Chapter 520 Does He Really Deserve a Beating?

"The imperial edict has arrived!"

"Princess Ankang accepts the order——"

Early in the morning, the eunuch delivering the order was greeted outside the gate of Jingyang Palace.

The three little ones have just finished their morning exercise and are about to prepare their breakfast.

Zhao Feng has been busy digesting his own thoughts these days, so he put aside the matter of coming to guide Yu'er in the morning.

Anyway, Yu'er's practice is now on the right track, and it will take time to settle down. Moreover, she has Li Xuan, a famous teacher, to guide her. Zhao Feng only needs to be present when teaching the exercises.

Zhao Feng still insists on teaching Yu'er on weekdays. First of all, he is more responsible and wants to see if Yu'er can continue to practice the three transformations of fish and dragon left by his friend.

The second time was to have breakfast. Anyway, there were so many dishes, and the three little ones couldn't finish them all. Zhao Feng, with a helpful attitude, often ate with him.

There are not many rules in Jingyang Palace, which is why Zhao Feng is willing to come here to have a meal.

Obviously, Zhao Feng has a more flexible attitude towards rules than Manager Shang.

Of course, the main thing is that Zhao Feng is willing to associate with the three little ones.

Ever since his adopted son Zhao Bugao had an accident, Zhao Feng always felt empty in his heart. Only when he was in contact with the three little ones could he make up for some shortcomings in this area.

Perhaps because he is older, Zhao Feng also likes to play with the juniors unconsciously.

But no matter what, when Sanxiao heard the noise outside, he immediately put down his job and opened the door to receive the order.

The content of the imperial edict is similar to what Manager Shang said some time ago, asking Princess Ankang to participate in a Cuju competition at the advanced camp tomorrow.

In the Cuju competition at the last Double Ninth Festival banquet, several princes and princesses who performed better were invited.

That is, the eldest prince, the third prince, the eighth prince and Princess Ankang.

They were also the top four players in the Cuju competition at that time.

This is an imperial edict, and Princess Ankang naturally has no possibility of rejecting it. She can only accept the edict obediently.

And there doesn't seem to be anything wrong with just going to play Cuju.

They have also been to Qianxing Pavilion this month, and Li Xuan can now ask Mr. Ye for advice on cultivation matters at any time.

The financial market outside the palace has gradually stabilized, and Li Xuan no longer needs to give Zhu Shimin regular guidance.

It seems that everything is on track, and at least the three little ones can be comfortable for a while.

After seeing off the father-in-law who was delivering the message, the three little ones prepared to participate in the Cuju competition tomorrow.

After all, he was attending a formal occasion under the orders of Emperor Yongyuan, so he had to be particular about dressing up and not be as casual as usual.

"Sister Yu'er, let's just put on the same Cuju uniforms and go there."

"There's no need to choose other clothes, right?"

Princess Ankang couldn't help but feel confused when she saw Yu'er rummaging through her wardrobe and picking out several sets of clothes.

"Your Highness, it's hard to say that we're going to play Cuju and then come back. If there are other activities after playing Cuju, we can't show up sweating profusely."

"Anyway, with Ah Xuan's help carrying things, there is nothing wrong with preparing more."

In this aspect, Yu'er is more thoughtful.

It would be fine if they were just going for a formality, a Cuju suit would be more than enough, but there would be a banquet or something.

These are Yu'er's professional tasks. Princess Ankang and Li Xuan still respect her very much and sit aside and watch Yu'er busy.

"Axuan, I didn't expect that we would have to play football again."

"I've always heard from Bago that there are many Cuju masters in the army. It just so happens that this time we go to see them."

While Yu'er was busy choosing clothes, Princess Ankang picked up Li Xuan and started teasing her.

While Yu'er was busy, she listened to the chatter of a person and a cat, and a gentle smile couldn't help but appear on her face.

…

Early the next morning.

The three little ones took the carriage out of the palace, gathered with others outside the palace, and then headed to the advance army camp together.

In addition to Princess Ankang, others have also prepared the frame.

The carriages of the others were naturally not as gorgeous as Princess Ankang's. Although they were inferior, they were still extremely luxurious.

It's just that the order of driving is a bit strange. Princess Ankang is in the front, and the other three princes are behind her.

Li Xuan felt strange, but after looking through the car window, he immediately understood that this was the ranking of the last Cuju competition.

After thinking about this, Li Xuan couldn't help but smile.

I don’t know whether these details were thought up by the Ministry of Internal Affairs or specially ordered by Emperor Yongyuan.

But from this point of view, there is no doubt that today’s protagonist is Princess Ankang.

"I heard before that Xungui is more supportive of Emperor Yongyuan."

"But this Cuju competition doesn't feel that simple."

Ever since Princess Ankang won the Cuju competition at the Double Ninth Festival Banquet, Li Xuan could feel that Emperor Yongyuan was pushing Princess Ankang to the forefront more and more.

The same goes for Princess Ankang, who had previously been asked to rectify the yamen that was not in a good position to prepare for war. The same goes for serving as the royal money envoy, each time becoming more high-profile.

