"County Princess, who are these people?
And you and the Princely Heir today, aren’t you unable to et with the Prince?"
The Emperor’s decree has already been issued, asking the Prince to finish military affairs today and return to the Southern Border imdiately.
And the County Princess’s coming-of-age ceremony, the Prince won’t be able to attend it. The military generals, upon first hearing the decree yesterday, were also disgruntled.
Rong Yunhao pulled Gu Lan over, introducing first, "Uncle Tang, this is my companion Gu Lan, from the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion."
"This is Uncle Wu, and this is Jiu."
Tang Zhan was speechless about how familiar the little prince was in calling him Uncle.
Did he really look like an uncle? Like the Prince’s brother? Just because of a dark face?
For a mont, Tang Zhan didn’t react to who Uncle Wu was that Rong Yunhao ntioned, but upon hearing Dingyuan Marquis Mansion, his expression changed instantly: "Are you the Young Master Gu?"
Gu Lan eyed Tang Zhan’s tall and solid physique, eager to find another punching bag for herself.
Although Wei Chengyuan’s martial arts had recovered sowhat, he was not cooperating in fighting. Though he called her Brother Lan, subconsciously he still treated her like a little girl.
Rong Heng and Jiu’s martial arts were not bad, but there were always people watching in the palace, and she couldn’t just take them out of the palace to practice martial arts.
The Tang Zhan in front of her seed to be quite skilled in martial arts.
"That’s ." Gu Lan nodded, displaying what she considered a very friendly smile.
Tang Zhan imdiately stepped forward, shielding Rong Baoyi behind him, and said sternly, "County Princess, stay away from her; this dandy often seizes won in the streets!"
Gu Lan: ...
Rong Baoyi: ...
"No, Brother Tang, listen to my explanation, those are just rumors, Gu Lan is not like that——"
"I seize won from the streets, and you’re upset I didn’t seize you?" Gu Lan interrupted Rong Baoyi, raising her eyebrows. Her sweet deanor, with red lips and white teeth, instantly turned fierce and unruly. "Wanna fight?"
"Fight I shall! Do you think I, Tang Zhan, fear you!" Tang Zhan flared up, spat fiercely, and rushed up, fists clenched.
Rong Baoyi: ...
Alright, so Young Master Gu really is this kind of person.
The assistants hurriedly held Tang Zhan back, while Jiu quietly pulled Young Master Gu aside.
After much persuasion by Rong Baoyi, Tang Zhan gave up on the idea of a life-or-death battle with Young Master Gu.
At this point, Tang Zhan rembered who Uncle Wu was that the little prince ntioned.
The thin, elegant young man in front of him reminded Tang Zhan of the forr Princely Heir of the Pingnan Marquis.
He sighed inwardly, his tone softening a bit, "Is this the Fifth Prince Rong? Years ago, I had a brief encounter with Heir Xiao; his words instantly enlightened . Fifth Young Master Rong, you sowhat resemble him."
Tang Zhan, being a soldier, didn’t care if the Pingnan Marquis Mansion was accused of treason; instead, he lanted Yan Country’s loss of a national pillar, so he had no ill feelings toward Rong Heng.
Rong Heng looked at him calmly, his expression indifferent and peaceful: "The Pingnan Marquis Mansion has long gone, General Tang, no need to address him as heir or Prince anymore."
The Xiao Heir Tang Zhan ntioned was Xiao Ning’s brother, Xiao Lie, who was also his little uncle.
However, seven years ago, Xiao Lie died.
The young general who achieved great battle rits at the frontier did not die on the battlefield but in the Capital City, at the age of nineteen.
His head was hung at the ridian Gate, along with his father, Marquis Nan, despised by all.
Those who once treated him well were all gone.
Tang Zhan, not being eloquent, had ant to express sothing to bridge the gap with Fifth Young Master Rong but hadn’t expected Rong Heng to be so cold.
Alas, it seems this Fifth Young Master Rong has been worn down in the palace, becoming a pool of stagnant water.
He quickly turned to Gu Lan to change the topic: "County Princess, Princely Heir, was it Young Master Gu who coaxed you to the military camp? That’s defying an imperial decree."
Rong Baoyi hurriedly spoke up for Gu Lan: "It was who wanted to see my father, and Gu Lan just helped ."
The little prince nodded like a pecking chick.
Tang Zhan, dissatisfied, glanced at Gu Lan, still suspicious, saying: "I can’t trust this kid at all. He looks like a pretty boy, probably coveting your beauty, County Princess."
Gu Lan stepped forward, smiling but not genuinely: "Are you seriously thinking of fighting?"
Tang Zhan: "Do you think I’m afraid of you? Just because the County Princess is protecting you, don’t think I dare not hit you!"
"Who’s hitting who!"
Rong Baoyi intervened again to diate.
Watching the bickering between the two, Rong Heng felt the gloom in his heart dissipate significantly.
Eventually, they followed behind Tang Zhan, for him to take them to et Prince Rui.
Jiu cupped his hands: "I’ll stay here to watch the horses."
Rong Baoyi imdiately objected: "The horses won’t disappear. Jiu, co with ."
Jiu shook his head: "No need, I’m a eunuch, better not enter the camp."
Soldiers in the camp consider eunuchs unlucky; going in would bring humiliation and make others look down on His Highness.
Rong Baoyi opened her mouth, seeing his steady and calm gaze, she had to give up.
Jiu watched their backs, silently lowered his eyes, holding a blade of grass in his mouth, leaned against a tree.
Over the years, he had long gotten used to being a shadow.
From when he abandoned the na Xiao Jiu to protect His Highness...
Gu Lan walked while observing the military camp.
She heard the sound of flowing water from an unknown direction, indicating a water source here.
The camp’s outskirts consisted of simple fortifications, trip-horse ropes, iron caltrops, and low embanknts of earth. Although the army seed to have been stationed here for a limited ti, everything was ticulously done, small but complete.
Just by looking at the camp’s construction, one could tell the chief of this army must be extraordinarily capable.
She looked up and saw two black and red military flags flying high in the camp.
One was the King’s Flag with the character for Rong.
The other flag bore the silver-hooked iron-stroke character "Xiao."
Gu Lan couldn’t help but look at Rong Heng, as she had only heard of one Xiao family, that is, the Xiao family of the Pingnan Marquis Mansion.
What relation does Prince Rui’s army have with the Xiao family?
"Uncle Tang, why is there a Xiao flag in my father’s camp? Is there a general surnad Xiao under my father’s command?" the little prince also noticed the flag and curiously asked.
Tang Zhan looked up at the flying flag, a hint of nostalgia in his stern eyes, saying, "There is no general surnad Xiao under the Prince. Since the Pingnan Marquis... the criminal was executed with all his family, anyone nad Xiao is forbidden in Dayan’s army."
Rong Baoyi couldn’t help but glance at Rong Heng, seeing him unchanged in expression, only gazing at the flag with no other emotions, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"But, what’s the story with this flag?"
Tang Zhan’s expression beca solemn, speaking in a deep voice:
"The flag is indeed the Xiao family’s. The Pingnan Marquis is gone, but the Xiao Family Army he led still exists. Those troops were veteran soldiers; although defeated seven years ago and lost over half, their military spirit remains, so after being dispersed by the Emperor, they were put into various camps.
Since they are nurous, the Prince set this flag for them, wherever the King’s Flag is, there are Xiao Family Army. If they die in battle, they will be buried in the sa place at the Southern Border with their comrades.
This is called inheritance."
Gu Lan suddenly realized.
Those Xiao Family Army, this is why Rong Heng rose to power later.
Reviews
All reviews (0)