Joy of Life: I, a man, became the Queen of Northern Qi?

Chapter 138 In the Qing Kingdom court, everyone has his or her own way of acting.

This departure has finally begun.

As soon as it was daybreak, everyone got up, had breakfast, and then went down the mountain to start their journey.

There was no carriage, just a few fast horses. Even the team and baggage that came with them were not brought along. Only Xu Chu was left to lead the team back to the palace.

The five people, including Master Ku He, Li An, and Ruan Yu, will rush to the southern front.
What a mistake!
If there is no carriage, then we have to conserve our energy!

Ruan Yu glanced at the haggard Concubine De, then turned to look at the Saint Lady who was dozing off on her horse, and quickly lowered her head, warning herself in her heart: If you want to live a long life, you must be blind, deaf, and dumb.
At this moment, he wished he was a disabled person. This Qingshan Mountain was really dangerous!

Similarly, Mu Peng also noticed something was not right between his junior sister and Concubine De. Just as he was about to ask a few questions, he saw his master looking at him with a serious expression, so he had to shut up awkwardly.

The group ignored the calls of the accompanying officials and just walked away, disappearing from everyone's sight.

"I've never heard of this before. Concubine De is such a good rider!"

An official who came with him shook his head, thinking about how to report to His Majesty, and slowly returned to the team.
The five of them set off first without saying a word, and because of the length of the journey, they arrived at their destination more slowly than the long team.

Without the noble lady to slow down the team, it took more than ten days for the team to return to Shangjing. There is no need to say how those officials reported to their superiors. They just "spread" the news that Concubine De accompanied the National Master to the front line to comfort the soldiers. On the spot, His Majesty was "furious". In Shangjing City, countless carrier pigeons flew away in different directions.

The young emperor was angry, but he still announced Li An's identity as the queen to the world.

It was originally planned to hold a grand ceremony to crown her as queen after she returned to the palace. However, judging by the current situation, the ceremony cannot be held. All the efforts inside and outside the palace have been in vain.

However, even though the queen did not return to the palace, all the officials in the court had no objection.

After all, Concubine De was highly regarded and recognized by the Imperial Master, who even took her with him to the front lines. It can be imagined that the position of the Queen was as stable as it could be.
In short, no, you should call her Empress Dowager Defei from now on.

After the Northern Qi Dynasty was established, this matter was known to everyone in the world. The common people were delighted, but the officials were heartbroken.

Nanqing.

Earl Sinan, Fan Mansion.

Fan Xian was tinkering with a new gadget in his own courtyard - it was a waterwheel that ran on water power.

Ever since arriving in Kyoto from Danzhou, Fan Xian had felt that the air was dry, and even his breath smelled of gunpowder. In addition to not being accustomed to the weather, he was also not accustomed to the heavy atmosphere and intrigues of the people in Kyoto.

Thinking that the "chicken leg girl" who had not yet married had lung disease, he wanted to create a comfortable environment for Lin Wan'er to recover after marriage, and thus created the first humidifier in the world.
The water was gurgling, the engine was turning with a pleasant squeaking sound, water was splashing everywhere, and the air was filled with mist. Fan Xian nodded with satisfaction, feeling quite pleased with himself!
Suddenly, there was a noise outside the courtyard. Thinking that my sister Fan Ruoruo was still reading the manuscripts she had written in the study, I was wondering when a servant came in with news.

"Master, it's someone from the palace."

Fan Xian's heart moved, and he said he was invited, then waved his hand and asked the servants to go about their own business.

Soon, a father-in-law walked in with a smile on his face and a dustpan in his hand.

"Master Fan, oh, how come there is steam blowing in your face as soon as you come in~" The person who came was Eunuch Hou, whom Fan Xian was familiar with in the palace. It was hard to tell his exact age, but he was Emperor Qing's confidant and had been by his side for a long time. "Master Fan really knows how to live. Look at this, he is really enjoying himself. It makes people very envious."

As he spoke, Eunuch Hou waved the dustpan in his hand, smiled and looked at the humidifier in the courtyard.

What's the matter with the visitor from the palace? There's nothing major happening in the court right now. Apart from the war on the front line, even the relationship between the Second Brother and the Crown Prince has calmed down a lot. Fan Xian took two steps forward and bowed, approaching Eunuch Hou and asked, "Hey, Eunuch Hou, you're free today. Did you know that our family has shipped a batch of melons and fruits from the south? Are you here to taste them?"

