The most romantic little emperor

Qin Hao's heart couldn't help but ripple. Li Yanran's beautiful face, like a lotus emerging from the water, quietly emerged in his mind, causing his heart to move slightly.

He took a deep breath, pretending to be embarrassed, and sighed softly, "Lord Li, I remember that Yanran is still young and has not yet reached the age of marriage. Is it too early to do this? It is better to wait a few years before deciding."

Li Zhen burst into laughter and said loudly: "Your Majesty, this is not a big deal. My Yan'er is already thirteen years old and is in the prime of her youth."

"Back then, Concubine Dowager Dong was also this age, and she had already entered the palace to accompany the emperor and assist the late emperor, creating a good story. Prime Minister Dong, don't you agree?"

When Dong Sicheng heard this, his face suddenly turned red, as if Li Zhen's words had inadvertently opened a scar that he didn't want to touch.

He pretended to be angry and said, "Old man, you are talking about your granddaughter's affairs, why did you involve my innocent sister in it? This is simply disrespectful to the elderly."

Li Zhen chuckled, made a meaningful gesture to Dong Sicheng, then lowered his voice and whispered a few words.

In a flash, Dong Sicheng's attitude made a 180-degree turn. His previous anger and dissatisfaction seemed to be blown away by a breeze, and was replaced by a gentle and persuasive tone.

He advised softly, "Your Majesty, Yanran is indeed gentle and virtuous, talented and beautiful. How about you consider it?"

Qin Hao was amused by the little actions between the two. He sighed softly, with a reluctant look on his face, and said helplessly: "Lord Li, I can agree to this marriage, and Yanran can enter the palace to accompany me at any time."

"However, considering her young age, I cannot bear it. I must wait until she is sixteen years old before we can perform the marriage ceremony."

Li Zhen's face immediately lit up with joy, and he laughed loudly, "Great! Your Majesty is so concerned about Yanran, it is the blessing she earned in her previous life."

"For this reason, I, this old minister, will live a few more years even if it means risking my life. I vow to witness with my own eyes my Yanran giving birth to sons and daughters for Your Majesty, and continuing the royal bloodline."

Wang Jian, who was standing by, also smiled when he saw this. He stepped forward at the right time and sincerely congratulated Li Zhen: "Congratulations, Duke Li. Your Majesty is so gracious. It is a match made in heaven for Yanran to find such a good match. It is truly a cause for celebration!"

Zhu Gui's face was filled with sincere admiration, and he exclaimed softly: "Duke Li is really very wise. First, he adopted Liang Hongyu, a heroic woman, as his adopted daughter, and now he is planning to send Yanran, a smart and refined woman, into the palace. Such means are truly amazing and I am convinced!"

"Haha!" Li Zhen laughed heartily and said, "Duke Zhu, you are too kind. Your Qiqi is very brave and heroic, and she is as good as any man. Moreover, she has entered the palace, so she deserves the title of Imperial Noble Consort."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Gui's face suddenly broke into a brilliant smile. He turned his burning gaze towards Qin Hao. His expectation and hope were self-evident as he longed for his final decision.

Qin Hao nodded gently, his eyes were gentle and deep, and the corners of his mouth outlined a faint but majestic smile: "Qiqi and Mei'er are both rare women in the world, with both talent and affection, gentle temperament and tenacity. Therefore, I have made up my mind, impartially, to make them both Imperial Noble Consorts, and share the harem with the Queen. What do you think, my two fathers-in-law?"

Upon hearing this, a gleam of tacit understanding flashed in Zhu Gui and Dong Sicheng's eyes. They smiled at each other, bowed repeatedly, and thanked Qin Hao sincerely.

Wang Jian and Li Zhen followed closely behind, echoing the sentiment, expressing their gratitude in words.

As the problem was solved, the heavy stone in Qin Hao's heart finally fell to the ground, and an indescribable sense of relief and relief surged in his heart.

The harmony and tranquility of the harem and the unity of the court officials made him rest assured and prepare for the complicated war situation that was to follow.

In the following time, the few people seemed to be brought together by an invisible force, with clear division of labor and each doing their own job. With full enthusiasm and firm belief, they threw themselves into the preparations for the upcoming military expedition.

The army was assembled for the expedition, and the entire imperial court, like a huge gear, moved precisely. All the necessary supplies, including food, weapons, and baggage, were ready.

The Shenjiying is a unique new army established with its unique weapons, equipment and tactics.

At Qin Hao's order, this new army was assigned to Wang Jian's army to help them recover lost territory.

In addition, Qin Hao did not choose to forget or abandon the soldiers of the Right Camp and the Xuanwu Guard who had participated in Su Zhengfang's rebellion. Instead, he was magnanimous and reorganized them into the Vanguard Army and included them in the vanguard, allowing them to make meritorious contributions while serving their sentences.

In the past few days, in addition to solving some major military and national affairs, Qin Hao has devoted himself to the research and development of gunpowder, the most important of which is the development of grenades.

In the end, hard work paid off. A lot of grenades were made in a hurry, and some explosive packs were secretly sent to the Shenjiying to help Wang Jian's army capture the city.

Time flies, and three days pass in a flash.

Today is the first day of September, the day the army sets out for the expedition. The almanac says that it is a good day for offering sacrifices, traveling, building, and breaking ground.

At dawn, Qin Hao had already gotten up, put on his clothes, walked firmly into the solemn Taimiao, and began to offer sacrifices.

He knelt devoutly before the ancestral tablet, praying silently in his heart, wishing for the protection of the heroic spirits of his ancestors, and blessing the army that was about to go on an expedition to restore the country and return triumphantly.

After the ceremony, Qin Hao turned around, his eyes like torches, and his majestic voice resounded throughout the hall: "Today, I announce to the world that I will specially appoint Wang Jian, the loyal and brave marquis, as the Grand Marshal of the Northern Expedition, commanding the troops of Daizhou, Dingzhou, Yizhou, and Cangzhou, and granting him full authority to control all military and political affairs. From today on, the four states must take it as their responsibility to fight against the Liao invaders and recover the Sixteen States of Yanyun. Officials from top to bottom must work together to face the national crisis and swear to drive the Liao invaders back to the vast grasslands and return peace to the Central Plains!"

Afterwards, Qin Hao secretly ordered the Shadow Guards and the Embroidered Uniform Guards to send out their best troops to the north to become the invisible sword and eyes and ears of Wang Jian, ensuring the smooth flow of intelligence and unimpeded actions on the road to the Northern Expedition, and to fully assist the Loyal and Brave Marquis to work together for the great cause.

Under the gaze of all the civil and military officials, Wang Jian calmly took over the heavy imperial edict and said in a sonorous and powerful voice: "I, your humble servant Wang Jian, swear to use the weapons and cavalry of Great Xia to wash away the shame of the past, revive the prestige of Great Xia, and restore the dignity of Great Xia. This time, we will go out to crush the Liao bandits in one fell swoop, recover the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun, and return our land to us!"

As soon as these words were spoken, all the civil and military officials around looked at Wang Jian with reverent glances, then bowed, their hearts filled with endless admiration and expectations for Wang Jian.