Tong Dao Fu only showed him the marching route map because Prince Yun was full of curiosity about it, and the current emperor had the idea to involve Prince Yun in military matters, so Tong Dao Fu reluctantly gave him a glimpse of it during the banquet.
Of course, it was ti to take it back now.
Tong Dao Fu took back the map, yet the next words from Prince Yun made the polite smile previously hanging on his face suddenly freeze.
"...But I’ve heard you’re a complete chicken."
Fan Cun was quite direct.
This was partly because he was simply a blunt boy who only knew how to charge forward, and partly because after he got the status of a prince, he felt good about himself and thought it was unnecessary to be too polite to this great eunuch.
During the first phase, Fan Cun had heard many things about Tong Dao Fu in the Peace Army.
For example, his "great achievents" in redeeming Yan Cloud.
Since he was made into a eunuch after reaching adulthood, he retained many male characteristics and didn’t look like a eunuch at all. And yet, as just a eunuch, he managed to be ennobled for his military services in the Qi Dynasty, which was indeed a bizarre event.
As far as Fan Cun knew, those so-called achievents of Tong Dao Fu were mostly laughable.
The fact that a man like him could be ennobled on account of military service was enough to show how rotten the Qi Dynasty was to the core.
Fan Cun’s comnt clearly angered Tong Dao Fu. He refrained from making a scene due to the prince’s stature, but his beard was obviously bristling.
"From whom did Prince Yun hear that?"
Tong Dao Fu was also curious about who would dare to gossip in front of the Third Prince and call him a chicken.
Fan Cun chuckled: "Well, that’s public opinion."
In fact, Fan Cun was already being quite considerate; he didn’t say, "You will be infamous for thousands of years in the future."
Tong Dao Fu’s complexion obviously worsened: "If Prince Yun is truly interested in military affairs, why not report to His Majesty and join on an expedition to Xixia?"
Fan Cun’s eyes lit up at the suggestion: "Oh? Sounds good!"
...
On the march to the northwest, Tong Dao Fu countless tis wanted to smack himself, deeply regretting that aningless provocation he’d uttered at the banquet.
Who could have imagined that a mont of quick talk would invite such a ’dear father’ to his side?
Prince Yun had actually petitioned the emperor to participate in the military campaign against Xixia, and the current emperor had actually agreed.
Even granting Prince Yun a rather high-ranking official position.
After all, the current emperor’s favoritism towards Prince Yun was well known, and his intention to have Prince Yun gain experience in the military was quite clear.
The official position of Prince Yun was, of course, not as high as that of Tong Dao Fu, the commander-in-chief, which showed that the emperor hadn’t completely lost his senses to replace him, the legitimate commander, with a prince who had never touched military matters.
But then again, Prince Yun was the emperor’s favorite prince.
If Prince Yun did nothing and simply acted as a figurehead, that would be fine. But if Prince Yun really started to ddle in the command of the front lines, things would get complicated.
After all, others feared Tong Dao Fu’s influence and sotis did not dare to tell the emperor the truth, but this Prince Yun had no such scruples.
Besides, originally Tong Dao Fu could get all the Western Army generals to obediently comply, but with Prince Yun’s arrival, whether these Western Army generals would continue to follow Tong Dao Fu as before without question... that was uncertain.
After all, the importance of rank can go both ways; it can be significant or insignificant. Ultimately, it all depends on whom the emperor favors more, whose words carry more weight.
But it was too late for Tong Dao Fu to regret; Prince Yun had already joined him on the journey to the northwest.
And along the way... he was quite active.
For instance, Prince Yun seed to have excellent horsemanship, which was sothing Tong Dao Fu had never heard of.
He only knew that Prince Yun was very scholarly, had even topped the civil service examinations, and although his physical condition could not be described as exceptional, it wasn’t bad either - at least he was competent in basic horseback archery.
But... the horsemanship Prince Yun displayed was far from what ordinary horseback archery could compare to.
Not only that, Prince Yun didn’t give him any face at all, leaving Tong Dao Fu both speechless and puzzled.
It must be rembered that Tong Dao Fu was, after all, considered the top general of the Qi Dynasty at the ti, and his years of commanding the northwest had left him feeling rather self-satisfied. Yet Prince Yun, who had previously shown him great respect and treated him with due etiquette, regarding him as a national elder worthy of being a teacher, had changed his deanor halfway through that banquet.
Not only becoming quite rude in his conversation and showing the traits of a wayward noble, but also frequently using insolent language, his disdain and scorn for Tong Dao Fu almost literally written all over his face.
Tong Dao Fu was puzzled about what was going on, but as he was not familiar with Prince Yun, it was not his place to ask whether this was a sudden change in character or the prince’s true colors showing through.
The other party was, after all, the emperor’s most beloved son, so... it was better to tolerate as much as he could.
As long as Prince Yun didn’t ddle in military affairs, Tong Dao Fu could hold his nose and put up with it until they returned from the campaign.
...
From Fan Cun’s perspective, ti on the road passed quickly.
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