Chapter 441: Group Pampering

In the afternoon, Qiao Mansion gradually became lively.

First it was Duke Yan, then Xiao Hongda and his wife. Near dinner time, Shen Yuanzhan came with Xiao Qianlan and Xiaosi.

Everyone came out to greet her, and Shen Yuanzhan saw Jiaojiao being held in Duke Yan's arms at a glance.

"Brother Emperor!"

Everyone knelt down respectfully, only Jiaojiao smiled and waved.

Shen Yuanzhan's eyebrows arched, and he quickly let everyone level up, while he hugged Jiaojiao himself.

He looked at Jiaojiao carefully, and then he relaxed his eyebrows and said with a smile: "Well, I went on a long journey, and it seems that she has not suffered at all, and she has grown up a bit."

Jiaojiao put her hands on her hips, raised her chin and said, "Of course, daddy and eldest brother take good care of Jiaojiao very well!"

"Brother Emperor, is Xiao Zhen'er here?"

Everyone calls Shen Chengzhen "Prince", only Jiaojiao and Xiaosi happily call him "Xiao Zhen'er".

Xiao Qianlan on the side heard the words and came up to hug Jiaojiao, smiled and shook her head, "Jiaojiao, Zhen'er is still too young, would you like to go to the palace to see him tomorrow?"

When Jiaojiao saw Xiao Qianlan, her eyes suddenly lit up.

Xiao Qianlan is really in great condition now, her whole face is radiant, she really looks like a graceful peony.

This afternoon, Jiaojiao has learned some information about Xiao Qianlan from Xiao Qianyue.

Since Shen Yuanzhan ascended the throne, Xiao Qianlan is still the only one in the harem.

I heard that these days, there are many attempts to persuade Shen Yuanzhan to draft a draft to expand the harem, but Shen Yuanzhan suppressed them all.

Xiao Qianyue heard the news and went to the palace to see Xiao Qianlan. She was impatient and worried that her sister would be unhappy.

It was only after she entered the palace that she discovered that her sister was very calm and did not even take these messages to heart.

When Jiaojiao heard Xiao Qianlan's reaction, she had already expected it.

The two daughters of the Xiao family have very different personalities. The eldest daughter, Xiao Qianlan, has a pure heart and is a true lady of the family, while the second daughter, Xiao Qianyue, is "deviant" and is a real tomboy.

The reason why Xiao Qianyue can live such a straightforward life is precisely because the sister in front of her has shouldered all the responsibilities for her.

Xiao Qianlan abides by the rules and knows how to advance and retreat. She and Shen Yuanzhan have a true friendship. The two play the piano and the piano in harmony, and they have a deep love for each other. But even so, Xiao Qianlan never thought that she would be the only one in the harem.

This was the education she received since she was a child. Even a man has three wives and four concubines, let alone the king of a country?

Moreover, the harem is not just a place for the emperor to relax, but is closely related to the harem of the previous dynasty. In addition to love, Xiao Qianlan also has the responsibility of being the mother of a country.

She had been prepared for this from the beginning when she married the most noble man in the world, and now she and Shen Yuanzhan enjoy and respect each other, which is already extremely precious.

"Jiaojiao, how is the scenery in Nanli?"

Xiao Qianlan pinched her delicate little nose and asked affectionately.

Jiaojiao tilted her head, raised her fingers and answered seriously.

Xiao Qianlan listened very carefully and occasionally asked a few questions.

Shen Yuanzhan felt very warm in his heart when he saw Xiao Qianlan and Jiaojiao laughing and talking.

He cherishes Xiao Qianlan very much, she is his wife and the mother of the country.

She has a tough mind and looks gentle and quiet, but in fact she is confident and independent.

General Xiao taught her the righteousness of her family and country, and Mrs. Xiao taught her how to be a mother and a wife. He had never had any extravagant hopes for love before, he just wanted to find a qualified crown princess. Unexpectedly, this search would find her in his heart.

He suppressed all the attempts to persuade him to draft a concubine, and even summoned the one who was jumping up and down to the Imperial Study Room for a lecture.

Now is the critical period of preparations for the Northern Expedition, so what about the draft?

Furthermore, the queen has already given birth to a crown prince for him, and they will have a second son and a little princess in the future. Why should the ministers worry about his affairs for him?

However, he had never said these words in front of Xiao Qianlan, although it was a bit "angry".

After his queen heard about the draft, she acted too calmly, as if she didn't care at all...

"Ahem, please take your seats."

In order to prevent his thoughts from leaking, Shen Yuanzhan immediately shifted his attention.

After hearing this, everyone took their seats one after another, and after dinner, Jiaojiao began her "wandering" journey.

I have to say that sometimes being too popular is also a pain.

After not seeing Jiaojiao for three months, everyone felt strange. Jiaojiao took turns sitting on everyone's legs, almost feeling dizzy.

After a lap, she finally returned to her mother's arms.

Since everyone had fed her just now, everyone was still eating, but Jiaojiao was full.

She glanced at the people on the table one by one, feeling warm in her heart.

The Qiao family is now the "cannon fodder base camp". Except for Tan Hanchi, who was originally scheduled to be with the hero, there seems to be no one at this table who has died well...

Fortunately, everyone's destiny has changed now, which gives her more confidence and reason to persevere!

After dinner, everyone prepared a birthday gift for Jiaojiao.

Jiaojiao couldn't help but feel flattered. After all, her birthday was more than a month ago, but she didn't expect that everyone still remembered it.

She stood among the piles of gifts, her nose was sore, but everyone looked at her tenderly, with smiles in their eyes.

As the night progressed, everyone left one after another. Jiaojiao specially walked to the gate and waved to them one by one.

Xiaosi delayed for a long time, until Jiaojiao promised to go to the palace to find him and the Queen Mother tomorrow, Xiaosi left happily.

The lively Qiao Mansion suddenly became quiet, but Jiaojiao did not feel lonely. Her heart was filled to the brim, and on the way back to the main courtyard, her small steps were flying.

On the side, Mrs. Qiao talked about Qiao Diyi's marriage with a smile on her face.

"Husband, Erlang and Qianyue are getting older soon. Erlang had no fame before, and I am embarrassed to mention it."

"Now that Erlang is the general of the Jinwu Guard, it doesn't mean that he has wronged Qianyue. Can you go and talk to Brother Xiao?"

When Jiaojiao heard this, her ears tingled and her face suddenly became excited.

【Aha! The second sister-in-law is finally coming in! Now the house is really going to be lively, and all the "jumping around like chickens and dogs" is not a big deal, haha! 】

Qiao Zhongguo raised his lips slightly when he heard Jiaojiao's thoughts.

In this marriage, it's not certain whether the girl Qian Yue came in or the boy Lao Er barged in.

Wait, he will talk to Lao Da tomorrow, and he can't let his old brother suffer.

If it doesn't work out, let the second child go and support the Xiao family. That kid looks very willing!

"Madam, don't worry. I'll go talk to my husband tomorrow. Lao Da has been waiting for me for a long time!"

Seeing that they were about to reach the main courtyard, Jiaojiao's eyes narrowed and she consciously went to find Aunt Liu.

[Ahem, as a caring little cotton-padded jacket, the first priority is not to disturb the reunion of parents after a long separation! 】

"Mom and Dad, Jiaojiao is sleepy. I think dad and mom still have a lot to say. Jiaojiao will go and sleep with Aunt Liu tonight."

Mrs. Qiao's face turned red immediately after hearing Jiaojiao's thoughts.

Qiao Zhongguo grinned.

Look, how considerate this girl is.

He almost went crazy thinking about his wife all this time!

Chapter 442 A good girl is better than a thousand families

After going to court on the second day, Qiao Zhongguo took Qiao Diyi and went straight to Xiao Mansion.

Qiao Diyi specially took a half-day off. On weekdays, when he went to Xiao Mansion, it was as if he was going back to his own home. Today, he was following Qiao Zhongguo, but his shoulders shrunk like a quail.

When Qiao Zhongguo turned around and saw Qiao Diyi's behavior, he was so angry that he gave him a big showdown.

"What do you look like with your head and tail shrunken!"

Qiao Diyi looked up worriedly, his face full of uneasiness.

"Dad, my son is worried that the second young lady looks down on me. You are not in Beijing these days, so you don't know. The second young lady is so rare. All the young men in our Jinwu Guard like her!"

"She is Lao Da's daughter, and she is such a transparent and straightforward girl. Of course she is popular!"

Qiao Zhongguo admired Xiao Qianyue very much, and he took it for granted when he heard this.

"But we can't belittle ourselves. You're not a bad boy, and you're Lao Da's beloved disciple. We have a first-come-first-served position."

"Hold your head high! Show some of the momentum I had when I proposed marriage!"

Qiao Diyi had never heard his father mention the matter of coming to propose marriage back then, and he couldn't help but look curious when he heard this.

"Dad, how did you get such a huge advantage and marry your mother back home?"

Hearing this, Qiao Zhongguo raised his chin slightly and said with pride:

"Your grandparents died young, and my father was still a man in the Duke of Yan's mansion. Although your grandfather beat him out with a broom, I couldn't bear to be so thick-skinned!"

"I went there five times in a row. I brought heavy gifts back every time. Your grandfather was satisfied. He chased me three streets and insisted on recognizing me as his son-in-law!"

Qiao Diyi: "..."

