vncnus Chapter 417 A Family of Five's Trip
Chapter 417 A Family of Five's Trip
On the battlefield of Silla today, the main enemy forces are Baekje and Goguryeo.
The original agreement stipulated that Japan, Goguryeo, Baekje, and the Northern Desert would launch a joint attack on Silla. However, the Northern Desert is currently embroiled in internal strife, Japan has been observing the situation, and Goguryeo, on the other hand, has to guard against the King of the Southern Desert and has only sent a small number of troops.
Li Yunjue became a stray dog, but his escape went very smoothly. He was covered by his followers along the way, and he himself was also very good at counter-surveillance.
There's no other way than practice makes perfect.
When he used the alias Dou Qiansheng, he was often pursued by the authorities.
Now he only hates that Prince Jin is too incompetent. With Prime Minister Pei in civil affairs and Xue Shunde in military affairs, he still managed to lose, causing him to lose his chance.
Li Yunjue fled to the Bohai Sea and successfully made contact with Xie Qingguang, the former heir of the Jiaqing Marquis and now a traitor. Xie Qingguang had become the son-in-law of the Right Minister of Japan and held a high position in Japan.
"Doesn't Your Highness, Prince Xun, feel wronged to be associated with a traitor like myself, a member of the imperial family?" Xie Qingguang was dressed like a Japanese, with a rat-braid on his head and a small mustache. Apart from his physique, he was no different from a Japanese.
Li Yunjue thought of his wife and children far away in the capital, who were probably already in prison. But when he saw Xie Qingguang in front of him, he realized that his wife and children had also been beheaded and that Xie Qingguang had married and had children in Japan.
A real man, as long as he has wealth and power, why should he worry about not having a wife and children!
He quickly suppressed his grief and laughed, "Once I have fulfilled my father's last wish and ascended the throne, I will certainly lend you a hand, Lord Xie."
In Japan at present, the Right Minister whom Xie Qingguang has pledged allegiance to is in a very precarious situation. Kurayada Ishikawa is a rising star in reform, and his Taika Reform has damaged the interests of the great nobles. The anti-reform faction wants him dead.
The anti-reform faction in the country reported that Kurayada Ishikawa was suspected of treason and impeached him for colluding with a traitorous minister of the Great Zhou, which was detrimental to the country.
Although the accusations were all fabricated, the anti-reform faction was more united than ever before, and the Emperor was finding it difficult to control them.
Just then, the Baekje emperor sought help. The war with Silla had dragged on for too long, and there was widespread opposition within the country. If Japan did not send troops, Baekje would be unable to continue.
In order to divert domestic attention and maintain its prestige in front of Baekje, the Emperor decided to mobilize the entire nation to send troops to Silla, forming an eastern and western front with Baekje, and to annihilate Silla in one fell swoop.
The two discussed the war. Li Yunjue had just come from the capital city and had not forgotten to collect some information during his escape. He was using this as a stepping stone to meet the Japanese emperor.
In the capital, Li Yuanke also received information about Li Yunjue's movements. He was relieved to know that Li Yunjue had made contact with Xie Qingguang. If not, he would have to help him discreetly.
"Yun Yue is on the front line in the southeast, and Li Yuanyin is in the rear. Their warships are equipped with gunpowder and their hulls are lined with steel plates. The Japanese ships are like ants trying to shake a tree when facing the ships of our Great Zhou. Unless Yun Yue betrays us, we will not lose this battle no matter what," Shen Shixi said.
Li Yuanke, however, had other plans. "I want to go to the Southeast to see this naval battle with my own eyes. Are you sure you're right?"
He had always heard Shen Shixi talk about ships of a thousand li and two thousand li, but he had never actually seen one.
Of course, Li Yuanke would never have considered this if Shen Shixi were not in the court.
Seeing that he was just there to watch the excitement and looked rather pitiful, Shen Shixi agreed, but made one request: that he bring all four of his children along.
Li Yuanke had the same idea, but he was afraid that if he took everything with him, his wife would be too lonely in the deep palace, so he didn't say anything.
Hearing Shen Shixi make such a request, you can tell that this bastard doesn't want to take care of the child for even a minute.
I don't know if she simply doesn't want to take care of the child, or if she just dislikes his child and feels incredibly wronged.
That night, Li Yuanke punished her severely twice, but then felt quite reluctant to let her go. "Why don't you come with us?"
Shen Shixi didn't want that. "No, we're not going. If we all leave, what if our base is taken over and the whole family has to flee?"
Shen Shixi mainly didn't want to travel far with the children. Parents with kids know that they'll never have a peaceful life. It's a rare holiday, why would they rush off to go? Would they be stupid?
