diskusbooks Chapter 382: The Northern Expedition
Chapter 382: The Northern Expedition
Ouyang Wenche looked calmly at Emperor Qianyuan who was sitting high on the dragon throne, without any sign of fear.
He lifted his robe slightly and knelt on both knees, lowering his body with his forehead touching the ground. After performing a standard kowtow ceremony, he spoke in a clear voice:
"I, Ouyang Wenche, greet your majesty."
Emperor Qianyuan looked at the young man in front of him with great interest, his eyes full of admiration. His firm special care for the Eastern Palace over the years finally got an answer today. It turned out that he was waiting for an heir!
This person is right in front of you!
Emperor Qianyuan's eyes were filled with warmth. He suppressed the mixed feelings in his heart and raised his hand slightly, saying:
"No need to be so polite, come closer so I can take a good look at you."
Ouyang Wenche walked forward steadily until he stopped a few steps away from the dragon throne.
Although the prince said that the person who would take his turn to attend court the next day was Ouyang Wenche, he had never looked at the child so carefully.
Ouyang and Xiao Yu look very similar, but they are different.
Xiao Yu has been the center of attention since he was a child, and he looks even more conceited.
Furthermore, Xiao Yu started to learn martial arts under the instruction of the martial arts champion at the age of 8, but compared with the child in front of him, he was still too weak.
Ouyang Wenche looked tall and straight, with broad and flat shoulders, smooth and firm arm muscles, a thin and straight waist, and straight and slender legs.
He exuded a kind of vitality, and he was like a pine tree that had just grown into a majestic place, elegant, cold and arrogant.
Emperor Qianyuan suppressed his excitement and said:
"I heard that you don't want to acknowledge your royal identity and only recognize the Ouyang family as your relatives. Is this true?"
Ouyang Wenche looked calm and nodded slightly:
"Your Majesty, the Ouyang family has been very kind to me. I grew up in the Ouyang family for ten years and have long considered them my closest relatives. It is hard for me to accept the sudden discovery of my other life story."
Emperor Qianyuan nodded slightly and thought for a moment:
"I understand your feelings, but you are of royal blood and cannot be abandoned lightly. You are so smart. If you stay in the royal family, you will be able to do more and contribute to the country."
Ouyang Wenche said seriously:
“Your Majesty, I believe that no matter where we are, as long as we care about our country, we can make contributions.
If you have talent and knowledge, you will be useful to your country and your family!"
Emperor Qianyuan couldn't help laughing when he heard this:
"Good! You have your country in your heart. But you know that your role will be different depending on your position. Do you understand?!"
Ouyang Wenche did not answer.
Emperor Qianyuan narrowed his eyes slightly, a sharp light flashed in his eyes, and soon he regained his composure:
"Your personality is very similar to my youth. I had no intention of fighting and just wanted to be myself. You know that even if the tree wants to be still, the wind will not stop. Since you were born into the royal family, your identity and future have been determined.
Your personal choice is no longer important, your fate is already determined, in your life dictionary, there is no such thing as winning or losing, no such thing as retreating...
Because in front of you is the country, behind you is the country, and around you are the people.
We are born to be supported by all the people, so we should work for all the people. In your life, you can only consider the interests of the majority.
You may not understand these, but you should know that princesses who were sent to marry foreign princes in every dynasty died alone in a foreign land, and some even died of depression just two years after their marriage.
When the imperial concubines heard the news, they often hanged themselves in the palace.
Wouldn't the emperor be sad? Wouldn't he be upset?!
Anyone in the world can be sad and upset because of losing their wife and children, but the emperor cannot!
Because you must always be the only one in this world who has his own opinions, thoughts, and is unshakable. You have no choice!"
The hall fell silent, and the grandfather and grandson looked at each other silently without saying a word.
After a few breaths, Emperor Qianyuan's voice sounded slowly:
"You should go to court first."
After saying that, he waved his hand, signaling the eunuch to take Ouyang Wenche away.
After this conversation, Ouyang Wenche clearly knew his future path, which would no longer be decided by himself. He had vague guesses about the choice of his royal grandfather.
At the morning court, the ministers were still discussing the matter of the military supervisor. Emperor Qianyuan said calmly, "The candidate for the royal military supervisor has been decided. There is no need to discuss this matter further!"
The candidates for the expedition were quickly decided:
Marshal: Veteran General Hu Yanyun
Vanguard: Hu Yanqing, the general’s fifth son.
Grain and Grass Officer: Xiao Qi, the Second Prince
Military Commander: Xiao Lin, the Third Prince
As the eunuch read out the imperial order to march to war, the hall fell silent, and everyone guessed who the emperor would choose as the military supervisor.
Crown Prince, Xiao Yin.
But given the prince's physical condition, it seems unlikely.
Ouyang Wenche, who was sitting at the Dan Steps to listen to government affairs in place of Xiao Yu, almost sat up, but thinking about his own Xiao Yu's physical condition, he could only struggle internally and lean on the soft couch, motionless.
His eyes were filled with tears, but he bit his lower lip to prevent himself from showing any expression.
He hated himself extremely in his heart and loved his grandfather the most. Ouyang Hongming died to protect him.
Now, in order to allow his biological father to return to the royal family openly and to pave the way for himself, he resolutely chooses to take the crime of deceiving the emperor!
From now on, no matter how the war goes, it will not change the fate of the prince dying on the front line, because only in this way can his merits and demerits offset each other, retain his position in the Eastern Palace, and give himself a chance to compete for the throne in the future.
Emperor Qianyuan looked coldly at the ministers in the hall, waiting for their questions.
Suddenly, three people in the hall stood up and knelt down, almost shouting at the same time:
"Your Majesty, no."
"Your Majesty, this old minister has something to say."
"Your Majesty, please take back your order!"
In the court, people knelt down one after another. Ouyang glanced at them indifferently and found that two-thirds of them were against it, and the remaining one-third did not agree with the prince to lead the army, but they just did not take sides for the time being.
Ouyang Wenche's brain was working frantically, thinking about what to do next.
In this chaotic time, he spoke for the first time in the court.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor's grandson thinks..."
As he spoke, he slowly stood up, imitated Xiao Yu's unhealed waist injury, knelt down slowly, and stopped.
The hall fell silent, and everyone's eyes were focused on him. Emperor Qianyuan seemed a little surprised, as he did not expect him to interrupt at this time.
"speak!"
Ouyang Wenche calmed himself down, raised his head, looked firmly at Emperor Qianyuan, and said loudly: "Your Majesty, the Imperial Grandson thinks that the Crown Prince is ill and it is not appropriate for him to lead the army to the battle!"
After a moment of silence in the hall, all the ministers echoed,
"Exactly!"
"Your Majesty, what Xiao Yu said is absolutely right!"
"Your Majesty, Confucius said: A filial son serves his parents by showing respect when he lives with them, taking care of them and enjoying them, worrying about them when they are sick, mourning them when they die, and solemnly offering sacrifices to them. Only when these five qualities are complete can one serve his parents.
It is my duty to be filial and respectful to my parents and elders. How can Xiao Yu just sit back and watch the Crown Prince lead his troops to the north? As a son and grandson, I am willing to go to the battlefield on behalf of my father. I hope Your Majesty will grant my wish!"
After Ouyang finished speaking, he banged his head heavily on the hall. All the civil and military officials in the court heard the crisp sound of flesh breaking.