The princess was ordained by Heaven.

Chapter 338 Going to Fuzhou Again

"If you continue like this, how can I feel at ease letting you take over the Eastern Front?"

Pang Yunyi suddenly looked up: "Take over what battlefield?"

Before Zheng Xun could answer, Pang Yunyi asked with ecstatic joy, "So Your Highness has granted me permission to go to the front lines?"

He grinned, showing off his big teeth, with an incredibly bright smile.

"That's true. Although our Great Yong is full of talented people, Brother Che and I are irreplaceable!"

Zheng Xun: ...

Has he forgotten that he just got into a fight with Che Zhong'an?

The bruises on their faces were still there, but they changed their tune so quickly.

"Indeed, you and Che Zhong'an are irreplaceable."

If Pang Yunyi had a tail, it would be wagging high in the sky by now.

Che Zhong'an, however, was not so optimistic: "Is Your Highness going to say 'but' next?"

“That’s right. But if you can’t control your temper and personality, I won’t entrust such an important matter to you.”

Pang Yunyi grew anxious: "How can you not hand it over to us? Who else can we entrust it to?"

"Pang Yunyi".

Pang Yunyi gradually quieted down under Zheng Xun's calm gaze: "Your Highness..."

“If you keep pretending to be crazy, I’ll kick you to death,” Zheng Xun said calmly before continuing, “I’ve arranged a strategist for you. Get along well with him, and behave yourselves.”

Pang Yunyi chuckled: "Your Highness, rest assured, I am the most obedient of all."

Anyway, he'll just muddle through for now. Once he leaves the capital, he can do whatever he wants.

Che Zhong'an chuckled, as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world.

Pang Yunyi looked over with displeasure: "Hey, what do you mean?"

Seeing that the two were about to start arguing again, Zheng Xun grabbed Pang Yunyi by the collar and threatened, "Pang Yunyi, behave yourself. This concerns the fate of the Great Yong Dynasty. If you mess things up, I will exterminate your entire family, including your parents in their graves, and whip their corpses as an atonement."

Pang Yunyi's face visibly turned ugly.

Sensing Zheng Xun's seriousness, Pang Yunyi cursed her inwardly for being unscrupulous.

As expected of the Crown Princess, who is always shrewd and resourceful, she saw through his weakness at a glance.

He quickly reverted to his nonchalant demeanor, trying his best to appear indifferent.

Although it was somewhat futile, we couldn't let things get any worse.

"Your Highness is biased. Why are you so sure I'll be the one to do the bad thing? They say a barking dog doesn't bite, so why doesn't Your Highness warn that treacherous dog, Che Zhong?"

"That's because you're jumping around a lot."

Even if Zheng Xun didn't say it, Che Zhong'an knew that Zheng Xun's warning to Pang Yunyi also applied to him.

He didn't try to prove anything; he simply kowtowed silently to show his attitude.

Zheng Xun, still worried, instructed, "When you get to Dongzhou, try to conceal your tracks. Don't rush up and fight every time you see a Heguo person. The most important thing now is to be patient. If you hide well enough, the enemy might just come to you."

From south to north, they need to adapt to the new environment and temperature, and regain their fighting strength in the south.

It is not advisable to start a war at this time.

No matter what the card is, hide it if you can.

Imagine, one day when Qi Yongji decided to attack Dongzhou, a well-trained army suddenly appeared.

hiss……

Just thinking about that scene is exciting.

After knocking, Zheng Xun called Xu Zhen, who had been waiting outside, in.

Xu Zhen did not come empty-handed; he was carrying a box in his hand.

"Congratulations, Your Highness. Here is a congratulatory gift."

Zhicheng took the box, opened it to check it, and then handed it to Zheng Xun.

"Why is the gift being given twice?"

"The gifts sent to the Crown Prince's Palace are merely formalities; this one truly reflects our heartfelt sentiments."

This was the first time Pang Yunyi had heard this saying. He looked Xu Zhen up and down a few times and then said slyly, "Officials in the capital really know how to flatter."

Xu Zhen remained expressionless and looked at him with a smile: "Is this General Pang Yunyi?"

"you know me?"

"Yes, Your Highness intends to send me to Dongzhou. I hope General Pang and Commander Che will be lenient with me in the future."

Pang Yunyi asked in surprise, "You are the strategist arranged by Her Highness the Crown Princess?"

"Yes."

Pang Yunyi looked at Zheng Xun: "Your Highness, even if you dislike me, there's no need to take revenge on me for personal reasons, is there? This guy? He's a tender little scallion, how can he adapt to the army?"

His every word was filled with undisguised suspicion.

Zheng Xun rubbed his forehead.

Otherwise, how could such a talented general have been banished to the far south? His mouth is like it's been rinsed three times in a latrine—it stinks terribly.

Che Zhong'an chuckled.

