Chapter 648 - An Inconvenient Position
Once again, Hou Xiaoliang sidled a few steps closer to the outside. 'My future mistress ah, you truly have guts to call the master a 'kept man'. Out of the whole Great Ming Empire, you're probably the only one who's able to say something so impolite to him without retribution.' He needed to get out of earshot. Otherwise, his master might fly into a fury over the fact that his subordinate had heard something so humiliating. He also didn't dare to reprimand his future mistress either.
"Hee hee! I'm only teasing you ah! Do you think there's anyone in the capital who will dare to compete against us when we combine both of our enterprises? In the future, wouldn't that mean I could count money every day until my hands cramp?" Yu Xiaocao suddenly had a feeling that she was going to become the richest noble lady in the capital and felt incredibly proud at the prospect.
"Is counting money exhausting ah? This prince will send a few people over and have them count for you. You can just stand at the side and watch them." Zhu Junyang aggressively said as he gently stroked the little lass's fine and glossy black hair with a hand. He relished in the silky feeling slipping through his fingers.
"Hee hee!" Yu Xiaocao, the little money grubber, sniggered. Her whole demeanor resembled a tiny squirrel who had just eaten some stolen pine nuts. She was simultaneously adorable and childish. Zhu Junyang loved and hated that image at the same time. Just where did she get that oddball temperament from? Uncle and Auntie Yu were both placid and down to earth people. Her older brother and sister were the same. Her younger brother was also steady at a very young age. It was only this lass who had a weird personality.
Zhu Junyang loafed around the Yu Residence until the moon peeked over the willow trees. Only then did he reluctantly say his farewells. After leaving the Yu Residence, he and Hou Xiaoliang headed out of the capital, back towards the army. Although he never took outside criticism to heart, he was someone who was about to become married. Thus, he couldn't let his wife be worried about him in the future. It was important to keep up his image. Thus, he had no intention of getting accused of the crime of privately returning back to the capital without the army!
Three days later, Great General Zhenxi returned back to the capital. News from the northwest had just gotten back and the entire capital was thunderstruck and then elated by what had happened. Royal Prince Yang, who had become Great General Zhenxi, was now also given the nickname of 'War God'. In the short time period of a year, he had managed to beat back the invaders and traitors of the northwest until they couldn't even raise their heads anymore. Thus, the people of the northwest now had a few decades of peace in the future. No matter what the time period, the commoners all hoped and prayed for peace in where they lived.
In order to see the 'War God's' imposing demeanor in person, many of the capital's people had arrived in the suburbs of the capital early to wait. The Yulin Division had imposed martial law within a one kilometer radius of the suburbs for safety. This was done because the emperor himself, along with court's civil and military officials, were coming out to receive the army back home.
On the day of the procession, Xiaocao had been summoned to enter the palace. Within the imperial study, Zhu Junfan was currently looking over the crown prince's school work. The crown prince was already twelve this year and had grown into an impressive youth. All of his work had been praised to the skies by his various imperial tutors and, more and more, he was gaining the appropriate demeanor and solemnity as the imperial heir.
Although the imperial palace had added a few more young princes and princesses, the second oldest prince, who was a three to four year old, had an eight year gap between him and the crown prince. By the time the second oldest prince got older, the crown prince would have almost reached his age of majority. Thus, no one could possibly be a threat to his position then! Furthermore, as long as the crown prince didn't make a huge blunder such as being unfilial to his parents or become a traitor to the empire, it was very likely his position would be rock steady. Consequently, it was highly unlikely that a bloody fight for the throne would happen in this generation.
