Jiang Xiaoyu and his entourage stayed in Qiantong County for two days, and dealt with all the things that should be handled, and then rushed back to the capital, Yang Xing still stayed to monitor Du Tong's every move, and he must not be at ease with this person, although it is now the eldest grandson Chi as the main general, but Zhao Yan still can't rest assured.

After another five days of travel, the group returned to the capital, and the first thing was naturally to enter the palace and face the saint. Zhao Yan entered the barracks without a purpose, and it is difficult to say whether this trip is evil or auspicious. Then there is the matter of Jiang Xiaoyu selfishly running to the northwest, I don't know what Emperor Zhou will feel in his heart, so although the group returned to the capital, the dangers and pressures they faced did not have to be less in the northwest. The so-called Tianwei is unpredictable, and it is not even possible to predict Emperor Zhou's reaction.

Even for a person like Zhao Yan who is on the battlefield, when facing Emperor Zhou, there will inevitably be a lot of tension and fear in his heart, which is a shadow left from a young age, and will not change because he grows up or becomes stronger.

"See Your Majesty!"

"See Father!"

The three of them knelt down and saluted, Zhao Yan was at the front, and Jiang Xiaoyu and Zhao Ling were at the back side by side.

Emperor Zhou lowered his eyes to deal with government affairs, as if he didn't see these three people, his face was flat, and he couldn't see any emotions at all.

"The son is guilty!" Although Zhao Yan said that he was guilty, his back was straight, like a snow-capped mountain, cold and arrogant.

Emperor Zhou stopped what he was doing, raised his eyes and glanced at the three people below, and said lightly: "Don't kneel, get up!" On this trip, all three of you have been injured! ”

He paused, and then said, "Have you seen your injuries with the imperial doctor?"

Emperor Zhou said words of concern, but in Jiang Xiaoyu's ears, there was no emotion in it, as if he was just doing a routine. There is no anger and no joy, and it makes people feel uncomfortable in their hearts, and they are a little more worried.

"Erchen's injuries have healed, it's fine, my father doesn't have to worry!" Zhao Yan said in a deep voice, "It's the son's sin to make my father worried." ”

"Where's the little fish?" Emperor Zhou cast an unclear gaze on Jiang Xiaoyu, "It is said that you are also not lightly injured, how is the injury now?" ”

"It's all right!" Jiang Xiaoyu was a little drumming in his heart, and he was really unpredictable about Emperor Zhou's gaze, "The courtiers came to ask Your Majesty for their guilt, and the courtiers didn't have Your Majesty's holy decree, so they ran to the northwest without permission, and the courtiers knew that they were guilty, so please give your Majesty their guilt!" ”

"I'm not a dumb king, and I won't punish you for no reason!" The corners of Emperor Zhou's mouth flashed with a smile that was so faint that it was almost negligible, "You are not a criminal of the imperial court, it is your freedom to go anywhere, based on this alone, I can't find that law of the Great Zhou that can cure you for offending!" ”

Jiang Xiaoyu lowered his eyes and didn't speak, and Emperor Zhou was silent for a short time and asked, "It's just that I want to know, why did a girl's family of yours run to such a dangerous place?" There's always a reason, right? ”

"Yes!" Jiang Xiaoyu lowered his eyes and said, "After the courtiers are guilty ministers, the affairs of the Bai family are labels that the courtiers can't clear up until now, the affairs of the Northwest Cardinal Sect, I don't know how many people are staring at the courtiers, thinking that the courtiers are doing ghosts behind their backs, and the courtiers have no way to refute it, so they can only go to the northwest in person to figure things out!" This is one of them, and the second is that the courtiers are also His Majesty's subjects, and they are the subjects of the Great Zhou, and the courtiers want to do something for the court, for the Great Zhou, for His Majesty, to repay His Majesty's grace to the courtiers! ”

"Well said!" A smile appeared at the corner of Emperor Zhou's mouth, "What you did, the second child has already told me 1510, you have done a good job, you are worthy of being the granddaughter of General Bai, and women are not allowed to shave their eyebrows!" Worthy of your grandfather! ”

Jiang Xiaoyu looked at the ground with lowered eyes, a panic flashed in her eyes, could it be that Emperor Zhou knew about letting her go of Xiahou Sheng? Except for this matter and Bai Shan's matter, she has never done anything that she can't let him know!

Zhao Ling had the same confusion in his heart as Jiang Xiaoyu, and was thinking of countermeasures, Zhao Yan clenched his fists and said: "What my father said is very right, this trip to the northwest has given Erchen a new understanding of Xiaoyu!" ”

"In this way, instead of sinning, you are meritorious, and this time you can completely exterminate the Cardinal Sect, you have contributed a lot!" Emperor Zhou said lightly, "Not only that, but when the dog fleece invaded, you were able to calmly help the second child to guard the rear, which I don't know how many sons can't compare, and it is a great feat!" Since you have merit, you have to be rewarded, let me think about it, what is good to reward you! ”

"Courtiers don't dare to take credit, this is what courtiers should do!" Jiang Xiaoyu said, her drooping eyes completely concealing the contempt and ridicule in her eyes.

