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

Xiao Ce laughed and said, "There are no secrets in this world, so it doesn't matter... Since he's playing around here... if he wants to play, and I'm just killing time anyway... let's play along and have some fun... and maybe collect some interest from them while we're at it..."

Yin Weiyong nodded, then said, "So, Your Highness, you mean we should ignore them?"

Xiao Ce nodded: "Don't worry about it, let him act however he wants..."

Yin Weiyong said to Xiao Ce, "Your Majesty, do you think what he said is possible? That the war against us was launched by their own hawkish faction..."

"They still believe in peaceful coexistence..."

Xiao Ce scoffed, "Hawks? The Japanese are full of radical militants. From top to bottom, isn't every single one a hawk... Anyone who believes his words is a fool..."

Yin Weiyong's face immediately showed embarrassment.

Xiao Ce immediately smiled and explained, "Father-in-law, I didn't scold you..."

Yin Weiyong gave an awkward smile: "I have to admit, I was actually somewhat persuaded by him... I think it's true..."

Xiao Ce smiled and said, "That's more like it... Didn't the Slavs say that Tojo Koichi is one of the best among the younger generation in Japan?... She's capable, shrewd, and resourceful..."

"It now seems that the Slavs' judgment of him was very accurate..."

Yin Weiyong nodded: "Your Highness, then this matter will be entrusted to you?"

Xiao Ce nodded: "Alright, leave this to me... Doesn't he like acting? I'll let him do his job... Father-in-law, you go and do your work..."

Yin Weiyong looked at Xiao Ce with a deep gaze and a sly expression on his face.

He knew that Xiao Ce had already come up with a solution.

Seeing Xiao Ce's expression, Yin Weiyong knew that the matter was settled...

He felt reassured, as if he had been given a reassuring pill.

“Father-in-law, there’s something else I think I need to tell you…” Xiao Ce said to Yin Weiyong.

Yin Weiyong looked at Xiao Ce with a puzzled expression, noticing his serious demeanor...

"Your Highness? What is it?"

Xiao Ce then said, "It's about Yin Pan'er."

Yin Weiyong immediately asked excitedly, "Is there any news about Pan'er?"

Xiao Ce gave a bitter smile: "No."

Yin Weiyong's eyes dimmed slightly.

Xiao Ce understood perfectly, after all, Yin Weiyong only had one daughter, Yin Pan'er.

"I've been searching with all my might for what I want to do, following what you've told me. Even though I'm here... but..."

Before Xiao Ce could finish speaking, Yin Weiyong raised his hand: "Your Highness, I know... I know. Just because I didn't see it doesn't mean you didn't do it... I know you care about Pan'er's matter more than I do..."

"No news from Pan'er is actually the best news."

He paused, then said sharply, "Of course, Your Highness, you can rest assured... Even if Pan'er is controlled by some people to threaten me... I know what's important... I will not do anything to betray the country..."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ce quickly stopped him, saying, "No need... If someone uses Pan'er to threaten you, and you betray the country, I won't blame you..."

Yin Weiyong was clearly taken aback when he heard Xiao Ce say that.

It was quite unbelievable that Xiao Ce would say such a thing.

Xiao Ce added, "Father-in-law, I'm not joking... Of course, if that day ever comes, feel free to come to me... I will definitely find a way to resolve it... I have a sense of justice; in my heart, many things come before the nation..."

Yin Weiyong choked with emotion, "Your Highness, Pan'er didn't choose the wrong person..."

After exchanging pleasantries, the two men...

Yin Weiyong then cupped his hands in greeting and prepared to leave.

When they reached the entrance of the palace, Yin Weiyong suddenly remembered something.

"By the way, Your Highness, those Japanese have arrived. Shouldn't we consider the safety of the two Slavic princes...?"

Xiao Ce listened to Yin Weiyong's reminder: "That's true... After all, the people who least want us to cooperate are definitely from Japan... Those people from Japan have no bottom line... They'll do anything..."

