Long Xiaoyuan told them the destination and added, “I have something else to tell you. Qingzhou knows about the Lord, but he doesn’t know that the madman asked Ouyang Chuan to help him. Don’t let it slip.”
Ouyang Chuan and Liu Suifeng were taken aback.
Ouyang Chuan said slowly, “Why can’t we tell him?”
Long Xiaoyuan sighed. “You know how Qingzhou is. He likes to fill his head with nonsense, and he tends to think worse of things. This time we go together, and I don’t want to worry him too much. Anyway, everything will be fine.”
Liu Suifeng did not say anything, but he looked at Long Xiaoyuan with a complicated expression.
Ouyang Chuan smiled faintly. “Aren’t you afraid that I’ll hurt you?”
Long Xiaoyuan looked at him in surprise,” Are your brains damaged or kicked by a donkey?”
The corner of Ouyang Chuan’s mouth twitched, and he felt frustrated. The corner of Liu Suifeng’s mouth also twitched.
This man almost moved them to tears, but he chose to annoy them in his funny way.
Long Xiaoyuan patted Ouyang Chuan on the shoulder and then told him a lot of medicine that he wanted, including the drugs to expel mosquitoes and mice, and kill rats. After that, he left leisurely.
After Long Xiaoyuan left, Liu Suifeng and Ouyang Chuan exchanged glances.
Liu Suifeng smiled and gently kissed Ouyang Chuan on his eyebrow. “Ouyang, don’t worry too much. It’ll be fine.”
Ouyang Chuan pursed his lips. “Do you think it’s okay?”
“Of course, I trust you.” Liu Suifeng said with a smile, “and Long Xiaoyuan believes in you.”
Ouyang Chuan took a deep breath. “Okay.”
Liu Suifeng smiled and pinched Ouyang Chuan’s palm. “Ouyang, let’s go prepare the things. Long Xiaoyuan asks us to prepare so many things. Is he going to move them in a carriage?”
Ouyang Chuan smiled. “It doesn’t harm to make full preparation.”
“That’s right. It’s good to prepare more.”
After that, they got down to their work.
When Long Xiaoyuan returned to Qiankun Palace, Shi Qingzhou had given all the necessary instructions.
“Do you want to see Right Prime Minister and those ministers?”
Long Xiaoyuan thought about it and nodded. “Yes.”
Half an hour later, Right Prime Minister and the other three important ministers arrived at Imperial Study.
“I ask you to come here today because I have something to tell you. Keep in mind every word I say, but you can just keep silent.”
Long Xiaoyuan’s expression was solemn that and the ministers were awed.
“There are Qin Yuechun and Shi Qingshan in the military department, so I’m very relieved. What I want to tell you is that the Empress and I plan to go to the border of Northern Barbarians, and we expect to encounter many dangers along the way. If we come back safe, you pretend that you have never heard of what I say today. But…”
Long Xiaoyuan paused.
The ministers turned pale.
Long Xiaoyuan took pleasure in looking at their pale faces and smiled. “Listen up, the next is the main point. If we can’t come back, you follow my decree. Long Huan, the crown prince, would be the Emperor, and Shi Qingshan would be Prince Regent. Before the new emperor turns grown-up, the selection of the new emperor’s teacher would be decided by Shi Qingshan, and no one else is to interfere with that. The Prince Regent would be empowered to manage all the court affairs before the new emperor turns grown-up, and he could act first before report it if necessary. General government affairs in the imperial court will be handed over to Right Prime Minister, Mr. Sima…”
He gave a long list of instructions.
The ministers were shocked in the beginning, but they regained their composure after a while.
They knew that the Shi family would prosper for several generations with the Emperor present.
If the Emperor was gone, the Shi family would be more prosperous for generations.
Moreover, as long as Shi Qingshan did not rebel, Tianlong Dynasty would be safe and sound.
Even internal strife was impossible. Why? People with ill intentions had been killed, and they were short of soldiers.
So what if there were a few princes left? How could they compete with Shi Qingshan, the Regent with hundreds of thousands of soldiers in his charge?
Anyone who dared to rebel would be killed by him.
After Long Xiaoyuan spoke, the ministers all knelt down. “We will follow the decree.”
Long Xiaoyuan waved his hand. “Alright. The decree will be issued soon. You can leave now.”
The ministers left with mixed feelings.
Especially Right Prime Minister, he really did not expect that one day, he would be ‘in power’.