What blind confidence...

I have to say, I was inspired by my dad's shamelessness!

Thinking of this, Qiao Diyi raised his head, puffed up his chest, and rushed!

"Old Qiao, Erlang, if you continue to punish me like this, others will think that you two are here to seek revenge."

Xiao Hongda received a report from his servants that Qiao Zhongguo and Qiao Diyi were standing at the door with arrogant faces and did not come in for a long time. To his surprise, he personally welcomed them out.

Qiao Diyi couldn't help but feel guilty when he saw his master. Qiao Zhongguo had already walked in with a smile on his face.

The three of them entered the living room. Qiao Zhongguo pushed Qiao Diyi forward and said loudly: "Old Xiao, I have sent your son here!"

Qiao Diyi was pushed and staggered, and quickly knelt down in front of Xiao Hongda.

Xiao Hongda had just seen Qiao Diyi's expression on his face, and he actually had a vague suspicion in his mind.

When he returned home from Qiao's house yesterday, he told his wife about this matter. He didn't expect Lao Qiao to act so quickly and come to the door the next day.

Xiao Hongda was naturally very satisfied with Qiao Diyi, but Qianyue's child was special after all. Therefore, even though he and Qiao Zhongguo were as close as brothers, Xiao Hongda still straightened his expression and said in a deep voice:

"Erlang, is this also what you want?"

Qiao Diyi raised his head and stared at Xiao Hongda, and the uneasiness he felt just now disappeared.

The master treats him like his own son, and he must be honest.

"Master, my disciple has long recognized the second young lady. If I am lucky enough to marry the second young lady in this life, my disciple will definitely cherish her and love her, and I will not let her suffer the slightest injustice."

Xiao Hongda looked at Qiao Diyi steadily. He saw the sincerity and sincerity on the young man's face, but it was not enough.

So he shook his head slightly.

Qiao Diyi's expression changed drastically when he saw this, but Qiao Zhongguo stood aside and saw clearly without saying a word.

"Master, what is my disciple doing wrong? As long as the master points it out, my disciple will do his best to do it!"

Qiao Diyi spoke eagerly, feeling terrified.

Xiao Hongda patted Qiao Diyi on the shoulder and said warmly:

"Erlang, I have never detained Yue'er as a teacher. She has been very good-boned since she was a child. Compared with holding a needle and a pen, she is better at holding a gun."

"She is arrogant and does not want to be confined to her inner house. One day, she will be like you, galloping on horseback and going into battle to kill the enemy."

"Erlang, my master is telling you these words. Yue'er will not be the good wife and mother that others think of her. She will not even be willing to be a husband and raise children. If you marry her, it may lead to rumors and criticism. You may accept it. These?"

Qiao Diyi breathed a sigh of relief when Xiao Hongda said this.

He straightened his back and said seriously:

"The Xiao family has no son. A good girl is better than a thousand families. Master, Erlang knew from the beginning that Yue'er is also an eagle that fights in the sky."

"There are thousands of women in the world, and they all have their own destinations and choices. Erlang's mother is gentle but strong, my sister-in-law is smart and kind-hearted, cousin An Ning, and the queen, they are all admirable."

"Yue'er is actually the same as them, except that her ambition is to ride on the battlefield. Erlang has already made up his mind. He is willing to be the wind that sends her straight to the blue clouds, and serve his country with Yue'er!"

When Qiao Diyi said this, he kowtowed heavily to Xiao Hongda.

Xiao Hongda couldn't help but be moved when he saw Qiao Diyi leaning on the ground. Qiao Zhongguo's face was filled with relief and pride when he heard this.

He had already said that the second child was a piece of jade.

He has grown up quietly in three years. These words are so touching that even a father like him cannot say them better.

Ding——

At this moment, a soft sound suddenly came from the side room. The three people in the hall turned their heads to look at the same time, but only saw a crimson skirt flashing past.

Qiao Diyi's heart skipped a beat.

It's Yue'er!

"You brat, why don't you chase me!"

Seeing this, Qiao Zhongguo lightly kicked Qiao Diyi's butt.

Qiao Diyi was slightly startled and quickly looked up at Xiao Hongda, who already nodded with a smile on his face.

Qiao Diyi was ecstatic when he saw this. He knew that the master had agreed to marry Yue'er to him!

"Thank you Master!"

Qiao Diyi kowtowed heavily, quickly got up and chased after him, his steps were eager and full of the brightness and enthusiasm of a young man.

Qiao Zhongguo looked at Qiao Diyi's back from a distance, filled with emotion, and suddenly stepped forward and hugged Xiao Hongda's shoulders.

"Lao Da, now we can be considered a real family. I treat Yue'er as my own child."

Xiao Hongda was filled with emotion when he heard this, and even couldn't help but blush.

"Old Qiao, Lan'er once said to me that only one of the general's daughters should abide by the rules. As the eldest daughter, she is willing to take on all responsibilities. She just wants Yue'er to be free and innocent."

"If Yue'er can marry into your Qiao family, it will be considered as fulfilling Lan'er's wishes. That child is too sensible. As a father, I always feel that I owe her a lot."

"Now that both daughters have a home to go to, I have no regrets in my heart. Let Yue'er go with Erlang on this Northern Expedition."

Hearing this, Qiao Zhongguo nodded solemnly. Seeing that his old brother was slightly sentimental, he quickly joked:

"I probably owed you Lao Da in my previous life, so I have to give you a son in this life."

"The Qiao family already has an eldest son, so the second eldest son will support your Xiao family. If they have a child in the future, they will take your surname!"

Xiao Hongda naturally wanted what he wanted. Hearing this, his eyebrows stretched and he nodded repeatedly, "Since you are so generous, Old Qiao, brother, I would rather obey you than obey you!"

Qiao Zhongguo chuckled.

"Chengchengcheng, but there is one thing. Can I, the grandfather, choose the name of the child?"

"I have already thought about it. The boy's name will be Xiao Ziqiang, and the girl's name will be Xiao Xiaoxiao. Isn't it nice?"

Xiao Hongda: "..."

It seems that after Erlang and Yue'er's child is born, they have to sneak up on the Xiao family tree first and decide on the name before Lao Qiao takes action!

Chapter 443 The ending of Qiao Erlang and Xiao Qianyue

Qiao Diyi chased Xiao Qianyue all the way to the square where martial arts was practiced. When he saw Xiao Qianyue stopped, his heart beat wildly and he hurriedly called out:

"Second Miss!"

Xiao Qianyue never turned around. Qiao Diyi swallowed his saliva and said awkwardly:

"Second Miss, today Erlang... came with his father to propose marriage. I want to marry Second Miss as my wife!"

"The words I just said in front of Master were all from Erlang's heart. Erlang felt happy the first time he saw Erlang, it's true!"

Qiao Diyi no longer hides his feelings.

I didn't dare to say it out loud in the past because I haven't walked a clear path in front of my elders. It's not only illegal to speak rashly, but it will also offend the second lady.

Now that the master has agreed, Qiao Diyi is almost bursting with joy and admiration. He can't wait to let the second lady know that he has recognized her from the first moment he saw her!

Xiao Qianyue stood still, she did not dare to turn around, because at this time she was already blushing with embarrassment.

She was about to go out just now. Yesterday she made an appointment with Jiaojiao to go into the palace to meet her sister. But when she got to the door, she saw the Qiao family and his son mumbling outside.

She was curious, and when she saw her father coming out to greet her, her mood changed and she went into the living room first.

She didn't expect to hear such words. Erlang of the Qiao family said that she was an eagle fighting in the sky and that she was an admirable woman.

She heard the true love from Qiao Jiaerlang's words, her heart was pounding, and then a dense joy welled up.

She also likes Erlang Qiao, really.

From the moment he carried her on his back at Huguo Temple, she fell in love with him.

The young man is handsome and has great martial arts skills. He may look naive, but in fact he is polite and respects his daughter's family.

"Second Miss, you...you are so kind, will you marry me?"

"I do!"

Xiao Qianyue was lost in thought. As soon as Qiao Diyi said this, she answered it smoothly.

Xiao Qianyue: "..."

Could she be acting a little too eager?

When Qiao Diyi heard this, his eyebrows relaxed, and at this moment, the corners of his mouth widened, and he was so happy that his whole body seemed to be glowing!

Xiao Qianyue clenched her sleeves. She was not a shy person. Now that everything was said, she turned around openly.

The girl's body was covered in red, as hot as a ball of fire, and her eyebrows were so bright that you couldn't take your eyes away.

She stepped up and walked slowly to Qiao Diyi, and the two stood two or three steps apart.

Xiao Qianyue suddenly looked serious and asked seriously: "Northern Expedition, are you going?"

Qiao Diyi was stunned for a moment, then nodded solemnly, "Of course."

Xiao Qianyue heard this and immediately said: "If you marry me, you will have to take me with you on the Northern Expedition!"

Qiao Diyi had long been mentally prepared for this, and immediately replied seriously: "Okay, let's ride to the battlefield side by side!"

When Xiao Qianyue saw Qiao Diyi's answer so confidently, the last stone in her heart fell to the ground, and her face became gentle.

She did not hide it from Qiao Diyi, but said very frankly: "It is my sister who makes me happy as I am today. She has never mentioned it in front of me, but I know it very well."

