Chapter 144
Steeply being poked and prodded, a trace of an imperceptible twitch crossed Rong Xiangmian’s face, followed by a smile to cover it up.
“I didn’t expect that even father doesn’t believe in his daughter, it’s no wonder that King Li is so aggressive.”
“My father was also guessing blindly, it’s just that your reaction just now revealed a bit of a break.”
Rong Xiangmian pretended to be ignorant: “Daughter really doesn’t know what father is talking about, father aren’t you tired? Go and rest quickly.”
Duke of England gazed at her: “Father really doesn’t dare to recognize you. You have always been a good girl, how come you have become so calculating and good at disguise? Even Sangwang and I were used by you.”
The corners of Rong Xiang See’s mouth pulled out an emotionless smile, “Father, don’t you think that being well-behaved and understanding is in itself a kind of disguise and scheming? How in the world can there be a child who is naturally well-behaved? But because adults like it, so cater to it.”
“You ……”
“How my daughter wishes that she could be like Third Sister, not well-behaved, not knowing anything, not thinking about the honor of the family, doing as she pleases, doing as she pleases. It’s a pity that I can’t. My mother is dead, and there is no one, who puts me in the most important place in her heart. I have no right to do as I please, but to be good and understanding.”
In the surprised eyes of the Duke of England, for the first time, Rong Xiangmian slowly told the grievances that had been accumulated over two lifetimes: “When I was eight years old, my father and mother said that for the sake of my future, they would send me to the palace to be a companion to the Princess. Even in the palace, I lived like a master, not a master, a slave and not a slave, foster, look at the face of so many years, but I am still grateful, tell yourself that you are for my own good.
I didn’t know until later that it was because my mother couldn’t bear to see my third sister in the palace, and was afraid that she would be recognized by His Majesty as a righteous daughter, and would be married to the Princess instead of her in the Northern Kingdom of China, and that this ‘good thing’ had fallen into my lap. Just like the marriage with the Fourth Highness, originally also because the third sister refused, before my turn, I will always be for the third sister’s back!”
Listening to his daughter’s rare heartfelt words, Duke of England felt guilty: “Xiangmian, father didn’t expect you to have so much resentment in your heart. But after all, now that you’ve been honored as Yuhang Princess, isn’t this a good prospect?”
Rong Xiangmian’s fingers crossed the corners of his eyes, inadvertently drying the tears that had just overflowed from the corners of his eyes, and calmly said, “Whether or not the days of the Yuhang Mansion are good or not, it is not enough to tell outsiders. The only thing I’m thankful for is that Your Highness is a person who knows what’s hot and what’s cold. As the saying goes, a man who knows a friend will die, Your Highness puts me in his heart, I naturally put his affairs in my heart. Father, I no longer have a choice, it was you who sent me into the Yu Wang House, it is not up to me.”
The Duke of England sighed a heavy and long breath and said, “I understand that the two of you, husband and wife, are in a difficult situation, and if you want to utilize your father for self-preservation, my father has nothing to say. But releasing bandits into the capital like this is really against the bottom line. If the struggle for power tilts to such a point of obliterating people’s hearts, then what is the point of winning?”
Rong Xiangmian was silent for a moment, suddenly feeling amused, she took a few steps back, “Father thinks that the Xilin Gate break was done by his daughter? Just to add weight to the fight against King Li?”
“The Nine Gates Patrol Battalion has just incurred His Majesty’s wrath, and His Majesty blames King Li for dealing with matters without distinguishing between priorities and public and private matters, and it just so happens that there was an accident at Xilin Gate, don’t tell me that this is a coincidence.”
“Father, the Rong family is full of loyalists, even if my daughter doesn’t have the clenched bones of her ancestors, she wouldn’t use the lives and safety of the people of the capital to calculate her own gains and losses! I am using extraordinary means, but only for self-preservation. Even if my daughter would do something like that which is not justified by heaven, King Yu would never tolerate it!”
Seeing Rong Xiangmian’s look of indignation, the Duke of England realized that he had wronged his daughter, and was a bit overwhelmed.
“It’s my father who is overly concerned, don’t take it to heart.”
At this time, Feiyun returned outside and said that everything was arranged, please the Duke of England to sleep in peace.
