Love Affairs in Chang'an - Chapter 478

Chapter 478 King Wu Returns to Beijing
Almost at the same time that Qin Mubai received the imperial edict, at the corner of the official road three miles east of Chang’an City, the dozens of horses that Feng Chenpu rushed over stopped.

The leader of the group was a man with a white horse and a jade belt around his waist. He lifted the cotton embroidered cloak that was tied to his head, revealing a golden three-beam sage crown and a heroic and resolute face.

“Chang’an!”

The two words were meaningfully spat out from his mouth, and then a smile filled with sentiment and sadness blossomed on his face.

“Your Highness King Wu, we’ve finally arrived!” Yi Ji slowly took a few steps forward from his side. His voice was a little dark and tired. He said, “From the day we received the imperial edict, we have traveled more than five thousand miles in twelve days. It can be said that our hearts are like arrows, and we are full of stars and moons!”

The man in the lead was King Wu Li Ke. It was King Wu Fu and Quan Wanji who talked to him.

“Royal Father urgently called me back to the capital and transferred me to the Lanzhou Supervisory Army.” Li Ke turned his head. In the past, he only had simple and handsome facial features. He had a short black beard at the edge of his lips. In addition, his years of training and Cang Sang had added a lot of restraint, stability and the unique charm of an adult man. He said, “Military intelligence is like fire. I have no choice but to hurry up.” It’s just that I’ve had a hard time eating with my teacher. After returning to the capital, Teacher, please rest for a few days. Don’t be exhausted. ”

“Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. This old skeleton of mine can temporarily withstand this trivial journey.” Quan Wanji revealed a gratified smile as he bowed and said, “At noon, the Emperor should still be reading the memorials in the Imperial Study of the Martial Palace. Your Highness can enter the Palace as soon as possible. Your Majesty, General Yin and the others will return to the palace first and wait for your good news.”

“Alright.” Li Ke answered and was about to rein in his horse when he suddenly stopped. He lowered his voice and said to Quan Wanji, “Teacher, the student has something to discuss with you.”

“Your Highness, please speak.”

“After I return to the capital this time, I want to do something private.” When Li Ke said this, he slightly knitted his brows and paused for a moment. Then, he smiled and said, “I want to establish a consort.”

“This is a good thing!” Quan Wanji smiled cheerfully and said, “Princess Wu has been gone for a long time. Your Highness has always lacked the help of virtuous people. Previously, I have repeatedly advised Your Highness to set up a princess in front of you. Now that you have returned to the capital, you can invite His Majesty the Emperor and Imperial Concubine Shu to make the decision and choose a princess for Your Highness.”

“There’s no need to choose. I already have the best candidate in mind.” Li Ke said, “I just don’t know if Father Emperor and Mother Imperial Concubine will agree?”

Quan Wanji was stunned for a moment before he suddenly said, “Is what His Highness said … the daughter of the Qin Family?”

“That’s right, it’s Shuang’er!”

“This!” Quan Wanji was momentarily dumbfounded, and his brows furrowed.

“Teacher, is there something wrong?” Li Ke asked patiently.

“Your Highness, I know that you and Miss Qin childhood love heavy, already have the intention to marry. However, for so many years, he had been unable to fulfill his wish for various reasons. Now that Princess Shuang’er is not married, with the current reputation and status of the Qin Family, even though Miss Shuang’er is the daughter of a concubine, she is still able to sit firmly in the position of Princess Wu. I’m sure His Majesty and Your Highness will not object. The Qin Clan now had His Highness’ best friend, Qin Mubai, in charge, and no one raised any objections. All of this might not seem inappropriate, but in reality … “Quan Wanji hesitated to say anything.

“Teacher, if you have something to say, you might as well say it.” Li Ke asked.

