Too high to reach

Chapter 86 Cause and Effect
At the beginning of this year, Li Jing officially began attending court.

After finishing his duties at court, the emperor tossed him something. Opening it, he found an appointment letter: to assist the Ministry of War and command the Cangzhou garrison.

Li Jing was not entirely satisfied with the result: the position of Assistant Minister of War was essentially a nominal one.

Cangzhou Camp is far from the capital! It didn't provide any of the important departments for the defense of the capital and the palace, or for the investigation of major cases.

However… the Cangzhou camp is in the southeast, with 50,000 troops, and their equipment is reportedly adequate. Our own forces are in the northwest, creating a pincer movement, which is quite good!
This old man is very wary of me!
We'll figure out something else once Zhou Dong and the others get back...

And Dongfang... it seems we should bring him back sooner rather than later.

Lost in thought, he didn't reply and simply put the instruction away.

Is he dissatisfied? The Emperor was furious: "What? Can't you speak human language?"

Li Jing then bowed and said, "Thank you for your trust, Father. Please rest assured, I will manage things well for you."

"I have seen that you have fought for many years and have indeed made great contributions, so I have always been lenient with you. But don't be too arrogant! If you continue to act so recklessly, don't blame me for being ruthless when the punishment comes!"

Li Jing silently looked at the Emperor without saying a word.

"And another thing!" The Emperor, no longer wanting to waste any more words with him, said, "I'll give you three more months for your marriage! If you won't listen to reason, I'll arrange the marriage myself and see if you dare refuse!"

Li Jing sighed helplessly, bowed, and withdrew.

They returned to their residence, gathered their men, and headed straight for Cangzhou.

……

The Crown Prince was telling the Empress, "He asked for it before the New Year. Although it wasn't much, his troops are scattered in the south and north, which is quite troublesome!" He wasn't stupid; he could see the momentum.

The Empress sighed, "Actually, for him... the Imperial Guards, the Supervisory Bureau, the Western Suburbs Camp—whichever one he gets, it's troublesome!"

The crown prince had a solid foundation in the previous dynasty, but he never dared to extend his influence over military power, fearing that the gains would outweigh the losses.

"He is the legitimate son after all, he has a strong back! He just reaches out and asks for it without any regard for propriety!" At this moment, the Empress was filled with hatred, completely unlike her usual gentle and virtuous self.

The Crown Prince paused for a while before saying, "Right now, we can't worry about that. Father is focused on reforming the salt tax, and I'm afraid I won't have time to think about anything else this year."

The Empress nodded: "Don't underestimate him! If you can produce something real and take the lead in this matter... then it will be a different story! You must understand, soldiers also need money to support them!"

……

Qin Fanghao, Wang Xiujuan's eldest daughter, came to visit Mo Yi, with a maid carrying large and small bags behind her.

I was startled when I walked in. "Oh my god!? How did it get like this?"

"Cousin, what brings you here?" Mo Yi asked curiously, her eyes wide, but then she remembered her strange appearance and felt a little embarrassed.

"I only found out because my mother sent someone to deliver the things. Is it anything serious?"

"It's okay. The doctor said it will take a month or two for the marks to completely disappear." She leaned on her cousin's arm.

"Oh, you silly goose, why can't you think straight! All the girls here are after that guy. You have to be careful in every way!"

"I know! When it comes to talent shows, everyone wants to outdo the others. When talking to Liang You, their voices are all sweet. But I never expected... a young girl like that could be so ruthless! You have no idea, if no one had saved me during that last part, I would have been crippled if not dead!"

"Amitabha! You survived this calamity; good fortune is sure to follow!" My cousin clasped her hands together in prayer.

He turned and scolded her again: "You didn't expect that? That's because you're stupid. These girls and wives from these families are dressed luxuriously, behave politely, and never speak or smile. But when they're about to kill someone, they don't even blink." She shook her head.

