Chapter 137 - Your Majesty Please Grant Me Your Marriage!
Although it was not late for Wu Tie to enter the palace, it was still not too late for the civil and military officials. He directly rode into the Imperial City and arrived at the Imperial study room just as Zhan Yuanfeng was about to leave.
Zhan Yuanfeng was dressed in a gorgeous and expensive dragon robe. The pearl curtain on his crown was swaying with his footsteps.
However, as soon as he said it, this solemn atmosphere was completely shattered, “I finally got Duke Zhen back. I was looking forward to it, but now I can't even go to the morning assembly anymore. So, the moment I heard you came back, I immediately left behind those sick officials and came over.”
Lu Zheng glanced at him and bowed politely, not answering his question at all and went straight to the point, “Your Majesty, this time, the bandits have killed a total of 3700 people, and captured more than 5,000 people. In addition, they have also rescued more than 1000 slaves.”
Speaking of proper business, Zhan Yuanfeng's expression became a bit more serious. He sat down on the Dragon Throne, waved his hand to get a chair for Lu Zheng, and then leisurely said, “Haikou has been a menace in the village for many years. The local navy and soldiers can't even catch a trace of Haikou.”
He shook his head and sighed, “The south is rich, and each of them has a smart head, but they can't even take care of a motley crowd. We still have to deal with Duke Zhen. The navy is going to have to deal with this.”
Now that they were even with Beidi, it made the southern troops seem like nothing. If they did not get everything organized, once the foreign countries joined hands, they would only be able to receive beatings on the Great Yang.
Lu Zheng presented a thick report, “This is what this subject has learned about the current situation of the water master. The situation is worrisome, there are no useful people, and no ships are available. Both are indispensable.”
Zhan Yuanfeng read through the papers one by one, while saying: “I have deployed all the shipyards in the country and have picked the most experienced masters to build battleships, but it's still hard to say what kind of ships I will be able to build.”
Lu Zheng also understood that most of Great Yang's ships were used for transportation in the river. Once they reached the sea, they could only transport people.
Previously, he had used the ship of Cao Sect to design the sea bandits. In terms of military strength, the sea bandits were just a group of barbarians, and in terms of weapons, the swords in their hands couldn't compare to the regular army. However, the speed and ability to control ships of the other party was far above the army.
If the other party hadn't fallen for their trap and thought that they were just a merchant ship without any wariness, they probably wouldn't have won so easily.
“Not only the ship, but also the equipment. This subject has captured a few items from Hai Kou's ship, and they are all very useful for sailing on the sea. You have to equip them as soon as possible.”
Zhan Yuanfeng's interest was piqued, and he asked: “From what you're saying, it's a rare item, did you bring it? Open your eyes for me too.”
Wu Tie ordered someone to carry in a box. He got up and personally opened the box. He then took out the items inside one by one and explained to Zhan Yuanfeng how to use them.
The clairvoyant and compass were things that were easy to copy, and there was even a type of crossbow with a very long range, which was different from the ones used in the Great Yang Army.
“I found this sea map from the nest of the sea bandits. I asked some experienced fishermen in the area, they only know that the terrain of the nearby sea area is correct. There are still other places for verification.”
“Alright!” Zhan Yuanfeng happily hung the nautical chart in the middle of the imperial study, looked it up and down a few times, then nodded and said, “The route on the water is not as smooth as the land. I heard that it's very difficult to distinguish between north, south, south, and north in the vast ocean, let alone remember those islands and reefs.”
Lu Zheng had been out of the sea before. Although he hadn't gone far, he had already realized that the battles on the sea were completely different from the ones on land. It was not just about strength or strategy.
The two of them discussed the matter of reorganizing the navy for a while, and Lu Zheng took the opportunity to bring up a few high-ranking officers who had outstanding performances among the bandits this time, preparing to use them as the subordinates of the Great Yang navy.
Actually, he had the right to appoint generals below the fifth level. As long as he didn't stick his hand into Janissary Guard, Zhan Yuanfeng probably wouldn't refute him.
Sure enough, Zhan Yuanfeng didn't even think twice before letting him submit a list. If the verification was confirmed like this, then he had his own requirements, which was that every water station must have an inspector, and these people must be his.
This request was very reasonable. According to the plan, Zhan Yuanfeng planned to build 150,000 water elementalists, who would be the strongest fighting force on the east coast of Great Yang. He definitely would not let such a strong force escape his control.
