bullyxtreme Chapter 308 3 year later
Chapter 308 3 year later
Chapter 308 Three Years Later
"What we should do now is to bide our time and conceal our strength..."
At the grand court assembly, the courtiers were in an uproar because the envoy delegation had not yet returned.
Everyone felt that the existence of the Brown Kingdom was a thorn in their side, and now the court was divided into two factions, war and peace, arguing incessantly every day.
Fang Xunshan, the leader of the pro-war faction and a civil official, said: "It's not like we're pregnant. Even if we don't start a war, the Brown Kingdom will. If we go first, we can at least seize the initiative."
Are the peace faction utterly spineless? The Crown Prince said, "At least they won't initiate war now. We should take advantage of this time to develop our national strength."
Minister Qi of the Ministry of Personnel said, “What is there that we can’t do? Everything is changing, and we should never continue to look at the Brown Kingdom with the same old perspective.”
Liao Hongsheng: "We only talk about fighting, but what will we use to fight, and who will fight? Da Yong has not fought a war for many years, the army has not been tempered, and most of the soldiers are inexperienced. We clearly have the upper hand, so why should we risk our lives to win? Is such a great advantage just going to be wasted?"
Out of consideration for Zheng Xun's presence, they spoke cryptically, but every courtier there understood their meaning.
"If the Brown Kingdom dares to detain its envoy, what else wouldn't they dare to do?"
At this point, Fengqin Hall fell silent.
Although they knew the mission would be extremely dangerous, when it actually happened, they considered many other possibilities.
The emperor of the Brown Kingdom has blatantly laid bare his hostility towards the Great Yong Kingdom.
No one can swallow this insult.
Zheng Xun did not stop their argument, but instead opened the system again for a look.
Since the mission left, this has become her daily habit.
Although she couldn't see what was happening over there, she could still deduce some information from the system's data.
For example, two names suddenly appeared on the system a few days ago—Fu Ling and Fu Xiaoyan.
She therefore deduced that although the mission encountered difficulties, they were actively dealing with them.
Upon opening the system page, Zheng Xun immediately saw the latest message. Her face lit up with joy, and she turned on the screen.
As the curtain of heaven was drawn back, the ministers showed no interest in watching the drama unfold.
Because they actually spotted the delegation.
What does this mean?
This means they have already set foot on the territory of Dayong!
It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back...
[One, two... five people are missing]
Zheng Xun's words were calm, yet they inexplicably evoked a sense of sorrow.
Five people...
Brown Country deserves to die!
The Minister of Rites stared in disbelief at an unfamiliar face on the screen.
That face was both unfamiliar and familiar, yet also strange.
He was still young when his aunt "died," and he hadn't seen her for so many years, so his memory of her had long since faded.
He turned his head to look at Minister Yuan, who was standing next to him.
Although Yuan Sui hadn't met Fu Ling much, it was clear that the Minister of Rites needed affirmation at this time.
So he nodded firmly.
The Minister of Rites turned his gaze back to the light screen.
As he watched, his eyes gradually reddened.
He choked up and could not speak.
"aunt……"
Zheng Xun waited until they calmed down a bit before saying, "Alright, there's no need to argue anymore. We have to fight, but not now. Not only can we not start a war, but we also have to delay the Brown Kingdom's start of the war as much as possible and continuously wear down their national strength."
She is confident, but by no means arrogant.
Having an enemy like King Yong is enough to make one wary.
Zheng Xun glanced at the emperor sitting on the dragon throne to the side. He didn't speak, which meant he acquiesced.
The pro-war faction remained silent.
Seeing that most of the delegation had returned safely and alive, everyone's excitement subsided considerably.
Over time, they have grown accustomed to the princess's style; she is not absolute in her word, but once she has made a decision, she rarely allows anyone to object.
Unfortunately, she rarely makes mistakes, and gradually, everyone has learned to accept her.
Initially, with the instruction to "hide one's strength and bide one's time" being given, this period of biding one's time lasted for more than three years.
Over the past three years, the Dayong Dynasty has developed rapidly. The emperor has survived a near-death experience, the crown prince's second child has been born, and Zheng Xun's authority has grown increasingly profound.
It's obvious to everyone that the princess is the crown prince.
However, the emperor neither deposed the crown prince nor took back the power from Zheng Xun.
He ultimately did not distance himself from politics, but he supported every decision Zheng Xun made, even those that contradicted his own plans.
The ministers couldn't understand it.
But that doesn't stop anything.
Another year is coming to an end.
Zheng Xun just celebrated his fourteenth birthday.
A heavy snow fell on the day of the ancestral worship ceremony, covering the city's green and red tiles with a blanket of white.
In the past, the ancestral worship ceremony was always performed by the Crown Prince and Zheng Xun, accompanied by the Emperor and Empress. However, this year's ceremony only included Zheng Xun's name.
The ministers knew that this must be a sign of something.
However, the emperor would not offer them answers, nor could they ask him.
The emperor was well aware of their thoughts.
Before the winter festival began, he was joking with Zheng Xun: "They must be incredibly anxious right now."
Zhichun solemnly adjusted Zheng Xun's hair ornament.
Zheng Xun chuckled, "Father, stop teasing them. Being a subject isn't easy."
She wore a python robe, mainly in black and red, which was solemn and dignified. A majestic golden dragon was embroidered on it with gold thread, and the golden crown she had just put on was also in the shape of a dragon, not a phoenix.
This outfit was commissioned by the emperor and made by the Imperial Textile Bureau. Its style was based on the Crown Prince's ceremonial robes and crown, and it looks grand from afar and exquisite up close.
The emperor's intentions were crystal clear.
The Empress, standing beside him, smiled and praised, "Yuan Jia is still best suited to this kind of attire."
Although Zheng Xun's previous clothing was generally more formal, she still opted for a more youthful look due to her age.
Unexpectedly, her imposing presence made the formal robes even more impressive.
Looking through the mirror, Zheng Xun saw only the Empress's genuine smile.
She appeared unusually pleased, seemingly even happier than Zheng Xun, the person involved.
Zheng Xun smiled slightly: "It's all thanks to the Empress Dowager."
This imperial robe was chosen under the personal supervision of the Empress, who offered many suggestions before it was finalized.
The Imperial Textile Bureau originally intended to make a men's set, but the Empress rejected it, resulting in the current elegant yet graceful design.
Her dedication is fully reflected in this outfit.
For a long time, Zheng Xun harbored suspicions about the Empress.
The empress is intelligent and ambitious. Would such a person really harbor no resentment towards the person who took her son's position?
There were some reservations, but the Empress would weigh the pros and cons, and she cared more about her child than the position of Crown Prince.
Zheng Xun's smile became even more genuine.
She likes people who are loyal and devoted to their country.
Zhichun helped her put on the earrings and respectfully asked, "Princess, is there anything that doesn't fit?"
Zheng Xun looked at it with satisfaction: "That's it, very good."
Li Xiaojun announced the time, and the emperor stood up: "Let's go."
It was just dawn, the sky was only slightly white, and there was still some time before daybreak.
Zheng Xun walked behind the Emperor and Empress, his robes trailing on the carpet, making a soft rustling sound.