Chapter 126

"Jun'er!"

The next morning, Tang Yuxian woke up from a sweet dream and subconsciously touched the side, but there was no one there. She was suddenly awakened and found that she had put on her clothes, but Pang Jun was gone. She looked around and saw her bodyguard and best friend Liu Hongxu sitting on a stool with a bowl of rice porridge. She asked Liu Hongxu, "Where is he?"

　　Liu Hongxu knew that Tang Yuxian was asking about Pang Jun, so she responded, "He left last night. He asked me to tell the queen that he was going to Nanzhao and would probably be gone for several months. He asked the queen to take good care of the baby and not to travel through mountains and rivers anymore."

　　"He's taking risks again? Alas..." Tang Yuxian frowned, a look of worry on her face.

　　"Your Majesty was so worried about him, but he..."

　　Liu Hongxu wanted to defend Tang Yuxian, but Tang Yuxian interrupted her and said, "Don't say any more, Hongxu. I owed him back then. If I hadn't abandoned him, he wouldn't be like this today. What's more, I am now a princess. If the world knew that I still have a living son, both Jun'er and the prince would be in an awkward situation, and Jun'er would even be in danger of being killed."

　　"Does Your Majesty intend to continue like this? Your Majesty, you know very well that what you and your son are doing... This is not right, don't You know that?" Although Liu Hongxu was Tang Yuxian's bodyguard, they had been like sisters for many years. She really couldn't bear to see it, so she spoke frankly.

　　Tang Yuxian was sitting on the bed at this time, with a look of yearning and shyness on her face, and she said softly: "It doesn't matter. If he likes it, I will agree to it. As long as I can often see him living well in the future, even if he covets my broken body, so what? Maybe I am very selfish, but is there any other way to make him forgive me and let him settle down?"

　　Liu Hongxu was speechless for a moment. In her understanding, the boy named Pang Jun was paranoid, perverse, and cold. She would feel a chill every time she was around him, not to mention the strong and violent impact every time he pressed her down and raped her. It was as if every thrust hit her soul. Liu Hongxu didn't think that any tenderness could easily move him and make him calm down. She asked tentatively: "Madam, why don't you find him a wife, maybe he will..."

　　"It's useless. Although he has been very obedient since he was young, I know that he doesn't like others controlling everything about him, including me," Tang Yuxian shook her head and interrupted Liu Hongxu's suggestion. "His current condition is very unstable. I don't want to stimulate him for the time being. I plan to stabilize his condition first, and then proceed slowly. It's getting late. Let's go back." Although she said high-sounding words, in fact, Tang Yuxian herself hid her selfish motives. Recalling the feeling of her son riding on her last night that made her feel like she was in heaven, she felt something in her lower body again.

　　"Yes, Your Majesty." Since Tang Yuxian chose to avoid the question, Liu Hongxu did not continue to pester her. She sighed secretly and accompanied Tang Yuxian back to Huangjue Temple.

　　In Tianjing, Sun Chenggao was no longer in charge of the inn's affairs at this time, and was more focused on managing the daily affairs of Pang Jun's mansion in the capital. He had already moved into the mansion, and even the affairs of the sect's branch temples, big or small, would be sent here for processing.

　　As soon as he walked out of the room, he saw someone sitting on a bench in the yard. He looked closely and found that it was Pang Jun wearing a mask. He looked around and hurriedly stepped forward to salute and said, "The unknown messenger has returned. I am sorry for not welcoming you in person."

　　"It's okay, Lao Sun. I'm in a hurry to come back this time and I have to go back soon. Please report to me about the recent events in the court." Pang Jun waved his hand and said.

　　Sun Chenggao thought for a moment and said, "Recently, except for the Zhao Wang faction, the rest of the court is very dissatisfied with your permission to expand the Songzhou garrison."

　　"Oh? Was the expansion I requested successful? How many people were expanded?" Pang Jun asked.

