eurekapd Chapter 220 Mao Mao's Choice
Chapter 220 Mao Mao's Choice
"I'm not going. Even if you kill me, I won't go with you. You're a bad person."
Mao Mao spoke loudly and firmly, which instantly changed Huo Jinzhou's expression. However, he still patiently spoke to Lan Zhi in a conciliatory tone:
"It seems he listens to you. Let him come with me."
Lan Zhi placed her hand on Mao Mao's shoulder, looked at Huo Jinzhou with a serious gaze, and solemnly reminded him:
“Although he is only seven years old, he has the right to choose. If he wants to go with you, I will not stop him. If he does not want to go with you, you cannot take him away.”
"you……"
Huo Jinzhou was so angry that his face turned red, and then he angrily flung his hand away.
"If I had known this would happen, I shouldn't have gone to all this trouble to come to the capital to pick him up. It's really... really a thankless task, a complete waste of effort."
"Tian'er, let's go."
Huo Batian glanced at Mao Mao, swallowed hard, and jogged a few steps to catch up with Huo Jinzhou.
When Huo Jinzhou reached the door, he stopped, stood there with his hands behind his back, and said in a cold voice:
“Take good care of him for me. As long as he is alive, Tianwu Kingdom will not wage war against Northern Wei Kingdom again.”
He seemed to be saying this to Lan Zhi, to himself, and to everyone in the Northern Wei Kingdom.
Mao Mao watched Huo Jinzhou's departing figure, clutching the hem of his clothes tightly, his eyes filled with an expression unbecoming of his age.
Actually, what he just said was all made up. His mother never said anything bad about his grandfather to him, and she never even mentioned his grandfather to him.
He said that because he wanted to find a reason to stay.
Just now at Jingxiang Garden, my sister said that it was because of his token that the people of Tianwu Kingdom were willing to withdraw their troops.
The Tianwu Kingdom is vast and rich in resources, with a powerful military. It currently has the potential to occupy the entire Central Plains and annex various smaller countries, a fact that even a three-year-old child knows.
His elder sister and the crown prince were his saviors. If he were to return to Tianwu Kingdom now, Huo Jinzhou would have no fear of the Northern Wei Kingdom, and the war between the two countries would surely be reignited.
He didn't want to see his loved ones and his savior meet on the battlefield, which is why he acted so strongly just now.
Another reason is that he doesn't want to leave here. Wei Ming and Nana are here, as well as his sister and brother who treat him like family, and a large group of people who are very kind to him. He doesn't want to abandon this place to go to a completely unfamiliar place. He is afraid of being alone, and he is afraid that he will die alone.
He took Lan Zhi's hand, looked up at her, and asked in a sweet, coquettish voice,
"Sister, I am from Tianwu Kingdom. Can I still call you sister from now on? Will you still treat me as well as before?"
Lan Zhi glanced at Wei Jianning and smiled gently.
“Silly child, no matter where you are from, you are always my and your brother the Crown Prince’s brother, and always will be. As long as you are willing, this will always be your home.”
Wei Jianning did not answer, but nodded to indicate that he agreed with Lan Zhi's words.
After comforting Mao Mao, she asked Xiang Xiu to take him back to Jingxiang Garden to continue his classes.
"My lady, you rest at home for now. I need to go to the palace."
Wei Jianning's tone was anxious, and Lan Zhi knew he was worried about Yuan Tianxiong. She quickly urged him on:
"Go quickly, and if anything happens, send a message home immediately."
After agreeing, Wei Jianning left in a hurry.
Yuan Tianxiong and Yu Jie arrived in the capital only half a day earlier than them, that is, this morning.
He did not return to the Crown Prince's residence, but instead rushed to the palace with Princess Yujie.
At this moment, they were kneeling in the empty Qianqing Palace, waiting for the emperor to summon them.
For some reason, the emperor did not come to see them, nor did he ask them to get up; he simply made them kneel there.
Yu Jie felt her knees were sore and wanted to stand up, but Yuan Tianxiong stopped her.
"Eunuch Qin just came to deliver a message: without the Emperor's decree, no one may rise. Do you intend to disobey the imperial edict?"
"The Emperor is my father, what can he do if I disobey the imperial decree?"
"His Majesty's words are law. Throughout history, how many princes and princesses have been punished for disobeying imperial decrees?"
This……
Yu Jie realized that Yuan Tianxiong might be right.
News of their actions at the border had already reached the capital. The Emperor's decision to leave them stranded here was probably a way to give them a warning!
Yu Jie knelt down again, muttering to herself with a wronged expression.
"What does Father want to do? If you want to kill or torture me, just say so! Why torture people like this?"
"The Emperor is waiting for the Crown Prince to return."
"Waiting for Fourth Brother?"
Yu Jie looked at him, puzzled.
"why?"
"The Crown Prince is, after all, the commander-in-chief. If the border falls this time, I'm afraid he will be implicated by me."
"My fourth brother wasn't at the border at the time. The fault lies with me, and if Father wants to punish anyone, it should be me!"
"This responsibility is one that you alone cannot bear."
At this point, Yuan Tianxiong breathed a sigh of relief. His previous dislike for Yu Jie had gradually disappeared over the past few days.
His tone of voice when he spoke to her also became much gentler.
Yu Jie could sense his change, but she still felt that he disliked her and didn't even want to look at her.
"Yuan Tianxiong, I was indeed wrong this time. I've apologized to you several times, so why do you still ignore me?"
"I do not have."
"Why don't you have any? You always speak to me in a cold tone, and you never even look me in the eye."
"You are a princess, I dare not look at you too much, for fear of offending you."
"What's wrong with being a princess? Am I not a woman?"
"You are a princess..."
"A princess is a woman too."
Yuan Tianxiong hesitated for a moment, then remained silent. Yu Jie pouted and glared at him fiercely.
At this moment, the sound of the Emperor's arrival came. Yuan Tianxiong quickly straightened his back, bowed his head to the ground, and respectfully welcomed the Emperor.
Those who entered with the Emperor included Wei Jianning, Lin Xingliang, and Zhu Kui.
After the Emperor took his seat, he looked at Yuan Tianxiong and Yu Jie kneeling on the ground, frowned, and raised his hand.
"Keep your head up."
Yuan Tianxiong swallowed hard, slowly raising his head. When he saw Wei Jianning standing in front of him, he immediately lowered his head again in shame and took the initiative to admit his mistake.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness, I am guilty of the loss of the border this time. Please punish me."
Before the Emperor could speak, Yu Jie quickly said:
"Father, this matter is my fault, it has nothing to do with General Yuan. Please punish me, Father!"
“Your Majesty, this matter has nothing to do with Princess Yujie; it is my fault.”
"It was my fault……"
"It was my fault……"
"..."
"Father..."
"Shut up."
The Emperor gave a somewhat impatient and angry rebuke.
"I haven't even said a word yet, and you're already chattering away. It's really annoying."
Seeing that the Emperor was getting anxious, Yuan Tianxiong and Yu Jie both shut their mouths, lowered their heads, and dared not utter a sound.
After glancing at Wei Jianning, the Emperor said in a deep voice:
"I have heard about what happened at the border. Although the people of Tianwu Kingdom agreed to withdraw this time and never invade Northern Wei again, our Northern Wei Kingdom's victory was not honorable!"