After several months of tug-of-war, Qi Younian set up an ambush in Yingchoujian 30 miles outside Zhenshan Pass, worshipped the Northern Barbarians and joined forces with the army, and took advantage of the victory to pursue them, went straight to the hinterland of the grassland, and captured the Northern Barbarian King Dadar.?                                                                                    �

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The Northern Barbarians were defeated and completely surrendered, willing to be the vassal state of the Qin Dynasty forever.

When the news came to the capital, the court was almost infuriated. Even when the Qin Dynasty was at its peak, it was just a peaceful relationship with the Northern Barbarians. Now, when the internal and external troubles are at a loss, it can defeat the Northern Barbarians.

Qi Younian immediately became a person circulated by people, and the name of the God of War was truly worthy of.

While Qi Younian sent back the good news, he also asked Empress Dowager Han and Emperor Longqing for an order, saying that he wanted to continue to lead his troops deeper and completely pacify the Northern Barbarians and the tribes of the Western Regions, so that these barbarians could completely surrender to the Qin Dynasty and further expand the Qin Dynasty's territory.

Although the Northern Barbarians and the Western Regions are sparsely populated, they are vast and have complex geography. It is obvious that they cannot achieve such a career overnight.

No one thinks that Qi Younian is just to please Queen Mother Han and Emperor Longqing. Everyone believes that Qi Younian is serious and he is really planning to spend the rest of his life on the battlefield and does not plan to return to the capital.

But no one can deny that Qi Younian's plan is grand and attractive.

However, Empress Dowager Han and Emperor Longqing did not hesitate at all on this issue. After receiving Qi Younian's memorial, Empress Dowager Han immediately sent someone to Zhenshan Pass to send an order, asking Qi Younian to withdraw his troops immediately.

The task assigned by Empress Dowager Han to Qi Younian was very simple. Didn’t he capture the Northern Barbarian King? Empress Dowager Han told Qi Younian that there was no need to escort the Northern Barbarian King into the capital. Qi Younian was the plenipotent representative of the Emperor and Empress of the Great Qin. He asked the Northern Barbarian King to write a letter of descending and worship, and just swear to be a minister in the world.

Empress Dowager Han also ordered Qi Younian to go to Beijing immediately after completing this matter. As for all subsequent matters and the guarding after Zhenshan Pass, Weiwu Hou was responsible for it.

While Empress Dowager Han was sending an order to Zhenshan Pass, she summoned the Marquis of Weiwu.

Marquis Weiwu kept asking for an order, wanting to return to Zhenshan Pass to guard. Now Empress Dowager Han is as he wishes and asked him to change defense with Qi Younian.

Marquis Weiwu went to guard Zhenshanguan to deal with the follow-up matters with the Northern Barbarians. Qi Younian was transferred back to the capital and accepted the rewards, and instead of Marquis Weiwu, he was in charge of the five battalions outside the capital.

Empress Dowager Han issued an urgent decree to Qi Younian. After summoning the Marquis of Weiwu, he immediately sent the Marquis of Weiwu out of the capital.

She seemed to be eager to see Qi Younian.

On this day, Qin Zhen came down from the dynasty meeting and returned to the Sinchun Hall, and told Ji Xiaotang about this.

"...Magic Wuhou left in a hurry. It is said that he carried a bag with him. Many things had to be sent to the Marquis' Mansion. If you want to take Xuan'er and Ying'er to practice it for him, you can't..." Qin Zhen frowned slightly as he spoke.

"Strange." Ji Xiaotang said.

"What's strange?" Qin Zhen asked immediately.

"I mean, the Queen Mother's decision was strange."

"Xiaotang, tell me in detail." Qin Zhen was obviously very interested in Ji Xiaotang's statement.

"The Empress Dowager will not allow Ayou's army to go deeper. I can understand what Western Regions and Northern Barbarian tribes are." Ji Xiaotang said in a leisurely manner.

Even though Qi Younian stated in his memorial that he would raise the food and grass by himself and would not let the court spend a lot of money, Qi Younian's northern expedition still involved all aspects, and he didn't know when he would come back when he went there.

The Qin Dynasty already had a vast territory and abundant resources, so it had never taken the wild land in the north to its eyes. Even if the Northern Barbarians surrendered voluntarily, the court would still dislike the place that was too bad and the residents were barbaric and uncivilized, so it was difficult to send people to manage it. The court would not gain any benefits from it.

