Adhere to the gentleman's principles

Chapter 223 The secret must not be revealed

In Jingzhou, Li Mansion, Zhou Aoyang rested his chin on his hand, Xu Wenhe sighed, and Xiao Xuantang played chess with Lin Muchen.

"You two have been playing chess for the whole day, take a break." Zhou Aoyang said.

Then Zhou Aoyang asked Xu Wenhe, "Xu Wenhe, what's wrong with you? Why are you sighing?"

Xu Wenhe said: "Ning Yi is in Pingliang, I miss her a little."

At that time, Li Ziyan returned to the mansion and saw that the four people all looked sad. "What's wrong with you four? Why do you look so sad?"

Zhou Aoyang said: "Xu Wenhe missed her Wang Ningyi. I was so bored that I was scared of being quiet recently. They played chess together for the whole day."

Li Ziyan raised his eyebrows slightly, "It just so happens that I need you to do something, Zhou Aoyang."

Zhou Aoyang's eyes lit up, "What's the matter?"

Li Ziyan said solemnly, "Your Majesty has sent an order. According to reliable intelligence, the branch tribe of Handan Chi is likely to launch an attack from Liangzhou. Your Majesty has specifically ordered you to go to the area and be responsible for repelling the invading enemy."

Zhou Aoyang responded without hesitation: "Brother Zi Yan, please rest assured! Leave Liangzhou to me. I will do my best to completely defeat the enemy and protect this land." His eyes were firm and confident, showing his confidence in completing the task.

Li Ziyan nodded slightly, expressing his approval and trust, and then added: "Of course I believe in your ability, but this mission is difficult and cannot afford to make mistakes. Brother Yang happens to be in Liangzhou. If you go to Liangzhou, you can take care of each other and ensure that nothing goes wrong."

Hearing this, Xiao Xuantang immediately stood up, walked quickly to Li Ziyan, and asked anxiously: "Ziyan, did my father give any other important instructions or arrangements regarding this matter?" His tone revealed his inner anxiety and worry.

Li Ziyan looked at Xiao Xuantang and replied calmly: "His Majesty specifically instructed Your Highness to remain patient and wait calmly for follow-up instructions." He conveyed the emperor's will and tried to calm Xiao Xuantang's emotions.

-

In the Imperial Master's Mansion, Ji Ce sat quietly at the table, holding the tortoise shell in his hand, shaking it gently, with wisdom gleaming in his eyes. He carefully observed the patterns on the tortoise shell and made calculations in his mind.

Suddenly, he sighed softly: "The emperor's family affairs are really complicated!"

Before he finished speaking, a steward came hurriedly and bowed to report: "Master, the King of Yue wants to see you."

Ji Ce'an raised his eyes slightly, glanced at the housekeeper, and then returned his gaze to the hexagram in his hand, with a slight smile on his face: "The King of Yue has already arrived, why do you want to see him? Please come and see him."

A moment later, Xiao Zhengshu stepped into the mansion and walked straight to the pavilion. From a distance, he saw Ji Ce'an sitting there, concentrating on studying the hexagram. He quickened his pace, came in front of Ji Ce'an, bowed respectfully, and said loudly: "National Master."

Ji Ce'an slowly raised his head, stared at Xiao Zhengshu with a sharp gaze, and said with a smile: "I wonder what brought the Second Prince to visit my humble abode today?"

Xiao Zhengshu quickly smiled and said, "You are too kind, Imperial Master. You are the Imperial Master and are deeply loved by my father. I came to visit you because I want to ask you some questions."

Ji Ce'an twirled his beard and nodded to show his agreement. He pointed to the seat next to him, motioning Xiao Zhengshu to sit down, and then asked, "Then, may I ask why you are here this time, Your Highness? Do you want to have a divination?"

Xiao Zhengshu nodded repeatedly and said anxiously, "That's right, I hope the national teacher will give me some advice. I have been feeling depressed lately and have been entangled in many affairs. I don't know what to do. So I came here and asked the national teacher to tell me a fortune and guide me out of the maze."

Xiao Zhengshu looked ahead with a determined look, and slowly said, "Then let's divine who will be the next monarch."

When Ji Ce'an heard this, he suddenly raised his head, but soon regained his composure. He smiled and picked up the tortoise shell, shook it gently a few times, and then looked carefully at the three coins that were poured out of it. Seeing this, Xiao Zhengshu hurriedly asked, "Master, how is it?"

Ji Ce'an was silent for a moment, then slowly replied: "The one who can defend the country, protect the land, feel the people's voices, and understand their sufferings is the monarch chosen by heaven."

Xiao Zhengshu was confused and asked, "Master, what do you mean by this? Can you just tell me who this person is?"

Ji Ce'an shook his head slightly and said firmly, "As the state teacher, my duty is only to predict the celestial phenomena for the ruler of a country. Today, I have made an exception and predicted the celestial phenomena for Your Highness. As for other matters, it is really inconvenient to say more. As the saying goes, the secrets of heaven cannot be revealed. Please forgive me, Your Highness."

Xiao Zhengshu stared at Ji Ce'an closely, with a complex light flashing in his eyes. However, Ji Ce'an remained calm and said lightly: "Everyone's heart belongs to himself. Your Highness must not be shaken by the words of others."

After hearing this, Xiao Zhengshu smiled, nodded, stood up and said, "I understand." After that, he turned and left.