"I will take care of this matter..."

Yin Weiyong then bowed and nodded before leaving.

After pondering for a while, Xiao Ce said to Xiao Jiu, who was waiting nearby, "Xiao Jiu, go and invite Nikolayevich and Eva over here."

Xiao Jiu nodded.

He then continued, "It's getting late, let's prepare a hot pot. Tell them I'm treating them to hot pot tonight..."

Xiao Jiu continued to nod.

...

It wasn't until evening that Xiao Ce prepared a hot pot in the courtyard of his palace.

Winter has already arrived.

Enjoying a hot pot with beef tallow is definitely a great choice...

Ries and Eva didn't come empty-handed either, bringing some Slavic delicacies they had made.

After they arrived, they didn't treat themselves as outsiders.

"Your Highness, we guessed that you should have come to find us soon?"

Xiao Ce gestured for them to sit down, then said with a smile, "It seems you've heard some rumors too..."

Rhys nodded: "That's right, we know about Tojo Koichi's actions... It's clearly to curry favor with you... and thus sow discord between us?"

Xiao Ce, seeing that Rhys was also a smart man, smiled and said, "Alright... you're a smart man... but judging from your expression, you don't seem worried at all..."

Rhys smiled and waved his hand: "Of course not... because Your Highness, you are a smart man... his schemes may fool some people... but I believe he absolutely cannot fool you..."

Xiao Ce said with a smile, "You have such blind trust in us."

Eva chimed in, "Your Highness, besides, you came to us... you must have already thought of a solution..."

Xiao Ce smiled and nodded, then gestured for them to come and eat first...

At the dinner table, Xiao Ce explained his plan in detail.

Rhys and Eva listened with repeated praise...

They then all said no problem and were willing to cooperate!

They didn't leave until late at night.

Xiao Ce then asked Da Lei to find someone to secretly protect them.

Although neither of them seemed to care about saving face or what, they directly refused...

However, Xiao Ce still felt that arrangements needed to be made.

...

Within the Tojo family of Fusang.

Head of the Tojo family.

Tojo Okawa received a message from Tojo Koichi.

With a worried expression, a Japanese woman stood beside him and asked Tojo Okawa, "Master, has the Ancient One sent a letter?"

This Japanese woman is none other than Koichi Tojo's mother, Noriko Takagi.

After Takagi Noriko asked the question, Tojo Taikawa nodded: "Indeed... the situation in Xiao Kingdom is more complicated than we imagined..."

With that, Tojo Taikawa handed Tojo Koichi's letter to Takagi Noriko.

After reading the letter, Noriko Takagi frowned slightly: "Since Xiao Ce is so capable, why has Tojo Xiaoji never reminded us of this matter?"

Tojo Taikawa said, "It's clear that Tojo Xiaoji was deceived by that Xiao Ce..."

Noriko Takagi nodded, then asked, "Patriarch, do you disagree with the Ancient One's actions?"

Tojo Taikawa said to Takagi Noriko, "That's right. If the Xiao Ce in his letter is really that powerful, then his tricks won't fool Xiao Ce..."

"Moreover, it would be very easy for Xiao Ce to deceive him in return... In that case, he would suffer more losses than gains..."

Noriko Takagi said to Okawa Tojo, "Then, Master, what are your thoughts...?"

Tojo Taikawa said, "Although the Xiao Kingdom is a big piece of meat, it's not so easy to truly devour it... Moreover, other families are also eyeing it covetously... I'm afraid that our people will waste too much time there, failing to conquer it, and in the end, someone else will reap the rewards..."

Noriko Takagi looked at Taikawa Tojo and asked in confusion, "Master, so you mean... you want to give up?"

Tojo Taikawa nodded: "At least for now, we should choose to give up. Ideally, we should let the Ancient One rescue our people... If that doesn't work, we can just leave..."

"The Xiao Kingdom is now just an empty shell; we've taken everything from it... So, choosing to give up now will definitely attract many competitors... But if they manage to defeat the Xiao Kingdom one after another, and in the end, we step in to turn the tide..."

