Chapter 007: The Eastern Hu Invades

Ying Xuan emerged from Liu Fei's chamber, uncertain of what to do. When ideals and familial ties came into conflict, he found himself at a loss for how to choose.

Xue Rou suddenly turned her face away in resistance, her hands tightly blocking Ying Xuan's face.

"How did you end up here?" Ying Xuan仔细 looked closely and realized that the person in the room was actually Xue Rou

"My lady, please allow me to serve you exclusively in your chambers from now on." The young palace maid, Xue Rou, seemed still very afraid of Ying Xuan, her face flushed, and her speech appeared somewhat stammering due to her excessive nervousness

Child, I do not know

Emperor Yanping sat on the dragon throne, looking down from a height at the crowd standing in the hall, and remained silent for a long time: "This morning, I received an urgent battle report from the border, indicating that the Eastern Hu has mobilized 300,000 troops to attack Jingchu Prefecture, capturing twelve cities in seven days, and is advancing directly towards our Western Capital. The governor of Xiangyang, Fu Renshi, reported that the Sui Kingdom has mobilized its most elite forces of 200,000, led by the Grand General Zhou Ji, to assemble troops in the vicinity of Xiangyang, watching us closely. What strategies do you, my lords, have to assist our Great Qin in repelling the enemy?"

The Qin state maintained strict management over its princes, rarely allowing them to attend court sessions unless they held an official position in the court or were already the crown prince. Therefore, the fact that Emperor Yanping permitted all princes who had reached the age of sixteen to attend court sessions was an unprecedented occurrence in the hundred years since the founding of the Qin state

The next day, Xue Rou still served Ying Xuan early in the morning, but after last night's events, there was a certain awkwardness between the two. Whenever there was even the slightest physical contact, both would blush and quickly pull away.

I heard from Xiao Zhongzi that you want to use your Thirteenth Brother's hand to eliminate the Cao family

Xuan'er, I know that you harbor discontent and ambition in your heart. If you had been born into an ordinary family, you could have soared high and perhaps even achieved great wealth in your lifetime. However, you should never have been born into a royal family. I would rather you be a frivolous young master who knows nothing but indulgence, yet you are instead both cultured and martial. You are too young, and ultimately, there is no place for you in the court. Xuan'er, let it go; do not concern yourself with the disputes in the court any longer. Just focus on being a good prince.

After exchanging a glance with each other, Cao Guojiu and Xiao Youxiang followed Emperor Yanping into the Xuanzheng Hall and returned to their respective positions. However, at the moment they turned around, Ying Xuan clearly saw the smile on Cao Guojiu's face.

"Xuan'er has returned, please take a seat." Liu Fei is now nearly forty years old. Although she does not maintain herself as well as Concubine Xiao, her unadorned skin still appears delicate.

"You must know that the prince's personal maid is required to stay overnight in the room." Ying Xuan looked at Rou Xue, who appeared so frightened, and suddenly felt a mischievous urge to tease her

Indeed, if it were not for him, you and I would probably have long since descended to the underworld.

So, how did it go when you went to your thirteenth brother's place

Indeed, if this is the case, the Cao family is truly too arrogant, daring to compare themselves with my royal family. What is most detestable is that they treat the Imperial Guards as their own private army, acting with impunity under the Emperor's feet. If the Cao family continues in this manner, they will inevitably rebel sooner or later

Lady Liu sighed softly

Ying Xuan's breathing became somewhat heavy, and he couldn't help but wrap one arm around Xue Rou's waist, gently tightening his grip. Xue Rou's delicate and fragile body pressed closely against Ying Xuan's.

Ying Xuan sat down and poured himself a glass of water, while Xue Rou couldn't help but step back again, maintaining her distance from Ying Xuan

***

I was supposed to return earlier, but I went to visit Brother Shisan, which is why I came back late. Ying Xuan did not dare to conceal anything from Consort Liu, so he recounted everything in detail.