I'm afraid that this time playing Cuju with the military also has the deep meaning of Emperor Yongyuan.

"Forget it, it's useless for me to think too much here."

"You'll know when you get there."

Li Xuan looked at the little girl who was leisurely admiring the scenery along the way, and immediately got into her arms, transformed into a cat and insect, and cooed.

"Hehe, Ah Xuan is getting better at acting like a baby every day."

A burst of delicate laughter like silver bells suddenly sounded in the carriage.

The carriage traveled for nearly two hours before the group arrived at the advance army camp.

The camp is located in an open area thirty miles outside the west gate of the capital, with flags covering the sky.

From a distance, the three little ones came to the car window and looked at the camp.

The camp was built in a staggered manner, implying a certain pattern, which made it pleasing to the eyes of laymen.

Li Xuan had learned from the two general managers that the camp in front of him was the elite selected from the eight guards of the capital.

The eight guards include the Imperial Guards, Dragon Warriors, Divine Warriors, Divine Strategy, Vermillion Bird, Azure Dragon, White Tiger and Black Warrior, a total of eight armies.

The Eight Guards are the eight most combat-effective troops in Daxing, and they have great advantages in equipment and manpower.

Most of the children of nobles basically joined the Eight Guards directly and started their military careers.

Most of the remaining soldiers rely on recommendations from other local troops.

In other words, only the elite in the army can be qualified to join the Eight Guards.

The Eight Forbidden Guards are different from ordinary troops stationed in the capital. In addition to being stationed in the capital, they are transferred to the front line every year to participate in actual combat. They are not a bunch of embroidered pillows led by young masters, but a strong army with real combat power.

Every year, according to the actual situation, two to four armies of the Eight Forbidden Guards will be transferred to the front line to participate in the war.

According to the situation in recent years, being able to stay in the capital for two years is considered the best luck.

After all, fighting will kill people, even for the most elite Eight Forbidden Guards.

But even if there will be deaths, the Eight Forbidden Guards still beg for the opportunity to be transferred to the front line one by one.

After all, if these generals want to get promoted, accumulating military merits is the fastest way.

Soon, a line of carriages and horses arrived at the gate of the camp.

Just approaching the camp, you can feel a murderous atmosphere.

This made Li Xuan very curious. He had never had such close contact with the soldiers of Daxing before.

When approaching the camp, the three little ones retracted their heads that were sticking out of the car window.

After all, with so many outsiders, those messy rules have to be followed again.

After the soldiers outside the camp confirmed their identities, they let them go directly.

Just when Li Xuan was wondering if there was no one to greet him, he soon heard a familiar hearty laugh.

"Hahaha, your highnesses are tired from the journey, it's really hard."

At this time, their carriages were also parked in an open parade ground.

Princess Ankang then hugged Li Xuan and got off the carriage with the help of Yu'er.

The other three princes also got off the carriage.

None of them thought that it would be Duke Hu himself who was waiting for them.

In addition, there was a group of young generals standing behind Duke Hu, who looked about the same age as the eldest prince and his men.

"I made Duke Hu wait here for so long."

The eldest prince said, leading his younger brothers and sisters to return the gift to Duke Hu.

In this occasion, the third prince and the eighth prince did not spoil the eldest prince's stage, and followed the respectful salute.

They are now representing the royal family, so they can't be rude.

Princess Ankang found that the third prince and the eighth prince could also get along well, and couldn't help but laugh secretly.

After all, they were princes of the current dynasty. It was fine for their family members to say a few unpleasant words behind the closed door in the imperial garden.

They would never do so in front of Duke Hu and others.

What's more, there were a group of young generals behind Duke Hu. These people could follow Duke Hu, which showed that they were all outstanding among their peers.

After a round of greetings, Duke Hu led several people who came to participate in the Cuju exchange competition to the big tent.

Judging from the specifications of this tent, it should belong to Duke Hu.

Princess Ankang and others also came here to talk with Duke Hu and found out that the commander of the advance army was actually him.

For the nobles, this is a good job.

Duke Hu was able to win the position of the commander of the advance army, which shows that he was deeply trusted by Emperor Yongyuan.

"Your Highnesses, let me introduce them to you."

"They are your opponents today."

Duke Hu said, introducing the young generals behind him to Princess Ankang and others.

There were quite a few people, so they just simply reported their names.

Princess Ankang smiled and nodded along with the other three princes, and she didn't know how many names she remembered.

But by listening to the surnames of these young generals, they could guess their respective origins.

Most of them had the same surname as the dukes they had met before.

These young generals all looked to be around 20 years old, and there were also some who looked more childish.

But many of them already had true qi fluctuations in their bodies, at least the same sixth-grade realm as the third prince.

It seems that the third prince's cultivation is very good among the princes and princesses, but among this group of young generals, he doesn't seem so special.

Li Xuan huddled in Princess Ankang's arms, blinking his curious big eyes and watching non-stop.

Many of the young generals who introduced themselves also took a second look at Princess Ankang and the black cat in her arms.

