bestfiction Chapter 272 The chess pieces are set, it’s time to strike back
Chapter 272 The chess pieces are set, it’s time to strike back
"Liao Yunfei is no match for Ji Chuhe. This move was a bit hasty." The Queen Mother sighed.
"Now that the move has been made, there is no reason to regret it. Mother, this is what you taught me."
"If the emperor wants to keep Xiao Yan'an, no matter what he does, people will speculate. However, even if Liao Yunfei has always been favored by Xiao Yan'an, her status and position are there, just like a knife on the prince's mansion, and it depends on when the emperor will use it."
"Xiao Yan'an's people have already stayed in the imperial capital, so I can relax a little bit on Prince Huaiyang's side. Recently, the border issues are what give me the most headaches."
"The only person in the court who is most suitable to lead the three armies to the border is Luo Heng. Someone has already submitted a memorial recommending Luo Heng as the commander of the three armies."
Luo Heng is the second son of the Luo family, and was once engaged to the princess.
"It seems that the Luo family has already made efforts in secret."
"The Luo family is getting more and more arrogant. This is called forming a clique for personal gain!"
"The emperor is wary of the Luo family. Is he afraid that they will become powerful and powerful?"
"That's right. It's easy to give out military power, but it's hard to take it back."
"How long has it been since the Emperor held a beauty pageant?"
"Why did you suddenly ask this, mother?"
"Let the Queen make arrangements. It's time to select some new people for the Emperor, so that he can have more grandchildren."
"Yes."
"Noble Consort Luo and the Fourth Prince are the hope of the Luo family. The Luo family has nothing to fear from them as they are in the hands of the Emperor. However, the military power cannot be given away so easily. It would be bad to raise a tiger as a threat. Let's observe this matter and see who will submit the memorial in the end."
"That's exactly what I meant."
"Your Majesty." A cautious call suddenly came from outside.
"What's the matter?"
"There is an urgent report."
"Come in."
A eunuch hurried in holding a memorial and presented it to the emperor.
When the emperor opened the letter, his brows furrowed.
His brows did not relax until he finished reading the contents of the memorial.
"A secret letter from Prince Huaiyang?" asked the Queen Mother.
"Yes." The emperor nodded.
"What content?"
"Princess Huaiyang's caravan is doing business on the northern border. Mother, you know about this, right?"
"know."
"This caravan encountered people from the Hu bandits who sneaked into our territory. After investigation, it was found that they were not spies, but ordinary refugees. However, this ordinary citizen provided King Huaiyang with an extraordinary clue."
"What clue?"
"As winter approaches, the Hu bandits need to stockpile large amounts of food to survive. After so many years of war, our treasury is empty, and the Hu bandits are not much better off. In order to raise military supplies and food, the people there are even more miserable. The refugees encountered by the Huaiyang Princess' caravan have participated in transporting food to the Hu bandits' camp."
"What is the purpose of Prince Huaiyang's memorial?" the Queen Mother asked again.
"We burned the barracks of the Hu bandits and destroyed their stubborn belief in resistance. The King of Huaiyang also said that he was willing to draw troops from Huaiyang, mix them into the caravan, disguise them all the way into the territory of the Hu bandits, and find the barracks of the Hu bandits."
"Does Huaiyang have such a strong army?"
"The Huaiyang King wrote in his memorial that there are only sixty elite troops in the entire Huaiyang. Sixty people are enough for this matter."
"What does the emperor think of this?"
"The Prince of Huaiyang was able to spare such a small number of elite troops, which shows that he did not hold back at all."
"Doesn't the Emperor doubt the truth of this matter?"
"Compared to the Luo family, I trust Prince Huaiyang more now. The reason why I am on guard against Prince Huaiyang and the Duke's Mansion is because they don't have any bargaining chips that I can use to control them and put them in my hands! The Luo family has them. Now, Xiao Yan'an is in my hands, and I have this bargaining chip!"
"Isn't it because Prince Huaiyang wants to show his loyalty to me that he is so eager to make achievements? If I detain Xiao Yan'an, won't he be unable to sleep or eat? He must be trembling with fear that I suspect he has a rebellious heart! For the sake of his son, he must also find a way to gain my trust!"
"Your Majesty is right." The Queen Mother was also convinced.
No matter from which perspective, Prince Huaiyang really has no choice but to be loyal!
Besides, even if this matter succeeded, Prince Huaiyang would not gain any benefit.
These sixty people are destined to become unknown heroes.
Once the Hu bandits' food and supply camp is destroyed, they will have no choice but to surrender!
Even if it fails, the emperor will not suffer any loss.
……
In celebration of the Prince's housewarming, the Queen Mother personally issued an edict, ordering a grand banquet to be held to celebrate the occasion.
The Queen, Concubine Luo, the imperial concubines, the princes and princesses presented their gifts first, and the rest of the dignitaries followed suit.
For three consecutive days, there was a long line outside the Prince's Mansion from morning to night, with people delivering gifts.
Ji Chuhe looked at the list in front of him which kept getting longer and longer, and his brows furrowed deeper and deeper.
The number of banquet tables has been increased from the original 20 to 100. If the trend continues, I'm afraid that even the last 130 tables may not be enough.
To be on the safe side, Ji Chuhe prepared to arrange 150 tables.
Everyone who comes is a guest, no matter his or her status, there is no reason not to entertain them!
"Madam, we have just arrived and we have come to such a grand occasion. If anything goes wrong at the banquet, I'm afraid we will become the laughing stock of the imperial capital. Moreover, it is easy to offend people if we are not thoughtful. This is not the Queen Mother's love for the prince and madam. This is a way to torture you." Qingluo looked at Ji Chuhe with heartache.
"I'm not afraid of many guests. What I'm worried about is the servants in this mansion."
Today, the servants in the Prince’s Mansion are divided into several groups.
First, some were brought from Huaiyang, then some were transferred from the Duke's Mansion for their emergency use, then some were given by the Empress Dowager, some were given by the Empress, some were given by the Imperial Concubine, and then some more were bought.
Those in charge are all servants of Huaiyang and the Duke's Mansion.
It's such a big banquet, and everyone will definitely be involved, which can easily lead to trouble.
It would be a lie to say that Ji Chuhe is not worried.
She had never experienced such a big scene in her previous life.
No matter how difficult it is, you have to bite the bullet and carry on!
"Qingluo, you need to go to the Duke's Mansion. First, ask the aunts to help decide on the menu for the banquet. Second, ask the eldest aunt to invite all the chefs in the city to the Prince's Mansion."
"Yes." Qingluo immediately took the order and left.
The housewarming party is scheduled for seven days later.
There is plenty of time to prepare these things now.
After Qingluo left, Ji Chuhe asked someone to invite Xiao Yanan, Xu Yan'er, Dong Ling and Liao Yunfei over.
The four of them came to Ji Chuhe almost at the same time.
Xiao Yanan came with Xu Yan'er, Dong Ling came alone, and so did Liao Yunfei.
Liao Yunfei felt uncomfortable when she saw Xu Yan'er standing next to Xiao Yan'an.
It has been a few days since she entered the mansion, and she has not seen Ji Chuhe and the prince being affectionate. Instead, Xu Yan'er has been monopolizing the prince! These past few nights, it was Xu Yan'er who was serving the prince.