Time Travel: The Noble Family-Chapter 1231 - 514: Niu Yanghui’s Promotion (Part 4)

Mingzhu hurriedly changed the subject: "Speaking of which, An Zhichen is in the Northwest, and I’m really worried. But looking at Yueyao’s expression, she doesn’t seem concerned at all. Husband, why do you think this is?" It’s not that she thinks Yueyao is cold-blooded and indifferent to her husband’s fate; rather, Yueyao is incredibly composed, which makes Mingzhu feel a bit strange.

Niu Yanghui actually admires Yueyao for this. Because the more you are in moments like these, the more you need to remain calm. Otherwise, if you are constantly worried, the impact is greatest on the children: "You haven’t seen Kexin and Brother Shengsheng; they’re all very calm, and it’s because they’ve been influenced by Yueyao. If only you had half the composure of Second Sister, I wouldn’t worry." If Yueyao were anxious and fearful all the time, the children would undoubtedly be worried too, which would be detrimental to their growth.

Mingzhu laughed upon hearing this: "The way you put it, it does make me feel a bit strange. The children don’t seem worried at all about cousin being in danger, as if they have extraordinary trust that cousin will win the war."

Niu Yanghui didn’t find it strange: "Second Sister is so composed, so it’s only natural for them to be calm." The children’s confidence is all thanks to Yueyao.

Mingzhu asked worriedly: "The war in the Northwest should not be so easy to fight, right?" Marquis Jingning’s Residence was granted nobility on military merits; her father and brothers are all military officials. Having been exposed to it, Mingzhu somewhat understands the Northwest and the Barbarian Tribes. Barbarian people are brave and fierce warriors, said to be natural-born fighters. Since such a tribe dares to provoke, it is certainly not on a whim; they must be prepared. Mingzhu feels this will definitely be a tough battle.

Niu Yanghui pondered for a moment and said: "The Barbarian Tribes were nearly exterminated under Emperor Yingzong, but after decades of recovery, they must have regained their strength. However, you don’t need to worry. No matter how fierce they are, they can’t defeat us." The Great Yuan Dynasty’s treasury is full, and its soldiers are strong. The Barbarian Tribes daring to come is seeking their own doom.

Mingzhu murmured: "The ones who suffer are still the common people!"

Niu Yanghui looked surprised, not expecting Mingzhu to have such awareness; he thought Mingzhu only cared about their own small patch of land.

Besides Niu Yanghui and Mingzhu, people in the Capital City are constantly attentive to the Northwest battles, and Luo Shao from Marquis Jingning’s Residence is also closely monitoring them.

After reading the latest report from the Northwest, Luo Shao felt very depressed. Recalling the past when the Barbarian Tribes invaded the Yuan Dynasty, Emperor Yingzong personally led the military, defeating the Barbarian Tribes to the point of not being able to retaliate. At that time, Emperor Yingzong wanted to exterminate the Barbarian Tribes completely, but no civil or military officials supported the plan, and one minister even risked his life to recommend against it, bluntly stating that Emperor Yingzong’s actions were tyrannical. As a result, Emperor Yingzong had to abandon that plan, opting instead to impose annual tributes on the Barbarian Tribes. Had the Barbarian Tribes been exterminated then, today’s trouble would not exist.

The aide beside him spoke worriedly: "The Barbarian Tribes are coming in force, and our army has faced consecutive defeats. Marquis, this is not good!"

Luo Shao replied with just four words: "Wait and see." The Emperor is old and frail, his suspicion growing stronger. If the Emperor does not designate him, he cannot rashly intervene in the Northwest affairs.

The aide said: "Marquis, General An is someone you personally groomed. Marquis, do you think it’s?" An Zhichen received support from Marquis Jingning Luo Shao. But who could have imagined that after establishing roots in the Northwest, An Zhichen would no longer follow the Marquis’s orders, only pretending to do so.

Luo Shao’s expression turned very unpleasant as he interrupted the aide’s words: "You may leave first."

The Emperor relies on him but also guards against him; managing this delicate balance is challenging. For Luo Shao, winning this war is not too difficult, especially since the current Barbarian Tribes cannot compare to those decades ago, but the difficulty lies in the fact that he cannot intervene. The Emperor is old and frail, the Crown Prince has yet to be appointed. If he wins this battle, his achievements would surpass those of all the Princes, and those whose merits threaten their sovereign never meet a good end.

His suspicion of the Barbarian Tribes’ intentions had been long-standing, but neither the Emperor nor many court ministers believed him, even accusing him of fearmongering.

The Barbarian Tribes rebel, and it’s impossible for him to personally lead the campaign, thus he seeks talented generals. Fortunately, An Zhichen barely fits the criteria, plus Old Grand Master An is one of the Emperor’s most trusted ministers, so the Emperor appears to be quite fond of An Zhichen. Otherwise, An Zhichen’s rise through the ranks wouldn’t have been so swift.

He spent several years honing An Zhichen’s skills; when the time was right, he dispatched An Zhichen to the Northwest. Over the past few years, An Zhichen secretly accomplished many things, recruiting quite a number of people, gradually slipping beyond his control. Many assumed they had fallen out, unaware this was all orchestrated by him. Without his covert assistance, An Zhichen wouldn’t have gained power in the Northwest so quickly. He deliberately allowed An Zhichen to pretend to sever ties, merely to gain better trust from the Emperor.