Do you know: I am the crown prince

Chapter 397: Changing Territory
After Princess Qingchang came of age, she was promised to the second son of Duke Hanguo.

Although she was Zhao Xing's elder sister, she already had a son when Zhao Xing was born.

Her third son married Gu Tingcan, the eldest daughter of the Gu family.

Speaking of which, Gu Tingye can be considered his junior.

Because of the age difference and the fact that she was not favored in the past and had some resentment in her heart, she rarely returned to the palace, and Zhao Xing had even less interactions with her.

Gu Tingcan came to ask to see him, probably because of Gu Tingwei's matter.

A few days ago, Zhao Xing asked Sanshui to tell Gu Yankai the news about Gu Tingwei. Gu Yankai was so angry that he fainted.

Zhao Xing quickly sent the imperial physician to treat him, and he was finally saved.

After waking up, Gu Yankai wrote a letter to Zhao Xing asking him to severely punish Gu Tingwei.

It's normal for Gu Tingcan to want to save his brother after hearing the news.

But it would be more effective for her to ask Princess Qingchang to come forward than to do it herself.

Shaking his head, Zhao Xing ordered someone to bring Gu Tingcan in.

After a while, Gu Tingcan walked into the hall and saluted, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you!"

"Be flat!"

Zhao Xing waved his hand, looked at Gu Tingcan, and said, "Why do you come to see me?"

"I'm here for my younger brother, Gu Tingwei. Tingwei is young and inexperienced, and he was misled and made a big mistake. I beg Your Majesty to show mercy and let him go this time!" Gu Tingcan said with a pleading tone.

Gu Tingcan likes to recite poems and compose essays, but her hobbies are different from Molan's.

Molan likes poetry and songs in order to improve her competitiveness, but she is just being self-righteous.

In order to match his temperament, he pretended to be melancholy.

After pretending for a long time, it finally came true, and I felt like Lin Daiyu.

The tone at this time was pleading, which gave people a feeling of pity.

However, Zhao Xing didn't like this, and would not fall for her tricks.

Yu Yanran and Shulan both have weak personalities and temperaments.

But weakness and melancholy are two different things.

"A country has its own laws, and a family has its own rules. Besides, Gu Tingwei is already married and has children, so how can he be said to be young and ignorant? If there is nothing else, you can leave." Zhao Xing waved his hand.

"I beg Your Majesty to show some mercy. I am willing to work like a slave to repay Your Majesty!" Gu Tingcan said hurriedly when she saw that Zhao Xu did not agree.

"enough!"

Zhao Xing angrily asked, "Who do you think I am?"

It is quite normal for a man to say he will work like a slave in return, but it is self-evident what a woman, especially a married woman, means when she says this.

"Your Majesty, I have been married before, and I am your nephew's wife. As long as your Majesty is willing..."

"shut up!"

Zhao Xing shouted, "Someone, take her out!"

"Quick, get her out!"

Sanshui quickly called a few eunuchs and dragged Gu Tingcan out.

"boom!"

Zhao Xingyou slammed the table in dissatisfaction.

Who do these people think of him? Didn't he just marry Shu Lan, a married woman? They really think of him as Cao Cao.

What Zhao Xing felt most ashamed of was that he had felt moved for a moment.

"Your Majesty, please calm down!" Sanshui advised hurriedly.

"call…"

Zhao Xing exhaled heavily and said, "I'm fine, please leave."

"His Majesty!"

At this time, a eunuch came in and saluted, saying, "The Grand Master wants to see you!"

"pass!"

Upon hearing this, the eunuch bowed and left. After a while, Han Zhang walked in.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you!" Han Zhang bowed.

"No gift!"

Zhao Xing waved his hand, asked someone to sit down, and asked, "What's the matter with you, Grand Prime Minister?" "Your Majesty, the Tibetan king Zuosilo of the plateau passed away, and his third son Dongzhen sent someone to deliver a message, requesting to inherit his father's title. The messenger is already halfway." Han Zhang said.

"Is Zuo Silu dead?"

Zhao Xing frowned when he heard this and said, "I'm afraid we can't keep this plateau anymore."