The four kids were overjoyed when they heard they were going on a long trip with their dad to the beach.
Xihe even went to talk to the Seventh Prince, asking him to go with her, but the Seventh Prince was quite self-aware. He knew that with his crippled body, he might not be able to come back, so he politely declined Xihe's invitation.
Xihe promised to bring him back a conch shell. "My mother said that the sea is boundless and deep blue, with seagulls flying everywhere, and you can find conch shells on the beach."
Xihe took out the conch shell that Pei Yanli had given her and Dongjun as gifts and gave it to her seventh brother, saying, "When I come back, I will bring you an even prettier conch shell, and then you can return this one to me."
The Seventh Prince laughed and said, "Alright! Be careful!"
The other princes and princesses were all envious. Although they were allowed to leave the palace, they were limited to the capital. None of them had ever seen the sea, and who didn't yearn for distant places?
Consort Xian was telling the Second Prince about the Empress's arrangements. He and the First Princess were getting on in years and it was time for them to settle down and start families.
Consort Xian said, "Her Majesty the Empress means that you have done a good job in your duties these past few years. First, we will select a consort for you, then bestow a title upon you, and it is time for you to establish your own residence and command."
Upon exiting the palace gates, the Second Prince was jolted awake by the cold wind. He then turned and went to Qian Yuan Palace to request an audience with his mother.
"Your Majesty, I thank you for your concern, but I have no plans to marry at the moment. I heard from my mother that you wish to bestow a title upon me, but I have done nothing of merit, nor have I contributed anything to the court or the people. How can I possibly accept such a favor from Father and Mother?"
Shen Shixi said, "It's good that you think this way. So tell me, what are your plans?"
The second prince said, "Your Majesty, I wish to go to the battlefield. The southwest, northwest, north, or northeast are all acceptable. Please advise me!"
Shen Shixi said, "I can't give you any advice on this. You should ask your father."
Shen Shixi's words were half true and half false, and the Second Prince knew it perfectly well. His mother would never tell him where would be more suitable right now. On the battlefield, swords and spears have no eyes, and if he died on the battlefield, his mother was afraid that his father would blame him.
In fact, the emperor might not have cared whether he had lost a son or not.
Sure enough, when he asked his father, the emperor told him to go to the southeastern battlefield, join Yun Yue's forces, and hide his identity.
Because once he reveals his identity, Yun Yue will have to protect him, which would be a hindrance rather than a contribution.
The second prince agreed. After disguising himself, he headed straight for the southeast route and became a soldier under Yun Yue. He always took the lead in battle and was highly regarded by his comrades.
Li Yuanke set off with his four children, first taking a carriage to the dock, then a boat northward. The battlefield was in Silla, but Li Yuanke wanted to watch the battle from Baodi. There was a salt field there, which used a new method of salt production, and he would take his children to see it.
Shen Shixi saw the children off at the dock. Wang Shu cried when she saw that her mother hadn't come with her.
Li Yuanke comforted his beloved youngest son, "Don't cry. Mother will stay here to watch the house so that Father can take you to see the sea. Wangshu wanted to ride a big ship, right? This time, Father will take you on a big ship."
Li Yuanke's chariot, this treasure ship, was also newly built, but because it sailed on the river, it was quite different from the large ships that could withstand wind and waves at sea.
The Ninth Prince originally wanted to come along, but Li Yuanke didn't want to bring another child and wouldn't allow it.
There were only four legitimate sons on the ship.
The Crown Prince and Xihe had a very regular daily routine. They would get up in the morning to practice martial arts and archery, then read books and do exercises. They would take a nap at noon, and in the afternoon, they would each read the books they brought. Sometimes the siblings would exchange books or discuss a certain historical event.
In the evenings, I would play with my younger brothers, go fishing, or spend time with my father.
Fu Guang's favorite thing to do every day is to lie on the deck chair in Class A, with a parasol over his head, and lie there very comfortably.
When they passed through Dezhou, the locals brought in several large cold melons, which were said to be an improved variety of cold melon with thin skin, thick flesh, and sweetness. The Crown Prince, Xihe, and Wangshu were all sharing them, and Li Yuanke came over after hearing about it.
There he was, his eleventh son, lounging on a deck chair like an old man, the wind carrying the dampness of the sea breeze. He was so comfortable that he squinted his eyes and crossed one leg. If he were wearing sunglasses, and if he were to change his short-sleeved shirt and shorts into beach shorts and a floral headscarf, one would think he had been transported to the southern coast of France in the 21st century.