The harem was in an uproar

Emperor Yanping strode towards the dragon throne, accompanied by several ministers and books. His somber expression caused many ministers and princes to shudder, as the long-standing authority of Emperor Yanping exerted pressure on everyone present in the hall

The history of the Qin refers to it as the calamity of the Eastern Hu, while the national history of the Eastern Hu describes this battle as the battle of glory

Ying Xuan returned to his room in a daze. Just as he reached the door, he was surprised to see that the light in the room was on, and he couldn't help but pause for a moment before pushing the door open.

Ying Xuan remained silent; he did not know what else he could say. Is it wrong for a man to aspire to the world? Is it wrong to be born into a royal family?

Xue Rou's face had turned as red as a ripe purple grape, her body slightly leaning back in resistance, yet her form was tightly embraced by Ying Xuan, which only brought their bodies closer together.

However, they encountered the obstruction of Yelü Chuxiong, who was then merely a prince, in Donghu. The 700,000 troops of the Qin army were unexpectedly held back by Yelü Chuxiong for half a month. After suffering a staggering loss of 60,000 casualties, although the Qin army eventually broke through Yelü Chuxiong's defenses, they later discovered that Donghu had suffered fewer than 30,000 losses, and remarkably, Yelü Chuxiong had managed to escape.

Is that the voice coming from over there

Now, I have spoken. Ying Xuan stood up and walked in front of Xue Rou, gently lifting her chin.

Indeed, Xuan'er has grown up. Liu Fei pondered for a long time and said slowly: Let us proceed as he suggested. If possible, I would appreciate it if he could take extra care of Xuan'er, considering the past affection.

"Serve me?" Ying Xuan had grown accustomed to being alone, and suddenly having another person in the room made him feel quite uncomfortable

It is not that the ministers of the Qin state in the court are overly timid, but rather that the reputation of the Eastern Hu is indeed too formidable

Rest assured, Your Highness, that person is also very sentimental; otherwise, our palace would not be so peaceful.

The Emperor summoned all princes who had reached the age of sixteen to the Hall of Political Affairs to discuss governance and * diagrams *.

Indeed, Xuan'er has too high an ambition. Although he possesses some abilities, they are still insufficient for him to stand out in this fiercely competitive court. I fear that if this continues, it may instead lead to a fatal disaster for him.

Ying Xuan's face slowly moved closer to Xue Rou, the heavy breaths causing a slight itch on Xue Rou's face. She could already feel the warmth radiating from Ying Xuan's face and that unique scent.

Originally, Thirteenth Brother wanted to accompany me to meet Father Emperor, but he was stopped by Empress Xiao.

Several princes and princesses arrived early, gathering in groups of three or five to discuss what had transpired today. A few of the more powerful princes turned to the ministers present in the hall to inquire about the matters addressed during today's court session

Ultimately, you are still too naive to understand the intrigues of the court. Do you think Prime Minister Xiao is unaware of the affairs of the Cao family? Do you think the Emperor is ignorant of the Xiao family matters? If so, you are gravely mistaken. They not only know, but they know better than anyone else. Liu Fei's response left Ying Xuan profoundly shocked, yet he found himself at a loss for words, only able to chew his lips and listen quietly.

Xue Rou felt her body lighten and hurriedly fled from Ying Xuan's room, her face flushed, leaving Ying Xuan standing alone in the room, foolishly inhaling the lingering fragrance on his hands

The person in the room was startled by the sudden entrance of Ying Xuan

After Emperor Yanping finished speaking, there was an uproar in the hall, yet not a single minister dared to step forward

Ying Xuan's heart began to race upon hearing the decree from Little Leaf. The Xuanzheng Hall was the place where Emperor Yanping discussed state affairs, and Ying Xuan had never set foot there. Could it be related to the matters concerning the Cao family?

Upon arriving at the Xuanzheng Hall, the other princes had already gathered, among them were even more than ten grandsons of the emperor. It must be said that Emperor Yanping was not particularly accomplished in his youth, but he began to show his capabilities later in life, akin to a sowing machine that had sown a few times. However, his sons were all exceptional, akin to stallions and scholars; the eldest prince, Ying She, alone had fathered nine sons

In a few months, Ying Xuan will turn eighteen. He is already well aware of matters between men and women, yet he has never had personal experience. Living daily in a harem filled with beautiful women is somewhat tantalizing for a normal man.

