The Foolish Agent

Chapter 82

Ying thought for a moment and then said:

"That's true! Even I, who often sees the genuine seal, can't tell the difference between the real and fake. How could someone who's never seen it before possibly tell the difference? So what's going on? Didn't he promise to agree to any condition you ask for?"

Seeing that Ying was determined to get what she wanted, Leng Jie knew she wouldn't get away with it if she didn't tell him. So she planned to briefly recount what had happened in the pavilion, but before she could even begin, Zi Ying excitedly interrupted:

"What did you say? The Emperor has bestowed upon you the title of Crown Prince's Consort Ping?"

Why is he so agitated? Leng Jie and Qing Feng exchanged a glance, then simultaneously turned their piercing gazes toward Zi Ying.

"And then? You accepted?" Zi Ying ignored their gazes and pressed on.

Leng Jie shrugged and smiled, shaking her head as she replied, "No, but he thought I wanted to be the principal wife, so he changed my title to Crown Princess."

"It's over, it's over, I'm doomed this time," Ying muttered to herself.

Is Ying also lusting after Xiao Jie? Qingfeng immediately glared at Zi Ying warily.

Leng Jie then burst out laughing:

"Haha, Brother Ying, I've known you for years, but I only just realized you have such a cute side! Now tell me why you're doomed?"

If you get kidnapped by someone else, I'm doomed. Ying didn't answer Leng Jie's question, nor did she pay attention to Qingfeng's murderous gaze. Instead, she pressed on, asking, "Did Xiao Jie agree? You're not really planning to stay and not go back, are you?"

So he was afraid Xiao Jie wouldn't go back with him! Qingfeng immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Leng Jie laughed and said, "Haha, it seems Brother Ying can't change his impatient nature. Now it's not a matter of whether I agree or not, but that old emperor is clearly trying to use his imperial power to force us to submit."

Unsurprisingly, seeing Ying's expression change drastically, Leng Jie immediately continued:

"But don't worry, I've already thought of a solution. I'll make him regret not keeping his promise today."

Chapter 113 Telepathy

Because Leng Jie and Ying left the capital in a great hurry, they didn't bring carrier pigeons to Beifeng, and Beifeng didn't have any branches of the Dragon Gate or the Dark Guard. Therefore, they couldn't have communicated so quickly after arriving in Beifeng. Thus, the conversation Leng Jie had with the Beifeng emperor was entirely fabricated.

But what she didn't know was that she wasn't wrong. At this time, Jinghe's army was indeed stationed on the border of Xiping. Although not the 200,000 Long Jie had mentioned, it still numbered 150,000. However, this time Jinghe wasn't waiting for Xiping to attack; instead, it was taking the initiative. Furthermore, the morale of both the people and the army of Jinghe was unprecedentedly high! It was said that the people of Jinghe fully supported this battle, and the soldiers were all fired up, sharpening their swords, and ready to avenge the blood debt owed to Xiping and reclaim their dignity!

As for why there was such a large scene, that story begins after Leng Jie left.

From the moment Xuanyuan learned that Leng Jie had gone alone, injured, to rescue Qingfeng, he secretly made a decision. Whether as a king or as a man, he would maintain control. He would eliminate all potential threats before Leng Jie returned, ensuring his Xiao Jie had no reason to leave him again.

That morning at court, he announced the reform of the official appointment and dismissal system that he had been discussing with Xiao Jie. Although the court officials wanted to oppose it, given the emperor's firm stance and knowing that resistance would be futile, no one was willing to be the first to speak out. The matter was quickly passed as a resolution and put into action.

Three days later, the detailed imperial edict on the civil service examination procedures and the immediate registration order were spread throughout Jinghe. Simultaneously, both civil and military examinations were established. Those taking the civil service examination could register from the date the edict was issued to participate in the spring and autumn examinations, proceeding through the examinations step by step according to the established procedures.

The military examination was relatively simple and direct. Anyone who wanted to take the exam and become a military officer could register at the local recruitment office on the day the decree arrived. As long as they passed the first round of the specialized military test, they were all accepted. After a month of military training, they would see if they could advance to the next round of examinations. This process continued, with each level of selection taking place. In other words, if you wanted to become a military officer, you had to join the army first.

Upon receiving this decree, the common people, especially those from the lower and middle classes, seemed to suddenly see a broad road to officialdom. Therefore, all learned scholars who were proficient in literature and those righteous individuals who were strong, skilled in martial arts, but had no way to serve their country responded enthusiastically and signed up eagerly.

