Chapter 522: Tough

Yancheng.

Zhao Xu was giving a lecture at the Science and Technology School when he suddenly learned that the imperial edict had arrived.

When Zhao Xu returned to the palace, Xu Ke followed him as soon as he entered the palace.

After reading the imperial edict, Zhao Xu's expression changed slightly, while Xu Ke smiled bitterly.

Seeing the embarrassed face of the King of Yan, the eunuch who came to announce the edict did not dare to stay any longer. He said goodbye and left in a hurry with the imperial guards.

"Your Highness, Uncle Mi was assassinated on the road. Fortunately, our people found out in advance and rescued him. At present, Uncle Mi has resigned and returned home, claiming to be ill." Xu Ke said.

After a pause, he said: "Before the accident, Dou Wei and his party went to the palace, and then Uncle Mi also went to the palace, but he seemed unhappy after coming out."

Taking out a note, he said: "This is the conversation between Uncle Mi and Father-in-law that our people heard."

Zhao Xu nodded.

After Xu Ke arranged for the people from the four courtyards to go to the capital, they also secretly protected the Mi family under his orders.

Of course, sometimes protection is also a kind of supervision.

"Really..." Zhao Xu almost blurted out a dog that can't eat shit, but he finally suppressed it.

The Northern Expedition made him see Zhao Heng's incompetence and weakness.

And this time, he saw clearly that Zhao Heng was a confused person.

I'm afraid that in the heart of this emperor, there is always a little fantasy about the powerful families.

Now, he finally understands why Dou Wei supported Zhao Heng to ascend the throne.

This is a person with a strategic level like dog shit, only a little clever, and extremely fond of pleasure.

Since ancient times, treacherous ministers have all liked such emperors.

And this emperor has been in power for more than 20 years, which is also the 20 years when the powerful families have become more and more fierce and the decline of Dasong has accelerated.

Until the Northern Expedition, this emperor was completely out of control.

In order to live in peace for a while, he signed a peace agreement, and was blackmailed by the powerful families, causing the powerful families to change from secretly separatist to openly separatist.

"Your Majesty, you are now wandering back and forth between Your Highness and Your Majesty." Xu Ke said what Zhao Xu wanted to say.

With a light snort, Zhao Xu said: "I have come step by step to where I am today. When have I ever relied on the court? I have never had any hope for the emperor, otherwise I would not have asked for the three southern counties when he came to Yanzhou."

After a pause, he said: "It's good that way. He trusts me completely. I still have to consider a little bit. Now, black is black and white is white."

Xu Ke nodded and said: "By the way, Your Highness, Princess Changle will be able to arrive in Yancheng tomorrow. What should I do with this imperial edict?"

Ma Han rescued Princess Changle and sent someone to escort her from Jinzhou to Yancheng.

But Princess Changle was slow in the carriage and it took so long to arrive.

"It's very simple. Just say that Princess Changle encountered bandits on her way to Yancheng and was unfortunately killed." Zhao Xu narrowed his eyes.

How could he hand over the person he rescued?

Furthermore, since Zhao Heng blamed him for being rude, he would be rude to him.

He was submissive to the powerful family that harmed him, but he hit the prince who saved him from danger with a heavy punch.

Such behavior is intolerable!

Now, he will tell Zhao Heng clearly.

The powerful family is not easy to mess with, and neither is he!

"Hehe, I think so too." Xu Ke smiled.

Then he seemed to realize something, "Your Highness, do you think this matter is a plot of alienation by the powerful family?"

"Then I have to thank Dou Wei for making me completely recognize this father." Zhao Xu didn't care whether it was a plot of alienation by the powerful family.

If Zhao Heng really treated him sincerely, he would not have issued this imperial edict.

He would not have been alienated, but now the facts are the opposite.

Xu Ke nodded after hearing this, and he found that the King of Yan had been very calm since he received the imperial edict.

Perhaps the King of Yan had long seen through the nature of this Dasong Emperor.

I have never had hope for the imperial court.

"There is one more thing. The people I have placed in Ningjindusi found that Tiemu Ta escorted a carriage to the outside of Jincheng, but the carriage did not enter the city. They just set up a camp to surround the carriage in the middle and patrolled it closely. It seems that there are important things in the carriage." Xu Ke said.

"Really?" Zhao Xu suddenly jumped out of the imperial edict.

Now, in the situation of division in the world, how could he, a vassal king far away in the border, care about the attitude of the court towards him.

Besides, he has already grasped the minds of these people.

Zhao Heng counted on him to check and balance the powerful families and let himself live a peaceful life.

The powerful families were unhappy with him and only wanted to weaken him for the time being, but did not want to kill him.

They wanted him to seriously injure Beidi, and he was also seriously injured, so they took the opportunity to eat their bodies.

It was these ideas that allowed Dasong to maintain a strange and ingenious balance at the moment.

For this balance, he did not want to break it for the time being, and it was not bad to exist like this.

At least, he can continue to make money from trade and hoard food and minerals, which are important things in troubled times.

As for his false report that Princess Changle was killed by bandits, it will not break this balance.

The purpose of alienating the powerful families has been achieved, and Zhao Heng is unlikely to really turn against him over this matter.

It is even more impossible for Beidi to march to the northwest again and go south from Wuguan.

Otherwise, this opportunity would be too good for him.

If he doesn't take the opportunity to seize Ningjindusi and turn the eastern territory of Beidi upside down, when will he do it?

"Yes, I am very surprised about this. What can be loaded in a carriage that Beidi attaches so much importance to." Xu Ke frowned and couldn't think of it.

"Continue to explore." He couldn't guess based on Xu Ke's words.

However, this is an unusual signal after all, and it should be paid attention to.

After talking about a few more small things, Xu Ke went back.

Zhao Heng went to the study, and then submitted a memorial to Zhao Heng.

It was naturally about the kidnapping of Princess Changle.

As for whether Zhao Heng believed it or not, he didn't care.

Secondly, he reminded Zhao Heng.

At the moment, he was fighting with Beidi, and it was right to do anything that was unfavorable to Beidi.

If Beidi was dissatisfied, Beidi could just find him, without the intervention of the court.

After writing, he threw down the pen and sent someone to send it to the capital.

The next day.

As Xu Ke said, a carriage arrived in Yancheng under the escort of Ma's soldiers.

However, Ma's soldiers were all in plain clothes, and this business was more like a merchant.

Although Zhao Xu knew about it, he still basked in the sun in the courtyard of the palace's bedroom and did not go to greet him.

After all, Princess Changle called him brother all the time, and she had to come to see him.

Less than half an hour.

The carriage arrived at the palace, and Zhao Xu walked slowly to the front yard.

At this time, a girl in a goose yellow dress was standing with her back to him.

Hearing the footsteps, the girl turned around, glanced at him, then lowered her head, bowed slightly, and whispered: "Ninth brother, long time no see."

"Don't call me ninth brother, Princess Changle is dead, from now on, you can be Nian Yuyan again." Zhao Heng said with his hands behind his back and a light smile.