Who says the prince is weak and can't take care of himself?

Chapter 224: I woke up after sleeping enough

Qi Xiao left Baixi Bridge in the occupier's office and dug three feet deep into the ground, then he went up to the city gate under the stars.

Shuoliang City had just been captured, and the people in the city were in a panic. The Chen army had strict military discipline, and it was not the first time they had captured a city. They took over the city defense very quickly, and anyone who took advantage of the chaos to cause trouble was imprisoned. Qi Xiao had been in good order along the way.

Qi Xiao couldn't help but sigh as he stood at the city gate. When he left Yongcheng, only Bai Xiqiao and Zong Sheng followed him. The journey from Chen to Qi was extremely difficult, but it was difficult at the same time. There were so many people around him who were willing to risk their lives to help him. There were two veteran generals, Chen Heng and Lu Xiulin, and people like Yan Chuan under his command who were capable of taking on important tasks and could even command the Tiance and Xuanji battalions.

He has admired General Bai Liu since he was a child. When he was reading military books with his master, he always imagined that one day in the future, he would be able to stand on the city gate and look down on the world. Just imagining it could make the young him excited.

At this moment, he was really standing here. The land under his feet was the territory of Qi before today, but now it has been renamed Qi. He should be proud, but now he did not feel much excitement or joy in his heart. He could faintly smell the stench of blood and gunpowder at the tip of his nose, which even made him a little unhappy.

He had been unwilling to be an obscure, idle prince, unwilling to live a life of idleness. He hated the emperor's indifference to his mother and his indifference to him. He wanted to achieve great things, prove himself, make his mother proud, and win honor and favor for her. He did all this, but it was too late. Concubine Lin still didn't have time to witness it all.

Qi Xiao tilted his head slightly and looked at the empty space beside him.

Tang Ling once stood shoulder to shoulder with him, holding his hand tightly, standing on the city gate of Bashan, gazing far to the south. He said he would wait for him to come back.

It was too late, too late. Even Tang Ling couldn't be by his side, share his victory, or be proud of him. When he raised his hand, he couldn't even hold onto the hot summer night breeze. What fun was that?

Without Tang Ling by his side, the supreme position is meaningless, the unprecedented military achievements are meaningless, and the power over the world is still meaningless.

Zong Sheng was guarding Qi Xiao not far away, and couldn't help but sigh when he saw his lonely appearance.

"General." Lu Xiulin walked towards Qi Xiao with Yan Chuan.

"How is the situation in the city?"

Lu Xiulin said, "The city has been almost completely cleared. The captives have been taken out of the city and temporarily housed. All government offices have been taken over. Chen Heng has taken his men to take inventory of the Ministry of Revenue and the national treasury."

Yan Chuan smiled and said, "We've caught quite a few thieves. Everything else in the city is fine."

"Thank you for your hard work." Qi Xiao nodded and said to Lu Xiulin, "I'd also like to trouble General Lu to go to Ji Yu."

Shuoliang was broken, and Fu Shouguang did not come to cause trouble, but he still had 100,000 people under his command. There were still two states from Shuoliang to Liujiang to be conquered, so he had to send someone to persuade them to surrender.

Lu Xiulin replied, "I will obey your orders."

"Yan Chuan, please go to the Feng family for me and take over the three southern states."

"The last general takes orders."

After inspecting the city defense and instructing Lu Xiulin and Yan Chuan on follow-up matters, Qi Xiao didn't want to go back to the camp to sleep, so he turned back to the office.

Bai Xiqiao sat in the side room, propping up his head and yawning. Seeing Qi Xiao coming back, he couldn't help but frown: "Why are you here again? Why don't you go back to sleep?"

"There are plenty of rooms in the backyard of the office. Go and sleep, Senior Brother."

Bai Xiqiao looked at Qi Xiao and sighed for a long time: "Why are you more anxious than me?"

