Chapter 7

For a moment, both of them sighed, thinking about the most prosperous era of the Tang Dynasty as recorded in history, when its might dominated the seas and its military banners pointed to the submission of all the surrounding nations. At that time, the Tang Dynasty truly received envoys from all over the world, even from distant overseas barbarian countries, which had to cross the vast ocean every year to pay tribute. Often, one group of envoys had not yet left the Tang Dynasty when another group was already on their way. At that time, the Tang Dynasty was not only invincible on land but also had a powerful navy that swept across the seas.

However, such prosperity no longer exists today. Although overseas trade missions still come and go frequently, those barbarian countries no longer come to pay tribute. The divided Tang Dynasty has become four countries, constantly at war with each other. Although the Cao family's Great Qi is the strongest, it is also facing the united resistance of the other three weaker countries. As a result, it has had to focus its attention on the mainland, continuously reducing its overseas influence. Thirty years ago, the last overseas territory of the Tang Dynasty declared independence from Great Qi. The navy of Great Qi, compared to the most prosperous era of the Tang Dynasty, has been reduced to only one-tenth of its former strength. Among the other three countries, only Southern Chu still maintains a naval force, but this navy, apart from fighting pirates, has no strength left for overseas expeditions.

"If a genius like Emperor Li Qing of old were to appear again, it might be a good thing. The glory of the Great Chinese Empire could once again awe the four seas, which would be a great pleasure for the people!" Min Ruoxi said half-jokingly.

"Princess, be careful with your words. If such a person really exists, according to the Tang Dynasty's legacy, he must be a descendant of the Li family. To him, the royal families of Qi, Chu, Yue, and Qin would all be traitors who betrayed the Tang Dynasty. If he were to gain power, the first to be executed would be the members of these four royal families," Guo Jiuling said solemnly.

Min Ruoxi shook her head in disappointment, thinking that Guo Jiuling had no sense of humor and was rather boring.

"Princess, may I come in?" A gentle and humble voice came from outside the tent. It was the young guard who had lost face in the tent earlier.

Hearing this voice, Min Ruoxi's face darkened slightly. The young man's behavior in the tent today was truly out of place, and she could see the disdain in the eyes of the generals.

"Princess, Yang Zhi is young. People from his background, being young, handsome, and talented, naturally tend to be a bit frivolous. This is inevitable. Princess, you should still give Prime Minister Yang some face and not be too harsh on him," Guo Jiuling advised softly.

Min Ruoxi smiled inwardly. Yang Zhi is the son of the current Left Chancellor Yang Yi, who was apprenticed to the great sword school of Chu, the Ten Thousand Sword Sect, from a young age. In terms of talent, he is one of the best, having already achieved considerable proficiency in the difficult sword technique of the Ten Thousand Sword Sect. Among the younger generation, he is considered a prodigy. However, this time, when she came to the western border army, Left Chancellor Yang Yi sent his son to be part of her guard. What was his true intention? Along the way, Yang Zhi had been like a peacock displaying its feathers, constantly trying to show off in front of her, which she found extremely annoying.

Min Ruoxi, who presided over the Jiyingtang, had seen many profound and reserved experts. She had little respect for someone like Yang Zhi, who became arrogant and lost his sense of reality after achieving a little success. Because of his father, Yang Zhi was always flattered in the capital, but once he left the capital and came to the military, where strength is paramount, his behavior only became a laughingstock. Today, when Qin Feng harshly humiliated him, it made Min Ruoxi feel very satisfied.

"Come in!" Min Ruoxi nodded slightly at Guo Jiuling. Yang Yi is the Left Chancellor of Chu, and both her older brother and second brother are trying to win his support. However, so far, he has not shown any clear inclination. This time, when she came to the western border army, and Yang Zhi followed, many people in the capital began to speculate.

It was truly annoying to think about!

In just a short while, this young master Yang had changed his clothes again. The dark blue attire he wore earlier had been replaced by a moon-white robe, with a jade belt around his waist and a golden crown on his head. As he passed by Guo Jiuling, the latter caught a whiff of a strong fragrance, causing him to frown.

