I have suffered enough in my previous life, my cousin will never marry me

Chapter 114 The Dowager's Determination

As the sky gradually brightened, there was still an uproar in the general's tent in the northern suburbs of Ji Kang County.

Looking at the black and swollen arrow wounds on His Highness' chest and abdomen, the military doctor was so anxious that sweat broke out on his forehead. He almost exhausted all his energy before he finally took out the arrowhead at dawn.

Looking at the arrow in the doctor's hand, Zhu Wencai eagerly stepped forward and asked, "Doctor, how is His Highness?"

The military doctor trembled as he walked over to the bedside and said exhaustedly, "Your Highness's injuries are too severe. Although the arrow has been removed, it will probably take some time for him to wake up."

Zhu Wencai and Yu Bai looked at each other, both frowning deeply.

"This matter must not leak out."

Yu Bai reminded him, "Just now, the magistrate of Ji Kang County reported that Gu Tingchen has sent people to prepare to summon Xue Jiu back to the capital. Many officials from the capital have also rushed to the nearby prefectures and counties overnight. I'm afraid that the entire Yuezhou officialdom will usher in a major storm."

"What are you afraid of? The bigger the wind and waves, the better it will be for His Highness."

Zhu Wencai said, "Your Highness has long wanted to purge those lackeys planted by Prince Yan from Yuezhou. Anyway, Your Highness has been sitting upright and is not afraid of investigation. This is a good opportunity to clean up the Yuezhou bureaucracy."

"But His Highness is currently unconscious," Yu Bai said. "His Highness is certainly not afraid of a thorough investigation. He is just afraid that someone will take advantage of his situation and deliberately frame him, knowing that he is unconscious."

Just as he finished speaking, Concubine Zhang came in, followed by two deputy generals from the Chifeng Camp, one of whom was holding the sleeping little princess.

"My Lady Consort, why are you back?" Zhu Wencai said in surprise, "Even the little princess has been brought back. How can His Highness have an excuse to visit Miss Ye in Taowu after waking up?"

Concubine Zhang was sulking and didn't bother to pay attention to this guy.

He walked silently to the bedside, looked at his son who was in a deep coma, and asked anxiously, "How is His Highness now?"

Fearing that the Concubine Dowager might be overly anxious, Yu Bai quickly reassured her, "Don't worry, Concubine Dowager, the arrowhead has been removed and he will be able to wake up after a few days of rest."

Concubine Zhang knew that he was trying to comfort herself. Thinking of the girl from the Ye family's current attitude, she slowly sat down beside the bed and couldn't help but sigh.

"Who is my silly son, silently showing off to all day long?"

She complained to herself, feeling somewhat disappointed in herself, "Can't you learn to be more domineering like that evil child of the Gu family, or act more pitiful like that top scholar? You've been badly injured for her. Even if you stay in Taowu, can she still kick you out?"

Zhu Wencai and Yu Bai listened and covered their mouths, feeling a little amused and helpless.

Seeing the dowager's extremely lost expression, Yu Bai probably guessed something was going on and asked cautiously, "Dowager, does Miss Ye know that His Highness went to Lin'an to break off the engagement?"

"Why bring this up?" Concubine Zhang glanced at her daughter, who had finally been coaxed to sleep. "Are you still going to upset the princess?"

The two of them quickly shut up, but this was a military camp after all. Yu Bai thought for a moment and then asked, "Queen Dowager, I will take good care of Your Highness. It will be inconvenient for you and the princess to stay here. You should return to Yuezhou as soon as possible."

Concubine Zhang's eyes darkened.

She had come here to arrange this marriage, so how could she return in vain without achieving her goal?

After all, my son's mind is simple. He broke off the engagement but got involved with the girl from the Ye family. I think he just had feelings for this person.

But as the head of the Yongning Palace, she shoulders the rise and fall of the Yongning Palace and the Gusu Zhang family. Naturally, her starting point has to be to consider the millions of soldiers and civilians in the entire Yuezhou.

The Yongning Palace has long been a thorn in the side of the imperial court. If it fails to take advantage of the current political situation to fight for it and take another step forward, I am afraid that the new monarch will sooner or later deal with Yuezhou after he ascends the throne.

Glancing at the deputy commander of the Chifeng Battalion, Concubine Zhang frowned slightly. "That girl has come to hate the Yongning Palace. Now that the Chifeng Battalion has retreated, there's no need to bother her anymore. Tell Yan Jin to be more vigilant in Yuhua Town and not let anyone from the Gu family get close to Miss Ye."

