Chapter 116: Inspecting the Southern Kingdom

The night was deep.

Although the Mushroom Valley was dozens of miles away from the sea, the unique humid and damp atmosphere of the midsummer oceanic climate still permeated the valley.

Making one feel stuffy in the mouth and nose when breathing.

This place had been completely abandoned for a long time.

By reason, it should have long become a paradise for wild beasts.

But because of the invisible deterrence of the master's divine authority, there were no new large animal residents in the valley, just overgrown vines and wild grass everywhere.

Zhang Gui stood in the knee-high grass, looking around for a while at his second hometown from childhood,

"The climate differences in the areas along the Eastern Inner Sea that are affected by the Ape Wind and Crow Wind are truly huge.

For most of the winter, there were only a few more patches of wild grass and shrubs in the Mushroom Valley.

But after only a month of summer, it has become a historical relic again."

A thought flashed through his heart, and he urged the Swift Foot divine ability, cooperating with the Vertical and Horizontal Flying Runner art.

Flying out of the valley like a ghost.

Disappearing into the vast forest.

At 6:15 in the morning, that is, just after six o'clock.

Youyu Ward in Pingyang Town woke up from a deep sleep, and human voices gradually rose.

The two younger siblings and nieces were still sleeping, but Caiyang Duojie had already tidied up.

Getting up early, boiling water and cooking noodles, preparing breakfast.

The sound of drawing water rang out in the courtyard.

She thought the younger siblings had also gotten up, and greeted: "Didn't I say yesterday, let you sleep more..."

Halfway through her words, feeling that the footsteps just now were wrong, she dropped the strainer and ran out of the kitchen with big strides.

She saw her good eldest son, who hadn't been seen for a long time, using his fingers to dig out the mint paste mixed with green salt in the thick porcelain jar by the well and brushing his teeth.

Because the mother and son had had a falling out some time ago, Caiyang Duojie was holding back and hadn't gone to Zhihai Town.

Now finally seeing her son, her eyes couldn't help but turn red, and her anger disappeared completely.

But she didn't show excessive excitement, just stepped forward and touched her son's head,

"It's good that you've returned safely, Mom will go roll noodles and make more for you.

You've come home, you must eat until you're full."

Her mother's plain performance made Zhang Gui, who had been worried that she would be too excited, feel a bit lost.

"Amu, did you give birth to another son? How come I traveled across the ocean for half a month..."

"You melon baby, after being sealed as a Dragon Tiger General, have you really become a barbarian?

Daring to talk to your own mother like this." Caiyang Duojie slapped Zhang Gui on the back of the head with a 'pot sticker',

"You are making your own plans now, have you ever listened to a word I said?

My worrying is just worrying in vain, and talking more just makes you difficult and sad, why bother."

At this time, borrowing the gradually brightening daylight, Zhang Gui saw his mother's red-rimmed eyes, and a trace of sourness welled up in his heart.

He hugged his mother, "Amu, don't worry, I am very powerful now.

And I act cautiously, never offending people indiscriminately, and will definitely live safely until old age."

"Siyang Commandery hasn't seen blades or soldiers for a hundred years, now, sigh, in short, be careful in everything.

You tidy up well and get into high spirits.

The more it is like this now, the less you can lose the prestige of a Dragon Tiger General.

Mom is going to cook for you."

Zhang Gui nodded, but didn't let go of his mother's hand,

"Amu, you also know that the Southern Frontier of Ming Song is about to have blades and soldiers.

Why can't you listen to me and hide on the sea to safely be a Queen Mother of a new country?

The True Dragon Kingdom I founded now has a population of almost one hundred thousand..."

This family's mother couldn't control her son who had already become a teenager.

The son also couldn't control his mother who had just entered middle age.

Caiyang Duojie became impatient, "Why do you always talk nonsense, child?

I don't want to hide on an overseas island—is it because I think the small country you built is poor and has few people?

I have my own ideas.