The Zuosilo were the largest Tibetan tribe in the plateau and were very powerful.

At that time, Tubo was divided into many tribes, and the one led by him was not strong.

However, Zuosiluo took the initiative to submit to the Song Dynasty and was granted a title by the Song Dynasty. Even when the Song Dynasty and Western Xia were at war, Zuosiluo sent troops to help contain part of Western Xia's forces from the side.

It was only because Zuo Siluo was old that Xixia had the idea of ​​conquering the plateau, otherwise Xixia might not have dared to have such an idea.

It’s not that they were afraid of Zuosilo, but Zuosilo was very capable. With him around, Xixia would suffer heavy losses if it wanted to occupy the plateau.

Although Zhao Xing had long been prepared for Xixia to occupy the plateau, it was a bit too fast now.

Even if the Song Dynasty could occupy Hehuang before the Western Xia completely occupied the plateau, it would not be able to digest it in a short period of time.

"Your Majesty." Han Zhang interrupted Zhao Xu's thoughts and looked around.

Zhao Xing understood and asked all the palace maids and eunuchs standing in the hall to retreat.

"Your Majesty, Dong Jian has mixed in with the envoys this time and has come here in person!" Han Zhang said.

"what?"

Zhao Xing stood up in shock when he heard this and asked, "Is he going to give up the plateau?"

If this were the case, it would be much easier for Western Xia to occupy the plateau.

"I don't think so. He came here to ask for help this time," said Han Zhang.

"Ask for help?"

Zhao Xing sat down with a frown on his face.

At this time he also calmed down. Dong Zhan was about to inherit his father's title, so how could he give up easily?

From this perspective, Han Zhang's guess is more likely.

However, if the Song Dynasty sent troops to help, it would be tantamount to declaring war on Western Xia.

At this time, Zhao Xing did not want to fall out with Xixia.

But Zuo Siluo had accepted the title bestowed by the Song Dynasty after all, and had helped the Song Dynasty in the Song-Xia War. Dong Jian had come in person to ask for help, and if he had refused, he would certainly have felt disappointed.

Who knows, by then they might just defect to Western Xia.

"By doing this, isn't he afraid that Xixia will mobilize troops at this time?" Zhao Xing frowned.

"The army that mourns will surely win. Zuo Siluo is very popular among the people, and Western Xia does not dare to mobilize troops at this time." Han Zhang said.

"Too!"

Zhao Xing nodded after hearing this, and after a moment of silence, he asked, "Do you think we should send troops?"

"The Zuosiluo tribe is very respectful to the Song Dynasty and has even sent troops to help it. Now that his son has come in person to ask for help, the Song Dynasty cannot ignore it!" Han Zhang said.

"What good plan do you have, sir?"

Zhao Xing asked Han Zhang whether it was necessary to send troops. Han Zhang said that they had to ignore it, but he did not say that they would send troops. It was obvious that he had other considerations.

"Your Majesty, what do you think about moving the Zuosilo tribe to another place?" Han Zhang said with a smile.

"Ok?"

Zhao Xing was startled when he heard this, and after thinking carefully for a while, he said, "Does the Grand Master mean to let Zuo Silu go to Hehuang?"

The only place Zuo Siluo could go was Hehuang.

A small part of the plateau is connected to the Hehuang River.

Apart from this, Zhao Xing could not think of any other possibility.

"That's right!"

Han Zhang smiled and said, "The Hehuang area does have a certain strategic significance, but it cannot be denied that the Hehuang area is barren. After the Song Dynasty occupied it, it was necessary to relocate some people there before it could truly control it, which would be very costly.

But if Dong Zhan were to take control of Hehuang, there wouldn’t be such a hassle.”

Zhao Xing looked thoughtful when he heard this, and he had to admit that what Han Zhang said made a lot of sense.

Although the Zuosilo tribe is also Tibetan, they are not worthy of complete trust.

However, Dong Jian had a grudge against the Western Xia. The reason he defected to the Song Dynasty was because the Western Xia had set their sights on Gaoyuan, and he had no choice but to do so in order to protect himself.

(End of this chapter)