Chapter 1108: The scapegoat who can retire!

, you should take good care of your health. If you need anything in the future, just let us know."Liu, the shopkeeper from one side, finally couldn't help himself and whispered to an acquaintance, a s..."Good news! Good news from Jiangbei! The Northern Army has won a great victory, killing three thousand enemies and is about to approach the border!"

Three messengers rode fast horses, holding aloft the banner of the Northern Expeditionary Army, wind-swept and dust-covered they rushed from the official road to the city gate, shouting three times loudly before dashing into the city.

The city gate fell silent for a moment, then suddenly erupted.

"The Northern Expedition Army's Great Victory!"

"We won!"

Are the Manchus all dead

"Oh, oh, should we take out Manzi!"

"Father, are you listening in heaven The Northern Expeditionary Army has avenged you! Oh, son is incompetent, son is sorry!"

Whether rich or poor, whether riding in carriages or carrying burdens on the road, everyone rejoices with great enthusiasm.

Some people jumped and cheered with joy, while others cried on their knees.

Hate will never be forgotten as time passes.

At the beginning, when the Man tribe suddenly attacked the pass, everyone hastily relocated their capital. Who hadn't lost a few relatives on the road

How many people have silently in the dead of night, flipped and tossed these two characters - "barbarian," chewed them up, swallowed them down with gritted teeth!

Now, it's time to finally get revenge!

"Woooo, I'm going to build a shrine for the Marquis! I will kowtow and burn incense to him every day!"

"Lord is mighty! Lord is mighty!"

"The Northern Expeditionary Army is mighty!"

Actually, whether it's the sealing of a crown prince or the selection of a consort, the most delighted are the aristocratic families.

For the common people, it doesn't matter who sits in power, what matters is who can allow them to farm with peace of mind and ensure they have enough food and clothing. They will support whoever can do that.

Therefore, the news of their great victory brought them even greater joy!

The messenger dashed into the city, met with cheers everywhere and people rushing to spread the news.

As they approached the palace gate, a young eunuch ran in to report.

Three messengers were given horses and sabers, and they followed the guards a step behind into the palace.

In the Imperial Study, the Emperor was speaking with the Crown Prince and several high-ranking officials, including the Minister of Rites, discussing the selection of a new consort for tomorrow.

Several high-ranking officials' daughters were to enter the palace, so they attached great importance to this matter.

At this moment, they were also happy to show their faces before the Emperor and the Crown Prince, vying to provide a higher ladder for their own daughters.

At this very moment, the young eunuch came rushing to report.

"The Emperor is overjoyed! The Northern Expeditionary Army has achieved a great victory, killing three thousand enemies and is about to approach the border!"

Everyone in the room was stunned, and for a long moment, no one spoke.

Due to certain unspeakable thoughts, the official document delaying the decisive battle was given to the Northern Expeditionary Army at that time. This matter was known only to a few people and was not publicized.

But several important officials present were all aware of the situation.

Now, hearing this sudden good news, it seems that Marquis XinTing disregarded the orders and not only did not delay his attack, but even accelerated the decisive battle...

This good news, which should have been something to celebrate, can't be congratulated now.

As expected, the Emperor's face turned rather grim, while the Crown Prince's eyes seemed to flash with a sudden gleam.

The little eunuch delivering the message wasn't very clever. Thinking that everyone hadn't heard him clearly, he repeated it loudly. As a result, Yi, the head steward, grabbed him by his collar and threw him out.

The little eunuch was dazed after being thrown, thinking that Yi Guanjia was jealous of him for taking the credit for delivering the message. Little did he know that Yi Guanjia had saved his life.

In the house, the crown prince had already spoken, “Father Emperor, there’s great victory in Jiangbei. Tianwu River and Mount Shan will soon all be reclaimed. This is joyful news!”

He emphasized the two characters "喜事" (literally "happy event").

The emperor glanced at the several ministers, knowing his son was reminding him.

He then suppressed the irritation and dissatisfaction in his heart, dryly coughed twice and said, "Yes, this is good news."

Several high-ranking officials, hearing the emperor's tone, secretly let out a sigh of relief and quickly agreed.