"Now that she is the queen, this world belongs to the Shen family, but my sister also has a share, and Xiao Zhen'er has a share, so I will risk my life to protect this country and give my sister a share. More confidence!"

"When the time comes to go to the battlefield, you kill the enemy well and don't worry about me. I will use my own skills to make a name for myself!"

Xiao Qianyue's heart was full of pride. She never thought that women would lose to men anywhere, even on the battlefield!

Qiao Diyi was so excited by Xiao Qianyue's words that he looked directly into Xiao Qianyue's eyes and nodded solemnly.

The second young lady is not a woman who will hide behind him. He will not restrain her. He will witness with his own eyes that the second young lady shines brightly and leaves her name in history!

When Qiao Diyi was led out of Xiao Mansion by Qiao Zhongguo, his mouth almost broke out in laughter.

Jiaojiao was looking forward to it at home. Although she knew that the marriage would definitely come true, she was still overjoyed when she saw her father nodding in person!

When the message reached Qingzhuyuan, Hanya Xian was rubbing her waist.

She was really tortured last night, and she couldn't even get up and go to the main courtyard to pay her respects this morning.

A breakup is better than a wedding, Hanya Xian has experienced the power of this sentence firsthand.

Hearing that Qiao Diyi and Xiao Qianyue were about to get along well, Hanya finally got excited. She was so happy that she walked back and forth in the room, thinking that she would "make fun of" Xiao Qianyue next time they met.

Both Qiao Mansion and Xiao Mansion were excited about this happy event, but today it was just the elders communicating with each other. If they really wanted to come to propose marriage, it would naturally be very grand.

Mrs. Qiao is very familiar with marrying a wife this time, and she is very familiar with the rules.

After much thought, she decided that she had to report this happy event to the Queen in person.

She and Jiaojiao were about to enter the palace in the afternoon. The Queen Mother had sent someone to send a message this morning, saying that she missed Jiaojiao very much and hoped that she could take Jiaojiao into the palace to talk about it.

Mrs. Qiao was so busy all morning that she dressed up Jiaojiao carefully after lunch, and then got on the carriage entering the palace.

Jiaojiao was lying in her mother's arms. After the joy, she felt vaguely worried in her heart.

Today, the fate of most people in the Qiao family has changed, but the young couple Qiao Diyi and Xiao Qianyue have not yet reached the critical fate node.

In the original work, the Qiao family was already in turmoil at that time, and the Yong Dynasty went to war with the Northern Kingdom. Qiao Diyi was sent to the battlefield, and Xiao Qianyue accompanied him.

The couple had repeatedly made military exploits on the battlefield and were famous. They had hoped to use this to change the Qiao family's situation.

But what was unexpected was that in the next crucial battle, Qiao Diyi was plotted from behind by someone from his own camp on the battlefield.

Jiaojiao could fully imagine the tragedy and despair that Qiao Diyi felt at that time, but as cannon fodder, he could not get a lengthy description until his death.

Therefore, Jiaojiao didn't even know the name of the villain who was behind the scenes and what his motives were.

In the end, Qiao Diyi's body was wrapped in horse leather during that battle. Xiao Qianyue was so distraught that she ran back to the city with Qiao Diyi's body in her arms, but was shot to death by random arrows at the last moment as she rode her horse into the city gate.

The legendary couple died, and the news was sent back to the capital, only to receive a light sigh from Emperor Yong and Shen Yuanbai.

Thinking of this, Jiaojiao's heart felt like a knife.

She knew that during this Northern Expedition, her second brother and her second sister Xiao would definitely go. Although the situation has changed drastically, she still cannot take it lightly!

She will definitely try her best to change the outcome of her second brother and sister Xiao. If possible, she even hopes to follow them to the north to protect everyone on the expedition!

This matter needs to be considered in the long term...

Thoughts surged in Jiaojiao's heart. The carriage had already arrived at the gate of the palace. At this time, a salute came from outside the carriage:

"See Prince Jing."

Prince Jing?

Jiaojiao was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized, isn't Prince Jing the same sickly third prince from before?

Chapter 444 The Transparent Shen Yuanjing

Mrs. Qiao heard the sound and hurriedly hugged Jiaojiao and got out of the car to salute.

"My wife meets Prince Jing."

Jiaojiao consciously followed her and bowed. Before she even raised her head, a hand with sharp bones stretched out in front of her and gave her a weak support.

"There is no need to be polite, Mrs. Qiao."

The voice was gentle and very polite.

Hearing this, Jiaojiao couldn't help but look up and saw the young man wearing a white brocade dress and a sky-blue cloak.

He has a handsome face and slightly white lips. He looks like a green willow that has just sprouted. Although it cannot withstand the wind and frost, it is full of vitality.

Jiaojiao's eyes couldn't help but light up when she saw this, because Shen Yuanjing was much better than the frail appearance she remembered.

[It has been a year and a half since the last time I used the "Sickness-Removing Talisman". The quality of the products produced in the mall cannot be said, so the third prince's weakness should be almost healed, right? 】

Jiaojiao thought to herself, and showed a sweet smile to Shen Yuanjing.

Shen Yuanjing was slightly startled when he saw this, then he raised the corner of his mouth and nodded to Jiaojiao.

He waited here on purpose, just to see Miss Qiao's family.

Ever since Miss Qiao injected a magical power into his body a year and a half ago, his body has become increasingly relaxed.

First, his energy and blood gradually became sufficient, and then he gradually stopped twitching. To this day, he has experienced an unprecedented sense of lightness.

Especially this autumn, when the seasons changed, it was the first time that he did not catch the wind and cold.

The mother-in-law and the second sister prayed to the Bodhisattva several times for this purpose, and they all said that whether he came back in peace or not was God's blessing.

Only he knew that he had indeed been blessed by God, but this "heaven" was Miss Qiao in front of him.

He couldn't express this huge kindness, because it was obvious that Miss Qiao was trying her best to hide her abilities, and she never seemed to want to get anything in return from him.

He had heard that Miss Qiao was going to Nanli with Mr. Qiao as an envoy. At that time, he was already feeling much better, so he asked Fu An to hitch a carriage and go to the city gate to see Miss Qiao off from a distance.

When he went to pay his respects to the Queen Mother and his mother-in-law today, he heard that Mrs. Qiao was bringing Miss Qiao into the palace in the afternoon. He waited here specifically just to meet his benefactor.

But now that he was really standing in front of Miss Qiao, he seemed unable to do anything.

Mrs. Qiao hugged Jiaojiao and was about to say goodbye to Shen Yuanjing, when suddenly a cheering voice came from behind:

"Master's wife! Sister Qiao!"

Jiaojiao looked over Shen Yuanjing's shoulder and saw Xiao Si walking towards her in a hurry, her steps flying and her face filled with joy.

"Ah! Third brother is here too!"

Xiao Si stood beside Shen Yuanjing, talking very intimately with Shen Yuanjing.

When Shen Yuanjing saw Xiaosi, he couldn't help but frown, "Fourth brother, it was you who personally welcomed him out?"

Xiaosi was a little embarrassed when he heard this. As soon as he heard that the master's wife and sister Qiao had arrived at the palace gate, he quickly came out.

"Third brother, please come back to Yikun Palace with us. Empress Jing and the second sister just happen to be there."

Shen Yuanjing smiled and shook his head when he heard this, "Third brother is not going. We have to go to the Tzu Chi Bureau to have another look. Fourth brother, please lead Mrs. Qiao and Miss Qiao in."

When Jiaojiao heard the words "Tzu Chi Bureau", she tilted her head in surprise.

When Xiao Si heard this, he nodded regretfully, "Okay, then Xiao Si won't disturb Third Brother's work."

Shen Yuanjing stretched out his hand and rubbed Xiaosi's head, nodded to Mrs. Qiao, and finally gave Jiaojiao a deep look before turning around and leaving.

"Master Wife, let Xiaosi lead Sister Qiao away, okay?"

Xiaosi looked at Mrs. Qiao pitifully, with an eager expression on her face.

Now that Sister Qiao is still young, she doesn't have to be particular about it. When Sister Qiao gets older in a few years, he will have to avoid suspicion.

Thinking of this, Xiaosi felt very sad.

Mrs. Qiao knew that Xiaosi was very cute, so she smiled and nodded when she heard this.

Jiaojiao was fine, she just wanted to ask about Shen Yuanjing's current situation.

As soon as her feet landed on the ground, Xiaosi held her hand and said with concern:

"If Sister Qiao can't walk, just tell Xiaosi. Xiaosi can carry Sister Qiao on his back."

The two little figures walked side by side, and Mrs. Qiao followed behind, her eyes very gentle.

"Xiaosi, I just heard from your third brother that he is going to the Tzu Chi Bureau?" Jiaojiao asked curiously.

Xiao Si nodded. The fact that Sister Qiao saved Third Brother was a little secret between them.

"Third brother's health has been getting better over the past year or so. My brother is very happy and wants to arrange some things for third brother to do. After all, when a person becomes active, his energy level will be sufficient."

"But the third brother was not interested in government affairs and had never gone to court. Finally, at his insistence, the third brother took the initiative and took over the Tzu Chi Bureau."

"I heard that during these days, the third brother has been to the workhouse in the southern suburbs several times. It seems that he wants to merge the two places to form a 'Salesian Bureau' to give homeless children a place to stay."

"My elder brother is very supportive of this matter and asked my third brother to go ahead and do it. I think the Salesian Bureau will be opened in due time."

