Chapter 703

Yellow Springs Realm

A group from the Eleven Palaces and the Baili Clan followed the Great King, spending a pleasant time; he fled from Chang'an to Changzhou, and everyone discovered that the poor little one's maternal clan still treated him well. Following the Great King's perspective, they saw the Southwest Army, and several knowledgeable emperors were very satisfied.

This is the army of our Great Jin!

Just look at those several hundred thousand in Chang'an—what are they?

…They looked at White Marsh with a strange gaze; something must have happened that we don't know about.

Zhang Zong was the first to agree: "I don't know why we're being made to look at Chang'an; can't we just keep following Xiao San?" Who'd want to watch that unfilial son! Besides, watching him too much is dangerous……

Xuan Zong, calm and composed, retorted: "Are you afraid of tiring out your grandfather?"

Zhang Zong: ……

It's a pity that what they say doesn't count; even if they don't want to look, they have to. Because there are too many perspectives and too many loose ends for the Great King, if they miss half a day not following him, they end up confused and still can't figure some things out.

After watching the Great King briefly reunite with his relatives and then another person set off from Changzhou, He Zong almost burst into tears: "Can't that Wei family lad stay with him? Now our Xiao San is down to just one person……

He Zong had never been to his fief; born as the empress's legitimate son, he was made crown prince at ten, with no experience living alone. Now seeing the Great King's little child return alone to the frontier feels unsettling. This isn't an ordinary child—he's his great‑grandson, how amazing. He Zong never saw his own son grow up, yet now he can watch his great‑grandson grow bit by bit; his attitude toward the Great King is indulgent, fully approving, fully supportive.

But such sentiment couldn't linger near the Great King—this fellow rushed straight to the eastern sea border and began stirring up trouble again, full of vigor; everyone followed, letting out a sigh of relief. They discovered that the Great King had covertly transported a large batch of slaves from the south, yet he didn't take them to Youzhou but sent them straight to Liaodong Commandery.

To say everyone's hearts were shaken is no exaggeration—this child under ten, when did he carve out a new base overseas?!

Zhang Zong whispered: "…I just said we should keep following him! When we can't see him, he's constantly up to something."

Tai Zu was greatly relieved; he still hasn't gauged the Great King's martial strength, and even now he's thinking that, just in case, Xiao San having that ship and overseas land would at least give him a retreat.

Only later did they learn that Liaodong Commandery was not just a new commandery but also the Great King's great salt field; it not only freed him from the court's stranglehold, but could also shake up the southern situation.

The Great King returned to Youzhou without stopping his mischief‑making steps; to make the Northern Border Academy notorious, he drove out several bigwigs surnamed Wang and Lu, then began recruiting troops for a grand army martial tournament, even holding small‑scale reviews, making the martial‑focused ancestors' blood boil.

All this hustle and bustle—anyway, he did everything a feudal lord shouldn't.

His way of tossing and turning kept the Eleven Palaces worried every day: half feared he'd rise too high and his father would prematurely eliminate him; half feared that once he grew up and his wings hardened he'd go south to settle scores with his brothers.

But they soon realized this worry was unnecessary—the hidden danger seated in Chang'an's Jianzhang Palace used its strength to tell them not to lose sleep over groundless fears.

Tai Zu also finally realized that Ning De's watching song and dance while neglecting state affairs were mere trifles; he'd grown angry long ago.

Being a good‑for‑nothing who lies flat is fine; the fear is that such a good‑for‑nothing might suddenly decide to strive.

At this time, the King of Jiangxia and those feudal lords kept stirring up the populace, while the realm suffered continual disorder; even Emperor Ning De, that useless pure salted fish, sensed some pressure.

After Ning De was duped by the Cui family in the former court, then, back in the inner palace, he was duped by the Kucha Zhaoyi, and with a slap of his head he decided to personally lead the campaign.

The king merely couldn't fathom why his father was so sure; the Eleventh Hall had witnessed the whole affair, but everyone else, seeing Taizu's grim face, kept silent like frightened chickens. When it comes down to it, this grave blood‑relation menace involves us all—better not get dragged in by association; let Zhang Zong bear the misfortune alone!

But An Zong couldn't restrain himself; he nearly jumped up and shouted, only holding back when he saw Taizu's grim face. "With his flabby body, he still wants to launch a northern campaign?! Is he even the right stuff?! If he dies on the battlefield and loses face, that's no big deal, but won't the various feudal lords seize the chance to march their armies north?!" The Xiao San Bing haven't even finished their campaign, let alone trained properly—you worthless thing, aren't you just stirring up trouble!

Having led numerous campaigns himself, he knows best the strength of the steppe cavalry; back then he exerted tremendous effort to subdue the Xiongnu—does this great‑grandson, who knows nothing but song and dance, really have that capability?!!

Seeing all the ancestors fuming, the unfortunate Zhang Zong had no choice but to kneel and plead for them to calm down. Although the enraged An Zong and the stern‑faced Taizu now look to be in their forties, in their prime, and even appear younger than him, after all, who made him the grandson!

Who let that flabby material still be his choice.

It's a pity the Eleventh Hall's joys and sorrows aren't shared; the former Zhou court's atmosphere was lively and bustling like a tea party, but the Great Jin might really be finished this time~

Taizu pinched his fingers, gave them a glance, and let out a cold snort: "Reckless!"

Zhang Zong shuddered… "Crown Prince, you'd better stay alive… If you ever come here… you'll likely die again soon…"

【I just wanted to write the side story quickly, but the current plot is too far ahead; I'll try to catch up, fearing you've forgotten the earlier plot~

Because I forgot, haha; I've read through today's ahead… tomorrow there will be the main text.】