　　"Yes, I heard that it was Lord Guo Chonghou who petitioned the emperor, and the emperor agreed immediately. He promised to upgrade the number of Songzhou garrison troops from 7,000 to 10,000, and the cavalry from 1,000 to 2,000. However, Songzhou will need to provide food and wages for 500 of the upgraded 1,000 cavalry. As for the envoy..." Sun Chenggao meant "whether financial support from the organization is needed."

　　Pang Jun held out his hand to stop him from asking, "No problem. There are 3,000 more people, including 1,000 cavalrymen. This is much better than I thought. I expected only 500 cavalrymen. Food and wages are not a problem. Songzhou can still afford to support 500 cavalrymen. Is there anything else?"

　　Sun Chenggao added, "In recent months, the emperor has favored Nan Feifei, the legitimate daughter of the Nan family. After only two months in the palace, she was promoted from a talented person to a concubine. Now there are rumors in the palace that the emperor has begun to plan to promote Concubine Nan to Chongyi, one of the nine concubines. In less than half a year, she has soared to the top, but has been opposed by a large number of nobles in the palace. The queen and Concubine Nan have remained silent. Now there are rumors that this woman is the reincarnation of a fox spirit, and some people say that this woman knows how to charm others, but for the time being, no force has had close contact with her."

　　Pang Jun nodded, and then asked: "What about the court? Apart from my affairs, what are the other things going on? How is the war in Xichuan?"

　　Sun Chenggao shook his head. "It's not going very well. I heard that the rebels of Qi Tiansheng in Xichuan have been relying on the natural barrier and hiding in Jiange Pass. When the government troops attacked, they took advantage of the natural barrier and never stepped out of Jiange Pass. The government troops were helpless and could only sigh at the sight of the pass. At the same time, the Western Di also launched an attack on the border troops of Xichuan. The border troops of Xichuan Province, fearing that they would be attacked from both sides, had no choice but to retreat to the northwest border with Xichuan and confront the Western Di troops."

　　Seeing that Pang Jun was listening attentively, he continued, "Yang Sheng, the Prince of Zhao, and his party launched a fierce attack on the Prince's party last month. Du Li, the governor of Liangzhou, who was a member of the Prince's party, was found to have embezzled and accepted bribes. He was ordered to be dismissed and investigated. He was replaced by Mu Tianbo, who was a member of the Prince of Qi and the Prince of Zhao's party. In addition, the envoy's outstanding performance in Songzhou has greatly boosted the momentum of the Prince of Zhao's party recently."

　　"What about the other princes? They won't just sit there and watch Prince Zhao grow in power, right?" Pang Jun asked.

　　Sun Chenggao replied, "At the court meeting ten days ago, the King of Zhao intended to recommend his disciple Ge Cheng as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, but was opposed by both the King of Qi Yang Man and the King of Song Yang Jie. As the dispute continued, the neutral Tian Shu took over, which finally stopped the King of Zhao's upward momentum. However, now in the court, the Crown Prince and the King of Zhao are confronting each other, and the King of Qi and the King of Song are acting as troublemakers. If they are not careful, they will be crushed to pieces."

　　"What's the situation in the martial arts world?"

　　Sun Chenggao sorted out his thoughts and reported, "Since the martial arts sects suffered a great loss in Songzhou last month, they have all stopped fighting recently. After learning that his wife Huangfu Junyi and daughter Ling Xiaofu were missing, Ling Su of the Huashan Sect entrusted his affairs to his junior brother Fang Nan, and immediately went to Songzhou with Luo Yifan and Hong Xun, the new generation of Huashan's "Dragon and Tiger Twins". They arrived in the capital the day before yesterday and are estimated to be in Lianghe and on their way to Liaodong."

　　Then he continued, "During the Songzhou incident, the Songshan Sect did not suffer any casualties. Zuo Xuanzhen, the leader of the Five Mountains Sword Sect, has sent invitations to other sects of the Five Mountains Sword Sect, inviting them to Songshan during the Mid-Autumn Festival this year to discuss the future of the Five Mountains Sword Sect. It is obvious that he intends to force the other four sects to annex them. The above are the more important ones. There is one more thing. The leader asked me to pass a message to the messenger that the integration of the sect is nearing completion and "Follow the Wind" can be put into operation immediately."