With a smile on his face, Fan Xian was also observing Eunuch Hou's reaction.

Although he did not exchange many pleasantries with Fan Xian, Eunuch Hou still narrowed his eyes so much that he could not even see clearly, and responded: "Master Fan, please stop making fun of our family. Isn't this about the woman you were involved with a few days ago?"

Si Lili?
Did the news of my secret night interrogation of Si Lili come to light?
He had indeed taken a shortcut through the back door. Although Chen Pingping had guaranteed that the news would not be leaked, there was no guarantee that Si Lili would not be able to withstand the torture and would reveal the truth. Without asking whether Si Lili was still in the dungeon of the Supervisory Council, Fan Xian calmed down a little and asked, "Is it His Majesty who asked the question?"

"It's His Majesty who is asking questions!"

Seeing his expression, Eunuch Hou smiled but lowered his voice and said, "It's not a big deal. There were indeed two groups of assassins who wanted to rescue people, but they never came back. But there was a change in the war on the front line, which was caused by the Northern Qi spy. His Majesty asked you to go to the palace."

"It's getting late now, Master Xiao Fan, please follow me."

After saying this, Eunuch Hou pulled Fan Xian's sleeve and walked out.

"Did the war change because of the Northern Qi spy?" Although the Niulan Street assassination was indeed caused by him, and Lin Gong died later, he couldn't be blamed anyway, he was still the victim! Fan Xian pretended to be shocked and waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "This matter has nothing to do with me. If there is an assassin who breaks into the courtyard to save people, his colleagues in the Supervisory Council will kill him. The matter on the battlefield was also arranged and coordinated by General Qin. Why do you need to ask me for my opinion?"

After taking two quick steps, Fan Xian asked Eunuch Hou in a low voice, "What else did His Majesty tell you to do? Am I the only one you'll see when you enter the palace?"

"Your Majesty didn't say anything else, but you have more people to see than just Lord Fan. We are the slowest to arrive: your father Si Nanbo, President Chen of the Supervisory Council, Prime Minister Lin, Lord Ye Zhongye, the garrison commander of Kyoto, the Second Prince, and the Crown Prince all have to be present."

"According to the time, it might be time now. We should hurry up and not let His Majesty wait too long!"

Seeing that he did not seem to be pretending, Fan Xian breathed a sigh of relief: "Then let's go. You must tell me more about what is going on."

The two of them got on the carriage that had been waiting outside. The wheels started turning and they headed towards the palace.

The Imperial Palace of Qing.

In the imperial study behind the Tide-Watching Pavilion.

Emperor Qing was wearing a white silk robe, which was either fitted or baggy. He lay on the couch in a lifeless manner, flipping through the memorials with an earnest look, and occasionally picking up a pen to make a few strokes and marks.

Except for Fan Xian, everyone else who was supposed to be there had already arrived.

It's not that Fan Xian is arrogant, but Emperor Qing only remembered to let him enter the palace to make a statement later, which is why he was slower than everyone else.
After a long time, Fan Xian sneaked in. Thinking of not attracting too much attention, he just bowed silently to Emperor Qing and stayed in the corner without saying anything.

Emperor Qing glanced at Fan Xian, then lowered his eyelids and focused on the memorial, nodding and shaking his head from time to time, as if he was troubled by the content of the memorial.

In the imperial study room.

The Crown Prince smiled warmly at Fan Xian. The second prince, Li Chengze, raised the corner of his mouth, raised his index finger to lift his slanted bangs on his forehead, and spoke in a deep voice. Fan Jian glared at Fan Xian, who was still shaking his hand at the two princes with a playful smile, and signaled him not to lose his manners in front of the palace.

It was Lin Xiang who closed his eyes, Ye Chong looked straight ahead, and Chen Pingping chuckled, his face full of joy.

In an instant, the various aspects of the Nanqing court were depicted without reservation.
a long time.

Emperor Qing raised his head, but did not talk about business first. He just smiled and looked at Fan Xian, as if he was concerned, and asked, "Is it because you are shaking in the carriage, or is it because the autumn sun is too strong, that your face is sometimes happy and sometimes sad."