Qi Xiao seemed to have made up his mind before heading south. When Shuoliang City was broken, the most important thing was not to break into the Qi Palace or seize the imperial seal and political power, but to occupy the office.

Others might not know, but Bai Xiqiao knew best. Qi Xiao sought the truth about the murders of his father, Bai Liu, and their master, Gu Shanmo. The truth they had been unable to uncover in Yuanjing City was now stored in the Divination Office. Deciphering the secret letter would reveal the truth of those years.

***

In the blink of an eye, summer turned into autumn, and Tang He brought Tang Ling back to Shaoyang, the capital of Zhou State. They had just entered the mansion and had not yet had time to go to the palace to pay their respects to the emperor and the empress dowager when the news from Xingluowei arrived.

"My Lord, Prince, news from Yuanjing."

Tang He took the letter, waved his hand, and told everyone to leave. He glanced at Tang Ling and said, "Why, are you so disappointed that it's not Qi's military report?"

Tang Ling pursed her lips lightly and said nothing.

After reading the letter, Tang He handed it to Tang Ling. "This King of Chu is truly capable... You killed quite a few people from the Capital Affairs Office in Chenjing. They're not getting the news that quickly right now, but with something this big, it won't take more than a few days..."

Tang Yan sighed, not wanting to continue. He walked out of the room, leaving Tang Ling alone, and said, "You can do whatever you want."

Tang Ling looked at the letter in her hand and was silent for a long time.

The letter said that the King of Chu had found irrefutable evidence from the divination office that the Qin family had colluded with the enemy and committed treason and framed General Bai Liu. The Emperor of Chen was furious and issued an edict to depose the queen. He ordered the death of his brother-in-law Qin Rui, who was accused of colluding with the enemy, and made the fifth prince the Prince of Huaixi and banished him from Yuanjing, never to return.

The Qin and Gongsun clans had fought for decades, only to be defeated by Qi Xiao. Like two towering mountains in Yuanjing, one collapsed. Before the Gongsun clan could rejoice, another imperial decree followed.

The Emperor, by the Mandate of Heaven, proclaims: "I have inherited the noble mandate, and the benevolent grace of the emperor has brought prosperity to all. Our nation enjoys the blessing of Heaven, and enjoys the prosperity of the sun and moon. Grain and silk are piled high, and we are blessed with great prosperity. The ninth son of the Emperor, Qi Xiao, is brilliant, wise, respectful, filial, brotherly, loyal, and faithful. He is the will of Heaven. I hereby faithfully obey the initial decree, observe the proper etiquette, and comply with public opinion. With respectful notice to Heaven and Earth, the ancestral temples, and the altar of state, I bestow upon him the imperial seal and seal, appointing him Crown Prince and placing him squarely in the Crown Prince's seat, to strengthen the rule for eternity and unify the hearts of the people. This announcement shall be made throughout the land, for all to know."

Tang Ling's fingers involuntarily flexed, the letter tightly gripped in his palm. It wasn't that Tang Ling hadn't considered Qi Xiao would be appointed Crown Prince, but he hadn't expected it to happen so soon. Qi Xiao hadn't even returned to the State of Chen before the imperial edict had already been issued.

As soon as the Qin family fell, His Majesty propped up another one. Not only did he prop up another, but he also directly appointed Qi Xiao as the crown prince. His Majesty's intentions were clear to all who understood: first, to stabilize the court, so that if the Qin family fell, the monkeys would not rush to kneel before the Gongsun family; second, to intimidate the Gongsun family, saying that if they dared to do anything on Qi Xiao's way back to Yuanjing, they would be guilty of treason.

Another purpose was to sever Qi Xiao's attachment to Tang Ling. His Majesty could grant him supreme power—now the Crown Prince, and in the future the Emperor—and Qi Xiao should be sensible and sensible. Since Qi Xiao had been appointed Crown Prince, according to the agreement between Chen and Zhou, he must marry Princess Xihe. Even if Qi Xiao's temper was wild, and he dared abandon the war to find Tang Ling, would Tang Ling destroy the agreement he had personally brokered?