Lu Zheng didn't care much about these scouts. As long as they didn't interfere with military affairs, he was willing to have someone to supervise the military discipline.
After finishing the discussion, Zhan Yuanfeng got someone to send him some food and wine, and the two of them actually started drinking in the royal study room.
“If the censor saw this, I'm afraid this official would be impeached again tomorrow.” Lu Zheng leisurely drank his toast. There were quite a lot of this kind of wine in Duke Zhen's mansion. Unfortunately, he didn't get the chance to drink it while he was at the frontline a few years ago.
“Haha… Would a lover still be afraid of impeachment?” Before Zhan Yuanfeng ascended to the throne and before Lu Zheng returned to the capital, there had been many reports of impeachment of Lu Zheng. Before Zhan Yuanfeng ascended to the throne, before Lu Zheng returned to the capital, there had been many reports of impeachment of Lu Zheng.
“Didn't the censor impeach this official and disturb the court today?”
Zhan Yuanfeng looked at him with a smile that was not a smile, “As long as you know about it, it's good enough. Speaking of which, there's really no reason for Duke Zhen to interfere in Ministry of Justice cases.”
Lu Zheng answered confidently: “This subject has heard that there was a malpractice in Conference Test. This subject is very concerned about the instability of His Majesty.”
How could Zhan Yuanfeng not know that Lu Zheng had entered the capital yesterday? The reason he did not immediately enter the palace was because he went to Ministry of Justice at the first possible moment and even brought Zuo Shaoqing back to the Liu Steel Manor afterwards.
The capital was abuzz with rumors and guesses. Zhan Yuanfeng quipped, “Why is Master Lu, who doesn't like scholars, so concerned about the Imperial examinations now?”
Lu Zheng didn't take the bait, but said, “The Emperor has just ascended the throne for less than a year. Everyone knows the importance of this Imperial Examinations. The person who dares to oppose you at this time is no ordinary person.”
Zhan Yuanfeng's smile faded, and he snorted lightly, “There are always a few people who can't see me safely!”
“When do we make our move?”
Zhan Yuanfeng did not hide anything, “The ministers in the court are unlucky. We have won over everyone we can rope in after we ascended the throne. We will take our time to take care of a few tough ones, but…”
He raised his head, his gaze sharp as a blade. “We have to dig out the mastermind behind this. Did you find the mastermind when the old mistress was attacked?”
Lu Zheng poured the two of them a glass of wine. While tasting the wine's fragrance, he answered, “I have some ideas, but I don't have enough evidence. I'm afraid that some people won't accept it.”
Zhan Yuanfeng laughed and suggested, “Oh? Why don't you let me guess who that person is?”
He dipped his finger in the wine and wrote a word on the table. Lu Zheng only nodded slightly and didn't say anything after reading it.
The two of them looked at each other in tacit understanding. Zhan Yuanfeng frowned a few times, “I underestimated him.”
“Previously, it was useless to think too highly of him. Compared to the previous First Prince, this one is still a little too tender.”
Zhan Yuanfeng asked with a smile: “Speaking of this, where did our beloved official go with our other two royal brothers? Are they still alive? No matter what, they are relatives of the royal family, how can they allow an official to bully them?”
Lu Zheng calmly glanced at him. “Your Majesty must have remembered incorrectly, right?” How could this subject have royal blood in his hands? It's just two traitors.”
When he asked Zhan Yuanfeng for the two princes back then, he first wanted to understand the hatred in his heart, and secondly, he wanted to keep them in case of an emergency.
Zhan Yuanfeng had just ascended the throne, so it was normal for the imperial court to be in a state of unrest. Many of these officials were from the First Prince's faction, and there would always be some loyal people among them.
Previously, when the madame was attacked, he thought it was due to some leftover faction. The more he investigated, the more it didn't seem like it. Thus, he slowly dug up another big fish.
Zhan Yuanfeng didn't care whether his two brothers who dared to oppose him were alive or dead. Seeing the word “four” slowly dissipating on the table, he gradually calmed down.
“Let's not talk about that anymore. Our beloved one has done a great service this time. Do you want any rewards?” Zhan Yuanfeng said with a bitter face, “My beloved official has already paid homage to Duke Zhen of the first rank. He has achieved all sorts of merits. I really don't know how to reward him.”