"It's weirdly tight, are you feeling uncomfortable somewhere?"

Upon hearing this, Fan Xian did not dare to be negligent. He was about to salute and say a few words, but unexpectedly, Fan Jian stepped forward and said respectfully: "Your Majesty, my son behaved rudely and lost his manners in front of the palace. I hope Your Majesty will forgive him. If there is any punishment, please punish me! It is my fault for not teaching him well enough." For some reason, perhaps because the word "son" made Emperor Qing unhappy, the smile on his face froze, and even his emotions showed a hint of irritability.

"It was just a joke, why did Minister Fan have to do this?"

"On behalf of my son, I thank Your Majesty!"

Seeing all this, outsiders were still confused and looked bewildered, but Chen Pingping kept smiling. He looked at Fan Jian deeply and then lowered his head again.

It was just a small disturbance that was created intentionally by Emperor Qing to get to the point.

Although there were some minor accidents, it still made everyone concentrate and listen attentively.

In the room, the incense burning in the bronze tripod slowly dissipated, lingering around the solemn face of Emperor Qing, making this most powerful man in the world appear even more solemn and majestic!

"You are all pillars of the court, including the military, the Ministry of Revenue, the Prime Minister, and the Supervisory Council." Emperor Qing asked, as if asking, "According to the spies, the Northern Qi State Master Ku He has already left Qingshan and Tianyi Dao Mountain Gate. I wonder if you have received any news?"

Lin Ruofu, Ye Zhong, and Fan Jian all shook their heads and said nothing. Only Chen Pingping nodded and smiled, "I have also received news. Judging from the route and direction, Ku He is indeed intending to go to the battle site. He is accompanied by his disciple Mu Peng, Northern Qi Saintess Haitang Duoduo, the ninth-rank warrior Ruan Yu under the command of the former Northern Qi Prince Gong, and Northern Qi's newly appointed Queen Li An'er!"

As soon as this statement came out, everyone in the audience was shocked!

Don’t ask them whether they have received the news. Even if they have known it in advance, they can only pretend not to know it at this time!
However, after hearing what Dean Chen said, they no longer had to worry about anything, and they all looked surprised. They thought to themselves: It's okay for the Grand Master to leave the dojo, but what is he going to do at the front line? There is a reason for this.
The most important thing is, who is the Queen of Northern Qi?
It is understandable to bring three ninth-rank officials with you to do errands, but why bring such a noble woman with you?
Seeing that everyone in the room had some thoughts in their minds, Emperor Qing nodded and said softly, "Let's not worry about why the Queen of Northern Qi went to the border. Let's just talk about Ku He. What do you think?"

Seeing that the time had come, Crown Prince Li Chengqian stepped forward and said loudly: "Weakness is the foundation of life, while strength is the root of trouble."

"Before this, Si Gu Jian had not responded to the assassination of Fan Xian by his disciple's grandson and the murder of Lin Xiang's son by his disciple Yun Zhilan. This uncharacteristic behavior was just to observe the outcome of the war between Qing and Qi before taking action."

Long before entering the palace, the prince had received the news early and was allowed to enter the palace after discussing with his mother. Therefore, the prince seemed very confident at this time.

Li Chengqian smiled slightly and continued, "Some time ago, Northern Qi also sent two waves of people to rescue the secret agent Si Lili. Although they failed in the end, they also caused a big disturbance in Kyoto. Coupled with the move of Grand Master Ku He coming out of seclusion this time, it is obvious that the Emperor of Northern Qi does not want to lose this battle!"

The prince's words were well-reasoned and convincing, but apart from his good second brother who curled his lips, no one responded or agreed with him.

His smug expression seemed a little unnecessary, and he even looked a little embarrassed.

"Prince, do you mean to say that Northern Qi has reached an agreement with Dongyi City and formed an offensive and defensive alliance?" Emperor Qing seemed a little surprised by the prince's statement and asked with his head tilted.

"This"

“That’s not entirely what I meant.”

After saying this, the prince dug his toes into the ground, and a three-bedroom, two-living-room residence was added to his name.

"Since that's not what you meant, then you should tell me clearly what you meant." Emperor Qing's face darkened, and he almost frightened the Crown Prince to death. It was originally a matter of showing off, so how come the situation changed in the blink of an eye?

