I, a useless prince, started with the Xiang Yu template.

"Are you delirious with fever? What nonsense are you spouting!"

Li Ziwei's voice trembled; she still refused to believe it.

"That's a battlefield, not a theater, not a place for you to fool around! It's real fighting, people can die at any moment, the battlefield is never child's play!"

"Do you have designs on the position of crown prince?"

"If you want to be the crown prince, if you want to fight for the throne, just tell your mother. I'll help you even if it costs me everything. We don't need to risk our lives on the battlefield!"

Chu Yun shook his head, his eyes resolute.

"Mother, I am not confused. I have really thought this through."

"In the past, I only knew how to eat, drink, and have fun, and I was idle all day long, which made my mother worry about me and break her heart."

Now I understand, I no longer want to be that good-for-nothing who just loafs around and waits to die, and I no longer want to disappoint my mother.

"Mother, you don't need to persuade me anymore. My mind is made up."

Rest assured, on the battlefield, I will protect myself and will never take any risks lightly.

Moreover, I have already made a solemn pledge before Your Majesty, and a ruler's word is law; there is absolutely no room for reneging.

Looking at the unprecedented determination and maturity in Chu Yun's eyes, Li Ziwei's lips moved slightly, but she remained silent for a long time, and the hall fell into silence.

She stared at Chu Yun, her heart first aching, then overflowing with relief.

Her little cloud has finally grown up.

After a long pause, Li Ziwei finally spoke, her voice choked with emotion.

"Alright, since this is the path you chose, I respect your decision."

"But the battlefield is dangerous, so you must be careful in everything you do. Always prioritize your survival. Don't be reckless, don't make your mother worry about you, and don't let your mother lose you, understand?"

"Yes, Mother, rest assured, I have remembered this and will definitely return safely." Chu Yun nodded emphatically.

Li Ziwei held his hand tightly. "Stay in the palace tonight and have a nice dinner with your mother. I'll have the imperial kitchen prepare your favorite dishes."

"Alright, I will have dinner with Mother."

Li Ziwei then smiled slightly and immediately turned to instruct the palace maid beside her to have the imperial kitchen prepare food quickly.

........

Inside the Imperial Study.

Emperor Qian was looking down as he reviewed memorials.

The hall was silent, save for the soft scratching of a pen on paper and the occasional rustling of turning pages.

A moment later, the chief eunuch Gao Fu quietly lifted the beaded curtain, bowed and walked in. He walked to the dragon table and reported in a low voice.

"Your Majesty, the Sixth Prince has just gone to Consort Li's palace in the inner palace."

Emperor Qian paused for a moment with his vermilion brush, then continued to write his annotations, a faint but knowing smile playing on his lips.

Without much thought, he immediately guessed that Li Ziwei must have learned that Chu Yun had volunteered for the battle and hurriedly summoned him.

Li Ziwei is gentle and mild-mannered, and she never competes for anything, but she loves her son to the core.

In the past, Chu Yun was a spoiled brat who acted recklessly, and she always protected him, only wishing for her son's safety and well-being, and never letting him get involved in court disputes.

Now that he hears that his son is going to a battlefield where he has a slim chance of survival, he must be extremely anxious and trying every means to persuade Chu Yun to change his mind and beg him to retract his decision.

The vermilion brush was placed on the brush holder. Emperor Qian raised his eyes, looked calmly at Gao Fu, and slowly spoke.

"Little Gao, you have followed me for many years. Tell me, what choice will Chu Yun make this time?"

"Should you grit your teeth and go to the battlefield, or turn back and come to my study to apologize and repent?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Fu bowed even lower, his forehead beaded with cold sweat, and he was speechless for a moment, unsure how to respond.

As a servant, how could he dare to speak recklessly about the prince's decision?

After a long pause, he cautiously spoke, "Your Majesty, this old servant is foolish and cannot see through Your Highness's thoughts, so I dare not make any rash judgments."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qian chuckled softly.

"A king's word is law. He has already made a solemn pledge before me, publicly agreeing to fight on the border. If he were to back down now, plead for leniency, or beg for mercy, then I would be utterly disappointed in him."

"My princes may be mediocre and unambitious, but they must never be cowardly or untrustworthy."

Such an irresponsible person, even if kept in the capital, will ultimately be a hopeless case.

After saying this, Emperor Qian looked at Gao Fu and instructed him, "Go and wait outside the inner palace now, and quietly find out what the situation is. See what Chu Yun's attitude is towards Consort Li. If you have any news, come back and report immediately."

"This old servant obeys the decree!"

Gao Fu dared not delay, bowed in agreement, and walked backward out of the imperial study, his steps light as he headed towards the inner palace.

Silence returned to the hall.

Emperor Qian's gaze returned to the memorial before him, but he no longer had the mind to review it.

"Sixth Prince, I have given you a chance to prove yourself. I hope you will not let me down."

......

After an incense stick has burned.

Gao Fu hurried back to the Imperial Study. Upon entering, he immediately bowed and respectfully reported back to Emperor Qianlong.

"Your Majesty, this old servant has found out that the Sixth Prince did not complain to Consort Li, nor did he show any remorse or fear of battle. On the contrary, he persuaded Consort Li well, and the mother and son had a good talk. The prince has stayed in the palace to have dinner with the consort."

Emperor Qian was holding a vermilion brush when he heard this, and he suddenly paused, looking up at Gao Fu with a face full of surprise.

"Oh? Consort Li didn't cry and stop him? Didn't she force him to come before me to repent and beg for forgiveness?"

He knew Li Ziwei's personality too well. She valued Chu Yun more than her own life. Knowing that her son was going to the battlefield, she would definitely do everything in her power to stop him. How could she easily give in?

Gao Fu nodded quickly and answered truthfully.

"Your Majesty, no. The Sixth Prince was very resolute. He explained his thoughts to Consort Li and promised to take care of himself. In the end, he completely persuaded the Consort. Although the Consort was still worried, she respected the Prince's decision and did not stop him."

After hearing this, Emperor Qian remained silent for a moment, then a satisfied smile slowly appeared on his lips.

The sixth brother has really changed.

The once dissolute prince who only knew how to eat, drink, and have fun, and who would run away from any trouble, has now become responsible.

This transformation filled him with admiration.

Emperor Qian composed himself, his tone becoming solemn as he gave Gao Fu a deep, resounding instruction.

"Go down immediately and issue an imperial decree ordering Wang Hu, the deputy commander of the Imperial Guards, to lead elite troops to accompany the Sixth Prince north to provide support."

Regardless of how the war unfolds, we must fight with all our might to ensure the safety of the Sixth Prince, leaving no room for error.

"This old servant obeys! I will go and deliver the decree immediately!"

Gao Fu bowed in agreement and immediately turned to leave to carry out his duties.

Inside the Imperial Study, Emperor Qian sat alone on the dragon throne, his eyes deep and thoughtful.

The situation in the north was already in dire straits. With only 20,000 troops marching north, they could not make much of a difference. Even if the most capable generals were sent, they could not immediately reverse the current decline.

But sending the sixth prince north as a prince has a completely different meaning.

The prince represents the royal family and the emperor's attitude. When a prince goes to the front lines, it is equivalent to the emperor indirectly leading the army.

When this news reaches the northern prefectures, the soldiers stationed there will surely be greatly encouraged, their morale will soar, and their determination to defend the city will be even stronger.

As long as the soldiers on the front lines can rely on this morale to firmly defend the city and delay the barbarian army's attack, they can buy enough time for the imperial court to mobilize reinforcements.

Only when the main force of the imperial army arrives can the crisis in the north be truly resolved.