After killing four concubines, the queen was sentenced to death and reborn

A few days later, the smoke of war in the southern border quietly reached the imperial city like an unexpected cold wind in autumn, bringing a heavy battle report.

The iron cavalry of the Rong tribe broke the tranquility of the border, smoke of war rose everywhere, and the news reached the palace.

Upon hearing the news, Xiao Xuanchen's brows couldn't help but frown, and his tired look seemed even heavier in the coolness of early autumn.

In the Purple Palace, the candlelight flickered, illuminating Xiao Xuanchen who was sitting on the dragon throne. He was dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, but he looked a little thin. The cool breeze seemed to penetrate the layers of gorgeous clothes and penetrate into his bones. His face was as pale as paper, and his eyes were shining with a deep light. He leaned lightly on the armrest of the dragon throne, and every breath was accompanied by a slight cough, "cough cough cough..." The cough echoed in the empty hall, like the fallen leaves in autumn, with a bit of bleakness and helplessness.

Upon seeing this, the eunuch in front of the emperor felt nervous and hurried forward with a cup of warm tea in his hand. His voice was full of concern: "Your Majesty, your health is the most important thing. Drink some tea to moisten your throat first!" His words were full of anxiety and worry.

Inside the palace, the ministers were silent and the atmosphere was solemn. Several trusted ministers had expressions of worry or determination on their faces, and they exchanged subtle glances.

A complex emotion flashed through Duke Zheng's eyes. He slowly stepped forward, bowed, and said in a steady and powerful voice, "Your Majesty, please take care of yourself."

Hearing this, Xiao Xuanchen pulled himself together, straightened his body, and sat upright. He coughed lightly, and although his voice was weak, every word was sonorous: "I just caught a cold occasionally, my dear ministers, don't make a fuss, it's just a cold, it's nothing to worry about. The most urgent thing is the danger in the southern border. General Hongyuan passed away suddenly, and the southern border is like losing a rock. The Rong tribe took advantage of the opportunity to invade, which is a great disaster for the country. I want to send a capable general to the southern border as soon as possible to stabilize the situation, guard our land, and protect our people!"

Upon hearing this, the Minister of War, Lord Chen, looked even more solemn. He knew very well the heavy responsibility on his shoulders. He took a step forward and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty is right. I think we can quickly send loyal and brave generals with elite troops to the southern border. At the same time, we should strengthen border patrols to prevent the Rong people from attacking again. As for the candidates, I am willing to recommend..."

Before he finished speaking, Xiao Xuanchen had already interrupted him with a wave of his hand. He glanced at the ministers with a sharp gaze and said, "I will discuss the selection of candidates after I have considered it. You are all capable generals of our dynasty. You need to perform your duties and ensure the safety of our Daliang. Please leave!"

Yes." As the footsteps of the ministers faded away, the hall returned to silence, leaving only the faint flickering candlelight, illuminating the empty hall.

Soon, a slow and orderly footsteps broke the silence. The eunuch in front of the emperor, holding a whisk, led a man in his thirties in official robes into the hall. This man was Gu Cheng, who had a calm and majestic look on his face. He was a trusted minister cultivated by Xiao Xuanchen in recent years.

"Your Majesty!" Gu Cheng walked to the steps and knelt slowly, his movements showing respect without losing his dignity. At this time, Xiao Xuanchen, who was lying on the dragon bed, seemed to be immersed in a light sleep, with a barely perceptible fatigue and worry between his brows. These days, the state affairs were as heavy as a mountain, and coupled with his poor health, he looked particularly weak.

"Here it comes...get up!" Xiao Xuanchen's voice was a little hoarse, with some barely noticeable gasps, as if even opening his mouth to speak required a great deal of effort.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Gu Cheng responded, his voice low and powerful, with a complicated look in his eyes.

Gu Cheng stood at the side with a deep look in his eyes. He was a very cunning and ruthless man, but he was particularly loyal to Xiao Xuanchen. "Your Majesty's expression is really worrying. Although state affairs are serious, Your Majesty's health is the foundation of all the people. I hope Your Majesty will take care of yourself." There was both worry and earnestness in his words.

