Chapter 144 Gu Tingye's Ambition
Sheng Hong frowned slightly when he heard this, but he did not ask why Zhao Xing did this. Instead, he asked, "Does your highness have any other plans?"
"No more." Sheng Changwu shook his head.
"I understand. You came here so early and you probably haven't had your meal yet. Please stay and have something to eat with me," Sheng Hong said.
"Thank you, second uncle, but I have to go back and report to His Highness, so I will not have dinner." Sheng Changwu said.
"Yes, the mission is more important. When you go back and report to His Highness, tell him that I will follow His Highness's instructions and ensure their safety." Sheng Hong said.
"Yes!" Sheng Changwu responded and left.
After Sheng Changwu left, Sheng Hong called Dong Rong and gave him a few instructions. After Dong Rong agreed, he left in a hurry.
…………
Zhao Xing has been studying with Gu Yan for nearly ten years, and has already learned both the basics and the techniques.
It is said that the master leads you to the door, but the practice is up to you.
At this point, it’s all about personal talent.
Gu Yankai's current role is more like a fitness coach in later generations. He is worried that Zhao Xing might hurt himself if he is not careful during practice.
After Zhao Xing finished practicing martial arts, Gu Yankai took his leave.
"Zhong Huai, do you think your stepmother knows now that the people she sent have been caught?" Zhao Xing asked.
"This matter is a bit strange to me. When I went out this morning, she was the same as usual. I don't know whether she is ignorant or just confident." Gu Tingye said.
"No matter what her reason is, we will know once the identities of those arrested are found out. Don't worry, I have already informed the Kaifeng government office, and those people will be fine." Zhao Xing said.
"Thank you, Your Highness. I will avenge my mother and work like a slave to repay your kindness." Gu Tingye knelt down on one knee.
"stand up!"
Zhao Xing said with a straight face: "Why don't you work for me if I don't avenge you?"
"That's not what I meant, sir..."
"All right!"
Zhao Xing waved his hand to interrupt Gu Tingye and said, "I know your ambitions. I help you because I don't want you to worry about all the shitty things in your family. If you can fulfill your ambitions in the future, it will be the greatest reward for me. Do you understand?"
"Yes, I will definitely live up to your expectations." Gu Tingye said in a deep voice.
"Wait alone!"
Zhao Xing patted Gu Tingye on the shoulder and turned to leave.
Gu Tingye looked at Zhao Xing's back, and a conversation from a few years ago emerged in his mind.
That time, Zhao Xing asked him and Sheng Changbai and others about their ambitions.
Gu Tingye’s answer was to recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun.
Recovering the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun was not only the long-cherished wish of the two emperors, Taizu and Taizong, but also the long-cherished wish of the generals in the army and the aspiring people from the families of nobles who were still active in the army.
At that time, Zhao Xing said that if they launched an attack on the Liao Kingdom in the future, he would be appointed as the vanguard even if he was not the general.
……
When Zhao Xing returned to Chaoyang Palace, Yu Yanran was already waiting for him to have dinner.
"Your Highness." Yu Yanran saluted.
Seeing Yu Yanran's red and swollen eyes and her unhappy mood, Zhao Xing pulled Yu Yanran to sit down and said, "Are you still unhappy about the rumors outside?"
Zhao Xing blocked the rumors outside and didn't want Yu Yanran to know, but after hiding it for a few days, Yu Yanran still found out.
When Yu Yanran found out, she cried so hard. Zhao Xing comforted her for a long time last night before she felt better.
"I didn't." Yu Yanran denied.
"Since you don't have one, then give me a smile." Zhao Xing lifted her chin and made her look at him.
Yu Yanran forced a smile, but it was uglier than crying.
"You lied, and I will punish you." Zhao Xing said.
"Your Highness... Um..."
Before Yu Yanran could finish her words, she was blocked.
After a long while, Zhao Xing finally let go of Yu Yanran, patted her on the back and said, "Are you feeling better now?"
Yu Yanran finally came back to her senses from her dizziness. When she thought of the maids and eunuchs serving in the palace, her face turned red like a ripe apple. She felt extremely shy and tears welled up in her eyes. "Don't cry!"
