He smiled, as if comforting her. "But I think if Xie Chengyun knew that Prince Longqing would compete with him for the only spot, he wouldn't be discouraged. On the contrary, he may have the motivation to have a stronger will to fight.

Situ Yilan shook her head and said, "Prince Longqing is about to enter the Zhitian Realm, and Master Xie has just entered the Undoubted Realm. The differences between their countries are too great, so their will to fight will not play much of a role.

Looking at the students who were drinking happily on the terrace, she thought to herself that Prince Longqing decided to take a casual walk, just to make the students of the academy ashamed when the second floor opened the door the day after tomorrow. She said gloomily: "Although Master Xie is from the Southern Jin Dynasty, not from the Tang Empire, he has studied in the academy for a year after all. If he can enter the second floor, our Tang family will be acceptable. But if it is... Prince Longqing, who was accepted by all the students as the only one to enter the second floor, would definitely be angry and disappointed by the students of our academy.

Prince Longqing is from the Yan Kingdom and is a hostage. However, he is also the boss of the Ministry of Justice of Xishan Shrine and an opponent of the Tang Empire. Such a person, if he directly beats out the younger generation of the Tang Dynasty in Chang'an by virtue of his great strength, it will be a heavy blow to the face of the Tang Empire.

"I don't understand why the academy is following this rule this time. Situ Yilan frowned and looked at the fish swimming anxiously in the lake. She said, "Is it deliberately fueling the flames of Prince Longqing?"

Ning Que smiled and comforted her. "It hasn't started yet. We also didn't know how to get into the second floor of the academy. How could you have predicted in advance that the only one who could enter the second floor was Prince Longqing?

"Xishan Shrine is the old enemy of the Tang Empire. Even from the enemy's standpoint, I have to admit that Prince Longqing is definitely the best of the younger generation in this world, and he can hardly find an opponent.

Situ Yilan said in a gloomy mood: "It's not a shame to recognize the enemy's forces. What really distresses me is that in this generation, even if there are many talents in the Tang Empire, no one can really compete with him.

"Yes," Ning Zhiheng said with a smile.

Situ Yilan looked at him with a smile and said, "You want to say that you yourself are not convinced.

"Okay," Ning Que sighed, opened his arms, and said, "You don't have to worry about these things. It's all about reputation. Even if Prince Longqing moves his body, making men ashamed and women dizzy, the Yan Kingdom still has to pay tribute to the Tang Dynasty, and the Xishan Shrine still doesn't dare to provoke us. So there will be no essential change.

"It's about honor and dignity, not reputation. Since you are a border guard, why don't you look like a soldier at all?

"What should a Don Army soldier look like? Just like Hua Shanyue, holding the hilt of the sword with both hands, looking forward firmly like a wind? I don't think so. Soldiers defend their homes and open up new territories. They don't rely on the style of work, but on something else.

"Or else?"

"Discipline, courage and trust."

"Well, you should know Hua Shanyue, right?" Situ Yilan looked at him curiously.

Ning Que thought of making eye contact with the captain of the Gushan Command before. After a moment of silence, he replied with a smile: "He is the leader of the younger generation of the Tang Army, but I am just an ordinary person. We didn't know each other, but we only met once a year ago. I remember he didn't like me at the time.

Situ Yilan didn't know what happened during the trip to the grassland. She smiled and said, "I found that there seem to be very few people in Chang'an City who like you.

Ning Que shook his head and retorted. "You obviously don't know much about me. You can ask my neighbor at Lin 47th Street. Except for Wu Er's wife next door, everyone likes me. Last time, I also took you to the House of Red Sleeves, didn't you see those girls like me?

"Forget it." Situ Yilan looked at the quiet courtyard in the depths of the Victory Mansion and said, "Are you following us or going in alone?"

"What for?" Ning Que followed her gaze, shook his head, and said, "I don't want to eat with Your Highness, she may not even be able to tell us to go in."

"You guessed it, the princess is here." Situ Yilan smiled and said, "Your Highness usually doesn't call us in on weekdays, but since all the students of the academy are gathered here, the guests invited by Her Highness are definitely not ordinary people, so she will definitely invite us in."

