Chapter Fourteen: Morning Council

  Zhou Haibo returned from De Yue Lou with a pleased expression, the sky had already darkened. As soon as he entered his own courtyard, several young maidservants rushed up to him in a flurry, all saying: "Young Master, the Old Master has sent someone to call you twice, there's a guest for dinner and you're only just back now." After entering the house, another maid came forward to say: "Young Master, quickly go inside and change your clothes, Hong'er is waiting!"

  Zhou Haibo said: "Pour a cup of tea." After finishing speaking, he slowly entered the inner room.

  Hong'er was getting anxious, seeing that he had arrived, she quickly got up to help him take off his clothes, muttering: "Yan'er said you came back early, why did you only come back now? Master has sent someone to invite you twice already!"

  Zhou Haibo smiled and said: "I've been wandering around everywhere, it's already so late, I didn't know there were guests tonight."

  Hong'er helped Zhou Haibo take off his outer garment, and then squatted down to help him untie the towel around his waist. Seeing a stain on his pants, she furrowed her brow, just about to ask, but when it came off, she saw that the small clothes inside had an even bigger wet stain. She touched it with her hand and found it still felt slippery. Her heart skipped a beat as she suddenly understood something. She was so embarrassed that her ears turned bright red, and she couldn't bring herself to ask any questions. All she could think about was how this young master had gone out and gotten mixed up with who-knows-who again. A wave of frustration and anxiety washed over her, and she bit her lip, saying nothing.

  At this time, the maid brought in tea, and Hong Er hurriedly helped Zhou Haibo change into the clothes he wore at home. She took the changed clothes and went out with a pale face.

  Handing over the tea, he asked Zhou Haibo with a smile: "Young master just came back for a while and made Hong'er angry?" Zhou Haibo replied in confusion: "No way!" Without time to investigate, after drinking the tea, he went to his father's place.

  "Dad, are you looking for me?"

  General Zhou Weikun looked at Zhou Haibo with a frown, "Did you sneak into the Moon Building again?"

  "Nowhere, I just went out to have some fun with a few friends." Zhou Haibo explained.

  "You still say nothing? Hmph, what have you done that I wouldn't know?" Zhou Weikun said in anger.

  "Hehe, Dad, who came over tonight?" Zhou Haibo didn't want to say more about this and changed the subject.

  "It was General Wei Chi Zhan."

  "What's General Wei coming for? What business does he have here?" Zhou Haibo furrowed his brow, "Could it be that he's discovered our affair?"

  Zhou Weikun's face changed, "It shouldn't be possible, our Zhou family has always been very secretive, even the emperor's spies haven't discovered it."

  "Heh heh, the Emperor's secret agent? Nowadays, the Emperor's secret agents don't necessarily remain loyal to him." Zhou Haibo gave a sly smile and said, "Perhaps Wei Zhiyuan's arrival is related to Rong Fei's matter. Hasn't she been ill these past few days?"

  "Haha, as expected of my son, Wei Chi has come to this conclusion. With Rong Fei being healthy all along and suddenly falling ill these few days, anyone would be suspicious. Hehe, let's make good use of this situation, perhaps we'll gain something unexpected, won't we?"

  "Hahaha!"

  Zhou Weikun and Zhou Haibo looked at each other and burst out laughing.

  After laughing, Zhou Weikun took out a piece of information and placed it in front of Zhou Haibo, saying: "Take a look, unexpectedly this weak Liao Wang is not simple!"

  "What's going on?" Zhou Haibo picked up the intelligence and took a look, his face changed greatly, and he said incredulously: "How is this possible?"

  "Isn't it unexpected? At first, I didn't believe it either, but this thing is absolutely true. Now Yang Chengfeng has completely grasped the power of Wuwei, combining the Wuwei garrison, the Blue Feather Army, and the Northwestern Border Army with the 10,000 Imperial Guards he brought to form the Heavenly Wolf Army. Dominating the Northwest, he's far superior to his two older brothers." Zhou Weikun sighed: "I didn't expect this seemingly weak Fourth Prince to be hiding so well, it seems that when he went to the Northwest back then, he had already planned everything out."

  "How terrifying is Yang Chengfeng! Father, looking at this Yang Chengfeng, he will be our great enemy in the future! However, this time he privately formed the Tianlang Army in Wuwei, offending the imperial court. Can we rely on the imperial court to eliminate him?" Zhou Haibo thought for a moment and said.

  Zhou Weikun shook his head and said, "Now that Yang Chengfeng has eliminated the Mongolian general Helian Tiashu and his 800,000 iron cavalry, it is a great victory for the empire in a hundred years. Moreover, he is also the Grand Marshal of the Wuwei Army and a prince himself. It's hard to imagine the emperor punishing him."

  "What's to be done?" asked Zhou Haibo.

  "Haha, I think this time Yang Chengfeng has made such a great contribution, who is the most anxious?" Zhou Weikun laughed and said.

  Zhou Haibo suddenly realized and said: "We should also help Yang Chengfeng in the imperial court, so that they will be more wary of Yang Chengfeng."

  "Not bad, and those literary officials in the imperial court are jealous of us military men. One of the two great generals in the imperial court is actually held by a literary official, which shows one aspect. Now Yang Chengfeng has defeated the Mongols in Wuwei, but in the eyes of those literary officials, defeating the Mongols doesn't count for much. As long as we secretly help him, Yang Chengfeng... heh heh..."

  "By the way, Father, how is the Yellow Turban Sect doing now?" Zhou Haibo asked.

  "Hmph, never mind, those people are too self-righteous, thinking that they can destroy the Great Qin Empire with just their own strength."

  "But this is better, let them shake the foundation of the Great Qin Empire, and when we rise up, we can achieve twice the result with half the effort."

  "Not bad, haha, let's go see our great general now."

  ……

  The next day, early morning.

  "There is a memorial to be presented, without it, the court will be dismissed." Along with the eunuch's shout, Yang Quan's pale face looked down at the group of officials below.

  "I have something to report." Zhou Weikun stepped forward and said.

  "Correct."

  "Your Majesty, the Grand Marshal of the Wuwei Army, King Yang Chengfeng of Liao, defeated the Mongolian General He Lian Ti Shu and his 80,000 iron cavalry five days ago. He Lian Ti Shu was killed in battle." reported Zhou Weikun.

  "Ah!"

  "Is this true?"

  "What's going on?"

  Zhou Weikun's words caused a huge stir in Chaozhong.

  "Zhou Ai Qing, is this true?" Yang Quan was also extremely surprised.

  "Your Majesty, this is absolutely true."

  At this moment, a guard walked into the main hall and said to Yang Guang: "Your Majesty, there is a battle report from the Liao King."

  "Oh, bring it quickly."

  Yang Guang held Yang Chengfeng's battle report and looked at it, then burst out laughing: "He is indeed my son! Pass down the imperial edict, reward Liaowang Yang Chengfeng with 100,000 taels of white silver, ten pairs of white jade, ten beauties, and allow him to establish the Tianlang Army."