Climbing to the Top: A Reborn Queen's Journey-Chapter 681: Trusted Subordinates (Part 2)

After discussing official matters, Jiang Shaohua deliberately took some time to chat with Tao Da and the others.

"Tao Da, you were seriously injured during the battle in Pingzhou. You’ve been recovering for more than half a year now. Are you really fully recovered?"

Tao Da replied in a muffled voice, "With Divine Doctor Sun here, he operated on me in time and saved my life. I’m all better now."

Qin Zhan rolled his eyes at Tao Da and turned to Jiang Shaohua to complain, "Actually, Tao Da should’ve rested for a few more months. But as soon as he heard that the Emperor summoned us to the Capital City, he couldn’t stay put and insisted on coming along. As a subordinate, I had no choice but to bring him."

Qin Zhan always treated Tao Da like half a son. His complaints were just excuses to plead for Tao Da!

Jiang Shaohua smiled with pursed lips, "Since he’s already here, I can’t just send him back. Here’s what we’ll do: while the army garrisons are moving and riding horses, Tao Da can stay here in the palace for a while as an Imperial Guard."

The Imperial Guard wears soft armor and carries swords, standing sentinel in the palace on a rotational basis. The work isn’t heavy, yet it’s prestigious.

Unexpectedly, Tao Da was reluctant, "Commandery Princess, there are too many rules in the palace. If I stay here, I’ll surely break the rules often and get punished. I’d rather go out on a mission!"

Qin Zhan glared at him, "Address him as the Emperor, and you must refer to yourself as ’subordinate’."

Tao Da scratched his head, feeling a bit wronged, "Emperor, this subordinate is not used to staying in the palace. Errands and delivering messages aren’t tasks I’m fit for. Please let me go do a task outside."

That’s true, Tao Da is just like a wild horse. Staying in the palace is like putting on a heavy yoke. How could he ever get used to it?

Jiang Shaohua thought for a moment and smiled, "Then go to the nearest stationed troop. It’s a short distance, and you can go back and forth in about ten days."

Tao Da’s spirits lifted, and he responded loudly.

Jiang Shaohua then cheerfully asked Xiao Tian, "Is your family still urging you to get married?"

Xiao Tian’s family consists of a father, mother, three older brothers, and two younger sisters. With many mouths to feed, life was hard. Xiao Tian joined the Personal Guard Camp for the generous military salary. With the money Xiao Tian sends home every month, the Tian family built a new house, found wives for three sons, and provided substantial dowries to marry off their two daughters.

Only Xiao Tian remains unmarried.

For the past two years, Xiao Tian has been busy with the Tang Family Grain Shop, traveling across the northern state districts, constantly on the move, with no time or thought for marriage and family.

Now, as Jiang Shaohua asked, Xiao Tian, now past the age of maturity, felt a bit shy, scratching his head, "They’re always urging me, but I told them there are many bachelors in the military camp. Brother Tao is five or six years older than me and still not married! I’ll wait until Brother Tao gets married before considering it."

Bringing up a touchy subject.

Is it that he doesn’t want to get married? It’s because the one he loves doesn’t want to marry.

Tao Da’s eyes widened as he glared at Xiao Tian, "I plan to stay a bachelor for life."

Xiao Tian grinned and swiftly responded, "Then I’ll be like you."

Everyone laughed together.

Jiang Shaohua, usually busy with state affairs, treasured today as a rare opportunity to casually laugh and chat with close aides, feeling relaxed and joyful, "Since there’s no rush to marry, you can wait another two years. In the future, I will find a good match for you."

Xiao Tian laughed and thanked her.

Qin Zhan gave Tao Da a nudge with his foot, "What are you dazed for? Quickly thank the Emperor for his grace."

Tao Da still refused to express gratitude, "I don’t want to marry."

This is because he’s still thinking about Kong Qingwan from the Personal Guard Camp; truly devoted.

Jiang Shaohua was tolerant of Tao Da and said with a smile, "If you don’t want to marry, then don’t. Whenever you want to marry, come and tell me."

Then, laughing, she turned to Li Tianxi, "You came to the Capital City this time too. How are the eagle-taming duties in the Personal Guard Camp arranged?"

In recent years, Li Tianxi has made great contributions, training dozens of eagles specifically for delivering messages. Nanyang County’s message delivery is almost twice as fast as the court’s, thanks to Li Tianxi.

Li Tianxi, full of energy, replied, "Emperor, rest assured, I haven’t held anything back. I’ve already trained four apprentices. Their skills in breeding and taming eagles are just as good."

"This time I came to the Capital City with a team of fifty and brought along a dozen eagles that have been trained for two years. Another year and a half of training, and they’ll be ready for use. In the future, if the Emperor wants to send messages to Nanyang County, the speed will be much faster."

Jiang Shaohua praised Li Tianxi with a smile, then inquired about how many children Li Tianxi’s wife had given birth to.

Li Tianxi smiled, "The first was a boy, bearing the surname Li. My cousin is pregnant again this year, and no matter if it’s a boy or a girl, this one will carry the surname Liu."

Liu Hengchang has only one daughter, and Li Tianxi is both his son-in-law and his nephew by blood. Before marriage, they agreed that the second child would carry the surname Liu.

Liu Hengchang’s face lit up with a smile, and he chimed in, "I plan to lead the troops to the farthest stationed camp and stay there for a while before returning. I might miss the birth of the child."

Discussing this in Zhaohai Palace felt seamless because their Empress was also expecting, and even the spacious Dragon Robe couldn’t hide her growing belly.

Jiang Shaohua listened with interest and casually said with a smile, "The timing seems to coincide with the child in my belly. If it’s a boy, in the future he’ll come to the palace to serve as an Imperial Guard. If it’s a girl, she’ll also come to the palace to take up a post."

Liu Hengchang, promoted four ranks, had never been as happy as he was at this moment, repeatedly offering thanks.

Li Tianxi was also overjoyed, gratefully acknowledging the Emperor’s grace.

Meanwhile, Meng Dashan looked on enviously, thinking he should hurry his son to marry Yin Zhu.

However, Qin Zhan could only sigh repeatedly. His own son was also a lovesick fool, with Sun Zelan determined to remain unmarried for life, and Qin Hu unwilling to marry anyone else, resolute to remain single forever. Truly troubling.

This time, they led two thousand Personal Guards into the Capital City, and father and daughter Sun Zelan came along too, currently staying in the palace—mainly to help the Empress with her pregnancy. Jiang Shaohua didn’t trust any Imperial Physician in the Imperial Hospital.

In the future, serving directly next to the Emperor could mean Qin Hu might see Sun Zelan often. There’s still a chance.

...

After Jiang Shaohua finished lunch, Doctor Sun came to check the safety pulse.

Sun Zelan also followed along.

Jiang Shaohua joked casually, "Are you feeling bored?"

Sun Zelan was not intimidated by the Emperor’s presence and nodded without politeness, "In the military camp, I was busy every day. Now that I’ve entered the palace, apart from coming over to check the safety pulse, there’s nothing to do every day...."

Doctor Sun lightly coughed, interrupting his daughter’s slightly disrespectful words, "The Emperor’s pulse is calm and steady, and the child in your womb is very healthy."

Sun Zelan continued, "...I’d rather go back to Nanyang County earlier!"

Doctor Sun: "..."