“Your Highness should think more about it.” Quan Wanji lowered his voice a little, but said seriously, “His Majesty suddenly called His Highness back to the palace to head to the Lanzhou Supervisory Army. This action is truly strange and astonishing.” It wasn’t hard to imagine that the officials of the Imperial Court would imagine whether His Majesty would use the war in Lanzhou to confirm the position of the Monarch. Everyone knew that Commander-in-Chief Lanzhou was Qin Mubai, with whom His Highness had long since made good friends. “Now that you’re proposing to marry his sister, won’t this move attract suspicion?”

“Suspect what?” Li Ke smiled indifferently, “Do you suspect that I, Li Ke, am planning to join hands with the Qin Family to plot against us? Or do you suspect that I, Li Ke, a person who fell into the water, have managed to catch a life-saving straw with great difficulty, so I have to hug him tightly and refuse to let go?”

Quan Wanji knitted his brows and nodded with a grim expression.

“Ai! “Li Ke let out a long sigh and smiled.” Teacher, everyone says that the duke is good, but who knows the duke’s sorrow? Being in the Imperial Clan was already difficult to find true feelings. Shuang’er and I have known each other since we were young … If I, Li Ke, can still experience true love in this life, then I will definitely have to follow Shuang’er. I know that my proposal to marry Shuang’er at this moment will attract a lot of rumors and suspicions. But I, Li Ke, am not afraid of these things. Father sent me to Lanzhou to supervise the army, so I went to supervise the army. Apart from that, I don’t think too much and don’t do anything out of line; As for marrying Shuang’er, it has been my long-cherished wish for many years, and I have nothing to do with anything. This was my attitude when the Qin Family was in decline. Now that the Qin Family has flourished, I still have this attitude. No matter what happens in the future, I still have this attitude. Shuang’er has waited for me for so many years, and I can’t let her down again-let her guess what others want! ”

With that, the horse whip in Li Ke’s hand suddenly rang and he galloped away.

“Ah” Quan Wanji looked at Li Ke’s figure gradually dissipating from the dust and sighed leisurely. “After experiencing so much hardship, His Highness has matured, become wise, and become steady. However, he is still the pitiful boy who has no place to return with his deepest affection. No matter what, it was better to be frank and honest than to be cowardly and concealed. Speaking of which, with King Wu’s friendship with Qin Mubai, he did not need to use marriage to strengthen his relationship with the Qin Family. In any case, even His Majesty the Emperor had publicly announced that he wanted the Prince of Wu to ally with the Qin Family. What harm would it have if he had a marriage alliance? –It’s time for the true saber and spear to fight! ”

“Chief Quan, do you want to enter Chang’an now?” Yin Yangpai, a lieutenant of the Divine Army of King Wu’s Mansion, immediately asked.

“Let’s go, follow His Highness King Wu and enter the city!”

Half an hour later, Li Ke came to the Imperial Study of the Martial Palace Hall and asked for a Holy Chariot.

Li Shimin was reviewing the memorial when he heard King Wu’s request for an audience. He immediately put down his pen in delight, “Ke’er came back from You Zhou so quickly?-Quickly call him in to see me!”

Li Ke quickly walked in and knelt on the ground. “This son greets Father Emperor!”

“Sanlang!” Li Shimin got up and stepped forward. He bent down and held Li Ke’s arms, “He’s back! He’s back!”

“Yes, my son is back!” Li Ke raised his head, his eyes red and his voice choked, “Father, have you always been well?”

“Good, I’m fine.” Li Shimin looked at Li Ke carefully and nodded his head emotionally. “It’s been a long time since Sanlang left the capital. It’s been hard for him to go out to guard the border of Korea Town. I can see that you’ve lost a lot of weight and become dark. You must have come back from You Province in less than twenty days after my imperial edict was issued. Come, get up quickly!”

“Thank you, Royal Father!” Li Ke stood up, turned his head, and waved his sleeve to wipe away the tears from his eyelids.

Li Shimin laughed heartily and patted Li Ke’s shoulder heavily. “What are you crying for?”

“This son … greets Father Emperor, happy!” Li Ke turned around and smiled awkwardly.

