Chapter 132: Khan Court

"Brother Crown Prince, after this battle, I fear the Yan Wang's status in Father Emperor's heart has become even more important."

"That goes without saying. Father Emperor cares most about face, and this time the Yan Wang has truly earned him enough face," the Deposed Crown Prince Zhao Gang said. Remembering something, he reminded the Eighth Prince beside him, "I have told you how many times, do not call me Crown Prince in front of so many people."

The Eighth Prince Zhao Zha scratched his head, his face showing shame, "Sorry, Brother Crown Prince, I forgot again."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Gang nearly lost his breath and simply stopped talking.

Zhao Zha continued: "Fortunately, the Yan Wang's maternal family is of humble origin; otherwise, who knows how many ministers would be vying to claim credit for him."

Zhao Gang's eyes brightened slightly. He clapped his hands and laughed, "That's right! Although the Yan Wang performed a great service, no one in the court speaks for him. Why don't I request a reward for him? In this way, he will remember my favor."

"Exactly, exactly," the Eighth Prince said. "In any case, Father Emperor will certainly reward the Yan Wang. We might as well go with the flow and help him; it only costs a few words."

Zhao Gang nodded, deciding to act according to the situation during the court session.

Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly saw the Third Prince walking toward his Father Emperor.

He immediately pulled the Eighth Prince and followed along.

"Congratulations, Father Emperor, congratulations, Father Emperor. Under your earnest teachings, Ninth Brother has finally achieved a great victory, raising the national prestige of Da Song." The Third Prince Zhao Mu arrived before Zhao Heng and bowed.

While in the crowd, his uncle Dou Wei had given him a wink, signaling him to come over.

Understanding his uncle's meaning, he immediately stepped forward to offer his congratulations to his Father Emperor.

The arrival of numerous ministers and nobles gave Zhao Heng's vanity great satisfaction.

He stood with his hands behind his back in front of the prison cart, waiting quietly for their flattery.

Zhao Mu attributed all the credit for the Yan Wang's great victory to him, which made him feel very self-satisfied.

He was right; the Yan Wang was his son.

Was the Yan Wang's victory not the victory of this father?

Thinking of this, he felt even more comfortable, and even began to miss the Yan Wang a little.

In Jingshi, the Imperial Princes fought back and forth, and the things they stirred up every day made him feel distracted and annoyed.

Comparing the two, the Yan Wang, who was guarding the frontier for Da Song in Yanzhou, was much more gratifying to him.

Nodding, he said, "That is correct. No matter what, the Yan Wang is My son and your younger brother. As members of the Imperial Clan, you should work together to raise the prestige of Our Imperial Clan."

"Yes, Father Emperor," Zhao Mu said with a respectful expression. "Not long ago, this son even sent people to Yan Commandery to visit Ninth Brother..."

Before he could finish speaking, Zhao Gang suddenly squeezed over, "Father Emperor, this son also sent people to Yan Commandery. As the eldest brother, this son has always cared deeply for all my younger brothers."

Zhao Heng was in an exceptionally good mood today. If it were in the past, he would certainly have glared at this useless Deposed Crown Prince.

Laughing twice, he said, "That is correct. The Imperial Clan is one body. With the Yan Wang sitting in Yanzhou, you can also live more peacefully in Jingshi."

The Third Prince and Zhao Gang nodded at the same time.

At this moment, the officials gathered around, one after another congratulating Zhao Heng, the sound of "Long live the Emperor" ringing incessantly in his ears.

Zhao Heng was exceptionally proud.

Facing the numerous ministers, he said, "Today is merely to allow you, my beloved ministers, to view the battle results from Yanzhou.

At tomorrow's morning court, I shall discuss the matter of rewards with all you ministers."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the ministers said.

Now they had nothing more to say; Kutu had already been brought.

They could no longer find any other reason to block the reward for the Yan Wang.

The vast Grassland.

A team of cavalry struggled forward against the wind and snow.

Every October, while the south was still in the golden autumn, snow would already begin to drift in the far north of the Grassland.

And with the expansion of the Northern Di territory, the bitter, cold lands within their borders became increasingly vast.

"We have arrived. Ahead is the Khan's tent." The leading cavalryman gazed at the cluster of tents amidst the vast white snow beneath the hill.

Raising their horse whips, they urged their horses toward the tents.

"Who are you?"

Their appearance immediately aroused the vigilance of the outer perimeter cavalry.

A team of cavalry stepped forward and intercepted them.

Upon seeing the cavalryman's face, the leader of the intercepting cavalry said, "Enke, why have you come here?"

Enke said, "During this Autumn Hunt, my father was tricked and captured by the Yan Wang of Da Song. I had no choice but to come to the Khan Court to seek the Khan's help."

"What? The Nine Kings was captured by Da Song?" The cavalry leader exclaimed. This was no small matter. He said, "Follow me."

Enke nodded and followed the cavalry toward a golden tent.

After waiting outside the tent for a while, he was permitted to enter.

"Great Khan." Entering the tent, Enke saw a man over fifty years old with a solemn face and eyes like a hunting hawk, sitting upright on a black bear skin.

He hurried forward, knelt, and kissed the man's shoe. He was none other than the Khan, Mule Hongzhen.

"Rise, my nephew Enke." Mule Hongzhen's face carried suppressed anger. "Tell me, what exactly happened? How could your father fall into the hands of the Song People?"

Enke then detailed the events of the Autumn Hunt.

"Hmph, he is always so arrogant. I often told him before that one can look down on the Song People, but one must never be arrogant when fighting a war. This is entirely his own fault."

Enke tried his best to keep his voice calm to avoid offending the Khan.

Although this Khan was his father's older brother, his uncle.

He was nonetheless the inviolable Khan of the Grassland.

Even though they shared the same blood, he still had to be as respectful as a subject.

"Father has already paid the price for his mistakes, but now the Black Iron Royal Tent has lost its king, and everyone's heart is like a hanging stone," Enke said.

He knew that the fact his father had been captured was too shameful.

Yet he still wanted to try his best to save him.

Mule Hongzhen sized up Enke and said, "Even if he can return from Great Song, he will have no qualifications to be a king; from now on, he will only be mocked by the people on the Grassland. If he were not my younger brother, I would not care about him at all."

Enke lowered his head; he could feel the Khan's anger.

But the Khan had also promised him that he would save his father.

"You shall temporarily command the Black Iron Royal Tent, Enke. Your bravery is spoken of even in the Khan Court. I hope you can wash away your father's shame with the blood of the Song People."

"Thank you, great Khan. I will certainly not let you down. I will use the heads of the Song People to pile up the highest altar on the Grassland," Enke said, gritting his teeth.

Upon learning that his father had been captured, he felt extremely humiliated.

If it were not for his mother's pleading, he would not have come to the Khan Court to seek help from the Khan.

In his view, honor was more important than everything; even his father should not have lived in disgrace.

Mule Hongzhen nodded in appreciation; the war to suppress the rebellion on the Grassland had basically ended.

The next step was to head south.

But he had not expected that three months ago, an enemy from the Extreme North had attacked a key town in the northwest of the Khan Court.

These enemies were called "man-eating demons" by the local Tu people.

They pillaged tribes and even ate the people in the tribes to satisfy their hunger.

In the past, only they, the Northern Di, ate the Song People; when had the Northern Di ever been eaten by others?

This matter forced him to shelve the plan to head south once again.

However, this did not affect his threatening the Emperor of Great Song to make him return his younger brother.