"Your Highness!" As soon as Song Yinghuai finished speaking, Zhu Xiao stood up excitedly. "This incident started because of me. I'll take responsibility. Your Highness must not compromise and apologize to the young emperor for my sake!"
Even the usually steady Tan Xiong couldn't sit still. "Isn't it just a false accusation of treason? It's so laughable. If Your Highness wanted the throne, after the death of the former crown prince, the imperial grandson would never have had a chance!"
Fang Kuan said, "That Li Muge did it on purpose. He came to the military camp looking for faults. I think he's just taking revenge. Your Highness scared him so much that he wet his pants at the banquet that day. Then he came to make things difficult for us. Bah! He's overestimating himself!"
Zhang Ce said, "I think he was instructed by the young emperor to deliberately pick a fight and force Your Highness to return the military power. We mustn't fall into their trap!"
Ma Mo said, "Your Highness, how about I secretly go to the Li Mansion and cut his throat? It'll be all over. At worst, Your Highness can sacrifice my life to the young emperor. Anyway, the dead can't come back to life. Without that treacherous official by his side, what can the young emperor do?"
"Silence!" Song Yinghuai suddenly looked cold and shouted. "You also know that the dead can't come back to life..."
As if thinking of something, he even choked for a moment.
Everyone immediately shut up and stared at Song Yinghuai in a daze.
The fact that the dead can't come back to life had hit a sore spot with His Highness!
It had made him think of Caiyu, who would never return.
"Amitabha." Master Guangzhi finally spoke up. "The old monk believes that Your Highness must have a plan. Let's listen to His Highness."
Song Yinghuai's emotions were in turmoil. After a long time, he slowly said, "The dead can't come back to life. The most important woman in my life has passed away. You are my most important brothers. I can't bear any of you having an accident..."
"This capital is a place that restricts us. Have you been happy here?"
Zhu Xiao and the others immediately shook their heads.
"I, Old Zhu, still like the sandstorms in Yanjing, the strong liquor outside the pass, and training the troops freely!"
"That's right. The people in this capital are so petty and always engaged in internal strife. It's so annoying!"
Song Yinghuai nodded. "The young emperor has been on the throne for almost two years. He's grown up and naturally has the desire to rule on his own. Although I haven't been in the capital for the past two years, I have my eyes and ears everywhere. Every word and deed of the young emperor has been under my control and supervision... He has long harbored rebellious thoughts."
Tan Xiong sneered. "That ignorant young brat! If it weren't for Your Highness and our faction, could he have sat firmly on the throne? He would have been pulled down by his uncles long ago!"
"Especially the Prince of Ning. He has a strong influence in Liaodong. If it weren't for Your Highness's deterrence, he would have rebelled long ago!"
"He's so ungrateful!"
Song Yinghuai rubbed his temples. "Old Tan, you're getting off track. I called you here this time to end the half - month - long factional strife. The young emperor just wants to take back the military power of the capital troops. I'll return it to him."
"The capital troops are originally the emperor's own army. If he wants them, let him have them!"
Master Guangzhi was silent for a moment and then said, "Since Your Highness intends to return to Yan, then go..."
The white - bearded old monk raised his eyebrows. "The old monk also misses the deities in the Great Enshrinement Temple. Having to deal with you laymen all day long, the old monk's nose is filled with the smell of wine and meat. The old monk almost forgets that he's a monk."
Song Yinghuai nodded. "In that case, I'll immediately enter the palace to request to resign from the title of regent and lead the Yan troops back to Yan."
Zhang Ce said, "That's good. Yan is vast. If we go back there, we can be like kings in our own territory, riding horses and hunting. It'll be so carefree. Why should we be restricted in the capital?"
Seeing that everyone had reached a consensus, Song Yinghuai entered the palace.
As soon as he left, everyone's faces showed worry.
Zhu Xiao said, "I think His Highness is disheartened and has no interest in politics. The war is over, and the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun have been recovered, but the woman who could have shared the prosperous era with him is gone... He has no interest in doing anything."
Tan Xiong was also worried. "I think so too. Otherwise, with His Highness's usual personality, how could he have allowed that villain Li Muge to bully him, and how could he have let the young emperor act recklessly?"
Zhang Ce scratched his face. "When we get to Yan, we'll find more beautiful women for His Highness to cheer him up!"