It is worth mentioning that there are actually several female generals among these young generals.

Five of the twelve are female, which is a small half.

The ratio of men to women among the generals surprised Li Xuan.

Due to the influence of the two saints, gender equality in Daxing is reflected in all aspects.

That's right, otherwise Emperor Yongyuan would not have arranged for Princess Ankang to participate in this Cuju exchange match.

After a simple greeting, Duke Hu did not waste any words and went straight to the point.

"Your Highnesses, it's getting late. Why don't we start the exchange match as soon as possible so that we can start the lunch as soon as possible later."

Princess Ankang and others set out from the palace early. After arriving at the camp, there was still an hour before noon.

With this arrangement, they could have lunch directly after playing Cuju, and the process was neat and tidy.

The eldest prince and others naturally had no objection to this.

The camp was not like other places. Even if they were princes and princesses, they could not stay here at will.

After finishing the exchange activities early, they also went back to the palace early.

Next, under the arrangement of Duke Hu, they walked out of the camp.

At this time, they found that while they were talking in the tent, someone had already set up a Cuju field in the training ground.

Playing Cuju in the army was not as cumbersome as the Chongyang banquet. There were only two goals on both sides of the training ground and the lines were drawn.

Compared with the Cuju competition in the palace, it was naturally much more shabby, but it was completely enough to play Cuju.

From this, we can see that the army emphasizes efficiency.

If Duke Hu made the scene too elaborate, Li Xuan would have to worry.

After all, the soldiers in the army should consider other things as little as possible except going into battle to kill the enemy.

Otherwise, there will be too many interferences and the soldiers will not be pure.

Duke Hu brought twelve young generals today, plus Princess Ankang and the other four, a total of sixteen people.

It is just right to be divided into two teams, eight people in each team.

Duke Hu did not say much, and immediately sent someone to make the sticks, and then draw lots to form teams.

The sticks were also very simple, just a broken wooden stick, half of which was dyed with red paint.

Soon, everyone was divided into teams.

The four princes and princesses drew lots to form teams separately, and the young generals did the same.

In the end, Princess Ankang and the eighth prince were in one team, and the eldest prince and the third prince were in another team.

As for the division of the young generals, it was interesting. Four of the five female generals were assigned to Princess Ankang’s side.

But no one was dissatisfied with such a team arrangement, they just walked to their own side silently and prepared to start the game.

Accustomed to the cumbersome games in the palace, Princess Ankang and the Eighth Prince were a little uncomfortable with the sudden efficiency and simplicity.

The eldest prince and the third prince talked with the players and began to get familiar with each other.

Since the third prince often mingled in the army, he seemed to be old acquaintances with many young generals, and soon livened up the atmosphere, not as reserved as Princess Ankang and the others.

Princess Ankang was also a bully at home, and she was as shy as she could be in front of strangers.

At this time, the self-familiar Eighth Prince came in handy.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Ankang is the champion of the Cuju competition at the Chongyang Banquet. There will be no problem with her."

"Let's work hard together and win this game."

The Eighth Prince smiled and said to the young generals in his team, hoping to boost their morale.

"This kid is pretending to be quite serious."

Compared to the past, the Eighth Prince pretended to be a prince.

Whether it was from the temperament, posture, tone and action, it was impeccable, making people feel like spring breeze.

But the Eighth Prince kept smiling for a long time, but found that the atmosphere was a little wrong.

"Huh?"

He found that his encouragement did not get the expected effect at all.

Several young generals in his team were silent, as if they did not hear the Eighth Prince's words.

Four of the female generals even looked at each other coldly, and did not give the Eighth Prince a good face at all.

The Eighth Prince silently retracted the smile on his face and glanced at Duke Hu outside the field in confusion.

It turned out that Duke Hu's face had been flushed at some point, and his body was trembling, as if he was enduring some great pain.

The Eighth Prince immediately understood something and pulled his face back.

Princess Ankang on the side couldn't help asking:

"Myna, why don't they pay attention to you? Isn't this too disrespectful to you?"

"You are a prince after all."

The Eighth Prince sighed as if he had accepted his fate:

"Don't mention it, they seem to be my distant relatives."

"Ankang, if they don't play football but kick me later, please help me stop them."

"Ah?" Princess Ankang was very puzzled when she heard this, but then she thought about the Eighth Prince's character and felt that it was not impossible, so she asked uncertainly: "Not really?"

These young generals have a bright future. Even if there is a deep hatred, they should not beat the prince in public.

But then Princess Ankang found something wrong.

There were no spectators around the parade ground except them.

In theory, they were here to hold an exchange match today to boost the morale of the advance army. How could it be possible without soldiers as spectators?

When Princess Ankang thought about it, it was not completely impossible for the Eighth Prince to be beaten.

Considering that Hu Guogong is the eighth prince's grandfather, she is more convinced of this possibility.

But Princess Ankang is a little confused. Since they are distant relatives of the eighth prince, why do they still beat him?

"Myna doesn't usually deserve a beating, right?"