To put it bluntly, the court was not interested in that place. As long as the barbarians did not invade the Central Plains, they would do whatever they liked to do on that land. The Qin Dynasty was too lazy to care about it.

Ji Xiaotang can understand that Empress Dowager Han wants to summon Qi Younian to return to the capital for rewards.

What she felt strange was that Empress Dowager Han was so urgent to summon Qi You’s annual meeting.

"I don't believe that she was so anxious to see Ayou because she missed Ayou." Empress Dowager Han was anxious to summon Qi Younian to Beijing, so she must have other plans.

"I think the external troubles have been eliminated and I want to eliminate the internal troubles." Qin Zhen said with a smile.

Ji Xiaotang looked up at Qin Zhen, and sure enough, Qin Zhen had already thought of it.

"Yes, I'm afraid my Majesty's body will not last long. She must not be anxious."

The couple looked at each other and smiled, and had a tacit understanding.

"Ayou is coming back. I've been separated for a few years. I really want to see him soon." Finally, Qin Zhen said with a smile.

Qin Zhen wanted to see Qi Younian, but Qi Younian might not want to see him. Even if he met, he was afraid that Qi Younian would not have any good looks to Qin Zhen. Qi Younian dared to beat Qin Zhen back then. Now he has made extraordinary contributions and is regarded as a god of war by the court and the people of the Qin Dynasty. At the same time, he is also relied most by Queen Mother Han. When Qi Younian saw Qin Zhen, he wondered what the situation would be like.

...

On the third day of September, Qi Younian led a hundred personal soldiers and a thousand elite soldiers to return to the capital.

The government and the country were shaking.

However, Qi Younian did not bring him into the city, but instead attacked a thousand elite soldiers and all the personal soldiers to the fifth battalion thirty miles away from the city, and only brought four or five personal soldiers into the city.

The courtiers immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

Empress Dowager Han met Qi Younian in the Golden Palace. Even Emperor Longqing dragged his sick body to the Golden Palace and personally praised Qi Younian for a few words.

Qi Younian was appointed Duke Zhenguo.

After the dynasty was dispersed, Empress Dowager Han summoned Qi Younian to Cining Palace and said something for a long time. After that, Empress Dowager Han issued an order, not only let Qi Younian command the fifth battalion soldiers outside the capital, but also included the imperial army patrolling the city under Qi Younian's command.

However, Empress Dowager Han said in her decree that this is only temporary, and she hopes that Qi Younian can train the Imperial City Army well. If the Imperial City Army has the combat effectiveness of the elite troops in Zhenshanguan, then this capital will be more stable and safe.

As for the incident of Qi Younian bringing elite troops back to Beijing, neither Empress Dowager Han nor Emperor Longqing mentioned any words.

The court officials suddenly realized.

Qi Younian led elite troops back to the capital, not because of arrogance, nor because of the unjust thoughts, but because of the emperor's will.

These elite soldiers are used to expand the troops of the fifth battalion and strengthen the combat power of the Imperial City Army.

Even the most sluggish courtiers slowly had some thoughts in their minds.

The war in the north has just stopped, and there is a storm in the capital.

The court was in a turbulent tide. However, it was very peaceful on the surface.

Ji Xiaotang had never seen Qi Younian. When asked about Qin Zhen, Qin Zhen had only met Qi Younian a few times in the court, and in private...

"...I didn't deliberately avoid me. I just refused to pay attention to me." Qin Zhen smiled bitterly.

When it comes to whether Qi Younian has changed, Qin Zhen’s smile becomes a bit complicated.

"I can't say it well. Xiaotang, you will know when you see him with your own eyes."

Obviously, Qi Younian has changed a lot.

Qi Younian refused to pay attention to Qin Zhen. He did not have the idleness to come to Prince An’s Mansion to see Ji Xiaotang as people expected and expected. However, this also made many people feel relieved.

Qi Younian was fighting outside for several years, but he was still alone, with no concubine around him. He only returned to the capital for a few days, and the person who came to the door to say he was close to the threshold of the Majestic Marquis Mansion.