That day, Lu Zheng had triumphantly returned, defeated Beidi, and defended the northern border with Great Yang. This was a great achievement, and later on, he helped Zhan Yuanfeng to smooth out the rebellion, allowing him to smoothly ascend to the throne. This was another great achievement.
Right now, the pirates were waiting for Lu Zheng to exterminate them, and the navy man was waiting for Lu Zheng to prepare. It wasn't that Lu Zheng had to do this, but Zhan Yuanfeng believed that no one else could do better than Lu Zheng.
If it was any other high-ranking officer, even ten years wouldn't be enough for him to achieve what Lu Zheng had achieved in five years. Therefore, even though Zhan Yuanfeng knew Lu Zheng's power was growing, he still chose to use him.
This was due to Zhan Yuanfeng's trust in Lu Zheng.
Lu Zheng was silent for a moment, as he played with the luminous cup in his hand, “This subject does have a request, but I don't know if Your Majesty will agree to it?”
“Oh? What is it?” Zhan Yuanfeng was interested. He straightened his back and waited to hear what Lu Zheng, who never had any desires, would ask for.
Of course, it was not a small matter to make Wu Tie beg for him. Zhan Yuanfeng was not afraid of Lu Zheng's request at all. On the contrary, he was afraid that Lu Zheng would not have any requests.
A person with no desire would always have a weakness. Such a person was definitely much easier to grasp than someone who had no desires.
Lu Zheng stood up and bowed politely. He kneeled in front of Zhan Yuanfeng and said loudly, “Your Majesty, I beg of you to grant me my marriage!”
“…” Zhan Yuanfeng was stunned on the spot and did not react for a long time. He repeated the words in his head over and over again.
What was a wedding? That was something that people both loved and hated. When the court officials received the marriage decree, they were either overjoyed or filled with melancholy. People like Lu Zheng had taken the initiative to ask for a marriage ceremony… This was the first time he encountered one.
Under normal circumstances, would Duke Zhen still need to be allowed to marry if he wanted to get married? What kind of person couldn't he get it?
Could it be that he has thought it through, and he wants to marry the princess? With this thought, Zhan Yuanfeng really wanted to slap himself. Was he dumb or was he dumb? Zhan Yunxiang was the only princess that hadn't married in the Royal Family.
He felt that his mouth was a little dry. Surprised and surprised, he asked, “Who does my beloved want to marry?” He actually had to muster up a large number of people to ask for a wedding!
Lu Zheng answered without pause: “Zuo Shaoqing!”
“Oh, Zuo Shaoqing, why do you have to kneel down in such a serious manner for such a small matter? Someone, come…” As soon as he raised his hand, Zhan Yuanfeng realized that something was wrong. It was rare for him to lose his composure. He grabbed him and asked, “Who did you say?”
“The third son of Zuo Family, Shao Qing. This time around, you will be in the first year of Conference Test. Fourteenth year of age. People of Changping County…” Lu Zheng told Zuo Shaoqing about the details.
The corner of Zhan Yuanfeng's mouth twitched as he asked with a trembling voice, “Are you sure? It's Zuo Shaoqing and not Zuo Shuhui?”
Lu Zhengqiang resisted the urge to roll his eyes and nodded seriously, “I am not so stupid as to be unable to distinguish between men and women!”
Zhan Yuanfeng's expression changed again and again, alternating between joy and worry as he did not express his opinion for a long time.
When Lu Zheng wanted to marry a man, Zhan Yuanfeng's first reaction was absurd! Ridiculous! Even though there was a saying about breaking sleeves and splitting peach buns since ancient times, even though the imperial court held many good men, even though the commoners had the custom of taking a liking to each other, they all…
But can it be the same? Leaving aside the five generations of Lu Family, Zhan Yuanfeng believed that the dignified Wu Steel Manor actually wanted to marry a man. If this news were to spread, it would definitely set off a huge wave.
However, Zhan Yuanfeng's wisdom gradually recovered after the surprise. If Lu Zheng wanted to marry a man, it meant that he wouldn't have a legitimate son, which meant that Duke Zhen's title would be passed down in the future. Even if Zhan Yuanfeng had a son, he would have a reason to cut his title.
This was equivalent to solving the problem of how the emperors did not dare to carelessly demote their troops when they were in the hands of Duke Zhen. They did not need to spend any effort or time to get rid of Duke Zhen's heirloom?
Zhan Yuanfeng looked at Lu Zheng, who was still kneeling upright with a resolute expression, and felt sympathy for him for the first time in his heart.
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