Princess Promotion

"General Fu was thrown into prison. This is a bolt from the blue!" A young official whispered, his face full of shock and confusion.

"Yes, General Fu has always been loyal and upright. How could he do such a thing as collaborating with the enemy?" Another older official frowned, a hint of worry in his voice.

"In this world, who can tell what is true and what is false? Perhaps General Fu really has some secret that he cannot reveal." A thin minister sneered, with a cunning light in his eyes.

"No matter what, once this incident happens, the situation in the court will probably change drastically." A steady middle-aged official sighed, his eyes sweeping around, as if observing everyone's reaction.

"Your Majesty's decision is unquestionable, and we should fully support it." A minister close to the emperor said loudly, his tone firm, as if to encourage himself and others.

"But if General Fu is really wronged, then our country has lost a loyal and capable general, right?" An official with a sense of justice couldn't help but interrupt, his voice trembling slightly.

The discussions in the court were as surging as the tide, and everyone had different calculations and considerations in their hearts.

Deep in the prison, the light was dim and the damp air was mixed with the smell of rust and mildew.

Fu Hongxuan's figure looked particularly lonely in the corner of the cell. His once upright body was now bent, enduring the severe pain brought by the punishment.

His clothes were torn, revealing scars from being whipped.

Fu Yuanyuan carried the basket and walked through the iron gates. Her steps were heavy, and every step seemed to be stepping on her heart.

When she finally arrived at her brother's cell, the sight before her almost took her breath away.

She saw the once handsome and majestic man, now in this state, and her tears couldn't help but flow down.

"Brother..." Fu Yuanyuan's voice was choked. She knelt in front of the cell door, and the basket in her hand almost fell to the ground.

Her heart was filled with endless sadness and anger, and she wished she could give up everything she had in exchange for her brother's freedom and innocence.

Fu Hongxuan heard the voice and raised his head with difficulty.

Despite suffering great physical torture, he still remained strong and dignified in front of Fu Yuanyuan.

He forced a smile, trying to make Fu Yuanyuan not worry too much.

"Yuanyuan, why are you here? This place is not suitable for you." Although Fu Hongxuan's voice was weak, it revealed an unquestionable power.

Fu Yuanyuan wiped away her tears and said, "Brother, I brought you some food. You must take good care of yourself."

She opened the basket and inside was a carefully prepared meal that she had made herself.

In the gloomy atmosphere of the prison, Fu Hongxuan sat on a simple wooden bed, holding the food brought by Fu Yuanyuan in his hand.

Despite being imprisoned, his eyes remained bright, and his determination and composure were not diminished by the difficulties.

"Yuanyuan, is everything okay at home? How are mother and the others?" There was a hint of anxiety in Fu Hongxuan's voice. He was worried about his relatives far away at home.

Fu Yuanyuan sat across from him in the cell, her eyes soft, and she tried to sound calm. "Brother, don't worry, everything is fine at home. Although you were imprisoned, Emperor Zhou didn't take any further action against our family. I think he's still concerned about your prestige in the army and the current tense situation with Da Qi, and he doesn't want to shake the morale of the army at this time."

After hearing what his sister said, Fu Hongxuan nodded slightly, and his worries were slightly relieved.

During the days when Fu Hongxuan was imprisoned, the situation in the court of Western Zhou Dynasty was changing rapidly, and the discussion about Fu Hongxuan among the people became more and more heated.

Fu Yuanyuan knew that her brother would never do anything like treason.

Fu Yuanyuan pursed her lips slightly, as if trying to suppress the waves in her heart: "Brother, I heard that you rescued the Queen of Qi at the border and it was not by chance?"

Fu Yuanyuan learned from Li Yi that since the barbarians besieged Yicheng, her brother has often led troops to patrol the border.

Although it was claimed that the patrol was to prevent the barbarians from harassing the Western Zhou border after breaking through Yicheng, they usually patrolled during the day.

Only on the night when Yicheng fought a decisive battle with the barbarians, Fu Hongxuan led his team to patrol the border all night.

Fu Hongxuan was silent for a moment before answering, "There's no particular reason. We're all fighting the barbarians, so let's help if we can."

Fu Yuanyuan understood instantly. The Fu family had been guarding the border for generations. Her father, grandfather and uncles had all died in battle for this, and they had an irreconcilable blood feud with the barbarians.

If Qi was in civil war or had a war broken out for other reasons, Fu Hongxuan would definitely not meddle in the matter. However, if the barbarians invaded, although Fu Hongxuan could not send troops, he would not mind helping.

Although this incident left a hidden danger for Fu Hongxuan, he did not regret his decision.

Fu Yuanyuan has always known that her brother is a kind-hearted person, but perhaps no one would believe this.