"..." Tang Ling took a deep breath and sat down. Hadn't he expected this a long time ago? Hadn't his father expected this too?

He knew it all! The Bai Liu affair, the Yuanjing case, the Chen-Zhou peace talks, the coalition plan, the plan to attack Qi—every single one of them was either instigated by him or orchestrated by him. He was the one who pushed Qi Xiao into that position! Isn't this exactly what he wanted to achieve?!

But why did his heart ache so much? It felt like a sharp knife had pierced his chest. The pain made him unable to breathe, his whole body trembled, and he couldn't help crying...

Tang Yan asked him if they were done, but he couldn't answer. He couldn't stop thinking about and loving Qi Xiao, and couldn't bear to let him go. Qi Xiao was his, his... He had made a promise to be together forever, so why did he break it with his own hands?

Qing Lan came with new clothes to help Tang Ling wash and change, preparing to enter the palace. Before she even entered, she saw him fainted on the ground. She was horrified: "Master?! Master! Someone come! Someone come!"

***

The mountains are covered with lush trees and hundreds of birds are chirping.

Tang Ling was trapped in a fog. The vast and cold fog wrapped him up like a huge silkworm cocoon, making him unable to see the way he came and not knowing where to go.

The lush trees around him became barriers that surrounded him, and the birdsong in the forest seemed to be mocking and urging him.

It was dark all around, and Tang Ling looked up but could not see the sky. He took a few steps, but his feet were muddy and difficult to walk on. He did not have the strength to move forward, so he reached out to hold onto the big tree beside him, and curled up slightly, trying to avoid the biting cold that enveloped him.

Tang Ling opened his mouth to shout, but the name got stuck in his throat. A sudden, excruciating pain ripped through his heart and bones, and he couldn't shout anymore...

Huayi Palace, the Empress Dowager's bedroom.

"How's the kid?"

"It's an old ailment of palpitations. I'd appreciate your personal attention, Your Majesty."

The Queen Mother's face showed worry. She asked again, "I heard it's been three days, and he still hasn't woken up?"

Tang He sighed softly and said, "Yes, he hasn't woken up yet. Perhaps it's because he's been too tired from the long journey. I want to thank the Queen Mother for her concern on behalf of Tang Ling."

"What are you talking about? He is my nephew and I am his aunt. Why are you being so polite to me?"

Tang Yan twitched the corner of his mouth and said softly, "The etiquette between the monarch and his subjects cannot be abolished."

The Queen Mother rolled her eyes at Tang He. They were siblings from the same mother, and should have been the closest of relatives. However, because of their status as Queen Mother and powerful minister, they had to worry about gossip and live cautiously. Even in their own palace, they feared that there were ears. No matter what they said, it might be heard by others, and who knew what kind of trouble they would make. It was simply absurd!

"Alas... this child, what should we do? He's suffered so much hardship and fatigue this past year. A thousand-mile march across Fenglin Mountain in the dead of winter... How did he survive? Didn't the emperor order the imperial physician to see him? Why isn't he getting better?"

Tang Yan shook his head: "He was born with this disease, how can it be cured?"

"How can you, as a father, not feel sorry for me? What are you saying?"

"We poured every drop of the decoction into him, but he just wouldn't wake up. The imperial physician and Qinglan were helpless."

"So, let him stay asleep forever?!"

"The imperial physician said that he might have been overworked and would have woken up on his own after getting enough sleep."

"You...ah...this poor child." The Queen Mother sighed repeatedly and added, "The Emperor said earlier that he had made great contributions this time and was afraid that a promotion or something like that would be inappropriate, so he wanted to arrange a marriage for him. Who would have thought...ah..."