Therefore, in every action, one must be wary of others' malicious intentions. Do not do anything outside the bounds of propriety. Do not go to places where others can hide. Do not speak excessively in crowded places. It is better to be called dull than to speak recklessly!

"I admire your clarity, sister!" "Sigh, even at home, all sorts of things happen, let alone outside? You have to be clear-headed! Otherwise, trouble will ensue!" She grinned at Mo Yi's face...

"Brother-in-law, are you ready for the imperial examination?"

"It should be about right. These next few days, avoid eating dark-colored foods and just eat some rice porridge or noodle soup. It's harder to recover if you're too hot-tempered."

"Ah."

Have you found the person who saved you?

"Later, Lady Hou sent people to inquire, but they couldn't find the person. So they let it go!"

"Cousin, has something been circulating?"

"With so many girls together, it would be strange if there weren't any gossips. Don't worry about them, just focus on recovering! It's just that this marriage was supposed to be good... sigh. Speaking of which, this marriage of Mo Wen's... your brother-in-law knows Xu Ke, and he said... he doesn't understand why that person would take a liking to Mo Wen."

Mo Yi nodded: "I've seen her once, she's incredibly beautiful!"

"Perhaps Mowen is just lucky! Oh, I've already told your brother-in-law that after the imperial examinations, he'll see if there's anyone suitable among your classmates. We also need to make other plans as soon as possible and find a respectable scholar!"

Mo Yi smiled, "This is exactly what my sister wants! I'm entrusting my lifelong happiness to my cousin!"

"Oh dear, stop making those weird faces, it looks awful..."

……

Alternating between the two medications resulted in good efficacy for both.

The swelling on Mo Yi's face is subsiding rapidly.

The purplish-blue marks were obvious, making the person look quite ridiculous.

Seeing that she was indeed alright, Wang felt relieved and began to scold her behind her husband's back. She was simply criticizing her for being careless, allowing herself to be schemed against, and causing her good fortune to fall through.

Not only did he curse at home, but he also went to complain to his older sister.

Wang Xiujuan was speechless at this situation, but today she had some new information: "I just heard that the Liu family has run into some trouble!"

"The Liu family? Old Madam Liang's family?" Wang asked quickly.

"Yes, her nephew is at home reflecting on his actions! He said he made a mistake at work. The investigation is still ongoing, and we don't know the outcome yet. Old Mrs. Liang is so worried she's fallen ill!"

"Really?! That's wonderful! Serves you right!" Wang exclaimed loudly, her eyes lighting up.

Wang Xiujuan frowned: "Tone it down! Don't make a fuss... You can't do this in front of others!"

"I know! Humph! That girl from the Liu family... her arrogance! She always looks down on everyone. She even said her family has several good zithers... pshaw... who knows where they came from! Maybe her grandfather and father embezzled them! Now she's quiet, isn't she! Haha!"

Wang Xiujuan was at a loss with her younger sister. "Let's wait and see about Liang You's matter. Now I realize he has so much to learn and do. Martial arts, military strategy, etiquette. He also has to learn polo! In particular, he needs to get involved in military affairs and businesses. The court only covers a portion of the Liang family's soldiers; they still have to pay for their own. So many people's food, clothing, weapons, horses, and families. Good heavens, how much silver that will cost!"

"Sister, don't just look at this! The Liang family has many businesses and can support soldiers for so many years; they must have something to offer! It's a pity about that wretched girl, Mo Yi! She's like trying to lift tofu with a hemp rope—she can't get anything out of her! You've gone to such lengths for her, and it still won't work! She's just a piece of trash..."

"Alright! Enough with the nonsense. To be honest, if Liang You really becomes a marquis... I don't think this marriage is going to work out. Mo Yi isn't good enough!"

Wang opened her mouth, but then fell silent.

"By the way, about the matter of consulting with the nanny I mentioned last time. It's already arranged. She'll be coming to your place the day after tomorrow. You and Mowen should both take a look. If you like it, then finalize it. As for the specific duration and fees, you can discuss them with her directly."

(End of this chapter)