Pang Yunyi's expression gradually became serious: "Your Highness, could this be your kept man? If you want to gild his resume, you don't have to send him to his death in the north, do you?"

Zheng Xun turned to look at Zhicheng: "Drag him away and give him ten strokes of the cane. Don't hold back. Since General Pang has the audacity to spout nonsense, he must be thick-skinned and unafraid of punishment."

He accepted with sincerity and respect.

Keep it?

impossible.

This Pang Yunyi has no respect for hierarchy. His Highness is kind and gentle, yet he really takes advantage of that.

How could His Highness be so easily slandered?

Your Highness still needs him. You can't kill a person, but there are plenty of ways to keep them alive and suffer.

At a command, guards entered the study, gagged Pang Yunyi, and dragged him away like a dead dog.

Xu Zhen suddenly said, "General Pang is a hero among heroes, and ten strokes of the cane are probably not worthy of his status."

"Oh? You mean..."

“The Emperor has punished General Pang many times in the past, but a mere ten strokes of the cane are not enough to subdue him. Since the princess wants to teach him a lesson, let’s do something tougher.”

"Elaborate."

"As far as I know, General Pang is a connoisseur of wine. He has three wine cellars, which contain countless fine wines."

"Understood, Zhicheng. Order someone to raid Pang Yunyi's wine cellar and use the proceeds to reward our soldiers."

General Pang never seemed to understand what he should and shouldn't say...

"Have Zhao Lingyin prepare a mute medicine for him. I don't want to hear his voice for the next three months."

"General Pang dislikes tedious matters..."

"Throw him into the embroidery room, and let him go when he can embroider a normal phoenix."

Che Zhong'an glanced at Xu Zhen, then at Zheng Xun, and silently shrank back to the corner.

Their methods don't harm people, but they are agonizing.

Although the knife was soft, every strike was aimed at Pang Yunyi's vital points.

The Emperor used to deal with Pang Yunyi by beating and killing, never by such a strange method.

He felt deeply guilty and decided to keep a low profile.

Fortunately, he was a man of few words, but in reality, he had a very rich inner world. If he had spoken his mind, he might have ended up in a worse situation than Pang Yunyi.

That's why they say silence is golden.

After discussing how to deal with Pang Yunyi, Zheng Xun pointed to the box on the table: "During this period, you, Pang Yunyi, and Che Zhong'an will live in the same courtyard. Get to know each other better. I'll leave those two, who are troublesome, to you."

"Let me do whatever I want?"

"Do whatever you want, as long as you don't kill them or affect their ability to lead troops into battle."

Xu Zhen happily agreed, but a mischievous idea was brewing inside him.

After dismissing them, Zheng Xun opened the box that Xu Zhen had given him.

The box was magnificent, with two bright jewels inlaid at the opening and exquisite floral patterns carved around it.

But the contents inside were surprisingly crude.

It was a tattered booklet, the words on the cover were already blurred and illegible.

Zheng Xun was a little unsure where to begin, afraid of accidentally damaging the booklet.

She carefully picked up the booklet and discovered that there was another brand new booklet underneath.

She flipped through it carefully; the top one was the original, and the bottom one was Xu Zhen's handwritten version.

Although the original book was tattered, it had been repaired; it was fragile, but not so easily damaged.

Zheng Xun smiled with satisfaction.

This booklet is actually a folk handbook that records methods for preventing and controlling pests and diseases.

Perfect for a farm.

Xu Zhen clearly put a lot of effort into finding this item.

Sure enough, even the most arrogant person knows how to please their boss.

That's why they say power is a good thing.

Zheng Xun closed the box: "Zhicheng, send this to He Wuyang."

"Yes!"

The study quieted down, and Zheng Xun began to bury himself in handling today's official business.

I was busy until midnight, and only after returning to Mingzhu Pavilion and washing up did I feel like I was alive again.

Zhichun moved a chair and sat next to Zheng Xun to massage her feet.

"I'm going to Fuzhou in a while, would you like to come along?"

"Mingzhu Pavilion cannot be left unattended. Your Highness, please return as soon as possible. Zhichun will be waiting for your return."

Zhichun is a homebody, and Zheng Xun didn't force her. However, she still sensed something was off about her tone.

"But what's on your mind?"

Zhichun paused in her movements.

"No, Your Highness, why would you say that?"

"But it's inconvenient to say?"

Zhichun looked up and met Zheng Xun's clear eyes.

Her gaze wasn't forceful; it seemed to be encouraging her to speak out about her worries.

"Does Your Highness think Zhichun is useless?"

Zhi Chun lowered her head, not daring to look at Zheng Xun's face.

As a princess's maid, she should be her master's right-hand woman. How could she disturb her master with her insignificant emotions?

Not hearing Zheng Xun speak, her heart grew increasingly uneasy.

But a moment later, a pair of hands gently touched the top of her head.

