girl let me check

Chapter 476 Outside Luojing

On September 23, the Battle of Xiangyang, which determined the fate of the Great Zhou, finally came to an end. The imperial army won a great victory, Wang Boguang was killed, all the seventh-turn monks of the Bingzhou army were killed in the battle, and the Bingzhou soldiers and cavalry were almost completely wiped out.

On September 25, under the call of Grand Commandant Tao Yan, the Changyuan Iron Guards in Yunzhong, Yanmen, Wuyuan and other counties that had been dispersed began to gather in Jizhou on a large scale. The Lu family of Fanyang completely turned to the Great Zhou court, and 70,000 Youzhou cavalry were ready to march south to support the king at any time.

On October 3, the Northern Army on the Shouchun front launched a tentative attack to the north. On the same day, the Xiangyang government troops began to move south along the Yangtze River.

On October 10, Wangting Chanyu Tuoba Liang expressed his willingness to negotiate peace with the Great Zhou.

Taking into account that the alien army still has considerable combat effectiveness, both the Eastern Palace Guards and the Changyuan Iron Guards are exhausted, and most importantly, the main culprit of Shangyuan has been executed. After discussing with Xie Lingwan, Fang Tang decided to agree to their request for peace talks.

But Fang Weihan felt that he still had to show his strength and gain enough bargaining chips for the Great Zhou side.

On October 11, the Great Zhou court expressed that it would consider Tuoba Liang's request for peace talks. On the same day, the Shouchun Beifu Army and the Julu Fanyang Army simultaneously launched a large-scale attack on the foreign army formations along the Hehuai line.

The foreign army's retreat route was cut off and they had no intention of fighting. They retreated again and again, leaving only a few cities in northern Henan and southern Yan to defend.

On October 15, Tuoba Liang submitted another petition, and Murong Wei personally went to the court in Luojing to meet Fang Tang, expressing that the ethnic minorities in the northern desert were willing to form an uncle-nephew relationship with the Great Zhou, to maintain eternal peace, and to prevent war from happening again.

This time the Great Zhou court agreed to their request, and the two sides agreed to meet in Luojing on November 9 to sign an agreement.

……

……

Outside Luojing City, the Great Zhou military camp.

This once mighty city in the Central Plains was devastated by the war. Under the order of Guangling King Fang Weihan, soldiers led by the Eastern Palace Guards began to participate in the work of rebuilding Luojing City.

The ruins of collapsed buildings were cleaned up, the uneven streets were repaired, and soldiers were busy everywhere in the streets and alleys of Luojing City. The army and the people were united and enthusiastic, and everyone's face was filled with hope and expectation.

The war was over, and the aristocratic families that had been oppressing them were gone. They believed that under the rule of the ambitious empress, their country would surely return to the glory it had during the time of Emperor Wu.

In the east of the city, stones and wood were piled up in disorder, and a huge altar had already taken shape. This was the venue for the peace talks between the Great Zhou and the foreign races, and the ceremony of offering sacrifices to the heavens would also be held here.

Since recovering from his injury, Fang Weihan has been quite busy recently.

On the one hand, he had to preside over the daily affairs of the Eastern Palace Guards, and on the other hand, he had to connect with the surrendered soldiers from Bingzhou and properly deal with the foreign soldiers. In addition, Fang Tang would occasionally drag him to court, saying that he wanted to establish his status as a great master.

Today, he was processing official documents in the military camp, and Fang Tang's Luantai Guards called him to the Luojing Palace with a message.

The little empress held a few jade talismans and said with a smile, "Teacher, the Qinghuo Academy just sent me a few reign titles. Which one do you think is better?"

Fang Weihan took the jade talisman and looked at it.

"Changhe means prosperity and harmony in the world." Fang Tang explained to him, "This is Yongtai, which means long-lasting and harmonious."

"And Zhaoshun means the sun and the moon are bright, and the weather is favorable and the harvest is favorable."

She handed me four jade tokens in total, but only mentioned three, missing one.

Fang Weihan looked at her bright eyes filled with expectation and instantly understood what she meant.

"I think Jing'an is good." Fang Weihan said, pointing at the last jade token.

"With Jing Jiefu, the country will be peaceful and the people will be safe." Fang Tang's eyes curved, and she took his hand intimately, "I also think this reign title is the best! Teacher and I really have the same thoughts!"

Fang Weihan: "..."

"Um... Teacher," the usually dignified and generous little queen now became shy, "Now that the war is over, when are you going to do what you promised me?"

Fang Weihan looked at her strangely: "What did I promise you?"

"That's it...that's it..." Fang Tang coughed lightly and raised her hand to cover the blush on her face, "It's just that the teacher said she wanted to be my true husband."

Fang Weihan smiled and said, "Isn't he the emperor?"