When Jiaojiao heard this, she felt very good.

"Great! If your third brother is in charge of this matter, I think those children will be taken care of properly!"

In fact, Jiaojiao could vaguely see Shen Yuanjing's good intentions behind this incident.

He refused Shen Yuanzhan's invitation and never joined the court. He probably used this to make it clear to Shen Yuanzhan that he was not interested in power and just wanted to be an idle prince.

He is really a very transparent person...

Jiaojiao was filled with emotions when Xiaosi suddenly squatted down in front of Jiaojiao.

"Sister Qiao, we still have a long way to go, Xiaosi, please carry you!"

When Jiaojiao saw that Xiaosi was ready, she was not polite and just lay down. Xiaosi supported Jiaojiao and stood up smoothly, and even bumped her head very skillfully.

Jiaojiao had a smile on her face. She was in a good mood at the moment, so she stretched out her hand towards the palace road in front and said loudly: "The target is Yikun Palace, Xiaosi, let's go!"

"okay!"

Xiao Si grinned and suddenly took a step forward and started running.

When Mrs. Qiao saw this, she called out worriedly: "Xiao Si, slow down!"

"Don't worry, Mistress, Xiaosi's steps are steady!"

Xiaosi turned his head and made a promise, then ran away on the empty palace road.

Jiaojiao held Xiaosi's shoulders tightly. She straightened her upper body, bouncing along with Xiaosi's steps, and couldn't help laughing.

Xiao Si felt the weight on his back, his heart jumped up, and he laughed happily.

Seeing this scene, the palace maids and eunuchs on the side leaned against the wall to avoid the two young ancestors. They could only hear the innocent laughter echoing on the palace road, flying over the red walls and green tiles, and drifting away.

Chapter 445 King of Return from the North

A month later, Shen Yuanzhan officially sent a special envoy to Nanli Kingdom to discuss the alliance between the two countries. At the same time, news from the Northern Kingdom also came back.

In the study of Qiao Mansion, Jiaojiao was lazily nestled in her father's arms, listening to the latest news.

Half a month ago, Grand Master Che brought Shen Yuanbai back to the court with a high profile. This incident caused an uproar in the northern capital!

King Jinyu came to the South City Gate that day and personally welcomed Shen Yuanbai back to the country. He even shed tears on the spot and acted out a show of deep nephew-uncle love in front of the world.

It is said that among the people in the capital, there were people who had personally seen Princess Yuliu and the Yong Dynasty. When they saw Shen Yuanbai's face carved in the same mold as Princess Yuliu, they knelt down and shouted on the spot to welcome Yuliu's soul back to her homeland.

Seeing this, King Jinyu followed the trend and directly named Shen Yuanbai the "King of Return to the North", which created enough momentum for him.

This time Shen Yuanbai returns to the country, the attitude within the Northern Kingdom can be said to be polarized.

Yu Liu is regarded as a god among the people in the north, so Shen Yuanbai's return is highly anticipated by the people.

Even just standing there, he gained a high reputation effortlessly just because of his face that resembled Yu Liu's.

To the clan members of the northern royal family, Shen Yuanbai was a thorn in their side and a thorn in their flesh that needed to be removed urgently.

They had been fighting to the death for the throne for so many years, but they didn't expect that Shen Yuanbai would finally appear. How could they endure this?

Jiaojiao imagined Shen Yuanbai's current situation surrounded by wolves, and couldn't help but secretly gasped.

However, based on her negligible understanding of Shen Yuanbai, Shen Yuanbai is not someone who just waits for death. He has probably already begun to make plans.

Jiaojiao is more concerned about another thing now.

"Daddy, do you have any news about your pregnancy?"

Qiao Zhongguo shook his head, he was about to mention this matter.

"Whether it was the spies my father stayed in the North or the Holy One's people, they didn't find out anything about it."

Upon hearing this, Jiaojiao felt that the matter was settled, and Qiao Tianjing also nodded.

"Dad, no news about this matter is the best news."

"If you are pregnant, it can be taken by a man or a woman. But as King Jinyu, he cannot risk his own body. Therefore, the woman chosen by King Jinyu must take the medicine."

"In this case, the child will become a single Miao Miao. King Jinyu must be cautious and keep it secret until the child is born smoothly."

"Shen Yuanbai knows about this. Let's see how he disrupts the situation."

Jiaojiao nodded repeatedly when she heard the words, and she had vaguely figured out the context in her heart.

King Jinyu is a thief, Grand Master Che must have gotten angry with him on his way back home, King Jinyu deliberately greeted Shen Yuanbai in a high profile.

If "good pregnancy comes" works, this welcome will just put Shen Yuanbai on the fire, allowing him to attract the firepower of all the clan members, and King Jinyu will take the opportunity to secretly make a baby.

Once the child is born safely, Shen Yuanbai will naturally become an abandoned son. If the royal family can kill Shen Yuanbai, King Jinyu himself will not have to take action, which can be said to kill two birds with one stone.

If "good pregnancy" doesn't work, this move will just test Shen Yuanbai's ability and force him to show his trump card!

After all, he may still be carrying the Soul-Seducing and Soul-Restraining Destruction Gu.

If Shen Yuanbai is willing to be obedient in the future, King Jinyu will naturally not let Shen Yuanbai be bullied by other clan members, and the reward of "King of Northern Return" can be regarded as giving Shen Yuanbai some capital to fight against his clan members.

The abacus of King Jin Yu and Grand Master Che was a success, but Shen Yuanbai was not a fuel-efficient lamp.

With him around, King Jinyu may not be able to hide the existence of "that child".

If the clan members "accidentally" learned that the king, who had been unable to have children for more than ten years, had biological blood, wouldn't this cause an uproar?

At that time, the northern royal family will have to fall into a three-way melee between King Jinyu, Shen Yuanbai and their clan members.

At this time, the Yong Dynasty was heavily armed and preparing intensively for the Northern Expedition. With one thing going the other way, this battle would be much easier to fight.

Jiaojiao's thoughts went around in circles, and she had a clear understanding of the situation, feeling a little at ease.

Now she only has one first-order curiosity left, and that is what happened to Yu Liu back then.

It can be seen from the information sent back that Yu Liu has a very high reputation among the people of the North. In the original work, there is even a description of the city in the North surrendering without a fight after hearing that Shen Yuanbai was coming to attack.

The Northern Royal Family was also keen to shape Yu Liu into a female Bodhisattva for the country and the people, in order to consolidate their rule.

This Northern Expedition is a contest of national strength between the two countries, as well as a confrontation between faith and belief. Yu Liu's name will definitely be mentioned repeatedly in the Northern Kingdom.

If the real experience of Yuliu and the misfortune of the northern royal family could be clearly understood, King Jinyu would be called "Xiao He succeeds, Xiao He fails"!

Qiao Tianjing would naturally not miss anything that Jiaojiao could think of.

His brows were slightly furrowed, and he had a plan in mind, but it wasn't completely formed yet.

It was already the end of November, and the northern border was already freezing cold. Even if the Northern Expedition was to begin, it would have to wait until next spring.

Wait and see how far the situation in the North will develop...

————

Qiao Tianjing carried Jiaojiao out of the study, and when she returned to the main courtyard, Mrs. Qiao and Hanya Xian were counting the betrothal gifts for the Xiao family.

Tomorrow is the day to collect the levy. After sending the betrothal gift, you can apply for a date, which is to choose the day to get married.

Mrs. Qiao has calculated it with someone. The eighth day of April next year will be an excellent day. She only needs to wait for the Xiao family to get a confirmation letter after the recruitment, and then she can get ready.

Seeing the festive colors in the courtyard, Jiaojiao immediately lost all her enthusiasm for having fun just now and jumped up to join in the fun!

Early on the next morning, the door of Qiao's Mansion was opened, firecrackers were set off, and the place was crackling and bustling.

Qiao Diyi, who was busy working for Qiao Tianjing back then, has now become the protagonist. He stood at the door and watched the betrothal gift being carried out one by one, grinning from the corners of his mouth to the back of his ears!

Both sides of the street were full of people watching the excitement. When everyone saw the generous betrothal gift, they couldn't help but be stunned.

The Qiao family, with three court ministers, is now the most popular family in Beijing, and the girl's Xiao family is the emperor's in-laws' family, and they are relatives of the emperor!

This marriage is extremely noble, and can be said to be the most invincible alliance of powerful forces.

The wealthy families in Beijing watched with eager eyes, wishing they had not taken action earlier. However, now the only member of the Qiao and Xiao families who has not left the cabinet is the three-year-old Yongle County head.

Of course, they never dare to think about this little ancestor. After all, entering the palace is like going home. Even the Holy Emperor and the Queen hold her in their hands.

Jiaojiao was now held in Qiao Tianjing's arms. She covered her ears to avoid the firecrackers and narrowed her eyes with laughter.

She just likes to see such festive scenes, noisy and full of fireworks!

Jiaojiao was rejoicing when she suddenly saw several figures walking hurriedly against the flow of people towards the gate of Qiao's house. The person leading them was very familiar.

Jiaojiao's excited heart sank suddenly, and she suddenly had a bad feeling.

Isn't that Eunuch Liufu who lives next to the emperor's brother? Why does his face look so ugly?

What happened!

