Chapter 08
"Great general Yan also in the southern border. Who do you think is the best option to send to the northwest border?"
"Of course, it should be either fourth brother or 5th brother. They both are the only princes who have military experience" Xiao Feng said and Emperor look at Xiao Feng.
"I think fourth prince will deny it. After all, the third prince and fourth prince were close to each other"
"So, I should send the fifth prince?"
"Let's see, what ministers' options are. No matter who would be chosen by the court? Your majesty should send me too. First, the military advises, and second, all the ministers are guarded against the Xiao family. I am afraid all together will do something for the decline of the Xiao family. If I'm not in the court they will be relieved"
"If I send you away who will assist me in the court and discuss court affairs with me?" Xiao Feng smiled a little bit.
"I will meet the sister. I have already told my father about it, it was his choice too. Father is in court. He will help you. Listen to both ministers' opinions before taking any decision. Don't give titles to the imperial family's relatives" Though the emperor felt something is amiss he still nodded.
Present time in the court emperor look at Hu Man.
"Okay, my decree. Prince Jing will take over North West border to defend the country. Princess royal grand will serve as a military advisor"
"Your majesty?" A ministry questioned.
"Do you have any questions?"
"Your majesty, princess royal grand is a woman after all. Rethink the decision of sending princess royal grand to the border"
"Duke Fang, even though I am a woman am I not in the court? My grandfather is general Xiao, my brother is general Yan. I was grown up in military camps for the last couple of years. Do you think I am not suitable to go?"
"I- I am wrong" He bowed and went back to his place as the emperor stand up.
"Court dismissed" Everyone starting go out and a eunuch was waiting at the entrance and stop prince Jing at the entrance.
"Your highness, your majesty invites your highness to imperial study" Prince Jing nodded. Xiao Feng was there when the emperor has already taken off the unnecessary court dresses.
"Prince Jing, pay his respect to your majesty"
"Your majesty, I will go to visit the empress" Xiao Feng nodded to the emperor before going out.
"So, 5th royal brother, how is the relationship with sister-in-law?"
"I am working on our relationship your majesty"
"Forget the formalities. By tomorrow discuss with princess Jing and send me a memorial before tomorrow's court about the soldiers, foods and weapons, horses and other things"
"Yes, your majesty"
"I heard that today princess Heping went back"
"Yes, your majesty" Emperor nodded
Xiao Feng and the empress was walking in the imperial garden.
"I heard that right prime minister's second daughter Ms. Shu will enter the palace as a concubine," Empress asked. Xiao Feng cupped her hands and bowed.
"I am sorry. Empress"
"Stand up, others will think that I am bullying you" Empress supports her straight up.
Xiao Feng looks at the servants as the empress look at her maid-in-waiting. She signaled for maids to step back. The maids bowed and went a few steps back.
"Xiao Feng"
"Empress"
"Xiao Feng, we're the only ones here. Just call me sister"
"Sister, I am sorry but there wasn't any choice. I had forced my brother-in-law to take a concubine. He was going to tell he belong to his empress when a minister said country belongs to your majesty" Both empress and her maid giggle.
"I had to because ministers in the court have guarded against the Xiao family. At any time when they have even a little chance, they will take an action against the Xiao family. So, I also decide to go to North West border. So only the father is in the court. Sister, you have to take care of grandmother and father" Empress patted Xiao Feng's hand.
"I understand. When I married into the eastern palace, I already knew his majesty had to take in concubines. I am glad he didn't for almost 3 years. I will take care of them till you come back"
"Sister, you have to take care of yourself too. Take care of my sister well" Xiao Feng said to the empress's maid-in-waiting and she nodded.
"Sister, you also have to help my brother-in-law. Court ministers are always scheming. Father can't oppose directly if something happens. I don't know how many months or days I will have to stay away from the capital" Empress nodded.
Though Xiao Feng and she didn't share the same mother Xiao manor was always peaceful and there was no fighting in the backyard.
