Chapter 897 Title

Life is never without surprises, and it is these surprises that make life rich and colorful.

So,

Zhou Wang, who was kneeling on the ground at this time,

Wasn’t too surprised, though a bit flustered, when he saw his former subordinate standing in front of him holding a token that was one rank higher than his own.

As a *fanzi* (imperial spy) office, the Secret Intelligence Division's structure must be extremely meticulous, with eyes watching eyes even within its own ranks.

The eunuch with the surname Wu, who was middle-aged, frustrated, and almost sent to sweep the imperial mausoleum, was such a character.

However, this Eunuch Wu didn't act overly important. After revealing his identity and showing the imperial decree, he took the initiative to help Zhou Wang up.

Within the imperial palace, there was indeed a lot of infighting, backstabbing, and jealousy, but it wasn't as dramatic as the folk legends made it out to be.

They were rootless people without descendants, so they would fight and snatch as necessary. Those who won usually gave the losers a little face. In this regard, they were much more merciful than the officials of the outer court.

And in the current situation, it was nothing more than a transfer of power.

The transfer was of the Fengxin City Secret Intelligence Division branch. There was no talk of retaliation, and even the emotion of gloating was lacking.

Zhou Wang was thrown here as nothing more than a messenger, so he definitely wasn't doing well. Similarly, the person thrown here to monitor a messenger was naturally in an even worse state.

After the two completed a simple handover, Wu Youxi took out a box containing imperial edicts.

"Two?" Zhou Wang asked.

Wu Youxi glanced at Zhou Wang and said, "The imperial edicts were sent long ago, but who knew if it would be a boy or a girl? Naturally, there had to be two."

"It can be…like this?"

"Why can't it be like this?" Wu Youxi shook his head and picked up one of the imperial edicts. "Let's go to the Prince's mansion to announce the decree."

"Oh, good."

The door of the Secret Intelligence Division's office in Fengxin City was opened. Wu Youxi and Zhou Wang both put on eunuch robes, and the twelve subordinates behind them also changed into *fanzi* uniforms.

The group left and headed directly to the Pingxi Prince's Mansion.

The people on the road, seeing this attire, didn't show the fear that people in other places had when they saw *fanzi*. Instead, they pointed and talked with great interest.

In fact, the most direct embodiment and representation of imperial power was not the army or the officials, but these *fanzi* offices directly under the emperor.

Because they upheld the will of the Son of Heaven, and the Son of Heaven's will should have been supreme, able to break through all constraints, regardless of laws or reason. This was the true power of life and death.

The fact that the people of Fengxin City weren't afraid of the Secret Intelligence Division actually meant one thing...they didn't submit to the King's authority.

However, Wu Youxi and Zhou Wang were used to it. Jindong was like a country within a country. They knew it, the officials in the court knew it, and the emperor certainly knew it too.

Everyone knew how taboo this Pingxi Prince was.

The Jingnan Prince and the Zhenbei Prince of that year, at least on the surface, maintained respect for the court, the central government, and the emperor. But this Pingxi Prince, both on the surface and underneath, acted according to his mood.

But the more he was like this, the more the court had to constantly proclaim and praise the Pingxi Prince as loyal to the country, loyal to Great Yan, and loyal to His Majesty, as a first-class model for all officials and the military!

Sigh,

That's just how it was.

Wu Youxi and the others arrived at the gate of the Pingxi Prince's Mansion. Seeing someone approaching with weapons, the brocade-clad personal guards, following normal procedure, immediately drew their swords to block them. At the same time, archers and crossbowmen immediately took their positions on the walls on both sides of the Prince's Mansion gate.

"Who goes there!"

A brocade-clad personal guard centurion shouted directly.

Those wearing eunuch robes wore eunuch robes, and those wearing *fanzi* uniforms wore *fanzi* uniforms. Who was coming was obvious at a glance.

In other parts of Great Yan, if this set of attire were displayed, no matter how high and noble the family was, the gatekeepers would probably not dare to stop them, not even dare to ask. They would directly let the Secret Intelligence Division people in and offer tea.

They were afraid that even a moment's delay would bring a huge crime down on their master.

But precisely,

Here,

Seeing you come,

They had to play a game of official business.

This Fengxin City, from top to bottom, exuded an arrogance that was undisguised!

