Fairy, please let me explain

Chapter 727: Aoi's Northern Hunt
Unbeknownst to most people, the war has already begun.

Scouts fought, soldiers roared, flesh and blood piled up into mountains, blood flowed like rivers, it was as if the armies collided with each other, as if the heaven and earth were hanging upside down, and countless lives withered and died in an instant.

But at the origin of this war,

The power center of Da Yan,
The murderous atmosphere between the three old men quickly faded away.

Just because the prime minister left a way out.

Although Xu Yinhe brought the war that was quietly happening to the table, he did not reveal the name of the person who brazenly sent troops.

Maybe it's forbearance, maybe it's concession.

But no matter which one it is, it shows that the Prime Minister does not want to tear his face off now, and wants to fight and negotiate at the same time for the time being, and limit the war to Xizezhou, which is also in line with everyone's expectations in the short term.

Towed by the nine-headed earth dragon, the majestic and heavy emperor's palace slowly drove towards its destination. The Wugui Army, which had been guarding it all the way, stopped its formation outside the Imperial Dragon Forest, and the golden-armored imperial guards stationed in the hunting ground took over the responsibility of guarding.

Riding on a beast that looked like a Pixiu, Li Zhaoyuan, dressed in a python robe, calmly gazed at the distant land palace and the ink-and-wash mountains and forests shrouded in vast mist, his voice carrying a touch of reminiscence:
"This hunting ground really hasn't changed at all."

The general in front, who was wearing heavy armor and holding Li Zhaoyuan's horse, looked back with a hint of surprise:
"Your Highness should have been no more than a child at that time, how could you still remember it?"

Li Zhaoyuan gazed at the misty forest, his eyes seemed to penetrate time, and he smiled and murmured:
"I want to forget it, but I can't. I can't forget the scene when my mother and I were humiliated by the empress under the imperial dragon flag here."

The general retracted his gaze upon hearing this and whispered in a deep voice:

"Since you, Your Highness, took command of the army, the Queen must have had a hard time, especially in the past three days. The vicious woman must have been worried and terrified."

The emperor traveled before his death, but instead of having the imperial guards escort him, he let the second prince lead the army. This was already a very obvious political signal.

"The world is not yet settled, so don't speak rashly."

Li Zhaoyuan's voice lost its smile and said meaningfully, "My eldest brother just met the Third Young Master a few days ago, and the Third Young Master really seems to dislike me."

The words fell,

Li Zhaoyuan waved his hand to interrupt the general's words:
"Otomo, let's change the formation."

".yes."

As the military order was passed on, there was no bustling conversation among the troops, and the soldiers in dense formation began to change their formation in silence.

In addition to the central army surrounding the center of the formation, tens of thousands of soldiers efficiently and quickly dispersed to the surroundings, forming a siege array, surrounding the Imperial Dragon Hunting Ground.

When the formation was over, the Emperor's Palace was completely hidden in the vast Huanglong Mountain Forest. Li Zhaoyuan's calm eyes finally showed a hint of emotion, and he murmured in a low voice:

"Today should be the day for Father to make a decision. We must prepare in advance."

"The Wugui Army has changed its formation."

Under the yellow umbrella, looking at the Qi waves rising from the formation behind him, Ran Jianli stroked his stubble and said with a smile: "Ran, I don't know military formations. Prime Minister, can you help me see what formation this is?"

"Is the Imperial Master worried about Zhao Yuan?"

Before Xu Yinhe could speak, Li Yaoxuan raised his drooping eyelids slightly and stared at Ran Jianli with a meaningful smile in his eyes: "With the cultivation level of the national teacher, if you can't break this military formation, can you still escape?"

Ran Jianli's face twitched.

He never expected Li Yaoxuan's words to be so direct.

However, he thought that the other party's deadline was imminent, and it seemed that there was really no need to hide it anymore, so he replied unhappily:
"Your Majesty, you are really joking. With an army of this size, the three of us together should be able to barely break it, right?"

Speaking of which,
Ran Jianli suddenly asked back:
"Your Majesty, do you still remember the incident of the Northern Hunting of Concubine Qin?"

Princess Qin, mother of Li Zhaoyuan.

Li Yaoxuan recalled for a moment, his cloudy eyes subconsciously glanced at the flat land to the west of the palace, and said softly:
"National Master, are you referring to the Northern Expedition of Guiwei thirty years ago?"