The warmth of His Highness's fingertips seemed to give her courage, and she blurted out, "But the princess's subordinates are all very capable. As women, Doctor Zhao and Lord Cen can help the princess a lot."

But she... is too ordinary.

"You've helped me a lot too. Zhichun is my confidante. I only feel at ease when Zhichun is in Mingzhu Pavilion."

"But I know very little. The reason I can manage Mingzhu Pavilion is only because I have been in the palace for a long time and have more experience than others."

"How could that be? You're meticulous, dutiful, loyal, decisive... there are so many good qualities you can't even count them all. Be more confident, okay?"

Zheng Xun sat up: "Let's not even talk about the fact that you weren't exactly ordinary to begin with. Even if you were, there's nothing wrong with that."

She wants her subordinates to be capable, but not everyone should be capable.

Of course, not everyone needs to possess exceptional qualities.

Good, bad, and ordinary—that's just how people are.

Zheng Xun brushed her hand away: "Alright, if you feel tired, take a good rest for a while."

Zhichun pursed her lips.

She still had many doubts, but the fact that the princess was willing to comfort her meant that she didn't dislike her.

Therefore, she could no longer bother the princess with her own petty emotions, as the princess was already busy.

Zheng Xun was indeed very busy; she was busy handing over the tasks at hand.

She had many things weighing on her mind, and going to Fuzhou wasn't something she could just do on a whim.

Although Mingzhu Pavilion was comfortable, it was close to the inner palace, making it inconvenient for her to meet with her ministers. The emperor hoped that she would move to the East Palace as soon as possible.

In order to set off as soon as possible, Zheng Xun temporarily rejected the suggestion.

Zheng Xun was hoping the emperor would abdicate soon so she could officially take over the Imperial Study. After all, she wouldn't be staying in the Eastern Palace for long anyway, and moving around would be too much trouble.

It took Zheng Xun about ten days to finish his official duties before he left the capital.

They traveled day and night without delay and arrived in Fuzhou very quickly.

In order to avoid revealing his identity, Zheng Xun decided that once he entered Fuzhou, he would never leave the carriage unless necessary.

Asking for directions and buying provisions were all handled by Lü and Wei.

Upon entering Fuzhou, I discovered that the practice of praying to gods and Buddhas was even more prevalent than before.

Shops of all sizes along the roadside all enshrine statues of goddesses.

Moreover... the practice of martial arts is very popular.

Wei Yanxing inquired and learned that the disaster at the Goddess Temple had awakened the people of Fuzhou, and now every woman in Fuzhou was starting to practice martial arts.

"Master, where are we going?"

Zheng Xun handed the map he was carrying to Wei Yanxing: "Go to Liumu Mountain."

Liumu Mountain is very large, and the place Zheng Xun pointed to was a small path that very few people traveled.

"Master, this road may be difficult to travel."

Wei Yanxing frowned as he looked at the path covered by weeds, then glanced at his snow-white clothes and folding fan, realizing he had made a mistake.

Zheng Xun looked at Lü Mengying: "Did you bring everything?"

"Ropes, wound medicine, insect repellent powder, flint, seasonings... everything is ready."

Zheng Xun nodded: "Then let's set off."

Wei Yanxing rolled up his sleeves and hem, took his sword and led the way, with Zheng Xun in the middle and Lü Mengying bringing up the rear.

The vegetation in the mountains is very lush, and fortunately, the weather is cold now, so there are far fewer dangerous animals in the mountains.

The mountain path was quite tedious to walk, and Wei Yan started to feel bored after walking for a while.

So he turned the task of clearing the way into something amazing.

He practiced his sword as he walked.

His steps were graceful, and wherever he went, the grass and trees blocking his way were neatly cut down, fluttering down in the air. It was quite a beautiful sight, to be honest.

Lü Mengying frowned: "Save your energy."

Wei Yanxing said without turning his head, "Hmph, I'm just being diligent. Just watch me practice my sword. Don't cry when my swordsmanship surpasses yours someday."

Zheng Xun was helpless.

For some reason, Lü Mengying just couldn't stand Wei Yanxing.

He usually speaks very little, but when he argues with Wei Yanxing, he never holds back his words.

Zheng Xun's expression was subtle: "Mengying...you don't actually have feelings for Yanxing, do you?"

Wei Yanxing, who was in front, slipped and fell into the bushes without any grace.

Covered in weeds, he poked his head out and looked at Lü Mengying with a strange expression: "You wouldn't believe it, would you? I knew you were always targeting me, so you're actually interested in me!"

Even though he was completely disheveled, it couldn't stop his smugness.

Lu Mengying wiped her face, her expression unusually complex: "Your Highness, are you deliberately trying to mess with me?"

If Wei Yanxing, that peacock, really misunderstands that she has feelings for him, he'll probably mock her for the rest of his life.

Zheng Xun spread his hands innocently: "Because your attitude towards him is really special."

"That's because he deserves to be scolded."