　　"Okay, thank you for your hard work, Old Sun. If there is nothing else, I will go back to Songzhou first." Pang Jun said, and was about to turn around and leave.

　　At this time, Sun Chenggao called him: "Messenger..."

　　"Huh?" Pang Jun turned his head and looked at him.

　　"Um, that, that little Princess Mingyue, comes here every few days, enters your room, and stays there for an hour..."

　　Pang Jun was silent for a long time. What emerged in his eyes at this time was Yang Yue's lovely face and childish voice. After a long time, he said, "Let her do whatever she wants as long as she doesn't interfere with your work in the future." After that, he left the courtyard.

　　Pang Jun had just left the mansion when a servant came to report to Sun Chenggao that the young princess had come to visit again. Sun Chenggao thought, this couple is really doomed to fail. He smiled bitterly and shook his head, then ordered, "There is no need to stop the young princess from coming to your house in the future, unless she disturbs your work. Otherwise, ignore her and let her do whatever she likes." After giving the order, he followed the servants out to greet Yang Yue.

　　Sun Chenggao told him that Emperor Yang Shao had issued an edict to expand the Songzhou garrison, and the eunuch who announced the edict had already set out for Songzhou. Pang Jun had to ride as fast as he could and return to Songzhou before the eunuch who announced the edict arrived.

　　After four days' journey, Pang Jun met the team of eunuchs delivering imperial edicts. He put on a bamboo hat and followed behind them quietly like a passerby. After the team entered the city, he went straight through the city and continued on his way. In just ten days, Pang Jun traveled 3,000 miles and returned to Songzhou on July 12 after an absence of a month.

　　He did not go back to the governor's mansion directly, but went to the trading market first. After Pang Jun returned to Yizhou from Dongling Island, he wrote a letter to the local branch in Yizhou and asked them to take it to Wang Fangmei in Jiangnan to inform the other party of the successful negotiation with Han Li. Wang Fangmei did not neglect it, but immediately organized a new fleet. In addition to some merchants who had already reaped the benefits last time, there were also some newly joined joint merchants. They formed a fleet of seven ships and headed for Songzhou again. They arrived on the morning of the day Pang Jun returned to Songzhou, so Songzhou was boiling again.

　　Pang Jun immediately found the leader of the fleet, Cao Yuan, who was still Wang Fangmei's subordinate. When Cao Yuan saw Pang Jun, he quickly invited Pang Jun into a quiet place, reported to him the situation of the fleet, and handed Pang Jun the secret letter from Wang Fangmei.

　　In the letter, Wang Fangmei told Pang Jun about the situation of the caravan, which was basically the same as what Cao Yuan said. The Tianyi Sect that she was asked to pay attention to before had not made any movement for the time being. The young monk Tianxi that Pang Jun brought from Xichuan had returned to secular life and was already studying. Wang Fangmei also praised him in the letter, saying that except for martial arts, he learned everything very quickly, especially history and political intrigues. Finally, she used a few words to tease Pang Jun, showing that she was hungry again.

　　Pang Jun smiled bitterly and shook his head. Wang Fangmei's last few words were obviously just jokes. She was a power-hungry woman. During this period, whether it was the caravan, the Tianyi Sect, or Tianxi's teachings, she was busy enough. How could she have the energy to think about men? However, as her current man, Pang Jun had to write some cheesy love words to coax this beautiful woman. He said to Cao Yuan: "I have a general understanding of the situation. Since the waterway in the East China Sea has been opened, when you go back, ask your wife to see if other waterways can be opened. As for the reply to your wife, I will give it to you before the fleet returns."

　　"Yes, sir, I'll take my leave then."

　　"Okay." After meeting Cao Yuan, Pang Jun returned to the city and to the governor's mansion.