Too high to reach

Chapter 35 Annoying at First Sight

Li Jing showed no intention of yielding to the Crown Prince.

The emperor was furious again.

This bastard is really something now!

He had 100,000 elite Zhao family troops at his disposal, as well as 300,000 soldiers under his command.

He personally fought several tough battles, but he still comes back with the same attitude.

My health can't take this much. That bastard better not cause me any more trouble!

She asked rather irritably, "Are you hurt?"

Li Jing answered with two simple words: "Never!"

The Crown Prince added on his behalf, "Father, it's inevitable that Seventh Brother will suffer minor injuries while fighting in the desert and wilderness. I just had someone inquire, and Seventh Brother is not seriously injured! Please rest assured, Father!"

He then turned to Li Jing: "Seventh brother, Father was unwell last year and missed you very much. Now that you're back, spend more time with him."

Not intending to waste time on such trivial matters, Li Jing directly took out a memorial and said, "Father, this is my report."

Liu Su quickly took it and handed it to the Emperor.

The Emperor swallowed his anger and opened it to examine it closely.

Since it was a briefing, I finished reading it quickly. After a moment of thought, I asked, "West of Qingguan, all the way to Hawangsha. Three hundred li north of the great bend of the Wei River, I ordered you to take it? Why is that?"

Li Jing calmly replied, "Father, this land has been inhabited by a tribe called Havajin for thousands of years. They take Mount Saqi, at the bend of the Wei-Qing River, as their ancestral home. They hold a small pilgrimage every year and a grand pilgrimage every three years, a tradition that has continued for a thousand years. No matter how much blood is shed, how many people die, or how many times they are scattered, they will eventually return. This tribe is fierce and persistent. Even if we take it back, we won't feel secure holding onto it. There will be constant conflicts, large and small. Rather than suffering heavy losses and wasting resources, it would be better to concede to them and exchange it for something more practical."

"So you made the decision on your own without asking for permission?" The emperor slammed the memorial on the ground.

Li Pu was secretly delighted. Surely he would be punished now?
The Crown Prince then explained on Li Jing's behalf: "Father, I have also learned about this tribe. In my opinion, Seventh Brother's concerns are indeed valid. In short, if we don't intervene, it's as if we don't care. But if we do intervene, we can only gain a few years of peace by slaughtering all the men in this tribe... Father, why don't we read the treaty Seventh Brother proposed before making a decision?"

The Emperor nodded to the Crown Prince, indicating his satisfaction with his explanation; it seemed he had put in the effort.

That bastard, however, sat calmly with a sullen face.

The crown prince spoke up for him, but instead of expressing gratitude, he acted as if he hadn't heard a word!
Why do I get annoyed the moment I see him?
The Emperor swallowed his anger and said, "Take the box of documents to the Imperial Study and have Fang Wenjin and the others look at it first."

The chief eunuch Liu gestured to the junior eunuch.

Li Jing then took out another box: "Father, this is the list of officers who died in this battle. Please consider how to appease them!"

"...The Marquis of Jing'an and his son, alas! How did things come to this?" The Emperor couldn't help but frown and sigh.

“Your son originally left Liang Tao in Yuncheng. Later, when he heard that Marquis Liang was trapped, he was anxious and rushed to his rescue. The father and son died in battle, which is very sad.”

Marquis Jing'an was the emperor's childhood friend and was very saddened. "Marquis Jing'an has no heir..." Don't underestimate the Liang family army just because it only has 30,000 men. They are well-trained and strong, and cannot be measured by numbers alone.

"The remains of the father and son have been returned to the capital first. If Madam Liang has any requests, I hope Your Majesty will take care of them!"

This was the first kind word he uttered as he entered the room.

The Emperor turned and instructed, "The Crown Prince, keep an eye on things for me."

"Yes, Father!" the Crown Prince replied.

The Emperor then said to Li Jing, "I have already instructed the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of War to draft arrangements for the fallen and wounded. Report the total number of casualties here, and have them refine it. We will discuss it further once they have the documents!" "Your subject thanks Your Majesty," Li Jing replied.

"Seventh Prince, Dongfang... he didn't come back with you?" The Emperor's eyes were gloomy.

At this, the Crown Prince also stopped smiling and stared at Li Jing with a complicated look in his eyes.

Dongfang is Dongfang Dexiang, the only son of Duke Anguo.

The prince's younger sister—the consort of Princess Yu'an.

Or... Li Jing's twin sister, Princess Ming'an's childhood sweetheart.

If her sister hadn't died, they would probably be married and have children by now... The atmosphere in the palace suddenly reminded Li Jing of the past, and she was finally moved.

But he didn't want others to see it; he narrowed his eyes, his long eyelashes concealing his emotions.

"Father, there are still many things to take care of over there, so Dongfang needs to stay. Perhaps, in a few months, he will... come back!" The tone was somewhat sarcastic.

The Crown Prince looked back at the Emperor with embarrassment and sadness.

"Hmph! I think he doesn't want to have a good life!" The Emperor suddenly flew into a rage. "Guards, summon Dongfang Zijing to the palace. I want to see what his son is up to."

Li Jing smiled faintly: "Father, what else can he do? Guard the gate for you! He endures wind and rain, working from dawn till dusk. He suffers from sandstorms, scorching heat, and bitter cold. He's even been seriously injured several times, and now he walks with a limp! Hehe..."

He glanced indifferently at the Crown Prince. "The peacock of yesteryear has turned into a vulture. If Yu'an saw this, she'd probably regret begging to marry him!"

"Li Jing, shut your mouth!" the emperor snapped at him.

"Father!" The Crown Prince quickly intervened, though his face was also pale, he still tried his best to maintain his composure. "Father, please calm down, your health is important! You mustn't lose your temper..."

"Hmph!! That's Yu'an's son-in-law! My daughter was bestowed upon him as his wife, and instead of being grateful, he ran away on the wedding day! If it weren't for the generations of meritorious service the Duke of Anguo had received from the court, he would have been executed by slow slicing long ago!"

The Emperor was so agitated that the veins on his forehead bulged: "How much face has Yu'an lost?! For a princess of the court to suffer such humiliation is truly unheard of!"

Li Jing laughed cruelly and with satisfaction: "Father, the safety of the nation is greater than the affection between father and son. Over the years, he has worked hard to build his career and has truly earned the title of a good man... I was right about him!"

He didn't say, "Who didn't misjudge him?"

"Your son's great achievements are inseparable from his tireless support. You should summon the Duke of Anguo to reward him!"

"A commendation my foot!" The Emperor nearly cursed, "Get out!"

Li Jing stood up expressionlessly, bowed deeply, and said, "Your subject takes his leave!" Without saying another word, he turned and left.

"Seventh Brother!" the Crown Prince called out hurriedly. "Father... Grandmother and Mother are still waiting for you, Seventh Brother!"

The Emperor was exasperated. This scoundrel! He actually dared to leave the palace: "Li Jing! Did you hear me?"

The crown prince quickly said, "Father, I will take my seventh brother there!"

Hearing the Emperor's shouts, Li Jing turned around, bowed to the Emperor again, ignored the Crown Prince, and walked out once more.

Clearly, they have no intention of giving the Crown Prince any face.

The emperor pointed at his retreating figure, trembling, and said, "That bastard hasn't improved at all!"

Thank you so much, my darlings, for all the tips and votes along the way! Even though I didn't say it, I saw it all and appreciated it all!
(End of this chapter)