Zhao Xu took the initiative to invite the two palaces to go out for fun, and the two palaces happily agreed.

Soon they arrived at the Imperial Garden.

Zhao Xu, on the other hand, had already ordered people to make preparations.

Two specially selected flowers were wrapped in silk cloth and turned into hairpins in the dexterous hands of the female officials.

Zhao Xu took the two silk flowers and tied them on the two palace heads with his own hands, then clapped his hands and praised them.

The Queen Mother and Queen Mother Xiang were very satisfied with this little surprise.

"The official family..." The Queen Mother took Zhao Xu's hand and said, "My mother-in-law is already fifty... I still give my mother-in-law a hairpin..."

Zhao Xu smiled and said: "But my grandson thinks this flower is very suitable for my mother-in-law..."

He asked Queen Mother Xiang: "Look, Queen Mother, does she look several years younger when she wears flowers?"

He smiled at the Queen Mother and said to the Queen Mother, "Mother, Sixth Brother is right!"

"The empress does look several years younger when she wears this flower!"

Then, she gently reached out and touched the silk flower on her head.

She feels as if she is several years younger!

The Queen Mother listened with a smile on her face.

Facts have proven that women love beauty no matter how old they are.

Therefore, the Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager Xiang took Zhao Xu to visit the imperial garden.

After a while, there was only laughter in the imperial garden.

When the two palaces started to play together, they took Zhao Xu to play the grass-fighting game that has been popular among women since the Han and Tang Dynasties.

I have to say that fighting grass is really a good way to kill time.

When both palaces had finished weaving a flower basket, it was already noon.

The two palaces took the flower baskets and took Zhao Xu back to Funing Palace. They had a meal in Funing Palace and waited for Zhao Xu to take a nap and fall asleep.

Queen Mother Xiang was in front of the royal couch, looking at the child sleeping on the bed, her eyes full of love.

"The Queen Mother is so lucky!" The Queen Mother was also very envious when she saw it.

All three of her sons are biological.

But all in all, none of them are as sensible, smart, and filial as Brother Six.

The Queen Mother replied with a smile: "Your Majesty, you are also very lucky!"

The Empress Dowager nodded: "This is the blessing of our ancestors and the blessing of Bodhisattvas!"

"That's right!" The Empress Dowager suddenly said: "In a few days, the wives of the relatives of Xunchen's family will enter the palace..."

"Your Majesty, please stay with me!"

He replied to the Queen Mother: "The bride will obey your Majesty's will!"

She certainly knew what to do.

Except for the Gao family and the Xiang family, the remaining married women of the Xunchen family will bring girls of the right age selected by their families into the palace.

I came here to choose between the two palaces.

Keep whoever you like.

"Have you chosen a date?" asked the Queen Mother.

The Empress Dowager replied: "I have been optimistic that Gengwu Day in June will be a good day..."

Empress Dowager Xiang calculated in her mind that Geng Wu was the eighth day of the lunar month, which seemed like a good day indeed, so she nodded: "The bride will remember it!"

…

When Zhao Xu fell asleep in Funing Hall.

On the far north bank of the Yellow River, in Jialu Village.

Lu Huiqing finally received the report: the main force of the Western bandits had withdrawn from the Mingtang River area.

Before that, news continued to come from various Qiang tribes at the eastern foot of Hengshan Mountain.

The Western bandits cavalry have been identified and are plundering various units in Hengshan to recruit grain and grass.

This triggered resistance from various Qiang tribes, but was severely suppressed. Several tribal leaders were killed, hundreds of people were executed, and two to three thousand people were subjected to various punishments.

Therefore, each tribe of the Qiang people sent envoys to Jialu Village to ask for help.

I beg the King of the Song Dynasty to be a teacher of benevolence and righteousness, and to save the people who are hanging upside down.

There was even a powerful Qiang chief who had read a few books and performed a scene in front of Lu Huiqing like Shen Baoxu crying at the Qin court.

But Lu Huiqing remained on hold.

This is because he has a hard heart and doesn't care about the life and death of the Qiang tribe in Hengshan!

It was also because Lu Huiqing smelled something wrong.

The West Thief’s reaction was so strange!

Generally speaking, the Western bandits would collect grain from the Hengshan Qiang tribe, but they would not go to this extent.

They used knives to force the Qiang tribe to provide food.

If you don’t give it, kill him!

Doesn’t this force the Qiang people to seek refuge with the Song Dynasty?

Lu Huiqing wondered if there might be fraud involved?

Could it be a plot by the Western thieves?

Therefore, he just comforted the Qiang people and actively prepared food and grass.

Now, at least 100,000 shi of grain and millions of bundles of fodder have been transported from Changping Granary at the rear.

This food was enough to feed Lu Huiqing's army for several months.

Anyway, Lu Huiqing made up her mind.

Just spend it here. If the main force of the Western thieves doesn't leave, they won't move. Let's see who has more food! Let's see who can't hold on first!

Now, we finally got the news that the main force of the Western Bandits has withdrawn westward!

Lu Huiqing no longer hesitated!

Once the main force of the Western bandits has withdrawn, it will not be so easy to come back!

Now, the vast Hengshan Mountains west of Ningxifeng, north of Jialu River, and east of Wuding River are all his hunting grounds, Lu Huiqing!

Dozens of large and small Qiang tribes and even Dangxiang tribes living in this area are all his prey!

Ten years of disrupting farming is not as good as one attack this year!

As long as there are no people around, the movements of the Western Bandits throughout the eastern foothills of Hengshan Mountain will be restricted!

Therefore, Lu Huiqing immediately summoned the Qiang chiefs who were crying in Jialu Village and asked them to put their blood seals on a written blood letter asking for help.

Then he immediately ordered people to deliver the blood letter asking for help and Lu Huiqing's personal memorial to Bianjing by horseback.

Before attacking, he needed authorization from Bianjing.

After all, this is not a small fight, but a battle involving twenty to thirty thousand troops, including the entire Hedong Army to select the front!

There was no decree, and there was no emergency such as the invasion of Western bandits. If he attacked rashly, he would be sure of what he said and give others a handle.

What Lu Huiqing knows is that the present is completely different from the past.

…

When Zhao Xu woke up, he saw the two palaces, both sitting in front of his bed, looking at him kindly.

"Sixth brother, after washing up, you have to go to Yanhe Hall..." Xiang Taihou said: "Xueshi Lu is waiting!"

Zhao Xu nodded and said: "Mother, why don't you wake me up..."

"It would be bad if we kept the bachelor waiting for too long!"

The Empress Dowager smiled and said: "It doesn't matter, the officials don't have to worry!"

However, Zhao Xu still urged Feng Jing seriously to wash up and change clothes.

When the two palaces saw each other, they both laughed.

He said to the Queen Mother: "Brother Six, don't worry, it's still early..."

But he didn't really dissuade him. He just watched with a smile as Zhao Xu washed himself under the service of the female officer and then dressed neatly.

The two palaces took Zhao Xu and drove from Funing Hall to Yanhe Hall.

…

Duke Lu was led again to the front of the Yanhe Hall, holding the imperial hut.
To be continued...