I was kicked out of the house, and I was reborn and became the emperor

"Don't act rashly. Fang Yi seems to be favored by the emperor now. Not only should we not be his enemy, but we should also show him goodwill. You know, going against the emperor's will is no joke. As for his identity..."

At this point, Shangguan Ba's voice lowered, "Even though we know that he might be another prince, we should not act rashly without solid evidence. It is better to let the Third Prince handle this matter."

Yang Jingyu suddenly felt enlightened, and the clouds of worry on his face disappeared, as if a ray of light had penetrated the fog in his heart.

"Indeed, Third Brother has always been thoughtful. If he takes action, he can achieve the goal without causing displeasure to our father."

There was a gleam in his eyes, as if he had foreseen that a wonderful game of power was about to take place.

……

Inside the Third Emperor's Palace.

Minister of War Xuanyuan Chenghua walked steadily through the long corridor with carved beams and painted buildings, and every step seemed to leave a mark in the sedimentation of history. His purpose was to report a piece of news that could shake the court to the high and mighty Third Prince, Yang Jingchou.

When he entered the palace, he saw the third prince Yang Jingchou sitting on a dragon-patterned chair, playing with a jade pendant in his hand, with a deep gaze that seemed to be able to see into people's hearts. Xuanyuan Chenghua's arrival interrupted his meditation, and he quickly waved for him to come forward.

"Your Highness, I have important news about Fang Yi."

Xuanyuan Chenghua's tone unconsciously became heavier, as he knew very well that this news was of great importance.

"Fang Yi?"

When the third prince Yang Jingchou heard this, a complex look flashed in his eyes, and then he couldn't help but exclaimed.

"He is actually going back to the capital? In the past two years, this man has thrived like a fish in water. He has transformed himself from a chess piece abandoned by Marquis Wuwei to a person who can stand shoulder to shoulder with Marquis Wuwei!"

There was both amazement and a hint of worry in his words.

"That's true."

Xuanyuan Chenghua nodded in agreement, his voice steady, "Fang Yi's strength should not be underestimated, not to mention that he is favored by His Majesty. My father once privately mentioned that Fang Yi's appearance is quite similar to His Majesty when he was young, which is probably one of the factors that led to his rapid rise to prominence."

Hearing this, Yang Jingchou frowned, his worry evident in his expression: "Could it be that the secret rumor circulating in the streets is actually true?"

"Whatever the truth is, we need to treat this matter with caution."

Xuanyuan Chenghua's face was solemn. "Third Prince, the current situation is already complicated enough. The Sixth Prince is already a major obstacle to your ascension to the throne. If Fang Yi interferes again, the position of the Eastern Palace will probably be even more slim."

Yang Jingchou hesitated for a moment, his brows gradually relaxed: "Then according to your opinion, what should we do?"

"There's no rush."

Xuanyuan Chenghua shook his head slightly, a glimmer of wisdom flashed in his eyes, "Let's hold our troops for now and wait and see what the Sixth Prince does. If we can use his strength to our advantage, we may be able to take the initiative here."

……

Under the spotlight.

Fang Yi finally returned to Kyoto.

I originally thought that I would be summoned by Emperor Taining soon.

However, unexpectedly, after returning to Kyoto, Fang Yi suddenly found himself with nothing to do!

The reason was that he had requested an audience several times, but Emperor Taining always refused on the grounds that he was busy with government affairs!

Although Fang Yi was curious, he didn't ask too many questions.

Zhuge Ke had already reminded him when he returned to the capital that this time Fang Yi would have to face more than just Emperor Taining!

The shrewd Zhuge Ke also deduced some things from recent events in Kyoto.

So she also gave some advice to her future son-in-law.

After Fang Yi came back, he was not idle.

He took care of everything in his Marquis Guanjun Mansion.

It feels like having a home.

He was also very clear that what was coming might be a protracted war!

As the next morning dawned, the imprint of his military career drove Fang Yi to wake up early from his dream.

After washing up, he left the bedroom quietly in the heavy snow.

"My Lord, Xiaorou is missing!"

Butler Li Sheng frowned and looked embarrassed, as if he had something to hide. As soon as he saw Fang Yi, he hurried to report.

"Did something happen to Xiaorou?" Fang Yi's heart tightened, and a hint of anxiety could be seen in his words.

Xiao Rou was not only his personal maid, but also his close partner and witness of the journey to Yanzhou. The friendship between them had long surpassed the scope of master and servant.

"Not really..." Li Sheng shook his head with a complicated expression on his face.

"In fact, Xiaorou is not a maid in our Guanjun Marquis's mansion. Her contract with the mansion has expired. It was fine for her to follow you to Yanzhou at the beginning, but now that she has returned, her original owner has come to take her back."

Hearing this, Fang Yi felt a little relieved: "How difficult is this? Just redeem it."

"My Lord, you don't know that the person who took Xiaorou away is..."

"No problem. No matter who it is, they won't be so heartless, right? If so, just pay more silver."

Fang Yi didn't allow any explanation and while speaking, he pulled Li Sheng out.

"That's fine." Li Sheng had no choice but to follow closely.

The two of them drove lightly and walked into the bustling street. The surging crowd and the simple atmosphere of life gave Fang Yi a warm sense of belonging.

However, to his surprise, Li Sheng did not lead him to any wealthy place, but instead took him through twists and turns and finally stopped at the Ziwei Lake on the east side of the imperial city.

Ziwei Lake is a beautiful landscape that everyone in the Great Zhou Imperial City knows about. Although the lake is small, the sparkling water and the snow-covered sky complement each other, like a painting of the unity of sky and water. On both sides of the lake, willow branches hang down and sway in the wind, adding a bit of tenderness.

There were more than a dozen pleasure boats on the lake, and with the background of falling snow, it formed a rare spectacle in the world. Even though Fang Yi had traveled to countless famous mountains and rivers in his previous life, he was still moved at this moment.

but……

"Aren't you going to redeem Xiaorou? Why did you bring me here?" Fang Yi smiled bitterly. In this situation, how could he have the leisure to appreciate the scenery?

"My Lord, please be patient." Li Sheng shook his head slightly and pointed his finger at the most prominent and magnificent pleasure boat in the center of the lake.

"Your Majesty may not know that the beauty of Ziwei Lake is something you cannot miss. Zhao Nansheng, the son of Zhao Daxueshi, has specially invited talented scholars and beautiful ladies from the imperial city to gather here today to meet friends through literature, recite poems, and enjoy the beauty of the lake and snow together."

"And the person who bought Xiao Rou is on that pleasure boat, and he is of high status. Even if the Marquis comes in person, he may not be able to give him enough respect."

Hearing this, Fang Yi suddenly understood and became curious. He didn't even give him face. Could it be that he was a prince?

Li Sheng did not give detailed explanation and Fang Yi did not ask any more questions. They simply rented a small boat and headed straight for the luxurious houseboat in the center of the lake.

"Gentlemen, the pleasure boat is full. Sorry, we cannot accommodate outsiders."

As they approached the pleasure boat, before Li Sheng could say anything, a young man standing by the boat, who looked as gentle as a scholar, coldly refused their approach and ordered them to leave with just one glance.