Rong Xiangmian turned around, avoiding his father’s apology, “Father go rest.”
The Duke of England knows that people who are aggrieved don’t get over it so quickly, so he doesn’t say much and walks straight out the door. When he reached the door, he suddenly turned back.
“If it wasn’t you guys, then who could have done it?”
Rong Xiangxian’s heart jumped: “Depending on this, whoever benefits the most in the end is the one who did it.”
At dawn the next day, Rong Xiangwang returned to the Yulong Mansion with King Qing to resume his orders to His Majesty.
His Majesty was having breakfast and when he saw that King Qing had come wounded, he put aside his chopsticks and asked what was wrong.
King Qing protected his wound and laughed, “Father, there is no need to worry. My son’s royal residence is near the Jumbo Pagoda, and last night I suddenly heard that there was a lot of chaos outside, with bandits killing, looting, and hurting the people. Because for a long time do not see the patrol battalion to come to deal with, then with the royal armor to maintain law and order on the street. My son had no experience in fighting and killing the enemy, and he was wounded in the battle. Fortunately, General Xiao Rong arrived in time to help my son calm the riot, and those bandits have been caught and imprisoned as much as possible.”
The Emperor stepped forward and examined King Qing’s injuries, and was busy calling out for the Imperial Physician.
Rong Xiangwang took the opportunity to hand over the token of the Patrol Battalion.
The emperor looked at his body clothes are all wet, stained with blood, face can also be seen residual dirty blood, presumably hastily washed a hand to face the Holy Spirit. Even so, a pair of eyes are extraordinarily god, not the slightest fatigue, heart sighs young really good.
The emperor pushed the token back into his hands, “I have ordered you to be the commander of the patrol battalion, are you refusing?”
Rong Xiangwang said bluntly, “Last night’s appointment was a matter of urgency. Xiangwang is too young to hold the important position of Patrol Battalion Commander.”
The Emperor glanced at the English Duke on the side and laughed, “This nephew of yours, his character is tainted with your prudence. If his father were here, he would never have excused himself.”
The Duke of England laughed: “Xiangwang is young and has already been honored with the third rank of Longchamp General, although it is an imaginary position, but it has already attracted people’s attention. If another important position, the old minister’s heart is uneasy, more afraid of the dynasty and the field of criticism.”
“You don’t have to care about those sour words. Xiangwang’s position as a commander and his title of Longchamp General are both earned by his own struggle. Besides, a commander of a patrol battalion is only the third rank, he was originally a third rank Longchamp general, what is there to be afraid of.”
The Duke of England heard, and immediately signaled Rong Xiangwang to thank the grace.
Only then was the Emperor satisfied and invited King Qing to take his seat, meaning to have breakfast together.
Rong Xiangwang immediately ordered his maid to go to the kitchen and added: “Second Highness wait a moment, the meal will be delivered immediately.”
King Qing was as amiable as ever: “It’s been hard on fourth sibling. The fourth brother is not at home, this huge royal residence you take care of in a well-organized manner, really admire.”
The Emperor also knew that Rong Xiang Xiang had a hard time meeting her and told her that she didn’t need to set up rules, but she insisted on serving at the side.
King Qing again takes the initiative to ask why the Emperor stayed overnight in the Yu Wang Mansion, so the Emperor tells him about last night’s events. King Qing immediately says, “Father must find out Yu Xiangyi’s whereabouts and clear Fourth Brother’s name.”
The emperor ate his breakfast and casually said, “This matter should have nothing to do with Xian Yang.”
King Qing had a moment of disbelief, not understanding why the Emperor was so convinced.
The emperor laughed, “Soon after Xian Yang had been to Descending Clouds Xuan, he had already written a letter saying that he happened to see a woman somewhat like Yu Xiangyi at Descending Clouds Xuan, but the other party did not recognize him. He asked me to send someone to find out where this woman came from. If it is true, please pardon Yu Xiangyi’s death sentence for the sake of her youth and allow her to redeem herself, be released from her lowly status, and be imprisoned in seclusion. If Xian Yang really wants to save Yu Xiangyi, why would he bother to tell me the truth? Wouldn’t it be better to do it quietly?”