“It’s good that you’re back.” Li Shimin sighed softly and said leisurely, “Guanshan’s flesh and bones are separated for thousands of kilometers. I also miss you!”

“Imperial Father, Imperial Son is always missing Imperial Father, Imperial Concubine Mother, and Chang’an’s homeland!” As he spoke, Li Ke couldn’t restrain himself from shedding tears.

It had been several years, and only at this moment, in front of his father, Li Ke was able to wantonly shed tears like a child without caring about his image. After tossing and turning other countries around, Lengyue Border Pass’s homesickness was vividly displayed.

Seeing his son, who had always been resolute, strong, and mature, shed tears twice in front of him, Li Shimin almost shed tears. He walked to Li Ke’s side and patted him on the shoulder repeatedly, “Alright, alright, Sanlang doesn’t have to do this.”

Li Ke waved his sleeve again and wiped away his tears, forcefully suppressing his emotions. “Yes, Father …”

With his back to Li Ke, Li Shimin took a deep breath and stopped the tears in his eyes.

“Sanlang, this time I have sent you back to the capital because I and your mother miss you very much. Second, it is also because of national affairs.” After calming down, Li Shimin said, “The Great Tang has officially declared war on Tibet. We have risen to 400,000 troops to conquer the plateau. In this battle, only victory is allowed. I’m sure you know what’s at stake.”

“Huang’er understands.” Li Ke cupped his hands and bowed.

“Yes.” Li Shimin nodded his head. “I should have been in charge of this great country war, but I couldn’t get out of it. Therefore, I sent you to supervise the army in Lanzhou instead of me. The commander is Qin Mubai, and you are the commander of the army.”

“Huang’er obeys the decree.”

Li Shimin paused for a moment and said, “Compared to the Northern Expedition of the Turkic Empire, this battle has passed in terms of both the scale of the war and the difficulty of winning.” I have almost bet all of the lifelines of the Great Tang on this battle. Therefore, I hope that after you arrive in Lanzhou, you will always remain calm and keep an eye on the overall situation. You don’t have to worry about the gains and losses of this battle. What you need to focus on is the fate of the entire Great Tang Dynasty and the future of our Chinese race. ”

Hearing these words, Li Ke’s heart tightened and he hurriedly cupped his hands. “Huang’er definitely won’t relax at all. She will fulfill her duty as Commander of the Army. She won’t disappoint Father Emperor!”

Hearing Li Ke’s reply, Li Shimin’s expression did not change, but his eyes were filled with a trace of gentleness and gratification, and he nodded gently. He thought to himself, “Over the years, Ke’er has undergone great changes. She has lost the sharpness and arrogance and indulgence of the past. Instead, she has always kept a low profile and kept a low profile. All aspects of her behavior and performance are worthy of the word ‘Ke’ that I have bestowed upon him-scrupulously abiding by her own morals and duties.” But knowing that his son is like his father, no matter how low-key he is, I also know that his dual cultivation of civil and martial arts can become a great weapon. After experiencing so many hardships and hardships, it is time for me to give him a chance. At the same time, this is also giving me a chance. Just now, I used my words to provoke him, intentionally speaking in a very deep tone, saying that there was a lot of responsibility, pressure, and future. He was neither panicked nor excited, but only focused on the history of the Commander-in-Chief-that was very good! This is what I want!

“Looking at your plain face, you must be exhausted.” Li Shimin patted Li Ke’s back and said warmly, “Go back to your mansion and rest for a few days before heading to Lanzhou to take up your post! By the way, you can visit your mother in Hanbing Palace later. At this moment, she must be leaning against the door and looking forward to seeing the future!”

“Yes, Royal Father.” Li Ke cupped his hands and agreed. After hesitating for a moment, he said, “Actually, I still have a personal matter to attend to this time. I want to ask Father Emperor and Mother Concubine to make the decision.”

“En, tell me.” Li Shimin asked with a smile.