Chapter 446: Emergency in the North

Among the people watching the excitement on the street, a group of servants hurriedly walked against the flow of people, which was still very conspicuous.

Everyone only said that the Qiao family was indeed deeply blessed by heaven. Even if the second son of the Qiao family was hired, the palace would send someone to congratulate him.

Qiao Tianjing hugged Jiaojiao and frowned when he saw this scene.

Not quite right...

He walked forward quickly, exchanged a look with Liufuzi, and in an instant, with a smile on his face, he welcomed the person into the house politely.

As soon as he left everyone's sight, Liufuzi hurriedly approached Qiao Tianjing and whispered:

"Sir, Sir, there is an urgent report from the north. The Holy Lord has announced that you and Mr. Qiao will enter the palace immediately!"

Jiaojiao's heart skipped a beat when she heard this, something had indeed happened!

Qiao Tianjing did not dare to delay and led Liufuzi to find Qiao Zhongguo. The two of them did not even change into their official uniforms and rode straight to the palace from the back door!

This was a visit to the palace to discuss business. Jiaojiao could not go with her, so she could only wait anxiously at home for news.

Qiao Zhongguo and Qiao Tianjing walked all the way to the palace gate, and happened to meet Xiao Hongda and Tan Hanchi who were rushing in. They looked at each other and felt that something was wrong.

When they arrived at the entrance of the imperial study room, they saw the palace door wide open. Shen Yuanzhan was standing in the palace with his hands behind his hands. Standing beside him was an old man with white hair and beard. He was an old acquaintance, Dr. Zou.

Qiao Zhongguo and others entered the palace. Before they could salute, Shen Yuanzhan had already said in a deep voice:

"My dear friends, there is no need to be polite. Today I received an urgent report from my uncle at the border. Wuding Pass is in chaos!"

Shen Yuanzhan raised his hand and handed over the secret report. Upon seeing this, Qiao Zhongguo hurriedly stepped forward to take it.

The Yong Dynasty and the Northern Kingdom were bounded by the Wuding River, and Wuding Pass was set up south of the Wuding River, where 200,000 troops were stationed all year round.

After Shen Yuanzhan ascended the throne, he reused the Ren family of the Empress Dowager's mother's family.

The Empress Dowager's brother Ren Chongyuan was also a brave and skilled general. However, because of his relationship with his maternal relatives, he resigned from the military and stayed in Beijing as an official.

The month after Shen Yuanzhan ascended the throne, he appointed Ren Chong as a Guan Ling, and ordered him to go to Wuding Pass to take charge of military and political affairs, and shoulder the responsibility of guarding the border.

At this time, Qiao Zhongguo had already launched a secret report, and Xiao Hongda and others immediately stepped forward.

Everyone's eyes fell on the secret report, and after a while, they all gasped!

The secret report said: Half a month ago, some people in Wuding City suddenly felt unwell and had fever all over their bodies. At first, no one paid much attention to it. However, after three to five days, the patient developed sores all over his body. Children died one after another as a result.

Ren Chong felt bad after hearing the news, and immediately checked the military camp himself, only to find that there were soldiers in the Japanese army suffering from the same symptoms in the past few days!

The military doctor went to treat him, but when he saw the situation, his complexion changed drastically, and he said that the disease might be typhoid fever, which was extremely difficult to deal with!

Ren Chong immediately took measures. However, by the time the secret report was issued, typhoid fever had spread in the city and the army, killing three or four out of ten people.

It was almost the end of the new year, and it was freezing cold in Beicheng. The epidemic had not yet been cured and many people had died, causing people in Wuding to panic.

Ren Chong was extremely worried, pitying the suffering of the people, worrying that the epidemic would not go away, and fearing that the Northern Kingdom would take advantage of people's danger, so he urgently sent a letter asking for help.

This is why Dr. Zou is also in the palace at this moment.

Qiao Zhongguo slowly put down the secret letter in his hand, his face full of shock and grief, and even his breathing was extremely heavy.

When marching and fighting, soldiers eat and live together, and hundreds of thousands of people gather together. What they fear most is disease. Once it spreads, almost no one will be spared!

The soldiers are too strong to support themselves, let alone the old and weak people at the border.

The secret report said that 34 out of 10 people were dead, and it would take at least half a month for the information to travel back to the capital. Wuding Pass is now filled with mourners!

At this point in his thoughts, Qiao Zhongguo's heart felt like a knife piercing his heart!

"Your Majesty, what is your decision?"

Shen Yuanzhan took a breath slowly, looked at Imperial Physician Zou aside, and said in a deep voice: "Physician Zou, tell me again what you just said."

Doctor Zou looked worried and hurriedly replied: "There has been no right medicine for typhoid fever since ancient times. This method of avoiding epidemics relies on oneself and avoiding poisons. If General Ren follows what the military doctor said, he must have cured the disease. Suffering from isolation."

"What external forces can do is to use Atractylodes, Angelica dahurica, Bupleurum and other substances as supplements. If there are sick and weak people, try to lower the fever and protect the heart pulse, but in the end..."

After saying this, Imperial Physician Zou also shook his head sadly.

There have been epidemics in ancient times, and they have been extremely tragic every time. Countless people in the apricot forest all hope to find a cure for the epidemic, but - it is as difficult as heaven!

As soon as these words came out, there was silence in the palace.

At this time, Qiao Zhongguo suddenly took a step forward and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, I personally invite you to go to Wuding Pass to reinforce and serve as a general."

"Your Majesty, can you order people to prepare atractylodes, angelica and other materials as soon as possible? As long as there is a glimmer of hope, I will rush away day and night!"

This typhoid epidemic was a great disaster for the Yong Dynasty.

There were all smart people in the palace. After reading the secret report, they knew that this epidemic came unexpectedly. If it was not a natural disaster, it must be the work of the people from the North!

At this time, the Yong Dynasty was in a critical period of preparing for war. Although it had not yet reached an alliance with Nanli, the Northern Expedition was inevitable, and all three countries knew it!

The Northern Kingdom was afraid that it knew that its national strength and military strength were inferior to that of the Yong Dynasty, so it made dangerous moves, struck first to gain strength, and resorted to such a heartless method!

As a result, war between the Yong Dynasty and the Northern Kingdom will definitely begin in advance. At this time, the alliance between the Yong Dynasty and Nanli has not yet been reached. The Northern Kingdom can also throw conditions to Nanli and muddy the waters!

And the epidemic is the most tormenting, so the Northern Kingdom chose to take action during the pass in recent years. This is to use the epidemic to break the morale of the soldiers guarding the pass!

If someone is unwilling to die of illness in a foreign country and takes advantage of the chaos to escape from Wuding Pass, once the disease spreads along the way, it will definitely be a disaster for the Yong Dynasty!

If the North Kingdom suddenly launches a surprise attack during this period, I am afraid that the entire Wuding Pass will suffer heavy casualties, and even the country will be lost!

Although Qiao Zhongguo had long since retired from the battlefield, his power in the Yong Dynasty and the Northern Kingdom's army was still there. You must know that Wuding River and Wuding Pass were named after Qiao Zhongguo.

Today's Wudingguan is probably already a hell on earth. The epidemic is terrible, and the loss of people's hearts is even more terrible!

There is no doubt that Qiao Zhongguo is the Dinghai magic needle that can stabilize people's hearts. He is the best choice to bring reinforcements and supplies to Wuding Pass!

Shen Yuanzhan had already guessed that Qiao Zhongguo had this invitation.

Lord Qiao used to be his most admired elder, but now he is his most useful minister. As a king, he must serve the country and the people. Even though he knew that this trip was extremely dangerous, he still had to agree to Lord Qiao's request.

With his thoughts at this point, Shen Yuanzhan sighed secretly. He stepped forward to help Qiao Zhongguo up and said warmly:

"Qiao Aiqing, I will entrust the people of Wudingguan and the 200,000 troops to you. This trip -"

Qiao Zhongguo shook his head and stopped Shen Yuanzhan's next words.

"Your Majesty, since I am depriving you of the emperor's salary, I should share your worries for you. What's more, the people of Wuding are now in dire straits. I am only worried and wish I could travel thousands of miles a day with wings on my back."

"Please, Your Majesty, don't worry about me. I'm thick-skinned, thick-skinned and hard-lived. I'll definitely come back safely!"

At this point, Qiao Zhongguo grinned at Shen Yuanzhan and smiled with a hint of ruthlessness.

When Shen Yuanzhan saw this, he felt extremely grateful.

It was a blessing for the Yong Dynasty to have Qiao Zhongguo.

Chapter 447 The only stain on the perfect image

Next, everyone discussed the details of Qiao Zhongguo's northbound mission in the imperial study.

In addition to curbing the continued spread of typhoid fever and stabilizing people's hearts, Qiao Zhongguo also needs to find the source of typhoid fever. If this epidemic is really a conspiracy of the northerners, how can they swallow this breath!

Now that this change has occurred, it will affect the whole body, and the content of the previously scheduled negotiation with Nanli will also be changed.

And the Northern Expedition should be brought forward!

Imperial Physician Zou stood respectfully aside, listening to Qiao Zhongguo talking about the situation in the north with an excited look on his face, and he could not help but feel ups and downs accordingly.

Logically speaking, he should not be running around as an old man anymore. The Holy Emperor may have pitied his old age, so he did not ask him to accompany Qiao Zhongguo.