Ning Que thought about it for a while, and then understood the hidden meaning in her words, just like Hua Shanyue. He couldn't help but smile sarcastically, and thought silently in his heart: "Li Yu, you still can't help but develop your own power among the younger generation of the Tang Empire in the end, enhance your influence, and at the same time show your strength to the guests......

"It's impossible for more than 100 people to get in." He smiled and said, "They need to select some people with good grades and morals to go in to greet His Highness." But I'm not one of them.

Situ Yilan remembered meeting his little maid Sang Sang one day in the princess's mansion. She was angry and said, "You are an old friend of Your Highness. The two of you are familiar with each other. If I take you in, who will dare to object?

...

...

The owner of Victory House must have a good background to buy the former censor's mansion and open a restaurant in the South City. But to run this restaurant for a living, the owner must be a powerful figure who can deal with all kinds of people. When the academy's students booked the lakeside terrace, he didn't make much money. However, on weekdays, for the convenience of the future, he will definitely find a way to get close to them. Today, however, he has no contact with those students. Instead, he stood outside respectfully like a manservant.

With a few plates of food in their hands, dozens of maids walked in a quiet house. After training, they did not make the slightest sound. All you could hear was the wind whistling through the treetops. The owner of the House of Victory stares at everyone's movements with his sharp eyes. After confirming that there was no problem, he relaxed a little and raised his arm to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

The host and guests, who can book the quietest and most expensive backyard in Shengli Mansion and let the boss serve everyone like a servant, must be the nobles at today's backyard feast. The host of today's banquet is Li Yu, the fourth princess of the Tang Dynasty. Her guest is really a respectable character. And if it arrives as scheduled, after the guests leave, they will not have the opportunity to return to Chang'an City for the rest of their lives.

At the end of the shiny ebony floor, two short tables sit side by side. A young-looking man sits at the table on the left-hand side. He wore a modest gown with a hosta in his hair. His brow was straight, his eyes were bright, and he appeared extremely calm and gentle. There are only a few faint strands of silver hair, which inadvertently reveal his depression over the years.

As a hostage in Chang'an for nearly ten years, Prince Yan looked at Tang Princess Li Yu calmly, holding a wine glass in his hand. He drank it slowly but firmly, and then sighed: "In the fourth year of Tianqi Yuan, I went to Chang'an and re-entered Chang'an for six years. So, I've actually known His Highness for 10 years. Although you went to the grassland for two years during that time, we also grew up with each other. Now this time, I don't know when we'll meet again, so I'm a little sad about that.

"Brother Chongming, we all know that if you still want to see me in Chang'an City, there must be two reasons. Because of this, it's best for us not to meet. If I don't have a chance, I'll go to the city to see you.

Li Yu smiled slightly, holding a small glass that he had been playing with for a long time between his fingers. Then, she took a soft sip. In fact, at the banquet, both of them knew that after the crown prince came back this time, he would definitely inherit the throne after the death of Emperor Yan. There are only two possibilities for the emperor to enter Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty: one is that the Yan Kingdom was destroyed by the Tang Empire, and he, as the emperor, was taken to Chang'an as a sacrifice to heaven. Second, he led the Yan army to attack Chang'an City.

For both possibilities, the former is too bleak and the latter is a bit unlikely. Therefore, Li Yu said that it was better for them not to meet.

"It's better not to meet." The prince smiled and said, "As you said, if you have the opportunity in the future, go to the capital city to see me." Then, I will be the host and treat you to something special.

"I'm not a kid anymore. Delicious food couldn't appeal to me. Li Yu smiled and said, "But Brother Chongming, you will be the emperor in the future." It's also handy if I ask you for something.

One is the orthodox heir to the throne of Yan. The other is the highest-ranking Tang princess. It seems that they only talked about their childhood friendship before separation. In fact, future controversies may be hidden in any sentence.

After a moment of silence, a bitter smile appeared on the prince's thin cheeks. He toasted and said in a low voice, "The emperor of a country...... It's hard to become. I have lived in Chang'an City for nearly ten years, and I have long been accustomed to the climate and customs here. In fact, I really don't want to go back.