Meanwhile, after receiving the message from Eunuch Fu via carrier pigeon, Shi Yu traveled day and night, arriving at the capital's imperial palace in the middle of the night on the fifth day. He dared not linger for a moment. Although the palace gates were closed, he remembered very clearly the secret passage that Zi Ying had led him through last time. Therefore, when he suddenly appeared at the Dragon Palace gates in the middle of the night, it immediately caused a panic, as if an assassin had been caught.

When Eunuch Fu rushed out after hearing the commotion, he saw a handsome young man dressed in a moon-colored casual suit surrounded by dozens of guards. The man was neither armed nor masked. He didn't seem like an assassin! After a closer look, he confirmed he didn't recognize the man. He then sternly questioned him:

"Who dares to break into the palace at night?"

Eunuch Fu had only seen Xiao Shiyu before, so of course he didn't recognize the renowned Prince Ying before him. However, Shiyu recognized him. Without saying much, Shiyu directly took out a jade pendant with a qilin pattern, which might prove his identity, and coldly said:

"Eunuch Fan Qingfu reports to His Majesty: Prince Ying of Jianzhou has been summoned to the palace for an audience with the Emperor!"

Upon seeing the jade pendant, Eunuch Fu's narrowed eyes widened suddenly. He unconsciously scrutinized the man before him from head to toe. Finding no trace of the adorable little boy he had seen three years ago, he asked in a daze:

"Are you really the King of England?"

Shi Yu, of course, knew that Eunuch Fu was implying something, and he asked back, not knowing whether to laugh or cry:

"What? Does Eunuch Fu really think there's anyone in the world who would dare to impersonate me?"

"Uh!" Eunuch Fu was taken aback, thinking to himself, could anyone imitate this aura? He quickly bowed and said, "This old servant greets Prince Ying! Please forgive this old servant's poor eyesight! This old servant just didn't expect that Prince Ying could really arrive within five days!" As he spoke, he turned to the guards who looked on alert and said:

"Why aren't you all here to pay your respects to Prince Ying!"

Shi Yu waved his hand to interrupt, saying, "No need. This is the palace. Everyone here is a trusted confidant of the Emperor. I dare not handle matters here." As he spoke, two servants leaped to Eunuch Fu's side and continued:

"Please lead the way, Eunuch Fu! The Emperor must have something important to discuss with me in such a hurry to summon me to the palace."

"Please, Your Highness!" Eunuch Fu immediately bowed and led the way.

When Eunuch Fu brought Shi Yu to Xuanyuan's bedchamber, Xuanyuan, who had just lain down, had already gotten up because of the commotion outside. He didn't even need to look to guess who it was.

"Your Majesty, the Prince of Ying requests an audience!" Eunuch Fu reported from the doorway.

"Xuan!" Xuanyuan, who was already waiting outside the palace, coldly replied.

Hearing the emperor's voice so cold for the first time, Shi Yu was momentarily stunned. He thought to himself, "Has something terrible happened?" But he didn't dare hesitate, striding into the room to find Xuanyuan sitting expressionlessly on the throne. He quickly greeted him with the proper respect between ruler and subject:

"Your subject, Xuanyuan Yu, pays respects to Your Majesty. Your Majesty, may Your Majes

"Don't give me that nonsense," Xuanyuan interrupted, waving his hand.

Shi Yu was taken aback! The Emperor had even learned to speak in Xiao Jie's tone. He stood up without ceremony, about to ask what was wrong, when he heard the Emperor say with a hint of reproach:

"You're late! I've been waiting for you since 7 PM, and it's past midnight by now!"

"No way? The timing was so precise?" Shi Yu stared at Xuan Yuan in astonishment. After a moment, she explained, "Your Majesty, please forgive me! Xiu Yu encountered some trouble on the road, which delayed me by two hours."

"Never mind, come and sit down!" Xuanyuan said casually, pointing to the chair opposite him. Then he looked up and instructed the eunuch Fu, who was waiting nearby:

"Prepare a table of food and wine; I wish to drink with the King of England."

"Yes, this old servant will prepare it immediately," Eunuch Fu replied tremblingly. Then he hurriedly left.

"Your Majesty, what has happened?" Shi Yu sat down in front of Xuanyuan and finally seized the opportunity to ask the question that had been on his mind.