Do you know why you are not allowed to go

The faces of the two individuals drew closer and closer

The person over there mentioned to me not long ago to inquire about your Highness's thoughts, stating that the prince has already grown up

Ying Xuan arrived relatively late, so he quietly stood at the back, and no one noticed his arrival

The Emperor has arrived! With a loud proclamation from the Chief Eunuch Hua Fu, the entire hall quickly fell silent

No, there isn't. Xuerou forcefully shrank her neck, lowering her head even further

The palace is a cage, and the court is a pool. Rather than allowing the Fourteenth Prince to be trapped here, it would be better to set him free. This would not only fulfill the prince's wishes but also keep him away from this place of disputes. The only question is whether the Empress is willing to part with him

By the time Yelü Chuxiong reappeared on the battlefield between the Qin state and the Donghu, he had already become the Great Khan of the Donghu, leading an army of 100,000 Donghu troops to engage in a protracted three-year tug-of-war with the Qin army on the grasslands. Ultimately, he managed to exhaust 700,000 Qin troops, and in the final battle, he shot and killed the Qin state's war god Yan De with a single arrow, annihilating nearly 600,000 Qin soldiers, achieving success in one battle.

The voice of Lady Liu is very soft, and she speaks very slowly, much like when Concubine Xiao spoke to Ying Xuan at the entrance of Xinghua Palace, with a deliberate pace

Ah... Ah. Mother, the Empress has never said that she would stay in your room. Xue Rou's voice became even softer, like the buzzing of a mosquito, barely audible unless one listened closely

After finishing the meal, Ying Xuancao quickly fled from Ningyuan Palace, but encountered the eunuch Xiao Yezi, who was on his way to deliver an imperial edict.

Ying and Tu Xuan had already become infatuated at this moment, their hands unconsciously tightening their embrace, as if wanting to merge Xue Rou's body with their own. Her delicate red lips seemed to cast a spell on Ying Xuan, who yearned to kiss them fiercely.

Are you worried about the Fourteenth Prince, Your Highness? After Ying Xuan left, Liu Zhong emerged from behind Concubine Liu, still hunched over, walking unsteadily, as if each step he took would cause him to sway three times.

Ying Xuan was momentarily pulled away from his desires by Xue Rou's hand, and for the first time, being so close to a woman made his face flush with embarrassment, causing him to awkwardly release his grip on Xue Rou's waist

Are you very afraid of me

Mother," Ying Xuan called softly

At that time, Emperor Yanping also believed that the unification of the Qin state had been achieved, so he mobilized 700,000 troops, led by the renowned general Yan De, known as the God of War of the Qin state, to conquer the Eastern Hu.

Xue Rou tightly closed her eyes, her originally fair and snow-like face now resembled a ripe peach, vibrant and tempting, making one unable to resist the urge to take a bite

Ten years ago, the State of Qin was strong and prosperous, with a wealthy nation and a powerful populace. There were nearly two million soldiers in the country, demonstrating a significant momentum towards unifying the world.

In today's capital, apart from the Shence Forbidden Army, there are also 30,000 Imperial Guards responsible for patrolling the palace. Outside the city, there are four major camps in the southeast, southwest, northeast, and northwest, totaling nearly 200,000 troops. Even if the Cao family controls this 10,000-strong Shence Army, what difference does it make? The reason why Minister Xiao is aware but does not mention it is that he hopes the Cao family becomes increasingly arrogant, ideally to the point of rebellion, so that he can dominate the court and wield absolute power. The reason the Emperor does not bring it up is that he hopes to use the Cao and Xiao families to compete against each other in the court, ensuring that no one can monopolize power and pose a threat to the Great Qin dynasty. This is the strategy of the sovereign.

Ying Xuan originally only intended to tease the young palace maid, but unexpectedly, as he gazed at Xue Rou's delicate and alluring face, inhaling the faint scent of her youthful fragrance, he felt as if his heart was being scratched by a cat's paw.