Records of Mysterious Things in the Southern Dynasties

Chapter 295 Brothers are fighting against each other
Autumn has arrived and the summer heat in the capital is gradually subsiding, but the air is particularly restless.

First, Xiao Hong was ordered to build the Temple of Heaven outside Zhuque Gate. Not only was the project huge, it also occupied Zhuque Street, the main road in the capital.

A large number of people and vehicles had to take detours, making the already congested traffic in the capital even more congested. Traffic jams and boat jams on the roads and in the water became the norm every day. The people were very angry and naturally could not stop cursing Xiao Niang.

But the ones who were even more angry were the two princes, Prince of Nanping and Prince of Poyang - Xiao Wei and Xiao Hui, who were fighting fiercely for the position of commander-in-chief of the Northern Expedition.

In addition to the great honor of leading the army to the north and unifying the world, the two were actually fighting for the opportunity to become gods. Although both were demigods, they were not true gods after all. Whoever could capture Luoyang would become a true god.

Under such a huge temptation, anyone would be so stupid as to beat a dog brain, even a brother.

At first, the emperor asked them to come up with their own strategies for the Northern Expedition. The two men went back and summoned their staff, and also spent a lot of money to hire senior advisors. They each put together a brilliant article.

After looking at them, Xiao Yan couldn't tell who was better for a moment, so he could only postpone the announcement of the head coach until he could think it over again.

As a result, this consideration was not important. The two brothers began to use other tactics. On the one hand, they lobbied and won over important officials to gain more support for themselves.

At the same time, they reported each other and exposed each other's dirty laundry, even the scandals of their wives and children at home, and even went so far as to dig up dirty laundry from 20 years ago...

With this kind of behavior, how can there be any brotherhood between the two? Now they have gone from not talking to each other to cursing each other when they meet, and even rolling up their sleeves to fight, completely losing the dignity of the royal family.

Xiao Yan was very troubled by this, but both of them were stubborn and refused to give in to each other, so his ministers could not mediate and he had to go into battle himself.

On this day, as it was the Double Ninth Festival and all four of his brothers were together, Xiao Yan decided to put an end to the matter.

After three rounds of drinking, he dismissed his attendants and slowly said to the Eighth and Ninth Brothers, "You two have been a little drunk lately."

"Third brother, you know me." The eighth brother said angrily, "If it wasn't for the provocation of the ninth brother, I wouldn't have fought back."

"Who was the first to tell someone about me?" Lao Jiu was unhappy when he heard that.

"I told you, it was the Censorate that impeached you. It has nothing to do with me." Lao Ba immediately distanced himself from the issue.

"Who gave the evidence to the Censorate?" Lao Jiu sneered and said, "Don't think I don't know. It was those bastards under your tutelage who gave it to me!"

"You are slandering me without any basis!" Lao Ba glared at him.

"Stop making complaints here first!" Lao Jiu frowned and glared at me.

Seeing the two quarreling in front of him again, Xiao Yan pulled his face, slammed the table and shouted: "Is this reasonable? Is this reasonable! If you quarrel again, neither of you will be able to go!"

"Your Majesty, please calm down. I am guilty." Upon hearing this, the eighth and ninth brothers hurriedly left the table to apologize.

"Alas, it is great that you are willing to share the worries of my brother," Xiao Hong said hypocritically, "But there is only one commander-in-chief, and both of you insist on being the commander-in-chief. Isn't this making things difficult for my brother?"

"Ninth brother, please let me go this time. I will never snatch from you again."

"Myna, please give me a break for once. I will never compete with you for something again." The two of them were really provoked and started to cross-eyed.

"Stop talking!" Xiao Yan glared at Xiao Hong who was only making things worse, and said angrily: "If I hadn't made up my mind to use the royal family to lead the Northern Expedition this time, and if my son wasn't so young, I would have forced both of you to stand aside!"

"Why don't you make the decision, my royal brother? Whoever you want to go will go." Xiao Hong said again.

"Okay, let's listen to Third Brother." Xiao Wei nodded reluctantly.

"Whoever Third Brother says is the one." Xiao Hui also nodded. "Then I will make the decision." Xiao Yan let out a long breath, his eyes slowly swept over the Eighth and Ninth Brothers, and finally fixed on the Ninth Brother and said, "Ninth Brother, you will be the first to lead the Northern Expedition."

Xiao Hui was overjoyed when he heard this, and immediately leaned forward and said in a loud voice: "Your Highness, I will obey your order. I will not let you down!"

"Third brother, please think about it again! No matter what, I am more suitable than Old Nine." Old Eight became anxious.

"It was Brother Eight who said it himself just now. Whoever Brother Three tells to go will go!" Old Nine couldn't help but curl up his lips and said, "Just wait patiently for my triumphant return."

"Old Nine, don't be too happy too soon." Xiao Yan said with a gloomy face: "Even if the Northern Dynasty is rotten, the Northern Expedition is not that easy. If we lose, I will immediately replace Old Eight!"

"Don't worry, Third Brother. I will never lose. Otherwise, you don't need to withdraw me. I will hand over the command seal to Eighth Brother myself!" Xiao Wei patted his chest loudly.

"That's more like it. Come, sit down and have a drink." Xiao Yan asked the two to sit down again, and personally poured a glass of wine for the eighth and ninth brothers.

"Come on, you two have a drink, and then this matter will be put to rest. We are still close brothers, so don't hurt our feelings."

"My dear brother, I toast you." Xiao Hui smiled and raised the wine cup to toast Xiao Wei first. "You are a magnanimous man. Don't take the previous things to heart."

"Hmph!" Seeing Lao Jiu acting like he was taking advantage of the situation, Xiao Wei was furious.

But he couldn't get angry in front of his brother, so he held the wine cup, clinked his lips with Xiao Hui's, and tilted his head back to drink the wine.

Then he put down the wine cup heavily, stood up angrily and said: "I am too drunk to handle the wine, so I will take my leave first."

After saying this, he turned away without waiting for the emperor to speak.

"Old Eight, come back here!" Xiao Hong hurriedly stood up and shouted, but Xiao Wei ignored him and disappeared at the gate of the hall.

"Third brother, you guys drink first, I'll go talk to him." Xiao Hong said to Xiao Yan.

"It's normal for Lao Ba to be a little angry. Just try to persuade him and stop saying harsh words." Xiao Yan nodded, as tolerant as ever.

"Yes." Xiao Hong responded and hurriedly chased after him.

"Old Eight, wait for me!" After hurrying, he finally caught up with Xiao Wei at the palace gate.

Xiao Wei stopped and looked at Xiao Hong coldly.

"Why are you so embarrassed?" Xiao Hong lectured him, "If you embarrass your brother, you will be the one who suffers!"

"I don't accept it! I am obviously the elder brother, so it should be my turn!" Xiao Wei said angrily, "I hate it!"

"Is it that serious? Do you think being the commander-in-chief of the three armies is that easy? The pressure is so great." Xiao Hong said with a tone of an experienced person: "You are already in the highest position among officials, why do you have to suffer that?"

"Why? Of course it's because of you, because of the shame you brought to me!" Xiao Wei's emotions completely exploded:
"Third brother didn't choose me, probably because you and I have the same mother! He's worried that I'll have diarrhea like you at the critical moment!"

"You! You, you..." Xiao Hong was so angry that his nose was crooked and his mouth was stuttering.

"I will never give up! I want to prove that I am different from you!"

Xiao Wei finished speaking and left resolutely, leaving Xiao Hong in the wind...

(End of this chapter)