Xuanyuan naturally poured Shi Yu a cup of tea, handed it to him, and asked:

"Did you make any discoveries along the way?"

Shi Yu thought for a moment and said:

"Your Majesty wants to inquire about the reform of the imperial examination system, doesn't he? It's been the talk of the town all along the way. The public reaction has been overwhelmingly positive! Everyone is praising Your Majesty's boundless grace!"

This credit doesn't belong to me, it belongs to Xiao Jie. However, knowing Shi Yu's feelings for Xiao Jie, he naturally wouldn't mention Xiao Jie in front of Shi Yu. Xuanyuan shook his head and said, "I summoned you back not to discuss this matter."

Then, with a serious expression, he asked:

"In my last letter, I asked you to prepare for the war with Xiping. Are you ready? Now I want to hear your opinion on how likely we are to win if we send troops to attack Xiping now?"

"Your Majesty intends to send troops to Xiping?" Shi Yu asked in surprise. Didn't the last letter say that the war would begin in Xiping first? Then, seeing that Xuanyuan was not joking at all, he thought for a moment and replied, "That depends on what reason you will give for sending troops?"

A glint of shrewdness flashed in Xuanyuan's phoenix eyes. He had to admit that the descendants of the Shi family were indeed all capable generals. He nodded and replied:

"What if we take the tragic battle six years ago, when Xiping innocently invaded Jinghe, as a pretext, and then use the fact that they held Jinghe's imperial concubine hostage for six years and threatened Jinghe with the prince's name to force us to cede cities, as a reason to send troops to punish them?"

Shi Yu immediately stood up and replied with great enthusiasm:

"If Your Majesty commands me to lead an army of 100,000 on an expedition, I am 80% confident of victory!"

"What I need is absolute certainty, and a swift victory," Xuanyuan said firmly, then asked, "If that's the case, how many troops do you think will be enough?"

Shi Yu pondered for a moment and analyzed:

"As far as I know, Xiping currently has 100,000 elite troops stationed in our border region. However, Xiping has suffered a severe disaster this year, and their military supplies seem to be severely lacking. There are frequent incidents of pairs of Xiping soldiers disguising themselves as bandits to rob civilians of their grain within our Jinghe territory. Therefore, I believe that a siege would be better than a swift attack."

Xuanyuan tapped the table with one hand, thought for a moment, and asked:

"If I were to give you 150,000 troops, how long would it take you to end this war?"

Why does Your Majesty insist on a swift resolution? Shi Yu wondered. But since the Emperor didn't answer, he naturally wouldn't ask. It was his duty as a subject. After a moment's thought, Shi Yu replied:

"Three months!"

"No! Three months is too long. I'll give you one month. I'll personally accompany the army to boost your morale. I'll also give you a new type of secret weapon. This way, we'll have all the advantages of timing, location, and popular support, and we're bound to win this battle!" Xuanyuan said without room for doubt.

A month? That's too difficult! Shi Yu's heart pounded. However, his greater worry wasn't for himself, but for matters of the court. He asked, puzzled:

"The Emperor is personally leading the expedition? What about the affairs of the court? And what about the matter of the former Crown Prince? If you openly leave the capital now, what if the Crown Prince takes the opportunity to force you to abdicate?"

"You don't need to worry about that. What I want is for him to force me to abdicate. This fraternal feud has lasted for six years; it's time to settle things," Xuanyuan said confidently. After taking a sip of tea, he continued to explain:

"As for matters of state, I intend to summon Prime Minister Leng back to manage state affairs. With Prime Minister Leng's abilities, I believe there will be no major deviations."

"With a cold-hearted minister in court, there's naturally nothing to worry about. However, I'm still concerned about the Crown Prince. The worst thing for an army on the front lines is instability in the court and trouble at home! Have you forgotten the war six years ago? If supplies and provisions from the rear couldn't reach the front, we would be attacked from both sides," Shi Yu insisted.

"Therefore, I humbly request Your Majesty to abandon the idea of personally leading the expedition. I can pledge to end this war within a month."

Shi Yu's loyalty gave Xuanyuan even more confidence. He got up and went to the door, making sure no one was outside. Then he went to Shi Yu's side and told him his entire detailed plan. Upon hearing it, Shi Yu immediately clapped his hands in praise:

"Excellent! This plan is brilliant! Your Majesty is wise!"