Tang He took a sip of tea, his expression expressionless, yet he felt relieved. Tang He held the highest position in the government, and the Tang family was at its peak. He had no more titles or rewards to offer. Giving Tang Ling a promotion would be inappropriate, and granting her a marriage would be even more inappropriate. Perhaps Tang Ling was deliberately refusing to wake up.

The Queen Mother continued, "I don't know where this person came from. He's saying something like, 'Our Tang Ling is ill and doesn't have much time left.' 'What daughter from Shaoyang would dare marry her now, fearing she'll be widowed before she even gets married...' If I catch that person, I'll beat him to death!"

"Your Majesty, please don't let those rumors bother you. Your health is more important."

"Alas..." The empress dowager sighed again and again, but she was still helpless. The empress dowager had already entered the palace when Tang Ling was born. The aunt and niece were not close, but they were blood relatives after all, and the empress dowager couldn't help but feel distressed.

After a moment's silence, the Queen Mother asked again, "By the way, the Emperor just summoned you to stay in the Imperial Study for most of an hour. Was it because of Xihe's marriage?"

"I believe the Queen Mother has heard that the State of Chen has a new crown prince and Princess Xihe's marriage has been decided long ago, but the specific terms have not yet been agreed upon." Tang He did not elaborate. Since the marriage was already decided, there was nothing to discuss. However, the matters agreed upon in the Chen-Zhou agreement were very complicated. The coalition forces had already attacked Qi, and there were still issues such as black iron ore and trade that needed to be discussed. Princess Xihe would have to wait until everything was settled before she could get married.

The Queen Mother understood what Tang He meant and nodded slightly: "Xihe is still young, let him stay for two more years."

……

Tang He returned to the mansion, exhausted, and went straight to Tang Ling's room. As a father, how could he not be worried about his own son?

Before Tang Yan even entered Tang Ling's yard, he saw Qing Lan walking ahead with a lunch box. He quickly took a few steps and caught up with her: "Qing Lan."

"Meet the prince."

"Is Tang Ling awake?"

Qinglan smiled and nodded, his face full of joy: "Yes, Your Majesty, the young master just woke up."

Tang Yan felt relieved when he heard that Tang Ling had woken up: "That's good, that's good."

Qinglan followed Tang Yan into Tang Ling's yard and into her room. Tang Ling had just woken up and was leaning against the headboard in a daze. When she heard a knock on the door, she quickly put away the silver hairpin in her hand.

"father."

Tang He breathed a sigh of relief and sat down beside Tang Ling's bed. Looking at his son's pale face and thinner weight, he couldn't help but sigh. He was really worried about him.

"Have you slept enough? Are you willing to wake up? You almost scared your father to death, you know that?"

"Dad, I'm sorry."

Tang Yan waved his hand: "Forget it, are you hungry? Eat something first."

Qinglan brought over the black chicken and red date porridge, and Tang He took over, ready to feed Tang Ling himself.

"Dad, I'll do it myself." Tang Ling knew that his father cared about him, so he reached out to take the bowl and drank the porridge slowly, one sip at a time.

Tang He winked at Qinglan and asked him to step back first.

"Dad just came back from the palace? Did he meet His Majesty and the Queen Mother?"

Tang He nodded: "You should take good care of yourself. I, your father, can handle the affairs of the court."

"Dad, I want to keep the fact that I'm sober a secret for now."

"Yes, I thought so too. The Queen Mother mentioned granting you a marriage today. Your illness can help you avoid this disaster."

Tang Ling looked at her father and nodded slightly. Tang He still loved him and doted on him. He didn't really scold him for what happened between him and Qi Xiao, nor did he force him to get married or give up the idea.

On the other hand, for the Tang family, no reward was the best reward. This time, Tang He had conquered three prefectures and five counties east of the Liujiang River for the Great Zhou, a feat that was originally a great achievement. However, Tang Ling delayed the withdrawal of the army. Tang He wrote his own plan, having the censors impeach him before anyone else. Upon his return, he apologized to the emperor, thus offsetting his merits and demerits and getting away with it.