Ran Jianli smiled and nodded:

"It was the Northern Hunting where His Royal Highness the Second Prince won first place."

In the extraordinary world, the top dignitaries must be martial. Even those emerging century-old families have a complete system for testing the martial virtues of their descendants, and touring is one of the tests that the royal family uses to test the princes.

Before Kui went hunting in the north, Prince Zhaoyuan won the first place with a crushing advantage at the age of 18. The emperor and empress were jealous, so they made his mother stand and serve tea in front of all the civil and military officials in the court to show their "closeness". Later, they ordered the mother and son to pay their respects in front of the royal family's flags, but they were not allowed to get up without being heard from.

Kneeling before the banner of the royal family was a reward for the illegitimate princes, but usually they could stand up and receive the imperial award after three kowtows and nine bows. However, the empress said, "Zhaoyuan is so talented, the royal family will surely be pleased. If you kowtow sincerely, I think there will be a response." She made them kneel before the banner of the royal family for ten days. After the Northern Expedition, Li Zhaoyuan and his mother were brought back to the palace together.

Thinking of this, Li Yaoxuan's expression did not change at all:
"I do remember the Northern Expedition. It was not easy for Zhao Yuan to show his filial piety in front of the hall."

"Exerting filial piety in front of the hall?"

Ran Jianli glanced at the Wugui Army with a dim gaze, shook his head, and said:

"Your Majesty, I remember that the Empress also sent the Second Prince to Jingshu Palace for seven years."

The end of the Guiwei Northern Expedition was not the end of the competition for the first place, but just the beginning.

After returning to the palace, the emperor and empress said, "You have not kowtowed to the ancestors with a sincere heart, so keep kneeling." Then they sent Li Zhaoyuan and his mother to the cold palace, set up a royal family flag in the courtyard, and forced the mother and son to continue kneeling.

The queen, who was high and mighty, only needed to say a few words, but they were like mountains to Concubine Qin, who was born a palace maid, and Li Zhaoyuan, who was born out of wedlock.

Li Zhaoyuan and Concubine Qin knelt for seven years.

Seven years is the upper limit.

Because the royal family sent people to confer the title of king on Li Zhaoyuan.

When he turned sixteen, he had to leave the palace.

In these seven years,

The cold palace without any source of Qi caused Li Zhaoyuan's cultivation to stagnate.

Because she had to kneel down for years and was unable to get up, the shallow-minded Concubine Qin almost died several times.

And these,
Li Yaoxuan just watched quietly.

Thinking of this,
Ran Jianli looked directly into Li Yaoxuan's eyes, smiled softly and asked:
"After such an experience, Your Majesty, aren't you worried that the Second Prince won't even be able to perform his filial duties in front of the emperor?"

"National Master, he won't worry."

Xu Yinhe suddenly interrupted at this time, his tone calm: "If the second prince has the ability to kill his father here, he will be very happy.

"Am I right, Your Majesty?"

"."

The air was silent for a moment.

When the etiquette between the monarch and his subjects began to break down, all words gradually became direct.

Li Yaoxuan's old and haggard face gradually revealed a smile, and his skinny body trembled slightly because of his low laugh. He raised his eyes with a hint of complexity, stared at his old friend, and said with a smile:

"As expected, Yin He, you understand me the best."

Xu Yinhe did not express anything extra, and asked expressionlessly:
"So, Your Majesty, are you prepared for him to kill his father?"

Li Yaoxuan thought about it for a while and did not deny it:

"I did some things, but there are some things that even I can't do anything about."

"If the Second Prince really has this intention, he will definitely take these things into consideration."

"You think highly of Zhao Yuan."

"No, that premise is that the Second Prince really dares to do it."

Xu Yinhe shook his head, glanced at the scattered military formations on the horizon, and said:
"But judging from the formation of the army, the Second Prince must be waiting for your decision, Your Majesty."

How could Li Yaoxuan not understand this? He sighed softly:
"Maybe if I had made the decision earlier, he wouldn't have to wait for me anymore, but..."

Speaking of which,
Li Yaoxuan suddenly looked at Xu Yinhe, his eyes dark and deep:

"Prime Minister,
"I have prepared for my afterlife, what about you?"

(End of this chapter)