Qi Younian was the Duke of Zhenguo, and Empress Dowager Han also gave the Duke of another country's mansion, but it still needs to be cleaned up. The wife of the Marquis of Weiwu also hoped that this long-lost son would stay by his side for more time, and it would be best to have a marriage for Qi Younian during the period.

After all, if there is no mistress in such a huge Duke's Mansion, it would be very dissatisfied.

Ji Xiaotang has never seen Qi Younian, but she can always know the news about Qi Younian as soon as possible.

On October 16th, Emperor Longqing issued an order to see Xuan'er. It was Qin Zhen who should have taken Xuan'er into the palace, but at this time, Qin Zhen was sent by Empress Dowager Han to work. He couldn't get rid of his body, so Ji Xiaotang had to lead Xuan'er to the palace.

As soon as Ji Xiaotang entered the palace with Xuan'er, he was led into Cining Palace first. Ji Xiaotang was not surprised at all when he saw the radiant Empress Dowager Han in the hall.

Now Emperor Longqing is seriously ill. Many decrees issued in his name are actually the meaning of Empress Dowager Han.

"... I've been too busy these days. I've long wanted to summon you mother and son to the palace to talk, but I haven't made any room for it." Empress Dowager Han smiled and asked Ji Xiaotang to sit down, but said angrily, "You child is too. Are you still having sex with me? If I don't call you into the palace, you won't come. You are also cruel. Shouldn't you bring Xuan'er to see me?"

"... I have my grandmother's filial piety, and I am afraid that I will be disrespectful to my mother and Your Majesty when I come to the palace. I also know that my mother is busy with her affairs and I have nothing to do, so why can I disturb her? Could it be that my mother delayed the national affairs in order to accompany me and Xuan'er?"

"You are a clever mouth that makes people hate or love." Empress Dowager Han smiled and stopped mentioning that Ji Xiaotang had not entered the palace to see her.

"Xun'er seems to have grown taller again?" Empress Dowager Han looked up and down, and the joy in her eyes was true.

"My mother saw it." Ji Xiaotang smiled, "Xuan'er is growing very fast now."

"Children don't grow up fast, they look like they are almost a day." Empress Dowager Han asked Xuan'er to go forward, "Let me take a good look."

Xuan'er can walk very steadily now, so Ji Xiaotang put him on the ground, holding his hand and bringing him to the closeness of Queen Mother Han.

Empress Dowager Han leaned forward and looked at Xuan'er's face for a while, and the expression on her face became a little complicated.

"Xiong'er looks more and more like the late emperor as he grows!"

After saying this, Empress Dowager Han did not ask to get closer to Xuan'er, but instead ordered Ji Xiaotang to take Xuan'er to see Emperor Longqing.

"Your Majesty is a little better today, and I want to see you and Xuan'er. Just go."

Empress Dowager Han beat Yang Pianpian and escorted Ji Xiaotang and Xuan'er to the Ganqing Palace.

"Pianpian, this is not the way to the Ganqing Palace..." Seeing that he was about to enter the Imperial Garden, Ji Xiaotang stopped and asked Yang Pianpian.

Yang Pianpian always had a stern face, without any obvious change in expression.

"Qi Bi'an, this is the way to the Ganqing Palace. Today, I can only walk to the Imperial Garden. Last night, I was windy and a big tree fell down. That road cannot be walked today." Yang Pianpian explained to Ji Xiaotang in a flat tone like her face.

"Oh, the wind didn't seem to be heavy last night." Ji Xiaotang looked at Yang Pianpian.

"Princess An is in the palace, so what he knows is naturally the wind of the palace. How can he know the wind in the palace? I will never deceive the princess. Even if the princess is willing to forgive me, the Queen Mother and His Majesty will not forgive me. What else are the princess worried about..."

Ji Xiaotang looked at Yang Pianpian and smiled.

"Pianpian said it well."

Yang Pianpian led Ji Xiaotang into the Imperial Garden, turned left and right, and bypassed a rockery. A pavilion appeared in front of him.

There is someone in the pavilion.

The man stood in the pavilion with his hands behind his back, as if he heard the movement and was turning his head.

The distance was a little far away, and the sun was shining on the man's face. Ji Xiaotang couldn't see the man's face clearly, but his heart moved. At this time, the man had already strode out of the pavilion and walked towards Ji Xiaotang.
To be continued...