Nong Nu Jiao

"Okay, you've just lost some weight, and your clothes all look too big."

Cen Lingyi straightened Yan Chenghui's clothes, took a step back, and glanced at him from head to toe.

"More or less."

Yan Chenghui straightened his waistband.

He was dressed in a crimson dragon robe, his posture was upright and dignified, and he was elegant and noble. Standing there, he exuded a solemn and majestic aura.

"Yes, it looks good. Go ahead."

Cen Lingyi smiled, pursing her lips.

It's so good to see him back to his old self.

This is how he should be.

"Jiaojiao".

Yan Chenghui looked at her.

"Um?"

Cen Lingyi looked up at him, puzzled.

"Give me a kiss."

Yan Chenghui reached out his hand to her.

Cen Lingyi laughed and went over to hug his waist.

Yan Chenghui bent down and kissed her forehead: "Wait for me to come back."

Be careful on the road, and take a few extra people with you.

Cen Lingyi gave him instructions.

She hadn't forgotten that Yan Qingci and Lu Huaiyou were still lurking in the shadows, watching them intently.

"I'm almost fully recovered; they have no chance."

Yan Chenghui smiled.

"I know," Cen Lingyi nodded. "Shall we talk about my father today?"

"No." Yan Chenghui shook his head: "Let's talk about their collusion with the Northern Barbarians first. Once they are convicted and imprisoned, the matter of my father-in-law can naturally be brought to light."

"Okay." Cen Lingyi nodded and released him. "You can arrange everything."

He is more thoughtful than she is.

"I've already sent someone to Hexi to pick up your father-in-law and the others. You should be able to reunite with them in less than a month."

Yan Chenghui tugged at her hand.

"real?"

Cen Lingyi's eyes lit up immediately.

"Look how happy you are." Yan Chenghui pinched her cheek. "I originally planned not to tell you first and give you a surprise, but I couldn't resist."

Cen Lingyi hugged his arm: "Yan Chenghui, thank you."

"Why thank me? When we get married, your parents will have to come back to receive our thanks."

Yan Chenghui's eyebrows curved into a smile.

Cen Lingyi smiled sheepishly: "Go ahead."

As Yan Chenghui walked to the entrance of the inner palace, he turned back to look at her again, saying with reluctance, "Go back to bed and rest for a while longer."

She got up too early today because she was with him.

"Um."

Cen Lingyi nodded; she had the same idea.

Outside the courtyard, Yun Que was still waiting there with his horse.

"Your Highness, the roads have been cleaned up."

He was referring to the people sent by Yan Qingci.

Yan Qingci knew very well that the day Yan Chenghui went to court would be the day he perished.

Therefore, he went extremely crazy today and arranged for many people to kill Yan Chenghui on his way to the morning court to silence him.

Yan Chenghui had anticipated this, and sent Yun Que with men to clear the road first.

"Alright." Yan Chenghui took the reins, mounted the horse, and said, "Let's go."

Yun Que waved his hand, and his men spurred their horses and followed, heading straight for the palace.

*

Inside the Golden Palace, a group of officials had already arrived and were chatting in small groups.

Yan Chenghui arrived slowly.

As always, he wore a crimson dragon robe, the gold threads gleaming in the rising sun.

Because he was recovering from a serious injury, he was slightly thin, but his posture remained upright.

Upon seeing him approach, the officials who had been chatting stopped talking, and a group of officials stepped forward, cupped their hands and bowed respectfully.

"His Highness the Crown Prince has fully recovered from his injuries, which is a great blessing for the court."

"His Majesty has been waiting for the day His Highness the Crown Prince recovers to reward those who have rendered meritorious service."

"His Highness the Crown Prince has rendered unparalleled service and returned to court safely; this is truly a cause for celebration."

Yan Chenghui nodded slightly, composed and detached.

"It is a great blessing for our Great Sheng that my younger brother, the Crown Prince, has recovered from his injuries and returned to the court. I am very pleased."

