When Tai Hao heard the emperor's determination to exterminate the bandits in the south, he asked curiously: "Has Your Majesty decided which general will lead the army to the expedition?" ”

Xuan Cheng nodded slightly and replied, "I already have an arrangement!" However, some of the ministers of the court seemed to be quite enthusiastic about eradicating the banditry in the south, and they tried to find an opportunity to make a contribution in this matter. In fact, I have already seen their minds......"

Tai Hao exclaimed: "Your Majesty is wise! ”

Xuan Cheng continued: "I originally planned to let Shao Ling go on the expedition in person, but I had some concerns in my heart, and I didn't know whether to trust him or not. ”

Tai Hao asked with concern: "What is Your Majesty worried about?" ”

Xuan Cheng hesitated: "You don't need to ask about this matter, Taihao Aiqing, putting aside your personal relationship, who do you think is the safest to send to the south to suppress the bandits?" ”

Tai Hao said: "Wei Chen has just said that a general who has experienced a hundred battles must be sent, and if there is one more condition, it is ...... It would be better for this general to have some background in the rivers and lakes. Because Your Majesty also said just now, the bandits in the south are not only ordinary bandits and bandits, but also some martial arts masters in the rivers and lakes, and it is easier to confront them by sending officials with a background in the rivers and lakes. ”

Xuan Cheng responded, "You said it well, and I think so too. ”

Tai Hao continued: "Therefore, if you really want to let Wechen suggest, Wechen thinks that General Canggu can take on this great responsibility. There are two reasons, first, General Canggu has participated in several major battles and already has a lot of combat experience. Second, General Canggu's master is the Chitian hero in the 'Seven Heroes of Black and White Mountain', and he can be regarded as having a background in the rivers and lakes. ”

Xuan Cheng pondered for a moment and said, "What Taihao Aiqing said is very true, I am very familiar with Canggu, and I can be regarded as watching him grow up. His experience and background make him an ideal candidate to eradicate banditry in the South. However, I also need to consider other factors, such as his ability to coordinate with other generals, the size of his army, and the supply of food and grass. ”

Tai Hao understood the emperor's concerns and said: "Your Majesty, don't worry, although General Canggu has something extraordinary, Weichen believes that he can cooperate well with other generals. As for the establishment of the army and the supply of food and grass, Wechen can assist His Majesty in scheduling and ensuring that the army has sufficient supplies. ”

Xuan Cheng smiled and said: "Taihao Aiqing, you are about to go to Tibet, how can you have time to assist him." I have already made a decision on this matter, so I will not discuss it for the time being. ”

Tai Hao smiled slightly and said, "Your Majesty is wise, since you have made a decision, Weichen will naturally obey." However, Wei Chen still wants to suggest to His Majesty that General Canggu is indeed capable of this task, and his background and experience in the rivers and lakes will become a great weapon for us to eradicate the bandits in the south. ”

Xuan Cheng glanced at Tai Hao deeply and sighed: "Tai Hao Aiqing is really thoughtful, and I appreciate your loyalty and intelligence very much. Since you insist on recommending General Canggu, then I can rest assured that he will go on the expedition. ”

Tai Hao smiled and said: "Your Majesty trusts Wei Chen, it is an honor for Wei Chen. Weichen believed that if General Canggu led his troops to the battle, he would be able to ensure that the bandits in the south would be quelled as soon as possible. ”

Xuan Cheng said: "Tomorrow morning, I will personally announce this matter. Taihao Aiqing, I came to see you today, mainly because of the matter of Tubo, the envoy of the Eastern Empire who is now stationed in Tubo is Yan Yi Aiqing, and you can cooperate closely with him after you arrive in Tubo, after all, he has been in Tubo for three years as an envoy. You will have three months to deal with the affairs of Tibet, and then you can return to the court, and after you return, I will have another important matter that needs your help. ”

Tai Hao asked, "I don't know what it is, I need Weichen's assistance." ”

Xuan Cheng said: "When you return from your visit to Tibet, I will tell you." ”

Tai Hao only felt that the emperor's words were a little mysterious, but he didn't ask, but replied solemnly: "Weichen obeys the order and will do his best to complete the task." ”

Xuan Cheng nodded with satisfaction and said, "Taihao Aiqing, your intelligence is outstanding, and I have high hopes for you. On this trip to Tibet, you must be careful and do not forget my advice to you. ”

Tai Hao kowtowed and said: "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, Weichen will definitely live up to the trust and do his best for the court." ”

His Majesty the Emperor immediately left the Chengwang Mansion, Tai Hao bowed respectfully to see him off, and the dragon chariot slowly started, and at that moment, it seemed that time was frozen for it. A complicated emotion flashed in Taihao's eyes, but it was quickly covered up by a respectful look. Behind the curtain of the dragon chariot, the figure of His Majesty the Emperor had faded out of sight, and Taihao was still standing there, as if waiting for something.

On that sunny afternoon, Lord Taihao gave an order to the family, carefully put the plaque of "Chengwangfu" into the treasury, and then presented a new plaque - "Taihao Mansion". The new plaque shone in the sunlight and seemed to tell a new story.

At this time, Jing Ye returned to the mansion, and in the front hall, he reported to Tai Hao: "My lord, I have found out the background of that person. ”

Taihao said: "Let's hear it." ”

Jing Ye continued: "The vast number of people originally served as the city lord in Jichuan City, but they were transferred to Thousand Winds City a year ago and directly assumed the position of city lord. He had always had close contacts with the court officials during his time in Jichuan Castle, and it is said that his promotion was inseparable from the court officials. Among them, the most frequent contacts with it are none other than the Imperial Master Zi Dish, and ......"