If you say that the killing god Fu Hongxuan has cold blood, maybe more people will believe it.

In Fu Yuanyuan's eyes, her brother Fu Hongxuan has always been wise, brave and decisive.

However, once it came to the Empress Yao Chuguang of Qi, he seemed to become cautious, even a little timid.

This change made Fu Yuanyuan confused and puzzled.

Fu Hongxuan saw the doubt in Fu Yuanyuan's eyes and asked softly, "Yuanyuan, do you think I've changed and become less courageous?"

Fu Yuanyuan hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded.

She did feel that way, but she wanted to know the reason behind it.

Fu Hongxuan smiled slightly and said, "That's because they made a fatal mistake. They all subconsciously thought that although Yao Chuguang was smart, she was, after all, a woman raised in the deep palace. How much skill could she have?"

"Even her greatest support, Duke Li, was only able to remain passive when facing the Western Zhou Dynasty. What else can she do? She is just bluffing."

Hearing this, Fu Yuanyuan had to admit that her brother had hit the nail on the head.

Fu Hongxuan shook his head and continued, "But think about it from another angle. What if Duke Li has never been a help to Yao Chuguang, but instead a burden to her?"

Fu Yuanyuan opened her eyes wide in shock. Fu Hongxuan's idea was too shocking.

Fu Hongxuan continued his analysis without pausing, "Everyone believes that Yao Chuguang's greatest confidence comes from the military power held by Duke Li. But how many things has Yao Chuguang truly relied on Duke Li to resolve?"

Only then did Fu Yuanyuan truly realize how terrifying Yao Chuguang was.

She wanted to ask why he hadn't explained all this to Emperor Zhou, but then she realized that even she, who trusted her brother the most, was skeptical. Could such a person really exist in this world?

In the dim candlelight of the cell, Fu Yuanyuan knew that her thoughts might be a little selfish.

But when she thought of the opponent that even her brother was wary of - the Queen of Qi, Yao Chuguang, and the airborne General Zhao, she couldn't help but feel a little bit of luck in her heart.

General Zhao was inferior to his brother in every way and underestimated the enemy. According to common sense, he would soon suffer a defeat. In this way, his brother Fu Hongxuan might take this opportunity to regain his freedom.

Fu Yuanyuan's thoughts spread like wildfire, and she whispered, "Brother, since General Zhao is not as good as you and underestimates the enemy, he will surely suffer a defeat soon. When that happens, will you be released?"

After hearing this, Fu Hongxuan shook his head slightly, a subtle worry flashing in his eyes. "Yuanyuan, I'm afraid things won't be that simple. Yao Chuguang has already declared that he will take over Western Zhou within a month."

Upon hearing this, Fu Yuanyuan was stunned for a moment, then a smile appeared on her lips: "One month? How is that possible!"

No matter how weak the Western Zhou Dynasty was, it would take them several days to break open the cities and sturdy city gates along the way.

Unless Qi could capture a city in one day, this would be a fantasy.

Fu Hongxuan looked at the suspicion on his sister's face, but his heart felt heavy.

He knew that Yao Chuguang was no ordinary person, and behind every word she said there was a carefully planned calculation.

At the same time, Fu Hongxuan's speculations today were all his own. Even he couldn't figure out how Yao Chuguang could defeat the Western Zhou Dynasty within a month.

He is not bragging, but his successor, General Zhao, suffered a defeat on the battlefield.

The Zhou Emperor definitely could not withstand the pressure and had to release him to fight against the State of Qi.

Fu Hongxuan is confident that no matter what Yao Chuguang plans, he will not be a pushover.

Fu Hongxuan was arrested voluntarily. Now everyone in the court wants to catch Qi and blackmail him.

But Yao Chuguang is not someone to be trifled with. Although Fu Hongxuan feels that he may not lose against Yao Chuguang, he will definitely suffer a small loss.

And if the two armies were fighting, because of his slight defeat, the Zhou emperor would find an excuse to replace the generals.

Changing generals in the middle of a battle is a taboo in military strategy. If this happens, even he will be powerless to reverse the situation.

So he could only oppose it first, angering the Zhou Emperor who had always been wary of him.

Only the person in front fails and has to wait for the time to be used again.

Only then can you rest assured that your generals will not be replaced at the last minute.

Fu Yuanyuan knew that Fu Hongxuan had met the legendary empress of Qi State, and suddenly asked curiously, "Brother, what kind of person was that empress?"

Fu Hongxuan thought for a moment and replied, "He's a scoundrel."

Fu Yuanyuan suddenly didn't know how to react. She really didn't expect that there was someone who made her brother so afraid.

If not being extremely wise but appearing foolish, then at least being very scheming, how can one be described as a scoundrel of the country?