The matter of the Ninth Princess had recently caused a great uproar in the court.
Consort Qing, as the birth mother of the Ninth Princess, naturally knew about it.
Suddenly hearing Chen Ji say this, Consort Qing thought he was speaking sarcastically. Terrified, she dropped to her knees with a thud.
“Your Majesty, forgive my sin. Wen’er also acted for the sake of Great Kang…”
“Beloved consort, what are you saying? Get up quickly!”
Chen Ji personally stepped forward and pulled Consort Qing to her feet. “Wen’er has done well. She has won!”
With that, he handed the secret report to Consort Qing.
Consort Qing took it and read it carefully, word by word, fearing to miss a single character.
After a long while, two streams of tears flowed down her cheeks.
These past days, she had been constantly worried and fearful for Chen Wen’er.
Now, at last, she could relax.
“Beloved consort, this is a great joyous event. Why cry?”
Chen Ji reached out to wipe away her tears. “Your makeup is all smudged!”
“Yes, it is a great joy. I must not cry!”
Consort Qing took out her handkerchief and carefully dabbed away the tears.
“And your Qing family has also done well. Qing Huai guards the Dangxiang for me in the northwest. Qing Xinyao guards Tubo in the southwest. Only because of this has Great Kang enjoyed today’s peace!”
With the worries of recent days swept away, Chen Ji seemed excited and spoke more.
Normally, even if he favoured the Qing family greatly, he would never say it so openly.
“Eat the sovereign’s salary, serve the sovereign loyally. As subjects, this is what Qing Huai and Xinyao ought to do.”
Consort Qing was delighted in her heart, but her words were very humble.
“Well said. If all the civil and military officials could be like your Qing family, what labour would I have?”
Chen Ji said, “It is a pity Wen’er is a daughter. If she were a son, I would certainly pass the throne to her!”
“Your Majesty, such words must not be spoken carelessly,” Consort Qing said. “Many in the court are already dissatisfied with Wen’er. If Your Majesty’s words spread, they will gossip again!”
“Wen’er is a good child. They are just jealous.”
Chen Ji smiled. “Beloved consort, bear me another son?”
Consort Qing’s face flushed red. She lowered her head and softly murmured agreement.
In feudal times, most married early. Consort Qing had borne the Ninth Princess in her teens and was now only in her thirties.
She usually took good care of herself. At this moment, she had both a young girl’s shyness and the charm of a mature woman.
Add to that the perfume Guan Xiaorou had recently sent, and even Chen Ji, who had seen all manner of beauties, felt his heart stir.
Anyway, morning court was still far off. Chen Ji directly scooped Consort Qing up in his arms and carried her behind the bed curtains.
…
At mao hour, the ministers hurried to Hongde Hall and found the emperor already seated on the dragon throne. They were all somewhat surprised.
By convention, the emperor generally arrived after the ministers had assembled.
But Chen Ji could not wait to share the news of victory with them and had come early.
After court began, the Minister of Revenue from the peace faction was the first to step forward.
“Your Majesty, the situation in Xichuan is critical. We cannot delay further! I beg Your Majesty to decide soon and send someone to Tubo to negotiate peace with Ga Da!”
“I second this!”
“I second this!”
The other peace faction ministers stepped forward one after another.
The war faction ministers were preparing to refute them when they heard the chief eunuch sharply crack his whip.
This meant the emperor had something to say. The ministers immediately fell silent.
All looked towards Chen Ji seated at the very top.
“You need not argue further!”
Chen Ji rose and said, “Last night I received a message from Wuyang. The Tubo army has been shattered. Their twenty thousand elite troops have all been slain. The great general of Tubo has also been executed!”
“What?!”
Whether peace faction or war faction, all were stunned by this news.
Wars between nations often lasted a very long time.
Sometimes preparations alone took several months. Standoffs lasting months before formal battle began were very common.
How long had the Ninth Princess been in Xichuan?
And it was already over?
“Your Majesty, forgive my bluntness. Wuyang Princess has always been impulsive. Her words may not be credible!”
The Minister of Revenue said, “It might only be to comfort Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty to investigate clearly!”
“Insolent Feng Shiwei, daring openly to slander Her Highness!”
Duke Qing stepped forward and shouted, “Your Majesty, Feng Shiwei harbours sinister intentions. He must be severely punished!”
“Duke Qing, you come from a military background. You should know better than I. How long has Wuyang Highness been in Xichuan? She has no cavalry. How could she annihilate Tubo elites in such short time?”
The Minister of Revenue countered, “Moreover, if victory were truly won, why did Her Highness not send a red-feather urgent courier to report success, but use a carrier pigeon secret report?”
“This…”
Duke Qing was stumped.
Though he knew of the Ninth Princess and Qing Xinyao’s plan, due to backward communication, he did not know how far it had progressed.
The Ninth Princess claimed to have annihilated Tubo elites. Even Duke Qing did not believe it in his heart.
In fact, let alone Duke Qing, the Ninth Princess herself had not expected the war to go so smoothly.
She had originally thought it would drag on long and had prepared for months or even half a year of fighting.
As a result, the weapons and escort team Jin Feng brought gave her a super surprise.
Most of the troops she had mobilised from various places had not even arrived when Danzhu was already eliminated.
But carrier pigeon messages had limited space. Even using the smallest script, the Ninth Princess could not detail the entire battle process, only summarise roughly.
How could the ministers be convinced?
Even Chen Ji, excited half the night, began to doubt again in his heart.
No one knew a daughter better than her father. Chen Ji knew the Ninth Princess’s character well and her determination for war.
She truly had the courage to do such a thing.
“Your Majesty, the state cannot be without law, the family cannot be without rules. Though Her Highness is an imperial daughter, she cannot wantonly deceive the sovereign. Otherwise, if those above act so, those below will follow, and rites will inevitably collapse!”
The Minister of Rites stepped forward. “Wuyang Princess is but a woman. The marriage alliance failed. She should immediately return to the capital to report. Yet not only did she not return, she arbitrarily interfered in Xichuan military affairs. This is failing to observe woman’s virtue!
Now she falsely reports military intelligence. I beg Your Majesty to send an envoy swiftly to Xichuan to urge Wuyang Princess to return to the capital soon and hand her to the Ministry of Rites for punishment!”
“Outrageous! Her Highness is an imperial daughter. Even if punishment is needed, it is the affair of the Imperial Clan Court. It is not for your Ministry of Rites to speak!”
A hot-tempered war faction general glared at the Minister of Rites and roared angrily.
Upon hearing this, Duke Qing sighed inwardly.
This brainless fool had fallen into the trap.
Sure enough, the Minister of Rites followed the general’s words. “General Zhao speaks reason. Then I beg Your Majesty to dispatch an envoy to Xichuan to urge Wuyang Princess to return to the capital soon and accept punishment from the Imperial Clan Court!”
“Your Majesty, that’s not what I meant!”
The general realised he had been tricked and hurriedly tried to explain.
But in his panic, he let slip a vulgar word.
Calling himself “old man” before the emperor…
Even Duke Qing wanted to crack open his skull to see how his brain was made.
“Insolent Zhao Wuji, daring to insult Your Majesty. By law, he should be executed!”
The Minister of Rites now had a handle and immediately attacked.
Thus, the war and peace factions once again began quarrelling.
Chen Ji’s good mood was completely ruined. He rubbed his brow, his face full of irritation and… doubt.
