In the early morning of this day, Shangguan Wan Ning, Lu Tong and several other maids were collecting dew to make tea in the garden, when they saw her father coming over with a worried look on his face.
"Dad, if you keep your head down when you walk, you will hit a pillar."
Shangguan Wan Ning greeted him, helped her father sit down at the stone table in the garden, ordered Lu Tong to make a pot of good tea, and brought over several plates of exquisite pastries.
"You have just had your morning session, so you must be hungry. Eat something first."
Shangguan Yue felt much better looking at his considerate daughter. He took a sip of hot tea and let out a long sigh of relief.
"What is Dad worried about?"
"The imperial court has just received a tip-off that a group of bandits have appeared in Yunshan County, a hundred miles away from the capital. They are large in number and commit crimes of burning, killing, looting, and causing great trouble to the local people. The emperor is looking for candidates to lead the troops.
Extermination, but... Looking at the imperial court, no one is willing to take the initiative to go to war."
Shangguan Wan Ning's movements paused, and an idea flashed in her mind.
She remembered that at this time in her previous life, there was indeed such a rebellion. At that time, the emperor could not find a suitable candidate, so he had to ask his uncle, who had just returned to Beijing, to lead the army.
Letting the generals guarding the border do such trivial tasks as suppressing bandits is overkill.
"It seems that the only choice is to let your uncle take action." Shangguan Yue was extremely dissatisfied with the attitude of the Manchu generals who were greedy for life and fearful of death.
Shangguan Wan Ning stood up and walked around behind her father, bowing her back diligently for him.
"Dad, don't worry. There are only tens of thousands of bandits on my uncle's expedition, so why bother?"
Shangguan Yue smiled and nodded, patting the back of his daughter's hand gently, feeling deeply pleased.
The next day when she entered the palace to pay her respects, Shangguan Wanning specially put on delicate and elegant makeup and wandered around the imperial garden, waiting for Xiao Zhenting to pass by on his way to the morning court.
Sure enough, when Xiao Zhenting saw Shangguan Wan Ning, he immediately came over on his own initiative.
"Whose girl do I think is? The flowers in the garden have all lost their color. Turns out it's Ning'er who's here?"
With a smile on his face, Xiao Zhenting stretched out his hand to grab it. When he walked to Shangguan Wan Ning, he opened his palm and a colorful butterfly flapped its wings and slowly flew to her eyebrows.
This scene made Shangguan Wan Ning, who was already the most beautiful woman in the world, look even more delicate and charming, like a fairy who had strayed into the mortal world.
Xiao Zhenting looked a little dazed.
"Second Prince, please don't make fun of me. I'm worried." Shangguan Wan Ning sighed deeply, turned around, picked a flower and played with it in her hand.
Seeing her coquettish and angry look, Xiao Zhenting's heart was filled with excitement.
How could he miss this great opportunity to be courteous?
"Who made Ning'er angry? Tell me."
Shangguan Wan Ning looked back at Xiao Zhenting, sighed and said: "I heard from my father that the emperor is going to send my uncle to go out to suppress the bandits. I have been closest to my uncle since I was a child, and he has to go to the battlefield not long after he comes back. I can't bear it.
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Xiao Zhenting was slightly startled. He didn't want to get involved in this matter. What's more, important affairs of the government cannot be changed based on the joy, anger, sorrow, and joy of his little daughter.
"Second Prince, I heard that the group of bandits has a large number of people, and the leader is an expert in using troops. On the battlefield, life or death will be difficult to determine."
As Shangguan Wan Ning spoke, she secretly observed the change in Xiao Zhenting's expression from the corner of her eye.
"I don't know if my uncle offended someone in the court, so he went to the battlefield before he could take a breath. This method of dealing with political opponents is really clever. Killing without blood."
Xiao Zhenting's body stiffened, and the look in his eyes when he looked at Shangguan Wan Ning changed a bit.
"I'm sorry, Second Prince, did Ning'er say something wrong?" Shangguan Wan Ning asked tentatively.
Xiao Zhenting came back to his senses, raised the corners of his mouth, and smiled fondly.
"Ning'er, don't worry too much. I'll think of a way to see if... I can let your uncle stay with you."
"Thank you, Second Prince."
Shangguan Wan Ning bowed and bowed, lowered her eyes, and suppressed the smile on her lips.
Sure enough, news came from the palace the next day that the emperor had ordered His Highness the Crown Prince to personally lead the troops to the expedition in order to boost morale.
Shangguan Wan Ning didn't know what method Xiao Zhenting used to facilitate this matter. Her goal had been achieved.
This expedition is a good opportunity to improve Xiao Yujue's prestige among the people, and it can also make Mu Jingrui famous earlier.
She believed that with Mu Jingrui's ability, it would not be difficult to win this battle. She could also gain Xiao Yujue's trust through this.
It's like killing three birds with one stone.
In the prince's residence, the atmosphere was gloomy and depressing.
Xiao Yujue kept pacing back and forth in the study, while You Zhenzhen stood aside, looking at him anxiously and resentfully, but hesitated to speak.
Xiao Yujue has been restless since receiving the imperial edict.
Over the years, he has lived a cautious and cautious life, walking on thin ice in the court. Although he has studied the art of war, actually leading troops to fight is another matter.
What's more, the deputy general assigned to him by the imperial court was a new military champion with no experience at all.
How can the combination of the two of them fight this battle?
Xiao Yujue had a splitting headache.
"Your Highness, Mu Jingrui would like to see you." The guard outside the door came in to report.
Xiao Yujue frowned, thought for a while and then said: "Pass."
Not long after, Mu Jingrui walked in under the guidance of the guards.
"See His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
"What's the matter?" Xiao Yujue forced herself to calm down, opened the folding fan and shook it gently, looking at Mu Jingrui indifferently.
Mu Jingrui noticed Xiao Yujue's scrutiny and raised his head to look at Xiao Yujue.
"My subordinates want to follow His Highness the Crown Prince on an expedition."
Xiao Yujue closed her folding fan and leaned forward.
In my desperation just now, I didn't think of it, but Mu Jingrui was the Queen of the General. His father was as famous as Zheng Binghong.
"You... know how to fight?" Xiao Yujue was a little worried.
Mu Jingrui said calmly: "My subordinate has been practicing martial arts since he was a child. He went to the frontier with his father at the age of nine, and went into battle to kill the enemy at the age of fourteen. I can't say that he is as successful as his father, but he has learned some things and should be able to
I can help His Royal Highness."
Xiao Yujue stared at Mu Jingrui and fell into a long silence.
The incident last time made him wary of Mu Jingrui and he couldn't fully trust him.
But in the current situation, he really can no longer find anyone who is good at using soldiers and trustworthy.
For long-term plans, he needs generals who are good at fighting.
Xiao Yujue took a deep breath, gritted her teeth and made a decision.
"Okay, I will make you a pioneer and follow me on the expedition." Xiao Yujue stood up and walked to Mu Jingrui, patted his shoulder and promised, "If we can return victorious this time, from now on, it will be
The friendship between life and death."
"Thank you, Your Highness, Prince." Mu Jingrui's face remained expressionless, but a pair of clear and bright eyes appeared in his mind.