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  Zhang Yi's carriage moves slowly. Yaochi e-book

  Before her carriage left, Zheng Yu did not dare to get up. The surrounding Zhou people who were watching the commotion were so numerous, and the old hatred between them was so deep that they would kill each other. For the Zhou people, it was a rare sight to see a Qi State princess kneeling in front of them, and the jeering, gossiping, and cursing sounds were endless. If not for the fact that she was a woman, it's likely that someone would have spat on her.

  Since childhood, Zheng Yu has never suffered such hardship!

  Unable to hold back, she covered her face and burst into tears.

  Yuwen Yue, who had already gotten onto the carriage, looked at Zheng Yu with curiosity and suddenly said: "This Princess of the Duke is so pitiful. That Gao Zhang Gong didn't even bother to bid her farewell before leaving on his own. Hehe."

  As someone who used to like Gao Changgong and wanted to marry him, Yuwen Yue couldn't help but look down on Zheng You. Seeing her crying in anguish, she felt extremely pleased.

  The maid beside Yuwen Yue also stretched her neck to take a look. This maid was 25 or 26 years old, originally from a good family background, with rich knowledge and had been an official lady due to her mature and serious nature, she was assigned to serve Yuwen Yue closely. During the time Yuwen Yue spent with Zheng You, she almost got all the information she needed by asking and investigating clearly.

  She nodded and said with deep meaning: "This woman, can't just follow her own will, marry a husband who doesn't care about or protect you, the humiliation and bitter water, only she herself can swallow."

  She paused, then the maid continued: "To be honest, this Princess of Lanling is really narrow-minded. When she was a concubine by the side of the King of Lanling, she must have been humiliated by her many times. Now that she has married into the imperial family and gained power, it's normal for her to take revenge. How can't she understand? Alone in an enemy country, she still wants to take revenge and trample Concubine Li underfoot as before."

  She shook her head and said, "You don't know when to advance or retreat, foolish woman."

  Yuwen Yue seemed to be lost in thought. The maid's heart skipped a beat, and she continued: "No matter where you are, it's all about hierarchy, with strict rules that can't be disobeyed. Once you enter the imperial family, those shackles can be removed. The emperor's women are only divided into two categories: favored or not favored, whether they are empresses or concubines who have gained favor, they still cannot show their true selves and must be careful in their actions. This is different from the aristocratic families and noble households of our hometown."

  Yuwen Yue nodded slightly.

  The maid said: "I heard that Your Majesty truly dotes on this Consort Li. Once, he told his attendants that in the past, he was often uneasy, but since she arrived, he has come to know the joys of life."

  Yuwen Yue's eyes widened in surprise. "Did Yuwen Yong really say that?"

  "That's what I said." The maid said: "Otherwise, why would the Grand Preceptor attach so much importance to this Princess Li?"

  Yuwen Yue fell silent.

  On that side, Zhang Gui's ox cart could no longer be seen.

  Seeing this, Zheng Yu hastily stood up and, amidst the pushing and teasing of the surrounding people, as well as some pilfering, stumbled out of the crowd after a while.

  After a thousand hardships and ten thousand hardships, she returned to the messenger's mansion. Her carefully made-up makeup had long been smudged, her hair was disheveled, and her clothes were torn and scratched, with claw marks all over them.

  When she appeared outside the mansion of the envoy, the gatekeeper did not recognize her for a moment and actually went forward to block Zheng Yu.

  One of them was just about to drive him away when another gatekeeper with sharp eyes finally recognized the familiar face under the beggar-like attire, Zheng You. He hastily made a signal to his companion, apologized and quickly retreated.

  This was like adding fuel to the fire, Zheng Yu couldn't take it anymore. He rushed back to his room and lay on the bed, sobbing loudly.

  She cried so hard that she couldn't catch her breath, causing the maids beside her to exchange worried glances, both frightened and uneasy.

  After a while, Zheng Yu finally stopped crying. She wiped away her tears and choked out: "Let's go."