Your Amu has been making her own decisions since she was a child.

Back then, your grandmother wouldn't let me leave the Mushroom Valley, but I insisted on leaving.

Arriving in Pingyang Town.

Someone said your cheap father wasn't a good person, but I insisted on giving birth to you with him.

Later, we were left as orphans and widows to live, and the neighbors all felt that sending you away was the only way out.

But I just insisted on raising you by myself.

How is it now? Is there any child in the whole Youyu Ward who is more promising than you?"

"Aren't you just stubborn since childhood, 'not listening to good advice, eating losses before your eyes'?

What is there to be proud of." Zhang Gui curled his lips and muttered in an extremely small voice.

A knock on the door suddenly sounded outside the courtyard.

"Amu, I'll go open the door, you go to the kitchen and see, don't boil the pot dry."

Zhang Gui had some guesses in his heart, let his mother return to the kitchen, and walked behind the courtyard gate,

"Who is it, smashing the door so early."

"Da Gui, you really came home.

Open the door quickly, I have something urgent to tell you."

Zhang Jiujiang's anxious voice came from outside the door.

Zhang Gui pulled open the door bolt, "Jiujiang, how did you come, kid?

What time did you set off from Zhihai Town and rush back to Pingyang Town?

What matter is so urgent?"

Zhang Jiujiang stepped into the courtyard and lowered his voice:

"Prince Zhen is inspecting the Southern Kingdom's coastal defense under the current Emperor's decree, and has run to your territory."

A short sentence, but the amount of information contained was very huge.

The Hezheng Emperor of the Ming Song Kingdom had originally been the Crown Prince for twenty-nine years, and only succeeded to the throne at the age of fifty-one.

However, with his age, even if his foundation was poor and he hated martial arts and loved literature, he was still a 'Bing Shao' Seventh Rank cultivator.

Even if he enjoyed life with singing and dancing every night, and drank 'Five Stone Powder' as tea during the day to boost his spirit to review memorials,

Living another fifty-one years, passing a hundred years old, would be absolutely no problem.

Therefore, he had never established a Crown Prince.

But now, in the midst of the country's crisis, he had sent his adult son out of the capital to inspect on behalf of Heaven.

This was because he felt the north could not be saved.

Now the south was also unstable, so he sent his son out to scout the path.

Intending to move the capital and force the preservation of the wealthy and relatively peaceful Southern Kingdom.

Or the old emperor had strong self-esteem and was holding on hard in Yanjing.

In case the country was lost, the son staying in the south could stabilize the situation in time to plan for the future.

Or Hezheng's power was already unstable, and the outer court was forcing him to set a successor.

He disagreed but had to compromise, so he could only send his capable son out to maneuver.

Countless thoughts flashed through Zhang Gui's mind.

But how could he know the secrets in the palace and the struggles in the court?

In the end, he could only frown and say:

"If Prince Zhen inspects on behalf of Heaven, we will just obey the order.

I don't even know when he left the capital; I am simply a deaf and blind person, what else can I do?

Since ancient times, the closer to the end of a dynasty, the more secretive and unpredictable the royal family's actions become.

Why? Because they have no way to use the magnificent momentum to deter the world.

They can only use means and strange strategies, making you feel that grace and might are unpredictable."

Zhang Jiujiang covered Zhang Gui's mouth,

"That's enough, in extraordinary times, don't discuss current politics recklessly.

Hurry up and go back to Zhihai Town with me to adapt to circumstances."

"Why, did Prince Zhen mention me, thinking I am lazy in government?

Besides two imperial decrees, his father didn't give me a single copper coin.

The family business in Zhihai Town was all earned by my own ability, why should he dislike me?"

Seeing Zhang Gui's excited performance, Zhang Jiujiang was relieved instead,

"So you were afraid after all.

That's good.

It shows you aren't truly muddled.

Knowing your own weight so as not to cause unprovoked disaster."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 117 =====