His dream came true. As long as he didn’t repeat his past mistakes, he would be in charge of the ministers.
Shi Qingshan would let him manage them.
After he figured it out in Quanzhou and almost sacrificed his life for the people, he got back to his position.
Now, he got the right idea. Being a good official was better than being a corrupt official. At least, he didn’t have to be afraid.
After Long Xiaoyuan made the decree, he hid it in a secret drawer in the Imperial Study and handed a few keys to the Shadow Guardians.
He gave Liu Xiangyang many instructions.
After that, Long Xiaoyuan left Imperial Study.
Shi Qingzhou was sipping tea in the Qiankun Palace.
When Long Xiaoyuan came back, Shi Qingzhou went up to greet him.
“You’re back?”
Long Xiaoyuan smiled and nodded. “We’re about to set off. Let’s go to your home to see your mother before leaving.”
Shi Qingzhou nodded. “That’s what I want.”
Long Xiaoyuan thought about it. “We’ve spent a lot of time here. Liu Suifeng should have finished making the preparation. Bring him along and feel your mother’s pulse. We can leave at ease if she is fine.”
Shi Qingzhou nodded. “Okay.”
Neither of them expected to have a delighted surprise.
“What? I’ve been pregnant for more than one month?” Madam Shi looked at Liu Suifeng in shock.
Liu Suifeng smiled. “Yes. Although you can’t feel it yet, it’s true.”
Shi Qingzhou was shocked, but at the same time, he was very happy. He had always regretted that the Shi family might not have any children in his generation. Although his parents could adopt kids, they were not biological. But now…
Madam Shi was ecstatic after she recovered from the shock. “This… is really…”
Long Xiaoyuan laughed. “Really? This is great! This child must be protected well.”
Liu Suifeng smiled and said. “Madam Shi, I’ll give you some pills to protect you and the baby. Take them with you. Take one every day for the first four months. In the three months that followed, take one in seven days. In the last two months, take one in three days. These are pills to strengthen your physique and they also have the effect of protecting the baby. It will only be beneficial to you. Take them according to my instruction. This prescription was praised by my master when he was alive.”
“Okay, I got it.” Madam Shi was very happy.
Liu Suifeng then turned to Long Xiaoyuan and Shi Qingzhou. “I need about a day to prepare so many pills.”
“Okay.” Long Xiaoyuan waved his hand. “We are not in a hurry.”
Liu Suifeng nodded and went to prepare.
Long Xiaoyuan left Shi Qingzhou behind with Madam Shi. He went out himself and didn’t bother them.
Madam Shi was so excited that she was tearful.
Shi Qingzhou smiled. “Mother, don’t cry. It’s said that crying is not good for the baby. You should feel happy.”
Madam Shi quickly wiped her tears away. “You’re right. This is a happy thing. Why am I crying?”
Madam Shi stopped crying. She was very happy.
Shi Qingzhou smiled. “Father hasn’t known this good news yet. I will tell him when I see him this time.”
“You’re going there?”
“Yes, I will go with the Emperor in secret. Mother, please don’t tell anyone.”
“Okay, okay, I won’t tell. You have to be careful.”
“That’s for sure. Mother, don’t worry. There are many Shadow Guardians and soldiers protecting us. Nothing bad will happen to us.”
“That’s true.” Madam Shi smiled and then she started to ask Shi Qingzhou to take different things with him, nagging for a long time.
Shi Qingzhou smiled and listened to her without interruption.
After a long time, Shi Qingzhou agreed to all she told him. “Mother, I will do as you say. I have to leave now.”
“Okay. Go now.” Madam Shi smiled. “I wish you a smooth journey.”
Shi Qingzhou nodded. “Thank you.”
Shi Qingzhou left her and went to the courtyard outside. They had arranged dozens of Shadow Guardians to protect Madam Shi. In addition, two female Shadow Guardians were assigned to follow her, replacing the waiting maids in her room.
The two female Shadow Guardians had been trained, and they had studied poison. In this way, they could prevent Madam Shi from being harmed or poisoned.
After everything was arranged, Long Xiaoyuan and Shi Qingzhou left the general’s mansion.
The two of them were very delighted with the arrival of a baby.
Long Xiaoyuan held Shi Qingzhou’s hand and got into the carriage.
“Qingzhou, are you happy? The Shi family will have a child.”
Shi Qingzhou nodded. “Yes, I’m really happy.”
Long Xiaoyuan kissed his lips. “So am I. We are going to have a little brother!”