Zhao Xing held Yu Yanran's face, wiped away the tears that were about to fall with his thumb, then held her in his arms and said softly, "I will be heartbroken."
He still felt a little guilty about this matter, after all, it was he who had people spread the rumor.
Yu Yanran leaned in Zhao Xing's arms, and her originally uneasy and shy heart slowly calmed down.
"Your Highness, I'm fine." Yu Yanran said softly.
Zhao Xing let go of Yu Yanran, and seeing that she was indeed calm, he smiled and said, "Let's eat."
Yu Yanran stood up and served a bowl of porridge for Zhao Xing, placed it in front of Zhao Xing, then picked up the bowl and served herself.
"Your Highness, will you go to the Kaifeng government office today?" Yu Yanran asked.
"No." Zhao Xing shook his head.
Yu Yanran opened her mouth, but in the end said nothing.
Although her emotions have stabilized, it doesn't mean that she is no longer concerned about the rumors outside.
If Zhao Xing could go to the Kaifeng government office every day, the rumors outside would naturally subside slowly.
But she was weak in character and couldn't bring herself to ask Zhao Xing for anything.
Zhao Xing knew what Yu Yanran was thinking, but it was impossible for him to do that.
Now the goal has not been achieved yet. If we give up halfway, all the grievances Yu Yanran has suffered will be in vain.
…………
Ningyuan Houfu
Xiao Qin walked around the room feeling a little annoyed.
Hearing the sound of light footsteps outside, she stopped and looked over.
"How's it going? Is it done?"
Seeing that it was Xiang's mother who came in, Xiao Qin quickly stepped forward and asked.
"Madam, please go in and talk first." He reminded his mother.
Xiao Qinshi also reacted at this time. Although all the maids in the room were sent away by her, she couldn't stand at the door and say these things.
Taking Xiang's mother into the inner room, Xiao Qin sat down in front of the soft couch, picked up the teacup and started drinking tea.
Xiang Mama closed the door, came to Xiao Qinshi, and whispered: "Madam, the plan failed. The Marquis said that the person he sent did not return overnight. He sent someone to inquire about it and was told that he was caught and reported to the authorities. The person is now in the Kaifeng government office. The Marquis has..."
"Snapped"
When Xiao Qin heard that the person she sent out was arrested and sent to the government, the teacup in her hand fell to her legs and slid to the ground.
The white-glazed tea cup from the official kiln fell to the ground and shattered.
Fortunately, the tea had been stale for some time and was only slightly warm, so it did not burn Xiao Qin.
"Madam, are you okay?" I asked my mother with concern.
Xiao Qin was in no mood to care about these things. She held onto her mother's arm tightly and said, "What did big brother say?"
The marquis that Xiang Mama had mentioned before was not Gu Yankai, but Xiao Qin's brother, the Marquis of Dongchang.
The Dongchang Marquis Mansion and the Ningyuan Marquis Mansion are old friends, but the Dongchang Marquis Mansion has long since declined.
This was also the reason why the old Marquis Gu forced Gu Yankai to divorce his wife and remarry in order to preserve the Gu family, and later the Qin family was willing to marry little Qin to Gu Yankai as his second wife.
Because the Qin family is reluctant to give up the Gu family.
It is more in the interests of the Qin family to let Xiao Qin's son inherit the title.
It was not convenient for her to send someone from the Gu family this time, so she asked her eldest brother, Marquis Dongchang, to send someone to do it.
"The Marquis said he would find someone to rescue the person. Anyway, no one was dead. Find someone to classify this as theft, and everything will be fine if we rescue the person and send him away." Xiang said to his mother.
"Idiot!" Xiao Qin said coldly, "This is a trap. Go back and tell him that he must not go to Kaifeng to rescue him. Wait for me to go over and tell him in person."
Xiao Qinshi had already reacted by now. The abnormal behavior of Gu Tingye before was not because he knew something, but because he was setting a trap for her.
If we go to Kaifeng Prefecture to rescue him now, wouldn't it be a blatant admission that it was done by people sent by Dongchang Marquis Mansion?
(End of this chapter)