Yan Qingci walked out slowly from the crowd, a smile on her face, but the knuckles of her hand holding the Buddhist prayer beads were pale.

He wished Yan Chenghui were dead, yet he had no choice but to stand up and deal with him.

"Thank you for your concern, Second Prince."

Yan Chenghui remained expressionless and replied indifferently.

Yan Qingci and Lu Huaiyou exchanged a glance, both with gloom in their eyes.

"The time is almost up."

Someone offered a suggestion.

All the officials entered the Golden Palace together.

Emperor Shengwu walked toward the dragon throne.

Inside the Golden Palace, all was silent. Civil and military officials stood in rows, bowing in unison.

"The Crown Prince has arrived."

Emperor Shengwu sat high on the dragon throne, his gaze fixed on Yan Chenghui.

"Yes."

Yan Chenghui stepped out of the queue and stood below the steps.

"The Crown Prince took command in a time of crisis, guarding Liefeng Pass, repelling the formidable Northern Di enemy, capturing the Northern Di Khan alive, and protecting the peace of the people of our Great Sheng. His achievements are outstanding, and his loyalty and bravery are commendable." Emperor Shengwu said with a smile, "You suffered greatly from your serious injuries. Your return to the court today is timely. I have decided to hold a victory banquet in the palace tonight to welcome you and all the generals and soldiers back and celebrate this great victory at the border."

"Thank you, Father Emperor."

Yan Chenghui bowed and thanked him.

Emperor Shengwu then addressed his ministers, saying, "Tonight at the palace banquet, I will reward those who have rendered meritorious service. All of you must attend."

These words were spoken to the soldiers returning from the north.

"Yes."

Many people responded.

Yan Chenghui waited until everyone quieted down before speaking: "Father, during my bloody battle with the Northern Barbarians, I noticed something suspicious about the battle. It is a matter of great importance, and I dare not conceal it."

"What is it?"

Emperor Shengwu couldn't help but ask.

"Someone secretly spied on our defense plans and leaked our marching information and core military intelligence several times, causing our army to be on the defensive. As a result, I was once surrounded and seriously wounded. I once sent people to intercept several letters, all of which were sent from the capital."

"From this, we can know that someone in the capital is secretly colluding with the Northern Barbarians, betraying military secrets, disrupting border warfare, and betraying the country, disregarding the lives of thousands of soldiers and the safety of the Dasheng border."

Yan Chenghui, with a cold and solemn expression, slowly began to speak.

Upon hearing this, the Golden Palace fell silent, and all the civil and military officials changed their expressions, turning their heads to look.

Where are those letters?

Emperor Shengwu remained silent for a moment before asking.

Yan Chenghui took out several letters.

Wang Deming hurriedly went down, took it with both hands, and presented it to Emperor Shengwu.

Yan Qingci tightened her grip on the prayer beads, her gaze fixed on Yan Chenghui's retreating figure, almost crushing the beads into dust. Resentment and fear surged within her.

He knew that Yan Chenghui's first task upon returning to the court was to bring him down!

Lu Huaiyou watched as Wang Deming presented the letters. His face turned pale, his forehead was covered in cold sweat, and he was extremely flustered. His hands, hidden in his sleeves, trembled slightly.

Some of the letters sent to the Northern Barbarians were written by him personally, while the ones written by the Second Prince were all copied by him.

The second prince said at the time that he trusted him so that he would know all their plans for the future.

It now seems that the Second Prince intends to pin all these letters on him and make him bear the burden of everything alone!

"Investigate for me, whose handwriting is this!"

After reading the letters, Emperor Shengwu's expression changed drastically, and he slammed his hand on the dragon throne.

"Father," Yan Qingci stepped out from the ranks, "I believe that handwriting can be forged. We cannot rely solely on what my younger brother, the Crown Prince, said to know where this letter came from."

