Tang Dynasty: Father, if you don't rebel, I will!

What happened outside Yangcheng Palace?

In less than a day, the news spread throughout the entire Taiyuan Prefecture.

The news of the Emperor Emeritus's great victory over Ashina Dili, the Western Turkic Khan, who had suffered heavy casualties and fled in disarray, had just been sent back to Taiyuan Prefecture not long ago.

Another great Khan of the Western Turks arrived in the Tang Dynasty ahead of them.

However, that's not all.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, after someone learned of Zheng Wuhe and his group's actions in the Western Turkic Khaganate from the Turkic leader, the entire Zheng family of Xingyang, as well as the members of the Tang Dynasty delegation who had set off for the Western Turkic Khaganate, were informed.

They were all subjected to widespread condemnation from the Taiyuan Prefecture.

The Wang family mansion in Taiyuan.

Wang Yuyan, who was already engaged to Crown Prince Li Chengqian and would become one of the future concubines of the Eastern Palace, angrily slammed the teacup in her hand on the table.

"Outrageous! She's more trouble than she's worth! Who exactly did Zheng Lizhen recommend? Not only did she fail to accomplish anything, but she also caused His Highness the Crown Prince to be bitten by those Turkic barbarians!"

Wang Yuyan's delicate eyebrows were furrowed, and her beautiful eyes were filled with anger.

"If it weren't for Zheng Lizhen's forgetfulness in recommending Zheng Wuhe to His Highness the Crown Prince, this mission would definitely have been handled by the Wang family of Taiyuan! How could such a simple matter have been botched?!"

In the study, listening to his daughter's angry scolding, Wang Ming smiled.

"Hehe, not bad. She hasn't even married into the Crown Prince's palace yet, but she's already starting to learn how to share His Highness's burdens."

He smiled and shook his head, picked up his teacup and took a sip, then picked up today's "Datang Xinbao" again.

"Don't worry, the outcome of this mission is quite different from what Your Highness wanted, but Your Highness is not necessarily unhappy!" He raised his head, his eyesight finally becoming somewhat dull from the long years of dealing with the affairs of Bingzhou.

He was just about to pick up the magnifying glass that His Highness the Crown Prince had given him.

However, Wang Yuyan preemptively took it.

"Father, could you please not leave things unsaid to your daughter? The affairs of Zheng Wuhe and his gang have already spread throughout Taiyuan Prefecture. If this continues, the whole of the Tang Dynasty will know about it!"

Wang Ming rolled his eyes in exasperation.

This girl, she used to be such a clever and intelligent person?

Ever since she became engaged to His Highness the Crown Prince, it's been just like when her mother was pregnant with her...

"Tsk, alright, alright. You're only like this with your father. But when you went to work at the Shougong Hall, weren't you completely under the Crown Prince's thumb the other day?"

Wang Ming gave a light snort of annoyance and finally put down the newspaper in his hand.

"I know you're worried about His Highness the Crown Prince's reputation, but I can only say that you're worrying too soon. There are people who are even more worried than you!"

......

"Oh, isn't this our Lord Zheng? Why are you in such a hurry? Could it be that the Turks have attacked?"

"Hahaha!"

The main gate of the Taiyuan Royal Grain Reserve Office headquarters.

Wang Qingyun, riding his horse, "coincidentally" passed by the entrance of the government office. Seeing that it was not yet time for his shift to end, he hurriedly rushed out from inside, almost like a catapult, and the newly appointed director, Zheng Wuling, emerged.

His face was full of mocking sarcasm.

Zheng Wuling snorted coldly, having no time to pay attention to the Wang family of Taiyuan who were watching the show. He jumped directly onto his own carriage and gave instructions to the driver.

"Go to Yangcheng Palace!"

The carriage started.

Wang Qingyun spurred his horse to catch up, and through the carriage curtain, he spoke sarcastically to Zheng Wuling, whose expression was certainly not pleasant.

"Oh, Lord Zheng, why are you leaving in such a hurry without even exchanging a few words?"

"The Royal Grain Reserves Bureau is a crucial department that His Highness the Crown Prince has repeatedly instructed us to treat with utmost care. It plays a vital role in ensuring the stability of our dynasty's agriculture. It's not even time for you to finish your shift yet, so why are you..."

"Isn't the matter of Wang Sima's city defense order important? Isn't he lingering here with me?" Zheng Wuling snorted coldly, urging the coachman to speed up.

Wang Qingyun sped up to catch up.

"Lord Zheng, you are wronging me. I was just patrolling the streets! Now that some people have stirred up such a huge mess for Your Highness, if we push the aggrieved party too far, it would be a minor matter if the security of Taiyuan Prefecture were disrupted. I'm afraid Your Highness's reputation would be ruined along with those good-for-nothings!"

Inside the carriage, Zheng Wuling clenched his fists.

Seeing the silence inside the carriage, Wang Qingyun's face immediately showed a hint of smugness.

At the beginning of this year, in a decree issued by Yangcheng Palace regarding the promotion of officials from various regions in previous years, the Wang family of Taiyuan, who were "natives of Bingzhou," were surprisingly suppressed in terms of political achievements by the Zheng family of Xingyang, who were outsiders.

How could Wang Qingyun, the eldest son of the Wang family, tolerate this?

Even though the Zheng family of Xingyang still had a sworn brother named Zheng Wuyang, who was said to have joined the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but whom they hadn't seen for over a year.

He also had to subtly and indirectly obstruct the Zheng family of Xingyang in some matters.

The sound of the carriage wheels turning was accompanied by the clatter of the hooves of the warhorse beneath Wang Qingyun.

