up his background.

Zhong Yi's eyes turned red, but she said, "My husband has only fulfilled his duty as a subject, and he does not deserve any reward from your Majesty or the Queen."

On the side, Cai Huan, who was accompanying Mao'er to meet the guests, looked at Mao'er with a smile. A few days ago, Chen Chu did mention this matter in his letter, and his words expressed his love for Jie Tianlu.

Mao'er took the opportunity to suggest that Jie Tianlu arrange an identity. The Jinghu Army had invaded Huaibei. Based on this alone, it was unlikely that officers from the Jinghu Army would be reused in the Huaibei system.

But once the term "acting as a spy" came out, Xie Tianlu became a legitimate member of the family, which greatly increased the ceiling of Xie Tianlu's promotion.

Today, summoning the female official from the Gynecology Department was originally planned, but after telling these things to Zhong Yi face to face, it goes without saying that this couple will definitely be completely devoted to Mao'er in the future.

It is said that the Queen Mother does not interfere in state affairs, but in fact, has she imprisoned fewer people over the years?
However, the little wild cat mostly wins people's hearts with "love", while Cai Hua likes to move people with "benefits".

The former is troublesome but can gain loyalty, while the latter is efficient but difficult to sustain.

Cai Huan silently compared the two in her mind and even did a rare little reflection.

The meeting ended at 9:00 p.m.

Mao'er personally escorted the people to the corner gate. On the way, he sometimes talked to Du Xi'er about his experience in raising children, and sometimes asked Lin Xiaoniang about her marital status. It can be said that he took care of everything and did not neglect anyone.

That Lin Xiaoniang used to be a teacher in a girls' school. She had taught Hu Tou and was the parent that she had asked Hu Tou to call back then. When she saw that the queen still remembered her, Lin Xiaoniang couldn't help but blush with excitement.

Perhaps because he saw Lin Xiaoniang, who was in her twenties and had not yet married, Maoer stood by the corner door in a daze for a while after seeing everyone off.

"What are you thinking about?"

The cat was very cute when it was in a daze. Cai Huan habitually wanted to reach out and pinch the cat's chubby cheeks. She stretched out her hand but realized that as a noble concubine, it was too childish to pinch the queen's face, so she withdrew her hand in embarrassment.

The cat, who was completely unaware, sighed, "Tiger will be eighteen by the end of the year. He has grown up in the blink of an eye."

"Isn't it? I still remember that when we were in Luliu Village, that girl hid behind you and stared at me with hatred and fear. So, what bad things did you say about me to her back then?"

Cai Hua was also very impressed. Women are naturally sensitive to the passage of time, but Mao'er did not answer her question. Instead, he asked, "Has Yan Zu discussed the marriage?"

"The kid from the Wu family?"

Cai Hua finally understood why Mao'er suddenly brought up this topic, and quickly said, "Don't match people up randomly!"

"What's wrong?" The cat looked confused.

"The Wu family kid is in love with Zhou Zhiruo."

"Zhou Zhiruo? Captain Zhou Zongfa's daughter? She's grown up so much?"

In Mao'er's impression, the girl from the Zhou family was just a little girl in her teens, but Cai Hua rolled her eyes and said, "The girl from the Zhou family is half a year older than Hu Tou, okay? Are you only allowing Hu Tou to grow taller and not allowing others to grow taller?"

That's right, Mao'er immediately asked: "What about the kid from Brother Peng's family?"

"He and the girl from the Wu family are a couple."

"Sandra? Eddie Peng and Sandra Ng?"

"Yes, Junru is seventeen, and next year she will be of legal marriageable age."

"."

The cat was a little panicked for a moment. When she suddenly found out that the children she knew well were already taken, she felt as panicked as if she was the only one left out.

She and Hutou have been dependent on each other since childhood. As the eldest sister is like a mother, it is natural for her to worry about her younger sister's marriage.

But several years ago, officials issued a decree requiring men and women to marry after the age of 18, saying that it was for the purpose of protecting their bodies and ensuring reproductive safety.

This decree was the worst enforced in Huaibei. It was a little better in Caizhou, which was right under our noses, but in the vast countryside, it was common to see parents anxiously arranging weddings for their fourteen or fifteen-year-old children.

This kind of thing is not suitable for severe punishment, and the government has no good solution.

But as a princess, Mao'er naturally had to give face to the official, so she was not in a hurry to arrange a marriage for Hutou, thinking of waiting until she turned eighteen.

But when she heard that other girls already had lovers, she couldn't help but complain, "Big Brother Wu and Second Brother Peng are the same. The law says that people can get married only when they are 18 years old, but they are the first to disobey!"

Cai Hua looked at Mao'er strangely. "They are just in love, and they haven't officially gotten married. The law stipulates marriage at the age of 18, but it doesn't forbid men and women from dating."

