When Zhao Xi asked for war and set out on an expedition, the debate in the imperial court had just begun, but the rear palace already knew.

  Tao Niang was at a loss, she understood Zhao Xi, and had since childhood. Her own husband, whatever he wanted, never failed to get it. So, she took her son Zhao Shu to the Ciming Palace for help...... This name was given by Zhao Xi, purely out of bad taste.

  "Xī ér, going on an expedition to Guangnan is true?"

  "Go back, mother. It's true. I'm willing."

  "Why?"

  The queen couldn't understand why Xier would have such thoughts.

  Guangnan is a place of smoke and mist, where people are exiled. Even in peacetime, it's hard to survive there, only those blessed by heaven can make it through. Why must Xi'er suffer so?

  "Mother, now that I'm grown up, I should help Father share his worries. Recently, because of the bandit affair, Father has been troubled and worried a lot."

  "It was decided this morning in the imperial court to dispatch Di Han as commander, leading the Western army on a southern campaign. However, Di Han is a military man and cannot be solely entrusted with the task; pairing him with a civil official may also lead to conflicting opinions, causing further chaos on the battlefield."

  "Moreover, Guangnan is a thousand miles away from the capital, and during wartime, the situation changes three times in one day. It's not suitable for Di Han to have too much power to make decisions on his own."

  "In conclusion, I think it is proper for me to go on this expedition. It's for the country, for the border, and to share Father's worries. Please forgive me, Mother."

  Cao Huanghou is reasonable, and as for Zhao Xi's words, putting aside emotions, from the perspective of national righteousness, she agrees. However, the imperial family only has this one Xi'er, if something were to happen to her... there wouldn't be anything without a reason!

  "Xi'er, for the sake of the country and your father, it's not necessarily required that he personally lead the expedition..."

  This remark, even Empress Cao felt unconvincing. In fact, Xi'er's attitude in the imperial court was enough, but once Xi'er insisted, there would be no room for regret.

  "Government..."

  I don't know how the imperial court finally decided, maybe someone had just reported it, but in my heart I was always turning over Xi'er's idea and didn't listen at all.

  "The Sage, Xi'er and Wen Kuan made an agreement. If the Imperial Guard wins in a drill against the Vanguard Regiment, the Vanguard Regiment will not go on a southern campaign. But if the Imperial Guard loses, Xi'er will lead the Vanguard Regiment on a southern campaign."

  Zhao Zhen was very helpless. In fact, he could have made a decision with just one word, and the imperial court would probably have cooperated with him. But that way, to his own son... He still wanted to understand Xi'er's true thoughts.

  "A room for two thousand?"

  Empress Cao seemed to have put her mind at ease a bit, but she looked at Zhao Xi with some doubt... Xi'er never did anything without being sure of it, so why was this?

  "Xier, tell Daddy the truth, what's going on?"

  "Father, the child has just established the Imperial Guard, which is actually an improvement to the national military system. But I heard that Grand Duke Pang said that the Imperial Guard in the imperial court is considered as one of the six rates of the Eastern Palace, and it will not be easily mobilized."

  "Now that the training of the Imperial Guard has shown initial results, it is time to let the imperial court know. Now the war in Guangnan can also be verified."

  "As for the safety of the child... Don't mention that the child has two thousand guards, even if the child is alone in the dangerous terrain of Guangnan, he can easily escape. Chen Yaoban should know this."

  All these years, Zhao Xie has been very clear about the Imperial City Guard's attention to himself. He was disdainful of their tailing and disguise techniques, but had never explicitly pointed it out.

  He knew that it wasn't the old man guarding against him, but protecting him. During this time, he also had fun with those relatives and officials, playing some tricks of suddenly disappearing and then suddenly appearing. It seems that Old Chen Lin should be clear about it.

  Zhao Zhen didn't take any of the words about changing national policies and military preparations to heart. In recent years, whenever anyone mentioned new policies, he would turn a deaf ear. All he heard was: Xī'ér said that he could escape from danger alone.