“Your son … wants to establish an imperial concubine.”

“Sure.” Li Shimin said without hesitation, “I have told your mother more than once about this matter. I have long been interested in choosing a good puppet for you to be your princess. However, you are far away from the capital, so you have not been able to fulfill your wish. It is rare for you to take the initiative to mention it today. Then I will take advantage of your presence in Chang’an and do it for you as soon as possible.”

“Thank you, Royal Father!” Li Ke bowed down happily.

“Stand up. Why should there be so much courtesy between father and son?” Li Shimin chuckled and said, “It’s too late for my son to be happy to marry his daughter-in-law and be his father!”-I will immediately decree that Zongzheng Temple choose a daughter with both virtue and virtue for you in the Xunlue clan of Chang’an and make you a princess! ”

“Imperial Father Rong, I actually have someone I like who wants to marry into a princess. I just don’t know if Imperial Father agrees.” Li Ke asked carefully.

“Oh? Ke’er already has a crush on him? As long as he has the right moral character, that’s fine.” Li Shimin smiled and said, “Tell me, whose daughter is she?”

“It’s … the daughter of the Qin Family.” Li Ke replied carefully.

“Which Qin Family?” Li Shimin didn’t react.

“It’s the daughter of the late Duke of Wings, Qin Shuang’er.” Li Ke replied.

“Oh?” Li Shimin furrowed his brows in surprise. Then, he cut his hands behind his back and paced up, silently pondering in his heart.

Li Ke’s heartstrings were so tense that he didn’t dare to breathe out.

After a while, Li Shimin said, “I have seen this Qin Shuang’er a few times. She seems to be the daughter of a concubine, but her mother has been corrected. Because of the outstanding achievements of the Qin family’s father and son, I have even bestowed her mother the title of Second Grade Madam. In other words, the Xun Lie Qin family is a match for our Li Imperial Family. However, this Qin Shuang’er should not be young, right? What is her moral character?”

“Father, I have already been in love with Shuang’er for a lifetime. Shuang’er has been waiting for me for many years. Now, she is at her twenties, and her appearance is delicate and graceful. She is compatible with Huang’er.” Hearing Li Shimin’s words, Li Ke seemed to have hope. He immediately replied excitedly, “Huang’er and she have known each other since childhood. We know each other very well. I know that she is kind, gentle, filial and sincere, and has a deep affection for Huang’er, so …”

Li Shimin smiled quietly and said, “Have you really thought it through?”

Li Ke’s heart skipped a beat, he gritted his teeth, knelt down and bowed, “Father, please fulfill!”

“It’s not difficult for me to fulfill your brown marriage.” Li Shimin walked up to Yu Bi and sat down. He hesitated for a long time and said in a meaningful tone, “But …”

Li Ke raised his head, widened his eyes and pricked up his ears, waiting nervously for the next step.

Li Shimin smiled. He picked up the pen rod as if he wanted to give a memorial, and casually said, “But, I still need your mother and the Qin Family to agree!”

“Thank you, Royal Father!!!” Li Ke was instantly overjoyed and kowtowed repeatedly.

“Marriage is a big matter. The parents have ordered the matchmaker to say it.” Li Shimin chuckled, “You’ve passed this trial. Alright, go talk to your mother!”

“Thank you Father Emperor! Your son will leave. I will go to the Hanbing Palace and beg Mother Concubine!” Li Ke stood up and bowed excitedly.

“Go!” Li Shimin waved his hand with a smile on his face.

After leaving the Imperial Study Room, Li Ke’s heart was as light as a swallow. He felt that his eyes were bright and brilliant, and the tiredness of the journey was swept away. He hurriedly went to the Ice Hall of the Great Ming Palace to pay his respects to his mother, Concubine Yang Shu.

Li Shimin was holding the pen by the side of the table and laughing without the intention to see what was going on. So he put down the pen and said to himself, “Fool, although you are a little impatient, you still have a fair air. You have a bit of the bearing of your father back then!”