We'll have you impersonate the Crown Prince and create a prosperous era for the Great Qian Dyna

Qin Zhi'ang's idea was also Zhou Tianze's idea.

Because they've been in a very passive position lately.

The power struggles in the imperial court are nothing dramatic. Zhou Rui's slightest favoritism is enough to cause his faction's officials to run into obstacles at every turn. Now, many people who have seen through the situation are already trying to build relationships with Consort Yi's family.

"Grandpa, what can we do?"

"There's nothing I can do right now!"

Zhou Tianze was somewhat self-destructive.

How could the Third Prince, who had always had a smooth life, have suffered such a setback?

Qin Zhiang's lips curled up slightly.

"It's not like there's no way."

"Isn't His Highness the Crown Prince going to the northern frontier?"

"You should go too, ride as fast as you can, and try to steal the credit!"

Zhou Tianze's eyes widened instantly.

"Lin Tong is his man, and so is Duke Zheng Rong, the Protector of the State. What makes me think I can steal his credit?"

Qin Zhiang rolled his eyes.

"It's not even certain whether his ten thousand men can rescue the Emperor Emeritus!"

"Even if you just bring a few people up to tag along, you'll still have made a contribution!"

"If you're lucky, you'll find a way to kill the Crown Prince in Northern Xia!"

"If you're unlucky, you'll have to curry favor with your imperial grandfather. When he returns, there will be chaos in the capital, and then even the Emperor won't have the final say on who will be the crown prince!"

Zhou Tianze immediately raised his head.

He calculated that it would take about thirty days to travel from Kyoto to the Great Yue Pass in the northern frontier, and even if he traveled at full speed, it would only take him a month and a half at most.

In a month and a half, could the Crown Prince have already saved the Emperor Emeritus?

He began to hesitate again.

Qin Zhi'ang was somewhat disappointed in his son.

"Northern Xia won't let them leave so easily!"

"Use your brain and think about it. The retired emperor led 50,000 men and was trapped for 16 years. Why didn't they escape?"

"If they want to return to Daqian, the people of Beixia will stop them at all costs!"

"Even if the Crown Prince really did save the Emperor Emeritus, you'd better rush to fawn over him, or you can forget about being the Crown Prince. You might as well become a prince!"

Zhou Tianze finally made up his mind and immediately went back to prepare.

Qin Zhi'ang's expression remained grim.

He looked down at the Ministry of Rites' files in his hand, his eyes somewhat vacant.

"Your Majesty, did you time this perfectly?"

"Is the timing of this attack because they're certain Tianze can't help and don't want him to get any credit?"

"You've really gone to great lengths for the Crown Prince!"

"But he's a fake crown prince!"

Qin Zhiang slammed his fist on the table in anger, already beginning to regret his actions.

When Zhou Tianze accused the fake crown prince, he should have investigated thoroughly. Now that the fake crown prince has gained power, he has been stripped of his official position as a first-rank official. How can Qin Zhiang accept this?

……

The Northern Xia Imperial Court.

Zhou Tiancheng, with a piece of beef leg dangling from his mouth, squatted by the roadside, watching the people of Beixia come and go, and sighed.

The plan is going smoothly.

They contacted officials of the Dzungar tribe, who gave them identities and allowed them to impersonate members of the Dzungar tribe and enter the imperial court.

and then?

And that was the end of it.

The Dzungar people severed ties with them in order to avoid being dragged into their schemes.

Now, 10,000 of them remain in the Northern Xia imperial court, unable to move an inch.

If it weren't for the officials' connections who gave them food, lodging, and work opportunities, they probably wouldn't even be able to afford to eat.

Kidnapping the Emperor of Northern Xia?

Haha!

Zhou Tiancheng was amused by his own foolishness.

There are 100,000 people in the palace, most of whom are elites from the Kaka tribe. These 10,000 people want to rush in and kidnap the emperor.

I'm afraid that before we even capture the palace, the hundreds of thousands of Northern Xia soldiers outside will have already surrounded us.

So they're stuck here for now!

Lin Tong walked over, carrying a beef leg in one hand and a sesame seed cake in the other, and squatted down next to him without any regard for his image.

"Your Highness, what should we do now?"

"If all else fails, let's go to Beirong."

Zhou Tiancheng rolled his eyes.

"We can't run away now. Want to run? That corrupt official in Dzungar will expose us immediately!"

"They hired us to deal with the Kaka tribe; they won't allow us to escape!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he spat on the ground.

"If I had known the Imperial Court was so heavily guarded, I shouldn't have made this plan in the first place. I would have been better off going to the Northern Rong."

Xinhua came over with a bowl of mutton soup.

The three men, who were in the same boat, sat in a row, and he spoke in a rather irritable tone.

"When are we going back to Daqian? We eat meat every day, and now even my poop smells like mutton."

Zhou Tiancheng rolled his eyes at him.

"You should be glad you're still young. If you were Coach Lin's age, you wouldn't even be able to poop!"

"I'm almost there now. I eat meat every day, and my butt hurts from pooping."

Lin Tong glanced at Xinhua, then at the Crown Prince, and finally fixed his gaze on the beef leg and flatbread in his hand.

How is he supposed to eat now?!

He glared at the two of them with annoyance, wrapped a piece of meat in a flatbread, and chewed it in big bites.

That's the matter.

Xiao Shi came from a distance.

"Your Highness, that corrupt official has sent someone looking for you!"

Zhou Tiancheng's face darkened, and he stood up cursing.

"All you ever do is nag, nag, nag! It's just a few of his cattle and sheep, why are you being so stingy?"

"If I had a way, wouldn't I have already marched on the Northern Xia Imperial Court?"

That's what they say, but people still have to be seen.

He handed the beef leg to Xiao Shi and strode into the main hall.

A man who looked like a steward from the Northern Xia was waiting here.

"Oh dear, Your Highness! His Majesty is investigating your whereabouts again today. My master can no longer hide it!"

"You only have three days left, you'd better think of something quickly!"

Zhou Tiancheng greeted him with a smile.

"Old steward, we've come up with a plan! Now just watch how we perform. We guarantee you'll be satisfied within three days!"

The butler didn't move, staring at him expressionlessly.

"Your Highness, that's exactly what you said three days ago!"

"Delay it all, at least give me a solution!"

Zhou Tiancheng had no idea what to do.

If 10,000 people are fighting against 500,000 or 600,000 people, how can he fight them head-on?

"Don't worry, I'll definitely make my move in the last three days!"

The housekeeper still hadn't left.

"If you don't tell me your solution today, I'll whip you when I get home."

"Anyway, I'm not leaving today."

"At worst, we'll die together in three days!"

Zhou Tiancheng was speechless.

Why is she so stubborn?

Are good solutions really that easy to come up with?

We need to give them a few more days.

"I can't exactly just smash my head against the gates of your palace and die, can I?"

The butler just stared straight at him.

Zhou Tiancheng was trying to figure out how to get through this when he suddenly raised his head.

Eh?

It seems like crashing into the palace gates is actually a good idea!

Of course, he wouldn't actually crash into them, but when it comes to cattle, sheep, and horses, it doesn't matter whether you're from Northern Xia or not!