Noriko Takagi's eyes were noticeably brighter.

"That's certainly one way, but what if someone else takes it..."

Tojo Taikawa shook his head with absolute certainty: "I believe in Gu Yi's judgment... If his information is true... that Xiao Ce is definitely a terrifying person... Actually, none of us experienced Tojo Xiao Ji's crushing defeat..."

"I wonder how powerful that person is! Moreover, Gu Yi said that we originally thought we could use the Freedom Pill to control them... but they have already created a Freedom Pill that is better than ours... You know, we spent a lot of effort to create these Freedom Pills."

"This alone is enough to prove that this person is not simple!"

Noriko Takagi was still somewhat uneasy: "Then what method do you have to get someone else to take over Xiao Kingdom... Everyone knows you, if you voluntarily relinquish it, they'll definitely suspect there's a trap..."

Tojo Taikawa gave a meaningful smile.

He then said, "Leave this to me."

Then, he looked at Noriko Takagi and asked, "You support me doing this?"

Noriko Takagi nodded and said, "Master, I naturally support you unconditionally..."

Tojo Taikawa nodded: "Alright, then I'll go write to the Ancient One right now. Tell him to find a way to rescue them... Every warrior of our Fusang Kingdom is my precious treasure."

Noriko Takagi said, "Yes, General Takeda has come to us more than once to talk about Takeda Nobunaga!"

Tojo Taikawa nodded: "The problem now is, we don't know whether they are dead or alive."

Noriko Takagi said, "Anyway, the Ancient One is already putting on an act over there. Even if that Northern King sees through him, I reckon he'll just play along. Why don't we let the Ancient One use this as a pretext to rescue our people first? Then they can fight however they want... What do you think?"

Tojo Taikawa nodded repeatedly, then said to Takagi Noriko, "Madam, you're right... We're just giving them a little something to achieve our goal... I'll go find a way to get someone else to take over..."

Noriko Takagi nodded and said to Okawa Tojo, "If there's anything our family needs to do, head of the family, please just say the word..."

Tojo Taikawa smiled and nodded: "I won't stand on ceremony... Let's reply first, then we'll approach His Majesty the Emperor and lure the others into the trap..."

Noriko Takagi nodded.

...

At this time, Dongjiao Koichi in Xiao Kingdom was taking his time and not going to see Xiao Ce.

Instead, he was delaying on the road in order to see his father's attitude.

After all, although he had made a plan, it would all be in vain without his father's support.

They traveled for one day and distributed porridge for three days, so they walked for several days and their route wasn't very long...

On this day, they were distributing porridge.

There were only a few scattered people outside their soup kitchen.

Although they told stories all the way, saying that they were different from the people of Fusang before.

However, not many people came to receive the porridge they were giving out.

Unless they are some refugees...

The main point is that when Xiao Ce sent people to spread the word about the dangers of the Free and Easy Pill, he also mentioned the dangers posed by the people of Fusang...

Therefore, the people of Fusang had no goodwill towards the people of Fusang.

That's why Tojo Koichi spent so much time telling his story.

However, the common people felt that these Japanese were up to no good and wanted to harm them.

After all, only those who have given up the "Xiaoyao Pills" (a type of purported drug) truly understand just how harmful they are...

Therefore, they were unwilling to eat it.

Moreover, after Xiao Ce took office, they issued a proclamation to the people.

Xiao Ce told everyone that the next few months might be tough, but he promised that no one would starve.

Following closely behind were a series of policies.

This also made them realize that the imperial court this time was different from the previous ones.

Moreover, the imperial court was providing relief grain and seeds; they were unwilling to eat the porridge offered by the Japanese.

An aide looked at the few elderly people who occasionally came, but no one actually came over.

He then said to Koichi Tojo, "Young Master Koichi, the people here don't seem to appreciate our kindness..."

"Given the situation, we'll have to eat this porridge tonight..."