"The Emperor...of course that's also possible!" Fang Tang's face froze, and then turned red with shyness.

The girl glared at him unyieldingly and said, "If the teacher really wants to spread some sensational royal secrets, I have nothing to worry about! I'm not afraid!"

Fang Weihan reminded her: "I didn't agree to be your legitimate husband. That was a unilateral promise you made to me."

"Teacher, you..." Fang Tang's eyes widened, and he gritted his teeth in anger, "Do you want me to agree to this kind of thing? I am the emperor after all, and you are a subject. Can't you give me some face!"

"I understand, teacher. Are you worried about that woman Xie Lingwan? So you don't dare to agree to me secretly." Fang Tang bit his lip.

"How can you talk like that? When have I ever been afraid of her?" Fang Weihan tapped her head, his expression unchanged. "You seem to be unaware of my family status. It has always been Ling Wan who was afraid of me."

"My Zhou Dynasty was founded on military power. I am the Grand Marshal of the Army, the Commander of the Eastern Palace Guards, and the Commander-in-Chief of all military forces at home and abroad. How could I be afraid of a mere prime minister like her?"

Fang Tang said faintly: "Xie Xiang will be here soon. I hope the teacher can still be so tough by then."

Before Fang Weihan could respond, the voice of Luantaiwei sounded respectfully behind him.

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Xie's carriage has arrived and is five miles outside the east gate of Luojing."

Fang Tang glanced at him lightly, with the corners of his mouth curved, as if to say: Look, what did I say?

"Wait according to the previously agreed etiquette, and do not neglect our Prime Minister."

"Yes!"

Fang Tang took Fang Weihan's hand and shook it: "Teacher, come with me?"

"Since His Majesty has said so..." Fang Weihan looked reluctant.

Fang Tang secretly complained in his heart, with Xie Lingwan's petty personality, wouldn't she get angry on the spot if you didn't go?

Of course, the little empress would not say these words, after all, she was an obedient student. Fang Tang did not use his spiritual power, but chose the chariot. The Luantai Guards led the way in the front, while Fang Weihan led the elite soldiers and rode on horseback to guard beside him.

When the group arrived at the east gate of Luojing, they saw flags flying, officials lined up in a row, zithers, drums, and harps all in place, and uplifting and grand music was already floating over the wilderness.

The huge altar used for peace talks between the two countries was just a kilometer away on the road, and it served as the backdrop for the welcoming ceremony.

Fang Weihan saw many familiar faces among the ministers, such as Wang Zhiyou, Shen Yuanxing, Xie Mingren, Xiao Fuwei and other remaining ministers of the aristocratic families, as well as neutral factions such as Shi Dangliu and Yu Shen.

Fang Weihan looked at these people one by one and nodded. After the removal of the Shangyuan Wang family, the order of court officials was much more pleasing to the eye.

"Teacher, stand next to me." Fang Tang waved at him.

Her Majesty stood at the end of the imperial road. In front of her was a long table covered with gold and red, decorated with laurel and orchids, a few glass cups, and a jar of rare old wine that she had brought specially from the Hanzhen Palace.

The person closest to Fang Tang was Shi Dangliu, who was ten steps away, and Fang Weihan was directly dragged closer by Fang Tang until the two of them were about to
They didn't stop until they stuck together.

Officials from top to bottom of the imperial court were shocked and envious of the fact that Prince Guangling's favor had reached such an exaggerated level.

Fang Weihan felt warm in his heart, he knew that Fang Tang was expressing his opinion in this way. From now on, anyone who wanted to harm him would have to consider whether they could withstand the emperor's wrath.

But looking at the horse team getting closer and closer in the distance, Fang Weihan suddenly remembered something else.

He and Fang Tang are so close, Wanwan won’t be angry, right?

The smile on Fang Weihan's lips slowly froze, and he calmly tried to break free from Fang Tang's hand that was hidden in his sleeve under the table.

But Fang Tang held it very tightly, and with so many people watching, he had no choice but to give up.

As the convoy approached, the first thing that came into view was two rows of Northern cavalrymen in indigo armor. To this day, some of the people present had seen this legendary army from the south for the first time.

Xie Lingwan's carriage was just behind the cavalry, and was protected by the elite Northern Army. The number of Northern Army she brought back to Luojing was not large, only a few hundred people in total, which was indeed a bit shabby compared to the pomp of the prime minister's trip.

The maid bowed her head and respectfully lifted the curtain for her. Xie Lingwan stepped on a cloud of water and stepped down gracefully. Her soft, purple skirt was gently gathered, trailing on the ground without being stained by dust. The collar was woven with sky-blue satin, and the hem was embroidered with fine grass-like patterns in gold thread, adding a sense of nobility and solemnity.

