The prince is more stable

Chapter 705 Pretending to Test
More than thirty mid-level generals arrived quickly.

Zhao Xiaoqian only learned of the news yesterday, and arrived today, indicating that they and the messenger sent by Zhao Hao departed almost simultaneously.

The messenger traveled day and night without any delay, which also indicates that the thirty-odd generals were also traveling day and night, rushing to Xijin Prefecture.

This shows that they were already eager to infiltrate the Yan-Yun garrison, or rather, Zhao Xu was eager to do so.

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed inwardly.

In fact, Zhao Xu didn't need to be in such a hurry. He only needed an imperial decree to return to Bianjing.

Given Zhao Xiaoqian's abilities, if he truly intended to usurp the throne, he wouldn't have waited until now, nor would he have gone this far without any preparation.

At this moment, more than thirty generals were waiting outside the Prince's Mansion. Zhao Xiaoqian knew very well that he had to see them.

They represent Zhao Xu, and if he avoids them, it would only make him seem guilty.

However, when dealing with these people with ulterior motives, one must naturally present oneself differently. Being too honest is not a good thing; one must occasionally use cunning and cleverness.

The servants stood quietly before Zhao Xiaoqian, awaiting his instructions.

After pondering for a long time, Zhao Xiaoqian slowly said, "Call Chen Shou over here, and also ask these thirty-odd people to wait in the side hall. Tell them that my injuries are quite serious and I need time to recover."

The servant turned and left.

Not long after, Chen Shou strode over.

"Your Highness, I just saw this group of people outside the gate. They have no friendly intentions and are probably not good people," Chen Shou said in a deep voice.

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled faintly: "They're here to divide my military power, so it's definitely not a good tactic."

Chen Shouyi was startled: "Your Highness, what should we do next?"

Zhao Xiaoqian pondered for a moment and said, "Send someone to invite that old doctor in the city. Tell him in advance that my injuries are very serious, my internal organs have shifted, and I've been in and out of consciousness these days... Anyway, the more serious the better."

"Yes. I will make the arrangements immediately."

"Tell the servants in the mansion not to have such jubilant expressions, like they're celebrating a happy occasion at home. The master of the house is about to die, it's so presumptuous of them to look so happy."

“Go tell them to be as grief-stricken as possible, the more grief-stricken the better. Of course, don’t go too far. I’m not dead yet, so it’s inappropriate to wail.”

Chen Shou's cheek twitched slightly. He hesitated for a moment, then finally sighed, "Your Highness's words have been remembered by this humble general."

Zhao Xiaoqian glanced at him and said, "Your expression is wrong. Come on, tuck your lips down a bit, try to think about sad things, and whatever you do, don't laugh, or it'll all be over."

Chen Shou sighed and said, "This subordinate understands, and I guarantee that I won't give myself away."

After arranging everything, Zhao Xiaoqian turned around and went back to the backyard, where he called Di Ying over.

"You women are the best at dressing up. Let me dress up too. Put some white powder on my face, but not too much. It's not good if you make me look like I've been dead for three days, since I'm still alive. It's better to make me look like I'm on my deathbed, with my life force about to be cut off. Can you do that, my lady?"

Di Ying looked at him in astonishment: "My lord, what's wrong?"

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed, "A group of people have come from outside. They don't have good intentions. I have to make my injuries look more serious."

Di Ying was about to curse when she saw Zhao Xiaoqian's serious expression, which did not seem like a joke. Then she remembered what her husband had said the night before about relinquishing his military power and returning to the capital, and Di Ying was immediately shocked.

Born into the Di family, she knew better than anyone what had happened to her grandfather, Di Qing. Now that the emperor was suspicious of her, Di Ying immediately became serious.

"Don't worry, my lord. I'm a little inexperienced when it comes to dressing up, but Jiang Miaoxian and Niaoniao are experts. I'll have them dress you up right away."

After a long time, Zhao Xiaoqian, dressed in a white undergarment, lay on the bed with a deathly pale face, his eyes half-open and half-closed, his chest rising and falling slightly, looking exactly like someone on the verge of death.

Before the bed, Niao Niao and Jiang Miaoxian looked at Zhao Xiaoqian's expression and expressed their satisfaction with their work.

Zhao Xiaoqian opened his eyes and asked, "Is there any powder caked on my face?"

"Don't worry, my lord, we've honed our skills for many years," Jiang Miaoxian said with a light laugh.

Zhao Xiaoqian took a deep breath and said, "Have that old doctor come over, sit by my bedside and take my pulse. Also, light a few stoves outside the other room and boil some medicine so that the aroma of medicine fills the room and the room."

Looking up at his wives and concubines before the bed, Zhao Xiaoqian continued, "Try to be as sorrowful as possible, act like a widow. If anyone laughs out loud, I'll have you all thrown into a pig cage. Your husband is about to die; anyone who dares to be happy must be having an affair..."

Di Ying pinched him hard in anger and said, "If you keep talking nonsense, my lord, I'll have to beat the drums and gongs in front of the guests!"

Zhao Xiaoqian, both shocked and furious, propped himself up and pointed at her, saying, "You wait for my brother Wu Song to return..."

Someone chuckled in the room, then quickly realized what was happening. Di Ying glared at him and arranged for the concubines to sit around the bed.

…………

Inside a side hall of the Prince's residence, more than thirty armored generals sat or stood, each with a different expression. The hall was silent; no one spoke. After a long while, the leading general suddenly whispered, "According to reports from our spies in Xijin Prefecture, His Highness the Prince was indeed seriously injured. It was Chen Shou, the commander of the Imperial Guards who was by His Highness's side, who took him to Xijin Prefecture. Zong Ze and the other generals all witnessed it; there's no doubt about it."