"I am now grateful to your mother for teaching me everything. At that time, I thought it was unnecessary but now I know it's compulsory"
"About the second sister"
"I know I will be cautious"
"Yeah, the ministers are watching at Xiao family like thick meat, better not make mistakes and give a chance to those old hags"
"Seem like sisters haven't done talking?" Empress and Xiao Feng look at the emperor and Prince Jing with his servants as they bow.
"Your majesty"
"My empress" They both smiled at each other.
"Xiao Feng, did you talk about it?"
"Yes, your majesty," Empress said giving a kind smile as Xiao Feng smiled nodding.
"How about we take lunch together as a family?"
"Good. You both can stay" Both Xiao Feng and prince Jing agreed too.
On the other hand, Shan Yuan was in front of their kingdom's hall. Bai Qi ran to Shan Yuan and gave him a letter.
"It's from Sui" Shan Yuan's eyes brightened as he quickly took the letter and start reading.
"Shan Yuan, how are you? I am doing well. I am writing this letter because my uncle, passed away. The second prince took the throne. My older sister became the empress. My brother went back to the southern border. You don't have to worry about me. I am going back to the Jing manor. Maybe when the letter arrived you already knew about it but still, I want to tell you these things. Take care of yourself. Wear more because it's winter. Xiao Feng" Shan Yuan clenched the letter.
"Who's that son?" Shan Yuan looks at his father and bows a little.
"M-my friend"
"A woman? From kingdom Sui? Is she beautiful?" Shan Yuan went to his dreamland remembering Xiao Feng's smiling and carefree personality.
"Beautiful" He drifts more in the dream to intoxicate Xiao Feng's personality and beauty. Bai Qi clear his throat as Shan Yuan came back to reality.
"Good, good. My son has found a woman. Why didn't you bring her here?"
"She said she has some things to do"
"After it's done, you have to bring her. I will grant you the best wedding"
"Thank you, royal father"
"Tell me more about my future daughter-in-law"
"She is not as beautiful to be the fall of dynasties but she is beautiful. She has glowing eyes and even though she is sad, she will still smile. Even though she is bullied she will not worry about her family. She is brave and always thinks about her family and friends before and even sacrifices herself. She always works for the big picture" Shan Yuan said in her last words a little bit sad.
"How old is she? Older than you?" Emperor asked. He doesn't think even a woman in her twenties is as thoughtful as his son said.
"Your majesty, princess Xiao is only 16 and as his highness said princess Xiao is not like the other girls and she is an actual princess," Bai Qi said understanding their emperor's heart.
"Then the girl is a treasure. You should chase her till she accepts you. Men in kingdom Yang are the best at loving someone"
"Father?"
"Yeah, I am granting you. You can chase after her and bring her back. If I knew about it earlier, I wouldn't have hurried you to come back"
"Thank you, royal father" Shan Yuan hugged his father because he was happy and he ran to his palace.
A week passed in a blink and everything was ready to depart to the northwest. Prince Jing and Princess Jing were going to go and were in front of prince Jing's manor and lady Zhao had come outside to send them off. After prince Jing consoled the crying concubine princess Jing went toward lady Zhao.
"Lady Zhao, I don't hold a grudge against you. Take care of yourself, after all, you're holding prince Jing's child. Don't do anything stupid and take care of yourself" She patted her hand went to her carriage and get on the carriage. Weining and Linlin went inside the carriage following Xiao Feng.
"Linlin, send a letter to the general in command to gather red moon" Linlin nodded.
"Weining, since you decide to follow me wholeheartedly you have some things you should know when I gave an order. Linlin explains it to Weining. I am going to take a nap" Linlin nodded and Xiao Feng took a nap. These days Xiao Feng could not sleep and if she slept it was for only about 2 or 3 hours on the way to the palace and back to the manor.