Even with Fang Tang's subjective observation, Miss Xie was impeccable at the moment. Perhaps the tailors in Jiangnan were more skillful than those in Changming. This expensive outfit perfectly brought out her graceful figure, and paired with her cold and unapproachable appearance...

Well, now she understood why her teacher liked this woman so much.

The Prime Minister's gaze swept across the ministers, lingered for a moment when it passed Fang Weihan, and finally remained respectful and rested on Fang Tang.

"I thank Lingwan and pay my respects to Your Majesty."

Fang Tang said enthusiastically: "Xie Qing, come quickly, we have been waiting for you for a long time."

She flicked her skirt, hurried down the wooden platform, and took Xie Lingwan's wrist affectionately, looking like a close relationship between a monarch and his subject.

"This is the wine I specially found in Hanzhen Palace. It's called 'Congratulations to the Meritorious Officials'. It was brewed by Emperor Wu and left for future generations to reward meritorious officials. There are only five jars in total, and one has not been opened to this day." Fang Tang waved his hand to call for a jade jar and filled it up for Xie Lingwan himself.

"Today, I am opening a jar to thank my good minister. I wonder if this can be considered unprecedented?"

Xie Lingwan took the wine glass with both hands and said with a smile, "Your Majesty is the only one who would personally pour wine for me. I'm sure there will be no one like you in the future."

The ministers, who had been respectful and silent, each with their own thoughts, watched the emperor and his ministers chatting happily before them, and they all realized something: the relationship between the current emperor and the prime minister must be unusual.

Logically speaking, with Xie Lingwan's power, Fang Tang would definitely regard her as another major threat. The apparent harmony between the monarch and his subjects could not be hidden from these cunning ministers, but now it seems... the relationship between the monarch and his subjects is not what they expected?
Now that the Shangyuan Wang family has been destroyed and the power in the Zhou Dynasty is about to be reshuffled, the conspirators who are quick-witted and ready to make moves are startled.

And the slightest changes in their expressions could not be hidden from the little queen's eyes and ears.

Fang Tang kept smiling, but she kept complaining in her heart. As soon as she saw Xie Lingwan's signature smile, she instinctively felt that she had bad intentions.

These ignorant ministers didn't understand, so how could she not understand? The emperor who personally poured wine for his ministers was secretly saying that he was a concubine toasting his wife.

Fang Tang knew that with the teacher's relationship, Xie Lingwan would not do anything to him, and it was even more impossible for a powerful official to put the emperor under house arrest. But at the same time, he could not do anything to her. After all, he was severely scolded by the teacher last time when he just took some action...

Whenever she recalled the disappointed look the teacher gave her, her heart would abate.

It is better not to experience that kind of pain again, Fang Tang thought silently.

Even someone as proud as her had to admit that Xie Lingwan was indeed smarter and more shameless than herself. When she was still thinking about taking actual actions against the Xie family of Chen County, Xie Lingwan was disgusting her with all kinds of innocuous words and actions. Now that she did nothing, Xie Lingwan was still disgusting her.

Fang Tang understood what she meant, but was too lazy to pay attention to her. This was because as an emperor, she was tolerant and broad-minded.

It’s definitely not because of the teacher.

"Everyone, raise your glasses." Fang Tang turned around, her dragon skirt behind her looking like a golden thread. "At this grand banquet, it's appropriate to pour out the golden jar. Let's drink this cup together."

"First, I offer a toast to the mountains and rivers for their eternal stability; second, I offer a toast to the loyal souls of the generals and soldiers; third, I offer a toast to the people for their well-being. From now on, wherever the sun and moon shine, all shall be the land of Zhou; wherever the wind and rain reach, all shall be the land of Yao."

Under the leadership of Fang Weihan, all the ministers, including Xie Lingwan, raised their glasses and drank it all in one gulp.

"Long live His Majesty! Long live the Great Zhou!" the ministers shouted respectfully.

Fang Tang put down his wine glass and looked at the neatly arranged ministers and the majestic and disciplined army in front of him. He always felt a sense of unreality and trance.

Isn't this the scene she dreamed of? Although the country is still broken and people are suffering from disasters, everyone can unite and overcome the difficulties together.

Half of the noble families were won over, and half were destroyed. The foreign tribes in the Northern Desert were forced to negotiate peace and submit. The Mandate of Heaven was revived, and the millennium of prosperity for the Great Zhou was about to begin.

Hopeful efforts are at least much better than comfort without a clear future.

The Northern Army began to move and marched into Luoyang. The people in the city along the road cheered, and the rosy sky illuminated the brilliant armor.

Today is the second day of November, and there is still a week before the peace talks with the alien races. Fang Tang decided to have a good talk with Xie Lingwan about this matter tonight.

By the way... let her give up her husband and become her own husband.

(End of this chapter)