Deposed Crown Prince: After three years of service on the frontier, the entire court knelt and begge

Seeing this, Xiao Yang nodded and asked curiously, "Father, what kind of witness is so important?"

Xiao Dingbang gave Xiao Yang a meaningful look and said, "You'll find out when the time comes!"

Seeing that Xiao Dingbang was unwilling to talk, Xiao Yang did not continue to ask.

Instead, he changed the subject: "Father, if I had known things would turn out like this, I wouldn't have come back! I just want to stabilize the four prefectures of the northern desert now, and then take advantage of the Turkic Kingdom's weakness to teach them a lesson."

"For years, they've been the ones attacking us. It's time we showed them the power of our Xiao Kingdom!"

Xiao Dingbang became interested when he heard Xiao Yang say this: "Oh? You want to fight the Turks? Your great victory this time was entirely due to General Xing Daorong, who used the city's defenses to suppress the power of their cavalry! If you go to the Turkic steppe, their cavalry will be able to play a huge role, and it won't be so easy for you to fight them."

Xiao Yang said, "Father, you've forgotten, we killed 40,000 of them and captured 40,000 Turkic cavalry. We requisitioned all their horses. They are currently in a weakened state!"

Xiao Dingbang then realized, "That's right...it is indeed an opportunity! However, you won't be in a hurry. They have suffered such heavy losses, it won't be a year or two before they recover."

Seeing this, Xiao Yang seized the opportunity to smile bitterly: "Father, they are severely weakened. Although we have won a great victory, the four prefectures of the northern desert are desolate lands with so many people, and we have also captured those Turks. Although we have reduced their rations, food is still a major problem. I was thinking of taking this opportunity to plunder some..."

"Yang'er, is food a problem? Tomorrow morning at court, I will inform all the officials of your great victory. Afterwards, I will order the Ministry of Finance to allocate funds and grain to you! Don't worry, you've finally managed to get things going, so let's stabilize the situation first! With my help, what are you afraid of?" Xiao Dingbang said with a happy expression.

Xiao Yang looked utterly apprehensive: "Father, isn't this inappropriate..."

Xiao Dingbang waved his hand: "Why is it inappropriate! It's all my land. Besides, if you can make the Turks submit to you one day, then the warhorses that our Xiao Kingdom has always lacked will no longer be a problem. The Turks can become our Xiao Kingdom's horse breeding ground! This is a very profitable deal!"

"You are my most valued son. If I were to give you to that good-for-nothing Xiao Ce, I naturally wouldn't give him a single penny... But it's different if I give you one. As long as you want it, I will fully support you!"

"Thank you, Father! Your son will certainly not disappoint you! I will make the Turkic Kingdom submit as soon as possible!" Xiao Yang was also overjoyed to see that he had accomplished what Xiao Ce had entrusted to him.

Next up was dinner, a time of fatherly love and filial piety...

...

Xiao Xiangqing, who had just left Consort Hui's palace, was scolded by Xiao Yang, which put her in an extremely bad mood.

He returned to his residence with a dark expression.

Upon returning to his residence, a steward came forward to greet him.

Seeing Xiao Xiangqing's disgusted expression, he quickly asked, "Eighth Prince, is things not going well in the palace?"

As Xiao Xiangqing walked into the mansion, she complained all the way: "Everything went quite smoothly, except that good-for-nothing Xiao Yang came back and gave me a disgusting beating..."

The steward listened with a surprised expression and muttered to himself, "No wonder we saw a giant like a small mountain in their returning procession, dressed in Turkic attire. There are rumors that he was a prince of the Ashina tribe of the Turkic Kingdom, named Fan Gang Ashina, who was born with superhuman strength."

"you sure?"

The steward nodded and recounted what had happened when they entered the city.

Hearing the butler's words, Xiao Xiangqing's expression darkened further: "Could it be that he's telling the truth?"

The steward chimed in, "That can't be! Xiao Yang is just a loud-mouthed good-for-nothing; he's even worse than Xiao Ce. At least Xiao Ce knew how to be patient! Without His Majesty's protection, Xiao Yang is nothing. And that Xing Daorong is all show and no substance. None of Consort Hui's family are actually good at fighting! How could they possibly have defeated the Turks like this?"

Xiao Xiangqing shook her head: "Judging from Xiao Yang's appearance, he's not bragging. That guy is a coward, but he seems very confident. Maybe he really did win a great victory, and he might have a master guiding him!"

The butler nodded.

Xiao Xiangqing asked the butler beside her, "Have you heard anything about Mr. Qianlong that I asked you to find?"

The butler shook his head awkwardly: "We went to look for them as you instructed, but there was no news."

Xiao Xiangqing frowned slightly: "Don't you think that bastard Xiao Yang beat me to it?"

The butler's face darkened further, and he shook his head, not daring to answer.

Xiao Xiangqing anxiously pressed on, "Was there anyone wearing a monk's robe in his returning party?"

The butler shook his head: "No, but the hundred-strong guard he brought back, although they were all wearing military uniforms, each of them wore a very strange mask."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xiangqing's expression turned even more unpleasant.

"Damn it...go keep an eye on things..."

Before the words were finished, a servant-looking man came running over in a fluster, shouting as he ran.

"Butler Gou! Butler Gou! There's news! There's news!"

The butler frowned and snapped, "What's going on? I told you, call me Butler An!"

Xiao Xiangqing's steward was named Gou An, and that's what people called him because of his surname.

He always felt that others were insulting him, so he instructed his subordinates to call Butler An.

However, Xiao Xiangqing was used to calling him Steward Gou, and his subordinates would call him that from time to time.

The servant awkwardly slapped himself in the mouth: "Steward An, spare my life."

Then he saw Xiao Xiangqing, who had a dark expression, bow to him.

Xiao Xiangqing waved his hand impatiently and said, "Speak your mind! I have important matters to discuss with Steward Gou."

Seeing that Xiao Xiangqing was in a bad mood, the servant immediately knelt on the ground: "Your Highness, the person you are looking for has been found!"

The butler, Gou An, asked excitedly, "Who is it? Is it Mr. Qianlong?"

The servant knelt and nodded: "Just now, when I was looking outside, I saw a carriage coming in from outside. A man wearing a monk's robe, a bamboo hat, and carrying a monk's staff got off, and there was a five or six-year-old page beside him. He perfectly matches the description of Mr. Qianlong that Steward Gou mentioned."

Gou An listened to the servant's words and didn't even have time to correct him; he was calling him Steward Gou.

Where is Mr. Qianlong?

The servant knelt on the ground: "Reporting, Steward Gou is in the Fu Man Lou restaurant!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xiangqing immediately stood up and said to Gou An, "Prepare the carriage; we're going to Fumanlou now."

The servant said with a respectful and obsequious expression, "Your Highness, let me lead the way for you."

Gou An saw through the servant's little scheme and said, "I don't need you anymore. I'll give you the reward I promised you once I find the person, every penny of it! But you have to keep this to yourself and don't tell anyone!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Xiangqing abruptly stopped, her gaze sharp as she looked at the servant: "You didn't mention this to anyone, did you?"

The servant shook his head vigorously, swearing that he hadn't done it.

Xiao Xiangqing said coldly, "That's good. If it's discovered that you've leaked information, this prince will take your life!"