However, this trip to the north was full of dangers, and Qiao Zhongguo did not know the art of Xinglin. If he accidentally contracted typhoid fever, if something happened, it would be an unbearable loss for the entire Yong Dynasty...

Thinking of this, Doctor Zou showed a faint struggle in his brows.

He is timid, and his best skill is the art of self-preservation. If the most daring thing he has done in his life is to be tricked by Qiao Zhongguo into boarding a pirate ship, he participated in the fight for the throne.

After all, people are cheap people. After living in comfort for most of their lives, they became addicted to the occasional stimulation. Later, they eagerly followed Qiao Zhongguo to Nanli.

When he was young, he still had some ambitions. He traveled around the country trying medicine and writing books. Later, he was summoned to the palace by the Holy Emperor. Over time, he lost all his energy and only focused on self-preservation.

This typhoid fever has not been solved yet. He actually did some research on it in the past, but it was wasted in the end.

If you really think about it, he has actually lived a good life. His wife left early, he took his son to marry a wife, his daughter is also married off, and his darling grandson is about to become enlightened.

In the few remaining years, let's just pick up the spirit of the past and deal with the typhoid epidemic for a while!

If he had that destiny, he, Lao Zou, would be able to bring a clear understanding of the typhoid epidemic and benefit all people, and his merits would be immeasurable!

With his thoughts at this point, seeing that the discussion in the palace had come to an end, Imperial Physician Zou suddenly raised his hand slowly.

"Your Majesty, I would like to invite you to go north with Mr. Qiao."

As soon as these words came out, even Qiao Zhongguo was surprised.

"Mr. Zou, the epidemic is coming fiercely. You are already old and it is no longer appropriate to risk your life."

Qiao Zhongguo and Dr. Zou were friends, and Dr. Zou was a wonderful man with superb medical skills. Qiao Zhongguo was reluctant to let Dr. Zou die.

Shen Yuanzhan thought for a moment and then shook his head.

However, Imperial Physician Zou was extra insistent this time.

"Your Majesty, Wei Chen is not just a hothead. When Wei Chen was young, he spent a lot of time on the typhoid epidemic, but it was later abandoned. Now that he is heading to the north, Wei Chen may be able to find a solution if he works hard."

"The Taiyuan Hospital has the right and left judges, so it will have no influence. I am here to pursue the path of Xinglin."

"If I die as a martyr on the way, I only ask Master Qiao to burn Wei Chen's body and hand it over to Wei Chen's son when he returns to the capital."

Doctor Zou said this with a smile on his face, and he seemed to have made up his mind.

Qiao Zhongguo frowned. He knew that Imperial Physician Zou had righteousness in his heart. Otherwise, during the blood test, no matter how he coerced or induced, a person like Imperial Physician Zou would definitely have a way out.

This trip to the north was unstoppable, and even he was determined to never return!

"Mr. Zou, you——"

"Master Qiao, I have made up my mind. You can't stop me from proving my truth."

"Please, Your Majesty, please grant me your permission!"

Doctor Zou bowed, and this bow meant that he was disregarding life and death!

————

When they came out of the Imperial Study Room, everyone looked heavy.

When he arrived at the palace gate, Qiao Zhongguo raised his hand and patted Xiao Hongda's shoulder, apologetically:

"Lao Da, I'm sorry. Go back and tell Yue'er -"

On this trip to the north, Qiao Diyi had to take him with him no matter what. After all, he was a good youngster that Qiao Zhongguo, Xiao Hongda and even Shen Yuanzhan had high hopes for.

The situation in the northern border is extremely complicated, and the northern kingdom may take advantage of others' danger at any time. If you want to sharpen Qiao Diyi, this is the best time.

Qiao Diyi cannot grow up without experiencing real swords and guns on the battlefield.

Hearing this, Xiao Hongda pinched Qiao Zhongguo's arm and said with emotion: "Old Qiao, why are you sorry? Yue'er understands the righteousness and must have supported Erlang in going to the north. Now I'm just worried that I can't tie her up. "

Xiao Hongda had already decided to let Xiao Qianyue participate in the Northern Expedition, but now the situation has changed drastically and the epidemic is raging. He is worried that Xiao Qianyue's body will not be able to bear it, which will hinder him.

Qiao Zhongguo couldn't help but sigh after hearing this.

He also has a baby at home that he is worried about. If Jiaojiao knew that there was an epidemic in the north, she would not know how worried she would be...

Several people said goodbye, and Qiao Zhongguo and Qiao Tianjing rode home.

Jiaojiao had been looking forward to it for a long time. When she saw her father and eldest brother entering the main courtyard, she immediately welcomed them out.

"Daddy, big brother!"

Qiao Zhongguo picked up Jiaojiao and called Qiao Diyi to go to the study with him.

After Jiaojiao heard what Qiao Zhongguo said about the northern border, her expression changed drastically.

"The epidemic...how can it be so well..."

Speaking of this, Jiaojiao suddenly lost her thoughts.

She suddenly remembered that there was also a plague in the original novel, but it happened in Minzhou. It was not typhoid fever, but plague!

This plot is the only stain on the male protagonist's perfect image in the original work.

At that time, the male protagonist Shen Yuanbai had already ascended the throne, but there were still supporters of the late prince in Minzhou. They believed that Shen Yuanbai had the blood of the Northern Kingdom and was in the wrong position, so they secretly gathered forces and prepared for rebellion.

At this time, Shen Yuanbai was busy with the Northern Expedition. When his men learned about this, they immediately killed it first and then reported it. They actually released the plague in Minzhou. Although they did succeed in eradicating that force, they also killed countless innocent people!

After Shen Yuanbai found out about this, he severely punished his subordinates who made arrogant opinions, and then the matter passed easily.

When Jiaojiao saw this, she was so angry that she almost abandoned the article. Many people in the comment area thought that the author was out of his mind and there was no need to write this plot, which simply ruined the perfect image of the male protagonist.

Jiaojiao had even speculated about conspiracy after coming across. With Shen Yuanbai's intelligence, even if most of his attention was on the Northern Expedition, would he really be unaware of this matter?

Or is it that Shen Yuanbai used the hands of his "subordinates" to easily suppress the rebel forces to death, and then "came out of the mire without being stained" without knowing it beforehand?

Jiaojiao originally thought that now that the plot had been "changed beyond recognition" and Shen Yuanzhan had successfully proclaimed himself emperor, the plot of "Minzhou Epidemic" would be self-defeating.

Unexpectedly, the epidemic turned around in a different time and place, and still appeared!

The "plot" is so powerful that Jiaojiao feels vaguely afraid. It is obvious that this battle for fate is full of ups and downs, and all of them have not completely escaped from the "strange circle"!

Now, how can we save the people and soldiers in the northern border who are suffering from the epidemic?

With her thoughts at this point, Jiaojiao hurriedly called out the Merit Mall.

Chapter 448 Maybe it's God's will

In the upper right corner of the mall, the merit point is 2723.

When leaving Nanli, Jiaojiao knew that she and Meng Guxue would hardly see each other again in the short term, so she prepared a tips bag for Meng Guxue in advance.

Inside is the talisman she carefully selected, the "golden finger" she left to Meng Guxue, which cost Jiaojiao 280 merit points.

At this time, Jiaojiao's eyes moved down, and she looked carefully at each grid until she saw the last line, and her face changed slightly.

Typhoid fever is a general term for exogenous diseases. Judging from the secret report sent back by General Ren, what is spreading in the northern border should be an acute infectious disease, which the ancients called a plague.

In Jiaojiao's impression, "typhoid fever" was a big problem in history. The medical sage Zhang Zhongjing wrote the sage medical book "Treatise on Febrile and Miscellaneous Diseases", which should contain methods on how to deal with typhoid fever epidemics.

But Jiaojiao is not a medical student. She has studied history, but she has a dark eye on medicine!

At this time, she looked at the entire Merit Mall and found that there were some weird elixirs and talismans, but there were really no prescriptions for treating epidemic diseases.

There is a pill that is right for the symptoms, called "Miaoshou Rejuvenation Pill". It can cure plague, typhoid, and smallpox, but one pill costs 80 merit points.

You must know that there are hundreds of thousands of taxi soldiers and civilians in the north. This is simply a drop in the bucket!

Jiaojiao scratched her head anxiously. When Qiao Zhongguo saw this, he asked, and Jiaojiao told the truth about the dilemma.

There was a sudden silence in the study room. After being silent for a long time, Qiao Zhongguo suddenly said: "Jiaojiao, maybe it's God's will."

Jiaojiao raised her head in confusion upon hearing the words. Qiao Zhongguo's face was calm, and his resolute brows revealed the calmness and transparency that had gone through the sailing process.

"Jiaojiao, you have already helped daddy, the Qiao family, the saint, and even Nanli a lot."

"In this battle with the sky, you used to lead us. You have worked hard and done everything you can. Obviously, we haven't done enough."

When Jiaojiao heard this, her pupils trembled slightly.

When...when did even dad...

Jiaojiao quickly turned to look at Qiao Tianjing who was standing aside. However, Qiao Tianjing saw clearly and did not show any signs of shock.

Among all the great people in the world, if asked who he admires the most, Qiao Tianjing would answer without hesitation, it is his father.

Dad started his own business when he was young, and then went to the military camp to learn skills. Later, he went to the battlefield to defend his family and country through life and death. After achieving success, he retired from martial arts and became civilized. This half-life legend is enough to brag about for a lifetime.