Wu Youxi smiled,

Stepped forward,

His left hand holding the imperial edict, his right hand holding a horsetail whisk, lightly swept it in front of him, as if giving a small salute,

And said:

"By His Majesty's decree, I have come to announce the decree to the Prince."

"Understood."

The brocade-clad personal guard centurion nodded, not leading his brothers to kowtow to the imperial edict. He directly waved his hand, and a personal guard turned around and went into the mansion to report.

At the same time,

The knives on the steps at the gate remained unsheathed;

The bows and crossbows on the walls were not withdrawn.

Eunuchs Wu Youxi and Zhou Wang stood there just like that.

This was actually a vicious cycle. Since ancient times, there have always been emperors who killed their loyal dogs after the hares were all dead, or who made their loved ones suffer while their enemies rejoiced. Sometimes, it wasn't shortsightedness, but the situation was truly like this.

When the Jingnan Prince and the Zhenbei Prince were around, the Jingnan Army and the Zhenbei Army had always wanted to push their own prince onto the dragon throne.

Now, the Pingxi Prince had repeatedly won battles and completely taken over the banner. Adding to that the composition of the Pingxi Prince's direct line of troops, where old Yan people were actually a small part and lacked the instinctive awe of Yan State and the Yan Emperor, their eagerness to have their own prince wear the dragon robe was naturally even stronger.

The Demon Lords, because of a blind man, always wanted to rebel, and the other Demon Lords naturally didn't want to offend him, pretending not to know about it.

The master, on the other hand, was aware of this situation, and sometimes instructed his subordinates to preserve some face as much as possible. But he himself disliked those who compromised and sullied themselves. When the mood struck him, he was completely uninhibited.

With those above behaving in this manner, this trend couldn't be stopped.

This was a very dangerous tipping point.

After a while, Xiao Yibo, the steward of the Prince's Mansion, came out.

At the same time, the personal guards sheathed their swords, withdrew their bows and crossbows, and cleared the way.

"Two *gonggong* (eunuchs), please."

Xiao Yibo had a smiling face.

Wu Youxi and Zhou Wang also returned the greeting to Xiao Yibo and were led into the Prince's Mansion.

No one cared whether this etiquette was correct or not. When the decree-announcing eunuch arrived, instead of the master of the house running out to set up an incense table and kowtow, they sent a steward to lead the decree-announcing person in.

Xiao Yibo didn't lead the two eunuchs into the signing room or the front hall, but into the back house.

The Prince had just finished practicing his saber and was wiping away sweat.

"This servant greets the Prince, may the Prince have blessings and prosperity!"

Zhou Wang immediately knelt down,

Wu Youxi, holding the imperial edict, half-squatted.

"The Princess's title?" Zheng Fan asked.

"Your Highness, this servant has not yet announced the decree. This servant does not know what is written in the imperial edict. Your Highness, allow…"

"Then speak," the Prince urged. "I just practiced my saber and need to take a bath."

"This servant understands."

There was no incense table, no family kneeling down as one.

Wu Youxi opened the imperial edict and began to read:

"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Zheng Fan, the Pingxi Prince of Great Yan, is the nation's wings, repeatedly performing meritorious service…

Today, good fortune descends, and a gem is added…

Therefore, the Pingxi Prince's eldest daughter is specially conferred as…the Princess Huai Chu, with a fief…"

"Alright, alright, don't read the rest."

Zheng Fan wasn't interested in fiefs and taxable lands. It wasn't possible to actually cede land. At most, it would be letting his daughter directly enter the top-level civil service system of Great Yan, receiving a generous stipend every season.

But now, Jindong and Great Yan already had signs of living their own lives. It wasn't to the point of secession or rebellion. It was just that Great Yan, after this great war, had suffered another loss of national strength. Jindong, on the other hand, didn't send troops this time and had a large surplus.

Si Niang was carrying out financial reforms here, while Ji Lao Liu only sent a letter to ask about it.

The general meaning was, "You can do whatever you want, it's fine, you can be responsible for your own profits and losses. After all, you know how poor my family is now..."

So, apart from some additions in terms of etiquette, in reality, starting from this season, the court would no longer supply Jindong with grain, weapons, and military pay as it had in the past.

Zheng Fan himself didn't see any of the salary and fiefdom products of this "Pingxi Prince."

It wasn't that Ji Lao Liu was so shortsighted, but the court was indeed poor. After the Yan Emperor's death, it had finally accumulated a little bit, but this great war at Nanmen Pass had almost caused it to vomit out the acid in its stomach.