When she left the capital, the Left Chancellor met her on the imperial road. Guo Jiuling naturally knew that this was not a coincidence. For a powerful figure like the Left Chancellor, knowing her destination was not difficult.

However, Guo Jiuling was pleased and even happy to see the Left Chancellor walking and chatting on the imperial road. It was not because he wanted to flatter the Left Chancellor, but because it could help build momentum for the second prince. Everyone in the capital knew that Guo Jiuling was a supporter of the second prince. If some people saw this scene, they would naturally have many thoughts, which was exactly what he wanted.

However, the words that came from the Left Chancellor's mouth made Guo Jiuling, who had been smiling and nodding to the officials passing by, feel bitter.

His son Yang Zhi had just returned from the Ten Thousand Sword Sect and was preparing to advance in his career. However, he still lacked some experience, so he hoped that Guo Jiuling, who was responsible for the princess's tour, would arrange for Yang Zhi to be one of the princess's guards.

This was not a difficult request. Although Guo Jiuling, being a person of his caliber, knew what kind of person Yang Zhi was, the princess's safety would not be entrusted to him. He readily agreed. However, the subsequent veiled words from Yang Yi made Guo Jiuling feel bitter both in his heart and mouth.

Yang Yi's intention was to have Guo Jiuling create some opportunities for Yang Zhi to win the princess's heart.

Guo Jiuling naturally knew this was impossible. What kind of person was Princess Zhaohua Min Ruoxi? He knew her very well. She was not an ignorant young girl who had lived in the palace all her life. The Jiyingtang had all kinds of people, and Princess Zhaohua could preside over it for many years not because of her status or her martial skills, but because of her political acumen and wisdom. How could such a talented and reserved woman be interested in someone like Yang Zhi, who was half-filled with water but could still splash?

However, Yang Yi could not be offended. If the second prince could gain the support of the Left Chancellor, he could easily surpass the crown prince in the civil official group and gain strong support in both civil and military affairs. The reason the crown prince could still compete with the second prince was because of the support of a group of civil officials. These were old ministers with deep-rooted power, and even the emperor dared not act rashly.

Guo Jiuling pulled himself back from his memories, rubbed his nose, and looked at Yang Zhi, who was standing in front of Princess Zhaohua with a beaming face. The fragrance indeed made Princess Zhaohua frown slightly.

"Your Highness, I have already discussed the relevant matters of this military expedition with General Zuo. The princess's carriage will travel with the main camp," Yang Zhi said, apparently not realizing that the princess was somewhat impatient.

"Hmm, thank you for your hard work. Is there anything else?" Min Ruoxi picked up her teacup. If he were tactful, he would have taken his leave, but clearly, Yang Zhi was not aware of this.

"Your Highness, this time I have the honor of joining the army, and I remember my father's teachings to serve the country. Therefore, I have requested General Zuo to give me a chance to fight in this campaign. Fortunately, General Zuo values me and has promised to let me lead a main battalion in battle when the opportunity arises," Yang Zhi said proudly.

Min Ruoxi and Guo Jiuling exchanged glances and saw a hint of amusement in each other's eyes. What kind of person was Zuo Lixing? A seasoned general who had been in the military for decades, not only experienced but also slippery and impossible to catch. What does "when the opportunity arises" mean? It means that if the opportunity is not right, he won't give it. Probably by the end of this war, Yang Zhi won't find a suitable opportunity. Zuo Lixing might want to please Yang Yi, but he wouldn't joke about military matters.

"Then I must congratulate you, Mr. Yang," Guo Jiuling said with a smile. He was also somewhat annoyed by this guy and wanted to get rid of him quickly so he could discuss serious matters with Princess Zhaohua. "Mr. Yang, are you dressed up to go out?"

"Exactly, I came to report to Your Highness and also to request a day off," Yang Zhi nodded repeatedly.

"Approved, you may go!" Min Ruoxi waved her hand hastily.

(Starting today, there will be two updates per day, at 8 AM and 8 PM.)

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