Priceless: A widow with a baby asks the prince to marry again

An invitation and a polite decline.

The three ministers, along with high-ranking officials and petty clerks, groups of family members and servants, thousands of people set out in the twilight, but changed direction, going in the opposite direction from the original destination of Chang'an, and headed for King Kang's fiefdom.

"Humph! What are you saying about Chang'an being the ancient capital of several dynasties and being located in the center, making it convenient for all the powerful people to come? We have to drag them along and run there in a hurry!"

Qin Tao sneered: "Now, my cousin returned to Prince Kang's Mansion without telling them, and they rushed over eagerly! Aren't you afraid that those so-called powerful people will be dissatisfied now?"

Chu Shihuan was silent for a long time. He understood that this was because King Kang had already been famous and few people would confront him over trivial matters...

On the contrary, because they believe that King Kang is a sure choice, the powerful people already within his sphere of influence will only rush to him in order to get a bigger piece of the pie in the future, or even move up a level.

But, even though I know everything clearly, and I know that my hope is slim...

The glory that he had briefly glimpsed and the surging ambition that had been aroused made Chu Shihuan feel unwilling... Is it just like that?

"Qin Tao... why did you stay with us instead of going with them to pay a visit to the eldest brother?" Chu Shihuan's eyes flickered.

"You are my brothers! How could I abandon you? At least I have to make sure you are safe and that Chu Shiqi won't send anyone to hunt you down." Qin Tao patted Chu Shihuan's shoulder with a strong force that made people feel reassured.

"Qin Tao, between Chu Shiqi and me, choose to help me..."

Chu Shihuan wondered if he should use some meaningful words, but he felt that with Qin Tao's straightforward character, he didn't need to be so careful: "If one day, my eldest brother and I become enemies, who will you help?"

This question was beyond Qin Tao's expectations. He was troubled after hearing it, but it didn't take long before he answered: "I'm not familiar with my cousin, so I probably won't help him..."

Chu Shihuan was feeling somewhat delighted when he heard Qin Tao continue, "But my eldest cousin respects my mother very much. When he is in Beijing, he always comes to visit her during festivals."

"So if you two are hostile, I probably won't help either side."

Chu Shihuan was a little disappointed, but he also felt that it was understandable. It was rare for him to not help either side. There were many people in the world who would kick someone when he was down or add icing on the cake.

"However, if my eldest cousin wants to kill you, I will definitely find a way to save you!" Qin Tao patted his shoulder again, signaling him to rest assured.

This seemingly insignificant assurance made Chu Shihuan feel at ease! Because he knew that Qin Tao would not use flowery words, but would always keep his word!

With this "life-saving talisman", why can't he give it another try?

"So next, do we still need to go to the northwest to gather the Qin family army?" Chu Shihuan asked.

Qin Tao looked embarrassed: "My eldest cousin defeated the northern tribe twice and has great prestige in the border areas and many other regions. He may not use the Qin family army if he has other troops to call on..."

"But there are only a few armies as well-trained as the Qin Family Army. When the eldest prince returns, he will still have to confront Chu Shiqi. If the Qin Family Army voluntarily helps, it will only be meritorious, not faulty." Chu Shihuan coaxed.

"Well... I don't want to go back like this." Qin Tao wrinkled his nose. Although helping the brother he recognized was the main reason, he himself also wanted to participate in the war.

"However, there is a military order from Daxia that says 'the army is not allowed to leave the station without being dispatched', and the tiger talisman is still in the hands of my cousin. I'm afraid we won't be able to mobilize the Qin army if we go to the northwest."

Chu Shihuan raised the corners of his lips slightly and asked softly: "If the order issued by the tiger talisman is contrary to Wei Yu's personal call, which one will the Qin family army obey?"

Qin Tao didn't say anything, but just looked at Chu Shihuan with a determined look on his face.

After exchanging glances, Qin Tao also understood Chu Shihuan's thoughts, but he said with embarrassment: "But my father is not in the northwest now. He went to a small village in the southwest to look for his relatives. I don't know how long my father will stay there. Even if he comes back without stopping, it will take a month, right?"

"No rush, I just want to take advantage of the situation..." Chu Shihuan sighed softly, unwilling to give up directly, but also not holding out much hope. He just tried to stay in the fighting arena and take a gamble.

"Yeah." Qin Tao nodded and made up his mind.

"Anyway, I'm just looking for an opportunity to fight Chu Shiqi. It doesn't matter if I succeed or fail... I can't fail!"

Qin Tao was already confident that the Qin army would be able to defeat Chu Shiqi, and now with Prince Kang as the main attacker, he felt even more invincible.

After the current common goal was determined, several people began to plan how to implement it.

Since General Wei Yu Qin Shuangyu has not responded to any messages, Qin Tao plans to go to the southwest to discuss the matter with his father in person.