The cat knew that his accusation was unreasonable, so he muttered, "Your Excellency's order is not appropriate. I was only sixteen when you married me, and we consummated our marriage the following year, and I haven't gained any weight at all."

"Huh~"

Cai Huan looked at Mao'er in surprise. Normally, whenever Chen Chu gnashed his teeth and cried in his sleep, Mao'er would praise him as "manly" and would not allow others to say anything bad about Chen Chu. But today, Mao'er actually complained about Chen Chu for the first time.

The two have known each other for many years, and Cai Hua could tell that Mao'er was a little anxious about Tiger's fate. She couldn't help but laugh and said, "Why complain about the fate? It's hard to find a three-legged toad, but can't you find a two-legged man?"

"It's easy to find a man. But I watched Yan Zu and Yu Yan grow up under my watch, and I know their personalities very well. If I find someone else, who knows what they are thinking!"

This is true. The families have been interacting with each other for many years. Mao'er not only knows the children's character, but also knows the situation of each family very well. They are all loyal and honest families.

However, among the young men who came out of Tongshan at that time, Erlang, Xiaoyi, Baoxi, and Maodan, who were much older than them, have all gotten married.

There are only a few of the right age.
As for other families, Mao'er is worried that with her current status, who knows what other people are thinking?
Even the official was reluctant to let Hu Tou be a pawn in the marriage alliance, and Mao Er was even more reluctant.

Cai Hua, who was standing by, thought for a moment and said, "My family doesn't have any young men of the right age either. How about this? Let's not go to the market this afternoon. Let's invite a few old ladies with good family traditions to our house to have a chat and find out which family has talented young men?"

Although it was not what Mao'er expected, it was time to take care of Tiger Head. Mao'er thought about it for a moment, nodded, and said directly to Bai Lu beside him: "Go ask Concubine De if Lady Yingguogong is free in the afternoon. If she is free, please come to the palace to have a chat."

Mao'er was born in a humble family. Even though he was now second only to someone else, he still had deep respect for prominent families like the Chen family of Yingchuan, so he naturally thought of the Chen family.

Bai Lu took the order and left, but Cai Huan curled her lips and said disdainfully: "You said you wanted to find someone with a good family tradition, but have you forgotten how our Defei came into my family? She was engaged, but she had sex with His Majesty in a Taoist temple outside the city. She is from a scholarly family. I don't think even the daughter of an ordinary family would do such a thing!"

Tsk tsk tsk, the petty-minded Concubine Cai is bringing up Concubine De’s dark history again.

When Mao'er heard this, a smile that could only be understood but not expressed in words appeared on her little face. Speaking of which, Cai Huan and A Yu are of the same kind, but Concubine Cai can still act with confidence.

But Mao'er also knew that Cai Huan suddenly spoke so harshly because she was the first one to mention the Chen family. Since the time of the prince's palace, the back house has been able to be so peaceful, which is inseparable from the joint efforts of Mao'er and Cai Huan.

Putting aside their feelings, the two are time-tested iron allies. If Hu Tou really marries a member of the Chen family, the ecology of the harem may change.

From an emotional point of view, Cai Huan was jealous.

But Mao'er smiled and took Cai Hua's arm, saying in a sweet voice: "Hey, is the Imperial Concubine jealous?"

"Tsk~ I can't even finish eating all the jealousy that our Majesty gives me, so how can I have time to eat your jealousy!"

"Hey, you are still so overbearing, woman! In recent years, when the master came back home, you used all means to occupy more than ten days out of thirty days in a month. Did I say anything to you then? If I had the same temper as you, I would have been pissed to death long ago."

"When did I resort to trickery? He just loves to go to my yard. Don't you think it's infuriating? I'll kill you with jealousy!"

"Hahaha, I'm not jealous anymore, and Sister Cai is not allowed to be jealous anymore."

"That won't work. If you don't feel bad for me, it won't stop me from feeling bad for you."

The two of them walked towards the pavilion under the shade of the tree, each leaning against the beauty and sitting down. Maoer looked at the scenery of the distant mountains and nearby water in the courtyard and suddenly said, "Sister Cai, I don't usually see you interacting with children. How do you know so much about the relationship between them? Even I don't know about Junru and Zhiruo's affairs."

"Have you forgotten? We have a small loudspeaker at home!"

"Yunon?"

"Who else could it be but her? This silly girl has no idea what magic she has. The children in the family like to get close to her and tell her everything. If you want to know about the children, go find Yunong. I guarantee you will get the answer."

"I see."

"Oh, by the way, Hu Tou told me not to tell anyone else about what happened just now."

"Tiger head?"

"Yes, Hutou said he gave it to Yunong, and then told Yunong not to tell anyone else; Yunong later said he gave it to Rao'er, and told Rao'er not to tell anyone else; Rao'er told Ran'er, and Ran'er told me, and then I told you. So, don't tell anyone else."

"."

This family is full of loud speakers! (End of this chapter)