After my soul traveled to ancient times, I don't want to be cannon fodder

Perhaps it was to avoid trouble, or perhaps it was to be able to better exchange identities, but she was trapped in the palace and almost forgot that she was not Princess Zhaoyang.

But she was a concubine's daughter in Prince An's mansion.

Everyone recognizes her identity, but only she knows that when she wakes up in her dreams at midnight, she will think of her mother.

The woman who had lived a humble life was still trapped in the backyard of Prince An's mansion and would never have the chance to see her daughter again.

She couldn't explain how she felt right now. She had clearly taken advantage, but she still felt regretful.

Perhaps, this regret will accompany me throughout my life.

But she hoped that when she married into the Western Rong in the future, she could visit her mother again before leaving.

Even just a glance!

Just one look and she was satisfied.

"Xiao Lanlan, what are you thinking about?" Zhong Ning greeted Concubine Wu and stood in front of Murong Lan, but her eyes were distant and confused, and she didn't notice that he was right in front of her.

"Sister Zhaohua!" Murong Lan smiled slightly, took Zhong Ning's arm and pulled her towards Xianfu Palace.

"I was just thinking that it seems like I haven't seen my sister for a long time." Murong Lan said this unconsciously, but Zhong Ning felt a pain in his heart.

"I'm here and I've brought you gifts!" The two of them sat on the stools, and Zhong Ning ordered Su Xin to present the gifts for Concubine Wu and Murong Lan.

The gift for Concubine Wu was a Buddhist seven-treasure bracelet, which was a good omen. It was found among the treasures in the basement of Zhenguo Temple. There was also a brocade box containing Zhong Ning's latest storybook.

The one given to Murong Lan was a crystal glass hairpin with a translucent hibiscus flower pattern, which was very delicate and beautiful.

Of course, there is also a storybook.

After all, for the two of them, pearls and jade are commonplace, but storybooks are their spiritual source.

Concubine Wu suppressed her desire to read the storybook and then turned her attention to Murong Xin, first at Murong Xin, then at Zhong Ning, with an expression of satisfaction that her daughter had grown up.

"Mother! Lan'er!" Murong Xin suddenly stood up and bowed to each of them. "Before, it was Zhaoyang who was too willful. He caused Mother to worry and Lan'er to be trapped in the harem, unable to be free. Xin'er is here to apologize to both of you!"

"Zhaoyang..." Concubine Wu suddenly panicked, and Murong Lan stood up in shock!

"Zhaoyang will report to the emperor and restore his true identity. Mother, Zhaoyang wants to face his true self..." Murong Xin's eyes were slightly moist, and she said in a trembling voice, "Please forgive me, mother!"

"You..." Do you know what you're facing? If it's just a change of identity, you can still see each other inside and outside the palace, but if it's a marriage alliance with the Western Rong...

Concubine Wu's eyes gradually turned red.

She knew that she was a selfish woman and wanted to keep her child, but...but in fact, Lan'er had been accompanying her in the palace these days, and she was reluctant to leave.

She couldn't bear to leave either of her two daughters.

At this moment, she actually felt a little resentful towards Emperor Yong. If he wasn't incompetent, how could he let her daughter face such a predicament?

Zhong Ning knew that the mother and daughter might have a detailed conversation. Since she also had something to discuss with Emperor Yong, she simply stood up and said goodbye: "Your Majesty, Zhaohua has something important to discuss with the emperor. Please allow Zhaohua to leave first!"

Concubine Wu nodded with red eyes. With Zhao Hua here, she did not perform well. Fortunately, Zhao Hua was sensible, otherwise she would not be able to speak up.

After Zhong Ning left, he went directly to the Qinzheng Hall where Emperor Yong was and explained that Princess Zhaoyang Murong Xin wanted to restore her identity.

Emperor Yong sat on the dragon throne in silence. After a long moment, he murmured, "What do you think of this?"

How to see? What to see?

Oh, the marriage matter!

Zhong Ning was silent for a moment, carefully considering his words, before he said, "Before, when Fang Ping came to the princess's residence, he told me a story!"

"He said it was a story he saw while his soul was traveling to another world. In the story, there was a place called the Ming Dynasty. When the emperor of that country founded his ancestral dynasty, he established a patriarchal precept: no marriage alliances, no compensation, no cession of territory, and no tribute."

"Subsequent emperors followed their ancestors' teachings and used force to repel foreign enemies. Emperor Taizu founded the ancestral legacy and unified China. Emperor Taizong conquered the northern desert five times, drawing congratulations from all dynasties... Emperor Xianzong conquered the Jurchens during the Chenghua era, nearly wiping them out... Emperor Wuzong personally led an expedition against the Tatars, bringing decades of peace to the Ming Dynasty..."

"Even at the end of the Ming Dynasty, when the court was at its wit's end and the army was at the gates of the city, Emperor Chongzhen, holding a sword, killed his wife and daughter with his own hands, and then posthumously named himself Coal Hill, sacrificing his life for his country."

"When I was dying, I left only one sentence: let the thieves dismember my body, but do not harm a single civilian."

"So, the Ming Dynasty is the most unyielding of all the dynasty stories he has ever seen."

"If the first ones were just the ancestral precepts left by Taizu, the later Ming emperors extended them on the basis of the ancestral precepts."

"For the entire Ming Dynasty, there were no marriage alliances, no indemnities, no cession of territory, and no tribute. The emperor guarded the country's borders, and the king died for his country."

"Even if the Ming Emperor sacrificed his life for his country, he never bowed his head to foreign enemies!" (Except Zhu Qizhen)

"Father asked me what I thought of the marriage alliance. I wanted to say that although our Great Yong is a country of etiquette, there is no foreign enemy in this world that can be persuaded by reason alone."

"If words are so effective, then it's the scholars and officials who should be on the front lines fighting the enemy. There's only one way to ensure peace and prosperity for the country."

"That is to have sufficient military defense capabilities."

"Only by strengthening our national defense forces can we protect our people from foreign attacks and protect our princess from having to risk her life."

"If a woman were sent over there, the world would be at peace, and there wouldn't be so many wars throughout history."

"My father signed an alliance with the Western Rong and Northern Di, and he had to pay tribute to them every year. He thought that this would bring peace to the world, but human desires are endless, not to mention that those are not human beings, but beasts..."

"Today we pay tribute, tomorrow we pay tribute to the princess, and the day after tomorrow we give away the city and its people... Is this kind of cowardly and humiliating peace really what my father wants?"

After saying that, Zhong Ning raised his head and stared at Emperor Yong with clear eyes.

He could intuitively feel the power of an emperor pressing down on him, but Zhong Ning just stood there, fearless.

After a long moment, Emperor Yong sighed heavily, "I know all you've said, but it's also true that our Great Yong army is weak and cannot defeat their cavalry!"

"If the army is weak, then we should strengthen training and reform the military system."

"Instead of complaining about the world and blaming others, only knowing how to give in, but not how to make progress."