My father is such a wise man who has experienced hardships, life and death. How could he be unaware of the problem that even a son like him can see?

He even suspected that his father had seen through the essence of all this earlier than he did. However, as the leader of the Qiao family, his father hid all the hesitation and doubts and opened his arms for them without hesitation.

Thoughts were surging in Jiaojiao's heart, and she figured everything out in an instant. Her heart suddenly felt sour, and she suddenly shouted with a choked voice: "Daddy!"

Qiao Zhongguo raised the corner of his mouth, rubbed Jiaojiao's head very gently, and said in a warm voice:

"The hardest part has always been our Jiaojiao, isn't it?"

When Jiaojiao heard this, she almost burst into tears. She was so lucky to be reborn in this family...

Qiao Zhongguo held Jiaojiao tighter and then said warmly:

"Fighting against fate should not mean sitting back and enjoying the gains. If everyone's life and death are tied to you, Jiaojiao, what will our consciousness be like?"

"Even if we cross the current threshold, how will we survive the twists and turns in the future?"

"Jiaojiao, this time Dr. Zou asked himself to accompany him. He used to only ask for Mingzhe's protection, but now he has the benevolence of a doctor and stepped forward without hesitation."

"Dad just saw his old but resolute face in the palace, and he was deeply shocked."

"Ever since Daddy had a vague glimpse of the truth behind it, Daddy seemed to have seen a scene. He saw Jiaojiao walking from the darkness holding a candle, lighting up one heart after another along the way."

"Jiaojiao, dad has always believed and expected that one day the gathering light will break through the darkness, and in that light that reaches the sky is the magnificent, true and brilliant life of all of us."

Qiao Zhongguo chewed these words over and over in his heart countless times.

This realization sprouted at the moment when she heard Jiaojiao's heartfelt voice, and then became more profound and firm at the nodes that changed her destiny again and again.

Qiao Zhongguo will never say these elegant words again in the future. He just said it today because he just wanted to tell his sweetheart Jiaojiao that she didn't have to bear everything, and she didn't have to put everyone's life and death on his shoulders.

Everyone has his own destiny, and this grand struggle requires the determination and efforts of each of them.

Jiaojiao was shocked when she heard this, and even burst into tears because of Qiao Zhongguo's words.

At this moment, her father gave her the deepest resonance and relieved her tense heartstrings.

Qiao Tianjing smiled when he saw this, but Qiao Diyi on the side looked confused.

He didn't understand why he was talking about "candlelight" and "resistance" when he was just talking about the epidemic in the north.

Qiao Tianjing saw Qiao Diyi's confusion, and the corners of his mouth raised slightly.

During this trip to the north, the home field will be handed over to the second brother. He has no doubt that the second brother will receive a series of shocks and then develop his own consciousness.

He suddenly had some expectations. Maybe next time we meet again, his second brother will lose his current youthfulness and confusion and become the second General Qiao who makes the people of the North fearful!

Qiao Diyi didn't understand why his eldest brother smiled meaningfully at him. In order not to look stupid, he also smiled deliberately.

Qiao Tianjing: "..."

His stupid second brother...

In the afternoon, news spread that the epidemic was raging in the north.

The New Year is approaching, and the northern border is thousands of miles away. Logically speaking, in order to stabilize the people's hearts, this kind of news should be kept tightly under wraps.

However, after Qiao Tianjing and Tan Hanchi discussed it, they felt that this information could not be hidden. Not only that, but it also had to be publicized to the world!

This epidemic came so strangely and occurred in Wuding Pass, which borders the Northern Kingdom. It touched the sensitive nerves of almost all the people of the Yong Dynasty.

Who would believe that there is no handwriting from the North in this?

Back then, the Northern Kingdom invaded for no reason, slaughtered the people in the border towns, burned, killed and looted. It was already an insatiable hatred. Now it spreads diseases and harms the people of Wuding at the end of the year. It is simply unconscionable!

The Northern Expedition was already inevitable, and this epidemic conspiracy pushed the Yong Dynasty people's Northern Expedition sentiment to its peak!

After Tan Hanchi asked Shen Yuanzhan for instructions, he wrote the "Northern Expedition Biography to the World" in his handwriting. The words were sonorous and resounding, and spread throughout Kyoto in an instant, and then spread all over the world!

Chapter 449 Hot-Blooded Apricot Forest

At the same time, the news that Imperial Physician Zou invited himself to go north to relieve the typhoid fever epidemic in his old age also spread.

That afternoon, the hospital exploded!

Imperial Physician Zou was a leading figure in the imperial hospital, but now he requested an order to go to the north to conquer typhoid fever, regardless of personal life and death, which shocked almost all the imperial doctors.

In less than an hour, the left and right court judges received self-recommendations from more than a dozen young imperial physicians, requesting to follow Imperial Physician Zou on his journey north, regardless of life or death!

The judges on the left and right sides were shocked and hurriedly asked to see the Holy Emperor with letters of recommendation.

At the same time, there was even more excitement outside Zou Mansion.

After hearing the news, some doctors and medicine practitioners in Beijing went directly to the door of Zou's mansion and said that they were quite skilled in medicine and were willing to follow Dr. Zou to help the north.

But Imperial Physician Zou's son didn't know that his old father was going to the north until his home was surrounded! ?

"father!"

Zou Miaochun hurried to the study, opened the door in a hurry, and saw that the room was full of mess. Doctor Zou was sitting on the ground curled up, holding a book in his hand.

"Dad, people are saying that you are going to the north? Dad, you are already an old man. This epidemic does not require you to go!"

Zou Miaochun walked around the clutter on the floor and walked to his father's side, only to see his father stroking a book in his hand, as if he didn't hear what he said.

"father?"

Zou Miaochun suddenly raised his voice.

After realizing it, Imperial Physician Zou raised his head with a smile on his lips:

"I found it. It's this book. I studied it half way back then, and now I finally want to pick it up again."

"father!"

Zou Miaochun's face was full of disapproval when he heard this.

Even if his father is known as a "miraculous doctor", he is already old and will suffer a lot on the way north. Not to mention the epidemic is as fierce as a tiger. If something happens to his father, he is thousands of miles away and can't even collect the corpse!

Doctor Zou seemed to have expected that his son would not agree. He raised his head, looked solemn, and said in a deep voice:

"Miaochun, dad has already earned you a share of the family business. Your mother passed away early back then, dragging you down to this day. Dad can't be considered as living up to your mother's final wishes."

"Dad is an old man, and he has lived almost as long as he has now. In order to make a living and take care of you brothers and sisters, he left behind what he wanted in his heart and became an imperial physician. Now it is time to regain his strength."

"Don't stop me, Dad. If I can finish this book, I will die without any regrets."

Doctor Zou raised his hand, and Zou Miaochun looked up. The cover of the book had three words "Treatise on Febrile Diseases" scrawled on it.

Zou Miaochun moved his mouth and suddenly felt soreness in his throat when he saw his father's old but radiant face.

A memory flashed through his mind.

"Dad, the baby needs to be renamed! Miaochun, Miaochun! They all say it's a girl's name!"

Dad knelt down, touched his head, and said with a smile: "Miaochun, don't listen to their nonsense."

"Human life is of the utmost importance, and there is precious gold in it. A wonderful hand can rejuvenate you, and your kindness is as great as heaven and earth!"

"Dad...Dad is confined in the palace now and cannot do some things. I just hope that my son will study hard and establish himself in the apricot forest in the future. He does not seek to be famous forever, but to rejuvenate himself with his medical skills and benefit future generations."

"Wonderful spring, wonderful spring, may there be no disease in the world, and may spring be everywhere..."

Zou Miaochun can still recall the loss and longing on his father's face, which was deeply impressed on his young mind.

However, he is useless. He seems to be more talented in business than in medicine.

Dad was a sensible man and never imposed his ambitions on him.

"father......."

Zou Miaochun spoke again, with a hint of bitterness in his voice.

Doctor Zou raised his hand and touched Zou Miaochun's head, his tone was light but firm.

"Miaochun, if dad can't come back this time, you can just build a tomb for dad next to your mother's grave."

"Miaochun, you should be happy for dad. Dad is going here to fulfill his lifelong wish..."

Zou Miaochun, a middle-aged man, suddenly blushed when he heard this, but he could not say the words of persuasion.

"Dad, there are many doctors outside the mansion. They are all enthusiastic and willing to follow you north. Do you want to go out and meet them?"

Dr. Zou was a little surprised when he heard this, but in an instant he stopped laughing.

After all, he is a man in the apricot forest who is dedicated to helping the world. He is not the only one who has this passion.

...

Under the influence of Imperial Physician Zou, doctors from the imperial hospital and private doctors all invited themselves to go north.

After Shen Yuanzhan learned about this situation, he was greatly relieved. At this time, the northern border was in dire straits, and it was indeed the time when help was most needed.

He immediately decreed that if any doctors were willing to reinforce Wuding, the imperial court would provide subsidies and rewards. On behalf of the people of Wuding, he would also like to thank all the doctors for their kindness.

Han Yaxian was in charge of the Qiao family's business and was in charge of the "financial power." After hearing about this, she discussed with Qiao Tianjing and made the investment under a pseudonym as before, donating medicinal materials for free for this trip north.