  ōtomo...

  "It is true what Your Highness has said. I personally led a team of officials to search for the person, but we were unable to find any trace."

  I don't know if I've managed to placate my family or not. Thinking back, when I used to go on missions, I would just scribble a few words on a piece of white paper and that was it... And then there's Tou Nang as well.

  Cao E didn't say a word, and returned to the East Palace, staring at Zhao Xi. No matter what Zhao Xi did, her eyes followed him.

  Tao Niang knew this matter was irretrievable, so she just wanted to take a few more glances at San Lang...

  Tao Niang knew how formidable the Imperial Guard was. At that time, the Imperial Guard had just been established, and her elder brother Gao Jingxian was still in the old Gao family mansion. The entire Gao family, including all the younger generations, were counted together, and three days later, all the other younger generations had been branded with tattoos.

  "Niangzi..."

  "Sanlang, Tuo Niang won't persuade you, she also knows your heart. It's just...Tuo Niang wants to take a look again...This time going to Guangnan, it's likely not possible to return within two or three months..."

  It was at night, with the red candle still lit, that Zhao Xi was stuck to Tuo Niang, allowing her to remember every single strand of his hair...

  Cuju Express first published a signed article, which was about the Battle of Guangnanxi Road, written by Song Chaoyang.

  The article published did not mention much about the battle of Guangnan West Road, but instead wrote a casual and bland article titled "National Family".

  The core is that a family is the smallest country, and a country is made up of millions of families; there is no country without a family, and no family without a country; only with a strong country can there be a rich family.

  No pointing fingers at the war, no saying that we should unite against a common enemy, nor did he scold the current situation of the scholars and civilians who are indulging in pleasure and ignoring reality. He simply stated the situation on the Western Guangnan Road in an objective manner and very straightforwardly explained a simple truth: the relationship between family and country.

  It is an article with a new proposal, which has an interpretation of the concept of Tianzi and Chen Gong.

  The so-called Son of Heaven is actually a substitute for heaven to shepherd the people, and together with the officials in the imperial court, they form the management layer of the country. The scholars, farmers, workers, and merchants are the members that make up the country.

  "General Cao, who is this Song Ziyang?"

  Cao Yi knew he would definitely be asked by his superiors when he received the article brought over by Cao Xiang from Neiyuan.

  The article is not refined, with a style similar to "Fantasy Country", even rural women and children can understand it.

  This is also in line with the style of Cuju Express, facing the laboring masses.

  The Crown Prince has not published any articles since "Fantasy Country", but there are many frustrated scholars who use this style as a means of making a living.

  However, this time, although the article was written with a lot of heartache, Cao Yi couldn't understand why the Crown Prince would write such an article.

  So...

  "Sir Wen, I don't know who you are. In recent years, the writers of this newspaper have been in disarray, and we haven't even discussed it in court, let alone investigated your identity. If Sir Wen thinks this article is inappropriate, I can order it to be taken down."

  This is what His Highness the Crown Prince has arranged...

  "Marshal, don't misunderstand. Although this article is not elegant, what it describes is novel. If this person were to be recommended for his exceptional talent, he might be employed by the imperial court..."

  Cao Yi was stunned. He couldn't think of how the Crown Prince knew that Wen Xianggong would ask this, and yet Wen Xianggong asked exactly that.

  "Sir Wen, I will pass on your words. If this person writes again, they will surely be used by the imperial court because of Sir Wen's words."

  Then Wen Yanbo began to solicit opinions from Cao Yi on this confrontation exercise between the Forbidden Army and the Guard Corps.

  Said a lot, as if this is today's real purpose...

  When did civil officials use troops to deploy and ask questions of military generals? If Wen Yanbo really said it was for this exercise, who would believe him.

  Mumbling and fumbling, let's just muddle through this awkward situation.