  The maidservants looked at me, I looked at them, and after a while, one of the maidservants asked cautiously: "Your Highness, where are you going?"

  "Return home, return to China."

  Her voice became even more cautious, "But if we don't leave with the group, we won't be able to go back." This isn't like traveling from Jin Yang to Ye City, from Chang'an to Ye City is a thousand miles away, not following the large group, the consequences are unthinkable.

  Zheng You woke up.

  She slowly raised her head, with eyes wide open and bright red, but before long, she burst into tears again.

  At this time, she was extremely regretful and thought that she shouldn't have been afraid of Gao Zhang Gong's discovery from the beginning. She should have taken drastic measures!

  Mingming had an exceptionally deep understanding of Gao Changgong, one that even surpassed Gao Changgong himself and Zhang Shi's Ah Qi.

  He was raised in the palace since childhood because his mother had been favored, but later became shamelessly promiscuous, making his status very embarrassing. After being placed in a humble corner of the Cold Palace and having his daily needs taken care of by Old Lady Fang, he was left to fend for himself.

  However, the slaves in the palace who were used to bullying others did not dare to bully him excessively.

  Because his mother was so spoiled, they didn't know that the emperor, who was originally moody and unpredictable, would suddenly remember the son of his beloved woman and want to settle accounts with those who had been disrespectful to him.

  So Gao Chang Gong has been living in such a way since he was young, being bullied and ignored as if he didn't exist.

  Although he was exceptionally intelligent, after being enlightened by Fang Lao, with just a few books, he became proficient in both literature and martial arts. However, his understanding of human relationships and worldly affairs only extended to one corner of the imperial palace.

  As he had always thought, the women who lived in the great families were the same as those who lived in the imperial palace, the difference being whether they were favored or not. Those who were favored could rise to the sky, and the favored concubines could rival the empress. Those who were not favored were like him, who had lost his mother.

  Because she understands him, she is confident that she can grasp Gao Changgong and live the life she yearns for with him.

  But she didn't expect that because of Zhang Qi, such a big change would occur.

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  At the time when Zheng You was gnashing his teeth in regret, Zhang Gui also returned to the imperial palace.

  Yuwen Yong saw Zhang Gui's approach from afar, her jingqiangbu skirt fluttering as she came.

  Looking at her, he raised his lips and smiled, saying: "Is it enough to make someone kneel? Ah Qi's heart is too soft!"

  In the future, other women will enter this palace. When encountering such things, it is only enough to make people kneel for a while, and not even a few slaps are given, which will allow those slaves to be bullied.

  Yuwen Yong's words of persuasion were palpable. Zhang Gui smiled with pursed lips, her eyes wide open, "Your Majesty has such a keen sense of news."

  Yuwen Yong also smiled and stretched out his hand to Zhang Qi.

  Zhang Qi hesitated for a moment. Slowly took a step forward and placed her hand in his palm.

  Holding Zhang Qi's soft and delicate hand, Yuwen Yong walked towards the chessboard on one side and said: "It's not just me, I'm sure all the officials know about it. Maybe tomorrow, there will be officials who will come to advise that this Lanling Wangfei should be detained."

  He sat down on the couch. Only then did he slowly let go of Zhang Yi's hand, looked up at her and smiled: "How is it? Being by my side, compared to being in Qi in the past, how does it feel?"

  He was smiling, but his eyes were sharp!

  He was waiting for Zhang Qi to answer.

  Zhang Qixia felt a sudden jolt in her heart and thought anxiously: He's becoming more and more serious, now he even wants to compare himself with Gao Changgong like a child.

  Lowering her eyelids, she smiled softly and replied: "If Your Majesty's harem only had me, Ah Jie, this life would be quite carefree." She rolled her eyes and chuckled: "Unfortunately, Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven. The one thing you can't lack is women."

  She spoke with a carefree and playful tone, her smile was also radiant, but Yuwen Yong remained unmoved. He raised his head, his sharp gaze fixed on her, and after a while, he asked with a hint of a smile: "Is that so?"