Another general said calmly, "He didn't say that His Highness's injuries were fake, and the Emperor didn't suspect anything. The important thing is that we need to know whether His Highness's injuries are really serious."

"If it's not serious and His Highness can still travel with difficulty, then His Majesty can issue an edict to summon His Highness back to Bianjing."

“Actually, if Your Highness returns to the capital, all the troubles will be resolved, and we won’t need to waste our time trying to win over and divide the Yan Yun army.”

Only these two generals were chatting in the hall; the other generals remained silent, but they still listened to every word the two said.

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the hall. Chen Shou appeared in the courtyard and clasped his hands in greeting to the generals in the hall, saying, "Your Highness has just regained consciousness. I heard that someone from Bianjing has arrived. Your Highness requests that you all come to the back courtyard to meet him."

The generals looked at him in surprise, and Chen Shou couldn't help but say, "Please hurry, everyone. These days, His Highness is sometimes lucid and sometimes unconscious. The times when he is lucid are unpredictable. If we don't see him soon, I'm afraid His Highness will fall into a coma again soon."

A general exclaimed in surprise, "Is Your Highness's injury so serious?"

Chen Shou lowered his eyelids, trying to hide his grief, and said in a low voice, "His Highness was attacked and injured. He was rammed head-on by a warhorse, which injured his internal organs. He had a high fever and was delirious while he was in Xijin Prefecture. He even had to be forced to drink medicine."

"Back in Zhen Ding City, with the care of the ladies, His Highness is feeling a little better, but his high fever has subsided and his injuries have not improved."

The generals looked at each other, skeptical of Chen Shou's words.

Chen Shou did not deliberately exaggerate Zhao Xiaoqian's injuries, but simply stepped aside and said, "Please come to the backyard to see His Highness."

The generals hurriedly followed Chen Shouchao to the backyard.

The Prince's Mansion was quite large. It was a residence that Zhao Xiaoqian had specially chosen. It had a front courtyard, a backyard, a side hall, a pond, and everything else. Its area was even larger than that of the Chu Prince's Mansion in Bianjing.

The generals walked for a long time before entering the archway of the backyard. After passing through the secluded woods and pond in the courtyard, they arrived at the outside of the north wing.

In ancient times, the north wing of the backyard of wealthy families was usually the master's bedroom. The obsession with "sitting north and facing south" has not been forgotten even a thousand years later.

The backyard was filled with maids; no men were to be seen.

The maids seemed somewhat surprised by the sudden intrusion of a group of men into the backyard and quickly lowered their heads to avoid them.

The generals immediately noticed upon entering the backyard that the atmosphere was somewhat oppressive and somber. The maids' faces were devoid of smiles, and the air was thick with the smell of medicine.

Chen Shou stood outside the door of the north wing and bowed through the door, saying, "Your Highness, more than thirty generals from Bianjing request an audience."

Silence reigned inside the door. After a long while, a low, hoarse female voice came: "His Highness has said that you generals are invited to come in."

Chen Shou pushed open the door, then stepped aside to let the generals in.

More than thirty generals entered the room, which immediately became crowded. There was hardly any room to stand, let alone sit.

The leading general quickly glanced around the room and saw a young man lying on the bed with a pale face, his chest rising and falling slightly and rapidly. Around the bed sat several beautiful young women, who were obviously the prince's wives and concubines.

The generals' entry into the backyard was already abrupt, and now they dared not be rude. They quickly shifted their gaze to Zhao Xiaoqian on the bed.

The leading general immediately bowed and clasped his hands in greeting: "This humble general, Zhong Cheng, former commander of the Pengri Camp in Bianjing, pays his respects to Your Highness, the Prince."

Immediately afterwards, more than thirty generals behind him bowed and clasped their hands in greeting, taking turns introducing themselves by name and military rank.

On the bed, Zhao Xiaoqian opened his eyes, weakly turned his head to look at the generals, and tried to smile at them. His lips moved a few times as if he was saying something, but his voice was too low for anyone to hear.

Zhong Cheng, who was in the lead, stepped forward, deliberately leaned closer, and cautiously asked, "What did Your Highness just say? Please forgive my poor hearing..."

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Di Ying sniffed and said in a low voice, "My husband said that all the generals have come from afar and must be tired from their journey."

Zhong Cheng hurriedly said, "How dare I say 'hardship' in front of Your Highness? Your Highness is too kind to me. I heard that Your Highness was seriously injured, and His Majesty was extremely anxious. However, the Yan Yun garrison needs someone to keep the soldiers in check, so His Majesty sent me and others to share Your Highness's burdens."

That's very well said. To be able to talk about the separation of powers in such a grand and dignified way, Zhong Cheng is quite a talent.

Zhao Xiaoqian raised his eyes, gave Zhong Cheng a deep look, and then murmured a few words.

All the generals looked at Di Ying.

Di Ying reluctantly acted as a human megaphone: "His Highness said that he would like all the generals to stay at the manor today, and that a banquet will be held to welcome you all."

After Di Ying finished speaking, Zhong Cheng was about to politely decline when he saw Zhao Xiaoqian on the bed suddenly cough violently.

One cough after another, weak and heart-wrenching. Di Ying, who was by the bedside, became anxious. She took out a handkerchief from her bosom and helped pat Zhao Xiaoqian's back while covering his mouth.

After coughing for a while, Zhao Xiaoqian suddenly stopped and collapsed heavily onto the bed. Di Ying took back her handkerchief, glanced down at him, and was immediately filled with shock and anxiety. She exclaimed, "My lord is coughing up blood! He's coughing up blood again! Quickly, call a doctor!"

(End of this chapter)