On the other side, Fu Yuheng sent everyone away and ordered someone to call Ye Feng to the imperial study.
"Your Majesty, your subordinate is here to pay his respects." Ye Feng held the sword, clasped his fists, and bowed his head in salute.
"No need to be polite," Fu Yuheng waved his hand. "I have been busy with government affairs recently, so I won't beat around the bush with you. I will send you to the border to do some work. Are you capable of doing it?"
"It is my honor to have the emperor's trust. I will never let the emperor down." Ye Feng replied.
"Okay, don't let anything happen again, and be careful." Fu Yuheng valued Ye Feng's confident and quiet personality. He could complete any task well and didn't talk much. "The border war has just ended, and the army and border towns are still in the adjustment stage. It must be a chaotic scene. Go over and help me keep an eye on Liu Yangao."
"I understand. As for General Mu Chang..."
"Oh, I almost forgot about it," Fu Yuheng rummaged through the desk, took out a sealed letter and handed it to Ye Feng, "Please help me pass this letter to Mu Chang privately. He will understand what I mean after reading the letter."
"Yes." Ye Feng took it respectfully and put it carefully into his inner pocket without even looking at it.
"I have asked people to prepare gifts and the best horses for you. The city is under martial law recently and you are not allowed to ride horses on the streets. When you go out of the city gate, you will see people guarding there." Fu Yuheng nodded, explained everything, and then signaled Ye Feng to set off immediately.
Ye Feng didn't waste any time and ran towards the city gate immediately after leaving the palace. As expected, as soon as he left the city gate, two soldiers came towards him, holding a bundle and leading a horse with a very good coat.
He led the horse and took the bag, thanked the two men, and without stopping for long, mounted his horse and headed straight for the border.
Ye Feng had traveled between the border and the capital many times, so he planned his daily journey very carefully. When it was inconvenient to continue traveling at night, there was always an inn nearby where he could rest.
A few days later, Ye Feng arrived at the border city. He showed the pass that the emperor had prepared for him, and the soldiers at the gate thought he was a messenger from outside the city, so they simply searched him and let him into the city.
He quietly entered the general's mansion where Mu Chang was with ease and familiarity. Coincidentally, Mu Chang had just discussed the situation with other soldiers and was resting in his mansion.
"General Mu." Ye Feng shouted outside the door.
Mu Chang heard the voice and looked over, seeing a hint of surprise on his face. When he saw that he did not come in directly, he understood that he was going to say something confidential, so he asked the servants to leave, and then Ye Feng entered the room and saluted.
"You and I don't have to be so polite." Mu Chang supported him, "Are you here this time because you have news for me from the emperor?"
"That's right." Ye Feng handed the letter to Mu Chang.
Mu Chang hurriedly opened it and read the contents carefully. His expression became more and more solemn. When he finished reading, the expression on his face could not be described as surprise, but shock.
"I understand. You can stay at my house for a while." Mu Chang did not explain what was discussed in the letter, but just asked someone to arrange for Ye Feng to stay at his house.
Fu Huaiyu has been very busy recently, and just learned that Liu Yangao was promoted to general. He was very suspicious, as he knew what Liu Yangao had done in the army, and his contribution was far from enough to make him a general. Although he was very suspicious, he didn't have time to think about it, so he could only continue to rely on him to investigate and act in the army.
"Someone come here." he called softly.
"I'm here." A man in black appeared in front of him.
"Go and tell Liu Yangao that since his current position can provide convenience, let him secretly control the army early." Fu Huaiyu pinched his fingers. He could only bet that Liu Yangao was promoted at this juncture because God was giving him convenience.
Shen Qingwan went to Wu Ling to chat with her, but she was sitting there sighing and not saying a word. She didn't even react when she came in. Shen Qingwan frowned, wondering what happened.
"Sister, what happened? You look so haggard?"
Wu Ling looked much more haggard, and she didn't seem to want to dress up. She just sat there in her palace in a daze with her plain face and plain clothes. When Shen Qingwan asked her, she didn't hide anything, but just sighed and said, "It's just some past events. My father was found out of corruption by the court and was beheaded in public, but I know my father's character very well. No matter who is corrupt in the court, it would never be my father's head. He must have been framed. But the emperor didn't even give us time to defend ourselves. He was executed immediately after the conviction..."
As she spoke, she thought of her father's miserable condition and tears welled up in her eyes again.
Shen Qingwan also knew that Wu Ling's father was an honest official. She felt sorry for her but was powerless, so she could only hand her a handkerchief to wipe her tears.
Wu Ling took her handkerchief, tapped her face, and continued, "When my father was imprisoned, our family was implicated. We have to be humble in front of the court. The petty officials around my father used to praise us highly, but now they are stepping on us as hard as they can."
"My mother had been besieged by commoners who didn't know the truth and didn't understand the court for days. She had encountered all kinds of difficulties. When my father left, she couldn't bear the pressure and followed him. My brother was young and hot-tempered. When he first learned that my father was framed for corruption, he couldn't stand the way the people in the court did, so he disrupted the court and offended the emperor, and was thrown into prison early. Because of this, he escaped the wrath of those indignant commoners."
"So your brother... is he still locked up in the dungeon?" Shen Qingwan asked carefully.
"Yes. The emperor has never released him. My father was executed and my mother committed suicide to follow him. Our palace was completely defeated. I didn't know what to do, so the emperor asked me to follow him into the palace. Naturally, I didn't want to bury my freedom in the palace, but the emperor still had my brother in his hands. He threatened me with my brother's life, so I had to agree to enter the palace. But the emperor did not let my brother go, and he still had to suffer in prison." Wu Ling smiled bitterly.
"I see. There are many fights in the palace, no wonder you never get involved. Your style of doing things in the palace is also different from that of most concubines. If you were forced into the palace, then many things would indeed make sense." Shen Qingwan nodded thoughtfully, and felt a little more pity for this poor woman in her heart.
"I'm not afraid to tell you the truth. I really don't like everything and everyone in this palace until I met you. You are a good person and I can tell at a glance that you are different from others. Now I can be considered a person with a say in this palace. The person I dislike the most is the emperor who dragged me into this huge cage." Wu Ling bowed her head and shed tears.
Shen Qingwan was at a loss as to how to comfort Wu Ling. She really couldn't agree with Fu Yuheng's approach and hesitated for a moment.