The Eldest Daughter Returns: Imperial Uncle, I'm Pregnant!

When the court resumed work and held court, the emperor still couldn't come in person. It is said that the emperor woke up several times in the past few days, and the empress dowager happened to be by his side. During this brief time, the emperor told the empress dowager to let the crown prince oversee the country, with the Prince of Chu assisting from the side.

It's a strange coincidence that the border is in dire straits. For some reason, a large number of troops have suddenly gathered in the southern border and are heading towards the southern border. Moreover, they are coming from different places. The King of Yunnan can't control five turtles with one hand. He hopes that the King of Chu can return quickly.

Although the memorial did not explicitly state that the King of Chu had to go there now, both the Crown Prince and the court officials knew that only the King's presence could deter the southern border.

The Crown Prince pondered for a moment and then asked, "Now that my father is unwell, he has specifically instructed me and all the ministers to assist in managing all affairs of the court. The southern border is in dire need of attention. What are your thoughts on this?"

"Your Highness, the most urgent task is to send the Prince on a difficult trip to deter the Southern Frontier. Regardless of the reason, since the Prince of Yunnan has requested assistance from the court, the situation is tense. Now that winter has arrived, the Southern Frontier is resource-poor. It seems that they are desperate and want to take advantage of our great celebration to launch a surprise attack on us."

"Yes, Your Highness, we request that Your Highness go and deter them."

The Third Prince Xiao Yuheng stood there without making a statement, but naturally, some of his cronies stood up and spoke.

"We, your humble servants, believe this is inappropriate. Your Highness, the Crown Prince, could find a more suitable person to go. Several other princes could also go and oversee the matter. Our Great Qing is full of talented people and cannot always rely on the Prince. Moreover, we have heard that the Prince of Chu was present on the day the Emperor fainted. Consort Xi even said that the Prince had..."

The Crown Prince's face darkened, and he said sternly, "What kind of hearsay is this? It's all just Consort Xi talking nonsense. The Empress Dowager has already punished Consort Xi. Besides, Father Emperor did wake up halfway through. If Uncle Emperor really had a problem, Father Emperor would have explained it when he woke up. Instead of thinking about how to share the burdens of the court and the people, you ministers are here making trouble for Uncle Emperor Chu. Uncle Emperor is a pillar of the Great Qing Dynasty. What are you up to!"

The minister immediately knelt on the ground, "Your Highness, please forgive me!"

A moment of silence fell over the court. No one dared to provoke a confrontation at this time, especially those who had not yet chosen a side and were still observing. They had thought that now that the Crown Prince had established his own kingdom, his position as heir apparent would be even more secure. The Crown Prince certainly did not want to be threatened by a powerful and influential uncle like the Prince of Chu. They had planned to step forward and help the Crown Prince suppress the Prince of Chu, preferably by seizing his military power in one fell swoop. Even if they could not seize it all, they could at least weaken it, which would be a good way to curry favor with the Crown Prince and gain his favor. Who knew that the Crown Prince would not appreciate their efforts at all.

However, it was clear that the Crown Prince did not want the Prince of Chu to go to war with the Southern Frontier at this time, because he needed his uncle by his side to help him keep his subordinates in check. But he also knew in his heart that if the Prince of Chu did not go, then it had to be a prince. The Crown Prince did not want other princes to share in such military merits.

Moreover, the princes below are all ambitious, so the most suitable one is still the Crown Prince of Chu.

Comparing the two options, the Crown Prince was torn. If he didn't let his uncle go, the Southern Frontier would definitely take advantage of the situation, and he didn't know if the Prince of Yunnan could hold the line. He didn't trust any other princes to go, and now that he had established his own kingdom, he couldn't go himself. But if he let his uncle go, the court would need him too. What should he do?