  Zhang Qi didn't dare to look him straight in the eye, and with her head lowered, she muttered: "Yes."

  Yuwen Yong apparently didn't want to let her go, he was still staring at her, staring for a while. He suddenly said: "Since Gao Changgong is already like that, and you have already left him... why must you still observe chastity for his sake?"

  Zhang Qi was startled and hastily said: "I didn't keep a vigil for him!"

  "What? How can Ah Qi be so close to me and yet be so bewildered?"

  Jian Qi finally turned pale and didn't know how to answer, Yuwen Yong's mouth corner secretly twitched, but his eyes still stared at her sharply!

  At this moment, footsteps were heard coming from afar.

  Before long, a eunuch walked over and reported to Yuwen Yong: "Your Majesty, an urgent report from the border! The Turks are attacking the border!"

  Yuwen Yong quickly lifted his head up.

  He stood up and asked in a low voice: "How many are there?"

  "Twenty-seven tribes! About one hundred thousand cavalry!"

  Twenty-seven tribes, one hundred thousand troops? Those are all major tribes.

  Yuwen Yong's face suddenly sank. These Turks from the grasslands, they grew up on horseback year after year, and were fierce and fearless of death. One man's bravery could usually match that of dozens of soldiers from Qi and Zhou.

  One hundred thousand Turks have invaded our borders, this is a rare major war in recent years.

  Frowning, Yuwen Yong motioned for the palace maid to change his clothes while hastily asking: "Where is the Grand Chancellor?"

  "Already informed Taizan."

  Yuwen Yong had already seen Yuwen Hu and his party walking towards here in big strides.

  As soon as Yuwen Hu saw Yuwen Yong from a distance, he loudly said: "Your Majesty, this is no trivial matter. I have already sent an envoy to ask for reinforcements from the Qi!"

  Although the two places of Qi and Zhou have been fighting for many years, they are consistent in their hatred of the Turks. Moreover, because they are adjacent to each other and mutually support each other, when encountering a large-scale invasion by the Turks, they usually help each other.

  Yuwen Hu heard Yuwen Yong nodding his head and asked: "I wonder how are the border soldiers doing?"

  When saying this, Yuwen Yong's tone was somewhat uneasy. He knew better than anyone that after Yuwen Hu had won a few victories in the early days and taken power, he became arrogant and self-willed, refusing to listen to others, and thus lost one battle after another.

  No one believed that under his rule, the generals would make no mistakes.

  As expected, when Yuwen Yong asked, Yuwen Hu was stunned and looked puzzled.

  The commander-in-chief of the three armies surprisingly does not understand the border military situation!

  Just as Yuwen Yong was extremely displeased, the Minister of War arrived and said with his head bowed: "Within the seven cities, our army has 300,000 soldiers defending, with weapons..."

  Before he finished speaking, Yuwen Yong had already said in a low voice: "300,000 people?"

  A mere 300,000 people, it's not even enough for the Turks to fill their teeth!

  Seeing that the Minister of War was speechless, Yuwen Yong's heart skipped a beat, fearing that it wasn't just a lack of manpower, but also a severe shortage of weapons and supplies.

  Thinking of this, he suppressed the surging anger, raised his head and said to Yuwen Hu: "Daizong, the matter is urgent, I, the emperor, cannot sit idly in the palace. You issue the order, saying that I will personally lead the expedition!"

  As soon as this order was given, the officials who followed Yuwen Hu behind him began to discuss it in a low voice.

  Yuwen Hu hesitated for a moment, and without consulting with the other ministers, nodded his head and said: "Very well, I will follow Your Majesty's orders."

  Zhang Qi stood aside and watched as Yuwen Yong conferred with the others for a while before being escorted to the Council Chamber.

  She turned around, just after bathing and changing clothes, when she heard a eunuch report: "Consort Li, His Majesty said that he will take you with him on the expedition, please pack up what you need to bring."

  What? Take her with us on the expedition? Zhang Qi's eyes widened and she jumped up.

  She also thought of taking this opportunity to slip out of Zhou Guo and return to Chen Di.

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