As he spoke, he glanced sideways at Yan Chenghui.

Yan Chenghui ignored him and said to the emperor, "Father, the Khan of the Northern Barbarians is the witness."

Upon hearing this, Yan Qingci's expression darkened even further.

Physical evidence cannot speak, but witness testimony can.

Sweat began to bead on his forehead.

"Bring up the Northern Di Khan."

Emperor Shengwu gave an order.

The guards outside the hall acknowledged the order and soon led a person into the Golden Palace.

All the officials turned their heads in surprise.

The Northern Khan was dressed in ordinary clothes and showed no signs of distress.

Yan Chenghui instructed that he be treated well.

After arriving in the capital, he had no worries about food and clothing, and his complexion became rosy and healthy. He even gained weight compared to when he was defeated in battle.

He stepped into the Golden Palace and witnessed the grandeur of the court, where the arrogant demeanor he once displayed during confrontations was long gone.

Before anyone could speak, he bent his knees and respectfully prostrated himself on the ground.

"Greetings to the Emperor. The might of the Great Sheng is awe-inspiring, and the Crown Prince is unparalleled in martial prowess. We, the Northern Di, concede defeat and dare not harbor the slightest thought of invasion! We are willing to submit our entire nation to the Great Sheng, to be a vassal state forever, paying tribute and paying homage every year. We only beg Your Majesty's magnanimity and mercy to forgive us!"

Seeing his respectful demeanor, the emperor was immediately pleased and raised his hand, saying loudly, "Rise and answer. I have a question for you. If you can answer truthfully, I will spare your life and allow the Northern Barbarians to become a vassal state of my Great Sheng."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The Northern Khan then got up.

"Your Highness, please ask."

Emperor Shengwu gave the order.

Yan Chenghui turned to look at the Northern Di Khan: "Who has repeatedly corresponded with the Khan, leaking information about the defenses of our Great Sheng border?"

"this……"

The Northern Khan looked around.

Emperor Shengwu said, "Just report the truth. If there is even a single falsehood, I will annihilate your entire Northern Di."

"Yes." The Northern Khan lowered his head. "The other party did not reveal their identity to me, but according to my subordinates' investigation, the letter should have come from the Second Prince's residence."

He was initially skeptical when he received the secret letter.

On several later occasions, they deployed defenses based on the instructions in the secret letters, but were repeatedly thwarted by Yan Chenghui.

He thought instead that the letter was real, but Yan Chenghui had learned of its contents beforehand.

He was very curious about who was so kind as to secretly help him. So he sent a spy hidden in the capital of Dasheng to investigate, only to find out that it was the second prince of Dasheng.

"Insolence!" Yan Qingci stepped forward, his words unusually fierce: "Father, I believe this Northern Di Khan has been bribed by the Crown Prince, which is why he is spouting nonsense in court and framing me!"

When Yan Chenghui was seriously injured, he had already guessed that this day would come, so he had already prepared his words to deal with it.

Yan Chenghui glanced at him: "Second Imperial Brother, I spent several years in the northern border, risking my own life and the lives of my soldiers against the Northern Di. Do you think I would bribe him? Do I need to bribe him?"

"Of course it's necessary, after all, you've always seen me as a thorn in your side," Yan Qingci retorted. "This Northern Di Khan is a prisoner, yet you not only didn't torture him severely, but you also provided him with lavish food and clothing, and even had soldiers guarding him. How do you explain that? It's clear that you promised him benefits to curry favor and instructed him in advance to fabricate stories to frame me!"

He was well aware that the Northern Di Khan was an important witness and needed to be silenced.

He sent several groups of men in succession, all for the purpose of taking the life of the Northern Di Khan.

But Yan Chenghui seemed to have anticipated his actions, not only securing the Eastern Palace as if it were an impregnable fortress, but also turning the prison where the Northern Di Khan was located into an impregnable fortress.

He has been busy for a long time, but has not achieved anything!