"You... only brought a dozen people, it's too dangerous! What if something goes wrong..." Chu Shihuan was deeply touched. Qin Tao actually wanted to leave almost all of his personal soldiers to them! He only brought a dozen people with him!

"I don't even know which way I'll take to get to the southwest. I'll change into civilian clothes and do some careful reconnaissance. There's no way anyone will be waiting for me."

Qin Tao didn't care and had already started selecting soldiers who were good at reconnaissance and riding.

"Even if there's no one waiting, it would be difficult to deal with real bandits with just a dozen of us, right? At least bring a hundred people with you to ensure a worry-free journey!" Chu Shihuan persuaded. Although he really needed enough people to guard him, he also sincerely hoped that Qin Tao would be safe.

"With more people, the target will be bigger. With fewer people, we can travel faster. Scouts usually form a team of twelve."

After Qin Tao finished speaking, seeing that Chu Shihuan was still worried, he added proudly: "Haven't you seen my kung fu? And the soldiers I selected are all good fighters who can fight ten people at once. They are not afraid even if they encounter a hundred bandits!"

The Prince of Changtai was a man of swift and decisive character. He made arrangements and preparations at night, and before dawn the next day, he led a small cavalry team to the southwest.

Watching the figure going away, Chu Shihuan felt mixed emotions. These days, with people coming and going around him, it seemed that only this time, there was no betrayal and loss... and this was because of the brotherhood that Qin Tao always talked about.

"Brother, are we heading to the northwest?" Chu Shixuan asked.

"No, I will continue to go west, and you turn north."

Chu Shihuan held his brother's shoulders and solemnly instructed him, "Hide your identity and keep a low profile all the way to the prefecture city under Grandpa's jurisdiction. Hide first and observe secretly to see if there is an ambush. After confirming that there is no unusual movement, consider whether to contact Grandpa."

Chu Shixuan was confused, but he was more concerned about: "Why do you want me to hide? I want to go to the northwest with my brother! No matter what we do, we brothers will live and die together!"

"I don't want you to live and die together!"

Chu Shihuan shook his head, looked at his brother with great concentration, and said softly: "I want to do it myself, and it is enough for me to try it alone. If I succeed, I will definitely take you back to the capital to share the glory."

"If it doesn't work... I want you to live."

...

Without the repeated urging of Prince Changtai, the team of old ministers and female relatives should have walked slower.

But perhaps because the future was bright, everyone was eager to get going and completed three days' journey in just two days.

Seeing the magnificent gate of Prince Kang’s Palace, everyone was even more delighted!

Someone had been sent to deliver the visiting card in advance, and the hostess of Prince Kang's Mansion, Princess Kang, was also ready to receive him.

However, there is a difference between the emperor and his subjects. No matter how high an official is, he is of a lower rank when meeting a member of the royal family. Even if the Minister of Personnel outside the door is her biological father, Princess Kang cannot lower her status to go out and greet him.

Led by the gatekeeper to the second ceremonial gate, Princess Kang came in surrounded by a crowd. She took two steps forward to show her welcome, then stood in the hall, waiting for the ministers to pay their respects first.

After a strict hierarchical ceremony.

The Minister of Personnel then asked the most pressing question: "May I see His Royal Highness Prince Kang?"

"My lords, you have come here exhausted from the journey. I have already asked the housekeeper to arrange a guest house. Would you please change your clothes and rest first?"

Princess Kang said this while glancing at the people behind the Minister of Personnel, which meant that there was a secret to be discussed and some people could not listen.

The Minister of Personnel nodded to the other two ministers on his left and right. The two naturally understood and signaled to let those insignificant minor officials and servants withdraw, and only took a few female relatives who were allowed to enter the hall and followed the guidance of the steward of Prince Kang's palace.

By the lake, there is an elegant and pleasant hall.

Princess Kang took the main seat, and several female relatives of the Ministry of Personnel were cordially invited to sit on her left and right.

At this time, the two concubines of Prince Kang's Mansion also sat down on the left side of the hall. According to the rules, with the wife as the mistress, the concubines could not represent Prince Kang's Mansion to entertain guests. But one of them was the daughter of the Minister of Revenue, and it was normal for her to come to see the guests since she was from her mother's family.

Therefore, Princess Kang allowed both concubines to meet the guests, to show that they were a close family. Before Prince Kang's ambition, all the calculations within Prince Kang's mansion had to be put aside.

The female members of the Ministry of Revenue naturally sat down next to the concubines from their own families. At this time, there was only one concubine left, Zhang, whose family background was not good enough to enter the hall, and the Ministry of Rites, who had no female members in Prince Kang's Mansion, felt awkward for a moment.

But a moment later, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Minister of Rites came over with her female relatives and chatted cordially: "I greet the Concubine. Speaking of which... I should call the Concubine's mother my cousin..."