Seeing the prince in such a state, Emperor Qing was unhappy and said in a low voice: "If you can't think clearly, just stay aside and think carefully, listen to the opinions of the ministers, and don't speak nonsense anymore!"

"Yes."

The prince looked unwilling and lowered his head and retreated. No one could see the smile on his face at that moment.

Fan Xian just looked at the strange father and son in front of him, and he felt that today's trip was worthwhile just for this scene. When he was thinking about the impact that the changes in the war would have on him, he saw his future father-in-law Lin Ruofu suddenly said sadly:

"Your Majesty! This time, we are sending troops to Northern Qi, which costs money and food. Your Majesty made the decision for me, an old minister, to seek justice for my dead child!"

"Now! The war between the two countries has actually caused a great master to get involved. If this continues, it will not be as simple as the soldiers of both sides attacking each other. I am afraid that it will bring great harm to the country, and I am also worried that General Qin on the front line will be harmed."

Lin Ruofu knelt straight down, looking so sad that he almost fainted. He cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, my life is as insignificant as a feather, but the country of Qing is as important as Mount Tai! I beg Your Majesty to withdraw your order and return to the court."

After saying this, he seemed to have suffered a great emotional shock and bowed down with great respect.

it is good!
He is worthy of being the Prime Minister of our Qing Kingdom!

Today I have seen and learned the concept of retreating to advance!

Everyone looked at Lin Ruofu with different expressions.

Everyone knows that this war is the intention of Emperor Qing, saying that it is revenge for the son of Prime Minister Lin, but he is aiming at Northern Qi and wants to expand the territory? No matter who opposes, I am afraid that the end will not be too good. However, as Prime Minister and the father of the victim, Lin Ruofu, in the interests of the court, sacrifices small things for the sake of big things, which should be able to attract people's attention and applaud!

What does the war between the two countries have to do with Lin Ruofu?
If he really wanted to avenge his son, he would have to find out the real person behind the scenes. Could it be that for Lin Gong, Emperor Qing would really hand over that crazy woman Li Yunrui, or his own prince? Lin Ruofu had already seen through the truth, and felt sad. He was even more determined to make Fan Xian his son-in-law and give the princess a hard time!
Quan Yan did not say what he thought of Ku He's leaving the mountain, but spoke out of consideration for Da Qing. Seeing this, Fan Xian nodded from time to time, and hurriedly stepped forward to support him and said, "Prime Minister Lin, please don't be too sad."

"Second brother, Crown Prince, you should learn more from Fan Xian. You have no manners at all! Why don't you help quickly?" Under the urging of Emperor Qing, the two brothers Li Chengze stepped forward anxiously and cooperated with Fan Xian to help Prime Minister Lin up.

"Don't worry, Prime Minister. I have already promised you this. I will not give up so easily!"

With a glance, Emperor Qing looked at Ye Zhong who was as still as a mountain, but he asked someone else: "Chen Pingping."

"Chen is here!"

In the wheelchair, Chen Pingping turned his face and responded with a smile.

"Have you found out where Master Ye Liuyun is now?"

Chen Pingping's eyes flashed with a fleeting gleam, but he responded: "Two months ago, Master Ye appeared in Qingzhou, Xiliang Road. But now, it is unknown."

"absurd!"

Emperor Qing suddenly reprimanded him in a stern voice: "Chen Pingping, is the Supervisory Council just for free? If they don't know anything, then what's the point of having this Supervisory Council?"

The emperor was furious and the whole hall was silent.

"Your Majesty, please calm down. Master Ye Liuyun is a grandmaster. If he doesn't want to reveal his whereabouts to others, even if several ninth-grade officials follow him to investigate, there will be no results." Chen Pingping's expression remained unchanged, as if he was making an excuse.

"There is some truth in what you said." Emperor Qing snorted softly, which was considered as giving some 'necessary' 'explanation' to the people in the hall.

Finally, under the red and white faces of the two, Ye Zhong bit his back teeth lightly and stepped out of the crowd, clasping his fists and saying: "Your Majesty, I have found the whereabouts of my uncle Ye Liuyun in the mansion..."

"I know a thing or two!"

(End of this chapter)