As soon as these words came out, the surprise in King Qing’s eyes flickered, then he smiled and said, “Fourth brother is really a loyal and straightforward nature, he has nothing to hide from his father.”
Rong Xiangmian watched the scene peacefully, this was the idea she had given to Zhou Xian Yang.
In her previous life, after King Li ascended to the throne, the secret organ, the Penal Precepts Division, was also taken over by his people. She had thus, while accompanying the new emperor, seen some of the secret matters left behind by the previous emperor.
In one of the secret files, it was written “Yu Huazhou to Beijing”.
Rong Xiangmian did not understand these few words, but the new emperor said, “So father already knew.”
Rong Xiangmian heard Zhou Xianyang mention that Yu Xiangyi was abducted from Huazhou. The name of this place was rare, and after coming back and thinking carefully, she finally remembered this past event.
She pieced together a generalization. For Yu Xiangyi to survive in Mohe and return to the capital, it must have been the Emperor’s tacit approval or even covert assistance. He was observing, what was the reason for the Yu family’s desperate attempt to keep this child? Was it to connect with Zhou Xian Yang?
It was only because Zhou Xian Yang really had no connection with Xiang Yi that he had to ask the Jin King to invite Zhou Xian Yang to the Descending Cloud Pavilion to meet Xiang Yi. And then see what he did.
So she suggested that Zhou Xianyang write a letter to the court, so that he could be suspected of the crime and be taken out of the picture. After all, Yu Xiangyi’s life was not what the emperor minded, what he minded was whether Yu Xiangyi would collude with any powerful people and have plans.
Looking at King Qing’s appearance just now, Rong Xiangmian again understood who did the Xilinmen break.
This His Highness was indeed trying to be the Yellow Bird.
Soon after the palace came to deliver the court dress, His Majesty put it on, escorted by the feathered guards, he went out of the palace gate.
The generals of the Nine Gates Patrol Battalion knew that they had made a big mistake last night, and one by one they stood along the street with their heads hanging down, waiting for His Majesty to be sentenced.
The emperor took a look at the early morning street, the morning sunlight reveals a peaceful and quiet atmosphere, no last night’s swords and crossbows, fearful.
Then he said to Li Xun and other generals: “The patrol battalion did not handle things well, considering that you have made up for your faults by calming down the war last night, I won’t let you get away with it. Those who participated in the quelling of the rebellion, all have reward. Remember, your duty is to maintain the security of the capital, other things have nothing to do with you, shouldn’t say things don’t talk too much, beware of trouble coming out of the mouth.”
“My humble servant will respectfully follow the teachings.” The patrol battalion and others present immediately voted.
The emperor also said in a loud voice: “In the future, Rong Xiangwang is the commander of the patrol battalion, last night you also went to the battlefield to kill the enemy together, if there are those who do not want to serve can now come forward to explain. Otherwise in the future not to listen to his command, is disobedient to my will.”
When saying this, the emperor specifically looked at Li Xun and other patrol battalion generals.
Li Xun immediately took the lead in expressing his loyalty, stating that he would listen to General Xiaorong’s dispatch with all his heart.
After Manfu sent the Emperor and King Qing away, only then did Rong Xiangwang hold the token and sigh, “I’m still only eighteen, does His Majesty really want me to be the Patrol Battalion Commander?”
Rong Xiangwang laughed, “When your father was a First Grade Protectorate General, he wasn’t a few years older than you are now. A truly talented person is not in his age.”
Duke of England nudged him, “Li Xun that old greaseball, after so many years in the patrol battalion, how to do things he knows, you use him well that is.”
Rong Xiangwang nodded: “He is heroic in killing the enemy and is considered a talent. I will make good relations with him.”
After solemnly thanking his father and brother and sending them away, Rong Xiangwang then let go of his heart.
After being tired and tense all night, his nerves suddenly relaxed, and his entire body was about to collapse as if he could not support himself as if he were deflated.
Xiao Nan immediately and Fei Xue together, help her back to the bedroom to rest.
In her sleep, Rong Xiangmian always felt that Zhou Xianyang had returned.
In particular, he wanted to tell him, “I have lived up to your wishes, and half of the matter has been accomplished.”