Xiao Xuanchen shook his head gently, a wry smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, "It's okay, just a cold." After saying that, he coughed again, his face became paler, as if even breathing became difficult.

"Your Majesty summoned me here, is it about the affairs of the southern border?" Gu Cheng changed the subject at the right time, with a sharp gleam in his eyes.

"That's right." Xiao Xuanchen leaned slightly to the side, leaning more of his body weight on the armrest. Every word he spoke seemed to exhaust all his strength. "General Hongyuan passed away suddenly, and the Rong tribe took advantage of the situation to invade. The situation in the southern border is precarious. I need a reliable person to take charge of the situation. Do you have any good ideas for this matter?"

Gu Cheng had some thoughts in mind when he heard this, but he did not express them immediately. He knew that Your Majesty was wary of military power, and he understood the importance of sending reinforcements at this time. After a moment of silence, he slowly said: "Your Majesty, I think General Helian may be able to take on this important task. He is not only the consort of Princess Xuanhua, but also a veteran general in the army, with superior prestige and ability. Sending him to the southern border can not only stabilize the morale of the army, but also make Your Majesty feel at ease."

After he finished speaking, Gu Cheng fixed his gaze on Xiao Xuanchen, trying to read more emotions from his deep eyes.

Xiao Xuanchen's fingers slowly stroked the warm jade ring, and the subtle sound was particularly clear in the quiet palace. His eyes were as deep as the night sky, and the gloomy look could not be concealed. He murmured in a low voice, and each word was like a heavy stone falling into a pond. "Helian Cheng..." These three words rolled between his lips and teeth, carrying some complex and unspeakable emotions.

Gu Cheng stood to one side, his heart suddenly tightened, his face tensed involuntarily, a hint of nervousness and uneasiness flashed in his sharp eyes, he asked cautiously: "Your Majesty, do you think there is something wrong?"

Xiao Xuanchen's face was as solemn as a dark cloud about to descend on the city, with a hint of hesitation and suspicion between his brows. He spoke coldly, his voice low and powerful: "Helian Cheng, Xuanhua's consort, is originally a marriage alliance, but behind him is the eldest son of General Weiyuan, the shield of the Western Territory. If he holds the military power of the Southern Territory, this concentration of power will not be..." Before he finished speaking, his meaning was deep, and the air in the hall seemed to freeze.

Upon hearing this, Gu Cheng's face suddenly changed, his knees softened, and he fell to the ground involuntarily, his forehead pressed against the cold floor tiles, and his voice trembled: "I was not thoughtful enough and almost made a big mistake. Please punish me, Your Majesty!"

Xiao Xuanchen narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Gu Cheng. There was no blame in his eyes, but a bit of understanding and comfort. He waved his hand gently and softened his tone: "Gu Qing, you are too serious. What you said is not completely unreasonable. Helian Cheng is indeed a rare general. It is rare to find someone who can compare with him among all the civil and military officials in the court."

"It's just..." Xiao Xuanchen changed the subject, his brows showing even more worry, "Although I appreciate his talent, I have to nip it in the bud. The Helian clan is very powerful. If we allow it to develop, it may not be a blessing for the country."

Gu Cheng caught the subtle changes in Xiao Xuanchen's eyes, pondered in his heart, then raised his head slightly, his eyes flashing with wisdom. He bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty is wise. General Helian has stayed in Shangjing for many years and is actually a hostage. This move has shown his sincerity. Now that Your Majesty wants to entrust him with an important task, all you need is an imperial edict to summon General Weiyuan back to Beijing. I think General Helian will also take the overall situation into consideration and dare not act rashly."

After he finished speaking, he raised a barely perceptible smile and continued, "Moreover, General Helian is leading the troops to fight against the Rong tribe this time to show his loyalty to the country. If he can really achieve great military exploits, it will be a blessing for Your Majesty and a blessing for Daliang. But if the situation on the battlefield changes suddenly and General Helian unfortunately dies, then the military power in the southern border will naturally return to Your Majesty. It will be a foolproof plan to make arrangements at that time."

Following Gu Cheng's words, the atmosphere in the hall seemed to relax slightly. Xiao Xuanchen was silent for a moment, a hint of deep thought flashed in his eyes, and finally he nodded slowly, as if he had made a decision.