Moreover, it was good for everyone to be so clear.

You can be independent in fact, and I won't spend money to support you.

Of course, this referred to peacetime. Once there was a war, the court and Jindong would definitely stand together.

Wu Youxi whispered a reminder: "Your Highness, there's more below."

"Oh, then you read it."

"Yes."

Wu Youxi took a deep breath,

Changed his tone,

And read with a smile:

"Zheng, this朕 (I, the Emperor) has both sons and daughters. Originally,朕 was thinking that if you had a son, then we would marry the *jie er* (daughter) over. If you had a daughter, then my family's inheritance…"

The Pingxi Prince sitting there raised his eyebrows when he heard this.

"Then my family's inheritance is definitely out of the question!

Zheng, 朕 has seen through you long ago. You are a miser who only knows how to take advantage and refuses to suffer even a little loss!

If 朕 were to marry my daughter to your family, you would shamelessly accept your future daughter-in-law for your son and shamelessly raise the child bride by your side, probably not even letting her leave, fearing that the cooked duck would fly away.

But if 朕 were to say that I want to marry your daughter, you would probably directly rebe..."

Wu Youxi opened his mouth,

"Rebel against 朕. 朕 knows that if you have a daughter, she must be your precious daughter.

朕 was just thinking, why is it that the old *pixiu* (mythical wild animal, gluttonous for gold and silver) is locked up in 朕's palace? It should be you who is locked up! You are the real one who only takes in and never gives out!

Hahahaha, beast!"

Wu Youxi read the last two words with great enthusiasm!

The Pingxi Prince wasn't interested in punishing a decree-announcing eunuch,

After listening to the imperial edict,

The Prince reached out and poked his ear,

And said to Xiao Yibo beside him:

"Entertain them."

"Yes."

Then, the Prince got up and walked to the back.

…

Inside Xiong Liqing's courtyard, today, Tiantian and the Crown Prince appeared here as usual.

Da Niu was holding Tiantian's finger, and the two children, one big and one small, were having a great time.

Every time Crown Prince Ji Chuanye wanted to join, Da Niu would very obviously reject him.

As if saying: This is an interaction between spirit children, what are you, an ordinary person, doing getting involved?

The Crown Prince wasn't discouraged, seemingly believing that sincerity could move mountains, and even made faces to amuse Da Niu.

It was a pity that Da Niu was still young. When she grew up a little, she would probably understand what it meant to "feign civility."

After Zheng Fan walked in, Tiantian and the Crown Prince first paid their respects to Zheng Fan.

The Prince nodded, walked over, and picked up his daughter.

His daughter smiled again.

Zheng Fan kissed his daughter's forehead, then carried his daughter into the inner room.

"Husband."

The Princess was leaning against the head of the bed, sitting upright during her confinement.

"The imperial decree has come from Yanjing, conferring our daughter the title of Princess Huai Chu."

The Princess said with a smile: "They put some thought into the title."

The implication was that there were no other substantial benefits.

In fact, it was normal for Xiong Liqing to have this reaction. Having already given birth to a child for this man, her future, her foundation, and to be precise, her current way of thinking, were all for the sake of this family.

Moreover, because she gave birth to a daughter, she didn't have any other selfish motives and was truly considering the entire Prince's Mansion.

"Hehe."

The Prince smiled.

This scene was like parents saying bad things about other people at home. The mother was calculating her own gains and losses, while the father only cared about laughing.

"How is your health?" Zheng Fan asked.

"Husband, this concubine doesn't want to continue sitting like this anymore. With sister helping me with acupuncture and regulating my body, there shouldn't be any problems with my health. Now that sister hasn't given birth yet, this concubine wants to come out and do something to reduce the burden on sister."

The advantage of giving birth to a daughter was that one could speak frankly and not worry that others would misunderstand that they were trying to compete for power.

Of course, Si Niang probably wouldn't care about these powers anyway. She was just playing around most of the time.

"You should complete the full confinement period. By the way, did my brother-in-law also send a gift?"

Xiao Yibo seemed to have reported that Jing Renli had come with gifts again.

"Yes, he also sent a title, Princess Mingshuo; and also sent a fief, quite large, but it's in the Southern Border." After several incidents, especially the last time he sent the Scarlet Sparrow Pill, the Princess had long lost affection for her own brother and disdainfully said, "In fact, being an emperor is just like that. When one truly reaches a point where meritorious service is difficult to reward, one can only throw out such fancy and impractical titles. It's quite…pitiful."