"It's snowing. When we reach the last city, I will decide what to do" Xiao Feng said while closing her eyes Weining nodded and Linlin acknowledged it saying "Yes"
On the other hand, Shan Yuan and Bai Qi were riding horses with a few more people following them. In the Sui kingdom's palace, Emperor was reading memorials when Imperial consort Shu came inside the study. Xiao Feng arranged to give that title to consort Shu. Imperial consort Shu was a beauty and if the empress and consort Shu compared to each other consort Shu will surely win.
"Your majesty! I made you some cakes"
"Consort Shu, I am busy with memorials. You should go back to your palace" Emperor
"Your majesty!" Emperor rubs his temples.
"Hu Man, send consort Shu back"
It got 2 weeks for the army to arrive at the nearest city to the border city. Prince Jing and other generals were in the room discussing their plans. The mist was coming out of their mouths because of the winter.
"The river we can use it. It has frozen. Xiao Feng entered the room with Weining. She was wearing casual clothes but only her pure white face could be seen as she was wearing a fur cloak. Everyone in the room was staring at her when prince Jing clear his throat.
"We don't have to. It's winter. We all saw that coming near to North West border the environment was cooler and the snowfall was nonstop. Our soldiers aren't used to this, not like kingdom Wei's soldiers" Xiao Feng said while sitting in a chair. Weining poured tea and she start drinking the tea putting the hand warmer away.
"Princess royal grand is right. The condition is a little bit special as the snow is continuously falling.
"We can just prepare our tents after we arrive at the border city and we will just have to wait and we will surely listen to something good" Xiao Feng put the teacup and took the hand warmer and went back.
In the North Kingdom, there is general Mu with a few more guards of the red moon who was wearing as commoners. They were walking on the shore of the frozen river and finally they were beside the camps of the Wei kingdom. They put the oil on the hey, foods and some store rooms with oil and then fire it and ran away from there.
Kingdom Sui had already camped outside of the border city. All the generals were in the main tent when a guard came running.
"Report!!"
"What happens?" A general asked.
Enemies' tent burned yesterday night and their food has been destroyed and they would postpone their attacks for a while" Xiao Feng chuckled sitting in the chair and playing with a wood puzzle box.
"Here is the good news"
"Princess royal grand is wise"
"It's cool outside. At night all can drink and celebrate. Drinking can people be warmer"
"But our camp? What if the enemy attack?"
"General Hong this is the winter. We're taking advantage of it. Anyone feels hungry in a few hours because of the winter. So, they have to wait till the new foods arrived from their capital. I don't think they have much-stored food though! We brought wine more than anything. Give each soldier a wine bottle to keep their body warm"
"Thank you, princess royal grand" The guard thanked.
"You can go now" Guard bowed and went out.
"Brothers, princess royal grand said today we all can drink and eat as we wish"
Everyone cheered.
"Linlin, prepare a place before tomorrow for the red moon army to stay. General in command and red moon will arrive tomorrow"
"Yes," Linlin nodded happily.
"Red moon? Princess royal grand is it one of the armies of general Xiao?"
"General has heard about it?" Xiao Feng asked.
"Of course, red moon. I heard general Xiao had 16 armies. They have different skills and they use different methods to fight. The red moon is one of them. I heard one of the red moon's soldiers can kill 50 enemies in a row without getting a single injury and the red moon is one of the most organized armies. No one can find a soldier in an army if they are disguised no matter what. It is blessed that I can see the army and also the mysterious one. On a red moon, the mysterious one has a red color fan. The rumor said that the mysterious one in the 16 armies are the same person. How can singles person know everything in all armies"
"General, you have read many books" Xiao Feng chuckled as everyone in the room laughed. It was night and everyone was drinking. Prince Jing tried hard to make Xiao Feng drunk but, in the end, he was the one who drunk.
"Xiao Feng, can you send me to my tent?" He said drunk.
"Where is Gao Zhe?"
"I also don't know" Xiao Feng sighed.
"Okay. I will send you back to your tent"