NFBE Chapter 445 Seeking Advice on State Affairs from the Empress
Chapter 445 Seeking Advice on State Affairs from the Empress
"My subordinates dare not!"
The masked general seemed to sense the impatience in Xue Tong's tone, and bent down to speak in a deep voice.
Xue Tong looked at the tall man in front of her, then shifted her gaze from the black mask on his face to the strong warhorse beside him, which was snorting.
The girl gave a cold laugh:
"Don't you dare?"
"Then let's step back a bit!"
The masked man glanced at Xue Tong, then led his warhorse backward.
Xue Tong turned around and gently lifted the carriage curtain, meeting Yu Shu's calm and unwavering eyes.
"never mind."
The girl smiled and said:
"Say whatever you want!"
Yu Shu smiled faintly and spoke in a gentle, deep voice:
"Thank you."
The curtain was drawn back, dimming the light inside the carriage. Xing Lingchong gripped Lu Zhaoyue's hand, and the two old men exchanged a glance. They both saw a gentle yet firm smile in each other's eyes.
The old man turned to look at the woman opposite him and broke the unbearable silence first:
"Fifth Prince, I actually had a premonition about what happened to Chenghu Camp a long time ago."
Yu Shu nodded slowly, the pearl on her earlobe swaying slightly. Her aura was as deep as an ancient well, giving Xing Lingchong a feeling that she was unfathomable.
He looks a lot like Emperor Linde, Yu Jingyuan, in his youth.
“I know about this too.” Yu Shu’s voice was gentle and soothing:
"The Great Yu Dynasty lasted for more than two hundred years, with five emperors in succession. Among them, the most unpredictable was my father."
Xing Lingchong nodded in agreement. The old man looked at Yu Shu with deep eyes, as if he had made up his mind.
"Fifth Prince, I know that my return to the capital this time will inevitably involve me in the reform movement."
"Here, I would like to ask the Fifth Prince about his thoughts on the reform."
The old man's eyes shone brightly:
"Everything is difficult at the beginning. In your opinion, Fifth Prince, where should the reforms begin?"
Yu Shu's pupils dilated slightly.
Consulting the Empress on state affairs, he truly deserves to be called Lord Xing, who has devoted himself to the Great Yu for many years.
In his eyes, there was no distinction between men and women, only the vast land of the Great Yu.
Yu Shu nodded slightly to Xing Lingchong, a glimmer of broken light flickering in her eyes:
"In Yu Shu's opinion, the issue of grain and salary in the Northwest should be resolved first. Since the Ministry of Revenue is in charge of grain and salary, the first blow should be borne by the Ministry of Revenue."
Xing Lingchong nodded in satisfaction, his gaze towards Yu Shu incredibly gentle, as if he were looking at a disciple with exceptional talent.
The old man spoke with a smile in his voice, without any hesitation:
"Has the Fifth Prince decided to intervene in the matter of the Northwest's grain and provisions, thus siding with the Third Prince?"
Yu Shu pondered for a moment, then nodded solemnly.
"Yu Shu has no way out."
Xing Lingchong nodded slightly, then spoke softly:
"The Third Prince is innocent and naive by nature... just like the Sixth Prince."
Yu Shu couldn't help but smile.
She really wanted to tell Lord Xing in front of her that the Sixth Prince outside was not so innocent.
"If we intend to intervene in the Northwest's grain and provisions, do you think we'll face difficulties from those people?"
Xing Lingchong spoke softly, his tone carrying a hint of teasing:
"That'll offend a lot of people!"
"The first one to be unhappy was the Second Prince."
The grain and salary were allocated from the Ministry of Revenue, and the current Minister of Revenue is the maternal uncle of the Second Prince, Yu Shang.
Yu Shu sighed softly:
"Thinking about it this way, it really is as difficult as climbing to heaven."
Xing Lingchong chuckled: "So what if it's as difficult as climbing to heaven?"
"At present, the Western Rong have invaded the Great Yu, and the people in the northwest are suffering from the cold."
"Powerful families and clans engaged in large-scale land transactions, and officials in various places embezzled funds one after another."
"Each of these tasks, one by one, is as difficult as climbing to the heavens."
"Fifth Prince, now that you've decided to take this step, nothing is as difficult as climbing to the heavens."
Yu Shu smiled brightly and slowly bowed to Xing Lingchong:
"The student has learned a lot!"
The woman took a small wax pellet from her sleeve, her eyes filled with a sweet and docile smile.
"Does Lord Xing know that Prime Minister Li has a young daughter who is as beautiful as a fairy!"
"The student owns a clothing shop in the capital, where he has a wedding dress that is unparalleled in the world."
Xing Lingchong took the wax pellet:
"The Minister of Revenue was once a protégé of Prime Minister Li, I know that."
"But has Your Highness considered who will guard the northwest border if the Third Prince ascends to that position?"
Silence fell again in the carriage. Yu Shu lowered her eyes slightly and spoke softly:
"This really stumped me!"
"What's so difficult about it?"
A clear and cheerful voice suddenly came from beside her. Yu Shu turned her head slightly and saw that Xue Tong had lifted the curtain of the carriage at some point and was peeking inside.
"I'll go!"
Yu Shu raised her hand and quickly tapped her on the head:
Do you know what we're talking about?
Xue Tong rubbed her forehead, her tone somewhat aggrieved:
"I know, that's why I said I'd go!"
"A large portion of the troops stationed on the northwestern border are the Shen family army, which my maternal grandfather built before his death. Shouldn't I be the one to go?"
Silence fell again in the carriage. Yu Shu wanted to refute Xue Tong, but couldn't think of a suitable way to refuse.
Because Xue Tong is just too perfect.
The throne is a terrible curse; even the deepest blood ties will slowly fade upon ascending to the throne.
Even if Lin Su were to become a figure like Emperor Linde many years later, at least he wouldn't doubt his sister.
But Yu Shu just couldn't bear it.
The woman's voice sounded faint:
"The Northwest is very tough!"
Xue Tong smiled and said:
"Fifth sister, isn't there no other way?"
After the carriage carrying Xing Lingchong and his wife, escorted by Chenghu Camp, disappeared into the vast snowy landscape, Yu Shu turned to look at Xue Tong beside her again:
Do you know what you just said?
"The struggle between the Western Rong and our dynasty has lasted for more than a hundred years. Their strengths are evenly matched, so it has continued for a long time."
"If you go to the northwest border, you may never be able to return to the capital!"
"It doesn't matter!"
Xue Tong looked into Yu Shu's eyes: "I want to go to the Northwest to resist the invasion of the Western Rong."
"I entrust the land of Dayu to my elder brother and fifth sister!"
"You won't keep me waiting too long, right?"
Seeing the undisguised smile in the girl's eyes, Yu Shu felt as if she were experiencing the cruelty of the struggle for the throne for the first time.
Identity and family ties are both useful trump cards in this struggle.
It is heartbreaking, but there is no other way.
The woman turned around gently:
"Let's get back to the capital safely first!"
Father must have prepared a grand gift for them!
After Xing Lingchong was taken away by Chenghu Camp, Xue Tong and Yu Shu's caravan traveled for another day and finally saw a village with lights on at dusk.
Yu Shu gently lifted the carriage curtain, her tone calm and aloof:
"Tong'er, was this village there when we came here?"
Xue Tong wiped the long sword in his hand and looked through the small window on the side at the dark plain and a patch of lights that had come on in the distance.
A deathly silence filled the surroundings; even the horses remained motionless.
Xue Tong smelled an unusual scent in the air.
The girl narrowed her eyes slightly, her expression becoming serious.
It's a monster!