"Are you confident you can make Xiping surrender within a month?" Xuanyuan asked with a smile. This was the first time he had smiled since Leng Jie left.

Shi Yu stood up and solemnly replied, "Yes! Your Majesty, I will certainly live up to your expectations and guarantee to complete the mission!"

"Your Majesty, the wine and tea are ready! Please, Your Majesty and the Prince, move to the side hall!" Eunuch Fu announced from outside the door, as if he had timed it perfectly.

"Let's go! We haven't had a drink in three years. Tonight, I'll have a few drinks with you." With that, Xuanyuan took the lead and walked out.

Shi Yu also went up and walked alongside Xuanyuan.

After dinner, Shi Yu was arranged by Xuan Yuan to stay at Qingfeng Residence. He learned from the steward that Xiao Jie had only been gone for five days. His emotions were palpable. However, when asked about Xiao Jie's whereabouts, the steward knew nothing. Finally, he had no choice but to beg the steward to tell him which room the young lady was staying in. He thought that even if he couldn't see her, seeing her belongings might ease his longing.

But the reply they received was that Xiao Jie's room had been locked by the Emperor. Only the Emperor had the key. The Emperor also ordered that no one but him could enter the room, and that he was personally responsible for cleaning it.

This answer only made Shi Yu more frustrated. He didn't know what had happened between Xiao Jie and the Emperor, nor did he know Xiao Jie's whereabouts. It reminded him of that night three years ago at his palace, when he had impulsively kissed Xiao Jie. After being beaten up by Xuan Yuan and Qing Feng, the three of them had made a gentleman's agreement.

Regarding Xiaojie's feelings, the three of them, regardless of their social status, will compete fairly based on their own abilities. Whoever can win Xiaojie's heart and make her willingly marry him, the other two must unconditionally provide their help and blessings.

For three years, Xiao Jie had been wandering around alone, never developing any particular closeness with any of them. But what had happened between her and the Emperor upon her return to the palace? Why was the Emperor so eager to deal with Xi Ping and the Crown Prince, two major troubles Xiao Jie had been focusing on? Could it be related to her? Shi Yu stood at the door of Leng Jie's room, staring blankly at the heavy brass lock, lost in thought.

The butler saw Shi Yu standing blankly at the young lady's door. He couldn't help but shake his head, sighing inwardly, "Another sentimental man infatuated with Miss Leng!" He quietly walked to Shi Yu's side and respectfully reminded him:

"Your Highness! You should go and rest. His Majesty just sent someone to instruct you to attend the morning court session on time tomorrow morning!"

"Oh!" Shi Yu came to his senses and replied, "Okay, I understand!" After saying that, he reluctantly turned around and left the room, returning to the bedroom that the steward had prepared for him, which was located next to Qingfeng's master bedroom.

The following morning at court, Shi Yu stood before the officials for the first time as the Prince of Ying. His sudden appearance immediately brought much-needed life to the otherwise calm court. Then he threw out a super pebble, instantly creating a massive uproar.

He succinctly revealed that Xiping had stationed 100,000 troops on the border of Jinghe. He then reiterated to the officials the Xiping invasion of Jinghe six years prior, thus pointing out Xiping's covetous intentions towards Jinghe. He went on to vehemently accuse Xiping of detaining Jinghe's imperial concubine and princes for years and of using this to coerce Jinghe into ceding territory and cities. Finally, he directly requested permission to fight Xiping, vowing revenge for the more than 20,000 Jinghe soldiers who died in that war six years ago, and to avenge the royal dignity trampled upon by Xiping!

Shi Yu's words were forceful and reasonable. The ministers vividly remembered the losses inflicted on Jinghe by the war six years ago. The Crown Prince of Xiping's outrageous remarks seemed like yesterday. However, no one had mentioned seeking revenge for the blood debt and the loss of dignity, so everyone had buried their anger deep in their hearts.

Now, the King of England, known as the God of War, has volunteered for war. Immediately, many hot-blooded ministers echoed his sentiments, urging the King to grant permission to send troops. In particular, the generals who participated in the fierce battle six years ago were so excited that they wished they could immediately lead the troops.

Only a few civil officials expressed the view that it was better to resolve conflicts than to perpetuate them, and that peace should be prioritized. They insisted on adhering to the principle of "I will not attack unless attacked." However, their words were immediately met with fierce criticism from the other officials. In the end, they could only remain silent and plead for justice from the emperor with their eyes.