Fang Kuan and the others rolled their eyes. "You're so stupid! The Princess of Nan'an has been following His Highness in battles for over a year. She has a high status and a straightforward personality. She's a rare good match... But have you seen His Highness show the slightest bit of interest in her?"
Ma Mo said, "His heart is as still as water, as still as water..."
For a moment, everyone was silent.
After a long time, Master Guangzhi slowly said, "Look at how pitiful the people in this world are. They can't get what they like. They don't cherish what they have. They suspect each other when they're together. They miss each other after they lose each other. They want to meet again when they miss each other. They regret not meeting earlier when they meet. In the end, they have two grand feasts, but their whole lives are filled with regrets!"
"Amitabha..."
---
In the midsummer of the second year of the Xuanwen era of the Great Ye Dynasty, the young emperor finally got back the capital troops he had been longing for!
Next, as soon as Song Yinghuai left the capital, he would issue an imperial edict to weaken the power of the vassal princes!
The midsummer was as hot as a song. Before leaving the capital, Song Yinghuai went to Wutong Courtyard.
Coincidentally, since Xiao Rencheng took office as the governor of the five provinces, Wutong Courtyard had been empty.
Later, after Lan Jinxiang regained her freedom, she refused to go anywhere else. Instead, she took a fancy to Wutong Courtyard and insisted on moving in.
Xu Ziyi was relieved when he saw that she had no intention of leaving far away.
As long as she was willing to stay in the capital, it didn't matter where she lived.
Wutong Courtyard would do.
He asked Song Yinghuai for the land deed, bought Wutong Courtyard, and then gave it to Lan Jinxiang.
Lan Jinxiang wasn't polite at all. She directly accepted it, saying that it was what Xu Ziyi owed her.
Xu Ziyi wasn't angry either. He helped Lan Jinxiang move her luggage into Wutong Courtyard. That night, he volunteered to stay and never left.
No matter how hard Lan Jinxiang kicked him, he wouldn't leave.
When Song Yinghuai stepped into the gate, he happened to hear a loud noise inside. It was the sound of the door being slammed shut.
Then, the prestigious Second Master Xu, the elder of the cabinet, appeared in the courtyard bare - chested.
The servants in Wutong Courtyard were so scared that they scurried around. No one dared to look at their master's embarrassment.
Song Yinghuai stood at the courtyard gate and was silent for a moment. After listening to Second Master Xu knocking on the door for a while, he finally spoke, "Second Master, how are you?"
Xu Ziyi's body stiffened. When he slowly turned around, his face showed embarrassment. "... Your Highness, the Prince of Yan, what are you doing here?"
"I'm here to bid farewell to you two."
The door was suddenly opened again, and Lan Jinxiang's overbearing face appeared at the door.
She looked at Song Yinghuai coldly. "Bid farewell? Do you still have the face to go back alive?"
"Xiang'er!" Xu Ziyi looked at her happily as she walked out and quickly greeted her.
Lan Jinxiang frowned angrily. "There's something in my mansion that shouldn't be here. Why don't you drive it away?"
Xu Ziyi said helplessly, "Don't be so angry. Your Highness didn't protect Miss San that day. He didn't want that to happen either..."
"Shut up!" Lan Jinxiang said. "Not being able to protect her means he's incompetent. A real man can't even protect his own woman. Does he still have the face to live?"
"He's like this, and so are you!"
Xu Ziyi felt so wronged. "Didn't I protect you when you were sentenced to death this time? Lan Jinxiang, be reasonable!"
Lan Jinxiang gave him a cold look. "Are you taking credit? Should I promise to marry you to repay you for saving my life?"
Xu Ziyi said, "I'd be more than happy... Er, I agree, I agree. I'm not taking credit. I'm just reasoning with you. He couldn't protect Miss San. Don't take your anger out on me!"
"Since that's the case, I won't take my anger out on you. Leave quickly!" Lan Jinxiang was driving him away. "You're not allowed to come near my room today!"
"Hey!" Xu Ziyi was shocked. Then he looked at Song Yinghuai resentfully. "You can leave if you want. Why did you come to provoke her? I'm not even allowed to get close to the room because of you."
Song Yinghuai stared at him blankly, and an infinite sense of envy welled up in his heart.
If it were Caiyu scolding him like this today, he would probably have fainted from happiness.