The women were all seated, and a low silk screen as thin as a cicada's wing was erected in the middle of the hall, which was a symbolic taboo. Then the three ministers entered the hall, greeted each other, and sat down on the right side.

Finally getting to the point, the Minister of Personnel asked again anxiously, "Your Highness Prince Kang has returned from the attack, is he safe and sound?"

Princess Kang frowned slightly and said softly, "When the prince returned home, he went straight to the Crow Palace and has not left since. He also does not allow anyone to see him... But when the prince returned home, the servants saw that except for his dirty and torn clothes, there were no signs of serious injuries."

The ministers immediately breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he was not dead or disabled, everything else could be done.

"Your Highness, are you feeling unwell? Do you need to rest and recuperate?" the Minister of Revenue asked with concern.

Princess Kang shook her head somewhat unnaturally: "I have carefully observed everything that comes in and out of the Yaque Palace these days. Except for the jade wine that was transported into the palace, everything else is the same as usual."

"Didn't the servants in the Yaque Palace pass on the news?" the Minister of Rites asked doubtfully. It was not uncommon for couples in wealthy families to become estranged, but they would always have servants to communicate about family matters.

Those who knew the details paused for a moment, and after a few breaths, Princess Kang chuckled and said, "The ill-fated girls of the Crow Bird Palace cannot live without the prince, so naturally they are extremely attentive to the prince and obey him in everything."

The Minister of Rites was stunned for a moment, then he remembered that Prince Kang liked deaf-mute beauties, and realized that the Yaque Palace was the palace where Prince Kang kept the deaf-mute beauties, and what Princess Kang said meant that those beauties had no autonomy and it was Prince Kang's own order not to see people.

After a few more breaths of silence, the Minister of Revenue said sympathetically, "Your Highness may be exhausted from all the misfortunes that have happened. He needs to rest..."

"But now corrupt officials are in power, and they actually forged the imperial edict, allowing the unlearned Eighth Prince to sit on the throne! The change in Daxia is imminent, and we urgently need His Royal Highness Prince Kang to restore order and rule the world!" The Minister of Personnel was extremely anxious.

"Mr. Personnel is right, but the most urgent thing is to let someone who can speak see His Royal Highness Prince Kang and ask him the reason for his visit. As ministers of Daxia, we should do our best to share your worries." The Minister of Rites said. They couldn't even see Prince Kang, and couldn't even get the news of their coming in, let alone plan the subsequent fierce battle.

Princess Kang looked embarrassed. Although as a princess she was in charge of all affairs in Prince Kang's mansion, ultimately everything in the mansion belonged to Prince Kang, and Prince Kang was the biggest rule in the mansion!

Normally, no one is allowed to enter the Crow Bird Palace without being summoned by King Kang... At this time when King Kang is feeling depressed, regardless of whether he can enter or not, would entering anger King Kang?

At this time, the daughter of the Minister of Revenue bit her lip and said, "My Lords, please write down the important matters in a booklet and refine some key points that are convenient for oral presentation. I will try and present it to the prince in the palace."

Princess Kang paused for a moment, but then nodded calmly and generously, and ordered the servants: "Present the writing brushes to the gentlemen."

Finally, there was a countermeasure, and as for writing the booklet, the several ministers who were used to writing memorials naturally did it with ease. At this time, they expressed their true feelings and wrote down the contents on paper in the hope of persuading the monarch to cheer up.

On the quiet little lake, a waterside pavilion with carved railings and jade bricks stands alone in the center, like an isolated fairyland. There is only a long covered bridge leading to the shore.

There were dozens of guards guarding this side of the shore, but the other side was completely different, with only two frail beauties sitting lazily there.

"In the past few days, everyone who has a say in the mansion has come to try, and my sister has also been turned away from the corridor. Is there any way to get in now?" Princess Kang looked at the water pavilion expressionlessly, and her voice was only heard by a few people around her.

"This concerns the future of Prince Kang's Mansion. There is no other way. Sister has to give it a try." The concubine who came from the Ministry of Households responded with a low laugh, but then her expression changed to a sad one, and she quickly ran towards the corridor bridge.

Princess Kang was stunned. Are they going to force their way in?

But forcing their way in was not feasible. Unlike guards elsewhere, guards usually avoided touching the female relatives of King Kang. If they were forced to break in, the guards would often retreat.

But the guards outside the Yaque Palace were all castrated eunuchs brought out from the imperial palace by Prince Kang when he turned fifteen.

However, the guards on the left and right of the porch did not try to stop them directly. Instead, they each "banged" and crossed two sticks wrapped in brocade soft cloth over the porch door!

There were large gaps between the sticks, but the guards could twist them together and dance with them at any time. The concubine was not a martial artist, so the guards could easily block her outside the corridor with their skills.

"No one can enter the Crow Palace without being summoned."