The Crown Prince slightly turned his head, casting his gaze towards where the Chu Imperial Uncle was. At that moment, Xiao Jingchen, who had remained silent, understood that he could no longer refuse this trip. However, deep down, he harbored many calculations. He knew that this trip was necessary to completely resolve the problem, eliminate future troubles, and never set foot here again. After all, his gentle and lovely Princess awaited his return home. Since having a Princess, who would willingly endure such heart-wrenching longing? Recalling his last trip to reorganize the military, he had already resolved never to set foot on this land again.

Just as Xiao Jingchen's thoughts were wandering, his gaze slowly shifted from the Crown Prince and finally landed on the Fifth Prince, Xiao Yuting, who had been standing to the side like a ghost. Xiao Jingchen's eyes were as deep as the sea, containing an unfathomable meaning, as if he were pondering something important.

The Fifth Prince, who had been dozing off and nodding his head like a chick pecking at rice, was suddenly jolted awake as if by an invisible chill. In an instant, he felt a chill run through his body and began to tremble uncontrollably.

The Fifth Prince raised his head blankly, blinking his slightly sleepy eyes as he looked around. He saw everyone in the hall still busy as usual, seemingly oblivious to his presence in this corner.

Moreover, he had deliberately chosen such a secluded and sheltered spot, so he shouldn't have felt cold! Could it be... that he had accidentally fallen asleep and caught a chill? Thinking of this, the Fifth Prince couldn't help but tighten his clothes, trying to ward off the sudden cold.

No, no, he should stop by the Imperial Hospital on his way back and have a doctor examine him. It would be terrible if he caught a cold.

After the King of Chu saw that the Fifth Prince Xiao Yuting had woken up, he withdrew his gaze.

"Your Highness, do not hesitate. I am duty-bound to fight in the southern border. However, I must take a prince with me this time. I am getting old and my health is declining day by day. My wife worries about me every day at home, and I feel guilty about it. After thinking it over, I will petition the Emperor to retire from the army and enjoy this peaceful and prosperous era after this battle."

The ministers were immediately abuzz with commotion, and the entire court was thrown into an uproar. They whispered amongst themselves, discussing the matter amongst themselves. They looked at each other, their faces filled with confusion, wondering what the King of Chu's words truly meant.

Someone whispered, "Does the King of Chu really not want to fight anymore? Could it be that he wants to stay in the palace with his queen and enjoy a life of luxury?" Another person shook his head in disbelief, "Perhaps not! Maybe the king is just tired of the hardships of fighting on the frontier and now wants to return to the court to seek power."

All eyes involuntarily turned to the empty seat at the head of the court. The Emperor was unwell, his face haggard, causing concern for his health. The Prince of Chu was only slightly older than the Crown Prince; if the Prince truly intended to vie for the throne, given his illustrious military achievements and accumulated prestige, the Crown Prince would likely find it difficult to secure his position. Immediately, various speculations and anxieties spread among the court officials, and the atmosphere in the court became unusually heavy.

"Why do you say that, Your Highness?" Duke Wen pondered for a moment and asked.

Xiao Jingchen slightly raised his hand to stop the ministers from talking and continued, "I have been unwell for a while and have been drowsy for many days. Everyone knows this. I won't hide it from you now. It was when I went to the southern border to station troops last time that I fell into the trap of those bandits from the southern border. So this time I am going to get back what I lost with interest. If I am lucky, I will wipe out the southern border in one fell swoop. Only in this way can I eliminate future troubles."

Upon hearing this, the ministers' eyes widened in astonishment, and they involuntarily gasped! This... they were actually going to wipe out Southern Xinjiang in one fell swoop? Although Southern Xinjiang was just a small country, its strength and resources, accumulated over many years, should not be underestimated! Putting aside other aspects, its mysterious and terrifying Gu poison technique alone was enough to make countless people hesitate and feel their scalps tingle.

