Even the crown prince is getting a marriage of convenience? Why are you in such a hurry to stop bein

Fifteen days later, news of Jiang Yuan's defeat reached the capital.

The young emperor then realized that he had truly listened too much to slander.

He personally invited Xiao Lie over and sincerely apologized, "Father, I shouldn't have listened to the instigation of those around me and foolishly tried to take charge of the government as soon as possible."

"It would have been even more inappropriate to appoint Jiang Yuan as the General of the Army and send him to lead the troops to repel the enemy."

"Now that Jiang Yuan has suffered a defeat, the people are crying out in misery."

"Father, could you please try to persuade Great-Grandfather to personally lead the troops to clean up this mess?"

The young emperor had actually secretly sent a handwritten letter to King Xiao Tianze of the town, but his men told him that the king was furious and burned it after reading it.

The king of the town angrily said, "Isn't he afraid that I am disloyal to his father? Then let him find capable ministers and generals, why is he coming to me?"

"No, no, I'm not going."

Xiao Lie originally didn't want to agree immediately, wanting to further temper the young emperor's arrogance.

But then I thought again, the war is urgent, and we can't delay any longer.

He personally wrote a letter to Xiao Tianze, and a few days later, news of victory was received in the capital.

After this incident, the young emperor no longer guarded against Xiao Lie and respected him greatly.

While allowing the young emperor to cultivate his confidants, Xiao Lie cleared away all obstacles in his path.

When Jiang Yueyao was managing the inner palace, she further weakened the privileges of the royal family and gave many officials from humble backgrounds a lot of convenience.

The commercial empire built by Shen Qinglan became increasingly inseparable from the national treasury, and the people lived in peace and prosperity, with almost everyone able to earn enough money on their own.

Seven years passed smoothly, and by then the young emperor was already capable of handling things on his own.

Xiao Lie sat in the main hall of the Regent's Palace, pondering whether it was time to return power to the young emperor.

Grandpa Xiao Tianze is also old and can no longer fight.

Xiao Lie was making arrangements to take Shen Qinglan, Jiang Yueyao, and Yuan Ajiao, who was using the alias Yuan Qiao, to the frontier to accompany his grandfather Xiao Tianze in his later years.

As for his other two sons, he had already asked them, and they also did not want to stay in the capital, preferring to go to the frontier.

Shen Qinglan came over, holding a booklet in her hand.

Soon after, Jiang Yueyao and Yuan Qiao arrived, followed by Lin Wan'er.

"Your Highness, this booklet contains a number of noble ladies of impeccable character." Shen Qinglan had people keep watch over them for at least three months before selecting these women.

It's definitely not a problem.

"Would you like to take another look?"

As they left, the only wish of these mothers was to see the young emperor get married.

They were to appoint an empress for the emperor and then select three concubines.

Xiao Lie took the booklet from Shen Qinglan, opened it, and then closed it again. "What are you showing me? I've already made my choice. If the emperor isn't willing, can I force him to take her into the harem?"

"Since you've already vetted it for him, just send it directly to him."

Shen Qinglan and the others exchanged smiles; he was just a stubborn person with a soft heart.

"Then we'll take it. Don't regret it later."

Xiao Lie remained silent.

A month later, the young emperor ascended the throne again, having truly come to power. Standing beside him was the empress, whom the young emperor had personally chosen from the register.

Xiao Lie was very satisfied with this empress, who had some connection with Shen Qinglan's maternal family and was quite wealthy.

He also met the young emperor's three concubines, all of whom were gentle and virtuous.

On the day of leaving the capital, the young emperor had tears in his eyes and was reluctant to part with his son.

When Xiao Lie was in the capital, the young emperor was not as affectionate towards him.

But now that Xiao Lie is no longer the regent, but a leisurely prince, the young emperor is unwilling for Xiao Lie to leave with his concubines.

"Father, Mothers, could you please not leave?"

The young emperor's two brothers stepped forward. "Father and the others have waited too long for this day. Please let us go."

Xiao Lie also firmly stated, "Without us in the capital, you will truly be in control of the world."

"If you ever miss us in the future, you can come to the frontier to see us."

In this lifetime, unless summoned, Xiao Lie and the others will never enter the capital again.

The young emperor personally escorted them to the city gate, and only after they had disappeared from sight did he lead his entourage back to the palace in a grand procession.

Half a month later, they traveled through mountains and rivers and finally arrived at the frontier.

Grandpa Xiao Tianze had already ordered people to kill chickens, ducks, and geese, and even slaughtered pigs, cattle, and sheep.

"You guys are really something, playing around for so long before we arrived." Grandpa Xiao Tianze really missed his grandson Xiao Lie terribly.

His gaze swept over Shen Qinglan, Jiang Yueyao, and Yuan Qiao, before settling on Lin Wan'er.

Xiao Tianze frowned, somewhat displeased, and asked, "Why is she here too?"

Lin Wan'er married Xiao Lie to act as an informant for the late emperor and Jiang Heng.

Xiao Lie explained, "She has changed a lot over the years. Since she was willing to come along, we brought her along."

"The entire Lin family is dead, and she has no one in the capital to turn to."

Xiao Tianze snorted coldly and stopped looking at Lin Wan'er.

He really couldn't give her a kind look.

He then looked at his two beloved great-grandchildren with delight.

"You two look just like Lie'er when he was young." Xiao Tianze choked up.

Xiao Lie was about the same age they were at that time, and was still a hostage in the capital.

Xiao Tianze could only tell what had changed about Xiao Lie, whether he had gained weight or lost weight, by looking at the portrait sent from the capital.

Now that his two great-grandchildren are of that age, Xiao Tianze only wants to treat them even better, as if to make up for the regrets of the past.

The two great-grandsons had heard a lot about Xiao Tianze's military exploits while in the capital, and they had always admired their great-grandfather.

"Great-grandfather, could you teach us martial arts and how to lead troops into battle?"

"Yes, of course we can!" Xiao Tianze was overjoyed. Could this mean that their Xiao family had a worthy successor?

Xiao Lie is probably the least skilled in martial arts among the Xiao family members; even now, he only knows some fancy moves.

After enjoying several years of happiness on the frontier, even Grandpa Xiao Tianze, with his robust health, began to falter.

As people get older, they often develop a longing for their hometown.

"Lie'er, fallen leaves return to their roots, and old people return to their hometown." Xiao Tianze walked shakily to Xiao Lie. "I want to relinquish my military power and return to the capital."

If he were to die, he didn't want to die in a foreign land.

Xiao Lie's eyes immediately reddened. "Grandpa, what nonsense are you talking about? You can still walk briskly, so why are you saying such unlucky things?"

Xiao Tianze didn't say anything more, but stared at him and asked again, "Are you willing to take me back or not?"

"Then our whole family will go back." Xiao Lie made the arrangements, and as for the border region, there were people who could be entrusted with its affairs.

"Don't send your two sons back to the capital. Have the emperor issue an edict to appoint them as King Zhen and King Ding, and let them stay to continue guarding the frontier."