"Indeed, congratulations Your Majesty, the unification of the empire is within reach."

"This is the fortune of Heaven's Martial!"

For a moment, the house was filled with praise.

Soon, three messengers arrived as well.

Three people knelt on one knee on the ground. Although their faces were covered in fatigue and dishevelment, their spines remained straight, and the firmness in their expressions was awe-inspiring.

"Your Majesty, three days ago, the Marquis personally led the vanguard army into battle and broke through the barbarian stronghold.

"The city has been captured! We pursued the enemy for three hundred li, killing three thousand of them. We rode hard to bring you this good news!"

No matter what he was thinking, the Emperor was smiling as he said, "Well done, soldiers who have fought bravely in the north! Rest for now, and there will be more rewards later."

He didn't want to, but the messenger who had opened his mouth wouldn't listen and said again.

"Your Majesty, if you have any orders for the Marquis, please entrust them to us. We must return to Jiangbei as soon as possible. The battle situation is fierce, and every additional soldier means one more sword to cut down the barbarians!"

The emperor and several high-ranking officials all frowned, listening intently but remaining silent for a moment.

The crown prince, however, smiled and praised, "Good! It is precisely because the Northern Expeditionary Army are all such brave men that they were able to drive out the barbarians and reclaim the lost territory! Father Emperor, this calls for a grand reward!"

His voice was high-pitched and his expression excited, perfectly portraying the image of a passionate young man.

The Emperor had nothing to say, so he said, "Alright, you may go eat and drink first. In half an hour, you can return to Jiangbei."

Three soldiers then kowtowed and withdrew, Yi Tongguan seeing them off, even being pulled aside and begged.

"Head manager, could you please prepare some more flatbreads for us We can't finish them on the road, and we can also share them with our brothers in the army. The military rations haven't arrived in Jiangbei yet, and the brothers are so hungry they want to fight the barbarians."

"Yes, Head Butler, we're not afraid of drowning. Could you please prepare us some more"

"If there's no white flatbread, then a cornmeal cake will do."

Yi Zongguan heard this and felt heartbroken. He quickly responded.

"Alright, alright, you brave warriors follow this old slave. You eat and drink first, we'll make sure you have plenty of white flour cakes."

As they spoke, they finally left.

In the Imperial study, the Emperor's forced composure was failing.

The Minister of Rites tentatively said, "Your Lordship, is this person back to report good news, or to urge the delivery of military rations"

The Minister of War knows the Emperor's thoughts best, and official documents are issued through him. He is already a scapegoat nailed down.

At this point, he was backed into a corner and could only grit his teeth and say, "This year, with the drought looming, things are looking dire. It's really difficult to come up with enough food.

"The Duke and the Northern Expeditionary Army will have to make do for now. Thankfully, the battle went smoothly, so we can expect some spoils from the barbarians. Otherwise, the Duke would be demanding rations openly!"

Everyone nodded in agreement, and the Emperor gracefully stepped down.

Soon, the emperor and his ministers discussed a few matters, and the imperial edict of reward was freshly issued.

There are a lot of compliments, but there are no substantial rewards.

The prince stood on one side, not saying a word.

If you look closely into his eyes, you'll find something different...

The military rations that should have been supplied, due to a victory in battle, were indefinitely postponed.

Must the Northern Expeditionary Army suffer defeat at the hands of barbarians, driven all the way back to the Jinsha River, before they are entitled to a full belly

Before nightfall, three messengers carrying large packs galloped out of the city gate once more.

Needless to say, the people inside and outside the city gates were once again astonished. Afterward, they held even greater respect for the Northern Expeditionary Army.

Without the valiant Northern Expeditionary Army, who fought with such urgency and selflessness, there would be no news of victory or the peace we enjoy today!

In the Suijin Beach, Li Lao Er and Mr. Wen had finished their meal but didn't rest. They kept drinking tea and waiting for any movement in the courtyard.

Jia Yin also accompanied her, occasionally looking out the window...

Today, I'm uploading two chapters. ~~ and did not create an awkward situation by waiting under the eaves early. Instead, they followed local customs, slept a little longer, washed up, dressed neatly, and then went to the main courtyard t...