After hearing about the move by the richest man in Qingzhou, the wealthy private businessmen followed suit one after another, donating money, medicinal materials, and rice and grain, and all walks of life became one.

After Jiaojiao learned this, her heart suddenly became soft.

Dad is right, this is the struggle of a group of people!

There are wise kings above, there are doctors who take the lead, there are good people who make selfless sacrifices, and there are soldiers who continue to fight.

With the joint efforts of everyone, the northbound team gathered all the troops and supplies in just three days, and Jiaojiao also selected the exchange items.

She couldn't go on this trip north.

The last time she went to Nanli was in the name of celebrating her birthday. This trip to the north was an arduous task. If she followed, her father and second brother would be distracted by her.

"Brother, can you see how Jiaojiao is preparing?"

Jiaojiao scratched the paper and chose the "All Diseases Protection Talisman" as her first choice. Each piece had 100 merits and could be used for a month. It was especially needed for someone like Dr. Zou who wanted to go deep into the patients to find a cure.

I also had to exchange a few pills for the "Miracle Rejuvenation Pill", but in the end it was a drop in the bucket and could only be used as a precaution.

Qiao Diyi still has unknown disasters on the battlefield, so the rebound talisman is indispensable no matter what.

Jiaojiao clasped her fingers, eager to make the most of her more than two thousand merits. Qiao Tianjing helped make suggestions, and finally came to an agreement.

Early tomorrow morning, Qiao Zhongguo and Qiao Diyi will lead the team to the north, and Mrs. Qiao has prepared a sumptuous dinner.

As a big family, everyone is obviously very heavy-hearted, but they invariably liven up the atmosphere in order to prevent each other from worrying.

While chewing the pig's trotters, Qiao Zhongguo told interesting stories from the past. The others were listening with great interest when suddenly someone came to report:

"Master, Madam, Miss Xiao Er is here."

When Qiao Diyi heard this, he stood up with a sigh.

He left the table without hesitation and went out, bumping into Xiao Qianyue who was walking in a hurry at the entrance of the courtyard.

Qiao Diyi looked apologetic and opened his mouth to call out "Yue'er". Xiao Qianyue had already thrown a piece of red silk into Qiao Diyi's hand and said loudly:

"Qiao Diyi, please marry me tonight!"

Chapter 450: I am proud of myself

Jiaojiao, a little gossip, hurriedly followed Qiao Diyi's footsteps and left the table. Finally, she heard Xiao Qianyue's loud words as she stepped out of the room.

Her steps suddenly stopped, and her nose felt sore the next moment.

She knew the temperament of Second Sister Xiao, and Sister Xiao would definitely try her best to go on this trip to the north. Therefore, when she redeemed the talisman, she included Second Sister Xiao in the trip.

They thought they would only see Sister Xiao Er when they set off tomorrow, but they didn't expect that she would appear in front of them in such a unique manner tonight.

On the other side, Qiao Diyi instinctively raised his hand to take the red silk. However, Xiao Qianyue's words went around in his mind for two or three times, and he couldn't calm down.

Qiao Zhongguo and Mrs. Qiao looked at each other and hurriedly went out.

Seeing Qiao Diyi's delay in answering, Xiao Qianyue could not help but look serious and said in a cold voice: "Why, aren't you willing?"

Qiao Diyi came back to his senses and shook his head hastily, "Yue'er, of course I am willing. I'm just worried about wronging you."

Xiao Qianyue's face brightened slightly when she heard this, and she shook her head, "It's all false that there are thousands of miles of red makeup and a crowd of friends. If you are willing to marry me, I am willing to marry you, that's enough."

Qiao Diyi looked at Xiao Qianyue's magnanimous appearance, with thousands of thoughts running through his heart, and suddenly asked seriously:

"Yue'er, are you doing this tonight just to go north together?"

Qiao Zhongguo was about to step forward, but when Mrs. Qiao heard this, she grabbed her husband's arm.

Qianyue, this girl, probably ran here without telling her parents. Brother Xiao and sister-in-law would be chasing her soon, so they should let Qianyue and Erlang explain themselves clearly first.

Qiao Zhongguo received his wife's eyes, lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, then stopped.

Xiao Qianyue heard what Qiao Diyi said and nodded without any hesitation.

"That's right! A man's ambition should be like a river running eastward into the sea. If you want to go north, no matter whether it is for the country, the people, glory or fame, I will not stop you. Not only that, I will go with you!"

"But my father said that you and I are not married yet, and it is against the rules for a young girl like me to go with the army, so you will marry me tonight, and I will go with the law!"

Qiao Diyi's eyes were clear when he heard this. He clenched the red silk in his hand. He didn't look carefree at all like he usually did. Instead, he said in a serious voice:

"Yue'er, this incident happened suddenly, especially because of the epidemic. Master didn't let you go, just for your sake."

Xiao Qianyue frowned when she heard this.

"Of course I know dad's painstaking efforts, but you should understand me."

"I propose to get married today, and I want to go north with you. I am not acting on impulse, nor on a whim."

"Wuding Pass is the gate of the country. The outbreak of the epidemic is most likely a conspiracy of the Northern Kingdom. If the northern thieves take advantage of this to attack, the gate of our country may be lost!"

"This is a critical moment for the country. It's time for people with lofty ideals like us to step forward. Although I, Xiao Qianyue, am a female, I have excellent martial arts skills and a lot of strategies."

"Even if this trip never comes back, it still makes me feel proud. I have already made up my mind in my heart that as a daughter of a general, I will never disgrace my father's reputation as a great general in this life!"

The words are sonorous and shocking.

This——is what her Xiao Qianyue wants!

When Qiao Diyi heard this, the serious look on his face slowly disappeared, he grinned, and his eyebrows suddenly shone.

He had long said that he would not restrain Yue'er, but now that Yue'er has already realized this, he will not stop her from realizing her ambitions in the name of being good to Yue'er!

He tightened the red silk in his hand, stepped forward firmly, and said with a smile full of joy:

"Yue'er, it's me who should open this door. Are you willing to marry me tonight?"

When Xiao Hongda and Mrs. Xiao hurried over, they happened to hear Xiao Qianyue's heartfelt words.

Xiao Hongda stood still, looking at his little daughter's back, with a hint of water in his eyes, as if he was relieved and feeling emotional.

Mrs. Xiao was already in tears beside her. She hesitated in her steps, but finally suppressed all her worries and hesitations and stopped abruptly.

As a mother, she knows her daughter best.

She had long expected that Yue'er would not be able to hold her captive this time, but she did not expect that Yue'er would be so bold as to find Qiao Mansion on her own.

Hearing Qiao Diyi's warm question at this time, Mrs. Xiao raised her hand to wipe the tears on her cheeks.

She felt sad and happy at the same time. She was sad that her daughter was about to go to the north, and she was happy that Erlang Qiao was a sincere person who understood her daughter.

Xiao Qianyue looked at Qiao Diyi with a sincere and solemn expression in front of her, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but raise. At this time, she felt a bit shy like a daughter.

She nodded heavily, "OK! Knot!"

Qiao Zhongguo looked past the two young men standing together and looked at the old brother not far away.

His eyes were full of emotion, and he exchanged a look with Xiao Hongda, who nodded at him with resignation.

A girl has no control over her parents. Yue'er can't be tethered to a child, so she should be left alone.

This kid has big ambitions.

"cough!"

With his thoughts at this point, Xiao Hongda coughed heavily, startling Qiao Diyi and Xiao Qianyue, who were looking at each other lovingly.

Xiao Qianyue's expression suddenly changed, and she immediately hid behind Qiao Diyi with great flexibility and said loudly: "Dad! Just let Yue'er go!"

At this time, Qiao Diyi had already knelt down heavily towards Xiao Hongda and Mrs. Xiao.

"Master, Master, Master, Diyi will protect Yue'er even if she gives up her life. I also ask Master and Master, Master, to ask Quan Yue'er to let her go north with Diyi!"

This sentence is full of weight. Of all the people present, only Jiaojiao knows how much determination it contains.

Because during the day, she specially asked her second brother to talk about the ending in the original work, and she had to remind her second brother.

When he heard that the second sister-in-law rushed back to the city gate with his body in her arms, but was shot to death by random arrows at the city gate, the second brother was silent for a long time.

Jiaojiao had never seen such a heavy expression on her second brother's face. Guilt, anger, unwillingness, countless emotions were mixed together, but in the end they all calmed down.

The second brother rubbed her head and said with a smile: "Little sister, it won't happen this time. The second brother will definitely come back safely and take your sister Xiao with him."

Xiao Hongda and Mrs. Xiao walked forward slowly and stood in front of Qiao Diyi.

Qiao Diyi knocked his forehead on the ground and did not get up for a long time.

This salute also implies the unspeakable debt in his heart for failing to protect Yue'er in that established trajectory.

Xiao Hongda glanced at his daughter first, then sighed softly and leaned over to help Qiao Diyi up.

"That's all, it's up to you."

Xiao Hongda shook his head and spoke, his voice full of helplessness, but also full of doting and love.

Mrs. Xiao held back her tears and tightened her grip on Qiao Diyi's arm.

As a mother, there is no reason to stop her daughter from flying high. She is just worried that her daughter is still young and has no one to protect her.

Mrs. Xiao moved her lips, and finally her thousands of words turned into one sentence: "Erlang, good boy, I want to fight side by side with Yue'er."