Standalone Northern and Southern Dynasties

Chapter 66: Begging for Descendants
At Princess Chenliu's mansion, Princess Chenliu is trying on her newly made hunting suit.

Hunting suit is a kind of attire that is convenient for riding and hunting. Women in the Northern Wei Dynasty had open-minded customs. Princess Chenliu was the daughter of Emperor Xiaowen, and she inherited her father's love of hunting.

She would also hunt in her own hunting ground on weekdays, but women's hunting usually involved small animals, which was far less exciting than the hunting with Prince Qinghe.

Princess Chenliu turned around and asked her maid Luzhu, "Does it look good?"

Lu Zhu said absentmindedly, "It looks good, Princess. Do you really want to wear it like this? I heard that the Ruru King will also participate in the palace's selection. If he..."

Princess Chenliu's face was gloomy: "King Rourou wants to marry a royal daughter. Could it be that he really wants to marry me?"

"If the court wants me to marry, I will marry even if I have to disguise myself as Wuyan tomorrow."

Seeing the worried look on Luzhu's face, Princess Chenliu laughed again. She held Luzhu's face and said:

"You worry too much. Women in this world are like morning dew. I have been blessed by the emperor for so many years. Aren't you satisfied?"

"Tomorrow there will be a banquet and a dance. How can I decide what is going on in the court? How can I change it?"

Lu Zhu didn't expect that she would be comforted by Princess Chen Liu. She said ashamedly:

"Princess, it is my fault that I am incompetent and cannot help you with your worries."

Princess Chenliu said jokingly, "Share my worries? Do you mean share my worries on the couch? When I get married, there will naturally be a day for you to share my worries."

When Luzhu heard this, she blushed and said, "Princess!"

"Okay, I won't tease you anymore. He will go tomorrow, right?"

Luzhu nodded and said, "The woman sent to Captain Su's house reported that the case in Henan Prefecture has been solved, and Captain Su has gone home to prepare for tomorrow's selection of strikers."

Lu Zhu said again: "Princess, if you want to spare him a favor, why don't you just go and tell the king?"

Princess Chenliu said, "Because it wouldn't be fun that way."

"Not fun?"

Princess Chenliu took off her hunting clothes, grabbed the raccoon cat at her feet, stepped on the snow, and rubbed the raccoon cat hard.

The poor cat slave was rubbed so hard, but he dared not say anything and only made a flattering meow.

She waited until Princess Chenliu was satisfied before releasing the raccoon and continued:
"Lüzhu, do you know that in the three years since His Majesty ascended the throne, the selection of soldiers for the Qinghe Prince's court has been held three times. How many Han imperial guards were selected?"

Lu Zhu shook her head, and Princess Chen Liu said:
"one person."

"Ah? Doesn't the king always recruit dozens of people? In the past three years, only one Han person was selected?"

Princess Chenliu got into the quilt, wrapped her delicate body and said:
"In the Imperial Guards nowadays, the lower-level soldiers don't even have horses, so how can they participate in the selection of the front line? Those children of the aristocratic families regard the military position as a dirty job, and they are unwilling to join the Imperial Guards even if they cannot be awarded an official position."

"It is becoming increasingly difficult for people to move from the military to the government. The only way to succeed is to join the shogunate of a prince or a minister."

Lu Zhu said, "If you don't help him, Princess, then there is no hope, right?"

Princess Chenliu smiled and said, "It would be no fun if I helped him, and I feel that he is not interested in the Qinghe Palace."

"How is that possible? If you don't want to join the Qinghe Palace, why do you practice so hard? I heard from those two strong women that Captain Su is practicing martial arts every day."

Princess Chenliu picked up the quilt and smiled, "I guessed."

"what?"

"Lüzhu, why should we women learn the principles of men? We can just rely on our feelings." Luzhu looked at her own princess speechlessly. Wasn't it you who just made such a clear and logical analysis?
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Su Ze returned home and took the face cloth handed over by his sister Su Yuyao. He closed the door of the house and asked Su Yuyao in a low voice:

"Yuyao, how is the matter I asked you to investigate going?"

Su Yuyao's face showed a serious expression. This was the first time that her brother had entrusted her with an important matter. She walked carefully to the door and made sure that no one was eavesdropping outside before she whispered:
"Brother, I went to ask around my father's house, but no one knew which military leader he went with."

Although he had anticipated this result, Su Ze still found it somewhat unacceptable.

A few days ago, when Su Ze was looking for clues around Siyi Pavilion, he learned from a merchant who often passed by Yongkang Floating Bridge that there was a suspicious person who often stood on the Yongkang Floating Bridge and looked into the distance.

Su Ze secretly invited an old official from Henan Prefecture to draw a portrait of the suspicious individual based on the merchant's description.

When Su Ze saw this portrait, he immediately recognized that this suspicious person who often passed by the Yongkang Floating Bridge was his own uncle Li Tong!
Didn’t Yafu go with the army?

Su Ze was full of doubts. He secretly summoned Su Lin and ordered him to take a message to Su Yuyao at Jianyangli's home, asking her to find out the whereabouts of his uncle Li Tong.

As expected, Su Yuyao asked Yafu's neighbors, and found out that no one went on the expedition with Li Tong, and no one knew where he was going.

Could it be that Yafu is the descendant of the beggar who shot and killed the Rouran King Yongjian?

Thinking of the military book left to him by his father-in-law, and then thinking of his skills that surpassed those of ordinary Yulin, the conclusion was obvious.

Su Ze had a headache. He knew that King Rourun would be a guest and participate in King Qinghe's selection of heirs. So the closest chance to assassinate King Rourun would be on the day of hunting!

What if Yafu attacks again in the hunting ground?

He must be stopped!

The selection of Prince Qinghe into the hunting ground was a major event in Luoyang, and Prince Qinghe himself was guarded by white-clad scholars, and on the day of hunting there were also imperial guards appointed by the royal family to guard him.

If Yafu takes action while hunting, there will be no chance of escape!

Su Ze had a headache. If Yafu was really the descendant of a beggar, with his archery skills, how could he find him in such a large hunting ground?

Su Ze also began to have a headache, as the water in Luoyang was getting deeper and deeper.

"Brother, will my father be in trouble?"

"No, with my brother here, nothing will happen to my father."

Su Ze comforted his sister and returned to his room. At this time, Su Dao came in from some hole again.

"My Lord, this is what you wanted."

Su Dao pulled out two pure and flawless crystals from his sleeves, then extended his hand and pointed to the backyard and said, "There is a bottle of wine that Ling Yin gave me in the backyard, go get it yourself."

Su Dao immediately wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth and sneaked out of the house from somewhere.

It seems that I need to repair the house as soon as possible.

Then Su Ze called over the [skilled jeweler], handed him two crystals and said, "Can you finish it today?"

The skilled jeweler immediately said, "No problem. The other parts have already been made."

Su Ze waved his hand to let him leave, then went to inspect the stables and prepare for other matters related to the selection of forwards.

(End of this chapter)