However, if these bold words came from the mouth of the King of Chu, they would seem perfectly reasonable and without any impropriety. After all, this King of Chu was no ordinary man! Back then, a fierce struggle for the throne erupted within the palace, and the situation was in utter chaos, with the fate of the nation hanging in the balance. At this critical moment, the King of Chu stepped forward, single-handedly turning the tide, like a war god descending upon the palace, swiftly quelling this terrible rebellion.

Moreover, he once charged through enemy lines with unparalleled speed and skill, swiftly and decisively taking the head of the enemy leader. His fearless and invincible spirit remains a source of fascination. Then there was that thrilling battle where he led an elite force known as the "Black Cloud Cavalry," like a black lightning bolt, sweeping into the enemy's royal court, routing them and forcing them to flee in disarray.

Because of his brilliant and dazzling achievements and illustrious reputation, such arrogant words, which might be considered delusional by others, were not doubted by the King of Chu. Instead, people believed him wholeheartedly and were convinced that he would definitely keep his word!

Duke Wen asked, "Does Your Highness have the intention to retire? But the Emperor and the court may not agree."

"It's alright. I will naturally discuss what I want to do with my elder brother. Duke Wen, you don't need to worry too much."

This meant that Duke Wen was really meddling in other people's business. Duke Wen was not angry. He went along with what the Prince of Chu said: "Since Your Highness is able to make the trip in person, that would be the best. I just wonder which prince Your Highness plans to take with you?"

Upon hearing this, the princes below each had their own thoughts. If the Prince of Chu went with him, then the princes who went with him would be purely there for military merit. If they developed well, it would be more beneficial for them to gain some prestige in the army.

The Second Prince wanted to go with them. He already had little capital left. If he could take this opportunity to win over the King of Chu and gain some support from the army, he could make a legitimate comeback without having to rely on the old associates of the King of Xia and the woman in the palace that Zheng Yang mentioned. Thinking of this, the Second Prince couldn't help but grit his teeth. It was a great humiliation for a prince to be subject to the constraints of those low-class people.

The Third Prince's mind also stirred slightly. They had gone to great lengths to get the Prince of Chu to leave the capital, but no one expected that the Prince of Chu would take a prince with him. Did this mean that the Prince of Chu was going to cultivate and support a prince?

Xiao Yuheng's gaze shifted between the King of Chu and the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince was not very close to the King of Chu, and now that the King of Chu was turning his attention to supporting someone else, he wondered what the Crown Prince was feeling at this moment.

The Crown Prince thought for a moment and asked, "Which prince does Imperial Uncle intend to take with him?"

"The Fifth Prince."

The Fifth Prince, whose name had been called, was completely bewildered. What? He thought he heard someone calling him just now. Who was it? Weren't they discussing matters of the court? Why was he being called out?

Everyone's feelings changed drastically, and were somewhat complicated. However, only the Crown Prince understood. His uncle probably wanted him to follow in the footsteps of his father and uncle, just like the Fifth Prince. As the Crown Prince, he would eventually have his own power base and people. After ascending the throne, the people under his father's command would grow old, and he would have new people. His uncle was making plans for him. If it were any other prince, the Crown Prince would have some reservations, but if it were the Fifth Prince... His fifth brother was simple-minded. How could he bear to let such a good younger brother be a wealthy and idle prince in the capital at such a young age?

Seeing his elder brother, the Crown Prince, with that doting smile, the Fifth Prince wondered if he could continue to treat him like a nobody. But who had called him just now, and what was it about?

Before the Fifth Prince could react, the Crown Prince spoke up to clear up his confusion.

"Then let's do as you say, Uncle. We will take the Fifth Prince with us on this campaign to the Southern Frontier. I hope you will take good care of yourself on your journey, Uncle. And Fifth Brother, don't let down Father and Uncle's expectations of you."

"Huh?" The Fifth Prince was still completely bewildered. Could someone tell him how he ended up on the battlefield after just dozing off? He still wanted to enjoy a life of luxury in the capital!