It was as if an invisible contest was unfolding between the two in silence.

Soon, after Zheng Wuling received his warrant and was allowed into Yangcheng Palace, Wang Qingyun dismounted and entered as well.

"What are you still doing following me for?!" Zheng Wuling glared angrily at Wang Qingyun, who was following behind him with a mocking expression.

"Ha, that's a pointless remark. I am, after all, the Sima of Bingzhou, and have been granted by His Highness the authority to enter and exit the outer palace of Yangcheng Palace. What's wrong with me taking a tour?"

Zheng Wuling glared at the other party, but seeing that Wang Qingyun was not giving him any face, he could only snort coldly.

He immediately strode towards the Yangcheng Palace prison.

After showing their identity tokens, the Donggong Liu guarding the area immediately led his soldiers to let the two of them in.

But just after the two entered, someone had already arrived in front of a cell.

Zheng Lizhen's pretty face was full of anxiety and worry.

"Second brother~"

"Impossible! Lizhen, stop talking. I'd rather die than marry that Turkic woman! How can I face my ancestors after marrying a foreign woman?!"

Zheng Wuhe's resolute voice revealed a hint of anger.

The sound reached the ears of Wang Qingyun and Zheng Wuling, who had just entered.

"Haha, as expected of the Zheng family of Xingyang, they're really tough!" Wang Qingyun laughed gleefully.

Zheng Wuling's face, however, had turned completely black.

He stepped forward to the prison cell.

When Zheng Lizhen and Zheng Wuhe saw their elder brother, who, like Wang Qingyun, was the eldest son of the Zheng family of Xingyang, their expressions became noticeably unnatural for a moment.

Zheng Wuling narrowed his eyes: "You must marry her! This is not up to you. If you don't want my entire Zheng family of Xingyang to go down to meet our ancestors ahead of time, you'd better give up your ridiculous idea!"

Zheng Wuhe's already pale face turned even paler, and tears welled up in his eyes upon hearing this.

"Why?! It's all that old dog Ashina Quli's treacherous scheme! His daughter..."

“That’s our Crown Prince’s adopted daughter!” Zheng Wuling shouted, forcibly silencing Zheng Wuhe who was about to speak.

The two brothers were separated by a cell door.

The long silence brought a look of satisfaction to Wang Qingyun's face.

Wang Qingyun: "Actually, if I don't want to marry her, then..."

Zheng Wuling's icy gaze hardened: "If the Zheng family of Xingyang refuses to marry, all that will happen is my second brother's head. At most, the Zheng family of Xingyang will face some difficulties from His Highness in the future. Lord Wang, are you gloating here? Is it your Taiyuan Wang family that wants to marry?"

"If that's the case, I will go to the Shougong Hall to request an imperial decree for you!"

Wang Qingyun immediately raised his hands and took a step back.

"Fine, you two brothers can continue. I'll pretend I don't exist!"

Zheng Wuling snorted coldly, then looked at his younger brother again. Seeing the brother's pale face, he couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.

This younger brother was frail from childhood and was diagnosed by the renowned physician Sun Simiao as having an incurable disease.

He won't live past thirty.

He had hoped to earn some fame and fortune before he died, to pass it on to his descendants, but now...

“Brother, but I already have a wife, and she’s pregnant with my child.” Zheng Wuhe’s voice was choked with sobs.

Zheng Wuling's heart clenched again.

"I will try to help you with this, but... even if it means betraying your wife in the end, you must marry this Turkic princess!"

......

Li Chengqian didn't care about the reaction of the Zheng family in Xingyang.

Even Zheng Jiang, the head of the Zheng family in Xingyang, who rushed from Chang'an to Taiyuan upon hearing the news, didn't care.

As night deepened, all was quiet.

Another heavy rain that just ended this evening has left the palace somewhat chilly.

However, Li Chengqian looked at the report from Hou Junji of Yanmen Pass with a happy expression.

The smile on his face grew even wider.

Hou Qianya, who had been arranged by Li Chengqian to stay overnight at Yangcheng Palace, looked regretful upon seeing this.

“If it weren’t for Ashina Quli, Your Highness would have gained many more slaves, and there would be no need for this trouble… Right now, we still need to consider the future lives of these people.”

Hou Qianya propped her head up and looked at Li Chengqian's handsome and dignified profile, which already showed the beginnings of an imperial aura.

He muttered something under his breath.

Upon hearing this, Li Chengqian merely chuckled lightly.

"Haha, what's wrong with that? Slaves have their advantages, and subjects have theirs! Ashina Quli is a smart man; he knows what I want, and he also knows what he can get from me."

He slowly rose and strolled over to the sand table in the hall.

Looking at the Tang Dynasty flag that his teacher Li Gang had planted in the direction of the Western Turks.

A light shone in his eyes.

Like a god looking down upon his divine kingdom...

Taiyuan Prefecture, located in a prestigious residential area in the south of the city.

All the Turkic leaders, including the Great Khan Mohedu, were filled with shock and admiration after touring the entire courtyard.

It has a surreal, dreamlike quality, like savages living in a palace.

"Great Khan, can each of us have a house like this?"

The Turkic elder who asked the question not only had a trembling voice, but his hand holding the house deed was also shaking like a leaf.

Mohedu Khan took a deep breath, remained silent for a long time, and then looked up at the bright moon of the Tang Dynasty and spoke softly.

"Don't worry, we'll only get more in the future. What we treasure so much is nothing to that Tang Dynasty crown prince..."

Upon hearing this, someone couldn't help but sigh, "What a pity for those who followed Ashina Dili..."

people?

Mohedu Khan sneered inwardly.

Are slaves considered human beings?