Zhu Wencai had witnessed with his own eyes the aggrieved look on the concubine's face as she bowed her head and scraped at Miss Ye a few days ago, and he felt unfair just thinking about it.

"My Lady, since Miss Ye doesn't want to see our Yongning Palace, why are you still considering her like this?"

"Your Highness is constantly surrounded by short-sighted ruffians like you. No wonder he hasn't been able to establish children for the palace yet," Dowager Concubine Zhang reprimanded. "For one thing, your Highness is attracted to that girl. Secondly, the Yongning Palace controls the Yuezhou Army and the Gusu Zhang family, so they dare to challenge the imperial court. However, if they want to rule Lin'an, they still need to rely on the leadership of those civil servants. I don't believe that old man Gu An didn't consider this factor when he arranged this marriage."

Standing up again with a determined look in her eyes, Concubine Zhang curled her lips and said, "I have decided on this daughter-in-law."

The concubine's words were like a revelation to Zhu Wencai and Yu Bai, and they finally understood the concubine's painstaking efforts.

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. We will definitely keep Miss Ye in Yuezhou." The two men replied confidently.

Concubine Zhang finally felt relieved and thought about it for a moment. Although A Ni was close to the girl from the Ye family, she was just a child after all and could not be of much help. If she wanted to resolve this knot in her heart, she would probably have to find a suitable helper.

Looking at Yu Bai, she said thoughtfully, "You should go to Gusu yourself. It's been a while since Qingqing returned to Gusu. Why hasn't she come to see my aunt for so long?"

Yu Bai understood what he meant and immediately said, "I will go and fetch my cousin to Yuzhou right away."

Concubine Zhang nodded with satisfaction, and then took her people downstairs to settle her daughter.

Fu Mingchi had been unconscious in bed for three days. When he woke up, he saw Fu Yunni standing by his bed. He frowned slightly and hurriedly sat up, asking, "Ani, why are you back?"

Fu Yunni glanced at him with resentment, quickly lowered her head, and didn't want to pay any attention to him at all.

"It was because big brother abandoned you and your sister Ye that night that she was angry?"

Fu Mingchi probably guessed that this was the reason. He coughed lightly and stood up with the help of the bed. "I know you like being with her. Wait for big brother to change clothes and send you back. I will explain to her myself."

Fu Yunni puffed out her lips and turned sideways.

Hearing the noise inside, Zhu Wencai hurried in.

"Your Highness, your injuries are still severe and you need to rest. The military doctor has instructed you not to go out."

Zhu Wencai stepped forward to stop him: "Your Highness, please lie down."

Fu Mingchi raised his hand to stop him from moving forward: "What's the situation in Yuzhou now?"

"The Concubine has already arrived at the provincial capital to oversee the provincial government affairs with Butler Zhao. With Chief Secretary Zhao in charge, there won't be any trouble in Yuezhou."

Zhu Wencai said truthfully, "The Pacification Commissioner and the Imperial Envoy are unaware of His Highness's injury, and no major action has been taken for the time being."

Fu Mingchi's heart finally settled down, and hesitantly asked, "Is there any news from Taowu?"

"Miss Ye asked the Chifeng Camp to withdraw from Taowu. I heard that they have been recruiting a lot of soldiers recently."

Zhu Wencai was quite interested when he mentioned this matter. "Miss Ye has allocated a lot of money, recruited skilled guards, and is planning to expand the Ye family's assets in Yuhua Town. It seems that she is determined to fight Gu Tingchen to the end."

"Recruiting soldiers?"

Fu Mingchi rubbed his brows speechlessly: "With this prince protecting her, why would she do this? She is not trying to compete with Gu Tingchen, I'm afraid she wants to deal with this prince."

Zhu Wencai choked and said, "Your Highness, it's not that serious. You don't have any deep grudges against her."

That girl not only drove away the Chifeng Camp, but also sent A Ni back. Fu Mingchi had already realized the seriousness of the matter and had no time to argue with Zhu Wencai.

Walking up to Fu Yunni, he sighed deeply, "Poor A'ni, your mother doesn't have time to take care of you. Big brother has a lot of official duties to attend to, and the palace can't take care of you. Big brother can only send you to Taowu."

Without waiting for the little fellow's response, he instructed Zhu Wencai, "This king is under great pressure right now. Please dismiss a thousand veterans from the Yingzhou Army and let them go to Taowu to make a living."

(End of this chapter)