"There's no rush. Just record it in the accounts."

They would take it sooner or later.

The Princess nodded in agreement: "That's right."

"You should rest well and come out to manage things after the full confinement period."

"Yes, this concubine understands."

Zheng Fan also teased his daughter in the room for a while. After Xiao Yibo's report came from outside, Zheng Fan put his daughter back in the cradle and walked out.

Although Si Niang was resting, and the Blind Man hadn't returned from Nanmen Pass, the Prince's Mansion had a meticulous bureaucratic operating system that could operate very well.

Therefore, there weren't many things that could alarm the Prince.

The conference in the signing room the other day was also because the Prince himself was a little curious about the coinage and bond issues and wanted to hear and see. In addition, there was also a report on the development of Jindong in the previous season, and a person in charge was needed to sit there and listen.

But Zheng Fan couldn't ignore this matter.

Ke Yan, Dong Ge, sent a messenger back from Xuehai Pass with a military report.

"The snowfield barbarians are making moves?"

Zheng Fan sat at the head, listening to the messenger's report while looking at the memorial sent by Ke Yan and Dong Ge.

"Your Highness, according to the intelligence of our army's scouts and the messages sent by the Hailan Tribe and other tribes, that is the case."

"Alright, I understand. You may leave."

"Yes!"

Zheng Fan closed the memorial in his hand and tapped it lightly on his forehead.

At this moment, Si Niang walked in with her big belly.

Zheng Fan put down the memorial, walked down, supported Si Niang, and blamed:

"What are you doing out here?"

"I heard there was a military report from Xuehai Pass, so this servant felt that I had to come out and take a look."

"I'll take the memorial and show it to you," the Prince said.

Zheng Fan led Si Niang to sit down in his previous position. Si Niang opened the memorial, read it once, and asked;

"Master, is there trouble in the snowfield again?"

The snowfield was the rear of Jindong. If the snowfield wasn't stable, Jindong wouldn't be stable. Secondly, the development of Jindong had to rely on the snowfield to provide resources.

The relationship between Jindong and the snowfield was no longer just a simple military defense.

And if they were to send troops, Si Niang would have to come out and start handling logistics, even if she had a big belly.

Zheng Fan shook his head,

Said:

"It's not that the snowfield is unstable, but that the morale of the army is unstable."

Si Niang immediately understood and said: "Master's meaning is that it's Ke Yan Dong Ge…"

"It's not just Ke Yan Dong Ge. Although this time, I have appeased a group of people, this resentment is still there;

It's not that they dare to resent me, but they just have itchy hands.

They weren't taken to fight in this war, so they went crazy, and naturally, they started looking for things to do for themselves.

If there was a real military situation, and it was truly necessary to send troops, Ke Yan Dong Ge wouldn't be foolish enough to not move and send someone to report first. If he wasn't stupid, he should have sent a troop to test the waters first and then bring back more specific intelligence to me, but he didn't.

He sent a messenger and a memorial;

The implication is that the generals of Xuehai Pass want to get together, warm up, and brush up on military merits, so they are reporting to me, hehe.

Perhaps, in another two days, the military report from Zhennan Pass will also be sent.

I'm too familiar with these methods. After all, didn't we do the same thing before?

If there's an opportunity, we'll take it. If there isn't, we'll create an opportunity to take it. How familiar is the style?"

"Then, what does Master plan to do?"

"This isn't just a problem with Ke Yan Dong Ge, the commander-in-chief;

Xuehai Pass and Zhennan Pass can't always be guarded by one person, nor can they always be guarded by the same troop;

I have to personally go to Xuehai Pass and Zhennan Pass and drag back these guys with itchy feet.

I spoke kindly to some of the generals when I returned this time;

But some people have to be beaten with a board so that everyone can hear the sound and their minds can be clear.

When we first arranged things, the east side was guarded by the most trusted subordinates, while the troops placed on the west side were relatively less trusted.

Now the situation is different, and the pattern is also different, so we have to change it up.

I'll finish up the things outside, and then I can safely accompany you to give birth.

In addition,

Lao Tian (Tian Wuyi) could tolerate me back then, but I can't tolerate having another me under my command."

Saying this,

Zheng Fan couldn't help but laugh:

"When I think that another Zheng Fan might emerge under me, I actually feel a little horrified."

———

There will be more tonight.