Emperor Zhou held his chin with both hands, thought for a while and said: "Do you want to be your business, whether you should reward you or not, it is my decision, so good, you let the four seas know that the women of my Great Zhou are not inferior to men, this merit is greater than what you need to do, I want to do something that the ancient emperors have not done, I want to make you a marquis, a marquis, I want you to be the first female marquis of the Great Zhou!" ”

Jiang Xiaoyu raised his eyes in surprise, thought for a while and said, "Courtier...... The courtiers don't dare to be, the courtiers just did their duty, how dare they make such a great achievement? The courtiers are terrified! ”

"I tell you to do it, and you do it! I think you can afford it, you can afford it! Emperor Zhou raised his eyebrows and said, "You just need to accept my reward with peace of mind!" ”

"Courtier, Thank You, Your Majesty Longen!" Jiang Xiaoyu kowtowed and said, such a gift is too grand, and things will be reversed, but it is not clear what the other party intends and what he really thinks.

"The prince did a good job on this trip!" Emperor Zhou looked at Zhao Ling again, and said with concern, "This time, the errand in the east is done, and I rushed to the west non-stop, can my body still eat?" ”

"The minister should also ask His Majesty for his guilt, he should have come back to report the situation in Qiandong to His Majesty as soon as possible, but because he was really worried about Xiaoyu's safety, he rushed over and asked His Majesty to atone for his sins!" Zhao Ling said with his fists clenched.

"It doesn't matter! You're always a good boy who values love and righteousness, and I don't blame you! In front of Zhao Ling, Emperor Zhou rarely showed a gentle smile, "You have done a good job in Qiandong, and you have also done a good job in going to the northwest, and you have stabilized the overall situation, and I will reward you for this matter!" Your reward will be announced tomorrow at the court meeting! It's just that this future daughter-in-law is now a marquis, I'm afraid you have thoughts in your heart! ”

"This is Your Majesty's great love for us, it's too late for the minister to be happy, how can he have any ideas?" Zhao Ling smiled slightly, "Your Majesty, we love us so much, I'm afraid that the two of us can walk sideways in the capital in the future, anyway, with Your Majesty's support!" ”

"You kid!" Emperor Zhou smiled helplessly, "This time I came back with an injury, go back and see how King Chu cleans you up!" ”

After settling the matter between Jiang Xiaoyu and Zhao Ling, he finally set his eyes on Zhao Yan again, and it became deep and difficult to figure out: "Second brother, you did a good job, go back and recuperate well!" ”

"Sons obey orders!"

Jiang Xiaoyu and Zhao Ling both won awards, but Zhao Yan received a word of praise that was not salty or light, and Emperor Zhou's thoughts were self-evident, although he turned the tide, he committed his taboo in the end.

Although the strategy of the third prince did not leave the second prince on the battlefield in the northwest, his goal has been achieved, and a prince who makes the emperor suspicious and guarded against it does not know how many difficulties he will face in the future.

And what made Jiang Xiaoyu feel chilled was that Zhao Yan almost died on the battlefield, he was a prince, and even more his son, but in the eyes of Emperor Zhou, he couldn't compare to the slightest threat to military power, without a concerned greeting, without showing a trace of warmth as a father.

In the imperial power, family affection is as thin as cicada wings.

The three of them left the palace, although there was no expected blame and punishment, but they did not have the slightest relaxation in their hearts. The more Emperor Zhou showed favor to them, the more people felt that the mystery and danger behind them were greater. The price is marked behind each gift, and I don't know when I will pay the price.

Especially after knowing that the eldest grandson's family was the mastermind behind the scenes, Jiang Xiaoyu became more and more suspicious of Emperor Zhou's role behind the scenes, and his own practice of finding out the mastermind behind the scenes to wash away his grandfather's grievances really worked? Or is Xiahou Sheng right, and the only solution is bloody violence?

Then Emperor Zhou's suspicion of himself may never have disappeared, his purpose for keeping himself alive may be more than she imagined, Emperor Zhou pushed her to the light, to the height, to become a target or a dagger?

What is his real purpose?

"Now that the affairs of the Northwest have been decided, don't think about it anymore!" Zhao Yan's serious face was a little loose, and he smiled comfortingly at Zhao Ling and Jiang Xiaoyu, "Zhao Ling and I are going to say hello to the imperial grandmother, Xiaoyu will go back first to report safety to the generals, Jiang Shangshu and they may already be waiting for you to go back!" ”

"It's better to go back first, and I'll look for you after I understand the matter!" Zhao Ling said softly.

Just when the three of them were about to separate, Mama Qu in the Queen Mother's Palace came to invite the three of them to go to Fengxi Palace together.

Since Emperor Zhou didn't say anything, the Queen Mother naturally wouldn't make trouble again because Jiang Xiaoyu went to the northwest without permission, but the Queen Mother is the Queen Mother after all, and her words occupy a lot of weight.

Su Xuan took care of the flowers and plants with the palace people in the courtyard, and when she saw the three of them entering, she nodded slightly, smiled faintly, and there was a warm smile in her eyes, but she didn't come over, she just looked at them from a distance, looking lonely and sad, which made people feel distressed.

Zhao Ling withdrew his gaze from her, his eyes were full of apology and guilt, smiled at her, and walked towards the house.

In the lobby, in addition to the Queen Mother, there are also the Queen Mother and Concubine Qi.