Seeing him pause, Tai Hao asked, "And what?" ”

Jing Ye said: "As well as the Shaoling Horse, how many of them are involved is unknown." However, his subordinates believe that this Qi Guang should be an important member of the Shaoling Horse Party. ”

Tai Hao said: "Is there any other relationship between this Qi Guang and Zi Cai?" ”

Jing Ye said: "I heard a family member in the City Lord's Mansion say that the vast number of people and Lord Zicai are indeed related, but the subordinates don't know what kind of relatives they are. ”

Tai Hao nodded slightly: "Everything was expected by me, I guessed correctly, he really said those words to me for Shaoling." ”

Taihao can now determine the relationship between Shaoling, Zi Cai and Qi Guang, in order to make Tai Hao refuse the emperor's assignment, Qi Guang even threatened the concubine Niangniang and Tai Hao's son, it seems that Qi Guang is truly loyal to Shaoling. However, Taihao will never let their plot succeed. Tai Hao knew that once Shaoling successfully led the army to the south, it would not only cause division within the imperial court, but also bring a huge crisis to the country. And all this, he will become an accomplice of the black hand behind the scenes. At the moment, Taihao is facing a problem, that is, he can't anger the Shaoling party for the time being, because his son's whereabouts are unknown now, and the relationship between himself and the concubine Niangniang can't be made public, which is likely to bring death to Mao Ru. Therefore, he had to come up with a foolproof solution to prevent this from happening.

Taihao was lying on the bed, his heart was in turmoil. He tossed and turned, his thoughts so full of thoughts that he couldn't sleep at night. He didn't know anything about the situation of the officials in the DPRK and China, and he didn't know how many officials of the Shaoling Party were manipulating everything behind the scenes.

Since entering the officialdom, Zi Dish has always been his enemy, and he has spent nearly eight years in Yichuan City, but he has been calculated and persecuted by Zi Bowl. However, it is unbelievable that now Zi Dish has become the Imperial Doctor, with a high position. This made Taihao wonder if all this was the result of Zi Cai's own efforts, or was he ordered by Shaoling?

Since Shaoling became a colt, it seems that the distance between him and Taihao has become more and more distant. Tai Hao didn't understand where he had offended Shao Ling and let him target him so mercilessly. He was puzzled, and his heart was full of confusion and uneasiness.

In this officialdom full of intrigue and power struggles, Taihao feels like a lonely boat, rocking in the rough sea. He knows that in order to gain a foothold in this world, he must know the true colors of his enemies and friends, as well as the rules of the power game. However, it all takes time and patience, and Taihao urgently needs to find answers at this moment in order to deal with the dilemmas and challenges that may be faced in the future.

The next day, the morning light dewed slightly, and the sky was dyed a pale blue. The promenade in the palace looks empty and solemn in the morning light. A group of officials, dressed in neat court clothes, entered the palace in an endless stream, their faces full of seriousness and awe.

The glittering frescoes in the palace glitter in the sunlight, and the candlelight on the candelabra and the silver utensils add to the solemnity. One of the huge screens is embroidered with delicate dragon and phoenix motifs, symbolizing the majesty and dignity of the royal family.

The civil and military officials stood neatly on both sides of the hall with wat boards in their hands, their eyes glued to the dragon chair in the center, waiting for the emperor's arrival. The silence in the air was broken by the Emperor's bodyguards, who raised their banners and shouted, "The Emperor has arrived!" Immediately the whole hall rang with a solemn bell.

Emperor Xuancheng wore a golden dragon robe and a jade crown, and walked into the main hall with a solemn expression. His gaze swept over the main hall, and all the officials knelt down in unison, shouting: "Long live my emperor, long live, long live!" The Emperor nodded slightly, motioning for them to flatten.

Afterwards, Emperor Xuancheng asked in a deep voice, "Has the envoy of Tubo arrived today?" His words drifted through the air, as if with a hint of nervousness and anticipation.

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a steady sound of footsteps in the queue, and Koza Demba walked steadily out of the crowd, his brow full of determination and determination. He walked in front of Emperor Xuancheng, took a deep breath, and shouted loudly: "Your Majesty, the foreign minister Kuzha Dengba is here!" His voice echoed through the hall, and every word was full of power.

Emperor Xuancheng looked at Kozha Demba with a thoughtful look on his face, and he slowly spoke: "Envoy of Tibet, I have made a decision. I will appoint Taihao Aiqing as an envoy of our Eastern Empire to visit the Tibetan Kingdom on my behalf. I will set out tomorrow, and I will also send Prince Xuanbao to accompany him. There was an irresistible majesty and determination in his tone.

As soon as the words fell, there was a dead silence in the court. The ministers spoke to each other in low voices, their faces suspicious, their eyes full of confusion. They knew that at this moment, the emperor's decision was quite controversial, but they did not dare to speak out.

They speculated in their hearts about the emperor's intentions, and they all thought that the emperor's move was just an expedient measure. Could it be that the crown prince went to Tibet really just for the peace of the country? Isn't the emperor afraid that the prince will become a hostage and be led by the nose? All these doubts are like thick clouds pressing on the top, which makes the court even more depressed.

Despite their doubts, the ministers could only sigh in their hearts. The emperor's mind is unfathomable, what can they do?